John Lee Hooker
I'm John Lee Hooker

THE REVIEW

Texas Slim, Delta John, The Boogie Man, Johnny Williams, Little Pork Chops, John Lee Booker, John Lee Cooker and others, behind these early career pseudonyms used to circumvent contractual rules, was in reality one of the greatest and most important bluesmen of all time, namely the gigantic John Lee Hooker, who had already indelibly marked post-war blues since his first single in 1948 recorded for Modern Records, which contained, just for good measure, two gems that would become classics, namely "Sally Mae" and "Boogie Chillen'" as sides A and B respectively.
Given the premise, what other title could his first record have but "I'm John Lee Hooker" and in my opinion also to assert his unique and unmistakable style. Released in 1959 for Vee Jay Records, the LP contains 5 tracks recorded in January of the same year and the remaining 7 were recorded in various sessions between 1955 and '58.
The album opens immediately with a gem like "Dimples" (from '56), Hooker is supported here by Eddie Taylor on second guitar, George Washington on bass, and Tom Whitehead on drums, with riffs and melodies that became very famous. Already from this first track, one can find John Lee's typical boogie guitar style and the almost primitive immediacy of his Detroit and Chicago blues. With the same lineup, I also point out the seductive and suggestive "Baby Lee" which closes the album.
But the tracks that indelibly mark this record are those recorded in the '59 session, in particular "Hobo Blues", "Boogie Chillun" (a vowel change for a re-reading of the already mentioned "Boogie Chillen'"), "Crawlin' King Snake" and "I'm In The Mood" (a personal variation of "I'm In The Mood For Love" pop hit from '35), in these pieces "Hook" is solo: the voice is as always robust, warm and harsh, while the guitar plays the unmistakable and typical obsessive and magnetic style that has become a true trademark of Lee, all rhythmically driven by the backbeat of his foot. All these tracks had already been previously recorded by John, also for Modern Records (between '48 and '51), but these are top-notch versions, and in my opinion, "Boogie Chillun" remains the best version among the many he has recorded. Of "I'm In The Mood" (with the addition of Taylor's guitar), I personally continue to prefer the first version, the one from August 1951 with Eddie Kirkland on second guitar, anyway this is also a splendid variant.
The record certainly does not end here, other tracks are of high quality, and this is a milestone on the long and dusty road of blues, and when the listening is over one can only say: "Yes! This is truly the great John Lee Hooker!"