Robert Lee Parker
b. August 31th, 1937 in Lafayette (Louisiana)
d. October 31th, 2013 in Bowie (Maryland)
SOUL OF THE BLUES
Rhythm & Blues
August 1956 - December 1968 / 1995
Il nait en Louisiane mais grandit en Californie à Los Angeles dès 1943. Passionné de Jazz et de Blues, il apprend la guitare et débute à la fin des années 50 dans les orchestres d'Otis Williams & The Charms, Bo Diddley et de Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams (parfois sous le nom de Bobby Parks) dans un style Rhythm & Blues. Désireux de voler de ses propres ailes, Bobby quitte l'orchestre de Williams et s'installe à Washington (et joue dans les clubs de la 14ème Rue). Il propose d'abord un très beau blues "Blues get off my shoulder" pour le label Vee-Jay accompagné de "You got what it takes". Il obtient un premier hit avec "Watch your step" pour le label V-Tone (un titre repris plus tard par le Spencer Davis Group) qui influencera beaucoup d'artistes des Beatles à Santana. On remarque sur ses premiers titres sa voix claire et puissante, son jeu de guitare mordant, incisif. Même s'il ne remporte que peu de succès pendant les années 60, Bobby tourne en Angleterre en 1968 où il grave deux titres pour Mike Vernon (l'excellent "Quit my baby"). Il reste dans l'ombre durant les années 70 et 80 semblant continuer à se produire dans sa région de Washington / Baltimore. Sur ce double CD, édité en 2020 par le label anglais Rhythm & Blues, on trouve aussi quelques titres où Bobby joue derrière The Emeralds, Paul Williams, Bo Diddley ou Nat Hall ainsi que d'intéressantes pistes live datant de 1995.
He was born in Louisiana but grew up in Los Angeles (California) from 1943. Passionate about jazz and blues, he learned guitar and began playing in the late 1950's in the orchestras of Otis Williams & The Charms, Bo Diddley and Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams (sometimes under the name Bobby Parks) in a Rhythm & Blues style. Eager to strike out on his own, Bobby left Williams' orchestra and settled in Washington, D.C. (and played in the clubs on 14th Street). He first released a beautiful blues song "Blues get off my shoulder" for the Vee-Jay label along with "You got what it takes". He had his first hit with "Watch your step" for the V-Tone label (a song later covered by the Spencer Davis Group), which would influence many artists, from the Beatles to Santana. His early recordings showcase his clear and powerful voice and his biting, incisive guitar playing. Although he achieved little success during the 1960's, Bobby toured England in 1968 where he recorded two tracks for Mike Vernon (including the excellent "Quit my baby"). He remained relatively unknown during the 1970's and 80's, seemingly continuing to perform in his Washington/Baltimore area. This double CD, released in 2020 by the british label Rhythm & Blues, also includes tracks where Bobby plays backing The Emeralds, Paul Williams, Bo Diddley or Nat Hall, as well as some interesting live recordings from 1995.
BENT OUT OF SHAPE
Black Top
September 1992
Il s'agit de son premier album. Bobby montre ici ses talents exceptionnels de compositeur (il a composé tous les titres du programme sauf un). Son chant est superbe, sa guitare étincelante et virtuose. Les musiciens derrière lui sont bien sur de remarquables sidemen (Sammy Berfect, Lee Allen Zeno, Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff). Une tranche de Soul-Blues cuivrée et accrocheuse comme sur "It's hard but it's fair", "Bent out of shape", "So glad I found you", "Watch your step", "Break it up" (un morceau composé par Carey Bell selon les notes de pochette), "I've got a way with women", "Bobby a go go" et "Blues get off my shoulder".
This is his first album. Bobby shows his exceptional compositional talents here (he composed all the titles of the program except one). His singing is superb, his guitar sparkling and virtuoso. The musicians behind him are of course remarkable sidemen (Sammy Berfect, Lee Allen Zeno, Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff). A slice of brassy and catchy Soul-Blues as on "It's hard but it's fair", "Bent out of shape", "So glad I found you", "Watch your step", "Break it up" (a piece composed by Carey Bell according to liner notes), "I've got a way with women", "Bobby a go go" and "Blues get off my shoulder".
BLUES COSTUME PARTY
Black Top
September 1992
NEW GEORGE'S SAN RAFAEL 1993
Rhythm & Blues
October 1993
SHINE ME UP
Black Top
April - May 1995
Second album pour le label Black Top des frères Hammond & Nauman Scott. Encore une fois, Bobby a composé la presque totalité des titres. Dans la directe continuation de "Bent out of shape", cet album possède un superbe programme quoique moins intense que précédemment. On peut ressortir "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do", "Stamps on your letter", "Wild thing", "Skeezer", "Somebody's comin' in my back door", "Get hip".
Second album for Black Top label of brothers Hammond & Nauman Scott. Once again, Bobby composed almost all the titles. In the direct continuation of "Bent out of shape", this album has a superb program although less intense than before. We can point out "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do", "Stamps on your letter", "Wild thing", "Skeezer", "Somebody's comin' in my back door", "Get hip".
BLUES MISTLETOE & SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER
Black Top
May 1995
On trouve dans cette anthologie le superbe et funky "Sandy Claw stole my woman" issu des séances de l'album "Shine me up".
We find in this anthology the superb and funky "Sandy Claw stole my woman" from the sessions of the "Shine me up" album.