Rob “The Wild Boar” Moore is a Chicago-based guitarist, songwriter and band leader whose musical career stretches back to the early 70s when he learned his craft at the feet of Blues legends Otis Rush and Muddy Waters. Some of his earliest credits include playing guitar for George “Wild Child” Butler and and Little Bobby Neely, touring with John Lee Hooker, and leading a band in Miami that featured Clifford Hawkins.
Moore’s recorded output has been spotty for the last few decades–his 2022 album Used to Be Wild (which features some of the same musicians who appear on Chicago Dog) and his 1997 debut Eye of the Storm constitute his solo releases–but he is back in fine style after years of teaching (and the occasional gig) with the fall 2024 album Chicago Dog.
Co-produced by Moore and Thomas Klein (Liquid Soul, Spies Who Surf) with horn arrangements by Ron Haynes (The Mac Men, Liquid Soul) and engineered and mastered by Ellis Clark (Social Act, Epicycle) at Angel City Studios, Chicago Dog mixes elements of Chicago Blues, Swing, Jazz, and Soul into a thick and spicy musical gumbo.
Kicking off with the title track, Chicago Dog announces itself wildly, Moore’s carnival barker croon extolling the virtues of hot dogs and all the fixins’. The tune is loaded with horns, backing vocals, and tasty guitar.
“Cloverleaf Blues” follows “Chicago Dog” and doubles up on the Blues and Soul trimmings and features the studio musicians firing up the musical grill for some barrel house piano, savory saxophone, and barbecued bass.
Moore continues to explore the “dog” theme with “Dogs Everywhere” but this time he’s calling out canines in various Chicago neighborhoods and locales and his backing singers Shay Jones and Alicia Townsend have a ball with the “woof woof” responses to his call.
Further along, “A Nice Day” and “If I Could Buy” slow things down to a simmering boil and the latter tune has some stately church organ and showcases Moore’s best vocal on the album.
The (only slightly tongue in cheek) “I’m a Legend” is the truest ‘Chicago Blues’ cut on Chicago Dog while “One More Ride” is both jazzy and a bit naughty as Moore pleads for “One More Ride in the Hay.”
“T-Bone Shuffle” is the album’s strongest musical moment and is followed by the slow and ribald Blues of “I Paid Your Wife” (it is worth noting that Moore received his nickname “The Wild Boar” as a child who would, literally, go wild when he was picked on but this tune finds him to be the provocateur).
“Mustard” carries on with the food angle and is quite tangy! This is the album’s lone instrumental and spotlights the talented musicians who are along for the ride; it is both Bluesy and Jazzy and has some Booker T & the MGs vibes.
The final cut on Chicago Dog (listed as a “bonus track” on the CD) is the whimsical “Mr. Grumplestein” in which Moore warns listeners not to mess with him until he has had his morning caffeine fix.
A fine local release, Chicago Dog also serves as a menu of the fuel (edible or otherwise) that keeps Rob “The Wild Boar” Moore running: hot dogs, real dogs, sex, shit talking, coffee, and, most importantly, good music!
