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

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

Reviews (7)

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential recording

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

Reviews (66)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (55)

Fine primer on SRV, but there's a better offering available.
Stevie Ray Vaughan might have been the only man alive to approach the cosmic heights reached by the legendary Jimi Hendrix. He had the soulful voice, the second-to-none (but tasteful) chops, and the uncanny talent of taking blues standards and making them his own in a way that a second-tier blues guitarist like Eric Clapton can only attempt to emulate. Stevie was the real deal. His unfortunately short career began in 1980 and ended in 1990 with the sad helicopter accident that took his life. Throughout that career, Vaughan reinvented the world of blues guitar and bridged the gap between 12-bar blues and rock 'n' roll. While he wasn't the first to perform this feat, few did it as well.

The two single-disc Greatest Hits compilations available today do a pretty good job of rounding up his best material (both live and studio)--that is, if you don't mind buying them both. However, if you want all of this material without having to buy both discs separately, there's a better way to go. Look for a collection titled "The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble" locally. This is a 2-disc compilation not offered on Amazon that basically bundles together the two Greatest Hits discs. It has almost all the same songs (chronologically ordered too). Of course, you miss out on the rarity Pipeline featuring Dick Dale, but that isn't a huge loss to the casual fan.

Now that I've let you in on that little secret, go forth and add some SRV to your collection. If you're really hooked, seek out the individual studio albums (Texas Flood, Couldn't Stand The Weather, Soul To Soul, In Step) and also check out the several live albums available. Actually, go for the live albums first. Stevie was amazing live, as this compilation's versions of Shake For Me, Willie The Wimp, and Superstition (way better than the Stevie Wonder original!) prove. Also marvel at the phenomenal cover of Hendrix's Voodoo Child (Slight Return). Let's see any living guitarist try topping THAT.

So, in summary, your collection isn't complete without at least one Stevie album. Next to B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and (yes) Jimi, he was the greatest blues guitarist ever. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

"Excellent Follow-Up to 1995's Hits collection"
This 16-track compilation of SRV hits recorded from 1980 to 1990, is an excellent follow-up to the critically acclaimed 1995 collection "Greatest Hits." All of his 4 studio albums are equally represented here, as well as some of his live releases, and compilations that were released after his death. As for the rarities, the tracks "Leave My Girl Alone (from the "Live in Austin Texas" DVD)" & "Pipeline (1987, out of print)" were previously released as part of film soundtracks and DVD releases, but are presented here as audio tracks. This is a strange marketing strategy, but the tracks are still excellent. "Love Struck Baby" serves as the opening track, followed by the slow blues of "Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up on Love", the instrumental "Scuttle Buttin'", and "Wall of Denial", an obscure track from the award winning album, "In Step." My personal favorite is track 15, "Voodoo Chile (slight return)",
a remake of the 1968 hit by Hendrix. This 8 minute version features awesome soloing, vocals, and precision by Double Trouble. Get this CD, and enjoy a selection of hits by this late great guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Don't forget to check out "Voodoo Chile" & "Leave My Girl Alone (live)."

A good but imperfect companion volume to "Greatest Hits"
Stevie Ray Vaughan's original Greatest Hits album was far too short at just 11 not particularly well chosen tracks, but this 1999 addition goes a long way towards making up for that. It is not a hits package per se, since most of these songs were never released as singles, but it features lots of excellent songs like "Willie The Wimp", "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love", "Empty Arms", and Vaughan's magnificent rendition of Doyle Bramhall's acoustic survivor story "Life By The Drop".

That still doesn't make it a definitive career retrospective, though, even when coupled with "Greatest Hits" vol. I, and the inclusion of tunes like "Pipeline" and "Superstition" is suspect considering what has been left out.
At 27 songs, these two albums are trmped by the superb double-disc collection "The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble", which is cheaper than "Greatest Hits" vol. I and II together, yet features a stronger selection of songs, and six more of them as well.

Go get that one. Go, go!

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - The Real Deal: hits 2
I love working out to this CD--it makes me think Austin . ..Rockabilly . . good times . . .Great CD and great work out alternative

Great Intro to SRV
This is the first Stevie Ray Vaughan CD I picked up, and while it may be considered a lesser album by some die-hard fans, I keep finding this thing in my CD player. It's got some great songs, and pretty good diversity, considering Vaughan's tragicallly abbreviated career.

Several live tracks, including the classic "Willie the Wimp" and the rocking update of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," give you a sense of what a blast it must have been to watch Vaughan roar through a set -- almost as good as watching a rerun of "Austin City Limits." The combination of rocking fury and melancholy blues is just astounding.

Instrumentals ("Pipeline," "Scuttle Buttin'") also allow the listener to just kick back and marvel at Vaughan's virtuoso playing ability. Vaughan's voice, apparently criticized by some, is fine, but it pales in comparison to his ability to a guitar.

My two favorite tracks are the thumping "Shake For Me" and the bittersweet "Life by the Drop." It's tough to pick favorites on this loaded album, though, and I've never met two people who have the same two top picks on this album.

It's tough to pick up a Stevie Ray Vaughan CD these days . . . there are so many that have slightly different combos of the same limited catalog of songs. This album is a good start. ... Read more

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In the history of recorded blues and spirituals, there is no greater singer and songwriter than Blind Willie Johnson. With a vocal delivery ranging from raw rage to tenderness wedded to his talking guitar, Blind Willie's recordings are as powerful today as when he made them, from 1927 to 1930. Listen to monuments "Motherless Children Have a Hard Time," "I Just Can't Keep from Crying," "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine," and the otherworldly "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," and try to find equally visceral conviction any other place or time. His "If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down" which got him arrested when Blind Willie unknowingly sang it in front of a U.S. government building in Dallas, became a '60s icon. Years later, he caught pneumonia, but when treatment was sought, he was told the hospital did not treat blind people, so he returned home and died. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Stunning
The gospel blues singer/guitarist Willie Johnson was as influential as Robert Johnson and this album contains his complete recorded output. Every song on this CD is fantastic but two stand out. "It's Nobody's Fault But Mine" is the greatest piece of slide guitar playing ever recorded by anyone and "Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground" is one of the greatest achievments in the history of any form of American music.

Buy this right now.

The Best Slide Guitarist EVER
These recordings are absolutely essential for anyone interested in Blues, Gospel, or slide guitar. Johnson's command of slide guitar is stunning. His timing and sense of rhythm and cadence are breathtaking. No one--not even Robert Johnson--will raise the hair on the back of your neck like Blind Willie Johnson. Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed, It's Nobody's Fault But Mine, Dark Was the Night--Cold Was the Ground are among my favorites, but every track is powerful and performed with superlative musicianship and incredible complexity for such simple sounding songs. His guitar wizardry, at times understated and subtle, bursts forth like a torrent that will leave you breathless. Make no mistake, you must have this recording. Blind Willie Johnson RULES.

Searing
When people blithely gas of bad rock stars "taking risks" with their latest CD filler they don't know the pre-Depression record biz, which sent producers out in the field to capture the latest in country and "race" music. Thanks to this enlightened practice we have the thirty imperishable tracks of Blind Willie Johnson, of whom we know little otherwise, except that he only lived to his forties, and died after a fire. (The cover photo from a Columbia ad is the only one we have of him.) And what music it is -- raw, searing, with an uncompromising vision, sung with a voice that pebbles gravel against the haunting riffs of his slide guitar. I do not know why the twenties blues has such peculiar power -- possibly because so much of it was sung by people who came from nowhere, tragically to go back to nowhere, or maybe it's the sound quality that seems almost sui generis to this music, that muffled sound that lends a certain eloquence and distance not readily explainable. Whatever the case, Blind Willie's isn't everyday music, or music to rest by, but it is music to open your heart, and to make you think.

unimaginably hard to listen to
I don't even know where to begin, but this was without a doubt the worst CD I ever bought. I own over 100 blues CD's of various artists A to Z, and this one is the only one I wanted to throw in the trash before I even got through with it. You can not even get to hear the guitar because this mans voice is just absolutely aggravating. I can't even describe it. Is it screaming? But to tell you how I feel, I would rather listen to a jackhammer, or fog horn, going off repeatedly in my living room before I would ever play this CD again. I have to admit, I am no authority here, and I could be quite wrong about this CD, but take my advice for what its worth. And definitely buy something else.

Unbelievably good
I buy a lot of CD's and most of them disappoint. This music doesn't. It is real, heartfelt, skillfull,inspired, ageless. Someone once said that Robert Johnson would have been scared witless if he bumped into Blind Willie singing on a street corner. Just maybe they are right. Classic American recordings. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This impressive--and frankly, fun--musical document is still sending out shock waves almost 50 years after its original 1952 vinyl release. The Smithsonian's six-CD reissue is painstakingly researched, annotated, and packaged (even boasting an enhanced disc for the techno-capable). Unlike field recorders, eccentric filmmaker/collector/musicologist Harry Smith assembled the Anthology from commercially released (though obscure) 78 rpm discs issued between 1927 and 1935. Its broad scope--from country blues to Cajun social music to Appalachian murder ballads--was monumentally influential, setting musicians like Bob Dylan down the path to folk fandom. The White House started its own national music library with the Anthology; anyone with more than a passing interest in American roots music should do the same. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Essential for a well-rounded pop music collection
You should buy this just to hear where all those folk and blues revivalists of the 60s got a large chunk of their material. Back then, these albums were the only way to hear these recordings unless you were willing to go to great lengths to collect old records (like the compiler of this Anthology, Harry Smith).

If you enjoy the Anthology music you can hear a lot more of the same style on Yazoo Records' various "rural music" anthologies. Nearly every disc they issue has an Anthology track or two on it, or other work by artists who appear on this Anthology. I actually find Yazoo's "Before The Blues" series more enjoyable, track for track, than this collection. It's likely, though, that there would be no Yazoo records today if the AAFM hadn't come along in the early 1950s. Also, this Anthology includes secular, spiritual and "social" music in a rather comprehensive way, so understandably there don't seem to be many people who like EVERY song. Even Harry Smith didn't like every song in the collection (read the liner notes).

The first great collection of American folk song recordings
The "Anthology of American Folk Music" put together by Harry Smith was originally issued in 1952 in three volumes of 2 LPs each, with a total of 84 tracks collected from old records. It is said that this collection played a seminal role in the folk music revival of the late 1950s and early 1960s, influencing and inspiring the generation of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Once you listen to these songs you will have little doubt that was indeed the case. The three volumes focus on Ballads, Social Music, and Songs respectively. I did not recognize enough of these 84 songs to use all of the fingers on my guitar picking hand and I could not care less. You can look over the playlist above and see if anything looks familiar, but, obviously, that is beside the point here. These songs involve a definition of "folk" that is expansive enough to include blues singers like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Richard "Rabbit" Brown. The authenticity of these songs is overpowering, transporting you to a time and place when radio was just starting to make inroads into the backwoods of America.

The collection includes a 100-page booklet that features harry Smith's original handbook of songs, an essay by critic Greil Marcus, along with other essays, song notes, photos, graphics, and recollections by legendary artists about how this anthology inspired their own careers. The overall effect is like taking a college course on American Folk Music. Whether your interest in this type of music comes from listening to the Weavers, Peter Paul, & Mary, or the soundtrack to "Brother, Where Art Thou?" hopefully your enjoyment of folk music will lead you back to this seminal collection. Additional Note: There is also an excellent website put together by the Smithsonian Folkways that will tell you for not only alternate titles (e.g., "The Wagoner's Lad" is also known as "Loving Nancy" and "My Horses Ain't Hungry"), but other recorded versions organized by styles (e.g., traditional American Folk, Folksong revival, Post revival, Country/String Band, Bluegrass, and British). Like everyone else, I have been greatly impressed by the way the Smithsonian Institute has been protecting our nation's heritage when it comes to folk music. They take their job seriously and they are very, very good at it.

Necessary.
I dont think there is a need to go into to much detail about this *6 CD* set. If you can fork over the cash, just buy it. If you have any interest in roots music, just buy it. If you thought ol' Bobby Dylan and the Band made some great weird music in the basement of big pink in '67 .. for the love of god, BUY THIS! strange, unadorned, raw music , just buy it.

Essential
Much ink & many electrons have been devoted to explaining both Harry Smith (and a lot of explanation is necessary -- very interesting man) and this wonderful collection of recordings from the 1920's and 30's, so I won't go into too much detail here. If you'd like a good treatise on the work itself as a cultural object, and how it relates to other thematically similar items, I would reccomend Griel Marcus' book Invisible Republic.
This is the greatest mix tape ever made, and an essential cultural artifact, not only of the vernacular music of the hills & highways of pre-electrification America, but also of the folk movement ofthe fifties and sixties (the primer fromwhic all else was derived) and by extension of the hippy movement following closely thereafter.
SOme of this music is really wild...

Mysterious, Beautiful and a Kick Inside
I half heard a story about the Anthology on Natl Public Radio a few months ago while I was getting ready for work. The story kept coming back to me, until I had to buy the Anthology to get some peace. Instead of peace, I find that I am now disturbed, intrigued, and haunted.

Music is ill-suited to being described in words, so I'll use an entirely different experience to try and convey what listening to this Anthology is like.

I once knew a fellow who had grown up on Bechtel construction project sites around the world. As a kid playing in the dirt at these sites, he'd collected a box full of those stone tools that humans made and used for something like three million years. I found that once I had turned one of these slips of chipped obsidian or shale over for a moment, it settled naturally into my hand. There was a spot for my thumb, another spot for my forefinger, and my hand was making a scraping or digging motion with the thing. The tool and my hand still remembered their ancient partnership, without any volition from me. This sensation was simultaneously disturbing and satisfying and made the hair stand up on my neck.

This sensation is very close to what I feel listening to this anthology. You will not hear the familiar, highly produced music we're now so comfortable with. You will hear the voice and sound of music as it has been for millions of years -- and you will recognize what you are hearing as being utterly, essentially human.

These recordings were, of course, made only 75 years ago in the 1920's, surely part of the modern era. Yet this was the last moment in time between the old world and the new world. We still sing and play music for the same reasons we always have, but the way we used our voices and instruments for millions of years has been changed by technology. So if these not very old recordings feel strangely like a link to something ancient and mysterious, that's because they actually are.

There is a great beauty in the voices on these recordings, many of which are almost shrill, almost off-key -- unfamiliar to our pampered contemporary ears -- but also perfectly right. There is a mystery in the odd and sometimes fragmentary lyrics, whose once important meaning is now lost.

We can still share the depth of feeling through the music itself, sometimes so strongly that your heart leaps as though you'd been kicked from inside. But, as it says in the booklet of notes, while we can share in the emotions that impelled someone to sing about The Coo Coo Bird in the first place, we'll never know why it was important to live on a mountainside in order to see Willie go by.

Perhaps the true power of this Anthology is that every recording is genuine in a way that is no longer possible. I recommend it. ... Read more

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

Reviews (37)

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

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

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

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

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

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

I cry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

Texas guitar-slinger Johnny Winter bares some of his deepest roots on his first album of new recordings since 1998. In a rare turn on acoustic slide six-string, he performs fellow Lone Star State legend Hop Wilson's "That Wouldn't Satisfy" with the sweet, lovely simplicity of a street corner singer. Then Winter plugs in for Lazy Lester's stomping primal rocker "Sugar Coated Love." But after years of health issues, Winter, who's 60, has lost the roaring vocal authority of his earlier albums and no longer takes dizzying solos at jet speed. Instead, he makes all the notes of a tune like "Lone Wolf" count, whether he's crafting a slide melody or literally howling. "The Monkey Song," a playfully sleazy double-entendre number, proves his sense of humor is intact. And harmonica ace James Montgomery, who recently joined Winter's band, provides perfect accompaniment to Winter's vocal and guitar lines. Ex-Stevie Ray Vaughan keyboardist Reese Wynans also contributes to this overdue addition to Winter's dynamic blues-rock legacy. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (16)

My Style of Blues
Muddy Waters once said that Johnny Winter was the only white man he ever met who understood the blues. There is something about JW's style that I like. It's the rural and southern type of blues I have always preferred. Unfortunately, his voice is not as strong as it was. As a result, he is slightly flat sometimes. But the arrangements are great and his guitar playing is still solid, albeit slower. Johnny Winter uses a thumbpick and finger pick rather than a flatpick to get a fuller country picking effect. My favorite songs are "I'm A Blues Man", "The Monkey Song", and "Let's Start All Over Again." I know he's getting old but let's not forget that Johnny played for Muddy Waters when he couldn't play as well anymore and Debbie Davies played lead for Albert Collins in his later years. The man still has great taste in music and I'm glad he's around.

The most disappointing JW release to date
Every time I see a new Johnny Winter CD, I'm excited to hear what the most amazing guitar player has laid down. Covers or originals, I've never been let down yet. At least until I put this CD in.

While I realize Johnny has been thru a lot over the past few years, my original take on this album is "why did he bother?" The guitar licks lack the trademark intensity, and his tone even sounds compromised. Add to that the mediocre vocals, a far cry from the yellin' style he branded throughout his Muddy and solo days, and this recording does little to satisfy a real Johnny fan.

While I can appreciate the fact that Johnny is still putting out an effort to make more music, I'm disappointed that he hasn't put something more cohesive together for this CD. While his band isn't lacking, he certainly leaves more to be desired.

I certainly wish the best to Johnny and hope that his trademark slide playing comes back someday. Who knows, maybe this CD will grow on me. HOwever, my suggestion is to stick with his earlier work. You won't be disappointed.

Not the true Johnny
Sad to say, but we all get old. The thing is, JW is only 60, but he looks and sounds like 80. I hope he is well, since Johnny Winter is possibly the finest blues guitarist (and vocalist) there ever was, black, white or very white, as the case may be.

While Mr Winter shows himself every now and then, the performances are feeble and weak. If you get this, do so only out of respect for the master.

Glad I bought it
I bought this and the re-issue of his first album at roughly the same time. There can be no doubt that he's lost a step or two. As it's already been said, age and illness will do that to anyone. That doesn't mean that this lion in winter still can't muster a roar. A diminished Johnny Winter is still better than seventy five percent of what passes for blues. The guitar playing is now more precise rather than screaming by you at mach two. The vocals don't growl at you like they used to but are very smooth and acceptable. The song selection is generally strong if you leave off "The Monkey Song". Particular favorites of mine include "Lone Wolf", the lone acoustic number "That Wouldn't Satisfy" and "Sugar Coated Love". Don't obsess over the fact Johnny isn't the same as he was thirty years ago, buy the album and be thankful that we still have him around.

Come you so called Winter fans - listen to it again
I'd like to address other reviewers complaints.
Daniel Anderson - You mention one song where it fades out during the vocals. You're taking about "The Monkey Song." Being a doctor you must know what he's talking about when he says "Monkey." The song times out at 6:12. It's the 2nd weakest cut on the CD and the longest. It fades with him giving Monkey inuendo one liners. How many more p---y remakes do you need? As far the CD being to short and being the old mindset of LP days I say you're wrong. I ideal release would be all meat & no filler. 80 minutes would be too much.
James Savage - He is 60 friggin years old! His health has been on a rollercoaster ride for the past decade. His tone has been the same tone he's been playing at his live shows since the early 90's. While his vocals are the same or as strong as they were decades ago - but neither are mine or your's. But his voice (& guitar tone)is the same that I heard on the last live album (as a "real" fan I'm sure you have that) and bootlegs. One guys says the best songs are "the acoustic one's" Well, he's part right. The ONE acoustic cut is great. The Cd is not his greatest but its not his worst. Live In NYC was nothing to write home about and a few cuts on I'm A Bluesman are much better than some of the songs on Raisin Cain and my least favorite JDW III. "Lets Start All Over Again", "That Wouldn't Satisfy" and "I Smell Smoke" are the best cuts. "The Monkey Song" is just a mess as is "Shake Down." The rest are all decent songs and all have some pretty good playing considering everything he's been through over the last 5 years. This CD is not for those of you who shout "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo" at his live shows. Stick with your CD copies of And Live and leave Johnny to those who are real fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

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

Reviews (48)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (17)

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

SONNY IS AWESOME!
We just returned from the Fort Smith Blues Festival after witnessing Sonny Landreth perform. We purchased the Road We're On directly from him. Buy it, buy the others too! If you are a guitar fan, you'll no doubt admire the incredible, magical talent of Sonny Landreth.

He combines blues, cajun zydeco and rock and roll to his OWN unique style.

I've seen many slide guitar players in my life, but Sonny IS the MASTER!

Heaven To My Ears
From the first notes of "True Blue" to the last chords of "Juke Box Mama," this release is heaven to my ears. Landreth has always been applauded for his musicianship, but often knocked for his lyrics. He gets them both right this time around.

From up-tempo rockers to slow burning blues, a lot of territory gets covered expertly on these tracks. As always, Landreth displays his chops as one of the best slide guitar players in the business. These tunes are more than guitar theatrics, though. There is more of an emphasis on the big picture. This music is a result of the fine art of song craft.

Lyrically, the mood of each song is enhanced with great metaphors and story telling. On "True Blue" you feel the pain as Landreth sings, "The hurt is pourin' down on you / You got to dig down deep to find / Strength to shelter you through." It is a tale about suffering and finding the strength to move on. "Hell at Home" conveys a little ditty about a domestic disturbance and global warming seems to be the topic of "The Natural World." Of course, there are a few tracks that you just want to crank up and who cares what he is saying! A well-rounded release from this incredible fret burner.

Astonishing!
It gets better and better.

Astonishing!
Sonny has kicked into high gear with his new release. Remarkable in every way musically. Recording is a little weak...too much overhead mic on the drums and then turned to mush in mastering by listening on a small Genelec monitoring system...Goddess forgive them for they know not what they do. None the less, get this CD and go to Guitar Player Heaven. ... Read more

Album Description

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

Reviews (14)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Blues
Martin Scosese Presents
The Blues
A Musical Journey

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

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