Bob Stroger - Bob is Back

Release date: June 6, 2025

Delmark Records

By: Glenn Noble

photo: Jennifer Noble

Hot on the heels of his 2025 Blues Hall of Fame induction and back-to-back Blues Music Award wins in the Best Bass Player category, veteran bluesman Bob Stroger and the Headcutters release a collection of 12 songs, a mixture of old favourites and original numbers penned by Bob.

Born in Missouri in 1930, Bob moved to the West Side of Chicago as a young man. Although Bob taught himself to play guitar, it is as a bassist that Bob’s career took off in the 1970s, joining Otis Rush’s band, becoming a cornerstone of Rush's rhythm section and gaining international recognition through touring and studio work. He later collaborated with Sunnyland Slim, Snooky Pryor, Pinetop Perkins, Jimmy Rogers, and many other blues icons. Encouraged by Sunnyland Slim, Stroger began singing and recording as a vocalist in the 1990s. Coincidentally, his backing group on this recording, The Headcutters, started up in their native Brazil in the late ‘90s. Having collaborated with Bob on the 2022 Delmark recording That’s My Name, the band returns to provide a solid backing for Bob’s vocals. The musical ensemble is augmented by the presence of the talented young pianist from Cincinnati, Ben Levin, a three-time Blues Music Awards nominee, who had also previously played and recorded with both Bob, and the Headcutters.

Opening the show, as it were, are tracks made famous by a pair of Chicago legends, Elmore James and Muddy Waters to which Stroger adds his own touch. In “Look over Yonders Wall” the Headcutters lay down a classic Chicago blues rhythm peppered with punchy solo riffs from guitarist Ricardo Maco, harmonicist Joe Marhofer and featured pianist Ben Levin. Slowing the pace, Bob’s trademark baritone vocals, thick and rich as molasses, pour over a laid-back “Champagne and Reefer.” The first of Bob’s self-penned tracks, “Jazz Man Blues” is swinging jump blues punctuated by both a bass solo (but whether it was performed by Bob or Arthur Catuto we can’t say!) and a drum solo (Leandro Cavero).

A sprightly version of Tampa Red’s “Don't You Lie to Me” with some tasty guitar and harp work leads into another brace of Bob’s own material. Firstly, a romantic tale, “My First Love” floats Bob’s vocals over a slow blues background; the laid back style contrasts with the next cut,  “Loan Me Train Fare,” with its insistent driving rhythm that propels the melody through a gutsy extended harmonica solo. Now comes a diversion into more light-hearted territory with a jaunty cover of one of Amos Milburn’s boozy ditties, “Thinking and Drinking.” Then it’s back into Bob's own songbook with “Bob is Back in Town,” which reveals a smoky descending bassline anchoring a raw harmonica accompaniment, coupled with piano fills that roll and trickle their way through the melody. Very classy!

A change of pace and style now in “Love You Baby”,  a toe-tapping Little Eddie King track featuring sweet vocal harmonies from Candice Ivory and Renée Gros.  Apparently, this was the first track Bob played on, released way back in 1962! Jumping forward to the present we next have “Bob is Back” title track of the album, and a funky instrumental featuring (what I am certain) is Bob soloing on bass! Back in slow blues territory, we get a “Gold Tailed Bird” from Jimmy Rogers’ 1973 album; before bringing the album to an energetic close with the Louis Jordan rousing classic “Let the Good Times Roll”.

All in all this album is a testament to a long career spent in the Chicago blues world and will certainly satisfy lovers of that tradition. The support provided by the Headcutters and featured pianist Ben Levin is impeccable and the production, supervised by Delmark’s Julia A Miller and Delmark’s Elbio Barilari is first rate. While this album’s release was unfortunately delayed due to that dreadful COVID thing, it’s good to know Bob Is Back!

For info, visit: https://delmark.com/