5 comments about Oldies But Goodies: 250 Legendary Hits.

1. After reading many of the reviews, I just wanted to mention that the sound quality is excellent. Digitally remastered and sounds better than anyone could have remembered. Secondly if this is not your kind of music i.e. you dont like oldies or fun 50's music this is NOT for you. For the rest of you out there, this is better than most collections out there for the mere reason that it covers so much and sounds so good
   
   You will be the hit of any party with this collection seeing as you have over 200 songs and they are so much fun.....This collection was made and produced by Art Laboe, and if you dont know who that is, just google him and find out..



2. THIS UNIQUE OLDIES BOX SET BRINGS BACK MANY MEMORIES OF MY YOUTH. I GREW UP LISTENING TO THE SAME SONGS AND ARTISTS FOUND IN THIS COLLECTION. NIGHTIME WOULD FIND ME LYING IN BED WITH MY TRANSISTOR RADIO PRESSED AGAINST MY EAR. I GREW UP LISTENING TO THE EXACT SAME MUSIC FOUND IN THIS OUTSTANDING COLLECTION. I BUY TONS OF MUSIC BUT THIS BOX SET WILL ALWAYS REMAIN MY MOST WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT.
   
   FM DJ FROM THE MIDWEST



3. I bought one of these for a Christmas present for my brother and one for me. We're both connoiseurs of this music.

   When all was said and done, there is most certainly some good stuff here, and it's fairly representative of that era. But quite frankly, there are way too many 2nd and 3rd rate cuts included to make this set worth owning.

   I played mine so few times that I don't even know where it is any more. I'm especially sorry I gave one to my brother for Christmas. He deserved better.




4. This fantastic oldiescollection represents the"soundtrack of my life"! Every song is proofthat rock-n-roll is hereto stay!A must for every collector! Rock on,



5. I found only Vol. 3 of the boxed sets (78 songs, though the box says 80) in a retail store. Some of the artists are not the ones I remember, but perhaps they were the first to record a particular song.

2 comments about The Engine Room: A History of Jazz Drumming from Storyville to 52nd Street.

1. This is a great CD that show a complete panorama about the
   history of drums and drummers. They are 4 CD's selected by themes like:
   1.New Orleans Style/ 2.Swing is Here/ 3.Big Band's / 4. Modernism.
   Have an excellent book with a short history of each drummer, with
   good pictures from the greatest drummers.
   It has great's drums solos from Ray Bauduc, Baby Dodd's, Zutty Singleton, Sony Greer(very rare), Chick Webb, Sid Cattlet, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson and some others not so famous, but very important to the history of the drums. And good executions from Tony Sbarbaro (his name are incorrect on cd: "Sharbaro"), Cozy Cole, Krupa, Manzey Johnson, Art Blakey playing on a big band, and more...
   I miss more drums solos. That's the reason i gave "4" and not "5" stars. Unfortunatly dont have any solo from the greatest Dave Tough, Jo Jones and Lionel Hampton (Hampton don even appears on cd).
   But the people who select this collection knows about the drum and drummers history!
   Every drummer or lover need's to have this collection!!!
   Is an excellent and well done jazz drumming class!!!
   
   
   
   
   



2. Like the companion set, Hittin' on All Six (jazz guitar), this collection brings together a wide range of excellent records that date from the earliest jazz recordings going up though early modern. Some of the selections are predictable, some are obscure, but they all are interesting. Lots of Sid Catlett, for example, and excellent choices on the big band side in particular (Cozy Cole, Jimmy Crawford and Jo Jones, to name three). No Lionel Hampton, but the fabulous cymbal beat of Alvin Burroughs with a Hampton small group. And of course, Chick Webb's Liza, which features wonderful drumming but also a really fine trumpet solo by Bobby Stark (the 2nd solo).

5 comments about Singles Collection: The London Years.

1. THE ROLLING STONES SINGLES COLLECTION * THE LONDON YEARS consists of three CDs packed in the LP-sized box that was in vogue 10 or 15 years ago-- in hindsight, a wastefully expensive package. The included 72-page giant book is of recycled-quality paper. It's pages are dyed several starkly annoying colors, and all graphics are in low-grade B&W. Two pages of text in front, and two in back bookend the spread out song lyrics and lousy-looking photos. A hack job, design-wise.
   
   The music is little better, sonically. There's a persistent dullness to a lot of these tracks. Andrew Oldham is credited with oversight of this project, so it's surprising that the transfers aren't more vibrant. This great material has been badly served. Recommended only for serious fans or completists. A middling rating for a mediocre product.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
   DISC ONE -- 66:41
   DISC TWO -- 68:27
   DISC THREE -- 49:39



2. stones at thier best
   the londen years proves that early stones are the best



3. A comprehensive collection of single releases from 1963-71 which is far more than it proclaims in it's title. This is the most complete collection of Rolling Stones singles and b-sides available on CD format. From their first in June of 1963 (Come On b/w I Want to Be Loved), you will find almost every aspect of the Stones singles material represented, including British flip-sides and Decca/London singles released after 1971. This 3CD (4LP) set overlaps thirty-five (35) songs from the Hot Rocks collections (4CDs), but offers an additional twenty-three (23) selections. Remaining true to the singles, songs such as Sympathy For the Devil, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and Dandelion are heard as they were in their original edited (or extended) "single" form for this album. note-though it would have been a great highlight, this collection does not contain Street Fighting Man as it is heard in it's initial 7" form, that version remains otherwise unavailable on any official CD or LP. When the song Wild Horses was released as a single, it's b-side Sway was found in alternate form as well; that recording was not owned by Decca/London, and thus was not included in this collection.



4. What a great idea! While their most noteworthy contemporaries, the Beatles, were one of the first bands to explore the possibilities of creating great albums, by and large the Stones remained a band that created listenable, danceable, rockable hit singles. (There were some exceptional albums, however, such as Aftermath and Beggars Banquet.) So, their original record company has a great idea: Why not gather together ALL the Stones singles (the ones released on the London label from the years 1963-1976) with their flip sides (both US and UK) and release them in one great big beautiful box! Brilliant, huh??? Actually, it is an excellent concept and, for the most part, well executed. It is true that many of the Stones great singles are here: "Satisfaction," "Get Off of My Cloud," "Brown Sugar," "Let's Spend the Night Together," etc. It is also true that many of their lesser known singles and fabulous flips (B-sides) are here as well. Many other bands would feel very lucky to have just one song as good as "The Spider and the Fly," "The Under-assistant West Cost Promotion Man," "Play With Fire," "Little Red Rooster," and "Ruby Tuesday". So, that means it's a perfect compilation, right? Well, not quite. For one thing, both hits and flips include a lot of clunkers, such as "Sad Day", "Memo from Turner," "The Singer Not the Song" and "Surprise, Surprise." Also included are some of the mid-sixties demos later gathered on the album Metamorphosis, such as "I Don't Know Why" and "Jiving Sister Fanny." They are interesting ideas, but obviously unfinished. Finally, since this is a singles collection, that means we get the cut version of "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Most listeners will no doubt want the full version that contains the choral section at the beginning, found on the Let It Bleed album. Still, over 3/4 of the cuts are worthwhile, and many are classics not easy to find in one place. So, grab your boxers, put on this box, and rock this town!!!



5. This is the only Rolling Stones album I have, and I must say that it is quite exceptional. When I first got the album I was amazed by how many songs I had heard and enjoyed, and yet how many more great quality songs were available to learn. Now I can't imagine a time when I didn't know these songs, they are so good. I have listened to this collection many many times, and yes, the Stones are definitely as good as you've heard. Since I (haven't had the chance to) have not followed their career throughout time, I feel inadequate to say too much about the Stones except to say that I REALLY enjoy this set and highly recommend it to others. The new remastered set would be good, except it hasn't nearly the same amount of music and alot of redundancy to this set. I also don't know how much the improvement of remastering will do, these songs sound great as presented here. Since the Stones have much more blues sound than the beatles or other sixties contemporaries, I really like their sound. My favorite highlights: Come On (Chuck Berry did it, but this one really cooks,) Little Red Rooster (almost better than Howlin' Wolf's version,) Get Off My Cloud, Mother's Little Helper, Paint it Black, Sympathy for the Devil, etc. etc. etc. Don't miss out on this legendary rock band and this great set.

5 comments about The Dawn of Doo-Wop.

1. This collection really ought to be called "The Roots of Doo Wop," as it reaches back quite a bit farther than any point that could reasonably called the dawn of doo wop. For example, the song most commonly cited as doo wop's first, Sonny Til and the Orioles' "It's Too Soon To Know," turns up only on the second disk. Even among the songs recorded several years after that one, most don't quite fit into the genre. All the essential elements are there (except for the nonsense backing vocals in most cases), but they haven't quite gelled into what we now know as doo wop.
   
   That said, doo wop fans are likely to enjoy what they do find here all the same. It's a nice sampler of early black group harmony, reaching back as far as 1940 and featuring giants of the pre-rock era such as the Mills Brothers, the Ink Spots and the Ravens, along with plenty of lovely performances from more obscure groups. Interestingly, even among groups represented here that did make some doo wop records (notably the Five Keys and the Robins), most of the selections included here are better described as group harmony than doo wop. The one clear exception is the Clovers' "Fool, Fool, Fool." Its presence at least shows how the various elements heard in the other songs finally came together. One other distinction is the adult nature of many of the songs, particularly the Larks' selections such as "When I Leave These Prison Walls" (yes, a true story).
   
   Overall, this set lacks the innocence and exuberance of most doo wop collections, but it shows where those essential elements came from. It will probably appeal to most doo wop fans the in same way those rare early recordings on your favorite band's box set can be appealing.



2. The Dawn of Doo-Wop doesn't really have too many true Doo Wop songs on it but instead focuses on the R&B and pop vocal group harmonies that laid the groundwork for the 50's Doo Wop explosion.
   The songs on this set date from 1940 to the early 1950s and feature many seminal groups such as the Inkspots, the Mills Brothers, the Orioles, the Ravens and many others.
   There are many obscure songs here and the sound quality is very good.
   Also included in a nice booklet of liner notes jam-packed with information.
   This is another Proper box set that excels in quality and value.



3. This is a good collection of often obscure songs and artists. Unfortunately, the sound quality is terrible. Every pop and hiss is included and really detracts from the listening experience. It seems to me that if Proper thought enough of this material to package it they would have put in at least a little effort to clean the sound up. I won't order any of their other collections as I have my doubts that the quality would be any better.



4. This is a spectacular, if mis-named collection of early group harmony gems. Out of 100 sides, there isn't a real Doo-Wop in the bunch. But it's certainly a bonanza for fans of the "roots" of R'nB harmony groups. Almost all of the "Grandfather" groups, & several of the "Fathers" are represented, with a few omitted, such as the Hollywood Flames, Cats & the Fiddle, Clovers & Brown Dots. I have over 5,000 records in my personal collection, but only 6 or 7 of these sides, all on 78's......I loved it, & the price is definitely right......D-J



5. This is an intelligently constructed overview of pre- and early
   doo wop from the 1940's and early 1950's with a first class 52 page booklet and 100 songs on four cd's with excellent sound quality. You get the superstars of classic group harmony--the incomparable Five Keys on Aladdin, still the heavyweight champions of the genre;the excellent Swallows on King, Larks on Apollo, early Orioles, Ravens, Robins plus many rare and obscure items never before on CD like the Lewis Bronzeville Five and many more gems for fans and collectors. This is the finest box set in the genre so far, and at an incredible price--about one-third the cost of the Rhino boxes with a similar number of cuts. Check out other Proper boxes of similar bargains for blues, R & B, Jazz and Country. My highest recommendation.

3 comments about Swing Time! The Fabulous Big Band Era 1925-1955.

1. This is hardly a definitive collection - how can there be an ultimate swing set with only three discs? - but it IS a great collection for the novice, or just for the collector.
   My favorite disc is disc one, which gives an overview of the roots of swing from the 1920's and early '30's. Some hoppin' tunes here, the kind of Jazz that had parents fretting over the music their children were listening to. Yes, that's something that many younger folks are not aware of. This period in time was the beginning of the teenager as a rebellious sort, and that continued on until the Great Depression put an end to the frivolousness of their ways - driving fast and wild in their automobiles, wearing outrageous clothes, crazy bobbed haircuts, diggin' these hep cat grooves while dancin' as if they were possessed. And you thought that the teen's of the 1950's were out of control! My grandmother and her sisters were part of the roaring twenties scene and turned their mother's hair white!
   The Great Depression and the unrest in Europe of the 1930's didn't stop the swinging sounds that came out of the big American cities. The youth of the day needed a release, and the edgy music of Swing was IT. Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Chick Webb, and so many more kept the sounds coming and the kids alive, allowing them to forget their troubles for a few minutes while Tain't What You Do, Let's Dance, and Stompin' At the Savoy played on.
   Of course, WWII soon came to America and, although there were some swinging cuts, for the most part the music began to ease on the jumpin' and jumped on the vocal sounds instead. This set, however, shows us that, although the smooth Frank Sinatra may have been king of the jukeboxes during the war, the hep sounds still did abound with Take The A Train, Caldonia, and Let Me Off Uptown.
   This collection is a great starter set as an introduction to a musical form that was, in its day, every bit at wild as rock and roll was in the 1950's. There are glaring ommissions (no Sing Sing Sing?) but neat trivia tunes such as Hot and Anxious by the Baltimore Bellhops, which is where Glenn Miller 'borrowed' the rif for his In The Mood (also on this collection).
   A worthy set that's worth your buck.



2. Consider this three CD set from Columbia as a sort of start-up kit into the fabulous world of Big Band music. I'm one of those souls who always feel they were born in the wrong era and for a nostalgia nut like me these recordings still give off a vibe both jazzy and innocent. This was a time when men and women made music without the use of any technological recording wizardry and through a combination of craftsmanship and sheer moxie created a sound that was the "rock" and "rap" for whom some call the "greatest generation." There's a youthful exhuberance here. Just close your eyes when you here the first cut of "Sweet Georgia Brown" by the California Ramblers (featuring future Big Band stars Red Nicols and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey) and you soon realize that your hearing not your granddad but guys in their twenties and thirties letting loose and sharing in what was primarily a Black American art form.
   
   "Swing Time" is a wonderfully designed package that includes a lavish booklet featuring both history and enlightening analysis of the era from writer Michael Brooks. Some musicologists will no doubt gripe about what may or may not be included here. No matter, for my untrained ears these 66 cuts speak for themselves brilliantly. .



3. 5 STAR for the music and 1 STAR for the reproductions.

   The music is the greatest! However, the quality of the CD's were horrendous. I have records that are 50 years old, played hundreds of times, that sound better! No matter if they used CEDAR or any other method of restoration, they sound lousy to me!!!

5 comments about The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles, Vol. 2: 1968-1971.

1. More than 30 years after Stax-Volt last published, at last I have my hands on all three volumes of 'The Complete...'. The individual volumes have some great music, not all of which found its way around the world. Hearing great music for the first time long after the label's demise is a mixture of elation tinged with regret. Yet the breadth of the three volumes is astonishing and encompasses a range of talent, unique yet all related through the label (of course) and mostly through the session/backing musicians. If you can, buy all three volumes of this amazing collection and then turn the music up. And see how quickly your smile turns to a broad and happy grin. Enjoy.



2. I heard this set before I was exposed to the legendary 1959-1968 Stax/Volt volume one box set. With the exception of Otis Redding, I am more impressed with music here than in volume one. The loss of Otis Redding and the fallout of the distribution deal with Atlantic clearly sent the label into a tail spin. However this forced (or allowed) other talents to rise up, like Isaac Hayes, and the label sought acts like the Staple Singers, who found their sound in Memphis. This is also when the black power/black consciousness movement starts to influence the music. There's more message music -- some of the best and funkiest message music recorded -- and apart from a few tracks, you're not really beat over the head with it. (One exception may be John KeSandra's "(What's Under) The Natural Do," ... it's a bit cheesy with 30 years of history from the time it was recorded, but it's a song with a sense of humor that also makes a statement.) The volume 1 set chronicles a label trying to find its sound and put together a string of hits. That music can't be denied in any way, shape or form. But this set is when the hits start coming fast and furious ... yes, they're largely hits on the R&B chart, they're hits none the less. And plenty of artists crossed over into the pop chart as well, the detailed track listings make that clear.
   
   For what it's worth, this is when Albert King put together a string of hits, and they're all represented ... a bit odd for a straight-up blues guitar player to find a home at Stax, but that's the beauty of this label, they made it all work.
   
   Of course, you've really got to be into soul music, and this era of R&B, in particular, to invest in a set like this. If you've already paid for any of the Motown "complete" sets or some of the philly soul compilations, then I would highly recommend this (and volume 1) without reservation.



3. In May of 1968, Stax was in a dilemma. The distribution deal with Atlantic Records ceased to be since Stax opted out of the Atlantic/Warner
   merger. Thus, they lost the lion's share of their back catalogue to Atlantic plus Sam & Dave, who were merely loaned to Stax and were initially Atlantic artists, not to mention Otis Redding from the December '67 plane crash that took his life. A prominent figure in the Civil Rights movement had also been brought down: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and it was in the Memphis area. With so much on their plate, it could have been the end of the line for Stax.
   
   However, with the mighty audacity and go-power of Al Bell, Stax was going to start from scratch and rebuild their catalogue under their new distributors, Gulf+Western. Their first record on the new label with the finger-snap logo (replacing the stack-of-records) was provided by none other than Booker T. and the MG's; it was a Caribbean-influenced number called "Soul Limbo." It was a hit right off the bat. With more hit singles following, Stax was off to a promising rebirth.
   
   Much of the earlier part of this 9-disc set that chronicles 1968-1971 sounds like a direct continuation of the first set. Though, it isn't long when the Stax sound begins to change gradually with the influences of Stax's new order of business and mass production including more outside production from the North and in places like Muscle Shoals. The changing times also affect the tone of the music as it becomes more funkier but somehow loses its down-home grit that was omnipresent in the first set. With new producers at hand and the aim for assembly-line production, the sound on this set begins to become permeated with polish and gloss. The new artists that came during this period like the Emotions and the Dramatics were saddled with this ordeal and lyrics to many songs were gravitating more towards social and domestic awareness.
   
   Nonetheless, the Stax veterans, namely Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Albert King, William Bell, Johnnie Taylor and Booker T. & the MG's still managed to keep Stax's primal grittiness intact. The Bar-Kays were reformed by the two surviving members and as a result they increased their level of funkiness. Isaac Hayes goes from Stax session musician and principal song writer and rises to stardom as one of Stax's most successful artists ("I Stand Accused" is his best work, period. The sound clip provided here on this page is awesome). The Staple Singers provide moments of inspiration and renewed hope. With the absence of Otis Redding and Sam & Dave, that initial high-power energy is sorely missing and it wasn't long when Booker T. & the MG's were drifting away from Stax. That's the gap that these swarms of new artists like the Soul Children, Margie Joseph and Ernie Hines were aiming to fill, and do great jobs in their own respect, but you'll know something is still noticably missing.
   
   At 216 tracks among 9 CD's, each containing more than 70 minutes of music and showcased in crisp, meaty stereo sound, Vol. 2 is definitely worth the listen. Though, I found that on the first box I could categorize all the songs into those that I loved/really liked and those that I could at least appreciate. On the second box, it's about the same, however there were about six tracks that I just didn't care for such as The Nightingales "I Don't Want to Be Like My Daddy", and Jeanne & the Darlings' "It's Time to Pay for the Fun", and Calvin Scott's "Shame on the Family Name." So, 6 out of 216 isn't bad, now is it?
   
   Still, being an avid Stax fan, there was much to enjoy on this second set.
   It's R&B; it isn't afraid to express itself and the lyrics are still down-to-earth and didn't have to be created from hard, exasperating efforts.
   Everything from Booker T. & the MG's, the Staple Singers, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Albert King, the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes and Johnnie Taylor and many of the Soul Children's material were my favorite tracks and obviously there are too many to mention. I also enjoyed songs from renowned artists who had brief stints with Stax like John Lee Hooker, Barbara Lewis, The TSU Toronadoes, Darrell Banke, Jimmy Hughes and even Delaney & Bonnie of "Never Ending Song of Love" fame. On disc three, you'll hear MG guitarist Steve Cropper sing(!) on "Water" as he plays guitar alongside Pops Staples and Albert King. The first three discs and the last one on their own were the strongest in the set; everything spread out in between those mentioned still contained a lot of great songs and rare gems but in the midst were some weaker and uninspired numbers.
   
   Granted, Stax was in the swing of things during this time and the sound became funkier and yet still glossy making the first set (particularly the earlier parts of it) sound primitive. The new beginning was an opportunity to use the new recording equipment acquired and here that is quite relevant. Chart success, in comparison, was about the same with less than half the singles presented being able to make the charts with everything else failing to even make a dent despite the arrival of subsidiary labels like Enterprise (mainly a jazz division), Respect and We Produce.
   
   The next chapter in Stax's golden history awaits you; R&B music was in its last golden years before disco took over. The end of those magic times came with the close of Stax records. Meanwhile, all involved in R&B and particularly southern soul was riding high at this point. So, if the first Stax set left you starving for more, this second set should satisfy you plenty if not overwhelm you.



4. So you probably already own the first box if you're looking at the second box. You're thinking that you already have the majority of the hits , and you do. You're thinking that you want this , but you aren't quite sure. Look , you picked up the first box , you probably LOVED it...pick up the second (and the third). You will hear songs that you never heard before , but that is what makes this box so enjoyable. It's like finding a new radio station circa 1968-1971 , playing songs that could have made the top 10...but didn't. You will not regret putting it in your shopping cart.



5. It's amazing how many hidden gems are mixed in amongst the more well-known songs in this fantastic 9 disc box set. From Darrell Banks' "Just Because Your Love is Gone" to the Newcomers' "Open Up Your Heart (and Let Me In), this is simply a treasure-trove of soul / r&b delights. If you like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, the Dramatics, etc, you will love this set....good for dancin', good for romancin'!

1 comments about Original Source.

1. Amazon's review calls this a budget release, which may be a bit misleading. This is the exact equivalent of any of the JSP blues boxes. The packaging is very cheap, but the music is major-label quality and remastered(just like JSP). This has everything T-Bone recorded from 1951 back. The major downside(if there is one) is that it ends abruptly in 1951 in the middle of his tenure with Imperial. He was with that label from 1950 through 1954, and this collection has the first half(or so) of that output. There is no real reason to end it here when this could have been a 5-CD set including all the Imperial material. His entire Imperial output is available on an excellent 2-CD set, but the first disk, and the first couple of songs on the second disk of that set overlap with the last disk and the end of the third disk of this set. If you don't buy both sets, you will have the blues when you hear what you're missing!!!!!!

No comments about Imaginational Anthem, Vol. 1-3.

2 comments about Sun Records: Ultimate Blues Collection.

1. Well, this is it. Unless you own the very pricey Sun box set on Bear Family, you'll want to purchase this 3-disc compilation if you are a blues lover and the "Sun Sound" rings your bell. This set is an absolute bargain and it contains most of the best blues titles that Sam Phillips ever recorded. Yup, it's all here; Big Walter Horton's "In the Mood", and "Easy" are in the desert island top 10 for blues harp instrumentals. Little Milton Campbell can be heard doing a respectable imitation of early B.B. King, and Little Jr. Parker's perfect voice is not to be missed. Other highlights are the great Earl Zebedee Hooker - King of the slide guitarists - performing some very rare tracks in the Robert Nighthawk mould plus Rufus Thomas (later of Stax records fame) doing his best to knock Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog off the charts with his version of Bear Cat. James Cotton fans will be intrigued to hear Jimmy's sandpaper voice (but no harp) on his earliest sides. And not to be missed are one-man bands Joe Hill Louis and Dr. Ross blasting their harmonicas and wanging away on drum kits and guitars sounding like a full blues band in a jook. No doubt that a certain Mr. P. was listening to some of these same titles on his radio set while growing up in Memphis. Informative notes by journalist-aficionado Bill Dahl and some nice photos are supplied in the enclosed 8 page booklet. Get this set now. Like so many of the great vintage blues reissues, this won't be around long and you'll kick yourself if you miss it.



2. This comprehensive three CD, 75-track collection covers some of the best blues recordings Sun Records has to offer. Featured in this box are tracks by genuine blues legends like: Rufus Thomas, whose "Bear Cat" was Sun's first national hit in `53; Little Junior Parker (including the original "Mystery Train"), Walter Horton, Earl Hooker, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, Little Milton (including his rocking 1953 debut single, "Somebody Told Me"), Billy "The Kid" Emerson's original 1955 waxing of "Red Hot," Rosco Gordon, and plenty more.

1 comments about The Original Sonny Boy Williamson, Vol. 1.

1. Four discs. 76,78,77,75 min. each approximately. Remastered sound. This set is by the original Sonny Boy Williamson,born in 1914,whose first release was in 1937. This was the well-known Good Morning,Little School Girl,an immediate hit. His unique vocals(he had a speech impediment)and his mastery of the harmonica became well-known throughout the South and other areas where blues were popular. His sidemen on this first disc were Big Joe Williams-guitar,Robert Lee McCoy-guitar,and on some tracks Henry Townsend-guitar with Walter Davis-piano. The tracks vary a bit in the vocal department,with McCoy,Williams and Williamson trading off on lead vocals. A look at the tracks on this disc will reveal several songs familiar to any listener of blues-but the overall feel is the same no matter who is out front. A very relaxed,"real" feel oozes out of this music,which continues through the entire set. The first sixteen tracks on disc two follow the previous formula,with vocals traded off between Williamson,McCoy and Townsend. As with a lot of music recorded during this time,there is some confusion as to who exactly played on which tracks,but that doesn't stand in the way of enjoying this music. The last eight sides feature either Elijah Jones or Yank Rachell on vocals. Jones' vocals are suitably rough sounding and fit quite well in this set. The addition of Rachell's mandolin gives these tracks even more of a down-home feel and is quite a nice addition. Disc three continues in the same vein. The only important addition is piano player Speckled Red,who takes a vocal on You Got to Fix It,otherwise he plays accompaniment to Williamson. Red's piano is out of the barrelhouse style and is a standout. There's someone named Willie Hatcher,who plays mandolin on the last few tracks and really contributes nothing of any comment. Disc four is a bit different than the others in that Sonny Boy is starting to leave behind the country sound and influences so important to his sound. The arrangements and the overall feel is starting to lean toward a more urban sound. The players on this disc are essentially the same as the above discs,the only real addition is Big Bill Broonzy on guitar. His addition gives the tracks an urban feel,that while different, is still in the style of the original Sonny Boy Williamson. Taken as a whole,this set is very fine indeed. Anyone looking for the beginnings of popular blues harmonica,played by a master,should certainly investigate this set. The down-home relaxed vocals, the easy-fitting accompaniment,and harmonica played by a master,are one of the cornerstones of blues music.