Mississippi Delta Dues [Sunnyside]

• Artist: Mickey Baker
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1973
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

This is a solid collection of acoustic tracks recorded by McHouston "Mickey" Baker in London in 1973. The tunes feature Baker on vocals and acoustic guitars, but Stefan Grossman helps out some, as does itinerant percussion master Ray Cooper. While there are solid and highly individual covers of material here by J.B. Lenoir ("Good Advice"); Charley Patton ("High Sheriff Blues"); Leadbelly ("Whoa! Back Buck"); Son House ("Sun Is Going Down"), and Robert Johnson ("Sweet Home Chicago" and "Terraplane Blues"), it is Baker's originals that really shine. The funky "Trouble Is a Woman" with Cooper and Grossman; "Drucilla," written by Baker and Peter Chatman, and another of their collaborations in "Animal Farm" (the latter with one of a few selections recorded with a string section). This may be authentic Delta blues, but Baker is a restless man and is not content to let things be. The string arrangements are off-putting at first, but upon repeated listening make perfect sense in lieu of the material. Mississippi Delta Blues is as fine an introduction to Mickey Baker as there is. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Good Advice	J.B. Lenoir	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:06)
High Sheriff Blues	Charley Patton	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:41)
Blues Before Sunrise	Leroy Carr	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:44)
Terraplane Blues	Robert Johnson	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(2:51)
Animal Farm	Peter Chatman, McHouston "Mickey" Baker	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:33)
Alabama March	J.B. Lenoir	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:31)
Sun Is Going Down		McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:43)
Sweet Home Chicago	Robert Johnson	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:28)
My Black Woman		McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(2:45)
Can't Find My Woman	Leroy Carr	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:27)
Trouble Is a Woman	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:29)
Lazy Daisy	Stefan Grossman, McHouston "Mickey" Baker	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:00)
Spoonful [*]	Charley Patton	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(3:09)
Drucilla [*]	Peter Chatman, McHouston "Mickey" Baker	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(4:19)
Whoa! Back Buck [*]	Huddie Ledbetter	McHouston "Mickey" Baker	(5:09)

Credits

Anna Zagorski (Editing), Stefan Grossman (Guitar (Acoustic)), Philippe Rault (Liner Notes), Martin Davis (Liner Notes), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (Guitar (Acoustic)), Stefan Grossman (Guitar (12 String Acoustic)), Jean Vern (Cover Art), Alain Frappier (Art Direction), Philippe Rault (Producer), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (String Arrangements), Stefan Grossman (Photography), Michelle Mercier (Project Coordinator), Ray Cooper (Percussion), Philippe Rault (Project Coordinator), Daniel Richard (Supervisor), Keith Harwood (Engineer), Keith Harwood (Mixing), Les Sampson (Bass), Stefan Grossman (Liner Notes), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (National Steel Guitar), Alan Roberts (Drums), Alain Marouani (Photography), David Katz (Director), Philippe Rault (Audio Production), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (Vocals), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (Liner Notes), McHouston "Mickey" Baker (Conductor)