Amazon.com

There's nothing precious about this Georgia blueswoman except her name. Bryant's first all-solo album is packed with stomping blues and spirituals built on her own fusion of fingerpicking, one-chord boogie, Piedmont-style strumming, and African American fife-and-drum-band rhythms. She puts all that in the service of a dry-but-mellow voice that dances up into its thin high register to enhance the joy in her percolating melodies. She's happiest when singing the Lord's praises in "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Don't Let the Devil Ride," but the graceful ragtime instrumental "Georgia Buck" is equally blithe. And her blues, including "Broke and Ain't Got a Dime" and "Black Rat Swing," are full of sassy energy. The heavy beat she pulls out of her Gibson electric on "Don't You Wanna Jump" sounds straight from Mississippi, splitting the difference between John Lee Hooker and Jessie Mae Hemphill. But what's truly amazing about this album, produced by North Mississippi Allstars road manager Amos Harvey, is that although Bryant is only 60, it sounds as if her repertoire and delivery have been completely unaffected by the past half-century. This is the real country blues. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Precious Makes Me Happy
I can't get enough of this CD. It always puts me in a good mood. Excellent in every respect

So good, it brings tears to your eyes
In a society of plasticity and artificial celebrities, Precious Bryant's performance is a bright beacon that reminds you there is still good in the world. Ranks with the "O Brother Where Art Thou" album on the foot-stomp-o-meter.

I was first exposed to Ms. Bryant's music listening to NPR, and, just as when I listened to my first B. B. King record, it brought tears to my eyes. It's that good. The vocals are clean and beautiful, the guitar sounds like it's in the hands of one of the blues masters, as it is.

Ms. Bryant, please keep making records, don't keep that all to yourself. Like the Skynyrd boys sang, I'm getting up early in the morning to get myself some bottles and run 'em down to the country store to get some pennies to buy the next Precious Bryant album.

Probably the best rural blues CD of 2002
If this doesn't win all kinds of blues awards, I want to know why.

Precious Bryant is the genuine article; she lives in a trailer in Georgia, and this CD was recorded in the living room of a friend's house. Nothing but her voice and her guitar.

That's all there needs to be. Precious is a dynamic, adept guitarist; she sounds like two players all by herself. Her fingerpicking is precise and funky and motivates right along. It's probably some of the sharpest solo blues playing I've heard in a while.

Her voice is as good as her guitar playing. She has a conversational, sly delivery, and even on the more "down" numbers it seems there must be a grin and a wink behind it all.

This is happy blues from a woman who is completely disinterested in commerciality. The whole recording has an "out on my front porch with a little glass of whiskey" feel. Precious Bryant just wants to have a good time playing music and make sure you have a good time listening to it. She succeeds.

I would recommend this recording to absolutely everybody. The only people who wouldn't like this CD would be people who would be too crabby and mean to enjoy it anyway, and who cares what they think? You, on the other hand, need some Precious in your life.

I like it
I know most of the people involved.So I am cheating in a way.But I swear.You just listen.Doesn't matter if you know them or not.This is really,really good. ... Read more

Album Description

This soundtrack is one in a series (Martin ScorsesePresents The Blues) featuring original recordings and blues classics hand picked by the director Wim Wenders. 20 tracks from the likes of Cassandra Wilson, James Blood Ulmer, Marc Ribot, Lou Reed & Los Lobos. Sony. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Won't somebody tell me just what is the soul of a man?
The soundtrack to the second film in Martin Scorcese's series on the Blues explores three blues artists: Nehemiah "Skip" James, Blind Willie Johnson, and J.B. Lenoir, the latter whose use of the blues extended to protesting injustice on a larger scale, such as the race riots of the 60's ("Alabama") and even the Vietnam War. The artists covering their songs range from jazz, goth, Mexican, alternative, and blues artists. Highlights follow.

Cassandra Wilson two Lenoir songs, of which the latter's "Vietnam Blues" is my favourite from the way her dark smoky voice wraps around the words. The concern addresses the fact that the soldiers "may be killing their brothers they don't know" but there's a well-deserved rap against LBJ, "Mr. President, you always talk about peace/.../you must always clean up your house before you leave/how can you tell the world they need peace, when you still killing and mistreating on me." Someone send this part of the song to W, please. She also does the slow and melodic "Slow Down."

Lou Reed performs James' "Look Down The Road." This is an upbeat arrangement here, but the underlying message is that down that road, "I can't see nothing that ever belonged to me." The other track he does is a cover of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" performed over the end credits, and his voice mirrors Jefferson's gravelly one. He plays with the same musicians in both songs.

Nick Cave and the Dolls do a rousing version of J.B. Lenoir's "I Feel So Good" that's far from the proto-punk goth of "The Carny" or "From Her To Eternity."

"Don't Dog Your Woman" shows that Lenoir had some sensitive feelings to women, about not chaining them down in the house and letting them out so they can enjoy themselves. T. Bone Burnett and Jade Vincent do the vocal honours here.

Los Lobos shows they can do chugging blues as good as anyone else in Lenoir's "Voodoo Music." The guitar here is a standout, and utilizing a bari-sax for accompaniment is well-executed.

Lenoir was hit by a car accident and his injuries not taken seriously. He was released from the hospital and died at home in April 1967. John Mayall sings the pained "The Death of J.B. Lenoir" recorded three months after his death.

The way racist whites mistreated blacks while authority turned a blind eye is why Lenoir didn't like Alabama, and he sings as such in "Alabama" for, and asks for a Moses-like deliverance for his people.

Bonnie Raitt does a decent cover of James' "Devil Got My Woman" and Beck's cover of "I'm So Glad" is closer to James' original than Cream's electrified version. But Shemekiah Copeland's strong soulful blues voice does great justice to "God's Word."

Garland Jeffreys covers "Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues", which Skip did based on his stay in the hospital. The refrain, done in response to the doctor and nurses asking who he is, and his getting food and bed at the hospital, he says "I'm a good man, I'm a poor man, you can understand." At one point in the song, his falsetto echoes that of Skip during his 60's comeback.

The title track by the gravelly-voiced Blind Willie Johnson backed by Willie B. Harris, is the most important and powerful song here, asking "won't somebody tell me, answer if you can/won't somebody tell me/just what is the soul of a man." He also states concisely that "a man ain't nothing but his mind." And the song of his that was included in Voyager's mission, "Dark Was The Nighht", is done here by guitarist Marc Ribot.

One of the better collections in the series despite the heavier emphasis on new cover versions rather than the originals.

The Ultimate Tribute to Blind Willie Johnson
I cry for Blind Willie, he didn't deserve the life he had, he didn't deserve the pain he through for years and years, he is the ultimate bluesman who died way too soon. As I write this, his songs Dark was the Night and possibly Soul of a Man are
on a gold record on the Voyager One space probe that had left the solar system sometime ago. His music will outlive him and us forever and that makes me both cry and wonder about Blind Willie for what might have been as I look toward a uncertain future. I am listening to Dark was the Night and Soul of a
Man as I write this and I feel the spirit of Blind Willie looking on as I write this special tribute about him. There was a West Wing episode recently that mentioned Blind Willie, that was really cool. Buy this CD and watch the incredible film The Soul of a Man in the Blues series soon...

Varied, striking, mesmerizing- lightning in a bottle....
I went out and bought this because some of my favorites
are represented on here BUT with something this exciting
I've found some excellent resources to seek out. I watched
this episode on PBS and I knew I had to own this collection and sure enough
it made it to the music stores. Quality music and theres really
nothing dull or repetitive about this one. So many examples of contemporary
blues weaved in with tradtional settings and even a a few
tunes from way back in the 30's. The musicanship & love and dedication to this unending musical style keeps moving along decade into decade, just close your eyes, it takes you back to another
time and place. These sets are priceless. You need to live with
these a couple weeks and give em all a chance to get under
your skin. I did and its really growing on me. From the raw acoustic blues solo training camp Bonnie Raitt puts you through("I lay down last night and I tried to get some rest")
with her right on the money, Open D take on the Skip James classic "DEVIL GOT MY WOMEN"(So timely. just listen to the aching pain and remorse and the fingerpicken,oouch!), to the gospel fever
solo gem "GOD'S WORD" from Shemekia Copeland(can this girl sing)
to Lucinda Williams excellent take on "HARD TIMES KILLING FLOOR"
another highlight, nice backing band, Lou Reed's perfect dylan
hoarse "LOOK DOWN THE ROAD", Cassandra Wilson, another voice
to reckon with on J.B. Lenoir's timely "VIETNAM BLUES" and "SLOW DOWN", LOS Lobos puts a spell on "VOODOO MUSIC" and
another favorite on this disc- T Bone Burnett's "DON'T DOG YOUR WOMEN",(New Orlean's funeral march like groove, with a Lennon'ish ghostly vocal, just excellent errie takes on this music. With contributions from Beck, Garland Jeffreys, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jon Spencer Band this is enshrinement of top notch talents not to
be missed. Thats just ONE of many representations that has come out
from this outstanding PBS Special. Catch the blues wave. These tunes should be played on a radio station with a Program director that has some chestnuts so people can hear this music! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

No Compromise...Prime Cuts
This is a sleeper.It was on 3 Folkways 10 inch disks in the fifties.Leadbelly is in his dont't mess with me and stand back mode.Outside plain old blues into the realm of no compromise, , maybe more Texarkana, closer to Lightnin' than to Robert, more like Dock Boggs than Robert.Possibly the most powerful no-nonsense, no-frills no-agenda Leadbelly recordings -- one of the successful murderers nourished in the record business. Early, unsanitized.A fine remastering, short the Folkways liner notes. Rocks.

Little Huddie, Big Guitar
Pros:
* Leadbelly in 1935 sounding angry and brilliant
* Beautiful remastering with little hiss and a warm sound
* Virtuoso guitar playing including stunning slide work
* 78 minutes of music
* Well-designed packaging

Cons:
* No booklet and very little information on the music

Bottom line: Stunning sides ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Original Blues
Hearing Doug Macleod perform it's like you're listening to a group of musicians. Even when he talks to explain the meaning of a song you hear the 'band' in the background. Very entertaining! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

EARLIEST JOHN LEE 'LIVE' RECORDINGS
TOTALLY ESSENTIAL AND MAY NEED BUYING QUICKLY!!! This seems to be the same as the short-lived Flyright (UK) CD, 'The Unknown John Lee Hooker', possibly less one track. That was arguably the greatest discovery (of not just long lost, but TOTALLY UNKNOWN vintage material), of all time! At a 1949 private function for noted animator & film-maker, Gene Dietch (Bugs Bunny, later Tom & Jerry, etc) and his blues-fan friends, with JLH in the first year of his recording career. Learned of by sheer chance, when British collector/writer Paul "Sailor" Vernon ('Sailor's Delight' blues-mag, etc), interviewed him about his film work and learned of the appearance and (say it softly!) A STILL-EXISTING TAPE OF IT!!! Even the tale of that tape & its subsequent location is the stuff of thrillers, but this led to its issue on a CD by Bruce Bastin, noted British blues indie, on his Flyright label. One of the most welcome and significant releases since the war - but then(AT LEAST, so it was SAID) the suits around Hooker squashed it. Anyway, it rapidly disappeared so, if this is now an "approved" issue, well done, somebody!! If NOT, its days may be numbered, so GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!!!

JOHN LEE AWSOME EARLY RECORDING
This is a fabulous recording of Hooker's acoustic work. John Lee is certainly one of the very best blues musicians, just as comforable acoustically as he is electrically. What a great CD. Get this one if you like the blues. It is a real treasure. I wish that this had been released sooner but then again, all GREAT things are worth waiting for.

An other interesting thing to do is to listen to this, or a few songs, and then some Buddy Guy acoustic. you'll find such a similarity in style and beat.

Have fun!

Classic John Lee!!!!!
This album is great. Any blues fan would love it. My favorites are 'Two White Horses' and 'How Long Blues'. Highly recommended. Thanks... ... Read more

Amazon.com

A budget-priced box set, Broke, Black & Blue delivers multiple surprises within its 100 songs of prewar blues. Arranged chronologically by Joop Visser, the set admirably covers the first 22 years of recorded blues, 1924 to 1946, from vaudeville and Delta to boogie-woogie and jump blues. It's a swell gift for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of blues. But old-timers will be pleased, too, as special attention has been paid to culling rare and idiosyncratic tracks by the well-known and the obscure. The first three discs present single tracks by artists as diverse as the Memphis Jug Band, De Ford Bailey, Tommy Johnson, Son House, Skip James, Peetie Wheatstraw, Lonnie Johnson, and Bukka White, alongside unknowns such as Isaiah "The Mississippi Moaner" Nelson, Barbecue Bob and Laughing Charley, Ed Andrews, Chicken Wilson, and Bumble Bee Slim. On the fourth disc, this convention is jettisoned to luxuriate in a series of very rare sides of lovely, oddly subdued boogie-woogie and jump blues by Jimmie Gordon, Johnny Temple, and Lee Brown. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What A Treasure
This Box set is a treasure.Great collection of early recorded blues.Fantastic! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Amen to all 3 above reviews" is about all I can add ...
... except the following:

I've heard it said that Koerner "out-Dylans" Dylan, and I have to agree. "Duncan and Brady," "Crazy Fool," and "Lady Day" feature his fast-talking and -singing wit, and the one-man band rendition of his "Ted Mack Rag," along with the liner notes on it, amplify his sense of humor and talent.

As a harp player myself, I find myself drawn to Tony Glover's cuts, especially "Don't Let Your Right Hand Know" (which, however, is not on this album, but rather on "The Return of ...". "What's the Matter with the Mill," "Honey Bee," and "Can't Get My Rest at Night," which are on this album, are likewise excellent examples of his talented harp work.)

Dave Ray, whether doing an unaccompanied field holler, like Leadbelly's "Black Betty," playing his faster songs like "Freeze to Me Mama," or playing a racing 12-string bottleneck accompaniment to his slower-tempo vocal in "Fine Soft Land," is a real artist.

My album is at least 35 years old, and it shows. It's nice to know I can get a fresh copy on CD!

The best blues singers there ever were, black or white..
I have listened to the music of most of the great acoustic bluesmen, and there are many great ones, black and white. But Koerner, Ray and Glover are right on top, the best of the lot. The three albums I listened to almost constantly in the early sixties were ruined in a flood over 30 years ago, and though lamented, life got complicated and I never replaced them. I just figured these great bluesmen and there wonderful music had faded into memory like so many of the artists of the folk-blues revival. But recently I was counselling a secretary and friend on some personal matter and suddenly heard myself saying. "Man you got to be careful what you gonna do, you might hurt yourself, you might hurt your friends too, you got to be careful, little mama, what in the world you gonna do, you might hurt yourself, hang, hang for the rest of your life." She knows I'm crazy, but still asked me where the hell I got that bit of wisdom, and I told her from "Spider" John Koerner, etc., etc.

A few months later, she showed-up with "Blues, Rags, and Hollers", and my mind was blown. I rushed home from work straight-away and slipped the CD into the player with trepidation- would these guys sound as good as I remembered? Or would another memory best left in the past be diminished by the reality. Well, they were even better than I remembered. When Dave Ray suddenly burst into my late middle age world with "It's Alright" the music went right to the bone, complete with goosebumps. I'm a bit long in the tooth to be playing air- guitar, but there I was. And all these songs make me feel like that. The intensity of "One Kind Favor" is beyond wonderful, with Tony Glover's haunting harp intensifying every subtle riff of Dave's talking 12-String and haunting, strangely stirring vocals.

I think the boys might think this little review a bit over-the-edge, but I mean every word of it, in fact I think its understated. If you like acoustic blues-hell, if you like music, don't miss these albums.

Recently I heard George Carlin (another old fart) issue a dictum that white men should never sing the blues. He was referring of course to "The Blues Brothers" and in their case I heartily agree. But it is quite obvious that he's never heard Koerner, Ray, and Glover. I'm pretty sure that Bukka White, Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, and all the rest are smiling down on these three white boys with approval and respect.

Dean West

Better than the 1964 album!
My family moved to Rochester, NY in the summer of 1964, when I was 17. My first friends were friends of Spider John's brother, and they all owned this album. This was my first introduction to Billie Holiday and Leadbelly, and led to a lifetime love affair with blues music. This album is a must for all the baby-boomers who started digging the blues in the sixties; the extra cuts are icing on the cake.

Honored to be the first!
On a blues message page, we were asked to list our top ten favorite discs. I only wanted to list one per artist so I listed their first release, "Blues Rags and Hollers". But I could have easily substituted this one. It's THAT good. My only cavil--wish there was more cuts featuring Glover's harp. Nothing against what is there. Just that I love the harp, and Glover knows how to blow it! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

One of his finest '90s recordings, Chill Out balances the guitar-glitz of Carlos Santana's guest shot on the karmic title cut with a handful of profoundly deep Hooker solo performances. Among those are new versions of his standards "Tupelo" and "Annie Mae," and the soulful "If You've Never Been in Love," where expert slide-man Roy Rogers provides subtle accompaniment to Hooker's spontaneous storytelling. The band numbers that bookend the album are weak, relying on Hooker's strong vocal presence to overcome sketchy writing. Van Morrison, pianist Charles Brown, and M.G.'s leader Booker T. Jones also lend a hand.But Hooker doesn't need anybody's help to get to the passionate heart of his blues. One last note: Anton Corbijn's CD-booklet photographs of ol' Johnny Lee are terrific. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Hooker's best contemporary blues recording
CHILL OUT was Hooker's fourth album since his triumphant comeback began in 1989 with THE HEALER. CHILL OUT also won a Grammy in 1995 for the Best Traditional Blues Album. The title track features long time supporter Carlos Santana and his band. Van Morrison further cements their long-standing friendship with a duet on" Medley: Serves Me Right To Suffer/Syndicator." Charles Brown and his band join in on "Kiddio" and "Annie Mae." Unlike some blues CDs filled with guest performers, the guests on this CD do not dominate the songs. John Lee certainly is the front man. In fact, of all the Hooker albums I have heard, and there are hundreds, I would have to say the best display of his vocal talents of all his contemporary recordings.

I had the privilege of seeing Hooker two years before his death during his last performance on the East Coast. The CD's last track is slower blues ballad; "We'll Meet Again." If there is blues in heaven, hopefully we will indeed, meet again.

Add this to your collection
Mr. Hooker is an artist who pulls off collaborations with such success, that it takes you to another dimension of the blues. The title song "Chill Out" accompanied with Santana's potent guitar licks makes the album worth buying in itself. He also performs a powerful version "Serve Me Right to Suffer" with Van Morrison caring on a conversation that only true bluesmen could do!!! His solo works are what is expected out of the great Hooker. "One Bourbon... One Scotch... One Beer" is a classic with new found energy.

The man should be, but is not a millionaire, yet has the enough money to ride around in a limo with the personalized license plates "Chill Out" in Redwood City, CA. I had the opportunity to visit him about 2 and a half years ago. I came to his door uninvited, dogs barking etc. and Mr. Hooker answered the door. I explained I was a fan with his "The Healer" CD in my hand. He silenced the German Shepherd as well as the Cocker Spaniel, and invited me into his home. There were gold records with pictures of Bill Graham, Bonnie Raitt and others on the wall over his fireplace. He graciously signed the CD cover and we began to talk about the Giants baseball game on T.V. We discussed baseball and other current events for about a half an hour before I left. Mr. Hooker invited me back again; yet, I have not mustered the courage to re-visit him. We never touched on the great contribution he has made to the Blues, Rock n' Roll, or music in general. However, the very modest bluesman left me with the belief and impression that the Blues are about everyday people, sharing everyday experiences.

His recent recordings are mostly collaborations (I.E. "Mr. Lucky", "The Healer", and "Don't Look Back"), but they are what helped sparked my interest in the Blues. I think one of the most positive undertones to his albums is his ability to record with various artists and spark my interest with him as well as their efforts. For the novice fan such as myself, check out "Mr. Lucky" (my personal favorite 5 stars), also "The Healer" and "Don't Look Back" are the next to add to the collection. The more you listen to this man's stuff like albums that I feel demonstrate some of his roots: "King of the Boogie", "Blues Legend", and "The Collection" heighten one's awareness to the roots of all modern music. Listen to each album a few times and ENJOY!!!! ;)

P.S. I give this C.D. only a 3.5, definitely worth buying, but "Mr.Lucky" and the "Healer" are in a class all by themselves....

Chill Out
This is a very good album from one of the greatest men in all of music history, John Lee Hooker. This album has a mellow mood to it that makes it perfect to listen too when you want to Chill Out. The title track, is a collaboration with Carlos Santana, a long-time fan of JLH. That song is a classic and was the reason I bought the album in the first place. Other stand out songs here are KIDDIO, ANNIE MAE, TOO YOUNG, ONE BOURBON ONE SCOTCH ONE BEER, and MEDLEY: SERVES ME RIGHT TO SUFFER/SYNDICATOR. Many songs here are updated classics that will sound fresh to new fans. I think that some of the songs on this album where it is JLH and his guitar are without a doubt, the songs that we are able to see how great his talent really voice. He had that perfect voice for his storytelling type of blues music that kept the listener hooked.

Take Your Shoes off and Sit a Spell
Though true JLH fans probably have found some of his earlier CDs to be a better reflection of his talents, this is a fun blues CD for those who are just getting into Blues. After just a few plays, you'll be humming "Kiddio" as if you've known it for years. Hooker's rendition of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" is more likely to get you doing "air-band" than George Thorogood's version. Finally, the title cut ("Chill Out") is a great piece that should have received substantially greater attention. Much of the CD is just Hooker's voice, a guitar and a tapping shoe, with an occassional piano thrown in, but a few cuts have a bit more. Don't let that scare you... this is a good buy.

Get the early stuff!
There's nice stuff here, but most of these songs are retreads of numbers he's done much better on superior albums much earlier in his career. DO NOT MAKE ANY HOOKER RELEASED AFTER 1980 YOUR FIRST PURCHASE (or second, or third, or fourth, or fifth, or..) Earlier Hooker is much, much better. Trust me. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Library of Congress Recordings Finally Available Again
These recordings have long been some of the most difficult to find in the Mississippi John Hurt catalogue. This is ironic in that they are among the finest recordings Hurt ever made. Recorded during two marathon recording sessions in the summer of 1963, this is the second batch of material Hurt recorded after his rediscovery. The first batch was recorded in April of that same year. I can't say enough about these Library of Congress recordings or about Mississippi John Hurt, in general. These sessions, in particular, have a warmth and intimacy about them that I really enjoy. Hurt plays many of these cuts in the C positioning on his guitar with the strings tuned down one or two steps. This really brings out the warmth of his voice. Consider, for example, his rendition of "Corrina Corrina". This may be the lowest I've ever heard him sing. His voice and guitar are so up close that they positively tickle your ear. There would be such a void in recorded blues music, without the lovely contributions of Mississippi John Hurt. For my money, no other blues singer sings and plays with such gentleness, grace, and beauty. He's truly in a category all his own, which is why many people in the past have argued that Hurt's not a blues singer at all, but a songster. We are so lucky that Hurt was discovered and recorded, first in '28 and then later during the blues revival of the 60s. It really makes you wonder about all those blues singers that never recorded and died unnoticed. By the time I was born, Mississippi John Hurt had already passed on. I'm really glad his music lives on. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps if Robert Belfour had been born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Madison, Wisconsin, he would be still playing the exact same music. But somehow, it just seems impossible. Born and raised in the hill country of north Mississippi, Belfour plays the pulsing, insistent style of blues boogie that is a birthright of all those born in and around his Holly Springs hometown. Because this droning style leaves out well-developed melodies and chord changes, it is reliant on two primal factors: rhythmic drive and deep emotional investment. Belfour's music has both qualities, and his supple, lively guitar work is the perfect foil for his intensely passionate, moaning vocals. Now, a 60-year-old veteran of Memphis's Beale Street blues scene, Belfour releases this head-turning debut, which brings to mind the unflappable groove of fellow Mississippian John Lee Hooker and the intensity of Texan Lightnin' Hopkins. While Belfour may have digested the music, culture, and collective soul of his native soil, his blues, like that of any bluesman worth a damn, is uniquely his own. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Give this man some Viagra
When Robert Belfour wails "done got old / done got old baby / can't do the things I used to do", you somehow know he's not talking about running laps or programming a VCR. It's one of the neatest moments on "What's Wrong With You", a CD of confession and energetic but rabid pessimism that never gets tiring or unexciting. I literally could put this CD on at any time, in any mood, and be as into it as I was the first time I heard it. Although the songs are basically in the same key (sounds like a Fat Possum release to me), they never crumble under the undue weight of bad musicianship or irrelevant and trite lyrics. Belfour's guitar picking is sometimes lively, but occasionally forlorn and soulful. And when he laments a lost love or champions a newfound feeling of rebirth from sadness, he does what the best bluesmen can do: he makes you feel his pain. Deeply. And that's all you can ask from a man like this.

Best Blues Release for 2000?
So far this new disc from Robert Belfour, and the outstanding Fat Possum label, has my vote for the best blues release of the year 2000. I recently caught Robert Belfour and a couple other Fat Possum acts (T-Model Ford and Paul Jones) as they rolled through town. These acts have to be among the best living blues artists around these days. Robert Belfour tackles a couple of Junior Kimbrough tunes, and Junior was an obvious influence to Robert.

I have nothing but praise for Robert Belfour and his first record release. His originals and the Kimbrough covers are top notch Delta blues variations, and this disc is excellent from start to finish. Highly recommended.

Dark & Deep Delta Blues
One of the best things abt this release is the digipak cover which is a perfect visual analogue to the music - wolfmans face is barely framed & like a francis bacon portrait seeps & bleeds into the viewer. The music is gorgeous - rich rumbling guitar & voice (with occasional rudimentary drums) - so deep it sounds like it's coming from the bowels of the earth. It's difficult to believe that one man can produce so much from so little. The world he inhabits seems limited & restricted (as any one mans world ultimately will be) but the music is so fluid & sensual & unified (so much 'one thing') that it bleeds out of its confines & affects on the deep level of our humanity. Basically this is music that instructs you on how to be a better human being. The man was born 1940 & this is his first release. Thanks to fatpossum for 'discovering' him.

Truely great
The reviews below say it all; except for the one 3 star review. Apparently Belfour was relunctant to record and spent most of years working construction.

His work is original, inspiring, haunting and beautiful. His acoustic guitar is clear and sharp; while his vocals are deeply felt and soulful without being depressing.

This guy is an American original; there's no overproduction here but pure, original talent. The other reviewers are correct, this could be one of the great contemporary blues CDs in the last 20 years.

Done got a good job Fat Possum!!!
The courage of this label to record all of this kind of Delta Blues musicians almost unknown by the most bluesfans from everywhere must, be recognized as an excellent work to promote and improve our taste by this kind of music.This is a music that seems to be the same,no matter what North Mississippi Delta musician is playing.And they are many,such Jr. Kimbrough,R.L. Burnside;Jesse Mae;Bud Spires;and many others who experienced that difficult kind of living in poor and poverty conditions,and transformed that feelings in this original way to play blues.I really recomend a view of Robert Palmer's DVD "Deep Blues" to a perfectly vision of the conditions of the environment,around that people.They were playing at that Jook Joints,and perhaps that was the only way to express all of the laments,the suffered conditions they lived.There were two extremes at that time .To go to the churches,or in contradition,to that ugly Jook Joints.
And many of them,choosed this second way.That richness blues was only begining and what we are listening now,is a small view of that fertile cultural movement,restricted to that Mississippi Hills!!Some tracks in this cd,sounds like have influenced Bob Dylan in his way to play and to sing!!!!Another Fat Possum's great contribution to the history of the Blues!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Be warned
I hate it when you buy a CD for a particular song, then you discover they used a NON-vocal version of a song known for its lyrics. "Happy Days are Here Again" is instrumental only on this CD.I also bought a "Songs of the Civil War" CD recently that DIDN'T have a vocal version of Dixie, only instrumental.Gyp. The song listings don't warn you of an instrumental-only track, and you can't click for a 30-second preview of "Happy Days". So look out.All in all, the CD isn't bad though.Some good stuff on it.

30's recordings
You get 21 recordings from the 30's, so it's a bargain.This selection, the soundtrack of a PBS documentary, is weighted a bit heavily with gloomy blues/folk songs that leave the impression that popular music back then was all leftist social protest songs.One rather doubts that "NRA Blues" would be a hit in any decade, much less the decade of "Gay Divorcee," "42nd Street," Gershwin and dance bands.But Louis Armstong's "All of Me" alone makes up for all the other woe is me songs on the album.Listen to this collection, then turn on your FM radio and weep at the fall of popular music.

a nostalgic trip to a bleak era
I can't believe no one has reviewed this yet - this is one of the best (if not the best) compilations of music from this era.The booklet is filled with photographs and information on this pivotal point in American history - socially, economically, psycholigically, and musically.Many famous artists are contained here, but in earlier stages of their careers than we have become culturally familiar with (Ellington, Armstrong).The effort to cheer up a 'depressed' nation rings through here, with a mirth and joy that we have certainly lost in these less-than-disastrous times.While a couple tracks serve better as period pieces than entertainment (Henry Ford's Orchestra?!?), this excellent collection entertains today as well as when these hot jazz and early blues songs were flowing from radios that are now antiques.

Hot tip - this may go out of print, as have many other collections from Columbia Legacy.Get it before it becomes a legacy itself! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Recorded live over three nights in Los Angeles in 1998, Shoutin' in Key provides an accurate snapshot of late-1990s Taj and his all-inclusive view of the blues. In fact, blues is really just one ingredient in a stew that offers hard-driving, horn-fueled R&B, gently swaying Caribbean-style rhythms, slow-burning soul, loose reggae jams, 12-bar stomps, smart jazzy grooves, and polished country-blues updates. On this album, he's most compelling the further afield he moves. His reading of Delroy Wilson's "Rain from the Sky," a Jamaican standard, is a highlight here, as is his own Latin-jazz-infused instrumental, "Sentidos Dulce." And he delivers fine readings of signature songs like "Mail Box Blues," "Corrina," and "Leavin' Trunk" as well. While he's not at his most consistently inspired throughout, there are certainly enough high points to make this a worthwhile introduction to the Mahal style. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Blues You Can Use
This cleanly recorded, live set from Taj Mahal backed by the excellent, tight Phantom Blues Band, blends all sorts of musical flavors into a refined amalgam. The strain, stress, and anguish that make too many forays into contemporary blues a sure-fire ticket for a migraine are cast aside for grace, craft, and smoothness. On the other hand, there is enough edge here to add texture. In many ways, the energy, vibe, and diversity here remind me of the superb but obscure "Rust" by Kevin Brown, must more so than the largely sterile renderings from say Eric Clapton.

Everything comes together without sounding contrived or forced, and Taj Mahal, as always, marches to his own drum beat (well, actually some snappy percussion work from Tony Braunagel). Mick Weaver, a fellow who has sat in with about everybody at one time or another, handles the keyboards deftly. Danny Freeman, who cut his chops with the borthers Vaughan hits the right tone throughout, and Larry Fulcher clearly knows his way around on bass. The Texacali horns provide the bright seasoning, and Taj deftly stays out front without quashing everyone else's good time or taxing himself too much.

This recording would make a great soundtrack for a ramble through the country or a backyard cookout.

Awesome Blues
Next to Eric Clapton, I'd have to say that Taj's blues are the best around. Look no further than track 3, Ain't That Alotta Love? for the perfectly executed blues song. From the bass line to the vocals, you don't get better. This album has found its way among my short list of classics, and well-deserving. I can't wait to get the chance to see him jam live in person!

Care for an appetizer anyone? Wine, cheese and blues perhaps
Virtuosic playing and uncommonly clean sound quality aside, the diversity of material prevents this set from ever catching fire. It's a collection of appetizers that never adds up to a full meal.

Taj Mahal - Shoutin In Key
As an avid fan of Taj's work for over two decades I am sorry to say that this album misses the benchmark that Taj has set from his earlier works. The Phantom Blues band is tight and on top of it's game but Taj does not rise to the meet the rest of the band. For a really good live album check out An Evening Of Acoustic Music, recorder live in Germany.

Excellent Blues!
Excellent show of years of blues vocals and experience! Taj Mahal is a legend in his own time. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A fine collection of James' best latter-day sides
These tracks may not be quite as intense as Skip James' prewar singles, but from an audio standpoint they're certainly easier to take.
Committed to tape in 1966 and 1968, many of these twenty songs are re-recordings of the classic 30s singles which originally made Nehemiah "Skip" James famous. "Devil Got My Woman" is here, and so is "Little Cow, Little Calf Is Gonna Die Blues", "Crow Jane", "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues", and several other highlights including James' version of "Careless Love", and a number of fine songs from his 60s repertoire.

Skip James accompanies himself on guitar and piano, and his piano playing is almost as idiosyncratic as his work on the guitar.
James is probably something of an acquired taste, to be honest...he usually sings in a slightly eerie, fragile-sounding falsetto, his guitar is weirdly tuned, and his music is certainly much less accessible than that of, say, Muddy Waters or even Robert Johnson and Son House.
But if you know what you're getting into, and are looking for a good collection of James' "rediscovery" recordings to go with his original 30s singles, this fine compilation is for you. Newcomers should definitely start with "The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James", however.

Don't pass this one up
I normally don't bother to write reviews, but I think this selection has gotten a bad rap by previous reviewers. I started out listening to the early recordings of Skip James, and worked my way to this CD, and I'm not disappointed. Sure, it lacks the raw emotion and feeling of his early work, but if you are a true fan, it is a must have.

Gorgeous, Simply Amazing
Skip James is absolutely amazing! Anyone who says the latter-day Skip James can't play the guitar like he used to hasn't been listening. Just listen to the song Catfish Blues to see what I mean. It sounds like a wild animal escaping from his heart and bursting from his guitar.

The fidelity of this work compared to his 30's recordings is obviously far superior - this is a modern-sounding, professionally recorded album. The guitar is crisp and clear, rich and full. Most notably though the full rich timbre of James' voice is fully evident. I'm not as fond of his piano work, though it's clearly very competent.

A wonderful album by one of the great singer/songwriters of the last century. Of course, his Complete Early Recordings is also indespensible.

Beautiful Blues from the Delta
This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful collections of blues I have ever heard. Skip James was a man of the Mississipi Delta and his music reflects his origins. The sound is sparse, the rhythms a melancholic mix of country, blues and ragtime. Over the top of deceptively simple arrangements for piano and acoustic guitar (to both of which James lends his distinctive sound), James' desolate falsetto recalls the deep sorrows of Depression-era black men with great poignancy.

While many of the songs on this collection at least superficially reflect the theme of lost love, there are darker moments too:
"Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" is a bleak and resigned commentary on the racial hatred and economic injustices faced by America's black poor in the 1930s; "Sick Bed Blues" explores the tragedy of a man alone.

Yet this CD is also infused with a real lightness of spirit: "... Hospital Center Blues" is a tribute to the musicians who rediscovered James in the 1960s and moved him to a private hospital so he could receive better treatment; and "Catfish Blues", with its refrain "I would rather be a little catfish/ so I could swim way down in the sea/ I wouldn't have no women/ setting out a line for me", is a refreshingly light fantasy of escape from impossible love.

The CD comprises recordings from the 1960s albums "Today!" and "Devil Got My Woman", so listeners don't have to cope with the appalling background hiss on re-releases of James' early Paramount sessions. Tracks 18 and 19 have never been previously released and are as brilliant as anything else on this incredible album.

Even if you have never heard of Skip James, you should check out this awesome collection of music from one of the Blues' truly great unsung masters.

The Only Real Genius of the Blues
Skip James was the Theolonius Monk of the Blues, and his emotional pallette was broader than Monk's. If you listen with open ears you can hear James trying to invent and reharmonise the Blues vocabulary, as well as express a life of torment and joy. He is soft spoken, and elfishly whimsical, but his virtuoso skating of the thin knife edge between major and minor, African and Anglo melodies is guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. The very defination of goosebump music. I personally think that James was trying to invent Bebop twenty years before Bird met Diz. And his lyrics are haunting and powerful beyond all others in a haunting and powerful genre. Let those with ears to hear, listen. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent music; serious production problems though
I'm a huge music fan and love all kinds of music, especially The Blues, owning around 100 blues CDs, including a few others by Corey Harris; I've even seen him perform live, and would consider myself a fan.

This CD is related to Corey's participation in Martin Scorsese's PBS documentary about The Blues, and attempts (rather successfully) to draw the links between American Blues and its African roots through collaboration with modern-day African musicians. There are new originals, a tribute to recently-passed Otha Turner (who was to have played on the album), and a number of excellent covers of classic blues tunes (Big Road Blues, Special Rider Blues, Station Blues, 44 Blues, Catfish Blues, Dark Was The Night...) that many blues fans will be familiar with, collaborations with African music star Ali Farka Toure (a superb guitarist/vocalist) and others, along with American blues artists like Bobby Rush.

OK, so far so good -- a good concept for a blues journey, and quality music performed by quality musicians all converge towards excellent music and performances.

But there is a MAJOR problem with this album -- about 1/2 of the songs (any songs that have Souleyman Kane playing percussion on them) were extremely poorly recorded. The problem is that the percussionist plays some very loud percussion instruments (I have no idea what exactly they are) that sound exactly like people playing ping-pong. And he plays them loudly and constantly throughout the entire song -- so much so that it sounds like someone is playing a ping-pong game in front of my stereo, obscuring the vocals, guitars, and whatever else is on the recording! Those songs should be labled as "Souleyman Kane featuring other musicians and vocalists far in the background". He is a talented and interesting percussionist, don't get me wrong, but he's not the reason I'm listening to this music.

This sort of recording quality problem might be excused from a classic field recording made in the 1920's or 1930's, but there is absolutely no excuse for this sort of problem to be heard on a recording made in 2002 & 2003! OK, I realize that they made many of the recordings in remote Mali, but that is no excuse for the engineers not to listen back to the recordings and adjust the setup so that you can hear the instruments in proper balance (I've done a bit of recording engineering myself in the past, so I know a bit about the subject). I could even excuse this issue if it only existed for a song or 2 if they noticed and then corrected it, but it is really problematic throughout 8 of the 15 songs!

You may think I'm just a stickler for a good recording, but I am not -- it REALLY detracts from enjoying the music -- after a while you'll find that the only thing you're hearing on the songs is the ping-pong sound. Check out some of the other reviews if you don't believe me -- I'm not the only one commenting on this.

If you decide to buy this CD, you will probably find yourself listening to the whole thing once and then subsequently programming your CD player to play only the 7 songs on the disc without the percussionist. Then you'll have a 5-star (if short) CD. Otherwise I give this 5 stars for 7 of the songs, 2 stars for the other 8, averaging out to about 3 stars.

A rich blend of Delta Blues and African folk influences
Mississippi to Mali was the second Corey Harris CD I have purchased after buying "Downhome Sophisticate", which was good, but not as influential as this one. His music combines African-American Delta Blues with that of the Traditional Folk of the Old World (Africa). Being an african-american myself the musical journey is most refreshing and permits me to look on life at a better perspective than I would off some crappy violent urban rap/hip-hop that pollutes America's airways along with pop culture of corporate America. The cd insert gives information on the background of the various pieces, but the album itself has heightened my interest in learning more about the international context. I recommend it most highly to anyone.

Searching for the source
Corey Harris is my hero. At a time when radio serves McMusic Mr. Harris went to Mali and made field recordings and then got the album published! Who else could do such a thing now that Alan Lomax is gone?

This CD is brilliant and real and reassuring that there remain true artists in music today.

Be prepared, the mixing is rough and through most of the songs it sounds as if someone is playing ping-pong by the mic. The guitars, kore and other instruments are often obscured by percussion, but that also adds to the authenticity of the recording.

This is a 5 star release and I can not wait for the next release from Corey Harris.

Another Great Effort!
I didn't know who Corey Harris was before "Downhome Sophisticate". I was blown away by that album and the skillful melding of so many different styles of music. When I saw that he had a new album out, I had to have it. Didn't bother to read anything or find a way to hear it first. I was that sure that I needed it in my collection. I wasn't wrong. These are field recordings so the sound and mix is not always perfect. It doesn't have to be. This is music with a pulse, music that stirs something in your blood. It's as if you're sitting right there, savoring the pleasure of being in the company of talented men making music. Corey just seems like a man who's on an incredible voyage of discovery. It's really cool that he's letting us tag along. Don't miss thr trip from "Mississippi To Mali".

My new favorite CD
I love Mississippi to Mali. Corey Harris has been a favorite of mine for years, but I am so enthusiastic about this CD I feel like proselytizing from the treetops. While most of us know that the roots of the blues is in W. Africa, I don't think anything so far brings this home so seamlessly and naturally. This is a great CD, close to perfect in the way you hear the rhythms and sounds intertwine and learn something without being told.

The first segment of the Martin Scorsese's PBS series "The Blues," with Corey Harris was wonderful, and this CD comes from that. The segment with Otha Turner was my introduction to fife and drum music and I immediately came to Amazon to find more of it. There is a good helping of it here, not isolated, but in a rich context. Otha Turner passed away before he could be recorded for this album, but his grand-daughter Shardé is on it -- heir to his music and his talent and brilliant on this (I loved the vocal touch). I also love the sound of the njarka (one string violin) and the way these simple instruments and rhythms can hypnotize.

All the music here stays close to the roots of musical expression, not just that of the blues. It is good listening from beginning to end, not academic or intellectualized, but a collaboration of great musicians. An "essential" CD if I've ever heard one. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent
This four-disc JSP compilation provides a truly excellent overview of Texas bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson's career. It is very well annotated, exquisitely remastered, and certainly worth more than the asking price (as is the case with all of JSP's blues box sets).

Every song Lemon ever recorded is here, the religious sides and the blues numbers, including "Match Box Blues", "Jack O' Diamonds Blues", "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean", and several alternate takes. There is quite a lot of surface noise present, but that is the case with all Blind Lemon-compilations - some of these songs were comitted to tape almost 80 years ago, remember. The original masters are long lost, and some songs have been remastered from seriously damaged 78s, which means that the sound quality varies a lot, but this box set sounds as good as any Blind Lemon Jefferson-collection on the market, with the possible exception of the excellent Milestone CD "Blind Lemon Jefferson".
Lemon's highly advanced guitar playing is often partly obscured by the noise, but his expressive tenor voice cuts is clearly audible, conveying emotions like longing, grief, fear, and bitterness...just listen to songs like "'Lectric Chair Blues" or "That Black Snake Moan".

This is a find for the serious blues lover, but it is just too much for slightly more casual fans, who will be better served by Yazoo's "The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson", or Catfish's "Squueze My Lemon". But if you want it all, this is the place to get it. A truly impressive document.

One of the Original Masters
Blind Lemon was one of the original masters. He was a huge influence on Robert Johnson, and Johnson borrowed more than just a line or two from Lemon.

Do yourself a favor and listen to a true pioneer who is still influencing popular music to this very day.

Two Songs in Particular!
ANY Lemon set that features both "Jack O' Diamond Blues" and "Where Shall I Be?" (absolutely immortal--listen to that little guitar intro) has got to start out being superb, and being the "complete" recordings of Lemon, how can it go downhill from superb? It can't. "Jack O' Diamond Blues" is the ultimate in blues shouting, just the best. And "Where Shall I Be?" is absolutely ethereal--what a masterpiece, being on my list of favorites with Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat Blues" (favorite blues song), Charley Patton's "High Sherrif Blues" (favorite voice), Eddie Anthony/Henry Williams's "Georgia Crawl" (favorite fiddle and duet), Blind Willie McTell's "Scarey Day Blues" (great solo), Lonnie Johnson's "Careless Love" (only the original, on acoustic 12-string, not the later sappy stuff), Sleepy John Estes's "Down South Blues" (as mournful as it gets), Cannon Jug Stompers' "Bring It With You When You Come" (favorite banjo), Sonny Boy I's "Miss Louisa Blues" (maybe the wildest harp, short of George "Bullet" Williams's "Touch Me Light, Mama"), and Sonny Boy II's "Lonesome Cabin" (try to find a more beautiful harp). Get this Lemon box, check out my two favorites, and dig the rest of it--he was one of the coolest.

Good intro to Lemon
The sound is better on the second of the two Yazoo releases ("The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson") than it is here, but this is a more complete set (although it's missing a few alternate takes) at a good bargain. This set is certainly superior to the Documents, but some of the songs are mastered from very lousy 78s (better copies exist and are used on other compilations). The reviewer below mentions an upcoming Catfish set. In my opinion, the Catfish sets in general are of very poor quality, they eradicate all the surface noise then artificially add some treble to make up for the loss in sound quality, and the overall effect is a very flat, lifeless sound and compromised music. Catfish's releases seem to be aimed towards the 78 layman who is not used to hearing surface noise. If you want the (near) complete Jefferson output, this is the set to get, but the Yazoos still sound the best by a fairly wide margin.

It's all here
This album contains all known surviving Jefferson recordings. For blues lovers, having a complete Jefferson set is like having the complete works of Shakespeare.

Jefferson's powerful tenor voice and freakish guitar technique would be reason enough, but you get the songs too. "Matchbox Blues," "Black Horse Blues," "Lockstep Blues," and many others are like lyric poetry.

The sound quality is about as good as possible considering that almost everything had to be dubbed from worn 78s that defy noise reduction. That does mean that background noise is present on every track in varying amounts.

As a bonus, the notes have a touch of ironic humor that doesn't detract from the solid information they present. ... Read more