Goin-Pubic

Tim "Too Slim" Langford

Underworld Records

review by Robert Horn

One of the things taken very seriously by the 2002 Board of Directors of the WBS is the importance of recognizing blues artists not just in the Seattle area, not just in the Puget Sound region, but in the entire state. We can't ignore bands like The Howlers in the Tri Cities, or Too Slim and The Taildraggers in Spokane, among others.

Too Slim's 2002 CD "Goin' Public" is a great showcase of traditional, acoustic down-home blues. All the songs come off the front porch in overalls--gotta love it. It starts with the slow, sweet passionate blues classic from Lightnin' Hopkins, "What Is Wrong." This is followed by another Lighnin' Hopkins song called "The Shinin' Moon." I really loved that one. The CD includes two Little Walter tunes. The third song on the CD is one of these. Entitled "My Babe," it picks up the tempo a little bit with just the kind of rhythm Little Walter is known for. You will hear songs here from Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and from Tim "Too Slim" Langford himself. He is mainly known for his electric blues, which is usually what he does at Winthrop each summer (one more reason to go there), but his unplugged music is great too. Also appearing on the CD with Too Slim is D.C. Black on harmonica, and John "Midnight" Cage on percussion.