Dave Van Ronk: The Folkways Years, 1959-1961
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Audio CD (13 July, 1992)
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Reviews (2)

For the Folk Purist
My first exposure to Dave Van Ronk, although I've known his name for years. Definitely a winner for those interested in roots folk/blues. Fabulous unique and creative guitar rhythms blend perfectly with Van Ronk's rough voice. Mostly obscure songs from the early 1900s learned from friends and off the street - a plus for me. The album includes a sheet of comments about the songs.
My favorite: "Just a Closer Walk with Thee", the old spiritual done as never before.

Preserved on CD, for better or for worse
I listened to Dave Van Ronk's old Folkways records a LOT growing up - most of these songs I have not heard in years. There are enough good songs to make this CD worth owning ("River Come Down" is a particular favorite of mine). My 12-year-old enjoys the same songs I enjoyed at his age: "Yas-Yas-Yas", "Willie the Weeper". A number of the old folk tunes sound so amateurish to me now they are painfully embarassing to listen to: "Saint James Infirmary" for example is just awful. Nevertheless this is a good collection and a good example of a genre that was extremely popular during the Folk Revival of early 60s. ... Read more

Asin: B000001DI4
Sales Rank: 21131

Sunday Street
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Audio CD (26 January, 1999)
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Editorial Review

No matter how good the music shop is, you can't buy the instrument that Dave Van Ronk plays. It's a voice. Van Ronk has what you might call a vintage throat, a rare antique that has collected every story that has passed his way in decades of folk singing. It is a scratched, raw voice--memorable, exciting, and suffused with the weight of experience. In this 1976 reissue, Van Ronk uses a simple acoustic-guitar-and-voice dynamic to sketch out the wisdom and world-weariness he found in traditional tunes such as "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well" and "Down South Blues." His ragtime guitar renditions of Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and Jelly Roll Morton's "The Pearls" are brilliant reappraisals of enduring songs. His cover of Joni Mitchell's "That Song About the Midway" slowly courses through the labyrinth of a sad, wrecked life. This is a striking album, balanced with dark blues and sly humor. --Lois Maffeo ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Dave Von Ronk
I first heard this album as a teenager in the 70's. I listened to it constantly and I'm happy to now own it on CD. Dave has a soulful sound that reaches inside of you and makes you want to sing along. I recommend these tunes to anyone who feels the need to moan along - it is great for the soul.

Van Ronk's masterpiece
One of the heroes of the New York and American folk revival, Dave Van Ronk is a supremely gifted singer and guitarist who was there to bridge the first revival (Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly) and the second (the one that produced Bob Dylan and transformed popular music) and who shows no sign of slowing down. Mediocre Van Ronk recordings are not exactly nonexistent, but they are rare. Sunday Street, finally available on CD after more than three decades, is surely not one of them. It may be his masterpiece, a fully realized, deeply affecting exploration of the various genres -- blues, ragtime, jazz, spirituals, Tin Pan Alley, Joni Mitchell -- that Van Ronk always manages to subsume under a single genre: Van Ronk music. It ain't necessarily pretty, and its sheer intensity may scare you now and again, but it'll shake you in the way art that is plainspoken and true scares you. The blackly comic title song, the CD's one original, takes off from the theme of Van Ronk's onetime signature song, "Willie the Weeper," but "Sunday Street" manages to stand on its own wobbly feet as a sad and hilarious tale of a drunkard's twisted vision of heaven. ... Read more

Asin: B00000GWY9

Where Did You Sleep Last Night: Lead Belly Legacy, Vol. 1
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Audio CD (20 February, 1996)
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Reviews (9)

The roots of quite a lot...
Lead Belly is one of the best in American music - he's right up there with Woody Guthrie (if not above him, which is more than arguable) in influence and importance for the formation of 20th century music. Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) was supposedly "discovered" and recorded in prison by John Lomax (the recordings on this CD were recorded by Moses Asch in the 1940s). He also is said to have sung his way into being pardoned (during his second term in prison after being convicted of murder) by the then governor of Texas. He never became a star, but many of his songs have been re-recorded by popular artists (probably the best-known examples are the covers of "Goodnight, Irene" by the Weavers and "Midnight Special" by Credence Clearwater Revival).

This collection is a great starting point for Lead Belly's music. It includes some of his most memorable songs: "Irene", "Grey Goose", "Cotton Fields", "Sylvie", "Rock Island Line", "Green Corn". The recording quality is great considering the age of the recordings. Included are plenty of Lead Belly playing his legendary 12-string guitar along with some a capella tracks. The CD booklet has a good biography and extensive track notes, along with quotes from Lead Belly himself about selected songs. If you're curious about Lead Belly this CD is a great introduction to his music. If you want more, this series has 2 additional excellent volumes.

Incredibly Influential
As with most pre-rock'n'roll folk and blues music deciding which Leadbelly CD to pick up is not an easy task. There are several Leadbelly compilations out there and almost all of them omit essential songs. That is why, taking into consideration the importance of this man's music, I suggest giving the old visa card a little work-out and springing for both this and Bourgeois Blues: Leadbelly Legacy, Vol. 2.

Leadbelly is among the top three most influential musicains of the 20th Century. A distinction he shares with Son House and Robert Johnson (Son House: The Original Delta Blues and The Complete Robert Johnson are both essential cds). The seeds that Mr. Ledbetter planted when he recorded his music went on to sprout plants in the fields of popular music from (probably) every country on earth. You know the story: From blues came rock'n'roll and jazz.

A friend once said to me, "Good artists borrow ideas, great artists steal them." This is particularly true concerning the relationship between Leadbelly and the other Led. Don't get me wrong. Zeppelin were pioneering geniuses in their own right. But little did I know that the Led Zeppelin records that I blasted full volume deep into my profoundly stoned highschool cranium were really written in large part by dirt poor black men way before World War Two. The song 'Black Betty' by Ram Jam which recently enjoyed some nostalgic exposure through the Blow Soundtrack (a fine collection) was originally a Leadbelly tune. And it may well have been Leadbelly's ghost that killed John Bonham and Hendrix and Morrison and Joplin and Brian Jones, seeking revenge for royalties never paid. Cobain, too.

lead
This is an essential album to any collection. Its a bit hard to listen to stait through though. ... Read more

Asin: B000001DIA
Sales Rank: 12434

Bourgeois Blues: Leadbelly Legacy, Vol. 2
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Audio CD (18 March, 1997)
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2nd of 3 in Smithsonian's Lead Belly Legacy series
(72') This is the second of three volumes in the Smithsonian's Lead Belly series, probably the best set for just listening to Lead Belly play and sing. All three CDs are taken from Moses Asch's original studio masters (as opposed to most other available compilations on reprint labels, which are made from secondary sources); the other two are Vol. 1 "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" SF40044 (67'), and Vol. 3 "Shout On" SF40105 (70'). As usual, the Smithsonian provides extensive and authoritative notes.

Essential Blues, Essential Lead Belly
I picked this up because I was looking for a nice cheap CD with alot of tracks. I had one Lead Belly CD already, but I wanted more. This won't disappoint. Traditional songs like Midnight Special and Gallis Pole are wonderful. Lead Belly's style is revolutionary, and his voice thunders like the trains immortalized by blues artists all over the Delta. It's so full of soul and feeling it stirs emotions. Muddy Waters said you have to have the blues to play the blues, and this recording shows that to be true, but Lead Belly also has a softer, playful side to his music, shown in the tracks Skip to My Lou and Red Bird. I once read something that all the kids would dance when a Lead Belly record was put on, and the question is, how could you not? ... Read more

Asin: B000001DIC
Sales Rank: 44837

Shout On: Leadbelly Legacy, Vol. 3
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Audio CD (17 March, 1998)
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Reviews (2)

3rd of 3 in Smithsonian's Lead Belly Legacy series
(70') This is the third of three volumes in the Smithsonian's Lead Belly Legacy series, probably the best set for just listening to Lead Belly play and sing. All three CDs are taken from Moses Asch's original studio masters (as opposed to most other available compilations on reprint labels, which are made from secondary sources); the other two are Vol. 1 "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" SF40044 (67'), and Vol. 2 "Bourgeois Blues" SF40045 (72'). As usual, the Smithsonian provides extensive and authoritative notes; the notes for this Vol. 3 also include a complete song listing of Lead Belly song titles on their various CDs, but unfortunately it doesn't distinguish between the few duplications issued, versus different recordings of the same song.

Leadbelly Shout On sure shouts ON
This is an excellent release of some material that has been available before and some that has not. The sound quality is excellent. Recorded in thre 1940's for Moe Asch for folkways thew sound is of the highest level possible. The songs are great. It contains some very rare war songs not found in any other collection. If you are a leadbelly fan I highly recomen it. If you are new to Leadbelly this is a good place to start. ... Read more

Asin: B00000611W
Sales Rank: 44595

Complete Recordings 1929-34
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Audio CD (24 September, 2002)
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Reviews (7)

The best!
The JSP label's blues box sets featuring Charlie Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy are among the best-sounding prewar blues compilations on the market, and this is without a doubt the best Patton-collection of all. Just look at the price! All of Charlie Patton's awesome recordings, as well as several sides featuring him as a sideman, and a number of recordings by Patton-associates like Willie Brown, Louise Johnson and Son House (all of House's 1930 Paramount singles are included). And this music have never sounded better than it does on this exquisitely remastered and well-annotated collection.
Patton and Son House were the two most important and certainly most influential prewar blues singers, as well as being two of the most impressive. All serious blues lovers should have this fine boxed set in their collection.

POOR RECORDING BUT GOOD
ITS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY WHAT PATTON IS SAYING BUT ITS THERE SO WITH THAT BEING SAID I HAVE TO SAY IT IS A GOOD RECORDING. THAT DARK HAUNTING AND EERIE SOUND IS PART OF THE BLUES AND NO ONE DID IT BETTER FOR HIS TIME THAN CHARLEY PATTON HIMSELF. HE WAS THE BEST AND THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOWD AFTER HIM INCLUDING ROBERT JOHNSON SHOW HE WAS A MAN OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IVE WALWAYS SAID IF ANY ONE WANTS TO LISTEN TO MUSIC THEY SHOULD LISTEN TO THE GREATONES AND CHARLEY WAS JUST THAT SO ILL GIVE 3 1/2 STARS TO A VERY GOOD COLLECTION. OH AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO BUY OTHER RECORDINGS OF HIS WORK FORGET IT THIS IS THE BEST REMASTERD AND RESTORED COLLECTION OF HIS WORK ON THE MARKET.

nice, for the price.
i have another 5-disc compilation from this same company, and both were 25 bucks for 5 cds. very nice.

the mastering is decent, and the liner notes tell the story of charley patton in five parts. since describing the tracks or music that is actually contained on the cd is nearly impossible, i will spare you a lengthy bunch of confusion. i can tell you that charley patton was doing blues before most people were doing blues. he was one of the first recorded artists in this style, which is why these cds say he is the "acknowledged king of the delta blues" all over them. ... Read more

Asin: B00006BIO0
Sales Rank: 8027
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Pop   

His Best: 1947 to 1955
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 March, 1997)
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Editorial Review

One of the best recordings in Chess Records' 50th Anniverary series is the first of two bookend Muddy Waters collections, His Best 1947-55. Documenting Waters's most creatively and commercially successful years at Aristocrat/Chess, this CD begins with his formative years and ends with Waters at his peak. So you're in for a lot of terrific bottleneck slide guitar work as well as electric Chicago blues. What's to criticize? Superb remasterings of "I Can't Be Satisfied," "Rollin' and Tumblin'," "I'm Ready," and "Mannish Boy" are simply beyond reproach. With simple bass accompaniment from Ernest "Big" Crawford, Waters's bottleneck tracks are spare, haunting and, quite frankly, perfect country blues. And listening to Waters, Little Walter, Willie Dixon, and Jimmy Rogers piece together (and perfect very quickly) the classic Chicago sound is pure blues epiphany. At the very least, this collection shows you why Waters's rollicking stop-time classics like "Mannish Boy" and "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" have sparked endless imitations over the years--and why nobody has played them better since. --Ken Hohman ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (18)

Wow!
This recording of Muddy Waters was a journey back through time. There is nothing phony, electric or amplified about these blues. This is blues with soul. This is blues from a time before Clear Channel and the use of statistical models to market music. Muddy Waters, is proof, the greatest music comes from the heart. This blues is timeless. Listening to this recording, you see why Muddy Waters influenced, the likes of the Rolling Stones. This recording validates, turning off classic rock and find music, which inspires me.

Foundation of rock and roll
This is the real deal. This is where rock and roll began, folks. Muddy Waters and his slide guitar, Willie Dixon's bass and Little Walter's harmonica. These twenty songs have had a profound influence on the music of the past fifty years. So many songs on here are classics, you have probably heard many of them even if you don't listen to the blues. They're that much a part of our culture. Muddy Waters will forever be remembered as not only one of the greatest bluesmen, but also one of the founders of rock and roll.

Blues from heaven
This album blew my mind and is essential listening for any lover of blues, rock or any form of music(interested listeners are requested to also check out Howlin' Wolf 'His Best' CD issued simultaneously by Chess Records).

Nearly 50 odd years later the music sounds as fresh as yesterday. If this isn't where all the rock maestros of later years got their sonic ideas, it should have been. ... Read more

Asin: B000005KQH

The Anthology: 1947-1972
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Audio CD (28 August, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Muddy Waters should need no introduction. Not only did he provide a name for the world's greatest rock & roll band, but he also created the Chicago electric blues sound that's dominated the genre since he first hit the windy city in the late 1940s. His bands also featured what would become a who's who of electric blues: Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and the list goes on. The Anthology covers Waters's most important period: his first years at Chess through the late 1960s. All his best-known songs are featured in their definitive versions, providing the perfect introduction to a blues master who doesn't need one. --Mike Johnson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Essential and Influential
This is a new 2 cd anthology which covers Muddy Waters aka McKinley Morganfield's Aristocrat and Chess material from 1947-72. There have been a number of Muddy Waters compilations in the past few years. This set is better buy than the "His Best Vols 1 & 2" compilations. This set contains 50 songs as opposed to 40 on the "His Best" compilations. This anthology contains less material than the Muddy Waters 3 cd box set but the tapes have been remastered for better sound since the box set was released. However, this anthologys fails to include 2 songs from the "His Best" compilations which are among my favorites "She's Into Something" and "You Need Love". The latter song provided the inspiration for Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". A drawback to this set is there are a few "rarities" which I would have deleted in favor of the aformentioned songs and other favorites like "Blow Wind Blow" (covered by Eric Clapton), "Tell Me Baby" (covered by the Rolling Stones), "I Got A Brand On You" (covered by Johnny Winter), and "Tiger In Your Tank". In addition the second disk clocks in at around 71 minutes, so space was available for more songs. However, this is still an essential compilation.

The music is electric Chicago Blues at its finest. Among the sidemen who appear are Little Walter, Walter Horton, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Jimmy Rogers, Mike Bloomfield, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy and many others. This music has influenced the previously mentioned artists as well as such people as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Canned Heat, Rory Gallagher, The Allman Brothers Band, Savoy Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and many others. Blues classics such as "Mannish Boy" "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", "Got My Mojo Working", "Trouble No More" and others have become staples of both blues and blues/rock performers. Other well known cuts include "Honey Bee" (covered by Stevie Ray Vaughn), "I'm Ready" (covered by Humble Pie), "You Shook Me" (covered by Led Zeppelin), "I Just Want To Make Love To You" (covered by Foghat), "The Same Thing" (covered by the Allman Brothers Band), and "Still A Fool", "I Want To Be Loved" and "Look What You've Done" (all covered by the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones even named themselves after one of Muddy Water's songs "Rollin' Stone" included here. This just scratches the surface of the influence Muddy Waters and his music had on musicians and blues fans alike. If you want a good overview of the Chess years this is an essential compilation.

Muddy's best
This is a comprehensive two disc set of the man who defined Chicago blues. Muddy Waters started out in the Delta working as a guitar playing farm hand but moved to Chicago in the 40's, where he took his delta styled playing and plugged in to make a new music that was loud, raucous, and yet retained the subtleties of the Delta. His powerful voice and his slippery slide-guitar influenced the rock and roll generation of Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, who took both their name and their hit "Satisfaction" from Muddy.

Whooooeeeee! I finally got this great CD compilation!
I've been dropping hints for about two months to my wife that I wanted this 2 CD set for Christmas. I'll drop the cash for a silly PlayStation 2 game for my son, but I won't spend even half of that to buy this CD for me. Well, my wife was listening because I got it for Christmas and I've been playing it non-stop for two days! The two CDs do a great job of following Muddy's ascent from acoustic guitar backed by bass in the late '40s and early '50s to his electrification that helped shape what we now know as Chicago Blues. All of the tracks are taken from the Chess/MCA recordings, and anything he recorded from '72 until his death 11 years later is missing. But that's OK, I've got most of those CDs anyway... This compilation is put together chronologically and, for once, it's put together with some intelligence. There's not an ounce of filler on either CD, and they use up the available time a CD provides -- CD 1 has 26 tracks and CD 2 boasts 24. CD 1 is great layin' in bed and drifting off to sleep music. CD 2 is great slip-in-my-truck-CD-player material and got me to work in a GREAT mood this morning! I highly recommend this for anyone who doesn't know Muddy's music, or who wants some quality audio -- no muffled sound, peaks and dips, just consistent, high-quality folk/blues and down dirty boogie blues that made McKinley Morganfield the definitive King of the Blues (sorry, B.B., I love ya, but Muddy is the Man!). ... Read more

Asin: B00005NHLY

The Complete Recordings
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 1990)
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Editorial Review

This two-CD box contains all 41 recordings Johnson made, including 12 alternate takes, and each cut remains a classic. This set's release in 1990 caused quite a stir, selling more than 500,000 copies, and, on the basis of endorsements from Eric Clapton and Keith Richards, introduced a great number of rock fans to Delta blues. Amazingly, Johnson built his enormous legacy on the strength of just two recording sessions: the first session, in November of 1936, produced among others "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom," "Sweet Home Chicago," "Cross Road Blues," and "Walkin' Blues," making it perhaps the most influential single session in blues history.--Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (84)

The Greatest Music Ever!
In ''Robert Johnson : The Complete Recordings'', you will hear the most powerful blues there is. Robert Johnson's music is more than great, it's magic, it's indefinable. I've never heard anything like that and I know I never will find anything similar. He creates a blues world of his own where everything is possible. He brings you in his visions, his fears, his joys, his hopes, his loves, his travels... Also, his guitar skills are fantastic, his emotion is truely unique and his lyrics really define the everyday life of a traveling black blues musician in the 30's and also visions (or not) he had (Me And The Devil Blues, Hell Hound On My Trail, Cross Road Blues), inspiring incredibly dark and superb lyrics of an artist who died way too young.

Most people know Robert Johnson's story, so I'm not going to write it A G A I N, but I would just like to say to people who think Robert Johnson's music sucks because 'his singing is bad, he plays acoustic, he sings stupidities and the sound quality is awful' that they prove their lack of musical culture. Robert Johnson is without a doubt an icon in blues music, and music in general. He's - to me - the greatest musician ever (whatever the time period or the style). This Complete Recordings is definitely an item you should own, but we aware that the sound quality isn't as good as modern CDs (that box set was issued in 1990, and the tracks come from 78's of the 30's), but the music inside is extremelly powerful. Also be aware that this box set, who's said to contain each Robert Johnson's takes, actually doesn't contain 'Traveling Riverside Blues (take 2), which does appear on a more recent compilation called 'I'm A Steady Rollin' Man' (who also has the 41 other tracks available here). But that's a very small complaint, since they haden't yet realized - back in 1990 - that the second take of that song was on the 1961 LP : King Of The Delta Blues Singers.

However, this item is great and is one you should have in your collection. Whatever the kind of music you listen to, you will find yourself in admiration before the legacy a certain Robert Johnson left more than sixty-five years ago...

Robert Johnson: A True Blues Prophet
In 1990, Robert Johnson's complete recordings were released on CD. We don't have many photographs of him that survive (or that were taken). His complete recorded career consists of forty-one songs (some of them alternate takes) and he died in 1937, poisoned at the age of twenty-seven. What Robert Johnson didn't have the chance to do on this planet we can only imagine, but his legacy and recordings we can treasure forever. These songs are true blues. They are the raw, amazing products of a real blues prophet. If you want to know the history of rock & roll and the blues, buy these recordings. You will be in complete awe of the beautiful, soulful music that this man played. The Rolling Stones covered his two songs "Love In Vain" and "Stop Breakin' Down". Clapton played "Crossroads" with Cream. My band is playing a cover of his "Sweet Home Chicago". I am fifteen years old and I obviously wasn't around to hear what Robert was like in a live club environment in the 30s, but what we do have left of his legacy everyone should listen to and appreciate.

Best blues I have ever heard!
This is one of the first blues C.D.s I ever bought, and it is the best. I have since perchaced C.D.s by Muddy Waters, Charley Patton, Son House, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson and several others, and while they are all very good none of them are as good as Robert Johnson. I definitely recomend this to anyone even slightly interested in the bles.

I would like to point out that the reviewer calling himself Tony Thomas is RACIST. I have read several of his reviews and he uses the term "bleus lovers" derisively put into quotes to refer to whites. When he says real blues people he obviously is talking about blacks. These slightly hidden racist slurs and his general tone is elitist and offensive. I would have thought that amazon would be ethical enough not to post this sort of RACIST PROPAGANDA! ... Read more

Asin: B000002757

His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection)
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Audio CD (08 April, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Chester Burnett's ferocious growl was a staple of Chicago's electric-blues heyday. This 20-song compilation ranges from his 1951 debut "Moanin' at Midnight" with Willie Johnson on guitar to 1964's "Killing Floor" with Buddy Guy on guitar. His scratchy, sawed-off vocal approach and his energetic harmonica grace original classics such as "How Many More Years" and "Smokestack Lightnin'." By 1960, he became, along with Muddy Waters, the foremost interpreter of Willie Dixon's songs, lending his coarse voice to legendary Dixon cuts such as "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man," "Spoonful," "The Red Rooster," and "I Ain't Superstitious." Wolf's style was based on primal raw power, and he ranks among the genre's most distinctive performers. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The best single-disc overview of an amazing career
If you're only ever going to buy one Howlin' Wolf-album (why? why would you want to to that?), this is the one to get.

Howlin' Wolf recorded some two hundred songs during his long career, and with room for 20 only, some hard choices must have been made by the compilers.
Chester Arthur Burnett, the Howlin' Wolf, stood about 6'4" and weighed close to three hundred pounds in his prime, and his huge, gravelly roar of a voice sounds positively frightening on early cuts like "Moanin' At Midnight" and the clanging, piano-driven boogie of "How Many More Years".

The songwriting credits are shared about equally by the omnipresent Willie Dixon, who plays bass on most of the cuts as well, and the Wolf himself, and "Hidden Charms" features perhaps the greatest guitar solo ever comitted to tape, courtesy of the hugely underestimated Hubert Sumlin, Wolf's right-hand man for more than twenty years.
Other highlights include "Forty-Four", "Smokestack Lightnin'", "The Red Rooster" and the phenomenal "Killing Floor", written by Howlin' Wolf, shamelessly stolen by Led Zeppelin and covered by several others, but never surpassed, and featured here in the ultimate version, sporting an incredibly catchy guitar riff by Hubert Sumlin, and Buddy Guy on acoustic rhythm guitar.

This CD is a corner stone in any serious blues collection, hard-rocking, bone-crunching electric blues, burning with the sheer ferocity of Chester Burnett's incredible voice. There was never anyone like the Wolf, and it doesn't seem likely that there will be.
Oh, and while you're at it, get "His Best vol. II" as well.

The best single-disc overview of a phenomenal career
If you're only ever going to buy one Howlin' Wolf-album (why? why would you want to to that?), this is the one to get.
Howlin' Wolf recorded some two hundred songs during his long career, and with room for 20 only, some hard choices must have been made by the compilers.
Chester Arthur Burnett, the Howlin' Wolf, stood about 6'4" and weighed close to three hundred pounds in his prime, and his huge, gravelly roar of a voice sounds positively frightening on early cuts like "Moanin' At Midnight" and "How Many More Years", the latter track (probably) featuring Ike Turner on piano.

The songwriting credits are shared about equally by the omnipresent Willie Dixon, who plays bass on most of the cuts as well, and the Wolf himself, and "Hidden Charms" features perhaps the greatest guitar solo ever comitted to tape, courtesy of the hugely underestimated Hubert Sumlin, Wolf's right-hand man for more than twenty years.
Other highlights include "Forty-Four", "Smokestack Lightnin'", "The Red Rooster" and the phenomenal "Killing Floor", written by Howlin' Wolf, shamelessly stolen by Led Zeppelin and covered by several others, but never surpassed, and featured here in the ultimate version, sporting an incredibly catchy guitar riff by Hubert Sumlin, and Buddy Guy on rhythm guitar.

This is a corner stone in any serious blues collection. Hard-rocking, bone-crunching electric blues, burning with the sheer ferocity of Chester Burnett's incredible voice. There was never anyone like the Wolf, and it doesn't seem likely that there will be.
Oh, and while you're at it, get "His Best vol. II" as well.

His Best Chess
This CD was not what I was looking for. He played one item on the CD that was with the FULL sound, the others I didn't care for. I heard a song by him pertaining to a dope addict. I was told this was it - it was not. It was full and mesmerizing. Please recommend the CD I am looking for. ... Read more

Asin: B000005KQM

The Very Best Of John Lee Hooker
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 April, 1995)
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Editorial Review

A million or so collections, all from different record labels, document this Detroit blues guitarist's influential boogie-woogie career. This 16-song Rhino CD is an excellent starting point, with definitive versions of Hooker's classics "Boom Boom," "Boogie Chillen'," "I'm in the Mood," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." It's interesting to hear the singer's voice progress from a deep, growling slur to the more polished later material, such as his collaboration with slide guitarist Roy Rogers on Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues," but he never lost his bottom-line rawness. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Stuff Legends Are Made Of!
Every once in a while, a budget disc comes along that is surprisingly good. Such is the case with Rhino Records release of "The Very Best of John Lee Hooker." On this release, Rhino combines 16 stand out tracks and some nice liner notes which briefly describe the man as well as the origin of each of the tracks. The selection of songs range from Hooker's signature "Boogie Chillen'" recorded in 1948 through "Terraplane Blues" recorded with slide man Roy Rogers in 1987. This is not a comprehensive collection nor was it ever intended to be. Instead, you get a flavor for a younger John Lee Hooker and his amazing guitar work. The recording quality is excellent especially considering the age of the songs. Well worth the purchase.

The best "Best of" John Lee Hooker disc
In my opinion, this is the best single disc compilation of John Lee Hooker on the market. It includes all his best known songs from smoking electric tunes to soulful acoustic ones! This is a great place to start your blues collection and a fine intro to John Lee Hooker.

16 John Lee Hooker classics all in a row!!!
This great CD from Rhino collects 16 classic tracks from John Lee Hooker's awesome career!!!Includes:Boogie Chillen',Crawling King Snake,Boom Boom,Big Legs,Tight Skirt,Shake It Baby,One Bourbon,One Scotch,One Beer,Terraplane Blues(with Roy Rogers!),and more!!!An awesome collection!!! Two thumbs up!!! Five stars!!! A+ ... Read more

Asin: B0000033I0

Complete Aladdin Recordings
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 November, 1991)
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Editorial Review

Forty-three tracks of the seminal bluesman's recordings for Aladdin in the 1940s, The Complete Aladdin Recordings is a must-hear. Performing alone with his guitar or with sparse accompaniment--usually pianist Wilson "Thunder" Smith--Lightnin' dishes out the best of Texas country-blues. Starting off with "Katie May," Hopkins's first recording for Aladdin, the two-CD set winds its way through the guitarist's years with the label, showcasing what he was up to before his decline in popularity and eventual revival with the folk boom of the 1960s. Those expecting the almost-rock & roll of the latter period won't here any of that here, but they will hear its germination in such rollicking tunes as "Big Mama Jump" and "Let Me Play with Your Poodle." Definitely required, not only to hear the best of early Lightnin', but to hear the best of Texas country-blues. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

From the Cotton Patch to the Big City
Learning at the knee of legendary Bluesman Mance Lipscomb, Sam "Lightnin" Hopkins blazed an incendiary trail through the urban Texas landscape.

These early tracks show the base upon which he built through the 60's and 70's. His concerts were often legendary, including one unforgettable night when he played at the University of Houston, on the same night as Abbie Hoffman was giving a speech across town at Rice University, at a far more ballyhooed event.

I know for a fact, because I saw them, and I was one, that most campus politicos chose to attend to Lightnin' instead of Abbie. Us Texans do know our roots.

Unforgettable moments of his concerts included such nicities as his swigging from a half-pint of Bourbon, and playing for as long as the tips came in. Late in the evening, his foot would become loose and begin pounding out the rhythm of the bass lines which his drop-thumb played. And a sly grin would sneak across his life-worn face. This was when he would impart his greatest wisdom to us.
He's a legend who has been missed.

From a man who loves the blues:
Many bluesmen have come and gone, but certain ones seem to have been around forever. Their music predates the fancy new singers, and while those new guys rise and fall, the old bluesmen stay the same, unchanged by time and just as beautiful and appealing as ever before.

Lightnin' Hopkins is one of those classic blues singers. Like Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and all the rest, Hopkins is one of the founders of the blues - whoever plays the blues today is merely standing on the shoulders of these legends.

This collection of Lightnin' Hopkins recordings is truly worth investing in. The quality of the music cannot be contested, and the enjoyment of listening to them cannot be underestimated. And you can't beat the price! Where else can you get over 40 classic blues tunes for this price?

If you enjoy classic blues: get this album, sit back, and watch the world around you slow down for a while.

An Overlooked Founding Father.
There is a lot of John Lee Hooker here, and a lot of other stuff as well...

There early stuff has the wonderful gritty feel of Hooker's early pieces like "Teachin the Blues," but then the two start to part company.

Lightnin' has an endearing high pitch vocal style that immediately seems wrong for a classic blues musician, but grows on the listener until you cannot imagine the music any other way.

The later recordings make use of fun upright piano and slightly rocky tempos.

Not as earthy as Hooker, not as blue as Muddy, not as orchestrated as B.B., Lightnin has nicely balanced sound that may not always stictly qualify as blues.

Please note: this is a two-disc set! For $12! Ka-Ching. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DRD0

The Complete Imperial Recordings: 1950-1954
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 September, 1991)
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A founding father of electric blues in general and Texas blues in particular, guitarist T-Bone Walker influenced countless blues players and, by extension, countless rock & rollers as well. The Complete Imperial Recordings date from the early to mid-1950s, when the idea of electric blues was really taking hold, and the two-disc set is a wealth of classic songs exquisitely performed. While definitely blues, there's more difference between this and the acoustic blues that predated Walker than amplification can account for; there's jazz and swing mixed in as well, as on tracks like "I Walked Away" and "Strollin' with Bone," and something of that feel has remained in electric blues ever since. From B.B. King to Buddy Guy to Stevie Ray Vaughan and beyond, Walker's influence is felt in the blues up through the present day. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

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Reviews (16)

Father of A Roomful
I bought Roomful of Blues' first record 2o or so years ago when it first came out on LP. What an amazing recording! It was one of my first blues albums and one of the few non-jazz albums with horns that I liked (although it draws very heavily on jazz and swing). It was the first time I'd heard of Duke Robillard too. Wonderful guitar, singing and arranging. This is blues that really swings. Now, 20 odd years later, I've discovered T-Bone Walker and come to find that one of my all time favorite records was borrowed nearly note for note from this guy who had invented pretty much the same music back in the very early 50s! Roomful does a bit of updating for a more rock oriented audience, but if you like them you've got to check out T-Bone (and visa versa). The similarity is amazing.

How would you like your steak tonight?
Raw! definately the raw goods here. T-bone Walker, one of the pioneers of recording the blues with an electric guitar, has influenced all the greats, from BB King, to Burt Bacharach, to the bass player from Halogen Orange! He rips, he shreds, he tears the blues across his axe and delivers. I love "Lollie Lou" and "When the Sun Goes Down." All the tracks are golden, understand, and they're from a time when writing music was for the aspect of the music itself, and not just for the young teenage girls, you read me? Classic, if you dig the blues.

Fine collection of Walker's Imperial sides
Not quite as seminal as "The Complete Capitol/Black & White Recordings", this is nervetheless an excellent collection of T-Bone Walker's 52 sides recorded for Lew Chudd's Imperial Records.

Unlike the Capitol and Black & White-waxings, this double-disc set features almost no alternate takes, just the masters and a couple of 78 versions (the only exceptions being a few alternates that have been chosen over the original masters).
And there is plenty of great stuff here...no "Mean Old World" or "Stormy Monday", sure, but a lot of excellent songs like "Glamour Girl", "The Hustle Is On", "Tell Me What's The Reason", "I'm About To Lose My Mind", "Cold, Cold Feeling," and the classic instrumental "Strollin' With Bones".

This music is not meant to be listened to in one long sitting, obviously...even lead guitar innovator Walker's smoky, jazz-flavoured blues isn't quite varied enough for that, and if you're looking for a place to start, you should go for Rhino's "Blues Masters: The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker", or the excellent "T-Bone Blues" album from Atlantic.
But these 136 minutes of music is a very fine collection for the fan who wants more, and a great tribute to the most influential electric guitar player of all time, the idiom's first true lead guitarist, and still one of its best. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DRCV

The Essential
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Audio CD (08 June, 1993)
list price: $31.98
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Essential is right! The blues would be a very different, considerably tamer animal were it not for Little Walter. While the Chess roster in the '50s was littered with aces, only Muddy Waters scored on the charts with greater regularity. The reason? While the man born Marion Walter Jacobs possessed a serviceable voice and penned some worthy tracks, he was a towering virtuoso on the harmonica. Indeed, he remains the single most influential figure in the development of amplified harp as a lynchpin blues instrument. This handy two-disc set features 46 tracks cut between 1952 and 1963. Tracks such as the revolutionary "Juke," "Mellow Down Easy," "Key to the Highway," and "My Babe" have become roadhouse staples, but Little Walter's versions stand their ground over most and top all but a few. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Excellent blues harmonica work
Little Walter is the king of blues harp. His instrumental works like "Boogie", "Back Track", and "Blue Midnight" are incredible. This is one of my favorite blues albums and I would strongly recommend it to anyone, especially aspiring harmonica players. There's nothing better than learning from the master!

Little In Name Only
5 stars is not enough to describe this remastered 2 cd compilation. It should be called monumental rather than essential. This is an anthology of Marion Walter Jacobs Chess material from 1952-1963. This 2 cd anthology contains all of the tracks on "His Best" and all but two of the tracks which were on the old releases "The Best Of Little Walter Volumes 1 & 2". Marion Walter Jacobs was the greatest and most influential harmonica player EVER bar none. He was one of first to play using an amplified harmonica and to emulate horn lines using his instrument. He also helped popularize the use of the chromatic harmonica. His uptempo numbers swing like mad and he was also an expert at playing stone blues. He was a great vocalist and was equally adept at playing instrumentals such as "Juke" his first hit. Little Walter took what he learned from Sonny Boy Williamson I and II and improved upon it. He joined Muddy Waters classic band in 1948 and there was no looking back. It was not long until Little Walter wanted to front his own band. He joined the Aces with Louis and David Myers and Fred Below. Other musicians who appear on this compilation are Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Otis Spann, Robert Lockwood, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and others. Many of the cuts on these two disks have been covered by other blues and rock artists such as "Mean Old World", "My Babe", "Boom, Boom Out Go The Lights", "Dead Presidents" and others. Every track is interesting and most are blues classics". Some of my favorites include "Hate To See You Go", "Roller Coaster", "It's Too Late Brother" and just about everything on the set. My only regret is that the compilers did not include the amazing instrumental "Teenage Beat". This is minor quibble. I give this set my highest recommendation and if you like it I suggest picking up a copy of "Blues With A Feeling" another 2 cd set. The latter set includes more Chess material which did not make this set along with some tasty rarities. It includes the aforementioned "Teenage Beat" as well as some more favorites like "Thunderbird", "Flying Saucer" and "Who". The cover picture of this anthology shows the scars on the face of Little Walter which were part of his combative personality and unfortunately probably led to his early demise.

Almost too much.....
Little Walter Jacobs was without a doubt one of the most influential blues harpists of the post-war years.

Originally a harp player and occational guitarist with Muddy Waters' band, Walter jumped ship when his instrumental "Juke" became a hit in 1952, and launched a solo career.
He wasn't as competent or indeed as versatile a songwriter as the other major harp wizard of the 50s and 60s, Aleck 'Rice' Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II), but this collection still manages to gather a large number of classic blues tunes, including Walter's takes on several Willie Dixon songs, Bo Diddley's "Roller Coaster", Big Maceo Merriweather's "Worried Life Blues", and Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway" (shamelessly credited to Jacobs himself).

Among the many highlights are Walter's instrumental "Juke", with Jimmy Rogers and Muddy Waters playing guitar, as well as "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" (a reworking of a Rice Miller-tune), "Tell Me Mama", "My Babe", "I Got To Find My Baby", Walter's own "Blues With A Feeling", the catchy, swaggering "Dead Presidents", the menacing "Boom Boom Out Goes The Light", T-Bone Walker's "Mean Old World", and Jimmy Oden's "Going Down Slow" (which is titled "I've Had My Fun", but it's the same song).

This set is almost too much for the casual fan...46 Little Walter songs, of which only half are truly memorable, but there is no doubt that "The Essential Little Walter" is the most thorough Walter-compilation available.
Also, the two major single-disc collections (MCA-Chess' "The Best of Little Walter" and the reconfigured "His Best") unfortunately skip some of the best song of Walter's career, making "The Essential Little Walter" something of a necessity for those who want a truly comprehensive career overview. ... Read more

Asin: B000002OBZ

The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson [MCA/Chess]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 June, 1993)
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Rice Miller, "Sonny Boy II", began his association with Chess Records in 1955, when he was already at least 45 years old. His exuberant yet dynamic and intricate playing brought the harmonica from the Delta to Chicago, influencing every harp blower since. He developed his rough and wild, hard-swinging, juke-joint style during extensive travels throughout the South. These 45 potent Chess recordings are more refined and urbanized than his earlier Trumpet work, but still capture the excitement of those early sides. Included are remakes of Trumpet classics such as "Eyesight to the Blind" (re-titled "Born Blind") as well as classic gems including "One Way Out" and "Bring It On Home." --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

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Reviews (6)

One of the best collections by one of the best blues singers
This is a superb collection.

Singer/harpist Aleck "Rice" Miller may have started calling himself "Sonny Boy Williamson" to take advantage of the fame of John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson from Tennessee. But he wasn't a cheap imitator - Miller was one of the major blues artists at Chess Records in the 50s, alongside Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and probably the best harmonica player the blues has even seen.

Rice Miller was a superb songwriter, penning witty, sometimes romantic, sometimes venomous lyrics, and tunes to rival those of Chess stalwart Willie Dixon. And he was a terrific singer, highly expressive, and usually backed in the studio by superstar musicians like Dixon, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann and Robert "Jr." Lockwood.

45 tracks are not too many. Sometimes a double-disc compilation is stretching it, especially for the casual fan, but absolutely everything on "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson" is worth a listen.

There are really too many highlights to mention, but among the very best songs are "Don't Start Me To Talkin'", "All My Love In Vain", "Your Funeral And My Trial", "Let Me Explain" and "Fattening Frogs For Snakes" from Miller's first Chess LP, as well as "Help Me", "Checkin' Up On My Baby", "Bring It On Home" and many, many more - and more than half of these tracks are not on the single-disc MCA/Chess-release "His Best", which should be sufficent reason to pick up this fine collection instead.

And while you're at it, get Miller's early Trumpet recordings as well on Arhoolie's "King Biscuit Time".

Raw Blues At Its Finest
Though I had heard many of his songs performed by others, I did not know the name Sonny Boy Williamson until I heard a John Mayall song about him thirtysome years ago. Recently, my dormant interest in the Delta blues was rekindled, so I decided to try and find out just what this Sonny Boy was about.
Where better to start than a box set? I really had no idea what to expect when I bought it, but what I got was more than expected. I took the set on a recent road trip and listened to both discs more than five times each and found something new to like each time.
The verdict? I love this stuff. Not only can Sonny Boy play his blues harp like no other, he can really sing. His songs are well-written and are often humorous when they are not meant to be. The sound is great too, one can hear every instrument at work, particularly the drums which drive the easy swing of Sonny's blues.
My favorites? I like every song. If I had to pick, Unseen Eye and Somebody Help Me would be near the top.
The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson dishes out a heaping plateful of raw blues at its primitive finest. Don't miss out on this one, its money well-spent.

The greatest storyteller blues singer
Sonny always had a great story song- There was always some predicament going on or some trouble he was in or just simply him being nosey and signafying on other folks problems. And all of this made him the best story teller. I absolutely love his storytelling in song. He was without a doubt the most compelling storyteller in all of Blues history. Buy this cd it's great and listen to the great stories. Sonny in one song says quote- "My baby asked me for 100 dollars and I didn't have but 99"- or the greatest (aint gone be no more sugar daddy) song ever recorded called "Fattening frogs for snakes" and of course his biggest hit is included on this package-1955's "Don't start me talking" because Sonny says when he starts talkin "he'll tell everything he knows". All of these are great classic blues songs from a true blues genius. ... Read more

Asin: B000002OC0

Complete Chess Recordings (Chess 50th Anniversary)
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Audio CD (08 April, 1997)
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Reviews (2)

Jimmy Rogers Legacy
This is Jimmy Rogers complete output of work from Chess Records. Muscians take note in the many styles that Jimmy encompasses throughtout his work which shows through the sophistication of the songs(learning from the likes of T-bone Walker and Tampa Red).Just a very enjoyable body of work by one of the Blues greats who influenced people like Freddie King and Otis Rush. Excellant singer also!!!!!

Yet another South Side star shines brightly...
Like his Muddy Waters Band contemporary, Little Walter, some of Jimmy Rogers' best work was done before he went solo. After "Luedella" broke in 1956, Rogers had already become yet another star in the galaxy that was launched by Waters' seminal band. Although the two Chess "Muddy Waters: His Best" would serve as the ideal introduction for both Rogers and Little Walter, I think this disk would be a good buy for anyone interested in Rogers guitar style or anyone that might be interested in hearing the Muddy Waters Band without Muddy Waters on lead vocals. Recommended, but not essential though the craftsmaship is, of course, superb and influential throughout. ... Read more

Asin: B000005KQJ
Sales Rank: 119701

Trouble in Mind [Smithsonian/Folkways]
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Audio CD (22 February, 2000)
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Mississippi-born blues singer and guitarist William Lee Conley Broonzy had two fairly distinct careers, each of them triumphant and influential. In the 1930s, he brought the rural blues of his Delta homeland to Chicago and added elements of jazz and hokum to create a more sophisticated, urbane, exciting style, essentially helping to pave the way for the Chicago blues sound. By the 1950s, when the electric Chicago sound he helped foster began to blossom, Broonzy had all but left that style behind. Instead, he began to perform traditional folk songs (and the occasional topical original) with only his voice and acoustic guitar and he became a key figure in the burgeoning folk boom. This highly appealing set comes from the latter period and finds him to be a scintillating and smooth vocalist, one capable of generating great emotion without losing his polish. His guitar work is subtly brilliant as well, a silky blend of single-note runs, forceful bends, tricky double stops, and articulate chords. It all comes together in effortless, unassuming fashion. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Broonzy's acoustic best
This "Trouble In Mind" compilation from the Smithsonian is the best collection of Broonzy's later period acoustic work. I think this is a better collection than the other 'best of' compilation ("Absolutely The Best" on Varese Records). The remastering on these tracks is excellent and they are the best sounding recordings of Broonzy I have ever heard. The songs here are all of his classics. The only thing that's disappointing is that they left off the track "Never Satisfied", which would have made this the ultimate collection of Broonzy acoustic blues songs. Highly recommended!

Complete album
I preferBig Bill's acoustic work over his electric work. This is a collection of acoustic songs from the last years of his life. He sings blues, folk, protest songs, gospel...all of that in this great collection. Extensive liner notes and the printed lyrics and notes for every song makes this CD a true gem. Includes some live recordings as well.

A great cornerstone to start a blues collection
Smithsonian Folkways did a great job capturing the essence of Big Bill Broonzy's sound. I've heard other albums and this is my favorite. The music is taken at the latter half of his career and establishes Broonzy as a master of the country blues/folk sound. A great album any blues fan should own. ... Read more

Asin: B000047872

The Complete Studio Recordings
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Audio CD (31 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Gentle, graceful, subtle, sweet--these aren't descriptions generally applied to the blues, but they offer a sense of Mississippi John Hurt's uniqueness and enduring legacy. Rediscovered during the 1960s folk boom after last recording in the late 1920s, Hurt cut the three albums compiled here when he was in his early 70s. His conversational phrasing sounds as natural as breathing, while his ragtime-tinged fingerpicking on acoustic guitar reveals more complexity the closer you listen. Beyond blues classics like "Candy Man" (the sly sensualist wasn't referring to lollipops), Hurt's range encompasses everything from folkish narratives ("Talking Casey," "Spike Driver Blues") to Southern spirituals ("Nearer My God to Thee," "Farther Along"). Though Hurt died in 1966, shortly after the last of these sessions, the music still sounds so fresh, you can almost hear the twinkle in his eye. --Don McLeese ... Read more

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Reviews (11)

The best...buy this *and* the 1928 Okeh sessions
MJH was a wonderful singer and fluid fingerstyle guitarist. I can't think of another artist where the guitar and voice are so perfectly matched. It sounds so natural and organic, but of course it took MJH years of practice to perfect his style. During that time, he played mostly for his own enjoyment and that of his neighbors -- he knew he was good, but he had no idea that anyone was interested in his songs. The fact that his 1928 recordings didn't sell well probably confirmed in his mind that his music would be made just for his own enjoyment.

I have just about everything released by MJH. He is my favorite country blues artist. To my ears, these Vanguard studio recordings are his best-sounding, best-produced, and best-performed material. These are the recordings I go back time and time again. [...]

Also check out his 1928 Complete Okeh Recordings to find out the birth of the legend. Terrific performances -- MJH played a little faster in his younger days -- and great sound quality for the era.

Smooth as sweet wine.....
Mississippi John Hurt is one of the great blues man whose story seems to fit that romantic myth of what the blues and blues man are all about. He recorded music into the late 1920's (see 1928 Sessions released by Yazoo and Avalon Blues : Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings) and then disappeared back into the misty roads of Mississippi to be all but forgotten like so many others.

Then in 1963, Tom Hoskins and Mike Stewart, two young blue musicians from Washington, D.C. came across Hurt's 1928 Okeh recordings and decided to try to find some of the great old blues men, including Mississippi John Hurt. Using his song Avalon Blues as a starting point, they searched all the maps looking for Avalon, Mississippi. However, no town was found. Finally, an 1878 atlas listed Avalon as a rural road in Mississippi between the small towns of Greenwood and Grenada. Taking a chance, they went to Mississippi to find John Hurt. Stopping at a gas station near the area where Avalon was supposed to be, they asked the attendant if by chance he knew John Hurt. The attendant said sure, "about a mile down the road, third mailbox up the hill." Sure enough, they found him. John Hurt went with them back to Washington, D.C. and recorded and toured during the GREAT Blues revival of the 1960's until his death in 1966.

What a story!!! However, the music is the real treasure. Mississippi John Hurt possessed one of the truly great voices in Blues/Country music. Full of warmth, gentleness and power, he tells stories of times and events long since gone. Mixed with his crisp and attractive guitar work, Mississippi John Hurt is one of the GREAT storytellers of all time.

The packaging of three albums, Today!, The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt and Last Sessions, together for around $20 is an absolute steal. You will love these albums. Close the doors, turn out the lights and just listen and enjoy. Then check out the other recordings of this great artist.

Intimate, Powerful, and Melodic
This collection has all of the studio recordings done by John Hurt for Vanguard in the early '60's, after he was "rediscovered" by folk blues enthusiasts. Hurt's legendary finger-picking style, which inspired the likes of Doc Watson, simply blows me away. His voice is a little weaker on this album than on the 1928 Okeh recordings, but he still has a commanding presence. He lets his guitar do a lot of the talking for him. Hurt is, quite simply, a musical genius. Don't pass by the chance to hear him loud and clear! ... Read more

Asin: B00004Z3VB

The Complete Early Recordings of Skip James
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 September, 1994)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $13.99
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With an unmistakable falsetto delivery, Skip James created some ofhistory's eeriest blues records. His blues sounds dark and mysterious, using odd tunings, structures, and rhythms, and exploring gloomy lyrical themes. Unlike other bluesmen of the day, James's music was personal and bleak, played for his own emotional release and not for purposes of entertainment."Devil Got My Woman," "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues," "Hard Luck Child," and "Special Rider Blues" convey sorrow and misery like few others can. Uptempo numbers such as the classic "I'm So Glad" and "Drunken Spree," which resembles the hillbilly traditional "Late Last Night," showcase his forceful guitar picking while rags "Little Cow and Calf" and the jumpy "How Long 'Buck'" feature his unique piano work.--Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The most amazing blues ever!
I was one who was introduced to Skip James by the movie Ghost World. If it hadn't have been for that soundtrack, I would have never known he existed. When I first heard "Devil Got My Woman" I knew I had to buy this cd and it didn't disappoint me. This is some of the most incredible music from one of the greatest blues musicians of all times. His music is haunting and dark and different from any blues I heard before. All of the songs are amazing and no one could ever remake them properly. Each song is amazing and the whole album is eerie. His guitar playing was masterful and this whole thing will make your hair stand on end if you play it in the dark.

Skip James sang and played with anger and pain. No one can make music like this now. There is a depth here that surpasses modern music and makes it seem like fluff when you compare it. This is one of the cd's that got me looking back in musical history and opening my mind to the past. And if you buy this, you will see why. This cd is some of the best ever recorded and James, to me, is the blues!

Superb! Real blues.

The Historic Collection
For any fan of blues or "old-timey" music, Nehamiah "Skip" James' early recordings are essential.

What we have is every surviving cut James recorded for Paramount way back in the 1930s. Together, these provide perhaps the most emotional and musically complex pieces of the era. Foremost, James was an exceptional guitarist and while the blues format is inherently simple, he adds a prodigy's complexity to the basic structure.

But his voice is what grabs you. In each song, he expresses fragility and heartbreak like no other bluesman, perhaps surpassing even his famous contemporaries Son House and Robert Johnson. His eerie falsetto combined with hair-raising moans will make any listener shiver.

On several of these tracks, James puts down the guitar and plays piano--and while I'm not a traditional fan of piano blues, I cannot under-appreciate his ingenuity on the keyboard. Abandoning all standards, James will literally bang the keys before breaking the rhythm, all while stomping a beat with his feet. I feel sorry for the poor sap who attempts to transcibe his songs.

They're all here, folks: "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" of recent "O Brother" fame; "Devil Got My Woman"--my personal favorite, it's opener is the best line of any blues song ("Lord, I'd rather be the devil than be that woman's man..."); "22-20 Blues"--the basis for Robert Johnson's "32-20"; "Cypress Grove", "Cherry Ball"; so many greats.

A few will complain about the sound quality. But I can't. The guys at Yazoo have done a tremendous job of removing as much of the hisses and pops as possible, and frankly, I think these songs sound pretty darn good. But keep in mind that this isn't the album you are going to test out on your new $10,000 stereo. No, the historical significance and sheer musical genius are what make this CD essential.

Words can only say so much. If you have the slightest appreciation for music, you will not be disappointed.

Eerie, organic, and ancient.
As many have said, this album is a true blues album. Skip's music is raw and early, and is on "the blues timeline" somewhere between slave songs and the blues/bluegrass that emerged in the early 20th century. His singing and wailing remind me most of some of the John and Ruby Lomax collection (parts of which are online), which include the songs that Moby sampled on his "PLAY" album.

Since the recordings were remastered from 78s, the sound quality isn't fabulous, but I haven't really found it to be a problem. If anything, it adds to the experience and makes it more organic -- you're more aware that what you're listening to is and old recording, in a good way.

Most of the songs on this CD sound very similar. True, they're by the same artist, and this is generally true about collections of work. I just found that with this album in particular, many of the songs have similar sounds (are written in the same or adjacent keys, etc.). For that reason, listening to it a few times through seemed to do it for me. ... Read more

Asin: B000000G8L

The Complete Blind Willie Johnson
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (27 April, 1993)
list price: $19.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

In the history of recorded blues and spirituals, there is no greater singer and songwriter than Blind Willie Johnson. With a vocal delivery ranging from raw rage to tenderness wedded to his talking guitar, Blind Willie's recordings are as powerful today as when he made them, from 1927 to 1930. Listen to monuments "Motherless Children Have a Hard Time," "I Just Can't Keep from Crying," "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine," and the otherworldly "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," and try to find equally visceral conviction any other place or time. His "If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down" which got him arrested when Blind Willie unknowingly sang it in front of a U.S. government building in Dallas, became a '60s icon. Years later, he caught pneumonia, but when treatment was sought, he was told the hospital did not treat blind people, so he returned home and died. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Searing
When people blithely gas of bad rock stars "taking risks" with their latest CD filler they don't know the pre-Depression record biz, which sent producers out in the field to capture the latest in country and "race" music. Thanks to this enlightened practice we have the thirty imperishable tracks of Blind Willie Johnson, of whom we know little otherwise, except that he only lived to his forties, and died after a fire. (The cover photo from a Columbia ad is the only one we have of him.) And what music it is -- raw, searing, with an uncompromising vision, sung with a voice that pebbles gravel against the haunting riffs of his slide guitar. I do not know why the twenties blues has such peculiar power -- possibly because so much of it was sung by people who came from nowhere, tragically to go back to nowhere, or maybe it's the sound quality that seems almost sui generis to this music, that muffled sound that lends a certain eloquence and distance not readily explainable. Whatever the case, Blind Willie's isn't everyday music, or music to rest by, but it is music to open your heart, and to make you think.

Bluesy Gospel and Perfect Slide Guitar
While a religious person like Willie Johnson would not have liked to be compared with blues artists, I have to say that few artists bring the BLUES across like he does. The songs are gospel throughout, but coupled with a great feel for rhythm and probably the best slide guitar work ever, they still belong to blues for me.

The quality is surprisingly good most of the time (thanks to digital remastering), wich makes Johnson's playing even more compelling, his voice even more powerful.

If you're not convinced yet, listen to "Dark was the Night", fight back the tears, and buy this record.

unimaginably hard to listen to
I don't even know where to begin, but this was without a doubt the worst CD I ever bought. I own over 100 blues CD's of various artists A to Z, and this one is the only one I wanted to throw in the trash before I even got through with it. You can not even get to hear the guitar because this mans voice is just absolutely aggravating. I can't even describe it. Is it screaming? But to tell you how I feel, I would rather listen to a jackhammer, or fog horn, going off repeatedly in my living room before I would ever play this CD again. I have to admit, I am no authority here, and I could be quite wrong about this CD, but take my advice for what its worth. And definitely buy something else. ... Read more

Asin: B0000028QB