Little Arthur Duncan has probably passed under a lot of people's radar because he wasn't performing for a good number of years, except in his own club. He had started his career in of all places Key West, but that's where he hooked up with Earl Hooker so he wasn't the only guy who went South first before heading North. They showed up in Chicago in 1954 and Little Arthur hooked up with Little Walter who became his first mentor and teacher.

Even though he held on to his day job, it's a lot harder for a vocalist/harmonica player to make a living than a guitar player, he soon became a regular in the clubs. When the scene started drying up in the late sixties, his playing time was reduced, although he never stopped, sitting in periodically with Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, and others. It was in the early 1980's that he began running his own club where he'd book in all Blues acts. He could usually be counted on to climb on stage with whoever was playing that night, but he concentrated on keeping the scene going rather than being part of it.

When he was forced to close Backscratcher's Lounge he began playing full time again, and he's quickly garnered a reputation as being one of the acts to check out in Chicago. Watching him play, sing, and just generally perform on the DVD Live At Rosa's Lounge you understand why right from the first note of his harmonica. This guy is an emotional dynamo; he throws himself heart and soul into every single song he plays and you know he's not holding anything back.

I've always loved the old blues musicians with their chairs on stage. After one or two songs they always apologize for having to sit down because "they're feelin' their age", but half way through any number they've begun seated, their up bouncing around again. Little Arthur is no exception; the music seems to act like an electric current in him. Coursing through his veins and pulling him to his feet time after time, putting out way more energy on stage than musicians half his age.

The music is the classic electric Chicago blues sound, and listening to Little Arthur playing you realize how few people are still playing that music. It's a high energy, hard driving, and dynamic sound that isn't like anything else you'll ever hear. The drum and the bass lay down something solid that makes your spine twitch and your shoulders itch, the two guitars build the melody on top of that and the vocalist/harp player rides it all like a ship running before a steady wind over the rolling ocean.