Reviews CD's:
CD
"Kat on the Keys".
Record Collector(England) feb.2000:" Modern
Records, founded in 1945, was one of the ten labels owned by the legendary
Bihari brothers of Los Angeles. Though it was essentially a rhythm and
blues outlet for local recording artists, the Bihari brothers soon began
to look further afield for talented blues performers.
Blues singer and pianist Little Willie Littlefield, who was born in El
Campo, Texas, in 1931,
moved to California after he was offered a recording contract. Between
1949 and 1952, he recorded the 25 tracks on this album.
They alternate between late-night blues and explosive hard-rockers. "Real
Fine Mama", "Rockin' Chair Mama" and "Hit the Road"
are just some of the infectious, piano-pounding cuts on this fine compilation
wich rank beside the work of R&B giants like Amos Milburn, having
the same urgent force that typifies late 40's and earlu 50's music of
this ilk."
CD
"The Stars of Rhythm and Blues".
Blues and Rhythm no.81 aug.1993: "Willie has
lost none of his piano-pounding abilities and his voice is as gruff as
of yesteryear. This is by far the best release form Rolf Schubert's stable
to date."
CD"The
Stars of Rhythm and Blues"
Living Blues sep/oct.1994: "Recreating the
past is a tricky proposition- unless you were there to begin with. This
triumvirate was."
CD
"I'm in the Mood".
Blues and Rhythm no.82 sep.1993: "When these
tracks were recorded in 1982-1983 Willie Littlefield was in his early
fifties. His vitality and enthusiasm are evident in the performances wich
were originally released on two Oldie Blues LP's, "Houseparty"
and "I'm in the mood". The menu consists of a mixture of blues
and predominantly, boogie woogie in a variety of settings; solo instrumentals,
solo piano and vocal, sometimes accompanied by bass and drums, sometimes
by just drums, sometimes by sax and drums. Willie wrote all the numbers
with the exception of Amos Milburn's "One More Drink", some
being remakes of earlier triumphs. This is Little Willie Littlefield,wizard
of the keyboard, at his lively best- a boogie and blues extravaganza."
CD
"LWL Plays the Boogie Woogie".
Living Blues sep./oct.1988: "It's surprising
how good this album is. The Amos Milburn echoes can be heard in opening
rumbling boogie piano on the first track Free Fun Boogie. They can also
be found on Johnson Rag, One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer, Chicken Shack
Boogie and Roomin'House Boogie, all of wich derive from Milburn's repertoire.
Other songs here include a nice remake of Ruby,Ruby, a hot version of
the jazz classic 12 th Street Rag, as well as Littlefield's own Undecided
Boogie.
It's a delight to listen to Littlefield's forceful playing and gutsy vocals,
and his adaptions of what were originally small combo recordings come
off very well. Those familiar with the solo recordings on the Ace reissue
will have some idea of what to expect; others are in for a treat. A highly
recommended album."
CD
"LWL goes Rhythm and Blues".
Stereo high fidelity und musik (Germany)okt.1992:
"Little Willie Littlefield is the king of Texas Boogie. His masterly
technical skills and and good humour make every take of this album an
experience".
CD
"Yellow Boogie and Blues"
Block(Holland) jan/feb/march1995: "On this
CD Little Willie Littlefield plays and sings boogies, ballads, evergreens
and bluesstandards, accompanied by bass, drums, sax and clarinet. Yellow
Boogie and Blues is a brilliant and varied CD by a unique, and almost
one of a kind topmusician"
CD
"The Red One".
Blues Acces 1998. "Albert Ammons, Charles Brown
and Amos Milburn are all obvious influences on this brilliant pianist
and vocalist. His repertoire zigzags through a field strewn with instrumental
boogie woogie and jazzy R&B standards. His vocals bring to mind Nat
King Cole here, Charles Brown or Floyd Dixon there. He covers Cecil Gant's
"I Wonder"(with great delicacy and sentimentality), Huey Piano
Smith's "Sea Cruise"(with mandatory bounce and tenor sax support),
Charles Brown's "Drifting Blues"(with more than a little nod
to the original) and Ivory Joe Hunter's "Blues at Sunrise"(played
as blue as blues gets).
Other familiar covers include "Route 66"and "Caldonia".Littlefield
also pens another nine tunes, including stand-outs "Rhumba Blues"on
wich a Niagara of notes cascades from his right hand against a rhumba
beat, "Little Willie's Blues"wich starts in waltz mode before
kicking into the familiar eight-to-the-bar and the quiet, jazz-inflected
"Call Him Mr.Blues".
The sound quality is outstanding. A word needs also be said about Littlefield's
back-up band. These are obviously cats who regularly log hours in small
jazz combos plucking the upright bass and swishing the brushes and their
support of Littlefield is immaculate in its taste. A thorougly enjoyable
hour of music."
CD
"The Red One".
Living Blues sep.oct.1998:"America's loss has
been Holland's gain, as far as Little Willie Littlefield is concerned.
The boogie pianist, who waxed a load of scintillating jump blues on the
West Coast during the late 1940's and 50's for Modern and Federal, has
been ensconced overseas in recent years, making rare forays home and cutting
an occasional CD for Oldie Blues. Littlefield's thundering left hand is
as powerful as ever on this CD. Whether in a solo context or backed by
bass and drums, Littlefield pounds out one hellacious boogie after another.
Boogie Woogie Jam, the clever Wooden Heart Boogie, Little Willie's Boogie,
Willie's Boogie Woogie Blues, and Thunder and Rumble are piledriving instrumentals
that showcase the pianist's prodigious chops. But ample room is also provided
for a few mellow L.A.-style blues forays, Littlefield offering smooth
vocal renditions of Ivory Joe Hunter's Blues at Sunrise, Charles Brown's
Drifting Blues and Cecil Gant's I Wonder."
Blues
Unlimited march 1969:
"When I have gone to see him he has done some moving renditions of
"It's Midnight" , "Life of Trouble"and others. He
is in top form and any blues fan who is the area should stop at the Red
Stag in San Jose and ask Willie to play the blues."
Blues
Unlimited no.131/132 sep/dec.1978.
Sacramento Blues Festival 1978.
" Robert Kelton (Jimmy Mc.Cracklin's old guitar player) was followed
by the incomparable Little Willie Littlefield, the non pareil piano player.
Willie came up from San Jose to participate and was marvelous. He played
for twenty minutes before stopping because of the heat. He had the crowd
clamouring for more but he was dehydrated and needed to repair for liquid
refreshment".
Badische
Zeitung 2juli 1986.
Concert in Jazztone Lorrach, Germany.
"Willie Littlefield is a fantastic boogie woogie pianist, but he
also plays West-coast blues and jazz with sensitive subtlety. His performance
and his contact with the audience are a guarantee for a festive mood."
Block
(Holland) nr.62 1987.
Meervaart Bluesfestival Amsterdam.
"Little
Willie Littlefield is top class. We are proud to have him in our country."
Living
Blues sep.oct.1988.
Chicago Bluesfestival 1988.
"Little Willie Littlefield, another Texas piano player, was the featured
pianist on Sunday night, and played a rousing set. With his right leg
stomping that Texas beat, Littlefield held the audience's attentention
during his 50-minute set, singing the songs that made him popular in Texas
during the 50's, such as K.C.Loving(later to be adapted by Leiber and
Stoller to Kansas City),and It's Midnight."
Blues
and Rhythm no.45 july 1989.
First National Burnley Blues Festival, England.
"...Then the incredible Little Willie Littlefield bounded on stage
and launched into his solo spot with a fast and furious "I like it".
Willie is a joy to see-at 60 years of age he has the energy and vitality
of a man half his age. Throughout two spots and an encore adding up to
over two hours, Willie never let up, treating us to splendid versions
of his old 40's and 50's hits such as "Cheerful Baby"and several
period pieces like "Stormy Monday", "Let The Good Times
Roll"and Chicken Shack Boogie" before being joined by the Big
Town Playboys for a bluesy "Going Down Slow" then letting rip
on "Good Rocking Tonight". An unexpected treat was a superb
version of Loyd Gleen's "Chica-Boo"and a nice slow "Round
About Midnight". After the int
erval Willie tore the house down with "Woke Up This Morning"and
"Honky Tonk Train Blues". A deafening encore brought him back
with "Shake Rattle And Roll" after wich he took over the drums
for a short spell before inviting Mike Sanchez on stage for a piano "battle"before
finally finishing with "One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer".
Block
nr.82 1992.
Blues Fair 1992 Peer Belgium.
"The absolute top of the festival was Little Willie Littlefield.
Astonishing energy, one boogie after another. What an energy, technique
and performance has this man!"
Hildener
Zeitung 5.Dezember 1994.
Unicef Gala Germany.
"Little Willie Littlefield is a vulcano of temperament with great
improvisation-ability, but this with an unbelievable virtuosity."
Block
jan.2000.
Bluesfestival Oss, Holland.
"Little Willie Littlefield made the sold-out house swing like no
one
else did."
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