Dave Specter
Encyclopedia
Dave Specter is an American
Chicago blues
and jazz
guitarist
.
at the age of 18. His teacher was Steve Freund
, who taught Specter between the latter's duties at Jazz Record Mart, and Delmark Records
. Freund ultimately organised a concert tour for Specter alongside Sam Lay and Hubert Sumlin
. Contacts made while working at the B.L.U.E.S. nightclub
secured gigs as a sideman
to Johnny Littlejohn, Son Seals
, and The Legendary Blues Band
. By 1989 Specter had organized his own backing band, known as the Bluebirds.
By 1998 Specter had released five albums on the Delmark label, combining a mixture of blues (Specter listed his influences as T-Bone Walker
, Pee Wee Crayton
, Magic Sam
, and Otis Rush
) and jazz (Kenny Burrell
is another inspiration).
Specter does not sing, and he enlisted Barkin' Bill Smith
as his first vocalist, performing on Specter's 1991 debut album
, Bluebird Blues. Specter then made a guest appearance with Jesse Fortune
, providing accompaniment on Fortune Tellin' Man (1993). Harmonica
player and singer Tad Robinson
took over on the Bluebirds' Blueplicity (1994) and Live in Europe (1995). Following Robinson's departure, Lynwood Slim
became the band's vocalist.
Jazz influences prevailed as time passed, and Specter invited Brother Jack McDuff to play the Hammond organ
on the next album, Left Turn on Blue (1996). Lenny Lynn took over vocal duties on the following release, Blues Spoken Here (1998). In 2000, Speculatin appeared, but here Specter eschewed vocals
altogether, issuing thirteen instrumental
tracks. Is What It Is (2004) was followed by Live in Chicago (2008).
In addition to his recordings, Specter undertakes frequent tours to Europe
and beyond.
Is What It Is (2004)
Live in Chicago (2008)
, Tony Russell wrote that "an extended, uncluttered view of Specter's music is noteworthy in his performance at a 1994 German
concert
, in a quartet with the correspondingly idiomatic harmonica playing and soulful singing of Tad Robinson
".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Biography
Hailing from Chicago's Northwest side, Specter began to learn to play the guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at the age of 18. His teacher was Steve Freund
Steve Freund
Steve Freund is an American blues guitarist, singer, bandleader and record producer. Although Freund has toured throughout the United States , he is presently based in the San Francisco Bay Area where he is best-known.-Career:His mother initially inspired...
, who taught Specter between the latter's duties at Jazz Record Mart, and Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
. Freund ultimately organised a concert tour for Specter alongside Sam Lay and Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer, best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing is characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic...
. Contacts made while working at the B.L.U.E.S. nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
secured gigs as a sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
to Johnny Littlejohn, Son Seals
Son Seals
Frank "Son" Seals was an American electric blues guitarist and singer.-Career:He was born in Osceola, Arkansas where his father, Jim "Son" Seals, owned a small juke joint. He began performing professionally by the age of 13, first as a drummer with Robert Nighthawk, and later as a guitarist...
, and The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band were an American Chicago blues band, formed in 1980 after the breakup of Muddy Waters' former backing band.-Biography:...
. By 1989 Specter had organized his own backing band, known as the Bluebirds.
By 1998 Specter had released five albums on the Delmark label, combining a mixture of blues (Specter listed his influences as T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Walker
Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker was a critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is the first musician recorded playing blues with the...
, Pee Wee Crayton
Pee Wee Crayton
Connie Curtis Crayton , known as Pee Wee Crayton, was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer.-Career:...
, Magic Sam
Magic Sam
Samuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett was an American Chicago blues musician. Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi, United States, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter...
, and Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
) and jazz (Kenny Burrell
Kenny Burrell
Kenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.-Biography:...
is another inspiration).
Specter does not sing, and he enlisted Barkin' Bill Smith
Barkin' Bill Smith
Barkin' Bill Smith was an American Chicago blues and electric blues singer and songwriter. Although he was born in Cleveland, Mississippi, Smith spent his latter years in Chicago.-Biography:...
as his first vocalist, performing on Specter's 1991 debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Bluebird Blues. Specter then made a guest appearance with Jesse Fortune
Jesse Fortune
Jesse Fortune was an American Chicago blues singer and barber.-Biography:Born in Macon, Mississippi, Fortune was trained as a barber before moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1952. In Chicago, he worked as a barber during the day and a blues singer at night...
, providing accompaniment on Fortune Tellin' Man (1993). Harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player and singer Tad Robinson
Tad Robinson
Tad Robinson is an American soul blues singer.Robinson was born and raised in New York City, United States, attending school at Indiana University's school of music and graduating in 1980...
took over on the Bluebirds' Blueplicity (1994) and Live in Europe (1995). Following Robinson's departure, Lynwood Slim
Lynwood Slim
Lynwood Slim is an American blues harmonica player and singer.- Biography :...
became the band's vocalist.
Jazz influences prevailed as time passed, and Specter invited Brother Jack McDuff to play the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on the next album, Left Turn on Blue (1996). Lenny Lynn took over vocal duties on the following release, Blues Spoken Here (1998). In 2000, Speculatin appeared, but here Specter eschewed vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
altogether, issuing thirteen instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
tracks. Is What It Is (2004) was followed by Live in Chicago (2008).
In addition to his recordings, Specter undertakes frequent tours to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and beyond.
Discography
Legacy
Music journalistMusic journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, Tony Russell wrote that "an extended, uncluttered view of Specter's music is noteworthy in his performance at a 1994 German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, in a quartet with the correspondingly idiomatic harmonica playing and soulful singing of Tad Robinson
Tad Robinson
Tad Robinson is an American soul blues singer.Robinson was born and raised in New York City, United States, attending school at Indiana University's school of music and graduating in 1980...
".