CD Review
"Slowdown Sundown"
Barrellhouse Chuck
Viola Records
By Craig Ruskey
Blindman's Blues Forum © 2006

Much like earlier releases from Barrelhouse Chuck, Slowdown Sundown gives the listener a lineup of blues allstars with the common thread being Chuck Goering's wonderfully vintage keyboard work, warm vocals that easily recall this journeyman's influences, and guests with recognized names as well as some many may not be familiar with. Little Brother Montgomery's Keep On Drinking and Leroy Carr's Ain't Got No Money Now both display Chuck's assured and solid vocals with brilliant piano work while Viola's Stomp finds Ben Andrews laying out supportive acoustic guitar behind storming piano and the minute-long Farfisa B3 Boogie For Steve Winwood is pure fun pairing Goering and Jim McKaba's organ windup with drumming from John Carpender. Searching For My Baby and You Told Me Baby, from Big Smokey Smothers and Willie Kent respectively, find Goering in sympathetic backing roles to a pair of masters no longer with us, and while every track is a standout the true surprises come in the form of less-recognized artists like Josh Miller, whose slashing Muddy-like slide guitar in BBQ Girl is simply riveting, or vocalists Silas McClatcher and Robert Hunter who belt out powerful blues. Whether sitting at the piano with no one else around or playing the role of unheralded sideman, Barrelhouse Chuck stands out in his field, sadly one that is thinning with fewer artists who learned by sitting next to, or at the feet, of blues giants. And much like other compilations from this gem of a piano man, Slowdown Sundown closes with a bevy of telephone messages from John Brim, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Smokey Smothers, S.P. Leary, Blind John Davis, Little Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Rogers and others - these alone are worth the price of admission - making the listener feel right at home in Goering's living room. This is an artist that should not be missed.

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