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Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl are among blues guitar's hottest pistols, but their first studio union is no showdown. Although Robillard is steeped in all aspects of technique and Earl is a pure "soul" player, their styles overlap in the Texas and Chicago schools, which grant both giants plenty of space for elegant and biting single-note solos, daredevil string-bending, and chugging rhythms. Robillard sings two numbers and "Mighty" Sam McClain, whose red-clay voice is the perfect foil for their emotional fretwork, guests on Earl's heartbroken epic "A Soul That's Been Abused." The real mojo, however, is in the instrumentals, where these virtuosos who emerged from the New England scene to achieve worldwide acclaim maintain a beatific dialogue. They both swing like T-Bone Walker on "Two Bones and a Pick" and trade sliding chords and slide guitar licks on "Zeb's Thing," which dips into down-home Mississippi grit. The highlight is "My Tears," on which Robillard sings sad and dirty, Earl turns sustained notes into Zen koans, and both players stretch their flair for dynamics and brilliant, unhurried, lyrical playing to its limit. Fans of blues guitar need to hear this album. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (9)

You must already know
If you're reading this review, chances are you're a fan or one if not both of these men. You know about Roomful of Blues and the Broadcasters and you could even be from New England. Maybe you're just a very astute afficionado of the blues. What you're probably looking for is confirmation that this album is as good as you've made it out to be in your mind. You're in luck, it is. What this is not is two guys calling each other out for a showdown at high noon. What it is is two good friends and two exceptional guitar players jamming together and making exceptional music for the joy of playing together. We're just lucky enough to be able to take home the finished product. If you're a blues fan or a guitar man (or woman), your collection's not complete without this one. It's a dandy!

If you like Blues Guitar, buy this CD
Ok, I love blues guitar playing and these guys are two of the best. Duke Robillard was one of the founders of Room Full Of Blues and and Ronnie Earl was their lead guitar player for a while after Duke left to go out on his own. They play together wonderfully. The recorded tone of their guitars is superb as is their choices of tunes to play. If you like blues guitar playing, but this CD. You will not be sorry. This is a great blues guitar album!

Fun album
This is basically Ronnie Earl and Duke Robillard jamming over basic Blues songs. A highlight is Mighty Sam McClain's vocals on "A soul that's been abused." As for the guitar work, there's a lot of repetitiveness and redundancy on both sides. The presence of the two single guitars is so overpowering, there are almost no real intense band moments on the CD. Both play their usual time-tested licks. Maybe the price you pay for success...getting lazier and not pushing the envelope of the genre anymore? We can still be grateful that fine Blues albums like this exist, but I expected more from two modern veterans of the Blues.

I Must Be Dreaming!!!!!
Today I was scanning the blues section and came to my favorite guitarists page (Ronnie Earl)I rubbed my eyes and looked again.Yes!! Ronnie Earl and Duke Robillard together at last.This disk will be in your player for a long time.The best guitar,blues,soul whatever you may call it music of the year.Check out Mighty Sam McClain on A Soul thats been abused.Love the opening and Sams voice SPECTACULAR!Guitar players take note-the stakes have been raised.Awesome guitar by two of the best players around.What a Dream indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely a keeper!
Excellent blues guitar with a touch of soul.I lucked into this CD when I heard the track "West Side Shuffle" on the radio, WOW. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Houma homeboy Tab Benoit may have snuck up on some blues fans, but his status as the best and brightest of modern Louisiana bluesmen is now too obvious for any to ignore. His swamp-saturated sound and incisive Telecaster attack, also heard on the Whiskey Store and Whiskey Store Live dueling-guitar albums with Jimmy Thackery, easily personalizes classics, such as Elmore James's "I Can't Hold Out," featured here with saxist Jimmy Carpenter. But Benoit's at his best with the bayou beat. As on 2003's The Sea Saint Sessions, Benoit spotlights the musical heritage of New Orleans by using two guest vocalists who are Crescent City icons: Mardi Gras Indian "Big Chief" Monk Boudreaux and dynastic percussionist/vocalist/composer Cyrille Neville. Boudreaux vocally parades through "Golden Crown" at a fittingly funky Mardi Gras tempo, while Neville provides two songs: the percussion-embellished "Little Girl Blues" and the history lesson "The Blues Is Here to Stay," on which he vocally duets with Benoit between some of the album's best guitar work.

Buddy Guy's "I Smell a Rat" is the album's longest track as Benoit, beginning with a tasty intro, takes his most extended guitar workout, conjuring up a late-night blues club feel in the process. Benoit also contributes three originals, including the zydeco-tinged title track, an anthem of Cajun pride that serves him well as a signature song. Also his is the swamp stomper "Night Train," the album opener. At the other end is a surprise finale, a sublime front-porch, finger-picking acoustic rendition of "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It". --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Get The Fever
If you like Tab Benoit, The Blues or Cajun Spiced Music you will LOVE this CD.In fact, buy TWO--- one for yourself and one to impress your friends with your great taste in music!It is worth every cent.

I like this.
I liked this cd from start to finish.It starts out with night train,a song that strangley reminds me of creedence.I also like the blues song i smell a rat.I think tab is one of the finest new blues guitar players today.Get this if your into the blues.

Possibly his best CD yet
Tab quickly became one of my favorite guitarists when I first heard him, and this new CD shows that he is still getting better.He is one of those all-too-rare musicians that can make you stop whatever else you might be doing and just listen."I Smell a Rat" is my favorite Buddy Guy song and I wasn't sure how Tab would do with it, but his version is excellent.Any blues fan should buy this immediately.

Killer
His best CD yet...I've been playing it for several days now....Very few cd's make that cut. Highly recommended.

Blues from the heart
This is great! You could start and finish your review with that simple statement. I always admired Mr. Benoit work, however from my point of view this has to be his best effort to date. This album is one of the best blues CD I have ever came across. Marvellous guitar playing and even better singing throughout the entire work. If you are looking for a true "blues" CD, a blues CD with the capital "B", played the way it meant to be, do not waste your time looking for more, you have found it. More than very highly recommended this is just an essential purchase for all the blues fan around the word. For sure one of the best release so far in 2005 and maybe one of the best ever. Just pick it up and you wont be disappointed. ... Read more

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It's impossible to overemphasize the importance of singer-guitarist-songwriter Robert Johnson's contribution to blues music. The same can be said of Eric Clapton, one of Mr. Johnson's most dedicated interpreters. From his work with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to Cream and beyond, Clapton has arguably attracted more widespread attention to Johnson's music than any other living musician. A decade after his all-blues From the Cradle (which included no Johnson material), Clapton jumps into the icon's catalog with both feet by covering 14 Johnson tunes. With a stripped-down veteran band that includes such longtime associates as drummer Steve Gadd, keyboardist Billy Preston, and harmonica ace Jerry Portnoy, the guitarist attacks these songs with passion, intelligence, and a refreshing lack of blues-rock pretense. From the upbeat jump of "32-20 Blues" and "They're Red Hot" to the slower, grinding "Little Queen of Spades" and "Milkcow's Calf Blues," Clapton acquits himself well, eschewing his slicker inclinations with arrangements that underscore Johnson's rawest tendencies--although perhaps he doesn't seem sufficiently terrified when walking with Lucifer on "Me and the Devil Blues." Still, this is a successful and admirable return to his roots, one that will hopefully introduce an even larger audience to Johnson's seminal work. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (182)

+ 1/2 stars...Clapton Shares His Vision of Musical Mentor
It's been ten years since Clapton's FROM THE CRADLE, where he paid tribute to such blues influences as Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. But it's been decades since he last recorded anything by Robert Johnson, whom Clapton refers to in his liner notes as "the keystone of my musical foundation." In 1965, a 20-year-old Clapton first recorded Robert Johnson's "Ramblin' on My Mind"; nearly forty years later he finally releases an entire album of the blues legend's material.

On first listening I was disappointed by the polished feel of the recordings. Clapton continues to surround himself with top-nitch musicians, many have been playing on his records for years now, including Andy Fairweather Low and Doyle Branhall II on guitars, Billy Preston on organ and piano. Now, after repeated listenings, I can apreciate these interpretations for the intensity that Clapton found in the originals. Whether it's the smoldering version of "Milkcow's Calf Blues" or the ragtime bounce of "They're Red Hot," the purity of the music shines through. What fans (and my fellow reviewers) need to remember is that Clapton didn't record this album with the idea of replicating Johnson's original recordings, but rather to offer his vision. In his liner notes Clapton says Johnson's music "is like my oldest friend, always in the back of my head, and on the horizon." With this album, Clapton shares that friendship. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

So-so
To me "Me And Mr Johnson" is neither very bad nor very good.
The arrangements are mostly acoustic, with some electric numbers thrown in for good measure, but almost every song is recorded using a full band which includes drums, keyboards, and two or three guitars. Whether or not you consider that an improvment is a matter of taste, I suppose...a few of the arrangements are certainly too cluttered for my taste, and considering how good Clapton's last pure blues album, "From The Cradle", was, "Me And Mr Johnson" is a bit of a disappointment. And the sound is surprisingly mediocre...it's flat and dull, certainly not what you would expect from a 2004 release. Or maybe mine is a Monday pressing.

Hardcore Clapton fans will probably want to check it out, but most people would be better off listening to Robert Johnson playing Robert Johnson, rather than spend their money on these indisctinct performances.
2 3/4 stars. Proceed with caution.

Where god came from...
In the beginning, there was Robert Johnson. And he was great. He wrote some of the tastiest blues songs ever put down on tape.

In the sixties, Eric Clapton rose to guitar divinity with John Mayall and a band named 'Cream. He became one of the most respected in a long line of guitar hero's.

Me and Mr. Johnson is Clapton's homage to his mentor. It is a reworking of the primitive original delta sound of Robert Johnson into the smoother interpretations of ERic Clapton. But the result is, in my opinion, the best Eric Clapton album since From The Cradle.

This album will grow on you. Listen to it at least five times before you make up your mind.

It is, in its own way, a masterpiece. Traveling Riverside Blues and Milkcow Blues are especially delightful.

Come On In My Kitchen
Many years ago, the graffito "Clapton is God" started appearing on brick walls all over the western world. As we all know, God can create things the way She wants, and sometimes, her choices are a little strange.

Face it, Clapton has probably done more than any modern artist to bring Robert Johnson's music to a wide, popular audience. If he'd wanted to, he could've done note-for-note, "pure" covers of all 19 of Johnson's compositions. He's got the chops, and he's good for it. But if he had done so, it would;ve been no more than an empty, mindless exercise in musical impression. Of anyone, Clapton has earned the right to record these tunes any way he wants.

I think he does a great job with this album. His arrangements are vivid and unique. From the mischevious "They're Red Hot" to the spooky, mournful "Me and the Devil", he gives each song in this album a new life, and he gives us a new way of listening.

I think the production was just a tad too slick, which is the only reason I stopped at four stars. This is definitely Robert Johnson "lite", but I enjoyed hearing Clapton's creativity and genius in this recording. I think it's a heartfelt tribute to Mr. Johnson and to classic blues, from someone who's been standing at the crossroads for a long, long time.

36 HOURS OF DRIVING, WORTH IT
I LIVE IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. I DROVE 18 HOURS TO TORONTO AND 18 HOURS BACK HOME AGAIN IN ORDER TO SEE ONE OF MY HEROES, ERIC CLAPTON PERFORM LIVE. THE MAN DID NOT DISAPPOINT. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER SEEN HIM LIVE. I HAD TRIED 2 OTHER TIMES WHEN HE WAS IN CANADA IN THE LAST 8 YEARS TO GET TICKETS TO SEE HIM BUT ON EACH OCCASSION, I FOUND OUT TOO LATE AND COULD NOT GET ANY TICKETS. THIS TIME, I WAS LUCKY. THE LIVE ERIC CLAPTON PROVIDES SPARK AND ENERGY THAT IS MISSING FROM THE STUDIO RECORDINGS OF "ME AND MR. JOHNSON". I TOO, THINK THAT, FOR THE RAW AND ORIGINAL BLUES PURITY OF THESE SONGS THEY ARE BEST HEARD PLAYED BY MR. JOHNSON HIMSELF. BUT, NEXT TO THAT, GIVE ME ERIC ANY DAY. AND WOULD I DRIVE THE 18 HOURS TO SEE HIM AGAIN, YOU BET. IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY WE SPENT GETTING THERE AND BACK HOME AGAIN. I'M A CHRISTIAN AND CAN'T QUITE BRING MYSELF TO CALLING HIM A GOD, BUT HE'S CERTAINLY AN ANGEL. ... Read more

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"I can't even crack a frown since the blues slipped out of town," sings Keb' Mo' on "Prosperity Blues," with a patented big wide grin you can practically hear. It's a witty and accurate assessment of his approach to the often lowdown genre. Even on the album's title track, where Mo's tough National steel slide playing is most prominent, he's concerned with the daunting amount of coffee choices at his local java emporium. Call it the middle-class blues then, as Mo' wraps his grits-and-honey voice around another set of gently rolling, melodic, and warm compositions. Similar to, say, James Taylor, he spins beautifully crafted, meticulously produced, uncluttered roots-influenced music that is no less satisfying because of its smooth qualities. Traces of gospel, folk, and even bluegrass sprinkle these pop-oriented tunes, and while most of the edges here are sanded off--nobody will mistake him for Howlin' Wolf--Mo's cushy voice and charm create another winning entry in his catalog. Sophisticated and burnished, Keep It Simple goes down easy thanks to alluring songs that beckon you back like the memories of an old flame. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Depends on what you like!
Keb Mo has done 3 of my favorite albums (CD's...I am an old dog) of all time. Keb' Mo, Just Like You, and Slow Down are the three. The Door and Keep It Simple don't get me. He is still a great voice and guitar player but the music just doesn't move me. I think, as has been noted, that he is moving away from the blues and that is fine. I hate to see artists get pigeon holed into something they don't have their heart in. And in all fairness, none of the CD's are totally blues anyway. But I will say that if blues is your bag, then certainly start with one of the early works. If you like a littele more pop sound then buy Keep It Simple or The Door. By the way, I happen to enjoy Big Wide Grin, which is all covers, more than Keep It Simple or The Door. The selections are interesting and well performed. I stand Keb's version of America the Beautiful up with Ray Charles' version. And Everybody Be Yo'self is one of my favorite Keb' Mo recordings. I wait with interest to see where he goes next. I will continue to follow but will always gravitate to the first three works. One more thing, his Sessions at 54th make me want to see him live. He has a great stage persona.

"saw" the album live!
A collection of warm sunshine -- Saw Keb live at the House of Blues for his debut of this album, where he unbelievably played STRAIGHT for 2 1/2 hours and came on back for more -- TWICE--- there was no stoppin him!
The songs on this album from You Don't Have to Shave Your Legs to Let Your Light Shine -- they are so filled with that beautiful Keb Mo' energy that you can't help but catch that big wide grin he's forever flashing-- he's a good man with a big heart and warm sweet beautiful message, and way, about him -- gonna get the cd just to bring me back to that night. This is what music is all about! Relax and smile and enjoy!!!

Birthing the Hybrid
Keb' Mo' has launched a brilliant career that is evolving. "Slow Down" was his first CD I heard, and may still be my very favorite. His appearances on "Touched by an Angel" and their CDs, his frequent guest appearances on others' CDs including the new comeback disc by Melissa Manchester, his "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" cover on the "Timeless" Hank Williams tribute CD and several soundtrack cuts like "Glory of Love" from the "One Fine Day" soundtrack and "Crapped Out Again" from "Tin Cup" soundtrack show a great versatility.

On "Keep It Simple" Keb' blends blues and pop to arrive at a hybrid that isn't strictly blues, nor strictly pop, but draws incredible strength from both types. My favorite track that is currently in my personal top ten is the buoyant "Let Your Light Shine" with its great bass backbeat and the incredibly positive lyric, "Step into your greatness, don't be afraid, there's a place that you will rise up to; no one else can do what you do." My other favorite is the romantic "Closer" with Munyungo Jackson's delightful percussive touches and Andrea Zonn (whose "Love Goes On" is a fine CD) on violin, "Turn the lights down low, I need to let you know I'm so in love with you." The opener "France" has infectious toe-tapping shuffle with the lyric reflecting the restlessness of dreaming." The other tracks are also strong from the humor of "Shave Yo' Legs" to the self satisfaction of "Prosperity Blues" to the wistful sadness of the closer "Proving You Wrong." This is an excellent set by one of our young emerging legends. If I had any criticism, I'd probably have enjoyed a couple of strong uptempo tunes to sparkplug the set, but the mellow groove that Mo' sets is exquisite. Enjoy!

thoroughly enjoyable
Heard "France" while in Durango, CO. Went there to mountain bike but they got a foot of snow! So, I bought the CD and spent the weekend drinking red wine and enjoying "Keep It Simple." You should try it!!!

Upbeat ? Blues ?
Keb Mo combines upbeat and positive lyrics with a beautiful mellow blues style that results in something really original and fun to listen to. His lyrics sometimes make me laugh out loud and the mellow groove of his tunes is infectious. This is really great music. Another reviewer below already referenced my favorite verse in the whole cd re: the coffee store, etc. This is my first Keb Mo CD but I am ordering the others. I hope they are as good as this one. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

"Stevie Ray & D.T.'s best (1983 - 1989) & 1 rarity"
This 11 track compilation of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's best work from "Texas Flood (1983)" to In Step (1989)" is highly essential. All of his four studio releases for Epic records are represented here, as well as a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" & the rare track "Taxman", originally by The Beatles. It's nice to have the tracks "Texas Flood", "Couldn't Stand the Weather", "Life Without You", and "Change It" collected on one convenient CD. Six great years of blues-based rock is represented here, and the inclusion of the radio staples "Crossfire" & "Pride & Joy" will surley make even the minor fans happy. NOTE: The import of this album, features three additional tracks: "Love Struck Baby", "Voodoo Chile (slight return) (hendrix)", & The Sky is Crying."

The Sky is Cryin!
I love blues, it's one of my favorite kinds of music. As an avid lover of the rain and all things rainy, I can't help but think about the rain coming down when I hear those depressing notes. Blues and rain go together like peanut butter and meat loaf (hey, don't knock it till you try it!). Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time. Besides the fact that he was a very talented guitarist, he wrote not one, not two, but THREE songs about the rain! Wow! "Texas Flood", "Couldn't Stand the Weather", and "The Sky is Cryin". I don't really like "Couldn't Stand the Weather" that much, because it kinda sounds like he's saying that rain is bad. Awesome video, though. I give this four stars because "The Sky is Cryin" is NOT ON HERE!... That is one of the greatest blues songs of all time, MUCH better than "Couldn't Stand the Weather"! If you like this album, you should check out my fave band, Candlebox. Their guitarist, Peter Klett, is even better than SRV, and they also write bluesy, rainy music. Long live Stevie Ray. The sky cries for thee.

Great music, mediocre compilation
A really great compilation makes the artist in question seem better than he actually is.
Really, it does. It compiles all of the artist's best material, leaving out the fat and the gristle, thus making the albums it summarizes - and by extension, the artist - seem better than they are.

Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Greatest Hits" does the opposite.
It has some magnificent songs, sure, but it is much too brief, and too many of these eleven selections, particularly "Crossfire", "Couldn't Stand The Weather", the instrumental "Little Wing", and Vaughan's cover of "Taxman", aren't really among Vaughan's most memorable. They are not bad, far from it, but the track list just doesn't demonstrate how great Stevie Ray actually was. And besides, the compilers could have fitted another half dozen songs onto the disc had they wanted to.

Now, the new "Greatest Hits 2" goes a very long way towards rectifying these problems, but this album by itself just doesn't do it. Sure, "Pride And Joy", "Texas Flood" and "Cold Shot" are here, but way too many great songs are not: "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love", "Scuttle Buttin'", "Love Struck Baby", "I'm Cryin'", "Dirty Pool" and "Willie The Wimp" to name but a few.

If you are looking for a really good Stevie Ray Vaughan compilation, go for the double-disc "The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble".
That one costs less than "Greatest Hits" and "Greatest Hits vol. II" put together (and features 33 songs, as opposed to 27), and if you really want to limit your SRV-collection to just one or two discs, "The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble" should be the one.

The Lamest Guitarist Ever!
This compilation could've been trimmed (mercifully)down to about 30 seconds if there was a rule against repeating the same tired licks. SRV may have been a nice guy, but he was one sorry excuse for a guitar player-more proof that all you have to do to satisfy the vast legion of dullards is turn it up. "Passion" doesn't replace his lack of technique, taste, originality, etc,ad nauseum.

The Best Greatest Hits Complination
Their have been many Steive Ray Vaughan greatest hits albums. Including The Greatest Hits Volume 2, and The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan but this Stevie Ray Vaughan Greatest Hits album is the best complination. I bought this at a used CD store and I just loved it I did own almost all of his CD's but except for this one. The real reason I bought this greatest hits was because of the first track TaxMan, I always loved the Beatles version, and I loved Stevie Ray Vaughan's music at the same time so I had to here the song beside the fact I loved all the other songs and thought it included Stevie Ray's best greatest hits on one CD.

I loved the entire album for it was truely great. All of the songs included on this CD were his best work. Their are many songs missing but can be heard on The Greatest Hits Volume 2, and on The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan. This whole album covers his best works from Pride And Joy, to Change It, also some other of my favorites include The House Is A Rocking, Little Wing, Crossfire, and Tightrope. The extra song TaxMan is perhaps the best new unreleased song on the entire album. I highly encourage anybody to pick up a copy of this masterpiece. Highly Recomened! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

This guest-studded CD relaunched Buddy Guy's career and set him toward the pinnacle of contemporary blues. Despite turns from Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and others, it's Guy who burns brightest--and loudest. He delivers roaring, exuberant performances of classic R&B ("Mustang Sally"), old-time blues ("Black Night"), and house rockers ("Where Is the Next One Coming From"). Most poignant, though, is his seven-minute instrumental "Rememberin' Stevie," which not only rekindles the fiery spirit of his own youth, but pays sensitive tribute to his late friend and admirer Stevie Ray Vaughan. This is the blueprint for Guy's current performing style. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Where's Jeff Beck???
This is the expanded edition of what is already a classic blues album. All in all the expanded edition is OK. It was remastered by George Marino, who has remastered a lot of catalogs, most importantly the Led Zeppelin catalog. This edition sounds a little better than the old CD, but not that much. The two extra tracks are really outstanding. One is an instrumental jam where Buddy really lets loose and the other is a nice cover of Guitar Slim. No horns or big production, just Buddy and the band on these two. The big letdown: in 'Mustang Sally' Jeff Beck's contribution has been edited out completely!!! All the fills and his solo. Why, what happened???

How About Ten Stars
Next to B. B. King, Buddy Guy is the greatest living bluesman, and this is his finest album. When he is on his game, as he is here, Guy is an absolutely astounding electric guitarist. Some of his solos suggest what Jimi Hendrix would have sounded like if he had lived past his twenties. But that is really beside the point. Guy doesn't need Hendrix comparisons to validate his work. Guy, who remains the epitome of Chicago blues, playsguitar with all of the vitality, sorrow, humour, passion, anger, pain, and transcendance that he can muster, and the end result is just marvelous, thrilling music. And there is not a throwaway song on the entire CD. If there is a better blues CD out there, I don't know what it could possibly be. This is a CD that will never age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Talking Timbuktu is a groundbreaking record that vividly illustrates the Africa-Blues connection in real time. Ali Farka Toure, one of Mali's leading singer-guitarists, has a trance-like, bluesy style that, although deeply rooted in Malian tradition, bears astonishing similarity to that of John Lee Hooker or even Canned Heat. It's a mono-chordal vamp, with repetitive song lines cut with shards of blistering solo runs that shimmer like a desert mirage. Toure may be conversant with some blues artists, but it is unlikely that artists like Hooker or Robert Pete Williams ever heard these Malian roots, which makes the connection so uncanny. Ry Cooder, well versed in domestic and world guitar styles, is the perfect counterpoint in these extended songs/jams, his sinewy slide guitar intertwining with his partner's in a super world summit without barriers or borders. --Derek Rath ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Talking African Blues
Ry Cooder brings another great musician to light. Ali Farka Toure is a leading singer-guitarist from Niafunke, Mali and Ry Cooder has made quite a discovery in this artist. His music is quite good, and very bluesy, though it's a laid back blues. It has been said all along (I don't know by whom, but it has been said) that most of American Blues is just transformed African music, and I think this album clearly illustrates that. The resemblance between this music and just about any album by John Lee Hooker is quite amazing at times.

The lyrics are somewhat repetitive in that African chanting style, but the music that weaves under and around the lyrics is phenomenal at times. Ry Cooder does a good job of extending some more traditional blues stylings into the great music that is led by Toure, just as he has with so many other international artists.

My favorite track from this CD is "Gomni" this track is a very emotional song about hard work and the effects it has on the individual. The melody is trance like at times but changes around enough that it feels almost vivacious in its sound. There are quite a few other great songs on here like "Bonde", "Amandrai" and "Keito" but they all have to be listened to truly appreciate their beauty. The CD as a whole works very well and seems to present a unified face of music that winds around your heart and your ears, much like the Niger river that flows through Toure's homeland.

My one complaint about this CD is that maybe Ry left this CD too much up to Toure, Cooder's great work is almost overpowered by the singer/guitarist wonderful sounds. I think that Cooder achieved a much better synthesis on the Buena Vista Social Club and on BVSC presents Ibrahim Ferrer, where he works with some Cuban musicians. I've also heard that his work on A Meeting by the River is really good, where he teams up with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and looks at classical Indian music.

If you like this CD I would recommend any of the ones mentioned above as well as Kulanjan where the Blues artists Taj Mahal teams up with another Mali artist Toumani Diabate. I think Taj Mahal's work is actually superior to Cooder's mainly because he injects himself more into the CD.

Nonetheless, I would recommend this CD to anyone who wants to hear where American Blues music really came from, or for anyone who is ready for something a little different. It's a great CD overall.

Unbelievable "Feel Good" Bluesy Music of Mali - The Best
I have 6 or 7 CDs of music from Mali and find myself listening to this one most often. While I love them all --- the combination of musicians: Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder is unbeatable. Track #1 "Bonde" sung in Peul begins with a fantastic guitar introduction by Ali Farka Toure. Each note is drawn out just right to hook the emotions. The congas played by Oumar Toure provides an infectious rhythm. One male voice begins while a chorus responds in rhythmic unity, telling the story of why some women are unsuitable for marriage. Track #2 "Soukara" is sung in the Bambara language ... it has the sound and feeling of music from the Caribbean with a suitable ambient melody. The male vocalist pours his heart out to his lover at night, so say the liner notes. Another favorite track is #5 "Amandral" sung in the Temasheck language. The rhythms and sounds of this desert tribe is familiar. They are unforgetable on the CDs, "Festival in the Desert" and "Radio Tisdas Sessions", both of which are highly recommended. As each guitar note is plucked, the feelings of the listener are hooked. The feelings rise ... ever higher in resonance with the melody and mood expressed on the slide, acoustic and bass guitars, drums, calabash, and congas. Without exaggerating, I feel this CD contains some of the finest guitar playing on the planet. Other favorites are: #6, "Lasidan" (#6) which has a peppy, cheerful and upbeat tempo and #7, "Keito", which has musical elements of India and Pakistan or is it the Meditarranean? Ry Cooder plays the tamboura, Ali Farka Toure plucks and strums the electric guitar. There is a syncopated rhythm played on the congas and calabash. The music of Mali is highly distinct and very appealing. It is the best music from Northern Africa, and to this listener, the best from the whole continent of Africa. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Love Ali Farka Toure and Salif Keita
I am in love with music from Mali. It is music that touches the soul. The region have deep traditions...Then when you understand the lyrics....then you say God has really blessed them with wisdom. The region has over 700 000 manuscripts and old universities where people from all over came to study in Timbuktu, Djenne...you can find more information on the web at http://www.timbuktufoundation.org

A Simply Gorgeous Album
The liner notes tell us that Toure speaks eleven languages and that on this album he sings in Songhai, Bambara, Peul and Tamasheck. And do you know what? It doesn't matter that I don't understand the words. Music is a universal language and the music on this disc is gorgeous! I first bought this album because Ry Cooder is one of the best guitarists on the planet. I've now added Ali Farka Toure to that list. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Hauntingly beautiful
Probably the most satisfying CD of Ali Farka Toure. Ry Cooder has assembled an excellent cast of musicians to back him, including the immortal Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown on violin. The songs are hauntingly beautiful, echoing the Blues, but indebted more to the pervasive Muslim inflence in West Africa. Toure is one of the grand masters of Malian music, which has an incredibly rich heritage. He is a purist at heart and this music reflects that approach, although it has been jazzed up to reach a broader audience. "Soukora" and "Ai Du" will leave you breathless.

One only wishes that Toure had the chance to meet John Lee Hooker, since the two seem like soulmates. When he heard Hooker, Toure apparently was so stunned that he said Hooker belongs in Africa. It just goes to show you that the Blues is firmly embedded in the African tradition. ... Read more

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Ry Cooder might have been tempted to bill this as the Chavez Ravine Social Club. After generating such popular and critical interest in Cuban music of decades past with the Buena Vista Social Club, Cooder applied a similar approach closer to home, extending his fascination with the Mexican-American culture that flourished in 1940s and '50s Los Angeles. The result is an CD that sounds like it's aspiring to be something far more ambitious: a DVD, a theatrical production, even a time machine. Cooder and a cast of seminal Chicano artists present a song cycle that conjures an era of UFOs, the Red Scare, and political machinations that leveled the Chavez Ravine barrio to lure the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. In his celebration of a vibrant community that doesn't know it's on the verge of displacement, Cooder enlists Thee Midnighters vocalist Little Willie G. (whose songwriting collaboration with Los Lobos's David Hidalgo on "Onda Callejara" highlights the album) and Pachuco patriarchs Don Tosti and Lalo Guerrero, with the latter reviving his dancefloor favorite "Los Chucos Suaves." The accordion of Flaco Jimenez adds conjunto flavor to "Barrio Viejo." Throughout, Cooder plays a typically tasteful, understatedly virtuosic guitar; assumes a variety of vocal roles (including a cool Chet Baker homage with pianist Jacky Terrason on "In My Town"); and provides the provocative social context. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (60)

A Beautiful Collaboration
This cd makes a great soundtrack to any road-trip, to be sure. Norah's enchanting vocals compliment PMG's groovy tunes, creating a feel-good, head-nodding album. More up-tempo than Norah's debut, but trust me, this is a great thing. Faint echos of Bonnie Rait or *early* Sheryl Crow...

1) New York City - Title track. Begging to be stolen by some cheezy sitcom and ruined forever, that good. :)

2) Strange Transmissions - Slow, sensual build up, with a catchy musical hook that just makes you want to smile. This is a perfect mix between Mrs. Jones and Mr. Malick...hopefully shades of this will appear on Norah's next cd...

3) Deceptively Yours - Light rockin' song with a lot of soul. Think coctail lounge rock and you'll be closer. Blues-y and beautiful.

4) All Your Love - I heard a friend play this on his stereo and swore it was a young Bonnie Raitt. Traditional blues, with a *slight* modern distortion added in to the guitars. Seductive and sassy.

5) Heart of Mine - A Bob Dylan cover to slow things down a bit. Once more, Norah nails a classic song, while PMG's instrumentation drives her on, note for note.

6) Things You Don't Have to Do - The loudest song on the cd. This one will make you want to get up and dance, for sure. Don't be suprised if you find yourself smiling by the end of the song; It just has a feel-good vibe.

7) New York City (Radio Edit)

Overall - One of the best new cd's of the year...I find myself listening to it more and more every day...maybe now that it's hit the radio, it will encourage more people to experience this shining gem. One negative comment - at a running time of 30:04, it's too short! Though better to end it on a high note than to ruin the cd with a bunch of rushed renditions. Short 'n sweet. A must buy for any jazz/Norah/light rock fan. Expect to be hearing more of this on the airwaves.

Not the whole album
I can't give it a bad review as these are good songs well performed but this is only a subset of Peter Malick's 'Chance and Circumstance', an album that is so infectious it is almost never off my car stereo.

If you're only interested in the Norah Jones songs then fine, this is the one for you but for me 'Chance and Circumstance' is such a beautifully crafted work that anything less would feel like walking out halfway through the show.

Other people can review the musical style, I just wanted to let folks know.

bE
Bad album. Don't listen what other people is saing to you! Shakira is better! Don't buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good mix
I really enjoy the mix of Norah Jones voice with Peter Malick's guitar work. Good music to have in the background to hum along to.

NYC is a Disappointment
I borrowed this CD from my library in the hopes that since Norah Jones was featured on it, I would enjoy this album immensely.

I never imagined I'd listen to an entire recording with Norah Jones' voice and dislike it. Fans of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me probably wouldn't like this CD. I suppose a die-hard blues fan would like it, but I don't like the blues, therefore, this CD was a HUGE letdown for me. I liked New York City, but the entire album was enough of a disappointment for me to return to my library and forget about buying for myself. I would recommend Norah Jones' sophomore album before I would EVER recommend New York City.

P.S. This album really does not accurately capture the emotions of New York City. Really, it doesn't. ... Read more

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In this 2003 performance from the Austin City Limits series (also available on DVD), New England's Susan Tedeschi demonstrates a range that extends well beyond her blues base. Following the blueprint employed by Bonnie Raitt a few decades earlier, she covers John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery" (a signature tune for Raitt), inserting a snippet from the Grateful Dead's "Sugaree." The piano balladry of her "Wrapped in the Arms of Another" could fit just fine on a Raitt album. The set also finds her sampling from the songbooks of Sly Stone ("You Can Make It If You Try"), Bob Dylan ("Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"), and Stevie Wonder ("Love's in Need of Love Today"), in addition to the more straightforward blues of Koko Taylor ("Voodoo Woman"). Though Tedeschi's stinging lead guitar provides the focus, she receives strong support from a band featuring the interplay of electric pianist Jason Crosby (who doubles on violin) and William Green on Hammond B-3 organ. Highlights include a tribute to jam-band inspiration Col. Bruce Hampton on "Hampmotized" and the simmering "Wait for Me," with its echoes of Aretha Franklin.Tedeschi has yet to show the suppleness as a vocalist to complement her guitar chops, but the musical range she displays here bodes well for her artistic development. --Don McLeese ... Read more

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A million or so collections, all from different record labels, document this Detroit blues guitarist's influential boogie-woogie career. This 16-song Rhino CD is an excellent starting point, with definitive versions of Hooker's classics "Boom Boom," "Boogie Chillen'," "I'm in the Mood," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." It's interesting to hear the singer's voice progress from a deep, growling slur to the more polished later material, such as his collaboration with slide guitarist Roy Rogers on Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues," but he never lost his bottom-line rawness. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Stuff Legends Are Made Of!
Every once in a while, a budget disc comes along that is surprisingly good. Such is the case with Rhino Records release of "The Very Best of John Lee Hooker." On this release, Rhino combines 16 stand out tracks and some nice liner notes which briefly describe the man as well as the origin of each of the tracks. The selection of songs range from Hooker's signature "Boogie Chillen'" recorded in 1948 through "Terraplane Blues" recorded with slide man Roy Rogers in 1987. This is not a comprehensive collection nor was it ever intended to be. Instead, you get a flavor for a younger John Lee Hooker and his amazing guitar work. The recording quality is excellent especially considering the age of the songs. Well worth the purchase.

16 John Lee Hooker classics all in a row!!!
This great CD from Rhino collects 16 classic tracks from John Lee Hooker's awesome career!!!Includes:Boogie Chillen',Crawling King Snake,Boom Boom,Big Legs,Tight Skirt,Shake It Baby,One Bourbon,One Scotch,One Beer,Terraplane Blues(with Roy Rogers!),and more!!!An awesome collection!!! Two thumbs up!!! Five stars!!! A+

A fine starting place
This single-disc compilation actually does a better job than Rhino's double-disc "The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)", from which these tracks are taken. It's not a complete career overview, of course, but where "The Ultimate Collection" tries and fails to be definitive, "The Very Best Of John Lee Hooker" doesn't strive to be "ultimate", but only to provide a good introdution to the daunting legacy of the Hook.
And it does a superb job, collecting sixteen of Hooker's best song, including "Boom Boom", "Dimples", "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", "Big Legs, Tight Skirt" and "It Serves You Right To Suffer".
A perfect introduction for the curious.

simply and absolutely Blues
It's the best way to enter the world of the blues and the finest way to realise why the man with the guitar is the one make you feel good everytime you want to relax.It's the combination of that electrical tone and the rough voice that relax you during or after a dificult day.It's simply and absolutely blues.

pioneer of the blues
There is nothing like drawing the shades close, putting on a set of headphones, and listening to a good John Lee Hooker disc. Whether it be something from the late 40's or his newest releases back in 2000 with John Lee Hooker and Friends. That is what was great about this man, he just got better as time went on. To start out, The Very Best of John Lee Hooker is a great way to get into him if you are interested in the blues. You wont be dissapointed. The Classic Boom Boom, One Scotch, One Beer, are great, but the others that you may never heard of are just as good. It serves You Right To Suffer, Burnig Hell, and Crawlin' King Snake are just a couple on this cd that will grab you. I give this disc 5 stars and then some. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Excellent value for the newcomer...
Yeah, I read the review below by a 'music fan' who says there are an overabundance of Vaughan comps and while that's true, this one has one thing that the earlier Greatest Hits doesn't have: VALUE.

This two CD set comes in at a price considerably cheaper than if you bought the two earlier Greatest Hits CDs, separately.

And unless you are a Vaughan completist who HAS to have the four studio albums, the 'live' stuff plus "Family Style" with Jimmie or the SRV box, then this one is a pretty good value, price-wise for a beginner new to Vaughan's work.

This is all a part of Sony's 'Essential' series that's coming out during 2002-2003 year and for them not to do an 'Essential comp on SRV would, I believe, be quite noticed by SOME fans out there. After all, SRV was an important artist for Columbia/Epic in the 1980s and that's what this series is about.

Excellent for Newcomers to SRV/DT
The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan is an outstanding introduction to the greatest guitarist of the last 30 years. Being an SRV/DT completist, I already have these songs in one form or another, so I would have liked to have seen some additional, previously unreleased tracks. If you're new to SRV, pick up this collection first, then work your way backwards from In Step (his masterpiece) to Texas Flood for some incredible album tracks not included on The Essential SRV. Then get Live at Montreaux 1982-1985 for a pair of absolutely blistering live sets.
Just ensure that Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) is played at MAXIMUM volume for greatest enjoyment!
RIP, SRV - there will NEVER be another musician of your calibre.

I'm not too big on live performances over studio cuts
The one thing that disappointed me on this collection was that they opted for the excessively long 12 minute live version of Hendrix's Voodoo Child. Why not the superior 8 minute studio version found on the Greatest Hits 2 collection? It seriously rocks and was one of the reasons I purchased this set. Wished I had just opted for Greatest Hits 1 & 2 instead of this bloated collection. Most of the other songs on this collection are the same versions found on the others. Why the change-up on this one song? I thought I was getting a better deal by going with this double-disc set. Greatest Hits and "Best of" collections are for the casual listener, like myself, not the hard-core fan who likely has the individual albums to begin with and has little use for a compilation. Why throw in alternate takes of the hits? Just one man's opinion. Still, I'm disappointed I spent this much on a CD with which I'm not entirely happy.

The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan REMASTERED
I own every SRV CD I did not buy this one but a friend lended it to me. This CD sounds better than the orginal the sound quality is out of this world. This is a must have for an SRV fan who does not own that much of him. If your looking to buy a SRV Cd this one if for you. This includes all his hits like Texas Flood, Pride And Joy, The Things We Used To Do, Change It, Voodoo Chile, and some rare recordings of some live stuff. This is a must have buy this on amazon and you will love it!!!!!

Solid Overview Of Influential Guitarist's Career
Arguably the greatest blues guitarist of the last quarter century, this is two-and-a-half hours of his best work. The 33 tracks are presented essentially in chronological order beginning with a 1980 live performance of Willie Dixon's "Shake for Me" and ending with the stark performance of the autobiographical "Life By the Drop" taken from 1991's posthumous release THE SKY IS CRYING. Also included are a couple of tracks ("Telephone Song" and "Long Way from Home") from FAMILY STYLE, an album he cut with his older brother Jimmie just months before his death.

While there are no previoulsy unreleased tracks on this compilation, this is a solid overview of the most influential guitarist since Jimi Hendrix. If you can't afford his entire catalog, this is an excellent alternative. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ... Read more

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This legendary 1983 debut by the fallen torchbearer of the '80s-'90s blues revival sounds even more dramatic in its remixed and expanded edition. Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar and vocals are a bit brighter and more present on this 14-track CD. And the newly included bonus numbers (an incendiary studio version of the slow blues "Tin Pan Alley" that was left off the original release, and live takes of "Testify," "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and the instrumental "Wham!" from a 1983 Hollywood concert) illuminate the raw soul and passion that propelled his artistry even when he was under the spell of drug addiction. Texas Flood captures Vaughan as rockin' blues purist, paying tribute in his inspired six-string diction to his influences Larry Davis (who wrote the title track), Buddy Guy, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix. His own contemplative "Lenny," a tribute to his wife at the time, also suggests a jazz-fueled complexity that would infuse his later work. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (66)

A MASTERPIECE
TEXAS FLOOD is STEVIE RAY VAUGHN'S first album and every song on this album is a hit. Now that it is remastered, the songs are fresher and sound better, and we have some bonus live tracks that show where SRV really earned his reputation, and that is by playing live back in Austin. We have classic tracks such as LOVE STRUCK BABY, PRIDE AND JOY, MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,I'M CRYIN, which are uptempo blues rockers, and we also have the slower tempo blues classics TEXAS FLOOD,and DIRTY POOL. LENNY, TELL ME, and RUDE MOOD are classic blues instrumentals that are a must listen to. This remastered and reissued album is great and we be enjoyed by all fans of the blues and will be a great way for new fans to be introduced to SRV music

RIP SRV
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble blew us all away with the blues debut Texas Flood. Blues-rock was never any better- not when the Rolling Stones had their glory years or even when Led Zeppelin released their amazing debut. This is an essential blues-rock album, and the key to enjoying it is the guitar. Stevie rips through each song with a long solo or addictive riff while howling into the mike. The best song would be Texas Flood, a song that was amazing on stage. The entire album is his most consistent with not a single mediocre song, and blistering instrumentals, including the soulful Lenny that will turn your heart blue. This is blues rock done better than ever. If this doesn't convince you that Stevie Ray Vaughan is, next to Jimi Hendrix, the greatest guitarist ever, nothing will. If you have a thirst for Texas blues rock buy this right NOW!

One of the few truly magnificent blues records of the 80s
Rarely does a year go by without some new artist being proclaimed the greatest thing since music's birth, and when I first heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan, I was a bit weary. With so many people talking about him as if he was the second coming of Jimi Hendrix, something had to be amiss.

Well, it isn't. The late Stevie Ray Vaughan was actually every bit as great as he was made out to be, and his debut album is by far the best collection of blues-rock and contemporary blues of the first half of the 80s, holding up wonderfully more than twenty years later.

This record brought the blues back into the limelight. It spent some seven months on the American charts (an extremely rare feat for what is essentially a blues record), and it includes several of Stevie Ray Vaughan's very best songs:
The blistering rockers "Love Struck Baby" and "I'm Cryin'" are here, as well as the magnificent slow blues "Texas Flood" and "Dirty Pool", an excellent rendition of Buddy Guy's blues-slash-nursery rhyme "Mary Had A Little Lamb", and of course Stevie Ray's most famous song, the sublime "Pride And Joy".

And the guitar playing is masterful. Vaughan had an incredibly ability to keep his solos sounding fresh and innovative, even when they went on for several minutes at a time, and he was a more than adequate singer as well, switching effortlessly between rock n' roll and slow, soulful blues tunes.

This CD reissue adds five bonus tracks, one of which is a short interview snippet. The other four include a very good live take on "Mary Had A Little Lamb", and the otherwise unreleased instrumental "Wham" (unreleased except on compilations, that is).
And everything here, rockers, blues, instrumentals and bonus cuts, is worth a listen. Many listens. "Texas Flood" is a magnificent blues record, probably Vaughan's finest original album, and it should appeal to fans of both blues and rock.

Bow down to the master
It's very simple: SRV was the greatest electric blues guitarist ever, and one hell of a singer too. This was one of his masterpieces. Buy it, or I'll be forced to hunt you down.....

Want To Here Some Talent?
Texas Flood is Stevie Ray Vaughan's first debut album including the opening track Love Struck Baby with a beautiful texas tone. Then their is the songs that most guitarist never forget including Stevie Ray Vaughan's greatest hit Pride And Joy, and Texas Flood. Lenny is the softer track on the album dedicated to his wife Lenny. I think one of the coolest Blues Shuffles is on Rude Mood. I think Stevie Ray Vaughan had a wonderful talent doing what he did he was one of the greatest guitarist the ever lived. Their are some old great blues songs on here like the Lonnie Mack orginal Wham. The greatest guitar song on the album is Texas Flood. This album has got plenty of radio play that it deserved. Any guitarist should buy this you will not be disapointed. Highly Recomened! Only The Best ... Read more

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Every few years, an acoustic guitar player decides he wants to be the next Robert Johnson and endears himself to the blues world--Rory Block, John Hammond Jr., and Taj Mahal have crossed this road in the past. Veteran backup guitarist Kevin "Keb' Mo'" Moore has the freshest approach to pulling it off, turning Johnson's devil-obsessed classics "Come on in My Kitchen" and "Kindhearted Woman Blues" into friendly folk music on this 1994 debut. Unlike many of the great bluesmen, the personable Moore doesn't aspire to be evil or even rebellious; he writes terrific songs (most notably the opening "Every Morning" and "Dirty Low Down and Bad") and performs them with talent and charisma. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Blues the way I like it....
This is a very enjoyable disc. I learned of Keb Mo' from the "Austin City Limits: Big Blues Extravaganza" CD. He plays "Tell Everybody I Know" on that compilation. I liked it so much I bought this CD. His folky, blues sound is very refreshing to the typical blues that I have heard. The music on this CD runs from the light and fun of "Tell Everybody I Know", to the serious "Victims of Comfort", to the lonely "Anybody Seen My Girl". Even when he does a traditional blues tune("Am I Wrong"), it's got a brightness to it that you don't see in other blues music. The sound quality is superb, and the music is even better.

Enjoy!

Superb country-blues debut
Though Mo' released an earlier R&B-flavored album under his birth name, Kevin Moore, this delta-inspired acoustic-blues release is really his artistic debut. Playing guitar, banjo, and harmonica, Mo' shows a heavy influence from Robert Johnson (whose "Come On In My Kitchen" and "Kindhearted Woman Blues" he covers alongside eleven originals). At the same time, he displays a playful, gregarious side that brings to mind Taj Mahal (with a touch of Bobby McFerrin and Lyle Lovett), and expands his songs to encompass modern folk and jazz ideas.

Mo's expressive singing and penetrating lyrics are highlighted on spare ballads, backed by the sharp fingerpicked twang of steel strings and the harmonica's mournful wail. Mid-tempo tracks retain the acoustic innocence even as the band kicks up the energy with backing organ, bass and drums. The result is an album steeped in classic blues but not enslaved by it; a recording that finds new avenues for the blues without losing any sense of its history.

Mo Better
There's something about acoustic blues, the idea of playing on a street corner deep in the Delta, running a bottle over a National Steel. Keb' Mo' is one of the best acoustic blues players today. Sometimes it's just him and his guitar, other times he's backed by drums and keyboards. Moore's playing is full and you rarely notice that there is no one else playing but him. His solo guitar work brings visions of Robert Johnson, and he pays tribute to the Master with two of his cuts. The rest of the tracks are penned by Moore with some collaboration from others.

Every tune on this album is good. Moore's playing adjusts between strumming, fingerpicking and slide. He also adds in banjo and harmonica, but his great asset is his voice. Smooth and sweat, it lacks the gravel sound we've become accustomed to for the blues, but his voice is perfect for solo guitar, almost as if it matches the sound of the guitar. "Victims of Comfort" is my favorite off the album with his strumming and voice interaction. The song is just him and his guitar, almost slow and sad sounding. "Angelina" throws in drums to keep the beat and Moore's fingers pluck the strings with an upbeat tempo. "Come On In My Kitchen" is the first of the Johnson covers, and he plays with a slide, and belts out some on the harmonica, with a little help from an organ and drums. Another great cut. More of the straight blues shuffle is heard on "Love Blues" again a solo guitar bit.

Each track is good on this album, and proves that Keb' Mo' is a name to be recognized with his unique sound of yesterday. Anyone who likes the original blues players like Johnson, will love this album, as will many people who don't love the blues. Moore's voice is soothing, and his playing has a relaxed feel to it. A pure joy to listen to.

keb mo- magic man
Keb Mo is the magic man of blues. His voice is pure and rich. He awed me at The Fort Lauderdale Blues Festival. I have a band that appreared there as well, Heidi and The El Cats and I went backstage and sat with Keb Mo. He is a fabulous singer. Everyone should buy his records!!!We love you Keb!!!

Keb' Mo': Blues Energy Transducer
As a "strong hearted" listener myself I've come to realize that there are people out there who just don't "get" the soulful essence of a rare performer like Keb' Mo' and there are no words that can explain it to them.
Its gives me much optimism when I realize the Music industry has recognized the God given talent of someone like Keb' Mo' with a grammy award. Usually you expect a commercially exploited sound to win that honor. However, here the intrinsic abliliies of a future blues phenom are noted by the grammy award. A huge step in the right direction for an otherwise shallow tin cup honor.
This CD captures the essence of Keb's voice where that undescribable energy emminates from the soul. For Keb it's an extremely rare feel-good energy that transcends all sound barriers. It originates from the depths of soul and for most blues artist it rarely leaves its imprint on the vocal recordings.
Keb is the exception to the rule, much the way BB King or Muddy Waters carries such a rare gift. However, I feel that some of Keb's more recent recorded CD i.e. "Slow Dow" are more masterfully produced, with all around crisper recording sessions. But as a recognized "debut" CD this album should not be omitted from any serious blues fan's collection. ... Read more

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Jonny Lang cut his debut album in Memphis when he was just 15, and, upon its release in 1996, the guitar prodigy from Minneapolis instantly became one of the leading lights of modern blues. He's a fast and flashy player whose approach rests equally on technical assurance and musical intelligence. Sizing up a dozen songs, he gets a pleasing, razor-sharp sound out of his ax while building excitement in his lead lines--thankfully, he steers clear of cliché and bombast. As a fledging singer, he acts out the lyrics of Ike Turner's age-old shuffle "Matchbox" and his own romantic ballad "Missing Your Love" with surprising poise and believability. Kudos to producer David Z for surrounding Lang with alert, first-rate sidemen and for helping select good material from Turner, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tinsley Ellis, and others. --Frank-John Hadley ... Read more

Reviews (120)

Jonny "Lie To Me" Anytime
When I first heard this CD I could not believe that it was a 15 yr old singing and playing guitar. Jonny's voice and guitar playing is amazing. The CD is great! The more you listen, the more you like. With a mix of songs like "Lie to Me" and "Hit the Ground Running" which are blues based rock songs, to "I Wonder" and "When I Come To You" where you can feel the emotion in his voice. It's amazing to think that this kid could even understand that kind of emotion at his age. Jonny Lang has made me a believer that "age means nothing" when it comes to the blues.

What does age have to do with it anyway?
I recently read through all the reviews, both editorial and customer, and offer the following thoughts. First of all, anyone who believes this kid lacks talent, either as a guitarist or a vocalist, is simply living in an alternate reality. As I read the negative reviews, what came through loud and clear was jealousy. How dare a mere "kid" try to be good?......Well, guess what?.....He is.... The kind of raw power Jonny demonstrates at the tender age of 16 on "Lie To Me" is nothing short of truly amazing. And while it is certainly true that you can hear the influences of bluesmen like Albert King, Albert Collins, and Luther Allison (I don't hear much Stevie) on "Lie To Me", it is also true that his own unique style is emerging. This is most noticable on the tracks, Missing Your Love and When I Come To You. His follow-up release "Wander This World", reaches down into the soul and literally drags the listener through an emotional rolley coaster ride. For the record, he plays a telecaster, not a Strat, a totally different sound. And would everyone PLEASE get off of this thing about his age! For God's sake,...who cares? Everybody's gotta start somewhere. Talent is talent, and the fact that he is so young only makes him that much more special. Think about where he will go with his music in the next 20 or 30 years....... Way to go Jonny! You will be in San Antonio on January 19 at the Majestic Theater, and I can't wait!

He's the Real Thing
This kid is the real deal. A natural talent if there ever was one. The maturity in this album is amazing, since it was recorded when he was only 15-16! Are his guitar solos melodic and well phrased? You bet. Some very nice work in that regard. But for me, the real magic of Jonny is those vocals - tortured, rich, raw, real and - dare I say it? - SEXY. His voice as an instrument is a very sensual sound. I love the blues - but I ADORE the sound of this kid's voice. If I had to take one album to a deserted island, this might be it.

Hey Jonny Lang... please do a dvd?
Just hoping my wish will come to reality.... check the reviews, beg borrow or steal a copy of this cd.... it's awsome..... I'd love to see Mr. Lang do a dvd. Being a father of two very young kids, I don't have the time to breath, yet alone see him in concert..... A dvd would surely be appreciated by more than just myself..... anybody reading this, and agree that the man should do a dvd, please find a way to let Mr. Lang know.

Jonny Lang
Lany is a master 6 string player no doubt. This recording documents the facts. His voice is young and his age leads one to wonder if he has had time to feel that pain. Jonny Lang and the Big Bang is a much better compliation of his abilities. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Greatest Blues Album Ever?
Junior Wells isn't my personal favorite as a harpist (Sonny Boy is), but this album is one of my absolute favorites in the blooze. This album is really HOT, with Junior struttin' his stuff with his mates from Chicago, including the one & only Buddy Guy. Buddy really gels with Wells on this album, not by taking solos, but by accompanying him & the actual song being played. His presence really steps up Junior, & brings out the best in him here.

While Junior is a terrific blues harpist & singer, he has a real funky style that resembles James Brown. You can really hear it from the get go in "Snatch back & Hold It". The cover of "You Don't Love Me" from this album will influence a bunch of guys in Macon, GA. a few years later.

I believe this was also one of the earliest "full" blues albums released, rather than a collection of singles from vinyl. Hence, the greatest blues "album" ever recorded. Yes, that is my personal opinion, but the Chicago blues rarely gets better than this. Essential for any blues collection!

Junior Wells' Showcase
I have been hearing about this album for 20 years, but only got it recently. So naturally I compare it with what I have listened to in the past 20 years.
Earlier Wells albums featured a larger group - with horns, piano etc... The sound was heavy and I loved it. This CD has Wells, Buddy Guy on guitar, plus bass and drums. The sound is lighter, and the band goes for jumping, funky kind of blues. Wells' harmonica gets much more room here than it did before.
As a Chicago harpist, I rate Wells second only to Little Walter, but Wells is a better singer ! Wells is a great singer and performer, and deserves the showcase this CD affords him. He was young and fresh, and felt like jumping much more than laying back. As a result, the best tracks are the fast ones - Chilli Con Carne, Snatch It Back etc...
I love Buddy Guy's playing on the CD - he lets Wells have the main stage, and behaves like a true friend and musician - thinking only about the overall result.
To conclude - this is a great blues CD, worth having to any blues fan.

As good as an album can be.
Listening to this album with the lights out puts me "there" more than just about any album I've heard. In a smoky room where musicians and audience are connected. This album is real.

The Greatest
In case there's any confusion, this isn't just the greatest blues album of all time, this is the greatest album of all time. Don't doubt it. It's perfect. As good as it will ever get.

must have blues album
The greatest blues album ever recorded.. A must have!
B.B. King at the Regal has nothin on this, a classic. ... Read more