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Critic's Review
Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
Party! At Home: Recorded in Memphis 1968 is a fascinating document of two old country blues players, Bukka White and Furry Lewis, playing and talking in a completely relaxed, small-party session, surrounded by friends, none of whom treat the recording going on with any special reverence, meaning the whole set sounds exactly like what it is: a party. Recorded by Bob West in three sessions (one at the home of Albino Red and the other two at Lewis' apartment) in 1968 in Memphis and originally released on LP in 1972 (minus the talking and laughing), it remains one of the most intimate glimpses of the country blues in a neutral setting ever captured on tape. While there are some strong musical performances here by both White ("Hambone Blues") and Lewis (a beautifully natural rendition of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"), its chief function is historical, letting the light in behind the scenes. The joy the folks at the party have in each other is uplifting, and the music is a bonus. It doesn't add anything startling to the cache of either blues player, but it will make you smile.
