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BORN IN THE HONEY
The Pinetop Perkins Story
DVD/CD Review by
Pat Benny
If you've never seen Pinetop Perkins
perform, you have only yourself to blame; you certainly can't
blame him. Pinetop Perkins was born Joe Willie Perkins in July,
1913, on the Honey Island Plantation in Belzoni, Mississippi.
Pinetop always maintained that he was "Born in the honey," hence
the name of this wonderful DVD.
This recording is a beautiful sixty
minute biography of one of the greatest legends of the Blues.
The scenery is breathtaking, featuring, photographs and film of
the Mississippi Delta. The voiceover is concise and
informative, and chronicles the impoverished and tumultuous
beginning of Perkins' life to his present success as one of the
finest living pianist in the business.
Yes, at the distinguished age of 94,
Pinetop is not only still with us, he continues to play his
distinctive style of piano to audiences around the country. He
is as sharp and lucid as a man half his age, and a wealth of
information about the Mississippi Delta; the times, the way of
life and most importantly, his memories of some of the great
founders of the Blues. Indeed, without Pinetop Perkins, there
would be very little knowledge of Robert Johnson, Charlie
Patton, and Robert Nighthawk, to name just a few. While
watching this DVD, one has the feeling of sitting on the porch
alongside Pinetop as he speaks candidly of picking cotton for
fifty cents a day, finding an audience to perform to, and making
a little moonshine to supplement his income and provide some
pleasure during those difficult years.
The recording progresses through a
series of interviews with longtime friends and fellow musicians
of the present day. Ike Turner, Bobby Rush, Kim Wilson and
others provide interesting and sometimes amusing tales of
Pinetop’s exploits. Again, the production values are superb as
Pinetop is seen performing onstage at various venues.
Included with the DVD is a bonus CD
recording of a live performance in Chicago, featuring nine
tracks and a previously unreleased track. The music is
beautifully reproduced for the CD, but it is unfortunate that
the date and venue isn't mentioned.
The Blues is not only a musical genre,
it is a form of history, a part of Americana in which Pinetop
Perkins is an integral part. If you love the Blues, if you love
history, your library will not be complete without these
recordings.
http://www.pinetopperkins.com
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