2 comments about The Original Jazz Masters Series, Vol. 1.

1. If you are new to jazz or an old time jazz lover this mix will definitely make you happy for hours and hours. It's beautiful.



2. I highly recommend this set. As a (reasonably) young person that didn't really know much about Jazz, I purchased this set on a whim. I am very glad I did! If you are interested in learning about a wide range of good, listenable music, this is a great set. Has a wide range of Jazz artists and styles on it and every song is great. I cannot vouch for the other volumes of this series, but Volume 1 is outstanding.
   
   It's a great place for an all around introduction, or to listen to find out artists/groups that you want to find out more about.

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.

1 comments about Collection: Hard Again / I'm Ready / King Bee.

1. Back in the late 70's Johnnie Winters pulled Muddy Waters out of semi-retirement to record three great CD's on the Blue Sky label. When back in the studio Muddy noted that it made him feel so good that it made him 'Hard Again', hence the title for the first and best CD of the series. All are recordings using a live to tape method, which suites the blues and in particular Muddy extremely well. The backing band is excellent, sound quality is outstanding and Muddy is top of form. Each CD has a slightly different feel and each in the set gets a little weaker then the previous. This is relatively speaking given that Hard Again is easily one Muddy's best albums and one of the top ten blues CD's ever made - seriously good stuff. If you can only afford one, buy Hard Again, otherwise just by the set and enjoy.

5 comments about The Definitive Charley Patton.

1. There are no legends......no person that qualifies as the best bluesman of all time.Everybody brought something to the table and everybody used someone elses material in some way.The way pre-war blues went there was only two ways to seperate everybody - singers and players...simple as that.
   Charley Patton was indeed a force of nature,maybe not the best guitarist in the delta but for sure one of the best blues shouters around.What he did in his personal life doesn`t concern me but these titles are as important to me as anything I`ve ever heard.You will not understand everything he says but thats alright.....after awhile it will be easier and you will indeed be transported back in time.
   He didn`t make it out of the 30`s and his reporting of what happened during those times is priceless.Robert Johnson was a student of the man and Son House was his peer but Charley Patton was and remains the King of the Delta Blues and this box set proves it.



2. Revenant's $150 box set has ten times the value of this $30 offering, but if you can find this trio of CDs well under list price, just ignore the "Definitive" marketing hyperbole and acquire the bulk of Charlie's magnificent career. Patton, of course, comes closer than anyone we know to having "invented" the blues. (W.C. Handy heard someone much like Patton in 1903 and immediately franchised the term for a fast-food version.)



3. Mr Patton was one of the first black musicians to achieve real star status. He was probably born in Edwards, Mississippi in 1887, and could neither read nor write, yet he spelled his own name out loud : Not "Charley" but "C-H-A-R-L-I-E".

   He was a source of inspiration to many blues singers and guitar players, Howlin' Wolf, Son House, Bukka White, John Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson among them, and they in turn inspired countless others.

   Patton's voice was deep and hoarse, yet immensely powerful - it was said that when he performed outside, his voice would carry for hundreds of yards without any kind of amplification.
   He played a mean slide guitar, and is generally regarded as one of the first blues players to use the now-classic rhythmic twelve-bar pattern.
   Patton's music was strongly rhythmic; he slapped his guitar to accentuate the rhythm, he stomped his feet, and snapped his E string (the deepest bass note) like a 70s funk bassist, and when you hear Charlie Patton, you can imagine what Howlin' Wolf must have sounded like when he started rocking up the juke joints in the late thirties.

   This triple CD from Catfish records compiles nearly everything Patton ever recorded, and the remastering has worked wonders on the 70-year old 78s (none of Patton's original Paramount masters exist). Charlie Patton has finally escaped the hailstorm of surface noice which for decades greeted anyone who tried to listen to his songs, and the power and authority of his voice and guitar playing is amazing, at times even matching that of his contemporary, the great Son House. And that is saying something!

   This is an essential document in the canon of the blues; indeed in that of modern popular music in general. One of the most important blues releases since the complete recordings of Robert Johnson twelve years ago.




4. I have to say, I normally hate box sets. You shell out an exorbitant amount of cash only to be saturated rather than illuminated.

   Due to the diversity of it's roster, THE HARRY SMITH FOLK ANOTHOLOGY is an exception in my book. It also gave me my 1st introduction to Charley Patton. Though listed as "The Masked Marvel" his ragged growl really stood out. Which is saying alot, considering there's over 80 tracks to choose from. Needless to say, since acquiring this formidible collection, I've been compelled to eavesdrop on every disc.

   The Blues may not be everyone's cup of tea & I have to confess at the risk of sounding too "purist", I have very selective tastes. Robert Johnson, Son House & Skip James to name a few. Patton is certainly at the top of the list. First off there's that voice. The sound of dragging a mill stone down a gravel road. Rumbling thunder before the flood hits. Tom Waits and latter day Dylan being the heirs to the crown. Though I wouldn't recommend Patton's method for attaining that razor on a rusty can quality. Cigarettes & whiskey seem far more pleasant than having your throat slit over a woman.

   Then there's the lyrics. Sprawling & baffling. Like musical Faulkner. The fact that you can barely make out what he's saying half the time only adds to the mystery. In the end, for what's lacking in sound quality & diction, it's Patton's hands that really do all the talking. Unlike so many who came after, his versitility is nothing short of staggering. The rag/shuffle of "Spoonful Blues" is a far cry from the manic gospel ramble of "You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die". Despite being illiterate, Patton's repetoire was vast to say the least. According to the liner notes the 58 sides represented here were only the tip of the iceberg.

   Putting it all in modern perspective, if you were thrilled by Dylan's "High Water" off of LOVE & THEFT, here's your chance to hear the original, parts 1 & 2.




5. Catfish Records has to be thanked a million for this inestimable reissue.One of the greatest monuments in the history of the 20th century's music.The complete recordings of Charley Patton,58 tracks,are incredibely precious for those who love the pre-war country blues (and,speaking of Patton,we can talk about pre-first World war country blues),and who only owned the marvelous two-lp Yazoo set (28 tunes).
   This is very hard,rough,violent music,with many african influences;this is very old blues playing,a rural conception of this music,so far from many well known blues players.Patton's recording carreer happened between 1929 and 1934 (he died April 28,1934 of heart's disease,aged 43 or 47),and he mostly played alone,except for a few tunes with Henry Sims (violin,who also recorded with Muddy Waters for his very first recordings),his wife,Bertha Mae (vocals) and the gigantic Willie Brown (guitar,1900-1952,who recorded two outstanding tracks on May 28,1930, "M&O blues" and "Future blues").Charley was a bad guy,always running from a girl to another one,drinking like Tommy Johnson (a milestone in the art of drinking),and surely the most hallucinating blues singer and guitarist with McDowell,Skip James,Shines,Bukka White and the Johnsons (Robert and Blind Willie).I treasure this music for twenty years,and now I have thirty more tunes to listen to.There are too many masterpieces here to write about each of them; "Screamin' and hollerin' the blues" (with typical figures of Son House's playing),"Down the dirt road","Pony blues","When your ways get dark","Pea Vine blues","Tom Rushen blues",...
   There is the extraordinary "Prayer of death",whiwh looks so much like Blind Willie Johnson,with some amazing slide playing by Charley (something he didn't do when he played the blues).Or "Lord I'm discouraged",in which Patton's voice is absolutely terrific.Patton's music really is the foundation of the blues,and reminds me a lot of an older obscure musician,"Texas" Henry Thomas,who was born around 1874 and recorded 23 tunes at the end of the twenties.Patton was the father of all the musicians of the Delta,and I wonder what Son House,McDowell and Muddy would have done if Charley wasn't here.Don't miss this music,this is and indispensable monument in the history of music.Even if the sound condition is often rather poor.You'll find some inconceivable treasuries in these 58 tracks,some of the most important ones ever waxed.Who taught Charley to play this music,sure we'll never know.But we can guess who would never have played if he hadn't been there.These recordings are essential for every blues addict.Don't miss this precious reissue.

5 comments about Singles 1963-1965.

1. The purpose of this review is to completely compare the contents of "Singles Collection: The London Years" to the 3 "Singles" box sets which as a group contain the same songs plus more. There are some good comparisons in the other reviews, but also several omissions and inaccuracies, so hopefully this 1-to-1 comparison will clear things up a bit as to what songs are included on each, and which "missing" songs can also be found on the other ABKCO CD's, particularly "More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies". Each of these collections is rather expensive, so hopefully this may help you decide which sets you really need or want.
   
   To settle one thing first though, the songs on the "Got Live If You Want It" EP contained in the "Singles 1963-1965" box set are NOT included on the full length CD "Got Live If You Want It". They share the same title but that's all, and were actually two different releases. Buying the full length CD will NOT get you all the same songs on the EP as indicated in another review. With that out of the way.....
   
   "Singles 1963-1965": "Singles Collection: The London Years" contains all of the songs included in this box set, with the exception of 3 original British EP's exclusive to the box set. The first EP contains You Better Move On (also available on "December's Children") and Poison Ivy, Bye Bye Johnny & Money (all 3 also available on "More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies"). The second EP (originally titled "5 X 5") contains If You Need Me, Empty Heart, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, Confessin' The Blues and Around & Around, all of which are also available on the "12 X 5" CD. The third EP (the afore mentioned "Got Live If You Want It") contains early live versions of We Want The Stones, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, Pain In My Heart, Route 66, I'm Movin On & I'm Alright, none of which are available on any other CD (with the possible exception of I'm Alright which may or may not be the same version included on the full-length "Got Live..." CD).
   
   Conclusion: Both "The London Years" and "Singles 63-65" contain the early single/B-sides Come On (also available on "More Hot Rocks") as well as I Want To Be Loved, I Wanna Be Your Man & Stoned which aren't available on any other ABKCO CD. So both sets contain 3 songs not included elsewhere, plus the box set includes the live EP. So the deciding factor between "The London Years" and "Singles 63-65" would appear to be the live EP.
   
   "Singles 1965-1967": "Singles Collection: The London Years" contains all of the songs included in this 2nd box set, with no exceptions. Both contain the single/B-sides Long Long While & We Love You (also available on "More Hot Rocks") and Sad Day & Who's Driving Your Plane? which aren't available on any other ABKCO CD. So both sets contain 2 songs not included elsewhere. No further conclusions.
   
   "Singles 1968-1971": "Singles Collection: The London Years" contains all of the songs included in this 3rd box set, with a few unique exceptions. The third box set additionally contains Everybody Needs Somebody to Love (also available on "The Rolling Stones Now!") and three non-ABKCO B-sides + 3 remixes exclusive to the box set. The B-sides are the Ry Cooder instrumental Natural Magic (from the film "Performance" soundtrack...Memo From Turner was the A-side) and Bitch & Sway which were the B-sides to Brown Sugar & Wild Horses. My guess is the licensing rights to these B-sides belong to Virgin Records, etc. and hadn't yet been negotiated when "The London Years" was originally released back in 1989. The remixes appear to be 3 different "rap" style remixes of Sympathy For The Devil. The box set also contains a bonus DVD (see the item description for more on that).
   
   Conclusion: Both "The London Years" and "Singles 68-71" contain the B-side Child Of The Moon (also available on "More Hot Rocks") and Brown Sugar & Wild Horses (also available on "Hot Rocks 1"). So the deciding factor between "The London Years" and "Singles 68-71" would appear to be the three non-ABKCO B-sides, the three remixes and the DVD contained in the box set.
   
   Final Conclusion: For the completest collector who has to have absolutely everything on CD, you basically have 2 choices. Buy all 3 box sets, or buy "Singles Collection: The London Years" and the two box sets "Singles 63-65" & "Singles 68-71" (a lot of duplication, though "The London Years" runs a little cheaper than the box sets + you don't have to change CD's as often).
   
   A slightly cheaper option if you're mainly interested in completing the ABKCO Rolling Stones "canon" not released on the regular studio full-length CD's is to buy "Singles Collection: The London Years" and "Singles 1963-1965". You'd only be missing the three non-ABKCO B-sides and the 3 Sympathy For The Devil remixes.
   
   A cheaper option still, if you're only interested in the very early singles & live EP and can live without a few later ABKCO B-Sides, is to buy "More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies" and "Singles 1963-1965". With those 2 you'd only be missing Sad Day, Who's Driving Your Plane? and the three non-ABKCO B-sides and the 3 remixes.
   
   In truth, the 2nd & 3rd discs of "Singles Collection: The London Years" make an interesting listen because each is primarily made up of A & B sides not included on the regular studio CD's. So they're almost like listening to independent CD's without repeating too many songs you'll hear when listening to the other albums. The 2nd disc from "More Hot Rocks" and also "Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" do the same, only with different selections of songs, so comparing these two further is highly recommended as well.
   
   Decisions, decisions. Hope this helps.



2. You've heard it before, but I might as well say it: this is the worst gimmick ever concieved. If you remember the Stones from back in "the day" (I wasn't even alive in "the day", mind you), and miss the covers to your old Stones' 45's, I guess this is for you. The rest of us will be better suited with the what I call the main singles collection (that is, the 3-disc version spanning all of their singles from 1963-1971).
   The quality of the music itself is middling at best. Back then (in 1963-1964, anyway), the boys hadn't quite found their voice, instead covering lots of older songs or else writing extremely derivative, forgettable originals. That being said, there are a few very good covers, like I Just Want to Make Love to You, Time Is On My Side and I Wanna Be Your Man, plus the unjustly forgotten instrumental Stoned.
   The Stones didn't really take off, be it artistically or commercially, until 1965. Little Red Rooster topped the UK charts in that year, though it was all but forgotten in the US. And that's just too bad, because it's them at their bluesiest and best. Then, Keith Richards wrote the unforgettable Satisfaction riff in, as we all know, his sleep (now a part of Stones mythology) and the Stones became the Stones we know and love. After Satisfaction, they gave us Heart of Stone, Play With Fire, The Last Time and several others. The best songs by far come later, so I'd reccomend the 1963-1971 box over this, and the other two.



3. If you were living in London when "Come On" was released, if you went to your local record store and played it and its marvellous "B" side - "I Want To Be Loved" - on your mono, low-fi record player over and over again, if you went back to the store and bought each single and EP as they arrived and put every track through the same repeat play process, if you still have them in your attic in a lovingly scratched, wholly unplayable state or if you've lost them over the years then this is all you could ask for. Or is it?
   
   Well, the good news is that they're all here... every "A" side, "B" side and EP track from the period when the Stones really were the most exciting thing around. And, unlike many groups of the time, their "B" sides and EP tracks were good - not just fillers but, as "I Want To Be Loved", "Stoned", "Little By Little", "Good Times, Bad Times", "Off The Hook", "Play With Fire", "Bye Bye Johnnie", "Money", "Empty Heart", "Around & Around" & "2120 South Michigan Avenue" amply evidence, essential parts of what all the fuss was about. Thirty three memories in one boxed set.
   
   And the bad news? Cleverly but annoyingly the whole lot is spread over 12 beautifully packaged individual CD's with each one containing the A & B side of a single or the contents of an EP. Great to look at and, for those around at the time, a real walk down memory lane, but an expensive production and one that's difficult to play without hopping out of your chair every five minutes or so to load yet another disc. At this price it would have been much more sensible and user-friendly to have included a couple of full length 16 track CD's in addition to the individual releases but, as it stands, you'll need to burn them down to your own CDs or playlist them through your iPod for the whole process to become manageable.
   
   The alternative? Well, that depends on what you want and how much you're prepared to pay... all the "A" & "B" sides from this period are included on the first disc in the "The Singles Collection - The London Years" boxed set which also includes both sides of their single releases through to 1970. All the tracks from their first EP are included on the "More Hot Rocks" compilation, all the tracks from the second EP are on their "12x5" album and all the tracks from the third EP are on their "Got Live If You Want It" album. An even more expensive option, with a lot of duplication, but then you do get a great deal more for your money.
   
   So... an indispensable but oddly delivered memory bank for those of us who were there and want to be there again, and an intriguingly expensive "coffee table" purchase for those who weren't.



4. This box set is amazing. It just rocks and the packaging is cool as hell. the tracks sound great. good re-mastering job. I have a CD changer and just load them all in, and open up a beer. good times.



5. I've got to listen to 12 cds to get through thirty-three stones songs? Most of them clock in under three minutes! Yeah, great jacket covers and all, but I'm really concerned with the music. I'm surprised they don't include latex gloves so I'll never have to soil the cd jackets with the oils from my fingers! Careful! Okay, I've had my fun, but really, this one is truly for collectors only. I'm a huge fan, not a collector. If you want all the early singles the Stones ever released in one set, get the SINGLES COLLECTION: THE LONDON YEARS instead. It contains all the singles from 1963-1971, plus a few rare gems. The one interesting thing about SINGLES '63-'65 is the inclusion of the three brit EPs. While the actual EPs were never released here, all the songs from the two studio EPs, THE ROLLING STONES and FIVE BY FIVE are available on various U.S. releases (12x5, MORE HOT ROCKS and DECEMBER'S CHILDREN). The third EP, GOT LIVE IF YOU WANT IT (a shameful effort to "catch the boys live"), is no better than the full-length american counterpart. Both are painful to listen to. If you have the early Stones U.S. releases, you'll already have these songs in studio format.
   SINGLES 1963-1965 is a neat gimmick with all the original covers, but I'm gonna pass on it.

5 comments about The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles, Vol. 3: 1972-1975.

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. Thankfully Stax didn't adapt their style to emerging disco and dance-funk styles of the mid-seventies. They stayed with blues-based pop. Each disc has 20 or more tracks so you will have over a days worth of classic soul for pennies a song.
   
   Just get it.
   
   [DW]



3. Although its true that the STAX singles that WERE the Memphis Soul sound "we all grew up with" (even if we were born 20 years to late) came circa the '60s (Otis Redding, Booker T, Mar-keys era) etc., fact is this:
   STAX was releasing some REALLY bad*ss funky soul in the early '70s, the catch maybe is that the label didn't have AS distinct a sound as it did a few years earlier (then again, minus the romanticism, maybe it could be argued that one of the reasons Stax's sound was so unique was that so many of the hits sounded the same... yet were fronted by performers who had the star power to represent the sound... a pattern typical of most the great labels of the era) - - by the '70s, the STAX sound you hear is one that is evolving... and one in which the groups, rather than relying on one house band are also beginning to have their own sound... hence a label that was a true treasure chest of talent. While the world was catching up with them, STAX was simply "searching" for new directions... and hear you can hear it... gospel, funk, blues, rhythm & blues... even the orchestral soul of Issac Hayes and then some.
   
   Though this box set might sound a bit pricey, actually its dirt cheap when you consider than if you buy all volumes of the story you're getting a full and complete soul education... and only 10 years earlier hunting down all this stuff would not have only been virtually impossible but cost a couple thousand dollars (this volume alone.) Now, hear it all is for relatively very little money, all in GOOD condition (nothing beat up or scratched) and at the push of a button... and minus the funky basement smell (actually I kinda miss that...)
   
   If you like this series, definitely go watch the WATTSTAX (Living Word) DVD as well as Rob Bowman's SOULSVILLE U.S.A. book on the behind the scenes story of the label... they fit perfectly together.



4. This is the last of the three boxes. Is it as good as the previous two ? Depends on YOUR taste. But the thing is , there is enough here to keep your musical appetite satisfied for days to come. You'll wonder why there weren't more hits from this period. And you'll curse the fact that there isn't a single commercial radio station that will play ANY of these fine slices of soul. So , buy it , sit back and immerse yourself in sweet soul sensations.



5. According to Rob Bowman, it's pretty clear that greedy Jonnie Baylor, a stupid lowlife thug to whom Al Bell acceeded way too much power, did more than anyone to kill Stax. This pathetic crook earns a special place in African-American hell alongside Johnnie Cochran and OJ Simpson. Read Bowman's "Soulsville, USA" and learn how a piece of trash helped destroy one of the greatest musical legacies in American history.

4 comments about The Bill Broonzy Story.

1. A stellar collection by one of the giants of traditional accoustic blues. Recorded a year before his death, this 3-disk collection of Bill Broonzy's favorite blues songs showcases the great blues musician with a clear and modern recording and a great blues artist still at the height of his abilities. Each of Broonzy's selections is introduced by the artist himself in a studio conversation with interviewers Bill Randle and Studs Terkel. Broonzy's intoductions add a history and depth to the recordings, to the history of the blues, and American roots music and African American history in general. I can't rate it high enough.



2. At least, that's what the original LP liner notes by producer Bill Randle proclaimed when "The Bill Bronzy Story" was issued as a 5-LP box set 42 years ago, in 1960.
   This is a very charming and interesting mixture of songs, performed solo by Big Bill Broonzy on July 12 and 13 1957, and Big Bill's conversation with Bill Randle. The sound is amazingly good, and in spite of the illness which took his life not long after, Broonzy's voice and his intricate, elegant guitar playing are terrific.

   "The Bill Broonzy Story" is a low-key, sometimes melancholy affair. The kind, charming and witty Big Bill Broonzy willingly retells anecdotes from a long and often hard life (he was born in the summer of 1893 in Mississippi, and would sometimes joke that he had "written" this or that song even though he had never actually been able to write anything, not even his own name).
   He plays blues standarts such as "See See Rider" (AKA "C.C. Rider"), "It Hurts Me Too", "Frankie and Johnny" and "John Henry", as well as his own "Key to the Highway", and folk songs and spirituals such as "Ananaïs", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and "This Train".

   Unlike some very early blues singers, Bronzy's manner of singing is melodious, his diction is clear, and his guitar playing is sophisticated yet rhytmic.

   This is an important insight into the history of the only truly original American art form still available to us, the blues, and into the world that Big Bill Broonzy grew up in. And the songs and the voice are great.




3. It IS that GREAT! I have heard about the legend of Big Bill ,however, the only Cds I have heard were poorly produced an obscured his powerful playing. This package collection which serves as Bills legacy ...is chilling. Listening to him describe his friend Big Maceo Merriweather, lament his passing and then mention that his song "Worried Life Blues" will probably live forever...and THEN playing/singing a version which WILL give you goosebumbs...one can understand why Eric Clapton wasn't interested in pursuing POP music when the Yardbirds chose that direction. This is a rare combination of Historical signifigance...which is also VERY listenable..in other words..this medicine tastes GOOOOD...If you want to learn about real Folk/Blues music and its origins..and hear one of the true GIANTS play/sing/ and speak about the music from FIRST HAND PLEEEEEEEZ buy this set. By the way..the sound quality is amazing! This is simply time-capsule quality material...



4. I have been a collector of Big Bill's earlier recordings. He was usually accompanied by several other musicians, and it was difficult to hear his guitar work at times. This 1957 recording is Bill, his guitar, and his stories. His voice is cutting, his guitar playing is amazing, and his stories will make you cry. He even talks about these "new" fellas: Elvis and some other guy whos name escapes him. I will treasure this collection forever...Thanks Verve for re-releasing it for my generation to enjoy.

No comments about New York Blues and R&B 1947-1955.

5 comments about Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton.

1. WOW!!! 5***** The best of the BEST...Cannot say enough about this..but u cannot go wrong in this purchase!!! WOW!!!



2. I love this set, but for the price, I think it's more for those who, like me, fell off into the deep end. For the money, I would recommend the JSP set, it's $25 and has all of Patton's recordings.
   The JSP definetly has more noise reduction, which can be a plus to newbies,(but I prefer the more original sound of the recordings, no matter what. They are history after all.) That said, you get a copy of Fahey's long out of print book,( Which goes for more then $200) plus an amazing packaging by Revenant. There is much material hear to study.



3. This is the musical equivalent of a family Bible. You will pass it down from children to grandchildren. It cannot be likened to any other boxed set I have ever seen - not even the lavish and fantastic Bear Family country and rockabilly sets from Germany. The Folkways reissue of the Anthology of American Folk Music comes close in look and feel, but it's still 100 miles behind.

   There are three points that I would make to a potential purchaser that may not be totally obvious:

   1. These recordings sound really, really good for those on the old Paramount label - where the recordings were done poorly, no metal parts exist, and all extant CDs are dubbed from 78 RPM shellac pressings, some of which are in pretty bad shape (at one point the only existing copy of Willie Brown's "Future Blues" was broken in half!). I have not heard JSP's Patton boxed set, which would seem to be a great substitute at $25 for somebody who does not want to pay $150. However, I do have JSP's "Legends of the Country Blues," which has the 1930 Son House Paramount recordings that are on disc 4 of this set. This sounds much better. The JSP sounds more No-Noised to me, while this sounds more alive on the high end. I say that as someone who has bought a lot of the JSP sets, and who would have no hesitation recommending their work generally.

   2. This is not 7 CDs of just Charley Patton. This is a really good introduction to pre-Robert Johnson Delta blues. You get all the Paramount recordings of Son House, Willie Brown and Louise Johnson, two of whom were seminal figures, and the last of whom was just fun. (Somebody ought to make a movie about the roadtrip Patton, House, Brown and Johnson took to Wisconsin to record these tracks. They could get Charles Dutton to play the guy from the Delta Big Four who drove them.) You get a CD of some pretty essential stuff by various artists, including Tommy Johnson. You get the Delta Big Four, Son Sims and some others. You get a CD of interviews.

   3. It's bittersweet to say, but this set may get overtaken by future discoveries. It's criminally ironic that a full-body, first-generation photo of Charley Patton finally surfaced a year after this box came out. Also, it's known that there are other Patton recordings for which 78s have yet to be found; they may turn up if they haven't already.

   You KNOW you want to buy it. Don't you?




4. The previous reviews make some valid points about this stunning box set-it is really special, and like thing that are incremntally finer, it is geometrically more [money]- and i take my blues pretty seriously...
   it is, as mentioned, like a fine rare book-and the essential music (the first 5 cds ) are available ... in the Complete Works of Charley Patton (the five cd set in a slip case-limited liner notes) also listed here, and affordable for 'us bluesmen'.

   I am writing this to let all know that, aside from two additional cds, one containing interviews by others about Patton, and one of other artists who performed his work (thus the "worlds of CP" ), and some very cool posters and stickers and lovely packaging and other toys and eye candy, the essence is available for a fraction of the cost-same stuff from "masked marvel productions" the orignator of this lovely tome -made in the UK. Unless you really love CP and will listen to this lots, I recommend the [shorter] set-it is still the stirring blues of this great, complete.




5. From the reviews I know this is worth the money there is allot of rare stuff on here especially the Willie Brown song "Pallet on the Floor" this is my main reason for wanting to get this box set so bad. This is the only place you can get that Willie Brown song according to Yazoo2002 "Masters of the Delta Blues, Friends of Charlie Patton" he only recorded two songs in his life time "M&O blues" and "Jinx Blues" one of the most awesome Delta blues songs I have heard (Jinx Blues). Oh yeah one more thing I would have given this 5 stars but where in the world is the Ishmon Bracey recording I mean he was one of Charlie Patton's worlds also (lol) wasn't he not to mention one of the best Delta Bluesmen to strum a guitar it just seems incomplete to have Kid Bailey, Son House, Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, Bertha Lee and no Ishmon Bracey .... The poor guy is probally squirming in his grave right now leaving him out like that yall otta be ashamed of yourselves (Yazoo would have never done a thing like that). Just for that I'm giving this 3.5 stars now (but I'm still gonna save the money to buy this) p.s how in the hell is a Bluesman suppose to afford this boxset....

2 comments about Richer Tradition: Country Blues and String Band Music 1923-1942.

1. As a budding Paramount Records Man, I have to somewhat agree with the previous review....But that being said, you have to take 'Pre War' Recordings with a grain of salt to begin with. And if your already in that frame of mind, then John Stedman and JSP has once again given us on helluva box set at a great price to listen to! What we have here, and again, if your into the "Paramount Records" thing then you know what I'm talking about, is a bunch of "one off" or "Two Off" country and rural Blues that, unless you were in a 20 mile radius of the artist, you never heard these 78's before. No!, their NOT Charlie Patton or Blind Blake or Blind Lemmon Jefferson, these were the guys and gals that were way below that scale of success, but that's the beauty of these sides....these get even more 'real' than the more popular pre-war artists! I could imagine sitting in someones livingroom listening to these songs while they were playing them! It's THAT intimate! And once again JSP comes up with a collection that is definitely NOT boring. Again, is it Charlie Or Blind Blake...NO...But these folks are real, pretty damned good at their playing and again, this is like being invited to a down home fish fry on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago, or Indiana or any Southern small town back in the pre war days...... I suggest you compare this collection with anything on the Document label, which does a very good job at 'Documenting' Old 78 artists, but for the most part makes for a very boring 'Listen', unless your a scholar. On the other hand, these are real people like you and me who, at least were worthy enough for someone to make a record of them, and JSP deserves Kudo's for putting together a 4 cd set that is both listenable (considering the rarity of the 78's involved) and enjoyable! So, when your ready to go beyond the 'Stars' of Pre-War Blues and Country/Rural music, take the plunge on this set, both the remastering and 'coolness' of this music hopefully will bring you much pleasure!
   Gerard Masters



2. This collection is not for the weak-hearted and includes a hundred sides on 4 CDs and there are few (literally and figuratively very few) real gems among them. Undoubtedly, you will find some sweet songs among the pile, any lover of the genre will find enough to be satisfied. However, more than fifty years into the blues revival one can say that most "good" stuff from this genre had made earlier reissues and this collection, sadly, features leftovers, rejects and material nobody chose to include in the past. What's left is not always cream of the crop material, and indeed, this collection seems like they scraped the deep bottom of the barrel to find these rarities. Unless you are an ethnomusicologist or folklorist interested in historical preservation for its own sake, much of this material will sound rough hewn, if not outright unlistenable, not only from an expectedly primitive recording standpoint but from basic musical skills. It seems like they pulled together anyone and anything, regardless of fundamental quality. Even the biggest aficionados of old-time deep-roots & blues, such as me, will find the bulk of this material a stretch. If you are looking for entertainment value with that old music, stick to the mainstay of the genre.