Reviews (4)

DON'T BE A DUMMY!!!!!!
Don't be a dummy. Any fool knows the brothers Chess, Leonard and what's his name virtually wrote the book when it comes to Chicago Blues. It's a no brainer. Now I ask you, where else do you find a more classic lineup of stars? From Muddy to Wolf, from Little Milton to Buddy Guy, John Lee to JB, (Lenoir that is) And let's not forget Willie Dixon and Bo Diddley and so many more.

And what about the songs from Hi Heel Sneekers to Mona, to Suzie Q to I Just Want To Make Love To You.......to Sweet Little Sixteen to Trouble No More..........Well you know the rest. Afterall the title of the record is Blues-Rock Songbook......That says it all....So don't be a dummy...All right?

A great starting kit for the curious
This double-disc duplicates some of the track lists from "Chess Blues Classics 1947-1956" and "Chess Blues Classics 1957-1967", cutting some songs and adding others, particularly four songs by rock n' roll pioneer (and non-bluesman) Chuck Berry.

These CDs are of no interest whatsoever to the more experienced blues or R&B fan (no rarities), and the presence of a handful of early rock n' roll cuts amid all these blues classics is a little odd. But if you're a newcomer to the blues, or Chess Records in general, this album is a very fine place to start, since it gathers some excellent selections by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson II and others.

Jimmy Rogers' classic "Walking By Myself" is here, complete with a howling harp solo by Big Walter Horton, and other highlights (of which there are too many to mention all of them) include Eddie Boyd's slow, soulful "Twenty-Four Hours", Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Mother Earth" by Memphis Slim, and two of Howlin' Wolf's best songs (and two of the best electric blues tunes ever), "The Red Rooster", and the thundering steam engine "Killing Floor".

4 1/2 stars. A great place to start appreciating the huge Chess legacy.

Absolutely essential for any CD collection
Anyone who knows the blues, knows rock, and knows R&B, needs this album! The liner notes say these two CDs could easily have been four, and I wholeheartedly agree! The tunes drift, casually, from blues, to rock, to R&B, and somewhere in the middle of all his music the listener finally "gets" how rock 'n' roll came to be. The sound quality is great. (Except for my track 4 on CD 1 of Sugar Mama, by John Lee Hooker, which was scratched, sadly.) Still, the music flows, deep, dark, and you can see the allure this music held for Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Savoy Brown and the many others who used this music as a jumping off spot for what emerged as middle-class rock in the '70s. Especially noteworthy on these two CDs are the phenomenal contributions made by Willie Dixon (the great bass-playing songwriter!), Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. That's not to negate the other contributions, by any means. Not a weak track is among the 36 on this 2-CD collection! But listening to Muddy, John Lee, Chuck Berry and others, I am just blown away how MUCH of the music of the '60s and '70s is indebted to these musical giants, many of whom are sadly forgotten. There are a lot of blues-rock compilations out there, but this one stands far and above the others in terms of overall sonic quality, and in the selection of absolutely essential tunes. One of the sadly overlooked GREAT CDs of the '90s! Worth more than five stars...

....and people get snooty over "classic" rock!
Most fans of classic rock forget how very, very close it is and came from the blues and R & B. This is a great place to find that out if you don't really know. Chess records places songs from their collection on this 2 disk set that are used for the basis for rock tunes to come. It even lists which bands covered or used these songs in the booklet.

Forgetting that, this is a great bunch of music with some TRUE classics on it. Great introduction to some classic blues as well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ESTHER PHIPPIPS MASTERPIECE!!! Bravo Esther!!!!
One of the best singers for all time, Esther Phillips was never finer that in this awesome collection that moved Lady Soul herself to give Esther The Grammy that she herself had won but knew Esther truly deserved!! I have always loved Aretha as I was fortunate to experience this Legend In Concert in a small club while in my teens in 1964, but when Aretha made this totally unselfish move, I really delevoped an even deeper love and RESPECT for her!! Esther was a child star who grew up way too fast and I believe that this laid the foundation that made for a difficult life for this brilliant but troubled singer. When Esther went into the studio and laid down the tracks for this classic masterpiece, she was in top form and at any price this incredible work would be a bargain as this will never happen again!! Raw and naked emotion and extraordinary vocal brilliance are stunning here and hearing and feeling is believing!! In my huge collection nothing is cherished quite like this one!!! Thank you Esther for sharing such incredible brilliance and leaving behind timeless classics such as this wonderous collection for us to enjoy for all time!!!
BRAVO ESTHER!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shorty is one of those artists who has never received his due. The fact that he influenced both the great Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix is almost beside the point. He is an uncommonly good blues guitarist in his own right and a powerful vocalist to boot. Roll Over, Baby is full of memorable sides like the slightly risqué title cut, a nostalgic lover's plea. Shorty also does a fine "Hey Joe" a la Hendrix, yet firmly imprints it with his own stamp. And when Shorty says "Don't Mess with My Woman," you'd better listen. His biting guitar is reminiscent of the late Albert King with a little Clapton thrown in. Pick up this disc and you too will wonder why this master has been overlooked. --Lars Gandil ... Read more

Reviews (5)

good time blues
if you like buddy guy you will love this cd great version of hey joe

cd contains slow blues and uptempo blues with a lot of solos

ROLL OVER,BABY
GUITAR SHORTY IS THE MAN HE PLAY'S HIS GUITAR LIKE A SOLDIER SHOOTING A MACHINE GUN. I LOVE THE TRIBUTE TO JIMMY HENDRIX -HEY JOE- CUT 12 JUST AWSOME..BUY THIS ONE..

A Great Guitar Player
I am lucky enough to have an autographed copy of this CD as I saw Shorty in Chicago. He blew me away. His playing is just tasty. It's not over the top all the time. If you're a guitar player, Shorty takes you to school on how to shape and form a solo. His version of "Hey Joe" is a classic, while songs like "Pork Chop" are just fun. The CD features a nice mix of fast and slow tempo which stops it from blending all together. A great guy, a GREAT player, a definite above average CD.

Great Guitar Shorty
Guitar Shorty(aka David Kearny) is one of the greatest guitar player. I had the opportunity of watching him play live and got hooked to Guitar shorty's guitar playing. Hey Joe is great. Roll over baby is an excellent CD.

Whoa! This guy smokes!
I got turned on to Guitar Shorty mainly because I found out he plays G&L guitars - Leo Fender's last company before his death. I wanted to hear what a Legacy Special would sound like in the hands of a blues master, so I listened to the above clips. I was blown away by what little I could hear so I knew I had to have this cd immediately. As a matter of fact I have a list of 29 "must have" cd's & this is the one I bought first. I wasn't disappointed! It's a crime that this guy isn't more commercially successful - maybe if more radio stations would play real music (a.k.a. the blooze) every once in a while. Oh well, I guess you'll have to settle for NPR once a week at midnight or BUY THIS CD!!!! ... Read more

Album Description

Blues Collection with Eddie "Clean Head" Vinson and others ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good, and I'd buy it again, but...
I like Blues, and I like Billie Holiday, but I don't think that Billie sang the blues. They put 7 of her songs on the 3 cd set, and they seemed incongruous to me. Especially considering all the other great women blues artists they could have chosen instead.

But, I do like compilations, and I think that this is was a good buy for someone who doesn't purchase many cd's (like me!)

Not the best choice.
This is good music no doubt. But... Some of these songs are mislabled. Outskirts of town- is not outskirts of town for instance. Looking back on it, I wouldn't buy it twice. I'd get 1 album for the same price by B.B. or Elmore James, or John Lee Hooker. These discs are about a half hour long A piece. Also as an avid blues fan, I have to ask- why is Billie Holiday on here? She's great and all, but I don't think she belongs here, though she takes up about 20 or more minutes.

Also, I know this is a different day and age and all but Alimony blues kind of turned my stomach. I had never heard it before and it was kind of a slap in the face. It was pretty open about the guy saying he hit his wife once or twice and is now mad about the divorice and alimony. I don't know why that hit me wrong seeing as how 30-20 blues, Boot Hill and Hey Joe never bothered me at all, but it might bother you too. So That's why I mentioned it.

It does have great Classics like B.B.'s Catfish blues version and Boom Boom, Goin' down slow, and The Sky is Crying. This is a decent blues starter album. But like I said, if you know you like the blues or a certain person in the blues, you might as well just pick a person and go with them rather than get this scattered around group of songs.

People that show up are Gatemouth Moore- Johnny Otis- Ray Charles- Joe Turner- Richard Berry- Elmore James [ Robert Johnson's disciple ] and Amos Milbourne. Hope that helped.

terrific collection of blues that everybody should have
If you got to have a cd of blues,you need at least this one for your collection of music. Great performers like Johnny Otis, B.B.KING,Billie Holiday, John Lee Hooker,Ray Charles, etc.will make you feel all the glamour of this music ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blue Yule is without question one of the hippest collections of rhythm & blues Christmas music ever assembled. The disc boasts the likes of Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker, the gospel-powered Pilgrim Travelers, and Johnny and Edgar Winter, as well as the likes of Detroit Junior ("Christmas Day") and Canned Heat ("Christmas Blues"). Lengthy even by contemporary CD standards, this 18-tracker also includes Charles Brown, Big Jack Johnson, Roy Milton, and the inscrutable Lightnin' Hopkins wishing you both "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year." But perhaps the set's greatest gift is also it's strangest--Sonny Boy Williamson's "Santa Claus," a rousing midtempo blues-rocker with a biting harp break and weird, funky lyrics about Sonny Boy going through his wife's drawers. --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (5)

One Of The Better Christmas Blues Compilations!
I tracked this down during this Christmas season after hearing Canned Heat's "Christmas Baby" on a Heineken commercial of all places. Immediately hooked, I sent off an e-mail asking Heineken for the name of the song and to my surprise, they responded. Searching on Amazon, I found it on this CD and purchased it. What was bought for one song soon became my favorite Christmas compilation complete with Big Jack Johnson, Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson. Even the lesser known Poppa Hop and The Pilgrim Travelers make notable contributions on this disc.
A good pick for this upcoming Christmas holiday.

Perfect for a Holiday party...........
This really is one of the coolest, hippest Christmas Cd's you will ever buy. Absolutely perfect for a holiday party.

A Holiday MUST!
This has been my favorite holiday CD for 6 years, even when I only had it taped on a beat up cassette! Fun, rockin, holiday music to light up the room. Who can stop singing along with "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag"?!

you need this
my hands-down favorite christmas album since i bought it three or four years ago. not a weak song on the album.

If you like blues, this is the Christmas CD for you!!!!
This is the best X-mas CD I've ever heard. Classic down home blues done with the Christmas season in mind. Santa's Messin' with the Kid and Santa Claus (Sonny Boy Williamson, are the highlights of this compilation. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

So downhome nasty blues
A great teacher once told me the best jazz musicians are those that have a deep bag of tricks but use only a few on a given night. In that case the Cannonball Adderley Quintet is among the greatest, shedding its prodigious jazz chops in favor of simply nasty blues to support Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's vocals and alto saxophone work. The selflessness of the group is further exemplified in the story of the creation of "Cleanhead and Cannonball." Simplified, Cannonball was working and Cleanhead was not, and when Cannonball realized that a legend such as Vinson had not recorded in several years he lined up the record label and volunteered his own band for the job. The results were excellent; the group sounds as if they had been backing Vinson for years.

Vinson sounds best on mid tempo tunes like "Kidney Stew" and "Back Door Blues" (a moderate hit upon its release in 1961 until church groups spoke out against the "immorality" of its lyrics). The clear tone and vibrato of his shouting blues style are all but gone in modern music. At first the ballad "Audrey" seemed the only miss but it grew oddly charming upon further listening. Jones and Vinson's own "This Time," driven by the preaching piano of Joe Zawinul, would sound at home on a Mahalia Jackson album. Bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes settle in to a raunchy shuffle on "Bright Lights, Big City" and are infallible throughout. The Adderley brothers' vibrant and joyous playing leads one to believe that this record was a good time in the making. On "Hold It!" Cannonball answers each line of Vinson's lyrics with an alto shout and Nat burns a cornet solo to follow. The two sound like a mini-Basie band on "Kidney Stew." The album's instrumentals, though still good, are less memorable than the vocal features. This is partially due to the fact the Adderley hands off lead horn duties to Vinson, an excellent alto saxophonist who suffers only from following Cannonball. After listening to several tracks featuring the commanding tones of Cannonball's sax and Vinson's voice the instrumentals with only Vinson's sax and no vocals are less exciting.

In the sea of "straight ahead" jazz reissues and new releases, "Cleanhead and Cannonball" is a welcome variation. The decidedly un-heady approach of this album is one of the rare post-big band examples of jazz as music for having a good time.

A sure thing!
6 Stars. This is one of my favorite albums ever, period. Falling squarely between jazz and blues, this entire album just rips it up. Cleanhead is at the top of his game and the sax backup provided by Cannonball is spine-tingling (and the rest of the band is right there with them). You will assume they have been playing together for years, this whole thing is so tight. I'm on a Cleanhead crusade because nobody knows this guy and you hardly ever hear him on the radio, but he will blow you away. And when you buy this and love it, check out "Kidney stew is fine" or "Meat's too high", a more recent release (well, late 80's, before we lost him). Careful on the earlier stuff, though-it's a whole different sound, and Cleanhead sings a bit like Big Joe Turner (but if you're into that, you're set). You won't regret this........

Asbestos Gloves Required
Stunning, awe-inspiring. Can we believe that Mr. Clean actually got into the studio with Cannonball?! No holds are barred. No prisoners are taken. Several volumes of The Riot Act are read. Clean sings on all but a couple of instrumentals. On the instrumentals Cannonball plays backup (!) and Mr. Vinson plays blistering blues alto sax. Burning. Smoking. Absolutely cosmic. Be careful about what you're doing when you put this on. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Ultimate Charles Brown CD/DVD
This execellent performance captured in high definition sound and video and presented on CD and DVD is what all the hype about Charles Brown was all about. Hew was no reheated 1940s R&B hero; he was a 1990s jazz & blues entertainer and original of the first water. I saw him several times at Jazz Alley in Seattle and he charmed the crowd with his warm and unique blues. He was the original inspiration for Ray Charles and a contemporary of Nat King Cole before Cole stood up and stopped playing piano most of the time. Don't miss this CD/DVD set. It's the best Charles Brown had to offer and he sings his finest songs with the brilliant trio led by guitarist Danny Caron that accompanied him in the 1990s. A Must Buy!

Looks like another Greatest Hits- But It's Not!
The cover is very misleading with the vintage photo and title. This but the song selection would lead you to believe this was a "Best Of" type CD- but it's not! It's a great live performance on CD and DVD, plus some other great stuff like his wedding shots to Mabel Scott (who has her own CD out, finally!), a discography and some Soundies (nothing great but they're something!). I saw Brown several times during the 1990s and this is a great package for remembering some great music. Now maybe we can get a King compliation CD!

Fabulous CD plus concert DVD!
If you love club blues, this is the ultimate Charles Brown collection. It features a bonus DVD that has a full concert from the '90's recorded in high def video and audio, showing Charles Brown and his band at the Lone Star in New York City, performing his classic hits, like "Driftin' Blues" and "Merry Christmas Baby." Plus two bonus films from the 40's and interview material. The CD is fantanstic--Charles Brown plays piano like a dervish, and sings with the cool style that inspired Ray Charles, Nat Cole, and a host of other artists. It also includes a 72 page book of liner notes, telling the fascinating Charles Brown story, along with a bonus discography. This new collection would be great for any blues or jazz fan. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Double Your Listening Pleasure
The soundtrack for the Film "Devil in a Blue Dress" has two great musical styles to enjoy. The film(see my DVD review entitled Easy Does It for details) is a modern film noir that takes places in the post WWII era in Los Angeles.

The music is a mix of the old rhythm and blues styles, also called "Shout and Jump" and the film score. The songs included are pre cursors to rock and roll. You'll enjoy listening to such greats as T-Bone Walker,doing "West Side Baby". Duke Elllington's "Hy-Ah-Su", and Thelonious Monk's rendition of "Round Midnight". The film score by the legendary Elmer Berstein(Magnificent Seven/The Great Escape) is a smooth styling of definitive music for the Film Noir genre.There are 14 tracks in all, for a complete list see the buying info.

This album is a pleasure to listen to. I enjoy hearing it while I'm driving in rush hour. It takes me to another place!

thank you and enjoy.......Laurie ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonder of a CD
This is a wonderful performance and a fantastic recording. Cleanhead's sax chops are fantastic and he is superbly recorded here. Really one of the best sounding jazz/blues recordings I know of. This is the epitome of the "smokey jazz club" sound. Its really going to appeal more to blues afficianados than those who like improvisational jazz, although Cleanhead's sax solos are wonderful to listen to and recall Charlie Parker vividly. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent West Coast blues
If you love Charles Brown style blues.. this is similiar stuff with a bit more jump to it. That may sound like I`m damning it with faint praise,..NO WAY!! Charles Brown is the king of the heap as far as this kind of music goes. This is great material sung by a master. If your in second place to a Michael Jordan.. that doesn`t mean you can`t 'ball" :)

Complete Aladdin Recordings~ Floyd Dixon
Complete Aladdin Recordings~ Floyd Dixon Are these CDs the one made in America, the one manufactured by Europe? It is ordered by the postal money order like usual. Do the confirmation of the stock before you tell all costs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Blues on poetry
Percy Mayfield was a big star of the blues in the early fifties. The rock'n'roll era with its noisy guitars and mediocre songs obfuscated his intimist voice that influenced cool jazz singers/composers such as Mose Allyson. Mayfield's most known composition was "Hit the Road, Jack", a big Ray Charles' hit. With this second volume, the Specialty label completed the marvelous Mayfield contribution to the slow Blues history. He sang with a quiet and nasal voice. The CD repeats some songs of the volume one in alternate takes ("Memory pain", "Please send me someone to love", "Strange things happening") but it's not a reason for you not to buy it. Its twenty-five tracks is worthy the purchase. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Must have Blues/Jazz Hybrid
This album is a fantastic listen over wine and good steak. It's got some boogie coupled with good jazz chords with a blues attitude. Floyds voice is deep and gravelly in the way of Louis Armstrong. Excellent record. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

****1/2
While more horn-driven and less raw and guitar reliant than other forms of blues, the urban style nonetheless provides its own spectacular highlights, some of the best of which are right here:
Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used To Do" is a must-have for any uptown blues compilation, and T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Blues", Big Joe Turner's "Chains Of Love", "Laudromat Blues" by Albert King, and Bobby Bland's "Farther up the Road" are prime examples as well. Otis Rush's classic "I Can't Quit You Baby" is more Chicago blues than urban blues, actually, but it is a welcome addition nonetheless.

They could have done better by "Every Day I Have The Blues", which should have been included in Memphis Slim's stately original rendition, and why isn't B.B. King represented?
But those are minor complaints, really. This is a fine place to go for a sampler (you should get "Blues Masters volume 2" as well for a taste of the rough, tough Chicago blues), and even though it's far from being definitive, it will provide the newcomer with an excellent introduction. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great boppers, jivers and strollers
This is a great dance album with plenty boppers, jivers and strollers. If you like to jive get this cd and any other 50's McNeely or Joe Houston. A great uptempo cd full of great songs and honking saxaphone. Pre pleasurable r&b.

Who needs Joel Whitburn books to determine what is good?
Great CD and you don't need bury your face in some stupid Joel Whitburn book to figure that out.
Just use your ears.
Covers that transitional period so the songs range from jump to jazz, but then again genre labels are about as irrelevant as the trade charts.

The Original Contortionist Saxophonist
When Rudy Pompilli of Haley's Comets began regaling audiences with his on-stage acrobatits while blowing his sax in the mid-Fifties, many others soon began to follow suit. But the guy who started it all was Big Jay McNeely.

Born Cecil McNeely on April 29, 1927 in L.A., he and his tenor sax were first heard on the small Exclusive label beginning in 1946, but it was three years before he found his first hit for Savoy. Unfortunately Deacon's Hop, an instrumental that went to # 1 R&B early that year as by Big Jay McNeely's Blue Jays, and b/w Artie's Jump, is not in this compilation. Or any of the other McNeely CDs currently offered. It can, however, be found on the great CD Early Rhythm & Blues along with 24 other jumping, wailing classics.

In fact, the only charted hit that can be found in this particular album is 1959's There Is Something On Your Mind which he recorded for the Swingin' label as Big Jay McNeely and Band featuring vocalist Haywood "Little Sonny" Warner. A # 5 R&B hit, it was also his only pop charter, peaking at # 44 in July. The flipside was Back ... Shack ... Track. A year later Bobby Marchan would take the A-side to # 1 R&B/# 31 pop under the title There's Something On Your Mind, Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 was the hit side).

Also apparently not to be found anywhere is another 1949 Savoy instrumental, Wild Wig, which topped out at # 12 R&B in March 1949. Even so, and while it may be frustrating for collectors of hit singles like me, this particular CD is well worth a listen as the songs that are included were regular features of his swinging coarsed-tone stage style. ... Read more

Album Description

40 CD box set. Artists include John Lee, 'Sonny Boy' Williamson, Leadbilly, Big Bill Broonzy, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, Memphis Minnie, John Lee Hooker, Big Joe Williams and many more. 725 tracks all digitally remastered to enhance the original recordings without manipulating the character of the music. Recorded between 1923 & 1948. 20 double slimline jewel cases housed together in a cardboard box. Measures 8 x 6 x 5 inches approx. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Boxed Set of its kind?
10 STARS!!! It's like having a huge collection of vintage LPs from the early- to mid-20th century. 10 CDs with an average 17-18 songs per, with superb remastering. There are so many artists -- some big names and some not, but all choices on this set are notable. Lyrics go from the sublime to the hilarious: "I sent my woman a $20 bill ... If that don' bring her back, my shotgun prob'ly will" ... the masterful guitar, piano and voices are as remarkable today as they were then.

Awesome collection!!
Simply one of the best collections of early blues. ... Read more