5 comments about Raising Sand.

1. "Raising Sand" is the haunting and brilliant collaboration between Robert Plant and Allison Krauss; it opens with my favorite track - the Sam Phillips song "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us", which quickly demonstrates that there's a lot more going on here than the "Led Zeppelin goes Country" preconception that the notion of these two artists working together conjures up. The album continues with track after track enjoyment and surprise. This is yet another triumph for producer T Bone Burnett, who has incisively crafted a breath-taking soundscape, supported by some of the finest musicians working today, where the whole is deliriously more than the sum of the parts. It all sounds so effortless that you know it must have been quite the opposite - dreamy and seductive, this is an unexpected classic.



2. I'm a fan of Alison's but I was simply disapointed in the merger of these two artists. The musical spark was not there; however, it looks like it is just in their eyes for one another.



3. I admit the idea seemed kind of silly: matching a rock God with a bluegrass Goddess -- each amazing in their own way but, together? I just wasn't sure.
   But good God almighty, there's some serious magic at work here.
   Haunting, melancholy, harmonious -- hard to describe but there's something divine in the notes. The pairing is odd but works in a way that's really quite amazing. And seeing them live -- whoa!
   If you like deep, moody music (or either of these two musical giants on their own) you must give this album a try. Granted, it's not Zep and it's not Union Station bluegrass -- but that's the point. Together they create something different, a mood... a feeling... an emotion. It's grand. Hurray for the odd pairings! First Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler and now this... Raising Sand? No... Raising the bar!



4. why is there no color at all anywhere on the case or liner notes? It's like viewing the world on a black and white tv set -everything is in various shades of gray. Pretty odd in this day and age to say the least.



5. For nearly 40 year I have been a total fan of Robert Plant, particularly from his Led Zeppelin years. So I was already primed to explore the melding of two amazing voices on this groundbreaking CD. With her creamy, angelic voice, Alison has blended perfectly with Robert's powerful rock god delivery in the most brilliant collaboration I have heard. Ever.
   
   I saw them in concert this past Saturday at Lake Tahoe, and along with over 5,000 other roaringly appreciative fans, was stunned and thrilled with the incredible mastery of these artists and their band. The percussionist Jay Bellerose was a non stop locomotive driving the concert. His energy was jaw dropping. Prowling and owning the stage like the king lion that he is, Robert sang his face off as he rocked out the audience with his stunning set, including "Fortune Teller"; guitar shredding "Nothin'" and another whose title escapes me. He even wailed a little bit which made the audience go nuts! Alison, who stands nearly motionless with such quiet poise on stage delivered chills to the breathless audience as she howled on "Trampled Rose". Even the outdoor venue and less than perfect speakers couldn't dampen her triumph. The mastermind of this collaboration T-Bone Burnett blew us away with his killer guitar performances. Backing up Robert on country or his hard rock songs the band proved that there were no absolutely zero limits to their musicianship. You could see they were having a blast.
   
   Their encore set included the LZ song "When the Levee Breaks" and closed the show with a real hit of nostalgia. Hearing sounds of LZ coming from tailgate parties after the show I was real happy to hear "Whole Lotta Love" which is what Robert always inspires in me. I appreciate this CD even more after seeing them in such an primo concert. Alison Krauss is wonderful. Robert Plant RULES.

5 comments about Black Snake Moan.

1. This is an awesome soundtrack. If you love the blues you will definitely love this cd.



2. An extremely peculiar film from Craig Brewer, the director of Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan is a deep-South drama covering topics as diverse as promiscuity, religion, redemption, love, and Blues music. Samuel L. Jackson plays farmer and part-time blues musician Lazarus, who wakes up one morning to find a young woman named Rae (Christina Ricci), badly beaten and unconscious, lying half-naked in his yard. A childhood victim of sexual abuse, Rae had developed into the town tramp, using her sex addiction as a replacement for the love she has never felt in her life. Lazarus, however, seeing a chance to redeem both himself and Rae, takes it upon himself to `cure' Rae of her illness - and proceeds to chain her to the radiator of his remote farmhouse, forcing her to endure sexual cold turkey. And so begins a truly unusual friendship between the pair - and, as always happens in these things, they learn more about life from each other than they ever expected. As one might expect, the film's music is heavily rooted in the musical heritage of the deep South, especially that of blues artists such as R.L. Burnside, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House and the North Mississippi Allstars. Jackson performs a number of himself, his distinctive deep voice sounding very authentic when performing tracks like the forlorn "Just Like a Bird Without a Feather", the rollicking "Alice Mae", the angry/funny/dirty-sounding "Stack-o-Lee", and the languorous, eponymous "Black Snake Moan". Composer Scott Bomar's score is limited to just three cues and around 5 minutes in length, comprising mainly blues instrumentals, electric guitars, and ambient electronic textures, although his work arranging the blues tracks heard in the movie is important and impressive in context. Not really one for score fans, but recommended for fans of modern blues.



3. Black snake moan gives a raw and at the same time gentle look at two scarred people who succeed in helping eachother. Magnificent acting in combination with the very best of blues. I enjoyed it very much.



4. Despite the sensational cover and the movie link, BUY THIS CD if you love, or even like the blues. This is the real thing, and you will surely enjoy the authenticity of the music and performances here. I was amazed at the depth of Samuel L. Jackson's musical performance. I have always liked and respected him as an actor, but his music shows a whole new and complex side of him previously unseen (or unheard). I would judge this to be the best blues cd you've never heard, considering the very low-key promotion, or lack thereof, and possibly the best blues cd of the year.



5. He impressed me in the movie. So, I had to have the soundtrack, just to hear Stack O Lee.

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. There is a huge amount of Muddy Waters-compilations out there, and while MCA/Chess's two-disc, 50-track "Anthology 1947-1972" is certainly more definitive than this Geffen compilation, it does offer a very good overview of Muddy Waters' career.
   
   Opening with the classic 1948 single "I Can't Be Satisfied", this CD takes you through (most of) the highlights from the 1950s and 60s. "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I'm Ready", "I Just Wanna Make Love To You", "Mannish Boy", and "Got My Mojo Working" are here, of course, and in the original versions, too, but it's a shame that some slightly lesser known (but equally fine) singles like "I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love", "She's Nineteen Years Old" and "I Want To Be Loved" are missing.
   
   But there is certainly enough great music here to satisfy the casual fan, and if you do want more, there is always the impressive "Chess Box" and the late-70s/early-80s albums produced by Johnny Winter (only one track out of these 24 is from those sessions).
   This album is not the definitive word on McKinley Morganfield, but it's a good introduction for the uninitiated.



2. I do not pretend to be an expert on Muddy Waters. I saw a TV biography and was motivated to get a "greatest hits" CD. There was a 2 disc option at Amazon, but then I saw this one. I checked it out with various reviewers, and it met the bill. All the songs are well done, and the whole CD seems like a great overview of the blues from this specific artist. From all I can tell, this would be an excellent highlight collection for anybody who wants just one CD of Muddy Waters.



3. Ever notice that you're seeing more and more of these "best of" collectons out there now? Now there is UMVD's "The Definitive Collection" of numerous artists from that same unforgettable era featuring 20 or more top tunes of the featured artist crammed onto one disc. Sometimes these single-disc collections fail to make the grade because of so much essential material that ends up being left off for reasons of space alone and the rest of it is the same predictable fare. An exception in this case would be this: Muddy Waters' Definitive Collection. This collection runs through Muddy's premiere years featuring his swampy, slide guitar sound and musical style then continues through the '50s and early '60s when he began to make his significant impact on blues music and eventually would be regarded as one of the most highly respected names in blues music. So many of his best tunes like "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I'm Ready", "Forty Days and Forty Nights" and "Got My Mojo Working" were covered by so many bands so many times that these tunes are really timeless and have becomes standards in blues. You really do get and stay interested for the entire length of the album. It is a little slow to start, but it picks up quickly and the bulk of the action happens with tracks 8-18. "Crosseyed Cat", recorded in 1976, is something you really got to hear. It is swampy, raw and tough. A 6 minute jam session, basically. This "Definitive Collection' lives up to its name overall, and is absolutely essential for the blues fan if the 2-disc anthology is a bit much.



4. You want to know about Muddy Waters? This is a wonderful introduction to his work. No single work, of course, can contain all the best songs of someone like Muddy Waters (nee McKinley Morganfield). But this CD is awfully satisfying.
   
   And the first cut is the classic "I Can't Be Satisfied" (later covered by The Rolling Stones). The instrumentation is remarkable simple--guitar and bass. But Waters' singing is primal and gives this cut life.
   
   The 1950 tune, "Rollin' Stone," gave the English rock and roll band their name. The music is raw, but compelling. One line: "I wish I was a catfish, swimming in the deep blue sea, I would have all you women's comin' after me." At another point, he sings that his mom says to his dad that I got a boy child comin', gonna be a Rollin' Stone. A must listen to piece.
   
   Willie Dixon wrote the words for another song, a Waters' classic, "(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man." First, what a backing group! Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, and Fred Below. This is a great blues tune topped off with Muddy Waters' great blues singing.
   
   Another Willie Dixon song, "I Just Want to Make Love to You." Also covered by the Rolling Stones. . . . Listen to this version. A wonderful blues song.
   
   And then there is "Mannish Boy" (talk about a greatest hit!). Again, great instrumental work and a terrific backing band. The song begins with him singing "Everything's gonna be all right this mornin.'" The insistent theme, "I'm a mannish boy," recurs throughout. One set of lines hearkens to other classic music:
   
   "I'm a man,
   I'm a Rolling Stone.
   I'm a man,
   A hoochie-coochie man."
   
   Then there is "Got My Mojo Working." An uptempo romp with a great backing band.
   
   So, do you want to know what Muddy Waters was all about? Try this CD. It will give you the introduction to his body of work.



5. No one has to say anything about a Muddy Water's collection. The music speaks for itself. There is a reason "the man" is rated as one of the best blues artists ever - his music speaks volumes. Enough said. ...April, 28 2007 - I can't believe anybody would even want to read a Muddy Waters review...man that cat needs no reviews...HE IS THE KING OF THE BLUES. The one neophyte who read my initial review and didn't think much of it must not know about the Mud Man so I will add some more commentary for those who evidently are new to the blues. My favorites on this cd were "Rollin & Tumblin: Part One." Those is the know that is the original black euphanism for "sex" or "rock-n-rollin" before Allan Freed made it popular. "Rollin Stone" makes me want to be at a club watchin the man perform live. Muddy gets cookin on "Turn Down Your Lamp (Please Don't Go)." He doesn't usually get so up tempo and bring in the harmonica so ENJOY THIS ONE - IT'S CLASSIC. What can I say about "Hoochie Coochie Man" it is so good that it has been covered so much even to George Thoroughgood. THIS IS A STANDARD IF THERE EVER WAS ONE. "Mannish Man" is so great ... it usually goes by "I Am A Man" oh Muddy gets down on this one. Oh man I got off on "Got My Mojo Working" and I still almost wear this one track out by playing it over and over. How can you not like a song like "My Home Is In The Delta." Muddy talks bout leavin Chicago for the Delta mud .... he is really singin the blues on this one. "Crosseyed Cat" is the closest Muddy get to Jimmy "Harmonica" Reed or Slim Harpo or even somebody like Howlin Wolf.....this is a class song that is not your typical soulful Muddy Waters. Now for all you cats who read this review ... quit readin and start buying. You need Water, Hooker and Wolf to get your collection goin then start addin some Jimmy Reed, Slim Harpo, Hound Dog Taylor, Lightning Slim, Lightning Hopkins and don't ever stop ... but first listen to "Crosseyed Cat" and GET YOURSELF SOME WATER ESPECIALLY THIS DEFINITIVE COLLECTION....Joliet Jayke The Bluze Brother.

5 comments about Dona Got a Ramblin Mind.

1. The Chocolate Drops are good for their age and will improve as they grow older and have more instructions and practice. I have heard better young people as well as many who were not as good. Again I say that with more practice and exposure they will be one of the better groups in the near future.



2. One day not long ago, the Carolina Chocolate Drops formed out of the ether. Well ... not really. But the ether is where two of the three hung out, so to speak, chatting on a listserv with other Black Banjo enthusiasts. Over the course of the next few months, Dom Flemons and Rhiannon Giddens of the string band Sankofa Strings met up with Justin Robinson, then Joe Thompson, followed quickly by Etta Baker and Algia Mae Hinton. Flemons, Giddens and Robinson eventually became the Carolina Chocolate Drops, while Thompson, Baker and Hinton influenced and furthered the already-substantial musical education of the three. There's a distinct difference between learning the music formally, or by "transmission," growing up with it. Transmission is more of an osmotic process than an educational process, and that's what the frequent visits by the CCD to their adopted mentors hope to achieve.
   
   The name Carolina Chocolate Drops is an homage to the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, a 1920s band led by a somewhat well-known fiddle and mandolin player of the time who went by the name of Louie Bluie, and whose brothers joined him in the band. Since two of the three CCD members are from North Carolina, the name choice became rather obvious.
   
   The two hours mentioned above is a bit of literary license, referring to CCD's onstage appearances. When CCD are onstage and going through their repertoire, they're also educating the audience by throwing out bits of information between the selections. They explain the difference between old time Piedmont string music and old time Appalachian music, making the learning experience a real joy.
   
   When the trio were at a banjo conference at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, they met Joe Thompson, one of the last surviving authentic Piedmont old time string players. Joe, who was in his eighties, learned music from his father, who learned it from his father, making it authentically handed-down folk music, although current vernacular calls it mountain music or old-time music. This type of music originated in the western parts of the Carolinas and Virginia, and was formed during the early settlement of those Appalachian areas, mainly by Europeans who had come to work the forests in those areas. These immigrants had brought their own music with them, the abundant forests at the time gave them the raw material. Over the course of the next hundred or so years, the music now being revived became the end product of an isolated environment that steered the path of the music with very minor "outside" influence.
   
   Until the late 1800s and early 1900s, the roads in this part of the country were more paths or tracks than roads. This, paired with the mountainous terrain, made any visitor a curiosity. The music later made a split with its spread into the Piedmont area, which lays between the mountains of the west and the Atlantic coast. The banjo takes on a more prominent role in Piedmont style, alternating with the fiddle as the lead instrument, weaving in an out of the lead.
   
   Both areas, Appalachian and Piedmont, had both black and white population, and both played essentially the same type of music, for themselves and for each other. It was as common a century ago to see a black band playing for a white square dance as for a black square dance. Square dancing took no sides then; it was an equal part of the heritage of blacks as much as whites. Current times show a distinct minority of black country string bands. Then again, most blacks aren't aware that the banjo was invented by blacks, who played the instrument long before leaving their native lands in the 1500s and later.
   
   Following that fateful meeting at ASU, the three CCD members began getting together with Thompson on weekends to play. Later, the CCD added more area players to their weekend schedule, including Etta Baker and Algia Mae Hinton. If you're not familiar with those names, shame on you! Do your homework or you'll go to bed hungry.
   
   CCD began tearing up the music circuit shortly after that first meeting, and now they're world travelers, spreading the Piedmont Gospel far and wide. Between Thompson coming up with the music, and the CCD coming together for the music, not much happened in string band music overall, and even less in black string band music. The folk revival which took place in the 1950s and 1960s brought mainly whites together playing some of the music to mainly white audiences. The later bluegrass and newgrass bands were also almost solely a white domain. It wasn't until four decades after the folk revival that several black string bands began forming, causing most blacks to express surprise or even dismay that these groups were playing what they perceived as white people's music. Which explains both the group's need for and mission of educating its audiences.
   
   And that brings us up to "Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind," which is a 16-cut CD that CCD released in 2006 through [...], also out of North Carolina. "Dona" is an almost 48-minute slice of 1880 Americana, that will not let you remain seated for long. I don't go to theaters or performance centers to see groups like CCD for that very reason. An outdoor venue, a nightclub, a dancehall, fine. This music, however, is not made to sit through. Even the musicians know that!
   
   When you hear of the Carolina Chocolate Drops coming to your area, get your tickets sooner, rather than later. There may not be a later, since CCD are playing to packed houses that will be even more packed following their return from Europe.



3. I don't care how many string bands you've listened to, you ain't heard nothing like the Carolina Chocolate Drops. By resurrecting the African-American "Piedmont" style of string-band music, they've brought an electrifying new energy to the genre. The trio add their own enormous musicianship and rootsy attitude to produce a sound that is just breathtaking. Buy the CD -- and if you get a chance to see the band in person, run, don't walk.



4. I ran across these guys by accident on MySpace and I am SO glad I did! Both this and the related Sankofa Strings album, _Colored Aristocracy_ are great. I am so glad to see people my age that know what old-time is and are out there playing it.



5. If you like the raw effect of folk, primitively done and a jam session feel, you will so enjoy this CD. It made me want to drive straight to NC and join in.

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. I just finished another review and this CD popped up as a product I recently purchased for me now to review.
   
   I don't even have anything to say.
   
   I took a look at the reviews below and can't add a single thing except just to express my heartfelt agreement with them and to recommend this CD to anybody that comes along. So read the reviews below and buy this amazing collection of legendary John Lee Hooker's music.



2. This is not everything you could ever want from John Lee Hooker, but if you are just looking for a single-disc compilation to get you going, you could do a lot worse than "The Definitive Collection".
   There are dozens of mediocre Hooker-compilations out there, many of which only cover his output for one particular label, but here you get almost all of the Hook's best and best-known songs, from his sparse 40s recording of "Boom Boom" to his modern-day collaborations with Santana and Bonnie Raitt.
   
   I wouldn't have chosen the stylistically challenged "The Healer" to represent the album of the same name, and a single CD can't quite hold all of John Lee Hooker's best songs, but this is still one of the finest compilations of its kind currently on the market. The sound is terrific, the liner notes are fine, and songs like "Dimples", "Boom Boom", "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", "It Serves You Right To Suffer", and "Think Twice Before You Go" are all part of the fabric of the blues.
   
   In time you'll want to hear John Lee Hooker's extraordinarily gritty live album from the Café au Go Go, and ALL of his magnificent 50s and 60s waxings for the Vee-Jay label - available on the Tomato albums "The Early Years" vol. I and II - but everybody's gotta start somewhere. And this collection is quite as good as the other five-star, single-disc Hooker-compilation out there, Rhino's "The Very Best of John Lee Hooker", and while the Rhino label's rather more pricey two-disc "Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)" is a bit closer to being actually definitive, this is still a very, very good place to start. Perhaps even the best.



3. A lot of times these single disc collections try so hard to offer as much as possible the best of a certain artist. Too many times so much essential material is left off, and the same predictable fare is churned out, that it seemed effortless and pointless for the most part. That isn't necessarily the case with someone like John Lee Hooker, whose career spanned some 40-50 years on a variety of more than 20 some labels like Modern, Chess, Impulse, Vee-Jay, ABC-BluesWay and so many others. That's where it becomes very problematic and debatable as to what counts and what doesn't. Every label in every tiny aspect of his career couldn't be represented, of course, so balance becomes an issue, too. Another thing is that a handful of these approach or are over 5 minutes in length. It may sound like this is very picky, but for a single CD, this is a rather noteworthy representation. Early classics like "Boogie Chillen" and "I'm in the Mood" are represented as well as timeless upbeat tunes like "Boom Boom" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" which is blues at its very best. The latter part fo his career is represented with his collaborations with Canned Heat in 1970, and Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt in 1988. Other than those mentoned, "Dimples", "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", and "Think Twice Before You Go" are also definitely worth checking out as well as the three final tracks featuring the collaborations. "The Healer" is the most different of the three, and has a slicked, synthesized Latin-tinged groove. Overall, a fair enough representation is made proving how John Lee Hooker was successful with each generation he played for and encountered during his mammoth career, and is still appreciated with many new fans and bands today.



4. There is a reason that artists like Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Canned Heat team up with John Lee. There is a reason he shows up in the movie "The Blues Brothers." It is because John Lee Hooker is delta blues to full tilt boogie. The man is a legend and just knocks your socks off if you are really into blues. When you see him in person, his attire also sets off the mood. John Lee you are up there with Muddy and The Wolf. Maybe the best endorsement for any John Lee Hooker compilation comes from none other than George Thoroughgood and The Delaware Destroyers. In one of George's versions of "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer," just before George gets the boot from his land lady for not paying his rent he says "I gathered up my John Lee Hooker collection..." Now that is PAYING HOMAGE TO ONE OF THE THREE GREATEST BLUES ARTISTS OF THE MODERN ERA...i.e. Chicago Style Blues.



5. John Lee Hooker is by far one of the greatest blues player ever. He was smooth, soulful, even a little dangerous but always kept playing the blues. The Definitive Collection is a great CD to start with. The only draw back is it has a song from the '80s inspired by that bad Caribbean influence that everyone seemed to cling too. But its only one track so you can skip ahead. Chances are you have heard John's music before - only you didn't know it was John's. He's been covered by a lot of artists and while the covers were good - best example is George Thoroughgood's "One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer" - the originals are still the best.

5 comments about The Complete Recordings.

1. What else can I add that hasn't already been said about Robert Johnson? Actually, there is a lot of information and observations that have long been ignored by the Blues community and magazines and newspapers like Rolling Stone and The New York Times. He was a lyrical and musical genius who, as Elijah Wald has pointed out in "Escaping the Delta", perfectly crafted his songs. In other words, his songs were intended to reach mass audiences and were not necessarily expressions of his torment as a black man living in Mississippi. At any rate, "Crossroads Blues", "Stones In My Passway", "Love In Vain" and "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil" are masterful. There is one important thing to keep in mind, though. It is something that so-called Blues fans often forget. Johnson consciously imitated Kokomo Arnold, Son House, Scrapper Blackwell, Skip James, Leroy Carr, Peetie Wheatstraw and others. He was a synthesis of all that had come before him. Another artist he greatly admired was Lonnie Johnson, even going so far as to tell people that he was related to the man. "Malted Milk" and "Drunken Hearted Man" are closely related to Lonnie Johnson's style of playing during this period. Unfortunately, Johnson died at the age of twenty seven, and just as unfortunate is the fact that a man of equal brilliance, Johnny Shines, has never been given his due as a brilliant slide player, lyricist, and much better singer than Robert Johnson. People who say they love Robert Johnson's music and believe that he made a deal with the Devil should honestly look into Johnson's roots and realize that men like Willie McTell, Lonnie Johnson and Johnny Shines were just as talented as young Robert.



2. I first encountered Robert Johnson's story as did many people in the movie "Crossroads" with Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca (ironically one of the Larks who recorded Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Eyesight To The Blind"), Jami Gertz (what a fox!), Steve Vai (master guitarist) and Ry Cooder (offscreen).
   That is where the story came together. You see the story about selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads was told by Tommy Johnson and even before him. Robert Johnson's songs which mentioned the Devil, Hellhounds, Crossroads, etc. made it very tempting to tie the two stories together. Jim O'Neill co-founder of Living Blues magazine once told me that he was talking with his fellow blueshounds trying to figure out exactly when the stories came together. With some research I found and videoed an interview with the widow of the man who dug Robert Johnson's grave in a church cemetary, ironically at what is probably the church at which Alex "Rice" Miller AKA Sonny Boy Williamson II preached as a child. None of the people in the church remember that connection but I found Sonny Boy's childhood home down the road a piece in Money. The Little Zion Church is closer to Greenwood on the same road.
   
   Ironically again, this is not the Complete Robert Johnson recordings as a alternative of Travellin' Riverside Blues which was later discovered in the Library of Congress is missing as the 42nd recording.
   
   Can't You Hear the Wind Howl? The Life and Music of Robert Johnson, the estate's version of his story, is my favorite documentary on Robert Johnson because it plays short excerpts of his songs so you can get used to the sound and the lyrics in small portions.
   
   I had the pleasure of working with Robert Lockwood Jr., Robert Johnson's stepson (who considered me family and I guess that makes me Robert Johnson's grandson as much as he was Robert Johnson's son -- pretty hip for a white boy) and interviewing him extensively about their relationship. Standing across the street from the site of the house he lived in with Robert Johnson when he learned Sweet Home Chicago, I waited until he played it for me to say, "That's amazing!" to which he answered "If it's good; it's been here first."
   
   I highly recommend all Searching for Robert Johnson, The Afterlife of Robert Johnson and Can't You Hear The Wind Howl? as each reveals different information about this outstanding musician who took what had come before him and made it his. Robert Lockwood Jr. did the same thing with Robert's music, first by encouraging Muddy Waters to record it in the 40s and 50s and then with a new 12-string guitar reinventing and revitalizing from 1960 for another quarter century until his death. This music still jumps off the record or CD and tells its story clearly, colorfully and powerfully.
   
   I will always treasure the time I got to spend with Robert Lockwood Jr. who reintroduced me to the music of Robert Johnson and made it part of my life. I still can't play or sing but I love the poetry of the blues.



3. I recognize these recordings as the beginning of the blues. They are simple and exciting.



4. Don't bother with single disc collections, just buy this. You'll want to grab it for the extra tracks eventually, so save your money and get this version. I originally had the King of the Delta Blues single disc, which is great, but lacks a lot of really good songs included here.
   
   As a guitarist, I had bought Robert Johnson: The New Transcriptions, which matches up with this two-disc set. So that's why I finally bought this set and I give it a hearty five of five, a must-own for any good blues collection.



5. This is a necessity for any music fan. It may take a few listens to start to sink in, but worth the effort.

5 comments about Anthology Of American Folk Music (Edited By Harry Smith).

1. There are some truly haunting performances here, and some funny ones, and some of everything, really. This stuff is so far deeper and weirder and spookier than any folk I've ever heard. It's the motherlode; Harry Smith wandered around and got these recordings before radio started, and thus we get true folk music, passed down the generations and from that area, or from the motherland of the musicians, with the spirit of the New World.
   The vibes are palpable, varied, and intense. Lots of "mistakes", but so much feeling that missed notes only add to the experience.
   If you've ever liked any folk music at all, whether Leadbelly, the Seegers, the Carter family, early Dylan, or if you need to know where real country music comes from, this is your collection.
   Too many highlights to list. Beautiful and detailed booklet with notes on each tune makes it even better...though listening first with no preconceptions and creating your own story for the songs is probably an even better way to let this stuff seep into your subconscious.
   Best of all, it's probably at your local library.



2. Great stuff. Yet some of the singing is almost too real, too raw. Bob Dylan cites this album as a main inspiration, and you can hear his singing and songwriting style in a lot of the songs. Not for everybody, and may be even too much for casual folk music fans. Has to be listened to in the context of a historical document.



3. This CD compilation set is more than just an album of music--it's a historical document. I first heard of the AAFM in a Bob Dylan biography--after buying this and listening to it, I can understand how Bob was inspired to ditch his Little Richard aspirations and travel the rugged road of folk. Through the three sections--Ballads, Social Music (mostly instrumentals), and Songs (kind of like ballads, but less story-oriented), this collection not only contains some great, timeless music and performances, it's also steeped in pure humanity--the real essence of true folk music. The people Harry Smith collected and anthologized were mostly just that: folk. People like you and me who love music, and play the songs they've been handed down. You don't have to be Bob Dylan to appreciate and be moved by songs that have been passed down through the generations and soulfully interpreted by many different artists.
   
   Aside from some essential listening ("Coo Coo Bird," "Stackalee," "Mississippi Boweavil Blues," "I wish I Was a Mole in the Ground," etc. etc.), the package has some great supplementary material. It's very interesting to learn about the song information and performer information that Smith collected with his anthology, but it's also interesting to get a glimpse into his project, seeing how he relentlessly collected and chose which songs to represent. He was a true lover of music, and that love is reflected in his project.
   
   Please don't come to this compilation expecting pristine sound quality--it was assembled in the 50's, which means that the recordings come from then as well as much earlier--it's about the music and performers anyway, and a little bit of scratch really doesn't detract that much from the organic, down home experience. It IS a bit of a shame that there are 6 CDs, but really only about 4 full CDs worth of music--it would have been OK with me if the Ballad/Social Music/Songs organization was not cleanly divided between discs to save space, since the division isn't very efficient, but I suppose the reissuers wanted to emulate the original vinyl collection. I don't really find the material to be homogeneous like the second spotlight reviewer does, although I do agree that Roots N' Blues: Retrospective 1925-1950 is also a great compilation (though it's getting harder and harder to find)--I'd recommend getting both for a great complementary experience.
   
   Hopefully this set never goes out of print, as it's a great piece of art that any music fan or musician can learn a lot from--and enjoy, too! It's a shame that Smith had to preserve this music as it was beginning to die out even as he was collecting it, but it's also heartwarming that such classic sounds can be preserved for us to hear so many years later and keep the tradition alive. Enjoy the living history!



4. This collection led to the "re-discovery" of many artists who had dissapeared after when the depression crippled the recording industry. Mississippi John Hurt is probably the most famous as of now, but others, like Clarence Ashley were major finds at the time - and when Folkways sent a field crew to do a new record by Ashley he requested some assist from a young friend named Doc Watson. Watson was unknown outside his home town at the time but went on to become a major star in a field which has very few stars.
   Listening to many cuts on this album you can hear the source of much material for folk groups as diverse as the New Lost City Ramblers and The Holy Modal Rounders, rock groups like Canned Heat, and The Grateful Dead. Some of the melodies will be familiar to fans of Dylan, others to Jorma Kaukonan listeners. There are otehrs -- many many others.
   This set is the source, the headwaters of reissues, and revivals. An essential part of any folk music collection.



5. I dont think there is a need to go into to much detail about this *6 CD* set. If you can fork over the cash, just buy it. If you have any interest in roots music, just buy it. If you thought ol' Bobby Dylan and the Band made some great weird music in the basement of big pink in '67 .. for the love of god, BUY THIS! strange, unadorned, raw music , just buy it.

5 comments about The American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1969, Vol. 3.

1. I'v been avoiding writing a review about these dvd's (American Folk & blues festival vol 1, Vol 2, vol 3,) for a while now, mainly because I get so emotional when I think about them. So I wont even try. But I will say this much....The ONLY place in the world where you can see the fabulous T-Bone Walker on dvd... is on these sets (he appears on all 3 volumes). And where else are you gonna see Lonnie Johnson, Shakey Horton, Junior Wells, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon, Otis Span, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Mama Thorton, A very young Buddy Guy, and a very young Hubert Sumlin, Big Joe Turner, Son House, Koko Tayler, Lightnin Hopkins, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Howlin Wolf, AND MANY MORE!!! YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL 3 VOLUMES FOR YOUR COLLECTION!



2. If you like the blues you'll love this DVD. I especially liked the acoustic set with Skip James, Son House & Bukka White. The Black & White is cool and the sound is good.



3. buy all 3 volumes - if you are a music fan, this is the origin of the blues.



4. I am new to the Blues. I've listened to many songs, from Delta Blues to Chicago Blues, and loved them all. After listening to so many songs, it is nice to put a face to the name. Not only that, but to see and feel the energy of real Bluesmen and women. I absolutely loved this DVD! I'd highly recommend it to anybody looking to start or continue a Blues DVD collection.



5. This dvd is an historical treasure. The product is very high quality in every way. It has some of the earliest films known from some blues artists, as well as some of the only known films of some as well(Little Walter).Everything from the urban blues of Big Mama Thornton, Buddy Guy, Hound Dog Taylor,and Koko Taylor. To the haunting,country blues,of Skip James, Bukka White, and Son House. I particularly like the performance of the famous song " Crow Jane" by Skip James, as well as the extras like the raucous, obscure Earl Hooker, who evokes shades of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix with his Univox guitar and Sound City amplifier. Buy and enjoy this forgotten legacy!

5 comments about Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings.

1. Mississippi John Hurt recorded only 13 songs before returning to a life of obscurity and hard work on a farm. Of these 13 songs recorded in 1928, 11 were penned by John Hurt with the other two being traditional spiritual numbers ("Blessed be the name" and "Praying on the old camp ground"). The recording quality of these Okeh recordings is simply fantastic, and have the best recording quality I have heard from this era. A little hiss is heard (very little) and not much else.
   
   As to the recordings themselves, they are probably the sweetest sounding, most mellifluous early delta/country blues I have ever heard. John Hurt may not have had the well-known name of a Robert Johnson or Son House, but these recordings have had their influence in their own way. The song Stack O' Lee penned by Hurt became an R&B hit in 1950 (as Stack-A-Lee) for New Orleans pianist Archibald, and also became a rock-and-roll hit in 1958 for Lloyd Price (as Stagger Lee).
   
   It should be noted that after Hurt recorded these songs, he went back to work in his hometown of Avalon, MS. Because this was an out-of the-way town, few passed through it, and because of this Hurt was influenced by few outside artists of the day. What we wind up with on this album is the heart and soul of John Hurt.......and it is magnificent.



2. Superb - no other word for it.
   
   Something a learned colleague pointed out to me, listen out for the riff on track 9 which, 50 years later, became JJ Cale's "They call me the breeze"!



3. Fabulous singing, guitar playing that must have had a great influence on Jerry Garcias acoustic stuff. And wonderful songs.



4. Mississippi John Hurt recorded only 13 songs before returning to a life of obscurity and hard work on a farm. Of these 13 songs recorded in 1928, 11 were penned by John Hurt with the other two being traditional spiritual numbers ("Blessed be the name" and "Praying on the old camp ground"). The recording quality of these Okeh recordings is simply fantastic, and have the best recording quality I have heard from this era. A little hiss is heard (very little) and not much else.
   
   As to the recordings themselves, they are probably the sweetest sounding, most mellifluous early delta/country blues I have ever heard. John Hurt may not have had the well-known name of a Robert Johnson or Son House, but these recordings have had their influence in their own way. The song Stack O' Lee penned by Hurt became an R&B hit in 1950 (as Stack-A-Lee) for New Orleans pianist Archibald, and also became a rock-and-roll hit in 1958 for Lloyd Price (as Stagger Lee).
   
   It should be noted that after Hurt recorded these songs, he went back to work in his hometown of Avalon, MS. Because this was an out-of the-way town, few passed through it, and because of this Hurt was influenced by few outside artists of the day. What we wind up with on this album is the heart and soul of John Hurt.......and it is magnificent.



5. If you like to hear Mississippi John Hurt, this is a very good
   group of early music he sang. I like it very much, and I bought it as a gift for a family member never thinking I would get "hooked" on him as much as the family member was. This open my eyes to some wonderful music. I'm glad I bought for someone else and got to listen to it myself.

5 comments about The Anthology: 1947-1972.

1. This was purchased as a gift for a fiend who "loves" Muddy Waters. She was thrilled with this collection and said it was the best!



2. Muddy Waters was to mid-century Chicago as Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson were to the Mississippi Delta of the early 20th century: his catalogue is pretty much the foundation on which electric blues (and, by extension, rock `n' roll) rests- he mixed the raw swagger and cruel attitude of his predecessors and filtered it through vicious electric guitars and rumbling rhythms. It was a muscular, sweaty sound that dripped with pure emotion and hulking aggression. This collection brings together fifty of the man's best recordings for Chess Records (easily the most influential label in the history of the blues), winding its way from great early classics like "Rollin' Stone" (which inspired the name of a certain English rock `n' roll band) and "I Can't Be Satisfied" to rollicking masterpieces such as "Mannish Boy" and "Rock Me." This is easily one of the greatest collections of music ever assembled, and a damn-near-necessary purchase for any aspiring fan of blues or rock `n' roll.



3. Arguably one of the most important Blues guitarist, to ever pick up a guitar....Muddy Waters has seen his profile have something of a re-evaluation, over the last few years, as bands with a heavy blues-influence (such as "The White Stripes", "The Black Keys" "Jon Spencer blues Explosion".....and even classic established bands like "Led Zeppelin" & "The Rolling Stones" ), have seen a rise...in the amount of people reacquainting or indeed seeking about the original sources of these artists that influenced such bands.
   
   Trading in a wide style of blues (Electric Blues, Slide Guitar, R&B, Delta Blues & Blues Revival....it's safe to say that if it's Blues that your after, Muddy Waters was a necessary required listening. This 2 Disk Anthology is probably without doubt the best one-stop purchase for anyone (Casual or otherwise), curious with the guitarist's prolific work. There is simply so much worthwhile material here, that it's one of those collections that cherry picks through pretty much Muddy Waters entire career, and for an artist that started recording from the 40's - 80's, it's a collection that is breathtaking in scope, track selection, sequencing and even the actual mastering of the disk is superb. Sometimes you'll find with blues recordings, that because the actual quality of the original recordings were anything less than stellar, that the CD format, sometimes merely highlights the recordings technical shortcomings. Well...not in this instance, because the label seems to have taken the time and effort to put together a disk that impresses greatly with the sound quality. And coupled with some of the most popular Muddy waters recordings ("Mannish Boy", I Can't Be Statifised", "Rollin And Tumblin Pt 1", "Louisianan Blues", "(I'm Your) Hoochie Choochie Man", "Just to Be with You", "Got Me Mojo Working", "Can't Get No Grindin"). If it's a popular or highly regarded regarded Muddy Waters track, that there's a likely chance that it'll feature on this Anthology.
   
   The only thing that could possibly make you not consider picking up this amazing anthology, is due to the higher price (due to it being a anthology) or that you're a very causal listener, that wouldn't want to have so much material to digest. If you are the latter, then you'd be wrong....you can never have enough Muddy Waters, and if there two things that will hit home, when you buy this release is (1) The man, sure can play the guitar...and (2) you'll be surprised, how truly amazing it is, listening to this anthology in chunks...as it quickly grabs hold of you, and refuses to let go. Such is the brilliance of this Anthology, that it'll possibly, urge you to seek out similar blues artists (Howlin Wolf, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Magic Sam...etc). And the highlight exactly why so many acts today, are looking back at artists such as these, for inspiration. Truly amazing!!!



4. The 50 songs included that date from 1947 to 1972 are first rate songs from Muddy's prime. They're not the only worthwile Muddy by a long stretch though: He did some good work prior to 1947, there were many more good songs in the 1947 to 1972 period, and he did some really good work after 1972 as well. To do a really thorough Muddy compilation, I think you'd need at least 4 discs but these 2 discs with 50 songs total do a great job of highlighting Muddy at his prime. The liner notes are excellent and are a great source of information also.
   I had the chance of seeing Muddy live in concert as opening act for the Allman Brothers in the mid 1970's. Before seeing him, I knew some of his big hits and I knew he was a great influence on Allmans, Stones, Led Zeppelin and many top rock bands. After seeing him live, I became a much bigger fan as did many of the people who saw him in that period. Muddy deserves every bit of critical respect he enjoys today and these 2 discs are an excellent document of why.



5. Muddy Waters is one of the greatest blues singers of all time, if not the greatest. His classic 1950s tracks had a profound influence on music as we know it today, particularly rock and roll. If your music collection has no Muddy Waters, then there's a huge hole that needs to be filled. If you really want to get into this classic music, Muddy Waters' Anthology is a great place to start. I personally don't own it. I have the two Chess collections His Best: 1947-1955 and His Best: 1956-1964, both of which are excellent. However The Anthology would be a much better choice because it has nearly everything that's on those two CDs, plus many more songs that aren't on them. Particularly from the early years, there are many more songs here that aren't on 1947-1955. Anthology has 50 songs total, and the two His Best collections combined have 40, so you get ten more songs with Anthology. Those additional tracks may not exactly be classics, the most essential stuff is contained on the His Best collections, however any Muddy Waters music is worth hearing and the more, the better.
   
   Muddy's early songs are mostly raw and stripped down. Muddy plays an awesome slide guitar which is all over the early stuff. There's very little harmonica and also no bass and very little percussion. The songs are significantly less melodic than the later stuff. It's simply electrified delta blues. Then the stuff later has a more prominent rhythm section and the songs tend to be more catchy and not quite as raw. Unfortunately, Muddy's slide guitar also disappears for the most part as Jimmy Rogers takes over guitar duties. However, the great Little Walter plays an excellent harmonica on many of the tracks which is always a welcome addition.
   
   If you're looking for a first Muddy Waters purchase, here you go. This is a great place to start, but not a great place to stop. Once you get a taste of Muddy, chances are you'll want more. After the essentials, I would recommend picking up Hard Again (1977), At Newport (1960), Fathers and Sons (1969), and I'm Ready (1978).