Left Hand Frank - Live At The Knickerbocker Cafe - 1992 - Fan Club (France)
The late Mississippi born Frank Craig, aka "Left Hand Frank" is probably an obscure name to many blues fans. Frank was a sideman musician all his life, and never released an official studio album. This is a straightforward, "unshowy" live Chicago blues album from the late seventies, and is enjoyable in it's "no frills" simplicity.
TRACKS / COMPOSERS
Jammin' with Frank (Craig)
Last Nite (Jacobs)
Linda Lu (Sharpe)
Honky Tonk (Butler/Doggett/Glover/Scott/Shepperd)
One Room Country Shack (Walton) Blue Room Shuffle (Craig)
South Side Hop (Craig)
Surfin' with Frank (Craig)
How Long (Craig)
Last Nite (Jacobs)
MUSICIANS
Left Hand Frank - Guitar, Vocals
Dimestore Fred - Harmonica
Michael "Mudcat" Ward - Bass
Peter "Hi-Fi" Ward - Rhythm Guitar
Ted "Houserocking" Harvey - Drums
REVIEW
Live at the Knickerbocker Cafe was recorded in the late '70s, toward the end of Left Hand Frank's unheralded career. For much of his life, he worked as a sideman, never officially releasing a studio album as a leader. This album (originally released on the French MCM label) is the only addition to a meager discography, but it demonstrates just how much he had to offer. Left Hand Frank didn't shake up the Chicago blues tradition, choosing to celebrate it instead, and the result is a kinetic, entertaining set of greasy blues. There are a few unexpected flourishes, such as the reverb detour "Surfin' with Frank," that keep things interesting, and the end result is cool little Chicago blues gem from a guitarist that was sadly underrecorded. © Thom Owens, allmusic.com
SHORT BIO
Southpaw guitarist Frank Craig (like many of his peers, he played an axe strung for a right-hander, strapping it on upside down) never really transcended his reputation as a trusty sideman instead of a leader -- and that was just fine with him. But he stepped into the spotlight long enough to sing four fine tunes for Alligator's Living Chicago Blues anthologies in 1978. Craig was already conversant with the guitar when he moved to Chicago at age 14. Too young to play inside the Club Zanzibar (where Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Wolf held forth), Frank and his teenaged pals, guitarist Eddie King and bassist Willie Black, played outside the joint for tips instead. Legit gigs with harpist Willie Cobbs, guitarist James Scott, Jr., Jimmy Dawkins, Junior Wells, Good Rockin' Charles, Jimmy Rogers, and Hound Dog Taylor kept Frank increasingly active on the Chicago circuit from the mid-'50s to the late '70s. He moved to Los Angeles not too long after the Alligator session, eventually hanging up his guitar altogether due to health problems. © Bill Dahl, allmusic.com
3 comments:
Hello! Wow! Very interesting musician! Many thanks for this post! It is good old time Chicago blues! :)
Hi! again,b-w-b. I wish I knew more about the guy. There are so many obscure blues artists, dead and living, who don't seem to gain the recognition they deserve. Thanks for comment and I like your GHIYWI! Keep in touch
Hello all,
I am Frank’s son; does anyone out there know what Frank die of? I was living in Germany at the time of his death and never received the cause of his death. If you know, please email me at drussell66@hotmail.com. Thank you very much.
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