“Mr. Satan and the white boy who played with him up by the phone company.” That’s what they called themselves before they became Satan and Adam.

Satan and Adam aren’t household names, but they should be. Honest-to-goodness street buskers, straight from the streets of Harlem. And as all good street players should, they start this double-disc set off with a get down, stay down fast shuffle, that if you’re not at least nodding and tapping your foot to, you should patent your thick skin.

The sound is raw, but that’s the way good, authentic blues is supposed to sound, ain’t it? By raw, I mean it’s stripped down, just a two-man band playing guitar, a shaker, and blues harp, the noise of the street filtering in now and again, laughter, some Gospel, traffic, the ubiquitous car alarm. Minimum technical equipment, maximum technical ability, mixed with good, good blues. The sound of Old Mississippi, 80 years ago, when you could find playing on the street people like Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Son House, Tommy Johnson, Honey Boy Edwards (who’s still playing), Sonny Boy Williamson, Mississippi John Hurt, Sleepy John Estes, Johnny Shines, and a host of other of those glorious progenitors of Country Blues, the real American music.  And considering this entire set, less the interview, was recorded on a "$79 Radio Shack boom-box," it's absolutely amazing.

As the better street buskers know, you have to play what moves people, and these tunes do what they’re supposed to. And what keeps people moving? Jams, and longer jams keep them moving longer. And of course the prime consideration when you’re a busker, do they drop money in your hat in appreciation? No money? Guess who doesn’t eat? And speaking of jams, there are only 15 cuts on this double-disc set, but when their running time tallies up to nine, 10, 11, 14, and 15 minutes, you’ve got some seriously funky jams.

What’s especially amazing about this duo is they never rehearsed. The first time they did a song together, it was in front of the most demanding audience in the world: the street. And it seems not long after that they were playing at New Orleans’ JazzFest, and opening for Bo Diddley. They also make a brief appearance in the U2 movie Rattle and Hum.

You won’t find any better or more funky, authentic Delta blues, in their own inimitable manner, than what’s on these discs. From the first cut, “Funky Revival,” which sets the tough standard for the entire package, to the final cut, “Noah Adams – NPR (1991)," an interview, which makes it compleat. Don’t miss this interview, and especially Mr. Satan’s convoluted explanation of his name.

Although Sterling Magee is currently living in a Care Home, and even though Adam Gussow gives lessons, has a superb learning website, tours occasionally as a blues scholar and speaker, and holds down a professorship at UMiss, the two still play together on rare occasions. If you ever hear of Satan and Adam playing, anywhere, anytime, even if you have to drive a couple hundred miles, see them! You won’t regret it.

Satan and Adam’s latest CD, Word On the Street, is available ONLY as a download at Modern Blues Harmonica.