Record of the Day: Slim Harpo, “The Best of Slim Harpo”

Slim Harpo
“The Best of Slim Harpo” (CD Hip-O HIPD-40072)

Of all the great bluesmen in history, Slim Harpo is the one who most interested the young rockers who in the ’60s started the phenomenon of the so-called British Invasion by rediscovering and recording the music of blues pioneers who were often overlooked (if not completely neglected) in their homeland, the United States.
The Rolling Stones were among the first to put the spotlight back on James Isaac Moore, aka Slim Harpo, who would exert a lasting influence
fundamental to the band’s style, as demonstrated by the cover versions from the early days (“I’m a King Bee”) up to the years of stylistic maturity of “Exile On Main Street” (“Shake Your Hips”, a composition clearly inspired by John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillin'”, which Jagger photocopies from Slim’s version in every little detail).

Harpo’s nasal, piercing vocal style would become an integral part of the English rock vocabulary, as would the upbeat tempo of many of his records, which broke away from the predominantly African-American music market and gained widespread popularity among white listeners (which was far from a given at the time).
Slim Harpo’s harmonica playing does not venture into the virtuosity found in players like James Cotton and Sonny Terry, it remains essential but extraordinarily incisive, managing to leave its mark even in solos lasting a few seconds.

The song “Baby, Scratch My Back” was covered in a soul/funk version by James Brown (with whom Slim Harpo toured in 1966), and
Slim’s work was plundered by musicians such as the Yardbirds, Kinks, Them, Jeff Beck and even Hank Williams Jr. who had a
huge success in the country market with “Rainin’ in My Heart”.

Like too many blues musicians, Slim was also the victim of constant deception by unscrupulous and vampire record producers, who
through restrictive contracts they took advantage of the fat royalties derived from the rock versions of his songs to enrich themselves, leaving him only the crumbs.
When things finally seemed to be settling down on this side thanks to continuous legal battles, Harpo was the victim of a heart attack that killed him in 1970, preventing him from being part of the great blues revival of those years, which brought musicians like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters back to success in England.

Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical subjects.

This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: Un disco per ogni giorno dell’anno” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.