Emanuel Young With Howard Glazer And The EL 34S     Live In Detroit   Random Chance – RCD – 35

Almost a decade has passed since Detroit guitarist Emanuel Young was introduced to the record-buying public on Blue Suit's estimable Hastings Street Grease series – besides taking a vocal on each volume, he helped back Eddie Kirkland and Harmonica Shah – but now he returns with what appears to be his first album released under his own name.

This set was recorded live at the Halligan Bar in the Motor City in the company of guitarist Howard Glazer, bassists Bob Goodwin and Steve Glazer, and drummer Billy Renya. The set opens with the instrumental Lucky Lucy, a variant on Jody Williams' Lucky Lou, that introduces us to the contrast between Young's spare, blue-collar guitar stylings and Glazer's flashier approach. The balance of the disc's 11 tracks include lengthy versions of the two songs that Young recorded for Blue Suit, John Lee Hooker's I'm In The Mood and Billy Gayle's Tore Up (not, as the credits read, Hank Ballard's Tore Up Over You), along with Killing Floor and Back Door Man from Howling Wolf, an uncommonly low-down Outskirts Of Town, and a Jimmy Reed – inspired rendition of Hound Dog Taylor's Give Me Back My Wig. There's also a slowed - down take on Albert King's seldom – covered Down The Road I Go (as Oh Now, My Baby Don't Want Me No More) and another instrumental that's aptly dubbed The Train. The rhythm section lays out for the closing Poor Boy, which is pretty much the old B.B.King blues ballad Sneakin' Around and primarily serves to prove that Young is at his best on the harder blues that predominate.

With his workmanlike guitar stylings and engaging vocal delivery, it's easy to see how Young was able to hold down a gig at Cody's Lounge in Detroit for some 27 years, and it's good to finally get a chance to hear him at greater length on record.          – Jim DeKoster

(Living Blues Issue 196, Vol. 39  3 , June 2008)