Reviews (1)

Master of the Blues
A well-rounded collection of songs spanning the life of the Master. The tunes are not limited to the classics, although the B.B. King traditionalist will be left wanting nothing! The selections are conveniently arranged in chronological order, making it possible to watch the progression of one of the most influential and diverse bluesmen ever. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Check out The Florida Kid !
I would give this CD 5 stars if it weren't for the poor sound on the last Charly West recordings and Willie Right's songs.
The Florida Kid is an great singer and his songs are just great to listen to. He is all out there, unrestrained and having a good time singing. The piano accompaniment is perfect.
Bob White is just as good, playing boogie piano and singing like crazy. This is real crazy blues !
The first 3 songs by Charly West show him to be a good singer with a distinct style. Willie Right is not as good as the others but he is certainly a certified bluesman.
These are all unknown bluesmen who recorded a few songs and disappeared. They have a freshness in them that will appeal to anyone listening to pre-war blues. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Give it a chance with repeated listening
Although I'm originally from Spartanburg myself and know relatives of the people on this record, I'll be objective.

These tracks from 1938-39 of groups from in and around Spartanburg, SC consist of what I call "your grandmother's gospel." Unlike the jazzy uptempo tunes of prewar Gospel Jubilee Groups like the Golden Gate Quartet, the Spartanburg groups tended to specialize in a slower, hymnlike style. This is not as accesible to the casual, modern listener as the GGQ, Soul Stirrers, etc. but give it a chance with repeated listening and the harmonies could be quite appealing. Check the Gospel Light Jubliee Singers pre-doowop stylings in "Go Where I Send Thee" and the Spartanburg Famous Four's vocal stylings on "Satan Your Kingdom Must Go Down" and you will tap your feet and sing along, if not as fast as you would to the more uptempo groups. Gospel fans may be intrigued to know that Robert Hardy of the Gospel Light Jubilee Singers taught Ira Tucker of the Dixie Hummingbirds how to sing.

One minor complaint, like most Documet CD's this one suffers from being transferred from scratchy 78's without being "cleaned up." So beware of the clicks and pops. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

How I review the Blues Master Sampler CD
By just reading the title of this CD, you can see that you are picking up a somewhat eclectic compilation of the Blues Master collection being put out by Rhino Records. And after listening to this CD, I can say that Rhino has really picked out a great selection to show what this collection has to offer. As you start the album you are hit with high-flying sound of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, one of he leading blues revivalist of the early 1960's. After being set in the mood, the CD throws a strong set of songs from the fiery electricity of Muddy Water's "You Need Love" to the magnificent finger-styled blues of Mississippi John Hurt's "Candy Man". Though Rhino could have just stayed intent on the guitar-driven stylings of the aforementioned bluesmen, the collection also shines a light on the jazz elements that always seems to intertwine within the blues. A track has been added for each of the jazz singers Ruth Brown ("Wild Wild Young Men") and Billie Holiday ("Stormy Blues") to show that blues aren't the only ones that feel the blues. And after all the guitars have played and the bands have toned down, you find yourself listening at the sheer roots of the blues as you listen to "Go Down Old Hannah" sung by a chain gang in a Texas Prison Camp. All in all, this collection blues grabs the attention of the listener and makes them want to buy more of this magnificent collection from Rhino and thats why I give this collection 5 stars.

Dom Flemons ... Read more