Little G Weevil is likely the greatest – and possibly the only – Hungarian blues musician of all time. Born and raised in Budapest as the the former “Eastern Block” nation became more open to outside cultural influences, Weevil became enamored of American blues music. He grew up playing drums but took up the guitar at 17 to emulate his heroes, such as blues legends John Lee Hooker and Lightnin’ Hopkins.  By age 21, in 1998, Weevil had established his own band. In 2004, after releasing his first album in Europe, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he spent a year washing dishes and performing on Beale Street.
Little G Weevil is a rarity among European musicians who have embraced the blues. Beginning with the British Invasion, including Cream, Savoy Brown and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, until more recent years, with musicians such as Anders Osborne (originally from Sweden), Joanne Shaw Taylor (England) and Ana Popovic (Yugoslavia), most Europeans have adopted blues-rock styles inspired by Chicago electric blues.  Although he also plays electric blues styles, on Moving, Weevil has gone straight for the acoustic Mississippi Delta sound, and he does it really well.
Now based in Kennesaw, Georgia, his dedication to the spirit of Delta Blues is being recognized. His first US release, Southern Experience, was released in 2007, and his second solo work, The Teaser, was released in 2012. He won the solo/duo category at the Blues Foundation’s 2013 International Blues Challenge. Moving, his third US release, is a testament to Weevil’s skill in embracing the rustic blues of the American South. From its first track, “Shook It and Broke It,” to its last, “Swing in the Middle,” Moving serves up some a moving array of excellent acoustic picking, slide playing and gritty singing. On “Deep Bow,” one can even hear a hint of Malian riffs ala Ali Farka Toure.
In his liner notes on Moving, Weevil said he enjoyed acoustic guitar because the intimacy of the instrument makes him feel like he is having a direct conversation with the audience. “Just like those early field recordings where I could hear a dog bark, a door slam, motorcycles go by even conversations in the background,” he wrote. “With this acoustic recording I wanted to capture that atmosphere and sound.” He said the album was recorded in an Atlanta neighborhood “where Blind Willie McTell used to play for tips.” He said he recorded the album in a 15-by-20 foot room with a single microphone, and for the full band numbers he placed several microphones around the room to create the authentic feel of the album.  The method has its limitations as at times the lyrics are unintelligible; however, it does recreate that genuine Delta blues flavor.
All the songs on Moving were written by Weevil except the traditional “Let’s Talk It Over.” The album is largely a solo effort but Weevil was accompanied on several tunes by band members Maurice Nazzaro on harmonica, Danny Vinson on guitars, Dustin Sergant on upright bass, and Adam Goodhue on drums.
Audio Download: Little G Weevil, “On My Way To Memphis” [audio: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7770435/On-My-Way-To-Memphis.mp3]
About the author: Bill Wilcox is a roots music enthusiast recently relocated from the Washington, DC area to Philadelphia, PA and back again.