In the early 1970s, Luther “Georgia Boy” Johnson (pictured) settled in the Boston area. For young musicians trying to learn the mystery and majesty of Chicago blues, Johnson’s arrival meant that a genuine bluesman was now in their midst.
Not to be confused with Luther “Guitar Jr.,” Johnson, “Georgia Boy,” also known as “Snake Boy,” was also a guitar player who had, like “Guitar Jr.,” formerly worked with the great Muddy Waters.
While in the area, Johnson gigged in joints like The Highland Tap in Roxbury and young players from all over the state — mostly white teenagers from the suburbs — made the journey there to jam with the real deal bluesman.
Nearly 40 years later, many of those who made the trip have become some of the most recognized blues musicians in the world today — players like Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, Dave Maxwell, Mark “Kaz” Kazanov and local legend Babe Pino.
In 1972, three of those players, Margolin, Maxwell and Pino, finished paying their “graduate studies” dues with Johnson and formed The Boston Blues Band. The band was first completed by singer Jane Marks, bassist Alex MacRae and drummer Michael Avery. Although they never recorded and the band was relatively short-lived, they became one of the most influential and popular bands of the day. 
In Worcester The B.B.B. was the house band at the Ale ’n’ Bun on Thomas Street. Back in the day, they sometimes played seven nights a week. The gig was a carryover from when Babe and his brother Kenny established The “Failin’ Fun” as the first blues club in the city.
More than 35 years later, for no other reason than they want to, members of The Boston Blues Band are reuniting to celebrate those heady days this Saturday at the Lucky Dog Music Hall. The lineup features Babe and Kenny Pino, Margolin, Avery and Brad Halen from the Soul Band filling in on bass.
Of all the players who went through the band, Margolin is probably the most recognized on the international blues scene. A recording artist who still tours the world, Margolin played in Muddy Waters’ Band from 1973-80. He’s the guy playing guitar next to The Mud Man singing, “Mannish Boy” in The Last Waltz. For more see bobmargolin.com.
Originally from Brookline, Margolin has returned to Worcester a few times over the years to play at Gilrein’s and with The Bob Margolin All-Star Blues Jam at Mechanics Hall.
In a series of e-mail dispatches from the road, Margolin took time out to talk about the early days of the band and what listeners can expect at the reunion. He says he’s looking forward to “playing with the guys again, and seeing some old friends.”
The exchange went like this:
WM: Take us back to how that band came together.
Johnson: Very important to the band’s birth was an older gentleman [in his 40s at the time] from Salisbury, Ken Clifford. Ken managed us and was a good friend. Last time I saw Ken was in about ’93, and he passed not long after that. Our friend Bill Hallinan, who helped arrange this reunion, managed the Ale ‘n’ Bun and became a very close friend to all of us. When I joined Muddy’s band, Bill got tight with all of them, too. Bill’s been living in Europe for a while, but he’s back as of last year.
Before the band could really get going, in March ’72, David and I went to see Freddie King in Boston. David sat in, and Freddie snapped him right up. Jane left after about a year. A guy named Leon Hampton did a few gigs singing with us, but one day he didn’t show up for a gig and we never heard from him again. A friend of mine named Calvin Mathis sang with us for a short time. By the summer of ’73, Mike and Alex left and were replaced by Worcester’s David Agerholm on drums and Lexington’s Wolf Ginandes on bass.
In August of ’73, I had the opportunity to join Muddy Waters’s band. My friends in The Boston Blues Band wished me well and gave me a watch. Forgive me if I’ve messed up any of the exact chronology, but I think the above is pretty close. It was a long time ago.
Was there a concerted effort to focus on playing blues?
Absolutely. We also played harp-driven versions of soul and rock songs a little, too. I remember Babe sang a great version of Wilson Pickett’s “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You.”
The band played all over New England, but the Ale ’n’ Bun was your home base in Worcester. What can you tell us about the club?
My memories of the good times at that club still really give me a smile. Back then, local and national bands would book a five-to-six day week in a club rather than just come through for one night and leave. There were occasional two- or three-nighters that we also did in the area, at clubs called The Odyssey, The Cafe 20, and Sir Morgan’s Cove.
But, the Ale ’n’ Bun was our home base, spiritually if not officially. People in their early 20s would come out a few nights of the week and drink, dance and socialize. Some were serious music fans, some just part of the scene, but it sure was fun — maybe even more fun than a world full of computers and cell phones and virtual rather than real human interaction and music.
We’d play three sets a night and really develop ourselves as musicians. Looking back, The Boston Blues Band should have tried to record an album with some experienced help. But in those days, it was very easy to live in the moment, personally and professionally. And in the moment, we were having a very great time.
Folks who were around us then, and younger folks who would like a taste of what it was about, should enjoy our reunion show. We were in our early 20s then, now we’re in our late 50s. I think you’ll find that all the years have given us a lot of depth as musicians and that the fire that always drove us is even stronger. If I’ve just challenged us to live up to that — fine.
Do you remember any of the tunes, the repertoire that you played?
I remember we used to start out with “Chicken Shack,” originally a Jimmy Smith organ instrumental but often used by blues bands as an opening instrumental or break song. Then we’d go into the traditional blues — “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” featuring Babe’s soulful singing and strong harp playing. When Jane was playing with us, she used to sing Aretha’s “Dr. Feelgood,” as well as the beautiful ballads “God Bless The Child” and “Since I Fell For You.” Babe used to sing a Johnny Young song, by way of Charlie Musselwhite, “Wild Wild Woman.” I used to sing “Johnny B. Goode” sometimes.
We should have tried to develop some original songs, but we really were just a pretty good bar band. I’m sure we would have grown more into recording artists if we’d stayed together.
The band opened for many of the masters of the music. Did this help give you and Maxwell entree to Muddy Waters and Freddie King, respectively?
The B.B.B. had not got going yet — was only a plan — when David Maxwell was hired by Freddie King. He earned that on the strength of his playing when he sat in with Freddie. But for me, when we opened up shows for Muddy, he could see that I was trying to play “Old School” Chicago blues. He was very encouraging to me and in August ’73, when he came to Boston for the first night of a week-long gig, he had fired a guitar player the night before and I was the next one he saw. He gave me an opportunity that certainly changed the rest of my life.
A lot of players from out of town came to Worcester to play with you guys — Phil Guy, Kaz, Mojo Buford and others. Was word out on you guys as a young band to watch?
I don’t recall Phil Guy coming out when I was there. Kaz probably sat in with us a few times; he had worked in Luther’s band on harp before Babe. Kaz didn’t start playing sax on his gigs ’til ’74. Mojo was in Muddy’s band, and as far as I know, we only saw him on the gigs where we opened for Muddy.
The Boston Blues Band was one of many young Blues bands in the area. Some others were Powerhouse, The Allston All-Stars, The James Montgomery Band, Nonie’s Blues Band, and Chicago Bob. Honestly, I don’t think we were special compared to them, but it was a fertile scene and many of those players are still around and doing well. o
