2 comments about Muddy Waters :Live Gold Collection.

1. A funny thing happened to me about two years ago. I embarked on an adventure to purchase my first Muddy Waters CD (my dad was a huge fan, and I missed hearing the music). I ended up buying a Howlin Wolf CD (I honestly thought I was purchasing a Muddy Waters CD, I'm an idiot, but hey it worked out) and actually ended up having a preference for Howlin Wolf. Two years later, finally out of nursing school, and a little better off financially I purchased my first Muddy Waters CD (dad would be proud). The CD is live, and I have to agree with the previous reviewer who proclaimed that Muddy Waters has better versions of these songs on other CD's (all true). However, the CD was cheap, and honestly Muddy Waters has never really sounded bad (well at least not from my fond memories). In the end this is a solid CD, with fantastic musicianship, and will make it's way into my CD player for years to come (at least until everything goes digital and CD's become like Vinyl). Do purchase a Muddy Waters CD (this one isn't a bad choice). However, do make sure you purchase a Howlin Wolf CD as well. I'm still blown away by that CD over two years later. Best mistake I ever made.



2. This CD should not be your introduction to the blues, or to Muddy Waters for that matter. All the cuts are live from somewhere, at some time, with some musicians playing beside him. But there is absolutely no annotation with the CD, so you don't know who, where, or when. Muddy has better live work out (I like Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live) and the original studio versions of these cuts are better as well. That being said, if you're really into Muddy, he never really had shabby sidemen, and sounded as good in the '70's as he did in the '50's, so this is an interesting little trip.

No comments about At His Best.

1 comments about Harmonica Blues Kings.

1. If you are looking for great Chicago Blues this would be a good album to look into. Moments into the first track, I felt very refreshed by this album. Maybe it was Big Walter's perfect tone, or the pure, steady groove by his band (which in the first track includes Lafayette Leake, Willie Dixon and Fred Below), but whatever it was, I was hooked. The first two tracks, as the album notes point out, are Big Walter Horton's first recordings under his own name. Other tracks with Horton in them have him backing up vocalist Tommy Brown who's performance is also great.
   Tracks 1-8 are with Big Walter Horton and Tracks 9-16 have Alfred "Blues King" Harris on harmonica, who is someone I was not familiar with before picking up this album. His harmonica playing is a little bit more breathy than Big Walter's but that's not bad at all, just different. A little more Jimmy Reed with some Sonny Boy Williamson II, but with a different approach than both of them. All in all, it's a great Chicago Blues album. One thing that I also like about this disc is that just about all the songs are relatively obscure and even if they are well known they haven't been overdone to my ears. I, by the way although not anything close to a Blues buff, am more of just a BIG BIG Blues fan (over 350 Blues albums and growing by the week). So really, you can see why lesser known songs make the disc sound much more refreshing for me, personally.

1 comments about Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 1 : May, 1928 - January, 1929.

1. Tampa was a generous backing musician for many recording stars of the 20's and 30's. His grace and control are his obvious trademarks and if you appreciate guitar playing demonstrating a subtle balance between control and aggression, Tampa is for you. Check him out on his own as well as backing others. A class act.

5 comments about The Complete Chess Studio Sessions.

1. This is a collection of Buddy Guy's songs, maybe not the best collection,but one of them.
   The instrumentals are great.
   Buddy's "Too Many Ways", "First Time I Met The Blues" and "Every Girl I see" haven't lost their zest.In fact, the music ages like wine.
   I remember going to a show and having been asked to put away my camcorder,a look at Buddy with his polka dotted guitar,shiny paisley jacket and huge rings on every finger assured me that this was one guy who would not mind being filmed again.
   Highly recommended to fans of Buddy Guy and blues fans.



2. Even the liner notes say it, " Buddy Guy was always the proverbial odd man out during the Chess Years. " These recordings taken from when Guy was basically a top side man for Chess show an artist who was trying to find his place at a company that didn't know what to do with him. Wacky dance songs like "Slop Around" and novelties like "I Dig Your Wig," are mixed with great tunes like "My Mother," and "I Suffer the Blues." This one is really for the Buddy Guy fan who wants everything he has recorded.



3. First of all, Buddy didnt became a legend for these recordings. They didnt sold either. Only on a few of these tracks you'll hear the guitar genious that he is. He became what he is for his live performances, on which he could get loose and play what he wanted. The recordings are good and historical, but not good enough for a 2 CD set which is too expensive by the way. Go get the very best of buddy guy, which contains some live tracks and some tracks of the 70's that do showcase his guitar abilities at his best. This cd is only for completists: it contains leave my girl alone, and going to school (which is mary had a little lamb), which is a better version than the one on a man and the blues album.



4. BUDDy GUY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BLUES VOCALIST&Of COURSE GUITARIST.THIS Two-Disc Set is a Must.IT Never Loses It's Spark.Buddy Guy is A Musical FOrce.



5. Buddy Guy is the greatest. the few lousy songs on this album (lip lap louie, baby baby baby baby) are completely overshadowed by the rest of the songs on the album which are great. "Keep it TO Myself", "My Mother", and "She suits me to a Tee" are three of the songs I had not heard before owning this album and they are all amazing, especially vocally, and the horns on My Mother are powerful. Of course "First Time I Met the Blues", "When my Left Eye Jumps", "Let Me Love You Baby", "Watch Yourself" and "My Time after a while" are classics. Anyone with an ounce of soul will love this album. There are only a couple bad songs out of 47.

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

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

1 comments about Singin' in My Soul.

1. Once again Bill gaither and his homecoming friends have put together a collection of songs that hit deep into your soul.

5 comments about Live at the Regal.

1. So they finally went back and remastered the muddy audio on this classic album! The new sound is fantastic -- clear as a bell. Sadly, while the audio was being cleaned up, no one bothered to clean up the very, very sloppy edits (especially in the second half), such as when the second intro of B.B. (why two separate intros, anyway?) gets abruptly chopped off and goes right into a song that from the background crowd noise came at some other point in the show. If you're going to do a live album, the tracks should at least create the illusion of a live show, especially in this digital era when fade-outs and fade-ins are no longer used, and audience applause can be smoothly edited in to create seamless transitions!
   
   The performance is powerful and this is definitely a 5-star recording that has been royally botched by sloppy and oh-so-obvious edits. In addition, many remasters go back and add in some bonus tracks. If no original source material survives (which may be the case 42 years after this performance!), then something from the era is added as a bonus and the CD is fleshed out to anywhere from 60 to 79 minutes long. Not here. You get the original 35 minutes. No more. No less.
   
   Anyone who's seen what Legacy is doing with classic LPs (adding more to the original CD, plus a second CD of extra material) by Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, The Who, etc., surely have some idea how this great LP could have been updated for the 21st century. What we get is clearer audio, and nothing else. What a disappointment!



2. B.B. King-Live At The Regal *****
   
   Recorded live at the Regal in Chicago in 1964 this went on to become what is now widely considered the all time greatest live blues album. This is rightly deserved as this is in fact the greatest live blues album of all time.
   
   King's single note guitar lines are crisp as ever, and his vocals are beyond comparison. Aside from being obviously his best live recording, Live At The Regal is the best recording of King period. This is with out a doubt the best version of 'Sweet Little Angel' ever released. The essential version is more correct. 'Every Day I Have The Blues' and 'Its My Own Fault' are among some of the most inspired performances ever caught on tape. The albums closer 'Help The Poor' is just gut-wrenching. Pure bliss!
   
   This performance is pure electric. With every passing listen to Live At The Regal I still get chills all down my spine, and if you ask me that is the mark of a fantastic album after all these years and listens.



3. As a Memphis native, I have heard B.B. on many occasions. Never have I seen or hear him play with the same passion he did here in 1964. The quality of the recording is outstanding, with Lucille giving the center-stage on many occasions. The clarity and quality is amazing for a forty year old recording. This is the live B.B. King recording to buy. The Cook County Jail performance from 1971 is a close second, but the quality is not nearly as good.



4. recorded live at the regal theatre, chicago in 1964, this is generally considered b.b. king's best album, and deservedly so. this is simply one of the great urban blues albums of all-time. b.b.'s singing is as powerful and nuanced on this recording as it was ever to be, before or after. his guitar playing is at a peak of expressive beauty here, far more tasteful and beyond the technic, at this point, of what any rock and roll guitarist was yet capable of. yes, the rock and rollers would improve greatly in time, but this was 1964, and King was the undisputed guitar king. a fine horn section, it should be mentioned, also graces the album. the whole affair is magical. a great night in recording history.



5. BB King's Live at the Regal is a recording of a great show performed at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1965. Considered among many, including myself, as his greatest album its a must for any blues collection. King is at the top of his form and you can hear it in his guitar playing. His band gives their all and, importantly, the song selections are magnificent.
   
   Its a great recording of a great performance. Its also a perfect introduction to the blues for neophytes as well. Highly recommended.

No comments about Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 3, 1929-1930.

No comments about Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 4, 1930-1931.