Live At Newport

There's something affecting about Lightnin' Hopkins' off-the-cuff approach. Whether he's in the studio or before an audience, he gives the impression of a guitar player and singer who's just doing his own thing. When he breaks out a signature piece like "Mojo Hand," he isn't really trying to impress the listener as much as do what he does best: just play a little blues. Recorded in 1965, Live at Newport captures Hopkins in a loose mood communing with an appreciative audience. The mostly solo electric set apparently didn't cause any controversy (as Dylan's electric set with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band would in 1965). The nice thing about the album is that all the material seems to have come from the same set, giving the listener a taste of what seeing Hopkins at Newport might have been like. Good versions of "Baby Please Don't Go," "Trouble in Mind," and "Where Can I Find My Baby?" show up early in the set, and feature an intimate interplay between Hopkins and the audience. The latter part of the set rocks a bit harder by adding drums. The percussion pushes the energy level up a notch on "Jealous of My Wife" and "Shake That Thing," pieces that probably had old-timers boogying in the aisles. Live at Newport also includes several unreleased versions, making it a good album to add to one's Hopkins collection. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.