Biography
Embodying the electric blues style pioneered by the iconic Chess Records sound of the 1950s, Big Joe Louis and his crew encounter the familiar mixed blessing that affects numerous White blues ensembles, including certain British ones. Technical mastery of their instruments paired with authentic passion for the genre stands in contrast to the merely adequate yet spirited singing delivered by guitarist and vocalist Louis, along with an approach rooted in revivalism that achieves exact replication without introducing fresh perspectives. Most tracks on the 1996 release Big Sixteen receive credit for originating from the band itself and are performed with solid skill, yet the group joins the broad ranks of acts capable of delivering lively excitement onstage while offering little distinction in recorded form.