Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

metaphors don't get much thinner than "i want a piece of your custard pie"
the only thing that keeps me from giving this five stars is the lack of howling wolf songs on here... "no place to go" (sometimes called "you gonna wreck my life") comes to mind first.but it's a great transition cd:i let friends borrow it who are kinda hesitant to get into blues but already love zeppelin.

It's Not What You Think!
First of all do not get the impression that this is a remake of Zeppelin tunes.This is the raw source from where Jimmy and the boys had cut their teeth on.If you are a stanch blues fan like I am, you will appreciate this disk for what it represents.If not, then you will find no use for it.I personally like knowing what inspired certain artists and enjoyed this copulation.If you weren't a blues fan before, it will introduce you to a new (old) area of music field that is very entertaining and satisfying, compared to the norm.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Blues    4. Blues Collections    5. Blues Music    6. Blues Revival    7. Country Blues    8. Delta Blues    9. Pop    10. Prewar Blues    11. Prewar Country Blues    12. Prewar Gospel Blues    13. Slide Guitar Blues   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (7)

Blues 101!!!
All right, students, now pay attention! Put down that racing form and pay attention right now! This here Chess Blues box set contains exactly 101 tracks. How appropriate! That makes this collection a sort of unofficial college course entitled Blues 101, and Professors Wolf, Waters, James, and Jacobs (Little Walter), etc., etc., will be your blues instructors. You will learn the Fundamentals of Blues Harp, with Little Walter ("Juke") and Sonny Boy Williamson II ("Don't Start Me to Talkin'") as your master teachers. Over here, we have a course entitled Mellow Blues, with Willie Dixon ("Walkin' the Blues") and Jimmy Witherspoon ("Ain't Nobody's Business") showing you how it's done. Then, we have instruction in Blues and the Female Voice, with Koko Taylor ("What Kind of Man Is That," "Wang Dang Doodle") and Etta James ("Somethings Got A Hold Of Me," "I'd Rather Go Blind") as your teachers. Finally, what great university would be complete without Master Classes and the best professors in the business Muddy Waters ("Got My Mojo Workin'," "I Can't Be Satisfied," "My Eyes (Keep Me in Trouble"), Howlin Wolf ("Killin' Floor," "Evil," "Going Down Slow"), and John Lee Hooker ("Walkin' the Boogie," "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") holding court for your edification. No, there is no blues university, but if there was one, the above masters would surely be the instructors and Chess Blues would certainly be the required text. As I said, it's packed with an amazing 101 songs, many of the best blues tracks ever recorded. There are a few clunkers, but very few. You will spend many enjoyable hours listening to this collection. (Trust me, it takes a few hours to listen to 101 songs once!) Get it today, and enroll in the best blues education money can buy!

A terriffic addition to your blues collection
This handsome boxset, complete with a large booklet, is a superb addition to your blues collection, even if you already have the best of the major Chess artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson II. This is it!
The Delta gave birth to the Delta Blues and Chicago gave birth to the Chicago Blues but it would not have happened without Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and, of course, the Chess Brothers.This is their legacy - no true blues fan would be without this set as part of their collection -enough said! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 40's    2. 50's    3. 60's    4. Acoustic Blues    5. Acoustic Chicago Blues    6. Blues    7. Blues Collections    8. Blues Revival    9. Box Sets (Audio Only)    10. Chicago Blues    11. Delta Blues    12. Electric Blues    13. Electric Chicago Blues    14. Electric Harmonica Blues    15. Electric Memphis Blues    16. Harmonica Blues    17. Jazz Blues    18. Jive    19. Juke Joint Blues    20. Jump Blues   

Editorial Review

After the floodgates opened due to 2003’s Martin Scorsese-produced PBS series of blues films, most labels scoured their vaults to nab a piece of the action. Dozens of reissues and repackagings hit the shelves, but Rounder, who has released classic blues for decades, eclipsed the field with this wonderful double-disc set.Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Blues Music    4. Field Recordings    5. Pop   

Reviews (3)

Good Starter!
This CD isn't the best anything. It's just a good starter cd for the new Blues listener, and a good listen for the more experienced. So I'll rate it a good. It probably deserves three stars but I'm a sucker for slide guitar so I gave it four.

Another good sampler
This is another fine entry in Rhino's lengthy Blues Masters series. It isn't the definitive word on slide guitar blues, of course, or on any of the artists represented, but as a sampler it works very well, featuring a lesser-known (but very good) rendition of "Dust My Broom" by Elmore James, and well-chosen cuts by Muddy Waters, J.B. Hutto (the tough boogie "Too Much Alcohol"), and Robert Nighthawk (a superb medley of two of his best songs, "Anna Lee" and "Sweet Black Angel").
Awesome!
This is must buy for any fan slide guitar.From beginning to end, fromElmore James to Johnny Winter, it's non-stop blues.You'll find yourself hitting the repeat button on the CD player, so you can hear the great bluesslide guitar again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 30's    2. 40's    3. 50's    4. Acoustic Texas Blues    5. Album Rock    6. Blues    7. Blues Music    8. Blues Traditional Collections    9. Blues-Rock    10. Boogie Rock    11. Chicago Blues    12. Electric Chicago Blues    13. Modern Electric Blues    14. Pop    15. Slide Guitar Blues   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

Very good blues compilation
A nice mixture of old and new, familiar and not-so -- sort of a Blues Greatest Hits.I was a little put off by the packaging, which is so plain as to look like a cheesy reissue set, but the liner notes are good, the sound quality is good, and above all, the music is good.

50 Years of the Blues
This thirty-eight track, two-hour-plus anthology does an excellent job of presenting fifty years of blues from the post-World War II era through the present day.Disc one includes such Chicago blues giants as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf and Buddy Guy who all recorded for Chess. While many of these artists did not enjoy huge crossover success, they influenced everyone from Elvis ("Hound Dog") to the Yarbirds ("I'm a Man"), The Rolling Stones ("I'm a King Bee"), Cream ("Spoonful") and George Thorogood ("One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer"). Every song on disc-one is a classic, from T-Bone Walker's million-selling "Call It Stormy Monday" to Bobby "Blue" Bland's No. 2 R&B hit "Turn on Your Love Light" (which peaked at No. 28 on the pop charts). Disc-one is required listening for anyone with even a remote interest in the blues.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Chicago Blues    4. Delta Blues    5. Electric Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Electric Texas Blues    8. Modern Electric Blues    9. Pop    10. R&B    11. Soul-Blues    12. Texas Blues    13. V/a Compilations   

Editorial Review

Here's a bountiful blues buffet from deep in the heart of Texas, courtesy of the long-running Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent cd...But there's not anyone hotter
Than Buddy Guy, doing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" This cd was a pleasant surprise, too bad Austin City Limits does not offer more of these blues tributes on cd and dvd..Would be sweet to hear the full hour performance of Buddy Guy and others listed on here. Buy it..You won't be disappointed, if you are, then you just don't get the blues.

A great compilation!
This is a great sampling of the blues.B.B. King does an excellent "Night Life", his guitar is fabulous!One of my favorites is W.C. Clark, who I had never heard before."Queen Bee" is the best Taj Mahal I have heard.Miss Lavelle White, Stevie Ray, Lightnin' Sam, Collins....I could go on and on.The recording quality varies very little from track to track, which is expected from Austin City Limits, as they are one of the few TV program which delivers excellent sound.Don't pass this one up! This is a Texas blues mirror!!
Texas is a State,full of hot deserts,but this cd shows that not only hot deserts...Texas always have hot blues with great icons of this musical style. We must reverence this contribution,specially the legendary SRV,and the great melodic voice of Delbert Mc Clinton! If you don't know what is the Texas Blues Twister,just buy this cd and......... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 70's    2. 80's    3. 90's    4. Adult Contemporary    5. Blues    6. Blues Collections    7. Blues Music    8. Blues-Rock    9. Contemporary Blues    10. Electric Blues    11. Electric Texas Blues    12. Funk    13. Modern Acoustic Blues    14. Modern Electric Blues    15. Modern Electric Texas Blues    16. New Orleans R&B    17. Pop    18. R&B    19. Soul    20. Soul-Blues   

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Blues Music    4. Pop    5. V/a Compilations   

Editorial Review

The blues-Mali connection has been much pondered, and Read more

Reviews (10)

awesome
This cd is smooth and mellow.I've been addicted to it since I first got my hands onto it.A real pleasure.

I really love this CD
I love the music of Mali--the home of Timbuktu and some really amazing musicians. Their music and its five-tone scale is supposed to be the roots of the Blues. Though the slave trade was mostly a coastal event (Mali is land-locked), wars in the area resulted in prisoners who ended up on slave ships heading for America. The rich Mali music tradtion may have created our American blues. African Culture Across the Atlantic
When many westerners think of African music, they expect something exotic, something primitive, something mysterious. Yet for all their expectations, few Americans seem to realize that they are sitting on a goldmine of African traditions. The African musical traditions served to feed what would develop into the traditions of Blues, Jazz, Rap, Reggae, Rock, Gospel, Salsa and the like. And the purpose of this particular CD is to explore the African roots of the Blues.Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Blues Collections    3. Blues Music    4. Contemporary Blues    5. Delta Blues    6. Int'l & World Music    7. Mali    8. Modern Acoustic Blues    9. Pop    10. World Fusion   

Reviews (3)

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!!!!
Today, October 23, 2005...a drizzly, cold Sunday afternoon in Boston, I brought out this great 2-record vinyl LP from my old 60's-70's collection.As I wiped off the dust and placed it on my turntable, I flashed back to the hundreds of times over a 35-yr period that I've received tremendous pleasure and joy listening and turning my friends on to THE Blues as recorded on this LP.Having stood the classic test of time, it still sounds amazing after all these years...even with the scratches!
This is the LP that did it, and did it in a big way...
After heaing this LP for the first time, nothing was ever the same for me, musically, ever again. From this, I steadily found my way through the blues, and into straight ahead jazz. Hearing James (then 'Jimmy') Cotton's "Rocket 88", or Buddy Guy's rendition of "Money" still makes me shiver. This is a great compilation of some great urban, electric blues, as well as some 'pining' southern influenced rural stuff ( Johnny Young's "Stealin", "Mule Kickin 'In My Stall", "Tobacco Road"). Otis Spann's "Spann's Stomp" and "Twisted Snake" cross deep into the early jazz genre. Marvelous stuff here for real blues lovers.

A must have for any blues fan
A great compliation of classic electric Chicago Blues. All the performances are top notch from Buddy Guy's "Sweet Little Angel" to Otis Spann's vituosity on the keyboards to the fat full sound of Big Walter Horton this CD is a winner in everyway. A must have! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Chicago Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Electric Harmonica Blues    8. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    9. Pop   

Reviews (13)

It only gets better
I've had this cd for about 7 years now and every now and then pull it out for a listen and each time I leave with a new song that I feel is the best and a need to search out a few cds from the artist who cover them .The last time was about a month ago and it hasn't been out of my car since."You Can't Always Get What You Want"...brilliant."Sway"...unforgettable."Beast of Burdon"...outstanding.This last time has been "Ventilator Blues" by the late Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
On the Cover of the Rolling Stones!
On this CD premier blues men like Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Johnny Copeland, Holmes Brothers and Taj Mahal cover some of the Best Rolling Stones Classics and adds it a twist of Blues. The first song on the CD seems to be the absolute best and the most refreshing - Luther Allisons version of the 1969 hit "You Can�t Always Get What You Want". Sadly this version came to be Luthers Last studio recording ever, recorded short before his sudden death i 1997 - But truely at the Peak of his career. Umm....yeah!!!
Ok.Just think about this....Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues-Rock    3. Chicago Blues    4. Contemporary Blues    5. Electric Chicago Blues    6. Electric Texas Blues    7. Modern Acoustic Blues    8. Modern Electric Blues    9. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    10. Modern Electric Texas Blues    11. Pop    12. Popular Music    13. R&B    14. Retro-Soul    15. Slide Guitar Blues    16. Soul    17. Texas Blues   

Subjects:  1. Blues Collections   

Reviews (2)

Cut 8. 'O' Berta' not the one I thought it was
I heard a great arraingement of "Berta" during the movie "The Piano" which stared Charles Dutton.I thought that arraingement or at least some approximation was on this CD but it turns out that track 8 'O' Berta' is a disapointing version of that great tune.Otherwise if you like to hear these types of songs you might like this cd.

Great
This collection has real feeling and that's what music is supposed to beabout. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues Collections    2. Blues Music    3. Field Recordings    4. Folk & Traditional    5. Italian Folk    6. Pop    7. Traditional Folk    8. Work Songs    9. World Music   

Reviews (1)

Living music
In the 1930's, father and son John and Alan Lomax travelled through theSouth, collecting field recordings for the Library of Congress, in order toform a permanent record of the country's musical heritage. In 1942, sixvolumes ofthese and other recordings were released on thirty 78's. Thiscollection is a remastering of the third volume of this series.Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues Collections    2. Blues Gospel    3. Field Recordings    4. Gospel    5. Pop    6. Prewar Country Blues    7. Spirituals    8. Work Songs   

Reviews (5)

A great collection...
...with plenty of variety. fantastic compilation!
If you love the blues (and who doesn't, except for those terminally 'mad-at-the-world' types of which I hope you're not one) then this great collection of various flavors of blues is for you! Once again, Alligator Records has put together an irresistable smorgasbord of sound for your listening pleasure. C'mon, dig in! (Just keep in mind that the audio tracks for DISC I vs. DISC II are swapped on the song samples here.)

Bring on the Dog!
I bought this just for the unreleased Houndog Taylor tracks.The rest is very good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 70's    2. 80's    3. 90's    4. Album Rock    5. Blues    6. Blues Collections    7. Blues Music    8. Blues-Rock    9. Contemporary Blues    10. Electric Chicago Blues    11. Electric Harmonica Blues    12. Electric Texas Blues    13. Harmonica Blues    14. Modern Acoustic Blues    15. Modern Electric Blues    16. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    17. Modern Electric Texas Blues    18. New Orleans Blues    19. Piano Blues    20. Pop   

Editorial Review

No musician ever applied a gentler touch to songs of murder, sex, andsalvation than MississippiJohn Hurt. The country bluesman enjoyed a career revival through the folkfestival boom of the early 1960s, and his influence continues to ripple, as thisvaried and vital tribute attests. Produced byPeter Case (who teamswith Dave Alvin on"Monday Morning Blues"), the album's renewal of classic Hurt extends from thedeadpan double entendres of "Candy Man" delivered bySteve Earle and sonJustin to Taj Mahal'strademark lilt on "My Creole Belle" to a surprisingly straightforward "Stagolee"by Beck. Amid a roster ofluminaries ranging from fingerpicking acolytesChris Smither andBill Morrissey toBen Harper,John Hiatt,Lucinda Williams, andGillian Welch, the mostradically disarming interpretation comes fromVictoria Williams. Herbreathless "Since I've Laid My Burden Down" sounds like a preschooler on helium,yet somehow taps into the subconscious of the song. Read more

Reviews (17)

The rare great tribute album
Tribute albums can get pretty dire, but this disc is a great exception.Credit goes to musicologist/producer Peter Case for assembling a fantastic group of performers whose takes on these songs effectively bridge and transcend the categories of blues, pop, and folk music, just as Mississippi John Hurt's originals did.
Incredible bargain for under $3
As I write this, new copies of this wonderful album are available for less than $3 (through recommended Amazon sellers - check the 'new and used' link).That, my friends, is an exceptional bargain!I paid about $20 (including postage and handling) for this album around 18 months ago and considered it great value for money at the time, since every track (even the much maligned Victoria Williams cover of 'Since I Laid My Burden Down') is at least listenable, if not a veritable aural treat. tepid tap water
A lot of tribute albums trade on the popularity and fame of the "tributee" and fall into the mixed-bag when it comes to quality.This is truly no exception.There are some decent covers that are pleasant enough to listen to in the same way that luke-warm tap water might quench your thirst, but come on...you're interested in John Hurt, listen to his albums.The best song on here doesn't even touch his level of spontaneous genius.I mean its not even in the same room.Hurt himself has an otherworldly, almost angelic quality.Hurt didn't know theory.Hurt picked out a $200 guitar when they told him he could have any one in the place.These are just a bunch of halfway decent, semi-gifted, "folkies" who have wood shedded long enough that their chops aren't half bad.If this was all you heard, you'd dismiss the man himself in a heartbeat like "so what, these are simple, almost childish folk songs...no big deal".Get his Last Sessions album first, and then this if you still want to.Life is too short to listen to mediocre music. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Alternative Country-Rock    4. Alternative Folk    5. Americana    6. Blues    7. Blues Music    8. Blues Traditional Collections    9. Blues-Rock    10. College Rock    11. Contemporary Blues    12. Contemporary Folk    13. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    14. Folk-Blues    15. Folk-Rock    16. Modern Acoustic Blues    17. Neo-Traditional Folk    18. New Wave    19. Pop    20. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

A magic night (May 11, 1995) on PBS's Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (23)

An exception to the rule
Tribute albums aoften strike me as a collection of poor imitations of the original- but this is different. First and foremost, everyone on it was close to SRV, from his brother on down. They knew him, they played with him, and they understood his style. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, this was a live concert. Instead of a bunch of gunslingers trying to out-SRV each other in a studio, you have a group of great musicians, each a great stylist in their own right, and none of whom has to prove anything to anyone. The result is magical music that serves as a true tribute to that great Texas guitar player, Stevie Ray Vaughn.

A fitting tribute
This CD has the best blues musicians in the world paying tribute to SRV.
What A Tribute To The King Of Blues!
I loved the tribute to stevie ray vaughan I mean who would'nt! Their are so many influential blues guitarist on this album including Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, BB.King, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, and more....Their are also many special guests including Dr. John, and Art Neville. As well as the great guitarist, and special guests their is also the orginal member's of Stevie Ray Vaughan and double trouble including Chris Layton, and Tommy Shannon. This live show was done in the Austin City Limits show. I think everybody does great rendition's of Stevie Ray Vaughan's songs including Jimmie Vaughan's: Texas Flood, B.B.King's: Telephone Song, and the powerful rendition of Eric Clapton's: Ain't Gone'N Give Up On Your Love. A really good trio with everybody is Tick Tock, and the Srv Shuffle very cool. This is truely a must have for any guitarist this one is truely" for you!!!!Highly Recomened! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 90's    2. Adult Contemporary    3. Album Rock    4. Memphis Blues    5. Modern Electric Blues    6. Modern Electric Texas Blues    7. New Orleans R&B    8. Pop    9. Pop/Rock    10. Popular Music    11. R&B    12. Rock    13. Rock/Pop Collections    14. Roots Rock    15. Soul-Blues   

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Pop    5. V/A Compilations   

Reviews (4)

Take care of the baby.
This is a fine collection of blues songs played on the slide guitar.It features legends like Charlie Patton, Blind Boy Fuller, Leadbelly and Robert Johnson.These guys naturally turn in good performances, but a suprising highlight is a unique version of "Swing Low, Chariot" by the obscure Sister O.M. Terrell.Fans of old time blues will really enjoy this CD.

Amazing
If you want to go back to the purest roots of guitar music, this cd is definitely for you. There are several tracks on this record that would alone warrant the purchase (e.g. Sylvester Weaver's Guitar Rag in the 1927 version), and there are several tracks that are almost painfully intense. In addition, the booklet provides interesting background information on the history of bottleneck guitar playing. A must, if you ask me.

Some of the greatest recordings ever.
Even without the Slide Guitar moniker, these recordings stand as some of the best performances of the 20th century.A most have for all music lovers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20's    2. 30's    3. Acoustic Blues    4. Acoustic Chicago Blues    5. Acoustic Texas Blues    6. Blues    7. Blues Gospel    8. Blues Music    9. Blues Traditional Collections    10. Country Blues    11. Delta Blues    12. East Coast Blues    13. Field Recordings    14. Folk Revival    15. Piedmont Blues    16. Pop    17. Prewar Blues    18. Prewar Country Blues    19. Prewar Gospel Blues    20. Slide Guitar Blues   

Reviews (4)

They're all here
The reviewer who said that SRV was not on this set obviously did not read the liner notes, which indicate that SRV played on the Lonnie Mack tracks from the Strikes Like Lightening sessions.The other artists the reviewer stated that were not there ARE, but are not the featured artist on the tracks. Some good old blues
Amazon keeps inter-mixing the reviews for the 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection' album and the similarly named 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary tour' album. So I will include a review of both here to set the record straight. I discovered most of my favorite blues artists from this CD
Alligator records has some serious talent on it's label. Many of them are big names that you will recognize if you have been into blues for very long. I have tried samplers from other blues record labels and have been very disappointed with the mediocre talent on their label. Usually there are only one or two people -out of fourteen or fifteen - that stand out on other blues samplers. You will recognize that the vast majority of artists on Alligator Records are true talents - even if you don't like their style. This album is definitely worth the investment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 70's    2. 80's    3. 90's    4. Blues    5. Blues Collections    6. Blues Music    7. Blues-Rock    8. Contemporary Blues    9. Electric Chicago Blues    10. Electric Texas Blues    11. Folk-Blues    12. Harmonica Blues    13. Modern Electric Blues    14. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    15. Modern Electric Texas Blues    16. Pop    17. Soul-Blues    18. Texas Blues    19. V/a Compilations   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (10)

Great Blues Compilation
Chicago: The Blues Today! contains great and classic performances. This three-CD set features two to three different artists on each CD, such greats as Otis Rush, Otis Spann, James Cotton, JB Hutto, Johnny Young, Homesick James Williamson, and Johnny Shines.
Essential Blues
In early 1966, blues history was made with the issuance of a three-volume set of new recordings produced by blues historian Samuel Charters. This series was known as Chicago/The Blues/Today! and the release sent shock waves through the world of rock and roll. Every artist on the three volumes had recorded before (some, like Otis Rush and Junior Wells, had actually seen small hits on the R&B charts), but these recordings were largely their introduction to a newer -- and predominately white -- album-oriented audience.The "today" part of the title was no bit of hyperbole, either. This series accurately portrayed a vast cross section of the Chicago blues scene as one could hear it on any given night in the mid '60s.
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!!!
In the sixties, the Chicago blues scene was so vibrant, alive, and brimming with great blues that an enterprising producer could (and did) literally pull some of the finest second-line bluesmen off the street, hustle them into a studio, and turn them loose. The resulting three-disc set represents some of the finest blues ever made, yet no one on this session is named Muddy, Wolf, Johnson, or Hooker! Of course, Junior Wells (with Buddy Guy in tow) is brilliant, especially with his moving "Tribute to Sunny Boy" (Williamson, of course!) and his fabulous "Messin' With The Kid" (later covered by the Blues Brothers, among others). JB Hutto is amazing, sounding as raw and unpolished as Robert Nighthawk, yet every bit as soulful. His mighty, slide-fueled renditions of "Going Ahead" and "Too Much Alcohol" will leave you begging for more! (More blues AND more alcohol, too!) Otis Spann, Muddy Waters long-time pianist, closes out Disc One with five mellow-yet-intense pieces, including an extra-wonderful "Spann's Stomp". Disc Two kicks off right-as-rain with another former Muddy colleague, harp extraordinaire whiz James Cotton. His frenzied cover of Ike Turners "Rocket 88" is the standout of his set. Otis Rush contributes a superb version of "I Can't Quit You Baby", later borrowed by Led Zeppelin, while former Elmore James cohort Homesick James weighs in with his first-rate "Set a Date."If there is a weak point of this set, it happens during the third disc, with Johnny Young and his rather annoying use of "blues mandolin"; however, his rendition of "One More Time" is very good indeed. Finally, ex-Robert Johnson sidekick Johnny Shines closes out the set in chilling, thrilling style, with "Dynaflow Blues" and "Black Spider Blues", while Big Walter Horton and Memphis Charlie (Musslewhite) serve up a sizzling version of "Rockin' My Boogie". A great 47-page booklet accompanies this box set, and the photos of winter in Chi-town circa 1965 are haunting and evocative indeed. In short, this is a must-purchase, for this three-disc wonder, recorded it seems only just yesterday, will give you true pleasure from Chicago blues not only today but tomorrow and far into the future as well!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Collections    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Chicago Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Electric Harmonica Blues    8. Harmonica Blues    9. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    10. Pop    11. Slide Guitar Blues