Reviews (1)

Strong set of swinging harmonica blues
West Coast harmonica wizard Mark Hummel has been increasing his visibility with his annual blues harmonica packages which have brought together a number of harmonica legends and led to several outstanding CDs documenting the tours. The shows are anchored around Hummel and his fine band of guitarist Charlie Wheal, bassist Steve Wolf and drummer Marty Dodson. Electro-Fi has just issued Hummel's Third album for the label, Ain't Easy No More, that will delight his fans and blues harp fans. A mixture of Hummel's originals and some choice rearrangements of previously recorded blues, Hummel impresses most as a harp player and his band (augmented by horns on several tracks) is terrific supporting him. Hummel also writes some strong originals, including the topical "Big Easy (Ain't Easy No More)," based on his reaction to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Hummel is a pleasant vocalist but his delivery does not match the outrage of the lyrics here nor does he have the forcefulness to be completely convincing on Muddy Waters' She's Got It. But on other tracks his delivery works better and there is really little to fault listening to his reworking of a Ray Charles jump blues "Get on the Right Track," and a couple of fine Eddie Boyd songs," You Got to Reap" and "Blues is Here to Stay." Harp features include his originals "Harpoventilating," and "Bird Brain," and Little Sonny's "The Creeper Returns," all of which showcase his driving, full-bodied playing. Overall quite a fine album and my quibbles about his vocals on a couple tracks should not be taken too far as his vocals are easy to take. Recommended highly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Chicago Blues    3. Pop   

Reviews (3)

well satisfied
cd was as advertised and arrived in good condition, in a timely fashion.this is the first used product i have purchased on the net and i am very satisfied with the results

Great and varied harping!
Wow!A friend recommended this CD to me (as I am beginning to play), and what a treat this was.Terrific variety in style, and superb playing all around.Especially helpful were the extensive liner notes to the CD, listing each artist and going into their background as well as details about the songs.Really enjoyable reading.I just can't say enough about it if you are looking for a good sampling of harp songs.:)

A fine sampler for the casual blues fan
Rhino's "Blues Masters" series is the best of its kind, and while this one disc obviously only scratches the surface of blues harmonica playing, it does feature a lot of good music.
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Subjects:  1. 40's    2. 50's    3. Blues    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Revival    6. Blues Traditional Collections    7. Blues-Rock    8. Chicago Blues    9. Electric Blues    10. Electric Chicago Blues    11. Electric Harmonica Blues    12. Electric Memphis Blues    13. Harmonica Blues    14. Juke Joint Blues    15. Memphis Blues    16. Modern Electric Blues    17. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    18. Piano Blues    19. Pop    20. R&B   

Features

• Live

Reviews (9)

F for sound
Well this is a total F for sound. I have 3 dif 3 cd players, home, port, and car, and yes they are good ones, car is a Q45 with a Bose. I bought this CD because of the reviews I read here, what is everyone smoking? or is there not that good of stuff avail from Albert? I don't own any other CD's, but I do know about him from the SRV Sessions VHS I have had for a few years, and it sounds pretty good.
Everybody Can Enjoy
Some guys play guitar to impress girls.They play some cool sounding licks and are rewarded with oohs and aahs.Other serious guitar players impress other guitar players, but their talent surpasses the mortal mind, and they might not appeal to a wide audience.Albert King is a guitar players' guitar player that everyone can enjoy.
Best Blues guitarist ever!!
This is AWESOME Albert King live guitar playing!!! He was at his best on stage!!! Every song is soooo good!! I'd venture to say this is the best blues I've ever heard and I've heard a lot. This includes Hendrix, BB King, EC and SRV. His guitar sound isRead more

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

Editorial Review

It may be cruel to dismiss Chris Duarte as just another Stevie Ray Vaughan wannabe, but it's accurate. There's not an original sound or sentiment on this debut album, right from the copped licks of opener "My Way Down" to the environmental cautions of the finale "Borrowed Love." Duarte is technically adept enough to get many of the late Vaughan's guitar mannerisms right, from his rich-but-brittle Stratocaster tone to the turnarounds he uses to set up his solos. He's a pallid vocalist, however, which doesn't help plead his case as an emerging talent. In fact, four years after this debut--which beat both Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepard to the record stores--Duarte has yet to make his mark. --Read more

Reviews (30)

Mega balls guitar playing
SRV wannabe ? No baby. THE BEST SRV WANNABE ! I think this means a lot.

Blisterin' Texas Blues
The comparsisons to Hendrix and Vaughan abound, but anyone who typecasts Duarte as a simple clone of those two godfathers of acid blues is simply short sighted. check out this man's guitar tone
I think you almost have to be a guitarist to really appreciate Chris Duarte. For me his tone alone is worth 4 stars. He gets the most exquisite Stratocaster tones I've ever heard on any recording, period. (Hey if anyone out there knows what kind of pickups he uses, let me know. I know about his effects, amps, etc, just no info on pups.) Even SRV wasn't this tone-sculptured. Aubrey Freed used to be my hero in this dept; now it's Duarte.Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues-Rock    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Modern Electric Texas Blues    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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. 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

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Blues    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Traditional    6. Country Blues    7. Pop    8. Prewar Blues   

Features

• Live

Reviews (5)

As brilliant as Rush and Clapton are, it's Allison in the end
that takes this record to places it never would have reached otherwise. Otis Rush is a major force compositionally and stylistically in contemporary electric blues, and he has the voice of genuine authority when he sings. What you get on the first five cuts are a sampling of just how strong those talents are. When Clapton comes on to join him, Rush pulls out of Clapton some of the very best work Eric has committed to recording ever. For my ears, it would be until THE CONCERT FOR GEORGE and the Robert Johnson discs that Clapton would be this incendiary again. And that's odd about Clapton: on his own, he is not his best advocate. Put him in a context like this, where he is working within the blues, and he is a very different beast altogether. Clapton tears up his counterattacks to Rush and they clearly are intensely focused on wringing everything out of each song.
Would be better if...
I bought this CD only after a reviewer reported below that "the sound is excellent." The sound is not excellent. It reminds me of Albert King's 1967 Fillmore West recordings. The sound is very bright. Fred Barnes's cat quick bass licks lack any low end. This CD sounds best played in my car where the recording's high frquency bias isn't as noticable.
Great live performance!
This is really, as someone has already pointed out, a great live recording. Surely one of the best live electric blues album that I own. Recorded at the Montreux Blues and Jazz festival in 1986 this CD is packed wall to wall with extraordinary feeling and great playing from all the musicians present on the stage. It appears immediately evident from the first note of the first track that Otis Rush was in a great form that night, and his singing and guitar playing is simply superb through out the entire concert. If you add to the mix an inspired Eric Clapton (that when plays the blues is second to none) sharing the centre of the stage on 4 songs and "dulcis in fundo" even the great Luther Allison for the closing act, you may start to have an idea of the final result. As a plus, and not a minor one, the quality of the sound is excellent and all the instruments sound clear. Very difficult not to mention the killer version of the classic "Crosscut saw" and an even more intense "All your love (I miss loving)" with Otis and Eric jamming together. In conclusion a five stars plus record that I suggest you should add to your collection if you are a blues fan and you like your blues very much guitar driven. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Chicago Blues    3. Electric Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Pop    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The best of Buddy Guy's solo albums since his 1991 reemergence finds him mixing songs from his concert repertoire ("Someone Else Is Steppin' In") with blues chestnuts ("I Smell Trouble") and his own new originals, like the gritty plea for urban spiritual renewal "Cities Need Help." His performance is raw and natural, a nasty throwback to his late-'60s roadhouse days. Guy takes unbridled pleasure in hard playing and vocal shouting that straddles the soul-blues border. The absence of shallow attempts at pop-radio play and the lack of guest appearances by rock stars or emerging bluesmen like Jonny Lang, which plague most of Guy's recent CDs, is refreshing. This is simply Buddy, on his own strong terms. Read more

Reviews (17)

very good album
today for some strange reason i dug up this album&I had revisted my Buddy Guy&Junior Wells Album some time ago.but this album reminded me of what I dig best about Guy&that is when he is flowing by himself without trying to sound like he is trying to fit into other territory.this album has something for everyone&works."Cities Needs Help" is very direct&Political&gets to the Point. I dig how He uses his Riffs on this album that showcase his playing&allows room for solos&Him to arrange parts around it without being over produced.the title cut is a trip&has me rolling.but it is the truth. I enjoyed the overall Production,instrumentation&writing on this album.Probably the last Buddy Guy album that I can get into more than halfway through.I dig hearing Him play anything,but on Record this is the last album that truly sticks fo rme.dude has his own signature on the Axe."Don't tell me about the Blues" is on point as well.

Most Of The BEST Blues Men Are Gone, Not BUDDY!
If you are young and don't know anything about the blues, welcome to "BLUES 101". The old timers just keep passing by the ages and there are few left and soon the new breed will be passed the torch. There are only a very few worthy candidates to attempt to carry that torch. Eric Clapton has done his best to re-aquaint the world to these masters, but there are few who can hold a candle, let alone a torch. Robert Cray, Eric Johnson and ??? I do hope that Robert Randolph will use his unique skills to emulate the masters rather than confine his efforts with the sound "his Family Band" have been stuck on for the past year. Don't misunderstand me, he and his band are TIGHT, I'm just hoping he'll revive Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Little Walter and Howling Wolf.
Buddy Guy's best album of the past two decades
Buddy Guy is one of the last bluesmen left from a great era. He is what Jimi Hendrix would have been had Hendrix stuck strictly to the blues. While he may not think he is one of the best, he certainly deserves to be up there with Muddy, Howlin' Wolf, and BB. One reason is because of this album, definitely his best in the past 20 years, and definitely one of his top three. Here, Guy delivers what everyone expects of him: screaming guitar work and powerful, powerful vocals. There is no better blues singer in the business than BG, and as a guitar player his style is uniquely recognizable, and has no equal. The best tracks on this disc: I Smell Trouble (with Double Trouble guesting), Please Don't Drive Me Away, Love Her With A Feeling, Someone Else Is Steppin' In, and Don't Tell Me About The Blues. Those may be the best, but the disc as a whole does not have one weak track on it. I happen to like the clean sound of this album. If you can make it clean and keep the grit, that is awesome. Buddy did it with this album. However, nothing compares to seeing him live. He is one of the best live acts ever! Do yourself a favor: if he's ever in your neck of the woods, be sure to go see him. You won't regret it. LONG LIVE BUDDY GUY AND HIS POLKA DOT STRATOCASTER! ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Chess Record's R&B Star
Little Milton was a powerful, expressive singer with a silky baritone, and like Junior Parker and Bobby "Blue" Bland, he traffiked in bluesy r&b. He recorded for three legendary labels (Sun, Chess and Stax), enjoying his greatest success with Chess.
A good overview of Little Milton's Chess sides
Little Milton Campbell arguably recorded his grittiest and bluesiest songs for Sun and Bobbin before signing with Chess Records in the early 60s; tough blues and R&B like "If You Love Me", "That Will Never Do", and "Lookin' For My Baby".
Little Milton, A great blues singer who sings from his guts
My favorite songs on this gutsy blues singer's CD are Blind Man, Let's Get Together, and Let Me Down Easy. Listening to Little Milton takes me back to the 60's when we use to have rent parties for a whole weekend, and listen to blues singers while we cooked, partied, and sold food. Also brings back memories of sitting on the back porch at night in the summer, while Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Sam Cooke or some other blues singer from that era played on the record player. Milton's gut-wrenching singing is what I call "soulful blues". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Electric Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Modern Electric Blues    6. Pop    7. R&B    8. Retro-Soul    9. Soul-Blues   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (11)

Will Interest Lovers of Roots Music
A generous 24-track helping of some of record collector extraordinare Joe Bussard's favorites.The examples included run the gamut of early 20th centruy roots music ranging from Hillybillymusic to Blues, Jazz, Jug Bands and beyond.
A total package
I had not heard of Joe Bussard before this collection though I consider myself an avid music enthusiast and budding collector. After having heard this disc (and having read the extensive liner notes) I'm more than a little green with envy over Bussard's collection.
Treasure trove is right!
This title aptly describes this CD of Joe Bussard's collection of rare hillbilly, jazz and blues tunes of the 20s and 30s.
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Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Blues    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Traditional Collections    6. Classic Jazz    7. Country Blues    8. Cowboy    9. Dixieland    10. Harmonica Blues    11. Hot Jazz    12. Jug Band    13. New Orleans Jazz    14. Old-Timey    15. Pop    16. Prewar Blues    17. Prewar Country Blues    18. Slide Guitar Blues    19. String Bands    20. Swing   

Editorial Review

If Bonnie Raitt played piano and had a little more New Orleans in her, she'd be proud to claim the soulful sincerity of this release as her own. Producer Stephen Bruton (long Raitt's lead guitarist) polishes this groove-laden set with rich arrangements of horns and harmonies, as Cajun accordionist Wayne Toups, former Storyville vocalist Malford Milligan, and blues guitarist Pat Boyack provide additional sonic spice. Though the second-line syncopation of "Foreclose on the House of Love," the buoyant swamp pop of "Honeypie" (with Toups), and an acoustic, mandolin-driven transformation of the funky "Three Hundred Pounds of Hongry" find the veteran blueswoman in playful spirits, she shows her depth as a balladeer on originals such as "Give Me a Chance" and "The Storm," as well as a revival of Arthur Alexander's classic "If It's Really Got to Be This Way." Between the river towns of New Orleans (Ball's musical homeland) and Austin (where she's based), these 14 cuts cover a lot of ground. Read more

Reviews (2)

No House of Glass
"So Many Rivers" is a high point for Marcia Ball.An accomplished pianist, she has a crack band to help fill in the gaps. Six of the tracks are originals that she penned.My favorite is Danny Timms' "Hurricane on China Lake."Although this was copyrighted in 1978, this is the first recording of the tune I can find.Marcia's bluesy piano pounds out the melody, "It's blowing the walls down; You find your house of glass in pieces on the ground."Donnie Fritts & Gary Nicholson penned the beautiful melody of "If It's Really Got to Be This Way," a sad slow breakup lament that Marcia's vocals fully embody.On "Give Me A Chance," Marcia's piano goes gospel with Greg Smith's sax and the Los Angeles Horns giving Marcia's powerful vocal a classic soul feel that'd put a smile on Al Green's face.Danny Timm's "Dance With Me" bounces joyfully on the set's feel-good track.The material on this set is consistently good.The performances are first rate & make this a delightful jewel!Enjoy!

More like it.
I was disappointed with Marcia's last album, "Presumed Innocent", as it had a somewhat antiseptic sound for this most organic of performers."So Many Rivers" sounds much more vibrant and closer in feel to her best album: "Let Me Play with Your Poodle".Her playing and that of her band is solid and rollicking.The mix between rockers and ballads is perfect.However, to experience Marcia at her best you need to see her in concert.This album should provide some excellent fodder for her current live set.A live album would really do Marcia justice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Louisiana Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

Best known for his work as a songwriter, producer, and talent scout, singer-bassist Willie Dixon essentially built Chicago's Cobra and Chess labels with his sweat. Although this double-disc set does include five performances by the man from Vicksburg, Mississippi, himself, it's really a testament to his songwriting prowess, packed with recordings that made his tunes classics of blues and early rock & roll. There's Howlin' Wolf tearing through "Spoonful," "Little Red Rooster," "Evil," and "Back Door Man." There's Muddy Waters belting "You Shook Me," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and "I'm Ready." There's Bo Diddley delivering "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" and Koko Taylor launching her career with "Wang Dang Doodle." The set features excellent liner notes, and its only disappointment is that its label-centricity excludes Dixon's work for Cobra with then-youngsters Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. --Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (12)

old master of the blues
the willie dixon chess set is a window into the early blues
Willie Dixon was a maestro of imense proportions
I never have understood how some people have an inate quality for music and some don't. Well , Willie was one of those that definately did. It is hard to imageine the blues without the likes of Willie Dixon: the writer, the musician, the producer, the businessman. I listen to his work over and over again , each time learning new nuances I did not hear before.
Great Introduction to Chess Blues
This box is a fantastic introdution to post-war Chicago blues and the key figure behind Chess Records' success, Willie Dixon.I am a huge fan of the Chess box sets, and this one is my favorite.With seminal tracks by blues icons like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley and Koko Taylor as well as lesser known artists and Dixon himself, this CD is definitely on my deserted island list.If you're only going to have one blues CD in your collection (which would be a tragedy), this is the one to buy.Best of all, for the quality and quantity of music, you can't beat the price! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Revival    4. Blues Traditional    5. Box Sets (Audio Only)    6. Chicago Blues    7. Delta Blues    8. Electric Blues    9. Electric Chicago Blues    10. Electric Harmonica Blues    11. Harmonica Blues    12. Jive    13. Modern Electric Blues    14. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    15. Piano Blues    16. Pop    17. R&B    18. Retro-Soul    19. Slide Guitar Blues    20. Soul   

Editorial Review

Not known for his acoustic work, Buddy Guy unplugs for a rare album-length excursion into folk blues. Continuing the rootsy, bare-bones approach that made 2001’s electric Read more

Reviews (28)

An Orgasm For The Ears !!!
This is probably the most heart-wrenching, Heartfelt, Soulful, Powerfully Moving albums (I just ran out of adjectives) I have ever heard.....In ANY genere !!!! Total sensory overload.....which is saying a lot considering the "bare bones" feel of the album. This is Buddy stripped Butt Naked.......And he NEVER sounded better. Kudos to you Buddy. You are the master !!! Long may you reign !!!!!

Warsaw cries Buddy
This is very overlooked new cd from Buddy, playing acoustic. True blues. Best effort.

Ohhhh Doctor!!
This is a killer CD, a must-get for anyone who digs the blues. Much of the material is way downhome and gut-wrenching. CRAWLIN' KING SNAKE is a monster side and can stand easily beside John Lee Hooker's original. BLACK CAT BLUES is another Hooker tune and it too is marvelous. Guy's voice is deep and booming and the back-up session players (usually just bass, drums, and guitar) are restrained and add immensely to the proceedings. ANNA LEE and LONESOME HOME BLUES are also excellent takes on classic songs out of the blues tradition. This CD is what the blues is all about. Got an iPod? Save room 'cause you'll want to put this whole CD on it for repeated listening. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Delta Blues    4. Modern Acoustic Blues    5. Pop   

Reviews (7)

The Real Thing
I bought this record when it first came out and have listened to it consistently since then.It's one of the real classics, in the same group as the 1st generation Chicago blues classics - a desert island record.Great blues has a soul that all fans can identify - this record has that soul to burn.And burn it does, mostly.The singing, harmonica and guitar work are peerless - equalled by electrified white bluesmen only a few times, for example, in the first two Paul Butterfield Blues Band records and maybe parts of John Hammond's "I Can Tell."Harvey Mandel's guitar solo on 4PM makes my hair stand on end (the longest bent note in the blues!), even after almost 40 years. Charley's hard driving vocal style and aggressive harp fills and solos against that solid simple back beat are the essence of hard rocking.
Perhaps more historically interesting than truly great.
For those of us who soon got into Muddy,Walter, and others in that realm, after being introduced to blues by white artists....the white versions proved to be, at best...a different 'take' on blues, and at worst, derivative in the worst sense, missing the special qualites of the 'real deal' without adding anything new......Make no mistake.. Musselwhite can -play-, and guitarist Harvey Mandel, (here at age 21),already had a 'modern' blues sound for a couple of years, predating the time when Clapton and Beck truly found their sound.Although predated by the Stones, this recording, along withButterfield-w-Bloomfield's first, Canned Heat's eponymous LP, and Mayall-Clapton-Bluesbreakers were the records being listened to by all the kids who were just about to become real blues fans. Whatever Charlie -didn't- have that Muddy -did- , can be forgiven on that count.

stand back! here comes charley musselwhite's southside band
attention blues lovers, stand back is fresh and hard and real in 2005 as in 1967. this album has magic as it captured a real and lasting feel for the blues.the harp and electric guitar and organ were meant for each other. musselwhite vocals are in top form for crying the blues. if you collect blues music, this is the leader of the pack...and blues is my main music...graffitiglenn ... Read more

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

Reviews (7)

Excellent Blues Album!
This is a phenomenal blues album by the late great Albert King.Easily one of my favorites.

Albert King's Most Experimental Album.
When the late great Albert King signed with Stax records in the 60's, they really didn't know what to do with him. Like Aretha Franklin at Atlantic (which had a hold on Stax in the 1960s). They teamed him up with Booker T and the MGs to produce a unique soul based blues that no one had ever heard. He had had several winning LPs for Stax and then put out this one. "I'll Play the Blues for You" is a concept LP (Like Issac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul). King re-invents himself to fit into the emerging soul-funk grooves of the 1970s. However, his guitar playing is about the best it ever got!
Fine, soulful 70s blues
There are no fewer than three albums by Albert King titled "I'll Play The Blues For You" - a 1999 album which also includes some sides by John Lee Hooker, a 1977 live recording, and this one, which is the original, or at least the first. Read more

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

Editorial Review

Until this album was released in 1978, Albert Collins hadbeen a journeymanTexas bluesman, little known and unrecorded for six years. Hisguitar playinghere won him a new generation of fans, and set the stage for thepopularity heenjoyed until his death. His clustered, sustained, choked, andbent notes,played with his thumb and fingers, set a generation of pickersagog. The tonewas piercing; the timing impeccable. Collins' vocals were neverquite asstrong, but it scarcely mattered as he was the man for whom theelectricguitar might have been invented. The eight songs on this setinclude "When theWelfare Turns Its Back on You," and several jaw-droppinginstrumentals.Read more

Reviews (15)

B-r-r-r-r-r-r-!
For the record, I'm not a blues cat.But if you are looking for an accessible entry to the blues that isn't lame (that means you, Slowhand!), look no further.Soulful, funky tunes with top-notch playing.Doesn't take itself too seriously, either.Check out AC's leather jacket on the cover.Total badass.

A Blues Master
Albert Collins was one of the most unique blues pickers to grace the stage. Tuning his guitar to alternate tunings and using a capo, he would walk around the bar with his 100-foot cord wandering into the bathrooms, out on the street, around the bar playing the blues all the while. He mixes his blues up playing soft, slow blues, and powerful instrumentals. Sometimes his topics are serious, other times his humor comes through. Collins was quite the entertainer. Can't beat this one
Here you have one of the classic electric blues guitar albums with a great selection of tracks that can't be beat.Read more

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

Reviews (4)

A classic blues display
After seeing this rated in the top ten blues releases for 2005 in a local blues magazine I purchased this in a promo bin and gave it a spin.
Little Charlie delivers a big punch
The Nightcats deliver a strong performance on this bluesy, swing album.The humor is present throughout with a great vibe.

Must be Good Live But.....
This CD is full of Cliche Blues and rock and roll..Yes I can see them being great if you had a few brews in you at your local watering hole..But this album has week songs ..Rick Estrin's
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Modern Electric Blues    3. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    4. Pop    5. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This in-concert CD caps Buddy Guy's partnership with harp hero Junior Wells, who died of lymphoma in January 1998. The set, taped five years earlier at Guy's Chicago nightclub, is an unabashedly sentimental journey back to their roots. It's just Guy and Wells on acoustic guitar and harmonica, cutting up and playing their own standards like Guy's "You Better Watch Yourself" and Wells's signature "Hoodoo Man," as well as classics by such influences as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers, and even Ray Charles. Guy's focused intensity is offset by Wells's good-natured clowning, yet the performance never sacrifices its strong musicality. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (5)

****1/4
The sound is excellent on this 1998 live album, and Buddy Guy and the late, great Junior Wells both lay down some of their best vocal performances on record.
Best from the best
This is the best acoustic live album from the greatest duo in blues history.

Just A Great Live CD!
If you want to sit back and put on some easy listening music then this is the CD for you. I like nothing better than putting this CD on loud after some lung exercises and relaxing! Just great! ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

This is probably the best Wolf compilation there is in terms of comprehensiveness and digestibility. The problem with collecting the works of prolific artists is that there's so much material; fortunately, Chess made some good selections. Chronicling Howlin' Wolf's career from Memphis, through Chicago, and on into his later years. There are snippets of interviews, as well as the classic tracks you'd expect: "All Night Boogie", "Howlin' For My Darling", "Evil", "Forty Four", "Spoonful", and "I'd Better Go Now." This box set is a bit much to swallow if you're not already a fan of the Wolf, but if you are, this is a great way to get his best work in one place. Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (8)

long album but worth every song
this album is amazing. it's very long, but the songs never get old. i wish i could have seen the wolf in concert. that would be a great chance because he's my favorite bluesman. of course, robert johnson, blind blake and muddy waters come pretty close too but none can sing like the wolf. the best song on here is 'i asked for water (she gave me gasoline)' it's full of humor and makes me laugh every time. what's even funnier is in 'howlin wolf talks part 3' when he tells the interviewer why she gave him gasoline is because she was mad with him. i never know who he's singing to, but i'm sure they all get the message.

He's the Wolf!!!
If life were a college course in Blues Appreciation, at least three aural textbooks would be required listening: the Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson and the Chess Boxes of Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf. Just purchasing a CD or two of any of the other blues masters will suffice (for awhile anyway), but these three giants produced so much listenable and danceable music that nothing less than complete box sets will do. Even at 71 tracks, this set still feels incomplete; where is Wolf's fabulous live recording of "Highway 49" from the Newport Folk Festival? Or "Do the Do" from London Howlin Wolf Sessions, featuring Eric Clapton and Hubert Sumlin's fantastic guitar figures? But these are minor quibbles. How can you argue with an album that starts with a lonesome Wolf moan ("Moanin at Midnight") and ends (well, one track from the end, anyway) with a frail Wolf teaching a roomful of top blues acolytes (Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts) how to play acoustic guitar on "Little Red Rooster" the way Charlie Patton himself taught Wolf some 40-50 years ago? What an experience! His powerful, gargling-battery-acid voice (only Blind Willie Johnson and Captain Beefheart had more abused throats) now a shadow of it's former self, his commanding presence still moves the assembled royalty of British blues-rock to "get on it" and produce a memorable take. In between are too many highlights to mention, including "Killing Floor" (probably the only song set in an animal slaughterhouse), "Back Door Man" (later covered memorably by the Doors), "I Ain't Superstitious" (also covered well by Jeff Beck Group and Savoy Brown), and most memorably, his signature song "Smokestack Lightning." As a bonus, there are several snippets from an interview recording just a few years before his death in which he reveals how he got his name, how he got started playing the blues, and the "hidden" meanings behind both "Smokestack Lightning" and "I Asked Her For Water". These glimpses into the real, behind-the scenes Wolf persona, each about 30 seconds to one minute long, are priceless. Throughout the set, Wolf is supported by first-rate musicians, particularly the aforementioned Sumlin, who was such a good guitarist that he was "borrowed" regularly by the likes of Muddy Waters and Little Walter, but always made his way back to Wolf's pack. This set and all it's great music should keep most listener's happy for hours. Now, when will some great writer take up the challenge of giving Howlin' Wolf the biography he deserves? (Waters and Walter already have fine bios.) Until then, the Wolf fan will just have to make do with the (excellent) liner notes from this set and play it once again to hear the magic of the Wolf moanin' at midnight, or at any time of day he so desires.

Footnote about voice of Howlin' Wolf
In his excellent review, "anders_pj" stated that nobody has ever copied the sandpaper voice of Howlin' Wolf.Well, there is one significant exception. This is the voice of Captain Beefheart (b