5 comments about Chess Blues.

1. How should I put this...?
   
   subtle? historic? passionate? Let's just leave it at this.
   
   IT'S A 4 CD BOX WITH BLUES FROM CHESS!! THAT'S MUDDY WATERS AND HOWLING WOLF!! DUH!!! OF COURSE 5 STARS!!



2. This is a collection of 101 blues recordings from the Chess Records vault. It features many of the best known blues singers, as well as some performers that history has forgotten. Most of Chess Records' biggest hit blues records are included, but there are also many obscurities here. In fact, almost half the tracks are rarities. But the obscurities are almost as good as the well known recordings. Everything here is good, with most of the tracks being better than good. If you want to learn about the blues, this is the perfect place to start.



3. All right, students, now pay attention! Put down that racing form and pay attention right now! This here Chess Blues box set contains exactly 101 tracks. How appropriate! That makes this collection a sort of unofficial college course entitled Blues 101, and Professors Wolf, Waters, James, and Jacobs (Little Walter), etc., etc., will be your blues instructors. You will learn the Fundamentals of Blues Harp, with Little Walter ("Juke") and Sonny Boy Williamson II ("Don't Start Me to Talkin'") as your master teachers. Over here, we have a course entitled Mellow Blues, with Willie Dixon ("Walkin' the Blues") and Jimmy Witherspoon ("Ain't Nobody's Business") showing you how it's done. Then, we have instruction in Blues and the Female Voice, with Koko Taylor ("What Kind of Man Is That," "Wang Dang Doodle") and Etta James ("Somethings Got A Hold Of Me," "I'd Rather Go Blind") as your teachers. Finally, what great university would be complete without Master Classes and the best professors in the business Muddy Waters ("Got My Mojo Workin'," "I Can't Be Satisfied," "My Eyes (Keep Me in Trouble"), Howlin Wolf ("Killin' Floor," "Evil," "Going Down Slow"), and John Lee Hooker ("Walkin' the Boogie," "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") holding court for your edification. No, there is no blues university, but if there was one, the above masters would surely be the instructors and Chess Blues would certainly be the required text. As I said, it's packed with an amazing 101 songs, many of the best blues tracks ever recorded. There are a few clunkers, but very few. You will spend many enjoyable hours listening to this collection. (Trust me, it takes a few hours to listen to 101 songs once!) Get it today, and enroll in the best blues education money can buy!



4. This handsome boxset, complete with a large booklet, is a superb addition to your blues collection, even if you already have the best of the major Chess artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson II.

   There are bound to be some tracks, especially by Waters and the Wolf, that overlap with what most blues lovers already own, but the "Chess Blues" compilers have done a very fine job assembling dozens of rarer tracks by artists like Robert Nighthawk, Sunnyland Slim, Otis Rush, Memphis Minnie McCoy, Lowell Fulson, Willie Mabon, Elmore James, Jimmy Oden and many others. And these high quality tracks, which make up the vast majority of the 101 cuts, make "Chess Blues" a very welcome supplement to the many available compilations featuring Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter Jacobs.




5. The Delta gave birth to the Delta Blues and Chicago gave birth to the Chicago Blues but it would not have happened without Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and, of course, the Chess Brothers. This is their legacy - no true blues fan would be without this set as part of their collection -enough said!

5 comments about Natural Boogie.

1. awesome album just what i been looking for.
   I really like the style,raw,simple, and something to enjoy and to let the younger people listen to.
   so they can appreciate different types of music



2. Hound Dog Taylor was born polydactyly - he had six fingers on both hands. One night in a drunken impulse, he cut off the extra digit on his strumming hand with a razor blade while leaving his fretboard hand with all six. For that reason alone, Hound Dog Taylor is the baddest MF to live in Chicago since Al Capone. While "Scareface" had machine guns to fire off in the streets of The Windy City, old "Eleven-Fingers" had his raw voice, gritty guitar, punk boogie, and sad stories to dredge up from the back alley dumpsters of Chi-town.



3. All I gotta say is this is some of the most gritty, raw, rockin' boogie blues I've ever heard. The guitars on this album are loud, dirty, nasty -- where can I get this tone? You can't buy it. Well, you can if you buy this album.
   
   You got wax in your ears? I gotta cure for you: Listen with headphones on to You Can't Sit Down -- the guitar in the left channel -- that'll jar it loose.



4. I can't tell you how strongly I feel about this album. This is awesome! This is one of the more outstanding examples of the "boogie" blues style. My favorite tracks are "You Can't Sit Down," and "Sadie" although its a little like selecting favorites among your children...ultimately, you love them all very much. This makes a tremendous addition to any blues collection.



5. What?!
   I couldn't think of a title which made sense.
   
   Anyway, "Natural Boogie" (which should probably have been spelled "natch'l") is Hound Dog Taylor's second album, and it rocks with at least as much fire as its predecessor.
   Taylor and his Houserockers, drummer Ted Harvey and gritty second guitarist Brewer Phillips, lay down a superbly groovy rhythm on "See Me In The Evening", one of his very best songs, and they do a fine take on Elmore James' "Shake Your Moneymaker" (retitled "Roll Your Moneymaker" and shamelessly credited to Taylor himself!).
   
   Other highlights include the unusually low-key "Sadie", and a great cover of another Elmore James-tune, James' Chess-single "Talk To My Baby (I can't hold out)".
   Not all of the handful of instrumentals on this album manage to keep one interested for very long, and there isn't excactly a lot of musical variation here, but when it all gels, "Natural Boogie" really rocks, and the three-man band dig some deep grooves.
   3 3/4 stars. Recommended.

1 comments about His Best.

1. Jimmy Rogers was not as prolific as the big four at Chess (Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter), but he was just as good in his writing, playing and singing. Plus, he had that same crack band that backed both Muddy and Little Walter, many times with those two included.
   
   Rogers is sorely overlooked in the realm of classic Chicago blues, and this collection brilliantly shows why.

5 comments about Paint It Blue: Songs of the Rolling Stones.

1. I have to admit that if it had not been for the Dartford renegades, I might not have started listening to the blues. These days it's pretty hard to listen to Mick mimic bluesmen. This cd has some great Stones numbers done well: Luther Allison, Taj Mahal, Gatemouth Brown, Junior Wells, and Johnny Copeland all outblues the Stones. Yea the Stones can still play some of their material, but just as the Ramones learned to give Street Fighting Man the energy that you never realized it lacked, these master bluesman hand you cover versions that sound fresh and natural.



2. I've had this cd for about 7 years now and every now and then pull it out for a listen and each time I leave with a new song that I feel is the best and a need to search out a few cds from the artist who cover them . The last time was about a month ago and it hasn't been out of my car since. "You Can't Always Get What You Want"...brilliant. "Sway"...unforgettable. "Beast of Burdon"...outstanding. This last time has been "Ventilator Blues" by the late Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
   
   I don't like to say that these guys did the Rolling Stones better than Mick and the gang, but on these songs...they did.



3. On this CD premier blues men like Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Johnny Copeland, Holmes Brothers and Taj Mahal cover some of the Best Rolling Stones Classics and adds it a twist of Blues. The first song on the CD seems to be the absolute best and the most refreshing - Luther Allisons version of the 1969 hit "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Sadly this version came to be Luthers Last studio recording ever, recorded short before his sudden death i 1997 - But truely at the Peak of his career.
   An Overall great CD, worth buying for Luther Allison it self!



4. Ok. Just think about this....

   Stones? Blues? Rock 'n' Roll? What else do you need? Exactly, a nice beer and you are set. Enjoy this cd forever. It makes the blues and rock and country come together like never before. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is simply the best rendition of any song that I have ever heard. Unfortunatly I only have enough money to buy 1 for a present or else I would buy a thousand to give to everyone. It's perfect. As a Music Educator, a Music Theorist, and a Composer, this is the finest CD that one could ever buy. Enjoy!




5. Some of the songs are done better than the originals (Sway, Moonlight Mile, Ventilator Blues). This cd is a must have for a Stones fan. Albert Collins? Johnny Copeland, Gatemouth Brown? It don't get no better! The Stones must have been truly flattered.

5 comments about Blue House.

1. Marcia is a fine singer who writes many of her own songs, though she is never afraid to record covers where they are suitable. Her albums can be almost relentlessly upbeat, as with Hot tamale baby, but this is generally a much sadder album - more like one would expect from a blues singer.

   Marcia still demonstrates her Jerry Lee-ish piano playing here, on the opening Red beans, the third track Down the road and particularly on her cover of Joe Ely's Fingernails, but those are not typical of this particular album.

   More typical is the title track, in which Marcia painted her house blue after her man left for good, or St Gabriel, about being sent to prison and later being released with nowhere to go.

   This is a fine album that demonstrates Marcia's ability to sing a variety of different types of song.




2. I found this one by accident, but it turned out to be a great find. I was in a used CD store and picked up a CD by Luther Allison. It had been repackaged and shrink wrapped. When I popped it into the CD player, out came this very vibrant female voice singing a song that I would later find out is called Red Beans. It caught my attention and in what seemed like no time at all, I was through the entire CD. I played it twice more before I finally managed to find out who this was and print out a list of tracks.

   Every track is great and my favorite of the bunch is Fingernails. Since then, I have gotten more Marcia Ball CDs (on purpose!!) and can't say anything negative about her.




3. thought I'd would from hearing her interview and excerpts at the House of Blues. "St. Gabriel" still sings to me, but there is not one bad track on this CD, and will play them all over and over. Not all CDs past that test. Sometimes I'll buy a CD and only like one or two tracks.

   Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.




4. St. Gabriel should be the poster song for battered wives... and all the other songs are wonderful too. Heard her songs at the House of Blues website ... and craved some more. I shall buy this one here and also Gator too. Recommend her for anyone who loves the Blues!



5. I first heard Marcia Ball wailing out a song on the radio when I was traveling through Glenwood Springs Colorado several years ago. The beat and lyrics of 'I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano' captivated me so much , I rushed to a phone and called the local radio station to find out who the artist was. That day I purchased this album and have been a fan since. Her unique cajun style and excellant intrumental accompaniment will have you tapping your foot to her music. Enjoy!

4 comments about I Wanna Get Funky.

1. This album appeared one year after "Ill Play The Blues For You". It became his last LP for the Stax label. His next, now released as "The Blues Don't Change", became a compilation of single tracks he did at the end of the Stax era (much like "Born Under A Bad Sign" was a compilation of his first tracks). Albert was at the height of his playing ability and he had achieved some fame and influence as a Blues player (finally). Like B.B. King in "The Thrill is Gone", Albert had a string section included in a cut. Not just strings mind you, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra!
   That is on "Flat Tire" a self-penned talking blues he excelled in (witness "Cold Feet"). He later appeared on Memphis TV with the Memphis Symphony and did several of his hits including "Personal Manager", the first Bluesman to do this, often this is overlooked. This should be released on DVD!!

   This LP has many different styles and tempos on it. It sounds the way for the era of funk music and disco of the 1970s. It again shows the adaptablity and creativity of the Blues. Unlike his most creative LP: "I'll Play The Blues For You", this one is tight, perhaps a bit over produced for blues and less experimental, more commercial. However, it doesn't just emulate the previous grooves in "Ill Play the Blues".....it tried to take the blues to the era of seventies style music.

   The tracks are great! Forget the dated (even then!!!!) title track. This minor key gem has a fabluous groove to it with soulful solos and the 1970's trademark: "I Wanna Get Down". Playing On Me is a straight soul blues that could have been a single. Little Milton is upstaged with this tune "Walking The Back Streets and Crying" written by Sandy Jones who wrote Albert first Stax hit "Laundromat Blues". This is a highlight in Albert's career. The tune has also been recorded by Otis Rush as a tribute to Albert.

   "'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone" is a great talking blues modernized for the seventies.(Little)Jimmy King did a good version of this on his "Live At Monterrey" set. "I Can't Hear Nothing But The Blues" was actually written (originally) by Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Hubert Sumlin. Albert's solo is powerful and one of the best of his career and it is in the high register, something he did not do much. Compare this with the tune "Finger On The Trigger" side on the CD "Funky London". It was an out-take with the same groove!

   "Travelin Man" is an underrated King tune. It is short. but says a lot. It was designed as a dance tune and probably a single. The other big highlight of this set is the reworking of "Crosscut Saw" is Al Jackson on drums. It is worth the price of this CD for this track alone! The guitar in this masterpiece is the best Albert ever attained and his solos are more than awesome! Just listen to the controlled bending- that's where Hendrix got inspired and SRV tried to do (Many say SRV was the best Albert emulator, but he never did this!!!!)

   "That's What the Blues Is All About" is a commercial (pop) blues that was a single (very successful, too). It features a 1970s style soul groove and some interesting lyrics. This is a must have CD for blues lovers. It is interesting that when a Stax subsidiary in Europe put out remastered reissues of some Stax stuff they put out this one instead of "I'll Play The Blues"....this says something. Get this recording. How about the cover photo. Albert with a 1970s Fender Strat like Hendrix played, maple neck, too. This just invites you to hear something different!




2. This cd is a must for Albert King's fans. All tracks are hot!
   After purchasing Live Wire / Blues Power, this should be the next purchase! I love this CD because there are no bad tracks!
   Tasty cuts like " Till my back ain't got no bone", " Flat tire", and " That's what the blues are all about" will convert you to believing that Albert King was the best of all time!



3. I really like this CD. Albert King plays a clean guitar unadorned by effects. His leads are tastey jabs of the pentatonic scales. He has great control when he bends a string. He can do it quick or slow. This is a great album for anyone wanting to learn how to play Blues leads (cf CROSSCUT SAW). Every one of these songs is solid Blues played with passion. The band supporting him is awesome. They provide a steady beat for Albert King to launch his astral play. If you are interested in Chicago Blues played by a legendary guitarist, this CD will be interesting to you.



4. With 'Travelling Man' as an all times classic, along with the breathtaking slow blues 'Walkin' the back streets and crying', and an astonishingly powerful final solo on ''til my back ain't got no bone', this album is a serious candidate to serve as an ultimate word on the funky-blues, seventies-inflected music of the future. Though always mumbling a little bit too much, Sir Albert sings better than ever on these tracks, and his guitar is as bluesy and funky as a six-strings version of James Brown. Add a right dose of Hammond organ and a perfectly orchestrated horn session, to obtain a virtually perfect, modern and highly enjoyable LP.

3 comments about Hot Tamale Baby.

1. Marcia Ball is one of the countless legend of rockers who have toured the Bars across American forever. She have made a living being a bar band. The best thing about her concert is that at the end of the evening, as you walking to your car, about all you can say is "wow, that was fun." This pretty much somes her up. Her free style, top tapping, good time show, is captured here on this album. Starting with teh sone "Never like this before" and running to "Un-Uh Baby". If you are not a fan of her music, then this is a great place to start.



2. From the opening track, Never like this before (a cover of a sixties soul song), this album rocks. Marcia wrote two of the songs herself (Love's spell and That's enough of that stuff) and draws on a variety of sources for the other songs, including soul, R+B, blues and zydeco - the latter represented by the title track, originally written by Clifton Chenier.

   Yet the overall feel of the album is rock'n'roll update for 1985 (when this album was recorded). Comparisons with Jerry Lee Lewis are understandable - Marcia plays the piano in a similar style to Jerry. Not much tinkling of the ivories here - they take a real pounding on some of the tracks.

   Although this is a very upbeat album, there are a few slower songs to vary the pace, and Marcia is well capable of singing those as well as the rockers.

   This is one of Marcia's earliest albums, but it still sounds fresh and exciting. Rock your blues away with this or any other album by Marcia, who is brilliant at what she does.




3. Saw Marcia Ball in New Orleans at the Jazz Fest in 1990 and bought this album on tape cassette at the fest. Played it so much, the tape broke within a month. Hard to say which song is the best, they are all excellent rockin' songs. Also,hard to say that this is the best album, Gatorythems & Blue House is also superb. Marcia is just an all around great musician and is the best rockin' bules piano playin' gal out there. Enjoy the album and work on getting the rest of her collection, I just ordered the last album that I did not have, Dreams Come True. Looking forward to hearing all of it.

5 comments about The Best of Marvin Sease.

1. Every song on "The Best of Marvin Sease" is wonderful. Grab a glass of wine and sit back to enjoy. I highly recommend this CD. Just don't play song #1 too loud for your neighbors to hear. They may not understand. :)



2. I purchased this CD because it has all of the CANDYLICKER's best work on it. I travel alot and this is my riding music! Marvin keeps me entertained both on the road and at home.



3. I live in Mississippi, and each year he comes to perform I am there,I love all his songs...From Candy Licker 1 to Do You Qualify. I was a teenager when i discovered his sexy voice,I am over 30 now and he still causes damage. So please take a listen. His music is a great stimulant..lol. Plus he is so handsome.



4. Me and my peers had so much fun listening to this CD over and over. Not sure why we love it so much, we just do!. Thanks Marvin.



5. OK, there's "Candy Lickker"--nice jam, a little dated now, but see--it was kinda a sneaky way to get a little notice...the real deal is those slow jams. "Ghetto Man", "Dreaming", "Stuck in the Middle"--this is a CD of his earlier favorites that shows he's every bit a soulblues singer on the level of Johnny Taylor or Bobby Blue Bland. Get this. You will be thoroughly satisfied....

5 comments about The Best Blues Album in the World...Ever!.

1. Product arrived on time as promised and in good condition. I would use this vendor again without hesitation.



2. Although the title is totally hyperbole, this is an excellent collection of blues tunes of various eras and styles.

   I am a relative newcomer to the blues, so a compilation like this is right up my alley. It lets me get a taste of different aspects of the blues, and to discover artists that I would not have otherwise been exposed to.

   Represented here are some of the early delta bluesmen (Lightnin' Hopkins "Abilene", mislabeled as "Shotgun Blues"), the early electric blues (Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy"), the '60's revival (B. B. King's "3 O'Clock Blues"), the great female blues singers (Koko Taylor's smokin' "Wang Dang Doodle"), the British blues bands (John Mayall's "Spinning Coin"), contemporary American blues rock (Johnny Winter's "Illustrated Man"), and lesser known contemporary artists (Colin James' infectious cover of "No More Doggin'").

   Throw in selections by Albert Collins, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, J. J. Cale, and others, and you have a blues compilation CD that may not be "The Greatest in the World", but one that both novices and long time blues fans can enjoy. Highly recommended to anybody with ann interest in the blues.




3. Calling your album the "best ever" takes balls, but this CD stands the test. From classics like Muddy Waters' 'Mannish Boy' or Little Walter's 'My Babe' to hot female singers like Etta James and the dynamic Koko Taylor to oldies radio station's staples like 'Reeling and Rockin'' by Chuck Berry and classic rock blues like Gary Moore's 'Still Got The Blues', this CD covers a lot of ground.

   If you want an introduction to the blues and can only buy one CD, this should be it! If you already love the blues, you'll love hearing these songs again and remember them like your first kiss. Either way, this CD will put sadness in your heart or heat in your loins, sometimes in the same song!




4. Not even close to the best ever. The actual title should read: "The Best Blues Album For Which We Were Able To Get Rights To The Songs Quickly" or something like that. The fact is this double disc set is just a grab bag of songs with absolutely no thought put into it whatsoever. With a few exceptions, disc one is practically a throw away. Larry McCray, Kinsey Report, Gary Moore, and Terry Evans et. al. are all ok modern blues artists but hardly deserve to be on a blues album titled "The Best Ever" -especially one limited to only two discs.

   This is a Virgin release, so poor understanding of the genre is to be expected. However, to boldly exclaim that this is the best ever compilation is a rather ostentatious position -even for the Virgin people. The best ever blues compilation would certainly be a difficult undertaking. However, this set completly ignores the likes of giants like Big Maceo, Tommy Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson I & II, Robert Johnson, Tampa Red, Lowell Fulson, Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes, Robert Nighthawk, Jimmy Witherspoon, Floyd Dixon, and so many many more important and entertaining historical blues artists. The most shocking eversight is the absence of T-Bone Walker!

   Really, I think this is a waste of your money. Even on its own level the flow is odd especially on disc one. Disc two has a better grouping and flow of great blues artists and songs, but still not worth the price. There has yet to be a true "best of" compilation to be released, so for now I suggest you may want to explore the best attempt to date. It is a four disc box set released on MCA in 1996 called "Mean Old World."




5. I really enjoyed these CDs. it gives a good mix of old school and new school blues so to speak. From todays best to the acoustic sounds of yesteryear, this CD entertained me for a very long time with some great blues.

5 comments about Skin Deep [Vinyl].

1. This is Buddy Guy at his best. His distinctive voice and style are skillfully showcased on this CD. Great listening for blues fans!



2. I recently got the priviledge & AMAZING OPPORTUNITY to see Buddy Guy play live! They just don't make em like him anymore. And I sure wish they did! I 1000% ENJOYED every second of his concert & then I bought this CD & again throughly enjoyed every second of it. Give yourself the gift of owning it & then gift yourself the Gift of actually listening to each & everyword of each song. PRICELESS!! The title cut "Skin Deep" OOO if only our government would follow those simple words of that song & other governments too our world would be in a COMPLETE STATE OF PEACE! BUDDY GUY , WE LOVE YOU



3. He has still got it at 73 years old. Saw him live with Thorogood and was thouroly impressed. This newest recording is really impressive.



4. Buddy Guy never fails to deliver, whether it's on the stage at a club, or a concert venue, or in the recording studio. SKIN DEEP is another project that will serve as proof that Buddy Guy is one of the best blues musicians/singers around.



5. I have seen Buddy twice in concert (BB King's and Lincoln Center/Legends of the Blues) and have almost all his albums, and this album is SMOKIN' HOT just like his performances! I've had it for just a few days and can't stop playing it (too bad my wife and kids are going to disown me). BUY THIS ALBUM AND CRANK IT UP!!!