Editorial Review

Jonny Lang cut his debut album in Memphis when he was just 15, and, upon its release in 1996, the guitar prodigy from Minneapolis instantly became one of the leading lights of modern blues. He's a fast and flashy player whose approach rests equally on technical assurance and musical intelligence. Sizing up a dozen songs, he gets a pleasing, razor-sharp sound out of his ax while building excitement in his lead lines--thankfully, he steers clear of cliché and bombast. As a fledging singer, he acts out the lyrics of Ike Turner's age-old shuffle "Matchbox" and his own romantic ballad "Missing Your Love" with surprising poise and believability. Kudos to producer David Z for surrounding Lang with alert, first-rate sidemen and for helping select good material from Turner, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tinsley Ellis, and others. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues-Rock    4. Contemporary Blues    5. Modern Electric Blues    6. Pop    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

It sounds like the beginning of a story: "So, Slowhand and the King of the Blues were riding in a car ..." If this is a musical journey, it's the kind that rolls down long, empty stretches of country highway at 80 miles an hour, with the top down and the stereo blasting. Clapton and King may be more city than country, but this collection has the relaxed, laid-back feel that only comes from a pair of veterans doing what they do best. What they do here is cover 12 classic blues songs, many of them staples of King's repertoire, so the title of this album makes sense. Whether it's the rollicking rock & roll of the title track, or the acoustic shuffle of "Key to the Highway," or the sweet notes of "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer," a real sense of pleasure comes through on this album, the kind of pleasure one gets from jamming late at night with a good friend. Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues-Rock    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

With a series of terrific albums, Cassandra Wilson has established herself as one of the day's great vocalists and, in branching out from jazz into blues and folk and pop, paved the way for genre-crossing stars including Norah Jones. But the Mississippi native has rarely sounded as relaxed or winning as she does on "Thunderbird," which teams her with the stalwart Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Contemporary Jazz    3. Electric Blues    4. Jazz    5. Modern Delta Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    8. Pop    9. Soul-Blues    10. United States of America    11. Urban    12. Vocal Jazz   

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. Read more

Reviews (41)

Awesome Electric Blues
If I were to give up all of my Blues albums but one (make it two, John Lee Hooker can't be left out) I would nominate the best of Howlin' Wolf. This CD does have the best of Howlin' Wolf's songs: Spoonful, the best version of Willie Dixon's original along with Cream's, the awesome Smokestack Lightnin': you can actually hear Howlin' Wolf Howlin', Wang Dang Doodle, and all the amazing Blues you could ever want, all packaged up in one neat package for that awesome price - I wouldn't miss it for anything.

A good collection but not necessarily "his best"
This is a fine collection and I'm glad to own this. However, I think material gives too much weight for Dixon's stuff and some Wolf's own essential pieces are missing.
My favorite bluesman by far
I've always loved deep, gruff male singing voices.If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's an effeminite-sounding male singer.That's why Roger Daltry is my favorite Rock 'n' Roll singer.Come to think of it, I even like my female singers gruff -- a la Janis Joplin and (sometimes) Fiona Apple.If you also like raw and rough singing, and you are looking at Howlin' Wolf's stuff, you've hit the jackpot.He's just amazing.Captain Beefheart is the only voice I've ever heard that matches Howlin' Wolf.No wonder Beefheart used to cover "Evil" in concert - he was pretty much the only person who could!I like a lot of other bluesmen like Elmore James and Otis Rush, but this guy is just as good as the genre gets.He's certainly the most distinctive bluesman, to the point that he appeals to many people who otherwise could not care less about the Blues.Get this CD! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Chicago Blues    5. Electric Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Pop   

Editorial Review

Other post-WWII Chicago bluesmen are better known, but the work of Elmore James holds up as well as any of theirs. If he never had the technical accomplishment of, say, Earl Hooker, he did have as much depth of emotional expression as Muddy Waters; just listen to the sweetness of "I Need You" or the pain of "It Hurts Me, Too." Read more

Reviews (22)

One of the Greatest
Outside of those really knowledgable about blues and some of the classic rockers, Elmore James seems to not be extremely well-known; he's hardly a household name... but HE SHOULD BE! Elmore's slide playing is among the best and most influential ever, but, as another reviewer noted, he is a VERY good, expressive, and passionate singer. Elmore poured every ounce of his soul into every note he played and every note he sang and his passion translates well onto record; as evidenced by this fabulous collection. It is a real tragedy that he passed away so young, as he was truly one of the most talented musicians to ever walk this earth. I'll bet the sky was crying the day that ole Elmore died, if I would've been alive, I probably would have cried too.

New at Blues
I haven't heard Elmore before until just now on a cd I bought, and this preview. (Well, I did hear Sky is Crying covers but never the real thing.) I have Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, BB King, and a blues compilation cd with Rollin' and Tumblin. This guy is slick. I must get this tomorrow; I would right now but the store is closed. I can't wait for shipping either. Since last weekI've become addicted to the blues.

Historic James Recordings a Master's Class In The Blues
The incomparable Elmore James still reigns as the master of the slide guitar, influences scores of musicians from Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt to beyond.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Chicago Blues    5. Electric Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Guitar    8. Pop    9. Slide Guitar Blues    10. United States of America   

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (28)

Hope springs eternal
A classic.Just got it recently and it sounded as good as the 60's when I first heard it.Kooper can produce, Bloomfield can sing and play like he really has the blues (died a heroin addict overdose in SF), and Stills can play guitar and sing like he's happy - a predecessor to CSNY days to come.Someone here made that fuzzy sound, sound good.Could have been two different albums, so no complaints about some of the best lead performances by great prock/blues aetists of the 60's.

Exquisite
I had forgotten over the years just how wonderful this album was, so I was thrilled to find it here at Amazon! Granted, it's not the heavy black vinyl with the faded dog earred cover, but this one fits in my car stereo, makes the commute miles fly by and sounds even better then it did long ago! Thanks!

Classic Album Stands the Test of Time
"Super Session" still sounds fresh and exciting after 35 years. What makes the album great is the guitar playing -- Mike Bloomfield for the first half, and Steven Stills for the rest. Al Kooper's keyboards and vocals supply the continuity in sound. Bloomfield's playing is among his best recorded work. He sounds like a jazzy B.B. King with his precise, melodic solos. "Stop" and "His Holy Modal Majesty" are highlights, but all his songs are excellent. Stills' playing on this album has been underrated by critics. "Season of the Witch" displays some of his richest playing. Kooper and colleagues' arrangements are inventive and effective, with their rockin' version of "It Takes a Lot to Laugh" a stand-out. The additional tracks on this version of the CD do not really add to quality of the original, but they do provide some insights into the process of producing the music. For example, after listening to "Season of the Witch" without horns, one is likely to conclude that Kooper did a great job in including them in the original album. Overall, this is an excellent album, revealing Bloomfield at a high point in his playing (sadly, drugs and other demons would trouble him until his premature death in 1981). Stills' fine guitar playing is also a revelation. And Kooper never had a finer hour on record. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Electric Chicago Blues    3. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

"Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, never thought it’d take so long," moans Jonny Lang on the seemingly autobiographical title track to his first release in five years. But its stark acoustic, near demo quality is in contrast to the preceding 12 songs, which are buffed to an arena-rock sheen. The youngster has shifted from an up-and-coming bluesman into a tough, journeyman melodic rocker with a dab of R&B. He has also honed his songwriting skills, resulting in the majority of this album (except a rugged bonus live cover of Stevie Wonder’s "Livin’ for the City" and the first single "Red Light") being self-penned. Aiming for the back rows, Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Modern Electric Blues    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

The full-tilt blues album that Clapton had been promising for years, Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues    3. Blues-Rock    4. British Blues    5. Hard Rock    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

One would think that jumping into the pop-rock marketplace after being branded a blues player might confuse a 17-year-old guitar whiz. No way. Jonny Lang, with the lucid advice of ace producer David Z, understands the role of the blues as solid ground for someone who wants to take flight with intelligent, well-crafted music that has a wide audience. His second album's strengths lie with his gruffly appealing singing voice and his lean, razor-edged guitar phrases. The material is solid, with songs that range stylistically from the ingratiating funk number "I Am" (a hitherto unrecorded David Z and Prince composition), to the it-sure-sounds-like-a-rock-hit "Still Rainin'" (complete with thunderous chords and soulful female backup singers), to a griddle-hot take on the late Chicago blues guitarist Luther Allison's "Cherry Red Wine." All 12 songs are of a piece, tied together by Lang's unassailable musical integrity and his freshness of vision. And R&B master guitarist Steve Cropper is on hand in the Minneapolis recording studio to insure the soulful vibe. Read more

Reviews (170)

Top 5 album in the last decade
Simply put, this is one of the best blues albums made in the last 10 years....If you rated this anything lower than a 5 star album, put the Madonna back in your player because you obviously do not like blues...This ranks up there with KWS debut album, Ledbetter Heights, anything by Bonamassa (who i love).Put this one back in and listen to it again.There are at least 5 outstanding songs....PERIOD.

Wander this world
An early Jonny Lang CD.A little harsh but still a great CD

Refined Raw Emotion
After buying his previous cassette (Lie To Me), I had to have another Jonny Lang. This happened several years ago, but I have recently upgraded my music to CDs and this CD was a MUST HAVE. I found his voice had mellowed just a bit since Lie To Me, but the raw emotion seemed even more intense. If you love blues, this album will satisfy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues Music    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

The Chicago blues legend's recent divorce is weighing on his mind, if "Somebody's Been Sleeping in My Bed" and "Now You're Gone" are to be believed. That's bad for Buddy Guy, but good for his fans, who, on these contemplative, regretful numbers, get treated to some of Guy's most sweetly improvisational and melodic guitar since his '60s hallmark Read more

Reviews (41)

Mr. Entertainment
Everyone knows how grat a guitarist Buddy Guy is. This CD shows how great is vocally, as well. It doesn't get any better

It's a Six
I have been listening to Buddy Guy for 35 years.He is the best blues guitar player there is.The first ten times I listened to this album I didn't get it. Buddy Guy doing "Lay Lady Lay"?Now after three months I love this album.
Buddy Brings "Em In Big Time!
After hearing "Dreams to Remember" I had to buy this CD. Sure, we all know how great Buddy's playing is; heck--he's been at it for years. But now that he has reached a riper age I feel he's doing what he wants to do and bringing in songs that influenced and moved him early on. The CD plays well from start to finish and restarts just as evenly, so you can let it play over and over again without ever growing tired. To the blues purists I say, let go if it (even Robert Johnson was playing to the popular audience if you beleive Elijah Wald's theory as I do). If there is one flaw in this CD is it the rote version of "Ain't No Sunshine" where Tracy Chapman sounds as if she never even entered the same recording studio as Mr. Guy--but then I found her duet with B.B. King equally lacking: she should stick with her fast cars songwriting skills. In a society that worships name recognition, who are we to blame the music industry for peppering CDs with these types of pairings anyway? We are what we buy, so "Buy This!!!!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues-Rock    3. Chicago Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Chicago Blues    6. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    7. Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This 1965 album is where vocalist and harmonica player Junior Wells comes into his own. An early collaboration with Buddy Guy, the two of them sum up the 1960s funk-rock-blues that lay ahead. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Chicago Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Electric Harmonica Blues    6. Harmonica Blues    7. Juke Joint Blues    8. Pop   

Editorial Review

B.B. King's music has been anthologized and put in box sets many times, but this is the first single-disc collection that truly spans the American icon's career. It starts with his breakthrough 1951 No. 1 R&B hit "Three O'Clock Blues" and ends, chronologically, with 2000's "Ten Long Years" from his platinum-selling, pop-chart-topping smash collaboration with Eric Clapton, Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Memphis Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Soul-Blues    7. United States of America   

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. Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Revival    4. Blues Traditional    5. Chicago Blues    6. Delta Blues    7. Drums    8. Electric Blues    9. Electric Chicago Blues    10. Pop    11. Slide Guitar Blues    12. United States of America   

Editorial Review

It's not hard to understand the appeal of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, currently being hailed as the heir to Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's young (an increasing rarity in blues and blues-related genres), he writes catchy songs, and his "Blue on Black" is widely played on rock radio. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

This guest-studded CD relaunched Buddy Guy's career and set him toward the pinnacle of contemporary blues. Despite turns from Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and others, it's Guy who burns brightest--and loudest. He delivers roaring, exuberant performances of classic R&B ("Mustang Sally"), old-time blues ("Black Night"), and house rockers ("Where Is the Next One Coming From"). Most poignant, though, is his seven-minute instrumental "Rememberin' Stevie," which not only rekindles the fiery spirit of his own youth, but pays sensitive tribute to his late friend and admirer Stevie Ray Vaughan. This is the blueprint for Guy's current performing style. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Chicago Blues    3. Electric Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    6. Pop   

Editorial Review

One of the best recordings in Chess Records' 50th Anniverary series is the first of two bookend Muddy Waters collections, Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (21)

The foundation of hard rock is right here!
If it weren't for Muddy Waters, hard rock might look totally different...if it would have even come about. So many classic bands took inspiration from Muddy or covered his songs. Just look at the Rolling Stones (who took their name from one of his songs and covered "I Just Wanna Make Love to You"), the Allman Brothers ("Trouble No More"), Aerosmith (who covered two songs on their recent HONKIN' ON BOBO), Ted Nugent ("Baby Please Don't Go"), Eric Clapton ("I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man") and many others.
"I gotta ax handle pistol/On a graveyard frame/That shoots tombstone bullets/Wearing balls and chain"
Anyone besides me love this line? Anyway...
There really isn't much to say.
I don't see how anyone could improve. In a talent competition he'd obliterate the competitors on his first note. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Revival    4. Blues Traditional    5. Chicago Blues    6. Delta Blues    7. Electric Blues    8. Electric Chicago Blues    9. Pop    10. Slide Guitar Blues   

Editorial Review

Recorded for a television program of the same name back in 1983, Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (109)

A Classic...
This is a classic jam performance by two masters of the Blues.
Albert King In Session
I heard the song, "Don't Lie To Me" on a local blues station one night and was blown away.I don't typically write reviews, but this album is superb.I will boldly state that I think Albert King is better than B.B. King, and I am not alone in this belief.Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King create magic on this album.I enjoy Albert's playing so much that I typically skip past the SRV song (second song on the album) and continue on with Albert.Do NOT miss out on the enjoyment this album will give you.The sound quality is absolutely top notch, and the songs are great.Buy it and enjoy!

Mutual Admiration Society
It is clear that these 2 men liked each other and enjoyed trading solos. However,it is alsomuch more of an Albert King showcase, with standout performances of Ask Me No Questions, Don't Lie To Me , and Stormy Monday. What I like most about it is that it sounds so much better (i.e. dynamic and modern) than most of the old Albert King albums. This album really captures thehigh energy and power of a remarkable singer and guitarist(Albert King), and you canhear the musical roots of where Steve Ray's sound came from. It was misleading to list 11 cuts on the album , since 4 are simply fragments of conversation between the 2 guitar heroes. However the songs are lenghty, for example, Blues At Sunrise runs over 15 minutes,andthose conversations add to the overall feel of a live concert , even though it is a studio recording., Theonce in a lifetime combination of these 2 icons on the same album make this a real collector's item for blues fans ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Soul-Blues    6. Urban Blues   

Editorial Review

Marion "Little Walter" Jacobs is perhaps the most influential harmonica player on contemporary blues, and his collection is a great place to start. He was trained by Muddy Waters, but brought a more swinging feel to blues. Muddy and his band accompany Little Walter on many hits, as do Robert "Jr." Lockwood, the Aces, and other Chicago greats. In the 1950s, Little Walter's popularity eclipsed even Waters', his style a little more relaxed and pop-oriented. Walter's versions of many songs are the standards: "Blues with a Feeling," "You're So Fine," "Juke." Great stuff. Read more

Reviews (18)

This sure is blues!
Little Walter had an amazing harmonica sound and style that was all his own and could never be duplicated. Man, is this some hot stuff. His first record, "Juke", an instrumental is just, to quote another title of his, "off the wall." Yeah, there is a number that's called that which is on this CD. Absoultely what the blues is all about. Songs like "Sad Hours" and "Off the Wall" are practically Little Walter and the band sittin' around and jammin'. Check out the guitar lick at the beginning and the through the whole of "Sad Hours"; classic blues lick. Some other cool stuff is "Tell Me Mama", "Blues With A Feeling", "You're So Fine", "Mellow Down Easy", "My Babe", "Hate To See You Go", and especially "Boom, Boom Out Goes The Light." That one's a regular jam session, too. This is how music was made and appreciated to these guys. They just played as and what they felt. If you're learning about the blues, don't forget one of the supreme harmonica players of the genre: Little Walter.

Best Single Disc Compilation Available, But....
For someone on a budget who is interested in the music of this legendary artist, look no further than this single disc album. The sound and track selection here are excellent. Anyone interested in the blues needs to have at least one Little Walter album in their collection and you can't go wrong here. Another option is Chess's "The Best Of Little Walter" which features only 12tracks compared to the 20presented here (personally I give a huge nod to this cd based on track slection, overall sound & price on zShops). But for those of you whohave a few extra dollars around, I strongly suggest passing on both single disc releases and opt for the 2 disc set "Essential Little Walter" on the MCA/Chess label. "The Essential" boasts 46 tracks and is more comprehensive than either single disc release. It may be out-of-print, but well worth the find.

Almost 5 stars!
Great collection, but I am missing Little Walter's cover of Willie Dixon's "Dead Presidents" which is on the Chess Box Willie Dixon Collection - why wouldn't it be here? Chess owns the rights to the song, and it's a magnificent representation of Little Walter's powers as a blues musician. Other than that omission, it's perfect! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Chicago Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Chicago Blues    6. Electric Harmonica Blues    7. Harmonica Blues    8. Pop    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This soundtrack to the movie features an astonishing array of blues artists from three generations. Recorded during one long night at NYC's Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 7, 2003, the electricity is in the air and on stage. While it may not have been the finest blues show in history, the collection of founding fathers such as David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Buddy Guy, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Larry Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Solomon Burke, and the ubiquitous B.B. King along with their spiritual offspring (Gregg Allman, John Fogerty, and Steven Tyler) and some usual suspects like Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, andKeb' Mo', makes it arguably the most significant blues session ever captured on film.Read more

Features

• Live
• Soundtrack

Reviews (14)

The perfect CD to Drive too!
This CD is the actual performance of the DVD, which I also have and play at least once a week. You can't possibly get bored with this and you won't want to miss one song. However I highly recommend you get the 2 disc companion, so you know the history behind the making of this well produced and presented concert. Abosolutely genius!!!!!!!

Great variety of artists
This event certainly had a star studded lineup and there aremany highlights with Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes. Angelique Kidjo, BB King among the many winning performances. The only negative is a poor rap antiwar piece towards the end that just isn't a celebration of the blues or the many diverse artists that produce the blues. There may be a forum for this but this ain't it! The many highlights drown out this so 4.5 Stars.

If you enjoy the blues, you need this cd
Great music, good mix of artists.Could have done without a rapper trying to turn "boom boom" into an anti-war statement. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues Gospel    3. Blues-Rock    4. Country Blues    5. Electric Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Folk-Blues    8. Modern Electric Blues    9. Pop    10. Rock/Pop Collections    11. Soundtracks    12. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Editorial Review

A slew of albums by young white men out of their minds in love with music made by older black men came from both sides of the Atlantic during the mid-1960s, but two records really laid the groundwork for the decade's blues revival--the self-titled releases by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers out of London and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band out of Chicago. Both bands were led by harmonica-blowing vocalists; both featured ascending guitar gods--Eric Clapton with Mayall and Mike Bloomfield with Butterfield. Butterfield's ensemble, however, came of age closer to the roots of the music. The rhythm section heard on the group's 1965 debut was hired away from Howlin' Wolf, and Butterfield, while still in his early 20s when the album shipped, was already a familiar face on the Windy City's club circuit. "Born in Chicago" opens the album on a gritty note that never flags through this 11-track landmark. The slashing duo guitars of Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop and Butterfield's flash harp helped make Muddy Waters fathomable for a new audience and, decades later, it's still easy to understand how. Read more

Reviews (28)

All Killer, no filler!
This is the one album, (I got it in the 60's), that you never skip a track. Every song is great. Turn it as loud as you can handle it and really listen to the beat. There's nothing like it! Bloomfield is the best at making the guitar resonate and bite. Every note is purposeful and exactly played. The album is the template for all other blues since then. I'm always listening for the next Butterfield band. Haven't found it yet, still looking!!
One of My Favorite Albums
This music lives on.It is as impressive today as it was in 1965.This is a must-have album for any blues fan, along with the even more astonishing and undeniably seminal blues-rock-jazz fusion album, East-West.
CLASSIC MIKE BLOOMFIELD! GREAT OLD CHICAGO BLUES!
This is the first album from the classic chicago blues band "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band". The group was an all star line up of blues musicians which featured Paul Butterfield on harmonica and vocals. The spectacular Mike Bloomfield on lead guitar, Elvin Bishop on rhythm guitar, Sam Lay (drummer for howlin' wolf and various other blues bands) on drums, organ/pianist Mark Naftalin and bass player Jerome Arnold. This is early Bloomfield, his licks are searing and his guitar stings throughout the album. Butterfield's classic harp wails and cries ferociously. The album opens up with the gritty "Born In Chicago". They then do a cover of "Shake Your Money Maker." The third track and one of the best, "Blues With a Feeling", has Bloomfield biting and chomping through the song. "Thank You Mr. Poobah" is a great instrumental with a bit of a jazz swing. They cover Muddy Waters "I Got My Mojo Working" solidly adding new energy into the song. "Mellow Down Easy" is a little weak but still good. They come back with the instrumental "Screamin'" which cranks. Bloomfield's licks and solos spew out of his guitar like magma. "Our Love is Drifting" is another K.O. slower blues number with more fierce guitarmanship. "Mystery Train" and "Last Night" are a little weaker but they make up for it with a cover of "Look Over Yonders Wall".
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues-Rock    3. Chicago Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Electric Harmonica Blues    6. Harmonica Blues    7. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    8. Pop    9. Popular Music    10. Rock