8 / 8
8
’30s & ’40s, he featured with ChickWebb, Artie Shaw, Jimmie Lunceford, Lionel
Hampton and others. The ‘Mr. Bear’ tag first appeared on a Jack Dupree hit
‘King’ single,
Walking The Blues/Daybreak Rock
which later led to his Groove
contract.
His gravelly voice is very effective on
Gonna Keep My Good Eye On You
but
he assumes a deliciously silly falsetto for
Peek-A-Boo
. More down home are
When He Comes To Town
and he does
The Bear Hug,
a wonderfully sleazy opus
which provides space for an exceptional solo by King Curtis and the dirtiest
‘back in the alley’ break from from Mickey Baker. This is an unissued
arrangement with an irresistible vocal exchange with an unknown colleague.
(Anyone any ideas, Spo-Dee-O-Dee?)
Two albums from Detour have by no means exhausted its treasures and I’ll
tantalize you by noting that Roy Gaines’
Hoodoo
is waiting in the wings to
shock and amaze you on a future Detour release. Meantime, check out the
Champion Jack Dupree album released in tandem with this which includes a
different take of
When I Got Married.
Bez Turner
(Co-editor, Juke Blues)
Read more about Larry Dale in John Broven’s article in Juke Blues 9.