A reader, Aerosol, mentioned Alexis Korner when I posted about John Mayall. I want to thank him for that. Much like Mayall, I’ve read about Korner many times over the years, but I never really listened to him like I should have. Once I started looking into him again, I realized just how many roads in British rock lead back to this guy.
Korner and Cyril Davies formed Blues Incorporated in the early sixties. The lineup changed constantly, but some of the names that passed through their world are incredible. Charlie Watts, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Long John Baldry all played with the group at different times. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart and John Mayall were also part of the larger circle around Korner. Mayall later credited Blues Incorporated with inspiring him to form the Bluesbreakers.
The song that caught my attention was “Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound.” First of all, how could you not listen to a song with a title like that? It was written by American bluesman Jimmy Witherspoon and appeared on the 1962 Blues Incorporated album R&B from the Marquee. Despite the album’s title, it was actually recorded at Decca Studios in London.
Long John Baldry handled the lead vocal on this song, and there is another connection buried in there. Baldry was filling in for an ill Mick Jagger. Jagger was one of the young musicians hanging around Korner’s circle at the time, along with Keith Richards and Brian Jones. Brian Jones actually played with Blues Incorporated before forming the Rolling Stones.
The recording is wonderfully simple. Baldry has that deep voice that sounds like it was made for this kind of music. Korner and the band don’t crowd him. There is plenty of room in the arrangement, and the whole thing sounds more like musicians playing blues together than musicians trying to make a record.
That may be the thing I’m starting to understand about Alexis Korner. His greatest contribution wasn’t necessarily having the biggest records himself. He gave musicians a place to play, learn and meet other musicians. Some of those musicians eventually became much more famous than he
Here is a bonus track, Gotta Move, and it comes from the same R&B from the Marquee album and is another one I’ve been listening to. It has more drive than Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound, which makes the two songs work well together.
The more I read about Alexis Korner, the more familiar names keep appearing.
Charlie Watts. Jack Bruce. Ginger Baker. Brian Jones. Mick Jagger. Keith Richards. Jimmy Page. Rod Stewart. John Mayall. I knew the name Alexis Korner. I didn’t realize quite how much music was standing behind it.
So thank you, Aerosol!
Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound
The Sun should be shinin’
But the rain keeps on fallin’ down
When you’re lookin’ for your woman
The rain is such a lonesome sound
