1 comments about Cool Cool Blues: The Classic Sides 1951-1954.

1. Four discs. 68,68,71,78 min. each approximately. Remastered sound. There are 103 sides by Rice Miller,known as Sonny Boy Williamson and some friends and acquaintances here,and some of the tracks are some of the best blues recordings of this time period. Starting out with Eyesight To The Blind,a well-known title and Williamson's first release,the music continues along the same vein. Besides Williamson on vocals and harmonica,he is accompanied by the great Willie Love on piano with bass, drums,and guitar. The guitartists range from unknown to Elmore James to B.B.King. The first cd is devoted to Williamson as the main performer. The emphasis is squarely on Sonny Boy,with the backing group supporting him in an understated,but always authentic sound that really makes these tracks shine. The second cd begins with the awesome Big Joe Williams,whose voice and guitar is one of the highlights of this set. The tracks here are in a John Lee Hooker style,both in the vocals and especially in the guitar,which is used as a counterpart to the vocals. Together they weave a sound as real and primal as any blues you'll hear. Williams is supported by only a bass player,putting his vocals at the center. The next few tracks are by Luther Huff and his brother. Both play guitar with Luther taking the vocal spotlight. His few tracks are good but nothing extraordinary. Next up is another friend of Sonny Boy's,Arthur Crudup. Backing him is a bass,drums,piano,and harmonica combo. Sonny Boy plays harmonica on a couple of tracks. These tracks are done in a jump-blues style and are very enjoyable. Both Bobo Thomas and Elmore James each appear on one track each,with James listed as doing an alternate recording of Dust My Broom ,with Sonny Boy on harmonica,on the box. This alternate is not on my copy nor is it listed in the booklet. Jerry McCain,a Little Walter disciple,has the next few tracks. Accompanied by his own harmonica,and with a tenor sax plus the usual rhythm section,these sides are also in a jump-blues vein. The third cd starts off with Willie Love,a vocalist-piano player who could lay down some great blues. The backing consists of guitar,bass,drums,and tenor sax. Love's style was a bit more in the "city" style of blues. Sherman Johnson is up next and he continues in the "city" style of blues with a commercial sound aimed at making a hit record. The rest of the tracks on this cd are by Tiny Kennedy and Wally Mercer,respectively. Both are in the same vein as Willie Love,but with a very commercial sound. The final cd features Sonny Boy Williamson,Willie Love,and Arthur Crudup. Williamson's sound is still in his typical style,but with a bit more of a commercial feel to it. Besides his harmonica and the usual small group backing,there is also a tenor sax in the mix,which gives the sound a different feel than when Sonny Boy first recorded. Crudup's vocal on his two tracks are primal in sound,with the guitar looking ahead to a more modern sound. Willie Love finishes this collection with some fine downhome blues vocals out in front of the usual bass,drums,tenor sax backing. This is a good collection that gives a good view of blues music that was being produced in the South during the early fifties. Anyone who is interested in this period and these artists would be advised to pick this up.

2 comments about Christmas Blues & Shout.

1. If this set actually contained the advertised songs I would have given it five stars. However, when you receive it, the songs are all different! If you are looking for a general Christmas jazz set, this one is OK ... But if you are looking for those specific songs I would look elsewhere.



2. Christmas hasn't been the same since I discovered this fabulous box set. Jazz has been forevermore infused into Jingle Bells and Bing Crosby. (Although Bing joins in on "Gone Fishin'.")

   What a collection! Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Lena Horne...every disk is a powerhouse of music. I am no Jazz expert, but I know how to enjoy good music. "What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin'?)" is my favorite. It is as swinging a song as the title suggests. Mildred Bailey does good service to "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" "The Night Before Christmas" as read by Louis Armstrong is really fun.

   I can't imagine a better box set. Each of the three disks is worth the price on its own.

No comments about Yardbirds Story: 1963-66.

No comments about Complete Irving Berlin Songbooks.

No comments about Chronicles.

No comments about Blues Band Box.

No comments about Blues, Barrelhouse & Boogie Woogie: 1946-1955.

3 comments about Big Band.

1. As a youngster some 25 years ago I was fortunate enough to have a neighbor who had records of big band music that he shared.
   Long evenings spent listening in my attic room as the old tube amplified record player would reproduce big band music faithfully through a big, old Wurlitzer jukebox speaker. Miller, Goodman, Dorsey, Herman, Armstrong, and others educated me in the art of the big band. For hours on end I would listen to the music pouring forth from the big speaker, and on warm evenings when my window was open the neighbors would also. If I recall correctly I even got requests.
   In both repertoire and sonics the "Big Band Box" easily holds its own against the compilations from Time Life, Longines Symphonette Society, Readers Digest, and various others.
   The artists picked are some of the most influential of the Swing Era- Benny Goodman, who is credited with starting the big band era circa 1935. Duke Ellington, who is truly an artist "Beyond category." Chick Webb- the harlem dynamo who gave Ella Fitzgerald her start with a Big Band. Fletcher Henderson- a genius whose arrangements often had multiple layers some on top, but others not revealing themselves until multiple listenings. Gene Krupa- the giant of percussion who is still one of the most revered drummers today.
   Harry James- The child prodigy from a circus family whose best work was electrifying, but descended into alcoholism and gambling, but stayed true to his craft up until the end. His last recordings revealed a purity of tone and melody that denied he only had weeks to live...
   The music selections are also excellant, and reveal a real sensitivty of the big bands real flavorings. A mixture of old chestnuts and seldom heard tunes provide a glimpse of what the music may have sounded like during a club date or radio program. This is a refreshing contrast to the usual "Best of" albums which are often reissued today, which often descend almost to parody, indicating that a band only had perhaps ten songs they played. In reality, the musicians and performers of the big band era were incredibly versatile and productive. This collection allows the neophyte a chance to hear what it was like during those incredible years, and even allows this old amateur disc jockey a few surprise numbers.
   The sound quality is really quite good, with the almost total elimination of surface noise. Almost all the Big band recordings were made directly to disc, this was before the adoption of analog tape as a recording medium. The equalization is also very good and sounds very natural and musical. The quality of these old monaural recordings has rarely sounded as good as this.
   Liner notes have a summary of each of the covered artists lives as well as their careers. Also the session dates as well as the arrangers and performers are also listed.
   May I suggest for future releases that the company include some information on the audio restoration process used. To my untrained ear the restoration is very similar to the "Cedar" process, it would be nice to know what process was used. On the next issuing perhaps they could include some live performances, as like the bands of today, big bands come most alive when they interact with their audiences.
   Nit picking aside, if one has even a modicum of interest in Swing music then this set is an absolute bargain, and a must have. We all know that in movies the sequel is seldom the equal of the original. It is often so in music as well. That which was done well originally is difficult to equal, let alone surpass. The time in which this music was created is long gone, as are most of the people who created it. Yet their legacy lives on and has seldom shone greater in recent years than on this "Big Band Box."
   Also I recommend the "Cradle of Jazz" set as does reviewer jka1215- ASIN: B00004S7HQ.



2. With well over 40 hours of music from around forty artists I feel enlighted from this collection.

   I'm a new comer to the jazz scene and although listening to one collection won't put me shoulder to shoulder with the experts, it's a pretty good start.

   Thanks to this collection, I am familiar with the styles of very famous big band names such as Benny Goodman and Cab Calloway, but also with artists I had never heard of such as Woody Herman and Stan Kenton.

   Some of the music on these CDs is great, but some is pretty forgettable, while some is downright irritating. But due to the scope of the project this almost goes without saying.

   The sound quality is generally acceptable and since the cost is only around a buck and a half per CD, even if you only like a tenth of the songs, you've gotten your money's worth.

   Speaking for myself, I feel like I have taken a crash course in American pops from when my grandma was a young person and from this perspective, I'm really glad I bought it.




3. Nearly 40 hours of digitally remastered original 78s and 45s for less than $1 each. No, you aren't getting the 1000 greatest hits of the 30s & 40s, but this is a great collection, but at 10% of the price, you get a lot of standards.

   Also see the similarly priced "Cradle of Jazz" and "Great Vocalists of Jazz and Entertainment" collections by the German "History" label.

5 comments about Beckology.

1. If you are not familiar with the genius guitar that is Jeff Beck..this is a great place to START...but it is only a start. As you will listen to this and probably decide that you need more. A true classy guitarist that never wastes a note. Take the plunge and add it to your cart; just be ready to search for additional Jeff Beck results, that you'll be snatching up as well



2. this compilation shows why jeff beck was one of the three guitar heroes in the 1960's along with eric clapton and jimmy page. the great tone, the years ahead of everybody guitar leads that put him on a level few could touch. to bad he is tarnishing his current legacy with odd guitar noises and techno babble leads



3. This is a CD spanning Jeff Beck's entire career. It starts with the Tridents and goes all the way through Jeff Beck's guitar shop.
   As you probably know Jeff Beck was with the Yardbirds and later in the Jeff Beck Group along with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.
   He also was with Beck, Bogart and Appice and another formation of the Jeff Beck Group with a different cast.
   With Blow By Blow in the early 70's he started his instrumental phase which he continues to this day.
   Beck has always been known but never in the forefront.
   You get all the classic Yardbirds hits like Heart Full of Soul, I'm a Man, Shapes of Things,Over Under Sideways Down and Happenings Ten Years Ago.
   You also get his classics with Rod Stewart including Jailhouse Rock, Plynth (water down the drain) among others.
   And his work with BB&A including Superstition, Black Cat Moan.
   You also get his instrumental era including Cause We Ended As Lovers,Freeway Jam, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, Love is Green and the Pump from There and Back.
   Also included is his duet with Rod Stewart, People Get Ready, a killer version of Sleep Walk, Big Block and Where Were You.
   This is an Anthology that any Jeff Beck fan should not be without.



4. This was a great purchase foe even tho I already have every Jeff Beck cd!(Except the newer rematsered "Truth" & "Beck-Ola")
   
   Buying this you'll get a great sampling from almost every period
   of Beck's muscial career up until after "Guitar Shop". Jeff Beck has always been a guitar pioneer! He revolutionized the way the electric guitar sounded influenced by his idol Les Paul! Jeff even played Gibson Les Paul guitar's until deciding on going with the Stratocaster. He made his 1st electric guitar or at least altered it & did alter his amp re-wiring it so it would produce strange sound effects like Les Paul!
   
   Beck has always reinvented himself throughout the yrs! From the begining w/the "Tridents" & "Yardbirds"(my fave guitarist of the 3 Yarbird bands)& then thruoughout "Jeff Beck Group #8"! He almost aslways used Marshall amplification(he strayed away a few times but always came back to Marshall's)& this can be heard thruout these recordings. I w have been lucky enough to see almost every incarnation of the differing Jeff Beck Groups 'live' & saw the incredible power trio "BBA" live from 10 feet away! Incredible! Some of that material is available here. I had to order my dbl vinyl "BBA LIVE" from Japan in 1974!
   
   So almost every period of his brilliant career is heard here! While 1 disc is almost entirely made up of "The Tridents" & "The Yardbirds" which some find unecessary, I like it. Sure some of his greatest tunes werew left off but hey you'd have to buy a 30 disc set to get almost everything!! I miss "Spanish Boots" & Ron Wood's incredible bass solo which that song fades out during just as Ron was getting going! A shame. However, you do get unreleased cut's like, Tident songs & others & the cuts only available before if you bought soundtract albums! Plus B sides of 45's most people reading this will have never heard before.!
   
   Jeff is 1 of my fave artists & guitarists & belongs on a Mount Rushmore for Guitarists! He is still innovative & new & I just got a dvd of his 60th Bithday Concert(boot)that is great! It features Jan Hammer & special guests!
   
   If you like Jeff Beck this would be a great purchase for you! EXCELLENT 3 disc boxed set with a great booklet that features a "Timeline" that shows the progression of Jeff's bands & the groups the memebers he used,in his bands came from. The entire ine-up's of both! Superb feature for history buffs of musicology! BUY THIS!



5. I think the thing I love most about Jeff Beck is that even though he doesn't play a million notes a second like most so called "guitar heros", his solos are always intriguing and in great taste. He never did the "finger tapping" thing or the "sweep arpeggio"...he ingnored most trends through the years and did things entirely his way. The mark of a true artist!
   
   Getting back to this three disc set, I agree 100% with the other reviewers with the fact that there is much too much space dedicated to the Yardbirds....they aready have too many "Best Of the Yardbirds" CDs.
   
   It gets a star taken off for omitting my all time favorite Beck jams..."Blue Wind", off of the Wired album. Also, just one track off "There and Back" doesn't cut it. They should have dedicated all three discs to his solo career from Blow by Blow, to the Guitar Shop album.
   
   They did a great job on the remastering, however. "Going Down", sounds like it was recorded yesterday, with none of that nasty shrillness and compression that you hear on so many of those CBS albums from the 60's and 70's.

No comments about The Classic Earliest Recordings.