Editorial Review

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

Reviews (170)

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (41)

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

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

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

Editorial Review

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

Features

• Box set

Reviews (108)

Wonderful
While I have to agree with some people that the second takes should've been put on the second CD, I have to say that it really isn't all that difficult to skip to the next track or put your player on random. The only reason this set didn't get my full 5 stars is because the audio wasn't cleaned up. While I don't mind the old feel of the "dirty" sound, I would prefer to have it clean, just being able to hear his voice and guitar.
of course you need this.
robert johnson is simply a cornerstone of american music. buy it, breathe it in through the ears and feel america pushing up at the soles of your feet. then have a beer. you can call that a good evening, yes sir.

Robert Johnson.....the stuff of legends!
Robert Johnson is probably one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of the blues, or even perhaps in all of American music.In his youth, he was berated and even whipped by his stepfather for not getting behind a mule and working in the fields.....he knew he had a different calling. This calling was his music.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Box Sets (Audio Only)    5. Country Blues    6. Delta Blues    7. Pop    8. Prewar Blues    9. Prewar Country Blues    10. Slide Guitar Blues   

Editorial Review

This legendary 1983 debut by the fallen torchbearer of the '80s-'90s blues revival sounds even more dramatic in its remixed and expanded edition. Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar and vocals are a bit brighter and more present on this 14-track CD. And the newly included bonus numbers (an incendiary studio version of the slow blues "Tin Pan Alley" that was left off the original release, and live takes of "Testify," "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and the instrumental "Wham!" from a 1983 Hollywood concert) illuminate the raw soul and passion that propelled his artistry even when he was under the spell of drug addiction. Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (84)

Modern Day Blues Classic
This is one of the finest blues albums to be produced in the past 25 years.Right off the bat from the blistering 'Testify' to the classic 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' to the closing jazz influenced 'Lenny' you know this album is going to be something special.SRV & TD are found here as a trio and you would be hard pressed to find a tighter band.This album is a little more striped down and more bluesy then SRV latter works.This and 'In Sessions' with Albert King are probably Stevie's best blues albums.

king of strat
saw hendrix,have seen clapton-stevie was the best i ever saw-saw him every tuesday night for 2 years as a member of paul ray and the cobras-tequila night at soap creek saloon as he was mastering his craft and nose diving his body-last time i saw him was new years eve at the ritz in nyc the year he would die way too early.he was then clean and as good as ever. texas flood may be his best-raw and overwhelming-anybody looking for a blues guitar master-look no further.by the way,stevie could play a little hendrix himself

Stevie Ray Vaughan = Awesome. Argue not.
Okay, Texas Flood and Pride and Joy are, plain and simple, two of the greatest blues songs ever. His solo on Texas Flood shows just what a guy with enough talent could do with the simple Blues format, as does Pride and Joy. Two amazing songs...
Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Texas Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Modern Electric Texas Blues    8. Pop    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Texas Blues    12. United States of America   

Editorial Review

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

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

Editorial Review

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

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

Editorial Review

Muddy Waters should need no introduction. Not only did he provide a name for the world's greatest rock & roll band, but he also created the Chicago electric blues sound that's dominated the genre since he first hit the windy city in the late 1940s. His bands also featured what would become a who's who of electric blues: Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and the list goes on. Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

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

Editorial Review

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

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

Editorial Review

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

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

Editorial Review

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

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (21)

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

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

Editorial Review

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

Features

• Live

Reviews (109)

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

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

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

Editorial Review

The real deal is that this is not so much a hits package as a hyped collection of songs that made the charts, album tracks, and rarities like Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pipeline" duet with surf-rock king Dick Dale. (At least SRV completists no longer have to buy the God-awful Read more

Reviews (59)

Best introductory SRV
If you are new to SRV and looking for a great sample of his best work, this is the album for you.Selections are among the most intense blues ever to burn from SRV's guitar. The recording quality is top notch - including the live cuts.

Blues Done Right
Stevie Ray Vaughan was getting better by the year,never playing the same song quite the same way twice.He was the best of his kind.King of texas blues.Mr.Vaughan came to a tragic ending in a plane crash after fighting a life threatning drug addiction.Such an abrupt end for such an amazing person.
Not as good as Volume 1, but very solid
What you have here is Volume 2 of the Best of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Read more

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

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (18)

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

As authentic as the lines on his forehead and his droopy eyes, veteran bluesman Charlie Musselwhite gets better with age. (At 62, he's a respected survivor with dozens of albums to his credit.) On Read more

Reviews (1)

Blues Lovers Must Not Miss This CD!
As anyone who truly loves the blues already knows, the music of Charlie Musselwhite is as authentic as it gets!I've loved Charlie's music for well over a decade, and I have to say I am really excited that this CD captures his "Mississippi roots" better than any CD he has released in years!For those who are new to Charlie's music, this is the one to buy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Delta Blues    3. Electric Delta Blues    4. Harmonica Blues    5. Juke Joint Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

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

Features

• Live
• Soundtrack

Reviews (14)

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (58)

SRV Is The Man
SRV has to be on the short list of greatest guitarists ever. He is amazing. This album is one of his best, it is just awesome. This man could play and this album really shows off his skills. Great album.

Healing with passion
Mr. Vaughn's recovery from addiction comes through loud and clear while he loses none of the passion and style that made him so popular to begin with. Every song is like a self-portrait of an man who has finally found the way to real success. The songs are upbeat and make you want to dance with the newfound joy of the artist.Some of the best that SRV has to offer.

SRV - In Step
I just wanted to add some info for anyone who's considering buying this but is not completely sure:
Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Texas Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Modern Electric Texas Blues    8. Pop    9. Popular Music    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop    12. Texas Blues   

Editorial Review

Though the name "Indigenous" reflects frontman Mato Nanji's heritage as a member of the Nakota tribe, on Read more

Reviews (17)

Mato Rated with SRV, Clapton,. Hendrix??
This is what the front of my new Indegenous cd says. Early on, there was Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, Then later Carlos Santana and SRV. Heres a new name to throw on the blues rock alter Mato Nanji.
Another great release from Indeginous
I thought the previous self-titled offering from Indeginous's was their best effort to date.This is right up their.Not a big departure from the last but maybe a little bit more diverse.I will say Mato's vocals have caught up to his guitar abilities on this one.His best vocal work to date.A lot of heart and soul on this one.As always the guitar work is awesome.
INDIGENOUS... THE BRIGHTEST SHINING STAR IN BLUES ROCK!
I will talk specifically about this CD in a moment, but first let me start by addressing all the comparisons you hear of Indigenous to Stevie Ray Vaughan, or more specifically comparisons of the guitar playing of Mato Nanji and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Yes, their guitar sound and style is similar, and yes there is no doubt that SRV was exceptional on the guitar. However, although there are many that do, I am not one that raises SRV to the nonsensical level of a guitar demigod who will never be equaled. That is simply ridiculous. And lets be real, there are many examples of music artists who receive this conspicuous importance only after their untimely deaths. We all loved SRV and may he rest in peace. Now, fortunately for us Mato Nanji is alive and well, and I am just going to come right out and say it, Mato is every bit the guitar player SRV was, and dare I say better? And I in fact much prefer the songs and music of Indigenous, and the guitar playing of Mato Nanji. Mato's guitar playing just has a sound and fluidity, which to me just sounds much better than anything I've heard from SRV. Mato's guitar playing is powerful, skillful, soulful and if you really love great blues guitar music you may often find the combination of Mato's voice and guitar playing a moving experience to listen to.
Read more

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

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (28)

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

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

Editorial Review

The blues master's 80th birthday gift to his fans is his third all-star collaboration. Its dozen tunes are a mix of classics and obscurities from King's past. They include commendable versions of his signature "The Thrill Is Gone," with Eric Clapton trading vocal lines and licks, and Howard Tate's "Ain't Nobody Home," with Daryl Hall answering King's gritty growl. There are obscurities, too, like "Tired of Your Jive," with a jocular Billy Gibbons, and "Hummingbird," transformed into a melodic gem with the assistance of John Mayer.Read more

Reviews (20)

B.B. Doesn't Need Help Like This
B.B King may be one of the best bluesmen alive but a collaboration album like this is not his forte'. This formula was put to much better use some years ago by John Lee Hooker with two very good albums ("The Healer" & "Mr. Lucky")with a MUCH better selection of guests.
The best
Listen to it constantly.Went to his birthday concert.At 80 he is still rockin!

In great voice... and a few songs really hit the spot.
B.B . King can pretty much do whatever he wants at this point; he really has nothing left to prove. The fact that this CD can still reach for some higher level with the obligatory guest star packaging is a feat in itself. While I feel some of the choices here lack inspiration, (Clapton or not, do we need another version of "The Thrill is Gone?")there are a few cuts that stand out and they are worth a listen.
Read more

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

Editorial Review

In a brief interview that precedes this CD's four bonus tracks--all unreleased gems from the original 1984 sessions--Stevie Ray Vaughan makes the point that "music used to be more based on common everyday occurrences like a train's sound going down the track ... a horse walking." Then he comes on with a version of Freddie King's "Hideaway" that chugs like a locomotive. There's also a heretofore unheard slide-guitar-powered "Give Me Back My Wig" and a blueprint of what became Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (34)

Unoriginal, but enjoyable
Whether you know it or not, you've heard an LP like this before. But the difference between Couldn't Stand the Weather and other similar LP's; you'd be hard-pressed to find a better guitarist than Stevie. That being said, don't expect to shelve your Allman Brothers Band so you can devote your life to the music of SRV. However, you should expect to enjoy this every time you hear it.