Reviews (1)

Not Bad.
This is early Rod Piazza. He was young and full of energy. Here on this live set we see him burn through plenty of tracks a la Paul Butterfield. Although many people get tired of that kind of blues, you can't go wrong. It will always sound good. Rod also has a good band playing with him. One of whom is Larry Taylor on bass who played with John Mayall on the "Jazz Blues Fusion" and "USA Union" albums. If you are a true Piazza fan then you don't need convincing and if you want a good solid blues harp album, pick this up, it is tough stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

AWESOME AND FUNKY!!!!
If it is true that the measure of a man is who his friends are, then it should be true that the measure of a musician is who he plays with. That puts Merle at the top of the heap. This disc was recorded mainly in the early 90's with a whole new set of friends, but what a set of friends! His guests include: John Popper, Steve Kimock, Michael Warren, Murga Booker, Dr. John, Michael Hinton, Vince Littleton, Maria Muldaur, David Grisman, Trey Anastasio, and last but certainly not least Jerome Garcia. They do everything from Randy Newman, Willie Dixon, Garcia/Hunter, and Allen Toussaint to George Gershwin, and they do it all so well! I was a little skeptical myself. I loved Merle's 70's stuff with Garcia but was a little unsure what he would sound like over 20 years later with all new people. I wasn't disappointed and promise you won't be either. It's all here: blues, rock, funk, jazz, 'Nawlins creole, bluegrass, new age, and it's all done exactly like you would expect it to be. AWESOME AND FUNKY !!!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Outstanding cd!
I was skeptical when I read about this being the best live blues cd recorded in the last 25 years. If it's not the best, its certainly in the top 10. John Mooney's work on this cd is the funkiest slide blues that I have ever heard. His version of Junco Partner is OUTSTANDING. If you like funky blues with a ton of energy - get it!

one of my absolute all time favorite records
this CD used to be import only, but now you can buy it here. i once had the good fortune to meet John Mooney and recited his catalog to him and begged for more. He modestly told me "oh, there's this live thing they did in Germany". I spent untold bucks tracking this down until i called the Crosscut label in Germany- i bought 5 copies at $25 each PLUS shipping from Germany,to give to my closest friends and they still thank me to this day. you'll never find this one in "the bin" it's just too rockin'. if you've ever seen John live then just buy it right now.

jazzfest@eachyear.com
DUH! It is, after all, the Mooney man... have you been to a show

One of New Orleans best kept secrets
Now that you are aware that it exists, you must buy this CD. Even if you've never heard of the guy and somehow stumbled across this review, you owe it to yourself. John Mooney is best experienced live, and this disc is the best approximation to a live gig possible. The combination of delta slide guitar and syncopated second-line New Orleans rythms that Mooney pulls off is complex, unique and astounding... gutsy, funky, driving, and soulful. As strong and identifiable a slide guitar player as Duane Allman and Lowell George, Mooney's mentor was Son House and it's clear that he learned from the best. However, he's a true innovator taking the blues new directions. His gruff vocals are somewhat similar to John Hiatt. When I saw him blow the roof off of a club in New Orleans a few months ago, I felt like I was seeing Stevie Ray Vaughn in Austin in 1981, when no one but the locals knew who he was but they KNEW what he was capable of... get this disc and you'll be in the know as well. Funky, gritty takes on classics like Junco Partner and Shortnin' Bread, more traditional delta blues like the outstanding Robert Johnson covers and a great version of Muddy Waters' Standin' 'Round Cryin', and a few great originals like the title tune. Greasy, sweaty and grimy like the blues was meant to be, with a virtuoso's ability yet a confident restraint... always soulful, never showy.

Where'd this guy learn to play like that?
This is a superb live album by an amazing guitarist. John Mooney's other albums are outstanding, too, but none of them feature the sizzling guitar licks which I've seen him rip out in live performances. This one does! Mooney is phenomenal from beginning to end--his singing ain't bad, either. Give it a shot! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When folk revivalists all of a sudden became fascinated with country-blues performers of the early 20th century, no one had to go into the sticks to find Reverend Gary Davis. Though he'd stopped recording, Davis was an active street singer and preacher in Harlem throughout the 1940s. In the 1950s, folklorists, fans, and followers began to seek him out to hear him play, record him, and learn from him. Stefan Grossman, now a respected guitarist in his own right, was one of his longtime students, and he's compiled this wonderful three-disc box set, complete with detailed song notes and an essay that explores Davis's pre-New York days. Disc 1 features rare recordings made by Columbia University student John Gibbons in 1958 and 1959, and it focuses mostly on Davis's instrumental prowess: a thoroughly matchless fingerpicking guitar style that fused bits of jazz, blues, and ragtime into a highly personal technique. In addition to the many instrumentals on the first disc, there are some of Davis's most spellbinding vocal performances, especially "Crucifixion" (which blends singing and preaching) and "Don't Know Where to Go." Disc 2 includes home recordings from the mid-1960s, while the final disc of live recordings shows off his stage charisma and command. Demons and Angels clearly displays the breadth of Reverend Gary Davis's talent and material--from pop songs to "holy blues" and age-old folk--and is quite a welcome boon to his devoted fans and anyone else looking to discover one of the genre's inimitable talents. Beyond that, it will have aspiring (and even accomplished) acoustic guitarists staying up half the night trying to figure out exactly how the good Reverend played what he played. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Unexpected,terrific music.Too marvelous for words!!!
Blind Gary Davis,best known as Reverend Gary Davis,since he bacame a preacher,1933,may be the most terrific,outstanding guitar player of the blues and gospel history with Blind Blake.His ragtime style,combined with this particular South Carolina touch,makes him one of the most gifted and impressive musicians of all times.Born in Laurens County,South Carolina,April 30,1896,he lived enough to be rediscovered in the early sixties,while he was a street singer in Harlem;he lived until 1972,and died May 5,one week after his 76th birthday,on his way to a concert date.THis three CD set,full of treasures,is issued by Stefan Grossman,who was a pupil of the Reverend.These are unissued recordings: CD 1 was recorded at the Columbia University,1958-1959;CD 2 was recorded at home,1964-1966;and CD 3 comes from concert dates,1962-1966.Of course,it includes some amazing music;Gary Davis was really alone in his field,that way of playing and singing sacred songs with this Carolina touch;his incredible,extremely difficult picking style (surely the most difficult one with Blind Blake's) ,with many ragtime touches,is a real delight.And I don't speak of the guitar he's playing;I just hope I'll have the opportunity to play such an instrument once in my life.
Gary Davis stopped playing blues in the fourties,and it's a great chance to hear him play it here.BUt if you buy this set,please start listening to "sporting life blues",(no,it's not Brownie McGhee's,even if the melody and chords are close to it),this is an amazing guitar solo which will drive you directly into Gary Davis' music.And Lord,what a sound!!!I won't try to tell you about all the songs,there are too many,and they're all amazing;the only regret I have,like another reviewer said,is that Gary Davis' masterpiece,"death don't have no mercy",doesn't figure here.Too bad.But there are other masterpieces: "God's gonna separate",for example;or many others.Nothing here has to be rejected.This here is an absolute concentrate of talent.Gary Davis is one of my favorite musicians for twenty years,one of my favorite guitar players,of course,and one of the most magnificent voices I've ever heard also.I think this 3 CD set is the first opus to buy,if you really wish to be introduced to the Reverend's music.Every minute of music played or sung by Gary Davis is one of the most essential ones of all times,so don't miss this magnificent set,full of things that have never been heard,full of noise and fury.Some of the most important music of the 20th century is here.The booklet is a fine one,and there are many lyrics transcribed.Sorry,you won't find the tablatures.So,try to find the Reverend's chords;good luck,sincerely.

Must Have For Fan's And Students Of Reverend Gary Davis
As a former student of Brother Davis($5 a guitar lesson), I was thrilled to hear fresh material after all these years. Even the old familiar tunes have yet new variations. I can't wait to check some of them out on the guitar. This three CD set is really a fantastic addition to my Reverend Gary Davis collection. I wonder what else Stephan Grossman(Demons Producer) is sitting on???...Joel

5 Stars For The Music.....3 Stars For The Compilation
The music of Gary Davis deserves this major collection release. But how can 3 CDs not include his classic Death Don't Have No Mercy?

No Energy Crisis Here
I can't believe this guy became governor of California! Amazing!

A lot of great surprises, but some dissapointments, too
This is probably the most comprehensive Davis compilation that will be relased any time soon & there is a lot of great music on it. I love listening to the newly released recordings of Crucifixion, I am the Light of This World, Slippin Til My Gal Comes in Partner, Devil's Dream, Mountain Jack Blues, and many others on this set. However, inferior performances of Buck Dance and Soldier's Drill open the first CD in the set, which got me to wondering if all three were going to be full of stuff that Davis apparently tossed off. Thankfully, that's not the case & much of the music meets the standards of Davis' best recordings from the late 1950s and early 60s. I wish Stefan Grossman had included the entire Children of Zion live recording here rather than just slightly over half of it (especially since that older Kicking Mule release has much better versions of Buck Dance and Soldier's Drill). I wonder if contractual problems prevented this. I was dissapointed in the box set's packaging and essays. The large fonts used on the box look amateurish, and it's not necessary to have the superlative "ultimate" printed twice on the front. The main essay tells us quite a bit about Davis' early and middle years, but the writing style is poor, which made it difficult for me to stay interested. Grossman's notes have some typos and inacuracies, and although the "endnotes," per se, lead one to some interesting music sources in print and on the web, they have little or nothing to do with Gary Davis. Grossman also provides too little information about the performances (e.g., who are the singers and banjoist accompanying Davis on Soon My Work Will all be Done, and where/when was each performance?). On the plus side, the photos are very nice - I got a kick out of the picture of Davis pinching a young girl in a bathing suit. Davis fans will want this set, despite its flaws. I'll be listening to it (although selectively) from now on. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Newcomers to journeyman rockabilly and honky-tonk crossbreed Sleepy LaBeef should check out Peter Guralnick's loving essay in Lost Highway. Guralnick's piece makes it clear why LaBeef still matters decades after his heyday. This live set from 1985, recorded at Harper's Ferry Club in Boston, evidences the titanic force of his vocals and band leadership and his ability to reorganize classic country material. Beginning with a tumultuous "Tore Up over You" and closing with a breakneck medley of "Jambalaya," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Let's Turn Back the Years," "Hey Good Looking," and "Folsom Prison Blues," LaBeef comes across like a timeless and unstoppable force of nature. --Roy Kasten ... Read more

Reviews (2)

excellent
i'm loathe to give 5 stars to anything, but this one comes close (5 stars would be seeing sleepy in person, dancing your butt off 5 feet from him). imho almost all music (rocakbilly, classical, blues, zydeco...) is best heard live. this is a live cd that captures as much of sleepy's hard driving guitar and booming baritone as possible on cd. i highly recommend both the cd and seeing sleepy live (as close as possible).

as good as live roots music gets
This is the best live Sleepy you are going to get next to seeing him in person. If you're a fan of roots music, or alternative country ( what ever that means ) you need this album. You also need any other Sleepy LaBeef records you can get your hands on. You can't put a label on his brand of music. If you like a gumbo of blues, rockabilly, hillbilly, alt.country, etc., then this human jukebox is a must for you. I started out as a pure blues fan 25 years ago and Sleepy Labeef is one of the artists that opened my eyes to all styles of American roots music. To me this is essential music. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A queen indeed
Such a powerful performer! I want a granny like her...
the excelent song selection and the great sound makes this cd my favourite koko taylor's.
Long live the queen!

The Real Queen of the Blues
This album proves why Koko Taylor is truly the queen of the blues. With a voice that sounds like broken glass, she can bring you waaaaaayyyyy up (Find a Fool, Goin' Back to Iuka) or way down (I'd Rather Go Blind). Her band is tight, and she drives them just right. It seems like her voice just gets better and better the older she gets. If you haven't had the opportunity to see Koko yet, this CD will inspire you to start checking the paper. Buy this album and let her show you how the blues is meant to be sung. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

John Hammond - Live
A few years after this CD was released, I was lucky enough to see John Hammond live from a second-row seat at a small theater outside of Chicago. That performance included many of the songs included on this CD, and this recording is faithful to what John delivers live: pure, raw, honest blues that, once heard, will inspire you to see him live. Once you see him live, the experience will stay with you for a lifetime.
All Hammond needs to mesmerize an audience is a guitar, a harmonica and his voice. For proof, listen to his incredible version of "One Kind Favor," which is my personal favorite on this release.

This is another cd that needed so much stars!
Fantastic,from the begining until the end...!!This cd will be ever under rated with only five stars.It's a superb album,what clarity,what emotional moments,and...what repertoire...Willie Dixon;Charlie Patton;Robert Johnson;Sleepy John Estes....Really
a primorous work!Those people who were at the theater that night, are rare lucky people.No more coments....only adrenaline
and i agree with the others reviewers...All of the bluesfans needs this album like few others.This is really BLUES,a MUST HAVE!! blues album!!! OHH!! GREAT!

The ultimate solo acoustic blues experience.
This recording is a one night sample of the hudreds of nights each year for the past 30 years plus that John Hammond pours his heart and soul into his vision of keeping pre-war blues alive. His renditions of songs that are 60 to 70 years old make them fresh and vibrant, full of raw emotion and to this author are the epitome of "Blues Power".

If you are new to John Hammond, don't be fooled by what you hear in this collection...there are not three or four musicians here, it is John-solo. He alternates between six-string, twelve-string, and throws in some searing slide on National steel guitars all the while blowing harp, stomping his foot, and singing like it will be his last chance ever to perform the music he adores.

If you are looking for the best live recording of country blues, get this. If you have ever had the chance to see John Hammond live, get this. If you ever do have a chance to see him live, do not miss it. It will be an experience a blues fan will never forget.

Guitarists Worldwide...Just Own This!
What a sad day when a CD of this caliber is over 46,000 on the Amazon sales list.

And how sad it is that I've spent most of the night already writing reviews for another website that I cannot give it the credit it is lengthily due.

Let me say this:

If you own any Leo Kottke, Robert Johnson, John Fahey etc. etc. and you don't own this... shame, shame, shame!This recording is one of the greatest LIVE fingerstyle acoustic blues CD's EVER recorded. Simple as that.

Buy it and tell me what you thought, Thank me later!

Peace. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A gem!
A great, great record! For all of us who never had the chance to hear Magic Sam live this is the closest thing to a cure. Great club/on-stage atmosphere. The dialogue between Sam and the customers is worth the price of admission. The real deal: rough, raw, hot, and a lot of fun!

Electrifying performances, horrible sound quality
I'm not kidding, this is not for audiophiles. Considering that these performanced were taped in the 60s using ordinary tape recorders it doesn't excactly come as a surprise, but, really, the sound is awful.

The music is superb, though. Screaming lead guitar and vocals to rival Elmore James (well, almost), and powerful live renditions of some of the best songs in Sam Maghett's repertoire.
He does a riveting version of Fats Domino's "Every Night About This Time", an intense "I Just Got To Know", and a rocking "I'm Tore Down", and he plays some white-hot guitar on the instrumental "Mole's Blues".

The Ann Arbor cuts include a funky take on Freddie King's "San-Ho-Say", the slow blues "Strange Thing Happening" and "All Of Your Love", and Magic Sam's scorching take on Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago".
His guitar playing on this album has to be heard to believed, and I'm not easily impressed...I have too many blues records for that.

If only he had been recorded using some decent equipment. A "real" live album by Magic Sam would undoubtedly have been one of the all-time great blues records, but he never was, so this is all we have.

Still, Magic Sam Maghett plays some fabulous blues guitar on these cuts, even better than his studio waxings, and his vocals are sublime.
Okay, so the sound may be terrible, but get it anyway. It's all worth it to hear these incredible live performances.

Wolf in sheeps clothing...
I mean come on! Magic Sam has really lost it.The entire CD is billed as believable and exciting while it's nothing but a shell of a lost blues man. His music is delirious,lazy and unsatisfying. Glad I'm not faking anymore. I've moved on to Gary L. and the like for freshness and variety. Magic Sam is the same old tune over and over and it only plays in ONE ROOM.to just have to look at himself age in the mirror must be quite a task these days considering the amount of effort he must put in everyday. Well, even our old friend Chester and his dog couldn't save him from his impending destruction. The magic is gone and the real Sam is nothing special at all. I guess he'll just do another CD in another town where the disguise is still selling.

best chicago blues live ever recorded.
magic sam's best live album. the best chicago blues album of all time. together with live woodstock of jimi hendrix, this cd must be added to your collection.

A must if you like Magic Sam
In the summer of 1969 I had the pleasure of attending the Ann Arbor Blues Festival. It was my privilege to be exposed for the first time in my young life to some of the biggest names in blues. The most memorable moment, however, was a performance by Magic Sam, a relative unknown from the more obscure (in the blues world) west side of Chicago. Sam, backed by bassist Bruce Barlow (later of Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen fame) and drummer Sam Lay, who was recruited in the wings just before the set, Magic Sam delivered the tastiest, most high-energy blues licks that I had ever heard. In particular, I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie) and Sweet Home Chicago had the crowd, who had formed to see James Cotton perform in the next set, going absolutely nuts. His finale of Looking Good ended with chants of "Sam, Sam, Sam" that went on for what seemed like forever while the roadies attempted to set up for James Cotton. The promoters were forced to allow an encore which was another instance of Looking Good. The crowd was left with the feeling of having witnessed something significant, the birth of a new giant in the blues world.

Sadly, that following winter, Samuel Maghett died at the age of 32.

I have told that story a hundred times and you can imagine my joy to find that there was finally a released recording of that performance. It's crude, and the lead-in stuff from Chicago in the earlier is much less interesting. Still the cuts from Ann Arbor underscore the power of the performance, something you won't find in Sam's studio work. Buy this CD and play cuts 13, 15, 16 and 17 loud. Then play them again. And again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Usually, there's nothing quite so boring as a really flashy guitar solo. To hear some kid--who spent all his time in his bedroom practicing scales when he should have been out meeting girls--race across the fretboard can make anyone's eyes glaze over. A few guitarists, however, can play at top speeds and still maintain a groove and still find something to say about life's frustrations. Danny Gatton was one such guitarist. Bobby Radcliff is another. And Radcliff's 1997 album, Live at the Rynborn, showcases one jaw-dropping solo after another. Radcliff is usually pigeonholed as a blues artist, but he owes just as much to the '60s soul and funk of James Brown and P-Funk as he does to the Chicago blues of Magic Sam and Buddy Guy. Because he plays with a trio, Radcliff has to handle both the lead and rhythm duties himself, and he marries the slashing lead lines of Guy with the choppy syncopation of Brown's Jimmy Nolen.

The set features Radcliff's regular road trio ripping through one original and nine standards. The leader invents so many variations on Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk" and a Kool and the Gang medley that the original themes are barely recognizable amid the guitarist's colliding chords and gear-shifting rhythms. D.C. DJ Steve Hoffman wrote the liner notes. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Please Have Mercy
One day I will see Bobby Radcliff live , but until I do , Live At Rynborn will most certainly do. Like it says in the liner notes , this man is INTENSE , he plays the guitar as much as attacks it.
Improvisation on Honky Tonk is a nice start. You hear this song and you know this guy can play. Nice speed and touch , could be two guitars playing , but no its just Bobby.Please Have Mercy is slash and burn guitar at its finest, Bobby sings with the kind of passion the song title implies.Tramp is a Lowell Fulson song that showcases Bobby's skills.Early In the Morning is a classic ,the understated guitar runs slowly build to a manic pace, WOW its an amazing display.He quickly jumps into his own song The Introject an instrumental with an apt title (look it up ).Been Around the World features more stinging guitar work and fervent vocals. I'm not into Kool and the Gang but Bobby can make a Kool and the Gang medley sound Kool. Ten Years Ago is a monster. Perhaps a tribute to Buddy Guy , all I know is its an amazing rip roaring jam that rates with Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood and Frank Marino Live doing King Bee as the most amazing guitar work I've ever heard. I'm usually too blown away by Ten Years Ago to listen to the closer so I'll make no comment. Live At Rynborn is a must buy for any one who likes the blues played with intensity , skill and passion.You will be blown away, I guarantee it.

Live Bobby is the Best Bobby!
I have been a fan of Bobbys for a long time and while I've been a fan of his albums, seeing him in a club is where it's at. This album does him justice. "Live at the Rynborn" is by far his best to date and that's saying a boat load! Great stuff all around!

An excellent blues masterpiece.
I was at The Rynborn when Radcliff recorded this album. It was the best blues show that I have ever been to and the album captures the entire atmosphere of the small town club. The combination of Radcliff's amazing guitar solo's and his top of the line vocals make this album a must for any blues fan. The album truly makes you feel like your Live at The Rynborn. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bernard Allison is great!
This Bernard Allison CD, along with his others, is just outstanding. What a fabulous musician Bernard Allison is! If you love great blues and if you love great music, you will love this extraordinary artist. He is the son of the late, great Luther Allison who died too young. Luther Allison and Bernard Allison make music that will give you pleasure and joy and delight and awe.
People who actually love great music need to put their money and purchases where they belong and let the really talented artists receive the praise and rewards they deserve. As I write this today, I have just read of performers like Eminem and others of that ilk whose CDs sell astronomically and who get so much media attention.
Come on, music lovers. Put your money where the good music is. You can start with Bernard Allison and Luther Allison. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sounds like the band is in slow motion
Recorded live, almost every song is a beat or two slower than it should be. Impact and pace is much better on the studio recordings and even with the other live recording on the Alligator label. If one must have a Hound Dog recording (and you should), this is not it. I would get his first studio release from Alligator. It's the most tasty of the bunch (and it's the only one I have on LP and it sounds the best.....perfect sound forever with compact disks, ha!).

Excellent live Hound Dog!
I have the Hound Dog Tribute CD (Hound Dog songs, other artists) and the original Alligator recording (1971). This CD outshines both and I highly recommend it. The recording makes you feel like you are in the bar with them. If you listen closely, you can hear Brewer Phillips' amplifier crackling. Bar patrons talk to them between songs, though I wish they had just left the tape running. The band has a lot of energy, though I sure wish they would tune together once in a while. If you only get one Hound Dog CD, definitely get this one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Play it Loud !!!!!
From the opening line of Track 1:
"Well,my home is in the delta",you'll be spellbound by the
power of this CD !.

Music's raw - guitar,bass and drums and gutsy vocals.

Covering Blues standards and 2 originals,this album will appeal
to blues and metal guitar fans.

Power of the music matches those blues standards by Led Zepplin
like : "You Shook Me", "I Can't Quit You Baby", "Black Country Woman" (LZ original).

This music needs to be played LOUD and it feels as though Jay
is right in front of you with thumping bass drum kicking you
in the face.

Tracks 1 to 5 are super charged - need to be listened to be
understood or believed.

Track 6 - solo guitar work.

Track 7 - bass drum kick not prominent as in Tracks 1-5.

For raw power,this beats SRV,Hendrix,Malmsteen - so you'ld
better be ready for what's coming your way.

Jay Gordon understands dynamics well - his guitar licks
come in at the right time,pickin at times and loud and raw
at others,all well and timely paced... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Energy and Emotion
These are terrific songs, played with passion and finesse. Some of the songs will be familiar, but not the interpretations
Play it loud!

Steller!
To disparage this performance because it is predominantly covers is to disparage any great performer for doing covers. Simply, extraordinary musicianship is not necessarily the same as songwriting. This is an extraordinary CD by an extraordinary musician -- you will not be disappointed. I've played this CD on my radio show many times, and never fail to get calls, either compliments or requests for more info. Fortunately, Mr. Wolfe plays locally. Mr. Wolfe's follow up CD, simply titled "Wolfe", is mostly originals, and will delight the most critical of listeners

Overrated Covers!
Wolfe opens the CD with a nice interpretation of Willie Dixon's (incorrectly credited to Willie Nixon) "I Can't Quit You Baby". He uses the slow paced rhythym of the song as a back drop against which to show case his scorchin' solos and some tasty licks.

Wolfe follows this with another classic Dixon tune (again erroneously credited to Nixon), "Evil". For some unknown reason, Wolfe, whose vocals are not that bad, sings the song through a voice box. The result is less than impressive.

The rest of the CD is pretty much the same, 7 covers and 2 mediocre originals, used mostly to showcase Wolfe's guitar abilities. Personally, I am not impressed by a musician that puts out a CD comprised of 80% cover material. While one or two covers are generally used as filler on a CD, Musicians that rely solely or mainly on covers demonstarte a lack of originality. Covers have their place as occassional filler and in tribute CD's, but not as the predominate material in a debut CD. Downgraded for lack of originality!

class blues and blues rock
this is the first time i have ever reviewd a cd but this disc just blew me awayif you love blues and blues rock this disc is up therewith the best of them recorded live the sound is superb. the playing is even better it starts with a blistering version of i cant quit you baby .check out the guitar solo it is stunning this guy is up there with all the new hot shot players also the band are top notch players especially mike lattrell on keys the version of eye sight to the blind is the best ihave heard in years . this is a stunning disc. buy without hesitation ... Read more

Album Description

Four 2004 W.C. Handy nominations! -Blues Album of the Year -Comeback Blues Album of the Year -Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year -Soul/Blues Album of the Year ... Read more

Reviews (3)

thrilling, bluesy and moody
You only have to listen once to this album...... the introduction and then you will get lost in the moods of the artist. Her voice is going dwon from your ears to your tooths. Fantastic voice. A CD for your car, your room, your holiday.

Bettye Has Never Let Her Listeners Down
There are few words to define Bettye's recent musical accomplishments. Her great performances in the past speak for themselves. Her soulful offerings of today prove the most valuable things in life improve with time.

Rarely, we have the opportunity to enjoy the "Real Thing", on recordings as well as live performances. Bettye LaVette is the "Real Thing"!!

'Let Me Down Easy' is a wonderful Concert. All the songs are great. ("Damn Yours Eyes" and "My Man" ARE REAL KNOCKOUTS)

If possible, it is a must to see her perform 'live'. If not, her recordings will demonstrate the tireless energy she puts in every song. Truly, soulful and refreshing.

The Great Bettye LaVette "Live"!
Bettye LaVette had to be all smiles after she read the reviews for the recent release of her "lost album", THE CHILD OF THE '70S which she recorded in Muscles Schoals for Atlantic Records. It was picked up by a European record company called Arts and Soul and released to ranting raves reviews. The CD is now called SOUVENIRS.

Now, Bettye LaVette, one of the great soul, blues, r & b singers ever, has a new CD, recorded "live" in Holland in 1999. This after her astonishing performance at New York's Columbia University where she garnered standing ovations and new admirers.

This CD captures some of the excitement of a singer who loves to sing and is determinded to give her audience what it came for...a great show.

There is no holding back with LaVette. When she hits the stage, she give 110%! That's why they love her throughout Europe and pack the clubs and blues festivals to see her perform. She opens with her first hit record, "My Man". It's faster here than on the original, but it's still hot and Bettye tells the truth as only she can. This song was also covered by Tina Turner when she was with Ike and by Ann Peebles when she was on HI Records. The song was so hot, it became a staple with practically every female r & b singer at the time, just like Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour" which was picked up by soul singing men and rock groups world-wide.

Bettye's version of Etta James' "Damn Your Eyes" is a highlight of the set. An original, Bettye doesn't copy Etta's version, but gives it new life and a fresh and exciting interpretation.

LaVette's renowned "Let Me Down Easy" always brings down the house. The original recording is now considered a classic, but the other covers of the song don't match Bettye's original. In concert, LaVette has given the song "wings" and she soars like a Phoenix leaving her listeners exhilerated. One of my favorites is "Almost", an early hit for LaVette. It's an easy-going swinger which wowed the audience at Columbia with Bettye adding a few choice dance steps.

With all of the non-singing that is dominating the airwaves lately, it's a pleasure to hear a singer that can still make you sit up and listen. LaVette's voice is unique in that she dosen't imitate anyone and gives everything she sings, guts and soul. If she feels like shouting, she'll shout, if she feels tender she can break your heart with a whisper...and if she get's "happy" she might do a little screamin' for ya. But, one thing, she does all of this with CLASS.

To me, she is among my favorites like Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Etta James, Ann Peebles, Shirley Brown and Loleatta Holloway.

And, if you ever get a chance to see Bettye in person. Do. ... Read more

Album Description

A night of hard driving passionate blues delivered by Madison Slim, formerly with Jimmy Rogers, one of the great harmonica players of his generation.Recorded live at Blues On Grand in Des Moines,Iowa in March 2002.The band drove 5 1/2 hours through a blizzard expecting an empty room.Instead 282 crazy blues fans were waiting to party and the band did'nt disappoint them. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

You won't be disappointed!
I own all of the Rev's CD's but this one is SUPERB because of the live mix.Once you hear it, you can't get it out of your mind.

If you get to see this band live - - - don't miss them! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Classic Basie swing.
This cd is pretty darn good. At first I was turned off by the decision to include "New York Voices" on the album. I'm not much of a vocal jazz fan, but after a few times listening to the cd, I have really grown to enjoy NYV. The basie band, of course, swings like crazy. They sound wonderful! I had a chance to see the band live the same year this album came out. What a treat to see Grover Mitchell and the gang live. Wow, they were smokin. My favorite track on this disc is "Buggin'". Great trumpet solo. Get this disc if you like the new Basie Orchestra led my Grover Mitchell. ... Read more