Reviews (9)

Superb!
Originally issued by Atlantic Records in 1959, "T-Bone Blues" compiled 11 singles recorded between 1955 and 1957, and the 1994 CD reissue added four bonus tracks (including "Why Not", which Jimmy Rogers would later record as "Walkin' By Myself" and credit to himself, and a soulful rendition of Leroy Carr's "How Long Blues").

Many of these sides are re-recordings of Aaron "T-Bone" Walker's classic 40s sides, like "T-Bone Shuffle", "They Call It Stormy Monday", and "Mean Old World", and while any self-respecting blues collection should include Walker's original Capitol and Black & White singles (Rhino's "Blues Masters - The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker" is a great collection of those early sides), "T-Bone Blues" is perhaps the most satisfying album Walker ever made.

The sound is simply magnificent for mid-50s waxings, wonderfully clear and crisp and realistic, and T-Bone Walker is backed by men like Junior Wells, Jimmy Rogers, Ransom Knowling, legendary arranger/pianist Lloyd Glenn, and saxists John "Plas" Johnson, Jr., Edward Chamblee, Mack Easton, and Earl Hines-cohort Andrew "Goon" Gardner.
And T-Bone's own playing and singing is superb as well...just listen to his inspired soloing on "Blues For Marili", "Mean Old World", the classic "T-Bone Blues", and this the definitive rendition of "Papa Ain't Salty". It's a delight to hear him playing with Little Walter Jacobs on the 1955 recordings, which include a swinging "Play On, Little Girl" and the fine bonus cut "T-Bone Blues Special", and Walker's re-recording of "They Call It Stormy Monday" captures the essence of the magnificent original version from 1947, this time with stellar fidelity.

There are a number of amazing instrumentals here, too...T-Bone Walker duels with his nephew R.S. Rankin and highly esteemed jazz guitarist Barney Kessel on the up-tempo scorcher "Two Bones And A Pick", and comes off victorious. He may have been best known for his slow, after-hours blues laments, but T-Bone could cut it with the best of them no matter if the tempo was set at 50 or 150.
The highlights on this disc are too many to mention...among the best of the lesser-known songs are the up-tempo "You Don't Know What You're Doing", sung by Rankin, and the jouyous instrumental "Shufflin' The Blues", but literally everything is worth a listen.
An essential addition to any collection of electric blues.

NOT A FROZEN STEAK
One of the pioneers of the electric guitar,T-BONE WALKER was a prime inspiration for CHUCK BERRY and many others blues and rock stars.MEAN OLD WORLD,T-BONE BLUES,CALL IT STORMY MONDAY and BLUES FOR MARILI remain essential stuff.It is impossible not to think of CHUCK BERRY when you listen to this guy;the guitar technique is virtually the same, but CHUCK is a better lyric writer.SHUFFLIN'THE BLUES is the closest T-BONE song ever came of rock.The quiet man from TEXAS has certainly deserved his place among the true practician of the blues.The sound quality here is good because these are 1955-56-57 recordings and not the original IMPERIAL that are also available.

Largely Unsung Major Influence
Most of today's blues guitarists cite B.B. King as a major influence, but if they really thought about it a little more they'd realize that they owe as much, if not more, to Aaron Thibeaux [hence the nickname T-Bone] Walker. Borm May 28, 1910 in Linden, Texas, and after performing in medicine shows throughout the state in the Twenties and Thirties, he latched onto the electric guitar with gusto after first hearing Les Paul and his monumental invention.

Following a stint in California with the Les Hite orchestra his first success on disc came in 1943 with Freddie Slack & His Orchestra when Riffette charted at # 3 on what passed then for the R&B charts, and # 18 on the pop charts. He then secured a contract with Black & White where, in 1947/48 he had five selections make the charts. One of those was the classic Call It Stormy Monday [But Tuesday Is Just As Bad], and in this collection you hear a 1956 re-make done with Lloyd Glenn on piano, Billy Hadnott on bass, and Oscar Bradley on drums.

In 1948/49 he had three more charted singles for the Comet label, including T-Bone Shuffle. That is also re-done in this set - this time from 1955 with Goon Gardner on alto sax, Eddie Chamblee, tenor sax, Mack Easton, baritone sax, John Young, piano, Ransom Knowling, bass and LeRoy Jackson on drums.

This album clearly reflects Walker's never-ending experiments with the electric guitar in small groups, and his pleasant, definitely bluesy voice frolics through the selections, most of which he wrote, except for You Don't Know What You're Doing where the vocal is handled by R.S. Rankin.

Four pages of informative liner notes by Ralph J. Gleason top up an excellent buy. You won't be disappointed.

guitar playing never sounded so sweet!
one of my favorite blues cd's. the recording quality is superb for a late 50's album. i like his voice, which has a lot of depth and range. however, the main attraction here is his exquisite guitar playing. no wonder he was such an influence on blues guitarists b.b.king, otis rush, buddy guy, and countless others.

Excellant!!!
This is one of the best blues's CD's I have. The music and vocals are so smooth... I can't seem to stop listening to it. You can't go wrong with this one - check it out! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The best!
The JSP label's blues box sets featuring Charlie Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy are among the best-sounding prewar blues compilations on the market, and this is without a doubt the best Patton-collection of all. Just look at the price! All of Charlie Patton's awesome recordings, as well as several sides featuring him as a sideman, and a number of recordings by Patton-associates like Willie Brown, Louise Johnson and Son House (all of House's 1930 Paramount singles are included). And this music have never sounded better than it does on this exquisitely remastered and well-annotated collection.
Patton and Son House were the two most important and certainly most influential prewar blues singers, as well as being two of the most impressive. All serious blues lovers should have this fine boxed set in their collection.

POOR RECORDING BUT GOOD
ITS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY WHAT PATTON IS SAYING BUT ITS THERE SO WITH THAT BEING SAID I HAVE TO SAY IT IS A GOOD RECORDING. THAT DARK HAUNTING AND EERIE SOUND IS PART OF THE BLUES AND NO ONE DID IT BETTER FOR HIS TIME THAN CHARLEY PATTON HIMSELF. HE WAS THE BEST AND THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOWD AFTER HIM INCLUDING ROBERT JOHNSON SHOW HE WAS A MAN OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IVE WALWAYS SAID IF ANY ONE WANTS TO LISTEN TO MUSIC THEY SHOULD LISTEN TO THE GREATONES AND CHARLEY WAS JUST THAT SO ILL GIVE 3 1/2 STARS TO A VERY GOOD COLLECTION. OH AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO BUY OTHER RECORDINGS OF HIS WORK FORGET IT THIS IS THE BEST REMASTERD AND RESTORED COLLECTION OF HIS WORK ON THE MARKET.

nice, for the price.
i have another 5-disc compilation from this same company, and both were 25 bucks for 5 cds. very nice.

the mastering is decent, and the liner notes tell the story of charley patton in five parts. since describing the tracks or music that is actually contained on the cd is nearly impossible, i will spare you a lengthy bunch of confusion. i can tell you that charley patton was doing blues before most people were doing blues. he was one of the first recorded artists in this style, which is why these cds say he is the "acknowledged king of the delta blues" all over them.

Blues With A Feeling
Blues composer and performer, Sleepy John Estes claimed that you could hear Charley Patton's unamplified voice and guitar at a range of 500 yards. Estes may have exagerated a tad but think about the power of a voice you could hear even at the range of 100 yards. Charley Patton's recordings were made out of the cheapest available vinyl (used to make bowling balls) and were scratchy sounding even when they were released. Paramount felt that their "race records" didn't warrant high quality vinyl. One of my childhood preoccupations was listening to the Yahoo releases of Charley's material and trying to figure out what the guy was signing under the white noise buzz and pop of surface noise. Such a powerful voice and such awful recording technology. Now going on 80 years since their orginal releases, someone has finally made all of Charley's releases listenable. I could go on about Patton's widely imitated guitar playing, his dark allegorical lyrics, his consumate performing style or his carefully crafted image as a rebel, but you still will go back to that powerful voice. And now justice has been done to his awesome legacy of music... and justice has been done to the listener with the release of "The Complete Recordings" which offers this amazing 5 volume CD set at a price only slightly above the cost of a single CD. Maybe there is a Santa Claus, Virginia.

Outstanding value; good remastering
For anyone who wants Patton's complete recorded works, but who doesn't want to spend half a paycheck on the Revenant Box Set, this 5 disc JSP collection is an unbelievable value. I was flabbergasted when I discovered it online the other day; I couldn't believe it was so cheap. It contains everything on the Revenant set except the interviews and the bonus disc of music by Patton's contemporaries. It does, however, contain Son House's overpowering 1930 recordings (everytime I listen to them my stomach drops). What else is there to say? This is glorious, intense, and important music.

The remastering is very good, but not without its drawbacks. I love JSP's Django Reinhardt and Louis Armstrong remasterings. The Patton recordings here have the same full, glowing sound (with more hiss and crackle, of course, because of the atrocious quality of the original Paramount 78s). Patton's voice is remarkably intense; one can gain a sense of what a powerful instrument it must have been live. Turn up the volume, and it will hit you in your gut. You can literally feel his throat's rough vibrations, his subtle bending of pitch. The slide guitar pieces ("Oh Death" and "Spoonful," for example) come through quite well. They are deep and resonant.

At the same time, as with every remastering of old 78s, something is lost in the transfer. These remasterings seem vacuum-packed, as if all the all the air in the room had been sucked out. Patton's voice is brought forward, but as a result, some of his guitar work seems muffled. It is as if the remastering aimed to simulate a modern recording studio, allowing only sound from the the guitar and voice to come through. This eliminates one of the best aspects of 78s: their open, echoing sound. (This problem, however, is not nearly as bad as on the Catfish reissue.)

Compare this with the Yazoo reissues (my favorites). There is more surface noise on the Yazoo albums, but this also allows more room for the sound to breathe. One can hear the full range of the sound. There is also a more vivid, lifelike tone on the Yazoo Patton, even if he seems a little distant at times. It is easier hear the wistful echoes that Patton built into his work. By contrast, the JSP recordings are much more intense; Patton's growl is right at the surface. In short, the intensity of Patton's voice on JSP is a revelation, but the set does not convey the full, sparkling range of sound found on Yazoo. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The roots of quite a lot...
Lead Belly is one of the best in American music - he's right up there with Woody Guthrie (if not above him, which is more than arguable) in influence and importance for the formation of 20th century music. Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) was supposedly "discovered" and recorded in prison by John Lomax (the recordings on this CD were recorded by Moses Asch in the 1940s). He also is said to have sung his way into being pardoned (during his second term in prison after being convicted of murder) by the then governor of Texas. He never became a star, but many of his songs have been re-recorded by popular artists (probably the best-known examples are the covers of "Goodnight, Irene" by the Weavers and "Midnight Special" by Credence Clearwater Revival).

This collection is a great starting point for Lead Belly's music. It includes some of his most memorable songs: "Irene", "Grey Goose", "Cotton Fields", "Sylvie", "Rock Island Line", "Green Corn". The recording quality is great considering the age of the recordings. Included are plenty of Lead Belly playing his legendary 12-string guitar along with some a capella tracks. The CD booklet has a good biography and extensive track notes, along with quotes from Lead Belly himself about selected songs. If you're curious about Lead Belly this CD is a great introduction to his music. If you want more, this series has 2 additional excellent volumes.

Incredibly Influential
As with most pre-rock'n'roll folk and blues music deciding which Leadbelly CD to pick up is not an easy task. There are several Leadbelly compilations out there and almost all of them omit essential songs. That is why, taking into consideration the importance of this man's music, I suggest giving the old visa card a little work-out and springing for both this and Bourgeois Blues: Leadbelly Legacy, Vol. 2.

Leadbelly is among the top three most influential musicains of the 20th Century. A distinction he shares with Son House and Robert Johnson (Son House: The Original Delta Blues and The Complete Robert Johnson are both essential cds). The seeds that Mr. Ledbetter planted when he recorded his music went on to sprout plants in the fields of popular music from (probably) every country on earth. You know the story: From blues came rock'n'roll and jazz.

A friend once said to me, "Good artists borrow ideas, great artists steal them." This is particularly true concerning the relationship between Leadbelly and the other Led. Don't get me wrong. Zeppelin were pioneering geniuses in their own right. But little did I know that the Led Zeppelin records that I blasted full volume deep into my profoundly stoned highschool cranium were really written in large part by dirt poor black men way before World War Two. The song 'Black Betty' by Ram Jam which recently enjoyed some nostalgic exposure through the Blow Soundtrack (a fine collection) was originally a Leadbelly tune. And it may well have been Leadbelly's ghost that killed John Bonham and Hendrix and Morrison and Joplin and Brian Jones, seeking revenge for royalties never paid. Cobain, too.

lead
This is an essential album to any collection. Its a bit hard to listen to stait through though.

leadbelly is the daddy mac
absolutely amazing. especially the haunting "where did you sleep last night?", the field holler "pick a bale o cotton", Midnight Special, Leaving Blues, the funky Rock Island Line an the saddest song ever "Childrens blues" about his mother dying. if you dig Leadbelly check out Missippi John Hurt, Blind Boy Fuller,Sleepy John Estes, Reverend Gary Davies and early Rory Gallagher.

the roots of everything.
its hard to overestimate the impact lead belly had on music. i nearly flipped my wig when i first heard this. as a songwriter lead belly is hard to top. he was doing the same thing as blues giants son house and robert johnson were doing but lead belly has a certain passion to what he does. i'm very compelled by lead belly. he is one of my all time favorite singer/songwriters. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

He is the Blues, no doubt about it.
Willie Dixon was one of the most prolific writers in Blues history. His music has been very influential on countless artists, who in turn influenced others that maybe didn't know anything about him. And his rock solid bass playing has graced many albums, and this is no exception. The amazon.com reviewer is really off the mark if he is not hearing emotion in Dixon's vocals. Yes, his vocal delivery and timbre is unique, to say the least. But, to me, that's what makes him so good. Also, the rythm section cooks! I agree with another reviewer in that this is not the kind of cd I am going to play if I'm on a date, but when I am alone, it's another story. Uncompromising and heartfelt blues. Dixon IS the blues.

Willie's best.
Willie Dixon wrote some of the greatest songs in the blues catalogue. Where he is a more accomplished arranger, composer and bassist his performing abilities aren't bad at all. He's not quite up to the level of Muddy, Wolf or Sonny Boy, musicians who made his tunes famous, but he wasn't far behind either. The band is solid, the production a bit off, but overall a great album. Definately Willie at his best. Highly recommended...Simon

What else can be said
Who knows how different the history of music as we know it would be like without this genius. Every blues musician since and many classic rock bands owe him a huge debt. This is a must for any music collection.

Willie Dixon - I AM the blues
Ignore the "official" review and then find this album on VINYL.

I purchased this LP back in 1974 on vinyl and still listen to it every so often. The sound quality on a good system is just superb.

That the official review complains about the sound quality simply tells me that the CD was poorly mastered which is such a shame because this album is a joy to listen to.

Go hunting online and find the vinyl version - it's well worth the hunt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gruñon
I enjoy the Blues. This album was one of my first and favorites. The album presents a few awesome and frustrating points for the listener. The musicians who accompany Willie are out of this world; my CD came with no credits so I can't name them. The harp and pianist play to a level beyond belief, and the rest of the cast fall right into place. These were tight slick sessions. But the producer who mixed the tracks really missed the mark. I can only hope that someone will resurrect the original tapes and re issue these tracks in a fresh release. As for Willie, he's no Howlin Wolf or Muddy Waters but he sings well, these are after all his songs. If you like the harp, this album gives you one of the best performances ever captured on celluloid. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nearly essential for anyone interested in old-time music,Violin, Sing the Blues for Me may be quite simply the bestsingle-disc anthology of the early 20th century black string-bandmovement available today. The emphasis here is on the bluesy fiddleplaying heard between 1926 and 1949, but the music boasts reams ofdiverse styles and playing that is simply impossible to pigeonhole.Andrew Baxter milks his fiddle for all its plaintive worth againstbrother Jim's guitar on "K.C. Railroad Blues," the Mississippi MudSteppers' "Alma Waltz" is as sublime as they come (perhaps the greatestside ever recorded to feature a banjo-mandolin), and there are plentyof other tracks featuring the now-forgotten wail of the blues violin.But the lively tunes steal the show here: the Mobile Strugglers'spreviously unissued "Memphis Blues" from 1949 is a classic breakdown;the Tennessee Chocolate Drops's "Vine Street Drag" (featuring the fastfiddling of Howard"Louie Bluie" Armstrong) showcases some true violin virtuosity; andthe Memphis Jug Band's "Memphis Shakedown" is a tour de force of energyand great playing. Truth is, there's not a weak track here, and thecopious liner notes will keep you busy long after the CD has playedout. If you want to hear the roots of the blues, don't pass this discup. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stunning recordings, rare music
It's pretty amazing, this late in the folkloric/historic reissues game, to find a whole album's worth of "undiscovered" old-timey music that is of such a high caliber. Old Hat Records, a tiny North Carolina indie label, packs its discs with some of the best music in the style that you're ever likely to hear. (You might also want to check out the "Lost Provinces" and "Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow" CDs...) This disc highlights a rare style of African-American fiddle music, featuring rare recordings by the bands that dotted the southern landscape 'way back when. These groups mixed stringband styles and jazzy jug-band blues and, not incidentally, made some of the catchiest music ever. In addition to great sound quality and great material, the CD is handsomely packaged; the insert booklets include some really cool archival photos, as well as extensive liner notes of the sort that have been woefully absent on similar recent reissue efforts.

One of the best reissue CDs ever
Quite simply one of the finest single CDs ever released by anyone, in any genre of music. For high quality transfers from 78s, documentation, liner notes, historic accuracy, photos and illustrations, and sheer musicality, "Violin" has few rivals. Don't pass this up.

An album to live with
This has rapidly become one of my favorite discs. Excellent selection of tracks, excellent transfers, excellent booklet. My only complaint would be that the text in the booklet is not in the same order as the tracks on the disk.

Great music - great supporting documentation
As early as colonial times, free and enslaved blacks were widely known for their virtuosity on the fiddle, so it was only natural that the instrument would eventually find a home in the blues...even though most people probably don't tend to think of it there. And that's the beauty of this CD. It contains samples of the blues and many of the traditions that preceded it: country dances, rags and stomps, folks songs and medicine show music, all lovingly remastered from early recordings to create 73 minutes of vintage fiddle music. The 32-page full-color booklet alone is worth the price. This is a must-have for any student of African American culture in general, or anyone who just enjoys good music.

Simply magnificent
I don't believe this release can be improved. The song selection is terrific from both a musical and historical perspective. Sound mastering is excellant. The notes, artwork and photographs were not an after thought. They are very well done. OLD HAT has now released two top notch volumes and I really hope there is a lot more in the pipe. This is a mandatory disc for all blues and old timey fans. About the only negative is the sad fact that it probably won't get out to a wider audience. A reissue done by people who love and respect this music. Just superb. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A very fine single-disc overview
If you're not up for one of the numerous Charlie Patton box sets, this is a really excellent alternative.
Yazoo's "The Best Of Charley Patton" gathers 23 cuts, 70 minutes of music, including "Down The Dirt Road Blues", "Pony Blues", "Shake It And Break It", "Banty Rooster Blues", and numerous others. The sound quality is a good as any disc you'll ever come across, and while these sides certainly aren't as clean as Robert Johnson's or Blind Willie McTell's prewar singles, Yazoo has done a really fine job remastering the songs.

There are other excellent Charlie Patton discs, like Wolf Records' "Pony Blues: His 23 Greatest Songs", Recall's very reasonably priced double-disc overview "Screamin' & Hollerin' The Blues", and Snapper's brand new "Hand It On The Wall", but as far as single disc compilations go, none are better than this one, and few are quite as good.
A very fine purchase. And kudos to Yazoo Records for actually spelling Patton's name the way he spelled it himself!

much better
I had gotten some Chralie Patton cd's in the early 90's but was put off my the surface noise. Yazoo has done an incredible job of cleaning these tracks up, they are the best sounding Charlie Patton imaginable. they really have done a stellar job; these sound as good as Columbia's Robert Johnson masters, and those (considering their age) sounded great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Leadbelly wasn't exactly the Raffi of the Roosevelt era. Convicted of attempted murder and murder, the man born Huddie Leadbelly on January 20, 1888, in Mooringsport, Louisiana, began forging a career as a performer in the 1930s after his discovery by John and Alan Lomax. By then he'd developed an enormous repertoire as well deft vocal and instrumental skills. Despite his sordid past, Leadbelly won over adults and children alike; this generous 28-song collection demonstrates the source of his pied-piper appeal. While the master of the 12-string guitar drew upon traditional kid fare ("Skip to My Lou," "Blue-Tailed Fly"), he recognized that plenty of goodies from his adult bag of songs appealed to tykes, too. Consequently, blues, work songs, and prison numbers turn up in this gratifying collection, which consists of a 1960-released children's LP in its entirety, plus selections from two other records and a previously unreleased radio track. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A brilliant album for all ages
In many ways, this album is an oddity. First, it is a blues album. The blues are supposed to be about sadness and hard times, yet this a remarkably upbeat album, Second, it is a children's album, except that it may be better appreciated by adults. I have not played this album to children, so I can't say what today's children will make of this album.

There are some traditional children's songs here, including Skip to my Lou, Grey goose and Blue-tailed fly (Jimmy crack corn), but there are other songs which you are more likely to find on standard albums, including Swing low sweet chariot, Rock Island line, Cotton fields, John Henry and Midnight special.

The songs here are sequenced such that all the genuine children's songs are at the front. After all of those come the blues and spirituals. Then come the work songs. Finally, you get some of Leadbelly's best-known songs. This last category confuses things slightly. After all, Cotton fields (included in the work songs) and Pick a bale of cotton (included in the famous songs) fit both categories. If anything, Cotton fields is the more famous of the two. Still, the order in which the songs appear is really not that important, although it was wise to put the real children's songs up front.

I have several children's albums, all carefully selected. This one definitely appeals to adults and serves as a great introduction to Leadbelly's music.

An album to all of the family!!
I'm a bluesfan and have a daughter at age of 11,and since she was a baby the blues was ever a sound listened in my home.So,she likes the blues,and when i 've brought this Leadbelly album,she becomed so interested in that kind of music and it touched me inside.I've explained her all of the history of blues,specially in the person of Leadbelly,his own history too,the hard days at Angola prison,his lyrics asking for liberty,the poverty of that days,and specially the capacity of that suffered man to change all of his own life,when he decided to do what he really knows better,just to play and to sing.Then i could explain her that the man can changes the reality,just with some educative activities,and the music ,is one of that.
So, i really recomends this album for all of the families,as a good way to start new relations between all of this families members! We must believe in the capacity to change our lives with good intentions and with actions to reach all we want.
The cover art of this cd reveals the envolvement between an experienced bluesman,and that younger audience,linked by just the great music that echoes from Leadbelly guitar!
This is a historical set of musics for adults and childrens everywhere.To the family!

pure gold--if your tastes run this way
I resolved to have them play Jimmy Crack Corn at my funeral--it might be the only way I can every get anyone to listen to this tune. It's sublime.
Leadbelly is ineffable. If you have only heard his blues, I don't think you've really heard the whole man. You must buy this record!
Singing and talking to kids brings out his incredible sweetness. No wonder he got those governers to spring him from prison!

rockin' the cradle
The songs on this CD are delightful. Not being an educator nor a parent, I won't speculate on the efficacy of this CD for young people. I know that I like it, and it brings a smile to my face as I listen to Mr. Ledbetter. Even the song about a menacing bug, BOLLWEEVIL, is fun the way he plays it. The PIG LATIN SONG is so ridiculous and childlike, I just have to laugh. I enjoy the standards by Mr Ledbetter, also, GOOD MORNING BLUES, ROCK ISLAND LINE and COTTON FIELDS. Mr Jeff Place writes a comprehenseive set of notes which explains a great deal about this great man's life. "Through Alan Lomax, he met people like Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Aunt Molly Jackson, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Josh White, and all of the musicians he encountered were influenced by Lead Belly's music." As an introduction to the song WHEN A MAN'S A LONG WAY FROM HOME, Mr Place writes, "Lead Belly clearly thought that children could be introduced to the feeling of the blues," The Columnist Walter Winchel wrote, "How could anyone make a children's record with a convicted murderer?" Smithsonian Folkways did, and I am glad of that. If you are interested in the songs of Mr Huddie LedBetter (1888-1949) or if you are interested in delightful Folk Tunes from the US, this CD will be interesting to you.

I wholeheartedly agree
If I have kids, this is probably the only"children's" album that I will play for them (with theexception of Alan Lomax's "American Folk Songs for Children," included on the "Sounds of the South" box set). Wacky, stupid kids music has ultimately dumbed children down, as has many idiotic kids movies (and products with ridiculous logos, etc. to appeal to children). Basically, I believe that anything adults don't wanna listen to, children should not listen to. It is my opinion that kids will be amazed by anything. Any music, any movie, any book, without judgement. I wouldn't hesitate to read my kid "the Brothers Karamazov," though I don't expect he'd understand it all. This album will teach children many important folk songs and ballads (maybe help revive the tradition, though not likely), and also incline them towards music in a profound way. To hell with Raffi. Listen to Leadbelly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The harmonica's not exactly an imposing instrument; who would guess that a pocket- sized hunk of metal could be capable of so much expression? Volume 16 of Rhino's BluesMasters series shows just how much; the harp can trade leads with the vocals (Jimmy CottonBlues Quartet, "Cotton Crop Blues," Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band, "HelpMe"), lay down a raw edge (Papa Lightfoot, "Jump the Boogie"), or playsmooth as you please (William Clarke, "Pawnshop Bound"). As even a cursoryexamination of the above performers will indicate, the harmonica is well represented in all stylesof blues; Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson, J. Geils, and Howlin' Wolf appear here as well.As capable as a horn or guitar of carrying the lead, and infinitely more portable, the harmonicamay well be one of the most expressive and versatile instruments out there, and MoreHarmonica Classics offers several excellent examples. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (2)

thrash punk at its worst
I thought sublime was good, but this cd proved me wrong. Instead if hard core reggae rock, i was disapointed to hear stupid, painful, harmonicas. I mean it REALLY SUCKED. I mean by the time it was over, i had put at least 5 pairs of ear plugs on.

A Must for hamonicists and harmonophiles
This power-packed CD is a must for both players and lovers of the harmonica, particularly of the blues-harp variety.

Most all of the tunes here are listenable, but some mighty powerful stuff abounds. On Howlin' Wolf's number, he sounds as if he's playing 2 harps at once. Junior Wells, in his rendition of Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Help Me," does a moving tribute to Sonny II both vocally and harmonically (as Sonny II died shortly before this was recorded). Sonny I is well represented here with "Shake Your Boogie" (although his harmonica is drowned out by the other instruments in parts of this song).

The king of Country blues harmonica, Sonny Terry, does an amazing turn with "Hootin' Blues Pt. 2" which defies written description. Wisely, Magic Dick Seltzer's classing "Whammer Jammer" is also included, as it sounds as if this tune may have been inspired by the above-mentioned Sonny Terry tune (listen and compare).

So for anyone who likes good harmonica music, listen and enjoy. For aspiring harmonicists, you may have think you've got it down pat, but listen to this to see how far you still need to go. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Invaluable Collection of Heartfelt Songs
This 30-song collection of field recordings from 1934-1946 accurately reflect the role music played in the the everyday lives of rural America. When you listen to these songs, not only do you hear the joys and fears and sorrows of the performers' lives, you often hear in the background children laughing, dogs barking, clocks ticking, trucks driving by. These are not professional musicians, but real people who deliver their songs with an intensity and honesty you can't find in the recording studio.

Each performer has his own unique story. Turner Junior was a blind street musician who accompanies himself on harmonica on the spiritual "When I Lay My Burden Down." He philosphically tells Alan Lomax that when you leave this earthly life "you'll see with a spiritual eye." A young Ora Dell Graham was attending the Drew Colored High School (which also schooled elementary students) where she recites a couple of playground rhymes. The liner notes tell us she would not live to see her twenty-first year. She was killed during a holdup.

This collection also covers a wide range of the American musical experience. "Rock Island Line" is performed by a group of convicts at the Arkansas Cummins State Farm. The traditional folk song "Soldier's Joy" is performed (in Lomax's words) by "two blind men and three day laborers." "Creek Lullaby" is sung a capella by a young Native American girl identified only as Margaret, whose haunting vocal is made all the more memorable by singing the song in Creek. Fiddler Jess Morris was a working cowboy in Texas when he recorded "Goodbye, Old Paint."

Each song on this collection has a fascinating story behind it, and the accompanying 40-page booklet tells them all in loving and meticulous detail. The importance of the exhaustive work of John and Alan Lomax can not be overstated. These historical recordings would be lost to time if not for their efforts. It is impossible to listen to these recordings without being moved. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Comfort food for the ears...
Haunting ballads, stories and lively dance tunes sung by "regular people" (including Woody Guthrie) provide a musical history of rare breadth. If you are looking for slickness and glitz, this CD is not for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy honest music, are interested in folk history, and perhaps are a closet (or shower) singer yourself, you will enjoy this glimpse into the souls of people whose spirits fill these songs.

An added bonus is the booklet that is included. It provides background on the Library of Congress's Folk Archive and the field recordings done by John, Alan, and Elizabeth Lomax in the late 30's to mid-40's. It also gives a short song and artist history for each track. The fact that one child singer died before her 21st birthday makes her song especially haunting.

Many of us live comfortably insulated, yuppified, sanitized lives. These recordings remind us where we came from. Most importantly, they demonstrate the power of music, that it feeds our souls and gives us strength. We all have that power to make music. Some of us have just forgotten how to do it, or have been told we should not try to sing or play. These songs help us remember on many levels, and show us that making music is a blessing we are all capable of enjoying.

Sea Lion Woman Youve gotta buy it!
This particular song made me want to purchase this CD its a wonderful song even my kids love singing it. If your a FOLK MUSIC fan you'll love the CD its great!

TRUST ME

A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings
I purchased this CD so I could listen to Sea Lion Woman, a song I heard during the final credits to The General's Daughter. The other 29 songs were an added bonus. Some of these songs, recorded in the 30's and 40's, are a real joy to listen to. Also included with the CD is a small booklet telling you about each song. To hear "Pullin' the Skif" and "Shortenin' Bread", only to learn that the young singer died in a hold-up she perpetrated before her twenty-first birthday just grabs the heart.

America singing
Ever since 1928, the Library of Congress has been recording authentic folk musicians in the field. Eventually, a small number of these recordings were released commercially, first on 78s, then LPs and now CDs (on Rounder's Archive of Folk Culture series). On this disc, banjoist, playwright, and ethnomusicologist Stephen Wade has chosen 30 of the best of the publicly available performances, representing a broad range of styles. All are from the 1930s and '40s, before America's rich folk-song tradition began to collapse under the onslaught of radio and pop music on phonograph records. Every cut here is a small masterpiece, and every one stands up to repeated listening. Among my own favorites is cowboy fiddler Jess Morris's "Goodbye, Old Paint," the earliest known version of this famous frontier waltz; Morris learned it in 1884 from a black Texas cowhand, who in turn picked it up while driving cattle to Wyoming in the 1870s. Pennsylvanian John J. Quinn does a blood-chilling, unaccompanied "Avondale Mine Disaster," and Mississippi bluesman David "Honeyboy" Edwards makes "Worried Life Blues" sound practically like an orchestral piece, though accompanied by no more than his acoustic guitar. Banjo pickers, fiddlers, harmonica blowers, washboard bands, a capella balladeers, church and prison choirs, children's chants and mother's lullabies -- you can hear America singing on this wonderful disc. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Few blues artists covered as much territory as did Muddy Waters, and it's more than evident if you put this collection and The Complete Plantation Recordings side by side. Even more than the prior His Best collection, these recordings illustrate Waters's talent not only as a composer and performer (as usual, many of the songs were written by Willie Dixon), but also as a bandleader. The backing musicians--including several who were by now name artists in their own right, such as James Cotton, Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, Little Walter, and A.C. Reed--are tight as a drum and smooth as a greased axle. This essential collection contains several classics, including but not limited to "Got My Mojo Working" (Waters's studio take on what has to be the most-covered blues song in existence), "She's Nineteen Years Old," "Good Morning, Little School Girl," "The Same Thing," "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "You Shook Me," and "You Need Love" (which will sound oddly familiar to Led Zeppelin fans). It rocks, it rolls, it shakes, it's quintessential Chicago blues. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (8)

You gotta have it!
If the first part of this series gives you the transition from delta slide acoustic to electric blues versions of the same thing, and some of the most graphic and personal recordings of the blues ever done, besides standards no cultured person can be without, this CD is a record of the birth and perfection of the electric blues band, and a classic version of that band with some of the greatest soloists of the blues working for Muddy. I don't play in blues bands. In fact, the most band music I play is in old timey string bands, but still this record speaks to me about the meaning of a tight band, the way great soloists can work with a great master, and the way a great creator created what we now call the Chicago Blues (which was actually the third or fourth wave of Chicago based blues).
Of course, like the previous CD in this series, the songs are so much fun, speak so much truth, and are such a strong part of the real culture, not just of the blues, but of the entire world, that you should have it. I think this series is all right to have, because with Muddy, you need to have it all, at least up to about 1962 or 1963 when he started making toooooooooooooooo many albums and making rip off albums for the "folk blues audience," although the album with that title is a superb one.
If you don't know, Muddy Waters is still one of the great artists of the 20th Century in any genre. You are loving somet hing precious about the world if you don't have his classic recordings.

Great overview of Muddy's late-50s-mid-60s material
A must-have companion volume to "His Best: 1947-1955", this CD brings together almost all of Muddy Waters' finest songs from 1956-64, including superb electric blues classics like "Forty Days And Forty Nights", "Got My Mojo Working", "The Same Thing", and the swinging, swaggering "I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love".

This is not a complete career retrospective, obviously, but if you don't want to invest in the elaborate three-disc "Chess Box", the two "His Best" CDs are a very fine alternative. The only "problem" is that the superbly well compiled double-disc "Anthology 1947-72" features 50 songs and costs a dollar or two less than this CD and "His Best: 1947-1955" put together, which makes it a slightly better purchase.

Not as good and gritty as 1947-55, but still excellent
By the late fifties, Muddy Waters was as rich and famous as an African-American performing a distinctly African-American form of music could be in the late fifties. The singer was now far removed from the rowdy environments, grueling day labor and lack of genuine opportunity that inspired most blues songs. Thus, this compilation, collecting Waters' best cuts from the late fifties and early sixties, is significantly less gritty than its companion piece, His Best 1947 to 1955. A loss of rawness and gutsy-ness, however, should not be confused with a loss of ability, passion and relevance (or at least not a complete loss of ability, passion and relevance). Waters is still the powerful vocalist, clever wordsmith and dynamite guitar player he was when he released "She Moves Me" and "Mannish Boy." Although it is not the unyielding succession of great material that is 1947 to 1955, 1956 to 1964 is home to more than a few undeniable blues classics, "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "Forty Days and Forty Nights," "Rock Me," and "Got My Mojo Workin'" among them.

Two musical changes signify Waters' change in status. First of all, Waters relied less on touch-talking like that found in pervious hits such as "Rollin' Stone" and "Hoochie Coochie Man" and more on love and relationship-related lyrics. Such songs range from breezy and gentle ("Just to Be With You," "Rock Me") to fast and celebratory ("Close to You," "You Need Love") to cool and upbeat ("She's Into Something," "Diamonds at Your Feet") to painfully mournful ("You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "Forty Days and Forty Nights) but are always filled with passion and gusto and continually give the impression that Waters always gave 100%. Second of all, as the words are less intense, the music is given a greater chance to breathe. These tracks feature greater emphasis on instrumentation, which is absolutely no drawback, when instrumentation is supplied by the likes of James Cotton, Jimmy Rogers, Earl Hooker, Little Walter and Buddy Guy. The tracks on which this change is most pleasantly apparent include "All Aboard," featuring an unforgettable dual between harmonica players, Cotton and Little Walter; "Good Mourning Little School Girl" in which the backing band joins together in euphoric companionship and the astounding "Got My Mojo Workin'," in which every performer seems to be racing against another. For moments such as these, His Best 1956 to 1964, despite being a downgrade in roughness and consistentcy from His Best 1947 to 1955, is another important addition to any blues collection.

Prefer the Earlier Years
While Muddy Waters is always a quantum leap above most other blues men, I prefer the earlier compilation: "His Best 1947-1956". The song content is sometimes gimmicky here; I suspect he was thinking about his audience too much. There are even some songs I have to skip entirely.

Still a great CD to own for these songs: A fantastically swinging "All Aborad" with great harmonica playing again by Little Walter, "Forty Days & Forty Nights", a very serious "Rock Me" and my favorite - "You Shook Me".

Perhaps more than the earlier compilation, these songs show a range of structure that's wide and high.

Muddy was a full grown bluesman
When you want a best of from your favorite blues artist, there's no better place to go than Chess Records. And they don't dissappoint with this compilation of Muddy's best from the second half of his carrer. Muddy was often imitated but never duplicated. I first saw Muddy in the great documentary "The Last Waltz", when he joined The Band and Paul Butterfield on stage to do "Mannish Boy". When he sings the words "I'm a full grown Man and when I make love to a woman she can't resist", with that famous head shake of his, you just can't help but believe this man means what he says. Muddy Waters was, without a doubt, one of the greatest, most influential musicians of the 20th century. This is essential listening for any true blues lover. And if you don't like this album, you might get punished in the afterlife by having to listen to Yanni and Enya for eternity. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Invaluable document of a great talent
The irony of Robert Johnson's superstar status is hard to miss. He was almost completely ignored by the music-buying public of his day, even in the market his records were aimed at. Yet in the present day, he's practically the only country blues artist most people know about. On one level, this is because of relentless championing by other blues artists, not least Eric Clapton. On another level, Johnson's fame rests on the fact that he was able to write, or more properly pull together from his various mentors and influences, his songs and make them complete unto themselves. His songs have made an impact, and have been covered time and again by countless artists. That counts for something.

Part of who Robert Johnson was as a singer and songwriter is obscured by his legend, which has been retold so often it borders on cliche. But even after the hype has been dismissed, this box set shows Johnson as a powerful, innovative, soulful blues man, a great performer and a great songwriter (in the context of blues songwriting) with his own unique sound.

Johnson was not without his influences, and if he had lived he would have told you that himself. However, the interesting thing was that he managed to transform his influences and personalize them into his own vision of the blues, a blues that was one of the first steps away from country blues toward city blues - a vision that would eventually become Chicago blues.

It has been fashionable in blues circles to put Robert Johnson down recently, and to gripe about how Johnson's influences should be as well known as he is. This is a valid point. However, Johnson became an influence himself, and as such, he still deserves a good deal of respect. This box set, which contains every recording he is known for, is a just tribute to a brilliant singer, songwriter and performer.

The remastering is surprisingly good, considering the sources. Johnson's voice and guitar playing come through vividly and illustrate his wealth of talent. The only possible drawback to this box set, for the casual listener, is the number of alternate takes included. They show that Johnson was an adept performer, because a lot of the alternates are similar to the "released" versions. This showed that he was no closet bluesman or flash-in-the-pan, but was adept at entertaining an audience. And to this day his guitar playing is astonishingly fluid and innovative. However, the repetitiveness of the alternate takes can become trying to people who are not students of the blues, and for the casual listener a single-disc set would probably be sufficient.

This box set, is, and remains, a worthy overview of a talent that received its due far too late. I would advise the listener not to be put off by people who would place Johnson's influences over him, but to listen to Johnson on his own merits. My guess is that he'll win you over, as he has generations of listeners.

Perhaps the 29 most influential songs of the 20th century
Robert Johnson is most emulated of the Mississippi bluesmen and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His inovative guitar style was extensively copied by the early rock stars and and has continued to influence modern musicians. When a country hick named Elvis Presley was auditioning for Sun Records in the early 50s he played several Robert Johnson tunes. Other musicians deeply influenced by Johnson include Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Johnson had very large hands so his songs are almost impossible to immitate due to the incredible difficulty of fretting them. Keith Richards said "I was hearing two guitars, and it took me a long time to realize he was actually doing it all by himself." According to legend Johnson got his amazing guitar skills by selling his soul to the Devil at a Mississippi crossroads one evening in 1930. People say the evidence is in songs like Crossroad Blues, Up Jumped the Devil, Me and the Devil Blues, and Hell Hound on My Trail. Johnson had only recorded these 29 songs before he was poisoned by a jealous husband in 1938 when he was only 26 years old.

Johnson's songs are characterized by an intensity of raw emotion and incredible creativity. The lyrics are haunted and really stick in your mind. My favorites are Crossroad Blues, Last Fair Deal Gone Down and of course, Love in Vain, one of the most beutiful blues songs ever written. No true blues fan would deny that Robert Johnson was the greatest bluesman of all time.

Best blues I have ever heard!
This is one of the first blues C.D.s I ever bought, and it is the best. I have since perchaced C.D.s by Muddy Waters, Charley Patton, Son House, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson and several others, and while they are all very good none of them are as good as Robert Johnson. I definitely recomend this to anyone even slightly interested in the bles.

I would like to point out that the reviewer calling himself Tony Thomas is RACIST. I have read several of his reviews and he uses the term "bleus lovers" derisively put into quotes to refer to whites. When he says real blues people he obviously is talking about blacks. These slightly hidden racist slurs and his general tone is elitist and offensive. I would have thought that amazon would be ethical enough not to post this sort of RACIST PROPAGANDA!

The Greatest Music Ever!
In ''Robert Johnson : The Complete Recordings'', you will hear the most powerful blues there is. Robert Johnson's music is more than great, it's magic, it's indefinable. I've never heard anything like that and I know I never will find anything similar. He creates a blues world of his own where everything is possible. He brings you in his visions, his fears, his joys, his hopes, his loves, his travels... Also, his guitar skills are fantastic, his emotion is truely unique and his lyrics really define the everyday life of a traveling black blues musician in the 30's and also visions (or not) he had (Me And The Devil Blues, Hell Hound On My Trail, Cross Road Blues), inspiring incredibly dark and superb lyrics of an artist who died way too young.

Most people know Robert Johnson's story, so I'm not going to write it A G A I N, but I would just like to say to people who think Robert Johnson's music sucks because 'his singing is bad, he plays acoustic, he sings stupidities and the sound quality is awful' that they prove their lack of musical culture. Robert Johnson is without a doubt an icon in blues music, and music in general. He's - to me - the greatest musician ever (whatever the time period or the style). This Complete Recordings is definitely an item you should own, but we aware that the sound quality isn't as good as modern CDs (that box set was issued in 1990, and the tracks come from 78's of the 30's), but the music inside is extremelly powerful. Also be aware that this box set, who's said to contain each Robert Johnson's takes, actually doesn't contain 'Traveling Riverside Blues (take 2), which does appear on a more recent compilation called 'I'm A Steady Rollin' Man' (who also has the 41 other tracks available here). But that's a very small complaint, since they haden't yet realized - back in 1990 - that the second take of that song was on the 1961 LP : King Of The Delta Blues Singers.

However, this item is great and is one you should have in your collection. Whatever the kind of music you listen to, you will find yourself in admiration before the legacy a certain Robert Johnson left more than sixty-five years ago...

Statistics for statistics buffs, not music
Look: There are forty-one tracks on this album, but only twenty-nine songs. How to account for the discrepancy? Well, I can't. All I can say is that someone who wants to listen to multiple takes IN A ROW of the same songs EVERY TIME he listens to an album is NOT interested in music. Next time, if we really have to have alternate takes, let's confine them to a separate disc, please. Thank you very much. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This mellow-toned singer and pianist came to prominence in the mid-'40s as part of Johnny Moore's Three Blazers. Moore's brother Oscar was a member of Nat "King" Cole's trio, a group that greatly influenced the direction of the Blazers. With Moore's fluid guitar and Brown's mellifluous voice, the Blazers pioneered the refined, jazz-influenced West Coast school of blues. Nineteen forty-five's "Driftin Blues" brought the trio national attention, but after recording a handful of tunes under his own name (with the Blazers still behind him), Brown broke away for good and rolled up a series of R&B hits for Aladdin, ending with the 1956 classic "Merry Christmas, Baby." With a deft piano touch and a rich, sultry vocal approach, Brown brought blues to the lounge. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Classic piano blues
This is really the only CD available (that I'm aware of) of the late blues pianist and singer's seminal 1940s & '50s sides for Aladdin Records. As such, it's pretty essential. Hits like "Driftin' Blues" (originally credited to Johnny Moore & His Three Blazers), "Black Night," "Trouble Blues," and "In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down" are all here. The 20+ tracks make it a little difficult to sit through from beginning to end, but this really is classic music from one of the legends of blues. His later work, after his "rediscovery" in the late 1980s, is also worth hearing.

Everyone should own a copy of this one.
I was saddened to read of Charles Brown's passing two weeks ago.

My favorite of his was his 1961 Christmas album on King.

This album won't disappoint you. It's best appreciated when you want to relax. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This is a par-excellent album!!!
This is a wonderful album, I love it! Dorsey is a master, and this album includes a powerful testimony before track one, describing the moving story of the death of his wife, and the inspiration for writing "Precious Lord, Take My Hand". Top to bottom this album is a gospel classic!

One of the Greatest Collections ever
This CD is one of the greatest collections of gospel music ever. This father of gospel music and master songwriter has captured the essence of his relationship with his God and has passed that relationship on to subsequent generations for us to consider. The songs are so well done. You can feel every story he sings about in his songs. I recommend this collection to people of all ages and races.

Mr. Dorsey's Gospel songs are truly from the heart.
I enjoy my "Precious Lord" CD very much. These songs, by Thomas A. Dorsey are truly from the heart, and the artists have done a wonderful job of singing them as they were meant to be sung. I especially enjoyed the booklet with his story that came with the CD. I'm waiting for the movie!

best form of black gospel music
this is the way gospel music suppose to sound.the music we hear today is not gospel. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

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

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

Reviews (2)

Tooo Cruuuude!
Oh man! This puts Barnacle Bill the Sailor to shame. Just give a listen to song#5! Yikers!!!

Good Collection of Naughty Tunes -- Including One Zinger
From almost the beginning of recorded music, songs have had some kind of sexual content. Compared to today where little is left to the imagination, this artists make clever use of double-entendres to tell their stories.

For example, there's Lil Johnson's "My Stove's in Good Condition" in which she asks someone to "stick your match right in the hole." In Bo Carter's "My Pencil Won't Write No More" he complains that when he tries to write his pencil is "drooping."

For those who want something a little less subtle there's Lucille Bogan's previously unreleased version of "Shave 'Em Dry." Lucille Bogan was as raunchy as any contemporary rapper way back in 1935! If you thought gangsta rap started the use of graphic language in music -- think again. There are lines in this track that would make Ice Cube blush (well, almost). In one of the track's tamer verses she says, "I'm going to turn back my mattress and let you oil my springs/I want you to grind me daddy till the bells do ring." If that's too much for you, there's her very different "clean" version. It's so different that you'll swear it was sung by a different person (who knows, it might be!).

Overall, "Raunchy Business" lives up to its title. However, with the exception of Lucille Bogan's alternate version of "Shave 'Em Dry," it won't offend most adults as long as its not a formal function. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A founding father of electric blues in general and Texas blues in particular, guitarist T-Bone Walker influenced countless blues players and, by extension, countless rock & rollers as well. The Complete Imperial Recordings date from the early to mid-1950s, when the idea of electric blues was really taking hold, and the two-disc set is a wealth of classic songs exquisitely performed. While definitely blues, there's more difference between this and the acoustic blues that predated Walker than amplification can account for; there's jazz and swing mixed in as well, as on tracks like "I Walked Away" and "Strollin' with Bone," and something of that feel has remained in electric blues ever since. From B.B. King to Buddy Guy to Stevie Ray Vaughan and beyond, Walker's influence is felt in the blues up through the present day. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Fine collection of Walker's Imperial sides
Not quite as seminal as "The Complete Capitol/Black & White Recordings", this is nervetheless an excellent collection of T-Bone Walker's 52 sides recorded for Lew Chudd's Imperial Records.

Unlike the Capitol and Black & White-waxings, this double-disc set features almost no alternate takes, just the masters and a couple of 78 versions (the only exceptions being a few alternates that have been chosen over the original masters).
And there is plenty of great stuff here...no "Mean Old World" or "Stormy Monday", sure, but a lot of excellent songs like "Glamour Girl", "The Hustle Is On", "Tell Me What's The Reason", "I'm About To Lose My Mind", "Cold, Cold Feeling," and the classic instrumental "Strollin' With Bones".

This music is not meant to be listened to in one long sitting, obviously...even lead guitar innovator Walker's smoky, jazz-flavoured blues isn't quite varied enough for that, and if you're looking for a place to start, you should go for Rhino's "Blues Masters: The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker", or the excellent "T-Bone Blues" album from Atlantic.
But these 136 minutes of music is a very fine collection for the fan who wants more, and a great tribute to the most influential electric guitar player of all time, the idiom's first true lead guitarist, and still one of its best.

Aaron Thibaux "T-Bone" Walker, my greatest inspiration.
This great musician is my greatest sources of inspiration. He created a unique combination of jazz and blues on his big, acoustic Gibson Es5, a style which can be heard in the playing of many of the legendary guitarists since the mid`40s. Great musicians behind him, great vocals & great guitar. I dedicated my new CD(on amazon.com)to the memery of Aaron Thibaux "T-Bone" Walker. T-Bone; your music is alive and well!

truly excellent value
This 2-CD set was such a pleasant surprise. It's not rough, raw blues, which has its place, but more soft, gentle blues, with a marvelous jazz feel to it.

Most of the tracks are backed by a fine, but not in-your-face horn section.

The guitar playing is superb, bluesy but melodic, and the guitar tone is perfectly adjusted to the material.

Sound quality is excellent--I'm playing it through a valve amplifier and the sound is very satisfying.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but this music is almost a bridge between jazz and blues.

T-Bone, Well Done
This collection is a great, and economical way to experience one of the giants, not only of blues gutar, but guitar period. T-Bone was one of the pioneers of electric guitar along with Charlie Christian. His Imperial works are smooth and urbane, but still pack a solid wallop. The price is right!

As smooth as the blues can get!
This is a blues collection to put on your CD player, flip it to continuous play and let run over and over all day. Blues as smooth as the finest bourbon. T-Bone is a master and it is no surprise that BB King and a lot of others learned from him. A must! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For a man past seventy...
... Wow! What a great disc, country blues at its best. The sweet, Delta-hued voice contrasting with the Piedmont-style guitar in New York City, performing originals and traditional songs with a passion so unique. One of my thirty favorite albums, and the only full album Mr. Hurt saw released in his lifetime. Dig that cover, too... simplistic elegance.

John's Best
I've been listening to this album for over 30 years, and I find myself coming back to it time and time again, both as a guitarist and as someone who loves to listen to good music. I believe this is John's very best, lovingly produced by Patrick Skye who deserves very high praise for the excellent job he did.

I can't begin to say enough good things about this album.

Contrary to what was said in the previous review...
Mississippi John Hurt died in 1966 or at the latest, 1967. For my money there is no album (now CD) more satisfying than Today!

Rediscovered Bluesman at His Best
Back in 1973, the days of real radio, someone played a tune named "Pay Day". Gentle, intricate fingerpicking in the Delta blues style, yet with a tone of humor and sexual maturity. From that point the man had a fan. Turns out John Hurt had some popularity in the late 1920's (I have a recording of his from 1927); and then he vanished. In 1971 he was "rediscovered", having been living quietly in Mississippi. Over sixty years old, he went on tour (including major universities) and recorded 'Today'; his finest studio work. While other recordings are live and/or with a backing guitarist, 'Today' is Mississippi John alone and blazing. Listen to "Talking Casey" and tell me how many guitars you hear (hint:he was alone and there was no over-dubbing). If you want to cheer up, calm down, get funky or just hear an artist in top form ply his craft BUY this! (Note: I paid twenty bucks for Japanese virgin vinyl in '74 - now look at the cost of the CD). ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is more than just another excellently researched, heavily-annotated, and well-recorded Smithsonian Folkways disc of archival old-time sound. Like recordings of fife and drum music, this collection documents a rich African American musical tradition that was all but lost by the 1970s. The textbooks tell us that the banjo was brought to America by enslaved Africans, but the majority of musicians who've recorded with that instrument are white.While many of these modal, story-based folk songs will be familiar--"Coo Coo," "John Henry," "Shortnin' Bread"--there's an edge to these versions that's firmly rooted in the blues. Black Banjo Songsters is an essential compilation of claw-hammer-style banjo playing and deep, Appalachian singing. It happens to redress a historical wrong, but it's also a grand recording of deep, raw folk. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (5)

African American influence on American music
I'm African American and learning how to play the banjo. I tried this CD out from the library and I was very impressed with the old time style banjo music from blacks. And I didn't know that Etta James played the banjo. The song Jaybird played by Ms. Jamess was so beautiful.

It's unfortunate that we don't see many African American playing banjos today and how they contributed the banjo to American culture.

A real "Before The Blues" CD
Only two of the tunes on this CD, "Going Where..." and "Going Away...," are closely related to blues music, in both cases very early blues music. The other thirty tracks are honest-to-goodness 19th-century-style, pre-blues, non-blues folk music -- a whole earlier animal than blues music, which didn't arise until about 1900. For instance, "John Hardy" is about a real West Virginian who was hanged in 1894 (coincidentally the year Dink Roberts was born); "John Hardy" isn't a blues song, and no one has ever found evidence of _any_ blues song existing as early as 1894.

For 19th-century-style banjo, by musicians who were immersed in it during the 1900s to 1930s when they were young and it was still very well-known in some rural areas, you can't do better than this remarkable CD. Many of these banjoists learned their tunes first-hand from banjoists who were born around the 1870s.

If this is your cup of tea, some other wonderful banjoists who recorded similar pre-blues, non-blues folk music, all born in the late 19th century, would be Belton Reese, Jake Staggers, Nathan Frazier, Sidney Stripling, Bill Cornett, Will Slayden, and H.N. Dickens.

Part of the puzzle
Historically and musically speaking, this is an excellent disc. Aside from doing its part to help fill in this gap in America's musical picture, it also delivers some stellar performances.

This disc gives us not only a glimpse into the nearly forgotten world of African American banjo playing, but also snapshots of varying personal and regional styles.

Of the artists captured on this disc, Dink Roberts, his son James, John Snipes' instrumental pieces, and Rufus Kasey would get my votes for the top musicians on the disc, with Dink being the pinnacle. With as many banjo styles, playing styles, and personal styles as there are in the world, there are times during this disc when I feel like Dink has one of the ultimate, definitive tones and styles. His CooCoo is almost unrecognizeable from the tune you most likely know from Clarence Ashley, Hobart Smith, etc... yet it is every bit as interesting.

This is an essential disc for anyone even partially interested in banjo music and history, but purchasing it alone won't quite give you the full picture. To really maximize this disc, I recommend that you buy it in tandem with the excellent book, African Banjo Echoes In Appalachia (which is also available at this website). They are companion pieces written and recorded by the same woman and should be considered inseparable.

From the various CooCoo's to the 2 excellent but differing versions of Shortnin' Bread, John Hardy to Georgie Buck, there are many stand-out performances in this collection.

You are going to want this!
Wonderful CD--some bizarre song content that makes you glad that is in an unedited collection of songs. Free form thoughts just pouring out--you really feel like you are there sitting next to these people. This is authentic old music--not for people who sort-of like old stuff. I recommend this CD, it is one that I've passed around to 5 or 6 friends. Stuff most people haven't heard unless they listen to esoteric public radio broadcasts in the back woods at 6 AM.

A treasure for old-time music lovers, anthropologists & you
Archival, yes, but the music contained on this CD is more vital than you can imagine. It must be heard to be believed. Listening to the likes of John Snipes and Dink Roberts changed my life. This is banjo music to calm the weary soul...and give it just the bit of thrill we all deserve. Plus, buying CDs on the Smithsonian/Folkways label is a way to help them continue their valuable work. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's 1950s recordings fuse the energy of big-band horns, the shuffles and boogies of R&B, and his own white-hot guitar leads. Greatly influenced by fellow Texans Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, Brown absorbed their smooth, melodic, single-string solo technique, but added a rough-edged intensity to his explosive style. The slow blues "Dirty Work at the Crossroads" added Jimmy McCracklin's rolling piano to Brown's bold and brash guitar work, but it was the 1954 instrumental "Okie Dokie Stomp" that put Brown on the map. With blaring horns urging him on, Brown attacks the music with ferocity. "Ain't That Dandy" is another instrumental guitar romp, while 1959's "Just Before Dawn" features Brown's swinging violin. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Gate" opens many many doors
The Peacock Recordings are wonderful, to me, who came late (just in the last 15 years) to Gatemouth's army off fans. His fiddle sizzles, his guitar is immediately recognizable - a veritable signature style. It's hard to distinguish between these tunes and most of his recent releases. To say that is a curse to some but to my ears it means he has ploughed many many different rows and yet the Gate imprint is on every one. Fans or would-be buyers should also check out his "new world" (somebody else's term not mine) recordings with a Namibian drummer and Ry Cooder. Better yet, if you can find it, check out his "Making Music" album created with Roy Clark (yes, Hee Haw's Roy Clark, 5 or 10 times winner of artist of the year in circles around Nashville). A veritable how-to for about six or seven different kinds of blues-ish music. Buy this Peacock album, play it (or inflict it) on friends because they will only - ears open - love it. It is musicians like Gatemouth who make the blues so personal, so enduring, so powerful. A living history that I pray will be still accessible twenty, nay, 50 years from now.

Gatemouth's swinging blues...
T-Bone swings, B.B. swings, and Gatemouth swings. Rare blues violin performance shines. A1 sound quality. You must have one.

Rare violin blues.
Although most tracks are guitar blues, the finest part of this compilation is, needless to say, "violin blues". It is a shame that this phenomenal blues violinist recorded only one violin blues song.

Raw, Untreated Bayou Blues
He's from New Orleans, but this CD is pure Houston bayou blues. The telecaster broadcasts like a megaphone being electrocuted. The vocals are powerful. This CD jams; modern day pretenders will go back home after listening to this piece of plastic and practice, practice, practice. ... Read more