Little Mack Simmons

Malcolm Simmons

b. January 25th, 1933 in Twist (Arkansas)

d. October 24th, 2000 in Chicago (Illinois)

CHICAGO BLUES HARMONICA WIZARD

Famous Groove

1959 - 1971 / 1976

Né dans l'Arkansas, ami d'enfance de James Cotton, harmoniciste comme lui, il vit quelques temps à Saint Louis où il travaille dans le chemin de fer. En 1954, Mack s'installe à Chicago où il devient un habitué du club Cadillac Baby pendant cinq ans. A la fin des années 50, il commence à enregistrer pour différents petits labels de la ville avec ses musiciens (parmi lesquels Detroit Junior et Eddie King) : CJ, Bea & Baby, Checker, New Breed, Palos, Miss. Influencé par John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson et Little Walter, il propose les excellents "My walking blues", "Times are getting tougher", "You mistreated me", "I need love" (avec sa femme Georgia Mae Hinton), "Mother in law blues", "Blue lite", "Trouble no more". En 1970, Mack crée même son propre label Dud Sound. A la fin des années 60, il dirigera son propre club (Club Zodiac) sur South Cottage Grove Avenue à Chicago.

Born in Arkansas, a childhood friend of fellow harmonica player James Cotton, he lived for a time in Saint Louis where he worked on the railroad. In 1954, Mack moved to Chicago where he became a regular at the Cadillac Baby club for five years. In the late 1950's, he began recording for various small labels in the city with his musicians (including Detroit Junior and Eddie King): CJ, Bea & Baby, Checker, New Breed, Palos and Miss. Influenced by John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson and Little Walter, he offers the excellent "My walking blues", "Times are getting tougher", "You mistreated me", "I need love" (with his wife Georgia Mae Hinton), "Mother in law blues", "Blue lite", "Trouble no more". In 1970, Mack even created his own label, Dud Sound. In the late 1960's, he ran his own club (Club Zodiac) on South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago.

CHICAGO AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT A BLUES BAND

Delmark

1959

Dans cette anthologie, on retrouve le titre instrumental "Blues for Atomic H" enregistré pour le label éponyme.

This anthology includes the instrumental title "Blues for Atomic H" recorded for the eponymous label.

INFLATION BLUES

SINGS AND PLAYS SUPER HITS

THE PM - SIMMONS COLLECTION

Electro-Fi

1969 - 1982

Little Mack a crée plusieurs labels pour lesquels il a substantiellement enregistré : Dud Sound, PM et Simmons. Les enregistrements s'étendent sur une petite quinzaine d'années en une discographie parfois nébuleuse. Une belle oeuvre de Chicago Blues parfois teinté de Soul gravée avec des musiciens souvent restés anonymes. Mack est un bon harmoniciste et délivre quelques beaux morceaux comme "You've got to help me", "You're so fine", "Key to the highway", "Mother in law blues", "Messing with the kid", "Blue lite". Plusieurs simples et microsillons furent édités mais mal distribués restent aujourd'hui difficiles à trouver. En 1999, le label Electro-Fi a réédité une bonne partie de ses morceaux en CD. Outre son oeuvre personnelle, Little Mack enregistra également la chanteuse Arelean Brown et Fenton Robinson.

Little Mack founded several labels for which he recorded extensively : Dud Sound, PM and Simmons. His recordings spanned nearly fifteen years in a sometimes nebulous discography. A fine body of Chicago Blues, sometimes tinged with Soul, recorded with musicians who often remain anonymous. Mack is a skilled harmonica player and delivers some nice tracks like "You've got to help me", "You're so fine", "Key to the highway", "Mother in law blues", "Messing with the kid", "Blue lite". Several singles and LPs were released but were poorly distributed and remain difficult to find today. In 1999, the Electro-Fi label reissued a large number of his tracks on CD. In addition to his own work, Little Mack also recorded the singers Arelean Brown and Fenton Robinson.

WHEN THE LORD STANDS BY

1977

BLUE LIGHTS

Black & Blue

November - December 1975

Little Mack Simmons participe à la fin de l'année 1975 à la tournée française du Chicago Blues Festival avec Lonnie Brooks, Willie Mabon, Hubert Sumlin et les Aces. Pour l'occasion, il enregistre ce bon album de Chicago Blues traditionnel. Bien jouée mais avec trop de reprises de standards au détriment de ses propres compositions, la tracklist manque aussi un peu de flamme. On peut retenir "You mistreated me", "Blue lights", "So unhappy", "Sad hours". La réédition CD de 2002 ajoute six titres supplémentaires (dont quatre bons titres live).

At the end of 1975, Little Mack Simmons participated in the french tour of the Chicago Blues Festival with Lonnie Brooks, Willie Mabon, Hubert Sumlin and the Aces. For the occasion, he recorded this fine album of traditional Chicago blues. Well-played but with too many standards covers to the detriment of his own compositions, the tracklist also lacks a bit of fire. Highlights include "You mistreated me", "Blue lights", "So unhappy", "Sad hours". The 2002 CD reissue adds six additional tracks (including four good live tracks).

MY MESSAGE IS LOVE

Sky Hero

1982

Devenu Reverend Malcolm Simmons, il se lance dans le Gospel au début des années 80 (il avait déjà enregistré "When the Lord stands by" en 1977). Ce disque est gravé pour le label Sky Hero de Sam Gallo. Un son entre Gospel et Soul plutôt sympathique qui vaut l'écoute.

Having become Reverend Malcolm Simmons, he began his gospel music career in the early 1980's (he had already recorded "When the Lord stands by" in 1977). This album was recorded for Sam Gallo's Sky Hero label. A rather pleasant mix of Gospel and Soul, it's well worth a listen.

MAMA WAS RIGHT

Grandville

1984

Retour au Blues pour Little Mack (ici Malcolm Simmons) dans cet obscur LP sorti sur un petit label chicagoan. Les musiciens qui l'accompagne sont restés anonymes mais il pourrait s'agir de Lonnie Brooks, Detroit Junior et William "Dead Eye" Norris. Un programme peu inspiré et mal enregistré.

Little Mack (Malcolm Simmons here) returns to Blues on this obscure LP released on a tiny Chicago-based label. His accompanying musicians have remained anonymous but they could be Lonnie Brooks, Detroit Junior and William "Dead Eye" Norris. An uninspired and poorly recorded program.

COME BACK TO MY BABY

Wolf

June - December 1994

Après une condamnation à la prison pour proxénétisme et trafic de drogue, Little Mack revient finalement sur le devant de la scène avec ce disque édité par le label autrichien Wolf. Enregistré avec d'excellents musiciens comme John Primer, Jake Dawson, Willie Kent ou Detroit Junior (son vieux complice depuis les années 50), il est composé de deux séances distinctes. "You mistreated me baby", "Times are gettin' tougher", "Come back to me baby", "My momma told me", "I'm hooked on your love" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments. On trouve aussi trois titres chantés en duo avec sa femme Georgia Hinton Simmons (dont "There's a kissin' goin' on" et le slow-blues "I wonder why").

After a prison sentence for pimping and drug trafficking, Little Mack finally returns to the spotlight with this album released by the austrian-based label Wolf. Recorded with excellent musicians such as John Primer, Jake Dawson, Willie Kent and Detroit Junior (his longtime pal since the 1950's), it is composed of two separate sessions : "You mistreated me baby", "Times are gettin' tougher", "Come back to me baby", "My momma told me", "I'm hooked on your love" are among the highlights. It also features three tracks sung as a duet with his wife Georgia Hinton Simmons (including "There's a kissin' goin' on" and the slow blues "I wonder why").

HIGH & LONESOME

St George

1994 - 1995

Pour le label St George de George Paulus, Little Mack se contente de reprises de standards dans cet album un peu trop conventionnel. Malgré cet inconvénient, il s'agit, tout de même, d'un bon opus de Chicago Blues avec des moments intéressants. Il est notamment entouré des guitaristes Studebaker John et Rick Kreher et du bassiste "Big Mojo" Elem.

For George Paulus's St George label, Little Mack limits himself to standard covers on this somewhat conventional album. Despite this drawback, it's still a good Chicago blues album with some interesting moments. He is notably surrounded by guitarists Studebaker John and Rick Kreher and bassist "Big Mojo" Elem.

CHICAGO BLUES ROCKIN' AFTER MIDNIGHT

St George

1994 - 1995

LITTLE MACK IS BACK

Electro-Fi

October 1996

Pour le label canadien Electro-Fi, Mack propose un album de Chicago Blues traditionnel, bien produit par Al Lerman, mais un peu trop long. Comme d'habitude, on trouve beaucoup de reprises mais il y a aussi une poignée de compositions personnelles intéressantes comme "Let me explain my love", "Revelation blues", "You mistreated me" ou encore "You're so special" aux accents Soul.

For the canadian label Electro-Fi, Mack offers a traditional Chicago blues album, well-produced by Al Lerman, but a little too long. As usual, there are plenty of covers but there are also a handful of interesting original compositions like "Let me explain my love", "Revelation blues", "You mistreated me" and the soulful "You're so special".

SOMEWHERE ON DOWN THE LINE

Electro-Fi

July 1997

Pour son second album chez Electro-Fi, Little Mack délivre un album moins électrifié que le précédent et possédant un programme plus resserré. On apprécie, en particulier, les intenses "Trouble no more" et "So unhappy". On trouve ici un titre additionnel (datant de 1971 selon la pochette ou de 1974 selon la Blues Discography) avec Lonnie Brooks et Detroit Junior.

For his second album on Electro-Fi, Little Mack delivers a less electrified album than his previous one with a tighter program. We particularly appreciate the intense "Trouble no more" and "So unhappy". Here we find an additional track (dating from 1971 according to the sleeve notes or 1974 according to the Blues Discography) featuring Lonnie Brooks and Detroit Junior.

THE BEST OF ELECTRO-FI YEARS

Electro-Fi

1997

Dans cette compilation de ses faces Electro-Fi, on trouve deux titres inédits en mode acoustique enregistrés lors d'une émission de radio.

In this compilation of his Electro-Fi sides, we find two unreleased tracks in acoustic mode recorded during a radio show.

THE LAST SESSIONS

Blues Special

July 2000

Ce disque fut enregistré trois mois avant sa mort sur le sol argentin grâce à Adrian Flores et Mauro Diana. Un programme sympathique sans grande surprise mais qui mérite une écoute attentive.

This album was recorded three months before his death on argentinian soil thanks to Adrian Flores and Mauro Diana. A pleasant program without any major surprises but one that deserves careful listening.