I have always preferred Bukka White's pre-war recordings to those of his post-rediscovery. They just get under my skin and linger more than most of the stuff White did through the Sixties, strong as a great deal of that material was. This concert's had me rethinking that particular bias. It is precisely that much of a revelation.
From what I gather, this concert was sponsored by the German bank, Sparkasse, in March, 1975, hence "The Sparkasse Concert" is the most frequently cited subtitle...when one can find any mention of this set at all. Stefan Wirz's discographies, which are usually spot-on, even gets a little hazy on this one. No label is cited as issuing this LP (though Sparkasse apparently had a role)--and, further, Wirz gets the release date wrong, stating it as "1/75," which requires more than a leap of faith as the concert didn't even occur until March. Shall we say this was released into circulation in January, '76? To make things even more confusing is that this was apparently taped for Radio Bremen.
What we do know, pretty much indisputably, is that Bukka's in top form for this show. This is an amazing live document of a bluesman at the end of his career and still an undiminished force to be reckoned with.
Peace, Mudcatz
Bukka White
Country Blues
"The Sparkasse Concert"
Bremen, Germany
March 11, 1975
(Vinyl rip @320/kps)
1. Black Rat
2. Way Out in the West
3. Mama Don't Allow
4. Stuttgart, Arkansas
5. Don't Fuzz Blues
6. Big Boat Up the River
7. New Orleans Streamline
8. Everyday I Have the Blues
9. Aberdeen Blues
10. Midnight Blues
11. Poor Boy
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