5 comments about 20th Century Masters: The Best Of B.B. King (Millennium Collection).

1. I absolutely love B.B. King. He and his partner, (his guitar) "Lucille," get plenty of focus on this 10-song collection. Their big songs like 'Sweet Sixteen,' 'The Thrill Is Gone' and their duet with Bobby 'Blue' Bland 'Let The Good Times Roll' all appear on this set.
   
   But, the reason that I'm not giving this set five stars is because it stops at just 10 songs. B.B.'s songs can get pretty long, but at just 10 songs, there is plenty of room for more great ones. Where are some of his EMI year songs like 'Every Day I Have The Blues'? That's a very disappointing omission.
   
   Overall, if you want a quick, cheap B.B. King retrospective spanning a two decade period (1962-1983), than look no further. This set gets the job done well. But for B.B. King fans who want more than just ten songs, stick with records like 'Great Moments With B.B. King.'
   
   But at the end of the day, his installment in UMG's '20th Century Masters' series isn't terrible. But it could be a LOT better.
   
   Recommended for the budget-minded casual B.B. King fan.



2. A lot of songs for little money, however, there are no liner notes and the sound quality is very poor. To some it may sound "authentic," but there are many other compilations that are a much better introduction to B.B. King.



3. start level 5 points
   length -1 point
   no pre 60's tracks -1 point
   crossover tracks (although I like Into the night) -1 point
   result = 2 points - do not buy



4. Dollar for dollar, the Millennium Collection CDs are disappointing, and that is putting it nicely.
   
   You can get many more songs for not much more money by looking at other collections, or "Best of" CDs. I see these in the store and am always amazed that people buy them. Not just for BB King, but for numerous artists.
   
   Dollar for dollar, this is simply the worst way to sample the King.



5. This is the best B.B. King CD value for the money. It's a little shallow song-wise and leaves out so many gems form his long, fruitful career, but it's some of his most accessable music. Traces of soul, rock, and '80s pop fall in with the blues on the album's ten tracks, making a good choice for the pop muisc collector or casual fan. More ardent fans will, and should, want more, but it's worth the price for what you get.

No comments about Future of the Blues, Vol. 3.

5 comments about Everything Is Everything.

1. I love this cd. The is music great, with Donny's vocals. The horns in Everything is Everything are kickin' some serious butt. It makes me feel happy, joyous. I feel like shoutin'. The spirit is movin' me. I am listening while writing this review. The piano playin' is bangin'. Come y'all lets get our dance on!
   
   Every track offers you something. This is real music. The music is happy, kind of sad, and just fun. It covers the spectrum of life.



2. This album is one that I always end up returning to. Donny Hathaway's vocal and piano talent really shine on this one and that combined with the strong song selection made for an impressive debut album. I don't usually like instrumentals that much, but "The Ghetto" remains one that I never tire of. The addictive groove of Donny Hathaway's keyboard work and the drums have made this a favorite of mine. "Thank You Master (For My Soul)" also remains one of the most moving songs I've ever heard. Donny Hathaway's vocals are simply amazing, and he attains just the right touch of gospel delivery in this thank you to God. Donny Hathaway is someone who deserves more credit than he gets for his contributions to music, and any fan of R&B should own this. His live CD is also highly recommended if you enjoy his music. When Donny Hathaway died the world not only lost a talented musician, but also lost a very spiritual and caring brother. Thank God he left us with this music to remember him and his message.



3. Every time I hear Donny Hathaway, I am so moved
   with both great joy and awe of his god-given gifts
   as well as sadness over how his career bascially went
   under the radar while he was alive and of course,
   how his life ended so tragically!
   I often think about how pleasantly surprised he would
   have been to see his work have such an influence on a
   whole generation of younger talents who were but embryos
   when he was doing his thing all those years ago!
   I also imagine him being pleased by his daughter
   Layla and her success!
   This was his best and most cohesive studio album
   and it has some great gems on it..my faves are:
   "Je Vouz Aime Vouz (That Means I Love You)", "Misty",
   "Sugar Lee" and "Thank You Master For My Soul"
   all which kill me in their own unique ways!
   Of course, I prefer the live versions of "The Ghetto"
   and "Young, Gifted & Black" to the ones on here.
   Donny was one of the few artists who could create
   something live that was better than what he did
   in the studio!
   Donny Hathaway is the invisible every man of
   R&B / Jazz / Soul and his influence, vocal and
   instrumental-wise is eternal!



4. It's everything you would expect from Donny Hathaway. Thank you Master feeds the soul.



5. Listening to this disc reminds me of why I love music - Donny Hathaway is gone too soon from this world (musically). I wish he could have gotten the help he needed to deal with his inner demons but his musical legacy definitely helps ME get through my own Tryin Times and battle my own demons and for that, I am forever greatful.
   
   This entire album is exquisitely excellent, there's not one bad track but there are some that stand out to me:
   
   Voices Inside (Everything is Everything) - great musical production!! 10/10
   
   Je Vous Aime (I Love You) - so soulful, such a beautiful love song. 10/10
   
   Misty - excellent remake 10/10
   
   Tryin Times - timeless song expressing commentary about what was going on then but also speaks to what is going on in today's times 10/10
   
   Thank You Master For My Soul - excellent soulful gospel song that doesn't overpower 10/10
   
   The Ghetto - although I prefer the live versions of this song, it's pretty damn close to a masterpiece & just as powerful as any song on Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin On' 10/10
   
   To Be Young, Gifted & Black - one of my favorite Donny tracks, picks up my spirits every single time I hear it 100/10
   
   A Dream - words can't suffice for how much I love this song - the arrangement and Donny's phrasing throughout...make this song heaven for me. 100/10

1 comments about Blues After Hours: All Instrumental.

1. What initially drew me to this compilation Cd was Ronnie Earl's superb "Baby Doll Blues" which is on three of his Cd's, but all are out-of-print. I was pleasantly surprised as most of the tracks on this compilation are quite good, with standouts (besides 'Baby Doll Blues') being Mike Morgan & the Crawl's "Blues for Al and Peggy" and Tutu Jones' "I'm not Ashamed to Play the Blues." The price makes this a good bargain for the quality of music. Definitely worth getting if you like Slow Blues instrumentals.

2 comments about Not The Same Old Blues Crap II.

1. Outstanding sampler from Nortern Mississippi Hill Country Blues label Fat Possum. Much prefer this sampler to the first one. This has that gritty country blues feel with many songs feeling like they were recorded in a leaky basement(and many were). Standouts are the two RL Burnside tracks: "Goin down South" is a staple of his music and the version included of "Walkin Blues" is top notch. The previously unreleased "I Feel Good Again" by Junior Kimbrough and Charlie Feathers is worth more than the low 4.99 price to buy this. The Asie Payton tracks are both stunners and Paul Wine Jones and Super Chikan add some diversity in style with there numbers.



2. Actually, this is the same old blues...; the "purists" who run the label either don't know it or won't admit it. This sort of purist nonsense is as old as the music but whenever another generation comes along there's another spasm of it. As for the selections, this is really fine music, as varied as you could possibly want. Even some greasy old soul that somebody probably smokes cigars to while they're swilling beer (just to mention a couple seemingly proscribed activities mentioned in the liner notes). But this label records stuff Alligator never did, right? Way wrong; Hound Dog Taylor was as funky as any of this.

   Filter out all the Fat Possum trademark noise and leave that to the college students to whom it matters. This is a very fine collection of blues that any blues fan will thoroughly enjoy. Maybe a slight lean toward the rural and the rocky but so what?

5 comments about Rockin' the Blues.

1. Great,great boxed set of the incredible Wynonie Harris. In my opinion the greatest African-American singer of them all. What vocal power! Some really good songs weren't on this, like "Wasn't that Good", but very important early songs were included. I'm very glad that more interest is being shown in his music in recent years, since he was almost forgotten in the years shortly after he died in 1969. A wonderful collection of classic jump blues, and I highly recommend it. Let there always be good rockin'tonite!



2. What a great boxed set. There are almost no weak songs and little or no filler, but imagine how much better it might have been if they had included "Bloodshot eyes" and "Lovin' machine." Worth 5 stars even without them.



3. ........OF ONE OF THE GREATEST BLUES SHOUTERS THERE EVER WAS, MR. BLUES, WYNONIE HARRIS. ADMITTEDLY, SOME OF THE SONGS SOUND A BIT THE SAME, BUT THIS IS GREAT STUFF, ORIGINAL ROCK AND ROLL, BEFORE IT WAS EVEN CALLED THAT. IF YOU LIKE BIG JOE TURNER, LOUIS JORDAN, JIMMY RUSHING, OR EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON, THEN YOU WILL ALSO LOVE WYNONIE HARRIS.



4. First, a bit of a warning... if this is going to be your first taste of WYNONIE, I highly recommend BLOODSHOT EYES... less tunes, but a bit more "punchy" and to the point. And if it isn't... welcome back, and welcome to heaven (yes, who'd ever imagine that sinners DO go to heaven?)
   
   As for Wyononie - - who was he ? I think there are a few great ways to describe him - - 1. As the true father of Rock and Roll (via the genre of so called "jump" and "rhythm and blues". 2 Louis Jordan's evil twin. (Will explain...) 3. One of the greatest (if not most perverse) blues shouters to ever live. As for the Louis Jordan comment - - the similarities are apparent - - both forged the way for rock and roll, but while Jordan tended to keep it clean, Wynonie didn't mind playing it blue... and his tunes are full of sexual references perhaps tame by today's standards, but still quite funny - - take I LIVE MY BABY'S PUDDING, ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS SIT ON IT - - and LOVIN' MACHINE. Wyononie is also the hard drinkin' bad boy who reminded his listners to "keep on churning until the butter comes," meaning he was good, wholesome and encouraged people to drink milk... Thumbs up to him.
   
   Added surprized on this album include backing vocals by the HARLEMAIRES (one of the original R&B/Doo Wop vocal groups, featuring Frankie Lymon's Dad, and Dottie Smith, who also played timbale's and sang and strawbossed for Jordan) - - In addition tunes like OH BABE and GOOD MORNING JUDGE make you wonder who was copping who when it came to another Louis - - and finally there is one of the most swinging, jumping, houserockin' versions of TEARDROPS FROM MY EYES ever recorded.
   
   Ample reasons to purchase this... you bet.
   
   Of interesting note... the terms ROCK AND ROLL and R & B were actually terms concocted to describe this type of music long after it existed... Rhythm and Blues supposedly wasn't a genre but two types of music - - The Blues and "Rhythm" music, which were both RACE music and often played together... hence the DJs would say they were spinning Blues and Rhythm (or Rhythm and Blues) at that time... I mention that because in Wynonie's music you can really hear the cross roads and roots of the great American backbeat in all its forms from Jazz and Swing to Rhythm, Blues and Rock and Roll, hence the music isn't only soulful, humorous and toe tapping, its enlightening too !
   For this reason, Wynonie definitely belongs in your player and I hope you'll agree !



5. Buy this immediately!
   
   Wynonie Harris is the real 'king of rock & roll'. This is the music you hear about so much that was STOLEN by Elvis, repackaged, and sold to white teenagers. This guy is 100% the real deal and was rocking jukeboxes when Elvis was a nobody. Oh! and if you're one of these college-educated music history majors that say that Rock & Roll is a mixture of blues and country: This music, and other period R&B is proof that rock and roll is purely an extension of Rhythm and Blues. The probelm is that this "music of the devil" was about real life, it is REAL, alive, and full of sexual inneundo, so that means it never got radio play for the most part. That's why it was swept under the rug and forgotten about.
   
   About the set: I can't believe you're getting this much music for the price! This is an actual "boxed set" in the sense where each disc is packaged in an idividual jewel case. It comes with a nice, thick book with great, detailed, liner notes and amazing...almost startling photos of Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris. As a bonus, you get a catalogue of Proper's other releases as well. The sound quality is a bit under that of the single disc King complilaton release that I already had, but there is so much more here. All the hits are here as well as virtually unknown tracks. Many on CD for the first time ever.
   
   You get the rockers, you get the straight-up blues, and he even does a fantastic job as a crooner. I was also really surprised to hear some slow boogie-woogies. These few tracks have a repitious bass line, which add so much excitement. Mr. Blues litterally, slows down, sustains the note for a while...almost like a tenor sax. That sound is so soul-satisfying. What raw talent and versitility in those arrangements! I can't stop listening!!!
   
   Mr. Blues, may you ROCK mankind for all of eternity!! You have left us and are sadly missed, but you have left the entire world with the gift of your pure musical genius. Rock, Mr. Blues - FOREVER!

No comments about The Best of the Blues.

5 comments about It All Comes Back.

1. Paul Butterfield's Better Days band was Paul Butterfield's early '70's band and oh so much different from his blues based bands of the '60's. Better Days had Geoff Muldaur, a folk singer (and ex-husband of Maria Muldaur) + Amos Garrett, a singuluar guitar player that had the sweetest sting since Chet Atkins (It was Garrett's solo on Maria Mulduar's "Midnight on the Oasis".
   
   This CD has some fine harmonica work by Butterfield but is mostly noted for the quality of the songs. "Small Towm Talk" is a heartbreaking lost classic and well worth the entrance fee to this wink/grin of the '70's.



2. glad to find this in CD to replace my stolen vinyl; Butterfield's 70's blues was some of his very best; worth buying if you don't have it



3. My brother owns the vinyl copy of "It All Comes Back". He played it so much over the years he literally WORE THE GROOVES OFF THE RECORD. So I bought him the CD. I bought one for me too as I have fond memories of listening to the record.

   The whole thing rocks from the get-go. From the opening howl of Butterfield's trademark harp, to Amos Garrett's outstanding slide work, to the rock-solid rhythm section, to the fun beat of the title track, this record is absolutely brilliant stuff.

   I like it all. Especially great is Ronnie Barron's vocals on "It's Getting Harder to Survive" and "Louisiana Flood". Bobby Charles lends a hand with vocals on "Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It".

   Thankfully you will not wear out the grooves on the CD. I "rediscovered" this CD after not listening to it for 3 years. I have a whole new respect for this album. Buy it, even if you are not a big fan of the blues. It's good music!




4. Paul Butterfield - an experience you'll never forget. This aalbum, "It All Comes Back" together with it's predecessor, "Better Days" form a unity. If you bet one, definitely get the other. They compliment and complete each other.

   On "It All Comes back" the Paul Butterfield magic just grabs you by your ears and pulls you deep down into the feel and the miracle of his music. From "If You Live" to "It All Come Back" you can just feel the emotion and the electricity of this super band of musicians. They don't just "feel" the music of these blues . . .and they don't just "play" the music of these blues . . .but they bring that experience right into your soul. You just know the music and you become "one".
   My favorite track on this album is, "Small Town Talk". It is a song of assurance and consolation that the small minded talk of small minded people doesn't really matter. "Don't pay it any mind", the song teaches, "it's just small town talk, don't listen to a word they're sayin'"! Amazing, nothing in the world or in life is that different today . . .whether in a metropolitan city or a small-town -- the talk is the same and is just as irrelevant to your life. Just keep on doin' what you know is right and ignore the empty hollow words of crisicisms. I love this song and would buy the album just for this song alone. But the rest of the album (and the rest of "Better Days as well) is more than worth buying and owning and listening to over and over again.
   I miss Paul Butterfield . . . and I thank him for the music he left behind for us . . . it will last a long long time.




5. I would have forgotten this album completely had it not been for the cool indie movie. "It All Comes Back" is the featured song in "Corn Dog Man", and is worth the price of the disk all by itself. I must have the vinyl somewhere, but who has time to look?

2 comments about Essential Magic Slim.

1. Want some Rockin' Blues? Well, get this. Put on track 1; "Before You Accuse Me" and rock on for the next hour or so.
   
   This ain't fancy blues, all tricked up with "special guests" or "name" producers. It's just good, down-home, rockin' blues. Two guitars, bass and drums; with Magic's gritty vocals; pretty simple recipe but a great dish.
   
   Read "Shaq's" review; he say it all. Honest blues don't lie.



2. Let me first state for the record that I am an absolute fanatical "ELECTRIC BLUES" fan! What has been disheartening during the not too distant past and present, is the lack of quality "fresh" "new" electric blues CD's. Other than the legendary Buddy Guy, Coco Montoya, and a few others, there are no truly "dedicated" electric blues artist's, who are known to the public, and who are proud to be called "Blues Men"! There are a few artists who can definitely play the blues, but they openly get upset if you say they play the blues, and in many cases so do their fans.
   
   But that is not the case with "MAGIC SLIM"! Slim is a blues man when he wakes up in the morning, and he's a blues man when he tucks himself in at night and shuts off the lights! This CD is a living classic of "ELECTRIC-CHICAGO-BLUES"! This FIFTEEN SONG collection is classic electric blues from start to finish. If you have any blues in your blood your foot will be tapping during the entire CD, except when you hit the pause button, so you can run and call your few friends who love the blues, because blues this good has to be shared with a friend. Seven of the songs are longer than 4 minutes, which is important to me for "cooking" blues. Slim plays roadhouse "romps" and guitar bending ballads.
   
   If you've been starving for "FRESH-ELECTRIC-BLUES" like I have, buy this feast of electric blues. You'll thank me!

5 comments about Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Skip James.

1. WHAT TO ME WAS DISAPPOINTING ABOUT THIS CD IS THE FACT THAT THESE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL SKIP JAMES RECORDINGS MADE IN THE 1920'S AND 1930'S WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF SONGS. HAVING SAID THAT, I AM GLAD THAT I HAVE THESE RECORDINGS. AND I LOVE THE COVER ART BY R. CRUMB. SKIP JAMES WAS NOT YOUR AVERAGE SOUNDING DELTA BLUESMAN, HE HAD A SOUND ALL HIS OWN.



2. I think I first heard the name Skip James associated with John Martyn's "I'd Rather Be the Devil". Then I saw that he'd penned an old Cream hit "I'm so Glad". I finally got around to picking up some of Skip's stuff. Man, this is something else. Nevermind Robert Johnson's Hellhound... Me thinks the Hellhound actually caught up with Skip James. The guitar playing is superb and that voice... downright spooky at times!
   
   There are many great tunes here, I think I like Cherry Ball blues the best. The only complaint I have is that the 5 piano pieces are all "front-loaded" onto the disk. Make no mistake, those tracks are very good (remind me of Thelonius Monk's playing) but the real fun starts at track 6 and runs all the way to track 16.
   
   Also note the cover artwork by R. Crumb famous for his Mr Natural comic series in the 60's.
   
   Shout has put together a great package here, the sound is great, the bio is informative, and the artwork is memorable.
   
   If you want to hear a great, original sounding Delta bluesman then this is definitely a disc you want to buy. Start clicking!
   
   You can learn a bit more about skip right here:
   
   http://www.thebluehighway.com/skip.html



3. Shout Factory continues its excellent "Heroes of the Blues" series with one of the most haunting voices in music - that of Bentonia, Mississippi's Skip James. The collection concentrates mainly on his reimergence in the mid-1960s, with the exception of the two opening tracks taken from his 1931 Paramount recording session. The bulk of the release is made up of recordings James made for Biograph in 1964, which were recorded just shortly after his rediscovery earlier that year. Equally impressive and distinctive on piano as he was on guitar, the set also highlights his unique piano style as demonstrated on "22-20 Blues" and "How Long Blues." Although not listed, those looking for a recording of his most popular piece, "The Devil Got My Woman," can find a stirring six-minute 1964 version on track 6, listed mistakenly as "How Long Blues," (which actually appears as track 5 but titled "61 Highway.") With an interest in Skip James at an all-time high thanks in part to James' high-profile inclusion in the Martin Scorsese PBS blues series, and to a lesser extent, the strong role his music played in the 2001 film "Ghost World," this set happily brings some of his fine postwar recordings to a whole new generation just discovering his genius.



4. Beautifully cleaned up tracks. On the copy I got the back cover doesn't list "Devil Got My Woman" . Instead a different track 5 called "61 Highway". Luckly the actual cd does have the playlist listed here with "Devil got My woman".



5. This CD is a fantastic overview of the work of Skip James, covering both his guitar work and his equally fine piano blues. It focuses on his 1960s comeback, after years of neglect. After he played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, he rerecorded many of his classics for a variety of folk and blues labels, and it is from these pristine-sounding sessions that this CD is compiles. Not only are the sound and performances first-rate, but the liner notes are detailed and informative. This is an excellent entry point to Skip's career for neophytes, and for die-hard blues fans it is a wonderful survey of his post-discovery period.