Live at the Knickerbocker Cafe was recorded in the late '70s, toward the end of
Left Hand Frank's unheralded career. For much of his life, he worked as a sideman, never officially releasing a studio album as a leader. This album (originally released on the French MCM label) is the only addition to a meager discography, but it demonstrates just how much he had to offer.
Left Hand Frank didn't shake up the Chicago blues tradition, choosing to celebrate it instead, and the result is a kinetic, entertaining set of greasy blues. There are a few unexpected flourishes, such as the reverb detour "Surfin' with Frank," that keep things interesting, and the end result is cool little Chicago blues gem from a guitarist that was sadly underrecorded. ~ Thom Owens