5 comments about An Anthology: The Elektra Years.

1. These Electra sessions recordings include almost all of the songs from the original Butterfield Blues Band album and many more. It is a classic. Butterfield and Bloomfield with the rest of the original cast, including Sam Lay on drums. It is just a superb collection of some of the best Chicago blues ever recorded. While there are literally hundreds, maybe thousands, who have recorded songs with the harp, there are only handful who could play the harp as well as Butterfield and, like him, most are no longer with us. He grew up hearing the great players in Chicago but developed his own style, with a tone that sometimes sounded like a trumpet. Both he and Bloomfield possessed musical genius that burned out too young. I have been listening to this album since it was released and still go back to it often. If you want to hear Chicago Blues, buy this one, a Howling Wolf anthology, a Muddy Waters anthology, and Westside Blues by Magic Sam and you pretty much have the best of what there is to hear.



2. My grandson who,s 17 is lead guitar in a high school rock combo, and we talked about simultaneous pulsating energy and virtuoso parts for the singer and lead guitar together. I started thinking about 1965-66 in Chicago and recalled the Butterfield band as what I wanted him to hear. So I got him a set and got myself a set. Album #1 in the Electra collection was what I had in mind, and he now listens to it everyday, loving it. He's already pretty good, if you will excuse me.
   
   Man, how that man wasted his life later. Sad.
   
   I am keeping this album. La Raw Maran



3. You really have to have em' all .All fans have their favorites , and some will be left off a compilation such as this .. You cant please everybody .One thing I noticed there were far more tracks from the 'Lost Electra Sessions' than from say, the classic "Pigboy Crabshaw" album. still ..a great set from ol 'Butters 'He died a sad death ..I encountered him(not pleasantly) 3 months before he went ..lets just remember the great music he played , and ..like I said .. get em all!



4. CD album not what I thought it was....Of course PB plays a mouth harp.....of course, the songs sometimes all sound alike...that is why he's not a ZZ, BB or whatever. One maybe two songs on these 2 cd's I like.....the rest go in file 13. There's nothing wrong with this style of music but it falls far short of Buddy Guy, BB King, Albert King....I am/was relunctant to negative any musician and this is not the case....Many of his good songs are missing and "fillers" placed instead. Unless you are a whipping Paul Butterfield fan, keep looking......



5. In 1964, the "Beatles" were (and still are) a phenomonon. Everybody knew of them, they had "Beatles" cards for God's sake.Underneath this commercial pop lay "Chicago Blues" here in America. No one and I mean no one did it better than "The Butterfield Blues Band" Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop,guitar players extraordinaire. Paul Butterfield with his amazing harp playing. I'm not a critic or a music reviewer, I just know what I like. And if you love the "Blues" this remaster is absolutely essential. Get it here,enough said. Peace.

5 comments about Electric Mud.

1. Muddy is always great but this CD is a little sad. I bought it when it first came out and it was disappionting then. I think it an attempt to cash in on white performers sucess with "electric" versions of classic blues tunes. The fuzz-tone guitars are just out of place with Muddy's robust blues voice. It has some historical value given the unique nature of the collaboration but other than that forget it. For the real thing get "Mississippi Muddy Waters" a great live album with Pinetop Perkins and Johnny Winter. It's 100 proof.



2. Would I have to shoot myself if I bought this?
   I gave it two stars because I love Muddy Waters.
   Otherwise, it gets zero stars.



3. I am a huge fan of this American Blues Legend . He is my ALL TIME FAVORITE musician. I have owned all of his releases except for this one , "Electric Mud" and "After The Rain" . I never bothered to purchase either of these because I never really heard anything good about them. Well for Christmas my sister got me a gift card to Borders Books. I went to Borders the other day and I was looking around and picked this one up . I looked around some more , put it back down and looked around some more. Later I went a picked it back up . I said to myself , well I might as well get it. I got in my car , put it in the cd player and listened . I should have never picked it back up ! I truly love Muddy , but this cd is HORRIBLE ! Terrible remakes of a few Muddy classics and and unbearable cover of The Rolling Stones "Lets spend the night together" . To me this was a true waste of money . If you are new to Muddy , stay away from this cd because it will turn you off from the rest of his classics. If you love Muddy , stay away from this cd because you will feel like you just flushed your hard earned money down the toilet. HORRIBLE !!!!!!!!
   If you wanna get some great Muddy , get any cd contained in my blues listmania.



4. Warning: "Electric Mud" is a blues album with heavy psychedelic rock influences! If you consider yourself to be a blues purist, then I would encourage you to look elsewhere for something that will be more compatible with your musical tastes. With that disclaimer out of the way, let me invite those who are seeking something unusual--and especially those who like sixties rock music--to continue reading on.
   I consider this to be one of most original albums that I have ever heard. It is not a true blues album, but rather a concept album of blues with a heavy psychedelic rock influence. The idea for this album had its genesis with Marshall Chess, the son of Leonard Chess of Chess Records. Marshall Chess had just founded a new label named Cadet Concept, and this was the second album produced under the new label. When this album was recorded, Waters' career was in a slump; it had been a decade since he had a top ten hit. Marshall Chess was seeking out a new audience for Muddy Waters. The CD booklet (which is extremely well written) goes on to explain that this was one of Waters albums that "effectively revived Muddy's recording career at a time when he was in danger of becoming an elder statesman who couldn't sell to his own community and who was revered exclusively by a small coterie of collector-purists, not a large enough audience to sustain a career."
   
   This album was recorded in April 1968, and here's what was happening on the music scene at the time. On 1 July 1967, the Beatle's reached number one on the charts with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"--a psychedelic rock album that won the 1967 Album of the Year Grammy Award. The Beatles reached number one on the charts again on 6 January 1968 with "Magical Mystery Tour." A new artist, Jimi Hendrix, had exploded onto the psychedelic rock scene with "Are You Experienced?" (chart debut 9/16/67; top position #5) and "Axis: Bold As Love (chart debut 2/17/68, top position #3). (All chart data is from "The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Albums, Revised and Enlarged 3rd Edition" by Joel Whitburn, 1995.) Jimi Hendrix is mentioned a number of times in the CD booklet. Hendrix was noted for his use of new electronic gizmos to modify his guitar tone, including the wah-wah pedal and the fuzz box. "Electric Mud" was not meant to be a direct copy of the Hendrix sound, but it was definitely influenced by it.
   
   The basic instrumentation on this album includes a heavily distorted guitar (often with wah-wah pedal), fuzz-tone electric bass, saxophone, synthesizer, and drums. This is quite a stretch from the trademark Muddy Waters sound! The CD booklet points out that "five of the eight songs on 'Electric Mud' were 'classics' from his catalogue, songs he had sung hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times. So the Main Man sang as he always had. His accompaniment, however, was very much of the moment." It is well known that many of the rock musicians of the sixties had blues influences. Now, here is a genuine bluesman cutting an album with new renditions of his songs, such as "I Just Want To Make Love To You," "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," and "Mannish Boy," in more of a rock style. There is even a cover of the Rolling Stones hit "Let's Spend The Night Together." Wouldn't you agree that's a cool concept for an album?
   
   The vocals are one of the strong selling points of this album, and Muddy Waters has a great voice. The lyrics include occasional social commentary appropriate for the times. All of the musicians on this album were highly regarded studio players. It has been pointed out in another review, as well as in the CD booklet, that Waters felt that the drums were too "busy" on this album. I would like to comment on that, because I am a drummer myself. The drumming on this album was done by a studio drummer named Morris Jennings. Although he was a jazz drummer, his playing on this album is very true to the psychedelic rock concept. Mitch Mitchell, of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was himself a very "busy" drummer. When the Beatles hit the music scene in 1964, Ringo Starr played a very "unbusy" style, but times had changed by 1968, and even Ringo had somewhat changed his own style to accommodate.
   
   I have tried to be as helpful as possible by warning the prospective buyer about what this album is about, but I hope that blues purists will not be offended by my saying that I really like this album. To be sure, it is not for everyone, but it is for me. I think that "Electric Mud" is very original and unique, and I value having it as a part of my collection. My primary musical interest is classic rock, although I do have a modest collection of blues, including some of Muddy Waters' mainstream works. For those who have enjoyed reading my review, I invite you to click on "rss28" above and visit my member page, where you can read some of my other reviews. In any case, I thank you for taking the time to read my opinions about this album. (review: By"rss28" (Detroit, Michigan)
   
   1. I Just Want To Make Love To You
   2. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
   3. Let's Spend The Night Together
   4. She's Alright
   5. Mannish Boy
   6. Herbert Harper's Free Press News
   7. Tom Cat
   8. The Same Thing



5. Acutally, I like this, one of the more inventive albums from the era. Putting Muddy Waters together with a bunch of hardcore psychedelic players actually made sense. By 1968 acid rock bands playing hard electric blues were a commercial force, and Muddy hadn't had a hit for a long time. So lets use all the goodies - distortion, fuzz, wah wah, and a drummer who isn't shy. Doesn't sound like Muddy got it, but for the most part, he sounds great. Most of those other bands didn't have a vocalist who could touch him. It sounds like a Jimi Hendrix session with Muddy singing instead of Jimi - definitely an improvement. It's got a touch of funk like a very early Funkadelic and it's messy as hell. Muddy wasn't going to do many takes on these songs, and lets face it. These guys may have been inspired by Hendrix, but they weren't THAT good. Muddy is most uncomfortable on "Let's Spend the Night Together," and I can understand that. He probably wasn't thrilled doing a song by a band that named themselves after his first big hit and more or less used his in-your-face macho schtick to make millions. The covers of his own songs are better than most of those other bands' versions. "Herbert Harper's Free Press News" is a real gem. I saw Muddy perform a few years after this with a band more to his original style, and he wasn't near as good as on this album. His band was mediocre, like they learned to play listening to Ventures records. Maybe they had an off night, or maybe he hired cheap talent when he was on the road. Anyway, I bought this album in the Tay Ninh Base Camp PX in 1969 where it was one of only two records on sale. We played this album until the dust more or less destroyed it. The CD has brought back great memories.

5 comments about In Session.

1. If you love the blues then these recordings are a must have. The pairing of the legendary Albert King with the blues virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughan was a match made in heaven. Stevie absolutely idolized Albert and it comes through on these tracks as does the respect that Albert King had for his student. When Albert asks Stevie to play his song Pride and Joy you can sense the pride and joy it was to perform at the bequest of his mentor. These electrifying performance brought a tear of joy to my eyes. On the Pep Talk track Albert gives Stevie sage advice and prophecies the future. The Blues at Sunrise track is Bluesology 101 in of itself. I only wish I could have been a fly on the wall at these sessions.
   
   The only thing wrong with this album is that it's too short. Until you buy or download this CD you and your blues collection are incomplete.



2. This album, IN SESSION by Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, is a very interesting listen for any serious fans of Stevie Ray, or any fans of the blues.
   
   Because Stevie Ray Vaughan's playing style was greatly influenced by the less famous Albert King, at times it is hard to distinguish exactly who is playing lead guitar, but that just goes to show how great most of the music is on this CD.
   
   The singing is overwhelmingly Albert King, since Stevie only sings lead vocals on the lone Stevie Ray song on this CD, "Pride and Joy," but I really like the singing of Albert King, and this album is a great introduction to Albert King's work, to me, since all the other songs are from Albert King's repertoire.
   
   Sometimes the two guitarists are a little timid, starting out, but the longer the song goes on, the more comfortable they seem to get, and this CD has many long songs on it.
   
   When I first saw this album, I thought it looked like some questionable bootleg, to me, and the CD cover art is definitely amateurish, but the CD liner notes briefly explain the scenario surrounding this recording, and the music makes it all worth your while in buying it and listening to it. If you like Stevie Ray Vaughan, then you will probably enjoy this insightful performance.
   
   Like a live concert album, this CD retains conversation between the two star players, but at a much lower volume than the music and singing. This talk is interesting the first few times that you hear it, but the CD actually assigns most of this inbetween songs talk to their own track list numbers, so you can set your CD player to skip the talk, which I think makes the music flow more like a standard music album, not having to wait a minute or two between songs.
   
   I am very happy with this Stevie Ray Vaughan CD rarity! If you collect Stevie Ray Vaughan CDs, then you can buy this one with confidence that the musical performances and audio quality are comparable to Stevie's major label CD releases!



3. Very pleased with this SACD, sound is awesome. I agree with all other highly rated reviews, it is more than words can describe.



4. All one has to do is to listen to this and realize that we were lucky that this event happened. I hear something new every time I play it. Enjoy



5. While Albert King never rose to the massive popularity of Stevie Ray Vaughan, as far as blues players go though, he was one of the more familiar to rock fans, thanks to his work being covered by Clapton and Hendrix ("Born Under A Bad Sign").
   No modern guitarist was more influenced by King than Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose admiration and praise allowed him to share the stage in a Hamilton, Ontario TV studio right around the time of the release of Vaughan's "Texas Flood". This summit was long overdue, and is absolutely critical for Vaughan and King fans.
   Mind you, there are many rehashes, repackagings and other posthumous releases of SRV, most of which are unforgivable, offering nothing new, only capitalizing on the myth and making a fortune off his memory.
   "In Session", however, like "The Sky Is Crying", is one CD that does offer a fresh look at both masters.
   King is still the star of this show, and his band provides the powerful backing music as the two titans trade off solo after solo, each careful to not overplay, but not hide behind their amps, either.
   Vaughan sounds a lot like King, showing us the bedrock of his style. He was a little flashier, and could control feedback ala Hendrix, but when all is said and done, SRV was the best white blues player period. Brit players like Clapton and Page pale in comparison.
   Prime cuts include "Pride And Joy" as handled by King's band, and it thumps and grinds mightily. "Overall Junction" is a King jam and indeed it does. Perhaps the best is "Matchbox Blues", with an absolutely wicked swing beat that allows both guitarists to soar, reaching blues nirvana over and over.
   SRV fans will delight in this CD when he was probably at his greatest, and will come away King fans as well, after finding out who got this party started in the first place.

5 comments about John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - Jammin' With the Blues Greats.

1. Filmed live in New Jersey in June 1982, this concert brings together John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers along with five blues legends: Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Etta James, and Sippie Wallace. As another reviewer already said, performance footage of blues legends like Albert King is often hard to find. Most of these old performers have already passed away and never received the media attention or recognition given to modern stars like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan. Too many of the blues pioneers who paved the way for everyone else remain sadly overlooked by today's music fans, and that is one reason why this is a worthy DVD for any blues fan.
   
   What makes this show worthwhile for me is the chance to see three blues guitar masters together on the same stage: Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones. Fans of blues harp playing will enjoy the harmonica solos from Junior Wells and John Mayall too. Buddy Guy plays some good solos during his set with Junior Wells, but unfortunately we don't get to hear a single note of his powerhouse singing in this concert. I wish Mayall would've kept Buddy on stage to sing his own song "My time after a while" which is one of the better songs in the show.
   
   Despite his six years of service with the Rolling Stones, this concert shows that Mick Taylor is truly a blues guitarist at heart. Taylor gets plenty of opportunities in this show to display his fine slide guitar playing on each and every song. The Stones lost a fine guitarist when they lost Taylor, and I've never heard Ronnie Wood play a better solo than what we hear from Mick in this concert.
   
   Albert King and his distinctive guitar playing is probably the highlight of the show. He performs an extended version of his classic "Born under a bad sign" as well as the old standard "Stormy Monday". Blues guitar lovers will enjoy watching King and Taylor share solos during Albert's set. During the closing jam of "CC Rider" featuring all the performers, Albert takes the spotlight for a moment and acknowledges all the performers to the audience.
   
   Sippie Wallace represents a whole other era of blues from the 1920's, and her performance here is likely the only footage we will see of this blues pioneer. Junior Wells and Etta James are good blues vocalists, but both of them seem to oversing a little here. The performances by Albert King and Mick Taylor is the best reason to get this DVD in my opinion, but the sound quality is pretty average and there are better blues concerts available. If you want a glimpse of some true legends of the blues world though, this DVD is a good choice.



2. This is a wonderful concert DVD, featuring John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Mayall with vocals and on harmonica and keyboard, John McVie on bass, Mick Taylor on guitar, and Colin Allen in drums) and some guests--Sippie Wallace (then 83 years old), Etta James, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and Albert King.
   
   This was recorded in 1982 and provides a nice glimpse of blues work at its best. Some examples of the works on this DVD:
   
   The Bluesbreakers play "An Eye for an Eye": This starts off with nice harmonica work by Mayall himself. This is about a man killing another man and implying the Biblical pronouncement that represents the title of this work. There is a very nice blues sensibility here. The Band plays well, with Mick Taylor's estimable guitar work standing out.
   
   "Messin' with the Kid" features Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. Nice guitar work (as one would guess) from Guy. Wells wings in a gritty fashion and plays the harmonica most finely. There is nice back and forth guitar work between Taylor and Guy.
   
   Then, there is "Why Are You so Mean to me," featuring Albert King. What guitar work on his part! The Bluesbreakers back him nicely, with special mention to Mayall's harmonica, which acts in nice counterpoint to the smoking guitar work of King and Taylor.
   
   "Call It Stormy Monday": King's version compares very nicely with that of T-Bone Walker. It starts off with King's mean guitar licks. Taylor and King play well off of one another. Key lines:
   
   "They call it stormy Monday,
   But Tuesday's just as bad.
   Y'know Wednesday's worse,
   Lord, Thursday is also sad."
   
   Finally, an extended jam session, featuring "C. C. Rider": Sippie Wallace begins the vocals, followed by the likes of Etta James, King, and Wells. The guitar byplay among Guy, King, and Taylor is great fun. Wells' harmonica work is terrific. What a nice extended jam session!
   
   So, how to evaluate this? A wonderful concert, featuring some great talents. The ensemble works well together. If you are interested in the genre and some of the artists, this will be a nice investment.



3. I really enjoyed this DVD. I'm a "Dyed in the wool" Blues lover, and having Albert King, Mick Taylor, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells together makes this DVD great. Mick Taylor plays some mean Slide Guitar on this DVD. I think his playing on this DVD is much better, than his playing on the 70th birthday DVD. Albert King played some great stuff on this DVD, he has some "Killer Tone" going. His guitar really wails, as opposed to some other of his other recordings, where he has a "Tinny" sound. Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells were good also. Etta James sings on this DVD also. Any Blues lover should buy this DVD!



4. I don't get it? I saw some of the other reviews and some were UNDER 4 STARS??? Their TVs must be like 13" black & white and mono sound.
   
   John does what John is...a blues man. He is the grandfather of the British blues. This was a melting of Chicago, Memphis and English blues.
   
   Without Mr. Mayall, who knows, we might have never heard the names of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck or Eric Clapton? NOT ONE of these players had "a name" until working with John as a Yardbird or Bluesbreaker.
   
   As a professional (that means I got paid) singer (on and off for over three decades), I know some GREAT GUITAR PLAYERS, that you'll never hear about and one is as good as anyone you've ever shelled out $100 bucks to see and hear.
   
   If you like the blues, buy this! Along with Mayall on the program, are several great blues folks and most have passed away.



5. Having a couple dozen of Mayall's LPs I know his music. On this DVD he shows his multi-instrumental talent and skill as a bandleader. After all these years he is at his best.

5 comments about BB King Blues Session.

1. NEVER RECOMMEND. Actially ZERO Star at all. This one is worst ever product since I started AMAZON shoping. This DVD-R copy is look like transfer from home video tape,as if Bootleg. I'm wondering is this one really legal products?????



2. I first watched this about ten years ago and recently bought this poor DVD version. This is a runny VHS transfer but the picture is still watchable and the sound is decent.
   
   With Billy Ocean, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight, Etta James, and Phil Collins in the line-up, it's obvious the producers of this special were more interested in appealing to the R&B/pop audience than pleasing blues lovers. This makes me wonder if B.B. actually had complete say over who would be appearing in this concert. I'd also like to know why Etta James was given much more time on stage than the other stars??? Despite a little too much R&B for what was supposed to be a "blues" show, we do have a pretty nice selection of bluesmen here too with Albert King, Paul Butterfield, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and of course B.B. himself who all deliver good performances although Stevie Ray doesn't get much of a chance to tear it up in this show.
   
   With a few changes in the line-up, this show could have been a blues masterpiece. I would have replaced the R&B stars with Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, and Buddy Guy who were all alive and well in 1987 when this special was filmed. THAT would have certainly made this a real blues extravaganza to treasure! What we have here is still a pretty decent show however.
   
   The highlights for me are a nice version of B.B.'s classic "The Thrill is Gone" with Eric Clapton swapping guitar licks with King, and the great Stevie Ray who takes the stage with his hero Albert King for a performance of the great blues standard "The Sky is Crying". Paul Butterfield joins them on harmonica and vocals and he gives a strong performance, although I did notice a few dirty glances he gives Stevie Ray during the song.
   
   This is a nice show for R&B lovers, but serious blues fans will most likely feel a little let down. If you want a similiar show with better results, check out the DVD "A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan" which features fine performances from B.B., Clapton, Dr. John, and several other great blues stars including Robert Cray and Buddy Guy!



3. That's what it is. But I already knew it before I bought. So you should know it too. However, for those who love the Blues it is a must have! Even aware of the quality I bought it and I am very happy with it!



4. Nevermind all the people here complaining about the dvd transfer. It's really not that bad. There is nothing wrong with the audio, just don't expect some blasting surround. And the concert itself is really good. I've watched this dvd I don't know how many times and I never get tired of it. Ok, the quality is not great, but if you like the blues that shouldn't be a problem to enjoy this. The opening "Why I sing the blues" sets the tone, with BB King starting it off and all the others coming in during the song, and what great musicians they are. "The thrill is gone" has some great guitarplaying by Clapton and BB going at eachother. "I'd rather go blind" is the best duet i've ever seen(heard) between a man and a woman (Etta James and Dr. John), it's amazing. And "The sky is crying" by Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, well, that's about as Blues as you can get really. You can see every artist is really glad to be a part of the session. So don't let these other comments throw you, Blues Session it is.



5. This is a fantastic show with an once in a lifetime grouping of legendary blues musicians BUT this new version on DVD is horrible quality with bad picture & audio. The VHS & especially the laserdisc versions are far superior. Hopefully someday a true re-mastered version will appear.

5 comments about Fever for the Bayou.

1. Tab once again continues to provide blues the way it should be. His down south style and him pouring his heart and soul into his music is what makes me a true fan of his. I've seen him on multiple occassions and he has never disappointed me in the least. One thing he does do is leave me in awe every time I see him. This album I never bought when it first came out and regret that now. I ordered it along with his newest album and am glad that I did. He is a real class act and loves his fans as much as he loves them.



2. Words don't say enough about this bluesman. He makes a guitar sing and dance. I agree with another review "give him a grammy".



3. I had never heard of Tab Benoit until I heard him on Sirius Channel 74. I decided to explore and settled on this CD. Let's just say I wasn't disappointed, this is a great disc.



4. Oh my gosh, he took the audience away. We are Califorians and maybe we get to see the best. Coach House performance was unbelieveable........



5. Tab gives one of his best album performances with raw edged blues, Louisiana-style.

5 comments about Indianola Mississippi Seeds.

1. The first track stuck with me and I have never forgotten the words: "Nobody loves me but my mother , and she could be jivin' too."This album is not typical of BB King but I believe it os one that new listeners should try as it really does give you a feel ofthe blues but with a different tilt . It has been a favourite of mine for almost 30 years and I still want to play it over and over again and now can on CD .



2. Indianola Mississippi Seeds is a really good rock/blues record. Really good.
   
   BB King purists apparently disparage it as "selling out," or some such thing. I can respect that, but just disagree. Among others, "King's Special," "Chains and Things," and "Hummingbird" are just awesome songs.
   
   FYI, my favorite music is along the lines of 1969-74 Rolling Stones (e.g. Ya Ya's, Exile on Main Street, etc.) and bluesy rock generally (e.g., Lynyrd Skynyrd). If you like that kind of music and want to see what BB King is about, you will enjoy Indianola Mississippi Seeds.



3. First of all, I don't claim to be that much of a BB fan but I do really enjoy this cd. Reminds me of John Lee Hooker's "Endless Boogie" and Freddie King's "Burglar." It's got that early 70s bluesrock feel to it.
   Also, the album cover is a great example of a 70s blues concept.



4. This is standard stuff from BB, which is to say it is better than most other blues singers.



5. Although Indianola Mississippi Seeds is not a classic B.B. King album in the same sense as "Live at the Regal," it has some inspired moments and offers a different perspective on the Blues with its incorporation of strings. B.B. is in fine voice here and adds some welcome humor to his piano blues on "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother." And check out his guitar solo on "Ain't Gonna Worry My Life Anymore." B.B. says it all in just a few notes. But the real highlight of this album is a completely different departure from anything B.B. has done previously. B.B.'s rendition of Leon Russell's "Hummingbird" is soulful and beautiful, especially the final choruses belted out by some of the sweetest sounding angels you will ever hear.

5 comments about Anthology.

1. I was fortunate enough to hear the band perform several times both in New York and Philadelphia. I was very pleased with the audio quality, the presentation was nice. Most important to me is it is an accurate testament to a group I loved. This gives me the essentials I wanted without spending an absurd price.



2. The Blues Project was one of the most influential groups of their time, brief though it was. Upon seeing them in San Francisco, Grace Slick, then with the Great Society, was amazed at how professional and accomplished they were, in contrast to to the nascent psychedelic music scene then developing. They brought the various strains of blues, folk, jazz and r&B together, which was a powerful eclectic approach for the year 1966.
   
   The band is 5 stars, this collection while very good is not the best possible representation of the group. They left off some of the Cafe AuGo Go tracks( they did use alternative versions) and the live tracks from Town Hall, like Electric Flute Thing, and included some later material that is far from the bands best. Overall, it is the best collection currently available, has all of the monumental Projections album, improved sound on many of the songs from their first cd issues and a nice booklet/history of the band. The tragedy of the Blues Project is that they could not benefit from the pioneering music they had made or their influence on the music scene, as their classic lineup broke apart before the Monterey Pop Festival, and they missed the opportunity to become as well known as they deserved.



3. Projections was an album my friend and I listened to constantly when it came out...my friend still has the LP (mine, though he claims it's his!) and I was glad to buy this, though the price I feel is a bit high; but Projections makes up most of the second disc in this set. Danny Kalb had the chops way back then...then he pulled a Syd Barrett and disappeared, another victim of depression.
   Some good recordings, some rough ones, but the music is still very, very, listenable after all these years.



4. First, I purchased this CD based on one of the Blue's Project's hit songs, "The Flute Thing", which I remember from the 60's. Watching this group, announced by Paul Simon on the DVD "Monterey Pop", I was transported back to 1967. After searching several Blues Project's CD compilations, I chose Anthology. I thought maybe the seller actually sent the wrong CD! The music was, well, really inferior, almost Monkee-like. I don't like to bash anything from the 60's, my era, but this album should be titled "The Worst of the Blues Project". If they can title an album by Jefferson Airplane as such, it can't be too bad for the Blues Project. All in all, this music sounds like it is being played by a high school garage band. The vocals are just not worth listening to, I feel bad about writing this, but be warned, if you are expecting really good blues, or even something that sounds like jazz (which is really what The Flute Thing is) then, buy some other CD...



5. I recently downloaded a few Al Kooper tracks from Itunes and waxed sentimental for what I thought I remembered hearing back in 1967 when I saw The Blues Project live. Sorry, you can't go home again, especially if home is a band that had identity problems and poor production. The blues tracks are amateurish by any standard. Let me correct that: they are painful to listen to. The Steve Katz songs perhaps could be revived by an American Idol wannabe on his way down the schmaltz ladder. There are a few intresting tracks that survive. I only wish that this had been up on Itunes so I could have downloaded those @ 99 cents per until I realized that it was time to quit.

5 comments about Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison).

1. John lee seemed like he had the blues his hole life.Maybe he did maybe he didn't. He played the hole blues man thing to a T. He seemed like the coolest of all cats when he was up on stage. That's because he was. The people bought it hook line and sinker as they should.I have heard,lived and felt the blues since I was 8 yrs.old. I can totally relate to what he was doing and singing about back then and now.Hookers blues and boogie music is and will always be timeless. That to me is the conection I have with him.Pure blues, no nonsense music that hits you like a ton of bricks. This CD does just that and more.



2. If I was stranded on a deserted island and I was to have one CD this would be the one , thought that Hooker and Heat was good , this blows it away ...............



3. This is actually two live albums combined. Cafe Go-Go finds Johnny earlier in his career and Live at Soledad prison finds Johnny mid-career right in the middle of his endless boogie phase.
   
   Live at The Cafe Go-Go is recoreded with Muddy Waters band (Muddy always had the best bands!) including the great Otis Spann on Piano. Muddy even plays guitar on one of the tunes. Sound quality is excellent and John Live is in fine form, but a little restrain. You get the feeling the band had not played that much together. Hearing JLH with Otis Spann in keys is pretty cool however. Bad like Jesse James is one of the creepiest songs made and is made even more haunting by Spann's parse piano.
   
   Live at Soledad prison catch John Lee is his Endless Boogie phase, which for me is where it is at. Sound quality is surprisely very good and his band, including his son John Lee Jr., are tight. Bang Bang Bang is a great jam all the way from the Motor City. This contains all but two cuts of the original Live at Soledad album. These two tunes were sung by John Lee Jr. I love how at the end of the album the prison plugs the plug on the band and it takes a while for everybody to figure out what happened.
   
   Looking for some more great live John Lee Hooker check the live Album with Albert King (they don'y played together, but share the same CD) 'I Play the Blues for you'. For me this is some of the finest JLH caught live on tape. JLH studio album 'Never get out of these blues alive' is also another great album.
   
   This is a great album for anyone who enjoys the blues, live blues, John Lee, or enjoys Otis Spann. Album should be the staple of any basic bblues collection. I highly recommend this CD.



4. Hearing John Lee Hooker backed by the Muddy Water's band from the 1960's is a real treat. The version of "I'm Bad Like Jessie James" that opens the CD is one of the most menacing songs I've ever heard; John Lee describes in detail how he will "take care of" a former friend he took in who went around town telling everybody that he slept with John Lee's wife. This song is a perfect example of how John Lee Hooker was the personification of badass. John Lee also runs through some of his classics like "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer" and "Bang Bang Bang Bang". I prefer the Cafe Au Go Go set to the Soledad Prison set, but both sets are worth hearing and are full of good performances from John Lee and the band. This is definitely worth getting if you are fan of John Lee Hooker or the blues.



5. It's hard not to get shivers when listening to this recording. John Lee Hooker had such an incredible voice and it's as if his singing and playing encapsulates all misery imaginable. He extracted so much emotion from these songs that made me feel as though I'd actually lived the experience. It's so incredibly painful to listen to in places that I expected the heavens to open up in response. This is a man who knew what he was doing.
   
   The band is in top form and John Lee uses them to get the crowd rocking as he works his magic. Everything is spot-on! From slow, painful numbers to upbeat, rollicking shuffles, John Lee Hooker and his band can do it all.
   
   This is a landmark album that shows a man (and a band) at the top of their game and it's something no self-respecting blues fan should be without! You'd have to be dead not to be affected by this!

3 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. This is an amazing album. Mostly instrumental, but a little bit of singing. Roy is absolutely amazing on the guitar. I found myself picturing him playing and watching his fingers. The music truly takes you away - and that's a good thing. I discovered him purely accidentally. There was one of his pieces on a sampling cd my daughter's boyfriend had given her. He, the boyfriend, is a musician. And let me tell you they know (or at least he does) good music. I think Roy Buchanan has moved me in a direction toward music I didn't know was out there.



2. The material here has a special feel and shows Buchanan's exceptional guitar playing skills but you won't find much diversity on the CD. To those of you not familiar with Buchanan's music the CD may sound a little too boring. Check out Hey Joe and decide whether it is Hendrix or Buchanan that you find more interesting. However, if you know the man you should already have most of these songs in your record collection.



3. This is a fantastic intro to Roy Buchanan. It is difficult to decide which is the best Roy Buchanan CD but this one would have to rank high on the list.
   
   Roy's style is unique, technical, mind-boggling, unbelievable. The sounds he created were almost all his inventions later to be mimiced by a new generation of guitarists. His music runs the gamut - country blues, smooth jazz, raging rock. This collection is a great place to start and keep coming back to.