Light: On the South Side - Numero Group Compilation (No.33)

Deluxe 2xLP, Compilation, Stereo, Mono, hardbound Book Box Set.
Numero Group create their most lavish package yet-- a look at the 1970s Chicago soul scene, complete with a book full of Michael Abramson photography.

Numero has put together a gorgeous set in aural and visual form thematically centered on the storied Pepper's Hideout from the early `70's. It's one of those iconic places that always comes up when Chicago blues clubs are mentioned. Musically, rhythmic funk beats dominate the selections, but you can hear just how strongly the songs are rooted in the previous decades of electric Chicago Blues. Visually, a sumptuous hardbound black and white photography volume provides a documentary record of the scene at Pepper's.

Several things I'd like to bring to your attention: The liner notes on the LP jackets provide detailed information on Pepper's scene, Little Mack Simmons role there, and the featured jukebox 45 records. I can't think of another compilation where I've encountered such a well done, complete, and insightful description of this little slice of the blues world. The LP liners also have full color reproductions of the 45 labels, providing a nice visual bonus. You will need a record player, though, to hear the music.

One of the most honest and beautiful photographic and phonographic documents of an era in Chicago's Black musical history, Michael Abramson's black and white photographs, reproduced in large duotones, show a south side Chicago community of small musical venues during the mid 1970s. Unlike most of the musical books you find on the shelves, Abramson points his camera toward the patrons, the Everyday People out for the night to dress up, have some drinks, see your friends and neighbors and hear some live music. With his use of a wide-angle lens combined with shooting in some pretty tight quarters, the viewer is sucked right into the moment. What allowed this to become a 2010 Grammy nomination is the inclusion of two 33-1/3 vinyl LPs of music by the bands that were the regular performers at these clubs. A must for blues lovers, neighborhood bar lovers, night life lovers, and lovers in general. I grew up on the south side of Chicago during the 60s and 70s, and this is a truly magnificent book about a truly innocent time.

Buy the book, bring it home, put on the LPs, crank it up, open the book, and you'll see a little bit of how we spent our Friday and Saturday nights a long time ago...

A1 Arelean Brown– I'm A Streaker Baby
A2 Bobby Rush– Bowlegged Woman, Knock Kneed Man
A3 Ricky Allen– No Better Time Than Now
A4 Malcolm Simmons*– The Same One
A5 Lady Margo– This Is My Prayer (To Find Someone Of My Own)
B1 Andrew Brown– You Made Me Suffer
B2 Artie White– Gimmie Some Of Yours (I'll Give You Some Of Mine)
B3 Lucille Spann– Womans Lib
B4 Hugh Hawkins– Bring It Down Front
C1 Slim Willis Band– I Sayed That
C2 Little Ed – It's A Dream
C3 Syl Johnson– Is It Because I'm Black (Inst.)
C4 Walter "Butterball" Davis– Baby (Wacha Doin' To Me)
C5 Willie Williams– Detroit Blues
D1 Little Mack –Goose Walk
D2 Detroit Jr. – Young Blood
D3 Willie Davis – I Learned My Lesson
D4 James Kinds & Stack – California Lady