Delmark's documentation of the Chicago blues scene, from Yank Rachell and Junior Wells to this recording of Magic Sam's, has finally made the monumental step of incorporating the West Side into the established contemporary blues genre. Sam Maghett, or Magic Sam as he was nicknamed by Shakey Jake, has been the foremost blues and soul performer on the West Side for the past ten years. His recordings had formerly been limited to singles on small local labels like Cobra, Chief and Crash. For a long time he was in a provincial (for that part of the city) R&B bag, but by 1954 he decided to get back into the blues. And it's a good thing. Magic Sam has become a living legend in the Chicago area.

This album, which includes the participation of former Otis Rush guitarist Mighty Joe Young, pianist Stockholm Slim (Per Notini of Sweden) and the ageless Odie Payne on drums, was produced by old Shakey Jake Harris himself, the great blues singer and harp player, who, during his gambling and catting days, known then as Cadillac Jake, discovered Sam playing his guitar under a tree in his backyard at 27th and Calumet.

Sam's music represents the interaction of Memphis soul, gospel-influenced Detroit pop-soul, and the standard Mississippi-cum-Chicago scheme. But new depth has been added with the inclusion of 16-bar arrangements in the style of Junior Wells and Buddy Guy's material.

The cuts Sam has chosen to record are an equal representation of new and old. "Sweet Home Chicago" has a Jimmy Reed bass line and a direct guitar progression, but Sam's vocal takes the lyrics off the line, outside of the measured syntax, and leaves diminished notes scattered throughout the song. He is an expert song stylist; his voice is capable of changing form in mid-note—like B. B. King when he's really got it on.

"I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)" is Sam's famous dance tune that he uses to talk to the audience—he's famous for doing this during performances at small clubs like the Alex or Sylvio's. Sam's original performance of this song was at the old 708 Club on East 47th Street when Shakey Jake persuaded Muddy Waters to let Sam sit in on a set with his band. He knocked everyone out, screaming: "I feel all right/I wanna boogie," and was hired to follow Muddy's engagement at the club.

The track that captures Sam at his best is "All Of Your Love." His guitar work is amazing. More in the style of older Chicago blues guitarists like Smokey Smothers, Sam, like the late Wes Montgomery, disregards use of a flat pick, using his thumb instead. He's incredibly quick and gets as sharp and clear a sound from his big shiny Epiphone, which he rests on his hip while he plays, as Buddy Guy does. His runs on "I Don't Want No Woman" are as hard and true as Albert King's, but they're very different—Sam isn't as predictable.

His powerful voice trembles slightly as he marks the final cadence of each bar. "Whoa baby/whoa baby" he yells. "Mama Mama-Talk To Your Daughter" is a classic of Sam's It hurtles along, a 12-bar compendium of hard, driving blues chording—the guitar riffs cut back like an automatic shotgun.

This is the music of the West Side. The people come and go but the music remains. It's tough, violent and gaudy like that part of the city. The only escape for the inhabitants can be found in sex, gambling, fighting and drinking—and they're all here. As Sam sings: "Come on baby/don't you want to go/back to that same old place/sweet home Chicago." (RS 18)

BARRY GIFFORD