Search - Eddie C Campbell :: That's When I Know

The Chicago blues scene was so fertile in the '50s and '60s that some major talents got lost in the shuffle. One of those neglected giants is Eddie C. Campbell. Campbell incorporates the Memphis R&B shuffle rhythm into the Chicago blues format, but his minimalist arrangements are so unusual that he remains utterly distinctive. His band plays with rare restraint, suggesting grooves and harmonies rather than spelling everything out. Against this backdrop, Campbell's high-pitched, single-note guitar lines, filled with restless melody and punctuated by clever pauses, stand out in bold relief. This highly controlled fretwork functions as a duet partner with Campbell's rich baritone. His vocals, a savvy mix of gospel warmth and blues attitude, calmly describe his troubles and lucky breaks, and then his guitar illustrates just how he feels about them. Campbell claims to have written all 11 numbers on "That's When I Know," though "Hey, the Blues Is All Right" is very close to Little Milton's similarly titled standard, and others seem familiar. The hook-laden, gospel-flavored title tune, the autobiographical "Son of Sons," and the horn-pushed shuffle "Sleep" are delightfully original compositions, however, and Campbell's never-waste-a-note approach to his vocals and his guitar make every track special. --Geoffrey Himes