Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

One of blues music's most revered acts, harmonica man Saunders Terrell and guitarist Walter Brown McGhee (better known as Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee) worked together for over 40 years but, as this well thought out release from Proper Records shows, the roots and offshoots of their careers stretched much further. Spanning four discs and just shy of 100 tracks, this compilation starts back at the pre-Sonny and Brownie days when the former was the right hand man of the legendary Blind Boy Fuller and tracks like Fuller's "Pistol Slapper Blues" and "I Want Some Of Your Pie" feature in parallel with solo Brownie cuts such as "Poison Woman Blues" and "Death Of Blind Boy Fuller" - the latter all the more poignant given that McGhee would go on to take Fuller's place as Sonny's musical partner. Elsewhere, luminaries such as Pete Seeger, Big Bill Broonzy and Woody Guthrie make cameo appearances showcasing the respect and draw that the duo had whilst Brownie's brother Sticks McGhee sits in on guitar on several occasions. A substantial number of further solo cuts from both Terry and McGhee feature over all four volumes but, like any good double act, it's when they work together that each are at their best. As any blues fan will know, Brownie's laid back vocal and guitar approach was a perfect match for Sonny's whooping and rhythmic harmonica style and, together with seemingly effortless intuition, the hard luck blues of "The Red Cross" together with covers of classics such as "Mean Ole Frisco" and "The Midnight Special" are a masterclass in folk blues and almost make up for the strange absence the pair's latter day output on this release. Whilst a smattering of gospel blues numbers feature including a sublime version of "Oh, What A Beautiful City", most songs are of a carnal nature - albeit done with the pair's trademark charm and cheerfulness - and Brownie himself tellingly explains that singing spirituals such as "I'm Gonna Tell God How You Treat Me" was simply a way for his kinfolks to get back at their oppressors when doing so directly would be too dangerous. A fascinating and in-depth booklet accompanies this rich anthology to shed further light on the remarkable careers of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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