James Olin Burns
b. February 27th, 1943 in Dublin (Mississippi)
THE USA RECORDS BLUES STORY
Fuel 2000
1964
Petit frère d'Eddie Burns, Jimmy grandit dans une plantation de coton. Adolescent, il arrive à Chicago avec sa famille et commence à chanter avec le groupe de Doo-Wop The Medallionaires en 1959. En solitaire, il grave deux morceaux pour le label USA : "Forget it" et "Through all your faults".
Little brother of Eddie Burns, Jimmy grew up on a cotton plantation. As a teenager, he arrived in Chicago with his family and began singing with the Doo-Wop band The Medallionaires in 1959. Alone, he cut two tracks for the USA label : "Forget it" and "Through all your faults".
LEAVING HERE WALKING
Delmark
April 1996
Jimmy Burns est resté dans l'obscurité dans les années 60 et 70 malgré une poignée de titres gravés pour différents labels (USA, Minit Dispo, Erica). Finalement, il abandonne plus ou moins la musique au début des années 70 et travaille dans son propre restaurant (Uncle Mickey's). Cependant au début des années 90, Jimmy joue régulièrement au Smokedaddy Club où il est repéré par Bob Koester qui lui propose d'enregistrer pour son label Delmark. Produit par Scott Dirks, Jimmy grave donc ce premier album parfaitement accompagné par un groupe compact : Rockin' Johnny Burgin (guitare), Sho Komiya (basse), Kelly Littleton (batterie) et l'excellent Martin Lange (harmonica). Jimmy s'impose comme un superbe chanteur et un guitariste dans la plus pure tradition du Delta Blues. Bien qu'il y ait beaucoup de reprises, la tracklist est intense et pleine de feeling. On peut retenir "Leaving here walking", "Miss Annie Lou", "Whiskey headed woman", One room country shack", "Better know what you're doing", "Mean mistreating mama".
Jimmy Burns remained in obscurity in the 60's and 70's despite a handful of titles recorded for different labels (USA, Minit Dispo, Erica). Eventually, he more or less gives up the music in the early 70's and worked in his own restaurant (Uncle Mickey's). However at the beginning of the 90's, Jimmy played regularly at the Smokedaddy Club where he was spotted by Bob Koester who offered him to record for his Delmark label. Produced by Scott Dirks, Jimmy records this first album perfectly accompanied by a compact backing band : Rockin' Johnny Burgin (guitar), Sho Komiya (bass), Kelly Littleton (drums) and the excellent Martin Lange (harmonica). Jimmy stands out as a superb singer and a guitarist in the purest tradition of Delta Blues. Although there are many covers, the tracklist is intense and full of feelings. We can point out "Leaving here walking", "Miss Annie Lou", "Whiskey headed woman", One room country shack", "Better know what you're doing", "Mean mistreating mama".
BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE
Delmark
October 1996
Il s'agit d'un concert qui fut organisé pour le soutien de l'émission de radio "Blues before sunrise" animée par Steve Cushing sur WBEZ. Un disque intéressant, quoique relativement mineur, qui permet, surtout, de soutenir une émission qui existe depuis 1980. Deux titres sympathiques capturés sur la scène du club B.L.U.E.S de Chicago dans lesquels Jimmy est accompagné par son groupe régulier : "You're the one", "Leaving here walking".
This is a concert that was organized to support the radio show "Blues before sunrise" hosted by Steve Cushing on WBEZ. An interesting disc, although relatively minor, which, importantly, support a program that has existed since 1980. Two nice titles captured on stage of the B.L.U.E.S club in Chicago in which Jimmy is accompanied by his regular backing band : "You're the one", "Leaving here walking".
NIGHT TIME AGAIN
Delmark
December 1998 - January 1999
Pour ce second disque chez Delmark (toujours produit par Scott Dirks), Jimmy propose une tracklist variée et originale puisant aussi bien dans le Delta Blues que dans une forme de Blues plus contemporaine. On trouve de superbes moments comme "You say you need lovin'", "Spend some time with me", "Shake for me", "Too much living", "Hard woman to please", "Here it is night time again". Son premier album était traditionnel, celui-ci possède une approche plus moderne. A la fin du programme, une reprise d'un doo-wop de l'époque des Medallionaires avec lesquels il a démarré sa carrière.
For this second record for Delmark (still produced by Scott Dirks), Jimmy offers a varied and original tracklist drawing both on the Delta Blues and on a form of a more contemporary Blues. We find great moments like "You say you need lovin'", "Spend some time with me", "Shake for me", "Too much living", "Hard woman to please", "Here it is night time again". His first album was traditional, this one has a more modern approach. At the end of the program, a cover of a doo-wop from the era of the Medallionaires with whom he started his career.
BACK TO THE DELTA
Delmark
October 2002
Jimmy Burns mélange son Delta Blues inspiré à des éléments Soul et Funk dans ce troisième album pour Delmark. Comme pour ses deux opus précédents, on trouve une tracklist intense et variée où brillent sa belle voix et sa guitare (son jeu de slide). On retient en particulier dans ce programme solide "Back to the delta", "Stop the train", "Stranded in Clarksdale", "I feel like going home", "Country boy in the city", "Nice and easy", "Someday baby".
Jimmy Burns mixes his inspired Delta Blues with Soul and Funk elements in this third album for Delmark. As for his two previous opuses, we find an intense and varied tracklist where shine his beautiful voice and his guitar (his slide playing). We note in particular in this solid program "Back to the delta", "Stop the train", "Stranded in Clarksdale", "I feel like going home", "Country boy in the city", "Nice and easy", "Someday baby".
LIVE AT BLUES
Delmark
August 2006
Un album capturé sur la scène d'un club de Chicago avec Jimmy et son groupe régulier. Une set-list plaisante et bien jouée avec de sympathiques versions de "Leaving here walking", "No consideration", "Better know what you're doing" et "Stop the train". On note l'apparition au chant de Jesse Fortune sur "Three o'clock blues".
An album captured on a Chicago club stage with Jimmy and his regular band. A pleasant and well-played set-list with nice versions of "Leaving here walking", "No consideration", "Better know what you're doing" and "Stop the train". We note the appearance on vocals of Jesse Fortune on "Three o'clock blues".
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
Velrone
2011
Cet album est produit par Jimmy lui-même sur son propre label Velrone. Il se consacre à des reprises bien au-delà du Blues et rend hommage à sa femme Dorothy (emportée par un cancer en février 2010) sur le titre "Reach for the sky". Un programme plaisant mais hétérogène dont on retient "Won't be too long", "Cadillac", "Feelin' kinda bluesy".
This album is produced by Jimmy himself on his own Velrone label. He devotes himself to covers well beyond the Blues and pays tribute to his wife Dorothy (passed away by cancer in february 2010) on the title "Reach for the sky". A pleasant but heterogeneous program of which we retain "Won't be too long", "Cadillac", "Feelin' kinda bluesy".
IT AIN'T RIGHT
Delmark
February 2015
Ce cinquième album pour Delmark est produit par Dick Shurman. Comme d'habitude, Jimmy propose une tracklist variée mélangeant son Blues contemporain avec des éléments Soul et Funk (et même Doo-Wop et Gospel). Un album très consistant avec de superbes morceaux comme "Big money problem", "Snaggletooth mule", "Long as you're mine", "Hard hearted woman", "A string to your heart", "It ain't right".
This fifth album for Delmark is produced by Dick Shurman. As usual, Jimmy offers a varied tracklist mixing his contemporary Blues with Soul and Funk elements (and even Doo-Wop and Gospel). A very consistent album with great tracks like "Big money problem", "Snaggletooth mule", "Long as you're mine", "Hard hearted woman", "A string to your heart", "It ain't right" .
THE CHICAGO SESSIONS
Krudtmejer
2019
Contrairement à ce que le titre suggère, la séance est gravée au Danemark par des musiciens danois sous la supervision de Laust "Krudtmejer" Nielsen. Et Jimmy (qui ne joue pas de guitare ici) n'a eu qu'à placer sa voix sur cet enregistrement. Malheureusement, l'album manque de flamme et d'inspiration.
Contrary to what the title suggests, the session is recorded in Denmark by danish musicians under the supervision of Laust "Krudtmejer" Nielsen. And Jimmy (who doesn't play guitar here) didn't had only to place his voice on this recording. Unfortunately, the album lacks fire and inspiration.
LIVE IN COPENHAGEN
Krudtmejer
December 2021
L'album regroupe deux concerts capturés sur le sol danois dans lesquels Jimmy est accompagné de musiciens emmenés par Laust "Krudtmejer" Nielsen. Un programme trop long avec quelques bons moments mais souvent ennuyeux.
The album includes two concerts captured on danish ground in which Jimmy is accompanied by musicians led by Laust "Krudtmejer" Nielsen. A program too long with some good moments but often boring.