Gloomy blues, distorted blues, dramatic blues, that translate the difficulty of being that everyone carries in themselves; blues that hurt, distressing blues which nevertheless drive one towards freedom, such is the music of Jimmy Dawkins. With him there are no compromises just an intense and painful quest for his own deep thrusts with occasional lapses into tenderness quickly repressed, because in this hard and cruel world where he lives tenderness has no place.

And always, that piercing contrast between his aggressive or heart rending guitar styles, the notes that he pulls out of his instrument with such violence and his withdrawn, weary and resigned voice that reflects his unceasing inner struggle. (One day, Jimmy told me that his music was an inside photograph of himself). In this duel between guitar and voice, it's hard to tell which one of these two elements is the most bewildering... It is perhaps, the whole thing, with his original and almost unwanted life, that reflects the picture of a human being who can not be at peace with himself and his surrounding world... Nevertheless, this recording is the work of a great, a very great Jimmy Dawkins, from the beginning to the end. Who can deny that, for instance, in "Come Back Baby" Jimmy Dawkins plays one of his greatest guitar solos ever.

The discreet and melodic accompaniment by the young guitarist Richard Kirch matches perfectly with Jimmy Dawkins' music. On bass, there is again the strong, impassive but nevertheless effective Sylvester Boines and on drums Tyrone Centuray, one of the best among the youngsters in Chicago.

When for the first time, I was lucky enough to listen to the Bluesmen playing in the joints of Chicago's Black ghetto, West and South Side, I realized that something different happened there compared with what can be heard usually in concerts or records made in studios.

This is certainly due to the quality of the black audience so hip and warm, for whom the Blues is a vital need. Musicians and listeners are only one, they "live" the same musical language: THE BLUES !

Then, my idea was to come back to Chicago to record at home, the marvellous musicians, known or not, that I had met.

The vocation of MCM RECORDS is to restitute this music recorded on spot, live, such as it is played every night in dozens of Clubs and Lounges of the black West Side and South Side.

...And now, I am happy to have helped a lot of musicians to be known or better known through MCM's Chicago sessions.

Special thanks to all my friends in Chicago, the musicians, "Living Blues" Mag and the owners of "Big Duke's".

Marcelle Morgantini