Though this is not one of my favorite albums, I choose to bring it up here on it’s 50 year day. First – there has been only a few interesting releases January 1971, second – it kind of fits in right now. Like it was the case with Janis Joplin’s Pearl we celebrated a few days ago, one of the main musicians on this album also died from an overdose before the album was released, and actually Alan Wilson was 27 years old as well, and became member of the tragic 27 Club.

Hooker ‘n Heat is a joined recording with John Lee Hooker as vocalist and guitarist and Canned Heat, recorded in May 1970 and finally released in the US, today 50 years ago and four months after Wilson died. It was recorded at Liberty Records in California and released on Liberty’s own brand in US and Europe. As Wilson was dead some months before the recordings, he is not present on the album cover photo. But if you take a closer look you will find him on a wall photo just behind Hooker. This was, as anyone could be in doubt, also Wilson’s final album with Canned Heat….

The first press of this double album is not that hard to find in a decent copy, prices around 30 euro. I don’t have a copy myself, if I had I would also rarely listen it. There are some elements of the smooth kind of electric blues I like, for sure, but also long passages with more talk/jam that I like less. It’s kind of too long and I would prefer other albums with the artists alone or some mixed kind of greatest hits. If you will give it a “digital spin” you can find it on YouTube as whole album.

John Lee Hooker – vocals, guitars
Alan Wilson – harmonica, piano, rhythm guitar
Henry Vestine – electric guitar
Antonio de la Barreda – bass
Adolfo de la Parra – drums