5 comments about Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues - A Musical Journey.

1. Blues is a genre of music that is greatly under-appreciated by most Americans, despite being the fundamental roots and building blocks of all other forms of music, minus the Old-Timey music which was created by Western European immigrants in the Appalachians and down south, though even that music mingled with the Blues; the perfect example being "John Henry", which was hugely popular in both black Blues traditions and in Old-Timey music. Jazz, Rock 'N' Roll, Soul, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal all borrow heavily from the Blues. Though I am only 25 years of age, I have been a major Blues fan for over ten years. When I say "major", I mean that I am an obsessive collector, fan, singer and have just started to learn how to play the acoustic guitar. When I saw this documentary on television when it originally aired, I was disappointed. Upon renting the dvds from my local library three or four months ago, I was even more disappointed. It'd be much easier to tell one what's WRONG with this documentary than what's RIGHT about it.
   Firstly, Corey Harris is a wonderful musician, but his original compositions and the Country Blues classics which he covers have nothing to do with musicians in Mali. Although that (very long!) segment of the film was interesting, it didn't pertain to the subject matter at all. It's nice to hear that someone thinks John Lee Hooker's music is "African", but what exactly does that mean? His music is meditative, hypnotic and sexual, but when we look up "Africa" or "African music" in an encyclopedia, we don't see "meditative", "hypnotic", or "sexual", do we? I think this is just the romanticism of a bunch of middle-aged whites who worked on this dvd, and perhaps even some of the young black musicians. With that said, it's great that Harris is in the documentary, as he is one of the top three greatest living Bluesmen. Alvin Youngblood Hart is also present in a different episode of this documentary, but why is he never interviewed? He is the best, that is, he is #1, out of all the living Blues musicians. His guitar playing is fantastic, he is able to compose songs which sound like they are from Charley Patton in 1928 but which contain all original lyrics, and his voice has an accent and snap to it that sounds like a real Country Bluesman from the '20s or '30s. In addition to Hart and Harris being shown covering important songs from the past, Samuel James and John Hammond should have been included in this documentary. John Hammond has done more to spread the word about real Blues than any other person alive, for the last half-century, and his brilliant father did the same thing during his long life. It's deeply insulting that John wasn't included. Furthermore, the artists who WERE shown performing classic Blues songs are simply Godawful. Beck's reading of Skip James' "I'm So Glad" is the most horrendous, disgusting, laughable thing I've ever seen in my life. Keb' Mo is a lightweight and not a Bluesman; he sounds more like James Taylor than he does like Big Joe Williams. Also, Skip James did not re-record all of his 1931 classics, as this stupid documentary would have you believe. This is just poor research on the part of the people who produced this monstrosity. Bonnie Raitt turned in a considerably good performance. Los Lobos and Susan Tedeschi had no business being part of the project, just as Susan didn't belong on Buddy Guy's newest album. I have seen her live; she is very good at playing Blues licks on her guitar and she's a good singer, but she is not Blues. Chuck D. makes an absolute ass of himself, along with his rapper friends, and Marshall Chess shows that he has no taste in music, and can't distinguish good Blues from crap. The footage of Skip James and the discussion of James' life and career by Dick Waterman is the highlight of this entire project and is wonderfully done. The J.B. Lenior business was ridiculous, as the private tapes of him performing show his limited talents on the guitar. The episode about the young man going to live with his uncle is utterly ridiculous because few blacks in the south at that time knew who Robert Johnson was, though the uncle supposedly touts him as one of the greatest of all-time, and even fewer blacks or people in general had any understanding of the greatness of the Blues as a serious musical form, like we think of Classical music, or Jazz, these days. So, why would the uncle have a shrine dedicated to Blues and be a Blues historian?!?. "Sleepy" John Estes is mistakenly called "Sleepy" Joe Estes. If Ken Burns' "Jazz" documentary were to call Thelonious Monk, "Thelonious Blunk", can you imagine the outrage on the part of the Jazz community? Bobby Rush is a joke and isn't a Blues artist. He should stay on the chitlin circuit, doing his dirty dances and poor James Brown imitations. I have no idea why he was included in this documentary. Also, although we all love and respect B.B. King, perhaps we didn't need to see him sitting on his tour bus, talking about his love for the Blues for an extended period of time, but this is one of the minor things wrong with this atrocious documentary.
   The British episode of this abomination is ridiculous, due to Lulu and Tom Jones' presence. Honestly, Mayall and Baldry are of very little importance to Blues and we didn't need to hear about and from them, over and over again. If there needed to be a British "Blues"-themed episode to this disgrace of a documentary, why not focus on the lives of Clapton, the early Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck, and, more importantly, their influences, and why they (the British guitar players) love the Blues. Clint Eastwood's work is very well-done, but the problem is that very few of the musicians have anything to do with the Blues. Where was Roosevelt Sykes? He, in my opinion, was the greatest Blues pianist/singer in history. Dave Brubeck is a Jazz musician, and he doesn't even perform good Jazz; he does what Jelly Roll Morton or Joe Bussard would consider to be something other than Jazz, to put it nicely. The Johnny Shines footage in one of the earlier parts of this documentary was fantastic, but why wasn't the great Johnny Shines honored for what he truly was; a musician every bit as good as Robert Johnson, with a stronger and more versatile voice than Johnson, and the ability to perform both acoustic Country Blues standards and originals, and electric Chicago-style Blues standards and originals with equal force and beauty? When, oh, when, will Johnny Shines be recognized? He was the last of the great Bluesmen. He belongs up there with Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James, and, perhaps, Alvin Youngblood Hart, who should have had a much more prominent role here. It would have been better to have a dry, historical reading of the story of the Blues, even if the directors and producers didn't know their stuff (which was obviously the case) than to have a mish-mash of different segments, done by different fools, with, and this is the really awful part, horrible performances by living, supposed "Blues" or Blues-influenced "artists". I am able to sing these old classic Blues songs better than any of these morons, minus the great Hart, Harris and Bonnie Raitt. I believe it was the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion that was the low-point of this entire documentary, though it's really hard to discern what the worst part of this walking disaster was. Lou Reed, Oscar Peterson, Dr. John; why are they a part of this documentary? There was plenty of great Son House footage here, but why wasn't Blind Willie McTell mentioned? What about the unique Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas, who sounds nothing like anyone in all of American music, and who was an important Songster who came before the Blues, along with the brilliant Luke Jordan and the heavenly Richard "Rabbit" Brown?
   I am not a huge fan of Eric Clapton, but the discussion of white teenagers' embracing the Blues during the 1960s and '70s is very important to the history of the Blues. With that being said, instead of having talentless artists who happen to be white covering Blues classics, it would have been better to sit down with Eric Clapton for one hour and just have him talk about the records he loved growing up, right off the top of his head. This would also help de-bunk the myth that "Clapton is God", and show young guitar-playing-Clapton-obsessed Blues-Rockers out there that Eric doesn't think he's the best; he feels he can never equal Muddy Waters' greatness, not to mention the beauty of Skip James or Robert Johnson. As Clapton has said in various interviews with various magazines, he is incapable of playing solo acoustic Country Blues because he is not a good enough player to play the complete guitar accompaniment to a song, which is what men like Blind Blake and Blind Lemon Jefferson did. This is why Clapton's album of Robert Johnson covers has other musicians on it. Finally, where the hell is the virtuoso of the Blues, Lonnie Johnson? This man was the inventor of Jazz guitar, performed marvelous guitar duets with Eddie Lang that still sound unbelievable almost 100 years laters, accompanied the brilliantly talented Texas Alexander by playing some of the most startling, dazzling, ominous guitar work in the history of mankind, pioneered Rhythm & Blues ten years later, and was able to play and croon Pop music standards with the best of them. I could probably go on and on about the inaccuracies and mistakes associated with this sad disappointment of a documentary, but I will have to stop here. Rent this thing from your local library. Do not buy it under any circumstances! If you want to know what Blues cds you should buy or which artists you should check out, just ask me, and I will tell you. I will save you a lot of money and aggravation, which is something that this documentary won't be able to do!



2. If you love music and love the Blues, this is a must have for your collection.



3. Save your money and instead borrow this set from your local public library. There is nothing about any of these DVDs that you'd want in your permanent collection. I guess I was hoping for more of a well organized documentary and less "filler". I mean, how many shots of BB King staring quietly out of his bus window do we need to see? This whole series is a collection of disconnected, rambling pieces that could have been better organized. All the parts are probably there, but it's like handing the viewer a pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces and saying "here's a nice oil painting".
   
   This mess has Scorsese's name on it for marketing reasons only. It's clear that, other than the single DVD that he directed, the only message the other directors got was "put something together about the blues".
   
   Out of the 900+ minutes of video here, I'd estimate that there are about 240 minutes worth of interesting material for the blues aficionado (I'm not talking just music here; for example the thread about Rosco Gordon was touching and worthwhile). The majority is senseless filler. Who cares about a rap musician's interpretation of a blues classic? Who cares about Clint Eastwood playing his piano?
   
   A much better approach to this would have been to start with the roots of this wonderful music, and then highlight notable musicians and performances in chronological order. Connections of "who influenced whom" and "who worked with whom" would help tie it together. Sometimes presenting something in a simple, organized manner is the answer, rather than lathering every trick in the director's book on top of the project.



4. I learned blues this DVD. This is my teacher about blues.
   I met several musicians in this DVD, I remembered lot's of person.
   Thank you Mr. Maetin Scorses.



5. I purchased this for my son for Christmas. He likes it very much.

1 comments about A Brief History Of The Blues.

1. This is a solid introductory collection of blues songs. I think the standout is "Oh Death," performed by Doyle Bramhall II and Erykah Badu, but there really isn't a bad song in the bunch. I also like that listeners are exposed to a wide variety of blues from Delta to Chicago and more.

5 comments about The Best of Slim Harpo.

1. A very nice recording of early bluesman Slim Harpo. Had a few hits, all covered here, and was a major influence on bands like Rolling Stones.



2. A great blues album.
   Two songs covered by the rolling stones,"shake your hips" and "I'm a king bee.They dind't make any changes...Dind't have too , the original was good enough to be reproduced note for note.



3. Slim Harpo was a terrific harmonica player and a fine blues singer. His works were covered by many rock and rollers. He died, too young, of a heart attack at age 46.
   
   Let's consider some of the exemplar tracks on this CD.
   
   "I'm a King Bee": The Rolling Stones covered this and came up with their own credible version. But Slim Harpo's take on this is great fun to listen to. The vocal riff that recurs throughout this song:
   
   "Well, I'm a King Bee
   Buzzin' around your hive."
   
   Another nice line:
   
   "I'm a king bee,
   I want you to be my queen."
   
   Harpo displays an interesting blues voice in this sensual song. The backing music is almost hypnotic with its rhythm. Harpo plays the harmonica well.
   
   "I've Got Love if You Want It": One of the Rolling Stones' earliest live albums played off this song title. The piece begins with Harpo's harmonica playing. This is rollicking music with the backing group playing well.
   
   "Shake Your Hips": What a neat song, a nice up tempo dance piece! Once more, the harmonica work is strong.
   
   "I'm tellin' you a dance that's going around
   . . . .
   Just shake your hips,
   Do the hip shake, Babe."
   
   The Rolling Stones, on their "Exiles on Main Street" recorded a close variation on this classic piece.
   
   Finally, "Baby Scratch My Back": This is a nice dance piece. As the liner notes put it, "a slinky dance groove." Harpo's harmonica sings.
   
   This is a nice sampling of the work of Slim Harpo. Well worth listening to. A good piece to add to one's blues library.



4. The first song I ever hear from Slim Harpo was "Rainin' In My Heart." I hadn't heard that song before and I had to find out who this guy was. I called up the a.m. radio station and actually asked the disc jokey who that was. That was back in the late 50s and times were simpler then. From that moment on, I was a Slim Harpo fan. Slim is great all the time but I especially was knocked out to hear again "I'm A King Bee," "Rainin In My Heart," and "Baby Scratch My Back." Slim Harpo doesn't blow you out of the room. He sneaks up on you and just gets you. I dig him and his music and I think you will to.



5. If you're not into ' 50's style electric blues....STAY BACK This is Slim Harpo...The KingBee......I litrally sleep with this CD

3 comments about Blues Masters: The Very Best of T-Bone Walker.

1. Nice introduction to the work of T-Bone Walker! He was one of the best of the bluesmen. The liner notes from the CD provide nice background to Walker's work. Many heard him live when he was well past his prime, not knowing the full skills of his art.
   
   Even two songs illustrate. . . .
   
   "Bobby Sox Blues" was an early popular song of Walker's. The backing group supports his singing well. He displays a smooth singing voice. The song itself spoofed the teenagers' giddiness over Sinatra and Eckstine.
   
   And then there is his iconic ""Stormy Monday. . . ." This is one of the great blues tunes. Walker's voice serves this song well. The backing instruments have a clean sound and back the singer very nicely. The liner notes say that "If T-Bone had done nothing more in his career than write and record this one tune, his esteemed place in the history of American music would be guaranteed." His singing emphasizes classic lines such as:
   
   "They call it Stormy Monday,
   But Tuesday is just as bad.
   Wednesday's worse,
   And Thursday's also sad."
   
   All in all, then, this is a fine introduction to the work of T-Bone Walker.



2. A lot of compilations have a title similar to this one, "the best of someone or other", yet still leave a lot to be desired.

   That's not the case with this excellent Rhino collection, however. It may not be the definitive word on Aaron Thibeaux Walker (you'll need the two Capitol/Black & White and Imperial box sets for that), but it is the best single-disc retrospective available, and if you are looking for a really good sampler of T-Bone Walker's music, this is it.
   Almost all of Walkers best-known songs are here, including his self-penned classics "They Call It Stormy Monday", "Mean Old World" and "I'm Still In Love With You", and "The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker" is an ideal starting place for the curious or the casual fan.




3. The electric guitar innovator gets the Rhino treatment with this 16-track collection of Imperial, Rumboogie, Capitol, Atlantic, Comet and Black & White sides. This is by no means the definitive collection of Walker's work, but it does serve as a nice retrospective of his 1945-1960 output.

   If you were born after 1960, a little refresher is in order. T-Bone Walker influenced at least two generations of blues guitarists. Albert Collins, Freddy King, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan are but a few. For those who think of "Stormy Monday" as an Allman Brothers song, think again. And Eric Clapton didn't create "Mean Old World."

   This compilation serves as a nice primer. It includes the aforementioned classic "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just as Bad)" and "Mean Old World Blues." Also featured are "Papa Ain't Salty," "How Long Blues" and "The T-Bone Shuffle" and many more.

   As usual Rhino offers the listener extensive, well reseached liner notes (this time by Billy Vera). The booklet comes complete with rare pictures and individual track information (personnel, songwriting credits, chart position, etc.). Kudos to Rhino for doing an excellent job, This compilation rates a strong B+. However, T-Bone merits more than 16 songs. A two CD set featuring some well-chosen rarities and underappreciated gems would have made this an A+ offering.

5 comments about Bring 'Em In.

1. I've listened to quite a few blues players and Buddy Guy is the most energetic and uptempo player I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. This cd ROCKS! Plain and simple. In particular: Cut You Loose, What Kind of Woman, Now You're Gone, Cheaper To Keep Her, and Somebody's Sleeping In My Bed are all above average tracks and will have you playing this album for years to come. A must own for any Blues/Rock fan. Kudos to Buddy Guy for cutting such a rocking album!



2. I love the Blues and Buddy Guy, but not every song on here is a gem or even the blues.
   
   My favorite song on here is the Tracy Chapman "Ain't No Sunshine" song, but it isn't exactly the blues.
   
   The blues numbers I like are "Cheaper to Keep Her" and "Cut You Loose", but even those are not his best.



3. The first six tracks off of Buddy Guy's "Bring 'Em In" explode out of your speakers like a rocket ship -- fitting for a guitarist who continues to soar at an age when most strummers tend to lower their volume.
   
   If "Sweet Tea," Buddy's much-heralded previous album, was the raw, tortured sound of an ancient bluesman wrestling with the devil and evil women, his latest release finds him in sunnier spirits -- sort of.
   
   He's still ruing lost loves, of course, both on the opening track, "Now You're Gone," and later on with the anxious "Somebody's Been Sleeping In My Bed." But then he's off like a hound dog, attacking Wilson Pickett's "Ninety Nine and One Half" and "What Kind of Woman Is This" with incredible fire. Both songs are filled with grooves from a bygone era and worth multiple listens.
   
   Razor-sharp solos cut through most of the songs, including the rollicking "On A Saturday Night" and the Carlos Santana joint wah-wah fest that is "I Put A Spell On You."
   
   The second half of the album regretfully meanders. A duet with Tracy Chapman on "Ain't No Sunshine" inexplicably fails to catch fire, and Buddy clearly stumbles on a mawkish cover of "Lay Lady Lay" and "I've Got Dreams to Remember." Minor quibbles, though. Buddy's inviting us in for a jam session, and it would foolish to turn him down.



4. Buddy Guy is so good at guitar shredding that it takes us aback when we hear him playing smooth, mellow, and laidback, which is what he does on "Bring 'Em In."
   
   Guy does some interesting covers, and has some high-powered guest stars on this record. He covers "I Put A Spell On You," "Lay Lady Lay(Guy covers Dylan?)" "Cheaper To Keep Her," and " Do Your Thing." Joining him ove various cuts are Carlos Santana, Keith Richards, and John Mayer.
   
   Guy's playing is a lot more subdued on this record, but it's no less compelling or thrilling. Guy always delivers the goods, and "Bring 'Em In" is no exception. This is definitely worth checking out.



5. This CD has a great band, great production and a star studded cast, that's all the things that probably make it sell, but make me not enjoy it. Buddy is great and his solos are great, but I like him best when I can close my eyes and I'm transported to a little smokey club somewhere and I'm just listening to that raw guitar, way out in front, just peelin' the paint off the walls. I guess this is an attempt to make some dough and sell some records to the pseudo blues fans, but I'd go for Stone Crazy, Blues Singer, and Sweet Tea, those all rock in their own rights.

5 comments about Hard Again.

1. Not much new I can say about a classic, but I will say that it's very rare anymore to listen to a band and say to yourself, "Hey, these guys sound like they're having a real good time". In a world dominated by plastic sounding music(Plastic People! Oh, baby now you're such a draaaaaag! Sorry about that, I couldn't resist), it's so refreshing to listen to a group that doesn't sound like it's playing music simply because it's their job. Now while this was an attempt for Muddy to make a comeback, these guys sound like they love what they're doing so much that they couldn't care less if they sold one copy of the album, or even gave a hoot if they were being recorded at all! Muddy had a fantastic musical career long before this album, but in teaming up with Johnny Winter and his crew, he showed the world that Waters hadn't lost his edge but aged like a fine wine. Purchase!! Purchase NOW!!!!!!!



2. He's the man alright. Muddy Waters, lays it out from Mannish Boy to Little Girl. That's what the blues is all about.



3. 
   A long, long time ago, I listened to a flatmate's LP of this title and immediately liked two songs in particular: "Mannish Boy" and "I want to be loved". So, when I saw that a Muddy Waters compilation [Anthology] was listed in promotional list of 100 cds you must own, I bought it. Trouble was, the music in Anthology was NOT like I remembered it in Hard Again. For that reason, I'd only give Anthology about two or three stars out of five.
   
   So, I basically bought Hard Again on CD [the remastered version] to see if I had misrembered the sound of that cd. I hadn't. The sound is near flawless and has great presence. It is often bold and brassy. In "Anthology" the music is more sedate and not as present.
   
   In this album, the music is the offspring of Blues and Rock, and it really is the blues as I now like it. Comparing "Anthology" to "Hard again" is like comparing Bob Dylan to Midnight Oil. Both are socially and politically conscious, but you can dance to Midnight Oil, which is why I always will prefer the Oils to the Bob. The tragedy of The Bob is that other acts always do the definitive versions of his songs...poppier or rockier.
   
   "Hard Again" has spanking drums, a free-wheeling harmonica, electric guitar, bass, piano line-up, with perhaps a banjo and washer-board or some such on one song. It is also more up-tempo and energetic than the music in "Anthology".
   
   "Mannish Boy" is still my favourite Waters' song, and this new version of the song is the king of them all y'all. It's boldy, brassy, swinging and with a big beat. It's a raucous party song.
   
   Another song could be renamed "My ol' lady, she done run off with the bus driver blues". It includes an amusingly saucy line to the effect that his ol' lady would be 'riding' the bus driver tonight, or some such. The song features a very cool note picking guitar melody.
   
   "I want to be loved" swings more in this cd than in "Anthology" and has that classic 50's style bass sound, which pops up in other songs in this cd. The song doesn't match my memory of it the first time I heard it [i.e.it's not as catchy as I remembered it, but maybe my tastes have changed].
   
   "I can't be satisfied" is probably my second favourite song on this cd. It has a nice swing to it and some cool note picking on the guitar. Not sure if the "wa wa" effect on vocals is just Muddy or a glitch in the recording...not a major drawback if it's a glitch.
   
   "The blues had a baby and they named it rock'n'roll" is good with some amusing lyrics...for instance "Queen Victoria said it-'you know the blues got soul'. Well the blues had a baby and they named him rock'n'roll".
   
   "Deep down in Florida" marks a change of pace for Muddy-it's more sedate and has a heavy bass sound. Listening to "Anthology" you are struck by how nearly identical the music is in a few songs [the cliched Blues sound]. "Hard Again" doesn't fall into that trap...no recycled sounds.
   
   "Crosseyed cat" is a whimsical song...not sure if the title is a slang term or innuendo of some sort. It does have another Blues trait though...repeating lyrics. This to me is less of a minus than recycling the same music for different songs.
   
   "Walking through the park" is another track with the classic 50's style rock'n'roll bass sound. His woman in that song is not to be trifled with either..."My girl she may cut you. She may shoot you too". I'd feel safer with her in a walk through the park than with Muddy...at least I'd know she could handle herself if my big mouth got me into trouble with some unsavoury types.
   
   I wont put up a review of "Anthology" as I am not particularly positive about it. But listening to it I wondered if my pick as the greatest rock band of all time, AC/DC, were influence by Muddy's Blues.
   In tracks like "I'm ready", I think you can hear its echoes in AC/DC songs like "TNT", "Livewire" - I mean lyrical content wise. Muddy's song "You shook me" is perhaps more obviously echoed in AC/DC's classic [though by now flogged to death on Australian FM stations] song "You shook me all night long".
   
   Since I'm not reviewing "Anthology" on its own, I'll just jot some of my notes on that cd here: I think one of my notes says that 5 or 6 songs have the same intro as "Louisana Blues". "Still a fool" has a cool sound with a good riff and cool gurgling/howling vocals. Track 23 [didn't jot down its title in my notes" Muddy's vocals are distinctly different-phlegmy, in fact.
   
   Well, that's it for my review. I think Hard Again is the perfect marriage of Blues and Rock and would appeal to the rock crowd easily. Not sure how Blues "Purists" view this album, but to me it is Muddy Waters as I want him to sound.
   
   P.S. I've also reviewed at this site Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Midnight Oil, amongst others [including punk cds and heavy metal cds].



4. Great album, great to listen to over and over whether in the background chillin with friends or on your own. Awesome for a comeback. Only wish it were longer...You may notice many now too-familar riffs from rock music today, that originated right here.
   The Blues Had a Baby, and They Named it Rock N Roll!



5. There's not really anything about this album not to like.
   
   Muddy Waters? Forceful, energized, professional, singing with the same incomparable power and vigor he possessed in the 50s, and which he had struggled to recapture in the decade preceding this album. Moreover, he sounds like he's having the time of his life. The phrase "infectious enthusiasm" is very apropos here.
   
   Johnny Winter? All he does is handle the equally demanding jobs of lead guitarist and producer, and does both flawlessly.
   
   Bob Margolin, James Cotton, Willie Smith, Charles Calmese, Pinetop Perkins? All play in an inspired fashion, driving the songs like a freight train and pushing each other to new heights seemingly by the minute. Cotton's harp screams like no harp before or since, while Smith lays down the kind of pocket that guitarists and bass players dream about at night. Calmese's playing has just enough of a funky '70s edge to make the material sound contemporary and relevant while not detracting from its Chicago roots. Margolin plays with a tastefulness and restraint which belies his young age at the time, and Pinetop is...well, Pinetop.
   
   Old songs? This isn't a popular sort of thing to say, but the reworkings of Muddy's '50s classics presented here (particularly "Mannish Boy" and "Walkin' Through the Park") sound as good or better than their original Chess counterparts. That's not an insult to Jimmy Rogers or Little Walter, it's just the way it is.
   
   New songs? "Crosseyed Cat," "Jealous Hearted Man," and "The Blues Had a Baby" are as good as any blues music ever recorded. Ever.
   
   In summation, if you don't already own this album, stop wasting your time with this silly review and buy the damn thing. Right now.

5 comments about The Complete Imperial Recordings: 1950-1954.

1. Are you kidding, who do you think Eric Clapton learned his best licks from?? Yep, T-Bone. This CD has no bad, average, or even great recordings on it. They are all spectacular!! T-Bone is the master of the "modern" blues style, yeah, like Eric Clapton, only earlier and beautiful music in his own right.



2. TBone is the best in my book. I like the smoothness of his music. I heard the Allman Brothers state on a live album many yrs ago that "Stormy Monday" was an old "Tbone Walker song." I guess I got curious and bought a casette tape by TBone at the time.... This was when I decided that he is my favorite of all Blues Musicians. These CD's include some of his best work. Glad to find it on CD.



3. T-Bone not only invented the electric blues but he still remains it's most towering stylist and symbol of pure cool. T-Bone's smokey after hours blues is still one of the most vital parts of the genre. Smooth is the key word here. T-Bone's singing and playing never lacked the smooth quality that was T-Bone Walker. He could sing songs of misery and hurt with incredibly deep soul but still manage to keep it cool. This set is a fantastic value! Each track stands on it's own merit. I don't have a favorite here because all are top notch.
   You won't be disappointed.



4. The late "T-Bone" Walker, a pioneering mastre of the electric blues guitar and a close friend/ certainly unremitting influence on my Uncle "Pee Wee" Crayton another "axe-handler" during the immediate postwar era. However, avoiding comparisons, Uncle "Pee Wee" Crayton brought enough "heat" and daring innovation to his playing to avoid being labeled as a mere "T-Bone" copy-"kat."
   
   As a young teen in the early 70's, I was extremely fortunate to experience the greatness of his "vibes" up close and personal...on many occasions, I would soak-up like a sponge and weld to memory those rare meetings when the "Texas 3" (1) Uncle "Pee Wee" (2) "T-Bone" Walker and (3) "Big Joe" Turner (another pioneering mastre blues singer, even though he was born in Kansas City, MO., he sang like he was from the state of Texas...) would get together at "Pee Wee's" house in West Los Angeles, California, and rehearse all day on Saturdays or Sunday afternoons up until the late evenings, just before going to there "gig" at the Perisan Room (a defunct legendary popular "night-spot" during the 1960's - late '80's located on the southwest corner of La Brea Avenue & Washington Blvd., of which now sits a U.S. Postal Station). These Complete Imperial Recordings: 1950-1954 are nothing but short from shear enjoyment fo' da soul...buy the CD you won't be disappointed!
   
   Those were exhilarating times to say the least!
   
   --"Big Dave" Burleigh, 'AmeriCanadian' Record Producre.



5. T-Bone sweet T-Bone - he is the founder of modern blues - and I think he does not get enough credit for his influence on jazz guitar. Kenny Burrell, in fact, has mentioned that T-Bone was one of his early influences. He certainly has a sweet tone, and he has a nice voice too. Pair this with a hot horn section, and this cd is a steal at 10 bucks. T-Bone is a classic.

5 comments about East-West.

1. This recording contains what has to be the one of the greatest blues/rock songs of all time. The song is East West which contains some of the greatest music I've ever heard. It is a preview of what the bands later in the 60's will produce and remains one of the finest example of the extended guitar solo pieces.
   
   At this time the Butterfield Blues Band had two of the best guitarist around, Elvin Bishop and (my favorite) Mike Bloomfield. They each take an extended solo, Elvin Bishop first. Elvin throws out a blazing fast mountain of notes. It is what happens next that makes this an unique experience. It is Mike Bloomfield's turn next, not with another show stopper solo, instead he pares back the music to the absolute minimum. His clear ringing notes lifts one from out under the mountain into the clear blue sky. From this he slowly builds, never to excess, an exquisite solo that sends us flying above the mountains. There is nothing else like it that I've ever heard. I cannot do it justice, this music must be heard. It is unique moment that everyone deserves to experience.
   
   For this reason along, the song East West, makes this recording a must. But there is also all of the rest of the songs, including Butterfield's catchy solo on Work Song.



2. I sampled all tracks and was surprised that I knew all of them since I had never owned it or even heard it in 30 years. Bought it and love it.



3. I too had this on vinyl and wore it out 5 times and one listen to "I've got a mind to give up living" will send you out of your head. Maybe this is one of the cd's or of of the bands youeither love or hate because I don't love evry cd they have made. But with this versions line-up, the Butterfield Blues Band ain't s***. Sorry to all u die hards.
   
   There are many more memorable sond here than on any other PBBB albums, but go ahead and listen and u be the judge.



4. I'm a huge fan of Chicago blues and a big fan of Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, but this album doesn't do it for me. The title cut East West is great and is nearly half the album hence the three stars. This album sounds a bit dated and I its due to the slightly heavy phycodelic rock influence found on this album. PBBB was on of those groups (like the ned of the Peter Green Fleetwood Mac era) that was trying to push the boundries of the blues art form. What you have 30 years later is an album that just doesn't sounds that good. that doesn't do it for me. I don't think this album as aged well. The blues are timeless and should hold up to the test of time. Great artist like Magic Sam and Lowell Fulson still sound great today. This album doesn't. Buyer Beware I guess.



5. The Jazz-Rock fusion movement of the late 70's (Weather Report, Spyro Gyra, Tony Williams) was born on this album. If I could only keep one record in my collection, this would probably be the main contender for that position. This album is a musical safari including a remarkable variety of musical idioms in a Blues context that goes way beyond Blues. Obviously, the East-West track is the pinnacle of this exploration. Listen closely and you will hear East Indian, Calypso, New Orleans Jazz, Bluegrass, and 4 or 5 other distinct musical styles each in a separate movement with very striking transitions. When I first got this album as a sophmore in college in 1966, I used to put on the East-West title track in the late afternoon and drift off into a wonderful, dreamy nap carried off in a magical concoction of World music as I think no one had ever heard before.
   
   This is just a glorious masterpiece, a high-point in American popular music. It feels as good today to listen to it as it did in 1966.
   
   Oh, aspiring blues guitarists would be wise to try to copy Mike Bloomfield's delicate, complex and powerful solo on "I've Got A Mind to Give up Living." I wore out my vinyl copy trying.

5 comments about Smokin.

1. Jonny rocks the blues as usual. Heard it at a friend's house and had to have it to go w/ my newer Lang cd's.



2. This album Jonny's first try. I like it but the following four
   of his are really great.



3. I think his best blues album. Just amazing music from such a young man.



4. I appreciate and like Johnny Lang's music. There is no doubt that he is amazing. However, this CD is awful. It does not demonstrate his true abilites and should have the "kid" still in the title. The CD is good if you want to complete your collection, but this CD is not one worth listening to twice. Save your money and wait for his next CD release.



5. this kid is great. i have several of his cds and they all are great. this kid can sing. i listen to him at work, in the car and on my ipod.
   this is good sounds, not hostil or booming. you can hear the words and understand what he sings. he as always has a good band backing him up.
   i would buy this again should something happen to the cd that i have now.

5 comments about Ice Pickin'.

1. I'm 59 years old and somehow I missed Albert Collins and that I regret. I recently heard an Albert Collins song on KCUV, a Denver radio station and I couldn't believe my ears. I had to have some of his music. What a great blues guitarist and "Ice Pickin" is a superb CD. If you decide to get some Collins, get "Ice Pickin" for sure then get some more. You won't be disappointed.



2. Albert Collins was one of the most unique blues pickers to grace the stage. Tuning his guitar to alternate tunings and using a capo, he would walk around the bar with his 100-foot cord wandering into the bathrooms, out on the street, around the bar playing the blues all the while. He mixes his blues up playing soft, slow blues, and powerful instrumentals. Sometimes his topics are serious, other times his humor comes through. Collins was quite the entertainer.

   Although "Ice Pickin'" is a short album, it is jammed with the blues over eight tracks. In such a short amount of time, Collins covers a lot of ground. From his upbeat "Honey, Hush!" to making his guitar talk the argument between him and his wife on "Conversation with Collins" it is nothing but enjoyable. He shines with instrumentals like "Ice Pick" and "Avalanche". His phrasing is like talking. Never to many words, and he can get his point across with hardly any effort. Humor shows through in "Too Tired", where he's too tired to stand after sitting on a pin, and "Master Charge". He also gets heavy on "When the Welfare Turns Its Back On You" and "Cold, Cold Feeling".

   A definite master of the guitar, and the blues. He has entertained many a people over his life. As he said in the movie "Adventures In Babysitting" - No one leaves until they sing the blues. He sure did.




3. Here you have one of the classic electric blues guitar albums with a great selection of tracks that can't be beat.

   One thing that often doesn't get discussed in these reviews is what setting the music is good for. After all, unless we are professional critics, we don't often have time to just sit down and listen to a CD. This one is good for doing housework, driving to work, late night listening, eating breakfast to, working in the yard, just about anything. If you like blues, you can't go wrong with it.




4. I miss the Iceman. He was as funny as he was a serious musician. His sound was telicious.



5. I miss the Iceman. He was as funny as he was a serious musician. His sound was telicious.