Emma Wilson: "A Spoonful Of Willie Dixon" (2025) CD Review

Emma Wilson is a singer and songwriter working in the blues realm. She released her first full-length album, Wish Her Well, in 2022, and then won the "Emerging Blues Artist Of The Year" award at the UK Blues Awards. She followed that with Memphis Calling in 2023, that album containing a mix of original material and covers. One of the covers on that album is Willie Dixon's "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," which she retitled "Hoochie Coochie Mama" for her version. And now she has released an album of Willie Dixon songs. Playfully titled A Spoonful Of Willie Dixon, it contains excellent renditions of some of his well-known tunes. Willie Dixon was an incredibly influential blues musician and songwriter. Even if you haven't listened to any Willie Dixon records (and if you haven't, you've been missing out), you have heard his material. Lots of artists have covered his songs, including The Rolling Stones, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Etta James, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. So these songs (or at least most of them) will likely be familiar to you. Emma Wilson is backed by Mark Barrett on drums, Ian Leese on bass, Nik Svarc on guitar, and Bennett Holland on organ and piano.

Emma Wilson opens the album with "Spoonful," a song that Willie Dixon wrote, but one that Howlin' Wolf recorded. This is one of the first Willie Dixon songs I heard when I was a kid, but it was the Cream version that I first heard. And then I heard the Grateful Dead cover it before ever hearing the original recording. I love the way Emma Wilson tackles it. Her delivery has attitude. There is something deliciously dirty about it. She teases out some of the words, dragging them along the floor, having her way with each syllable before letting it go. There is also some fantastic stuff on guitar. And check out that work on keys. The band gets a chance to jam a bit here. This is a phenomenal rendition, and a great way to kick off the album. Things then get fun on "Good To The Last Drop." This track has a delightful groove, the band getting loose here, having a good time. I am particularly fond of the work on keys. It seems Emma Wilson is too, for during that lead, she exclaims, "Wooo!" and then "Yeah!" You too might find yourself shouting and hollering in response. This track feels like a celebration. This song was written by Willie Dixon, Buster Benton and Marie Booker.

Emma then delivers a seriously cool rendition of "I Can't Quit You Baby." This is a song that Led Zeppelin covered, one that the band actually gave Willie Dixon credit for on the record (those guys weren't always good about that, the little thieves). This track features some outstanding guitar work and, yes, more great stuff on keys. And I love the way Emma draws us in closer with her vocal performance, and then once she has us, she raises her voice, tearing into us. "When you hear me howling, baby." Oh yes, yes, yes! That's followed by "Wang Dang Doodle," a song I first heard done by the Grateful Dead. Emma Wilson's rendition moves a good clip. The Dead did a slower, meaner version. This version almost swings. That doesn't mean it's devoid of attitude. Emma is clearly having fun with this song, and this track contains more great stuff on guitar. Bennett Holland is rocking those keys in the second half. You can almost hear applause when he finishes, as you would if this were a live performance. And just when you have come to realize that this version is a little party, there are hand claps to confirm it.

"I Want To Be Loved" is a song that the Rolling Stones covered early in their career. Emma Wilson offers a cool rendition that struts about. And how can you not love the way she delivers the song's title line? So good, so delicious. The song takes off from there, with another impressive guitar lead that feels just right. She closes out the album with "It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)," a song from much later in Willie Dixon's career. This one was included on his 1984 album Mighty Earthquake And Hurricane. I need to add that album to my collection, because this is a fantastic song. The song is about how with all of humanity's accomplishes, it is ridiculous that one thing we can't do is stop fighting each other. This version by Emma Wilson eases in, setting the mood and taking its time, which is wonderful. She and the other musicians take the opportunity to stretch out a bit here, this version nearly twice the length of Willie Dixon's original recording. Emma really does a phenomenal job with this one, delivering a captivating performance. This track is haunting and hypnotic at moments, and engaging the whole way through.

CD Track List

1. Spoonful
2. Good To The Last Drop
3. I Can't Quit You Baby
4. Wang Dang Doodle
5. I Want To Be Loved
6. It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)

A Spoonful Of Willie Dixon was released on May 2, 2025.