Editorial Review

Chester Burnett's ferocious growl was a staple of Chicago's electric-blues heyday. This 20-song compilation ranges from his 1951 debut "Moanin' at Midnight" with Willie Johnson on guitar to 1964's "Killing Floor" with Buddy Guy on guitar. His scratchy, sawed-off vocal approach and his energetic harmonica grace original classics such as "How Many More Years" and "Smokestack Lightnin'." By 1960, he became, along with Muddy Waters, the foremost interpreter of Willie Dixon's songs, lending his coarse voice to legendary Dixon cuts such as "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man," "Spoonful," "The Red Rooster," and "I Ain't Superstitious." Wolf's style was based on primal raw power, and he ranks among the genre's most distinctive performers. Read more

Reviews (41)

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

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

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

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (22)

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

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

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

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

Editorial Review

A million or so collections, all from different record labels, document this Detroit blues guitarist's influential boogie-woogie career. This 16-song Rhino CD is an excellent starting point, with definitive versions of Hooker's classics "Boom Boom," "Boogie Chillen'," "I'm in the Mood," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." It's interesting to hear the singer's voice progress from a deep, growling slur to the more polished later material, such as his collaboration with slide guitarist Roy Rogers on Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues," but he never lost his bottom-line rawness. Read more

Reviews (19)

Boogie King
John Lee Hooker, "king of the boogie," is one of the most influential guitarists to ever record. He is also one of the most unique, as his rhythmic and dynamic senses are more free than what one may be accustomed to... he also changes chords rarely, if ever, in some songs. Now i myself have complained about 3 chord bands... this is different, this man hypnotizes you with his awesome, entrancing riffs and licks. This collection is probably the finest one disc compilation of this master's work and belongs in any music lover's collection. If you think that all blue sounds the same and all is 12 bars etc etc (any blues aficionado knows much better than to pay any heed to these ridiculously ill-informed stereotypes), John Lee Hooker is a good place to see that the blues is one of the forms most open for free expression and experimentation.

A Legendary and Prolific Bluesman!
Some of John Lee Hooker's best known songs are compiled from his many years and albums onto this budget CD, with not one being one you will skip over.From "Boogie Chillen'" to "Boom, Boom,"they are all here.Even the songs which made others famous, such as "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."
one cd, one artist, one to have!
Every serious blues collection needs something from John Lee Hooker, and this cd is a great place to start. It is a great variety of all his early classics, and the sound quality is very good as well. From Dimples to Boom Boom to Boogie Chillen to One Scotch... they are all here. You cant go wrong with this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Blues Traditional    6. Country Blues    7. Delta Blues    8. Detroit Blues    9. Electric Blues    10. Electric Delta Blues    11. Juke Joint Blues    12. Pop    13. 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

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

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

This Columbia Legacy reissue of the 1965 release is one of the few recordings available of one of the blues' founding fathers. It contains some of his best songs, which have unsurprisingly become classics of the Delta blues genre: "Death Letter," "Preachin' Blues," "Levee Camp Moan," "Pony Blues," and "Downhearted Blues" are all here. Though not as comprehensive as Read more

Reviews (14)

Mississipi blues by the master
When the Mississippi blues giant, Eddie 'Son' House was rediscovered in 1964 he was 62 years old and had given up music some 16 years previously. Practice soon restored much of his original mastery and he was signed up the following year by John Hammond for a Columbia Records session. The LP that emerged comprised the first nine of these tracks, and represented a powerful come-back, with stand-out numbers 'Death Letter', 'Empire State Express', and 'Levee Camp Moan', as well as the unaccompanied 'John The Revelator'.
Review of this CD by a non-Blues-fan.
I say I'm not a Blues fan because I'm not. I don't consider myself a fan of any particular style or genre of music because the overwhelming majority of artists representing the different genres are, in my opinion, totally dispensable and not at all interesting or compelling. I pick and choose like a connissuer among all of the artists the music world has and has had to offer.
This Is The BLUES!!!
When you listen to this you feel like you have been transported to the Mississippi Delta.So many great songs and Death Letter gets it started perfectly.Everytime I hear Louise Mcgee I can almost picture Son riding in a box car down a lonely railroad track in the dead of night with his guitar pining for Louise.That may sound corny but that just gives you an idea of how powerful these songs are.John the Revelator, Levee Camp Moan, Sundown, Pony Blues are also great.Hell, there all great.If you are just getting into the blues, specifically the delta blues you have to have this.This and Robert Johnsons King of the Delta Blues Singers vol.1 & 2(I say these volumes because I think the sound quality is superior on these two as compared to the set)is mandatory. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Blues Traditional    6. Delta Blues    7. Pop    8. Prewar Blues    9. Slide Guitar Blues    10. Work Songs   

Editorial Review

Whether she sings string-laden pop ballads, lively soul, or gritty electric blues, James's high-powered, enormously expressive voice displays a knack for passionate blues inflections. Emotionally charged ballads including "At Last" and "All I Could Do is Cry" find James blasting through the orchestra with unearthly wails and moans. "If I Can't Have You," a duet with Harvey Fuqua, drops the orchestra in favor of horn-driven R&B and "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is a gospel-flavored romp reminiscent of Ray Charles. A live version of Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" shows her raunchiest Chicago-blues style, and "In the Basement," with Sugar Pie DeSanto, is a funky workout. Also here are three classics from her soul-drenched 1967 Muscle Shoals sessions.Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (43)

the real queen of the blues
probably the best album from Etta.She is a legend

Great Tunes
Etta is in a class of her own and she tells a story with her music
Etta James-50th Anniversary Colcection
I preferred her earlier works and CD's.While she will always be great, the quality just isn't the same.Louise London, UK ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Gentle, graceful, subtle, sweet--these aren't descriptions generally applied to the blues, but they offer a sense of Mississippi John Hurt's uniqueness and enduring legacy. Rediscovered during the 1960s folk boom after last recording in the late 1920s, Hurt cut the three albums compiled here when he was in his early 70s. His conversational phrasing sounds as natural as breathing, while his ragtime-tinged fingerpicking on acoustic guitar reveals more complexity the closer you listen. Beyond blues classics like "Candy Man" (the sly sensualist wasn't referring to lollipops), Hurt's range encompasses everything from folkish narratives ("Talking Casey," "Spike Driver Blues") to Southern spirituals ("Nearer My God to Thee," "Farther Along"). Though Hurt died in 1966, shortly after the last of these sessions, the music still sounds so fresh, you can almost hear the twinkle in his eye. Read more

Features

• Box set
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (15)

Classic Blues
This compilation of Mississippi John Hurt's Vanguard recordings are classics. These albums were recorded in the 60's after he was re-discovered by a music industry full swing into folk, blues, and "old timey" music. The audio quality is superb, the songs are timeless, and the voice is amazing. A must have for any serious blues fan. Robert Johnson is not the end all, be all of delta blues. Check out Mississippi John Hurt.

A review and a question
First my review:
John Hurt recordings should be a Schedule One drug
John Hurt is without a doubt my favorite bluesman. His guitar work is seamless. If you'd like to buy some blues for easier listening, get these. Blues is to often absrasive, but all of that disolves in Hurt's world. This music is terminally infectious, and will most certainly carry me to my grave. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Traditional    5. Country Blues    6. Pop   

Editorial Review

Mississippi John Hurt recorded 13 country-blues songs for the Okeh Electric Records company in 1928. Then he vanished. Actually, he never went anywhere. Indeed, he never strayed from his hometown of Avalon, Mississippi. He simply put the guitar down. It was the Great Depression, times were tough, money was scarce, and he needed to work. Nearly 30 years later, a blues enthusiast tracked him down, took him back to Washington, D.C., and suddenly Mississippi John's musical career resumed as quickly as it had finished. He recorded again, but these first songs from the late 1920s--with John's melancholy voice and hypnotic guitar playing at its most inspired--are his greatest musical accomplishments. Read more

Reviews (26)

Mellifluous early blues recordings!
Mississippi John Hurt recorded only 13 songs before returning to a life of obscurity and hard work on a farm.Of these 13 songs recorded in 1928, 11 were penned by John Hurt with the other two being traditional spiritual numbers ("Blessed be the name" and "Praying on the old camp ground").The recording quality of these Okeh recordings is simply fantastic, and have the best recording quality I have heard from this era.A little hiss is heard (very little) and not much else.
Avalon Blues; Complete 1928 okeh recordings
If you like to hear Mississippi John Hurt, this is a very good
sweet sweet blues
This is simply the smoothest blues i've ever heard. His incredibly fluid and smooth playing style is like a steady flow of water. Im also amazed at how one man could create such a sound with a guitar and sing at the same time. This music is also incredibly happy sounding for blues, the lyrics are rather sad, but the pretty way he sings them makes it very sweet sounding. This music reminds me less of the old delta blues (even though thats what it is) but sounds more like music from the hills, almost as if there is a folky feel to it. This is definately a great addition to anybodies blues collection, and i thoroughly suggest anybody who is interested in the blues to check this out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Blues Traditional    6. Country Blues    7. Delta Blues    8. Pop    9. Prewar Blues    10. Prewar Country Blues    11. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This impressive--and frankly, fun--musical document is still sending out shock waves almost 50 years after its original 1952 vinyl release. The Smithsonian's six-CD reissue is painstakingly researched, annotated, and packaged (even boasting an enhanced disc for the techno-capable). Unlike field recorders, eccentric filmmaker/collector/musicologist Harry Smith assembled the Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (25)

The grandfather of the reissue records
This collection led to the "re-discovery" of many artistswho had dissapeared after when the depression crippled the recording industry. Mississippi John Hurt is probably the most famous as of now, but others, like Clarence Ashley were major finds at the time - and when Folkways sent a field crew to do a new record by Ashley he requested some assist from a young friend named Doc Watson. Watson was unknown outside his home town at the time but went on to become a major star in a field which has very few stars.
Necessary.
I dont think there is a need to go into to much detail about this *6 CD* set.If you can fork over the cash, just buy it. If you have any interest in roots music, just buy it. If you thought ol' Bobby Dylan and the Band made some great weird music in the basement of big pink in '67 .. for the love of god, BUY THIS!strange, unadorned, raw music , just buy it.

Essential
Much ink & many electrons have been devoted to explaining both Harry Smith (and a lot of explanation is necessary -- very interesting man) and this wonderful collection of recordings from the 1920's and 30's, so I won't go into too much detail here.If you'd like a good treatise on the work itself as a cultural object, and how it relates to other thematically similar items, I would reccomend Griel Marcus' book Invisible Republic.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Memphis Blues    3. Acoustic Texas Blues    4. Appalachian Folk    5. Blues Revival    6. Country Blues    7. Cowboy    8. Field Recordings    9. Folk    10. Folk & Traditional    11. Folk Collections    12. Folk-Rock    13. Folksongs    14. Gospel Choir    15. Jug Band    16. Old-Timey    17. Piedmont Blues    18. Pop    19. Prewar Country Blues    20. Prewar Gospel Blues   

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   

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

With an unmistakable falsetto delivery, Skip James created some ofhistory's eeriest blues records. His blues sounds dark and mysterious, using odd tunings, structures, and rhythms, and exploring gloomy lyrical themes. Unlike other bluesmen of the day, James's music was personal and bleak, played for his own emotional release and not for purposes of entertainment."Devil Got My Woman," "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues," "Hard Luck Child," and "Special Rider Blues" convey sorrow and misery like few others can. Uptempo numbers such as the classic "I'm So Glad" and "Drunken Spree," which resembles the hillbilly traditional "Late Last Night," showcase his forceful guitar picking while rags "Little Cow and Calf" and the jumpy "How Long 'Buck'" feature his unique piano work.Read more

Reviews (28)

awesome!
skip james is one of those true masters. there is so much to say about him, the way he sang, his funny tunings, the lyrics he wrote. he was an absolute genius. stay away from early recordings if you have a problem with lo-fi sound, but if you do you're cheating yourself. Amazing!!!

"I'd rather be dead and six feet in the ground..."
Wow!!!This is history on CD!! One of the darkest, eeriest , blues recordings I've ever heard.Pop this in the player and you feel like you're out in a lonely bayou in the dead of night."Devil Got My Woman Blues", "Cypress Grove Blues" are probably my favs on here.And while it is a shame that the sound quality of the recordings are subpar, after a few listens you don't even seem to notice.It gives it an earthy quality that if absence could probably take away the powerfullness of the songs.

leaves you wanting more....
Skip James is wonderfully quirky in his interpretation of delta blues.These recordings comprise his entire output before the delta blues revivial in the early 60's, and as such, are priceless as a musical document.Too bad that the recording they obtained have deteriorated so badly.I have heard better versions on other collections.The piano work was cool, though. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

This package combines blues giant Howlin' Wolf's first two albums, themselves compilations of his singles released between 1951 and 1962. Apart from two tracks cut in Memphis with Ike Turner, these Chess Studios recordings are landmarks in the development of electric Chicago blues. The Mississippi Delta native's gruff persona towers over "Smokestack Lightnin'," "Red Rooster," "Spoonful," "Evil," "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man," and others that have become standards since being "discovered" by the Rolling Stones, Clapton, The Doors, et al. Almost as influential as Wolf's bottomless growl are the guitar playing of Hubert Sumlin and the writing and direction of Willie Dixon. An exceptional twofer value for such a weighty slice of American musical history. Read more

Reviews (23)

Doesn't Get Any Better
My friends, this is the real deal, it just doesn't get any better than this. This is Howlin' Wolf at his gritty, slashin', terrifyin' best, and just about nothing matches the greatness and intensity of the Wolf at his best. Nearly every track is a classic and all of them are superb. "Red Rooster" "Wang Dang Doodle" "Spoonful" "Back Door Man" "Evil" "I Asked For Water..." are among the most well known clasics in the entire genre, but every track is top notch. His voice was truly original (even tho Capt. Beefheart managed to imitate it uncannily well) and likely shocked the pants off the first to hear him. This is such down and dirty, greasy, slicin' blues that it's impossible to think of it as being as "old" as it is. The Wolf was so far ahead of his time that time still hasn't caught up. Though he's had many admirers among rock stars, such as the Stones, he's really never quite received the fame and recognition that he deserves for having been such a genius. THe musicians are wonderful, Hubert Sumlin may be the nastiest blues guitarist ever to grace a track, but it is the monumental, legendary, godlike Wolf who stands out the most.

Amazing music, terrible packaging.
Let's get my only gripes out of the way now--a drunk monkey could've come up with better packaging than what comes with this 2-albums-in-one set. The cover art is sloppily integrated and cheap, the albums are oddly in reverse chronological order (the self-titled album was released in 1962, Moanin' In The Moonlight in 1959), the liner notes are minimal given Chester Burnett A.K.A. Howlin' Wolf's importance to modern blues and the sound quality is so-so (Chess offers a remastered single disc titled His Best, if this bothers you). They even left off a track due to what they claim is CD length limitations, which is B.S. since the whole thing is under 70 minutes and most of the existing tracks are under three. Who are they trying to kid?
Essential Wolf
This is the most essential single Howlin' Wolf CD there could possibly be and would make an excellent first purchase for a Howlin' Wolf novice. It comprises The Wolf's first two long-player releases, both what we would now regard as compilations, and was put out by Chess/MCA in 1986.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Chicago Blues    5. Electric Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Pop   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (20)

Great Album, but the live cuts really shine
Fathers and Sons was a concept album from Chess that paired blues masters like Muddy Waters and Otis Spann with young guns like Mike Bloomfield and Pual Butterfield.Following the success of this album, Chess sent Muddy and Howlin' Wolf to London to record with the best of the British rockers. This is by far the best of the series and the best of this album lies in the live cuts. The studio cuts are very good, but sound a little generic compared to the outstanding live music. The all star band rips up songs like 'Long Distance Telephone Call'and 'Got my Mojo Working' and really slows it down for 'That Same Thing', which may be the finest live blues song ever recorded.This is a great blues CD.You will not be disappointed.

A classic recording,stands the test of time
Every once in a while an artist puts out a recording that transcends it's genre. This is one of those. If you have to own one blues album this is it. When people say I don't get jazz I turn them on to Kind Of Blue by Miles, Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley or Take Five by Dave Brubeck because these albums transcend theirmusical catagory and enlighten people.
The bonus tracks are worth it alone
I like Mike Bloomfield quite a lot as I like Butterfield's harp playing. But the real star here is Otis Spann. I was never before able to aprecciate his talent , but here he shines. Even more than Muddy, who sounds a bit bored on the first couple of tracks but then gets it on. However, the best track s here are the live bonuses. Muddy's strong vocal performance and his amazing soulful slide work blew me away. First time I heard it I got real chills.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Chicago Blues    5. Electric Chicago Blues    6. Pop   

Editorial Review

This is by far the best and most comprehensive introduction to recorded blues ever assembled, drawing styles, record labels, and eras together with the efficiency of a spider’s web. These five discs--tied to the hit-and-miss PBS film series Read more

Features

• Box set
• Soundtrack

Reviews (20)

Best blues compilation
IMO, this 5-disc set is par none the best blues compilation spanning over 50 years.Not everything noteworthy has been included, but it is the best bang for your buck you're going to find anywhere for a wide blues selection from early to recent, and Marty Scorese did a fantastic job in selection.I have given it as a gift several times and it is the gift that keeps on giving.Some very great tunes.

Raw
This box set compliments the film series very well. Musically, the set is wonderful until the middle half of the fourth disc and wans quite considerably on the fifth disc. This is not only a matter of bad taste in choosing appropriate music for these parts of the set, it is merely a matter of musical history: the blues at the time in which these portions of the set cover was simple not very good music.
The Best Compilation on Blues Ever Made
One day in early 1968 I bought the album Wheels of Fire by Cream. Cream of course featured Eric Clapton.