5 comments about The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Recordings.

1. For a Hopkins fan or a music historian this set is fantastic. Sam Hopkins was a master story-teller - period - and there is a lot of spoken material that inter-weaves his personal history, regional blues history, and general reflections from a different time and a predominantly rural black culture. Having grown up in the rural South as a small boy, I sat at the feet of such story tellers for hours transformed by their spell. That said, if one only wants to listen to Sam Hopkins's music, there are better recordings or at least better quality recordings and one can obtain a suitable collection for less dough. This is a must-have set for a special sub-genre of enthusiasts and for them it is a rare treasure, indeed.



2. SON SOLO 7 DISCOS..REUNEN LAS GRABACIONES DE HOPKINS PARA prestige Y bluesville EN UN PERIODO DE 4 AÑOS!! ES NADA MAS QUE ESO...Y ES ABSOLUTAMENTE RECOMENDABLE Y DE ESCUCHA OBLIGATORIA PARA QUIEN AME EL BLUES!!!! 112 TEMAS QUE RETRATAN TODA UNA VIDA...EL CONCIERTO DE SWARTHMORE, PREVIAMENTE INEDITO, ES ESENCIAL PARA COMPRENDER EL REVIVAL DEL BLUES EN LOS '60! REALMENTE, UNA EDICION MARAVILLOSA, DIGNA DE UN ARTISTA UNICO EN SU TIPO!



3. Yes, it is expensive but if you are interested in the blues then it's a really good deal. As has already been explained, the 7th disc is only interviews. But the 6 discs of music are incredible. I had to work up my nerve to make this purchase a few years ago. Luckily, I did get a discount but I still say it's worth the hefty price tag. I'm listening to 'Last Night Blues' right now and it's just as haunting today as it was when I first bought the set.



4. This seven disk, expensive box set is often a difficult pill to swallow, but I am glad that I did. On six disks twelve Lightnin' albums from the 60's are combined. If you are interested in Lightnin', do the math. The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Rocordings is a value. The seventh disk is full of interviews that may seem dull to some, but to a fan willing to spend $ to get the blues they are a welcome addition. A very interesting way to learn about the man is from his own voice in interviews like these. The liner notes are a simple histoy, a few pictures and a discography. Again, I am glad I bought it.



5. This is one fantastic collection of music! However, I was a little disappointed by the apparent lack of effort that went into the finished product. With such a comprehensive assortment of music, I expected to find at least liner notes or a booklet with some biographical material or reviews. Also, it should be noted that the final disk in this set is only spoken word. While the novelty of it is awesome, and you get to here Lightnin's stories first hand, at my first listening I was somewhat off set because I wasn't expecting it. However, those things aside, this set is worth every penny!

5 comments about Blues Harmonica Masterclass.

1. I absolutely loved Jerry Portnoy's Blues Harmonica Masterclass. I have learned so much from this course, and I really feel Jerry is solely responsible for teaching me the skills, techniques and secrets of the harmonica that have made me the player I am today. I have tried countless harmonica tutorials, lessons, personal instruction and classes over many years , but nothing and no one has taught me as well as Jerry Portnoy's Blues Harmonica Masterclass has.
   
   I was very excited to find out that Jerry Portnoy has just recently released his masterclass as a downloadable version right to your computer. It sounds like a great opportunity and deal. When you buy online, you receive this same exact mastercourse as computer files complete with all the same audio as on the 3 CDs. You also receive a copy of the book in a PDF format to download to your computer as well. Best of all, the downloadable version of this masterclass is selling for the lowest price I've seen anywhere. Its only $49.95 and requires no shipping & handling. I think it's a steal and recommend it to everyone.
   
   IT'S THE BEST COURSE OUT THERE!!



2. This set of CD's are just the thing if you are interested in learning tongue block playing. Not just a bunch of "riffs" to memorize, very instructional.



3. This book contains all you need to know about playing the harmonica. Jerry wastes no time diving into fun and useful techniques. He will show you how the blues monster get their big sound. Every chapter is important in its own way. You start with rhythmic exercises, then single notes, scales, special effects, modes. He doesn't repeat himself all that much, but he helps you develop your technique slowly. So make sure you don't skip through those chapters too fast. If it takes you 6 months before you get to the last chapter, i think it's just fine.
   This set will benefit absolute beginners as well as advanced players. This set however targets people who are serious about learning. If you're willing to take it a step at a time and build up your skills, this is the right choice for you.
   One thing Jerry doesn't show is licks, riffs, patterns. He suggests you get that by listening to artists you like. But he gives you the necessary tools to understand how riffs are played. This set is mostly about technique, he becomes your teacher for a couple hours. Creativity is left to you.
   It ends with a nice selection of play-along blues tracks. You'll learn in various keys and at various tempos.
   You will need an harmonica in A.
   The CD set is a bit pricey, it certainly could be more affordable, but once you get it, you'll forget about the money. It's really worth it.
   The presentation is excellent, the booklet is filled with artwork and fun photos - a nice complement to the audio. One thing I would suggest as an improvement: some of the written content is mostly the same as some of the audio content. I would have liked to see some analysis of his playing in the the play-along tracks.



4. Start here first. This is the best I have found. Excellent Box set. Goes far beyond my imagination!!!



5. There are different styles of learning, and different interests in playing the harmonica. I got this set after all the raves I had heard, but was disappointed.
   
   This Masterclass is all about learning playing techniques...not blues, not riffs. It covers it all, up to very advanced 'overblow' techniques, but ends up leaving the less musical and beginners frustrated (that's me).
   
   If you want to learn about the blues (and the harmonica), get Gindick's Rocks and Blues Harmonica.
   If you want hole-by-hole blues lessons, look at David Barrett's series (my favorite).
   And if you are musical and can find your own way, then try Portnoy's Masterclass.

No comments about 1937-1940, Vol. 2.

3 comments about The Complete Vanguard Recordings and More.

1. Album was great.The songs are exactly as I remember them. I grew up with their music and I'm glad they finally have something like this for all their fans.



2. I was a casual fan of the Siegel-Schwall band back in junior high school but hadn't thought about them in years until I saw this CD on the shelf. What a variety of music is present here!
   It ranges from the primitive to the sophisticated, from the serious to the ridiculous, and from the execrable to the fabulous.
   Siegel-Schwall has a very distinctive sound defined by Corky Siegel's quirky singing and harp-playing as well as the sometimes brilliant guitar work of Jim Schwall. As a blues band, it is guilty of frequently exaggerated macho posturing and a near-parody of black blues stylings. Despite that, there is much to like about the band.
   Let's examine the three discs one by one. The best of disc 1 can be found on Down In The Bottom and I Have Had All I Can Take. Macho strutting is exemplified on When I Get the Time and a real swabby rendition of Hoochie Coochie Man. The lamest tunes are Mama/Papa, I'll Be The Man, Going To New York (really stinks!!),Mary, and So Glad You Are Mine. Those I describe as lame are sometimes musically enjoyable until the singing starts.
   Disc 2 isn't much better. The best cuts are You Don't Love Me, the magnificent mandolin-driven Bring It With You When You Come, and That's Why I Treat My Baby So Fine. The obligatory macho statement is Don't Want No Woman. The worst are a lame rendition of I'm A King Bee, a swabby Easy Rider, and a gag-inducing I Like The Way You Rock.
   The band's journey from the garage-band style to the night club style and on to the concert hall style is most evident on Disc 3. Most of the songs from the Shake! album show a definite maturing of the band's style. Most of the worst on this disc are from the Siegel-Schwall 70 album. I like Shake For Me, Louise Louise Blues, Wouldn't Quit You, Think, 334-3599, Rain Falling Down, and Tell Me. The macho cuts are You Can't Run That Fast and Get Away Man. The lamest are Jim Jam, Do You Remember, Song, and Walk In My Mind, the last being one of the five swabbiest songs on the CD.
   This box set represents the diary of a band's progress during the years it recorded for Vanguard. If you are a die-hard Siegel-Schwall fan, you might well like this compilation but if you want to cut out a lot of musical clutter, I would recommend trying to find Shake! on CD by itself and you would then own most of the best the band has to offer.



3. At long last, Vanguard Records has released the first four albums recorded by the legendary Siegel-Schwall Band. This has to be the deal of the year, folks, when you consider that you get four classic albums recorded between 1966 and 1970, by the best white blues band ever, spread over three discs and sprinkled with killer previously unreleased outtakes and demos, all in STUNNINGLY CLEAN sound quality (I was so used to my old vinyl albums) and rounded out with a highly informative and eye pleasing booklet, and all for about [...]!! If you don't have this one yet, wait no longer. Buy it today!! And if you do already own it, then you've played it over and over and you know exactly what I'm talking about!

   The Siegel-Schwall Band came up out of Chicago and learned from and played with the masters. I'm talking about masters like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann...the list goes on. They were so good that Sam Charters, (the famous blues historian and archivist) produced thier first couple of albums. If HE was taken with them, you KNOW they have to be good.

   By the way, the Siegel-Schwall Band are still active today and still play with all the virtuosity and conviction that is represented on "The Complete Vanguard Sessions". And don't forget to check out thier "Wooden Nickel" label output from 1971-1974 (recently reissued on the "Wounded Bird" label). They just kept getting better and better. This is the real deal, folks.

2 comments about 1946 to 1953.

1. This is just a great package from JSP. There's lots of great music here, but (IMO)the best stuff is the duets Lowell does with his brother. Some real authentic Texas blues in the vein of Lightnin Hopkins. As a guitar player myself, I highly recommend it.



2. While several fine compilations have already been issued containing Lowell Fulson's earliest material from the late 40's and early 50's, this JSP 4-CD set pulls almost all of the early tracks together for the first time, and for a very easy price.
   
   Fulson is likely best known for his mid-50's stint with Chess where he put down "Reconsider Baby" and "Hung Down Head", then later for some of his more "funky" recordings on Modern-Kent like "Tramp" and "Too Many Drivers" but these early sides define the man and explore the Texas blues sound that had blossomed in California (Fulson was actually born in Oklahoma) during the 1940's.
   
   Lowell was a comtemporary of Gatemouth Brown and Pee Wee Crayton. Each of these 3 guitar titans enlarged and popularized the "Front-of-the-Bandstand" style that T-Bone Walker had carved out his reputation with on the West Coast. On this set we are treated not only to Lowell the "Electric" bluesman but also to the hypnotically simple but effective two-guitar duets with his brother Martin. Those duets clearly show Lowell's south-western roots laying firmly in the tradition established by Lemon Jefferson and Texas Alexander 2 decades earlier.
   
   This set contains a number of superlatives of which there are too many to discuss in a short review. Fulson's bands from this period included Jay McShann, Maxwell Davis (later to become B.B. King's arranger), Lloyd Glenn, Earl Brown, Bob Harvey, and Billy Hadnott, each of them session stalwarts of the West Coast R&B scene. McShann of course, was already an established star from Kansas City with his own big band.
   
   Lowell was not one to stick to a singular format and his 40 year plus career owed its longevity to his ability to adapt his sound to the changing times. It is interesting to note on this set, the influences from the big players of the times like Nat Cole, T-Bone Walker, and Charles Brown.
   
   These sides were culled from the dozens of recordings that Lowell made in San Francisco and Los Angeles for independent record company owners Bob Geddins (Big Town) and Jack Lauderdale (DownBeat/Swing Time). Among the included titles are his earliest hit "Trouble Blues" from 1946, "Three O'Clock Blues" from 1948, and his beautiful rendition of "Every Day I Have the Blues" from 1949, both of which pre-dated B.B.'s versions by several years. Lowell had a big tough voice that was well-suited to singing the blues but he could be a master of the guitar instrumental just the same and this is demonstrated by the fine "Low Society", "Guitar Shuffle" and "Juke Box Shuffle".
   
   Several of the songs from Fulson's early period were to be revisited several years later when he went to Chess although the basic arrangements were little changed on the Chess versions.
   
   Neil Slaven's liner notes to this set detail the problems with attempting to establish the recording chronology for many of the titles since the record companies involved didn't maintain much written history for the sessions and after 30 and 40 years, the participants had forgotten a lot.
   
   Lowell Fulson passed on over 5 years ago. Finally we have a compilation that does justice to the rich legacy that he laid down. JSP needs to be commended for issuing this material. Every Fulson fan will be rewarded with years of pleasure by putting this one in their collection.

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

5 comments about And This Is Maxwell Street.

1. There is a lot of good stuff on this set and the booklet is great. That said, I knocked off one star because I was a little disappointed with this when compared to the Robert Nighthawk cuts that form his "Live On Maxwell St.-1964" CD. That one is an absolute masterpiece. This one is not nearly as consistant. Sometimes less IS more.



2. Even the most casual fans of classic Chicago blues need to own a copy of slide guitarist Robert Nighthawk's 1964 album "Live On Maxwell Street".
   And those slightly more obsessed will want to check out this wonderful document, the soundtrack, if you will, to Mike Shea's 1964 documentary "And This Is Free". It features all of Nighthawk's recordings, plus another 18 cuts by artists like Johnny Young, Carey Bell and Big John Wrencher, and it is one of the most impressive live blues albums you'll ever come across.
   
   The well-written and exceptionally thorough 62-page (!) booklet includes information about every recording, artist's biographies, interviews, pictures, and all available recording information, and the sound is surprisingly clear and full considering the unusual circumstances. You can sometimes hear a car driving by, a street preacher pops up for a few seconds, and the chatter of the crowd is audible in the background.
   
   This two-hour collection is a rare treat indeed. You can just pop the discs in you CD player and turn it up. No need to program anything out...there is barely the slightest dip in quality along the way.
   Disc one opens with singer/guitarist Johnny Young's excellent, gritty rendition of "The Sun Is Shining", all clattering drums and simple but effective boogie-styled rhythm guitar, and one-armed harpist Big John Wrencher's tough "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" is equally wonderful. You can also hear John Wrencher jamming with guitarists Robert Nighthawk and Little Arthur King on his own "Lucille", and inquiring about the drinking habits of his fellow musicians: Tea or coffee? Apparently Robert Nighthawk was a coffee-man ("coffee" meaning whiskey. "Tea" was wine).
   
   Other highlights include "All I Want For My Breakfast" by Johnny Young, and pretty much everything by Robert Nighthawk, including the menacing "Cheating And Lying Blues", an up-tempo "Take It Easy, Baby", and a couple of songs not included on Nighthawk's "Live On Maxwell Street". One is a snippet of Robert Nighthawk doing "That's All Right" (the Jimmy Rogers tune, not the one by Arthur Crudup that Presley recorded); "Honky Tonk" is a swaggering instrumental boogie, and Nighthawk also lays down a thumping "Dust My Broom" which was mysteriosly omitted from previous issues of this material.
   
   And disc two is equally great. A lively performance of J.B. Lenoir's infectious boogie "Mama Talk To Your Daughter" has previously been credited to its composer, the man with no first name, but nothing indicates that Lenoir was present when this music was recorded, and this repacked and expanded edition of the Maxwell Street tapes credits Robert "Big Mojo" Elam as the singer. He supposedly got his nickname because of his ability to pull off a rousing rendition of Lenoir's "Mojo Boogie".
   Harpist Carey Bell, who later became a member of the Muddy Waters band (and is still playing), smoulders on the instrumental "Carey'n On", little-known singer/guitarist Arvella Gray does a thoroughly authentic sounding solo performance of "John Henry", and the listener is treated to a couple of gospel numbers:
   The James Brewer Gospel Group do a wonderful swinging "When The Saints Go Marchin' In", and a rendition of "Fly Away" which is made all the more remarkable by a very enthusiastic harmony vocal by one of the male singers! Also, the (unfortunately truncated) "I Shall Overcome" by singer/guitarist Fannie Brewer is just beautiful.
   
   But, again, the main attraction is Robert Nighthawk (or "Night Hawk" as the liner notes call him). Nighthawk's magnificent 8 1/2 minute medley of his two biggest hits and best-known songs, "Anna Lee" and "Sweet Black Angel", has been restored...the previously issued version which edited out two minutes of instrumental bridge, and his single-string solo halfway through the supremely tough "The Time Have Come" is quite mind-boggling. Nighthawk was as accomplished a lead guitar player as he was a slide slinger, and his single-string picking is pure liquid fire.
   The slow grind of "Love You Tonight" is another previously unreleased number by Big John Wrencher, and Robert Nighthawk's powerful rendition of Big Joe Turner's "Honey Hush" takes Turner's bouncy jump blues into new territory.
   
   The dozen songs by Robert Lee "Nighthawk" McCullum do indeed form the centrepiece of this collection, but literally everything is worth a listen. This is one top-notch blues box set...great annotation, great music, nicely packaged. Five stars and no reservations at all.



3. I am grateful that, in my lifetime, fate has given me the opportunity to discover the pure talent and outstanding blues recordings in AND THIS IS MAXWELL STREET. In researching my family's history, I am overwhelmed by Arvella Gray 's (my father's only male sibling) significant contribution to this genre.



4. At last! What a pleasure it is finally to see the original recordings from Mike Shea's 1964 Maxwell Street documentary "And this Is Free" available in the North American market (also now in Europe on the Catfish label as KAT3D1) with its in-depth liner notes in English for the first time-more than 60 pages! (these recordings first appeared in 1999 in Japan as P-Vine PCD 5527/28). Both this set from Rooster and the Catfish release are identical to the P-Vine release with the exception of the language of the liner notes and the addition of a third bonus disc, which contains the entirety of the 44-minute interview of Robert Nighthawk conducted by guitarist Michael Bloomfield as part of the "And This Is Free" documentary project.

   And what extraordinary music it is. This disc contains the first known recordings of Carey Bell (who was about 28 in 1964). It contains one of the very few glimpses we have of Robert Nighthawk on the street. Highlights include his growling guitar work on "Cheating and Lying Blues;" some of the most extraordinary electric blues guitar playing ever recorded on "I Need Love So Bad;" Nighthawk doing the two songs that brought him his first real fame--"Annie Lee" and "Sweet Black Angel;" and a lively rendition of "Take It Easy, Baby." Not to be overlooked is fine harp work by Carey Bell, and perhaps the most dynamic and moving performances by one-armed harpist Big John Wrencher that were ever recorded. Here we also get gospel performances by James Brewer, a fine "John Henry" from Arvella Gray (so much livelier than the stiff version on the Swedish Radio tapes also recently issued), and rousing, raw gospel shouting from Carrie Robinson and other performers. Another highlight is two fine songs from Johnny Young. In short, this music captures the excitement of raw, live blues on Chicago's Maxwell Street in its heyday.

   Interspersed between the songs are snippets of street preachers, hawkers, hucksters, and the voices of the musicians between numbers. We also hear car horns, conversations, street noise, and the enthusiastic shouting and clapping of the audience on tracks such as "Dust my Broom" and two jams that are perhaps the wildest, most spirited live blues performances ever captured on tape. The producers have attempted (and succeeded, in my view) to recreate the experience of a Sunday on Maxwell Street in the 1960s. Revel in it.

   (...) "And This Is Maxwell Street" is the real thing. Don't confuse it with the Rounder disc. My advice is to take your Rounder version to the used record store and replace it with this one.

   While this raw, raucous, record of the blues in the streets of Chicago will not appeal to casual listeners who want to turn on some easy background music and relax, it should make any serious blues fan sit up straight and listen hard. This is a slice of what the blues was really about during this period. The interview disc is icing on a very fine cake.

   Highly recommended. Nominated this year for a W.C. Handy Award and surely the right choice for best historical release.




5. While efforts continue (bluesman Jimmie Lee Robinson has been on a hunger strike) to preserve the remaining portions of the historic Maxwell Street market area, Rooster Blues has released a three disc compilation, And This is Maxwell Street that presents music that was recorded as part of the making of the film, And This is Free. Some of the music from here was issued on Rounder on lp and cd as Robert Nighthawk, Live on Maxwell Street, which has been repackaged and reconfigured with a some previously unissued selections and including tracks attributed to J.B. Lenoir, Carey Bell and Johnny Young, The Rooster Blues has a full two hours of music and includes also selections from Little Arthur (Red Top/Ornithology which is deleted from the latest version of the Rounder); Big John Wrencher; Arvella Gray, Carrie Robinson; and James and Fannie Brewer. Additionally, Mama Talk To Your Daughter, credited to JB Lenoir on the Rounder is credited to Big Mojo Elem here. And there are several Nighthawk performances here that are not on the Rounder including a Dust My Broom that includes Mike Bloomfield on guitar (possibly being Bloomfield's earliest recordings). The full range of music here is quite powerful and entertaining including such selections as Nighthawk's updating of Dr. Clayton's Cheatin' and Lyin' Blues, the fervent gospel singing of Carrie Robinson as well as James and Fannie Brewer, street singer Arvella Gray's vigorous renditions of Corinna, Corinna and John Henry, and one armed harp wizard Big John Wrencher's Lucille. Several tracks spotlight Carey Bell, with I'm Ready perhaps being his first recorded vocal. Portions of vendors' sales pitches and street preachers' sermons are heard here as well. Providing some context to the recording. The Rounder has a portion of Mike Bloomfield's interview with Robert Nighthawk which is heard in its entirety (nearly 50 minutes) on the third disc of the Rooster Blues. My advance copy of the Rooster Blues lacks the booklet that should be accompanying it so I cannot comment on this aspect of the package, but because of the more complete reissue of this historic material, clearly is preferable, and a contender for vintage reissue of the year.

5 comments about Classic Sides.

1. Blind Lemon Jefferson had fascinating, humorous, engaging lyrics, fluid, flamenco-like guitar playing, and high, emotive vocals. He was one of the original Bluesmen. Unfortunately, he recorded for Paramount Records, which was notorious for their records' horrendous sound quality. I feel that this album represents Jefferson's music in the best sound quality possible. The first half of the man's career was his most creative period. The originality of his music declined as the 1920s ended, but this is still fantastic music. Almost 100 hundred years later, there is still nobody alive who can successfully reproduce Blind Lemon Jefferson's guitar technique. If you're interested in other early Texas Bluesmen who were true poets, check out J.T. "Funny Papa" Smith and Texas Alexander.



2. Blind Lemon Jefferson was the greatest of the country bluesmen. (For a measure of my enthusiasm, see my review of the Yazoo set.)
   
   If you dig him enough, or are curious enough, to want his entire output in one place for a budget price, then by all means this is the package to buy.
   
   But completeness and price are the top virtues of this set. If you want to hear these records at their best, with careful attention to making them sound clear and present, the Yazoo one-disc compilation still leads the pack, far and away.
   
   Except for a slightly better mastering job, these four discs mirror the four separate BLJ volumes on Document. In fact, I would not be surprised to learn that these _are_ the old Document masters, run through a noise reduction system. The sound quality is quite uneven: the better-sounding takes sound pretty good, but some of the others are awful.
   
   The version of " 'Lectric Chair Blues," one of Lemon's finest records, as heard here is terribly worn and noisy, to the point of being unintelligible. Also true of the same track on the Document. On Yazoo, it's a wonderful listen and you can hear and understand all of the words.
   
   "Long Lonesome Blues," take 2, is also nearly inaudible. On the Yazoo, it sounds as if they may have been working with the same 78 disc, but the results are much improved.
   
   JSP Records gained a stellar reputation because its earliest roots-and-jazz compilations were mastered by the late John R. T. Davies, who was a genius at resurrecting old recordings and making them sound real. But this is not one of those sets.
   
   So: With Lemon Jefferson, you always get quality music, and with this JSP collection you get nearly all of it. (Several alternate takes are not here.) But if sound quality is an issue, I have to recommend Yazoo's "Best of."



3. I owned a couple of Blind Lemon cd's, and I was very excited to get this box set. And I was not disappointed. Chances are if you're looking at this item, you know that there is a limit to the sound quality due to the source material (namely old 78 RPM records which are nearly a century old.) Taking that into consideration, I found these discs to be very listenable.
   
   The quality of the 3rd and 4th discs is the best. Unfortunately I didn't much care for the songs on those. I found the the 4th disc in particular to be tiresome, with most, if not all, of the tracks sounding the same.
   
   The first two discs however, are a completely different story. You get a great deal of variety. When people talk about Blind Lemon, these tracks are the stuff they're talking about. After listening to this, you'll understand why his guitar style has never been replicated.
   
   Also be sure to check out Blind Blake.



4. Finally! Blind Lemon Jefferson all in one place! Bluesmen such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, and Charley Patton are names nailed into American culture and with damn good reason. These guys made the best sound to come out of the heart, soul, and the acoustic guitar. As you might've guessed, my absolute favorite is the great Blind Lemon Jefferson. Sure, the recording is terrible, but that gives the music a more haunting sound. The Blues and Jazz are pure American and the best music around. Just listen to Match Box Blues or Bitches Brew by the legendary Miles Davis. But getting back to the subject, this is the stuff folks. This is the first time the blues were put to wax and hearing Blind Lemon wail still sends shivers down your spine.



5. First Off, If you should Still Get this Cd if you Love country Blues. But I Must Say that the Way this set is Packaged leaves much to Be desired.
   First off, the Liner notes are really not as extensive As they should be. They basicly tell who he was in the bare minnimum, and they don't give any detailes about his life. I know that we know very little about his life, but after reading about him in Stephen Grossmans Texas Blues Guitar Book, they actually tell about some of the people who new him and tell about what it must have been like for him. I would have been much happier if that Had Just Coppied that article word for word.
   Also, the sound quality is lacking on some of these tracks (just Compair "See That My Grave Is Kept Cleen" an this album to the one on THE BEST OF BLIND LEMON).
   Really, This Should not by any means stop you from buying this album. This Complaint is focused alittle More towards the record Company.
   
   I Only Gave This Review 3 Stars because Blind Lemon was the first recorded geniuses of country blues, and if youre going to the trouble of bying a whole box set, they should atleast give you more History.

5 comments about Vee-Jay: The Definitive Collection.

1. Even with the Twist missing from CD 2 (which Shout cheerfully replaced) this box set is 5 stars. So many great songs, so many I have never previously heard and such a diverse variety of styles, Blues ,Doo Wop R&B, Gospel even a surf instrumental. Great packaging. Lets face it, if you are into box sets your into booklets and packaging. A lot of thought has gone into the presentation of this box from the colour coded informative booklet to the Jewel cases. In my opinion only one track on the set is a dud every other is choice. I beleive this is one of the best produced Box sets available.



2. This box set is a very good collection of Vee-Jay blues, early soul, doo-wop, and gospel, but watch out for a defective disk 2 which on my purchase and replacement was missing track 12 ("The Twist" by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters). Amazon was quite cooperative, however, and eventually I received a correct disk 2 from the producer (Shout).



3. You're in a smoky, rundown dive bar. You know, the kind that's near a bus station, hasn't had a woman in it since 1957 and is called something like the Frolic Room or the Tick Tock. Sound good to you? Well, this box set is the jukebox in the joint.
   
   Yup, there are a lot of great tracks here. The sequencing reinforces the somewhat scattershot nature of Vee-Jay though; rather than having a house-sound like, say, Stax or Chess, Vee-Jay covered several genres. The result is a mishmash of different styles, sounds, and attitudes. It's not a bad thing...just don't expect a highly focused experience. Just like that old jukebox under the buzzing neon beer sign, no?
   
   Be sure to check Disc 2 carefully if you buy this set. As mentioned by earlier reviewers, "The Twist" may be missing. If you contact Shout Factory corporate customer service (NOT the customer service for their online store) they will send you a replacement disc without any hassles--at least they did so for me. It's nice that Shout Factory has made it easy to obtain corrected discs.
   
   Bottom line: not an essential set but good for anybody who already has the basic building blocks in their blues, R&B, soul, and gospel collections. Also good for collectors who are into cover versions due to the inclusion of the originals of "Tainted Love" and "You're No Good", among others. The book is decently put together but could have included a lot more info about both songs and artists.



4. My original review of this set included a complaint that the song, The Twist, was missing. Just wasn't on the disc even though it was in the track listing and in the note. I checked AMG and their samples had the same problem my disc had. After I whined about this in my review I emailed Shout! Factory to complain to them. I got a nice email back from them and within a week I got a new copy of disc two sent to me in the mail. Excellent customer service and not what I was expecting which was to be ignored. I commend them for that.
   
   I have the Bear Family Blowin' the Fuse set of R and B songs from 1946-1960 which also has Hank Ballard doing the Twist. That version is very close to the Chubby Checker version and I assume it was the model for the Chubby Checker version. The version on this disc is very different from those two with a very different rhythm structure. I think this was the first version. Nice to have all three.
   
   Beyond that song, this is a nice box, sequenced well, fun to listen to, heavy on the Jimmy Reed as it should be. I would have included my favorite Jimmy Reed song, Shame Shame Shame, with some of that extra cd space that Mike mentions in his review.
   
   The package is nice. There are notes on each song, similar to the notes in the Bear Family collection. Nice to have. I have no complaints about the package, but I wouldn't call it "gorgeous". That reviewer loses alot of credibility with his raving. My standard for a gorgeous box set package would be the Revenant boxes for Charlie Patton and Albert Ayler or maybe the deluxe limited edition of the Forever Changing Elektra collection.
   
   So I'm happy with this and you will be too if you like this type of music or just want to start exploring the old stuff. Thanks for the new disc, Michael.
   
   Unfortunately, while the Amazon system let me update my review, it wouldn't let me change my rating. I'd go four to five stars on this now, but the system won't let me change that.



5. David D. (reviewer below) obviously works for Shout Factory! as every single review by him is 5 stars for a Shout Factory! product (including the "Hootenany" dvd set!)
   
   Track selection is nice but missing a few (didn't expect nor need the Beatles). Just dissapointed that only 22 songs or so per disc when most all of these songs are 2 1/2 minute R&B numbers. Hopefully the price will come down a little bit as $53 is too much money for a four disc box set in this day and age. Maybe shout factory will release some extended 1 disc sets of some of these great, but somewhat forgotten, R&B stars.

5 comments about Loud, Fast & Out Of Control.

1. I am 58 1/2 years old
   My favorite music of all time is 50's doo wop and all the great music of the 60's.Oh and my mom's great music from the war years.
   Gosh,come to think of it,I love it all !!
   
   There is nothing that compares to these box sets from the 50's rock.
   I suggest you get these sets,they are rare and a couple are already very
   expensive.Here they are in no particular order.
   
   Hot Rods & Custom Classics [BOX SET]
   Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly
   Loud, Fast & Out Of Control [BOX SET]
   What a great,great set of music these box sets make.
   
   Kids of today hopefully will explore these early rock sets.
   They will be impossible to buy in a short time.
   I paid an arm and a leg for Loud, Fast & Out Of Control [BOX SET] but what a gem !!!
   These sets complement each other so beautifully.
   
   I just sit and stare at them as I play them,remember how we sat and stared
   at the album cover as the music played.
   God,I sound like I am nutty as a fruit cake..
   Anyway..these sets are gorgeous !!



2. This is a great set of '50's music, and standing alone it is pretty essential stuff. However, if you have already bought Rhino's Rockin' Bones set, you can pretty much dispose with picking this one up. That set has most of the rarities this one has at far below the larcenous prices some sellers ask.
   
   Whereas Rockin' Bones is more narrowly focused on '50's Rockabilly, this one casts a broader net and revels more in music that the compilers envision the '50's juvenile delinquent set may have listened to. An interesting concept, but most any serious music collector is likely to already posess the rare cuts not on Rockin' Bones.



3. Excellent compilation of singles (some well known, some not) reflecting the darker side of 50's rock. Comes colorfully packaged with a very informative and witty booklet.



4. This is an amazing collection if you lived through this era or don't have a clue what all the fuss was about way back when. If this set doesn't make you smile, you're probably half-dead. Even with a few questionable choices and omissions, it'll make you more energized than a visit to Dr. Feelgood himself!!



5. I may be old fashioned, but this is the music that make me go crazy!! I love it! This is the essential rock n' roll box set. 10 stars.