5 comments about The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Hot Stuff: The Greatest Hits.

1. This is a great album! This has all of their great hits.I highly recommend this album!



2. Kim Wilson solo is even better! I saw him at a
   blues club by the Virginia Beach oceanfront ten
   years ago. He interacted well with the crowd and
   slapped me five when he came into audience. But
   'Fabulous' Thunderbirds is a stretch. Good or
   better than Avg. would be sufficient!



3. The Fabulous Thunderbirds are what real Rock n' Roll is all about! This is a really good compilation, it hits all the high spots and is a joy to listen to. The sound is very good and everything about this compilation is just great. If you love good Rock, you need this!



4. HOT STUFF: THE GREATEST HITS is a wonderful collection of the Fabulous Thunderbirds' later material, which combined their Texas R&B with a Memphis funk style to create a blend which succeeded in crossing over to rock radio. You should buy this anthology and the first four CDs first to start your Fabulous Thunderbirds collection.



5. What I just found out today was some of the best news I have ever heard. The T-birds are playing at my prom! This will be the best night of my lifee!!

2 comments about Surrounded By Love.

1. ronnie earl is a guitar virtuoso. any style. i think his best work is when he plays the blue. he plays them with heart and soul. he plays all his music that way. ronnie is definitely guitar royalty.



2. I have only recently been fortunate enough to have discovered Ronnie Earl. The variety of styles (i.e. blues/jazz/rock) make each song a new listening pleasure. Ronnie is definatley one of the best blues guitarist out there today and ranks right up there with the likes of Duke Robillard, Robben Ford and Bugs Henderson. I can't wait to submerge myself into more of this artists work. If you are a true smokey bar, beer and cigar blues fan Ronnie Earl is your man.

2 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. This is an excellent career overview of an artist who dances to his own drummer. If you like something different from what you hear most of the time from artists that have a loose association with Nashville, this is music you will enjoy for a lifetime. The (*) is for the fact that Delbert released a couple of albums to attempt to reach a wider audience and if you are so inclined you should also purchase "Never Been Rocked Enough" to fully appreciate both sides of Delbert with no overlap. Very enjoyable listening all around.



2. This CD is a good historical account of my favorite singer's career. The liner notes tell the story of this musical genius whose style has changed with the times - and whose personality and versatility are amazing. He gets better every year.

5 comments about Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey.

1. I owned this previously and I am glad to have it again. It will teach about the blues from their inception at the turn of the 20th century to the present day. All the classic songs that were later done by UK acts are here as well. If you can find it used, it is a better bargain because there is a lot here that is "filler not killer" but if you want to get a blues education, buy this collection.



2. This collection is an excellent synopsis of the Blues from its earliest roots on the rercording medium to modern times. It also shows how far and wide this genre covers in the musical landscape with its influence on rock-and-roll and jazz. Besides having over 115 songs, there is also a companion booklet that documents every track. I really recommend this collection to anyone not familiar with the Blues, because it can be a great starting point for you to expand on an area you find more interesting, like the Kansas City blues in the 30s, Chicago blues in the 50s, or diverse individuals such as Lead Belly, T-Bone Walker, Howlin' Wolf, John Jee Hooker, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.



3. IMO, this 5-disc set is par none the best blues compilation spanning over 50 years. Not everything noteworthy has been included, but it is the best bang for your buck you're going to find anywhere for a wide blues selection from early to recent, and Marty Scorese did a fantastic job in selection. I have given it as a gift several times and it is the gift that keeps on giving. Some very great tunes.



4. This box set compliments the film series very well. Musically, the set is wonderful until the middle half of the fourth disc and wans quite considerably on the fifth disc. This is not only a matter of bad taste in choosing appropriate music for these parts of the set, it is merely a matter of musical history: the blues at the time in which these portions of the set cover was simple not very good music.
   These portions would have been much better off if they included work by the likes of Carey Bell or RL Burnside instead of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Cock Rocker of Blues, Stevie Ray Vaughn.



5. One day in early 1968 I bought the album Wheels of Fire by Cream. Cream of course featured Eric Clapton.
   I put on the live disc and listened to a song called "Crossroads" and became hooked.
   At that time I didnt have a clue who Robert Johnson was or what blues was.
   I over the years listened to blues through "White" artists like Eric Clapton, The Allman Bros and others.
   One day I broke down and bought a Robert Johnson album and a whole new world was opened up to me.
   I had no idea what "Mississippi Delta" blues was compared to "Chicago Blues" etc. For years I have listened to these recordings and was never able to hear the originals.
   People like Eric Clapton have changed the arrangements on many of these songs to suit their styles. Now through this recording I am finally able to hear what the song was originally like. I personally love the slide guitar of the Mississippi Delta. I love the "rawness" of those recordings. I am also able to hear the electric side that came from Chicago as blues players migrated there. This Cd has the finest songs by the best blues artists ever.
   This set includes Mississippi Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Skip James, BB King, Buddy Guy, Maceo Merriweather, Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Son House and the list just goes on and on.
   It also includes the "White" side of the blues including Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaugh, Bonnie Raitt and many others.
   This is a celebration of the blues, and is a must for any collector, or fan of the blues. This CD is for people like me who have listened to the blues for so many years and now want to listen to the real thing.
   You will never find a better collection in your lifetime....

5 comments about Stone Crazy!.

1. I love Buddy Guy, his falsetto voice, his guitar tone, his mellow pickin', his frenzied shreddin', it's all here too! The songs are few, but long and let him stretch out and wear it out! This was his first solo endeavor and it's totally raw and rockin'! I listen to it everyday! Get all his stuff, it's eclectic from acoustic blues to psychedelic rock, he's the coolest!



2. This is the only album prior to about 1990 where Buddy Guy plays like Buddy Guy. It is one of the best blues albums by any artist, and is one of only a few things out there that show you what Buddy Guy can really do. You get an idea of what he was like live, and an idea of why people like Hendrix, SRV and Clapton counted Buddy Guy as one of the best ever.



3. It is hard to compare this album with anything prior to or after. It stands alone in my Buddy Guy collection, and I have all that I can get my hands on.
   This album introduced me to Buddy Guy. I made me a true fan. This is reminiscent of the first times I saw him live at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly in the summer of '85 I think. Back to back nights. Not a lot of people at the shows in those days (in Philly in the summer everyone is "down the shore"). But he played it just as hard as he does now in front of packed venues. Had the honor of passing him a Cognac at one point of the show. He used to walk through the crowd to the side door, walk outside and stand there for a while and continue jamming on the sidewalk. Truly amazing guitar player, and what a great all-around performer. If he couldn't play a note on the guitar, his voice would have made him a star.
   Don't think about getting this album, get it. Now. It will not disappoint. "When I Left Home" is unbelievable. Check it out.



4. I'm not a blues expert. I'm a born and bred south Chicagoan, and a blues fan for over thirty years. Purists be damned, this IS a blues album.
   I bought this album on vinyl when it was released. I saw Buddy playing live a lot around then (and many times since) and if you want to get an idea what kind of a pounding show he played in small clubs at that time listen to "You've Been Gone Too Long".
   Although this is a studio album, it feels "live" and has none of the over-produced slickness that mars many of the albums on the Alligator Records label. Buddy and the band are loose (not sloppy though, the chops and grooves are tight) yet intense. Phil Guy, Buddy's brother, is also on Stone Crazy and is a phenomenal blues guitarist as well (I'm not sure, but I believe some of the solos on this album may be his).
   If you are in a Son House / Robert Johnson kind of mood this isn't the album for you. But if you'd like to know what it was like at small, smokey blues clubs in Chicago when this album came out, buy this.
   If you like this album I also recommend "Son Seals: Live and Burning". Both are rough, raw, powerfull, and "sloppy-tight" I never play Stone Crazy without it...and a shot of whiskey.



5. Imagine being in a London nightclub in 1966, when an unknown man with a guitar named Jimi Hendrix climbs onstage from the audience. He plugs in his instrument and begins to play with the headliners - Eric Clapton and Cream. Minutes later he's gone, leaving the musicians, critics, and the audience gaping in awe. From that moment forward, everyone who witnessed this spectacle knew that rock guitar playing had been forever changed. Hearing Buddy Guy for the first time can be equally momentous. Buddy and Jimi heavily influenced each other, and the results speak for themselves. When Buddy's at his best, as he is on Stone Crazy, practically no one can stand toe-to-toe with him without getting burned or schooled. His self-taught mastery, unbridled creativity, and berserk ferocity on the electric guitar make lesser players seem impotent by comparison.
   
   George "Buddy" Guy had been working professionally as a musician for more than two decades when he recorded this album. But, it was his performance on Stone Crazy that firmly established him among the pantheon of electric guitar gods in the minds of rock aficionados. His playing on this album undulates sensually, laughing, crying, sighing, teasing like a faint tickle one moment, and then thrusting like an ice pick in the gut without warning. Plainly speaking, listening to this CD is like having hoalistic sex with reckless abondon - passive participation is simply impossible.
   
   As he nears seventy, the flashes of brilliance and moments of astonishing prowess on the guitar are now fewer and farther between. But on a good night, he can still let loose a jaw-dropping, blistering solo that will sonically assault your senses.
   
   If you like Stone Crazy, I'd also recommend his 2001 release, Sweet Tea. While it lacks the guitar pyrotechnics of Stone Crazy, this album cooks with a slow burn like Mississippi mulligan stew. On one incredible tune, Baby Please Don't Leave Me, Buddy conjures up some fuzz-tone mojo with reverb that would make the Voodoo Chile himself shiver in his grave.

5 comments about Handful of Blues.

1. i love this cd,robben ford's playing,is flawless,on this recording.tasty lines,infused,with great blues,funk,jazz,and rock.great songs on here,there are both originals,and a couple of standards on here as well,including,don't let me be misunderstood,and foghat's,i just want to make love to you.this cd,has it all,and is essential listening,for any fan of great blues guitar.robben ford,is one of my all time favorite guitar players,and if you listen to this cd,you will find out why.from the opening track,rugged road,you will be hooked.great cd.



2. I play guitar and appreciate most kinds of music. This CD is a tremendous blend of blues, jazz and rock. Most of it is blues. The cover of Misunderstood is outstanding-a fitting cover that Eric Burden would appreciate. Ford makes everything his own. His bandmates (and brother) make this a tight CD. Great disk.



3. I don't play guitar but to me Robben is one of the best I have heard. I have been listening to him since I first heard him with Tom Scott and the L.A. Express on their 'Tom Cat' album back in the day. He just seems to have such a great understanding of the guitar and how it works. His playing makes sense. This is an excellent Ford disc. Listen to that sweet kick-back shuffle groove on When I Leave Here, man, that's sweet! My favorite track is The Miller's Son, THAT is classic Robben!
   
   His lead on that is superb. Just listen to the way he starts it and slowly builds it, knowing what to play and when to play it. This is a guy that knows how to play a guitar with great taste. One of the best guitar leads I have ever heard, and I've heard many. I would definitely recommend this CD to anyone but please check out some of his other stuff as well, he's on a lot of other things as he is a top shelf session man who brings class to any date. Like I said, I don't even play guitar!
   
   www.electriceyes.us



4. Another very hot CD by the incredible guitarist Robben Ford made in 1995 and I highly recommend! After seeing Robben & Larry Carlton in Tokyo last January 2007 at the Blue Note Jazz dinner club I was hooked on another great muscian. I bought this CD & two others, one already reviewed, and none disappoint! This CD has five cover songs on it, but all are good, especially the 2nd track "Chevrolet" and the #11 track "I just want to make love to you". Track #1 Rugged Road" and track #10 "Think Twice" are my two favorites on this CD. Check it out as I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Also, if you can get hold of a brand new release from Tokyo titled "Larry Carlton with Special Guest Robben Ford Live in Tokyo", do so as this really is a hot CD and was basically the show I saw in January! Not sure if it is available in the US, but 335 Records 2007 produced it! Cheers from Tokyo! Greg



5. This is a great cd that while not confined to traditional 12 bar tunes, doesn't stray into the "cheese zone" that LA-style fusion often wallows in. There are no plastic-sounding keyboards or fusion tunes packed with steroid-ridden bursts of speed-for-speed's sake riffing in exotic modes. Instead, there's an organic, soulful vibe to everything on this disc that keeps it very connected to human emotions. Plenty of variety but it all hangs togather very well. Rest assured-- Robben gets in plenty of hot licks, but every note counts. I find listening to Fusion is all too often like watching an Olympic weight-lifter-- impressive, but emotionally uninvolving. I admit I'm biased-- if a player's music doesn't touch my emotions, I'm not interested; I don't care if they attended GIT, Berklee and Julliard combined. What's the point? The only weak tune here in my opinion is "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". There's just no punch to it. Otherwise, it's a terrific ride from start to finish that's sure to stand up to many repeated listenings.

5 comments about Smokin.

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



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



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



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



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

4 comments about The Best of Susan Tedeschi: Episode One.

1. Now I know how Colombus felt, when setting foot on American soil. He had to say "Great Discovery", and these are exactly my sentiments when I first heard Susan Tedeschi!!! So gifted, so versatile, jazz, blues, R&B, Susan can sing so many music types.I also think she has a Joplinesques quality in her voice.. Jack Forrester



2. This smells like a "She's left our record company so we'll put out a best of" package. Fortunately, Susan Tedeschi has done so much quality material on Wait for Me and Just Won't Burn that this disc is a blinder. The two bonus tracks are really nice. This could have been great with a little digging, but...
   
   This is a five star recording, docked one star for record company lack of imagination. Definately recommend



3. Looking over the song list, this is a fine CD capturing most of her high points in one place. It would be nice to get some early demos, outtakes, rarities, for those of us that have been with her from the outset.
   
   Had the producers decided to include the cover of the Big Mama Thornton standard "HOUND DOG", from Tedeschi's 1995 debut, it would have shown her lineage and earliest debt to the blues. Blues women have pioneered the sound for decades getting little notice, in a male dominated industry and genre.
   
   They might have included "Alone"(live)off the Japanese release of WAIT FOR ME disc as a Bonus Track.
   
   Or the ex-SRV backing band DOUBLE TROUBLE's version of "In the Garden" for a change of pace to the mellower take found on her solo CD.
   
   How about the slinky & smokin' duet she performs with her one-time producer Tom Hambridge off his BALDERDASH album, "Opposites Attrack" Yousah!!!
   
   It is not a knock on Susan, she probably didn't have control over this release anyways and the music is top notch. There are often licensing issues to untangle as well.
   
   But with 80 minutes on a CD, how about treating long time fans to a few extras for being there over the years.
   
   For newbies just looking to catch a glimpse of blues-rock in the vain of Bonnie Raitt or maybe Janis, this will be a nice pick up.



4. I first heard Susan on public radio KPLU in Washington state (www.kplu.org) on their weekend blues shows a few months ago. I was intrigued by her voice and guitar talent and quickly added her "Just Won't Burn" CD to my blues collection. This CD (The Best of Susan Tedeschi - Episode One") picks the cream from "Just Won't Burn", and adds more great tracks from other albums (which I am in the process of ordering now). Every track on this CD is great. Great variety too -- hard rocking blues, covers of old standards (Don't Think Twice, It's Alright ), fantastic slide guitar on "Looking for Answers", incredible vocals on "It Hurts So Bad", "Gonna Move" - a catchy tune that brings a smile to your face, and a sweet tender song (In the Garden). I have listened to this CD over and over on a just-ending week-long driving trip and it's just great every time I listen. This CD has now joined my "desert island CD collection" as one of my top three picks (other two are "Kind of Blue" and "Time Out"). I'd hate to have to pick just one of these three - I can listen to all of them over and over and over!

5 comments about The Very Best of Albert King.

1. Whilst trying to locate some info on the unique Gibson Flying "V" i was stunned (but not entirely surprised)to learn that the "King" of the "Flying V" is reputed to be Michael Schenker!!
   Who the hell is Michael Schenker in comparison to this most influential 6 ' 4" giant of guitar? Has Schenker influenced more people than Albert King?
   Nobody looks as good with a Flying V as Albert nor is noted worldwide for the distinctive tone connected to the guitar.
   On this compilation we have possibly some of the finest tracks culled over Alberts career.(the best parts of his career).
   "Personal Manager" contains one of the wildest solos ever done on a slow blues. It creeps up you and towards the end Albert runs out of frets and yells in excitement. He must've been in a good mood when he cut this song.
   If any are looking for a song that sums up Albert then it's this one although every track on this CD is perfect.
   Albert King's talent will live on as the years go by and in theface of every other genre of music.
   Needless to say, if you purchase this CD you will have it ALL... i.e Great music & a dynamic cover photo.



2. I just listened to some audio clips of an inept but very popular young guitarist (if we can call him that)who was trying (poorly) to play the blues. Then I pulled out this excellent CD, stuck it in my computer and cleansed my ears of noise pollution.
   
   I'm so grateful for Rhino making compilations such as this so those of us who are too young to have been contemporaries of this wonderful music can still have access to it. I also enjoyed the liner notes and biography of Mr. King.



3. This is the best compilation to pay tribute to the late, great blues legend Albert King ! There should also be tributes to : Charles Brown, Freddie King, Amos Milburn, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Little Willie John, Little Johnny Taylor, Z.Z.Hill, Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Rest In Blues Heaven !!



4. Over the years their have been countless compilations of albert king's Stax recordings. But this Rhino's very best of Albert King serves justice to the legendary guitarist most greatest hits including Born Under A Bad Sign, Crosscut Saw, Let's Have A Natural Ball, Blues Power, and many more. Albert King was Stevie Ray Vaughan's biggest influence and he has soon became mine after listening to this incrediable album. You will learn to appreciate a long but forgotten guitar hero Albert King. Enjoy~



5. Albert King was a great urban blues singera and one of the best guitarists that played the blues. This CD has 16 of his best tunes. It doesn't cover his entire work, but it is better than "King of the blues guitar" in this aspect, as that one featured just 1966 - 1968 material and this one spans nearly 20 years , from about the late fifties to mid seventies.
   However, the track list isn't stellar: I have nothing against the three pre 1966 selections, but the some of the seven tracks from his most famous period between 1966 - 1968 are odd. Why there is Cold feet, which is pretty good, but no As the years go Passing by which is more of a classic and one of his trademark tunes. It is inexcxusable to have a Best of without it. That's why I put 1 star off. The latter tracks are well chosen, so I hink you should pick this one up if you want to have just one Albert King CD. Just add As the years go passing by and you'll have ***** stars as far a single disc collection can go

No comments about Let Life Flow.