Editorial Review

Although the title of founder might not be exactly accurate, Patton does cast a giant shadow over Mississippi blues. His background as a medicine show entertainer made him more than the typical brooding bluesman. Much of his repertoire was upbeat and just plain fun. Take, for instance, his rendition of "Shake It and Break It": the gravelly voiced Patton snaps his strings and taps out the rhythm on his guitar while not missing a beat. His slide numbers like "High Sheriff" and "When Your Way Gets Dark" are beautiful melodic pieces seldom matched by his peers. He was also an early mentor of Robert Johnson, who probably picked up his trademark descending bass run from Patton. Charley was one of the true greats and is required listening for Delta blues fans. Read more

Reviews (13)

If you can only have one Charlie Patton CD....
This must be the best single disk collection of Patton's music I've heard, and the 'historic recording' sound has mostly been refurbished with much loving care.Most of his signature tunes are here.Patton's recorded legacy catches a unique musical personality at work, perhaps the best example of 'primitive genius' that the pre-war Delta region produced. Son House and many other blues playing Delta contemporaries didn't care much for Patton as a person and denigrated his talent as a blues performer.OK, he was a truly rotten guy, a jerk at best, his music expresses this perfectly and with a level of inspiration that generally outclasses that of his detractors.I can hear where Son House might be envious, and this CD lets you hear it, too.If money is not an issue, for only a little more, used, go for the JSP box, with good sound, and which just about has it all.

The best of best pre-war blues recording artist
If you are looking to begin a pre-war blues collection, this should be one of the first cd's (if not the first) you should buy.There are many other great pre-war blues artists, but Charlie Patton is one notch above them all."Founder of the Delta Blues" collects all of Patton's best recordings, and unlike many of his contempories who created new songs by simply changing the lyrics of a recycled melody, most of Patton's work was varied, giving the listener something new to hear on each track.
A classic album, but not the best available sound quality
This one was considered THE Charlie Patton-compilaton for many long years. And they spell his name right, too!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Traditional    5. Country Blues    6. Delta Blues    7. Pop    8. Prewar Blues    9. Prewar Country Blues    10. Prewar Gospel Blues    11. Slide Guitar Blues    12. United States of America   

Reviews (2)

The thin end of the blues wedge...
"Malted Milk" and "Walkin' Blues" from Eric Clapton's Grammy-winning "Unplugged" (1992) were both Robert Johnson originals. His recent "Me and Mr. Johnson" and "Sessions for Robert J" prompted me to try this disc and I am thoroughly satisfied with my purchase. It feels great to listen to the original "Hellhound on my Trail", "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day", "From Four Until Late", "Crossroad Blues", "Milkcow Blues", "Queen of Spades", "Sweet Home Chicago", "Me and the Devil Blues", "They're Red Hot" etc after falling in love with Eric Clapton's high-fidelity renditions. If you liked "Sessions for Robert J", you will most likely like this original with all of Robert Johnson's (29) songs.

This is a really good deal.
Robert Johnson only recorded 29 songs.Sony would like you to think that you should either get the complete recordings (with many alternate takes back to back with the master takes) or one of their "historically important" single disc comps.Proper gives you all the songs on a single disc.Sure Robert Johnson doesn't get a dime from this, but he sold his soul to the devil, who sold it to Sony.The art is a bit cheesy, but it's got every one of his songs on a single disc.That's a proper deal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Traditional    3. Country Blues    4. Delta Blues    5. Pop    6. Prewar Blues    7. Prewar Country Blues    8. Slide Guitar Blues    9. Songwriter   

Reviews (3)

Classic performances by the true masters of the genre
"A rare collection of performances by America's premier bluesmen at the peak of their artistry" proclaims the cover of this disc, and that's no idle boast. Culled from 33 tracks on the two simultaneously released and similarly titled DVDs, these 16 tunes were performed live in German TV studios between 1962 and 1966, and thought lost until recently discovered.
Lost Gold!
Some of the greatest and most influential music this country has ever created was the blues- but the artists were just not given the apreciation in this country they deserved. It took the interest in Blues music by young musicians in Europe- especially in Britain- from the Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix (who actually played with B. B. King at one point) to bring them back to America. Kids hearing this music then began to search out the originators of this music and finally these Blues pioneers started to gain recognition in their own country. This DVD (and the others in the series) captures where it all got started in Europe. "America's premiere Bluesmen at their peak"
Some of the most celebrated "Blues Singers" perform on this one-of-a-kind release "The American folk Blues Festival 1962-1966".With an all-star cast of Eddie Boyd, Willie Dixon, Lightnin' Hopkins, Lonnie Johnson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Memphis Slim, Otis Rush, Victoria Spivey, T-Bone Walker, Sippie Wallace, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin Wolf clearly having a ball sharing their God-given talent.This is one of the top blues rivals to come along in many a moon.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Collections    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Revival    6. Chicago Blues    7. Delta Blues    8. Electric Blues    9. Electric Chicago Blues    10. Electric Harmonica Blues    11. Electric Texas Blues    12. Harmonica Blues    13. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    14. Piano Blues    15. Pop    16. Prewar Country Blues    17. Slide Guitar Blues    18. Texas Blues    19. Urban Blues    20. V/A Compilations   

Reviews (2)

You'll want Volume 2 as well...
Great to see this back in print!Nothing more to add to the above, except it is just magnificent in every way, and the documentation is a music course in itself.Save time and grab the other volume while you're at it-you'll want it anyway!The two disks really should have been packaged together because the documentation at times refers to material in the other set.Essential!

"Where the soul of man never dies" Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips was devistated by the news that the Wolf was going to move to Chicago. It just spoiled all his plans to back Howlin' Wolf as the main man from Sun records (Memphis,Ten). After the Wolf left, Sam decided to backthe young trucker named Elvis. Howlin' Wolf had a hat full of tunes pooringout of his head years before he ever recorded, some tunes we will neverhear. You will find a lot of the available CDs carry the same cuts, exceptfor this one. THUNDERING music from the source. When Sam Phillips said ofthe Wolf, "this is where the soul of man never dies" these werethe recordings he spoke of. The two voices from his throat, the terriblepiano runs, the dirty guitar, and the drums like popping balloons. You willbe able to listen to these cuts a million times over and always findyourself startled to your foundation. ... Read more

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

Reviews (3)

Lightnin' Strikes !
This is a marvellous CD--no-frills, honest, straight-from-the-heart acoustic blues from a true master. I actually felt as if I were in the same room with this legendary artist. Superb Lightnin'
This magnificent recording is in my top five blues albums of all time. That's saying something. While it is not necessarily the most representative Lightnin' Hopkins, it might be the best. Here is Lightnin'bursting with energy after having vanished from the recording scene forfour years, and the emotional, joyful, painful, gorgeously human blues hegives vent to are staggering to hear. Just Lightnin', close-miked in ahotel room, playing from his soul, with no clue that he was igniting hiscareer anew with this album. Sound is outstanding, songs are less personalthan usual for him (many are traditional) but absolutely riveting. Buy thisand look into the soul of country blues. Buy it, and smile.

lightnin at his best
This is just lightin and his acoustic guitar recorded in a hotel room, just before the 60�s blues revival.This is my personal favorite of lightin, better than any other compilation. If you have seen any video of lightinperforming live, maybe you wondered why he wasnt captured like that onrecord. Well, listen to this one, its a great live performance, withlightnin taking all the decisions. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's 1950s recordings fuse the energy of big-band horns, the shuffles and boogies of R&B, and his own white-hot guitar leads. Greatly influenced by fellow Texans Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, Brown absorbed their smooth, melodic, single-string solo technique, but added a rough-edged intensity to his explosive style. The slow blues "Dirty Work at the Crossroads" added Jimmy McCracklin's rolling piano to Brown's bold and brash guitar work, but it was the 1954 instrumental "Okie Dokie Stomp" that put Brown on the map. With blaring horns urging him on, Brown attacks the music with ferocity. "Ain't That Dandy" is another instrumental guitar romp, while 1959's "Just Before Dawn" features Brown's swinging violin. Read more

Reviews (3)

"Gate" opens many many doors
The Peacock Recordings are wonderful, to me, who came late (just in the last 15 years) to Gatemouth's army off fans. His fiddle sizzles, his guitar is immediately recognizable - a veritable signature style. It's hard todistinguish between these tunes and most of his recent releases. To saythat is a curse to some but to my ears it means he has ploughed many manydifferent rows and yet the Gate imprint is on every one. Fans or would-bebuyers should also check out his "new world" (somebody else'sterm not mine) recordings with a Namibian drummer and Ry Cooder. Betteryet, if you can find it, check out his "Making Music" albumcreated with Roy Clark (yes, Hee Haw's Roy Clark, 5 or 10 times winner ofartist of the year in circles around Nashville). A veritable how-to forabout six or seven different kinds of blues-ish music. Buy this Peacockalbum, play it (or inflict it) on friends because they will only - earsopen - love it. It is musicians like Gatemouth who make the blues sopersonal, so enduring, so powerful. A living history that I pray will bestill accessible twenty, nay, 50 years from now.

Gatemouth's swinging blues...
T-Bone swings, B.B. swings, and Gatemouth swings.Rare blues violin performance shines.A1 sound quality.You must have one.

Rare violin blues.
Although most tracks are guitar blues, the finest part of this compilation is, needless to say, "violin blues".It is a shame that this phenomenal blues violinist recorded only one violin blues song. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Listening to this collection, recorded from 1925 to 1928 as Bessie Smith's popularity grew, one only wishes that the recording technology of the day were a match for Smith's incredible voice. Naturally, this two-disc set contains many of her classic recordings, including "Back Water Blues," "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," "Lock and Key," "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," and "After You've Gone." This collection's also worth hearing for the backing musicians, who include Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, and other luminaries of the day. To listen to Bessie Smith is to hear the blues unadulterated, and to understand what inspired so many contemporaries and later singers, from Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin. Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (1)

The best set in the "complete" series
Bessie Smith, "Empress of the Blues," is largely known today because alcoholic blues-screamer Janis Joplin based her style on her.As a result, Bessie went from the province of the specialty collector to being a mainstream "blues" artist with almost as many imitators as the Beatles. (Elvis is a whole different galaxy.)In the year 2003, then, Bessie Smith - not Enrico Caruso - is the most-listened-to early recording artist.In a way this is good, since we went from a recreative artist to a very creative one; but this has also skewed our perspective on the blues-singing era.Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional    4. Box Sets (Audio Only)    5. Classic Female Blues    6. Classic Jazz    7. Pop   

Reviews (1)

Negro Work Songs & Calls [Rounder]
This is possibly the worst transfer of data into digital format that I have ever heard.I have a 30 year old copy of this album on vinyl that I carefully recorded in MP3 format.The quality of this home recording maintains the fidelity of the original recording infinitely better than this CD.I bought the CD hoping for a better digital format, not worse.I am sending back this opened and played CD to Amazon.com today.Let's see how they respond to a return that is based soley on the fact that it is an incredibly inferior product.One final note.The music of the original recording will make any effort you take to find one of the older vinyls well worth your effort. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Blues Traditional Collections    4. Country Blues    5. Field Recordings    6. Old-Timey    7. Pop    8. Traditional Bluegrass    9. Work Songs   

Reviews (1)

Mance Lipscomb is one of the better guitarists of his time.
Despite the uneducated bio on Mance that can be found here his guitar skills are not limited at all.When you listen to the instruments and realize that the lead guitar and the rythym guitar are both actually beingplayed by Mance's 1 guitar it starts to become more impressive.If you canunderstand what you are listening to when you hear a good guitarist, andyou like blues (very old school blues,) then this CD is a must.I onlyhave one Mance Lipscomb album a rare "Share Cropper" album onvinyl, but this CD has alot of the same songs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Texas Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Revival    5. Country Blues    6. Pop    7. Songster    8. Texas Blues   

Reviews (6)

Good Songs, but the sound quality SUCKS!
The colletion of the songs is a good selection but the sound quality of many of this is very poor, with a lot of noise in the background. You can't enjoy this cd with volume because the noise is very annoying. If you like Son House i recommend you a remastered CD.

Great Collection of songs
Eddie James "Son" House is one of the founding fathers of the blues, and by extension, American music.And yet he does not receive the credit due him nor the accolades such that Robert Johnson does.Son House was actually one of the people who played with, and inspired, Robert Johnson.In fact, he was reported to have been Johnson's favorite mentor.
You can't go wrong with Son
This Cd is actually really good.however a good chunk of it is from his Father of the Delta Blues Cd set, and the recording quality of the other tracks is extreamly poor, so you would probable be a little better off with The Father of the Delta Blues. Even though some of the tracks are really badly recorded, it is entirly worth buying and is my favorite out of all the Martin scorsese individual artist Cds. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

When The Band's drummer Levon Helm set up a Woodstock-based recording studio and production company in 1975, his first client was the legendary bluesman Muddy Waters. Surrounding him with familiar sidemen Pinetop Perkins and Bob Margolin, plus such simpatico rock and blues stalwarts as The Band's Garth Hudson on accordion and organ, Paul Butterfield on harp, and Howard Johnson on saxophone, the 60-year-old Waters responded with the smoothest and most supple singing of his career. These two sessions are as delightful as any in his long association with Chess Records, and they signify his last album with that label. Among this Grammy Award-winning work's highlights are Muddy's original composition "Born with Nothing," featuring his stinging signature slide; his joyful R&B covers of "Let the Good Times Roll," Wilbert Harrison's "Kansas City," and Louis Jordan's "Caledonia," this last graced by a looping Hudson accordion solo; and the previously unreleased bonus track, "Fox Squirrel". Read more

Reviews (7)

Another side to Muddy
In marked contrast to the hard, aggressive sound of his work with Johnny Winter the following year, this album shows another, far more relaxed side to Muddy Waters, as he revisits old songs and launches new ones in the laid-back company of his regular sidemen and some celebrity names. Producer and songwriter Henry Glover had gone into partnership with Levon Helm from the Band and converted a barn into a recording studio called Bearsville in Turtle Creek, Woodstock NY, and the Muddy Waters sessions, recorded 6-7 February 1975, were the first fruits.
(3.5 stars, better than I had expected
For a long time I had delayed buying this CD because of all the bad reviews of it I read. Finally I bought it and you know what, it's a good CD. i think this is great
i still think this is an exelent cd unlike other reviewers i don't think it fair to compair this to fathers and sons this is different yes but you would'nt want him to keep doing the same things over & over the music & sound quality are great an easy 5 star cd a must have for a muddy fan unlike electric mud.also has paul butterfield on it a plus. ... Read more

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

Reviews (1)

Dirty songs from the old days? I'M THERE!!!!
You can't get any better than this comp of sleazy, and lowdown dirty blues and R&B. This music is gritty and the very essence of dirt. Its horndog city here and you can feel the heat and cats yowling in alleys. All the songs are great on these CD's but the best by far is "Big Ten Inch" by the great Bull Moose Jackson. Most of you have probably heard Aerosmith's version and it bites the big one compared to this version with the driving saxes and beat. Like your music dirty get this one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic Chicago Blues    3. Acoustic Memphis Blues    4. Blues    5. Classic Female Blues    6. Country Blues    7. Detroit Blues    8. Early American Blues    9. Electric Blues    10. Jazz Blues    11. Juke Joint Blues    12. Modern Electric Blues    13. Piano Blues    14. Pop    15. Prewar Blues    16. Prewar Country Blues    17. Rock/Pop Collections    18. V/a Compilations    19. Vaudeville Blues   

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Leadbelly is a folk musician by association not art. He was a bluesman, pure and simple: a howler, an astonishingly prolific composer, and a murderously driving guitar slinger. His catalogue is immense, and though the complete Folkways Read more

Reviews (2)

****1/2
"King Of The 12-String Guitar" is not the definitive Huddie Ledbetter-collection, of course...Leadbelly recorded literally hundreds of sides. And it isn't quite the best single-disc compilation of his either (that would be "The Best Of Leadbelly" from Cleopatra, or "Take This Hammer" from the "When The Sun Goes Down"-series).
A good choice to round out a collection
I first heard of Leadbelly from Nirvana's "Unplugged" album. Kurt Cobain called the songster his "favorite performer." Although I don't think THAT highly of Leadbelly, I do believe that he is a great performer with some very catchy songs. His compositions are simple, soothing, and distinctive.Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Traditional    5. Country Blues    6. Folk-Blues    7. Folksongs    8. Pop    9. Songster    10. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Anyone looking for versions of the great bluesman Charley Patton's timeless songs need go no further than Patton's original recordings. Patton is considered the first Delta Blues master, and hearing pub rocker Graham Parker deliver his take on "Poor Me" does no favors to either Patton or Parker. Stick to the originals or Howling Wolf's various Patton covers. Read more

Reviews (4)

Play it again, Sam
I can't even remember why I bought this, but I am glad I forgot. It's really quite beautiful. I must admit I don't know Patton's music back ward and forward but this is moving, interesting, and, ( is this damning with faint praise?) PLEASANT to listen to. Good for anytime, anyplace, I say. Parker's cover is arresting. Lots of subtlety and terrific musicianship on this CD. More than worth a risk. Did I mention sexy and scary?

Great interpretations
This is one of those rare tribute albums that's so good you buy a bunch more tribute albums trying to find one just like it.The originals are pretty tough listening with notoriously bad sound quality.Great stuff, but not for regular listening.This album moves the songs out of history and into the present and it sounds great with some very interesting tracks.

Found it to be a really enjoyable cd
I agree the Graham Parker performance is great but so is Snooky Pryor's track which is my favorite. Just behind that are the great acoustic performances by Charlie Musselwhite and Joe Louis Walker. There are surprise interpretations on the album that i found delightful. I've been very pleased by this project and was amazed to see the bad revue below. Since it was too negative, i thought I'd post my views. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Acoustic New Orleans Blues    3. Blues    4. Blues Music    5. Blues Traditional Collections    6. Contemporary Blues    7. Electric Chicago Blues    8. Electric Harmonica Blues    9. Harmonica Blues    10. Modern Acoustic Blues    11. Modern Electric Blues    12. Pop    13. Singer/Songwriter    14. Soul-Blues   

Editorial Review

The Mother of the Blues was 38 when she finally began recording, but she'd incorporated the blues into her traveling stage shows since 1902. When she did hit the studio, the results were a high point of 1920s classic female blues. Rainey combined a husky voice with the songbook of a minstrel and a booming delivery. Her lyrics ranged from topical songs about Southern life to personal songs of loneliness and depression. Her original classic "See See Rider Blues," complete with rarely heard introduction, features jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, and Buster Bailey, and the grim "Slave to the Blues" includes Joe Smith and Coleman Hawkins. Ragtime guitarist Blind Blake and hokum-blues duo Georgia Tom and Tampa Red also contribute. Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful work
This record is an excellent sample of the roots of the blues.
From The Woman That Discovered Bessie...Ma Rainey!!
Ok, (whew) how do I review this one? First of all, let me just say that the sound quality is bad. It takes MULTIPLE listening to get used to this cd. You really have to be open-minded and be able to concentrate. If you are able to do that, then you should have no problem enjoying this cd. After all, before there was Billie or Bessie there was Ma Rainey. The growl in her voice just makes you jump and some of the things that she sings about will shock you (because she was so far ahead of her time). Ma Rainey's life and music should be taught in every America's music class. This cd is a gem, but requires a lot of patience.

OOOOOOH BayBeh!
Gosh! I just happened to buy this CD a week back from my local music store. Apparently there werent any takers for this one for months, thats what the store salesguy told me. And i was laughing half hysterical! Unbeleivable, no one wanted to buy Ma Rainey, probably the only the cd of hers this store ever had. Anyways, I reached home and shacked it up my CD player, and KaBoom! it goes off like some really old bootleg LP from prehistoric times. My first reaction wasnt a very excited one, it was a little disappointing because of the sound quality. But then after 3 listens i was like OOOH Baybeh, she the gurl! Its not just exhilerating to hear her groaning and crooning 24 tracks sprawled over 72 bluesy minutes. This is the best it can get. Rambunctious acoustic blues with an awesome orchestration. just grab it if you see this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Traditional    5. Classic Female Blues    6. Classic Jazz    7. Jug Band    8. Pop   

Editorial Review

This beautiful album was engineered by Rudy Van Gelder in his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home studio where so much jazz history was made. It features guitar innovators Lonnie Johnson and Elmer Snowden together for the first time--despite a friendship going back to the 1920s when both appeared on some of the earliest jazz and blues 78s. Johnson, the father of single-note six-string soloing, is in marvelous voice on this selection of blues, ballads, and jazz, crooning the double-entendre "Jelly Roll Baker" and the heartache-laden "Back Water Blues" (a Bessie Smith tune he first cut in 1927) with a marksman's sense of pitch and chilling nuance. Snowden serves mostly as accompanist. But these men play so closely that they seem to be sharing every breath. Read more

Reviews (4)

Good ol way...
Lately, i was eagering to listen to some acoustic melodic blues, and guess what? This record does the trick.
Heartfelt music
This album is a pleasure for any listener of good music. It gives the sensation that the performers are talking at the living room in front of the fire. It's sincere and heartfelt music. The ambient it creates is really warm, as warm and smooth are the guitars and the voice of Lonnie Johnson.
Mellow blues
This is the first of a pair of CDs recorded in April 1960 by two greatplayers who were just re-emerging from obscurity.Lovely guitar playing, warm and moving singing by Johnson, and awonderful atmosphere of two old friends enjoying themselves make thesedisks a treasure not to be missed.The bass player provides good support but is not very noticeable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Music    4. Blues Traditional    5. Country Blues    6. Jazz Blues    7. Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

John Hurt's playful country blues was first heard in the late 1920s, when herecorded a handful of poorly selling sides for Okeh Records. It wasn't until hisrediscovery during the 1960s folk revival that his remarkable talent was fully appreciated.Hurt's rediscovery only lasted a few years--he died in 1966--but his legacy, preserved onseveral albums recorded for Vanguard during that period, is indeed daunting. Hurt'sintricate fingerpicking style--evidenced here on popular pieces like "Make Me a Pallet onYour Floor," "Richland Women Blues," "Salty Dog Blues," and "Candy Man"--went onto influence a generation of urban folk and blues artists. His music remains a sweetreminder of the pre-depression-era ragtime blues of which he was a humble and subtlemaster. Read more

Reviews (3)

John is my friend
This is my favorite feel-good sing-along album.There is not a bad vibe in this guy's being, as far as I can tell.The songs are all great, John's voice is warm and rounded, his guitar picking is a treat, it's just goodness all around and I dig it.There's nobody else out there like this (if there is, please let me know!).

This is the blues
Mississippi John Hurt is raw blues. Only he and his guitar star in most of the songs on Rediscovered and the two of them make for an incredible listening experience. Each song has meat to it-- stories that will hold your attention, make you smile and make you relax. Put this CD on, grab some iced tea, go out on the porch with a book and take it easy.

A Great Talent
John Hurt is the only musician I know of who can, on one guitar, simultaneously play a bassline, chords, and a melody, and sing at the same time! You may think the best guitar player is Jimi Hendrix or Stevie RayVaughan, but I disagree. They were fast, but Hurt is a true guitar master."Coffee Blues," "Pallet on Your Floor," "MondayMorning Blues," and "StaggoLee" are fantastic songs, greatfor summer driving and to sing along with. ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Acoustic John Lee Hooker...
I picked this up because I was interested to hear how John Lee's music translated with an acoustic guitar. I own at least twenty of his CD's and they are all electric, even the live CD's of him playing solo. The acoustic sound really makes his slow blues songs that much more intimate. He also covers songs by Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Big Bill Broonzy on this one and its interesting to hear his take on these songs. While I wouldn't rate this as essential listening for the uninitiated, this CD is one that I would recommend to any fan of John Lee Hooker.

The Country Blues of John Lee HookerVol 2
This album was recorded at the same April 1959 session that produced Hooker's more famous LP THE COUNTRY BLUES OF JOHN LEE HOOKER. For some reason it was unreleased until 1964 (UK only) and didn't see the light of day in the US until the early 90's. Which is odd because it is identical in style, sound and theme to the COUNTRY BLUES LP, featuring the same acoustic back porch feel.
John Lee Hooker
Real Blues An American ICON Of The Blues A Perfect Album HookerRead more

Subjects:  1. Acoustic Blues    2. Blues    3. Blues Revival    4. Blues Traditional    5. Country Blues    6. Delta Blues    7. Detroit Blues    8. Electric Blues    9. Electric Delta Blues    10. Leader    11. Pop    12. Songwriter    13. Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (3)

A Shining Addition to Any Collection
The consolidation of record companies is generally bad, but this 3-CD box set was only possible because MCA acquired the rights to some outstanding early "race" record labels (Vocalion, Decca) and classy early R&B (e.g. Chess). The result is an intelligent, sequenced collection that is much more than a jarring, random assortment of songs by blues masters. Starting with the Delta blues, the mix seems subtly slanted in favor of bawdy, roadhouse-style blues performances--why it's the devil's music and you can't stay away from it. Whether it's Peetie Wheatstraw, Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker or Etta James, these performances will seduce you. Good quality sound throughout (even the old stuff), with a handsome booklet.

An excellent blues collection
I own tons of blues CD's and records but I find myself going back to this collection over and over again.The songs represent some of the strongest recordings by the masters of the blues.Whether your interest is delta blues, piano blues, jump blues, Chicago blues or smooth urban blues; you'll find plenty to peak your ear.If you're lucky as I was, you'll find some unfamiliar and great artists to lead you down new musical roads.Some of my personal favorites are: That's No Way to Get Along - Robert Wilkins, What's the Matter with the Mill? - Kansas Joe McCoy, Floating Bridge - Sleepy John Estes, Mother Earth - Memphis Slim, It Serves You Right to Suffer - John Lee Hooker- just to name a few.Since I've got a 1,000 word limit in this review it prevents me from listing every great track on the collection and all the reasons you should purchase it. Suffice to say, buy it now and you won't be sorry!

Best Collection of Classic Blues!
I have purchased a lot of Blues recordings recently, but for a single purchase, this collection would be the best. It has the one or two most recognized songs from the most prominent Blues artists from 1927 to 1969,without the "scratches" of the old '78's!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20's    2. 30's    3. 40's    4. 50's    5. 60's    6. Acoustic Blues    7. Acoustic Chicago Blues    8. Acoustic Memphis Blues    9. Acoustic Texas Blues    10. Big Band    11. Blues    12. Blues Collections    13. Blues Music    14. Blues Revival    15. Boogie-Woogie    16. Box Sets (Audio Only)    17. Chicago Blues    18. Classic Female Blues    19. Classic Jazz    20. Country Blues