James Houston
b. November 10th, 1938 in Prichard (Alabama)
d. January 24th, 1992 in Saint Paul (Minnesota)
TEXAS BLUES vol.2
Blue Eye blog (mp3)
February 1958 - 1963
Excellent chanteur, James fait d'abord partie du groupe de Guitar Slim (c'est Slim qui lui donna le pseudonyme de Thunderbird). Il signe chez Duke en 1961 et livre une poignée de morceaux entre Blues et Rhythm & Blues, en particulier les superbes "Blue monday" (avec la guitare de Clarence Hollimon) et "You turn to cry". James quitte Duke en 1966 puis part en tournée avec Joe Tex et O.V. Wright. Au milieu des années 70, James se tourne vers la religion et abandonne la musique. Grâce à Gérard Herzhaft et son blog Blue Eye, cette première oeuvre a pu être rassemblée dans cette anthologie.
Excellent singer, James is initially part of the Guitar Slim backing band (it is Slim who gave him the pseudonym of Thunderbird). He signed with Duke in 1961 and delivered a handful of songs between Blues and Rhythm & Blues, especially the superb "Blue monday" (with Clarence Hollimon on guitar) and "You turn to cry". James left Duke in 1966 and then went on tour with Joe Tex and O.V. Wright. In the mid-70's, James turns to religion and abandon music. Thanks to Gérard Herzhaft and his Blue Eye blog, this first work could be gathered in this anthology.
BLUES COSTUME PARTY
Black Top
January 1988
CHECK OUT TIME
Black Top
February - March 1988
Redécouvert par Hammond Scott, Lloyd Lambert et Jeff Hannusch, James "Thunderbird" Davis trouve enfin l'opportunité d'enregistrer un premier album complet. Il s'agit d'une superbe réussite produite par les frères Hammond & Nauman Scott. Derrière James, on trouve un groupe de rêve avec Clarence Hollimon, Anson Funderburgh, Ron Levy, Lloyd Lambert, Grady Gaines, Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff. Particulièrement en forme, James interprète son répertoire - reprises et compositions originales - entre Blues et Rhythm & Blues cuivré. Quelques pépites remarquables comme "I'm ready now", "You did me wrong", "Check out time", "What else is there to do", "Come by here", "I should've known better".
Rediscovered by Hammond Scott, Lloyd Lambert and Jeff Hannusch, James "Thunderbird" Davis finally finds the opportunity to record a first complete album. This is a superb achievement produced by brothers Hammond & Nauman Scott. Behind James, there is an all-star backing band with Clarence Hollimon, Anson Funderburgh, Ron Levy, Lloyd Lambert, Grady Gaines, Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff. Particularly at ease, James performs his repertoire - covers and original compositions - between Blues and brassy Rhythm & Blues. Some remarkable gems like "I'm ready now", "You did me wrong", "Check out time", "What else is there to do", "Come by here", "I should've known better".
BLUES PAJAMA PARTY
Black Top
March 1988
Dans cette excellente anthologie Black Top, James chante le bon "If I had my life to live over" dans un style Rhythm & Blues.
In this excellent Black Top anthology, James sings the correct "If I had my life to live over" in a Rhythm & Blues style.
BLACK TOP BLUES-A-RAMA vol.2
Black Top
April 1988
Sur la scène du Tipitina's de la Nouvelle Orléans, James donne de sympathiques versions de "Blue monday" et "Hello sundown".
On the stage of Tipitina's in New Orleans, James gives nice versions of "Blue monday" and "Hello sundown".
BLACK TOP BLUES-A-RAMA vol.3
Black Top
May 1989
Nouvelle apparition sur la scène du Tipitina's avec d'excellentes relectures de "You turn to cry", "Don't want no woman" et "When there's no way out".
New appearance on the Tipitina's stage with excellent readings of "You turn to cry", "Don't want no woman" and "When there's no way out".
HEALING FEELING
Black Top
May 1989
James chante sur quatre morceaux dans cet album du guitariste Hubert Sumlin : "I don't want to hear about you", "Just like I treat you", "Without a friend like you" et surtout "Blue shadows". James décède d'un arrêt cardiaque sur la scène du Blue Saloon à Saint Paul (Minnesota), trois semaines avant qu'il n'enregistre un second album.
James sings on four tracks in this album of guitarist Hubert Sumlin : "I don't want to hear about you", "Just like I treat you", "Without a friend like you" and especially "Blue shadows". James dies of a cardiac arrest on the stage of the Blue Saloon in Saint Paul (Minnesota), three weeks before he records a second album.