Review: True Blues Brother: The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy
By Nick Cristiano
As the title True Blues Brother indicates, Matt “Guitar” Murphy is probably best known these days for his role as Aretha Franklin’s ax-playing husband in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. (He also appeared in the sequel, Blues Brothers 2000.)
That’s a shame, because over a long life and career that took him from Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago, Murphy left an indelible mark on the blues and R&B, working with the likes of Howlin’ Wolf, Memphis Slim, Chuck Berry, and many others. In the liner notes to this two-CD set, Willie Dixon of Chess Records, who often used Murphy on sessions, is quoted as saying, “He is definitely the best guitar player – the best I heard anywhere.”
To get an idea of what current artists think of him, just look at the number of luminaries who turn up here to honor him (read on), and listen to the dynamite performances they deliver on numbers by artists he played with or influenced.
True Blues Brother began as a Murphy album orchestrated by drummer Bobby Christina (who plays on most of the tracks). When Murphy died at 88 in 2018, before the sessions were completed, the project morphed into this tribute, which grew to two discs because so many people wanted to participate.
Each disc begins with one of Murphy’s last performances: “Matt’s Boogie” finds him delivering a fleet-fingered solo in a romping roadhouse instrumental, while on “Matt’s Shuffle” he heads uptown for a silky, less sweaty performance that is no less riveting. (He also plays guitar on the ballad “Tired of Sleeping Alone” by Ricky “King” Russell, who also sings it.)
Photo: Peter Jordan
Fran Christina, older brother of Bobby and a member of the original Roomful of Blues, contributes drums and robust vocals to two Memphis Slim numbers, “I’m Lost Without You” and “Lonesome,” joined by fellow Roomful founders Al Copley on piano and, on the latter, guitarist Duke Robillard, who contributes a typically tasty but tough-edged solo.
Muddy Waters alumnus Bob Margolin lays down some of the set’s most scorching guitar work on Howlin’ Wolf’s Willie Dixon-penned “Evil,” accompanied by the harmonica of Jerry Portnoy and the piano of Chuck Leavell. Troy Mercy, however, gives Margolin a run for his money with his buzzsaw runs on Dixon’s “I Can’t Quit You Baby.”
Taking it acoustic, singer-piano player Johnny Nicholas serves up a gutbucket “Mother Earth,” accented by the guitar and mandolin of Scrappy Judd Newcomb and the fiddle of Danny Levin.
Guitarist Ronnie Earl brings his liquid tone and elegant feel to the sublime instrumental “Suffering Soul,” with Jaimoe of the Allman Brother Band joining Bobby Christina on drums. And speaking of soul, Doyle Bramhall II does a good job of capturing Magic Sam’s on “Give Me Time,” including with his sweet six-string solo.
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne brings some funkiness to the proceedings with the Murphy original “Way Down South,” getting help from Steve Cropper on guitar and Lee Oskar on harmonica. And singer-drummer Tom Hambridge sounds shot out of a cannon on his own breakneck “Jackrabbit Boy,” the set’s rockingest track.
It’s not all guys. Christine Ohlman (the Beehive Queen) injects gospel fervor into a roof-raising take on Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold of Me,” while her husky voice heightens the ache of the ballad “Sugar on the Floor.” Tracy Nelson, backed by a female choir, turns Don Nix’s “same Old Blues” into a majestic lament. And Toni Lynn wisely doesn’t try to outdo Aretha on the Queen of Soul’s “Think,” but her measured interpretation exudes a steely strength nonetheless.
A quick shout-out to some of the lesser-known vocalists who help give these performances so much life: Dave Howard on “You Never Can Tell,” Phil Diiorio on “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” Dave Rawding on “Evil” and “Rocket 88,” Nick David on “Shake a Tail Feather,” and the aforementioned Ricky “King” Russell on “Tired of Sleeping Alone.”
True Blues Brothers ends with two of Murphy’s longtime friends, singer-guitarist Joe Beard and harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold. They do a full-band version of Muddy Waters’ “Let Me Hang Around” and a duo take on Beard’s “You Wasn’t Doin’ Too Good.” Their sense of joy is palpable, which is fitting for a sprawling set that spreads a lot of it in honor of a most deserving artist.
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Duke Robillard on The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy
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