Amazon.com

Here's a bountiful blues buffet from deep in the heart of Texas, courtesy of the long-running Austin City Limits television series. Texas talents--including Lightnin' Hopkins, represented by a suitably idiosyncratic "Rock Me Baby"; the razor-sharp Albert Collins, ripping through "Travellin' South" in front of a horn-powered band; and W.C. Clark, the godfather of the Austin blues scene, who sparkles on a song by hometown hero Willie Nelson--make the most of their spotlight time. And, naturally, there's Stevie Ray Vaughan, who leads Double Trouble through a tight and tasty "Love Struck Baby." Jimmie Vaughan's tribute to his blues brother, "Six Strings Down," follows in an example of the collection's creative sequencing. In like manner Gatemouth Brown's "Born in Louisiana" leads into Dr. John's New Orleans version of "Since I Fell for You," and Clark's rendition of "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away" segues into B.B. King's personalized cover of Nelson's classic "Night Life." The honorary Austinites, including a rambunctious Buddy Guy and a solo Rory Block, also make considerable contributions, the best probably being Taj Mahal bouncing through "Queen Bee" with Ben Harper on slide guitar, although Keb' Mo's straightahead "Tell Everybody I Know" isn't far behind. --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A great compilation!
This is a great sampling of the blues. B.B. King does an excellent "Night Life", his guitar is fabulous! One of my favorites is W.C. Clark, who I had never heard before. "Queen Bee" is the best Taj Mahal I have heard. Miss Lavelle White, Stevie Ray, Lightnin' Sam, Collins....I could go on and on. The recording quality varies very little from track to track, which is expected from Austin City Limits, as they are one of the few TV program which delivers excellent sound. Don't pass this one up!

Enjoy!

This is a Texas blues mirror!!
Texas is a State,full of hot deserts,but this cd shows that not only hot deserts...Texas always have hot blues with great icons of this musical style. We must reverence this contribution,specially the legendary SRV,and the great melodic voice of Delbert Mc Clinton! If you don't know what is the Texas Blues Twister,just buy this cd and.........

Vintage Guitar magazine review:
This greatest hits collection assembles fifteen performances from the famous television series "Austin City Limits." As a tribute to the televised music venue, it's a fine CD. And as a live blues disc it doesn't get much better than this. The recordings range from Lightnin' Sam Hopkins' "Rock Me Baby" from 1978 to Delbert McClinton's "Leap of Faith" from 1997. In between, are hot numbers from Albert Collins, Jimmie Vaughan, Keb' Mo', Gatemouth Brown, Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Miss Lavelle White, the Neville brothers, Rory Block, and W.C. Clark. That's quite a lineup. Among the best tracks here, however, is Stevie Ray Vaughan's blistering performance of "Love Struck Baby" from 1983, when he was near the peak of his powers. B.B. King also turns in a fine "Night Life" from 1982 packed with his trademark vibrato and phrasing. Hot stuff.

Feel it to your bones!
Not only is this the Best of Austin City Limits, it is the best collection of blues I have heard in a long while. From Taj Mahal to Miss Lavelle White, each performer gives their all to make one feel like they are sitting in front of the stage, listening to the souful sounds being emitted. Fantastic! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Blues masterpiece
Every single one of the 42 tracks is a gem. All of the original liner notes and artwork are reproduced and augmented with additional notes for a total of 47 pages of blues history with lots of great period photography. I have two complaints though. The first is that the CDs are in hard cardboard sleeves which subjects them to possible scratching and difficulty in returning them to the sleeves. The second is that the song credits are not shown in the 3-CD set. If you buy the individual CDs, however, the song credits are shown! Just sloppiness I suppose.

Three in one, or one in three
I bought all three of the albums in this set separately a few years ago, but you can get all three in a set for this ridiculously low price. It would still be a great deal to buy each of the three discs for whatever it was that I paid, probably [cheap], because this is an utterly superb collection of electric blues that you could never find anywhere else. For my money the Otis Rush contribution is the best thing he ever recorded, the Junior Wells version of Help Me is better than the Sonny Boy original, and every single track on all three albums is absolutely choice. One of the strengths of the set is that with three acts on each disc, there is no space whatsoever for inferior or filler material. If you want Chicago electric blues, this set should be your first purchase.

Great music, horrible packaging!
Wow, this is one of the crown jewels as far as the electric blues is concerned!

You can't go wrong with this although for those of you who think the electric blues started with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Moore, then this might be too 'ethnic' and not 'heavy' enough for you.

That would be a sad thought really, since without albums like this, there wouldn't have been people like two mentioned up above, imo.

However the packaging is terrible. The CDs were scratched when I opened it for the first time, prompting a return to the store for an exchange. The second copy was just as scratched leading me to believe that the paper sleeves themselves were the problem. A very poor design.

If this is a big concern, then stick with the older CD reissues in their individual jewel cases. I believe they're still widely available through Vanguard.

If You Want To Know What Real Blues Is........
If you want to know real Blues is, then buy this CD set. From the hard, honest singing of Johnny Shines to the soulful guitar of Otis Rush, to the Sheer Power of James Cotton to the sincere crooning of Junior Wells: Its all here! This album reads as virtual yearbook and testament to 1965 Chicago. If you want to know what the Chicago Blues scene was like in the 60's, then look no further. This stuff is too good die, it will just keep getting better!

Chicago Blues Heaven
Quite simply, blues heaven. This compilation is a whole lot of bang for anybody's buck. Produced on a limited budget back in 1965, the musicians just streamed into the studio and did what they were known to do best. A barebones approach to recording, you won't find much in the way of studio wizardry here, but who cares?

Legend has it that Johnny Shines and his band just walked in, unpacked their instruments and powered into a version of "Dynaflow Blues" that pasted the onlookers in the studio to the wall and that song is captured forever here as that one take. The onlookers themselves happened to be some of the finest blues musicians of the day.

I later met some of the people bearing witness to that memorable day and they were still talking about it. Two decades later, Charles Musselwhite was still impressed enough to name one of his bands the Dynatones, in honor of the "Dynaflow Blues." Johnny Shines's voice is exciting and electric, his guitar playing has an electrified delta sound, and his music is pushed along by back-beat drumming. Johnny Shines and band continued pushing hard in the studio that day, laying down their tracks, I think recorded in the same sequence as they were played. They blistered through an essential hard blues, "If I Get Lucky" and at the end one of them shouts "Roll the tape!" as if that was all just a warm up session for the band. Man!

That's Johnny Shines on two of his six tracks. But elsewhere on different tracks on the disc there's also a young Charles Musselwhite disguised as Memphis Charlie ... Johnny Young, Otis Spann, Otis Rush ... I don't have room here to say all that I want to say, just read the list of names on all the tracks and take a chance on this. I think it's superlative. Chicago/The Blues/Today has always been one of my favorite blues series, and one that will continue to inspire people for as long as it's played. There's a beautiful little book with this collection, full of photographs and stories, some 47 pages. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

They're all here
The reviewer who said that SRV was not on this set obviously did not read the liner notes, which indicate that SRV played on the Lonnie Mack tracks from the Strikes Like Lightening sessions. The other artists the reviewer stated that were not there ARE, but are not the featured artist on the tracks.

I bought this set, and the 25th, when they came out and was really wowed by what I heard. Houndog Taylor is my favorite, followed closely by Koko Taylor and Albert "Master of the Telecaster" Collins. There is some really fine musicianship, great feel, and real respect for the blues displayed on this set.
Higly recommended.

Some good old blues
Amazon keeps inter-mixing the reviews for the 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection' album and the similarly named 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary tour' album. So I will include a review of both here to set the record straight.

The 'Collection' album is by far superior to the 'tour' album. The collection has many artists on show and offers a bit of everything. The best tracks are AC Reed's 'These blues are killing me' with SRV brilliant on guitar, Little Charlie and the Nightcats with 'Rain', Roy Buchanan's classic 'Drowning on dry land', Koko Taylor with 'That's why i'm crying', Katie Webster with 'Pussycat Moan', Son Seal with 'Going back home' and Hound Dog Taylor and the classic 'Give me back my wig'. The album is uneven as you would expect for a label show case but well worth it as a introduction to a variety of blues styles and artists.

The 1993 20th aniversary tour album has only Li' Ed, (the late) Kattie Wester, Elvin Bishop, Lonnie Brooks and Koko Taylor. The album does typify Alligator records music that by my definition is mostly reasonable blues without being great. This live album has plenty of energy and is listenable, but fails to scale the heights I expect of the blues.

I discovered most of my favorite blues artists from this CD
Alligator records has some serious talent on it's label. Many of them are big names that you will recognize if you have been into blues for very long. I have tried samplers from other blues record labels and have been very disappointed with the mediocre talent on their label. Usually there are only one or two people -out of fourteen or fifteen - that stand out on other blues samplers. You will recognize that the vast majority of artists on Alligator Records are true talents - even if you don't like their style. This album is definitely worth the investment.

good,better,best
Alligator has compiled a very good collection of its artists on this CD. It has Iceman , SRV , KOKo , Son Seals, Johnny Winter and many other of the best of the blues. If you buy it, find some storage for the rest of your collection, because you won't remember who they are. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Meet The Resurrection Of The Blues - Cheap!
Fat Possum - pace the first guest reviewer - isn't the band, it's the label, which houses perhaps the most important bluesmen to have emerged in the art in an extremely long time. Mostly from north Mississippi, all of whom have at least the attitude and the drive of that region's weave between hypnotic and heartpunch soul dance blues. If you've happened upon any of these artists's discs and been tempted but leery to try them, pick up this cheap sampler, listen closely, and be prepared to learn all over again that the blues didn't begin and end with a certain long tall Texan who couldn't make up his mind whether he wanted to be Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Albert King, or all the above when he grew up. Nor does it belong exclusively (if at all) to a trio of hotshot young shredders using the blues as a launching pad for continuing wild, techincally brilliant, musically wanting guitar pyrotechnics. At long last there are some who remember what the blues is REALLY all about, and they mostly take the form of these aging gentlemen (some of whom hadn't recorded until they'd hit their 60s, at least) to show how it can be done. Make that, how it should be done - raw, rippling, deep, and exuberantly soulful. This is the best bargain in music in years.

Not your father's blues
I bought this CD from Amazon because it was shockingly inexpensive and I wanted to pad out an order. I wasn't expecting great things; I hoped merely that I hadn't wasted the meager amount of money I'd spend. Boy, was I happy when I finally played this. This is great!

The blues. A genre which can communicate untold pain, depthless heartache and a universe of suffering. Or it can encompass songs like "Crack Whore Blues", which is exactly what you would expect it to be from the title. The tracks on here are vibrant and alive. This is wonderfully thrilling, foot-tapping stuff that can be serious on the few occasions that it wants to be.

Since this is a sampler compilation containing disparate artists, it's difficult to sum up this album in a few paragraphs. We go all the way from rompy throwaway musical jokes right into genuinely soulful lyrics. But the one constant is quality. What many of the performers lack in technical ability, they more than make up for in enthusiasm. This is a release from a tiny record label with no terribly big names, which goes a long way towards explaining the emotion.

The liner notes are absolutely hideous -- green text written on a purple background. It makes my eyes water just thinking about it. There's also a funny gag on the back, which I shall not spoil here.

As a sampler, the idea is to throw as much onto the disc as possible and hope that the customer likes at least one or two selections enough to purchase a full album. They've convinced me; I have some shopping to do. Anyone with even a passing interest in the blues should pick up this one. You can do it without breaking the bank, and, unless you're familiar with the artists already, you'll be hearing the blues like you haven't quite heard them before.

Nicely off-mainline
I'm a fan of Mr. Burnside, so getting this was easy, and enjoying it easier even. This is not revolutionary music by any means, but it is refreshingly wild and iconoclastic. Get it, it is fun

Just plain crap
As a long time blues fan and blues musician I have heard lots of blues, but rarely have I heard a steaming pile of unlistenable rubbish like this collection.As if the back cover art of some old fool wearing a nazi hat, smoking a plastic cigar and wearing a dog collar wasn't warning enough- the front cover art of someone wearing a gas mask should have been. Perhaps he got a whiff of the contents of this cd. Even at [price] it is grossly over-priced.

The real stuff
I got this completly on impulse. The title and cover art was too much to pass up. If you like your blues raw and real, buy this CD. There are a couple of uninspired tracks but the good ones carry it overall. R.L. Burnside is as real as it gets! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Some of the greatest recordings ever.
Even without the Slide Guitar moniker, these recordings stand as some of the best performances of the 20th century. A most have for all music lovers.

This is actually worth 10 or 11 stars
I am tempted to write several reviews, all giving this album 5 stars because I simply must convince you how much you need to buy this. I originally had this on tape and I listened to it so many times that it became so warbly I was forced to buy the CD. This album has gotten me through so many hard times, long drives, flight layovers and bad relationships, that I cannot express it in the maximum of 1,000 words. I will simply leave you with this: I cannot think of a single person who /wouldn't/ love this CD. Buy it! You will be thanking yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A magic night (May 11, 1995) on PBS's Austin City Limits translates superbly to disc for this heartfelt and soulful salute from a Hall of Fame crew led by B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, and Dr. John.Brother Jimmy's elegant "Texas Flood," Raitt's kick-ass "Pride and Joy," and the amiable collective jams on "Six Strings Down" and "SRV Shuffle" are all highlights. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Tribute Fit For A Guitar King
Before August 27, 1990 I had never really had to cope with death. Although this was not a family member or friend it was still someone I had grown up with, and on. Stevie Ray Vaughan has a special place in my life. His music stays with me until this day.

The amount of friends he had and how they came together was amazing. This was by far the best tribute album as far as talent. There are amazing players on here. It's worth the buy even if you aren't a fan of his, but the blues itself.

Artists include: Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Lee Vaughan, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, and Dr. John.

The last three tracks are great and they feature all the players on the album playing in unison. This is a delight for fans of the particular artists to hear such a unique live JAM session. All in all this is a fitting, emotional tribute to a man whose guitar magic still lives on inside my soul.

An All-Star Tribute To Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan without a doubt is one of the greatest blues guitarist, and song writers that ever lived. I have been a long time Stevie Ray Vaughan fan when the tribute CD came out I was anxious to here people like jimmie vaughan, bonnie rait, bb. king, eric clapton, robert cray, and dr.john. I bought this not too long ago since I have never got around to it. I have been so caught up with newer releases like the Stevie Ray Vaughan Box Set that I forget to buy some of that other stuff. Anyways I thought in all this CD was another great thing that happened to the blues power of steive ray vaughan.

The guitarist's on here are truely great all of them have a different style thats what I really liked about this CD no one copied stevie note for note or tried to be just like him because every guitarist is different from another. The first track on this CD is Bonnie Raitt: Pride And Joy. Her version was way different from Stevie's but it was good to here a new flavor with some slide guitar. The second track is Jimmie Vaughan: Texas Flood. I also loved his texas guitar slinging playing it sounded like he was picking with his hands it was really cool. One of my favorites though is the next song performed by B.B King titled Telephone Song here is the coolest blues jam. The next one is titled Long Way Home by Buddy Guy. My favorite song on this album was Eric Clapton's version of Ain't Gone 'N Give Up On Your Love. Then their was Robert Cray's Love Struck Baby, Dr. John Cold Shot, All of the guitarist for Six String Down, All of the guitarist for Tick Tock, and all of the guitairist for the SRV Shuffle. Dont get me wrong this is one of the best tribute CD's that was ever put together their is great blues guitar playing on here any true fan, or guitarist would want. Highly Recomended!!

sounding to much like Stevie
i think when you do a tribute album you should do the songs in your own way. some people did but for the most part the play it the way he did. eric claptons song sound just like texas flood. dr john what the best becuase he did the song on a paino so it was diffrent. if you like the bkues you will like this album.

Pointless cash in
It may have been a good idea to put on a tribute concert to SRV, and I hope the proceeds (and the proceeds from the sale of this CD, the VHS, the DVD etc. etc.) go to a worthy charity - although, since it isn't mentioned on the tin, I doubt they will - but in any case it doesn't reward the listening.

Each one of the featured artists is great in his or her own right, and if you want to catch some of that greatness, then buy the artist's own CD. Same goes for Stevie Ray Vaughan. But don't buy this.

Just give this record the swerve - if you already own everything else by the artists concerned, by a book or something, and improve yourself.

Great tribute to a great artist!
I recently repurchased this cd & listened to it from start to finish. Funny, but I don't remember it sounding this good when I first owned it. It still amazes me that all this talent could be assembled in one place - it speaks volumes about their love and admiration for Stevie. This is a great primer for someone interested in blues music, but unfamiliar with some of the artists on this disc. Each has a very distinctive style and sound. I'm not a huge fan of Jimmie Vaughan, but I have to admit "Six Strings Down" (about the tragic accident that killed Stevie) touched me more than any other song. All the artists sound in top form - none of them are just going through the motions. Truly a great tribute to a great artist! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A great collection...
...with plenty of variety.

The 2-CD set will keep you busy listening and studying for hours.

Probably one of the better blues record companies takes at least one track from their most successful albums ( and some unreleased ), and puts it into a collection every five years or so.

Highly recommended.

My fav. track: "T'ain't Nobody's Business"

fantastic compilation!
If you love the blues (and who doesn't, except for those terminally 'mad-at-the-world' types of which I hope you're not one) then this great collection of various flavors of blues is for you! Once again, Alligator Records has put together an irresistable smorgasbord of sound for your listening pleasure. C'mon, dig in! (Just keep in mind that the audio tracks for DISC I vs. DISC II are swapped on the song samples here.)

Bring on the Dog!
I bought this just for the unreleased Houndog Taylor tracks. The rest is very good.

Its a must have. Get the 20th and 30th years also.
Its a must have. Get the 20th and 30th years also.

A great general blues collection
I received this double CD as a gift from someone who knew I liked the blues, but didn't have specific knowledge of many artists. This a a great collection to have for other people like me. Even after many repeat listenings, I can't name even half the artists - all I know is this collection really cooks. Even housecleaning doesn't seem so bad when you're listening to this. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A CD full of Blues
This CD has been my first true exposure to the blues outside of the Blues Brothers and BluesFest in Chicago. Although Judy Henske is my favorite artist on the CD, and she sings as described in all Burke novels, I have learned to enjoy Howling Wolf and Son Seals and all of the others. I have given this CD to a few family members who introduced me to Vachss. I am also glad that Andrew Vachss was able to collect a large time span of the blues from the 1930's (?) to now. Thank Vachss for bring Burke to life and showing us the hardcore blues

like riding with burke in his plymouth
this cd gives a good sampling of different blues artist, some i were familiar with and others new to me. wide range of styles was like trying different flavours of ice cream - all great. playing this in my car and i could pretend i was in one of vachss's novels and for the first time getting to hear burke's favorite judy henske. her voice can peel paint and i mean this in a good way.

PERFECT!
The first time I read a Burke novel, I just knew he had the range and the pain for the Blues. Every time I read one of Vachss' books I found myself hearing the songs. This is the perfect accompaniment to every one of Vachss' heart-wrenching, redeeming, and true books.

And for those of you trying to get your friends to listen to the Blues or read a Burke novel, just tell them to listen to this CD. You can't go wrong with Son Seals, Katie Webster, Marcia Ball, Judy Henske, or any of the other TRUE blues artists that Vachss gives play to here.

The perfect compilation Blues CD!

Excellent introduction to the Blues, and to Andrew Vachss
Investing in this CD gives you a quick introduction to the blues, and tosses in an introduction to the works of Andrew Vachss. Powerful stuff; not for wimps.

It's the best!
I bought this album because of Mr. Vachss and his Burke books. I was curious about what he likes and also wanted to contribute for the kids. Not only does he write great books, but he knows his BLUES. This collection is wonderful! I have ordered Judy Henske's new album. For diehard fans of this, try another hard to find guy named Mickey Newbury. His NIGHTS WHEN I AM SANE is a classic and available on Amazon , or it was previously. No promises. In the meantime, Mr. Vachss, please do this again!!!!!! We trust you to take care of us with your choices. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great stuff
Not a losing track. Top of our rotation for several weeks ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Blue Stones
A good but not consistent CD consisting of Rolling Stones' tunes as performed by blues artists. The blues is supposed to strike emotional chords with the anger and sorrow and self-mocking of its lyrics and tone, but this CD in several places falls short of this requirement. Or maybe it's because the Stones' biggest hits have become such standards that new expressions seem trite. Certainly "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by Junior Wells and "Honky Tonk Women" by Taj Mahal pale in comparison to the originals, while lesser known (to casual Stones fans at least) tracks such as "Sway" by Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart and "Heart of Stone" by Joe Louis Walker have a grit that brings a guttural reaction from the listener. In fact, "Heart of Stone" will remain on my play list for a long time, along with Otis Clay's wrenching "Wild Horses." I would have loved to hear "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Paint it Black" (ironic that that last is not on the CD given the CD's title), but ultimately I'm not too disappointed with the track selection.

One last thing. While I know the Stones still claim to be an active band, I think they should nevertheless put out a compilation CD of all of their best blues tracks, including both the hits and the obscurities. A full CD of the Stones playing their own raunchy blues would be a treat.

gots to have it
Some of the songs are done better than the originals (Sway, Moonlight Mile, Ventilator Blues). This cd is a must have for a Stones fan. Albert Collins? Johnny Copeland, Gatemouth Brown? It don't get no better! The Stones must have been truly flattered.

On the Cover of the Rolling Stones!
On this CD premier blues men like Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Johnny Copeland, Holmes Brothers and Taj Mahal cover some of the Best Rolling Stones Classics and adds it a twist of Blues. The first song on the CD seems to be the absolute best and the most refreshing - Luther Allisons version of the 1969 hit "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Sadly this version came to be Luthers Last studio recording ever, recorded short before his sudden death i 1997 - But truely at the Peak of his career.
An Overall great CD, worth buying for Luther Allison it self!

Umm....yeah!!!
Ok. Just think about this....

Stones? Blues? Rock 'n' Roll? What else do you need? Exactly, a nice beer and you are set. Enjoy this cd forever. It makes the blues and rock and country come together like never before. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is simply the best rendition of any song that I have ever heard. Unfortunatly I only have enough money to buy 1 for a present or else I would buy a thousand to give to everyone. It's perfect. As a Music Educator, a Music Theorist, and a Composer, this is the finest CD that one could ever buy. Enjoy!

Dim bulbs please take note
This is just a note for all the Stones fans who don't get the blues, or even the Stones, for that matter. Love in Vain IS a blues song, written by Robert Johnson. The Stones covered it (briliantly I might add), but they didn't write it. And the artists on this album already have well developed styles of their own. Real artists take something from someone else and make it their own, exactly as the Stones did with blues tunes. The complaints below might sound more valid if they were also complaining that the Stones cover of Love in Vain didn't sound the way Robert Johnson did it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A tribute album that's not a tribute album--at least according to the text on the cover of this CD. In a way, that's correct, since Blues Power includes not merely artists who've been influenced by Clapton, but also artists who've influenced him. Many of these musicians' careers were positively affected by the advent of British blues and the blues revival of the 1960s--events in which Clapton played no small part. So it's fitting that Buddy Guy should appear here, and Bo Diddley, James Cotton, Honeyboy Edwards, and Pinetop Perkins. In addition, younger artists make an appearance, including Larry McCray, Carl Weathersby, Joe Louis Walker, Eric Gales, and Derek Trucks. And for the most part--as one would expect given the caliber of the performers--the material here is very strong. Standouts include Weathersby's hard-grooving take on "Lay Down Sally," Guy's version of "Strange Brew," Walker and Cotton's sexy "Roll It Over," and Perkins's wry "Too Bad." A few of the selections seem to be winks at the listener: for instance, Diddley covers his own "Before You Accuse Me," a song popularized by Creedence Clearwater Revival and more recently recorded by Clapton. The oddest of the lot, though, would have to be "Crossroads," one of the most covered blues songs ever, which Honeyboy Edwards here records in a style more reminiscent of Robert Johnson than of Clapton. It's moments like these that make this album as much a history as it is a tribute. Closing things off is, of course, "Layla," here reinterpreted by young guitar-slingers Gales and Trucks. The closing coda, while different from Clapton's original, perfectly captures its mood. While there are some weak moments--Koko Taylor tones down her characteristic roar for "Blues Power" for some reason--this is a strong album overall, exploring Clapton's strengths as a songwriter and as a bluesman through the eyes of contemporaries, predecessors, and followers. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not A Tribute, But A Celebration -- And A Very Fun One
As it proclaims on the cover, "This ain't no tribute," and it ain't. In fact, it's the exact opposite. Clapton purists, and blues purists, will probably reject this with disdain. If so, they're missing out on a great CD. You're basic "tribute" album has lesser known artists doing note for note, unoriginal covers of a famous artist's work. Here, Blues legends (like Koko Taylor, Otis Clay, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, James Cotton, Otis Rush, and Pinetop Perkins), along with up and coming blues artists, celebrate Clapton's legacy by putting their own, special stamp on his songs. Bo Diddley's take on "Before You Accuse Me" (which is, of course, a cover of a Clapton song which itself was a cover of a Bo Diddley song), alone makes this CD worth buying. Other highlights include Koko Taylor's rendition of "Blues Power," Buddy Guy's take on "Stange Brew," and Eric Gales' surpsingly good cover of "Layla" (yes, "Layla"). There are a few throw-aways, and a little too much influence of the Blues Brothers (which seems to permeate everything put out by "House of Blues"), but in general it's very much worth the price of admission. Don't miss it.

any tribute
ive gave it three because of buudy guy(strange brew) and koko taylors(blues power} eric gale/derek trucks(layla)

Buy the real stuff instead
The comment above is right on. A mildy entertaining CD that I think Ill trade in for the much better Eric Clapton "Blues" double CD.

Many of Eric's greatest tunes performed superbly.
I love this album! Many of Eric's greatest tunes performed superbely (and mostly creatively) by other excellent artists. There's great guitar work here, even if it isn't Eric himself. My favorite Clapton tune, "Old Love", is done beautifully by Otis Rush. I was so happy to see this lovely, too often neglected, song on the album. Koko Taylor rocks on "Blues Power" and the guitar work by Chriss Johnson and Rico McFarland is fabulous. "Layla" closes the album! Eric Gales sticks very close to the original arrangement but without the fire ... until, just before the coda, Derek Trucks flies in and knocks you off your feet - I would have liked more of that. Personally, I could have done without "Lay Down Sally" and "Tears in Heaven" in favor of a killer "After Midnight". All-in-all, this is a wonderful album - excellent artists performing great songs. If you are an EC fan, buy it - you'll love it. And, it will hold you until July 27th when Eric releases a double CD Blues album.

Chicago Blues Greats Pay Homage to Clapton.
For God knows how many years, blues artists have been trying to make a buck writing and performing the music of thier heritage. Back in the 60's people like the Stones, Zepplin, Doors, Janis,and Clapton recognized this music for what it was, popularized it, putting starving blues artists on the map. Now it's time for these artists to capitalize on what they have been trying to achive for decades. Blues Power: Songs of Eric Clapton has achieved this. The production is slick. Songs like Larry McCrays miss you is an interpretation of the master that shouldn't be missed. Otis Clay's, Wonderful Tonight has sole and feeling that only someone who has lived the Blues can convey. Other artists on this compilation include Chicago Blues Greats such as Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Otish Rush and more. If you love the blues this is a must have. Give something back to the people who have given you so much. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One would expect a label's two-CD collection, no matter how assiduouslypicked, to have some low points. It's inevitable, one might think; even the most selectiverecord labels have produced some duds. But on the 20th Anniversary Collectionfrom Blind Pig Records, such low points are non-existent. It's a testimony to the label'sexacting standards and the many reels of quality blues they've recorded over their first 20years. There's something for everyone on this set, from traditional acoustic blues (checkout Johnny Shines's rendition of "Blues Come to Texas"), to modern rockers (JimmyThackery and the Drivers' "Drive to Survive," for instance). Many up-and-coming artistsare featured here, including Deborah Coleman ("My Heart Bleeds Blue") and DebbieDavies ("Howlin' at the Moon"), counterbalanced with plenty of old hands such as CareyBell ("That Spot Right There") and John Lee Hooker ("Terraplane Blues"). There's evena rousing "La Vierge" from zydeco accordionist Al Rapone. All in all, while it's possiblethat not everything here will appeal to every taste, there's definitely something here foreveryone. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Blind Pig finds the truffles
Like with Alligator, you can't go wrong with the Blind Pig anniversary sets. This 2 cd-set jams all the way through. While some may not agree with every song selection, I think they did a great job of presenting a historical overview of their artists while presenting current songs also. A good set that blues lovers will want to own.

Disk 1: ****1/2 Disk 2: ***
This is a great introduction to the works of many important blues artists currently recording on the #2 blues label in the business at the present. It is a terrific value for a double cd containing 140 minutes of music and 36 tracks, costing less than $....

Disk 1 has some really excellent artists and songs. My favorites were by Coco Montoya (nice wailing, screaming guitars similar to Tinsley Ellis), Magic Slim and the Teardrops (ratchets Chicago blues up a notch for extra loudness and impact - great band live), John Lee Hooker (a slow, mournful accoustic version of Terraplane Blues), Joanna Connor (Very loud, aggressive yet precise slide playing, with excellent vocals. Joanna is the best female guitarist on the planet - she makes Tedeschi and Curfman sound like frightened children learning to play guitar), outstanding harp playing by James Cotton and the greatest blues guitarist ever, Luther Allison (although his Alligator Records recordings are superior. Actually, many of these artists have also recorded on Alligator, including James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Big Walter Horton, Carey Bell, Junior Wells, and Pinetop Perkins). I was a bit disappointed by Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers' hit "Drive to Survive" as it wasn't really blues, but classic Southern rock and not as exciting as all the rave reviews claimed. The two tracks by the Gospel Hummingbirds and E.C. Scott were poor and designed for the NEXT TRACK button on the remote.

The second disk is really the B-side collection, both of Blind Pig's artists and their songs. Most of these songs are only moderately interesting blues numbers and they tend to blend in together unnoticeably in the background. The first track, by Studebaker John and The Hawks, was a good, hard edged boogie. The best song on the whole disk was the second, My Heart Bleeds Blue, by Deborah Coleman, featuring a great tune and extremely skilled and emotional guitar playing; I will definitely buy several of her CD's. I don't usually like Charlie Musselwhite (I find his voice too deep and dull) but surprisingly, I really enjoyed his Harpin' On A Riff. Preacher Boy's I Won't Be There was pretty interesting - sort of a combination of accoustic John Lee Hooker and R.L. Burnside with a stranger voice). I honestly can't remember any of songs 9-17(despite listening to the disk half a dozen times) and while a few of those songs were by well known blues musicians such as Eddy Clearwater and Big Walter Horton, the relative anonymity of the remaing artists is not likely to change, judging by their relatively tame, low keyed styles. Commander Cody's Let's Rock was quite a decent blues rocker and finished off the second disk on a high note.

I would recommend this disk because there are bound to be at least a handful of tracks here that will satisfy any blues fan regardless of the style of blues he or she prefers. I'm also betting that most purchasers of this disk will buy at least a couple of the albums from which the songs on this compilation were pulled (assuming they don't already own them). If you had to buy just one compilation CD, I would recommend either Alligator's 20th Anniversary or 25th Anniversary Collections over this one, as they are both more consistently enjoyable with very few fillers. I would rate this collection about even with Alligator's recent 30th Anniversary Collection, which is a slight downslide from the previous collections. Even so, this is a very solid double disk and I don't think many blues fans will have any regrets in purchasing this one.

BUY IT!
Outstanding blues cd. The only anamoly, in my opinion, is "Howlin' At The Moon," by Debbie Davies. Her voice, at least on this recording, is very weak in contrast to the music. Other than that, this is one of my favorite cd's and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Classic Unknown Recording
"Raw Blues" is a mid-'60s sampler combining contributions from piano blues masters (such as Otis Spann and Jack Dupree) with selections by John Mayall along with other fixtures of the British blues scene. ("Long Night," for example, features help from "Steve Anglo" - actually Steve Winwood with identity disguised for legal purposes.) The playing is superb throughout, making "Raw Blues" a choice little nugget of British blues.

Stunning
This is a magic album featuring the best of 60s blues. The album is dominated by John Mayall and Eric Clapton, but features some great songs by early bluesmen: Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree and Curtis Jones. Long night features 'Steve Anglo' who is actually Steve Winwood. The Peter Green track is also memorable. The solo by John Mayall, 'Burn out your blind eyes' highlights how good John Mayall was and is. Clapton features on several tracks, playing in a style which is reminiscent of early 30s guitar, raw and vivid. An album not to be missed by any early blues fan. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (1)

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

Reviews (1)

Excellent mixture of great blues harmonica artists
A lot of times when one purchases a blues recording, the tunes are all in the same style and sound the same. This is a great CD that mixes it up a bit, with harmonica greats from Little Walter to Rod Piazza. It is a great way to sample a lot of different artists and then buy more CDs once you know who you like. I hope House of Blues puts out another collection similar to this. Very enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Worthy Tribute To A Great Bluesman
I think anyone with a passion for 'Dog ought to have this. Anyone comparing the CD to Hound Dog's own work has to first specify whether the comparison is to 'Dog on LP or 'Dog live. Live, nobody could do his songs the way Hound Dog Taylor did them. In part, this has something to do with the fact that few people could consume the amount of alcohol 'Dog did between sets and still hold onto the guitar. But in the studio, 'Dog's output was decidedly inconsistent. If we're comparing this to almost any of 'Dog's studio recordings, it holds up really well.

Highlights to me are Luther Allison's romp through "Give Me Back My Wig" and Elvin Bishop's amusing (and accurate) tales of playing in 'Dog's band. But there is not a real stiff cut here. All concerned show an genuine affection for 'Dog's underappreciated work. For someone like me who saw 'Dog live many times in the '70's, this is like a letter from a long lost friend. I still miss him.

no tribute here
looked forward to this album having been a fan of houndog's for years. Very dissapointed, no one creates the atmosphere thaty houndog created, he was one of a kind, maybe not the most talented but managed to produce a rawness that was second to none. he must be looking down and laughing at these so called artists and laughing. stick to the originals for the best.

Solid, well-intentioned fun
A Hound Dog Taylor tribute album filled primarily with other Alligator Records artists is a sound idea, because there would be no Alligator without Hound Dog. It's to the credit of each artist here that he manages to sound like himself and not like a Hound Dog imitation. And it's to our benefit that those artists include titans such as Luther Allison and Magic Slim. Sometimes they reach too far afield, as if they're trying to show how far Hound Dog's songs will stretch (Vernon Reid's acoustic number is tasty playing, but electricity was the very soul of Hound Dog's art). All-round, though, the performances range from very-good to excellent, most of Hound Dog's best songs are covered, and it's a great treat to hear George Thorogood sounding like his old indie-label self. (Special mention has to be made of the cover by Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials: one of the hottest, finest blues performances in years!) ... Read more