John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981) May 2026

If you haven't spun this lately, go find it. Your speakers will thank you (even if your neighbors don't).

A protege of Little Walter and Big Walter Horton, Bell brought a "chromatic" flair to the harp. He didn't just play notes; he bent the air around them. Why This 1981 Pairing Matters John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981)

The chemistry here is conversational. On tracks like "Dream" or their blistering takes on Elmore James classics, they don't step on each other's toes. Instead, they push each other. Littlejohn sets the house on fire with a sliding riff, and Bell arrives like the siren on a fire truck to wail over the top. The Verdict If you haven't spun this lately, go find it

This isn't just a "collector's item" for blues nerds. It’s a masterclass in tension and release. It’s an album for late nights, long drives, or whenever you need a reminder of what music sounds like when it’s played by people who have nothing to prove and everything to feel. He didn't just play notes; he bent the air around them