1 comments about Bessie Smith: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4.

1. This is quite a nice set. Columbia was Bessie's own label, and Sony has done a nice job of issuing her tracks on CD: the sound is great. Nice booklet too.
   
   I always like the Chronological Classics (Melodie label), and they have five discs of Bessie; still, the Complete Recordings on Columbia is a really nice set at a really good price. Can't go wrong here: includes the three great tracks Bessie recorded on 8 May 1929 with Clarence Williams (piano) & Eddie Lang (guitar): "I'm Wild About that Thing," "You've Got to Give Me Some," and "Kitchen Man."
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Let the Good Times Roll: The Complete Decca Recordings 1938-54.

1. Buy it! If you are here looking at this collection do not stress over the price tag. It is worth every penny and much more. I bought this collection months ago and I have been listening to it on random play ever since. I haven't listened to anything else except a little count bassie. Not only is the music great, it is fun. I only wish I bought it sooner.
   
   I originally "discovered" Louis Jordan because of the Blues Brothers movie. Elwood plays Let the Good Times Roll in his apartment when Jake falls asleep on his bed.



2. I grew up listening to the blues, soul, and Motown, but I wasn't familiar with Louis Jordan until several months ago, when I purchased this Bear Family box set as a retirement gift for a family member. Jordan was a gifted saxophonist and one of the leading architects of R&B; his prototypes paved the way for Chuck Berry and mainstream rock and roll. Jordan scored 57 R&B chart hits with Decca between 1942-51, and his influence was enormous on blues artists such as Ray Charles and B.B. King, who recorded an album of Jordan covers, including such standards as Let The Good Times Roll, Choo Choo Ch'Boogie, Buzz Me and Saturday Night Fish Fry on Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan.
   
   Jordan's street-smart sense of humor permeated songs such as Open the Door, Richard, What's the Use of Getting Sober and Beware, Brother, Beware and double-entendre gems such as That Chick's Too Young To Fry. There are also a few tunes devoted to large women on You're My Meat and I Like 'Em Fat Like That (tempered, on the other hand, by You're Much Too Fat (and That's That)).
   
   Jordan's earliest recordings lack his later polish, and the brass tends to lean more towards Dixieland jazz than tight swing. Early gems include jitterbugs (Doug the Jitterbug), swing (After School Swing Session, At the Swing Cat's Ball), laid-back blues ('Fore Day Blues, Hard Lovin' Blues), and even Bing Crosby-style crooning on Away From You.
   
   The subsequent discs include alternate versions for several tracks including Yip, Yip de Hootie with Bing Crosby and Petootie Pie with Ella Fitzgerald, and a tamer version of Open the Door, Richard. Disc 9 is a partial disc at best; it features seven tracks with Ella Fitzgerald, including a spirited version of Baby, It's Cold Outside that puts most other renditions to shame.
   
   Bear Family has more than done Louis Jordan justice, with nine CDs and extensive liner notes. The remastering sounds as fresh and clear as if the songs had just been recorded. There are plenty of undiscovered gems buried among Jordan's earlier years on Decca, and enough solid hits to keep you listening for weeks.



3. Taj Mahal owns this box set. He recommended it to me but when I saw the price tag, I put it on my Amazon wishlist where it languished for years until I finally received it as a birthday gift from my wife! Now, as Louis Jordan himself says "I'll Die Happy!"



4. The sound quality is UNBELIEVABLE as are the performances. This is the comprehensive collection to purchase if you are at all interested in the beginnings of what would become rock and roll. Bear Family is heavenly.



5. This has to be one of THE GREATEST box sets ever issued. LOUIS JORDAN * LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL contains 215 songs on nine CDs, as well as a beautiful 48-page LP-sized booklet filled with amazing photos, poster, magazine cover and advertising repros, a comic strip, news clippings, hand-written-on-legal-pad session notes, and an exhaustive discography, not to mention a fascinating bio and song commentary.
   
   But the music-- oh, the glorious Tympani Five (6, 7, etc.)... They and Jordan created some of the most remarkable sounds you've ever heard. Here were the true beginnings of rock & roll-- 15 years before Elvis or Bill Haley, Louis Jordan and group were rockin' hard. Superb sound quality throughout on this German label compilation. Included is every DECCA Jordan side as well as some unissued material. The brief disc #9 features duets with Ella Fitzgerald.
   
   LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL is a must-have for all fans of great swing, jazz, R&B, calypso and yes, early rock & roll. Highest possible recommendation.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
   DISC ONE -- 75:35
   DISC TWO -- 74:33
   DISC THREE -- 68:21
   DISC FOUR -- 76:03
   DISC FIVE -- 75:53
   DISC SIX -- 76:35
   DISC SEVEN -- 77:11
   DISC EIGHT -- 76:57
   DISC NINE -- 20:00

1 comments about Ham Hocks and Cornbread.

1. Four discs. Each aproximately 77-78 min. in length. Remastered.JSP has done it again! Given us several hours of good rocking jump blues. The artists range from known(Johnny Otis) to the less well-known(Goree Carter) a singer-guitarist from Texas. This is the music that bridged the gap between blues r&b and rock and roll. These recordings were all made with small to medium sized groups usually consisting of a rhythm section and at least one or two horns. The type of group where the singer and the honking sax try to outdo each other. This is exciting music! Meant to be played loud,preferably with something cold to drink. There is very little let-up from one song to the next-which is a good thing! In the end the artist is almost immaterial because the music is so unrelentenly good,loud and fast. If gut-bucket r&b is your thing-pick this up! And make sure you have something cold to drink with it.

1 comments about Yardbirds Story: 1963-66.

1. Several years ago a friend of mine was going through my CD collection and commented: "The Animals", "The Zombies", "Them" "Small Faces", why don't you have any Yardbirds on CD?" For some reason, I had never replaced my old Yardbird LP's onto the CD format. But I have since explored The Yardbirds on CD and have filled in many gaps in British Musical History.
   
   If you want the best overview of The Yardbirds music between 1963-1968, the two CD set: "Yardbirds ~ Ultimate!" is the way to go. If You want every recording that the Group set to tape between December 1963 through early 1967, this is the place for you.
   
   Disc One, 72 Minutes, Live December 1963.
   These are the earliest known Yardbird recordings. Eleven of these Tracks feature Blues legend, Sonny Boy Williamson on vocals and harp with the Yardbirds as his backing band. With Eric Clapton featured as guitar/soloist, these are Historic Recordings, as the past: {Sonny Boy} hands the reigns, over to the new kids: {The Yardbirds} who represent the future of the Blues. These are raw sounding tapes of something different, a British Beat Group that plays Delta/Chicago style American Blues. Six songs feature The Yardbirds without Sonny Boy, and they show the Band at this early part of their musical journey as an already tight unit. This is a great sounding Disc, when you consider the age of these Recordings, there is no way that these tapes should sound this good. The Rave-Ups are here as the Band plays with their trademark ferocious frenzy. The Yardbirds 'Style' is well established here, these early shows display a Band of Confidience and power.
   
   Disc Two, 79 Minutes, Live & Studio Tracks 1964.
   Making Records in 1964, The Yardbirds are playing their favorite Songs; "Boom,Boom", "Honey in Your Hips", "Smokestack Lightning", "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl", "I'm A Man", "Here T'is" and "I Ain't Got You". This Disc includes; "The Five Live Yardbirds" LP and the Groups first two single releases. Again, the sound is wonderful, these recordings have been remastered with much care, and they have never sounded better.
   
   Disc Three, 74 Minutes, The Hits of 1965-1966.
   With: "For You Love", the single of March 1965, two things happened to The Yardbirds, they had a Hit Single, and Eric Clapton quit the Band as he was not going to play Pop Songs. With Jeff Beck onboard on Lead Guitar, the 'Birds' changed from strictly a Blues Band to a Rock Group that now played blues. The 1965-1966 years were the peak, the Band had major success in The UK and The USA. Recording and Touring filled almost every day of these two years, the Group was riding the crest of the wave here. With: "Heart Full Of Soul","Evil Hearted You", "Still I'm Sad", "Shapes Of Things", "Mister You're a Better Man Than I" and 'I'm a Man", the Hits kept coming and everything got bigger. Jeff Beck is going for broke here, as he just about re-invents guitar playing during this era.
   
   Disc Four, 66 Minutes, From Jeff to Jimmy 1966-1967.
   This last CD covers the end of the Jeff Beck era into early 1967 when Jimmy Page takes over lead guitar duties. As there are multiple takes of many songs; "Jeff's Blues", "Someone To Love" and "What Do You Want", this CD is my least favorite of the Box. But there is good stuff to be found here as well. "Chris' Number" is an only take, and a great find, "Stroll On", will tell the tale of just WHO is playing lead guitar here...Is it Jeff? Is it Jimmy? Is it a Roadie? This Disc closes with two live tracks from Germany in 1967 with Jimmy Page now at the controls of the Band.
   
   This is a Great Box Set, and at this price it is a Great Buy. I will not go into detail here as to what The Yardbirds mean to Rock Music, {And This Band is very important} I will say that every kid that has since picked up a guitar HAS been influenced by this Band and the music featured here. The Yardbirds have spawned THOUSANDS of groups from garages from Seattle to Boston.
   
   As This: "Yarbirds Story" ends in early 1967, it would take a few more CD's to complete the tale, until that happens this is the most complete document of this Great Band that you are gonna find.
   Four Stars !!!

5 comments about Demons and Angels: The Ultimate Collection.

1. This is a 'must own' for those who are serious about Gary Davis' music. It is filled with sloppy outtakes of tunes rarely recorded (and obviously rarely practiced), licks he didn't attempt in performance, and some incredible playing failures that only further show his mastery of the instrument. In other words, in here aren't so much polished gems of performance but the raw and uncut rock that might be mined for future musicianship.
   
   A whole disc is devoted to recordings of him playing in his house. The listener will find that the mic is often moved around loudly, people in the house talk in the background, and various other ambient noises can be heard. Thus, again do not expect a polished recordings from a studio. Instead, expect a lazy performance of a Sunday afternoon sitting in his parlor.
   
   I would recommend that newbies start with "Pure Religion, Bad Company", "Harlem Street Singer" and "Live at Newport" as the first discs in a set. I first bought Pure Religion, Bad Company almost twenty years ago and in the intervening years I've had to rebuy it three times - because before the advent of the MP3 player, I actually wore the discs out. I love that disc beyond all reason (in fact, the only other disc I've worn out through repeated playing was Tom Waits' Big Time).
   
   All that said, if you're a serious Gary Davis head, then BUY THIS DISC SET. And if you're attempting to play Country Blues, this is an absolutely MANDATORY BUY. If you listen carefully, you will notice all sorts of new licks, counterpoint progressions, and variations on his more well known songs. That alone is worth the price of admission.
   
   This material will show you the warts of his playing. His musical doodles. The limits of his amazing virtuosity, even as he was in the twilight years of his life. I cannot thank Stefan Grossman and the publisher enough for this disc set.



2. Rev. Gary Davis is a giant of acoustic blues & gospel who is enjoying renewed interest. This impressive box set contains superior sound compared to the Riverside albums. Listening to the mostly live versions of classic Davis songs on this set yields rich rewards. Given to improvisation on many songs, he varies his picking and sometimes changes the verse order or the words in the verses. For example, the album Gospel, Blues and Street Songs on the Riverside Records label has a studio version (1956) of Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning that has Davis beginning the song with a verse, followed by the Chorus. By the time Davis plays it live at Columbia University sometime around '59 he is starting the song with the Chorus. Furthermore the verse that began, "Sister, don't stop praying . . . " is now, "Father, don't stop praying . . . " He also adds a new verse. The song Whistlin' Blues is noted by Grossman as the only song in all of Davis' recorded repertoire in an altered tuning (low to high - DADF#AB). The set contains songs that are not available anywhere else.
   
   The box set is done right and includes a 35-page book the size of the box. Contained in the book are a 6-page bio, song lyrics, the songs key, some historical perspective for most of the songs, and a long list of published & online resources.



3. Blind Gary Davis,best known as Reverend Gary Davis,since he bacame a preacher,1933,may be the most terrific,outstanding guitar player of the blues and gospel history with Blind Blake.His ragtime style,combined with this particular South Carolina touch,makes him one of the most gifted and impressive musicians of all times.Born in Laurens County,South Carolina,April 30,1896,he lived enough to be rediscovered in the early sixties,while he was a street singer in Harlem;he lived until 1972,and died May 5,one week after his 76th birthday,on his way to a concert date.THis three CD set,full of treasures,is issued by Stefan Grossman,who was a pupil of the Reverend.These are unissued recordings: CD 1 was recorded at the Columbia University,1958-1959;CD 2 was recorded at home,1964-1966;and CD 3 comes from concert dates,1962-1966.Of course,it includes some amazing music;Gary Davis was really alone in his field,that way of playing and singing sacred songs with this Carolina touch;his incredible,extremely difficult picking style (surely the most difficult one with Blind Blake's) ,with many ragtime touches,is a real delight.And I don't speak of the guitar he's playing;I just hope I'll have the opportunity to play such an instrument once in my life.
   Gary Davis stopped playing blues in the fourties,and it's a great chance to hear him play it here.BUt if you buy this set,please start listening to "sporting life blues",(no,it's not Brownie McGhee's,even if the melody and chords are close to it),this is an amazing guitar solo which will drive you directly into Gary Davis' music.And Lord,what a sound!!!I won't try to tell you about all the songs,there are too many,and they're all amazing;the only regret I have,like another reviewer said,is that Gary Davis' masterpiece,"death don't have no mercy",doesn't figure here.Too bad.But there are other masterpieces: "God's gonna separate",for example;or many others.Nothing here has to be rejected.This here is an absolute concentrate of talent.Gary Davis is one of my favorite musicians for twenty years,one of my favorite guitar players,of course,and one of the most magnificent voices I've ever heard also.I think this 3 CD set is the first opus to buy,if you really wish to be introduced to the Reverend's music.Every minute of music played or sung by Gary Davis is one of the most essential ones of all times,so don't miss this magnificent set,full of things that have never been heard,full of noise and fury.Some of the most important music of the 20th century is here.The booklet is a fine one,and there are many lyrics transcribed.Sorry,you won't find the tablatures.So,try to find the Reverend's chords;good luck,sincerely.



4. I can't believe this guy became governor of California! Amazing!



5. Fans of acoustic blues and American folk music will enjoy much of the music on this album. It includes great performances of Crucifixion, I am the Light of this World, Devil's Dream & Slippin 'til My Gal Comes in Partner, all released on CD here for the first time. A few of the performances are inferior, including Buck Dance and Soldier's Drill, which open the first CD. Grossman should have included the entire Children of Zion live recording, rather than just slightly over half of it - the missing cuts from that old Kicking Mule LP are superior to performances of the same material in this box set. Some of the playing and singing seems very casual and rough compared to Davis' best. The graphics and essay are a mixed bag also. The box graphics seem amateurish, and certainly less appealing than those on recent Fantasy and Vanguard rereleases of Davis material. The photos in the booklet are very good and well reproduced. The essay conveys interesting information about Davis, but the writing style is plodding and mediocre. Also, it is an old essay. A classic piece on Davis from the 60s or 70s would have been worth reproducing. Stefan Grossman leaves out important details of the performances, such as who is playing and singing with Davis on "Soon My Work Will All be Done." I mention these points because this box set is likely the largest compilation of Davis material that will be released any time soon - I don't really expect anything else comparable to surface in my lifetime. It's a shame that it suffers somewhat from poor packaging, a mediocre essay and several performances that don't stack up to Davis' best. That said, I expect to listen to the great music on this box set from now on (although I'll be listening selectively).

3 comments about The Essential Boss Man: The Very Best of the Vee-Jay Years, 1953-1966.

1. One of the great bluesmen showcased to a tee in this 3 disc set. Music like this is difficult to come by these days.



2. Great, great box set with ALL the hits and ALL THE lesser known classics!
   When I'm in the mood to hear Jimmy Reed songs I want them all together so I can "relive" with my buddies those days and the great sounds that we danced to and partied to in our youth! We would ware out the grooves on those Silver and Purple Vee Jay 45's! Terrific liner notes also! A must have!



3. Jimmy Reed was, arguably, greater than Elvis. He was a terrific songwriter, a singer with a laid back delivery, a screeming harmonica, and a cool guitar. Don't be fooled by this nonsense of him being unable to carry a tune, or that he was no master of the guitar or the harmonica. Maybe so. But the seemingly simple arrangements of his songs are really so subtle, inventive and marvelous that Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Keith Richard listened to his records incessantly, trying to figure out how he did it. And the Grateful Dead and Steve Miller loved him.
   This being said, it is worth having all of his CDs.
   To start, buy this 3-CD box set (and then Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall and Rockin' with Reed). Don't make the mistake of buying another CD boxed set, Jimmy Reed: The Classic Recordings, on the Tomato label. It has a good compilation, but plays at a very low level and has lousy sound quality. An insult to this great blues master's work.

No comments about Chicago Blues : The Vee Jay Era.

1 comments about Goin' Mad Blues.

1. What a nice collection. Ten cd's each about an hours worth of blues. Like all the collections from this company there are no notes of any kind. The only information is song title,artist,and length. The recordings are adequate to pretty good. The songs are in no real order of any kind. That out of the way I have to say that this is a great collection of music by quite a few well-known people. John Lee Hooker,T-bone Walker,Big Joe Williams,Bessie Smith,Leadbelly and a number of others all show up here. The styles range from country to electric to r&b. This collection is aimed at anyone who enjoys blues,novice or long time listeners. The price makes this a great purchase. Don't think low price equals low quality. Two other collections from the same people are just as good-Rhythm&Blues and Diggin' Deeper. Both ten cd sets approximately the same price.

4 comments about Mississippi Blues: Rare Cuts 19.

1. Caveat: You probably have to like country blues to like this set. If you don't you may be put off.
   
   If you are familiar with this style of music this is a treasure trove. Among other things there are recordings by Freddie Spruell, and the only appearances on record of the legendary Hacksaw Harney (as an accompanist to piano player Walter Rhodes.) Other highlights include the four acoustic tunes recorded by Robert Lockwood, Jr,the recently discovered Son House recording (Mississippi County Farm and Clarksdale Moan) and records by the brothers Joe and Charlie McCoy including a delightful version of the song Skip James recorded as Devil Got My Woman called here Evil Devil Woman.
   
   The sound is very good for the money. Someone like the late John R. T. Davies probably could have made them all sound like pristine electric 78s but these are remarkably free of noise, particularly the annoying crackle that often came from Paramount discs straight from the factory. Remember too that a lot of these are acoustic recordings and are more limited in frequency and dynamic range than the electrical recordings that started in the later 1920s.
   
   If you're interested in country blues and want a good sample of the styles that were popular in Mississippi in the 20s and 30s this is well worth the money. I think it's worth it because it's darned good music but that's only my opinion; I may be right; I may be wrong.



2. This is the way it is supposed to sound. Why some people think that old 78's will magically sound like current digital recordings is beyond belief! That aside, this is a GREAT collection of country delta blues played by real people who lived the blues. This is the real deal for a very reasonable price. The neat thing about collections like this is that you hear real blues from different people with different styles. This is how you expand your appreciation. This is how you learn. This is how your grow. Get over the occasional nicks and scratches in the sound; think of it as adding to the experience, and appreciate what is being performed. This stuff is really great!



3. JSP continues to challenge Yazoo and Document records with their re-releases (with very good mastering to boot) of country blues and this set is no exception. For 25 bucks you get some of the finest and rarest country blues put to shellac (this set was mastered from 80-year old 78's where in some cases, only 1 or 2 copies is known to exist).
   
   Unfortunately, some of these artists recorded for Paramount records, a company notorious for manufacturing records that would self-destruct after 20 plays.
   
   Don't be discouraged by the sound quality; in most cases on this set, it is exemplary considering that the bulk of this material was recorded before 1930. What we have here are some of the earliest examples of country blues (i.e. Freddie Spruell), pure and unaffected because it preceded the advent of radio airplay and music company marketing hyperbole.
   
   Those who have not reveled in the fabulous bottleneck playing and tortured singing of Sam Butler (Bo Weevil Jackson) or King Solomon Hill (Joe Holmes) are missing the origins of much popular "roots" music and the regional musical styles that existed before the depression.
   
   Similarly, listen to the late Robert Lockwood's earliest acoustic sides before he went on to embellish Sonny Boy Williamson's (Willie Rice Miller) and Little Walter's most famous Chess material, and Otis Spann's beautiful recordings for Candid records.
   
   This set has too many superlatives to mention in an Amazon review, but it must be said that these recordings, although performed when the term "indigenous music" could be applied without exaggeration, were to become a major influence on so much of the popular music that followed it 10 and 20 years later.
   
   As always, JSP has delivered a lot for a little. If you have any interest in pre-war country blues, it doesn't come any better than this.



4. We were anxious to receive the CDs as we are avid listeners of Blues and Jazz music. However were disappointed at the quality of the music. It was scratchy and difficult to hear. We thought it would have been digitally updated but found it was not. We are sorry we purchased the CDs.
   D. Pritchard Arizona

1 comments about Mercury Blues 'n' Rhythm Story 1945-1955.

1. This INCREDIBLE 8-CD set covers all of the Mercury blues, R&B and jump music from post-WWII -- the music that laid the foundation for the rock 'n roll revolution of the late '50's. The set is divided by geographic styles; West Coast, Southwest, East Coast and Midwest. There are many artists featured who are all but unknown today, but were popular in the club sub-culture and with returning GI's. I love the small orchestral arrangements of fast, jumpin' blues, boogie, and R&B tunes. The lyrics in many songs are hilarious, and demonstrate the subconscious relief of ending the world wars. Anyone who is remotely interested in R&B and the foundations of rock HAS to get this set. It's expensive, but worth every single penny. I've been listening non-stop since the set arrived, and I walk around all day with the jumpin' and jivin' tunes in my head!