Big Joe Duskin

[stefanwirz]

Illustrated Big Joe Duskin discography

[alanbalfour]

Here's something I OCR'd in 2007 for somebody overseas wishing to read Duskin's first published interview.

Steve Tracy
Joe Duskin
Blues Unlimited 101, May 1973 (pps 9-10)

One of the obvious benefits of the boogie‑woogie craze in the 40s was the alerting of the progressive element in jazz circles to the abundance of talent to be found among the black house rent party pianists. Maybe John Hammond Sr. did authentic boogie pianists their biggest favor by promoting "The Boogie Woogie Trio" ‑ Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson ‑ and in this way awaken record companies and hip jazz‑buffs to seek out and/or record the more
talented of these pianists.

As has always been the case, white producers and musicians took the outstanding elements from this music and sufficiently watered it down to make it more acceptable on the white market. But as all good things must, the short‑lived craze came to an end, leaving the pianists to fend for themselves once again.

Piano players of the calibre of the "Trio" are few and far between these days, I'll wager, and thus I was very surprised when I was taken by a friend to jam with a black boogie pianist and blues performer whom I'd supposed would only be a fair product of the Swing Band Era. What I met was a burly man, similar in build to the men of the Trio, with massive forearms, who played a thundering bass and accompanied that with a display of manual dexterity that seemed nearly impossible. If I hadn't seen him with my own eyes, I would have sworn it was an old Ammons‑Lewis‑Johnson recording! That kind of good. We struck up an immediate musical and personal relationship, and from admiration of the man's talent I have got down the details of his life in hope that news of him will spread, and some enterprising label might come and record this great talent.

"Big Joe Dusty", Joseph Duskin, was born in Birmingham, Ala. on Cottageville Avenue, February 10th 1921. At an early age he'd be found at a neighbour's, Millie Jerkins', house, practicing the piano and listening to Mary, a blind girl who played well despite her affliction. Mary had no father, but a good mother who let Joe practice any time he wanted.

Then came a move to 1503 Gorman Street and young Joe, still without a piano, took to visiting his uncle, who had a piano and allowed him to play. Joe's ambition to play the piano was so great he recalls asking his father why uncle couldn't come and live with them, making it easier for him toget to the piano! Well, Joe's uncle finally moved in, but no sooner than Joe sat down, to play boogie and blues, than his father - "a grand old man at age 98" - pulled him away, saying no son of his would be playing that music around him! Joe relates:

"There were heavy whippings and spankings and fussing about my playing blues and boogie. He was very religious, and detested reels and anything that wasn't nearer my God to Thee!" Needless to say, Joe didn't stop playing and found time to practice when his father wasn't around, and even at church, which would probably have given his father a heart attack! Joe took to marking down the notes on the piano, and in this way found his own style of playing.

Joe then left the piano for 18 years, to play for the Church, but after the death of his father, returned to the music of his childhood. As for Joe's influences:

"I treasure artists like Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson... Bob Zankie, Freddie Slack... and many others, like Pine Top Smith and Art Tatum." He also has a deep admiration for Roosevelt Sykes, and through some recordings I've played for him he's come to admire artists like Memphis Slim, Big Maceo, Otis Spann and Black Bob.

Joe has played with blues bands, orchestras and combos, or just by himself. Immediately after hearing him I took him to a local club - The Family Owl - where we were hired for a weekend, and then moved to Hoogi's presently playing parties and dances around town. Says Joe of his band members:-

"I've played with Phil Busima who is now in the U.S.Navy, and Steve Tracy, a great blues harmonica player. I've played withhim on many occasions."

In performance Joe is really amazing... hegoes from one boogie or blues to another, with almost no time in between, effortless and tireless. His voice is similar in its range to Joe Turner's though not quite as powerful, and he gets his message across through his sometimes witty, sometimes clever, sometimes poignant lyrics. Our most requested songs are versions of "Boogie Woogie Prayer", "Down the road a-piece", "Well well baby blues", "HonkyTonk Train Blues" and, with accompanying vocals by myself, David Tracy and John Krueger, "Wee wee baby blues". He also has an incredible "Swanee River Boogie Woogie' and "When the Saints", plus numerous more original boogies and personal blues songs.

Joe Duskin is the kind of performer that might have been sought out and recorded by collectors had he been in the right place at the right time. One of the unlucky artists who, though very talented, never got a chance to record. Though very reliant on the styles of the Boogie Woogie Trio, which isn't really bad if you think of it, he does have his own ideas within that idiom. ST