Editorial Review

Throughout a near-50-year career that has seen few low points, at least professionally, Etta James has established herself as one of music's most talented R&B, blues, and jazz singers. On Read more

Reviews (10)

Etta takes a diverse chance!
Only Etta would take on a diverse song selection like this, now some of the arrangements are alittle simply but they work, Etta's voice is still strong and she brings her unigue approach to each of the songs... 'Calling You'(which has never been a favorite of mine) Etta makes it work, just listen to Etta mimic a trupment and then ends the song on a funny note, "Purple Rain" a tough choice is turned into slow blues number, "Stop On By", "Strung Out", "Holding Back The Years" are the best cuts on here, "Somewhere" is good but ends to soon. I hope Etta sticks with this direction but on the next cd have the arrangements more R&B\Soulish.

Still got the voice - And still needs a good producer
Etta never fails to deliver in the vocals. Gutteral bombast, sweet soul, gospel, blues, the lady is a living legend. But this album, like the last album "produced" by her son, is a nightmare. Chessy arrangments, tinkly bass, poor sound all around. She is a fierce mother and I'm sure she thinks her kids know best, but there is a reason why labels pair vocalists with the right producer. Should Etta get the chance to work with a fresh ear at the deck, she wouldn't need the novelty of some of the song choices.
ETTA MEETS PURPLE RAIN
Since my youth I have had an ear for roots music, whether I was conscious of that fact or not. The original of that interest first centered on the blues, then early rock and roll and later, with the folk revival of the early 1960's, folk music. I have often wondered about the source of this interest. I am, and have always been a city boy, and an Eastern city boy at that. Nevertheless, over time I have come to appreciate many more forms of roots music than in my youth. The subject of the following review is an example.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary R&B    3. Pop    4. Quiet Storm    5. Smooth Soul    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (29)

Most Excellent, But . . .
First of all, I now know who Bob Dylan's been trying to sound like for the past 10 years!Now back to Blind Willie: This double CD set is excellent and I give 5 stars to Willie and his songs and the way he pulls them off.His phrasing and his guitar playing is outstanding, but the overall recorded sound quality is horrible.Yes I know, these songs were recorded around the 20's so I wasn't expecting a surround sound experience by any means.I own a number of CD's by early blues players, all recorded around the same era and I must admit that nearly all of those were cleaned up to a great degree with an enhanced sound quality before being released.I wish they would have done the same with this.The hissing and scratching and static becomes nerve racking after awhile.It sounds like they took an old "78", played it and recorded it by holding a hand-held mic in front of the speakers.What a shame to have such great songs by such a great artist take a back seat to the static and hissing of an unrefined sound.However, after saying that, I'd still purchase the CD again if got damaged.The Blind Willie experience is priceless.

makes me want to go to church
well, not really, but if blind willie johnson was preaching, i'd be there. this man had such unbelievable depth in his music, the first time i heard "soul of a man" i listening to it 15 times in a row! i just couldn't believe what i was hearing, such conviction and emotion. if everyone listened to his complete recordings the world would be a better, more beautiful place. i can't fail to mention the unknown female vocalist who adds extra depth to some of his most profound pieces.

Unbelievably beautiful
Every fan of slide guitar, or the blues, or old-time gospel, should own this. At times I wonder why people think of Robert Johnson as the greatest of his generation; Blind Willie wouldn't have considered himself a blues singer but he was a greater composer, guitarist, and singer. He was simply amazing. The world is poorer for his tragic loss. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Texas Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Gospel    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Traditional    6. Pop    7. Prewar Gospel Blues    8. Slide Guitar Blues    9. Texas Blues   

Reviews (9)

Brings Back Memories to the Old (and Young)!
'Good For What Ails You' is a great set of cd's with old songs that were sung at old medicine shows. I remember some of those songs from records and radio programs from my childhood - songs that I had totally forgotten!
Priceless anthology
This element of American history should never be forgotten, and this anthology ensures that it won't.The accompanying booklet is a textbook of fascinating anecdotes and photographs, and it even includes a small, helpful insert of "spelling errata" to guide the reader through the language of the time.The music itself transports the listener to a time that seems like ancient history, populated by snake oil salesmen who employed fast-picking, fast-talking one-man bands to make their product more appealing to the desperately poor.But this collection also reminds us that times haven't changed all that much since those days of the Great Depression.After all, when was the last time you heard a trendy, catchy song in a commercial trying to sell you something as basic as toothpaste?

Don't let the cover put you off
Folks, don't let the cover (with a perfomer in blackface) put you off. This is good ole fashioned swing your partner do-se-do type music good for a hoedown and slapping your thighs with delight. Most of these tunes are funny story songs and yes, there is static, but as with silent movies, old fashioned recordings like there are an acquired taste for modern audiences. Jim Jackson, Emmett Miller, Old Uncle Dave Macon (my favorite banjoist), and my homeboy from Spartanburg, SC Pink Anderson (I know his son pretty well) bring much old-fashioned delight to the proceedings. There is an essay in the liner notes about W.K. Kerr another Spartanburg product who was the Ed Sullivan of medicine shows. Overall, this is a history lesson that makes you wanna clap your hands, stomp your feet and say YEE-HAW! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Appalachian Folk    3. Blues    4. Blues Collections    5. Country Blues    6. Harmonica Blues    7. Jug Band    8. Minstrel    9. Old-Timey    10. Pop    11. Songster    12. String Bands    13. V/a Compilations   

Reviews (4)

Totally satisfied and totally tickled too!
Aahh yes the Taj!! I've been searching for the track "Satisfied and Tickled too" for years. The original album from the mid 70's just doesn't seem to be available anywhere on cd, so what a surprise when an old friend returns from a holiday in Florida and presents me with the Essential cd and yes folks this really is an essential album.As a previous buyer said there is something about the track Satisfied and tickled too that just makes you want to play it over and over again.Mind you there a quite a few tracks on this collection that also merit the repeat button.This is a great 2 cd compliation, there is a more comprehensive3 cd set called "In progress and In motion" but basically if your new to the Taj this Essential collection is the perfect start. You really will be satisfied. Long live the Taj.

Taj Mahal in Eastern Europe
Everyone who likes the Blues must listen to this CD; particularly "senor blues" is one of my favorites. All the songs from this man from blues, reggae, and other tunes you will like. I introduced his music to some of the Eastern blues fanatics, and they were impressed with his style. We listen to him all the time in the cappuccino bar court yard during our Cuaba smokers club meeting nights. This is a good compilation of his music and style. If you like different styles with the blues this is the CD for you.

Satisfied and Tickled
On a recent NPR segment, they asked people on the street what song they would choose to listen to, if they had to listen to it for 24 hours straight. My song, I think, would have to be "Satisfied N' Tickled, Too"...Don't what it is, but I have a nearly insatiable craving to hear it again after the final notes fade...
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Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Country Blues    5. Folk-Blues    6. Modern Acoustic Blues    7. Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Jam Nation hero Ben Harper tones down his lap-slide guitar flash in favor of the holy spirit for this blend of originals and gospel classics, his first full-length album with the historic singing group. They've worked together before, on the Blind Boys' excellent Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (23)

HOLY moly this is good
What a combo!Ben Harper, road warrior, jam master and granola hero, teams up with the ageless grammy award winning gospel warriors.....this has the potential for 2 outcomes: 1) something that just flat out won't work or 2)something very very special.
Funky Gospel
Bought this CD because I heard the track "Satisfied Mind" on public radio and just had to have it!!This CD is well worth the money just for this track alone.The rest of the CD is great if you are into the origins of funk.Some of the tracks get a little too Gospel for my taste.There are some sweet guitar solos and truly excellent blues riffs scattered throughout the more upbeat tracks.I would definitely suggest buying this CD after buying it I am very intersted in checking out more Ben Harper and more Blind Boys of Alabama fare.
4-1/2 stars -- Religious, nutritious
This is my first time picking up a Ben Harper record, as well as a Blind Boys of Alabama record. To me, Ben Harper has always been talented, and the Blind Boys of Alabama have always been known for making great songs (STUPID videos, but great songs). But now Ben's funky, light rock and the Blind Boys' spiritual flavor joined forces on There Will Be a Light, and as another reviewer put it, this marriage works.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Blues Gospel    3. Jam Bands    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. Soul   

Editorial Review

The third album from guitar phenom Derek Trucks resounds with joyful noise indeed, and amazingly, it seems as though Trucks and his band run through (at least) 10 distinct genres across these 10 songs. Trucks may venture all over the musical map--blues, soul, jazz, Eastern music, to name a few stops--but he does so with a confidence and assertiveness usually found in much older musicians. Then again, he is the nephew of Butch Trucks (a fellow member of the Allman Brothers Band, Trucks's moonlighting gig) and is married to fellow guitar wiz Susan Tedeschi (who guests on this album), so it's not surprising that he seems experienced beyond his years. Read more

Reviews (32)

The best of what a great band can do
If you've heard some of the Derek Trucks Band's music, perhaps you know what to expect.That is you don't know what to expect!DTB plays rock, blues, jazz, and world music, sometimes at the same time.This album has a lot less blues than some of their others, but lots of mind-expanding jazz-rock, some world, some great R&B with Mrs. Trucks (Susan Tedeschi) and with soul legend Solomon Burke... What more could one want?There are no bad DTB albums, but this one is probably the best.

inventive, invigorating
Very rarely do I get "the feeling".You know the one I'm talking about.Something comes on the radio and the chill runs up your spine.You either pull the car over because you've got to hear it, or it's so exciting you speed up. Look down and you're going 85 in a 55 mile zone.I used to get that feeling often.Aretha, early ABB, the first time I heard the harmonies on Suite:Judy Blue Eyes.Lately I've been more likely to get it from songwriters like Guy Clark or Rodney Crowell where the lyrical images are so strong and the storytelling so good, I shiver.
Judge Not But Listen
Joy....all you need to do is read the liner excerpt from the great writer and philosopher Krishnamurti on the cd and know where their head is at.. freedom from the known is still freedom within limits..the many styles displayed here are the past with music that has freshness and tightness that pays homage to the roots of it all...some Jazz Fusion,Funk,Latino,Blues and Soul...even shades of China Cat Sunflower for your Dead Heads..with some twists on the sounds of the east..people have a need to classify...don't..you have a right to because it is your money but if you spend it on jam bands and desire a smart band that sounds old and new at once these guys are it. I have noticed that their other cd's are all different in style...they are like leaves blowing in the wind...let the wind take them where they go.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Bristling with excitement and electricity, this 1958 album represents the finest accomplishment of Count Basie's "New Testament" big band. His "Old Testament" band of the late 1930s, featuring stars Lester Young, Herschel Evans, Dickie Wells, and Buck Clayton, perfected the blues-drenched, straight 4/4 rhythm of Kansas City swing. Building on the blues foundation, this 1950s band features more ambitious compositions and a more dynamic sound and incorporates more modern developments. One constant, however, is the anchoring rhythm guitar of Freddie Green. As always, Basie can dig deeply into robust stride statements or choose each note as if he had to pay for them separately. Neal Hefti, the primary composer and arranger here, marvelously captures the strengths of each individual musician. His arrangements sparkle exuberantly on the up tunes and create vivid and exotic moods on the slower ones; clever and innovative without ever being overblown. Beefy tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who was only in the band for a relatively short period, offers the most valuable and vital solo contributions, recalling Ben Webster's tenderness at times, squeaking and honking like an R&B man at others. Read more

Reviews (12)

A...blast (pardon)
Count Basie's problem is he started off great then declined; from his immortal Decca and lesser-but-still-great Columbia days his band degenerated into something loud, slick, and forgettable -- a Vegas band with a heritage.Neal Hefti stopped that decline, for a little bit; if the band's still loud and slick it plays with renewed purpose, energized by his first-class charts.(The only minus is Hefti's insistence on ending nearly every song with a flatted-fifth, an annoying shtick of those days.)And we see in spots why the Count was still such a marvelous piano player, even this late in his career: his one-finger stride, his James P. Johnson and Fats without the ornamentation, is among the most effective ways any jazzman ever communicated.If the public knows this album only through "Fantail" (the song the infamous Chuck Barris had Jim Lange inanely blabber over on "The Dating Game") it should know more of it -- and the other regal entertainments of the Count.

An Esential Basie Album
Speaking from a Dj's point of view, this Album's sound quality is great and the songs are some of Basie's best. A must have for any Basie cd collection.

Sorry about the confusion
the second best jazz dude ever. this salubrious album rocks my socks ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Jazz Music    4. Pop    5. Swing   

Editorial Review

Keb' Mo's 1995 Grammy-winning eponymous debut firmly lodged the Los Angeles-born singer-guitarist in the contemporary blues pantheon. His sophomore effort, Read more

Reviews (36)

review of a few reviewers
while not all of hardly any album or submission by an artist can be expected to please 100%, some of the negative i'm picking up in some reviews seems to come from the fact that Keb' doesn't sound like he "did," or "should."an artist is just that, and should be reaching out and pushing their limits, style and range.that doesn't always work out at the "box office," but it should be recognized for what it is and considered within that context, not some preconceived narrow definition based on art in the past.it's ok to dislike a piece or to feel indifferently about it.i think it's important to dig inside ourselves in order to have a meaningful sense of why and/or how we are affected by a piece.that is our responsibility as the viewer or listener of any art form. keep reaching, stretching and trying Keb'----i'll be there for the exploration.
Keb PLEASE NO Mo Like This Again!
His 1st disc was full of promise for a great future, but like MANY other supposed talents this is a typical "I've already used all my good stuff" discs. Don't waste your hard earned cash on this! (I did and I sure wish I had 1 more wish, so I wouldn't have bought this!) If this is "Just Like You" then You should go back to where you were!
A Great Blues Album
Keb' Mo' is one of those musicians who hits you like a punch to the solar plexus.The first time I heard him, I was absolutely floored.Obviously a student of the great Delta Blues masters, Keb' Mo' also is a child of our times as well and he effortlessly blends older styles of Blues with modern production and arranging.Read more

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

Editorial Review

When Robert Cray and the Fabulous Thunderbirds turned their similar combinations of Texas blues and Memphis soul into hit records in 1986, bar bands all across this land thought they had glimpsed the promised land of a long-awaited blues revival. There has been a flood of soul-blues releases since then, many of which have been respectable, even admirable, but they have lacked the two essential ingredients that gave the genre its artistic peak 30 years ago, as well as its brief resurgence 20 years later--terrific songs and outstanding singers. Delbert McClinton's Read more

Reviews (27)

Delbert always fun to listen to, here is no different
Delbert McClinton has one of those great bluesy voices that sounds so "regular" that you think you could do it, but in reality its got a depth and quality that is hard to match.On this album he really has some fun, and that howl is unmistakable.Sending Me Angels is a personal fave with him getting help from country greats Vince Gill on vocals and Lee Roy Parnell on slide guitar.Old Weakness calls to mind the fun lovin Stones classic honkytonk woman. and Leap of Faith cheesy as it might sound can perk up a dreary day with no problem.

Journeyman Texas/country rhythm and blues
Delbert has been around since forever, doing the same type of music and doing it better than anyone else.He's almost a musical genre of his own.This is as solid a collection of songs as he has ever he has made.Does it get any better than this? Grab a beer, pull up a chair and start singing along and tapping your toes.

good sutff
Trust me, if you are a music lover, you will dig this CD. This CD has extremely good song writing and a fine array of special guests.From the uplifing "Leap of Faith" to the classic "Sending me Angels" this album is sure to be a classic. This is Delbert at his best...buy it now ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Country & Western    3. Country-Rock    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

If the Butterfield Blues Band's groundbreaking debut earned the respect of the group's elder influences, this one won over (and guided) the blues boys' psychedelic peers. Highlighted by the 13-minute-plus title track (an Eastern-influenced jam cowritten by guitarist Mike Bloomfield), Read more

Reviews (24)

Seminal Blues-Rock-Jazz Fusion
The Jazz-Rock fusion movement of the late 70's (Weather Report, Spyro Gyra, Tony Williams) was born on this album.If I could only keep one record in my collection, this would probably be the main contender for that position.This album is a musical safari including a remarkable variety of musical idioms in a Blues context that goes way beyond Blues.Obviously, the East-West track is the pinnacle of this exploration.Listen closely and you will hear East Indian, Calypso, New Orleans Jazz, Bluegrass, and 4 or 5 other distinct musical styles each in a separate movement with very striking transitions.When I first got this album as a sophmore in college in 1966, I used to put on the East-West title track in the late afternoon and drift off into a wonderful, dreamy nap carried off in a magical concoction of World music as I think no one had ever heard before.
The Greatest Album of All Time
Simply, It's The Greatest Album of All Time. Ciao, /jtm/

blues at its best
In my opinion there has never been a finer blues band than Paul Butterfield. I had East-West back when it first came out on vinyl and now (finally) have it on CD. If you can find a better blues track than East-West, buy it. If you haven't heard it, treat yourself. ... 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    11. United States of America   

Editorial Review

As the title implies, Read more

Reviews (5)

Great album, with a notable exception
Overall, a wonderful comtemporary blues album, although more in the "blues light" vein than anything real down and dirty.
Give Duke a Handy Award for this one
I have several discs from this guitar musicologist but I have never seen him live until this year at Chrome in Las Vegas. What a treat. When he debuted "Sunday Mornin'" from his latest, I was hooked on this one. This disc allows the listener to sample a wide range of styles from the greats of blues, so students....a perfect contemporary primer. Start groovin'!

Duke hits on all cylinders
I remember seeing Duke play at the old Lone Star Club on 5th Avenue in Manhattan about twenty years ago. He was opening for the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and it was an unforgettable night. He opened with a perfect rendition of "Honky Tonk". You could see and feel the love in his playing that night. I have been a fan of his ever since. He put out a couple of albums with his great trio, and I still own both on LP.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Jazz Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. Swing    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This is Sonny Boy Williamson II, whose 1940s Mississippi Delta radio broadcasts for Read more

Reviews (13)

Sweet purchase!
I was looking for an intro to the man that all of my favourite artists looked up to, and i found it in this album.20 something tracks of pure old school blues and soulful harmonica.A must for any old blues fan.

TheRealSonnyBoyWilliamson
Although, it's a fact that Sonny Boy did use the name, taken from John Lee Williamson who was known in Chicago around 1941, to promote some productswhen he was doing the KING BISCUIT TIME, in Helena, when J L Williamson came down south in 1942 to put an end to the imposter, it seems Big Sonny Boy chased him away from there. Every one said that Rice Miller, (the name he was known by) could play Sonny Boy's stuff better than he could play it. Sonny Boy was a crude Harp player, mostly playing acoustically, sitting down, using his feet like a drum. However, he could work a harp from high end to low end and improvise in a heartbeat. Unfortunatley his recording career started late, which is the main ingredient in this collection, "HIS BEST". It covers almost 10 years of some of his best songs, giving the listener some what of a history lesson on a man who came around last and went away first, leaving some unbelivable music, that is still being copied by present day artists. The late Paul Butterfield said, one of the best harmonica songs ever done was Sonny Boys, "Trust my Baby". I think that gives anyone who's been around harp players, an idea of how much of an impact Sonny Boy had on the entire Blues History and Community. A great collection of songs from a Master Musician and Showman.
Best "Sonny Boy" 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 Sonny Boy Williamson album in their collection and you can't go wrong here.But for those of you who have a few extra dollars to spend, I strongly suggest passing this single disc release and opt for the 2 disc set "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson" on the MCA/Chess label. "The Essential" boasts 45 tracks an is much more comprehensive than this release. It may be out-of-print, but can be found for sale in zShops or eBay at a very reasonable price. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Mac Rebennack took his stage name from the voodoo healer Dr. John and became a '70s pop star by recasting New Orleans's myth and music in his own psychedelic image. At 63, he's again revamped the Crescent City sound, minus the acid-trip trappings, for his best album in decades. With its string, horn, and Afro-Latin percussion sections and its slate of re-imagined classics, Read more

Reviews (12)

My New Fave Mac Recording
I've enjoyed this guy for ages. He epitomizes NOLA music. He did learn at the knee of one of the giants of NOLA musicians, after all (the immortal Professor Longhair). This CD is the Doc's greatest expression of his N'Awlins (OK purists, quibble with my spelling and usage) thus far, and that is saying something.
Good stuff
A good, solid album of the Doctor's music. I never thought St. James Infirmary could make me want to dance, but this one with Mavis Staples does.

Excellent
it's a fantastic album!I've been playing it over and again ever since I received it. I'm so happy with my choice, not only Dr. John is superb, but the instrumentals, the back up singers and the talented performers that are also given the chance to sing by themselves. This album also features great songs like "When the saints go marching in" in a rendition that's brilliant and not often heard, as well as "Lay my burden down" with Dr. John and Mavis Staples that is all soul. The piano solos are superb, and I can truly say that there's not one song I don't like or that I like less. B.B.King and Willie Nelson are also featured. In my opinion this album is a real treasure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Blues    3. Contemporary Blues    4. New Orleans R&B    5. Piano Blues    6. Pop    7. R&B    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Yes, Read more

Reviews (17)

Great CD!
I loved this CD!I've only had it for a few days and have already about worn it out.Anyone who loves the blues will more than likely love this album!Keep them coming, Mr. Seagal!

Mojo Priest
This is a surprise from Steven Seagal, who would have thought that he could produce such wonderful music. Thank-you
Bluesmaster
One of the best blues I've heard in a long time. It is very powerful and soft at the same time. It is much feeling in it. More of that kind of music, thank you.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl are among blues guitar's hottest pistols, but their first studio union is no showdown. Although Robillard is steeped in all aspects of technique and Earl is a pure "soul" player, their styles overlap in the Texas and Chicago schools, which grant both giants plenty of space for elegant and biting single-note solos, daredevil string-bending, and chugging rhythms. Robillard sings two numbers and "Mighty" Sam McClain, whose red-clay voice is the perfect foil for their emotional fretwork, guests on Earl's heartbroken epic "A Soul That's Been Abused." The real mojo, however, is in the instrumentals, where these virtuosos who emerged from the New England scene to achieve worldwide acclaim maintain a beatific dialogue. They both swing like T-Bone Walker on "Two Bones and a Pick" and trade sliding chords and slide guitar licks on "Zeb's Thing," which dips into down-home Mississippi grit. The highlight is "My Tears," on which Robillard sings sad and dirty, Earl turns sustained notes into Zen koans, and both players stretch their flair for dynamics and brilliant, unhurried, lyrical playing to its limit. Fans of blues guitar need to hear this album. Read more

Reviews (18)

T-Bone's Spiritual Sons
If you've ever liked the T-Bone Walker style, or drooled over the pure T-Bone licks that both Ronnie and Duke have graced us with over the years, "Two Bones and a Pick" is eight minutes of pure jump-blues-guitar-heaven.I can, and do listen to this for hours on end.If any two white guys have got that jump-blues-guitar-thang down, it's these two.T-Bone is grinning like a Cheshire cat.

A guitar duel with production and quality music to back it up
Unlike some artists who get together and try not to outplay each other, i.e. not show each other up, these two planned the session well ahead that allows each to show their virtousity against each other without the latter.
Royal Rhapsody
This disc combines the considerable talents of two premier guitar players within the Blues genre. The Duke (Robillard) and the (Ronnie) Earl demonstrate why they are deserving members of Blues guitar royalty. It has been well documented that this effort is not a showdown between rivals or a stage to demonstrate one-up-manship but rather two friends kicking back to jam back and forth and effectively intertwine their extensive expertise. I can only offer that this fine effort is seamless, seeming to be an overall masterpiece versus a collection of individual songs. The instrumental flow and sequencing of the songs is superb. The songs don't seem as lengthy as they are, avoiding the tediousness that sometimes befalls such efforts. Quite to the contrary, the hour plus of excellent music contained within seems to fly by leaving the listener wanting more. The two players pass the baton back and forth in an effortless manner, almost overly conscious as to not dominate the other's time. Ronnie and Duke demonstrate they are passionate craftsmen and worthy members of the upper class. Mighty Sam McClain's plaintive plea on "A Soul That's Been Abused" will only leave you wanting more. Ronnie Earl's slide guitar work on "Zeb's Thing" is also worth special mention. This is a can't miss addition to anyone's collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Guitar    6. Jazz Blues    7. Modern Electric Blues    8. Pop    9. Slide Guitar Blues    10. Soul-Blues   

Features

• Import

Reviews (5)

A New Phenom
Xavier Rudd and the unique style of old Australian instrumentation, make this a CD you will be thrilled with. Reminds one of the lyrics of the early Ladysmith tunes. Great.

Great New Cd
Xavier Rudd is my new favorite artist... After living in Australia for a year I discovered this one man band spectacular...I reccommend this CD very much and solace too... you will not be disappointed, I had the privlage of meeting him after his show and he is the nicest guy too!!

The best Xavier Rudd album
If you like Xavier Rudd, this is the best album in my opinion. No need to write a long review, if you're checking this cd, you already discovered xavier by his other albums. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Blues    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. United States of America   

Features

• Gold CD
• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (22)

las leyes deben cambiar..TUS OIDOS NO!!!!!!!!!!
el viejo john nos tiene acostumbrados a sus constantes divagues por la ruta del blues, dejando siempre algun genio en el camino.... en esta placa nos sorprende gratamente, enriqueciendo su musica con sencillez y sensibilidad, en una nueva direccion, como explica en el booklet..no se realmente si logro cambiar algo, lo que es seguro que nos regalo una rato de musica perfecta.

I Saw Mayall Live at the Fillmore
But it was the show at the Fillmore West, and "Room To Move" knocked everyone off their feet. Well, they were already sitting on the floor (no chairs, then!). They say that if you remember the 60's, you weren't really there, but I think this show was SO memorable, it made it through the filter of time. You didn't have to be there. You can just buy this, and .... imagine.

John Mayall's The Turning Point
This is one of Mayall's first and best CDs or records a we used to say.I never tire of listening to Mayall's harmonica and voice.His music has lasted through time.He's as popular as ever. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Revival    4. Blues-Rock    5. British Blues    6. Electric Harmonica Blues    7. England    8. Leader    9. Pop    10. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Guitarist and vocalist Keb' Mo' seems to be continuing in the direction suggested by his previous album, Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (57)

I'm Hooked
I saw Keb Mo for the first time on a rerun of Austin City Limits. He was playing the song from this CD - "As Soon As I Get Paid". On the strength of that song alone, I went out and bought the CD the next day. It did not disappoint. I've been playing it over and over for months now. Keb Mo's is a consumate guitar player, song writer and story teller. Do yourself a favor, go out and buy this CD, grab a cold beer and enjoy some great blues.

Keb Mo Slow Down
This CD is fantastic.Every song is wonderful.I bought one as a gift for a friend and I have other friends requesting copies.I never get tired of listening to it.

Is there any style of Blues Keb Mo' CAN'T play?!?
WOW!This CD totally blew me away; I've loved the blues since I was twelve, listening to nighttime DJ Jimmy Rabbit on KLIF in Dallas playin' Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights, Big City" more than 40 yrs ago, but when I heard this, it was like I was hearing the blues for the first time.Motown, Memphis, Mississippi delta, it's all here, and it's all GOOD.This is the kind of CD you can put on repeat and never get tired of it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Heralded as one of the greatest live blues albums ever recorded, this set catches the singer-guitarist as his star was in ascent: in 1964 playing Chicago's answer to Harlem's Apollo Theater--the Regal. King's performance is visceral. He sings so hard that gravel flies even in his clearest high notes. And his trademark single-note guitar lines are sharp and steely, matching his voice with trembling vigor. He offers early hits like "How Blue Can You Get," "Worry, Worry," and "You Upset Me Baby" to what's essentially his adopted hometown crowd (by his own account, King had already played the theater hundreds of times). They give him a hero's welcome. In fact, the audience's screaming enthusiasm is distracting. But rarely has a love-fest of this magnitude between a performer and fans been documented. --Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (41)

Regally Overrated
I can't believe the touch of B.B. King. I enjoy his playing immensely. I know this album gets buried in accolades. But I don't like it. The quality is poor and, differing from other's opinions, the crowd noise takes away from the music. B.B. said, in so many words, that Live at the Regal was far from his choice as his best recording. Typically, he said he wouldn't argue with success--and left it at that. There are so many good albums by B.B. You can't go wrong for $4.65 for the "Ultimate Collection". Sure it doesn't have them all--but it has quite a few of his great songs, including a few from Live at the Regal. I would steer clear of this selection. Or I'll send you mine for free!

You Really Have To Hate Music To Not Like This
One of the first things people notice when listening to B.B. King's Live At The Regal album is that the response of the audience is rapturous, almost like the congregation at a Pentecostal church. There's a reason for this. This is simply the natural response of anyone hearing the King of the Blues at the peak of his powers.