1. Two Trains Running (3:23)
2. Give Me A 32-20 (3:40)
3. Maybelline (2:37)
4. Louise (4:07)
5. This Train (2:28)
6. East St. Louis Blues (3:06)
7. Going Back To Florida (2:54)
8. Mean Old Frisco (3:13)
9. I Got A Letter This Morning (4:09)
10. Alabama Woman Blues (3:34)
11. The Hoochie Coochie Man (3:02)
12. Crossroads Blues (3:59)
13. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (5:12)
14. Drop Down Menu (2:50)
15. Me And The Devil (2:32)
16. Ask Me Nice (4:42)
17. Hellhound Blues (3:35)
18. Midnight Hour Blues (4:00)

John Hammond, a New York native (son of John Hammond the producer who had discovered Bob Dylan), become a staple of the Greenwich Movement with his passionate recreation of the blues. Hammond debuted in 1962 with a collection of acoustic blues classics, John Hammond (Vanguard, 1962), and that remained his style for a while. Big City Blues (Vanguard, 1964) had more rock and roll (most selections are by Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon) and Country Blues (Vanguard, 1964) had more Delta blues, but the style was fiercely acoustic.

His work was recognized as important by rock musicians because it helped uncover forgotten heroes of the blues. Unlike John Mayall in Britain, though, Hammond was a faithful recreator of the original sound, and that was also his limit. He was a living documentary of the blues. He finally embraced the electric instrumentation on two albums with backing from Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm (before they renamed themselves The Band), So Many Roads (Vanguard, 1965), mainly devoted to Bo Diddley and Willie Dixon, and Mirrors (Vanguard, 1967), with several Robert Johnson compositions; then I Can Tell (Atlantic, 1967), again in the tradition of Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker, featured Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko. Sooner Or Later (Atlantic, 1968), with two Sonny Boy Williamson songs, and Southern Fried (Atlantic, 1969), with a mixture of blues and rock and roll, ended the Sixties on a sour note. Source Point (Columbia, 1970), long delayed, was finally released, but for a few years Hammond was engaged only to compose the soundtrack for Little Big Man (1971) and to play in the Triumvirate (Columbia, 1973), with Dr. John and Michael Bloomfield.

I'm Satisfied (Columbia, 1972), mostly a tribute to Delaney Bramlett, was the only solo album of these years (several encyclopedias confuse his albums of this period with the albums by Albert Hammond).

Can't Beat The Kid (Capricorn, 1975) and John Hammond Solo (Vanguard, 1976) were still in the old style, regardless of waning interest in his revivalist operation. Footwork (Vanguard, 1978), a dazzling return to Robert Johnson material and therefore to his roots, Hot Tracks (Vanguard, 1979), Mileage (Rounder, 1980) and Frogs For Snakes (Rounder, 1982) re-established his name.

But then he was largely forgotten again, recording only Nobody But You (Flying Fish, 1988).

Hammond's career was revitalized one more time with Trouble No More (Virgin, 1993), that led to a string of successful (and impeccable) albums: Found True Love (Virgin, 1996), Long As I Have You (Virgin, 1998). Wicked Grin (Virgin, 2001) is a Tom Waits tribute. --- scaruffi.com

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1. Ride 'Til I Die (Hooker)
2. Honey Bee (Morganfield)
3. Diddley Daddy (Diddley/Fuqua)
4. Memphis Town (Blackwell/Carr)
5. Lost Lover Blues (Allen)
6. Nobody But You (Spriggs)
7. Papa Wants A Cookie (Blackwell/Carr)
8. If I Get Lucky (Crudup)
9. Up The Line (Little Walter)
10. Killing Me On My Feet (Miller)
11. Mother-In-Law Blues (Robey)

John Hammond Jr. - vocals, guitars, harmonica
Bucky Berger - drums
Paul James - guitar. drums
Gene Taylor - piano
Ken Whitely - mandolin, percussions, piano
Terry Wilkins – bass

Hammond usually performs solo, but here he is backed by a five-piece band, including pianist Gene Taylor. It's good to hear him in this context. All the numbers are blues classics or standards written by John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Arthur Crudup, Little Walter, and B.B. Fuller. --- Michael G. Nastos, allmusic.com

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1. Two Trains Running (3:23)
2. Give Me A 32-20 (3:40)
3. Maybelline (2:37)
4. Louise (4:07)
5. This Train (2:28)
6. East St. Louis Blues (3:06)
7. Going Back To Florida (2:54)
8. Mean Old Frisco (3:13)
9. I Got A Letter This Morning (4:09)
10. Alabama Woman Blues (3:34)
11. The Hoochie Coochie Man (3:02)
12. Crossroads Blues (3:59)
13. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (5:12)
14. Drop Down Menu (2:50)
15. Me And The Devil (2:32)
16. Ask Me Nice (4:42)
17. Hellhound Blues (3:35)
18. Midnight Hour Blues (4:00)

John Hammond, a New York native (son of John Hammond the producer who had discovered Bob Dylan), become a staple of the Greenwich Movement with his passionate recreation of the blues. Hammond debuted in 1962 with a collection of acoustic blues classics, John Hammond (Vanguard, 1962), and that remained his style for a while. Big City Blues (Vanguard, 1964) had more rock and roll (most selections are by Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon) and Country Blues (Vanguard, 1964) had more Delta blues, but the style was fiercely acoustic.

His work was recognized as important by rock musicians because it helped uncover forgotten heroes of the blues. Unlike John Mayall in Britain, though, Hammond was a faithful recreator of the original sound, and that was also his limit. He was a living documentary of the blues. He finally embraced the electric instrumentation on two albums with backing from Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm (before they renamed themselves The Band), So Many Roads (Vanguard, 1965), mainly devoted to Bo Diddley and Willie Dixon, and Mirrors (Vanguard, 1967), with several Robert Johnson compositions; then I Can Tell (Atlantic, 1967), again in the tradition of Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker, featured Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko. Sooner Or Later (Atlantic, 1968), with two Sonny Boy Williamson songs, and Southern Fried (Atlantic, 1969), with a mixture of blues and rock and roll, ended the Sixties on a sour note. Source Point (Columbia, 1970), long delayed, was finally released, but for a few years Hammond was engaged only to compose the soundtrack for Little Big Man (1971) and to play in the Triumvirate (Columbia, 1973), with Dr. John and Michael Bloomfield.

I'm Satisfied (Columbia, 1972), mostly a tribute to Delaney Bramlett, was the only solo album of these years (several encyclopedias confuse his albums of this period with the albums by Albert Hammond).

Can't Beat The Kid (Capricorn, 1975) and John Hammond Solo (Vanguard, 1976) were still in the old style, regardless of waning interest in his revivalist operation. Footwork (Vanguard, 1978), a dazzling return to Robert Johnson material and therefore to his roots, Hot Tracks (Vanguard, 1979), Mileage (Rounder, 1980) and Frogs For Snakes (Rounder, 1982) re-established his name.

But then he was largely forgotten again, recording only Nobody But You (Flying Fish, 1988).

Hammond's career was revitalized one more time with Trouble No More (Virgin, 1993), that led to a string of successful (and impeccable) albums: Found True Love (Virgin, 1996), Long As I Have You (Virgin, 1998). Wicked Grin (Virgin, 2001) is a Tom Waits tribute. --- scaruffi.com

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01. My Mind Is Ramblin' 
02. Still A Fool 
03. Up The Line 
04. My Time After Awhile 
05. Got To Find My Baby 
06. She's Tough 
07. Chattanooga Choo Choo 
08. Statesboro Blues 
09. I Can Tell 
10. Get Behind The Mule 
11. No Place To Go 
12. Slick Crown 
13. Come To Find Out 
14. It Hurts Me Too 
15. I Can't Be Satisfied

John Hammond – guitar, harmonica, vocals.

John Hammond, Jr. has produced many hallmark albums during a 50-year career and 35 recordings, but Rough & Tough might top them all. Playing solo on a variety of guitars, a harmonica, and singing up a storm, Hammond acoustically interprets songs of the legendary bluesmen that established the urban Chicago train of thought. His choices should be very familiar to most blues fans, but the way he plays them are a throwback to pre-electric, back-porch days, when simplicity was the norm rather than amped-up volume. The energy is within Hammond's soul, and he lets it loose for every track of this extraordinary album. Interpreting songs by Muddy Waters and Little Walter comes naturally, but he also tackles tunes like Howlin' Wolf's "My Mind Is Ramblin'," and especially the low-down and dirty "No Place to Go," "Statesboro Blues," "It Hurts Me Too," and the delightful swing jazz classic "Chattanooga Choo Choo" are included, as well as Jerry McCain's more contemporary "She's Tough." Two originals by Hammond, "Slick Crown Vic" in boogie mode and the easygoing "Come to Find Out" are unearthed from previous recordings, emphasizing that he also stands proud as a presence among these giants. This is a flawless example of John Hammond's capabilities in presenting authentic blues with a feeling and passion that few artists can match, and comes with a high recommendation, and a well-deserved 2009 Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. --- Michael G. Nastos, Allmusic.com

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01. My Babe
02. Standing Around Crying
03. Riding In The Moonlight
04. Big 45
05. Seventh Son
06. Red Hot Kisses
07. Help Me
08. It Hurts Me Too
09. Give Me A 32-20
10. You’ll Miss Me
11. Mr. Luck
12. Hot Tamales

John Hammond, Jr. (vocals, guitar, harmonica); 
Bob Montalto, Robbie Kondor (piano); 
Charles "Honeyman" Otis (drums).

Hammond has been out there a long time, and he has earned his spurs as a straight-from-the-heart interpreter of the blues. "Mileage" is one of many fine albums he's released over the past 30-plus years, and it will make a fine addition to your blues library.

Hammond delivers the goods, as usual, on both guitar and harmonica, and he effectively adds piano and drums for some tunes. His best moments come when he gets a chance to show off his rough, exciting voice, most notably on "Red Hot Kisses" and "Hot Tamales." Another high point is his rendition of the classic "Standin' Around Cryin'," which he delivers with heartfelt emotion, both vocally and on harmonica. Hammond reprises some earlier material on "Mileage," which he has tended to do on albums throughout his career, and his rework of "Seventh Son" probably could have afforded to be shelved. Still, leftovers sometimes taste better than first servings, and this is the case on "Help Me," originally recorded on the unfortunately deleted Columbia release "Source Point." I loved the tune in its original form, but Hammond improves on it on this album. It's a simmering blues boiler that sustains a sense of tension and menace from start to finish.

Listeners not familiar with Hammonds' work will find "Mileage" to be a useful starting point. His is an authentic blues voice that is fortunately still going strong. ---Tyler Smith, amazon.com

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