Reviews (1)

Slide Guitar Heaven
The only down side is that there are only 14 tracks - this is one of those Yazoo vinyl-to-CD transfers that suffer from this. But as usual with Yazoo, the sound quality is remarkably good for ancient scratchy old 78's.

Otherwise, this is a super collection covering greats like Black Ace, Bo Weavil Jackson, King Solomon Hill, Sylvester Weaver, Fred McMullen, Ramblin' Thomas. If you love good blues slide and you haven't heard these names, then this CD is for you! Oh yeah, it does also have a few names like Robert Johnson & Memphis Minnie.

Even if like me you have a lot of these tracks on other CDs, this is a good addition to the collection and one you can easily play from go to whoa without skipping a single track - usual Yazoo quality. I owned this before and had it stolen, had to get it again.

Keep on slidin'! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great compilation
Perfect compilation for anyone interested in 20s-30s rural blues. Every song is perfect.

Terrific Delta/Traditional Blues mix!
This albumn is one of the best compilations of Delta/Traditional/Country Blues I've ever listened to. It's easy to listen to from beginning to end. The albumn flows well, reaching back into the "old-timey" Blues with musicians like Charley Patton, Geechie Wiley & Elvie Thomas, Blind Joe Williams and others. From Mississippi John Hurt's soft playing and soothing singing to Robert Belfour's painful moans and rythmic plucking, this albumn is a trip back to jook joints, front porches, and planting fields. Definitely worth looking into for the buff and the beginner, alike. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This third volume in Rounder Records' ongoing classic-train-song series focuses on the R&B end of the rails. Its scope is perhaps a little too ambitious, since the selections here span nearly 70 years. Amid some pretty timeless competition, 1990s entries from the Holmes Brothers and Linda Tillery sound even more flatly digital (and surprisingly inanimate, given the subject matter) than they might otherwise. But classics like Louis Jordan's "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie" and Little Junior Parker's original recording of "Mystery Train"--which predates Elvis Presley's earth-shattering cover by a full year--give this volume a propulsive swagger that previous bluegrass- and country-centric volumes in the series lack. --Matt Hanks ... Read more

Reviews (3)

HELP PLEASE!
This is not a review but I am desperate and need help. This is driving me crazy...Years ago my Grandmother used to sing many of the old railroad songs. One of my favorites was The Wreck Of The Old 97. She used to sing another one, but I cannot remember many of the words, therfore I cannot find it ANYWHERE! I am getting desperate trying to find it someplace on line. The song/story is about a conductor driving down the railroad tracks, and when he passes by his house, if his baby is sick (or something like that) the light on the track (or house) will be red. If the baby is OK, the light will be green. I know I did not imagine this song, but I just cannot remember the words. Does anyone have a clue?? I sure hope you can help!

Thank You! Please email me at ssandlf@adelphia.net if you can help! I would sure appreciate it!!

African Americans sing about trains
Many compilations of train songs, including others in this series by Rounder, focus on country and folk music, but this set shows that people sang about trains regardless of musical genre or their own ethnic origin. So this set covers blues, jazz, boogie-woogie, R+B, soul and gospel.

Leadbelly adapted Rock Island line in the 1940's, most notably adding the discussion about pig iron and livestock. Others including Johnny Cash and Lonnie Donegan covered his version in the 1950's and beyond. However, the version here, by Linda Tillery and the cultural heritage choir, is more faithful to the song as it existed before Leadbelly made the changes that we now tend to assume were always there.

The version of Mystery train here is by Little Esther (actually Esther Phillips) and the robins. Esther had a top ten American hit in the sixties with Release me, a song which was originally a country hit for Ray Price but which is now associated with Engelbert Humperdinck. Esther does a superb job on Mystery Train.

A high standard is maintained throughout this set, beginning with Louis Jordan's classic rendition of Choo choo ch' boogie. Other train classics can be found here, including Trouble in mind and Boogie-woogie choo choo train.

Looking for help finding words to an old train song.
I am looking for the words to a song my father use to sing to my sister and I 45 years ago. I believe the title might be "Pulling Old #9". The words started "O n a cold winters night, not a start was in sight and the north wind came howing down the line. There stood a brave engineer with his sweetheart so dear and his orders to pull old #9. I know this is not a review but can you or someone help me find this song? Thank you very much. Earle Putnam ... Read more

Reviews (1)

back to basics
This is the early days of john lee hooker's music. It is a great album for someone who want's to find out about his music but to the true fan it still lacks everything to cure the craving of a complete set of works. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Kalenda Carnival Songs
This is a collection of Kalenda songs that were played for the annual Shrovetide festival in Trinidad in 1962, a few months before being liberated from the British. The recordings are genuine and high quality although it may take the western ear some time to acclimate to the sounds. There are a few "tamboo bamboo" songs, many call-and-repsonse type songs that show the African roots of many of the sounds that one will find in the Carribean and interviews with some of the artists, which are more comical than anything. Lomax sounds quite out of place when asking the questions, kind of like a game show host, but it is still pretty amusing, and informative to a degree. One of the band members, Matthew Thomas, who played several songs with his band on this album, was an old stick fighter, and the CD contains a wealth of songs relating to the stick fighters of the late 19th century . . . over half of the CD is devoted to various stick fighting type songs of some ilk. There are also some of the more musical waltzes like the Castillians as well a sample of "Carnival Speech", a now defuct variety of activity that used to go on at the carnival in which a braggart boasts of his many feats in a sort of competition with other boasters or could demand "gifts" from the audience, although now it is more comical than threatening in character. Also is a celebration of the Husein festival honouring Mohammed's grandchildren who were killed that are played by some of the Indian Muslim immigrants to the island. Dr. Elder, a Tobagonian anthropologist, writes a very informative introduction to the musical culture and background to the songs. A very different, but entertaining collection. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fine collection to whet your appetite
These 22 tracks offer a very good insight into the blues of the Mississippi Delta as it sounded about seventy years ago.
As usual, Indigo Records has done a great job choosing and compiling songs from various more or less famous bluesmen, ranging from the legendary Robert Johnson and his "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom", to more obscure recordings by Ishmon Bracy (a travelling companion and playing partner of Tommy Johnson) and Willie Brown.

Among the highlights are Skip James' haunting "Devil Got My Woman", Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go", and Bukka White's intense and powerful "Shake 'Em On Down".

The sound quality varies quite a lot; Son House's legendary 1930 recordings "My Black Mama" and "Preachin' The Blues" are entombed in a hailstorm of surface noice, whereas Robert Johnson's contribution might have been recorded in the fifties.
But in spite of the snaps, crackles and pops, this is a very interesting insight into the world of the early Delta blues, and it is highly recommendable to anyone who wants to learn more about this type of music. Maybe after listening to this one, you'll want to go get the recordings by the individual artists.

(There's another early blues compilation out there as well, which doesn't stick exclusively to the Mississippi-born bluesmen : "As Good As It Gets - Country Blues" has only a couple of overlaps with this collection, and would be the perfect companion volume.)

An excellent sampler
I can't believe that the tracks are listed without artists. To remedy the situation: tracks 1-3 are Charley Patton; tracks 4-6 are Tommy Johnson; track 7 is Ishman Bracey; track 8 is William Harris; tracks 9-11 are Son House; track 12 is Willie Brown; tracks 13 and 17 is Bukka White; track 14 is Skip James; track 15 is Big Joe Williams; track 16 is Robert Johnson; track 18 is Tommy McClennan; track 19 is Robert Petway; track 20 is Tony Hollins; track 21 is Muddy Waters; and the final track 22 is Robert Lockwood.

These recordings range from 1928 to 1941. The remastering is excellent providing a surprisingly clean sound. The major influence on this style of blues was Charley Patton, who is represented by the first three cuts. The brief album notes included with the cd gives a very brief family tree of the relationship of the other artists to Patton - as disciples, as second generation "disciples" or as "influenced by".

As several of the artists are well known - Muddy Waters, Bukka White, Robert Johnson, Son House ... this album is especially interesting in allowing one to hear something of the development of the Delta Blues style, and catch nuances of similarity and differences among the artists that escape one's attention when changing cd's.

If you enjoy any of the artists included on this album, you will enjoy the entire collection. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of the best acoustic blues albums ever!
I'm a serious acoustic blues fan. I give this album five stars out of at least three reasons. First, the songs selected are all classic blues takes and the singers are all famous modern acoustic bluesmen. Second, the songs are sung and accompanied in a fantastic way. The most outstanding tracks include "Goin' Down Slow" by Eric Bibb, which is the version I like best, "C.C. Pill Blues" by Corey Harris, "Malted Milk" by John Hammond, ... As a matter of fact, there is not a weak track in this album! Last but not least, the recording quality is fantastic! I highly recommend this album. If you, as a blues lover, haven't got this album, you shouldn't hesitate. Get one at once and try not to get drunk listening to it!Acoustic blues is the introduction to blues music. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Amazing!
This set is one of the best compilations of post-war blues you can get. Every track is great and you can hear the transformation of the black blues experience from the agricultural South to the industrial North come right through your speakers. Buy this set and quote these songs to your friends. You'll be cooler! ;-)

AWESOME CHICAGO BLUES
This series is awesome stuff. Some of the very best artists Chicago had to offer on this three CD compilation. Vanguard really hit a homerun with these releases. This series is a must have for all hardcore blues fans and neophytes alike. Get them all,you will love them. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Chicago blues of the first order. A definitive album!
A definitive album! It features songs by Johnny Shines and Johnny Young, both backed by Big Walter Horton (who takes center stage once, with Charlie Musselwhite on second harp, to blow the instrumental Rockin' My Boogie). These are some of the best recordings you'll find by any of these artists.

Horton is absolutely magnificent. There is no harp-man that gets a tone quite as full as Horton's, and he is at his best on this album. One listen will prove why this lesser-known bluesman is considered one of the Chicago harp masters along-side Little Walter and Sonny Boy. The first three notes he blows on Black Spider Blues will pierce your heart.

You will also be hard-pressed to find Johnny Shines sounding any better than he does here. It is not an exaggeration to say that Shines has a more capable voice than the majority of bluesmen and it is displayed in full power on this disc. Shines' Dynaflow Blues (an alteration of Robert Johnson's Terraplane Blues) is absolutely breathtaking.

Johnny Young is also in top form. His band on this album gets a very complete sound not found on most of his recordings. One More Time just plain rocks and Young's work with the mandolin on Stealin' Back is incredible.

Don't be fooled if you've never heard of these guys. These are bluesmen of the first order and they all perform to the best of their capabilities. This is the best album in the series (which is made up of two other excellent albums) and I'd say one of the best blues albums out there. Among my 100 blues albums this is one of my two or three favorites. ... Read more