5 comments about Hoodoo Man Blues.

1. HOODOO MAN BLUES by Junior Wells is a GREAT blues album. If you like Chicago electric blues, you've GOT to have this CD! The CD also has some out-takes that were never on the original album. These are great too. Junior Wells is my favorite bluesman of all time. His harp playing is fantastic as are his vocals. I almost forgot to mention that Buddy Guy plays absolutely fantastic guitar on this album!



2. A great collection of songs by one of the great blues harmonica players, backed up by legendary musicians. If I recall the LP album back cover of this (or the other essential Junior Wells album "It's My Life, Baby!") had this story: Junior worked to save up for a harmonica at a pawn shop, at the end of the week he was 25 cents short, so at the shop he picked up the harmonica and ran out. Caught and brought before a judge Junior's defense was "I just had to have it." The judge asked if he could play it, which Junior did causing the judge to rule in Junior's favor - case dismissed. Don't know if this is a true story but I'd have bought it for him myself. My thanks to the judge and my thanks to Junior! (ps. I no longer have the albums. If anyone does have the LPs please verify the judge story.)



3. 
   I dig the blues man, but I don't tend to review blues albums very much, unless there is something about the album in particular that stands out. HOODOO MAN BLUES by Junior Wells, which infamously includes legend Buddy Guy on lead guitar is one such blues album.
   As a fan, primarily of good, hard hitting, sleazy gutter rock and roll, as well as blues, this album brings alot of things together for me that make it a solid LP of straight ahead ballsy rock.
   An album that prides itself in being the very first Chicago Blues LP ever, it definately is one of the best. It was recorded at a time in the early sixties before the British Invasion revived the blues and the market for American blues was pretty much dead. Most of the blues market was either recording styles leaning towards acoustic folk or more of an r&b style. Even most of your down and dirty blues rockers of the forties and fifties were dulling down. But Junior Wells put together his best band ever, featuring Buddy Guy, who is now legendary for being the influence behind a bunch of guitar rockers... like Duane Allman, and most notably, his direct influence on Jimi Hendrix.
   This is timeless blues, that could in no way be considered dated or old fashioned either then or now. In fact this is probably one of the sleaziest, riffiest, ballsiest records of the early sixties, and is def a must if you like slick sounding, jagged edged, kick ace music.
   Every song rocks... A blues album album.



4. Junior Wells is one of the premier harmonica players ever to his the blues circuit, and this definitely shows off his talent. Very nice to have Buddy Guy playing guitar along side Junior. If you like Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Junior Wells fits in right along side of them, having replaced Little Walter in Muddy's band after Walter left. Highly recommended to any blues lover!



5. I'm pretty horrified by the thought that I almost wrote off the praise of this album as hype. It is not just one of the coolest blues CDs I have ever heard, but one of the coolest albums period. Even if you (like me) prefer the Delta Blues but aren't so hot on Chicago -- and *especially* if you dislike Chicago blues because of the tendency for slow, long, boring guitar solos with too much string bendage -- then you need to check this album out. It's tight, contains not one boring solo from beginning to end, and includes some of the best amplified harmonica I've heard (made even better by Wells' tendency to gasp for air right into the microphone between harp blows, the way Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson does when playing his flute). The bass part on "Yonder Wall" will blow your mind. This album has attitude.

5 comments about Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds, Vol. 1.

1. As usual, Jill always delivers!! Each song, each melody! Her way of giving music that you can truly feel!! Gotta love her!! Gotta purchase this!! Enjoy! I still enjoy it!!



2. I love this artist and I was so thankful to receive this CD quickly! Thank you!



3. I love all of Jill Scott's music, it's lovely to just have playing in the back ground while your working, cleaning, just chill'n.



4. You can pop on this CD and just sit back or you can sing along. Certainly Jill made an impression on me. Sure, she's no Ruth Brown, Chaka Khan, or Gladys Knight for that matter, but she is JILL SCOTT and she is a stone cold singer ("singa"). This woman is skillful; she can scale it up high and bring it down low (lo') and hit falsetto and she blows! (Sometimes I get a glimpse of Ella Fitzgerald when Jill sings.)
   
   I love this album. AND I love her LIVE "Experience" album, too. Thanks, Jilly from Philly!!!



5. Jill Scott gives the word Diva true meaning. I admire and appreciate her awesome vocal skills.....what a talent.

5 comments about Diva.

1. Diva shares every emotion possible in this CD.
   Little Bird, Cold, Precious--all awesome!



2. Annie Lennox ... thank you for decades of excellent work.
   
   I'm fairly certain I own every CD you ever made. Including everything with The Eurythmics.
   
   DIVA is my favorite. The strength of her voice, never stronger. The lyrics and melodies ... solid.
   
   This is a CD that should be purchased, not downloaded from the internet.
   You lose too much in a digital MP3 format.
   
   This is a must own for anyone, any age group that loves music and a quality product.



3. I still enjoy listening to this album 15 years after its release. Annie Lennox really delivered with an outstanding album of 11 tracks. Diva marked the departure from her collaborations with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and although there's not as much synth-pop on Diva, Lennox's lyrics on her solo work are just as honest and profound (if not more) as they are on her Eurythmics' compositions.
   
   My favourite tracks are "Why" - this has got to be one of the most beautifully written songs of all time. This song is so emotive and one feels Annie's pain, particularly towards the end. Other standouts are "Cold", "Money Can't Buy It", "Precious" and especially, "The Gift".
   
   If the Diva CD doesn't satisfy your hunger for Annie, pick up the Diva DVD, which features a collection of music videos from the album including "Why", "Legend In My Living Room", "Cold", "Money Can't Buy It", "Precious", "The Gift" and "Keep Young and Beautiful". Annie reinvents herself in each video to be consistent with the tone and feelings of each song. It's an absolute must-have for any Annie fan.



4. Annie Lennox never disapoints, almost all of my favs are on this CD from "why" about a disintegrating relationship. "Money can't buy it" a quest for material things & loss of love, to a very intense "cold" about non-reciprocated love, we can all relate to her material at sometime in our lives, she has an incredible gift to express her heartache/passion &/or pain/joy through her awesome voice & lyrics.



5. I get so many compliments on this album because I play it in my truck often. It is truly one of my very favorites. Came to me in great shape and with no waiting.

5 comments about Soul Speak.

1. Soul Speak is good, but not as superior as Motown II. He still has a great voice, and it works well with soul/Motown tunes.



2. The old school, blue-eyed soul veteran returns.
   With "Soul Speak", he provides us with a collection of his favourites soul tracks - originally recorded by legends such as Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass, Van Morrison, Jackie Wilson, Lehonard Cohen, Bob Marley - to which he brings his very special vocal magic.
   There are also McDonald's three new offerings on the album : "Only God Can Help Me Now", "Enemy Within", and "Can't Get Over You (Getting Over Me)".
   He doesn't come close to improving on Dionne, Teddy and Stevie, but there's no denying his voice was made for this type of material.
   He also shows imagination by getting aboard the international soul train for Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" and Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". Add in a smattering of originals that could pass for crate-digger finds and you've got a blue-eyed retro r & b set that can be enjoyed without guilt.
   From the infectious "Love T.K.O" (check also Our Kind of Soul and Baby Come to Me: The Best of Regina Belle) to the great sound of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" plus "Still Not Over You" and "Walk on By", the collection shows that he is a true soul great.
   According to Billboard, ..."Highlights include a winning, sultry take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and subtle versions of Teddy Pendergrass' "Love TKO" and Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic," while a too-lush treatment of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" is the album's only outright miss..."
   Mixed into this are a couple of originals by Michael and his producer, Simon Climie. Both reflect the shining, over-polished, full of slightly-too-prominent-guitar-wailing-type production that stops "Soul Speak" being a genuine classic.
   On this project some music heavy weights join in : producer Simon Climie (of Eric Clapton fame), Nathan East on bass, Abe Laboriel jr. on drums, Michael Thompson on guitar, Stevie Wonder on harmonica, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums.
   He gives a new vibe to old school jams, keeping the legacy alive.
   Motown
   Motown Two
   Don't Mess with Mr. T/James Taylor Quartet Plays Motown



3. McDonald paves no new ground with this release. Voice is still strong, but the songs are mediocre at best and the arrangements are just that, mediocre. Hope he can move on in his career.



4. If you loved Michael McDonalds's Motown and Motown II CDs, you'll enjoy this one. It is exactly what you'd expect for his third album. The good part is that there are no surprises; the bad part is that there are no surprises. I really like this album, but I do wish that he'd stretch a little bit given that the first two CDs sound the same.



5. Wow! He did it again. What a voice and what a great arangements. Love this music!

5 comments about The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.

1. Some of the tracks on this splendid, reasonably priced 2 CD-set could peel paint off road signs. Self-taught, unable to read a note of music, Stevie Ray Vaughan displays technical virtuosity that at times seems almost Faustian, it's hard to believe that what you're hearing is even possible. Most of all, SRV is a complete Texas blues package, his singing is excellent, his command of the blues idiom so total one imagines he must have dreamt blues as well as lived them - everything works, right down to the outfits and soul patch.
   
   In a sense, SRV was the brightest hope of a next generation of blues masters. He picked his idols wisely, patterning himself after Albert King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, among others. However, there are also strong rock overtones here, most notably the influence of Hendrix who he clearly worshipped. The several Hendrix covers attest to this - they are actually not the best parts of this effort although Little Wing in marvelous. The others prove that SRV could recreate the Hendrix sound - which in itself is an amazing achievement - but add nothing new.
   
   SRV was discovered by legendary virtuoso Johnny Winter, who retains the title of Texas blues heavyweight, and also frequently crossed over to rock. There will be those who will claim SRV outstrips Winter, I can't agree, but I would say they belong in the same sentence. In life, Vaughan was unable to outlive irony. Decades of chronic drug and alcohol abuse took him to death's door where he made the decision to get clean. He did, and was enjoying success as a sober man, only to die in a helicopter crash. It's a tragic story, but he certainly left us with some incendiary, thoroughly satisfying music. I guess that really is why they call it the blues. Highly recommended.



2. This album is a must own for any one who enjoys anything by SRV. There is a reason they called it the essentials!



3. There's just nobody else out there that can do it like Vaughan. This is a great sampling of his recordings, too, and makes a good starting point for those just getting into Vaughan's music.



4. The title says it all, "Essential". SRV will be missed by anyone who marvels at guitar magic. The music on this album is a huge cross section of Stevie Ray's work, and there are some real wonders here. I've even discovered a new favorite and my wife has become a fan too. Anyone who appreciates fantastic guitar work will love this album. Enjoy.



5. hey srv fans if your only looking to buy one cd and this is the one. it does a pretty good job of summing up the 4 studio albums and live album he released during his life it even includes tracks from his posthumous album that was released after his death and some tracks he recorded with his brother.i know all fans have personal fav. they would have liked to see make it but thats just how these things go. so whether your looking for a good retrospective or are just a casual fan looking to dig a little deeper this is the set for you. also of intrests for fans looking for extra live or unreales tracks is the 3cd srv box set

5 comments about Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Live at the El Mocambo 1983.

1. Stevie live. What more can I say? If you know Stevie, you know what to expect. The El Mocambo is a small, intimate pub, and the front row seems to be almost on top of Stevie.
   Stevie plays a flawless set, and his rendition of Voodoo Chile makes one realise what a master Jimi really was. But Stevie shows that he is a master in his own right, with none of the arrogance that seems to normally go with this sort of success.
   
   It is a good show, and one can almost smell the stale beer. It could have continued for another hour, and that's my only complaint - not enough, I want more!
   
   The interview with Double Trouble is an eye opener, in that it shows the viewer just how far away from the main stream, and how deep into the blues these guys were.
   
   This is a total gem of a dvd.



2. I saw him live at the Garden States Arts Center in NJ years ago --this DVD brought back memories. This recording captures his great talent as a singer and musician well.



3. Got this DVD in addition to the Montreux DVD set. This one shows SRV and Double Trouble as they were on their way to super stardom. Just one year after the Montreux show where he was getting BOO'S from the crowd the entire show, SRV and his band picked up and were well on the way to becoming a houehold name when this was filmed. Far from the BOO'S at the 1982 show at Montreux, the crowd here eats him up, every lick and gesture. Price and content of this DVD are both AWESOME. If you like SRV, its another MUST have.



4. This is 100% pure music right here. I cannot add much but some interesting tidbits. As a bassist, I have read interviews with Tommy Shannon. In one he was asked if her remembers any particular gigs. He mentions one that nobody could possible remember (1987 in Boston or something random like that) as feeling, "as though we had all day between the beats to play." The interviewer asked him if he remembers anything special about the EL Mocambo show...."Nah...that was pretty much just another show in 1983...they were all pretty much like that back then."
   
   That says it all right there. Those guys breathed together musically. Few musicians are fortunate enough to reach such a point with their own music, much less achieve it in a band setting.



5. Dvd arrived in "record" time (bad pun) and was in A-1 condition. Very high quality audio and video. Fantastic guitar virtuoso. Jack Duegaw

5 comments about Lie to Me.

1. I'm not thrilled by this album. I like Lang's bluesy renditions but I would have liked a few more cuts that have the energy of the title song.



2. When you consider that Jonny Lang was still a kid when he recorded this album, it's incredibly impressive.
   
   But putting the child prodigy angle aside, for a moment, it's really a mixed bag. There are, undoubtedly, moments of sheer greatness. The opener, title track "Lie to Me," is catchy, high quality blues, and the follow up "Darker Side" is a potent song, as well. The album offers up a nice mix of harder rockin' blues numbers with slower blues both of the heavy and soft varieties. At times Lang's playing even echoes that of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
   
   So why is it a mixed bag?
   
   Well, to some extent, the album tries a little too hard to be modern, and loses some of the raw emotion of the blues. Part of this modernity is seen in the album's clear pop leanings, evident on a number of tracks, which water it down somewhat. And then there's that final track, "Missing Your Love." It might be the weakest track on the album, and it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth. If it had to be included, it would have been a better fit somewhere in the middle...well away from the influential beginning or ending of an album.
   
   But, given all that, it's still a good album, and one worth hearing. Perhaps some who like pop infused blues more than I will appreciate it more fully.



3. For a second effort, it is just as good as the first. Jonny just keeps getting better and with a more mature and bluesy vocal.



4. With his worldly, whiskey voice Jonny Lang stuns us once again. So young to feel so much!!! And he relays it spectacularly. From the soulful lyrics to the spectacular guitar, this is a moody, wonderful CD.



5. Jonny Lang's major label debut was more successful than anyone would have dreamed. The title track became a big hit and vaulted Lang into overnight stardom at the tender age of 16. I actually don't think this album is quite as good as his previous independent effort "Smokin", but it is still a very good album. Being on a major with a big name producer the material here is much more polished than Lang's previous stuff. The guitar solos are shorter and the album contains more covers than originals. Still when you consider the fact that this kid was just 16 when this was recorded it is pretty amazing. Highlights include "Lie To Me", "Darker Side", "Rack Em Up", and the soulful "Missing Your Love" which would be a shade of things to come on Lang's later albums. I have had the chance to see Lang live several times over the years and each time he gets better. This is a very nice blues album from a talented guy. I don't think it is his best, but certainly worth owning.

5 comments about Breakfast in Bed.

1. Joan has a great soulful voice and she has proved her versatility in handling everything from melodic pop to twangy country.
   Her love for Motown favorites can be felt on "Breakfast In Bed".
   A homage to early soul songs from the late '60s, "Breakfast In Bed" shows Osborne wasn't a one trick pony with her huge single "(What If God Was) One of Us".
   On her latest offering, she looks toward Motown, with worshipful, full-throated covers of R&B classics plus six original songs, each written with such R&B style that you first wonder if you've heard that tune before.
   After last year's little-heard Pretty Little Stranger released only seven months before this one, she wraps her husky voice all the way around a bunch of classics such as "Ain't No Sunshine", "Midnight Train To Georgia" and Dusty Springfield's "Breakfast in Bed".
   She's in fine voice throughout her debut album for Time Life, but the inclusion of her two phenomenal covers from Standing in the Shadows of Motown at the end of the collection actually highlights the album's shortcomings.
   The album is a real mixed bag.
   Her voice is excellent but her languid and almost emotion-free interptretations are pretty far from a specially adventurous and engaging record.
   There are no ground-breaking elements here, nothing's memorable, rather the album sways towards mainstream R&B which is a shame as the soul tracks are excellent and her potentials are limitless.
   It seems that she and the producer have chosen to favour the marketing and the charts over quality and originality.



2. Great Kick back and relax music. Joan does a wonderful job on this album! My fav is Eliminate the Night



3. It is my opinion that this if Joan's best work. It is very soulful, and the sound is great. I would highly recommend this cd to anyone. I have played it over and over again. I wish that I could get it in SACD.



4. This is a delicious collection of covers, many of my favorite songs sung the way they were created. While it is unoriginal in its arrangements I admit that I would have been disappointed if Osborne had recreated the songs in some new formation. The old songs sung the old way, wonderful.



5. This album was not exactly what I was hoping for but still is a very enjoyable music experience.

5 comments about The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3.

1. This double album is representative of V.M.'s best recent stuff. The fact that the sublime "Shenandoah" and "Meet Me in the Indian Summer" (Orchestral version) are included is alone worth the price of purchase. I've probably listened to Shenandoah 30 times already; it's a soul-stirring beauty of a song.



2. I'm a big fan of Van Morrison but was disappointed by some of the "updated" versions of some of the old classics. Like a prior reviewer mentioned, the original versions (the songs I love and remember)are far superior to some of the modified material in this compilation. I will keep searching for a definitive "Best of...". I would recommend listening to all the song samples before buying the album to make sure you like these versions - something I failed to do.



3. It is always a pleasure listening to van morrison.But,particularly this "Best of volume 3",with a selection of beutiful songs very well interpreted along with other artists.Marcelo Pegado



4. I can not say enough good things about this 2 CD set. Long after the music has stopped the songs keep running though my head. What I most like about it is that the songs on it were chosen by Van Morrison which to me makes it more special and less just commercial successes. Also, the list of people who accompany him is pretty mind blowing. I'd forgotten just how much I liked the sax playing of Candy Dulfur. Anyway folks, I love this set and I think you will too. Van has indeed been "too long in exile..."



5. This album is a must for any Van Morrison fan, it has many colaberations with many artist, and older songs are redone in new and jazzy fashion. A must have album.....

5 comments about The Very Best of Robert Palmer.

1. Robert Palmer is one of those artists that you enjoy more as you grow older. I guess with age you just understand his talent and the richness of his voice a lot more.
   I have enjoyed this Cd very much and recommend it to others.



2. I bought this CD on a whim after hearing a couple of old Robert Palmer hits. The remixes ruin what should be a fine summation of his life's work. Robert Palmer had style this collection does not.



3. This is a very good CD and I bought it for the compilation song "Mercy Mercy Me/What's Going On?". I LOVE ALL OF IT!!



4. Robert Palmer's "Marvin Gaye Trilogy" is worth the price of the whole CD! I just love his music! So sorry he left us so young!



5. This CD was a bit of a disappointment. Robert Palmer had a pure voice and was an important part of the 80s music "revolution," and his contributions to the music world are sadly missed. But had I known this CD was "digitally re-mastered" I would not have purchased it. We don't need his music updated. I want to hear it just as it played on the radio over the years.
   
   CDs such as this need to carry a "re-mastered" disclaimer. I've purchased far too many classic CDs only to discover time has changed the music, and it's not always for the best.