John Primer

Traditional Chicago Blues   John Primer, vocal guitar.   "Tradizione" e "stile" sono due termini che aiutano a capire la musica di John Primer.  I suoi blues sono quelli di solida tradizione.  Primer preferisce lavorare al di fuori di certe estroverse dinamiche moderne, ma mai troppo lontano dello stile con cui è cresciuto, anche se non esita ad affrontare temi che comprendono un vasto raggio del blues moderno, da Sugar Pie DeSanto a Johnny Shines.   Primer nacque a Cambden nel Mississippi dove, ancora bambino, cantava in chiesa e ascoltava bluesmen come Muddy Waters e Elmore James.  Infatti ha appena pubblicato un tributo a quest’ultimo (“Blue Steel”) per la casa discografica austriaca Wolf. Giunto a Chicago nel 1963, presto formò il suo primo gruppo, “The Maintainers”, e dopo poco tempo fu assunto a Theresa’s Lounge come membro del gruppo residente.  Nel 1980 John diventa leader dell’ultimo gruppo di Muddy Waters, e quando Muddy morí nel 1983 passò ai Teardrops di Magic Slim, una collaborazione destinata a durare ben 13 anni e che fece conoscere John in tutto il mondo.  A Chicago, John si esibisce con il proprio gruppo, “The Real Deal”, ma in occasione di Blues to Bop lo potremo ascoltare in esibizioni uniche con la London Blues Band. Queste "performances" permettono a John di continuare quello che sente come dovere, cioè comunicare lo stile e la tradizione a musicisti ed ascoltatori nuovi.     Tradition and style are very important for John Primer, a guitarist, singer and songwriter who prefers to stay in the mainstream of modern Chicago Blues even though he has performed a wide assortment of themes by artists as different as Sugar Pie DeSanto and Johnny Shines.  Primer has always worked outside of the flashy, in your face approach and this is probably due to the way in which his early experiences left strong impressions. Born in Cambden, Mississippi he sang in church as a child and got to hear many of the greats including Muddy Waters and Elmore James.  He arrived in Chicago in 1963 where he formed a first group, “The Mainliners” and quickly established himself as sufficiently strong to be taken on as member of the houseband at the legendary Theresa’s Lounge.  In 1980 he became leader of the last group of the man he had admired as a child and when Muddy Water’s died in 1983 he went with Magic Slim.  He was to spend the next 13 years as a member of Slim’s “The Teardrops” and the constant traveling made him well known on the international blues circuit.  Today John Primer works with his own “The Real Deal” but for Blues to Bop will be accompanied by the London Blues Band, thus creating concerts unique to Lugano and at the same time continuing a the task he carries on with missionary fervour:  passing on the style and tradition to new listeners and young musicians.