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The two-disc, 34-track Anthology could be subtitled "The Crossover Decades," for it covers the years when B.B. King (like his "Sweet Little Angel") spread his wings. Spanning the era 1962-1998, the set begins when King was a recording veteran whose renown was confined to the blues ghetto. Applying vocal grit and guitar sting to the dramatic call-and-response of his material, King won rock converts with his Live at the Regal album (represented here by two highlights), climbed the pop charts with the string-laced "The Thrill Is Gone," employed the jazz grooves of the Crusaders and the soul tinge of the Memphis Horns, and even invaded MTV with U2's "When Love Comes to Town." More scattershot survey than comprehensive career summary, this collection isn't as consistent as King's single-disc hits compilations or as expansive as his four-disc King of the Blues box, but it amply documents his staying power. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For Collectors Only
If you're a B. B. King collector then this compilation has 3 unique offerings that are noteworthy:

1. complete version of Gambler's Blues (90 seconds longer) than found on King of the Blues (4 CD box set). Due to some unfathomable screw-up, the 90 second guitar intro was cut off of the version on the Box Set!! The whole song is on this Anthology collection (also complete version is on Classic Live performances). It is a great live intro.

2. long version (7" version) of When Love Comes to Town is on this Anthology. A one minute shorter version is on the King of the Blues box set (recorded without the solo Bono verses). In my opinion, the longer version with Bono doing more singing is better.

3. This Anthology has a longer (by 4 minutes) version of Stormy Monday Blues than appears on the album Blues Summit. The Anthology album notes say that theirs is the unedited version but it is actually a different version. If you listen to the part where Albert Collins takes over the vocals, it is obvious that his singing is totally different than on the Blues Summit version. Also note that Stormy Monday Blues was recorded over a 5 day period indicating that multiple takes were done.

4½ stars - very thorough
This extensive anthology provides a very thorough overview of B.B. King's career after 1962. The tracks list is stronger than on the good-but-not-great "His Definitive Greatest Hits", and "The Anthology 1962-98" wisely omits completely inessental items like King's duets with U2 and Gary Moore.

The compilers lean heavily towards King's 60s and 70s material, with only a few later songs, and virtually all of his best 60s and 70s songs are here - songs like "Sneakin' Around", "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss", "Why I Sing The Blues", "Help The Poor", the crossover hit "The Thrill Is Gone", and King's version of Robert Nighthawk's "Sweet Little Angel".

His earlier Flair sides should have been here, too, though, and the fact that 50s classics like "3 O'Clock Blues", "Woke Up This Morning", "Please Love Me", and "Crying Won't Help You" are missing means that this compilation is not quite all that it could have been, and there are a few minor items here as well, like the duet with Robert Cray and the bland "There Must Be A Better World Somewhere" and "To Know You Is To Love You".
But get this one, the classic "Live At The Regal", and "Do The Boogie: B.B. King's Early Classics" from Virgin, and you'll be set. Only diehards will need anymore.

Excelent Sampler From the King of the Blues
For the novice fan on a budget, this is an excellent primer from one of the giants of modern electric blues. It completely duplicates 1998's single-disc Greatest Hits and expands it with an additional 18 songs--all of them gems. This collection begins with his first single for MCA "How Blue Can You Get" from 1963 through "I'll Survive" from 1998's Blues on the Bayou. [The only other track from the Nineties is "Playin' With My Friends," a duet with Robert Cray from Blues Summit. While recent albums like Riding with the King, Making Love Is Good for You and Let the Good Times Roll show that King is still a viable artist, you can't include everything on a two-disc set that covers 35 years!]

Short of buying the 4-disc box set King of the Blues, a more economical second purchase would be ACE Records excellent single-disc, 25-track The Best of the Kent Singles to give you a sampling of B.B. King's pre-1963 output.

If you're looking for confirmation that B.B. King is truly the King of the Blues, these 34 tracks should be adequate proof. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Good, easy listening
This CD blends all of the greatest of B.B. King onto something anyone can enjoy. I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys any of B.B. Kings material and just wants the best of him. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Tab Throws A Party, Louisiana Style!
Swampland Jam was recorded at the House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana on February 23, 1997, and what a party that must have been.

Benoit is joined by several cajuns including, Chubby Carrier on "Hot Tamale Baby", Jumpin' Johnny Sansone on ""Louisiana Style" and "Crawlin' King Snake", Henry Gray on "Two Many Dishes" and Raful Neal on "Garbage Man". Six of the twelve songs are Tab and his band without the guests. All songs are excellent, but my personal favorite is "Dirty Dishes" which features some nice piano playing By Henry Gray which quietly compliments the slow blues guitar playing and vocals of Benoit.

Fan noise is kept to a minimum although there is no doubt that the CD captures a live and enthusiastic crowd in attendance.

He's Genuine
I haven't lived in New Orleans in a while, but I did live there long enough to recognize real Tiptinas style cuts, when I hear them. This guy delivers that sound, in grand style. If you are a fan of N'Awlins style soul/blues, as I am, this CD will give you your fix. Blues fans of Keb Mo will hear some similarities. Tab's guitar playing has that similar "fuzzy" quality to it. But Tab is definitely on a tighter track when he kicks out the Albert Collins riffs on "Too Many Dishes." It's almost as if I were put into a Sherman and Peabody wayback machine to a live Tips/Collins gig, via 1983.

Fans of Collins, Professor Longhair, Stevie Ray, The Dirty Dozen, and other performers of the era will be happy to see that Todd Benoit and similar groups are maintaining that kind of quality!

BEK

Solid Jams
Although a fan of Tab's, this CD leaves me wanting. Don't get me wrong its a good listen a well worth purchasing for fans, but it doesn't grab me the way Nice and Warm and Standing on Banks do. If you are a fan and looking at buying it, you won't be disappointed, but if you're new to Tab you'd do better to get one of other CDs first.

Tab Benoit knows how to pass a good time.
This CD is so good you can taste it. If you like the blues and like gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya, you will love this CD. Laissez le bon temps roule!

DIdn't Meet Expectations
After seeing Tab Benoit in concert twice and reading some of the other reviews here, I was expecting a really hot disc. Boy was I disappointed. The performances are sedate, the crowd seems bored and after a few tracks, so was I. Even "Hot Tamale Baby" seems to have been performed in slo-mo. It just isn't anything like what his shows give you in person. I'm still a huge fan, but I'll be sure to go for a studio release next time. I'd recommend others do the same. ... Read more

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Mississippi-born blues singer and guitarist William Lee Conley Broonzy had two fairly distinct careers, each of them triumphant and influential. In the 1930s, he brought the rural blues of his Delta homeland to Chicago and added elements of jazz and hokum to create a more sophisticated, urbane, exciting style, essentially helping to pave the way for the Chicago blues sound. By the 1950s, when the electric Chicago sound he helped foster began to blossom, Broonzy had all but left that style behind. Instead, he began to perform traditional folk songs (and the occasional topical original) with only his voice and acoustic guitar and he became a key figure in the burgeoning folk boom. This highly appealing set comes from the latter period and finds him to be a scintillating and smooth vocalist, one capable of generating great emotion without losing his polish. His guitar work is subtly brilliant as well, a silky blend of single-note runs, forceful bends, tricky double stops, and articulate chords. It all comes together in effortless, unassuming fashion. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Broonzy's acoustic best
This "Trouble In Mind" compilation from the Smithsonian is the best collection of Broonzy's later period acoustic work. I think this is a better collection than the other 'best of' compilation ("Absolutely The Best" on Varese Records). The remastering on these tracks is excellent and they are the best sounding recordings of Broonzy I have ever heard. The songs here are all of his classics. The only thing that's disappointing is that they left off the track "Never Satisfied", which would have made this the ultimate collection of Broonzy acoustic blues songs. Highly recommended!

Complete album
I preferBig Bill's acoustic work over his electric work. This is a collection of acoustic songs from the last years of his life. He sings blues, folk, protest songs, gospel...all of that in this great collection. Extensive liner notes and the printed lyrics and notes for every song makes this CD a true gem. Includes some live recordings as well.

A great cornerstone to start a blues collection
Smithsonian Folkways did a great job capturing the essence of Big Bill Broonzy's sound. I've heard other albums and this is my favorite. The music is taken at the latter half of his career and establishes Broonzy as a master of the country blues/folk sound. A great album any blues fan should own.

BIG BILL IS THE MAN!
I just recived my copy of this Cd in the mail today. I've now played it 6 times straight through. Big Bill was brilliant! Great Voice and Terrific guitar. I highly recommend this and any other Big Bill Disc you can get your hand's on. He was a rare and under appreciated Talent! Muddy Waters thought enough of Big Bill to record an entire lp of his songs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The greatest blues piano artist ever!
Otis Spann was the piano player in the famous Muddy Waters blues band in Chicago from 1953 to 1969. On this record we get a chance to listen to Otis Spann singing and playing the piano solo (accompanied by a guitar only). 40 years have passed since this recording was made. Looking back I have to confess that in my judgement Otis Spann was the greater talent of the two. Today, the music of Otis Spann is still fresh, original and timeless in its deep "soulfulness" while in comparison, the music of Muddy Waters sounds to me dated and somewhat artificial in its heavy reliance on the "electrified" sound of the guitar. According to Waters, Spann "is the best blues piano player we have today. There is no one left like him who plays the real, solid, bottom blues" (a quote from an interview given by Waters in the late 1960's). Waters also liked to emphasize that Spann played the piano "with both hands" (refering to the strong and articulate left hand in Spann's piano playing). Otis Spann died rather young at the age of 40 in 1970 appearently as a poor man, while Muddy Waters continued his successful career until his death in 1983 at the age of 68.

Real life, great stuff.
Otis Spann has a heavenly facility at the keys, and through it he expresses not only the gamut of human feelings, but the combinations and conflicts of feelings that we all experience. I really enjoy this disk. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I don't mean to harp on this...
...but when it comes to blues harp, Mr.Musselwhite is my favorite. For music to drive your vehicle fast to*, "Harpin' on a Riff" is as good as it gets. Slow sad blues? "Blues All Night". In between? "Hard Times".

*be safe and courteous, mind you.

Uncut Stuff
If you like blues - adding this to your collection is like adding some cayenne pepper. It's hot - it's spicy - very authentic blues. At first you might not want to sit down and listen to an hour of Charlie - just put it in the CD changer with something milder. I was in a cab and the driver was playing Musselwhite. He said, "It's pure emotion. Pain. As if he was bleeding from his mouth. Like an old black man on a street corner in a Mississippi Delta town - playing his heart out." If you're like me - it won't take long 'til you listen to it straight up. ... Read more

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This relentlessly upbeat album, Marcia Ball's second for Rounder, marks her 1985 graduation from the Louisiana-Texas "crawfish circuit" to the national scene. But it still packs the freewheeling feel of her four-sets-a-night years. These 10 tunes dash through soul ("I'm Gonna Forget About You"), R&B ("Don't You Know I Love You"), blues ("Another Man's Woman"), rock & roll (Ball's own "That's Enough of That Stuff"), and zydeco (the Clifton Chenier-penned title track) with such gleeful abandon they seem to pass in a flash. All the while, Ball--who's joined by her three-piece band and a visiting horn section--makes like a female Jerry Lee Lewis, pounding her piano with bare- knuckled virtuosity as she shouts and swoops through her good-time lyrics. Drummer Doyle Bramhall went on from this recording to write "The House Is Rockin'," "Tightrope," and "Wall of Denial" for Stevie Ray Vaughan. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Upbeat music to rock those blues away
From the opening track, Never like this before (a cover of a sixties soul song), this album rocks. Marcia wrote two of the songs herself (Love's spell and That's enough of that stuff) and draws on a variety of sources for the other songs, including soul, R+B, blues and zydeco - the latter represented by the title track, originally written by Clifton Chenier.

Yet the overall feel of the album is rock'n'roll update for 1985 (when this album was recorded). Comparisons with Jerry Lee Lewis are understandable - Marcia plays the piano in a similar style to Jerry. Not much tinkling of the ivories here - they take a real pounding on some of the tracks.

Although this is a very upbeat album, there are a few slower songs to vary the pace, and Marcia is well capable of singing those as well as the rockers.

This is one of Marcia's earliest albums, but it still sounds fresh and exciting. Rock your blues away with this or any other album by Marcia, who is brilliant at what she does.

Best Rockin' Blues and Dynamite Piano Playin' in the World
Saw Marcia Ball in New Orleans at the Jazz Fest in 1990 and bought this album on tape cassette at the fest. Played it so much, the tape broke within a month. Hard to say which song is the best, they are all excellent rockin' songs. Also,hard to say that this is the best album, Gatorythems & Blue House is also superb. Marcia is just an all around great musician and is the best rockin' bules piano playin' gal out there. Enjoy the album and work on getting the rest of her collection, I just ordered the last album that I did not have, Dreams Come True. Looking forward to hearing all of it. ... Read more

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This rocking trove of stylistic innovation spans Elmore James's peak recording years, from 1951 to 1963. In the charging fury of his slide guitar and his screaming voice one hears the echo of fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robert Johnson, whose local Delta performances in the mid-1930s first inspired young Elmore to play guitar. Johnson's "Dust My Broom"--which became James's signature song and the foundation of his recording career--kicks things off here with the slashing guitar work that helped define the electric-blues idiom, followed by his instrumental showpiece "Hawaiian Boogie." Drenched in Delta-driven emotion, his fiery vocals are well represented on "It Hurts Me, Too" and "The Sky Is Crying", and the classic "Shake Your Money Maker" is one of several dance numbers powered by the raw, driving intensity that marked James's recorded legacy and influenced every slide guitarist working in his wake. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent Retrospective.
I was a little kid when Elmore James cut most of these tunes and I heard them way back then from a variety of friends and family that picked up the 45 rpm singles. After a while, I moved on and only occasionally was reminded of what a great catalog of rockin' blues Elmore compiled. Then, in the late 60's, I kept hearing more and more bands covering Elmore's tunes. Jimi Hendrix on Bleeding Heart, for example. Then in the 70's the Allman Brothers on Done Somebody Wrong. A few years later, it was George Thorogood on It Hurts Me Too, then Stevie Ray on The Sky Is Crying. This is plenty of proof of just how enduring Elmore's influence is. Each time I heard a cover, it took me back to those old records. Now Rhino has this compilation with most but not all of my favorites and in pretty decent sound - excellent considering the vintage of these recordings. Great stuff.

A fine Elmore compilation, but not quite the best
This Blues Masters release from Rhino Records is probably the second best available Elmore James compilation - at least if you want to stick to the single discs.
It has sixteen of James' best songs, including the inevitable "Dust My Broom", "The Sky Is Crying", "It Hurts Me Too" and "Shake Your Moneymaker". A few of the selections may be debatable (I would have preferred "Standing At The Crossroads" and the funky "No Love In My Heart" to a couple of the songs on this album, but that's a minor complaint).

All of the songs here a good, and most are great. James played a hard-rocking, mid-tempo kind of blues, dominated by his fierce slide playing and huge voice, and often spiced up by the addition of a saxophone or two and a pianist.
The reason I say it's only the second best available single disc collection is that "The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James" has 21 tracks, including all of the important ones on this album, and several more, culled from all of James' record labels, and thus gets the nod over this one. There's nothing bad about this CD, is could just have been that little bit better.

One of the Founding Fathers of Rock & Roll & Boogie Music
This album is all the classic Elmore James cuts;starting with the ORIGINAL version of "Dust My Broom" with Sonny Boy Williamson on Harmonica. If you really want to hear one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll & Boogie Music;you got to get this CD!!!

SCC02547@MAIL.WVNET.EDU
the best blues album i have heard

the best blues albums i have ever heard
real blues, raw guitar,moving vocals ,buy one for a friend ,difficult to drive and listen due to uncontrollable urge to dance ,sing ,and play air guitar ... Read more

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There's only one complaint to be voiced about this best-of collection, which includes a great deal of material never previously available on CD: the lack of remastering. The scratches and static mar an otherwise crisp and energetic rendition of "Sweet Home Chicago," and may interfere with one's enjoyment of the clean, expressive guitar on "Drivin' Wheel." What can't be denied, however, is the compelling combination of Earl Hooker's virtuosity with an expressiveness that made his guitar solos far more than mere noodling. Just listen to his guitar work on the opening track, Muddy Waters's take on the classic "You Shook Me"--Hooker's guitar complements Waters's smoking vocals perfectly. In addition to much of his own material, chiefly from the late 1960s, this collection also features two tracks recorded with Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, including a slow-burning take on "The Sky Is Crying." He also backs up the late blues-R&B great Charles Brown on "Drifting Blues," and closes with a duet on "If You Miss 'Em... I Got 'Em" with his much more famous second cousin, John Lee. Earl Hooker's never had the name recognition accorded to T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, or others who started trends in the blues or even achieved crossover success. But he's a well-known name among bluesmen themselves, and Simply the Best illustrates why quite handily. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great musician, good collection
John Lee Hooker's younger cousin Earl Zebedee Hooker was a highly skilled slide guitarist, inspired by the great Robert Nighthawk, and possessing the smoothest of fretboard touches.
This collection opens with Muddy Waters' 1961 recording of "You Shook Me", the only time Waters ever relinquished the position of slide lead guitarist to anyone.

Earl Hooker wasn't the best or most exciting singer, and several of these 19 tracks are instrumentals or feature lead vocals by other artists, cousin John Lee among them.
Six instrumentals may be a bit too much for some, but just think of them as long solos...Hooker's playing really is that good! And he is backed by a slew of great musicians, including guitaris/pianist Ike Turner, saxists Donald Hankins and A.C. Reed, and keyboardist Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, who also takes the lead vocal on a couple of tracks ("Is You Ever Seen A One-eyed Woman Cry" is unfortunately missing).

Johnny "Big Moose" Walker also plays a lot of great blues piano on this disc, and Earl Hooker himself sings reasonably well on "Sweet Home Chicago" and the swinging boogie of "Don't Have To Worry". Andrew "Big Voice" Odom does a great "Come To Me Baby" and a good "They Call It Stormy Monday", harpist Sonny Terry performs his own "When I Was Drinkin'", and finally Charles Brown himself guests on a 1969 rendition of his "Drifting Blues".

There are a couple of duds here, including the weird "Universal Rock" which utilizes electronic gimmicks like wah-wah pedals and distortion units. And even with Hooker's playing, Big Moose Walker's take on "The Sky Is Crying" pales next to Elmore James' original.
But the majority of these tracks are very good, and they go a long way towards explaining why an almost tearful B.B. King once said to Buddy Guy: "Nobody can play a slide that clean!"
Well, except Earl Hooker.

Another Under Rated Blues Super Star!!!
There are three great legendary blues guitarist who I have always felt have never received the recognition that they so justly deserve. Guitar Slim, Magic Sam, and this man Earl Hooker. This could be because these three legends had past away so young and at the pinnacle of what would have been long lasting and exstensive careers. This cd is an historic testament to a remarkable blues man. Earl Hooker is innovator. One of the first in Chicago to use wah and fuzz pedals. Years ahead of the great Jimi Hendrix. Beatiful guitar playing from the soul is what you will find on this cd. Do youself a favor pick it up today.

ONE OF THE GREATEST BLUES GUITAR PLAYER'S EVER! GET IT!!!
Blues guitar & slide guitar giant Earl Hooker gets a nice tip of the hat
from MCA with a stunning 19 track collection Simply The Best. This collects
not only his own recordings but recordings with him with other blues
legends Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon & John Lee Hooker, just to name a few.
Any fan of blues guitar will love this CD, while at the same time this
should instantly grab a whole new generation of fans & players! As for a
fave song? Too many! I Iove all this guy's stuff. Fans of both blues-rock
giants Rory Gallagher & Jonny Winter will definetly love this CD. GET IT!
The booklet has great liner notes on Earl's career up to his death in '71
and some nice B&W pixs. All songs are digitally remastered and you can feel
the STING of Earl's slide! A+

simply the best
another stunning collection by the coolest guitarist in the world--buy it---

A guitar legend
I don't know when the editor's review was written, but I just ordered this CD and it has been remastered very well. All of which helps you to hear the subtle and brilliant innovations of this blues guitar great. Hooker is not a great singer (witness "Sweet Home Chicago"), but songs like "Tanya", "Frog Hop", "Universal Rock" illustrate clearly his picking prowess. This is a great addition to any blues lover's collection. ... Read more

Album Description

One of James Cotton's best known and loved albums, 100%Cotton, recorded in 1974, is a reference point for all fans of high voltage R&B. Here, the extraordinary harmonicaplayer and singer is accompanied by the legendary Matt'guitar' Murphy. 100% Cotton, as the title suggests is 10tracks of pure James Cotton with a blend of energy andsoul. Packaged in thick cardboard digipak. UniverseRecords. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What high-energy blues is supposed to be.
It's hard to avoid the devil-children of James Cotton's high-energy blues: Fusion over blues progression ad nauseum misses the point that
Cotton was making. The young musicians in clubs now should go back and study this cd..

He Gives Me Fever
I have been looking for another copy of this album for years. James Cotton is everything that you ever want to hear in the blues. He's raw, he's soulful, he sweet, he's in pain, he's sexy, he screams, wails, moans, croons, and he plays a mean harp. Wherever you need to go, James can take you there with buckets of sweat and soul. Listen to Fatuation, I Don't Know, One More Mile, and the best version of Fever ever made and you'll be hooked. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great acoustic blues!
... Then we see Luther Allison looking up at us from the CD rack, and we remember what the big deal is.

Allison's 1992 release "Hand Me Down My Moonshine" is recorded acoustically, as opposed to the electric Chicago blues which comprises most of his body of work. There's nothing more electric on this disc than a steel guitar.

In an era where digital technology has all but eliminated the possibility of a bad record, it's easy to pine for the scratches and over-the-phone qualities of recordings made before quality was an issue that recording media could address. Sometimes it's pleasingly quaint to hear the remnants of a wax cylinder in a Bessie Smith song, or whatever made Woody Guthrie sound as if he were standing three or four rooms down from a microphone. While most of "Moonshine" was recorded on digital audio tape - the two grittiest songs were recorded at studios near Allison's home in France - Allison's voice brings back that found-in-the-back-of-the-Library-of-Congress feeling that makes those old recordings so endearing. His pipes hit their apex in the title track (one of the two recorded in Paris), swerving between church-balcony highs and dirt-floor lows.

Allison's voice overshadows most of his guitar work, which again in the title track reaches complexities hard to describe to someone who isn't a blues fan. French bluesman Patrick Verbekes plays steel guitar ably on "You're the One," a classic blues conceit, and Allison's own son Bernard screams on slide guitar in the disc's final track, "Meet Me In My Hometown."

Other tunes stand out, like "Farmer's Child," an ode to - and lament of - Allison's rural upbringing and family history, and the infinitely sexy "Don't Burn My Bread," which - no offense to Chris Isaak - should have been used in that dirty scene in "Eyes Wide Shut."

All in all, the disc starts out upbeat and winds up low and grinding, like a day spent listening to friends play music in your home - which is exactly what Allison wanted from the album.

Luther Unplugged
"Hand Me Down My Moonshine" is a superb acoustic album featuring Luther and his son Bernard on guitars, recorded while he was still living in Paris.If you are only familiar with his electric guitar playing, thisis a real treat.No bells and whistles, only the fine interplay of the twoguitars and of course the emotional vocals that are Luther's trademark. The songs on this CD recall the old masters, and you'll hear the influenceof Robert Johnson and Lightnin' Hopkins on cuts like "LightningBolt", "Don't Burn My Bread", and "You're TheOne". Put this one on and close your eyes.You'll swear you'resitting on the back porch at the Allison's, a special guest of one of thefinest bluesmen that ever lived.A must for any serious Luther Allisonfan.

Hot, ole time blues with today's recording technology
Sweet all the way down to the bone. Can't say enough about this effort.I can only wish Luther will produce a part II.As reviews go, Moonshine looks like my second favorite blues CD of all time (in my 43 yrsexperience), next to Savoy Brown's Getting To The Point. Thx Mr. Allison

First rate!
This is first rate acoustic blues. Luther and crew nail every song ... Read more

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Blues purists are sure to chafe at the sound of Benoit's heartfelt but eminently smooth guitar lines. Nevertheless, this 1992 debut is easily his best effort to date, an unstrained mix of Cajun, R&B, and blues stylings honed by his then-recent apprenticeship in the bars of Baton Rouge. Recorded live over a two-day period, Benoit's clean, spontaneous phrases avoid both New Age somnabulence and overheated roadhouse clichés. His extended solo at the end of "I Put a Spell on You" puts a silky, authoritative sheen on that rabble-rousing staple, and both "Bone Pickin'" and "Voodoo on the Bayou" acknowledge his Louisiana roots without ruffling the fabric of his own identity. Nice and Warm isn't perfect: Benoit's rendition of "The Killing Floor" is simply too antiseptic beside Howlin' Wolf's definitive version, and Benoit's vocals are merely passable throughout. But overall, the music here is indeed nice and warm, and played with a self-assurance that adds substance to its relaxed attitude.--Britt Robson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Competes with the originals
This is a great blues album.His covers of three of my favorite blues classics "I'll Put A Spell on You", "Killing Floor" and "Drowning on Dry Land" are loving, soulful tributes...and great renditions in their own right.Benoit can wring a piercing cry from that guitar that makes your spine shudder and brings tears to your eyes.

A remarkable debut
A co-worker of mine made me a tape of 'nice and warm' as a parting gift.I didn't know who played it or the name of the tape.I only knew it was blues. After listening to it I was floored. I was thoroughly impressed. His guitar playing was rawest, raunchiest, sweetest, and most refreshingsound I had heard in ages.His licks make my skin crawl with goosebumps. My favorite line is (paraphrased) "I feel like I'm drowning in dryland... and that's a bad way of going down".If you like blues andeven if you don't love the blues, you'll be glad you got your hands on thishot CD.

MOMENTS OF BLUESYGUITAR EUPHORIA - IRRESISTABLE.
THIS ALBUM CONTAINS SOME OF THE CHUNKIEST, MEATIEST BLUES GUITAR COMMITTED TO DISC. AT TIMES THE LEAD BREAKS CAN BE OVERLY FRENETIC & EAR -DRUM DISTURBING BUT WHEN TAB RETURNS TO THE GUTS OF THE TUNE THEN ITS A GUITARLOVERS FEAST. VOCALLY HE IS NOT EARTH SHATTERING BUT CERTAINLY MORE THANADEQUATE. AS A FIRM BELIEVER THAT SLOW BLUES ARE A NECESSARY EVIL I MERELYBIDE MY TIME THROUGH THE LESS UPTEMPO NUMBERS THIRSTING FOR THE START OFONE OF A NUMBER OF BRILLIANT "KEEP STILL IF YOU DARE" BLUESBOOGIE SMORGASBORDS. THIS ALBUM LEAD ME TO PURCHASE ALL OTHER TAB BENOITRELEASES.GET YOUR LISTENING FANGS INTOTHIS AURAL DELIGHT AND I'M SUREYOU'LL FOLLOW SUIT. THE VERY BEST MOMENTS ON THIS ALBUM ARE WHATMAKESMUSIC SUCH AN ADDICTION TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHEN AN ALIEN LANDS ONEARTH UTTERING "WHAT'SSO GOOD ABOUT MUSIC? " AN EARFULL OF THISWILL SOON CONVINCE HIM HE SHOULD REMAIN ON THE PLANETFOR GOOD. PURCHASENOW TO DO YOURSELF A MONUMENTAL FAVOUR.

Excellent electric blues rock
If you like electric blues with hot guitar riffs, you will love this CD.This "unsung hero" of amrerican blues rock will not dissapoint you, especially on the title track "nice and warm", "down inthe swamp", and others.Give it a try!

A heart felt rootsy blues collaboration
In Tab's first major record release, he lays the groundwork for his style of blues.Taking a conventional approach to his music, he adds a slight dash of cajun flair.Funky fill ins and rip snorting leads that wouldraise Albert Collin's eyebrows are the norm for this young performer.Tabis an excellent live musician and has a similiar effect of his listenerwith this album.You can almost see him at a cajun cookout telling you togo ahead and start on the jambalaya while he finishes up his song.Tab isdefinately on the freshest and rootsiest young blues players around andthis album is a must for all blues enthusiasts. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Music to my Heart!!!
I have seen Jim, Jimmy Wood, Larry Lee and the rest of the band perform several times in California. The musc that they play as well as their performance is uplifting. Jim really does a great job, as does the rest of the band. My favorites are Jimmy Wood with his harmonica, Larry Lee's bass guitar work(the best!!). My favorite song is "The Chicken and the Hawk"..I can always count on that song to get me in a good mood.

This is a great band
I saw them live in Dallas on 13 May 99 at UNION STATION....they were really great. Tight, Hi Energy, and every member was on the mark. Yep I bought the CD because of it! I suggest anyone interested in a raw but refined blues sound give this a listen. You will be impressed. You know I heard this Jim guy might be an actor too? Go figger!

I was really impressed! I loved it!
Although I am not one for actors-turned-singers, Jim did a most excellent job on this album. My favorite cut was Leap of Faith........wonderful job! Hope to hear rumours of another album in the future......great job Jimmy B!

Loved the CD.
I love this CD, if I start to have a bad day at work, I put the cd in and perk right up. My favourite song is Leap of Faith. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three decades ago Bruce Iglauer founded Alligator Records, selling his hero Hound Dog Taylor's records out of his car trunk. Since then, Alligator has become America's best-known and most prolific blues label, and many of the reasons for its success appear on this budget-priced, two-disc 30th anniversary collection. Much of the material, including Marcia Ball's "Louella" and Shemekia Copeland's "Turn the Heat Up," comes from relatively recent recordings, since the label also released anthologies honoring its 20th and 25th anniversaries. Those two collections are unreservedly recommended, with the 20th providing the best historical overview of the label's evolution.

But the 30th holds its own, presenting guitar greats like Lonnie Mack ("Stop"), Johnny Winter ("My Time After Awhile"), and Lonnie Brooks ("Two-Headed Man"), as well as harmonica heroes James Cotton ("When It Rains It Pours"), Junior Wells ("Keep Your Hands Out of My Pockets"), and William Clarke ("Broke and Hungry"). Several outstanding duets, including a fine and funky tune by Henry Butler and Corey Harris and a classic from a Robert Cray and Albert Collins collaboration, provide variety.

The second disc contains 13 live cuts, featuring some of the most exciting live blues acts ever, such as Albert Collins, backed by the Icebreakers; Luther Allison, who rips through his signature "Soul Fixin' Man"; and Son Seals, who gets help from Elvin Bishop. Dynastic zydeco great C.J. Chenier serves up "Jambalaya," and Delbert McClinton dishes out blue-eyed soul with "Maybe Someday Baby" to further flavor the live action. And to top it off, there's a bonus video track featuring Hound Dog Taylor to make the celebration complete.--Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent
Alligator does it again! Incredible compilation. If you are contemplating starting a blues collection get the Anniversary Collections by Alligator first. These CD sets introduce you to many talented artists without shelling out 100's of bucks.

As an extra there is a video of Hounddog Taylor that you can play on your computer. Very nice!

Smokin' Blues From the Alligator Vaults
The first thing I did when I got this CD was play the bonus CDROM video track of Hound Dog Tayor & The Houserockers' "Taylor's Rock" on my computer and cranked up the volume. My computer will never be the same! Taylor's slide playing is raw, powerful stuff on this nearly four-minute instrumental captured in black and white from the 1973 Ann Arbor Blues Festival. Taylor also tears the roof off the house with a raucus version of "It's Alright." It's no surprise that Taylor closes out the live disc. Taylor's eponymously titled debut on Alligator was the first of his career and the first for the then fledgling blues label.

The blues thrives in a live setting and even though I live in Nebraska, I've had the chance to see several of these artists perform at Lincoln's famed Zoo Bar, including Son Seals, Luther Allison and Coco Montoya.

Among the five previously unreleased tracks (all on the live disc) are a ten-minute version of Albert Collins' slow blues "Dyin' Flu" and a nearly eight-minute version of Little Charlie & The Nightcats' smoldering "I'll Take You Back."

While the live disc crackles with raw energy, the studio disc includes stellar performances as well, including Koko Taylor's white hot "Bring Me Some Water" and the Holmes Brothers' haunting "Homeless Child."

In addition to Chicago style blues, you also get the New Orleans-influenced blues of Marcia Ball and Henry Butler, the zydeco stylings of C.J. Chenier, Texas guitarists Johnny Winter and Albert Collins, and Alligator's first-ever overseas artist--British-born Australian Dave Hole.

If you're looking for a inexpensive introduction to Blues 101, you won't find a better textbook than this. And if you need additional incentive, 20 lucky customers will find a coupon good for the entire Alligator catalog on CD. [But this 2-CD set is a terrific consolation prize!] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The five stars here,is just a few of the constelation !
Yes,this five stars are just a few,just a few of many others,infinity others from the constelation of this truly great Blues Record!
And i'm proud to be the first to review this album.I'm proud because i'm a really bluesfan...I'm proud because i'm really a Gator fan...proud to have in my own home a collection of almost 700 cds,95% blues cds...proud to take part in this special moment of Alligator Records.The history of the Gator Records is really fantastic,and specially in the person of this visionary man,Bruce Iglauer.Bruce worked with the great Bob Koester from Delmark Records,visited many universitary shows to choose some new talents to record.Then,he left Delmark to improve his own Record,where he could get new talents.The first album recorded,
was with great simplicity,at 1971,when he discovered Hound Dog Taylor,and it must be considered a legendary album.Many others
appeared with rare competency since that early days.And what we can say is that Alligator is a Record, constantly growing,surprising us with rare moments,masterpieces,new talents...Shemekia Copeland is,for me the confirmation of all this competency,to believe in new talents,promotes this talents giving all of the support and took them to the stelar!
So,i can say that i'm proud and happy to participate of this rich moment.And this album that comemorates this healthy 30th.Years,is absolutely a "Must Have",destinated to become a "Classic"blues album,not only by the quality of the bluesmen there,so still by this new concept to creates,inovates,supports all of the good news we have to the modern blues scenery!
And what we must desire is to be alive when the 40th.Anniversary Record album, will be recorder at 2006!
Until that,i'm happy with my collection of 130 Gator's albums....What you're waiting for?????Let's improve your own Gator's Collection...Sure you'll not be desappointed...
You'll really be happier than ever......JUST AS I AM! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it comes to jump blues, few contemporary outfits can match Little Charlie & the Nightcats. This is their eighth album for Alligator, with more of the lean, sparsely arranged, mostly original tunes that are the band's stock in trade. Lead singer/harpman Rick Estrin, who wrote most of the material, produces songs laced with wry wit. On top of that, he is one of the best blues harp players around. Estrin plays flawless chromatic and he can do Sonny Boy Williamson- style harmonica almost as well as the master himself. Guitarist Little Charlie Baty manages to blend the best of T Bone Walker and Charlie Christian with hot, modern-style phrasing. Choice selections include the title cut, the tongue-in-cheek "Big and Fat," and Charlie's tour de force, "Percolatin'." --Lars Gandil ... Read more

Reviews (8)

****1/2. One of their finest
This 1998 album is one of the Nightcats' best and most "serious"...the novelty items are kept to a bare minimum, and the addition on certain tracks of Jimmy Pugh on piano and organ makes for a very authentic blues sound.

The first three songs are also the best. "Never Trust A Woman" is a slinky slow blues, "When Your Woman Is Gone" a 60s-like shuffle which might have been penned by John Mayall or Paul Butterfield, and "New Old Lady" is simply one of the band's best-ever songs, a swinging mid-tempo blues brimming with hooks.
But there are other highlights as well, like the slow minor-key "Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues" and the mid-tempo "Big And Fat", and Rick Estrin provides some excellent chromatic harp on several songs, "You Got To Rock", "New Old Lady" and "Shadow" in particular. The walking boogie of "I Don't Drink Much" is predictable but really well executed, as is Charlie Baty's aptly-titled instrumental "Percolatin'".

Not everything is top-notch, sure, but there is enough of the really good stuff here to make "Shadow Of The Blues" a better record and a better introduction to the Nightcats than their 1997 compilation "Deluxe Edition" which portrays them as more of a novelty act. They are in fact a very talented working band, and this is perhaps their best-ever offering.

They Never Disappoint
A fantastic release from the modern masters of jump blues!I, like the other reviewers, am quite pleased with this CD.I agree with everything else that has been written about it, but I would like to mention a couple of high points for me. My two favorite tunes are New Old Lady, and Big And Fat.Is it just me, or is Big And Fat a tribute to Muddy's "I'm Ready"?Who knows?I love the lyrics on New Old Lady:"I got a new old lady, so doggone good to me....makes my old, old lady nothin' but ancient history."Also, on Big And Fat, at the end when it is starting to fade out, Rick says "wall to wall".That is just so cool! I love these guys.If Little Charlie or Rick Estrin or Ronnie or June, ever read this: Thanks for all the great music you have given the world.My life is better because of what you are doing!

Blues done up right!
I have and like all of Little Charlie's recordings that I could find. This one is for sure my favorite. Charlie is never at a loss for places to go on the guitar neck. He weaves many styles together and does it well.He has agreat sound for this type of music.Rick Estrin is a great blues singer andmaybe a better harmonica player.The lyrics are always clever and usuallytongue and cheek. "She pulled the rug off the floor, all thefurniture's gone", from "When Your Women is Gone",is just anexample of the clever way they tell the blues standard story of having yourwomen leave you."Big and Fat" and "Dirty Dealin' Mama"are just two of my other favorites. Although, I think all the tunes herewill please. Now if we could just get them to do a show in Oklahoma!

Kevin's Review
Hi.This is the best CD I've heard in years!I love the sounds from Ricky, the harmonica player and singer! If he's viewing this, I want him to know that next time I see Ida, I'll say hello.

See ya, cuz

The title says it all
This is the most bluesy of Little Charlie and the Nightcats' releases and quite possibly my favorite. Rick Estrin is a unique blues harp player in that he doesn't just cop everybody else's stuff. Charlie Baty is just plaintalented and has a unique ability to make jazz styles/techniques work in ablues setting. Highly recommended, but then, what Little Charlie and theNightcats CD isn't highly recommended? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

ANOTHER BLUES CLASSIC FROM MR. TAYLOR
4 stars only because it isn't quite as good as RING THAT BELL. This is a bit more traditional ( as much as traditional is possible for MELVIN ) than RING THAT BELL, I therefore find it a bit less exciting. Where RING THAT BELL is an electric blues CD in the GARY MOORE mold, this is more lay back. It still reaches the same hights, just not as often. I don't think MELVIN TAYLOR could produce anything but outstanding CD's. He is bursting with so much talent as a vocalist and guitarist, that everyone of his CD's is a must have for BLUES fans. He sounds like a mix of the best of BUDDY GUY, a large dose of SRV and a pinch of GARY MOORE.
I am just sad that I will never see him live.

Melvin can really play but....
An unnecessarily loud monotonous drumbeat on most all the songs puts a damper on this otherwise excellent blues album.

Blues At Its Absolute Best!
Let's start with the downside... none of the songs on this album are original songs. That being said, ALL of the songs are BREATHTAKING. Melvin Taylor plays his guitar stunningly well, and the man knows how put mountains of feeling and soul into it. Not only is his guitar-playing fabulous, but the man knows how to sing the blues, too. If you like the blues, or think you might, or even suspect that you merely don't *dislike* the blues, then buy this album. It may be one of the best musical purchases you ever make, from the funky rendition of "Ain't Superstitious" to the brilliant cover of "Born Under A Bad Sign" this is modern blues as it should be.

Melvin Taylor is THE MAN!!
Awesome guitar player. Closest person since SRV to really capture the magic. He by far blows away KWS, Jonny Lang, and Mato Nanji from Indigenous. If you ever see him live or if you can find any video of him you will know what I am talking about.

Some good cuts, if you like Hendrix you will like this!
Excellent tape, it is different from his first two works. I am looking forward to his next CD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

B.B. King unleashes his inner crooner on this collection of 13 of his sentimental favorites. With a five-piece studio band rather than his usual orchestra, the arrangements stay spare throughout, allowing King to exercise his classic vocal chops--although some fans may be disappointed by his low-key guitar playing, as King's beloved axe Lucille plays second fiddle to Texas guitarist Doyle Bramhall II's six-string. Still, King's in excellent voice, whether revisiting early inspiration Lonnie Johnson's romantic "Tomorrow Night," embracing buddy Willie Nelson's golden "Always on My Mind," or tackling numbers recorded by Sam Cooke and Nat "King" Cole ("(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"), Louis Armstrong ("What a Wonderful World"), and Frank Sinatra ("I'll String Along with You"). Fans will recognize "On My Word of Honor" and the King original "Neighborhood Affair" from previous recordings and "I Want a Little Girl" from his live performances. Although King does justice to all these numbers, his most heartfelt selection may be "A Mother's Love," a performance that seems to draw on the heartache he still carries from the loss of his own mother when he was a child, nearly 70 years ago. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (16)

It's as good as margerita pizza!!!
Wow! if I were to cmpare this cd to a pizza I would compare it to a Margarita pizza. Zesty, salty, but actually not cheesy! BB King serves up a pizza platter of standards, and r&b classics. Included here are such songs from the great American Songbook as Exactly Like You, What A Wonderful World and For sentimantal Reasons. The muzaky pianist here doesn't add anything, and why on earth are other guitar olayers featured here??? BB plays a little guitar, but this is a cd that showcases King as a 1st class crooner. This is about the best cd he's recorded in about 20 years, and it isn't dated and overproduced with guest rock stars, it's just a nice date of slow standards and r&b ballads, a great set well worth acquiring.

The King's In A Croonin' Mood
BB King may be called the "King of the Blues," but that doesn't mean he hasn't often added pop, jazz, funk et al to his sound. Being that he recorded three solid straight blues discs in the last five years(BLUES ON THE BAYOU in 1998 MAKIN' LOVE IS GOOD FOR YOU & RIDING WITH THE KING in 2000) one can appreciate BB offering something different this time out. On Reflections, BB picks some of his (older)favorite songs. There are early jazz and swing-era classics ("Exactly like You," "I'll String Along with You"); early R&B hits ("I Want A Little Girl", "I Need You So"); '50s and '60s pop hits ("There, I've Said It Again"); blues (Lonnie Johnson's "Tomorrow Night"), and even songs made famous by King himself ("Word of Honor," "Neighborhood Affair").
For Reflections, he again worked with Simon Climie, who produced RIDING WITH THE KING. Blues purists will not do backflips over this disc, but would nonetheless appreciate BB's still-fine singing and occasional guitar lick- and the rich production value. It's also interesting to compare Bobby Blue Bland's recent version of "What A Wonderful World" (from BLUES AT MIDNIGHT) to BB's. I'll let you decide which is superior.

b.b. king???
I should have know better than to buy any album where the artist is recording "standards". The only thing worse would be an album of Christmas music by b.b. I listened to the first song and thought I was listening to show tunes and then fast forwarded through the rest. B.B.'s voice sounds as good as ever but the concept is a waste.

woooooooo hoooooooooooooooo
who cut the cheese, oh that was me oops(lol). this is a great cd, by a blues legend... you guessed it bobby bland, nah just kidding, this cd features John Lee Hooker singing a duet with BB on Exactly Like you(naaahh just kidding). However the rolling stones do make a guest appearance on For Sentimantel reasons(got you!!! another fib). Buth the honest truth of teh matter is, that this cd isn't BB singin' da blues, it's bb's bluesy interps. of jazz standards with big band and string, with very few guitar solos, but TONS of great voclas, and although Eric Clapton, and other rock bozos don't show up here, thsi cd is one MIGHTY FINE BB cd, go ahaed make my day, by the cd, please, pretty please with ice cream on top, with whipped cream and a cherry, and peanut butter, with cranberry juice and hot sdalso and chips, with carna sada, and chilic sauce with redhots, and onions, fried, not stirred!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

A beautifully done album of bluesy ballads and standards
BB King is 1st and formost a blues singer and jazz based blues guitarist. On this cd his is heard more as a singer, then a guitarist, although he does play a few licks here and there. This cd is proof that King as as much a crooner as Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby or Tony Bennett.

The opening number Exactly Like You(which has been recorded by Little Jimmy Rushing and frank Sinatra), is a perfect example of King acting as an urban blues singer, turning a swing standard into a blues romper much the way Big Joe Turner might have done it on one of his OJC sessions. BB also handles blues ballads with sensitivity and firmness at the same time creating a bluesy intamacy, for instance on On My Word Of Honor, he'll bring you to tears with his ematioanl performance. There are aslo great standards which BB makes hsi own like I Love You For Sentimanetal Reasons, making you forget even Nat KING Cole's version, which was sappier, as where BB made it a Reflection! Also BB stands out on Satchmo's great Waht A Wonderful World. a trutly great and touching cd, and the best release from the king in a decade. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A fine compilation of tracks from King's best period
"Do The Boogie" collects 20 songs from Riley "Blues Boy" King's 1950s heyday, which was arguably his best period, and certainly his grittiest.

There are plenty of classics here, including "I Got To Find My Baby", "Why I Sing The Blues", "Woke Up This Morning", "When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer", and King's take on "Crying Won't Help You", and his guitar playing is as gritty as it ever was. His style was always more urban than that of, say, Howlin' Wolf or even Muddy Waters, but there are certainly no overly slick blues ballads here, or hideous covers of contemporary pop songs.

This is great West side blues, and there are also a couple of alternate takes here, and a few tough-to-locate items ("Bye Bye Baby", "Dark Is The Night" parts 1 and 2, "Jump With You Baby"), and compiler Ray Topping has gone out of his way to include a number of songs which aren't usually found on B.B. King-compilations.

This album would make a fine companion to one of the many compilations that focuse on King's post-1960 recordings (like "Anthology 1962-98"), and if you add "Live At The Regal" to the mix, you'll have pretty much all you'll ever need from Riley B. "Beale Street Blues Boy" King.
4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.

A must have for any serious blues lover!!!!!!!!
If BB King's entire recording catalog consisted solely of the 20 tracks found on this CD he would still be considered one of the greatest vocalist and guitarists ever. Buy this CD, select track 16 and listen to it over and over... then move on to track 17 and do the same. Good Lord!

A Revelation
I bought this CD based on my admiration for B.B.'s contribution to U2's "Love Comes to Town." Guess what. I liked "Do the Boogie" better than anything Bono and his lads have done - they knew what they were doing when they asked B.B. to help out. Everything about this CD is great. The generous number of awesome tunes - each one unique and yet a fitting piece in the puzzle.

Frankly, I never heard anything quite like this before. I like Bobby "Blue" Bland's late 50s early 60s songs a lot. This early 50s B.B. sounds similar but even better and more modern. B.B. obviously had very high standards and not just for himself. The whole band sounds great and the other musicians show their very impressive chops. The production values are obviously all there. Yet B.B. didn't whitewash the songs. They still have quite an edge. Only one problem. What could sound as good?

Excellent Early B.B. Overview
This is perhaps the best single disc overview of B.B.s early 50's material, which also happens to be when B.B. King was at his very best. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Best known for his work as a songwriter, producer, and talent scout, singer-bassist Willie Dixon essentially built Chicago's Cobra and Chess labels with his sweat. Although this double-disc set does include five performances by the man from Vicksburg, Mississippi, himself, it's really a testament to his songwriting prowess, packed with recordings that made his tunes classics of blues and early rock & roll. There's Howlin' Wolf tearing through "Spoonful," "Little Red Rooster," "Evil," and "Back Door Man." There's Muddy Waters belting "You Shook Me," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and "I'm Ready." There's Bo Diddley delivering "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" and Koko Taylor launching her career with "Wang Dang Doodle." The set features excellent liner notes, and its only disappointment is that its label-centricity excludes Dixon's work for Cobra with then-youngsters Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (7)

New to the Blues start Here
Willie Dixon was the Driving force behind Chess records from putting pen to paper writing the music to teaching Howlin'Wolf the words to the music ...This boxed set is the sound of 1950's Blues

Exciting addition to the "Chess Box" series
Willie Dixon is the featured performer on only six of these thirty-six songs. But he is there on the rest as well, composing, producing, playing bass, and usually taking a back seat to stars like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and Bo Diddley.

All of these songs are written and composed or co-composed by Willie Dixon, including classic blues hits like Little Walter's "My Babe", Bo Diddley's "Pretty Thing", Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man", and Howlin' Wolf's magnificent "Hidden Charms" with its fiery guitar solo.

But there are many other superb songs here as well, including lesser-known tracks like the delightful jazzy number "Violent Love", performed by Dixon, guitarist Ollie Crawford, and pianist Leonard Caston, and Dixon's own performance of the catchy "29 Ways".
Eddie Boyd's "Third Degree" is here too, co-written by Dixon, and from Howlin' Wolf's incredible catalogue comes "Evil", along with "I Ain't Superstitious", and "Little Red Rooster".
Little Milton performs "I Can't Quit You Baby" (usually associated with Otis Rush), Willie Mabon contributes the excellent "Seventh Son", and Muddy Waters' "I Just Want To Make Love To You" ranks among the highlights as well, as do Little Walter's rendition of "Dead Presidents" and Jimmy Witherspoon's take on "When The Lights Go Out".
Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) usually composed his own songs, but he pops up as well, doing Willie Dixon's "Bring It On Home".

Willie Dixon's "Chess Box" is a great collection of 50s and 60s blues, proving if proof was needed that Dixon deserves his place alongside the greats of Chess Records, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Rice Miller.
Furthemore, the sound is impeccable, and this fine set includes a well-illustrated and annotated booklet.

4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.

Chess Box Set Willie Dixon
Willie has a CD out that the title is " I am the Blues"
yes he is and this box set shows just why.it's all here From Willie and the Big three back in the late 30's to little Walter Koko Taylor to Howlin' Wolf

Willie Dixon - Author of the Urban Blues
Willie Dixon was a blues singer, bass player, song writer, promoter, producer, and much more. This box set has only a few songs sung by Willie, but that is probably appropriate, because one of his greatest gifts was to write the words that helped make others legends. Beyond the world of the blues, Willie was, and is, a muse for rock musicians. His songs such as "Spoonful," "Evil" and "I'm ready" are classics in both generes.

In this set all of the the performers are blues singers. Legemds such as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon and Koko Taylor and many more. This is a wonderful set, I highly recommend it. Enjoy classics as "Seventh Son," "Mellow Down Easy," "Walkin' the Blues," "Little Red Rooster" and "Back Door Man." Listen and enjoy.

Dixon IS The Blues On The Essential 2CD "Chess Box"
Willie Dixon gave the blues (and, by proxy, rock and roll) much of its identity and personality. As a songwriter, he created some of music's most indelible images: the Back Door Man, Little Red Rooster, Hootchie Coochie Man, and Seventh Son. He not only gave British and Southern rock and roll much of its early repetoire, but his songs became their monikers ("Spoonful," "Pretty Thing"). He played bass on many seminal Chess Records sides (for Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry), and himself recorded several first-class singles.

Chess celebrates Dixon's legacy on the 2-disc "Chess Box," and hearing these original versions is a revelation after exposure for years to their classic rock covers. Hear Waters' "You Need Love," and "You Shook Me," Little Milton's "I Can't Quit You Baby," or Sonny Boy Williamson's "Bring It On Home." Led Zeppelin covered these over their first two LPs, but could only amplify the raw power of Dixon's original words and melodies.

Dixon's prowess also shows through his influential bass work and the sides he did solo