Maurice Hughes
b. September 29th, 1937 in Houston (Texas)
d. May 20th, 2003 in Houston (Texas)
TEXAS BLUES vol.10
Blue Eye blog (only on mp3)
1958 / August 1963 - February 1965 / 1972
TEXAS GUITAR MASTER
Double Trouble
1985 / May 1986
Actif depuis la fin des années 50 au Texas, Joe Hughes entama une nouvelle carrière au milieu des années 80 grâce à l'écrivain Alan Govenar. Celui-ci, spécialiste du blues texan, lui organisa deux séances en 1985 et 1986. Les faces enregistrées lors de celles-ci furent éditées par le label hollandais Double Trouble et constituèrent son premier album. Joe s'y montre en grande forme offrant de superbes reprises du répertoire de T-Bone Walker (parfois accompagné de son ami Pete Mayes) comme "Cold cold feeling", "T-Bone shuffle", "Stormy monday", "You don't love me". Govenar tira aussi de ces séances un film documentaire "Battle of the guitars".
Active in Texas since the late 1950's, Joe Hughes launched a new career in the mid-1980's thanks to writer Alan Govenar. A Texas blues specialist, Govenar organized two recording sessions for him in 1985 and 1986. The tracks recorded during these sessions were released by the dutch label Double Trouble and became his debut album. Joe is in fine form on the record, delivering superb covers of songs from the T-Bone Walker repertoire — sometimes accompanied by his friend Pete Mayes — such as "Cold cold feeling", "T-Bone shuffle", "Stormy monday", "You don't love me". Govenar also produced a documentary film based on these sessions titled "Battle of the guitars".
CRAFTSMAN
Double Trouble
November 1986 / June 1987
Sur cet album sont rassemblées trois séances d'enregistrements distinctes. La première, organisée sur le sol hollandais, est produite par Marcel Vos et Hans Kramer. La seconde, gravée à Houston, a été supervisée par Alan Govenar. Enfin, la troisième est reprise du LP précédent "Texas guitar master". Un programme très consistant dans lequel on retrouve un Joe Hughes au sommet de son art : excellent chanteur et superbe guitariste dans un style proche de T-Bone Walker. "Say pretty baby", "New Orleans shuffle" (avec Pete Mayes), "Blues man's guitar", "Let the world know" (avec "Texas" Johnny Brown), "You better think again" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments de cette intense tracklist.
This album brings together three distinct recording sessions. The first, organized in the Netherlands for the Blues Estafette, was produced by Marcel Vos and Hans Kramer. The second, recorded in Houston, was supervised by Alan Govenar. Finally, the third is drawn from the previous "Texas guitar master" LP. It is a consistent collection showcasing Joe Hughes at the peak of his craft : an excellent singer and superb guitarist with a style reminiscent of T-Bone Walker. "Say pretty baby", "New Orleans shuffle" (with Pete Mayes), "Blues man's guitar", "Let the world know" (with "Texas" Johnny Brown), "You better think again" are among the highlights of this intense tracklist.
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MOVIN' ON
Rollin' (only on cassette)
1986
THIS ONE FOR YOU
Estox (only on cassette)
1987
IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE BLUES
Black Top
1987 / January 1989
Joe Hughes produisit lui-même cette superbe séance qu'il publia sur une modeste cassette (label Estox). Elle fut heureusement reprise deux ans plus tard (exceptés deux titres) sur LP et CD par le label Black Top d'Hammond & Nauman Scott avec une bien meilleure distribution. Une autre séance, capturée en Louisiane, fut ajoutée au programme à cette occasion. Encore une fois, Joe propose une remarquable tranche de Texas Blues avec ses musiciens réguliers et une section cuivres bien arrangée. On apprécie, en particulier, "Voodoo woman", "Stuff like that", "Running from your own shadow" (avec Anson Funderburgh et Sam Myers), "Mother in law blues", "If you want to see the blues".
Joe Hughes produced this superb session himself, releasing it on a modest cassette (on the Estox label). Fortunately, it was later reissued two years later — minus two tracks — on LP and CD by Hammond & Nauman Scott’s Black Top label which provided much better distribution. Another session, recorded in Louisiana, was added to the program of this release. Once again, Joe delivers a remarkable slice of Texas blues backed by his regular band and a well-arranged horn section. Standout tracks include "Voodoo woman", "Stuff like that", "Running from your own shadow" (with Anson Funderburgh and Sam Myers), "Mother in law blues", "If you want to see the blues".
GULF COAST BLUES
Black Top
March 1989
Dans cette anthologie, produite par Hammond Scott, on trouve deux beaux titres de Joe Hughes - "Miss too fine" et "Apron strings" - dans lesquels il est entouré d'Anson Funderburgh et de Grady Gaines.
This anthology, produced by Hammond Scott, features two fine tracks by Joe Hughes — "Miss too fine" and "Apron strings" — on which he is joined by Anson Funderburgh and Grady Gaines.
BLACK TOP BLUES A RAMA vol.5
Black Top
May 1989
Trois bons morceaux live capturés sur la scène du Tipitina's dont une rageuse version de "Mother in law blues" et l'excellent "You know you didn't want me".
Three great live tracks captured on the Tipitina's stage including a fiery version of "Mother in law blues" and the excellent "You know you didn't want me".
LIVE AT VREDENBURG
Double Trouble
March 1993
Ce double CD reprend le concert donné lors de la Blues Estafette à Utrecht (Pays Bas). Malheureusement, s'il semble en forme au chant et à la guitare, Joe ne joue ici que de longues reprises de standards au détriment de ses propres compositions. Derrière lui, un trio compétent (Sonny Boy Terry, Tanya Richardson, David Lartigue) assure un solide support.
This double CD captures the concert performed at the Blues Estafette in Utrecht (Netherlands). Unfortunately, while Joe seems in fine form on vocals and guitar, he plays only lengthy covers of standards here at the expense of his own compositions. Backing him, a competent trio (Sonny Boy Terry, Tanya Richardson, David Lartigue) provides solid support.
DOWN AND DEPRESSED : DANGEROUS
Munich
March 1993
Toujours en Hollande, lors d'une tournée européenne, Joe trouve l'opportunité de graver un album studio. Bien que le programme soit un peu long, on trouve de bons moments comme "Big boss man", "You didn't want me", "Okie dokie stomp", "Don't throw your love on me so strong", "Dangerous situation". Intéressant mais mineur.
While still in Netherlands, during a european tour, Joe seized the opportunity to record a studio album. Although the tracklist is somewhat lengthy, the album features some nice moments such as "Big boss man", "You didn't want me", "Okie dokie stomp", "Don't throw your love on me so strong", "Dangerous situation". Interesting, but a minor work.
TEXAS GUITAR SLINGER
Bullseye
Me & My
March - May 1995
Voici de belles séances de blues texan cuivré, produites par Joe Hughes et son bassiste régulier Jerry Jenkins, et proposées sur le label Bullseye (appartenant à Rounder). Un album consistant et inspiré avec des titres accrocheurs comme "A blues song", "Texas guitar slinger", "Walk on", "Ouchee baby", "Bad dreams", "That's life" et "Don't turn your back on me".
Here are some fine sessions of brassy Texas blues, produced by Joe Hughes and his regular bassist Jerry Jenkins, and released on the Bullseye label (owned by Rounder). It is a consistent, inspired album featuring catchy tracks such as "A blues song", "Texas guitar slinger", "Walk on", "Ouchee baby", "Bad dreams", "That's life" and "Don't turn your back on me".
STUFF LIKE THAT
Blues Express
1999
Voici un album live capté sur une scène de San Francisco par le producteur Skip Twitchell. Joe s'y montre en bonne forme, en compagnie de bons sidemen, délivrant un blues puissant et cuivré : "A blues song", "Ouchie baby", "Going to San Francisco", "Bad dreams", "If you want to see the blues". En fin de programme, on peut trouver une courte interview du bluesman. Un arrêt cardiaque l'emporte en mai 2003.
Here is a live album recorded on a San Francisco stage by producer Skip Twitchell. Joe is in fine form, backed by solid sidemen and delivering powerful, brassy blues : "A blues song", "Ouchie baby", "Going to San Francisco", "Bad dreams", "If you want to see the blues". The program concludes with a short interview with the bluesman. He passed away from cardiac arrest in may 2003.