5 comments about Son House & the Great Delta Blues Singers.

1. If you're interested in the blues roots of rock, you've come to the right place. Son House laid down tracks that have echoed down to this day, and he may have been the first true wellspring of what became rock. I've been a listener and collector of what's now called classic rock for more than 40 years, and I have never found an earlier or truer original source than Son House. With all the fuss being bestowed on Robert Johnson these days, here's a clue: Son House taught RJ how to play! Listen to this album and hear the foreshadowings of ALL the great music to come... Truly great guitar pickin', and a voice as rough, plain and honest as Mississippi dirt clods... You may not want to put this album on Infinite Repeat, but you will not walk away unimpressed or unmoved. IMHO, Son House truly deserves the title of Great Grandaddy of Rock!



2. Son House is essential to any blues collection. And as is usually the case with pre-war blues artists, Son's early stuff is better than the 60's revival stuff. That said, the company put songs on here by other artists that already appear on Mississippi Masters--which I also highly reccomend, especially for Geechie Wiley's "Last Kind Words." This CD would be 5-star and beyond if it weren't for those repeated songs.



3. "Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers" isn't entirely devoted to Son House. There are cuts by several other musicians, including Rube Lacy, Joe Calicott, and House's onetime playing partner Willie Brown, but this disc, which contains Son House's complete 1930 session, is the best place to get his earliest songs.
   The sound quality is not excactly stellar, mainly due to the inferior quality of Columbia Records' original masters and horrible quality pressings, yet the power and intensity of Son House's huge voice and slashing slide guitar playing cuts through the pops and hisses like...well, a cutting thing.
   Also, this CD is one of the very few which features both the previously unreleased test acetate of "Walking Blues" (the basis for Robert Johnson's song, not the other way around), and the second parts of House's three two-part singles. Listen to "My Black Mama part II", and you'll recognize it as the original version of "Death Letter Blues", complete with House's magnificent, wailing slide guitar riff.
   
   House's seven songs are the highlights of this collection, but there is a lot of other stuff here which is certainly of interest to fans of classic Delta blues. The gruff-voiced Willie Brown's two cuts are almost as powerful as Son House's, particularly the great "Future Blues" (listen to Brown snapping the bass strings).
   And fine waxings by Kid Bailey and Joe Reynolds in particular makes this a great collection of Delta blues as recorded by Paramount Records in 1929-30.



4. I absolutely love this CD and find myself listening to it over-and-over again. I ordered it for the Son House material but have found the Willie Brown and the Garfield Akers songs to be every bit as fantastic! Although I especially like the three musicians already mentioned, there is not a dud in any of the remaining tracks. If you like delta blues and don't have this CD you are missing one of the greatest musical treats you're liable to find.



5. In my opinion, Son House was the greatest of the Mississippi Delta bluesmen, whether you are listening to his astounding Library of Congress tracks from the 1940s, his historic studio album with Columbia in 1965, or his frightening live performances during the blues revival. The songs on this collection, however, are from his first and only session for Paramount way back in 1930--there are seven tracks in all.

   Son House's playing was phenomenal. He was ferocious on the slide guitar and his growling and moaning vocals can--and will--make your skin crawl. "My Black Mama" (which was later reworked into his most famous song, "Death Letter Blues"), is Son at his best. "Preachin' the Blues", unfortunately, doesn't exist in a highly listenable format (the only known copy is a damaged 78) and is clouded by white noise, but much of it has been digitally cleaned. This is such a powerful song--and one of Son's signature tunes--that it has wisely been included on this collection.

   Document has also included songs from Son House's contemporaries, namely Willie Brown, Rube Lacy, Kid Baily, Garfield Akers, and Blind Joe Reynolds. While shadowed by the geniuses of Son House, Skip James, Tommy Johnson, and Charley Patton, these 'lesser' artists should not be overlooked. Each had his own style and the tracks included here are great. Standouts include Willie Brown's "Future Blues", Garfield Akers' "Cottonfield Blues", and Rube Lacy's "Mississippi Jailhouse Groan".

   This collection is valuable to any fan of the Delta blues--those who are fans of the great Robert Johnson (who isn't?) will learn that he found much of his inspiration in these recordings. While Johnson has surpassed House in fame and recognition, it's arguable that he held the highest talent. Only Son House can make your hair stand on end with his wrenching weeps and groans.

5 comments about Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down.

1. I discovered RL Burnside thanks to Sirius Radio. I have purchased 2 of his CD's and have been pleasantly surprised with both. Great music.I plan to buy all or at least most of his CD's in the near future.



2. When "Big Daddy" died last year, Mississippi and the nation lost another national treasure. Listening to this CD I'm amazed by the dedication to moving the blues foreward Burnside had, even in his final days. By contrast, I'm equally amazed by the lack of a sense of a new direction by the big name groups who are putting out watered down versions of the same things they have been doing for years. If you want a treat look into the Burnside Exploration, two of "Big Daddy's" grandsons, their blues power duo of guitar and drum was "doing it" before anyone ever heard of the White Stripes. I hope they can chart a path to the future as bright as their grandfather's.



3. RL Burnside is awesome! When I heard one of his songs on Accuradio.com, a streaming internet radio site and I was hooked. I thought, "I gotta get my hands on that CD!" When I arived home, I couldn't wait to play it. I cranked the volume up loud and had a lil' jam fest! I loved the way he incorporated hip-hop beats with his soulful blues sound! I will definitely be buying more of his albums in the future!



4. I love some of the sound effects that were added to this recording though Fat Possum added 3 bonus tracks done without remixing to try and satisfy everyone no doubt. "Chain of Fools" especially is a must-hear with the rapper effects. On my copy, however, "Black Mattie" (the first bonus track), starts over a minute into the track. Do I have a defective copy or is it supposed to be this way?



5. Stood absolutely still, riveted to attention when I first heard this CD. Next step was to find the sales clerk so I could buy it!! It is an understatement to say R.L. Burnside sings with emotion, this man KNOWS BLUES, he has LIVEDBLUES, and STILL HAS HOPE ... tinged with an Alabama accent, he sings with a southern drawl, full of the realities of life. The liner booklet says it best (& I quote): "The last genuine performer of raw Mississippi hill country sounds as well as cutting edge crossover artist the blues has had in the past 30 years." Honesty, depth, detail, raw emotions, earthy statements: it's all here & more! Great lyrics, great slide guitar playing,too. "Too Many Ups" one of the tracks, is a play on words: "You gotta look UP to the man ... too many ups, too many ups, too many upside down", "You gotta cover up", "You gotta catch up", "You gotta get paid up", "Too many upside downs". Some other favorites are, the title song, "Wish I was in Heaven Sittin' Down", "Hard Times", and "Chain of Fools".
   
   Let the lyrics of "Nothin' Man" tell his story:
   "I never had a chance ... it never was MY fault. You can't arrest me. I pay the rent. I never wanted to be a BAAAAD person. I wish my mama had loved me. You can't arrest me. It never was MY fault ... I never wanted to be a BAD person." The ambient music contrasts nicely with the words & lyrics, with a shadow of the underside of life - not far off from the truth. This is genuine, visceral music: FAT POSSUM RECORDS have provided us a vehicle to enjoy the music of this living legend of Mississippi blues. They have a great sense of humor, too. Inside the CD is a card to fill out with demographics, and a block of space, with the instructions: "trace your housekey here" YOU GOTTA LOVE 'EM!
   Three "bonus" tracks are included: "Black Mattie" by Robert Balfour (a rather scarry piece of music & lyrics, too), "Pucker Up Buttercup" by Paul Jones, & my favorite of the three, "Laugh to Keep from Cryin'" written & sung by Burnside's adopted son, Kenny Brown, a great talent in his own right who learned & apprenticed with this MASTER OF MISSISSIPPI BLUES, THE LIVING LEGEND! Erika Borsos (erikab93)

5 comments about Chess Blues.

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



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



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



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

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




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

5 comments about The Best of Friends.

1. Though Hooker is a legend, someone with a little more time, could have certainly put together, something better than this. If I was John Lee, I certainly would have wanted something a lot stronger, and wilder, to be my swan song. One song in particular makes me want to use some magical power to get it off the CD, and that's "Tupelo". Being forced to listen to that, is like listening to your 6th grade teacher sloooowwwllly scratch her nails on a blackboard. If your image of Hooker, is him, playing a song, in the original "Blues Brother's" movie, stomping his feet in the street, shaking up, the entire city of Chicago, then don't get this CD, because it will ruin your memories of him!



2. For anyone who likes Jazz and Blues, what a wonderful CD. I enjoyed from beginning to the end.



3. This is another old school guy's cd that's got to be had by any true blues fan



4. Author Stephen Thomas Erlewine once said something like this about "The Best Of Friends":
   "This is for people who like to think they like Hooker, but really just want to hear Eric Clapton wail away."
   
   It sounds a bit like the point of view of an old blues purist, perhaps, but one with a lot of truth to it. Many people who aren't attracted to John Lee Hooker's raw, gritty 40s, 50s and 60s recordings will certainly find these guest star-heavy re-recordings much more accessible, and who knows...maybe some of those who got to know John Lee Hooker when he suddenly popped up on MTV at age 73 can use this music as a "gateway" to the REAL blues.
   
   This is a compilation of songs from the Hook's last five guest star-heavy albums (plus a couple of previously unreleased recordings). There is really nothing here to match Hooker's magnificent VeeJay-recordings, his best ever band backed material, but this is certainly not bad music...with the possible exception of two stylistically challenged numbers, "Chill Out" and "The Healer".
   Van Morrison appears on two numbers, "I Cover The Waterfront", and a slow, soulful "Don't Look Back", playing guitar and singing a verse or two, and his contributions are really the only ones which add something new to the songs.
   Eric Clapton plays relatively restrained guitar on a pretty good "Boogie Chillen", and "This Is Hip" and "Dimples" get a nice swaggering groove going, although neither of them come anywhere close to surpassing the original recordings.
   
   "Burnin' Hell" is marred by the monotonous guitar playing of Ben Harper, and "Baby Lee" and "I'm In The Mood" are too slick, but "Tupelo" is classic John Lee Hooker, just the Hook himself and his guitar and a piece of plywood to stomp on! And "Big Legs, Tight Skirt" is really good as well, although not as good as Hooker's definitive rendition which he cut for VeeJay in the mid-50s.
   Again, this is a pretty good album, especially for "casual" blues listeners, but it does fall a little flat when compared to the gritty and powerful waxings Hooker made when he was in his prime.



5. Absolutely a gem no doubt about it. You will not go wrong with this cd.

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

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



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

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

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

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




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

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




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

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

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




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

5 comments about Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Skip James.

1. WHAT TO ME WAS DISAPPOINTING ABOUT THIS CD IS THE FACT THAT THESE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL SKIP JAMES RECORDINGS MADE IN THE 1920'S AND 1930'S WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF SONGS. HAVING SAID THAT, I AM GLAD THAT I HAVE THESE RECORDINGS. AND I LOVE THE COVER ART BY R. CRUMB. SKIP JAMES WAS NOT YOUR AVERAGE SOUNDING DELTA BLUESMAN, HE HAD A SOUND ALL HIS OWN.



2. I think I first heard the name Skip James associated with John Martyn's "I'd Rather Be the Devil". Then I saw that he'd penned an old Cream hit "I'm so Glad". I finally got around to picking up some of Skip's stuff. Man, this is something else. Nevermind Robert Johnson's Hellhound... Me thinks the Hellhound actually caught up with Skip James. The guitar playing is superb and that voice... downright spooky at times!
   
   There are many great tunes here, I think I like Cherry Ball blues the best. The only complaint I have is that the 5 piano pieces are all "front-loaded" onto the disk. Make no mistake, those tracks are very good (remind me of Thelonius Monk's playing) but the real fun starts at track 6 and runs all the way to track 16.
   
   Also note the cover artwork by R. Crumb famous for his Mr Natural comic series in the 60's.
   
   Shout has put together a great package here, the sound is great, the bio is informative, and the artwork is memorable.
   
   If you want to hear a great, original sounding Delta bluesman then this is definitely a disc you want to buy. Start clicking!
   
   You can learn a bit more about skip right here:
   
   http://www.thebluehighway.com/skip.html



3. Shout Factory continues its excellent "Heroes of the Blues" series with one of the most haunting voices in music - that of Bentonia, Mississippi's Skip James. The collection concentrates mainly on his reimergence in the mid-1960s, with the exception of the two opening tracks taken from his 1931 Paramount recording session. The bulk of the release is made up of recordings James made for Biograph in 1964, which were recorded just shortly after his rediscovery earlier that year. Equally impressive and distinctive on piano as he was on guitar, the set also highlights his unique piano style as demonstrated on "22-20 Blues" and "How Long Blues." Although not listed, those looking for a recording of his most popular piece, "The Devil Got My Woman," can find a stirring six-minute 1964 version on track 6, listed mistakenly as "How Long Blues," (which actually appears as track 5 but titled "61 Highway.") With an interest in Skip James at an all-time high thanks in part to James' high-profile inclusion in the Martin Scorsese PBS blues series, and to a lesser extent, the strong role his music played in the 2001 film "Ghost World," this set happily brings some of his fine postwar recordings to a whole new generation just discovering his genius.



4. Beautifully cleaned up tracks. On the copy I got the back cover doesn't list "Devil Got My Woman" . Instead a different track 5 called "61 Highway". Luckly the actual cd does have the playlist listed here with "Devil got My woman".



5. This CD is a fantastic overview of the work of Skip James, covering both his guitar work and his equally fine piano blues. It focuses on his 1960s comeback, after years of neglect. After he played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, he rerecorded many of his classics for a variety of folk and blues labels, and it is from these pristine-sounding sessions that this CD is compiles. Not only are the sound and performances first-rate, but the liner notes are detailed and informative. This is an excellent entry point to Skip's career for neophytes, and for die-hard blues fans it is a wonderful survey of his post-discovery period.

5 comments about Blue Yule: Christmas Blues and R&B Classics.

1. Score one more for Rhino. This label really does know how to find obscure cuts and bring them into standout various artist collections. The only gripe I could have is this disk sounds a bit monaural in a mix, but I'll still use it--it's fun to mix up a little blues with the typical sugary Christmas sentiment.
   
   What can I say about this collection that has not been said? Just add Lightning Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Canned Heat and the rest of the crew in and you've got a mix that'll make your season funky.



2. if, like me, you make bizarre anthologies of Christmas music, this is a great addition to your library. Raucous and gutsy, a lot of these songs will shake up your celebration and possibly offend the people you want to bother. Some of them belong right alongside my long-time favorite, "Marry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen, which is available on Tinsel Tunes, another excellent collection on Sugar Hill (which means it's mostly bluegrass/acoustic).



3. I've had this CD before. There are quite a few blues christmas albums out there. This is definately one of the better ones. Allot of older blues christmas tunes. If you love the blues, this one's for you



4. Blues musicians don't record Christmas songs that often, but Rhino Records managed to find 18 Christmas blues songs for this CD. Charles Brown's definitive recording of "Merry Christmas Baby" is well known, but the rest of the tracks are pretty obscure. There are a lot of good songs here, with my personal favorites being the ones by Eddie C. Campbell and Canned Heat. If you have any interest in the blues, this is the Christmas CD to get.



5. Well, let's see. As I write this review, the date is December 8th, 2004, and it's another two weeks and three days till Christmas finally arrives on the 25th. Since virtually every place in Creation started playing Christmas music on November 1st, you've had 38 days to become thoroughly SICK of the same dozen songs played over and over again from every radio station and retail establishment. Want some relief? How about an album chock-full of great Christmas BLUES music, that truly sounds more like blues that like standard, overplayed holiday ditties? Well, folks, get this CD!! It's nice and long (18 tracks) and only one or two numbers are overly familiar (and one of those, Charles Brown's immortal "Merry Christmas Baby," is usually considered the top Christmas blues recording of all time!) Standouts include Canned Heat (Their song is straightforward blues, not the novelty track they spun with ALvin and the Chipmunks), Detroit Junior with his hard-driving boogie "Christmas Day", the Pilgrim Travelers and their delightful, close-harmony doo-wop gospel classic, "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and the always-irrepresible Louis Jordan with "Santa Claus, Santa Claus." There's not a bad number in the bunch, but the pick of this holiday litter must go to Edddie Campbell and his delicious take on the Junior Wells masterpiece, here titled "Santa's Messin' With the Kid". So don't delay! Order today, there's still time to get it rushed to you by Christmas. Do it, and the best yuletide blues and r and b will be home to you, if not by Christmas, then by New Years night.

2 comments about Crucial Acoustic Blues.

1. This album is well worth a listen. Good choice of songs and well performed by the accoustic artists. It is getting played constnatly at true blues gatherings.



2. I love the Alligator label and their compilation albums are always a treat! Kudo's to Bruce Iglauer his taste is excellent!

2 comments about Johnny Shines with Big Walter Horton.

1. If Big Walter Horton got mentioned in the title every time he played on an album, half of all major 50s, 60s and 70s blues records should be called "This-and-than-artist and Big Walter Horton".
   
   Here he is again, blowing his harp behind Robert Johnson's one-time travelling companion Johnny Shines on a reissue of Testament 2217 with two bonus tracks added.
   This is Shines' second band-backed, electric album for Testament, and it brings together material from two different sessions (Chicago 1966 and Los Angeles 1969). Otis Spann plays superb piano on the Chicago tracks, which features the same band that played with Shines on his "Masters Of Modern Blues" album, and Luther Allison plays second and occational lead guitar on the L.A. tracks.
   And the music is excellent. There may not be very much here as instantly memorable as the best songs by men like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, or Elmore James, but the songs are of generally high quality, and this is an enjoyable slice of classic 60s blues, played by some of the finest musicians of the genre.
   
   The tracks recorded in Chicago are the best, featuring both Spann and blues drummer par excellence Fred Below (Horton is on all of them), and they include a fine rendition of Big Maceo Merriweather's "Worried Life Blues" and the almost jazz-like "I Want To Warn You".
   But the L.A. tracks are not far behind, with some great guitar playing from Luther Allison, a funky "Fat Mama", and a great "If It Ain't Me", which sees Johnny Shines doing a good impression of Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II).
   
   A critic once called this the greatest Chicago blues record ever. It's not, but it is a pretty good one all the same.



2. This a great CD!

2 comments about The Original Guitar Wizard.

1. This is the perfect box set. The liner notes are great, the packaging is fine, and the music contained on these discs is simply stunning. Lonnie's work with Texas Alexander doesn't sound like anything else committed to record. "Section Gang Blues" and "Levee Camp Moan" are startling in their intensity. His guitar duets with Eddie Lang will never lose their novelty, because they are music on the level of the Classical music of Europe. "Away Down in The Alley Blues" and "Hot Fingers" are mind-boggling. Lonnie's Blues lyrics are original and greatly detailed. He is the master of romantic balladry. He is a pioneer in Rhythm & Blues. He knows how to use double-entendre, and he certainly seems to have a true distrust of women!



2. B.B King, Albert King, Clapton, Vaughn, Green and Taylor were all guitar playing heroes of our youth. Naturally, they were really great pickers, no doubt about that! But the way I see it, this man, Lonnie Johnson, was the first and the greatest guitar hero ever! For five decades he entertained and pleased people with his mellow, emotionally charged voice and his unrivalled guitar playing. From country blues to jazz - he was equally at ease with a vast variety of music. His playing was always technically impressive (sometimes nearly insurmountable), touchingly melodic and with an inexhaustible well of ideas. Some of his solo instrumentals are not really possible to redo, and his duos with Eddie Lang surely belong to the highest class of American music. If I were to take only one single item with me to a deserted island (hopefully the area would have electricity), this CD box would be the one!