Amazon.com essential recording

Curiously, yet not surprisingly given the enormity of his sway, Billie Holiday's greatest vocal influence was "Pops"--Louis Armstrong, whose trumpet was his first signature (though he's often credited with being the first great jazz singer as well). One hears Armstrong in Holiday's sense of phrasing, timing, and the warmth she invests in a lyric. This package, containing such touchstone Holiday renderings as "I Cried for You," "Body and Soul," and "When a Woman Loves a Man" (poetic, given the fact that Billie was notoriously unlucky at love), also boasts her signature song, "God Bless the Child." Her accompanists are a hall-of-fame lot, including trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Buck Clayton; saxmen Lester Young (with whom she had a close relationship), Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, and Harry Carney; drummers Cozy Cole and Jo Jones; bassists John Kirby and Walter Page; and her frequent pianist, Teddy Wilson. --Willard Jenkins ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Oh What a Little Billie Can Do.....
This review refers to the Audio Cassette of "Billie Holiday..Greatest Hits"(Columbia).....

So there I was on a hot and smoggy afternoon, on an L.A. Freeway stuck in rush hour traffic, with plenty of time to choose just the right music to spend the two hours it would take to go the ten miles home. Rummaging through my tapes and rejecting most, there she was..my recently purchased Billie Holiday tape. I popped it in and spent the most delightful time in my car with this music.

Billie's soulful,soothing and uniquely recognizable vocals, accompianied by such greats as The Teddy Wilson Orchestra, Count Basie and His Orchestra, Lester Young on Sax, Buck Clayton on Trumpet, Freddie Green on Guitar,Jo Jones on Drums, and many more wonderful artists,had me smiling and took me away to another time and place. I loved it so much I listened to it several times on the drive.

The album is a great mix of Blues, Standards and songs that just say "Billie!", and You may just want to sing along.This wonderful treat includes "A Sailboat in the Moonlight"(Lombardo/Loeb)), "I Can't Get Started"(Gershwin/Duke),"Solitde"(Ellington/Mills/Delange),"God Bless The Child"(Holiday/Herzog),my personal favorite, "What a Little Moonlight Can Do"(Woods), the oh so marvelous "The Very Thought of You"(Noble), and of course "Billie's Blues(I Love My Man"). There are thirteen intoxicating tracks in all(see buying info for complete list), that will have you humming them for days after.

It's a very good recording of these old songs, although a little low and does have to be turned up a few notches in volume. You'll be under the infulence of Billie from the minute you start listening...and..you won't care about that guy who just cut you off!!!!

A great addition to your Billie Holiday collection or a great way to get to know her! But watch out! You may get hooked!

Enjoy...Laurie

Classic and wonderful
I really enjoyed this particular selection of Holiday's work. I looked everywhere for a compiliation CD that included "The Very Thought of You" (my copy of Lady's Decca Days didn't) and this one had it, along with other songs that weren't included on Decca Days either. Short of purchasing a wildy expensive boxed set of her work, I would reccomend this for anyone even remotely interested in the talent of Billie Holiday: the sound quality is excellent and the choice of songs is great, as well. Even the liner notes are an welcome addition---they include an informative bio about Billie as well as her rise to fame and anecdotes from some of the people she worked with.
As a side note, the only song I would have added to this collection is "Strange Fruit," one of the most haunting and politically-charged Holiday songs to date. If you get a chance to hear that, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Otherwise, this album is a great choice.

Great music to listen to when you're sad
...Fortunately, this CD contains recordings made in her early years (1930's) when her voice had not yet been affected and when her phrasing was innovative and inspired.

I enjoyed the first half of the CD more so than the second half mainly because the last 6 tracks are quite melancholy. ... This is real blues music from a woman who experienced nothing but the blues.
I enjoyed the opening, peppy teaser "Miss Brown to You", including a more somber "Some Other Spring". But I would have to say my favorite track is the unabashedly romantic "Sailboat in the Moonlight".

I was surprised at the lyricism of the songs. This is more like poetry set to jazz and blues chords. ..

Great, but could be better
An excellent collection from the most beautiful and sensuous voice the world has ever heard. However, a little short, and not enough from her later period. Still excellent and beautiful, but it makes you want more!

The harsher the experience, the greater the art.
The sweet voice of lady day tells many stories. The mellow style, the fine jazz base, the high pitched voice. A small part of black history lies within the album.

Many of the songs are unheard of, and to many the name Billie Holiday meerly rings a bell. Having heard the lyrics and finding out what Billie Holiday represents it's hard not to be inspired.

Billie Holiday was born in Baltimore, on 7th April 1915. Her life story was a tragic one right to the very end. Having been raped at the age of 11, having worked as a prostitute, having been addicted to the pulses of heroin and then living all this through the era of apartheid. Her music therefore comes from the heart.

The blues tells the sad stories but yet remains life affirming at the same time. Living in an era with little hope, her music tells you to dream a little more, teaches you what a "little moonlight can do". The songs have a quality which is timeless.

Her songs also show a little more about the society in which she had lived. "Georgio on my mind" and "God Bless the child" and other such songs. It contains the strong spirits that black women had to have.

Billie Holiday had died in 1959 through a drug related death. The life full of tragedies and contradictions had passed away but her songs have lived on still containing the same emotional dynamite. The album is an essential tribute for someone that represents so much. Her mellow jazz sounds are timeless. The album manages to bring an essential part of black history alive! ... Read more

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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." The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James contains some of the most important work of a man who still reigns as the king of slide guitar; anyone who wears a bottleneck today owes a debt to James. Highlights include Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom," which James made his signature tune, as well as the title track, which contains some of the sweetest licks in blues history. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The best choice for an introduction to Elmore's music
This CD is great because it draws together the major works Elmore performed for the various labels he graced in the 50s and 60s -- The Bihari Brother's Modern/Flair; Phil & Leonard Chess's Chess Records, Bobby London's tiny Chief label, and Bobby Robinson's Fire/Fury/Enjoy unit. Also included is Elmore's very first, and in some ways most characteristic, recording of "Dust My Broom" for the Trumpet label in Jackson, MS. This set beautifully traces Elmore's evolution from a countrified blues shouter with a bottleneck style to a Chicago bluesman with a sophisticated band (which stuck with him without major changes from 1952 until the early 1960s). His screaming slide guitar is already evident in some of the early Flairs -- like Hawaiian Boogie and I Can't Hold Out. The raw intensity of his vocal work is no better highlighted than on Look On Yonder Wall and Something Inside Me. My only complaint is that no example of his Chicago/Jump blues style is present, something like "Make My Dreams Come True" (which B.B.King copied note for note to get a #1 R&B hit in 1953). But, c'est la vie. There is noone else in the blues fields who combined the searing intensity of virtuoso guitar work and the scathing vocal style fused into that intense package of sound made only by Elmore James. This sound cannot help but be recognized in seconds by anyone with a passing acquaintanceship with classic electric blues. This is the REAL stuff. For my money, Elmore beats Muddy, Wolf, Sonny Boy and the rest because, with Elmore, you get higher quality guitar, and the sound of the music is guttier and closer to the bone. And, it helps that Elmore's musicians are arguably the best that Chicago had to offer (the only other aggregation that compares is the Muddy Waters band of the mid-50s.)Don't miss this if you like Blues.

King of the Slide Guitar
Elmore James, in my humble opinion, is the most underrated blues guitarist of all time. He took what he learned from listening to Robert Johnson, plugged it into an electric guitar, and blew the roof off the blues world! The opening to Johnson's "Dust my Broom" is probably the coolest blues guitar riff known to man. In short, Elmore rules!

Enough Elmore for all but the most serious collectors.
Elmore James was on at least a few labels, so it's not that too hard to dig up lots more if you want to, but for most of us, this is a whole lot of great blues from one of the most talented and important artists. For some strange reason , not nearly enough guys out there now are playing this slide style now. To check out a modern-day Elmore, still playing the joints, look for Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials.

See also; Earl Hooker
Easily, the best Elmore James compilation!

A Great Collection of some of the Best Blues Ever
With the success of "Dust My Broom", Elmore James found himself recording numerous "varients" of this masterpiece due to its proven commercial appeal. Thus, many collections of Elmore James sound like the same song over and over again.

Such a collection of "Dust My Broom" variations would rate a 4-star rating. However, this collection shows that James was certainly no one-hit wonder, with a broad range of guitar playing and singing talent. For those keeping score, there are about 4-5 "Dust My Broom" variations in this collection.

Elmore James is becoming discovered as one of the great bluemen, and this collection makes it pretty clear why. ... Read more

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This CD is the perfect gift for someone (perhaps a new friend from Mars) who has never heard Ray Charles. With tracks such as "Georgia on my Mind," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Without a Song," "Ruby," "Ol' Man River," and "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," this is a feast of vintage artistry from one of America's premier performers, a man Frank Sinatra called "the only genius in the business." Featured musicians include Basie and Ellington veterans. For a one-volume presentation of popular music, this collection is hard to top. --Stanley Booth ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Here To Stay
Popular music just doesn't get any better than this--"the Genius" not merely interpreting but re-creating some of the last century's greatest songs. What Ray does with these standards is pure alchemy. Here you'll find not only the definitive version of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind" but also probably the best recorded versions of Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" and Gershwin's last song, "Love Is Here To Stay". Considering the competition out there (Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.) it's nearly unbelievable that Ray is able to make so many of these great songs *his*--but there it is.

The album would really be more than worth the price for the three above-mentioned songs alone, but you also get other such outstanding performances as "It Had To Be You", "Am I Blue", "Ruby", "Stella by Starlight", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Willow, Weep for Me", and an absolutely terrific, smile-on-your-face version of Richard Rodgers' "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'". (Amazing that such a classic recording was made in 1977 at the same time as the punk invasion and the disco craze.) Ray's "Ol' Man River" isn't the powerhouse that William Warfield's incredible recording is, but it's another standout, mournful and full of soul.

It's impossible to categorize the music on this album--it's a perfect blend of classic pop, jazz, and r&b. Like Ellington or Gershwin, Ray Charles is simply "beyond category", an American original. His voice is of course an absolute marvel--soulful, sandpapery, moving effortlessly from the heartrending to the exhilarating. His range of shadings and expression is like that of a great jazz instrumentalist. And you have to love his little additional touches, like the sly "ha-ha" toward the end of "Beautiful Mornin'". His innate talent is just beyond belief and totally unique, and here he gets to exercise it on some truly first-class lyrics and melodies.

The arrangements can superficially sound a little dated, but the more you listen to these recordings, the more integral they become. The ones for the earlier tracks provided by Ralph Burns (who had worked for Woody Herman) are particularly good. The bands play very well, and the instruments sometimes blend perfectly with Ray's voice to create expressive effects, notably the "dirty" sounds on "Come Rain or Come Shine". And Ray's piano playing (I do wish he cut loose with it a little more!) shines on "Love Is Here To Stay", simply one of the all-time great interpretations of a standard.

A great collection, full of joyful, inspired music-making.

You Can't Go Wrong With Ray
What can I say about Ray Charles? As much as I really enjoy his original songs, he has a way of taking standards and making them his own. There is something about his voice that is so amazing that I cannot do anything else while listening to him--I just have to sit back and give him my full attention. Ray's version of That Lucky Old Sun is worth the price of the CD. It is so beautiful and moving that it chills me to my very soul. You won't regret buying this CD. It will further help you appreciate some already great songs.

Mellow collection of ballads from Ray's prime...
This would be a great way to introduce somebody to Ray's distinctive voice and style, especially a person who might not respond to his '50's R&B sides at first. Can't fault Ray's work here, but some tracks have "backing vocals" popular in the late '50's which really don't suit today's tastes. Look at the song list, read some other reviews, search your budget. Everybody needs at least one Charles disc in the collection, and this is a good choice. Ray's version of "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from "Oklahoma" will make you sit up and take notice, and most of the other songs are worth hearing many times more than once.

Has to be 5 stars for Brother Ray
These are some of his early cuts,and if you think you have heard Ol' Man River,you haven't until you hear it sung by the Master.All of these cuts are perfect.Buy this.You already know you love him,anyway!

Very Fine, Unique Ray Effort. I just don't give five stars..
to many Pop Music CD's, unless they have a special uniqueness,wonderousness, so I may be a stingy reviewer. Also, I'm not that hooked by his raspy vocal style. But this is still my favorite Ray album,mainly since it has top of the line songs,some of which are not over-recorded. MARGIE and LUCKY OLD SUN are both terrific, and his famous GEORGIA ON MY MIND and RUBY also still sound fine. Most of the others have been done better by others (especially Sinatra,Armstrong,even Chad and Jeremy). And the final melody, OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, is one every Boomer probably knew as a kid, but this version puts it well beyond the standard Broadway show-tune(from OKLAHOMA). Hard to belive there are so few reviews of this CD, close to an essential record!! BTW, some informative linear are included too! ... Read more

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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. --Frank- John Hadley ... Read more

Reviews (157)

A BLUES LEGEND IN THE MAKING!!
After hearing Lie to Me, I was hooked. The song Still Rainin' was a good song to make a single, but I also like some others on the CD. I love Breakin' Me and Leaving to Stay mostly because they are different from his other hard-rock songs. I also bought the Kid Jonny Lang and the Big Bang CD, and I was surprised. I thought since the songs were made a long time ago he would sound like the lost Hanson brother, but I was wrong. Jonny is an amazing talent and I can't wait to hear some great new tunes. Keep up the great work, Jonny!! P.S.-If you ever get a chance to go see him in concert, definitely go because he sure puts on a great show!

Getting a lot better, but not quite there yet...
When I first heard "Still Rainin'" on the radio this summer I thought it was pretty good, seeing as how Lang himself doesn't write most of his own songs. I know a lot of people are really in love with this guy, and that's fine, but I personally don't think that Lang's music is THAT wonderful. I think he sounds like a lot of the current crop of blues musicians (i.e. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Corey Stevens, etc.). He's a real good technician, and one thing that I liked about this new album is that he doesn't sound quite as coached, not quite as mass-produced. Frankly, if I were on the marketing staff at A&M, if I could turn back time, I would've released this album as Jonny's major-label debut and saved "Lie To Me" for an album of unreleased demos and b-sides to come out on the artists' 50th birthday. The songs sound a lot better this time around, but what I can't stand is the way the production team dresses up everything to sound like a pop record, just like they did the first time. I also think "Wander This World" could use some looser drumming. If you heard the cover "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl" from "Lie To Me", you might get an idea of what I'm talking about. I think that in regards to Jonny Lang, everyone needs to chill out and let this little sprout grow some more before we go hacking the fruit off the vine. Overall, the picture's better, but I still think Lang's music could benefit greatly from a little more textural variety (beyond clavinets and echo pianos) and a little more stylistic variety as well.

Don't Put too Much faith in it
This is a classic example of follow-up disc. In this case, the album has gone too much to the producers. The songs themselves are good, but on most of the tracks, Jonny's voice is so mixed out that you can hardly here him. Which is a shame, because Jonny has an amazing voice. There are some good songs on there, and his guitar playing is good. But compared to Lie To Me, this just seem weak

Age ain't nuthin' but a number
Jonny Lang has it -- whatever it is -- call it musical integrity, roots, passion, feel or a simple and real sense of the song. His age is irrelevant. He had it as a kid and is only getting better and more refined. And his songwriting is just as inspired. I'm a huge fan of the blues and you cannot deny the wondrous blues foundation of Johnny's music. It's in the heart of his performance. No wonder it's so soulful, free-spirited and without any posturing or self-importance. I fell in love with this record on my first play. There's no need to keep Jonny in the traditional 16-bar blues format -- he's got a lot to say and he needs a mosaic of musical styles in which to create. Bravo Jonny! This endorsement comes from a 30-something-year-old singer/songwriter who takes her music very seriously. You have captured my attention and I look forward to all you have to offer now and in the future! You're a breath of much-needed fresh air in this "business" of music.

A CD that will make you a True Lang Fan
A friend gave this CD to me for a birthday present. Since listening to the songs the first time, I have been hooked on Jonny. This CD has everything from Rock/blues, ballads, to Louisana Blues! There is something for everyone. This CD also shows how much this young man is maturing in his talents. A MUST have for anyone that likes good music! It hooked me on this man...and I have no doubt that it will do the same for you!

Walkin' Away, Breakin' Me, Cherry Red Wine, I Am....my very favorites...but ALL are great tunes.

Enjoy your purchase, it's worth every penny! ... Read more

Album Description

Founding member of Mountain releases his 2004 solo album with help from Gregg Allman, Poppa Chubby, Leo Lyons, Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), and more. Includes a cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Honky Tonk Woman' and a previously unreleased Mountain song entitled 'The Cell'. Voiceprint. 2004. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Been there-done that!
I agree with "Joe" in that most of these tracks have been released on other albums over the years. If you want new Leslie West material buy "Blues to die for" which is a really good album.

ARE THESE NEW RECORDINGS???
First of all, let me say that I've been a huge fan of Leslie's since the Woodstock album and his first Mountain album...Leslie and his Gibson guitars...man, he had THE tone.As far as this cd goes, I'm not really sure what's going on here.I already have 10 of the 13 songs on previous Leslie West cd's...and I believe that 9 of the 10 are the exact same versions.The only songs on this release that I didn't already have are "If Heartaches Were Nickels"(a decent song), a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" (oh, so awful drum machine!) and George Harrison's "Old Brown Shoe" (a good job on this one).If somebody out there close to Leslie reads this, PLEASE hide all of his guitars that have a tremolo unit on it and please hide that guitar processor that he's been using lately.These items are made for people who WISH they could have Leslie's sound, not for Leslie himself.In summation, it's a must-have for Leslie West fans, but I don't know if this is supposed to be a compilation cd or not (the All Music Guide does not list it as a compilation).

What's Gotten Into This Man?
Leslie West must have gone down to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil. He's certainly playing and singing like a man possessed. His guitar roars throughout this entire album and his demonic growl is in fine form. Never mind the guest stars, they pale in comparison to the man himself. Leslie West is pure energy, he is the soul of blues and rock and roll and he's putting out stuff equal to or surpassing a lot of his Mountain work. Check out "Cross Cut Saw", "Honky Tonk Woman" and "Stormy Monday". Those are just a few of the delicious side dishes that comprise the feast known as "Guitarded". Bon Appetit!

Leslie West is back
It's funny to hear that the old goat is back and he's still alive and kickin'. Lots of guitars as allways. Good sound and it's a typically leslie west album. Good songs and performance. a must for all his fans of course. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Take a spicy Cajun tour through Louisiana's bayou country on Choo Choo Boogaloo! The musical scenery includes foot-stompin', two-steppin,' finger poppin' zydeco emblazoned with hot guitar licks, sassy accordion, and a dash of blues thrown in for good measure. Traditional titles, including "Get on Board," "Iko Iko," "Little Red Caboose," and "Cotton Fields," have been well adapted to zydeco style, while "Crawfish Song," "Mardi Gras Mambo," and "Give Me a Squeeze, Please" are right at home in this celebration of Cajun culture. Children will have a wonderful time moving with the new rhythms and exploring the sounds of various instruments used to create the unique zydeco style. --Deborah Moore ... Read more

Reviews (56)

This CD is SO much fun!
I wish that I could give this CD more than 5 stars! I'm from New Orleans, but my 8-month-old twins are growing up in the Midwest, so it's great to share some authentic Louisiana music with them. And they absoluately ADORE it. Their faces light up and they both start to dance when ChooChoo Boogaloo comes on, and one has even started to 'sing' along. It's also the kind of kids' CD that grownups can love -- very cute, very smart, and lots of fun. I've bought several as presents already. HIGHLY recommended!

The best in my son's collection
The first thing my son (age 3-1/2) does when he gets up in the morning is run to the stereo and put in this CD. It is on pretty much all day every day -- has been for about a month -- and I still love it. I love it even more than my Buckwheat Zydeco CD for grown-ups, partly because it has made my son such a music lover (and he can now recognize a number of instruments from having heard the tutorial on Choo Choo Boogaloo), and partly because it's great music. I just bought another copy for a birthday present.

great for kids of any age
I bought this for my daughter when she was 3 months old and would play it daily. When she was left with my husband while I was out she started to fuss, and as soon as he put this album on she quieted down and smiled! This is such a great album for kids, and for as many times as I've listened to it, I still love it. I wish there were more to enjoy.

Fantastic!
The song selection, recording quality, and performances are all fabulous. Our eight-month old loves it almost as much as his thirty-something parents. We listen to so many times that now we're planning to attend a cajun/zydeco festival! :)

My children LOVE this CD! Replaced Ralph's World
We have been huge Ralph's World fans, listening to Bottom of the Sea or Ralph's World OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. We received this for Christmas and now my 3-yr old son says " Let's listen to the Choo Choo Music!". And my 19-mth old jumps up and down excitedly. Their favorite is the first song. They could listen to that one exclusively- but I need a bit more variety than one song. :)
As an intro to each song, there is the conductor speaking, explaining the the Cajun or Louisiana influence on the following song. The kids barely pay attention to that at this point, but I find it interesting.
We will definitely be buying another Buckwheat Zydeco CD for ourselves soon and will buy this one as gifts for all our toddler friends.
Don't worry, RW isn't out of the picture yet. I sneak him in because I love the CDs so much. So do the kids. :) ... Read more

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The title's baloney. Sure, some of Buddy Guy's most blistering guitar playing has been captured on his '90s recordings for Silvertone, but with albums like Muddy Waters's 1964 Folk Singer and his own 1967 solo debut A Man & the Blues on his résumé, Guy's status as a Chicago blues giant was assured long before his 1991 comeback Damn Right, I've Got the Blues. Nonetheless, that tune, the instrumental tribute "Remembering Stevie" (for the late guitar-slinger Vaughan), "Five Long Years," and the previously unissued "Miss Ida B" testify that at age 65 Guy still possesses rare depth and fire. His singing is big and soulful, capable of cheerleading a party or hurtling down to the depths of Delta blues heartache. His six-stringing remains wildly inventive and unpredictable, even on slight numbers like "She's a Superstar." And the inclusion of blatant stabs at the pop charts such as his "Midnight Train" duet with Jonny Lang take nothing away from the passion he puts into true blues performances like "I Need Your Love So Bad" and "Innocent Man," leftovers from earlier sessions that surface here. Baddest or not, this CD spotlights one of our greatest bluesmen in fine form. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Buddy is the baddest!!!
To the fan from Vienna, VA: Buddy is not in his 70's. Actually, as of the date I'm writing this, he is 63. Regardless, no one I've ever seen packs as much energy into a live performance as Mr. Guy. And I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen him live, do it before it's too late. He truly is the master!!

Anyway, about this CD. It is a compilation of some of best tracks off his Silvertone recordings of the 90's, plus 5 previously unreleased tracks. Definitely for the more casual fan, who doesn't own "Damn Right I've Got the Blues", "Feels Like Rain", "Slippin' In"(the best of the individual studio Silvertone recordings), and "Heavy Love". Also with the Silvertone label, Buddy released a live album w/the Saturday Live Band called "The Real Deal". The only track on "Buddy's Baddest" from "The Real Deal" is "Let Me Love You". "The Real Deal" is definitely worth buying separate because live is how Mr. Guy is meant to be heard.

Overall, I would say "Buddy's Baddest" is a good introduction to Buddy Guy. If you love it, then follow up with "The Real Deal", the individual Silvertone recordings, "Stone Crazy", and "DJ Play My Blues". Also, you can't go wrong with "Live at Montreaux" or "Drinking TNT and Smoking Dynamite"(better), both live recordings with harmonica legend Jr. Wells.....Enjoy!

The best of Buddy Guy? Not likely
This overview of Buddy Guy's Silvertone recordings ought to be titled "Some of the best of Buddy Guy's 90s tunes, and a few throwaways as well", or something along those lines.

The first ten songs are almost all good, but the four previously unreleased songs aren't among Guy's best work, and since almost all of the previously released material here is taken from just three albums, there is really no good reason to pick up this mediocre sampler. Go with "Damn Right I've Got The Blues" and "Slippin' In" instead, and perhaps the "Feels Like Rain" album, from which "She's Nineteen Years Old" and of course "Feels Like Rain" are taken.
Only one track comes from the forgettable "Heavy Love", which is actually a credit to the compilers, and the last one, the live "My Time After Awhile", is from "Live: The Real Deal".

If you want an overview of Buddy Guy's career prior to his 90s comeback, go for Rhino Records' excellent "The Very Best Of Buddy Guy", or check out the best of his classic Chess singles on MCA/Chess' "Buddy's Blues". This is a decent sampler, but considering that it only spans four studio albums, one of which is bland at best, it is not really that much of a necessity.

could have been more tracks
this cd is a great starter for anyone who is just getting into great blues music (i have been into blues for about 12years) and enjoy everything that buddy guy has recorded. this cd should have contained more tracks, alot of great songs missing on this cd. i give it 5 stars anyway.

Baddest? Best!!!
This album will show you a man that is blues, blues and nothing but blues! Blues comes out his feet, his fingers, from every vain the man has in his whole body! This album is a good way to start if you want to dive into Buddy Guys world of the blues and blues as a whole. Guy combines various blues styles to one, very much his own style. That makes him a true living legend, and I am sure that if you buy this album you're soon will buy the original ones as well!

good collection
of course with greatest hits there are always songs that you feel of great that are left off. the cd kicks off with" damn right ive got the blues" to five long years. good thing that there are three unreleased songs on the cd is why i brought it. good starter cd for any new fans ... Read more

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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 Father of the Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions, this CD is an excellent introduction to this seminal artist's work, revealing the creativity, passion, skillful guitar playing, and rich singing that helped form a whole new kind of music. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (10)

texace on the Original Delta Blues - Son House
The is the real deal. Put this on your cd player with Bukka White, Walter Jacobs, Frank Frost, Muddy, Elmore James on random play and sit back. It don't get no better than this. Born and raised on piney woods and cajun rice between Leesville and Ville Platte, Louisiana in the 50's. Son House is in the same league with Bukka White.

Not just blues, a history lesson
The more I study the forces that bound together the deeply American, and beautifully unique cultures of African Americans since the Civil War, I find myself referring to the Blues more and more. Son House, despite this recording being made in the 1960's, was a master story teller of an earlier era for the Southern United States; one divided by a still-bitter southern aristocracy and a young culture of black Americans struggling to write their own poetry that would come to define what it is to be a free black American. Son House influenced greats like Robert Johnson, another great story-teller, and more popularly driven Muddy Waters and others. I, like so many others, love to listen to blues guitar, and House plays one of the meanest, dirtiest, most hauntingly beautiful slide guitars ever recorded. However, listen to the man, and the story he is telling all of us with each sentence of every song. THIS is culture. THIS is history. THIS is the Blues. Accept no substitutes....you might just learn a thing or two.

Raw and captivating - voice of lonely soul
There is so much built on blues out there, so much derived from it, that it is easy to forget where it all began. Son House is so raw, so unaffected by technical tricks or crafty ideas, so far from any pose, pretence or stereotypical imagery of show business that you feel actually privileged to be allowed to come into contact with his singing.

It is like entering an empty temple in an unfamiliar country: you have seen some of the signs, you have some of the knowledge about the faith, but the experience is new and humbling.

Yes, humbling is the word. If loneliness had a voice, it would be the voice of Son House.

Short but sweet
Well, maybe "sweet" isn't the right word, but Columbia/Legacy's "The Original Delta Blues" is a really fine distillation of the label's double-disc set "Father Of The Delta Blues", containing 11 highlights from that comprehensive overview of blues legend Eddie "Son" House's 60s recordings.

These 55 minutes of music feature Son House and his National steel guitar, which he played with a slide, and Columbia have managed to include all of House's essential 60s songs.

The powerful a capella spiritual "John The Revelator" is here, as is the slashing slide guitar workout "Pearline", the sarcastic "Preachin' Blues", the bitterness of "Grinnin' In Your Face", and the fantastic 9½-minute "Levee Camp Moan" with Canned Heat's Alan Wilson playing great harmonica fills behind House's clanging, percussive guitar playing.

And then there's the awesome, razor-edged "Death Letter" ("I got a letter this morning / say, what d'y'reckon it read? / Said hurry, hurry, 'cause the gal you love is dead").
Music journalist Ted Drozdowski of the Boston Phoenix once wrote something like this about House:
"The voice of the great Son House not only sounds as though it could split the earth asunder, it is also the voice of a soul utterly alone".

I couldn't have said it better myself. Which is why I steal Mr Drozdowski's line.

the master of the delta blues style
Son House taught Robert Johnson the slide blues. Son House taught Muddy Waters. When Son House started performing at Blues festivals again in the mid 1960s, Muddy Waters would tell all his band members to be quiet and pay attention when the man played because even compared with Muddy, this was the real deal.
Son House is the real deal. Listen and learn ... Read more

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More people should know her story.
I grew up in Morganton, NC, Etta Baker's hometown. My mother worked in a textile plant called Skyland, sewing sleeves and tags on t-shirts, where Mrs. Baker worked as the janitor -- for many, many years. Mom says she is one of the sweetest, kindest people you could ever hope to know. Here's her story as I understand it: she was a well-regarded musician in the 1920's at social functions and clubs in the south, but when she married, her husband demanded that she abandon that lifestyle for a more familiar, traditional one. From that point on, until he passed on some 60 years later, she only played at home and at some family functions. Once he passed and she retired, she began to play publicly again and, of course, astonished everyone within earshot. I think Mrs. Bakers's music touches me because of the depth of context in her sound. The structure and influence of the music are unmistakably traditional blues (with a little Appalachain bluegrass mixed in), but instead of the "down-and-out" plot so typical of the blues, she turns heartache and sacrifice into hope, spring, sunshine and victory. I can hear this in her playing, and I know it mirrors her life. I catch myself wondering what might have been, but find solace in the something small - Etta Baker spent those "lost years" at a place called Skyland, a fitting name for a place that hosted at least two angels. I think Mrs. Baker would understand. I know my mom does.

My Favourite cd EVER!
I had One Dime Blues on a cassette. It got lost. For several years I was lost. Now I have it on cd and my life is back on track. This music makes me feel happy and brave and glad to be alive. Etta Baker plays the best guitar I've ever heard.

Simply breathtaking
This CD would be amongst the 10 CD's for the famous desert island, i would be allowed to take with. Straight from the heart, warm and earthy, one of the best guitar player i ever heard, and believe me, i heard a lot. ... Read more

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This is Sonny Boy Williamson II, whose 1940s Mississippi Delta radio broadcasts for King Biscuit Time made him one of the most influential of all blues musicians. A master harmonica player, he created relaxed songs, often humorous, that reminded urban listeners of their country roots. These tracks are from his years at Chess, beginning in the mid-1950s until his death in 1965. His recording bands feature Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Robert Lockwood Jr., among others. Perhaps his best-known track here is "Don't Start Me to Talkin' (I'll Tell You Everything I Know)," but his signature sound is evident on every high trill he played. --Robert Gordon ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A fine place to start
This great collection brings most of Aleck "Rice" Miller's best songs together on a single disc, and it is highly recommended if you're relatively new to Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II).
The songs are simply excellent. Raw, gritty blues, clever lyrics and backing bands that include Muddy Waters, Robert "Jr." Lockwood and Buddy Guy. And of course Miller's instantly recognizable rasp of a voice.

However, if you already have his debut LP, "Down And Out Blues", or know enough about Miller to want a lot of the really good stuff in one place, may I suggest the 45-track "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson", also from MCA/Chess, instead.
It has more than twice as many songs, yet does not resort to "filler", and that one is the definitive Rice Miller-collection.

His best .Sonny Boy Williamson
if you could only pick one CD to show as an example of his work this is it

A CD You Must Have In Your Collection!
This CD is a must have for anybody that seriously follows the blues. The songs featured here are all taken from recording from the last ten years of Sonny Boy's life. Sonny Boy died in May of 1965. Considering the age of these recordings, many in the 1950's, the sound is remarkably clear. Nineteen of the twenty songs here were penned, at least in part, by Sonny Boy himself. The long exception is "Bring It On Home" which was written by Willie Dixon. The first few songs feature a dream team band lineup consisting of Otis Spann on piano, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers on guitar, Willie Dixon on bass and Fred Below on drums. The music is nothing short of excellent. Replacing Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers on the guitar for most of the remainder of the tracks is Robert Lockwood although Matt Murphy and Buddy Guy make appearances on two of the tracks. Only complaint, it's to short. 20 songs but only 56:16 minutes. Highly recommended.

essential stuff
Sonny Boy Williamson II (aka Rice Miller) was no easy fellow to deal with. A paranoid, hard drinking womaniser and, as some say, a lying thief(He stole his name from Sonny Boy Williamson I, aka John Lee Williamson, afterwards always proclaiming to people he was the first to carry it.) Coincidently, he was also a marvellous songwriter and harmonica player, a supreme chronicler of human emotions and a master of irony and understated wit. He became famous with the "King Biscuit Time" radio show in the early forties and started recording with the Trumpet label soon after. He was the last of the four blues greats to join the Chess label and he was also the first to leave. (Unfortunately, in a coffin that is.)

During his relatively short period with Chess he created an oeuvre containing enough heartbreak to make any man miserable. Song after song, love is the hellhound on his trail. As he reminisces about things and times he has tried his best to forget about, memories that hunt him like a curse, he keeps falling for the wrong women, always finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He just can't seem to help himself. The wonderful music that runs beneath these hard luck stories is perfectly timed but loose as a screw. You can almost visualize the bouncing of the beat.

There's isn't one song I can single out as his greatest achievement, you will simply need to hear them all to get the complete picture.(...and yes, that's a hint ;-))

Holy Harping, Batman!
If you are already a blues or a harp aficionado, you know who Sonny Boy Williamson is and you know he's great. Let me just add that this is a great collection and a very high quality recording at a great price. If you're looking for the highlights of Sonny Boy's work, this is it.

Maybe you don't know so much about him. Maybe you're new to the blues, or you're learning to play the harmonica, and you're thinking about buying this CD. You should buy it, because:

1. It's great blues, in classic form, with an excellent band fronted by a blues legend. Sonny Boy should be on your shelf for the same reasons that Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson should be there.

2. It's great harp playing. Maybe you're just learning the harmonica, and you've figured out how to play "Camptown Ladies" and "You Are My Sunshine," but now you're stuck and you feel like the harmonica is a dead end. Listen to this guy, and hear what a simple ten-hole diatonic harmonica can do, played cross-harp. Great stuff. ... Read more

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A veteran of long years on the Boston club scene and a stint as sideman to former J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf, guitarist Johnny A. originally self-released this masterful, tasteful solo record to much local acclaim, and then guitar ace Steve Vai added the musician to the roster of his label. Proving that the term "guitar god" has too often been misapplied in the post-Van Halen era of diddly-squeak school of soloing, Johnny A. draws on a more classic pantheon of American fret deity for inspiration, including Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, James Burton, Nokie Edwards, and Wes Montgomery. And like the late Danny Gatton (whom the musician's fiery solos recall), Johnny's years as a sideman have taught him the importance of space and dynamics. The smoky, moody title track sets the tone. While his choice of covers (the Beatles' "Yes It Is," Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman," and the Ventures' signature "Walk, Don't Run") underscore his restraint, the guitarist proves his overdrive can burn with the best of them on "Two Wheel Horse," "In the Wind," and the rockabilly kicker "Up in the Attic." --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Johnny A. has done the impossible
Namely, delivered a CD with guitar playing that is so fresh, so technically adept, and so moving that I was left slack-jawed in awe and beaming in delight. If this were an LP, I would play it so much the grooves would be white from wear.

Johnny's playing is incredibly efficient -- he never fills or distorts to be showy -- each riff, modulation, or effect is used for a welcome musical communication. Don't think that is a product of an inability to smoke the strings, he can and will do that when the music calls for it. And, when he does, you are left shaking your head thinking 'Did I just hear him play that?'

The musical styles on this CD defy classification, but you will definitely find hints of blues, rock, funk, rockabilly, country and jazz. Rather than make one track follow one style, Johnny masterfully blends styles on a single track to form his own, unique form of guitar expression. The comparisons to Danny Gatton are inevitable, but, I think, off-base. Johnny chooses to play with far less gain, allowing you to experience the subtle tricks he plays with the strings. He has a way of making a truly impossible-to-play riff sound effortless (more like Freddie King in that regard). Bottom line is that any comparison will be fun to make for the sake of discussion, but will be off the mark. This guy is a unique talent.

As far as tone goes, guitar fans will love this disc. If you think that Les Paul himself doesn't have a copy of this CD, you'd probably be wrong. The sound of the humbuckers through that Marshall is pure, throaty and fluid.

I enjoy listening to every track on this CD, and have listened to it over and over again.

Cool, smooth and approachable!
Upon hearing this disc I knew two things immediately, a) I had to buy a copy, b) I had to see the act live. I have now enjoyed five performances by Johnny A's. Band. While I find the record to be very impressive and enjoyable (over and over again) you must see the act live to gain a total appreciation of this man's craft. I am also anxiously awaiting the follow up album; I know it will be worth the wait! He played a few tunes on the upcoming album during his last performance, simply stunning! He also covers Johnny Rivers: Memphis and it simply left me awe struck; he expanded that very nice ' Rivers' riff, wow! Johnny also does a killer Hendrix medley these aren't simply covers these are more like tributes. I don't know if either of these gems will be on the album, but I sure hope so. Lucky to have a club here in Vermont that Johnny frequents often!

I'm not a guitar player but I do love guitar music! I've feasted on this album for a few years and never tire of it. Keep em' coming Johnny and I'll see you in Natick, MA in May '03' !

Great Guitar Playing
I heard this album yesterday. I was so taken by the Music Artistry. Johnny A has it for certain.

I rate the Guitar Artistry of Johnny A along side the Guitar Mastery of Chet Atkins and Pat Matheny.

Robert Lee Johnson

A real smoothie
Writing a music/guitar album is very hard. It's very difficult not to make your songs soung like their all the same or just some kind of extended jam session. Not only does Johnny A gives the songs identity he gives them a great jazz/blues feel. I had the fortune of catching him live with B.B. King. It was the first time I heard him play and he was worth the price of addmission. This cd is a great repersentation of his music.

Refreshing - Just Guitar!
The only reason I didn't give this CD 5 stars is because there were a couple remakes of old songs I never liked to begin with - but, that's just me. With that exception, I'll say BUY IT. This CD is refreshing because it's just fabulous guitar music. No lyrics to spoil the pureness of exquisite picking. Johnny A. transitions from blues to jazz to country (even some slide in there) flawlessly. Here's a CD you'll listen to over and over and hum the tunes when you're not listening to it. ... Read more

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If there's a certain instant familiarity to this collaborative celebration between U.S. guitar icon/musicologist Ry Cooder and Cuban fret legend Manuel Galbán, it's only testimony to how deeply the island nation's rich musical heritage permeated American pop music in the '50s, '60s, and beyond. Cooder and Galbán (a key compatriot in the American guitarist's Buena Vista Social Club project) invent a back-to-the-future sound--twin guitars fronting a Cuban rhythm section of two drum kits, congas, and bass--whose dreamy swing quotient is matched only by its sense of mirthful abandon. Thus tracks like "Dru Me Negrita" and "Los Twangueros" manage to evoke everything from Link Wray, Duane Eddy, and the Ventures to Mancini and Esquivel, while Cooder and Galbán twirl a standard like "Patricia" and the nervy title track around dueling poles of tradition and experimentation with deceptive grace. It's joyous, mercurial stuff that the two musicians conjure at their fingertips. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A music experience that is like a much needed vacation
Being a longtime fan of Ry Cooder, I know that any project that he emerges with will be well worth the wait and result in something special. From the beginning project with 1997's Grammy winning "Buena Vista Social Club" project, the world has come to know the richness of Cuba's almost forgotten music. Each musician has come to record a solo project from these sessions.
This new project, "Mambo Sinuendo" features a small combo sound, a sound that was alive in the late '50's, early '60's. This setting does not showcase the big Buena Vista Social Club brass or vocals. This project is a stripped-down, seductive twangy guitar sound, featuring the guitar work of Manuel Galban up front & center. Manuel Galban is a masterful Cuban guitarist, whose style is like American guitarist Duane Eddy, one of Ry Cooder's influences.
Ry Cooder plays the harmony guitar parts, weaving dreamlike rhythms and occasional hawaiin steel guitar and organ throughout, adding texture. The drums & percussion are shared by Ry's son Joachim and Jim Keltner, one of the world's best drummers. The bass is played by Cuba's "Cachiato" Lopez, and along with a couple songs with congos and background vocals, the set is almost entirely an instrumental affair.
This is a lovely set of peaceful music, that is great to listen to again and again. Ry Cooder has been on vacation in Cuba, making some of the finest music of his career, and he has taken us all along with him. I enjoyed this project, as the guitars sound so dreamy and seductive. Throughout this set of songs I have felt so relaxed and taken in by this great music. When the last notes drift into silence, it's like realising that vacation is over and it's time to go back to the grind.
I have my personal faves on this recording. "Patricia" is a joy. The uptempo beat, duel guitar interplay is great. There are many soothing songs, and a couple of uptempo songs. But of the soothing slower ones, "La Luna En Tu Mirada", is so hypnotic, that I find myself so envolved that I was almost in Cuba with them, resting on the beach at sunset. When the song ends, and I come to my senses, I relise that it was a only a dream.
I highly recommend this cd, as it will not only remind you of how great Cuban combo music was in it's heyday, but will let you escape the grind and stress of your modern day. When it's over, as the last note fades into silence, you long for more. Hopefully there will be.... Rob.

A Cool Breeze Out Of Havana.
Ever since the release of the Grammy award-winning "Buena Vista Social Club," Ry Cooder has stuck to Cuban music. He has probably become the second most popular living soul connected to the island right behind comandandte Fidel Castro. However, he is not become of those cheesy artists trying to experiment with what they should not be touching in the first place, Cooder obviously does FEEL the essence of traditional Cuban music. With "Mambo Sinuendo" Cooder creates an album of great atmosphere, evoking the sounds of the Cuban coast from the 50's but also adds some modern flourishes that nicely create an evocative hybrid as in "Monte Adentro." The second name billed here is Manuel Galban, he and Cooder both create with their guitars notes of wonderful delicacy and elegance, with real style and flavor. There is also memorable slide guitar work here that truly creates an atmosphere. The reason why we should praise Cooder and not condemn him for his artistic impulses in the Latin American music scene is because he truly does present some great stuff. "Buena Vista Social Club" was an album of great beauty and "Mambo Sinuendo" is a wonderfully beautiful extension with Cooder finally really taking the spotlight to show he is indeed capable of playing with the big boys of this genre. Just look at the really good rendition here of the classic "Caballo Viejo" which almost has a rock n' roll vibe going through it. There are also the two most romantic pieces here, "Bodas De Oro" and "La Luna En Tu Mirada" which vibrate with a beauty and elegance Ricky Martin wishes he could paint his superficial pop with. What "Mambo Sinuendo" eventually feels like is just a group of wonderful musicians jamming late at night by the oceanside.

Beautiful
This is great life soundtrack music. Ry Cooder always delivers and never bores me. He keeps evolving, and that's art.

Buy this CD!
At the risk of sounding like a teenager, this CD has some of the coolest sounds I've heard in a long time! It's already over a year old and I can't believe I missed it when it was first released.
If you like the sounds of the Ventures, Dick Dale's guitar, any classic Mambo, any light Salsa music, or just being transported to a tropical paradise, Ry Cooder's and Manuel Galban's music is for you. Each track, unique in its execution and mood, is part of a familiar yet progressive set of sounds that transport the listener in inspiring ways. One track took me to a bar on a Caribbean beach late at night. Another track took me to a Cuban nightclub in 50's. Another took me to a dance floor in Acapulco after a few shots of tequila. And yet another made we want to take my surfboard out to the Hawaiian surf at dusk.
Cooder and Galban have combined to create a unique yet familiar sound that conjures multiple images and moods all in one, a sound I might call 'tropical jazz.' Sounds for the casual listener, the late-night listener, or even for the dance floor.
To say I recommend it would be an understatement.

Can anyone speak spanish?
Could someone please correct the title of the first track? DRUME is one word, it means "go to sleep". This isn't celtic, guys. ... Read more

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Though this is not the most recent Ray Charles box set collection, it may be the best. That's because it focuses on Ray's great growth in the 1950s, particularly his days with Atlantic Records. The set opens with Ray still in a Charles Brown, smooth-voice, mellow-piano mode, but in short order, he discovers his own identity. From the good time of "It Should Have Been Me" on disc one, though the orgiastic "What'd I Say, Parts 1 & 2" on disc three, the man they call "The Genius" rocks, rolls, raises the rafters, and sinks way down low with the blues. This box also features an excellent essay by the late music historian, Robert Palmer. --Robert Gordon ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Ray Charles + keyboard = SOUL
I doubt I could ever write anything about Ray Charles' music that hasn't already been said. So I'll just tell you two things...

1) Buy this collection - it's fantastic. Of course, these are not the only Ray Charles songs you'll want to buy -- for instance, you can't have a complete collection of his without classics like "One Mint Julep."

2) A few months ago, I was driving in my car, listening to the Allman Brothers with the windows down, and as I pulled up to the light, in the SUV beside me, sitting in the passenger seat, was Ray Charles. He was grooving to the CD I was playing -- I was so excited, I almost felt like it was me, and not Gregg Allman, singing "Wasted Words". And then when it was over, I realized something that had never entered my mind before: how much Gregg sounded like Ray Charles on that song. So many of our best artists have been influenced by this genius, there's no form of music around today that wouldn't be a whole lot different if Ray had never blessed us with his recordings.

So, thanks Ray, for giving me a great story to tell for the rest of my life, and for giving us all that great music. You da man!

The essential Ray Charles
There are times when a particular string of sessions recorded by an artist for a particular label is so creatively significant that it marks not only a stylistic synthesis or breakthrough for that particular artist but also a touchstone for a whole branch of music. Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven sides for Columbia come to mind, as do Charlie Parker's Dial sessions and of course Presley's Sun sessions. The singles that Ray Charles recorded for Atlantic Records from 1952 to 1959 are similar, in that they not only mark a creative peak for Charles, but his unique mixture of elements of jazz, r&b, blues, and gospel led directly to the musical style that would be called soul. Thus the title of this collection (The Birth of Soul) is more than just jolly hyperbole but almost literally true. The brilliant synthesis didn't happen overnight, of course, and the second song here, "Roll With My Baby," sounds like an imitation of Nat King Cole. One of the pleasures of this collection is listening to him mature which he does soon enough. The singles are presented in strict chronological order with copious and easy-to-read session information. (Interesting that Connie Kay played drums on his first ten sides, and the importance of reedman David Newman to the band's sound can hardly be overstated.) Discs two and three are pure manna. It's rather startling to be reminded just how good Charles was in the fifties, arguably his most fertile and rewarding period. His years as a top-forty icon and later a soft drink pitchman have obscured his amazing earlier achievement. This well-produced package reminds us of what he SHOULD be known for. Robert Palmer's informative liner notes are another extra in a collection that does everything right---selection, sound mastering, packaging. This is the one Ray Charles set that should be considered essential to anyone interested in 20th-century American music.

My Introduction to the late great Ray Charles
There is very little for me to say on this classic collection that all the 5 star reviews are true. What's more this collection is beyond rating.To quote the late great Frank Sinatra,'He was the only true genius in our buisness'.It's impossible to single out any standouts as they're all classics.This box set has been exsistence for 13 years.May it NEVER go out of print.It will be a perfect way to know where the legacy of brother Ray started.I'll conclued by thanking brother Ray for all the wonderful music over the the years.

How To Present A "Best Of" Collection
This 3 CD box set effort from Atlantic should stand as a monument to the way an artist's "best of" compilation should be presented.

Ray's first charted hit came in 1949 for the Down Beat label as a member of The Maxin Trio when Confusion Blues reached # 2 on what passed then for the R&B charts. In 1951, on his own now with the Swing Time label, he then scored with Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand [# 5 R&B] and followed that in 1952 with Kiss-A Me Baby [# 8 R&B].

That led to a contract with Atlantic Records where, in May 1954, he had his first hit with It Should've Been Me [# 5 R&B] b/w Sinner's Prayer. That was followed in August by Don't You Know [# 10 R&B] b/w Losing Hand. All four sides are in this set.

Then came the seminal I've Got A Woman [sometimes listed as I Got A Woman] which soared to # 1 R&B early in 1955 b/w Come Back, itself a hit at # 4 R&B. In fact, from that point onwards to 1956's Hellelujah I Love Her So, he would have only double-sided hits. And they are ALL here, as are both sides to all his Atlantic hits up to, and including, the old Hank Snow Country smash [a hint of things to come with that genre] I'm Movin' On [# 11 R&B/# 40 pop] b/w I Believe To My Soul.

The only Atlantic hits not included are Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' [# 17 R&B/# 95 pop in 1960] and its B-side, Let The Good Times Roll [# 78 pop], and Just For A Thrill [# 16 R&B] and its flipside Heartbreaker. Also, while his final Atlantic hit, Tell The Truth [# 13 R&B in September 1960] is included, the B-side Sweet Sixteen Bars is not.

These, however, are minor quibbles. The large 32-page booklet contains not only a complete discography of the contents, along with numerous photographs and album/45rpm/poster reproductions, but an extensive essay as well, written by Robert Palmer.

Deserves a prize place in any serious music collection.

This one is really worth it
This box set is absolutely worth it. First of all, Ray Charles made the recordings that embodied a new style---Soul, as it is now called. What's fascinating is to hear Ray Charles move from a fairly good imitator of Nat King Cole and Charles Brown to his own synthesis of all the music he loved---gospel, jazz, blues, R&B and yes, country! Country loved him too, as the Everly Brothers recorded several Ray Charles tunes and Ray did a killer version of "Bye Bye Love" on his "Modern Sounds" LP. This box set is a textbook for any musician who wants to learn how to play great piano. Just play along as best you can, if you cop even just 10% of his riffs you are probably funkier than you ever were! I have written out the chords to about ten of these tunes and they are brilliant. Just the chords to "Drown In My Own Tears" are an education in soul. This is one box set you can't get tired of listening to. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Horn Charts! Mr. Acker Bilk! St. James Infirmary Blues!
Yeah, maybe I'd chop off a half star for Van's obsession with his career, but...I've been a fan forever, and this CD, building on his return to form with "Down The Road", is the first Van disc in a long time that I just can't stop playing. His voice, although inevitably pitched down from his youth, is strong and limber; he shouts, moans, blip-blops, swings, goes into under and around the melody, phrases like an ace jazz singer, and blows alto with verve.

The production is top-notch, the horn charts are sweet, gritty, and rousing, the bass lines echo doo-wop and funky R&B. The songs are Van to the hilt; how many other writers could work "existential dread" into a soul/blues piece and get away with it? And the two covers - "St. James Infirmary Blues", done as a drag/blues/moan, and the impossible-to-sit-still "Stop Drinking" - are great.

If you're a fan, you'll love this one. If you're not, pick up this and "Down The Road" to hear Van at his contemporary best, then go back to "Astral Weeks" and "Moondance", and work your way forward.

I can only hope that this first Blue Note disc is a sign of music to come.

Baby, That's Not Rock and Roll
If Al Green is our #1 favorite singer of all time, Van Morrison is #1a. Or vice-versa. To have both release superb new albums at virtually the same time is a double-decker treat. Like Al, Van has never sounded better. Between the 2, just about every sound that man can produce with his voice, every grunt, growl, groan, harrumph, wail, moan, sigh, you name it, is on these records. And it is a blast to listen. As usual, Van surrounds himself with top of the line musicians and gives them more than ample room to stretch. Van himself gets to jam on alto sax and seems to enjoy himself as much playing as singing. Morrison continues to pare down and refine his musical scope. No pipers piping. No ships sailing to or from Caledonia. As he declares in his bluesy and curmudgeonly rant 'Goldfish Bowl', "I'm singin Jazz Blues & Funk, Baby that's not Rock & Roll, Folk with a beat, And a little bit of Soul". As long as he keeps singing with passion like that displayed here, that's enough for us.

Going through the motions
This isn't as bad as the garbage tracks Morrison did to get out of his Bang recording contract (nothing like "Ringworm" in this collection), but this is not even a mediocre Van release. I like most of his releases, even COMMON ONE, INARTICULATE SPEECH, and BEAUTIFUL VISION. Here, Van just seems commited to getting the "product" out on time. DOWN THE ROAD was much stronger, and DAYS LIKE THIS.

I wasn't a fan til now
I went to his concert in Minneapolis 2004 not much of a fan, and purchased this CD prior, to hear some of his latest work, to get aquainted with the performer he is today. The CD was okay. But after seeing him live at an incredible show,this CD is now my new favorite!....He rocks, and in a good way. DRINKING is a particular favourite song. He is not for everyone, but if you aren't familiar with his music, this is the CD to buy...

PERFECTIONIST
I KEEP THINKING HE CAN'T GET ANY BETTER AND HE BLOWS ME AWAY!BEAUTIFUL MIND THAT MAN ... Read more

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The full-tilt blues album that Clapton had been promising for years, From the Cradle proves the guitarist's enduring devotion to a form he had long relegated to merely a flavor in his music rather than the main ingredient. Clapton's singing on the album is somewhat mannered; he tries to compete with original versions of these songs by Muddy Waters, Charles Brown, and others, and there's no way he's going to win that battle. Still, you can feel the emotional connection Clapton has with these songs, and guitar aficionados will swoon over his fretwork on songs such as "Third Degree," "Someday After a While," and the incendiary "Groanin' the Blues." --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Clapton Thanks His Roots And Influences
Eric Clapton has built a career around the blues-from John Mayall to Cream, Derek and the Dominos to his solo career. His guitar playing has always been influenced by the blues. But he has recently turned into a pop-rock musician, ignoring his roots and influences. Here, on From the Cradle, Clapton finally does a full-tilt blues rock album with 16 legendary blues tunes. The result is that we are introduced again to the Eric Clapton we hadn't seen in a long time (and will continue to miss later)-scorching blues guitar, gritty and desperate vocals, and blues staples. The first track, "Blues Before Sunrise," is an all-out gritty rocker, and "Third Degree," is a slower paced gem. This is far from mainstream, but Clapton has a lot of fans who would rather he not be. Don't accuse him of not being original-he's not trying to be. Another great fact is that all tracks were recorded live in studio. He is simply getting back to his roots, back to the reason he went into music in the first place.

Excellent blues album, don't be fooled by the "experts".
In response to all of the recent negative reviews that have surfaced about this recording,let me say that I am not a blues musician but I will put my collection of classic blues albums up against that of any reviewer here who claims to be steeped in the "real blues" and I wouldn't have these wonderful recordings if it weren't for artists like Eric Clapton or The Rolling Stones who have done so much to expose us to all of the great post-war masters of the form. This album is an outstanding tribute to those great artists and Clapton has put 30 years of playing the blues into it. Granted he cannot sing "Hoochie Coochie Man" like Muddy Waters, nobody can and Eric himself would be the first to agree. But on the other hand, I haven't heard anybody yet who could replicate the sound of Muddy's slide on "Standin' Round Cryin'" the way Eric does on this record and he takes Freddie King's "Someday, After Awhile" to new heights. Buy this album for the blues guitar playing, it's stellar. And for those musicians out there who think Eric can't play the blues or just doesn't have any soul in his playing, let me quote Riley B. King: "Eric Clapton plays the blues as good as anyone, better than most."

ONE OF THE BEST
I have to recommend this cd to ANYONE that is interested in listening to the blues and some RAW emotion displayed through music. This cd was one of the first that I ever listened to by Mr. Clapton along with TIME PIECES and UNPLUGGED. I thrived off of them. I wanted to learn more and branched off to other genres of blues and jazz performed by artists such as BB KING and JELLY ROLL MORTON. This artist not only kept my interest alive but inspired me to LEARN about the culture of this type of music as well as enjoy it. I saw Mr. Clapton in concert tonight for the first time, and if you think this man does not know how to include SOUL, RYTHM, or BLUES into his music, you have never seen him live. From the time they unrolled his oriental rug on the stage, to the second standing ovation he received, it had to have undoubtedly be one of the best concerts I have ever seen. If you are a fan of the blues, you are a fan of Eric Clapton!

Clapton's finest guitar ever
This is, hands down, Clapton's best guitar playing. It's all there. The phrasing is immaculate and tasteful. In terms of timing he's playing ahead of the beat, behind it, and everywhere around it. This is a development in his technique. Overall, he just sounds like he's on the blues war path. He had just quit smoking which could explain the burst of energy. Otis Rush claims this is one of the top ten all time blues guitar albums. The only thing holding this album back is that it's all covers. This is a minor criticism to an otherwise masterpiece of guitar work by "God."

This is What it is About
From the Cradle represents some of Clapton's best work. Now he has a lot of great work (for me, mostly blues) over a very long period of time. Some people want to hear just the originals, and that's OK, but to hint at a complaint of covering the blues is to not understand the blues. I am a blues fan and a player of the blues. I love the blues. Yes, I have the originals too, and I can get into them for review. However, the blues (and I think most music) is to be interpreted, not copied. And here, as well in later works, Eric is interpreting the blues. As a player, I don't necessarily play with a bunch of guys to copy a song. We kind of change it around to fit our own styles and sound. I definitely think it is better to listen to, and a whole lot more fun to play. If we didn't have interpretation of music by your local bands, we wouldn't have many local bands, and to me quite honestly it is difficult to pay much attention to your average local band if there are too many originals, unless of course their originals are really exceptional. Which brings us right back to this album. This is a great interpretation, and Eric went on to keep releasing blues albums that keep sounding great. I find his interpretations inspiring, and make me want to pick up a guitar or bass and jam along with Eric, having a really good time. And that's what music is all about. Right? ... Read more

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Texas guitar-slinger Johnny Winter bares some of his deepest roots on his first album of new recordings since 1998. In a rare turn on acoustic slide six-string, he performs fellow Lone Star State legend Hop Wilson's "That Wouldn't Satisfy" with the sweet, lovely simplicity of a street corner singer. Then Winter plugs in for Lazy Lester's stomping primal rocker "Sugar Coated Love." But after years of health issues, Winter, who's 60, has lost the roaring vocal authority of his earlier albums and no longer takes dizzying solos at jet speed. Instead, he makes all the notes of a tune like "Lone Wolf" count, whether he's crafting a slide melody or literally howling. "The Monkey Song," a playfully sleazy double-entendre number, proves his sense of humor is intact. And harmonica ace James Montgomery, who recently joined Winter's band, provides perfect accompaniment to Winter's vocal and guitar lines. Ex-Stevie Ray Vaughan keyboardist Reese Wynans also contributes to this overdue addition to Winter's dynamic blues-rock legacy. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (16)

My Style of Blues
Muddy Waters once said that Johnny Winter was the only white man he ever met who understood the blues. There is something about JW's style that I like. It's the rural and southern type of blues I have always preferred. Unfortunately, his voice is not as strong as it was. As a result, he is slightly flat sometimes. But the arrangements are great and his guitar playing is still solid, albeit slower. Johnny Winter uses a thumbpick and finger pick rather than a flatpick to get a fuller country picking effect. My favorite songs are "I'm A Blues Man", "The Monkey Song", and "Let's Start All Over Again." I know he's getting old but let's not forget that Johnny played for Muddy Waters when he couldn't play as well anymore and Debbie Davies played lead for Albert Collins in his later years. The man still has great taste in music and I'm glad he's around.

The most disappointing JW release to date
Every time I see a new Johnny Winter CD, I'm excited to hear what the most amazing guitar player has laid down. Covers or originals, I've never been let down yet. At least until I put this CD in.

While I realize Johnny has been thru a lot over the past few years, my original take on this album is "why did he bother?" The guitar licks lack the trademark intensity, and his tone even sounds compromised. Add to that the mediocre vocals, a far cry from the yellin' style he branded throughout his Muddy and solo days, and this recording does little to satisfy a real Johnny fan.

While I can appreciate the fact that Johnny is still putting out an effort to make more music, I'm disappointed that he hasn't put something more cohesive together for this CD. While his band isn't lacking, he certainly leaves more to be desired.

I certainly wish the best to Johnny and hope that his trademark slide playing comes back someday. Who knows, maybe this CD will grow on me. HOwever, my suggestion is to stick with his earlier work. You won't be disappointed.

Not the true Johnny
Sad to say, but we all get old. The thing is, JW is only 60, but he looks and sounds like 80. I hope he is well, since Johnny Winter is possibly the finest blues guitarist (and vocalist) there ever was, black, white or very white, as the case may be.

While Mr Winter shows himself every now and then, the performances are feeble and weak. If you get this, do so only out of respect for the master.

Glad I bought it
I bought this and the re-issue of his first album at roughly the same time. There can be no doubt that he's lost a step or two. As it's already been said, age and illness will do that to anyone. That doesn't mean that this lion in winter still can't muster a roar. A diminished Johnny Winter is still better than seventy five percent of what passes for blues. The guitar playing is now more precise rather than screaming by you at mach two. The vocals don't growl at you like they used to but are very smooth and acceptable. The song selection is generally strong if you leave off "The Monkey Song". Particular favorites of mine include "Lone Wolf", the lone acoustic number "That Wouldn't Satisfy" and "Sugar Coated Love". Don't obsess over the fact Johnny isn't the same as he was thirty years ago, buy the album and be thankful that we still have him around.

Come you so called Winter fans - listen to it again
I'd like to address other reviewers complaints.
Daniel Anderson - You mention one song where it fades out during the vocals. You're taking about "The Monkey Song." Being a doctor you must know what he's talking about when he says "Monkey." The song times out at 6:12. It's the 2nd weakest cut on the CD and the longest. It fades with him giving Monkey inuendo one liners. How many more p---y remakes do you need? As far the CD being to short and being the old mindset of LP days I say you're wrong. I ideal release would be all meat & no filler. 80 minutes would be too much.
James Savage - He is 60 friggin years old! His health has been on a rollercoaster ride for the past decade. His tone has been the same tone he's been playing at his live shows since the early 90's. While his vocals are the same or as strong as they were decades ago - but neither are mine or your's. But his voice (& guitar tone)is the same that I heard on the last live album (as a "real" fan I'm sure you have that) and bootlegs. One guys says the best songs are "the acoustic one's" Well, he's part right. The ONE acoustic cut is great. The Cd is not his greatest but its not his worst. Live In NYC was nothing to write home about and a few cuts on I'm A Bluesman are much better than some of the songs on Raisin Cain and my least favorite JDW III. "Lets Start All Over Again", "That Wouldn't Satisfy" and "I Smell Smoke" are the best cuts. "The Monkey Song" is just a mess as is "Shake Down." The rest are all decent songs and all have some pretty good playing considering everything he's been through over the last 5 years. This CD is not for those of you who shout "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo" at his live shows. Stick with your CD copies of And Live and leave Johnny to those who are real fans. ... Read more

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This second album in Dancing Cat Records' Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Series produced by George Winston follows its successful Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters. Again the masters of the genre are featured in several well-known tunes such as Lili'uokalani's "Aloha 'Oe" (played here by George Kahumoku) and "'Ulili E" (Dennis and David Kamakahi), as well as modern originals and two tracks that had not been available on CD before: "Ulu Niu Ke'eke'e" (George Kahumoku and Kekuhi Kanahele) and "Slack Key Serenade" (Leonard Kwan and Ozzie Kotani). The liner notes provide complete information on each song's original album.

A balance of instrumental and vocal tracks, the compilation is a terrific starting point for exploring the artistic and stylistic diversity in modern slack key. Instruments on this album include everything from traditional mouth bow, 'ukulele, and percussion stones to 12-string slack key and modern acoustic guitars. Elder statesman Ray Kane lullabies us with his simple instrumental "Popoki Slack Key" (popoki means "little cat"); renowned improviser Cyril Pahinui and Sol Hoopii-influenced Bob Brozman combine 12-string slack key and acoustic steel guitar interpreting "Hilo E" and "Lili'u E" in a style evocative of the 1920s. Showing off how slack key works solo, in duets, or with mixed accompaniment, this is one of the most beautiful slack key compilations out there. --Erik Macki ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A continuation, but with vocals this time.
This isn't truly a sequel to the first collection, but rather is a continuation adding, to the instrumentals, a few vocals to balance out the representation of music here. I personally could wish for more female vocals in addition to the "Bonus Track". I'm sure Hawaii has more than one notable lady singer.

That's not enough to take away a star though. This again is a most rewarding collection. However, I always associated the ukulele with hawaiian music and there's only one cut, "Pu'u Anahula" which includes one. There is more traditional music here than with the first collection, including the familiar and beautiful "Aloha Oe", a classic love song written by Queen Lili'uokalani in 1877. Also notable and familiar is the "Radio Hula" as played by Led Kaapana.

This record and its predecesser are great CDs to help create a romantic, tropical atmosphere. Hey, they'd be great background for a luau!

Great CD to read or write to
This is a great CD to read or write to. Flowing, relaxing. A couple of tracks have a little too much non-musical guitar noise. Contrary to what another review said, I found the slide and vocal selections well integrated into the whole album. Haven't played Volume 1 yet -- I'm enjoying replaying Volume 2!

The sequel's never as good
There was a copy of Vol. 1 lying around the office that I always passed over because I've never been a fan of Hawaiian music. But one day I put it on and it's been a favorite ever since. The guitar picking is beautiful and it has no distracting vocals or slide guitar. Vol. 2 has some of the same kinds of tracks, but the vocals and slide guitar on about half the songs inevitably conjure up tacky images of tourists getting some cruise ship docked in Hawaii.

Warm Summer Nights
An Excellent collection of true Hawaiian Music. This is the CD most hotels use when your wondering around their properties Excellent :) Aloha -

A must have for slack key guitar and Hawaiian music lovers.
Dancing Cat has done it again, this is like a Best of Dancing Cat CD featuring songs by the top guitarists in Hawaii. You will love this low fare trip to Hawaii.... ALOHA! ... Read more

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Harmonica giant Charlie Musselwhite has evolved from stone traditionalist to blues experimentalist in recent years, with excursions into Tejano, country, and jazz. Now, with the help of Blind Boys of Alabama producer John Chelew, the 60-year-old has made a masterpiece that balances his music's Delta soul with sonic innovation. Musselwhite's world-weary singing is perfect for the haunting textures that the scraped and bell-toned guitar strings bring to "Train toNowhere" and Randy Newman's "Burn Down the Cornfield," songs where the fog of danger hangs in the air like ectoplasm. Slide-guitar guests Sonny Landreth and Ben Harper bring rippling energy to the bad-luck story "Shootin' for the Moon" and the Harper-penned spiritual "Homeless Child." And the Blind Boys' zesty old-time harmonies turn Musselwhite's biographical "I Had Trouble" into a gospel-tent confession. But, if the voice of God appears anywhere, it's in Musselwhite's always lush and mesmerizing harmonica. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Plenty of Mussel
On the Internet you'll find Charlie Musselwhite's Alligator Records bio, his VH1 bio. And his Blind Pig Records bio and many others, so well-traveled is this blues icon

And it seems as if this master of the blues harp has been around as long as harmonicas. He adds to his legend with each album and guest appearance and here's his latest - Sanctuary (Real World)

I locked into it on the 2nd listen and it's a special recording. The songs are from great writers. Randy Newman's "Burn Down the Cornfield", Townes Van Zandt's "Snake Song" and Sonny Landreth's "Shootin' For the Moon are here. There are also songs written by Musselwhite, Ben Harper (the album's best cut, "Homeless Child"), a song by the album's guitarist Charlie Sexton and an interesting version of the old Savoy Brown song "Train to Nowhere" was what initially got my attention.

It's tempting to automatically accept any effort from Charlie Musselwhite as exceptional. But his Sanctuary is quite an album, and his vocals and harp playing are strong and clear.

Wow! Amazing!
This is an amazing cd. I have been a Musselwhite fan for several years, but this one surpasses them all. I can't stop playing it! If you are a blues fan, get this one right now, you won't be sorry!

like a movie without a screen
I have to say that I experienced "Sanctuary" rather than just listened to it. I am a huge fan of Charlie and I read reviews of the CD before I purchased it. The excellent reviews gave me high hopes and could have set me up for disappointment, but the following attests to how much I enjoy the experience of "Sanctuary."

The CD has 12 tunes that work together like 12 scenes in a drama. While each tune tells its own story, after listening to the CD in its entirety, you don't feel much different than you do at the end of a movie that tells a story about a person or a family and the ups and downs of their lives. So, yes, "Sanctuary" is a CD that you can play from start to finish without skipping a tune.

To blues fans and musicians, Charlie is an icon. On this CD he beautifully demonstrates the power and flexibility of the harmonica. On some tunes, the harp sounds like a traditional harmonica and on others, Charlie makes it sound like a violin or cello. When you add in Charlie's singing, you really connect with the feelings of "Sanctuary."

The most interesting thing to me about this CD is that experiencing it is a perfect example of the meaning of the second definition of the word sanctuary as found in Merriam Webster's online dictionary: a place of refuge and protection.

CAN'T STOP HUMMING!
I'm just discovering the Blues, so I'm no expert. I heard several of the songs from this album performed on World Cafe and had to buy it. I love it - especially the first six tracks.

"Sanctuary" Available April 6th!
"Sanctuary" - Charlie Musselwhite
Real World Records - April 6, 2004

CD Review by Celeste - April 11, 2004
(Reprint of review for blues society.)

Sanctuary - holy place; shrine; the chancel, church or other place of protection for fugitives
Sanctuary Synonyms - refuge, home, haven, harbor, port, asylum, retreat, fortress, castle, shelter
Shelter - a place or structure giving protection; that which covers or defends; a place of refuge or asylum

Holy Week was an appropriate time for Charlie Musselwhite's new CD "Sanctuary" to be released. These are dark times that we live in and everyone needs sanctuary, in multiple forms, on various levels. Thank God for music! I'll tell you what I think about this CD, but don't wait, buy it today and listen to it for yourself (...) There are a number of interesting subtleties surrounding this CD. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but the day of the release, April 6th, happens to be the anniversary of Big Walter Horton's birthday. Something else I'll ask Charlie about in our upcoming interview, are the five symbols above the letters, the notation seems familiar to me somehow. Also, I wonder why his eyes appear on the publicity photos but not the CD jacket covers... what does this mean, does this mean anything? I can't be the only curious one. ;^}

The Sanctuary Band formed by Charlie Musselwhite ~ vocals and harmonica, Charlie Sexton ~ guitar and vocals, Jared Michael Nickerson ~ bass, and Michael Jerome ~ drums, definitely have a good groove going. They each played with great emotion on this recording. I particularly like the instrumental that the four wrote together, "Shadow People", I find it surreal, elastic, spooky and soothing simultaneously. The images invoked are vivid, looking over your shoulder, envisioning people in the shadows... the bass and drums intertwine as the harp and guitar float around, through and back again. Several others also have this "surreal feel" to them, "Snake Song" (by Thomas Van Zandt) and "The Neighborhood"(by Charlie Sexton). The rhythms are wonderful throughout this CD. I took an exceptional liking to the drums on Snake Song just as I did the harp on the second instrumental (song 9). "Alicia", (written by jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris), was certainly done justice by the band. And Charlie's harp interpretation of this song was simply beautiful... it is inspiring indeed to listen to the inspired. :^}

Back to the beginning, it's starts off with CM singing 'Nowhere here to call my home, nobody near to call my own' in Ben Harper's "Homeless Child". Very nice slide guitar and vocals, backup singing and clapping, and yes, harp! (That's the first question that others seem to ask about the CD, is there much harp on it?) Why yes, yes, there is and Charlie is in fine form. ;^} In addition to his guest appearance on the first song, Ben Harper is also sitting in with the band on "Sanctuary", (written by Lee Breuer and Bob Telson). Although the title track is peaceful overall, it made me sad to hear Charlie singing of his final resting-place. (I lost four uncles and a good friend the Year of the Blues; though I am comforted that they are in a better place, it saddens me nonetheless.) They picked the beat right back up in the next song, "I Had Trouble" (by CM) It's difficult to articulate how blues can cheer you up but this song can explain what I cannot; it's one of my favorites as is Charlie's moving harp solo that follows it, "Route 19". Several special guests, The Blind Boys of Alabama, added their special touch to I Had Trouble and they also appeared on "Train To Nowhere" (by Chris Youlden and Kim Simmonds) 'Yeaheaaaa, You better not ride'. (Watch your volume if you listen with headphones, you'll be humming and tapping louder than you think.)

One song that I've had fun jamming to at the end of a long, stressful day is Charlie's "My Road Lies In Darkness" ~ There's a long, long road, don't seem like it has an end... we can all relate to that. :^} I wasn't sure though what to make of the words in "Burn Down The Cornfield" (by Randy Newman), it's sultry, but slightly strange. "Shootin' For The Moon" (by Sonny Landreth) is faster with interesting lines too ~ 'Crash landing in the Crescent City!'

There's a little bit of everything in these songs, many are blended, from blues to funk to alternative to jazz to rock. (It's a shame that music has to be 'classified' as anything, as a friend says though, there is a purpose of labeling a genre, it's so the kid stocking the shelves will know where to put them.) I think that many people with various backgrounds and different tastes will enjoy this CD. I bought extra copies for family and friends, they arrived quickly, and seven received theirs at Easter dinner! :^} I highly recommend Sanctuary to everyone! I love this CD! ... Read more

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Many believe this 1967 landmark, Sam Maghett's first full-length studio recording, is the greatest blues album ever made. While that assertion is awfully difficult to substantiate, these 11 gems (plus one alternate) certainly deserve hyperbolic praise. These cuts have a dramatically direct emotional appeal, a blunt, unfiltered artlessness that's rarely been achieved in an electric setting. Sam's spirited vocals come from his heart and his belly, not his brain. His guitar work is smoothly melodic, à la B. B. King with a bit more bite, frenetic and energetic like Buddy Guy, but with more taste. Since this Mississippi native died at age 32, this album sits in a mystical place in blues history: In many ways, it is to Chicago blues what Robert Johnson's meager output is to Delta blues. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A must have for any Chicago Blues fan
While maybe not quite as well known as his brethren of the West Side Sound - Freddie King (Freddie moved to Chicago as a teenager) and Buddy Guy, Magic Sam deserves a place in the Pantheon of Blues. His sense of ryhtym and timing are second to none and his soulful vocal delivery will send shivers down your spine. On this disc he shows his mastery of a variety of styles from old standards like Sweet Home Chicago to boogie tunes like I Wanna Boogie to minor blues tunes like All of Your Love with its searing vocals and guitar runs.

Soulful blues. (Or bluesy soul...)
This album is Magic Sam Maghett's finest hour, and one of the finest electric blues albums of the 60s.

He plays blues with a strong soul influence, particularly on the magnificent "That's All I Need" and "I Don't Want No Woman". Classic slow blues ("All Of Your Love", "I Found A New Love"). And superb versions of Jimmy McCracklin's "Every Night And Every Day", Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" and J.B. Lenoir's "Mama Talk To Your Daughter".

Not everything is equally memorable, of course, and the arrangements may feel a little bit unvaried towards the end, but the overall impression of "West Side Soul" is that of a truly great, electrifying blues record, one which belongs in any serious blues collection.
4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.

MY FATHER
I HAVE NOT LISTEN TO ALL MY FATHER'S MUSIC YET. BUT THE MUSIC THAT I HAVE HEARD ALL READY I LOVE. SO FAR MY FAVORITE SONG IS, ALL YO LOVE AND BACK DOOR FRIEND. I AM THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF MAGIC SAM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET KNOW MY OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTER'S. BUT I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT LISTEN AND BUY'S MY FATHER MUSIC. I HOPE TO GO VISIT THE BLUES CLUB DOWN TOWN CHICAGO
ON MY BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT HIS NAME WAS ON THE WALL.I WOLD NOT MIND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I AM HIS DAUGHTER.
THANK YOU, MS.NINA MAGHETT

Soaring
Magic Sam's gorgeous voice is reminiscent of Sam Cooke. With each phrase he conveys a sense of joy. The guitarwork is something of a bonus--but quite a bonus. His combination of rhythm and single -note picking is great to hear. In (both versions of) "I Don't Want No Woman" The melodic runs hit high and low,jumping above and below the implied chord. "Sweet Home Chicago" is propelled by simple chord runs punctuated by exclamatory single note picking. Sometimes there are simply too many notes, but this is a quibble in the face of such an exciting and joyous album.

Man, what an album
I can't really disagree with anyone else. This is a great album, maybe not the greatest, but it's certainly on par with B.B.'s Live at the Regal which I also love. Magic Sam really expresses the melancholy that I like about the blues (on That's All I Need especially). This feeling became less important (but was still there) as the blues morphed into rock and roll. That's why I prefer the Stones to the Beatles. In their best songs, the Stones still have it, the Beatles really don't.

No matter what my mood is, the best blues just seems to fit. If I'm feeling good, then I can slip into the groove and relax. If I'm feeling low, then the blues lifts me up. It doesn't make me "forget my troubles" (a phrase I've always hated) but just helps me feel the mood without wallowing in it.

If you like this album, I'd also recommend Otis Spann, he doesn't have the swagger of his one-time boss Muddy Waters but is more relaxed and reflective like Magic Sam. ... Read more