LIVE: Hugh Pool & Tony Markellis @ the Mouzon House, 3/22/2019

Review and photographs by Andrzej Pilarczyk

Hugh Pool is a practitioner of the authentic Delta blues sound from Robert Johnson through Muddy Waters. And not unlike John Hammond and many others who among white musicians have perfected the style of the masters. The difference between Pool and so many of the others is his passion, emotion and expressiveness during any performance, regardless how big or small a venue or night club.

Mind you, Pool is a seasoned veteran, but each performance is a new experience in listening to the blues the way it was meant to be through his authentic and passionate interpretation. This time out at a corner stage at the Mouson House in Saratoga Springs, Pool held nothing back in his performance with bassist Tony Markellis (Trey Anastasio Band, Michael Jerling, the Unknown Blues Band, Kilimanjaro and too many others to count).

Though a small audience drank in the performance, more than half of them didn’t know who was playing, but they dug what was happening. Not many knew that the tall, lanky guy blowing their minds is also an amazing producer, sound engineer and so much more working with Taj Mahal, The National, Michael Brecker and so many other “name” bands or performers.

When Hugh Pool played that night, even on that small corner stage, with the brilliant accompanying bassist Tony Markellis, some drinking at the bar took note and they wondered if this guy was local or all that much more.

Well, he is, so much more, and then some…

UPCOMING: Hugh Pool teams up with multi-instrumentalist John Ragusa as Mulebone for a concert in Stony Creek Park on Tuesday, July 30. The two have collaborated on at least four recordings, including the latest Keep On Moving.