Johnny Winter
Hey Where Is Your Brother

As my first review, I've decided to talk about one of the greatest and most charismatic blues guitarists that history remembers.

His name is Johnny Winter, originally from Texas, famous for being strikingly albino and for his live performances that have been thrilling audiences since 1969, when he was still performing alongside his brother Edgar. Johnny is a musician who, with his instinctive soloing—if I may use the term "animal"—totally engages anyone, blues enthusiasts alike, who listens to him; I was amazed the first time I had the chance to hear one of his records, and it didn't take long for me to consider him among my favorite bluesmen, on par with the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and Rory Gallagher.

After this necessary introduction, essential for framing the character, I will describe the record. "Hey Where Is Your Brother" is a fairly recent album (1992), but I chose it because it captures all the expressiveness of Johnny's blues phrasing, or "Johnny Guitar" as his friends and fans have always called him.

One of the great merits of this album is that it contains all the typical facets of the blues genre, and each song, masterfully played also thanks to the great Tom Compton on drums and Jeff Ganz on bass, highlights a different aspect. As usual, Johnny plays and sings in all the tracks, alternating his husky voice with his wild guitar riffs. The first song (on which, I assure you, it's impossible to stay still) is called "Johnny Guitar" and features a stunning solo that is the essence of old-school guitar blues. From the more upbeat "She Likes To Boogie Real Low" to the almost "Clapton-esque" "White Line Blues", where Johnny gives another taste of his solo flair. "Please Come Home For Christmas" is the '50s classic, a little gem where the albino brother Edgar appears as a guest, both as a vocalist and on saxophone (his first instrument).

The syncopated "Hard Way" and the fast "You Must Have A Twin" serve as a prelude to the inevitable slow blues "You Keep Sayin' That You're Leaving" which leaves you stunned by such class. With the next track, the scenario changes again with an "old style" blues accompanied by a driving harmonica. "Blues this Bad" is an acoustic slide blues reminiscent of the good old days, while "No More Doggin'" is the most classic shuffle-blues; after another slow song, you reach the wild "One Step Forward", a brief song that closes the platter with the right energy.

In short, if you are interested in the genre, this album is a sort of small encyclopedia of the blues, interpreted by great protagonists of the field. Recommended. A curiosity about the title: Johnny decided to call it this way in homage to his brother Edgar, whom fans in the '70s, wherever he went, would ask, "Hey, where's your brother?"

Tracklist:

1. 3:27 Johnny Guitar
2. 3:14 She Likes To Boogie Real Low
3. 4:44 White Line Blues
4. 4:36 Please Come Home For Christmas
5. 3:59 Hard Way
6. 2:45 You Must Have a Twin
7. 5:23 You Keep Sayin' That You're Leavin'
8. 3:44 Treat Me Like You Wanta
9. 3:38 Sick and Tired
10. 3:37 Blues This Bad
11. 3:34 No More Doggin'
12. 4:02 Check Out Her Mama
13. 5:28 Got My Brand On You
14. 2:29 One Step Forward (Two Steps Back)