Clifford Gibson - Beat You Doing It (Yazoo, 1972)

The most underappreciated prewar blues guitarist? This guy, without question. I really don't understand why Clifford Gibson bears that distinction because he possessed enough talent to be considered one of the all-time greats in the genre. I mean, the man was obviously born to play guitar. Just look at his hands and long fingers in the photograph. Even Robert Johnson would have been jealous. Although Gibson worked within standard blues harmonic patterns and bar structures in addition to showing an occasional Lonnie Johnson influence, it was techniques such as his "inimitable guitar tone," an ability to play two notes almost simultaneously, and use of atypical chords that set him apart from his contemporaries, according to this album's liner notes by Stephen Calt et al. Moreover, he displayed tremendous range with his right thumb, picking the guitar's upper strings with as much ease as its lower strings.

Although he was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1901, Gibson made his home in St. Louis where he associated with the city's other notable blues musicians, including Henry Townsend, Walter Davis, Roosevelt Sykes, and the aforementioned Johnson. Due to his location and sophisticated playing style, he is usually considered an urban blues guitarist despite never earning a hit race record that would presumably result from having a larger, city-based audience. Be that as it may, he recorded a total of 26 solo sides for the Vocalion and QRS labels in 1929, with the creme de la creme appearing on this typically excellent Yazoo release.

As Calt and other blues scholars have noted, Gibson was a truly unique musician. Stylistically, he sounded like no one else and does not seem to have had any musical proteges. With the exception of the occasional floating verse or two, Gibson's repertory often featured lyrics that were exclusive to him. With a market that frequently rewarded predictability over innovation and virtuosity (cf. Skip James), it's actually not that surprising that he isn't as well known as he should be. While his songbook features variations on some of the same themes, Gibson's instrumental prowess manages to make even these near-duplicate performances worthy of the listener's attention.

The liner notes divide the tracks into three separate tuning categories: Spanish ("Hard Headed Blues," "Brooklyn Blues," "Bad Luck Dice," "Levee Camp Moan," "Society Blues," "Beat You Doing It," "Stop Your Rambling"); Vestapol ("Ice and Snow Blues," "Old Time Rider"); and standard in the key of E ("Blues without a Dime," "Sunshine Moan," "Jive Me Blues," "Drayman Blues"). Calt and his cohorts provide contradictory information about "Tired of Being Mistreated Part I," at one point identifying it as an exception to the above groupings, while elsewhere lumping it in with the performances played in Spanish tuning. Are there any guitarists out there who can tell me which it is? Regardless of its characterization, the song was clearly Gibson's signature piece since he also recorded a "Part II" as well as a duet version with Roosevelt Sykes (both available elsewhere). While all of these sides are excellent, there are a few that truly stand out. "Blues without a Dime" features some amazing guitar work during the break and conclusion. The picking technique utilized on "Levee Camp Moan" is quite impressive, as are the runs employed on "Jive Me Blues," "Society Blues," and "Stop Your Rambling." As for "Bad Luck Dice," I like this piece primarily for its clever lyrics that deal with the risks of gambling. Other than an interesting duet with hillbilly singer Jimmy Rodgers from 1931, "Let Me be Your Side Track," Gibson did not return to the recording studio for another 30 years.

He continued to work as a professional musician up until his death in 1963 and was notable for featuring a trained dog that performed tricks as he sang and played guitar while working as a street entertainer in St. Louis' Gaslight Square district. He even recorded a handful of surprisingly compelling singles as "Grandpappy" Gibson for the Bobbin label in 1960. It's a pity that he didn't live quite long enough to have been rediscovered by white enthusiasts during the blues revival of the 1960s when he might have finally received his just dues.

1. Hard Headed Blues
2. Blues without a Dime
3. Tired of Being Mistreated Part I
4. Ice and Snow Blues
5. Brooklyn Blues
6. Bad Luck Dice
7. Sunshine Moan
8. Levee Camp Moan
9. Jive Me Blues
10. Society Blues
11. Old Time Rider
12. Beat You Doing It
13. Drayman Blues
14. Stop Your Rambling