John Hammond: I'm Satisfied

THE QUESTION OF whether a white man can sing the deltoid blues has long been answered by John Hammond in the only way possible: that is, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ding-a-ling, or however the old soak is supposed to go. Over the course of at least fifty albums (so it seems – the Hawk has been recording America's most direct art form since long before such young turks as Butterfield/Bloomfield were a gleam in Elektra's eye), Hammond has proceeded to demonstrate this dictum to a T, his very performing and recording consistency only meaning that this latest effort, knowingly titled I'm Satisfied, is just more of the very-good same, a welcome addition for his legion of aficionados and a nice introduction in terms of those who Never.