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In Step embraces blues and rock without compromising the primal joys of either. This is Stevie Ray Vaughan's best studio album and the first he recorded sober. "Travis Walk" offers a heady rush of flat-picking, "The House is Rockin'" is full-tilt roots-boogie, "Let Me Love You Baby" and "Leave My Girl Alone" are sweet blues epiphanies, and the nine-minute instrumental "Riviera Paradise" is a truly soulful mix of blues and jazz. By now, just a year before his untimely death, Vaughan had also tamed his bawling voice into a rich instrument. In short, this 1989 session is Vaughan at his artistic peak. And the four compelling live performances added to this reissue--"The House Is Rockin'," "Let Me Love You Baby," "Texas Flood," and "Life Without You," all from the In Step tour--prove there was no studio trickery involved. It's raw blues-rock perfection. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (48)

His best album and one of my top 5
I knew of Crossfire and Walkin' the Tightrope from the radio, and The House is Rockin' from sports stadiums. But it's the blues and Wall of Denial that blew me away. Buddy Guy's Leave My Girl Alone and Howlin Wolf's Love Me Darlin' (Or is that the real May I Have a Talk With You?) are emotion-tinged rock blues at its best. My only disappointment about these songs was their length. (I envisioned both songs as 9 minute jam sessions, but that would've tired the other bandmates out.) Whereas I liked the original Leave My Girl Alone for Buddy's screaming, Stevie's guitar solo did the trick for me here. As for Wall of Denial, this song transcends substance abuse. Sometimes I get angry at women for not wanting to date me for whatever reason, and I build up my own wall instead of buiilding up a new relationship. While I still struggle in tearing down my wall the way Stevie tore down his in late '86 and early '87, I know that it's going to "tumble down to the ground" eventually. As for the extra tracks, they speak for themselves. I don't have Soul to Soul yet (don't ask me why), so before I bought the remastered In Step, my only way of hearing Life Without You was in the snippet on VH1 Legends where he talked about his troubles. After hearing this version of Life Without You, I stood still for 10 minutes because I was so mesmerized by his rap and the two blistering solos where he hit some incredible high notes that I didn't think he was capable of hitting. The first time I played it at home, I sang the opening lyric differently: "Well hello Stevie, tell me how have you been, we all have missed you and the way you grin..." If any artist dares think about covering Life Without You, I wouuld strongly suggest using this lyric at the start. Rave On Stevie, and I'll see you someday at the real Great Gig in the Sky.

Good, although not his best
"In Step" is often cited by critics as Stevie Ray Vaughan's best studio album. And his playing on this album is actually a bit more economical, maybe even a bit more mannered, than on his earlier releases...whether or not that's a good thing is a matter of taste, I suppose.

The production is a bit more slick than usual as well, the tone of Vaughan's guitar is cleaner, and a keyboard player and occational horns have been added to the mix, but that's not to say that Stevie Ray Vaughan had gotten soft on his final solo album before his tragic death in 1990 - he just turned a little bit more towards rock rather than blues.

"In Step" opens with a blistering rocker, "The House Is Rockin'", followed by the bluesy "Crossfire", which features a superb solo by Vaughan.
"Tightrope" ventures into hard rock territory, but Stevie Ray's cover of Willie Dixon's "Let Me Love You Baby" is genuine blues-rock, and it is followed by a good reading of Buddy Guy's slow, tortured blues "Leave My Girl Alone". Vaughan didn't quite have the pipes to match the intensity of Guy's original, but he does a fine job with what he has, and the guitar playing is superb as usual.

"Travis Walk" is a funky, up-tempo instrumental with some great drumming by Chris Layton (who, incedentally, used to play drums for Buddy Guy and Lightnin' Hopkins). "Wall Of Denial" is pretty well known, but it is perhaps one of the lesser tracks on this album, with some fine guitar playing but not much in the way of either hooks or a real "groove" to grab a hold of the listener.

"Scratch n' Sniff", however, is a fine up-tempo rock song with some excellent boogie piano fills by keyboardist Reese Wynans, and a great solo by Vaughan.

Stevie Ray Vaughan can't quite pull off Howlin' Wolf's "Love Me Darlin' (May I Have A Talk With You)", but if you aren't familiar with the original, this version will actually sound pretty great, I guess. And finally, the original "In Step" album winds down with the excellent nine-minute instrumental "Rivera Paradise", a slow, moody piece.

The five extra tracks begin with a short interview snippet. The remaining four songs are all live performances: "The House Is Rockin'" and "Let Me Love You Baby" from "In Step", "Texas Flood" from Vaughan's 1983 debut album of the same name, and "Life Without You" from "Soul To Soul".
Stevie Ray Vaughan was a terrific live performer, and it's pure joy to listen to the raw, fiery live versions of the two songs from this album, which to me work better than the originals.

Highly recommended, as are all Vaughan's studio albums (although I don't agree with those who call it his best).
You should also check out the excellent "Live Alive" and "Live At Montreux 1982 And 1985", by the way.

The first three were great, but "In Step" made him a legend
"In Step" was released in the summer of 1989, and it was his first album sober. Stevie's singing and songwriting improved by leaps and bounds from "Texas Flood", and Double Trouble had gotten more involved in the songwriting process, writing Stevie's only number one hit, "Crossfire." It's a band-oriented album, instead of just showing off Stevie's extraordinary talents, which it does do quite frequently. It is such a powerful record, and so intriguing to listen to Stevie confess so openly about his use of drugs through songs like the funky "Tightrope" and "Wall Of Denial". These songs also produce two of the best solos he has the album. He also has fun as well, with rockers like "The House Is Rockin'" and "Scratch-N-Sniff". However, it the closer, "Riviera Paradise", that takes the cake. This quiet instrumental sounds like, as Stevie has described it, "praying through the guitar." For the expanded edition, there is a small interview about how he quit the last job he ever had, and four live songs, "The House Is Rockin'", "Let Me Love You Baby", "Texas Flood", and "Life Without You", which all absolutely smoke. If only Stevie could have lived on, then we would have all been in for a treat. R.I.P. SRV.

If God played blues guitar, he wouldn't be this good
SRV was the man. The greatest electric blues guitarist ever. Every cell of his being was permeated with musical genius, every pore oozed the blues. One of the greatest gifts Texas ever gave to the world.

One Of Stevie Ray's Best!
In Step is one of Stevie Ray Vaughan's best studio albums. I do like Texas Flood much better,his guitar was alot rawer and it sounded more soulful and real. In Step sounds way to good,rumor has it Stevie Ray was using dozens of amps on this studio album to get the perfect sound. I do love In Step for what it is I actually have the orginal CD without the bonus tracks. I think the orginal sounded wonderful I have not heard the CD with the bonus tracks. I think In Step was a turning point for Stevie to expand his sound and make it beautiful. In Step became one of the biggest radio hits. Thats where I first heard The House Is A Rocking one of my favorite songs. I also heard Crossfire, and Tightrope over and over on the radio.

Thats where I got started with In Step I loved all the songs on the radio so I bought it. For having a fake sound Steive never lost the blues. He still had the blues on Leave My Girl Alone with a more softer tone. I always loved Stevie Ray's studio albums but no one could compare to him when he was LIVE. I think for most In Step is a great way to get started with Vaughans music. Their still is his classics like Couldn't Stand The Weather, and Texas Flood. I always have stated In Step as One Of Stevie Ray's Best. This is a must have for anybody ready to listen to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Highly Recomened! ... Read more

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Now, here's what you call a break from tradition. After bridging the gap between punk and blues on his collaboration with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, A Ass Pocket of Whiskey, Mississippi bluesman R.L. Burnside ventures into the world of beats and grooves with Come On In, a series of remix projects with producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Foo Fighters). The cynics among you may smell opportunism, but Rothrock is sensitive and respectful enough to Burnside's originals to do them proper justice. Even the 4/4 high hat and filtered sound effects of "Rollin' Tumblin'" sound appropriate to the music at hand. Though these treatments--largely instrumental--erase the most of the presence of Burnside's searing vocals, Burnside and Rothrock's adventurousness will win over most to their progressive-thinkin' boogie chillun'. --Justin Hampton ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Rock On Old Timer!
This CD blew my socks off the first time I heard it. Especially the third track Let My Baby Ride. We can only wish that more people will get the chance to hear the rocking blues of R.L. Burnside. Just think he is probably old enough to be your Grandfather and he just might take credit for it too! You must buy this CD!

Burnside had the guts to shake up the blues: awesome.
Mr. Burnside decided to shake some of the cobwebs out of the blues genre, and probably p.o.'ed some purists in the process. If you can get through the loss of some of the purity of blues, this is one tremendous disc.

There are a few non-altered pieces on the disc, and the live version of the title song will stick in your head like flypaper, as will the next track, ``Let My Baby Ride'' with the man himself sampling his last name. The other outstanding track is the remixed version of ``Rollin' Tumblin' ''.

What confuses most people who like the blues is that the music isn't supposed to be so upbeat. But that's what makes this disc breathe - the fact that it goes against the grain. Burnside had the guts to take on not only his music, but an entire genre and twist and shape it into something foreign - and the results are wonderful.

Come on in!!
I just got done listening to this Cd and man oh man it's cool. I really didn't think that I would like it all that much, boy was I wrong. It is every bit as cool if not more than Wish I Was in Heaven Sittin' Down and evern harder edged> This is the kind of album you need to play really loud.

Probably not for the blues purists, but...
...but for those of us who's eclectic tastes *include* the blues, there's a lot to like in this album. There are some sections of briliancy ("Let My Baby Ride" and "It's Bad You Know" both just rock), and some sections that were a little repetitious for me.
The North Mississippi All-Stars album Shake Hands with Shorty sounds like what you'd get if you gave an old R.L. record to a garage rock band. This album sounds like what you get when you give that same record to a techno DJ. There's a lot of sampled cuts looped together and layered under electric guitar and drums. Some vocals are re-mixed in as well.
Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something different.

Blues with a twist
Labels, labels. What do we label this album? Blues? Techno? Techno-blues? Labels like these are too narrow for me. This is good music. I love blues and I also love techno; but I wouldn't call this techno just because it makes good use of loops. It's blues with a twist. It's a great musician and his producer exploring their talents.

I have many friends who aren't big blues fans, but they're always asking me to play this album. The beats are very fun and make you want to just get up and dance. I think the best blues shows are the ones that really move your body, and this album does just that. If you're a blues fan with an open mind, or just a music fan with an open mind, you'll find this album in your CD player more often than not. ... Read more

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The velvety voiced Mo' shifts away from his usual matters of the heart to matters of the world on this disc of predominantly covers. He has also abandoned his bluesier roots in favor of a slicker, jazz-based pop. The result is a protest album for the double-latte crowd, most of whom can hum along to chestnuts from the Rascals ("People Got to be Free"), John Lennon ("Imagine"), and Bob Dylan ("The Times They Are A-Changin'"). While a jaunty banjo- and fiddle-flecked version of the Nick Lowe-penned "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" (popularized by Elvis Costello) uses a questionable rearrangement to convey the song's message, Mo' really connects when he raids the soul vaults for tunes by Marvin Gaye, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, and Donny Hathaway. It's a pleasant, subtle, and always professionally performed detour that's as comfy as a warm cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

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The title of this album tells you most of what you need to know about San Francisco blues rocker Tommy Castro. His first disc of original material in four years finds him back with the Blind Pig label and expanding his crackling R&B-drenched blues into a more rock-oriented sound. On Soul Shaker, Castro downplays the sizzling guitar that dominated his previous releases and focuses instead on songs and arrangements. The horns that pepper--and often power--tracks such as the frisky "What You Gonna Do Now?" push the soul element even further to the forefront. But it's Castro's gutsy, gritty vocals--something like a mix of Delbert McClinton and John Mellencamp--and his energetic approach that ignite these tunes.

Castro borrows Little Feat's New Orleans stomp for the swampy, slide-driven title track, shifts into Bob Seger territory on the thumping rocker "The Holdin' On," and even delivers a flute-powered song, "The Crossanova"--a lively instrumental cowritten by reed player Keith Crossan that wouldn't be out of place on an old Herbie Mann disc. "Take Me Off the Road" burns with ZZ Top hip-shakin' boogie. This may not be what established Castro fans expected, but by widening his scope and beefing up his sound the soul shaker has delivered his most satisfying and eclectic set in a decade-long career. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not His Best!
Whether you like this or not will largely depend upon what your expectations are from TC. For me, I like TC's blues music with a touch of soul, bordering on James Brown. My expectations were met with the Grammy award winning Right as Rain. But this is not it and for me the CD is merely all right. On this disc Castro leans towards the sixty's R&B music and the songs bring to mind the Temptations and the Supremes rather than Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker. Like Jonny Lang on his latest release, Castro tries to spread out to a broader group and, in my opinion, falls a little short. Castro is best seen live and maybe in that setting can do these songs some justice. Some times it is best just to stick to the formula and fan base that got you there. Castro is a little off the path.

Could Have Been Really Hot
Tommy Castro has always sort of been Stevie Ray Vaughan in Robert Cray's clothing. I'm not sure that I agree with the idea of downplaying the sort of string bending ability that Tommy has. I'm not saying that Tommy should "shred" but the occasional hot solo would pushed this one to a five. Instead, we get a hot rock and soul record with TC acting like a hired gun instead of the deadly killer that he is. "Let's Give Love a Try", "Just Like Me" and "The Holdin' On" give this a likeable Delbert McClinton feel that pushes this record past 3 stars and on to 4.

Should be Soul-less and Shake-less
This CD reminds me of the Robert Cray CD "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" where a good blues singer does an mediocre soul CD.But in this case a great blues guitarist and singer does an awful sell-out CD that mixes light rock with psuedo soul and strips out the searing electric blues guitar and roaring, crisp vocals that got them there.

It is great if you are on top of the world and can put out any music you like, but it is hard to believe anyone would like this watered down tripe...save your money for when Tommy comes to his senses and puts out a decent Blues CD, which he hasn't done since Gratitude, and that was not as good as his previous works...

The flute song is the only redeeming song on here, and while interesting it is not enough to make you want this CD.

Keith S. :{)>

Pretty good but not the best
I did enjoy the cd but it is not his best. I found this cd a bit to over produced and sounded a bit "canned"

I am sure he is still the best live and I will just love all these songs after I see him in concert.

Right as Rain and Exception to the Rule still ROCK and are must haves.

Come on Blind Pig throw the whole band in the studio push record and let the magic happen.

SOUL SHAKIN' down the house in NYC
Call me spoiled, sittin' here in Gotham with 18,000+ restaurants and most the world's great venues...we expect a lot.

The other night Tommy Castro hit town and brought down the house at B. B. King's in Times Square.Music's a funny thing. Sometimes, like Chinese food, it's not as much the product as it is the quality of delivery.Castro set about assuming command of Times Square with a stirring delivery of a GREAT product!

By the time he's in "Wake Up Call" it's obvious this is not just any night at B. B. Kings.I figured that having seen Eric Clapton raise the live performance bar at MSG that I'd seen it all, I was wrong.

No sooner does Castro have total control of the crowd that he throws a change up with Anytime Soon and follows up by a foot tapping The Crossanova.Get there tunes in your head and your "Catro-ized".

I'm back to Kings tonight for another dose and perfectly cognizant that I'm gonna tough to impress again for a bit.

Bonus points to Castro for taking time, as the King's staff tried to root folks out for the next show, for taking lots of time to visit with a throng of fans following the show.Seeing a "walk on glass to get to" performance in NYC and hearing the words "thank you" afterward speaks volumes.

Great music, nice guy, knocks your socks off delivery...the bar's been raised again.

Courtney Canfield
New York City
... Read more

Album Description

They joined the Alligator Records family with THAT'S RIGHT! in 2003. The CD received massive amounts of praise and received yet another Grammy© nomination. Now they’re back with STANDING ROOM ONLY an utterly hip-shaking set of songs highlighting the vocal and instrumental power of the band.

Remaining together for so long is not simply a matter of survival, but rather a testament to Roomful of Blues' commitment to its originality and its ability to evolve. Over the years, Roomful's lineup has changed but the band has always been one of the tightest, most joyful blues ensembles in the world. Currently an eight-piece unit led by guitarist Chris Vachon, the band has never sounded fresher or stronger. With vocalist/harpist Mark DuFresne, bassist Brad Hallen, drummer Jason Corbiere, keyboardist (and newest member of the group) Travis Colby, baritone and tenor saxophonist Mark Earley along with long-time members tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille (the longest-standing member of the group) and trumpeter Bob Enos, STANDING ROOM ONLY swings with ferocity and rocks with urgency and purpose. Moving effortlessly from eight originals to six carefully chosen covers, the expertly executed songs sizzle from start to finish.

STANDING ROOM ONLY is a knockout punch from a group of blues heavyweights, full of big band swing, razor-sharp blues and sweaty R&B workouts. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Just keeps on rockin'
The first thing I noticed was that these guys are having fun on this record. The band is tight as a guitar string.The horns wail, the vocals are whiskey smooth, not a mis-step in the song selection. I saw Marcia Ball recently, and it was a PAR-TAY, so maybe it is "sumfin'in da watah down der", but this was as much fun as blues record gets.All songs are good, most are way above average.The novelty of "Flip Flop Jack" and whistling sing-song intro on "Nobody Knows" made it a blast to listen to listen right down to the last chord...With nods to 1940's jump-swing, 50's style steet corner crooning (Sufferin with the Blues), plus a modern production, made for a throughly solid listen.Next road trip or pary I throw, I'll know where to start, and just keep on rockin'.

Roomful Still Delivers the Goods
How many times have you been disappointed when a blues band shows up to a gig as a three piece when all of its discs feature horns and keyboards on nearly every track? Roomful of Blues fans never experience a let down since the band includes as members the two saxophones, trumpet, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and harmonica heard on its discs. What you hear on disc is what you get live and, in this case, fans should be salivating in anticipation of the band's next appearance. Simply put, the band has rarely sounded better. Starting things off with the fast paced, horn laden "She Put A Spell On Me", the band works its way through 14 cuts that allow the band to flex its instrumental muscles in a variety of settings."I Can't Stand You No More" has a slinky, guitar driven mambo groove that is unlike anything the band has recorded before. "Boomerang" is a rockin,' dance floor filling number for the rock and roll dancers while "Just Keep Rockin'" , "Jona Lee", "Flip Flap Jack" and "Up Jumped the Devil" will give the swing dancers a work out. While the band has proved over and over that it is the gold standard for upbeat numbers it makes a strong case here for its ability to play the kind of slow, emotional blues that areBobby "Blue" Bland's stock in trade. On "Sufferin' With The Blues" lead vocalist Mark DuFresne conveys a deep, desperate pain that conjures up images of someone ending the night alone crying in bad scotch wondering if it is worth it to make it to tomorrow. The band's instrumental prowess is showcased on"Straight Jaquette"which features the dueling saxophones of Mark Earley and Rich Latille and allows trumpeter Bob Enos to take a couple of flights into the stratosphere. A pleasant curve ball is thrown into the mix on the easy loping groove of Nobody Knows which features guitarist Chris Vachon serving up croaking vocals reminiscent of Tom Waits. As with past discs, theband features covers by jump blues kings like Roy Brown but this time extends into soul blues penned by Little Milton and Lowell Fulson and a number of self-penned tunes (Vachon logs in with four while Latille, Earley, DuFresne and keyboard ace Travis Colby contribute one each) that fit seamlessly with those of the masters that they have covered. After more than three decades in the business, Roomful of Blues continues to deliver the goods both live and on disc. ... Read more

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If the Butterfield Blues Band's groundbreaking debut earned the respect of the group's elder influences, this one won over (and guided) the blues boys' psychedelic peers. Highlighted by the 13-minute-plus title track (an Eastern-influenced jam cowritten by guitarist Mike Bloomfield), East-West stretches the boundaries of the blues. It would prod many lesser groups to explore, with generally dreary results, interminable free-flight explorations. But while East-West and a cover of jazzman Cannonball Adderly's "Work Song" ventured in new directions, Paul Butterfield and company remained rooted in solid Chicago blues. East West presents the best of both worlds.--Steve Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (20)

This album (circa 1966) sounds as if was recorded yesterday
I first listened to this album in 1972 -- six years after it was first recorded. It was my first introduction to the Chicago blues (although, at the time, I would not have known the difference between the Memphis Blues, the Chicago Blues and the color blue). Predictably, given the times, I was most impressed by "East West," which had a kind of psychdelic tinge to it.

Since then, I have listened to a lot of blues -- B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson -- and, although I do pretend to have any expertise, I began to appreciate the blues. In any event, I completely forgot about the Butterfield Blues Band.

Then, recently, while browsing through the used CD stacks at my local music store, I happened upon the album and, recalling it fondly, purchased it for $5.95.

The album still sounds as fresh and as innovative as the first time I heard it more than a quarter-century ago. Although I still like "East West," now (at age 45) I am more impressed with "Work Song," "I got a Mind to Give Up Living" and "Never Say No." Mike Bloomfield truly is the foremost white blues guitarist of all times. And, although Paul Butterfield may lack the virtuosity of John Popper of Blues Traveller, he has more soul.

Butter is the greatest, but this album is his weakest
The Butterfield Blues Band is my favorite group of all time. I've listened and learned from Paul and co. since 1966 with the release of their first album, which in my opinion, is one of the top five albums ever recorded in the history of man. However, the second album, East-West, left a lot to be desired. It's simply a matter of taste. I don't care for prolonged solos, which was prevalent in the 60's and early 70's. Work Song and East West are claimed by many to be groundbreaking--I thought they were poor. I appreciate the fact that the band was experimenting, but I hated the experiment. In fact, most of the other songs are average (by Butterfield's standards). Get out of my Life, Woman/ Mary, Mary/ Walkin' Blues/Never Say No are some of Butterfield's more unremarkable songs. The one exception is 'Ive Got a Mind to Give Up Livin' which is flawless. As I said earlier, Butterfield is in a class by himself--and even his weaker work is wonderful. But if I were to introduce someone to Paul's music, I wouldn't use the East-West album. Much better choices would be 1) Paul Butterfield's Blues Band (1st album), 2) The Lost Sessions, 3) Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw,4) Anthology, or 5) Paul Butterfield-Live.

The Morphing of Electric Blues Into Psychedelic Rock
The psychedelic rock revolution of the late 1960s had several sources, but probably the most important was electric blues music. A lot of young white rock musicians of that era cut their musical teeth on covers of traditional African American blues
songs, finding in that material a liberating emotional authenticity as well as a simple yet flexible 12-bar, 3-chord improvisational format. Gradually, electric blues morphed into psychedelic hard rock. East West was one of THE seminal albums that led and marked this transition.

The Butterfield Blues Band started out as a straight-ahead Chicago electric blues ensemble. If you're a blues purist, you will prefer their first album. But on East West, the band has clearly come under the influence of, ahem, mind-expanding substances. There are several traditional electric blues numbers here, but there are also several tracks that stretch the boundaries of the blues genre.

The band was remarkable for the work of two great soloists. Paul Butterfield was an outstanding harmonica player (as well as a decent vocalist), and Michael Bloomfield was an awesome guitarist. On this album, both get a chance to display soulful originality as well as technical chops. Unlike a lot of 1960s blues rock musicians, Butterfield and Bloomfield still sound fresh and unique today. In particular, Bloomfield's solos on "I've Got A Mind to Give Up Living", "Work Song", and "East West" have a modal quality totally unlike any of the other blues rock guitar gods of his era. The contrast between Bloomfield's complex droning runs and second guitarist Elvin Bishop's more traditonal lick-based solos are stunning.

Paradoxically, the most revolutionary song on this album--the extended Indian raga-like instrumental jam "East West"--is perhaps the most dated cut. But if you can somehow remember what the musical context was way back in 1966, you will appreciate this album for what it is--a brilliant precursor to the psychedelic blues rock sound that would emerge as the dominant rock music of the late 1960s.

Instrumental Masterpieces of the late 60's
There were only a few. Jeff Beck on Rice Pudding. Apricot Brandy by the Rhinoceros. In Memory of Elizabeth Reid by the Allman Brothers. Samba Pa Ti by Santana. And East West by the Butterfield Blues Band was the best.
And of course Booker T. & the MG's. And King Curtis. But the rock tracks were always special because there were so few.
If you don't know this track, I envy you because you have it to look forward to hearing for the first time.

East-West is a guitar Mecca
By now it seems like everything in music has been tried and done - or overdone - and most of it badly. But back in 1966 when this album debuted, it was nothing less than astonishing. A mixed-race band? A white guy singing blues like nobody's business? A Jewish kid and a southern farmboy sounding like Robert Johnson on guitars? None of us had heard anything quite like it and it gave me, a 15-year-old rock&roll wannabee guitar player, something to focus on.

Right out of the chute, this is a strong album. Opening with "Walking Blues", the BBB struts their stuff with strong vocals, soulful harmonica, and wicked guitar. "I've Got a Mind to Give up Living" was most people's first taste of what Michael Bloomfield could do - simply a stunning blues solo to cap off a great twelve-bar blues.

The album highlight, in my opinion, is their rendition of "The Work Song". Always a great jam song, they carried it to new heights. Bloomfield plays a dizzying guitar solo for 4 verses; Butterfield smokes 2 verses on his harp; Mark Naftalin follows with an understated organ solo; Elvin Bishop gets down & dirty for 4 verses. Then it really gets good; trading off every 2 bars, the musicians rotate for a few verses, each time upping the ante on each other as the song intensifies before resolving into a final melody verse. Whatta song!!!

Noteworthy on side 2 is Elvin Bishop's singing and playing on the sultry "Never Say No". Who knew he could sing?

Finally, the album culminates with the title song "East-West", one of those 60's long-songs which were oftentimes wretched excess, but this one keeps your interest. For 5 minutes or so, guitar and harmonica imitate an Indian raga in a slowly building crescendo. Sudden break, and the music becomes western, muted, and diatonic scale until once again transitioning to the final east-west blend. Hard to describe -- by the CD and hear it yourself.

While "East West" wasn't on the top-10 decade list for sales, it represented a watershed for pop music -- more maturity, better musicianship, more exploration, more successful blending of other genres.

If you're a blues fan, an Alan Lomax enthusiast, or a student of the 60s progression, this album is a must. Enjoy. ... Read more

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Released after Vaughan's death in a 1990 helicopter accident, The Sky Is Crying collects unreleased studio tracks from throughout the guitarist's recorded career. In Vaughan's early years, he was a stylist who thought nothing of using ten notes when three would have worked. Rock stardom, cocaine, and alcohol did little to temper his tendency towards overstatement, but by In Step, his last studio album (and first clean-and-sober effort), he'd begun to transcend his many influences to forge a hard-boiled style of his own. The collection documents this passage, starting with unreleased covers of Lonnie Mack's "Wham" and Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" from the time of his debut album. "The Sky Is Crying" was originally cut by Elmore James, but Vaughan's lead guitar owes its stylistic debt to the bluesman who had a most profound influence on his playing, Albert King. The highlights are two tracks cut at the time of In Step--the hard-edged "Boot Hill," with Vaughan on slide guitar, and "Life by the Drop," in which Vaughan accompanies himself on acoustic guitar and toasts a life that would end far too soon. --John Milward ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A Life-Changing Event...
That's not hyperbole. Man, I still remember it. It was 1995. I was browsing in a record store and came upon this album. I didn't know who the hell it was-- it wasn't like anything I would usually buy-- but I decided to try sometehing different. I was blown right out of my pants. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I played the tape so many times in 6 months that it started to wear out. It made me want to learn to play, even though I never thought about playing the guitar before-- it was that good, that moving.

Every song on this CD is amazing. How can you talk about good and better when you've reached this level of mastery? You can't. It's like asking which van Gogh painting is your favorite. Still, could you ever buy a van Gogh for under $20?

That being said, there is one song on this CD that is maybe the best pure electric guitar ever recorded: "Little Wing" is a masterpiece among masterpieces. It has it all: such feeling in the slow sections that you cry, such blistering guitar in the power sections that you are stunned, and such subtle mastery throughout that you can hear different nuances each time you listen to the song. Just check out when and how he uses the natural harmonics-- and how he even throws in the Wes Montgomery Jazz/octave work-- each in exactly the right place. This guy wasn't just a guitar maniac-- he was a Master, with a capital "M"-- and on top of it all, he was a wonderful, caring man.

Putting "Life by the Drop" as the last song on the compilation is almost too much for me to handle-- knowing that, when that last note finishes resonating, there will NEVER be any more...

I cry every time I see his bio on MTV-- when I think about that helicopter crash.

There is something wrong with a world in which a man like this gets only 35 years.

I cry.

Can you see the tears roll down the street...
On August 27, 1990 the sky was crying and then over a year later Jimmy Vaughan released a compilation of studio outtakes of his brother Stevie and it started all over again. The Sky Is Crying by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble displays the consummate skill and depth of feeling that Stevie was capable of expressing.
When I first listened to it after its release I remember the strong sense of loss revisited.

The Sky Is Crying has a choice of songs which represent the various emotional faces which Stevie could present through his awesome guitar playing. It starts with the morbid and bitter blues standard Boothill and closes with the hopeful acoustic version of the Doyle Bramhall song Life by the Drop. Stevie Ray Vaughan was well grounded in the blues both by tradition and lifestyle. With The Sky Is Crying Jimmy Vaughan chose songs in which Stevie tipped his hat to various influences in the development his music voice. From the tender guitar playing of Hendrix's Little Wing to the buoyant version of Lonnie Mack's Wham we can hear the influences on Stevie. Also among the songs covered are the Elmore James song The Sky Is Crying, Howling Wolf's May I Have a Little Talk with You and Willie Dixon's Close to You.

To me all the songs are brilliant and I can't imagine my blues library without this cd, but I would purchase it for Life By the Drop, a song I dearly love. It represents so clearly the renewal which Stevie Ray Vaughan had started on and which was tragically left unfulfilled.

You're livin' our dream, wo you on top
My mind is achin', Lord it won't stop
That's how it happens livin' life by th' drop

For those interested in getting a taste of Stevie Ray Vaughan's music throughout the years this is a cd provides an excellent sampling of music. For the Stevie Ray Vaughan fan this cd is a must.

Guitar heaven
As Eric Clapton has said, Stevie had a direct line running from his heart to the guitar neck, bypassing his brain altogether. It means he didn't have to think ahead about what he was going to play, it just flowed straight through. This album is a great example of that statement. He OWNS the guitar and utilizes every avenue of his technique and mastery to produce sounds that no other guitarist will ever produce. That sound comes from his daily practicing, his strength and his dedication to his influences. While these are definitely outtakes, I believe they more clearly represent SRV's Texas R&B roots than any other cd. And, while risking redundancy from other previous reviews, "Little Wing" is pure guitar heaven. Those of us who knew him and loved him and his artistry know without a doubt that that's where he's playing now.

Blues At Its Very Best!!!
I believe Jimmie Vaughan was truly inspired when he chose this collection of songs for his brother's posthumous CD. It is absolutely flooring. All the other reviews for this CD shed plenty of light on the most outstanding tracks (Little Wing, Boot Hill, etc.), except I didn't see too much mention on the title track, which I want to focus on. IT IS THE BEST SLOW BLUES SOLO EVER RECORDED! I'm not kidding--I've heard a lot of blues guitar and I play myself, but on that track he hits nuances and phrasing and TONE that just makes me explode, no matter how many times I've heard it (and I've heard it lots)! He takes the five-note pentatonic blues scale and does everything possible with it! One review complained that the song sounds too much like "May I Have A Little Talk With You"--well, geez, how many slow blues songs have been recorded over the past 100 years that sound basically the same? Thousands! Each recording has its own "stamp", and that's what you've got to hone in on in order to appreciate these on-the-surface "similiar" recordings, including the two on this CD. If you think they're too similar, then you're not listening close enough!!!

As good as a "real" album
This collection of outtakes from Stevie Ray Vaughan's previous album sessions, released the year after his tragic death, is actually as solid and enjoyable as most of his "real" albums.

It is bluesier than "In Step", recalling his first album, "Texas Flood", and it features an alternative take on the delightful, swinging "Empty Arms" (from "Soul To Soul") and nine previously unreleased songs, including fine renditions of Howlin' Wolf's menacing "May I Have A Talk With You" and Elmore James' immortal "The Sky Is Crying".

Stevie Ray Vaughan's too rarely heard slide playing smoulders on the morbid "Boot Hill" (an alternative version of Elmore James' "Look On Yonder Wall"), which is also highlighted by Reese Wynans' wonderful piano playing.
And Vaughan's guitar playing on this album includes some of the best performances of his career - just listen to that purely instrumental version of "Little Wing", and Lonnie Mack's "Wham" as well.

"The Sky Is Crying" also features Willie Dixon's "Close To You", a supremely jazzy "Chitlins Con Carne", the SRV orginal "So Excited" (also an instrumental), and finally one of Vaughan's best-ever performances, an acoustic solo rendition of Doyle Bramhall's wonderful survivor story "Life By The Drop". Sublime "live" vocal on that one, one of the best things Stevie Ray Vaughan ever committed to tape. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The most startling revelation contained on this two-CD compilation is how rich, varied, and deep Nashville's R&B scene was during a 25-year period in which the city solidified its reputation as the undisputed capital of country music. Arranged chronologically, Night Train to Nashville also traces the steady progression of African-American music beginning with the end of WWII--from jump blues, lusty R&B, and smooth-groove vocal groups to proto rock & roll, Southern soul, and Top 40 pop that drew blacks and whites together even as the Vietnam War nearly ripped the country apart. Although this collection contains well-known hits (Bobby Hebb's "Sunny", Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love") and widely acknowledged stars (Etta James and Ruth Brown, both of whom recorded some of their best work in Nashville), many of its most satisfying pleasures come courtesy of lesser-known artists, such as R&B belter Christine Kittrell, swamp bluesman Shy Guy Douglas, and balladeer Sam Baker. In the midst of many ear-opening discoveries, add one more: When listening to the countrified soul of Arthur Alexander, Joe Simon, and Johnny Adams, it's apparent that Nashville in its '60s heyday wasn't two separate but equal towns but one glorious Southern-music Mecca. --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This CD is SWEET!
This music just makes you feel good. The artists can really sing and play. There is no one that I play this for who doesn't think it is great even if this is not their kind of music.
Other great CDS I've Tried:
Count Basie and his orchestra
James Brown- anything
Miles Davis- kinda Blue
John COltrane- A love Supreme
Ray Charles- his older stuff
Also for fun,
"Voice Lessons To Go" by Vaccarino so I can get my voice strong enough to sing along!

This CD JAmms!

A musical treasure!
I love old time blumes and early rock and roll, so when I read about this CD I had to have it. Simply put, this is a treasure! What I enjoyed about this the most is that it features lesser known artists and songs that are just killer. A superb collection for any fan of the roots of rock and roll who is looking for something new, out of something old.

I also want to recommend a killer instrumental CD by Mr.Deviant called "Techno Obsession", it's a mix of power rock and hard dance music.

Amazonic Regression . . .
I read all the other reviews and realized that this album is many things to many people. I was impressed by how many people took the effort to review this great collector's item. For myself, it was a bolt out of the blue thanks to being featured on the SUNDAY MORNING TV show. When I was 14 years old (1954) I built a HEATHKIT short-wave radio. I strung 100' of copper wire from our TV antenna tower to the top of the basketball pole. All I had hoped for was to get the BBC or Radio Free Europe. What I got [instead] was Radio Free Nashville ! WLAC, Bill Allen and music I had only heard rumors of. "That kind of music" was not played on mainstream radio in those days. Word got around school that I was listening to Little Richard, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, and Jimmy Reed. I didn't get any more chicks because of it, but it put me in a very elite group of R&B listeners. Once again, AMAZON DOT COM makes regression to our childhoods possible! Thanks, you guys . . . Harrison T.

Mixed bag, but overall pretty good
As to be expected, there is some really good stuff on these discs. Unfortunately, some mediocre tunes that are not that impressive crop up here and there.

While I love sixties soul on a personal note, disc one is overall the better side. The early barrellhouse boogie-woogie tunes are quite appealing and hard to sit still to. (The Louis Jordanesqe "Buzzard Pie," obviously inspired by the King Cole Trio's "Straighten Up and Fly Right" is lots of fun). The Prisonaires track is quite beautiful and Little Richard's mentor Esquirita really rocks the house, as well as the tunes by Larry Birdsong and Jimmy Peck's Orchestra.

On disc 2, Etta James rocks out with her version of "What I Say" and "Shy Guy" Douglas does some fine harmonica work. The Vocal Groups like the Avons, Valentines, Hytones, and Frank Howard are okay (as well as Arthur Alexander's original "Anna Go To Him" remembered well by Beatles fans and the lovely original version of "Everlasting Love"). But the rest of this stuff is nothing special.

What Nashville Was...and Could Be.
I'm in Nashville and work in the music industry. This CD is a great example of the talent Nashville has and what we could be doing with all of that talent. Glad to see Lost HIghway released all this great stuff and hope they'll release more.

How did Nashville get so white bread? Hate it that more people don't know about this disc and are favoring the computer corrected music of Toby Keith and Shania.

If you like Stax and Motown, you'll love this. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Great mix of stars and studio musicians
This is a wonderful live album featuring Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, along with Eric Clapton and Dave Mason. In addition to the stars this is the first time I heard this particular grouping of backup musicians, let by Jim Gordon (drums), Carl Radle (bass) and others. These musicians went on to backup Steve Winwood in Traffic, George Harrison in the Concert for Bangladesh, Joe Cocker on the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (with Leon Russel) and Eric Clapton (Derek and the Dominoes, and his hit single Layla). A truly talented gathering, and this CD features hard-driving rock and soulful ballads by Bonnie. Enjoy!!

An all-time great album
If you like Eric Clapton, if you like Dave Mason (also playing), Delaney & Bonnie, or just energetic southern rock, you will love this album. It is one that you can listen to over and over and still love years and years later.

BEST Driving R&R of ALL times!
I bought this album while I was in Japan in 1970. The ONLY reason I bought it was because I wanted to get something and it said "With Eric Clapton". Never heard of D&B before. When I got it back home I read the back of the album, to see who was on it and I was floored! I put it on the turntable (You remember them?) the first time that night when a bunch of friends came over. It was the ONLY album we played that night! And from then on it got played at least once a night when ever anyone came over. 5 years ago I told a friend about it and the rave started all over. If you get this album be prepared to put all your others away for a while.

Awesome live album
The energy of this recording is amazing. Clapton is on fire and the whole band kicks out a strong set of gospel influenced rock and roll. Great stuff. If you like Clapton at his peak (first solo album, Derek and the Dominos) you'll want this. Other sets that this is related too include Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (many of the same people on both) and early 70's Leon Russell.

Great Memories
I would have to agree the CD falls short of the LP, which I had stolen in '89.

Can either compare to the concert? Do they do it justice?

Between 1969 and the closing of the Fillmore West I think I saw so many great bands that many I've forgotten. Tower of Power, It's A Beautiful Day, Joy of Cooking, Hot Tuna, were all local bands that could really boogie. Incoming was Fleetwood Mac while Pete Greenwood was still playing, the Allman Bros, (all of them) Doc Watson over at the Buddhi in Berkely, but the concert I remember most was Delaney & Bonnie going until the early morning hours, loving what they were doing and seemingly willing to play until we all got old and gray. "I Don't Want to Discuss It," and "Come Out In My Kitchen" blew me away that night. The only comparable performance I've seen in my life was a very old Texas farmer named Mance Lipscomb (Gotta be the inspiration for John Hammond)at the first Woodie Guthrie Folk Festival at Lincoln Park in Oklahoma City.

If you like Delta Blues, (and I surely do) and your collection includes people like Mississippi John Hurt, and Robert Johnson, you are going to love what Delaney & Bonnie do with it, but then if you own a Robert Johnson you already know that :) ... Read more

Album Description

Full title - Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues - A Musical Journey. Five-CD deluxe boxed set includes a comprehensivecollection of the music from the seven films airing on PBS. A definitive overview of blues, from its earliestrecordings over 80 years ago, to contemporary artists andnew recordings made specifically for The Blues. Music fromthe PBS Series The Blues, executive produced by acclaimedfilmmaker Martin Scorsese. 116 tracks on 5 CDs, plus60-page collector's booklet with stunning photos andilluminating essays. Features introductory essay by MartinScorsese. Gatefold digibox. Hip-O Records. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Excellent blues primer
This is the "Year of the Blues," and "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues" is as important a contribution as anything I've seen so far in the effort to increase awareness of and appreciation for blues music.

This CD box set is not the soundtrack to the video documentary series. Rather, it is a collection of songs representing the blues through the roughly 80-year history of recorded blues music. While there are some artists who should have been included and weren't, and there are a few selections that are really not appropriate to this collection, overall this is an excellent primer for anyone looking to understand blues music and its evolution.

It would be impossible for any collection to include every artist that is loved by every blues fan. However, most of the truly great and important blues artists are here, including Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Virtually every style of blues is also represented here, from the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans to Texas to Memphis to Chicago and even to Africa. And contrary to the assertions of some previously-posted critiques, the Piedmont style IS represented with Mississippi John Hurt's "Frankie." (While Hurt did not live in the Piedmont Valley area, he was nevertheless one of the most important Piedmont stylists in blues guitar history.)

I do disagree with the inclusion of a few artists whom I do not consider to be blues musicians, such as Jeff Beck and Los Lobos. (Jeff Beck is undeniably a brilliant guitarist, but he is not a blues guitarist.) The absolute worst song in the set is Peggy Scott-Adams' "Bill," a terrible song about a woman who discovers her husband in bed with his gay lover. Aside from the fact that the song is just plain awful, it is also not a blues song. I wonder who was paid off to have it included.

There are also a few omissions of important blues artists. Lightnin' Hopkins was one of the most important blues musicians of the 1950s and '60s but was not included. Little Richard was every bit as important to the creation of rock & roll as Fats Domino and Chuck Berry but is not represented. The omission of Dr. John, perhaps the most important blues pianist of the modern era, is inexplicable. More modern accoustic guitarists like John Hammond, Jr. and the incredible Rory Block should have been included (although the newly-recorded Keb' Mo'/Corey Harris cover of Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" was almost worth the cost of the box set alone). And if Scorsese wanted a representation of blues-influenced Latino music, Carlos Santana would have been more appropriate than Los Lobos.

Notwithstanding a few flaws, however, this CD box set is an excellent representation of recorded blues history, covering the entire history of the blues and including most of the important artists and styles of this wonderful musical genre. I highly recommend it to anyone who is either desiring to learn about the blues or who is already a blues fan and is simply looking for a good thorough collection of great blues music.

Excellent material representing the entire blues genre!
This is the "comeback year" for the blues and "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues" as good as good if not better than all blues cds so far. This is really a contribution as anything we've seen so far in the effort to increase awareness of and appreciation for blues music.

The best part is that it's personalized from Scorsese's own liking. People might agree the Rolling Stones should have been included, for instance, but this 116 song piece is not a "best-of the blues". It's more of Martin Scorsese's perspective of what the blues has achieved for America and beyond.

This CD box set is not the soundtrack to the video documentary series. Rather, it is a collection of songs representing the blues through the roughly 80-year history of recorded blues music. This is an excellent primer for anyone looking to understand blues music and its evolution.

It would be impossible for any collection to include every artist that is loved by every blues fan. However, most of the truly great and important blues artists are here, including Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Virtually every style of blues is also represented here, from the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans to Texas to Memphis to Chicago and even to Africa. And contrary to the assertions of some previously-posted critiques, the Piedmont style IS represented with Mississippi John Hurt's "Frankie." Also, Luther Allison and Johnny Winter ARE included also.

There are also a few omissions of important blues artists. Lightnin' Hopkins was one of the most important blues musicians of the 1950s and '60s but was not included. Little Richard was every bit as important to the creation of rock & roll as Fats Domino and Chuck Berry but is not represented. The omission of Dr. John, perhaps the most important blues pianist of the modern era, is near as bad as leaving out the Rolling Stones and their massive love for the blues. More modern accoustic guitarists like John Hammond, Jr. and the incredible Rory Block should have been included (although the newly-recorded Keb' Mo'/Corey Harris cover of Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" was almost worth the cost of the box set alone). And if Scorsese wanted a representation of blues-influenced Latino music, Carlos Santana would have been more appropriate than Los Lobos.

Notwithstanding a few flaws, however, this CD box set is an excellent representation of recorded blues history, covering the entire history of the blues and including most of the important artists and styles of this wonderful musical genre.

Scorsese does a great job with the layout of the entire 5 disc set. Included is a color print book with song by song explanations co-written by a Grammy Award winning music writer, and many pages portraying blues from the very beginning(1830's) to today. I highly recommend it to anyone who desires learning about the blues, or a fan simply looking for a good thorough collection of great blues music.

Not just for the newcomer
This is a box set of 20th Century American music, not the Old Testament! Let the ethnomusicologist completist academic blathering heads debate the merits of inclusion and exclusion - just enjoy the tunes. This is worth it just to have discs for your New Year's Party. Sure Janis was an execrable no-talent and Disc 5 should've been made up entirely of Robert Pete Williams. That guy is so deep blues that I sleep with a kinfe when I listen to him at night! But what is a fellow to do?

The Blues
Martin Scosese Presents
The Blues
A Musical Journey

Have you ever known someone that was interested in exploring blues music and came to you asking you for advice on which artists and recordings to start with? If this is a familiar scenario to you and you have made lists as long as your arm of artists and recordings that you hope will steer them on the right path of bluesdom, next time just recommend (or better still hand them) Martin Scorsese Presents: The Blues, A Musical Journey (Hip-O Records), the five disc soundtrack to the documentary series that recently aired on PBS. This boxed set is handsomely packaged with a highly informative sixty page booklet that gives you a brief insight into every artist on the discs, along with a break down of every musician playing on each track and a great essay by noted writer Tom Piazza. This truly is a musical journey through the blues, containing over 117 tunes by almost as many artists, beautifully remastered to perfection so that even the oldest of recordings sound like they were cut yesterday. The names and tunes are way too long to list in their entirety but I'll try my best to give an overall and hopefully brief (this I gotta see) overview of each disc's highlights, otherwise this review will run longer than the last Presidential address. Disc One focuses primarily on the blues' entry and acceptance into the musical mainstream of the roaring 20's up to 1930. Oddly enough the disc's opening number "Shortnin" by Othar Turner and The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band is the only one not recorded during that period but serves as a portrait into the roots of the genre and is followed up by a field recording from the Alan Lomax Collection entitled "Long John," which is performed by a group of convicts on a state prison farm in Texas. The first real stars of the blues were women and they are represented by both Smiths, Mamie and Bessie, performing the classics "Crazy Blues," & "Muddy Water," respectively along with Ma Rainey's "Ma' Rainey's Black Bottom," which is probably musical history's first suggestive title. The rest of Disc One reads like a virtual who's who of legends and classic numbers such as:Frank Stokes' "Downtown Blues," Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Match Box Blues", Blind Willie McTells' "Statesboro Blues", Lonnie Johnson's "Guitar Blues" and Son House's "Preachin The Blues." One of the blues' greatest folk tales in the form of Mr. Skip James, who took thirty years off and persued a career in the ministry after his records did not sell well during the early days of the depression opens Disc Two. Considered by many to be a genuis of the early blues, his "Devil Got My Woman," represents that to the fullest extent and is followed by a pair of ultra classics, Leadbelly's "C.C. Rider," & Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go." Disc Two continues its journey through the 1930's with The Lady Day crooning "Billie's Blues," Robert Johnson picking out "Cross Road Blues," and the original Sonny Boy Williamson blasting his way through through his immortal "Good Morning Little School Girl." Halfway through Disc Two we switch decades and are treated to such gems of the 1940's like, Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway," Tommy McClennon's "Cross Cut Saw," Wynnonie Harris' "Good Rockin Tonight," Louis Jordan's "Let The Good Times Roll," and T-Bone Walker's timeless "Call It Stormy Monday." The 1950's saw the blues enjoy its biggest boom in commercial acceptance and Disc Three is filled to the brim with some of the most memorable and influential tunes that the blues and its artists ever produced. Memphis Slims "Mother Earth,"Percy Mayfield's "Send Me Somone To Love," Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88," and Elmore James' "Dust My Broom," start off Disc Three with a four punch combination that will rock you back on your heels before sending you to the canvas with Little Walter's,"Juke,". This particular disc illustrates the blues giving birth to its baby that they called rock & roll, with Big Mama Thornton's original version of "Hound Dog," (Big Mama made all of about five hundred dollars off this recording and died pretty much broke while some truck driver from Memphis made millions with the same tune, go figure!) Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knockin," Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love," Fats Dominoe's "Blue Monday," and the timeless rock & roll anthem, Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." Also included on Disc Three are classics like The Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnin," Muddy's "Hoochie Coochie Man," Bobby Bland's "Further On Up The Road," and Sonny Boy Wialliamson's (Rice Miller) Don't Start Me To Talkin." Disc Four gives us an intricate look at the state of the blues in the 1960's and the influence that it had on both American and British rock artists who were weaned on the tunes of the masters. The Jeff Beck Group's cover of Willie Dixon's "Ain't Superstitious," features a very young Rod Stewart on lead vocals while John Mayall's Bluesbreakers cover of "All Your Love," has a young Eric Clapton playing lead. Fleetwood Mac (gee did they once play the blues?) turns in a crushing version of "Black Magic Woman," with the twin guitars of Jeremy Spencer & Peter Green. Meanwhile back on home soil Bob Dylan tears through "Highway 61 Revisted," while Hendrix converts legions of rock & rollers with "Red House," and Janis Joplin and The Butterfield Blues Band do the same with "One Good Man," and "I've Got A Mind To Give Up Livin," respectively. While the rock genre was enlightening a new generation, John Lee Hooker recorded "Boom Boom," Albert Collins cut "Frosty," and Junior Wells released his signature "Hoodoo Man Blues." Etta James' "Tell Mama," turned a few heads and a new female singer by the name of Koko Taylor who was discovered by Willie Dixon raised a few million eyebrows with "Wang Dang Doodle." The 60's were a turbulent time for America and the impact that the blues made during that period is still being felt today throughout rock & roll. Disc Five begins in 1969 with B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," and closes with the recently recorded acoustic duet of Corey Harris & Keb Mo doing the prettiest cover of "Sweet Home Chicago," that it's been my pleasure to hear in quite some time. In between these two classic numbers, the 70's,80's 90's right up to present day is represented by a wide spectrum of artists and styles whose music has forever effected the blues' direction. Johnny Winter's "Dallas," Derek and The Dominoes' "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," The Alman Bothers "One Way Out," and Hound Dog Taylors' "Give me Back My Wig," represent the 70's which pretty much was dominated by hard rock and is considered one of the toughest decades for post WWII blues. But, being as hard times is what the genre founded its roots in, the blues treaded water in a swirling sea of hard rock and disco. The 80's are represented by a young man who is credited with kicking the music industry in its ass and making them take the blues seriously again, Mr. Stevie Ray Vaughn. One of his best tunes "Pride and Joy,"is included here along with big brother Jimmie Vaughn's band,The Fabulous Thunderbirds' "Tuff Enough." Also from the 80's is Robert Cray's "Smoking Gun," and a duet of "I'm In the Mood," between John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt from his monumentous The Healer album. The 90's get a well rounded look with Luther Allison's "Cherry Red Wine," Peggy Scott Adam's "Bill," (which is a totally new spin on the old cheating lover scenario) Keb Mo's "Am I Wrong," and Susan Tedeschi's "Just Won't Burn." Three other recent recordings in addition to "Sweet Home Chicago," are included with the best being the live duet between Robert Cray and Shemeika Copeland exploding on "I Pity The Fool." Cassandra Wilson's gorgeous voice gives new meaning to J.B. Lenoir's "Vietnam Blues," while Bonnie Raitt does ample justice to his "Round & Round," and Los Lobos does the same to his "Voodoo Music." This is the end of the journey blues fans. Well for now anyway. You can sort of look at this set as one hell of a roadmap to one of the best musical journeys you can possibly make with the rest of the journey being all around you as you read this. This is probably the best chronological record ever assembled of the music that changed the face of American music forever as the selections both mentioned and not mentioned in this review are the best of the best. Alot of you may already have a great deal of these recordings that are included here in some form or another, but it's the combination of the choice of selections and the remastering that make this package a must for every blues fan whether they are just learning about the blues or are already lifelong fans. Being a five disc set can mean it can be a bit on the pricey side, but I found it for around forty eight dollars at a couple of membership warehouse stores and it was worth every cent. With the holidays approaching it would make a completely awesome gift for the blueslover in your life or perhaps even yourself. This is one journey you will want to take several times.

The Best Blues Collection?... Hardly....
I don't claim to be a Blues expert by any means, who is? ...but this collection could have been something really special if more of the unknown artists from the past and present were included here. Yeah, we all know about Jimi, Stevie Ray, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, etc. Why do we need to have them represented here again? Some of the newer artists included here hardly earned their dues and a few others shouldn't even be on this recording at all. Oh well..., what can you say except that life isn't fair which is what the blues is all about anyway. That doesn't mean you need to accept this collection as the blues gospel by any means! Where's the Junior Kimbrough and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown? Where's the Luther Allison and James Solberg? I can go on and ask why but what sense would that make? Anyone who wants to own one of the best unknown ripping guitar, whiskey soaked vocals, ultra cool organ & rhythm tight CD's ever, buy James Solbergs "See that my grave is kept clean". If you want something really special, buy anything by Junior Kimbrough. If you want something that we've all heard before with a lot of it being mediocre then buy Mr. Scorsese Presents the Blues. Otherwise, check out the web sites for Shanachie Entertainment, Alligator Records, Blind Pig, Rounder/Bulls Eye Blues, Blues Bureau International/Shrapnel for links into the real blues crossroads where past and future meet head on! Oh yeah, let's not forget about Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher either!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Eric Clapton's first live album since 1992's zeitgeist-capturing Unplugged, is, as one would expect, full of well-tailored highlights from his back-catalog of bristly, well-kept blues. Recorded in Los Angeles and Tokyo during his 2001 world tour, and featuring the accompaniment from the likes of Andy Fairweather-Low and Billy Preston, it's an album that serves to satisfy both Clapton purists (there's a four-song sequence of tracks from Pilgrim, shorn of their original anodyne synthesizer embellishments) and adult pop fans who prefer their blues from the decanter rather than the bottle ("Tears in Heaven," a sublime "Bell Bottom Blues," a rather poised, applause-riddled "Layla"). One More Car is an engaging live document that finds EC far from asleep at the wheel. --Kevin Maidment ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Clapton's Long Awaited "Live" Cd Is Well Worth The Wait!
This latest release from rock legend Eric Clapton is a long overdo 2-cd "live" recording. Actually his last live recording was his "Unplugged" cd released in 1992. This 2-cd set was recorded during his 2001 tour and Clapton is in fine form here. Disc One starts with Clapton playing acoustic guitar on the first six songs. His acoustic guitar playing on songs such as "Key To The Highway" (a Derek & The Dominos song) , "Tears In Heaven", "Bell Bottom Blues" (another Derek & The Dominos song) ,"Change The World", etc. shows the diversity this talented guitarist has. He's as good on acoustic as he is playing electric guitar. It's not until "My Father's Eyes" that he switches to electric guitar. Every song sounds polished and Clapton's band is excellent with veteran keyboardist Billy Preston playing better than ever. Disc Two starts out with the bluesy "I Want A Little Girl". And very few guitarists can play the blues like Clapton. The following song "Badge" (from his late 60's days with the rock supergroup Cream) sounds terrific with the addition of keyboards. And Clapton's voice sounds better than ever. Clapton's 70's hit "Cocaine" is full of energy and the backup singers also add a special touch to this version. My favorite Clapton song (from his Derek & The Dominos days) "Layla" is outstanding with Clapton doing a nice guitar solo before the song kicks in. This version also includes the 4 min. extended piano ending which is played perfectly by Billy Preston. Another favorite (from his Cream days) "Sunshine Of Your Love" also starts with a nice guitar solo before going into the song. This is a nice updated version of the song again with the use of keyboards. Clapton's rendition of "Over The Rainbow" is a nice version which only he could pull off and make it sound good. This is an excellent "live" double cd that no Clapton fan should be without. Highly recommended!

Great CD, Great Sound
The sound quality of this cd will really allow you to hear Clapton at his finest. On just about any sound system that i've played this cd, it sounds amazing. Better than any other cd I own. I found that the versions of River of tears, Reptile, and My Father's eyes are excellent. In fact just about every song on this cd is excellent! Even if you're not the bigget Clapton fan you should still buy it just for the sound quality. Plus, I find that this CD is one of Clapton's best CD's. I would rate it at the top along with his unplugged CD. Buy this CD, I know you'll enjoy it!

How Bodge
A lot of people dont know how Bodge got his nickname here it is:

Eric Clapton was writting a song with John Lennon of the Beetles and John asked him what it was called and He thought Clapton said "Bodge" but he said something else (i forget). Anyway this kind of stuck as his nickname and he was Bodge forever since.

so, now you know...

One More Car, One More Rider = One More GREAT Performance!
Clapton has certainly gotten older, as seen on the video, and I give him tremendous credit for continuing to release new material and go on tour.

Both discs are great, but I highly enjoy Bell Bottom Blues, Change The World, My Father's Eyes and She's Gone. Cocaine is a great track as well.

I would have enjoyed Badge more had it been played like the version on 24 Nights, and Layla had it been played like the version on Eric Clapton & Friends Live. I wish they had played White Room, which is absolutely awesome in concert.

Despite the disappointments above, I give the album five stars given the outstanding performance of My Father's Eyes and She's Gone and a clever version of Over The Rainbow.

If you are into live music get it.
This double cd is very nice. It opens up with an accoustic set which includes a very nice bell bottom blues and a beautiful tears in heaven and change the world. Then the electric stuff starts out with a great fathers eyes. Disc 2 goes into a nice old one w/ badge and a medocure cocaine and a nice wonderful tonight. Lalya is a standout on this double disc with a terrific piano outro. and it stays good with the last 2 tracks espcially sunshine of your love.
All and all this is a good double live album worth buying the only reason why i gave it a 4 was because i know there is better stuff out there from clapton. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sonny Landreth's 10-year career as a leader has always seemed tenuous, because he's a one-dimensional singer and only an adequate songwriter. But these 12 numbers run deeper than his previous recordings. Like much of his catalog, they straddle the worlds of blues, Cajun and zydeco, and New Orleans party music, but the blues dominates. And that gives the conflagrant Mississippi-born and Louisiana-raised slide guitarist plenty of fuel. So he burns liberally at every turn, from the acoustic resonator guitar that opens and closes the disc to the percolating funk of "Hell at Home" and the Allmans-like, riff-driven intensity of "Fallin' for You." "A World Away" is this album's tour de force, with Landreth summoning soul from the seldom-used soft side of his voice and slow, moaning guitar lines, whose steel-on-steel cries echo the resigned heartbreak of the lyrics. The CD's sterling production puts Landreth's guitar front and center, which reaffirms the former John Hiatt and Clifton Chenier sideman's instrumental mastery. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (17)

What a surprise!
I have always recognised that Sonny Landreth is one of the best slide guitarists around. However I have never been a "great" fan of him because I am not too much in "tune" with zydeco or cajun kind of music. I like it but it is not my passion, I prefer to listening to other genders, and the one that I like the best is the "blues". I bought his new CD because I read the above editorial review and apparently it would have been more focused on the "blues" rather than on other stiles. In his previous album "Levee Town" I found a song that from my point of view, or for my taste if you prefer, by it self worth the price of the entire CD: "Broken Hearted Road" a very solid traditional blues played with intensity and passion. As soon as I received the delivery from Amazon I put this record in my CD player with a lot of hope but also with a touch of scepticism. What a surprise! From start to finish this is a great blues collection! Other influences are still present of course, however blues rules this time. The opening track "True Blue" is a masterpiece and it gives you an immediate flavour of what is about to follow. Not bad songs on this CD, no a single one. Sonny shows his ability in playing slide but also "traditional" stile guitar as in the blues-rock oriented title track. Excellent guitar work throughout the entire album, excellent singing, excellent band, excellent mix and production. I can't possibly find a weakness on this CD. I just love it from start to finish. As far as I am aware this is one of the best blues release of at least the last 12 months (and maybe more). I think that we already have, so early in the year, a very serious contender for the "best traditional blues album" award when time will come. I hope that Sonny Landreth will continue following the "road he's on" and that with his next one he will be digging even deeper into the "Blues". I can't rate this CD less than five stars!

SONNY IS AWESOME!
We just returned from the Fort Smith Blues Festival after witnessing Sonny Landreth perform. We purchased the Road We're On directly