John Lee Hooker Jr. bears the name of one of the greatest blues men who ever lived, and although he will never be the icon that his Dad was, he is deserving of our attention. A 2005 Handy Award winner for Best New Artist he was also nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album for "Blues with a Vengeance". That album included "Goin' Down to Baghdad", a novelty song which served to draw attention to this emerging new artist.

John's much awaited follow-up album and first on Telarc will be released on June 27th, 2006. John is a formidable songwriter, a great singer and a bandleader. He fronts a band consisting of John Garcia Jr, Jeffrey James Horan, and Ray Rente, guitars; "Will "Roc" Griffin, keyboards; Frank "Tebo" Thibeaux, bass; and Michael Skinner and/or Michael Rogers, drums. John utilizes the horn section of "Mighty Bone" Feliciano, Frankie "B" Bailey and Alphonso "AG" Guillory, when it is appropriate. Background vocals are by "The O' Town Passion Singers".

From the opening track "You Blew It Baby" John sings to the women, "you chose a looser for a winner, you quit a veteran for a beginner, you blew it baby". "Fed Up" is about friends you don't really need and "Cold As Ice" about women with a history of using men. "Somebody's Out to Get Me" continues his persecution complex blues. He sings these with a bravado that is infectious. The lyrics are always topical and humorous.

"Do Daddy", is John's tribute to his Dad, and it works, perhaps because its reggae beat hides its sentimentality. John sings "because he did everything he said he'd do" and as the song fades "I miss you do daddy". "Wait Until My Change Comes", is about hitting the bottom. "4 Hours Straight" is John's sexual resume, and it turns into Z.Z. Hill's "Blues Man". John says "the keyboard player is a bluesman too". "Trapped" is about a shotgun wedding. "I'm In The Mood" is a cover of one of his dad's tunes re-arranged to accommodate John's style. "I Got To Be Me" is autobiographical. "Oh Baby" and "Eva'body Pays Attention" close this album. Everybody pays attention when he's talking about his baby.

The album is thoroughly enjoyable, perhaps one of year's best. The album's concept is to get you to know John Lee Hooker Jr. It succeeds but mostly it really, really, really makes you want to see him live. Learn more about John Lee Hooker, Jr. at www.johnleehookerjr.com

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com