About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

Few would dispute Pinetop Perkins' place as the reigning king of Chicago blues piano. Replacing Otis Spann in Muddy Waters' Band, guaranteed Perkins a high profile status in blues history, and by now he's outlived such high-class players as Sunnyland Slim, Roosevelt Sykes, and Memphis Slim. But Perkins deserves every ounce of recognition he's received over the blues revival of the '90s. Rail thin, Perkins is a dapper dresser and a charismatic performer. Both his piano playing and singing carry the languid style of a steamy late night session in a Mississippi juke joint, his rolling piano riffs guiding dancers' hips like a master puppeteer. But that laid back attitude can change in a second when Perkins decides to boogie. On LIVE AT 85!, which was recorded in concert with guitarist George Kilby Jr. and the Collerators, both sides of Perkins's style are captured in a set of classics. From the percussive opening notes of Roscoe Gordon's "Just a Little Bit" through the boogie beat of "Down in Mississippi" to the powerful rolls of "Ida B.," Perkins plays in the moment. Oh, there are missed notes and searches for the right key, but when an artist is 85 the listener can be quite forgiving, especially when the player carries more history in his bony fingers than most musicians have in their entire body in a lifetime. Roberta Penn, Barnes & Noble

Customer Reviews

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