Hubert Sumlin - I Know You

If you are a blues fan, you know Howlin' Wolf. And if you know Wolf, you already know Hubert Sumlin. Over a span of almost 25 years together, Hubert and Wolf recorded a slew of acknowledged blues classics (in addition to knocking each other's teeth out!) That's Hubert's hair-raising guitar behind the original versions of Spoonful, Back Door Man, and Killing Floor. Along the way, Hubert became an acknowledged guitar hero too, among others, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton, who proclaimed Hubert's style as "just the weirdest."

Yet as influential as he was until his death in December 2011, Hubert Sumlin recorded relatively few solo albums during his lifetime. And when he did, he was often obscured by a mountain of production. On I Know You, surrounded by old friends such a fellow Wolf bandmate Sam Lay on drums and the great Carey Bell on harmonica, Hubert felt free to create in an intimate setting that captured the spirit of the great Chess recordings from the '50's. APO is proud to present Hubert Sumlin's I Know You. It's 100 percent pure unadultered wild and wooly Hubert!

"The Guitarists' Guitarist!" - Living Blues

"Sumlin is an influence on everyone from the Rolling Stones to Captain Beefheart. (His) solos are instantly recognizable; jagged single notes, shrieks, plunks and shivering moans...as volatile and expressive as the best blues singing." - The New York Times

"Hubert Sumlin needs no introduction to blues aficionados - he's the man who played that stinging lead guitar on many of Howlin' Wolf's legendary sides, and inspired more than a generation of blues guitarists. He's in fine form here, singing a selection of classics and originals with a rough (but good) voice and guitar solos that jab and weave with a fat ragged tone. Sumlin takes chances with his playing - sometimes he goes off on weird tangents, all the more musically exciting for their expectations - even the "wrong" notes sound right, oh yeah."
-- Frank Doris, Fi Magazine

"...Hubert Sumlin reclaims his place in blues history with this solo album... But the real joy's in the way he's regained his creative vitality. That comes booming through in his vocals and slow-smoked guitar workouts...
— Ted Drozdowski, Pulse Magazine

"I think that I Know You is one of Sumlin's best ever as a solo artist. Everything about this CD displays the emotion and feeling of Chicago blues and calls upon the spirits of Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters to give it the power of their music...A stellar cast really makes Sumlin and this CD click on all cylinders. Sumlin's guitar is as good on this CD as I have heard in recent years and every song is a joy to listen to." — Dave "Doc" Plitz, Blues On Stage

"Hubert Sumlin's I Know You (APO 2004) is appropriately rough and raunchy, reminiscent of his brutal sideman work with Howlin' Wolf...his authenticity and impact of this rough brand of blues is undeniable. With Chicago veterans like drummer Sam Lay and harmonica ace Carey Bell on board, this session smacks of the real deal without trying too hard...Recorded live to two-track analog, I Know You has an 'old school' charm that should sit well with Chess collectors and vintage blues fans." — Bill Milkowski, Bluetones (JazzTimes) 

"…I Know You has a degree of urgency, coupled with remarkable ease, that makes it a real delight. The result is a record that compares very favorably with Wolf's London Sessions record as a mix of old and new." – All Music Guide

 

1. I'm Coming Home

2. Howlin' For My Darling

3. That's Why I'm Gonna Leave You

4. How Many More Years

5. Don't Judge A Book By The Cover

6. I Got It Where I Want It

7. ''Smokestack''

8. I've Been Hurt

9. You My Best

10. Good Bye

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