b. September 15th, 1911 in Westover (Louisiana)
d. January 9th, 1994 in Baton Rouge (Louisiana)
I'M A FREE HEARTED MAN
Flyright
1961 - January 1965
Né dans une ferme non loin de Baton Rouge (Louisiane), il s'installe avec sa famille à Irene (ils y vivront 26 ans). Ses oncles Frank & Robert Murphy lui apprennent la guitare dès ses 17 ans. Silas fait ses premières armes en jouant lors de piques-niques ou de fêtes locales. En 1939, il s'installe à Baton Rouge dans le quartier de Scotlandville. Il forme son propre groupe en 1956 les Rhythm Ramblers avec Sylvester Buckley (harmonica), Isaiah Chatman (guitare) et Jimmy Dotson (batterie). C'est Slim Harpo qui présente Silas Hogan au producteur Jay Miller. Silas accompagne d'abord Jimmy Dotson sur Zynn et Rocko, deux des labels de Miller puis ensuite "Blue Boy" Dorsey (un pseudonyme inventé par Miller). Ses premiers titres en leader sont enregistrés pour Lloyd Raynaud et son label éponyme mais ces faces ("Born in Texas", "Let me be your hatchet") restèrent inédites jusqu'aux parutions des anthologies "Gulf coast blues" et "Those old happy days" en 1974. Puis, Silas participa à plusieurs séances pour Excello sous l'égide de Jay Miller dans les studios de Crowley dès juillet 1962 jusqu'en janvier 1965 (souvent aux côtés de l'harmoniciste "Whispering" Smith) : "I'm a free hearted man", "My baby walked out", "Tell me baby". Ce LP Flyright rassemble une partie de ses faces Excello avec quelques titres où Silas joue derrière d'autres leaders.
Born on a farm not far from Baton Rouge (Louisiana), he moved with his family to Irene (they will live there for 26 years). His uncles Frank & Robert Murphy teach him the guitar when he was 17 years old. Silas makes his debut playing at picnics or at local parties. In 1939, he moved to Baton Rouge in the district of Scotlandville. He launched his own group in 1956 The Rhythm Ramblers with Sylvester Buckley (harmonica), Isaiah Chatman (guitar) and Jimmy Dotson (drums). Slim Harpo introduces Silas Hogan to producer Jay Miller. Silas first accompanies Jimmy Dotson on Zynn and Rocko, two Miller labels and then "Blue Boy" Dorsey (a pseudonym invented by Miller). His first titles as a leader are recorded for Lloyd Raynaud and his eponymous label but these sides ("Born in Texas", "Let me be your hatchet") remained unissued until "Gulf coast blues" and "These old happy days" anthologies in 1974. Then, Silas participate in several sessions for Excello under the aegis of Jay Miller in Crowley studios from july 1962 until january 1965 (often backed by harpist "Whispering" Smith) : "I'm a free hearted man", "My baby walked out", "Tell me baby". This Flyright LP brings together a part of his Excello sides and some titles where Silas backed other artists.
TROUBLE
Excello
TROUBLE AT HOME
Blue Horizon
July 1962 - January 1965
La meilleure sélection de ses titres Excello gravés entre 1962 et 1965. On remarque immédiatement son style de Swamp Blues caractéristique : voix douce, guitare lourde et excitante dans un style influencé par Jimmy Reed. Sous la supervision de Jay Miller, Silas joue aux côtés de son fils Samuel Hogan, "Whispering" Smith, Katie Webster, "Lazy" Lester. Sa période Excello recèle de superbes compositions comme "Out and down blues", "I'm going in the valley", "I'm gonna quit you baby", "Trouble at home", "Lonesome La la", "Dark clouds rollin'", "I'm in love with you baby". Une oeuvre de premier plan - très consistante - qui mérite une écoute attentive. Puis, Silas retourne à son métier de travailleur dans une raffinerie de pétrole Exxon.
The best selection of his Excello titles recorded between 1962 and 1965. We immediately notice his characteristic Swamp Blues style : soft voice, heavy and exciting guitar in a style influenced by Jimmy Reed. Under the supervision of Jay Miller, Silas plays alongside his son Samuel Hogan, "Whispering" Smith, Katie Webster, "Lazy" Lester. His Excello period has great compositions like "Out and down blues", "I'm going in the valley", "I'm gonna quit you baby", "Trouble at home", "Lonesome La la", "Dark clouds rollin'", "I'm in love with you baby". A leading work - very consistent - that deserves careful listening. Then, Silas returns to his job as a worker at an Exxon oil refinery.
BATON ROUGE BLUES
Flyright
BABY LET'S BURN
Flyright
1964
Un titre inédit de sa période Excello figure dans cette superbe anthologie, l'excellent "Sittin' here wonderin'" (avec Katie Webster au piano).
An unissued title from his Excello period is in this superb anthology, the excellent "Sittin' here wonderin'" (with Katie Webster on piano).
LOUISIANA BLUES
Arhoolie
April 1970
Anthologie produite par Chris Strachwitz et Terry Pattison. On trouve l'excellent "Rats and roaches in my kitchen" dans la version LP. Dans la réédition CD, il y a un deuxième titre de Silas Hogan (le superbe "Run around blues").
Anthology produced by Chris Strachwitz and Terry Pattison. We find the excellent "Rats and roaches in my kitchen" in the LP version. In the CD reissue, there is a second title of Silas Hogan (the superb "Run around blues").
SWAMP BLUES
Excello
August 1970
Remarquable anthologie supervisée par Mike Vernon et Terry Pattison. Silas y interprète cinq morceaux dont les magnifiques "Just give me a chance", "I didn't tell her to leave" (avec le piano d'Henry Gray) et "Hoodoo blues".
Remarkable anthology supervised by Mike Vernon and Terry Pattison. Silas plays five tracks including the magnificent "Just give me a chance", "I didn't tell her to leave" (with the piano of Henry Gray) and "Hoodoo blues".
BLUES LIVE IN BATON ROUGE
Excello
1972
Concert dans un club de Baton Rouge (The Speak-Easy). Silas Hogan - aux côtés de l'harmoniciste "Whispering" Smith - apparait sur trois bons morceaux.
Concert in a Baton Rouge club (The Speak-Easy). Silas Hogan - alongside the harmonicist "Whispering" Smith - appears on three good tracks.
LOUISIANA SWAMP BLUES vol.1
Wolf
May 1987
Quinze ans après son dernier enregistrement, Silas montre qu'il est toujours actif et en pleine possession de ses moyens. Ici, il est présent sur deux morceaux captés sur la scène du Tabby's Blues Box (le club dirigé par "Tabby" Thomas) à Baton Rouge.
Fifteen years after his last recording, Silas shows that he is still active and in full possession of his means. Here, he is present on two tracks captured on the scene of Tabby's Blues Box (the club headed by "Tabby" Thomas) in Baton Rouge.
THE GODFATHER
Blues South West
April 1988
THE GODFATHER
Wolf
April 1988 / April 1990
Gravé sous la supervision de Julian Piper pour la petite marque Blues South West, cet album est le premier enregistrement en studio de Silas depuis presque 20 ans ! Pour l'occasion, il est accompagné d'un groupe attentif avec, parmi d'autres, son fils Samuel Hogan et l'harmoniciste Oscar "Harp" Davis. Silas n'a rien perdu de ses qualités sur "I'm a free hearted man", "You're too late baby", "Hoodoo blues" ou "Dark clouds rolling". La version CD Wolf enlève un morceau de la tracklist d'origine mais en ajoute trois inédits ("Rats and roaches in my kitchen").
Engraved under the supervision of Julian Piper for the small label Blues South West, this album is the first studio recording of Silas since almost 20 years ! For the occasion, he is accompanied by an attentive backing band with, among others, his son Samuel Hogan and harmonicist Oscar "Harp" Davis. Silas has not lost any of his qualities on "I'm a free hearted man", "You're too late baby", "Hoodoo blues" or "Dark clouds rolling". The Wolf CD version removes one title of the original tracklist but adds three unissued titles ("Rats and roaches in my kitchen").
LOUISIANA SWAMP BLUES vol.5
Wolf
April 1990
Deux titres en studio avec une belle relecture d'un de ses premiers titres "Let me be your hatchet" (son fils Samuel Hogan joue de la guitare).
Two titles in the studio with a beautiful reading of one of his first tracks "Let me be your hatchet" (his son Samuel Hogan plays the guitar).