Blues Roadhouse

Buddy Guy — “Ain’t Done With the Blues” — Silvertone/RCA Records

The words “living legend” are not always my favorite, because they are so commonly overused.

Not this time.

Buddy Guy is exactly that — a living legend. He turned 89 on July 30, the day he released his latest album, “Ain’t Done With the Blues.”

The title is a meaningful statement on two levels: He ain’t done with the blues, and the blues still ain’t done with us. Both still have a lot to give.

It was just about two years ago that Guy announced a Damn Right Farewell Tour and implied that it was time to hang it up. But that was two years ago, and the farewell tour is not only turning into a celebration of the new album, but also a declaration that the blues still burn brightly in his soul.

“This album is about where I’ve been, it’s about where I’m going, and the people I learned everything from,” says Buddy on the album, “…Muddy, Wolf, Walter, Sonny Boy, BB, I could go on and on. Before they passed, they used to say, ‘Man, if you outlive me, just keep the blues alive,’ and I’m trying to keep that promise.”

Guy has included a high-caliber roster on these 18 tracks. Guests include Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on “Where U At?;” Joe Walsh on “How Blues is That?,” Joe Bonamassa on “Dry Stick,” Peter Frampton on “It Keeps Me Young,” and the Blind Boys of Alabama on the gospel-soaked “Jesus Loves the Sinner,” The album was recorded in Nashville and New Orleans, with Guy, producer Tom Hambridge (drums) and Rob McNelly (rhythm guitar) as the core band members. Keyboardists are Kevin McKendree or Chuck Leavell, and bassists are Tal Wilkenfeld or Glenn Worf. Also appearing are Jeff Beck bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, and Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers on B3 and Wurlitzer. The uber-talented Hambridge also wrote or co-wrote much of the music with Richard Fleming, Gary Nicholson and Jimmy Tennant.

But what about the music? The originals and covers here stretch over the breadth of Guy’s career. His guitar work is vibrantly expressive, and explosive when needed. His vocals are seasoned by his 89 years, but still strong and smooth.

The opening track is a starkly brief take on John Lee Hooker’s classic “Boogie Chillun,” with Guy chuckling at the end: “That’s the first thing I ever learned how to play, man…” The biographical “Been There Done That” by Hambridge and Nicholson, with Guy’s blistering guitar, summarizes his life in blues: “I shake my head, and I can’t believe the hell that I’ve been through / My life feels like a movie, but every scene is true.” Two other tracks also reflect on Guy’s blues life: “How Blues is That,” with Walsh on guitar and vocals, and “It Keeps Me Young,” with Frampton contributing guitar and vocals.

More highlights include:
On “Where U At,” Guy trades licks with “Kingfish” Ingram in a sharp-edged display that hints of blues to come, shaped by what has been. “Blues On Top” is a more traditional slow-burning blues with a feisty piano adding to the mix.

“Dry Stick” adds Guy’s name to the writing credits, relating his mother’s advice on being prepared for life’s surprises, with a powerful vocal offering, aided by Bonamassa guitar licks: “Bound to be some heavy weather up ahead, I just go right back to what Mama said: Save a dry stick for a wet day, you never know what’s coming your way.” It’s a gorgeous effort, tucked midway through the album.

“Jesus Loves the Sinner” is a gospel-enriched Hambridge/Fleming song, adding the vocal talents of The Blind Boys of Alabama in a joyous nod to the shared roots of blues and gospel music.

“One From Lightnin'” pays a brief but heartfelt tribute to the heritage of Lightnin’ Hopkins, displaying one of Guy’s seldom-heard guitar skills — his acoustic talents. This is reminiscent of his 1991 album, “Alone & Acoustic,” recorded with Junior Wells in France in 1981 — it’s a quiet masterpiece that’s well worth the effort to track down.

The two closers are intriguing choices, reaching back into the early years of rock ”n’ roll and R&B.

“Send Me Some Loving” was a slow rocker recorded by Little Richard in 1957. Over a furious piano backing, Guy creates his own rocking vibe. He also pumps new life into the 1955 J.B. Lenoir chestnut, “Talk To Your Daughter.”

There’s considerably more Buddy Guy music sprinkled in between those tracks, all of it a testament to his massive presence in blues history, and his welcome influence on its future.

This blues’ living legend certainly “ain’t done with the blues.” And that’s good news for the rest of us.

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“How Blues is That” from the album:

Tracklist:

1 Hooker Thing
2 Been There Done That
3 Blues Chase The Blues Away
4 Where U At
5 Blues On Top
6 I Got Sumpin’ For You
7 How Blues Is That
8 Dry Stick
9 It Keeps Me Young
10 Love On A Budget
11 Jesus Loves The Sinner
12 Upside Down
13 One From Lightnin’
14 I Don’t Forget
15 Trick Bag
16 Swamp Poker
17 Send Me Some Loving
18 Talk To Your Daughter