5 comments about Iron Man.

1. I recently had the privilege to see Michael Burks in concert - it was one of the best shows I have EVER seen. His guitar playing is second to none. I've never heard anyone play better - his technique and tone is fabulous. He played a bunch of songs I had not heard yet - I was expecting most of the songs from "I Smell Smoke". The band was very tight and all were execellent musicians. His first set lasted two hours. I know I was witnessing a blues legend (in my book, he already is one). Now to Iron Man. This may be one of the best blues-rock CDs ever produced. After hearing the CD, I recognize the songs from the first set of his show. The CD sounds very much like their show quality - excellent on every tune. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates fantastic guitar playing and soulful vocals. I can't wait to see him again in another month or so. Get this CD - you won't be disappointed.



2. If you love The Blues, like I do, do yourself a favor and pick up this CD. Michael Burks has recorded an album that is the essence of contemporary electric Blues. It is raw, full of energy, and will bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye at the same time. Although this is a studio album, it actually captures Mr. Burks's live performance spirit (I have seen him live and I know). Mr. Burks is like Freddie, Albert, and BB King with a dash of Stevie Ray & Otis Rush rolled into one fantastic dynamo. If you are into the Blues, this CD must be part of your collection. Simply dynamite.



3. If you are looking for a good electric blues CD do not go any further, this is the one! Michael Burks confirms with his new offer to be one of the major talent in the blues business today. He delivers a very strong vocals performance and an even better guitar playing in an album packed from wall to wall with excellence that surely deserve attention and consideration. An exquisite mix of the immortal Luther Allison with a hint of the great Freddie King is probably, as other reviewers have already said, the best way to describe Michael's style, however it has to be said that his music has its own personality and the sound is original and fresh. Backed by his regular touring band, accordingly with the linear note, the album has been recorded "live" in studio and I would say that you could feel it. Strongly suggested!



4. I've seen Michael many, many times & will drive 3 to 5 hours (if I have to) just to experience one of his gigs. He's is by far the absolute BEST BLUES GUITARIST out there today! Plus, he sings REALLY WELL. I have all of his music (although I love each CD) this is his BEST CD because he recorded it with his band! Not only is he a killer guitarist (I love his Les Paul & Flying Vs), but he's a very humble person & all around nice guy. Including Michael, the band consists of Popcorn (drummer), Don (bass) & Wayne (organ). These four musicians together are TIGHT & VERY TALENTED!! The next time he's in your area, DON'T MISS HIM............ By the way---BUY THIS CD or pick it up at a gig, it's wonderful! Love you Michael!



5. excellent album, I listen to it often and really enjoy this man's work. Have one of his earlier albums, which sounds more generic, so this one shows his finding a style to call his own.

5 comments about Stevie Ray Vaughan: Pride and Joy.

1. What can I say - I like SRV. I can hear the influence of Jimmy Hendricks: Hendricks is just a bit too radical for me. If you like Texas style influences {nothing to do with politics] I think you'll rest easy and enjoy this DVD.



2. I actually like the cheesy videos. "Superstition" is pretty good, "Cold Shot" is hilarious for many reasons, and "Little Wing" is a really cool look at some old footage of SRV and the musicians who inspired him, not to mention the best remake of one of the greatest songs of all time.
   
   I also really like the MTV Unplugged performances, although it is with this footage that I have my primary complaint. Before and after each song, Stevie is talking to the crowd. I would love to hear what he has to say, but the DVD cuts immediately to the next song. Why not include the entire session? As a huge SRV fan, I would have loved to see him interact with his audience in such an intimate setting. I felt ripped off that they didn't include this. Otherwise, it is a great DVD that true fans would love.



3. It is hard to give a Stevie Ray Vaughan DVD anything less than five stars, but the fact is that most music videos often distract from the song itself with corny, cheesy, or even vomit-provoking images and plots. This collection of SRV music videos was originally released on VHS shortly after his death, but the newly added footage in this DVD makes this a worthy purchase for fans.
   
   While none of the videos here are terrible, any fan of Stevie Ray knows that a music video cannot compare to seeing the man tear it up on stage in a real concert setting. The videos for "Cold Shot" and "Superstition" are fairly humorous and entertaining, and "Little Wing" is a nice little tribute to Stevie's memory. The rest of the videos here are pretty average, and "Good Texan" is a real disappointment that should have never been included in the DVD. It is presented as basically a Jimmie Vaughan solo performance without a single glimpse of Stevie Ray at all!
   
   Vaughan's MTV appearance only months before his death in August 1990 gives us a rare glimpse of his lightning quick acoustic guitar playing and it's a really nice addition to the DVD. Also included is a nice segment of Stevie and brother Jimmie being interviewed and jamming together during the making of their album Family Style. Interviews and behind the scenes material of SRV has never been available on video before, so this footage is definitely a treat.
   
   I recently discovered a truly priceless SRV performance on YouTube that is far better than anything here and was sadly LEFT OFF this DVD! Stevie Ray and the blind guitarist Jeff Healey appeared on stage together and tore the house down with a great version of "Look at little sister" that will blow you away! Jeff Healey stands up and rips into a SCORCHING solo that would have blown most guitarists right off the stage! Stevie immediately unleashes his own solo that matches the same blistering intensity of Healey's solo and the audience gives them a standing ovation at the end as Stevie and Jeff exchange hugs. This is one of the greatest SRV performances I've ever seen and it's even better than the MTV Unplugged performance featured here. Anyone lucky enough to have seen that performance has to be shaking their head wondering WHY it was not included on this DVD!



4. This is really a cool DVD considerably different than his pure-performance DVD's (all others except this one). If you love SRV and want everything he has done in your collection, I highly recommend this DVD!



5. if your a stevie ray vaughan fan this is a
   must have it not only has all of his music videos
   it also has his only appearance on mtv unplugged

4 comments about Yes We Can!.

1. This album invites you to unite and a human race and celebrate all of us. She draws from vast source of great songwriters. Yes even Garth Brooks! I saw her live on tour with Holly Near and others and I think my favorite songs live were John Brown and War. On the album I love We Shall Be Free. The driving guitar sounds like a train on John Brown and War was turned into the mournful warning. But mostly the album is just too much fun. This is because they sound like they are having fun. The sound is raw like it came straight out of Memphis and Stax Records which adds some real authenticity to the soul. Seriously though seeing her live blew my mind because I never realized what a vocal range she had! Holy heavenly god of cow gods!



2. I bought this new album of Maria short after the release and i must say "it is one of the best"! I have all the albums that Maria recorded. It's a wide range of music. From folk to big band, from blues to jazz. This time i think that it is more soul. Her voice is getting deeper by passing the years and the voice goes so well with the songs on this album. I love it!
   
   Kees de Frel
   The Netherlands



3. Since Maria Muldaur's self-titled debut album first appeared in 1973 she has shown a certain amount of "nerve" in her repertoire selections. On paper many of her album/CD-programmed choices could look like a recipe for disaster. Take for example her excellent 1974 album "Waitress In A Donut Shop" where she wove songs from writers as diverse as Fats Waller, Anna McGarrigle, Allen Toussaint, Lieber & Stoller, Wendy Waldman, and Doc Watson into a cohesive work that flowed from one genre to another without missing beat. That chance-taking trait has followed her throughout her career and each and every time she's makes it work and comes out a winner.
   
   Muldaur has musically never been very political - until now. Sure there was some songs here and there where she sang about promoting peace and harmony (Smokey Robinson's "Sweet Harmony") and where she perhaps got a little political (Rev. W.H. Brewster's "As An Eagle Stirreth Her Nest") but she's basically been a singer of love (the good side and the not-so-good side) songs.
   
   With "Yes We Can" we find Muldaur singing upfront and forceful in the area of world affairs, politics and the state of the human race Once again she mixes up the pot with a varied program that looks a bit "iffy" on paper. But by this time we should all know enough to wait and listen to her performance. And surely enough one doesn't have to wait long into the recording to realize that "Yes We Can" is an excellent piece of work.
   
   The musical choices fluctuate between songs that call for peace and some strong anti war/violence songs. On the "up" side is first and foremost the opening track, Earl King's
   `Make A Better World" which opens with a Stone's like riff and then adds to that the a Honky Tonk/New Orleans sound. The chorus of "everybody just sing, sing, sing" is addictive enough to get in your head and spin around in there for days! Bonnie Raitt joins Muldaur for a great rendition of Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can" (first made popular by the Pointer Sisters on their debut album in 1973) and togther they breath life into the song that was resurrected after Hurricane Katrina by Toussaint himself.
   
   Garth Brooks' "We Shall Be Free" is a really good song and makes for a great peace anthem. Joined here by Odetta, Joan Baez and Holly Near, Muldaur and company easily prove why they were dominant political voices in the 60's & 70s and why they're still relevant today. When the haunting, yet motherly voice of Odetta comes in on the second verse one feels as if everything will be all right after all.
   
   But the biggest surprises on the CD are the anti war/violence songs Muldaur chooses - and they're bold choices. Her cover of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)" couldn't be bettered by anyone else, and Shane Theriot performs a great guitar solo in it. Muldaur also remakes the Edwin Starr classic "War" in an unexpected slow rendition that accentuates the song's message in a completely different manner than the original.
   
   However, it's the three Dylan numbers that are the cream of the crop of this recording. Muldaur has already shown her skill at singing Dylan with her CD "Heart of Mine" and here she shows that she's also capable of taking on Dylan's most biting and ironic anti- war/violence songs. "John Brown" is startlingly graphic and actually somewhat uncomfortable to listen to due its subject matter (a maimed soldier returning from war.)
   With a tip of the hat to the Staple Singer's version of this song, Muldaur & Co., tackle it without much musical drama per se, leaving the words to express it's horror. (Dylan never recorded "John Brown" in the studio.) Then there's Dylan's "License To Kill", which Muldaur sings with her daughter Jenni on harmony, that leaves the listener haunted by the visions of "the woman on my block" who keeps asking "who gave him the license to kill."
   
   "Masters Of War" is a Dylan work that most would shy away from due to its length and the fact that most singers are probably afraid to even approach it's anger. But as Mulduar has proven throughout her career - she'll take on anything if she wants to. Her performance of "Masters of War" is about as strong as they come.
   
   This CD is not to be missed by Muldaur fans or by those who long for social issue resolutions and the desire for worldwide peace and freedom. For those who believe that these ideals are still as alive and well today in 2008, as they were some forty years ago, step back, listen and learn from the older generation who lived through the turbulent times of the Vietnam War. They still have something to say.
   
   Oh, and by the way, The Free Radicals (David Torkanowksy, Tony Braunagh, Hutch Hutchinson and Shane Theriot) are a tight backup. Jenni Muldaur, Linda Tillerey, Valerie Trout , Jeanie Tracy and others supply background vocals.



4. "Right On!" is all I can say about the new Maria Muldaur. Her most powerful work yet. Upon second listen, I think it's the best thing she's done since her youthful heyday, when she was often heard singing about sex and/or romance. The three Dylan songs are the strongest, here: "John Brown," "License To Kill," and especially "Masters of War." On the first listen, I gave up on the latter after a few bars, as it's never been among my favorite Dylan tunes; bit of a slog, I always thought, whether by Judy Collins or by Dylan himself. Big mistake on my part. The second go-round I paid more attention and found that this version is the first one of the song that I've really appreciated. The atmospheric arrangement, with its rumbling drums, is hair-raising, Maria's singing is appropriately impassioned (but not melodramatic), and the lyrics come through in a more personal way than they ever have for me. The six-minute length goes by in a flash; that's how engaging it is. There are some other highlights, including Garth Brooks' "We Shall Be Free," with vocal trade-off's between Maria, Joan Baez, Odetta and Holly Near, and a bluesy "Why Can't We Live Together," accented by fine electric guitar work by Shane Theriot, and an interesting reimagining of "War," one of those tunes one would not think could be effectively covered by anyone, the familiar Edwin Starr version being so definitive. Muldaur slows it down, giving the lyrics a chance to be absorbed in a new way. There are other familiar voices on this CD: Phoebe Snow can be heard wailing away on "Pray For The USA," and Bonnie Raitt joins in on the title song. Muldaur's excellent band, The Free Radicals, provides solid, energetic backing throughout.
   
   This is essentially an anti-war-themed album, as one can easily expect by looking at the cover art. What Muldaur does that makes the dread of slopping through a bunch of tired old hippie sentiments disappear, is infuse the whole project with a positive, uplifting energy. Her Women's Voices For Peace Choir, provides a gospel-flavored anchor for the rock, blues and folk styles presented, and gives the album a cohesive feel. This is good, old-fashioned sing-along music that manages to sound fresh and vital, surpassing, at least for this listener, all expectations. The finale, "Everyone In The World," with its East Indian flavor and Baez and Near adding their harmonies to the choir is just lovely, and a nice, unexpected contrast to the more blues & rock-oriented approach taken with most of what came before.
   
   There are so many ways in which this project could have gone terribly wrong. Most of the pitfalls were avoided, and although I'm sure Muldaur is primarily preaching to the choir, it is great not to be bored, as so often happens in overtly political material, with mawkishly earnest or serious content overshadowing one of the purposes of good music,: to be moved and entertained at the same time. Maria Muldaur certainly accomplishes this purpose on YES WE CAN!

2 comments about My Blueberry Nights.

1. "My Blueberry Nights" is a strong soundtrack collection. Norah Jones who stars in the film wrote the song "The Story" on set, which was included in the film. She sings, "I don't know how to begin because the story has been told before; I will sing along, I suppose it's just how it goes." Director Kar Wai explains in the liner notes that he went to music stores and bought CDs that were played on the stereo on cross country trips which scouted locations for the film. He loved Cat Power's CD The Greatest and included that title track and "Living Proof" from the CD on the soundtrack. Cassandra Wilson's recording of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" was another track that he put together with a slide show from the road trips to help Norah Young get a feel for the film's content. Ry Cooder also contributed to the film with several of his instrumentals being stand-out tracks such as "Long Ride" & "Bus Ride." Mavis Staples who also participated in the blockbuster set I Believe to My Soul turns in an amazing performance on "Eyes on the Prize." Gustavo Santaolalla's lovely instrumental "Pajaros" is a gentle instrumental lament. Ruth Brown, one of my favorite classic soul singers, has "Looking Back" included on the disc. Otis Redding's classic recording "Try a Little Tenderness" is also here. This is a very good soundtrack, diverse in feel to match the changing moods of the film, which I'm looking forward to seeing! Enjoy!



2. This soundtrack album is filled with gems. Why and how they put this cd together is beyond me, but it is filled with soul and wonderful tunes that probably fit the movie, but their compendium into an album does not make total sense to me. How does Ruth Brown fit with the others? What brings these songs together. I have a feeling that they were culled from someone's favorite records. Norah Jones maybe and used as a background to the movie, but they are too good to be background music. So how this came together is beyond me, but now that it is together it is a great cd of seemingly unrelated tunes. excellent. jack w.

5 comments about In Step.

1. This may be my all time favorite album, at least in the top 3. It's the one you'd chose to have it stranded on that desert island. It's perfect-what more can be said. Stevie was just hitting his peak-only the angels know what more outstanding stuff he could have blessed us with had he lived.
   Stevie's own words say it best-
   " Life without you....all the love you passed my way
   The angels have waited for so long....now they have their way
   Take your place...."



2. Though I had initially given the crown to Texas Flood, on second thought I think that In Step might, in fact, be the best studio release from the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan (and don't forget Double Trouble!).
   
   In Step is a non-stop, rockin' blues party, front to back, and is chock full of great tunes and greater guitar work. "The House is Rockin'," "Crossfire," and "Tightrope" are all favorites, of course, but the album really hits a great groove after the first three tracks that carries all the way through "Scratch-N-Sniff" and "Love Me Darlin'," before ending on a beautifully atmospheric blues note on "Riviera Paradise," which I've always felt is one of SRV's best tracks.
   
   Really an outstanding album!
   
   As for the bonus material, well, the album is great, by itself, so any bonus material is just that...a bonus!
   
   And on this album, the bonus tracks are really fantastic! SRV serves up live versions of three favorites, as well as a cover of Buddy Guy's "Let Me Love You Baby." All are top notch, and I particularly appreciate seeing one of my personal favorites, "Life Without You."
   
   Fantastic SRV! GET THIS!



3. I adore this album as I do all of his music. I only wish that he were still with us.



4. Okay, before you read this review, take a look at the ratio of other reviews regarding the number of stars given. At this moment, there were 57 5-Star reviews and 5 4-Star reviews. That says it all.
   
   The first few tracks on this album show why SRV is considered the best Blues guitarist ever. "The House is Rockin'", "Tightrope", and his best radio hit, "Crossfire", are symbolic of his trademark aggressiveness when the guitar is in his hands.
   
   One thing that a lot of people don't mention about SRV is his voice. The guitar is mesmerizing, but his voice a great compliment to his playing. Flat out, SRV shows his smoothness, not only in the album cuts, but also in the live cuts at the end.



5. Stevie Ray Vaughn's last cd shows his incredible creativiy and virtuosity. I highly recommend this cd as the ultimate SRV.

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Grant Street.

1. It should be said that Sonny Landreth is blindingly fast on guitar. Yet, after trying to like this album for more than a week, I just do not. And the reason is that my ears detect no soul at all in his playing. I am reminded of several other virtuoso guitarists (Walter Trout and Johnny Winter most specifically) who make an awful lot of noise, but very little listenable music. I am also missing entirely the Blues aspect of this recording. It's rock-and-roll. A little more attention to melody and continuity, and less fret-finger acrobatics, would help a lot.



2. this is about as high energy as a trio could get. But it's a lot more than just noise: excellent guitar work, solid vocals. not dinner-time music. but if you want music that will blow the roof off your head, this could be it.



3. I caught Sonny on tour last year and thought he was great. Almost all the material from his performance is on this CD and it really showcases his music. I am really impressed with Sonny and his bandmates in concert and here on the CD. Sonny's voice has really improved over the years and is now a strength. Of course his guitar playing ranges from excellent to phenomenal as always. I think this CD really does catch Landreth at his best. Every fan should own this recording and it's a great place for any newcomers to Sonny's sound to start.



4. Sonny Landreth has been kicking around for years and I've seen him as a member of John Hiatt & the Goners. My first exposure to him solo was at this years "Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival" outside of Chicago. After I got home that night, I immediately went onto Amazon.com and order his live CD "Grant Street". From the opening instrumental "Native Stepson" through the closing trck "Congo Square" this CD is filled with outstanding blues guitar playing and slide guitar playing as well. Other than being from Louisiana, I'm nt sure why he's classified as a country artist. This is pure bare bones Amrican power Blues. I like Sonny's voice too it blends wel with this style of music. He is backed by just a bass player and a drummer but the sound is full and brilliant. I will be purchasing more Sonny Landreth Cd's in the not too distant future.



5. There's not a guy who's heard this CD on my stereo or iPod who hasn't asked, "Who is that playing the guitar?" Yeah, no kidding, Sonny Landreth is da bomb, and Grant Street is a fantastic CD. Buy it if you enjoy superb guitar playing, you could not possibly be disappointed.Grant Street

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. This album simply cannot be beat. You get some of the greatest songs from one of the all-time great post-war bluesmen, Chester Burnett, a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf. If BB King is a fine wine, Howlin' Wolf is a shot of strong scotch. The CD starts out with Moaning at Midnight, a song which will send chills up your spine the first time you hear it....if anyone can be said to have an inimitable voice, it can be said of Chester Burnett.
   
   Personally, I was not sure I would like Howlin' Wolf as I was just getting into the genre of the blues, and so purchased this album instead of his 3 CD box set. Later, I also added His Best, Volume 2, to my collection. In any case, this album (or the box set), is a must have for anyone who loves the blues. Though it must be said that this is a must have for any lover of the blues, it is also probably just as true that it is a must have for any lover of music in general.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. Even before college I was grooving to the Wolf. When I got to the University of Rochester, my dreams came true. I got to produce a show with Wolf and his band in 1969. A dance/concert. It was extra special because before the show, we had a picnic thing...ribs, chicken etc., with the band and a surprise guest...Eddie 'Son' House!
   Thirty years later, I saw Hubert Sumlin at a festival in Maryland, and asked him to re-sign the poster from that '69 show. He told me the band, and Wolf, in particular, were blown away by the gig. 'Best show they ever did'!
   Muddy could do many things, but Wolf was the most visceral guy out there.
   I'll never forget the ladies' reactions to 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy and Built for Comfort.



3. There is absolutely no way to fault the material on this collection of masterpieces but... if you are a blues fan, you will want the box set or even more. There is just no one like the Wolf. I love a broad range of blues, from the earliest country blues pickers to the West Side soul crew, but not a one of them can stand up to the Wolf. The primal energy in these tracks has never been matched by any other artist and never will be. The band is almost supernatural in how well they play together and read each other, and, as if having the best songs to choose from (many of them written by legendary Willie Dixon) weren't enough, the icing on the cake is one of the most influential, inimitable, nastiest, just indescribably awesome guitar players of all-time HUBERT SUMLIN!!!



4. This is really just MCA/Chess' Howlin' Wolf-compilation "His Best" in new guise, but that's not a bad thing. "His Best" was by far the greatest single-disc Wolf-compilation on the market, and now this one is simply taking its place.
   
   But do you know what you are getting into here? Even people who like Muddy Waters are sometimes turned off by the "sound of heavy machinery operating on a gravel road" that was Howlin' Wolf's voice.
   Chester Arthur Burnett, the Howlin' Wolf, stood about 6'4" and weighed close to three hundred pounds in his prime, and his raw, throat-shredding vocals sound positively frightening on early cuts like "Moanin' At Midnight" and the clanging, piano-driven boogie of "How Many More Years", his first R&B hit, and the one which allowed him to proudly state that "I'm the onliest one drove out of the South like a gentleman!"
   
   This is electric blues of the highest order, rough and tough and extraordinarily powerful. The songwriting credits are shared about equally by the omnipresent Willie Dixon, who plays bass on most of these cuts, and the Wolf himself, and while few of these songs are as well-known as Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man" or Elmore James' "Dust My Broom", they are quite as magnificent.
   Wolf's tough "Who's Been Talkin'" is an incredibly gritty tour de force set to a thumping rhumba beat, and Dixon's horn-driven rave-up "Hidden Charms" features perhaps the greatest guitar solo ever comitted to tape, courtesy of Jimmy Page's and Eric Clapton's great hero, the extraordinary Hubert Sumlin.
   
   Other highlights include "Forty-Four", the eerie "Smokestack Lightnin'", the slide guitar-driven "Little Red Rooster" and the phenomenal "Killing Floor", written by Howlin' Wolf, shamelessly stolen by Led Zeppelin and covered by several others, but never surpassed, and featured here in the ultimate version, propelled by an incredibly catchy guitar riff by Hubert Sumlin, and with Buddy Guy on acoustic rhythm guitar.
   
   Almost every song is a highlight, actually. This CD is a corner stone in any serious blues collection...hard-rocking, bone-crunching electric blues, burning with the sheer ferocity of Chester Burnett's incredible voice.
   There was never anyone quite like the Wolf, and it doesn't seem likely that there will be.



5. With his demonic charisma and bone-chilling voice, Howlin' Wolf was one of the towering figures of the blues, a performer whose greatest moments served as electric counterparts to the incantations of Robert Johnson. As this 20 track compilation proves, the Wolf was one of the Chicago blues' most distinctive and darkly brilliant figures; his performances (and those of his superb backing bands) were pure atmosphere, full of late-night swagger and claustrophobic paranoia, with distorted guitars sneaking their way through gin soaked piano lines and uneasy rhythms. It was a raw, cathartic sound, characterized y manic joy and barely subdued fear. The result is one of the greatest bodies of work in the history of blues music.
   
   These 20 tracks can attest to that- the apocalyptic "Moanin' At Midnight" kicks off the proceedings wonderfully, setting the stage for the furious surrealism of "Smokestack Lightnin''" and the hulking sexuality of "Back Door Man." "Wang Dang Doodle" is as divinely deranged as any rockabilly track, and "Spoonful" is an absolutely spine-shredding slow burner, with a vocal performance that drips sexual innuendo. "Killing Floor" is a slinky, rhythmic strut, and "Evil" is as menacing as its title. This is a classic blues disc, and an essential purchase for anyone who doesn't already have these songs.

5 comments about Truth.

1. At last a CD of Robben Ford I really liked again. In line with his first albums (although nog as good as Handful of blues, in my opinion his tour de force, hence the four stars). He's still the master of the "smooth-blues", with very tastefull guitar solos and jazz-influences. I know of only two guys who put so much jazz in their blues, Robben Ford and Melvin Taylor. And both are masters at their craft. I recommend it.



2. Blues guitarist, Robben Ford (Yellowjackets), has a new album on Concord Records titled "Truth".
   The blues will never die is an axiom proven over and over again, but it does change shape.
   Robben Ford's latest release presents blues as they are today: in a powerful setting only a master veteran like Ford could envision.
   "The blues have always been socio-political", says Ford.
   In the opening song "Lateral Climb", he addresses the 9 to 5 grind, credit card debt, and the political frustrations we all experience.
   "Peace on My Mind" was inspired by Willie Dixon's "It Don't Make Sense, You Can't Make Peace", which Ford describes as an anti-war song without being too preachy.
   "If you're pointing the finger, no one wants to hear it. It's a portrait rather than a sermon. The truths I describe are self evident"
   In this set, Ford also incorporates playful tunes, like "You're Gonna Need a Friend", co-written by his wife and singer Anne Kerry Ford.
   In it, Ford subverts blues clichés, such as the evil lady who bedevils her victim.
   Other tracks on the album include a funky cover of Paul Simon's "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor", which features guest vocals by Susan Tedeschi, as well as loyal version of Otis Redding's early B-Side, "Nobody's Fault But Mine".
   This is an album from a jazz electric guitarist that has a splash of soul, a pinch of R & B and a dash of jazz.
   All of these genres mixed together form a musical brew that will enthrall listeners, and Ford's emotive lyrics will put the poignant feeling over the top.
   My favoutite tracks are : "Riley B. King", which has bluesier guitar work with a slow pace, "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man Floor" (on which Susan Tedeschi, with her soulful voice literally saves a cover of Paul Simon's song ) and "River Of Soul".
   I'm loving it.
   You will like it for sure!



3. This album was pretty good. Its the 2nd album I have purchased of Robben Ford.



4. One of the most uninspired CD's I've ever heard from Robben Ford. With the exception of a couple of cuts, this is the epitomy of average. I've followed his career for many years now and am pretty disappointed with this one. Tedeschi livens it up a little but Ford seems to have abandoned his guitar brilliance for a palate of pop style songs. I'll pick up some Yanni if that's what I'm looking for.



5. Robben has all kinds of different influences and unlike some other "fusion" players, he really does know how to play real jazz. The result is distinctive. Can you think of anyone else who sounds like Robben Ford? And when you see him, he never plays the same solo twice. He doesn't have to.
   
   I'm not sure he will ever top his performances with the Blue Line or on Talk To Your Daughter but there is a lot to like on Truth. From funky Lateral Climb to the sweet Riley B. King and my favorite, River of Soul which sounds like Steely Dan with a good guitar player. He even sings well.