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In the corner of the world known as New Orleans, Roy Byrd--Professor Longhair--looms larger than any other musical figure with the possible exception of Louis Armstrong. This album, recorded in 1979 and released the following year just after his death, marks his final recordings, and it includes a robust horn section, tight rhythm section, and Dr. John strumming guitar alongside his idol. The pianist bounces buoyantly through old favorites while adding some new songs into the mix. Fess's infectious vocals, jaunty ivory-tickling, and funky groove provide the ultimate soundtrack to the Crescent City and show exactly why the city has the reputation that it does. Take two mudbugs and call me in the morning. Better make that the afternoon. Late afternoon. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The very definition of blues piano!

This is Professor Longhair's best album and unfortunately it was his last. Professor Longhair is the very essence of New Orleans blues. He was Dr. John's mentor, who also was Professor Longhair's studio guitarist, before he dedicated himself to the piano and had a career of his own.

Crawfish Fiesta is my favorite blues album. It is full of energy and is just full of life and fun. Buy this album and take a virtual trip to New Orleans.

The Professor's dream ...
I first heard Longhair on the record "New Orleans Piano". It's a remarkable record. For the most part the tunes are brutally simple, the left hand outlining a major chord, and the right hand playing simple repetitive licks. But one tune jumps right off the grooves, "Tipitina", the left hand plays a rhumba like bass figure unlike any you've heard, the right hand alternates between tinkling and hard hammering, and the Professor more or less yodels a long series of nonsense syllables interrupted by one intelligible phrase, "little momma want's a dollar". Everything about this tune is unique, it was a local hit for Longhair in the early 50's.

When I moved to N.O. in the 70's I attended my first Longhair event in a run-down church. Playing with Fess was a ragtag group that did include, however, the legendary Snooks Eaglin on guitar. The audience was in bleacher type seats in front of a small stage. At one point someone in the audience shouted out "Tipitina!", and the Professor launched into the tune. This time the lyrics were intelligible, about a certain Loberta that liked to indulge, with the exception of the line corresponding to "little momma wants a dollar" which was rendered "oolla molla wolla dolla" !

I heard Longhair on many subsequent occasions. Every time was a party. And, every time, the accompanying band was less than stellar. Didn't make any difference, Longhair was never less than great.

Likewise, most of Longhair's recordings are made with less than stellar backing musicians ("R&R Gumbo does feature some superfine playing by Gatemouth Brown.) However, the band on "Crawfish Fiesta" consists of some of the best musicians in N.O. This band rocks! Longhair is in top form. The CD leads of with "Big Chief", which is an anthem in N.O., and the tunes are great start to finish. It's as if the Professor dreamed the perfect CD, and, then, it came to pass.

His third best album--thus completely essential!
I think that "New Orleans Piano" and "Houseparty New Orleans Style" are better Longhair albums, but this one is also a great album. There are many lively cuts on which the horns and guitar mix together with Longhair's playing and singing to create a very appealing and exciting sound. This is an essential album, and a whole lot of fun.

A masterpiece!
Doesn't get much better than this. Fess' is the king of Nawlins'

Makes you want to dance
If "Crawfish Fiesta" doesn't make you want to tap your foot, sing along, or just get up and groove, if it doesn't give you the same kind of feeling of well-being as a Hurricane punch during Mardi Gras, then contact your local coroner, because you just might be dead. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

3½ stars. Decent latter-day compilation
This collection brings together eleven songs from the Fabulous Thunderbirds' Epic-years, which were slicker and more commercial than their earlier albums for Takoma and Chrysalis (now Benchmark).
I prefer the Thunderbirds' bluesier and less mainstream late-70s/early 80s-recordings, but this is a good overview of their late-80s/early 90s Epic releases, including the hard-rocking of "Tuff Enough", the fine, swinging "Why Get Up", and the anthemic, three-chord thumper "Let's Rock This Place".
The Fabulous Thunderbirds' version of Slim Harpo's "Got Love If You Want It" is only available on this compilation, and it's the bluesiest tune here, the excact opposite of the awful, synth-laden 80s pop-rock of "Wrap It Up" (Kim Wilson even sounds like Tom Jones!).

The Fabulous Thunderbirds' four albums for Epic were rather uneven, and unless you're a very devoted fan, this is pretty much all you'll ever need from that period. Just remember that this is NOT where you go for their earliest (and best) material...that is available on ASIN B000007WPI, "The Fabulous Thunderbirds Collection". Or rather it would be if it was in stock. Hrmph!
3 1/2 stars.

This Is Some Powerful Stuff!!!
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Hot Stuff: The Greatest Hits is correctly named in that these are indeed the biggest hits in the T-Birds long and storied career. This single CD package certainly could not be called "Best Of..." or it would have to encompass at least 6 CD's of music and a 40 page career retrospection booklet! So, instead we get the most popular and best known tracks for the budget-minded consumer. "Tuff Enuff" is basically the better-known rewrite of that all-time classic from their club days, "She's Tuff," but it's such a great number that it's good the second time around as well. "Wrap it Up" features a wonderful keyboard hook and would do Sam and Dave proud, while "Why Get Up" (featuring snoring sound effects) is absolutely hilarious; one of the TBirds best comic numbers. "Powerful Stuff" features bass player Preston Hubbard's powerful hook, while the entire band (Jimmie Vaughn, guitar, Kim Wilson, vocals and harp, and Fran Cristina, drums) really rocks out on "Rock This Place"; Jimmie's mega-riff guitar work is especially good here. Of course, with a band as good as the TBirds, several tracks are conspicuously absent, most notably "She's Tuff" "Jumpin Bad" "You Ain't Nothin' But Fine" "Scratch My Back" "Tear It Up" and "Gotta Have Some/Just Got Some". (Some of these gems are available on Tacos Deluxe, the new compilation of early Birds classics.) Even so, this is still a good place to start your TBirds collection; there may be only eleven tracks of the two dozen or more than could be called the best of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but rest assured, this is some powerful stuff!!!

Fabulous Thunderbirds Hot Stuff
Fun album. Catchy tunes. Great driving music.

Where It All Began
In the late '70s and early '80s the next generation of blues greats were starting to bloom in Austin, Texas. One of the first bands to explode onto the scene was The Fabulous Thunderbirds. An all-star band comprised of guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, singer and harp player Kim Wilson, bassist Preston Hubbard, and drummer Fran Christina they would begin paving the way for more Texas blues bands to follow. This album covers five years of music, covering four studio releases.

This is just an all around good album. The songs all have a good rhythm to them with catchy lyrics. "Tuff Enough" and "Powerful Stuff" are the overly popular selections on the album. "Rock this Place" and "Wrap It Up" are two of the best cuts off the album. The only track that I didn't care for was "Why Get Up". In 1990, Jimmie left the band after the untimely death of his brother. "Twist of the Knife" is the only Jimmie-less cut that appears on this album, and his replacement does a very good job of impersonating him.

Jimmie doesn't get the credit for being the great guitarist that he so well deserves. Playing in the shadow of his brother (although Stevie felt that it was the other way around), he has been thought of as simplistic and dull. Carefully listen to the ten tracks that he does on this album. His less-is-more approach to playing fits the music, and doesn't distract from the song. He can be fast and flashy when he wants to, but has found a voice of his own. Listen to his "Powerful Stuff" solo and tell me that he's simple and boring. A solid guitarist indeed.

This eleven-track greatest hits album provides a healthy sampling of the three real Fabulous Thunderbirds albums (the ones with Jimmie). Definitely worth listening to if you're a fan of the Texas sound.

Raw Thunderbird
This is a superb selection of early to more recent T-bird music. "Hot Stuff" represents the raw soulful music of the thunderbirds and reinforces the song writing talents of Kim Wilson.And of course if you don't already know, his stature as one of the best if not the best harp player alive is most apparent.Don't miss out on those raw guitar licks on "Tiger Man" with vocals to knock your socks off!This is a must for T-bird fans or any blues fan for that matter. ... Read more

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There is great historical significance to this 1960 record: not only was it the first solo album ever recorded by the great pianist Otis Spann, it was also the first album ever recorded for Nat Hentoff's short-lived but fruitful Candid label. However, the music within is anything but a mere footnote. Hentoff's philosophy was to let the artist's true musical nature come through in the studio, and his laissez-faire production style bore great results. For his debut, Spann employed only Robert Lockwood Jr. as his musical support, and the result is a pared-down, passionate, triumphant set that sheds light on Spann as a full-bodied vocalist as well as a pianist. The Mississippi-born Spann grew under the tutelage of Big Maceo and mastered the pounding barrelhouse piano style that Maceo brought with him to Chicago. Spann adapted this fierce, urgent style to the burgeoning electric small-band approach that was taking Chicago by storm, and he eventually became an integral element of Muddy Waters's peak ensemble. Here, with only Lockwood's guitar behind him, Spann is free to indulge in his florid runs and pulsing two-handed rhythmic attack, exploring the turf that connects the barrelhouse of his youth with the modern Chicago style. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Otis Spann Really Is The Blues
Otis Spann was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He began playing piano at 8 years old and was mostly self-taught, playing for years in his father's church. By age 14, he was playing in bands in and around Jackson, but for a time, the piano had to compete with semipro football and professional boxing for Spann's attentions.

It was Spann's idol and mentor, Big Maceo Merriweather, who ultimately brought Spann to a life in music. Maceo embraced Spann as a friend and a student when they first met back in Mississippi. After Spann got out of the Army in 1951, Big Maceo was playing piano for Muddy Waters and showed Spann around the Chicago blues scene. In 1952, Spann actually replaced Maceo as the pianist in Muddy Waters's band, at about the same time that rhythm guitar ace Jimmy Rogers also came onboard. Together, and with a little help from later addition Willie Dixon, Otis and Jimmy Rogers transformed the Muddy Waters band into the quintessential rockin' modern electric blues band, never to be matched for their power, skill, and musicality. Spann stayed with Waters, off and on, until 1969, when Pinetop Perkins replaced him.

During his years with Muddy at Chess Records, Otis cut sides with Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter, and became sort of the "house pianist" for the label. He even sang on one single in 1954 with B.B. King called "It Must Have Been the Devil," which revealed his undeniable talent as a singer. But no one at Chess seemed to notice, which caused Spann to look around for other opportunities. In 1960, he made "Otis Spann Is The Blues," backed only by Robert Lockwood, Jr., another great electric guitar player (and the stepson of the immortal Robert Johnson).

Like many listeners, I came to Otis Spann's music by way of Muddy Waters. It was Otis pounding the keys on Waters's incomparable live version of "Got My Mojo Working" from the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival that first hooked me. Many listeners, then and now, consider Otis Spann to be the pre-eminent postwar Chicago blues pianist based primarily on his work with Muddy; but his solo efforts, beginning with "Otis Spann is the Blues," only reinforce that conclusion.

It's hard to say which song on this album is my favorite, but I'd start, as Otis does, with "The Hard Way." Throughout, Otis blends fluid, articulate mid-tempo blues chord structures with boogie-woogie bass lines to create sophisticated music with real emotional depth. As an accompanist (or band member), Spann can punch out muscular but subtle rhythm parts, and he can break out with clear, powerful solos. His voice is real, and it taps into the same blues well of tone and phrasing that Muddy made a staple of the urban blues. Otis also knows guitar players, and Robert Lockwood, Jr. is every bit his match on this album, alternating slippery, greasy single note lines with chord changes that roll along smoothly like a 1960 Cadillac 6 window sedan with rear fins and whitewalls.

Spann made several other good albums in the 1960s, but none that outstrip this one. Before his solo career really got going, and at the height of his talents, Otis Spann died of cancer, on April 24, 1970 in Chicago's Cook County Hospital. He was only 40 years old.

The Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame made Otis Spann a member in 1980. You can start listening to him either here, on "Otis Spann Is The Blues," or on any number of the 1950s Chess recordings. Just make sure you start somewhere, and soon.

A Gem
Even though I am a drummer, the music made by this piano and guitar duo is magic. If you think you're a blues fan and don't like this album, listen to again. Maybe you're missing something! The sound quality is great even though Spann's piano is alittle out of tune. He still makes it sound great. Get this one!

Very Listenable
This Otis Spann CD offers a fine album of piano blues. The only other musician is Robert Lockwood who provides additional highlights. Otis Spann shows his abilities with his barrel house piano style. My favourive Otis Spann album is 'The biggest thing since Colossus' also featuring Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac.

Fantastic!
This is a wonderful album showing Otis at his best. Do yourself a favour and buy it!

Pure blues
This is pure, original blues with Otis Spann and Robert Lockwood Jr. Every track is a joy, but "Otis in the Dark" alone is worth many times the price of the CD. This is one of those albums that will still be deeply rich the hundredth time you listen, and you will continue to listen! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

One of the best live albums ever.
First of all, I read Tom Hibbert's review of the album, and he must know nothing of music reviewing except to spout off with a complete lack of knowledge and/or taste. Reminds me of a Rolling Stone review of albums in the 70's. If Stone put the album down, you knew it would be a good one.

Kooper & Bloomfield working together brought a special "magic" to the music, if I may. Super Session, side 1 in particular, was a giant leap for rock'n'roll in the 60's, and "Live Adventures" took it one step farther. Great songs, great jams. Just a particularly enjoyable album that helped more than one young teenager make the jump from top 40 to "real" music.

Bloomfield & Coopers Best
Since the release of this album (when I was 16 years old) I have had and lost 4 copies of the LP (all stolen at parties or otherwise perloined!).
I now have the CD and this time NO-ONE even gets to touch it!

Live Adventures is probably the very best live album of it's genre ever recorded. Bloomfield, Cooper, Bishop and the rest display an almost phsycic link in the live sessions which gives the music a flow and dynamic rarely heard in the history of live music, especially considering the alleged amount of practice prior to the event.
Having heard most of Bloomfield & Coopers work since I have to say this is a defining moment in Live Music.
This album is a must for anyone with a Blues/Jazz/ liking.
Anyone who is not transfixed by tracks like "No More Lonely Nights" & "Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong" should be arrested immediately by the taste police!
Buy It!

Every track is amazing, but I want more
Great music, every track is great, but I want more. Two demerits to Columbia for not remastering this masterpiece and adding the full recording of I Wonder Who and other improvements. All they did on the CD transfer was copy the LP to CD! And, for 3 full nights of playing, this is a pathetic offering, a total of only 85 minutes of music on 2 CDs. Boooo!

Fantastic CD.
I loved it back in 1969 and I love it now. This is real music of the 68, 69 era. Feelin' Groovy. Take care.

Contact High
I loved this record in high school. You can almost smell the dope. You can almost get a contact high listening to it. If you want to recreate an era, this live at the Fillmore album will do it for you.

Unfortunately, most of the music is terrible. (I'm listening to Sonny Boy right now, and I'm getting a headache. One of the worst blues performances ever.)Bloomfield plays killer licks, as usual, and the Hammond has that distinctive Kooper sound.

But even allowing that this is a jam session, the band does not hang together, except when they're doing the most basic blues, which they play fine. (Not hard for musicians of this caliber to jam blues.)

The rest sounds like a high school band trying to recreate a Grateful Dead show, with some Ornette Coleman thrown in. It's all sloppy -- and rarely in a good way.

Kooper sounds like his voice is in training. Other albums (first Blood Sweat and Tears especially) would attract producers who could bring out Kooper's best.

Kooper's sobered up and his relatively recent ReKooperation is top notch.

This session is a relic, and would sound best, if you want to play it at all, on a scratchy piece of vinyl, accompanied by a hot bong, a black light, and a room full of posters. ... Read more

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Eclectic octogenarian Brown glides through this personalized and primarily instrumental overview of American music classics in his usual fine fashion. Brown's blues base is never in doubt as he balances his jazz-guitarist and country-fiddler personas in a wide-ranging assortment of songs from the Duke Ellington standard "Satin Doll" to the country ballad "Tennessee Blues." An energetic, horn-powered rendition of Jay McShann's "Jumpin' the Blues" features some of Brown's jazziest guitar work while a creative reconfiguration of "Unchained Melody," complete with flute solos and gear-shifting change of tempo, is the recording's most intriguing idea. Brown contributes three of his own songs, including the vocal numbers "For Now So Long" and "The Drifter," but it's his jazzy renditions of songs like Fletcher Henderson's sublime "Soft Wind" and Joe Zawinul's funk-tinged "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" that best demonstrate his delightfully democratic musical universe. Timeless is by no means a deep blues recording, but it is a "Gatemouth" recording, one that expertly explores all hues of blues and quite a few other stylistic colors as well--a rare and valuable achievement. --Michael Point ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The best of Buddy Guy's solo albums since his 1991 reemergence finds him mixing songs from his concert repertoire ("Someone Else Is Steppin' In") with blues chestnuts ("I Smell Trouble") and his own new originals, like the gritty plea for urban spiritual renewal "Cities Need Help." His performance is raw and natural, a nasty throwback to his late-'60s roadhouse days. Guy takes unbridled pleasure in hard playing and vocal shouting that straddles the soul-blues border. The absence of shallow attempts at pop-radio play and the lack of guest appearances by rock stars or emerging bluesmen like Jonny Lang, which plague most of Guy's recent CDs, is refreshing. This is simply Buddy, on his own strong terms. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Smokin' blues
This CD is among Buddy Guy's best. About half the songs are done with members of Stevie Ray Vaughn's Double Trouble. All the songs showcase Buddy's classic guitar work.

Probably Buddy Guy's best latter-day album
"Slippin' In" from 1994 is somewhat more antiseptic than Buddy Guy's classic Chess sides, and the clean production has sanded away all the grit, which won't be to everybody's liking.
But it is a good album nonetheless. Guy stays away from stereotypical funk and modern day blues-rock shredding and actually plays the blues, and his guitar playing in particular is excellent almost all the way through.
"Slippin' In" features former Stevie Ray Vaughan-cohorts Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon on several tracks, and none other than the great Johnnie Johnson is playing the piano. His playing on "7-11" completely takes over the track.

Buddy Guy performs an excellent "Don't Tell Me About The Blues", a nice "Shame, Shame, Shame", and the slow blues "Little Dab-A-Doo" is excellent, partly due to the presence of Johnnie Johnson.
Guy's take on Lowell Fulson's "Love Her With A Feeling", and the slow, soulful rendition of "Trouble Blues" are very good, too, but the otherwise decent "Someone Else Is Steppin' In" suffers from annoying backing vocals, synthetic sounding organ, and too much seperation of the instruments (multi-tracking isn't always such a great thing).

"Man Of Many Words" is a very obvious rip-off (it's Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle"), and a couple of other tracks have been recorded many times before as well (albeit with different lyrics). But even klichés like "Please Don't Drive Me Away" and "I Smell Trouble" are well executed and played with a passion, and the combined forces of Buddy Guy's axe and Johnnie Johnson's tinkling 88s make "Slippin' In" a really enjoyable album which can easily be recommended.

Hello Planet Earth, This Is Buddy Guy
First let me start by saying that Buddy Guy is from a different planet! This can be the only explanation for his six string talent that he displays so well on this gem of a recording. If I had to look for one flaw it would only be that he had switched the order of tracks 1 & 2. How's that for nit-picking? The only reason I say this is because I think "Please Don't Drive Me Away"
may very well be one of his best all-time cuts. The guitar work seems so connected to his vocals that it sounds like interplay that can only come from the soul. This track rocks! The next track,"7-11" goes in the totally opposite direction as a laid back Blues lament that shows Buddy is equally adept at rocking Blues, or slow burners. The oft covered "Shame,Shame,Shame" is probably my least favorite track on the album,with Buddy seemingly going through the motions vocally, but even this grows on you after a while. From there on the album alternates between slow, soulful Buddy treatments and uptempo Blues rockers. Some songs benefit from the rhythm section provided by the somewhat legendary Double Trouble gang. Johnnie Johnson also gets his moments in the sun on the piano. Buddy seems to click with just about everybody he plays with..as usual.. and his guitar has never sounded more powerful, tender and bluesy on one recording.

Other standout tracks include the Lowell Fulson penned "Love Her With A Feeling" where Buddy shows the great interplay of soft, pleading vocals and tender string picking. "Little-Dab-A-Doo" is a humorous original tune about a man's desire to "get a little" and the famous Fred Flintstone call before the final guitar solo is a humorous touch. "Someone Else Is Steppin' In" is a raucous party tune about two-timing on both ends that uses slightly off-tempo, gang background vocals to give the cut a raw, live feel. This is a staple of many fans and I enjoy it a little more each time I hear it. "Man Of Many Words" is an oldy, but goody with strong drum work by Chris "Whipper" Layton to drive the vocals along during instrument breaks. As usual, Buddy is killer with the guitar work. "Don't Tell Me About The Blues" sounds like a very personal song to Buddy Guy. He obviously has lived the Blues and his vocals are top notch and from deep down. The way he alternates between a slightly crackling falsetto and then, without notice changing to shouting, powerful vocals is a trademark that sets Buddy apart from most of his contemporaries. The finale, "Cities Need Help", is a change of pace Buddy Guy original about The decay of urban America and even family values. This shuffle has great rhythm provided by a piano, snare combination and it cuts loose at the end...a fine ending!

If you love Buddy Guy this album must be included in your collection. If you are looking for a place to start your Buddy Guy collection, look no further. Though it doesn't receive the attention or acclaim of "Damn Right...", it is without question a Blues masterpiece and one of, if not THE, best Buddy Guy albums available. Ok, you can return to the mothership Buddy...just come back once in a while and leave a gem like this one!

JUST LOVE THIS
THIS IS THE CD THAT REALLY GOT ME INTO THE BLUES.IF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD THE SONG 7-11 YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.NOT ONLY IS THERE SOME GREAT BLUES ON THIS BUT BUDDY CAN ROCK ON THIS CD TO.BUDDY IS JUST A VERY SOULFUL GUITAR PLAYER.AND HIS VOCALS REALLY GO WITH THIS MUSIC.LOVE THE SONG LITTLE DAB A DOO.IF YOU ARE INTO THE BLUES,BUY THIS AND START CHECKING OUT THE REST OF HIS CATALOG.

Hang on, don't let go!
I first heard this cd at a friend of mine one weekend and upon my return home I bought it, played it and continue to play it. Buddy is an amazing guitarist that has been around for a long time. This cd really jumps so if you are of the faint of heart and looking for something to vedge to this ain't it. This is electric blues at its very best, IMHO this is an essential blues cd for anyones collection, possibly a desert island pick. ... Read more

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On their first major label release, Indigenous--four related members of the Sioux tribe--deliver an amped-up set of gruff, ferocious blues rock. Guitarist/vocalist Mato Nanji has the dusky voice of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and his guitar work bears a striking resemblance to the Texan's poured-silver leads and rhythm parts. Jimi Hendrix is another obvious influence, as Mato captures the guitarist's incisive, psychedelic bluster, layering his guitar over the band's thick, oozing, waist-deep groove in tracks like the album's first single "C'mon Suzie." Heavy yet still fluid, the quartet churns through nearly an hour of blistering, unpolished original tunes, plus a meaty cover of Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame." --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Mato does it again with help from the Brits.
I have followed Indigenous since their first release and pretty much enjoy all the music they have produced. This cd seems to hold true to the formula that keeps Mato playing like a seasoned blues wizard and keeps the band grooving all along in the background. They seem to play with more confidence as time goes bye, and more live performances. If you are not familiar with the awesome but now defunct British blues band the "Hoax', you can get a feel of what their sound was like from really listening to this release by Mato and family. The Davey Bros. from the Hoax have produced this cd and also have co-written some of the songs and played on some tracks. If you are familiar with the Daveys other band then you will recognize the first song, C"MON SUZIE, as the last song from the Hoax, "LIVE FOREVER" live and final release of their career. Anyways, there are 2 songs from "Indigenous " that did appear on their previous release " Fistfull of Dirt", which was also produced by the Davey Bros. The combination of these 2 Brits and the fine musicianship of Indigenous proves to be a winner. If you are a fan of the Blues/rock genre, Mato will blow you away on this cd. This release along with " Live at Pachyderm Studios" should make you stop and listen. I hope that they will come to my area of Canada one day soon.

Overproduction dooms this recording from the start...
Let me start by saying Indigenous is the best thing to happen to Blues/Rock since sliced bread. Mato Nanji is the best guitarist in Rock today, and if this is the only album by them that you've heard, you're missing way too much.

As for this album, it's not nearly as good as their two previous independant releases. "Things We Do" is classic -- in the veins of the blues of Muddy Waters and B.B. King. "Indigenous" is over-produced and too radio-oriented. Indigenous is a blues band, and they play the blues very well. The strong tracks of this album being "You Turn My World Around", "Want You To say" and "I'm Still Here."

On the other hand, the weakest tracks are "Shame Shame Shame" and "C'mon Suzie." The distortion and the screaming do the latter in and the cover of Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame" is done so poorly that it's almost insulting.

All of their tracks do sound much better live, and Indigenous is truly a great live band. Unfortunately they were not on for a long enough time to make a good impression when they were opening for Jonny Lang.

If you find that this album isn't your type of music, give the other albums a listen. If they still don't appeal to you, then the Blues is not your type of music.

Indigenous: great band, great cd
Indigenous's new self-titled cd is one of my absolute favorites. Mato is a great guitar player, and the songs on this cd show that the band is evolving, writing better tunes and playing with a confidence that only comes from experience. Most of the songs are hard rocking blues, with a couple of slower numbers thrown in for good measure. The sound on this record is very raw and live, like they just played the songs and released them without any mixing. Highlights are "C'mon Suzie", "You Turn My World Around", "I'm Still Here", "Movin' On", and a smoking cover of Jimmy Reed's "Shame, Shame, Shame".

Excellent
This album is more raw and edgy than their other albums. I thorougly enjoyed it. It has intensity to it that I haven't always heard in other songs. I find it odd that so many people are complaining about it. Everyone asked them for an album which resembled their live shows. They met that requirement with this album, and now, people are complaining. It sounds very live, very much like a garage band, as other reviewers have said. I love that aspect. Kudos, Mato, Wandbi, Pte and Horse!

Stevie Ray fans take note...
A friend gave this cd to me and I went crazy for it. I subsequently ordered all their other cds (circle, things we do, and live at the pachiderm...) but this cd remains my favorite. The guitar work does it for me. And lyrically, [and at the same time] its fun (...).

I must confess something though... The first few times I listened to it, it kept taking me somewhere else... somewhere else, then suddenly --holy shiznit! Its SRV! I am a major Stevie Ray Vaughn fan, and it's like he's channeling him through his voice and guitar. But before you mock or say "oh yeah, they're just a rip off", I don't mean he sounds like he is IMITATING, but he has the same quality in his voice and he knows how to make love to his guitar! The similarities are the most noteable in this cd.

In any case, if you're a fan of that classic blues/rock mix, this is a cd worth buying. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Son House is the real deal. Listen and learn
Son House taught Robert Johnson the slide blues. Son House taught Muddy Waters. When Son House started performing at Blues festivals again in the mid 1960s, some of Muddy's younger band members would start to go off for a smoke or whatever when the old man came on stage. Muddy wouldn't let them. Muddy Waters would tell all his band members to be quiet and pay attention when the man played because even compared with Muddy, this was the real deal.

Rediscovered in Rochester, New York, relearning to play the guitar, (how this country abuses the masters that come from its people, particularly its Black people), put back on the stage by the folk revival's blues section.

People outside of the blues life focus on the guitar playing or the rhythm of the singing, but where the power comes from is the feeling and the words that are put together, the life and the meaning of the blues. Son House in his youth and his old age, on this and his other sides, always gave it.

So Like Muddy Waters, I would like you to know that
Son House is the real deal.
Listen and learn

Son House, King of the Delta
Son House is the most important and influential Delta Bluesman to ever live he was a major influence to Muddy Waters & Robert Johnson and every one else including me. Buy this C.D. it is very essential stuff this is hardcore Delta Blues there are some trks with Son House in a band setting with Willie Brown and others (perfect example of what a DeltaBlues jam session probally sounded like). These are field recordings and I mean they were actually recorded outside on trk.4 "Shetland Pony Blues" you actually hear a steam locomotive (train) go buy in the background. If your a aspiring blues guitar player get this if your a fan of the Blues your C.D. collection is seriously lacking if this is not part of it. also get "Masters of the Delta Blues, The Friends of Charlie Patton" all of Son Houses earliest recorings are on there (1930) with some other Delta Blues Legends

The Real Blues--Raw and Dirty
This collection is essential to any blues collection...you cannot truly appreciate the blues until you've heard these recordings.

Son House is my favorite blues performer. No one--not even his proteges Robert Johnson or Muddy Waters--could match him when it came to the raw emotion. Sure, Robert inspired later blues-rock giants like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Stevie Ray Vaughn (to name a few...) and Muddy revolutionized the blues by 'inventing' electricity. But this collection, when coupled with the album "The Complete Recorded Works of Son House & the Great Delta Blues Singers" (ASIN: B000000J26--recorded in 1930; another essential disc), offers the listener a true glimpse into history.

The first few tracks include House singing and playing guitar with his band: Willie Brown (who has since attained legendary status as his name is mentioned in Robert Johnson's lyrics; he was also was the central character in the 1986 movie "Crossroads") on harmonica, and Fiddlin' Joe Martin on mandolin. These songs are amazing. The only word I can use to describe House's slide guitar technique is FEROCIOUS. His mixture of slams and slaps, when combined with the shouts, moans, and grunts of his vocals, is nothing short of frightening. "Walking Blues"--which, of course, was a hit for both Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters but was written by House--is one particular standout. It is nearly seven minutes long (House is famous for his "epic" performances...in concert, his songs were known to exceed twenty minutes), a relentless barrage of blues. "Levee Camp Moan" is another strong point. The rhythms and shouts are incomparable.

Perhaps the best analogy is "a frontal assault on the soul".

The remaining songs are House's solo efforts, although the striking force has not deminished at all. In fact, they may be even more powerful--it's hard to believe that only ONE guy is singing...!

When House was rediscovered during the '60s blues revival, he recorded his first and only studio album in 1965 ("Father of the Delta Blues"--ASIN: B000002877) for the Columbia label. Most who have heard of Son House know him based on these recordings alone. There is no arguement that this is a magnificent album--the emotional quality has only increased with is age. But while the sound quality is definitely better than these early field recordings (mono recordings into a single microphone in the stockyard of a train depot--you can even hear railway sounds in the background!!), House's old age hindered the ferocity of his slide guitar playing, forcing his tempo to slow down. If you want to hear the true capabilities of the man who I think is the greatest bluesman who ever lived, you must listen to these Library of Congress recordings (and then check out "...and the Great Delta Blues Singers").

Son House -- Library of Congress sessions
Son House has, arguably, the best blues voice, ever. (His rivals are his pupil, Robert Johnson, and BB King). This is his best album, ever. Great voice, great words, great guitar, and (on one cut) a train in the background. Recorded sound quality is adequate -- better than most for the period. This is one of the five or ten indispensible blues recordings of the twentieth century--Changed how I thought about music.

- Blues ain't nothin'but a lowsown shakin' chill, - If you ain't had them, I hope you never will. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 2 CD set represents the best introduction to Hooker's trademark sound: one- and two-chord vamps delivered with a hypnotic, perpetual boogie rhythm and accented by reverberating staccato runs and intense foot-stomping. With his deep, rich voice, Hooker electrified the blues of the Delta, bringing the stark, brooding sound to the city and influencing scores of rock musicians. Most of his highlights are here: from early Modern classics "Boogie Chillen," "Crawlin' King Snake," and "House Rent Boogie"; to Vee-Jay singles "Boom Boom" and "Dimples"; to 1966 Chess work with Chicagoans Lafayette Leake and Willie Dixon;to 1971 collaborations with rockers Canned Heat;to performances with modern blues stars Roy Rogers and Bonnie Raitt. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (9)

As Close as It Gets!
Let's get one thing straight: as of today 09/15/03, there is no "ultimate" John Lee Hooker collection. But with 31 of his best tracks, this Rhino mini-box comes the closest to Hooker nirvana. (There is a 10-CD set, Epitath, but since it would take a week to listen to it once, I'll pass.) The problem with compiling such a collection is implied in Boogie Man, Charles Shaar Murray's fine biography. Hooker recorded for a number of different labels, especially in his early days, and also under a variety of different names (John Lee Booker, John Lee Cooker, Little Pork Chop, etc.), so it takes a lot of legwork to figure out just which recordings were made by Hooker at all, much less obtain the rights to rerelease them. (Murray spends almost half the book on such detective work.) Therefore, such classic gems as "The Flood" and "Whiskey and Wimmen" are not included in this set. Still, it's a very good attempt. Rhino has chosen to start the collection with the track "Teachin' the Blues," which is an aural primer on how he created his unique sound. Thus educated, the listener can then move on to such primal tunes as "Boogie Chillun" (A live staple for virtually every major blues band from Canned Heat to Savoy Brown, this was the number Hooker chose to perform in a guest spot on the Rolling Stones Steel Wheels tour in the eighties.), "Crawling King Snake" (covered wonderfully by the Doors), "Boom, Boom" (the Animals), and his reinterpretation of an Amos Milburn song, here entitled "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (which, when combined with John L's House Rent Boogie, was very well covered by George Thorogood). He recorded several such reinterpretations, most notably "Frisco Blues" (In this case, he reportedly didn't try to get the correct lyrics to Tony Bennett's famed "I Left My Heart in San Francisco;" he just sat down and recorded his own off-the-cuff rendition.). In conclusion, there is plenty of John Lee Hooker's best stuff here to warrant a recommendation; it's just not as "ultimate" as his most devoted fans would want it to be.

One of the best available overviews of the Hook's career
So why "only" four stars?
Well, the music is great, but Rhino could certainly have found room for more than 31 songs on two compact discs. And why include two versions of "In The Mood" when songs like "I'll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive", "Onions" and "Old Time Shimmy" are missing?

The sad thing is that there are really no John Lee Hooker-compilations on the market that truly get it right. Either they're too short, or they're limited by the fact that the compilers were only able to chose from recordings made for one particular record company.
This one is the best of the lot in my view, though. It almost gets it right (although the missing "Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive" is a pretty big minus), and the sound quality is very, very good.

(If you're not against spending a little extra, you might want to look for the fine Vee-Jay compilation "The Early Years", which also spans 31 tracks, and MCA's "The Best Of John Lee Hooker 1965-1974" instead of this album. Those two will satisfy almost everyone. And if it doesn't, there's always the ten-CD "Epitaph" box set.)

Rhino Captures the Hooker.
This is such a nice set.

Almost a primer for the new fan, and a refresher course for seasoned vetrans...John Lee is well portrayed on these very nicely remastered cuts.

Disc 1 starts with his solo accoustic stuff...

"Teachin' the Blues" is a classic blues gem, and this is a great cut of it.

Disc 2 features gritty, rocking cuts of legendary blues tracks including Hooker staples like "Boom Boom," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and one Beer."

If you think you like Hooker, this is your starter kit.

If you love him, this little portable collection completes the set.

There is also a 2CD set from Tomato Records that closely mirrors the titles on the Rhino collection but uses different cuts. It is grittier, and poorly produced, but makes a wonderful companion peice to the Rhino set.

Boogie, Chillun.

Good tunes, but compilers show lack of respect for music
This is the first John Lee Hooker album I've ever bought. I love the music, but as a product, it's not worth the price. Originally, I couldn't decide between this and a couple other compilations. I went for this one because it had good reviews and seemed the most complete. I was dismayed to find out that, although there are lots of tunes, many of them fade out right in the middle of the song for no good reason. There was plenty of room left on the disc to have the songs in their entirety (less than 50 minutes of music out of a possible 75?). Personally, I think that fading out tunes like that shows a complete lack of respect for soloing and arrangement. In addition to this, the liner notes are are less than thorough and not too interesting. I would recommend finding another recording of this fine artist.

Now I got this rent, let's have a ball!
People who know nothing about any kind of blues and blues afficionados alike will have a ball with this collection of some of the finest moments of Hooker's long career.

Many different styles and a whole array of production values are laid down chronologically in order to give one a linear idea of Hooker's output.

So many great moments exist on this puppy that I will not begin to list them. There is lots of treasure here - that's for sure. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Over the 1952-82 time-span covered here, Bobby "Blue" Blandunited tough-as-pavement blues singing with heartbroken Southern R&B,and helped to create chitlin-circuit soul as we know it now. Too rawfor most oldies radio, Bland was a major presence in his time: 30 ofthese 50 songs hit the pop charts, and almost all of them weresignificant R&B hits. The first disc-and-a-half documents hislong-running Duke Records collaboration (in Chicago, Texas, and Nashville)with trumpeter Joe Scott, who wrote ambitious arrangements that ranfrom tender love-man pop to howling, honking blues terrorism, butusually gave Bland a chance to emote harder than his microphone couldhandle. The remainder finds Little Boy Blue on his own in L.A. in the'70s, spicing up smoother blues-inflected soul (and even a stab atlight disco, "It Ain't the Real Thing") with the famous squall in hisvoice. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (4)

All that you need.
Bobby "Blue" Bland will give you all you need on this double cd. The obvious point being that Bland is one of the great blues/soul singers ever, but also, he always has great bands: Jabbo,(who also appears on many James Bown hits), the drummer on 'Lovelight', and others tracks, is probably the most amazing drummer to come out of the blues and soul field.

A Blues and a Soul Man
For years on my R&B oldies shows on radio and in night clubs throughout the glorious south I've always featured this legend. In fact anybody that knows anything about R&B ought to be able to tell ya it's hard to do a show and not play 2 or 3 of his hits. I can fondly remember screams of joy from women in dark smoke filled clubs whenever I would play " I'll take care of you"or "I pity the fool" or " Stormy Monday". And guess what-Bobby was the first blues man to have a top 20 on the pop charts- In fact it's been a staple on my shows for years and is my all time favorite BB Bland song-The 1964 classic "Aint nothin you can do". In my opinion this cd is worth [a lot more than] they're asking for-because like a van Gogh painting all of these tracks are priceless ! Get it in the collection pronto.
P.S. They should've included one more BB Bland essential classic-"St.James Infirmary"

Raw Blues from the Juke joints
Bobby Bland is a master at hardcore, juke joint-style, unassimilated, raw funky blues. If you like your blues PURE without British imitations or Motown refinements, this is for you. "Turn on the Love Light," "Don't Cry No More," "Aint That Loving You," and "Poverty" will be a revelation to those who aren't familiar with the raw music that was the link between blues and rock and roll. This CD is filled with the REAL STUFF! Enjoy.

Unfairly good.
Though nothing holds together, conceptually, as well as the "Two Steps from the Blues" LP, this package is a long-awaited treat, collecting a lot of essentials previously spread over numerous other discs. If you're new to Bobby then you might want to get the abovementioned LP first (unless you know for a fact you have a penchant for B.B. King styled blues. But then, you probably would've been listening to Little Boy Blue for awhile already). But take my word for it, or if you know how amazing he is already, leap on this beautiful set. Also, his late stuff is just as good in its own way as the early stuff, so digging for "His California Album" would also be recommended once you've fell for one of the dopest, and sadly slept on, blues singers. The best pure male singer of the blues ever?? At least in the R&B era/genre. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Second Time Around!
If THIS tells you anything, I owned this CD up until last summer when I lost it ... I simply HAVE to have it back (it's felt like a part of me has been missing!!) and so just completed my order here on-line.

Considering I have been born and raised here in Wisconsin (about as far away from the bayous of LA as you can get!), this must say something for this band and their incredibly rich sound with roots buried deep into Acadian (<< Cajun) heritage.

I've listened to dozens of other cajun bands, and have purchased several "Zydeco" CD collections, but none compare with Beausoleil.

If you're looking for a real cultural "shift" (even if it's just in your car on your way to work!), then this is the one to buy.

aaayyyYYYIIEEEEE!!!

Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)
Living in south Louisiana affords me the luxury of being exposed to a vast array of awesome Cajun bands. I have several bands that I'll see at the drop of a crawfish, but BeauSoleil is and always will be my favorite. I've been to concerts throughout the region from Lafayette to New Orleans and the music and performances are outstanding.

This is a smashing collection of both vocal and instrumental compositions from a group of very talented, energetic and honed musicians. Michael Doucet is a standout who has produced solo projects, although his best work is with the band singin' and fiddlin' and passing a good time- especially on stage.

BeauSoleil has been on the Cajun music scene, to my knowledge, since the early '70s. Unlike Zydeco and fusion bands, they play a more traditional form of Cajun music that has been 'instrumental' in preserving the Acadian heritage of Louisiana in that most of the songs are sung in Cajun French.

This CD is well worth the price for a truly uplifting experience of great Cajun music.

Such Happy, Feel-Good music!
BeauSoleil's music has you tapping your toes, then getting up to move to their music! Love the vocals, love the instrumentals! They are just fantastic! This IS the Best of BeauSoleil!

Didn't like Cajun until I heard Beausoleil!
Yes! I didn't think, that is to say, that I was a Cajun fan until I heard Beausoleil. They must be counted among the most exciting groups making music today, from any genre. Michael Doucet is absolutely a crazy man with his fiddle, when the mood takes them, and the drive of their rhythmic rapport is truly remarkable when Beausoleil is at their best. Of course, this album is put together to showcase exactly that. There are instrumentals as well as vocal performances, and I would guarantee that they lift the spirits and move the feet. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With his meteoric run of hits from early 1955 through late 1961, Chicago's Jimmy Reed reigned as the most popular bluesman of his day, rivaled only by fellow Mississippi transplant B.B. King. By the mid-'60s Reed was playing New York's Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater and touring England as a star. Reed's sweet, Delta-inflected singing complemented the cool, walking bass shuffles of his cleverly crafted songs, the finest of which are to be found in this tasteful contribution to Rhino's Blues Masters series. Included here are chart toppers like "You Don't Have to Go," "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby," "Baby, What You Want Me to Do," "Big Boss Man," and "Bright Lights, Big City," all durable standards that influenced a generation of rockers from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones to Jimi Hendrix and earned Reed his proper place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Anything by Jimmy Reed is good
Haven't as yet listened to this cd but I don't really need to to know how good this man was in his time. Everybody in to the blues knows Jimmy Reed and his easy going soft flowing style. The man had it all with some of his arrangements having grown into some of the most recognizable blues licks anywhere on the planet. The Stones covered him earlier in their career as did many others, and it;s just a shame how Mr. Reed's own personal life must have been painfull to the point of him drinking himself to death at the early age of 50. What ghosts must have hauted this man to drive him to such an early grave? I suppose we'll never know and it's probably just as well? Jimmy Reed was a public performer it's true. But firstly he was a man deserving of the respect he's been given in death atleast if not in life, and we should leave him to rest peacefully and leave his old past ghosts alone. Sleep well Jimmy!

The best available introduction to Jimmy Reed
There's really no sound in the blues as easily digestible, accessible, instantly recognizable, or as easy to play and sing as the music of Jimmy Reed. His best-known songs have become such an integral part of the standard blues repertoire, it's almost as if they have existed forever.
Elvis Presley covered Jimmy Reed, and so did The Rolling Stones and numerous hopeful garage bands, making him in reality one of the most influential bluesmen in history.

Many, many Jimmy Reed compilations have been released over the past forty years, including several repackagings of his classic 50s Vee-Jay material. Some of these compilations have been excellent, particularly the superb 1993 collection "Speak The Lyrics To Me, Mama Reed", while others have been really shabby, and since many of them have featured the same basic songs, it's kinda hard to discern which are worthwhile and which aren't.

Fortunately, Rhino's 2000 Blues Masters release provides first-timers with the ideal introductory package, presenting seventeen songs, including virtually all the very best of Reed's simple but supremely catchy boogie.
"Baby What You Want Me To Do" is here, perhaps the single most covered blues tune of all time, and so is "Shame, Shame, Shame", "You Got Me Dizzy", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "You Don't Have To Go", "Big Boss Man", and many more. This one, and Recall's "Big Boss Man", are right at the top of a long list of Jimmy Reed compilations.

Love it, Love it, Love it!!!
We listen to this cd everyday--it's great, funny, and sounds cool as heck!

Jimmy Reed's Prime Tracks From the Vee-Jay Vaults
Of the Post-WWII bluesmen, Jimmy Reed was one of the most influential performers and certainly one of the most popular. While stories abound of his alcoholism (which would lead to his death in 1976 at the age of 50) and the resulting inappropriate behavior both on stage and in the studio, Reed still managed to place more singles on the pop chart than any other bluesman during his tenure on Vee-Jay.

Playing guitar and harmonica, his first big hit was the No. 5 R&B hit "You Don't Have to Go" in 1955, which featured the kind of loping shuffle that became his trademark. His music was simple enough for just about anyone to pick up a guitar and play his songs, but the power of his music was the irresistible boogie groove that his songs would mine. He followed that up the following year with another Top Ten R&B single "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby." But his biggest hits were the pop crossovers "Honest I Do" (No. 32, 1957) and "Baby What You Want Me To Do" (#37, 1960).

"I Ain't Got You," from 1955, will be recognized by most Baby Boomers as a Yardbirds cover, and Reed's original material would be covered by artists from Elvis Presley to the Rolling Stones.

Reed rerecorded many of his early hits for ABC-Bluesway from the mid-Sixties into the Seventies, but the tracks included here are all the original Vee-Jay recordings from 1953 to 1963. Quite simply, this is the best single-disc collection of Reed's work. His other must-own release is Mobile Fidelity's Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall/The Best of Jimmy Reed (now available on Collectables.) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A little disburbed
It's a great CD, but I get a little disturbed by a little remark by many reviewers of the blues. The remark is "...when the music of bluesmen cross over to pop." That is a misconception! The correct statement is "...when pop crossed over to Blues, R&B, Soul, Rock & Roll, Disco, etc." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I GOT RIPPED!!!
The Elvin Bishop CD I received was not even Elvin Bishop.This CD case was right and even the CD looked right, but when played, it was something I had never heard!I am VERY unhappy about this.

fooled around and fell in love
I would like to get the song lyrics of "fooled around and fell in love". Where can i get them?

Best of Elvin Bishop (Polygram)
Elvin Bishop was, is and continues to be one of the best rock blues guitar players of our time.This CD contains some of his best and well known classics.For Elvin Bishop fans this CD is a must. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Born to Fiddle
Everytime I think of fiddle music, I think of Doug. I loved to watch him play the fiddle. He could play that fiddle anyway you can imagine, like it was a part of his body. He is the true king of cajun fiddle.

Always a fan
Growing up, my father loved his country music. I preferred rock and roll (and still do). Dad made me listen to Kershaw and I have enjoyed him ever since. Thank heavens for Amazon that I can find the music I enjoy when I want to spike my spirits.

The Best of Doug.......
My first exposure to Doug Kershaw's cajun fiddle was on a trip to New Orleans when I was in college. Wasn't born in Louisiana and never lived there, but his Oklahoman just really loved his music and his superb fiddle playing. Bought my vinyl recordings back in '77 and over the years those records went astray so it was good to reacquaint myself Kershaw's music.

Don't claim to be a music critic, but I know what I like and I like this CD. This is a very good CD, with my favourite being "(Had Not Been For) Sally Jo". I do recommend it.

This guy is good!
My sister bought me my first Doug Kershaw LP (Devil's Elbow) for my birthday back in the early '70s. She nor I had ever heard of him. She liked the album cover. I've been a fan ever since. This guy sings and plays like he means it! It's true, it's real, and it's damn good!

Doug Kershaw is the best
I have listened to cajun music all of my 48 years. I still think Doug Kershaw is the best. He still gets my dancing shoes on. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great, but not unique
Robert Johnson's stuff is terrific, no doubt about it; I've been listening to it for 25 years. But the previous reviewer's claim that it is atypical of country blues is completely off-base. Johnson may have been the greatest of the Delta bluesmen. I happen to think he was, though that's a matter of personal preference. But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that he worked within an established tradition. And that's a matter of fact for anyone with a pair of ears who is willing to listen and learn.

I would recommend that Johnson fans check out the slightly earlier work of bluesmen like Son House, Tommy Johnson and Skip James, to name just three. Moreover, a compilation CD called "The Roots of Robert Johnson" would be a real eye-opener for people who want to understand the origins of Johnson's music.

Isn't it enough for Johnson to be appreciated on his own, real merits? Is it really necessary to make ludricrous claims that he was a total original, at the expense of other wonderful bluesmen from whom Johnson learned? If we want to understand Delta blues and the context of Johnson's work, we need a little less hyperbole and a little more understanding.

Just one of dozens of compilations
If I had to pick sixteen out of Robert Johnson's 29 singles, I would end up with pretty much the same ones that Sony has chosen for this collection.
But having said that, I also have to add that there are dozens of Robert Johnson-compilations like this one on the market, and no good reason to get anything other than Columbia's double-disc "The Complete Recordings". And if you really want a single-disc compilation, go for "King Of The Delta Blues Singers", which, although it misses out on a couple of Johnson's best songs, features the most amazing sound you'll ever hear, thanks to a masterful remastering job.

Contains The Missing Song
The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson is technically NOT complete as this recording includes the alternative version of Travelling Riverside Blues which was discovered in the Library of Congress collection making a total of 41 versions of 28 songs. Incidently the "missing song" mentioned in the movie Crossroads was "Mr. Downchild" recorded first on Trumpet Records by Sonny Boy Williamson II and found on King Biscuit Time.
'fessor Mojo www.sonnyboy.com

In The Beginning...
All the acclaim and legend surrounding this collection is true, and anyone who is interested in American music really should start here.

A word of caution to the uninitiated, though: Robert Johnson did not play the electric blues which are the staple of modern American blues and the roots of Rock n Roll. This is acoustic blues music, solo vocal with (incredible) acoustic guitar accompaniment. It is amazing, amazing stuff--just try to duplicate the guitar parts and you'll understand what a master Johnson was--but don't be looking for rockin' rhythm sections or the big bass sound of later bluesmen.

Pretty good single disc collection
If you must buy a single disc Robert Johnson collection, and not opt for The Complete Recordings, then this is the one to get. This CD is superior to The King of the Delta Blues Singers. Don't be fooled by the similar titles. This one has a much better song selection than the other, containing more of Johnson's most famous classics. It would still be better to get The Complete Recordings which contains all of Johnson's 29 recorded songs plus alternate takes, but this CD is the best single disc collection of Robert Johnson's music currently available. ... Read more

Album Description

Subtitled - The History Of The Honkin' & Screamin'Saxophone. Not for the faint hearted, this compilation of106 tracks bursts at the seams with the sound of 50 hardblowing saxophonists who, between 1942-1952, formed thenucleus of what became known as the Honkers & Screamers.Artists include Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, Wild BillMoore, Paul Williams, Hal Singer, & many more. Includes68-page illustrated booklet with biographies of the players & full discography details. Four standard jewel cases housed in a slipbox. Proper. 2003. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Muddy Waters started out playing acoustic blues in the Delta, and it shows on this return to his roots, designed to appeal to the mid-1960s surge of interest in folk music. The back of the CD includes a photo of Waters with bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, as well as a very young Buddy Guy, gathered around a single microphone. This particular CD reissue includes five bonus tracks, among which are "The Same Thing" and "Short Dress Woman," which take advantage of the longer CD running time. All of the other reasons to hear this one remain--Waters's strong, confident voice, the relaxed smoothness of the material, and the surprisingly clean recording, made even cleaner by the digital remastering. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great "Muddy Unplugged"
Before the blues revival of the 60s really kick