This is by Arbee Stidham. He’s pretty much forgotten now, but he was a well-known figure on the blues and R&B scene since the ‘20s way on through to giving college lectures on the topic in the ‘70s. While this is more a typical blues, he was known for mixing jazz in with his singing as well as taking inspiration from the blues before the blues. They called them “reels” back in the day and Arbee’s mom told him he was going to Hell for "singin’ them reels.” Story he tells is he did his first public performance at a music hall in Little Rock at age 12. His mom was in the audience and, Arbee said, “she grabbed me and hugged me and kissed me. She said ‘I’m proud of you in a way, but you’re still going to Hell, singing those reels.’”
As for who’s blowing those dirty harp lines, I’ve read different things. I’ve read it was Snooky Pryor and I’ve read it was Big Walter Horton, and it really could be either. Since it sounds like two different harmonica players going at it, I’m going to say it was both.
For the record, I’m not sure why they called proto-blues “reels.” Those have their history in Irish-Scottish folk dance music, but it’s pretty much similar in spirit. Dance music for the common man. Probably the most well-known practitioner of what we’d call “reel blues” was the late Henry Thomas, who influenced everyone from the Lovin’ Spoonful to the Grateful Dead. You might recognize his song “Bull Doze Blues” was reworked into “Goin’ Up The Country” by Canned Heat. Henry played the quills, a homemade instrument that resembles a pan flute.
Another well-known practitioner of reels was the late Otha Turner, one of the last practitioners of “fife and drum blues.” He played the fife while his grandsons backed him on snares and bass drums. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 95. It’s fascinating stuff, check out his 1998 album Everybody Hollerin’ Goat.
