5 comments about Live on Maxwell Street.

1. On this album, Robert Nighthawk makes his guitar almost sound human, it sounds as if it is crying. His voice is smooth as he effortlessly blends the music and his voice together.
   
   I especially love how he blends Annie Lee Blues and Sweet Black Angel into one smooth song. You can't tell where one ends and the other one begins. This album shows why he should have made it big.
   
   Juke Medley is one big jam session, the musicians played well together and make this album worth buying. Mama Talk to your Daughter with J.B. Lenoir on lead is very good.
   
   The harmonica of Mr. Carey Bell is good too. This album is worth buying.



2. Robert Nighthawk is a true master of slide guitar. His slide playing is low-down, dark, emotive, and causes me to make all kinds of strange facial expressions. Nighthawk had a relaxed singing voice and a decent variety of blues lyrics, though his real strength was his killer guitar playing. However, the song "Mama, Talk To Your Daughter" keeps me from giving this album 5 stars. The singer, who is probably not J.B. Lenoir, doesn't have the greatest voice and sometimes forgets to sing directly into the microphone. The song is also very repetitive, and is better when it's kept to three minutes or so in length, like Lenoir or John Lee Hooker's versions of it. Don't get me wrong; this is an awesome album, and one of the top three greatest live blues albums of all-time. The thirteen minute interview is very enjoyable and revealing. Nighthawk seems like a quiet, reserved, humble man, and it's a shame that some of the slide playing he demonstrates in the interview didn't provoke him to disregard the interview altogether and play entire songs! One can definitely see where Muddy Waters' solo on his live version of "Streamline Woman" came from; Muddy borrowed it from Nighthawk. As another reviewer said, if you are interested in the California, studio-produced, obnoxious, crappy music that is an indication of the downfall of Western Civilization, avoid this album because you won't like it. If you are interested in authentic electric blues, forget about Vaughan, Clapton and Johnny Winter for now, and get to the heart of electric blues- Robert Nighthawk, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf.



3. Ashlee Simpson fans would not appreciate this CD. This is real blues played live in a relaxed setting.
   
   The setting is a city street in Chicago. In the background can be heard cheers of encouragement from the artist's friends, and occassionally a truck engine or car horn can be heard. This was not done in a studio with 157 takes and then technologically enhanced. This is real.
   
   Robert Nighthawk was an extremely laid back yet talented musician. As I listen to this CD, I wonder why he wasn't huge.



4. Robert Lee McCollum was one of the major innovators of electric blues. He was a stylish and extremely versatile slide guitarist, and the man behind blues classics such as "Anna Lee" and the definitive reading of "Sweet Black Angel" (a song which is usually associated with B.B. King, who re-named it "Sweet Little Angel").
   Nighthawk was a source of inspiration to both Muddy Waters and Elmore James, and it is easy to understand why once you have listened to this album.
   
   Producer Norman Dayron recorded "Live On Maxwell Street" on the corner of Peoria and 14th Street in Chicago, Illinois, on September 24th 1964, and while all of these recordings are avilable on the box set "And This Is Maxwell Street", along with another hour of music, only hardcore fans will need to seek that one out. Almost all of the recordings featuring Robert Nighthawk are included here, and the rest, while certainly of interest to collectors and serious blues fans, is not nearly as essential, and most listeners will be better served by this much less expensive but extremely well compiled album.
   
   Robert Nighthawk is backed by just drums and a rhythm guitar on most of the tracks, although on three or four of them, harpist Carey Bell lends a hand.
   The sound is surprisingly good, considering the circumstances (you can sometimes hear people talking, applauding and yelling in the background, and even a car driving by!), and the songs are simply excellent. Nighthawk does a raw, powerful cover of Big Joe Turner's "Honey Hush", a slow, menacing "Cheating And Lying Blues", a mournful "I Need Your Love So Bad", and a terrific medley of "Anna Lee" and "Sweet Black Angel" which will make you look quite silly as you move your upper body back and forth to the rhythm!
   
   Nighthawk's amplified slide guitar playing is every bit as powerful as anything ever recorded by Muddy Waters or slide specialist Earl Hooker, and since he usually played in standart tuning (an unusual choice), he was able to suddenly crank out a fiery, twelve-bar single-string solo...evident on "The Time Have Come", which should be a blueprint for everyone who wishes to play electric blues!
   
   On the CD reissue of this album, four bonus cuts and an interview segment with Nighthawk is added. One of the bonus tracks is an exuberant live version of "Mama Talk To Your Daughter", the J.B. Lenoir classic, and even though it's really impossible to be sure, the credits list Lenoir himself as the singer. A more likely bid appears to be the lesser-known Robert "Big Mojo" Elam, however. He seems to have gotten his nickname because of his rousing performances of the song "Mojo Boogie" by, yes, J.B. Lenoir.
   
   Robert Nighthawk never achieved the blues icon status of his Chicago contemporaries Waters, Earl Hooker and Elmore James, partly because of his seeming lack of interest in recording, but he was nevertheless one of the first to effortlessly bridge the gap between country blues and urban blues, and he should be recognized as one of the true greats of the Chicago blues scene. His slide guitar playing could be raw and gritty or smooth as cream, and this album is one of the essentials of any collection of electric Chicago blues (along with "Muddy Waters at Newport", "Down And Out Blues" by Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin' Wolf's first two LPs, and pretty much anything by Elmore James!).



5. In my view, anyone interested in hearing this music would be best advised to leave this page and go directly to "And This Is Maxwell Street" (see link above) for information.

   The music is very fine, indeed, but, in my opinion, this is the least attractive presentation of it currently available. Everything on this disc is on the legitimately produced 3-CD "And This Is Maxwell Street" set (from Rooster Blues Records), and the sound seems better on that set too. The multiple CD "And This Is Maxwell Street" set includes many tracks not included here and even has a third bonus disc with Michael Bloomfield's complete 44-minute interview of Nighthawk made in 1964 as part of the documentary project that led to the creation of Mike Shea's film "And This Is Free," the ultimate source of this music. "And This Is Maxwell Street" also includes snippets of band chatter between numbers, street noise, preachers preaching, car horns--the atmosphere of the openair market where the music was recorded. The producers have succeeded in making you feel like you are there on Maxwell Street on a summer Sunday in 1964. All the mood is lost in the edited tracks that appear on the disc reviewed here.

   The disc reviewed here is presented in an unattractive package. The liner notes are the same as those used when the music was first released many years ago (and, I suspect, re-used without their author's knowledge), completely ignoring the vast amount of new information about these recordings that has come to light and repeating attributions that were suspect long ago. In contrast, the 60-page booklet that accompanies "And This Is Maxwell Street" is lavishly illustrated and highly informative and makes a notable effort to be honest about uncertain attributions. It is in itself almost worth the price of the discs. Perhaps most notable among the mistaken attributions on the disc reviewed here is the attribution of "Mama, Talk To Your Daughter" as being performed by J.B. Lenoir.

   The title of this disc claims that these tracks have been remastered, but it sounds identical to the old one to me. At least one record store manager has said to me he thinks even the LP sounded better than this.

   In short, I see no reason to bother with this disc. Go straight to "And This Is Maxwell Street."

5 comments about A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan.

1. 
   Vaughan's old band, led by his brother Jimmie, and a group of big-name blues-rock stars, play tribute to the late-great blues man. Guests are B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Dr. John and Art Neville.
   
   In between the songs are tributes by those guests, and some short excerpts of Vaughan's performances from various concerts. Those excerpts are great, and really show off Stevie Ray's extraordinary talent.
   
   Speaking of talent, all the guests are entertaining and fun to hear. Buddy Guy is fun to watch, too. Does anybody have more fun playing blues on his guitar than Guy? Nobody, frankly, does a super song but they are all good and, for just $10, this is a good deal.. The best number is at the end when the group jam and takes turns with solos. The finale, "SRV Shuffle," to me, was the best song on the DVD. It's so good I get tears in my eyes every time I watch and hear that last number.



2. This is one of the best of ACL and that's saying a whole lot. This 1995 tribute to Austin-based Stevie Ray Vaughn featured an all-star cast, including Stevie's brother, Jimmy, Eric Clapton, BB King, Bonnie Raitt, and more.
   
   "Pride and Joy" by Bonnie Raitt is probably my favorite of the bunch, but there's not a bad song in the collection.
   
   For such a short life, Stevie Ray Vaughn made an outstanding contribution to blues and guitar and he will be sorely missed. In my opinion, this is one of the best tributes I have ever seen or heard.



3. Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King are my two favorite electric blue guitarists. I've had this CD for 10 years and it's just as great every time I play it. Until the last month (December 2006) I didn't know about amazon.com's venue for reviews, so Shaq is making up for lost time. This is without a doubt a 5 star classic! With stars paying tribute to Stevie, such as Bonnie Raitt, BB, Buddy Guy, Clapton, Doctor John, Robert Cray, brother Jimmie, and others. Buddy Guy performs a "haunting" version of "Long Way From Home". The lyrics for "Six Strings Down", which basically, welcomes Stevie to blues heaven, where he joins with the likes of Albert King, Freddie King, Albert Collins, T-bone and others, is intelligent, touching, and oh yea! Has a good beat! SHAQ BLUES HISTORICAL TRIVIA NOTE FOR MY LOYAL BLUES FANS: "The night Stevie died, at the end of the concert in Wisconsin, Eric Clapton, told Stevie, with witnesses, "You're the best blues guitarist I ever heard!" By the way, read all of Shaq's blues reviews for all kinds of nuggets like these. P.S. Stevie's last recorded CD is "Family Style". I'll rate it a 5 here because I can't find it on amazon. It's a 4 musically, but the fact that it was the last CD he recorded, in addition to being the reuniting of brothers Stevie and Jimmie, and the hatchet between the brothers was buried.



4. Tribute albums aoften strike me as a collection of poor imitations of the original- but this is different. First and foremost, everyone on it was close to SRV, from his brother on down. They knew him, they played with him, and they understood his style. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, this was a live concert. Instead of a bunch of gunslingers trying to out-SRV each other in a studio, you have a group of great musicians, each a great stylist in their own right, and none of whom has to prove anything to anyone. The result is magical music that serves as a true tribute to that great Texas guitar player, Stevie Ray Vaughn.



5. This CD has the best blues musicians in the world paying tribute to SRV.
   Bonnie Raitt opens with a killer slide version of Pride and Joy,
   Jimmy Vaughn does a great version of Texas Flood second only to the version by Stevie.
   BB King does Telephone Song. Buddy Guy almost steals the show with Long Way From Home.
   Eric Clapton does a solid version on Aint Gonna Give Up On Love.
   Robert Cray does a strong version of Love Struck Baby
   This is a fitting tribute of musicians who are honoring SRV along with SRV's former band members.
   This is a must for any SRV fan, or any blues fan............

1 comments about Electric Chubbyland, Vol. 2.

1. Popa Chubby, after playing at a Jimi Hendrix tribute show, heard many comments from fans that he should record some Hendrix songs. So he did.
   
   Recorded over two nights at a small club in Middletown, NY, Popa Chubby just goes to town on the Jimi Hendrix catalog.
   
   If you're not familiar with Popa Chubby, the dude can play some mean blues guitar and he plays some really great stuff here.
   
   Buy both volumes because they make a hell of a collection.
   
   You won't be disappointed with these discs!

5 comments about Live at the Fillmore.

1. Muddy Waters said "another mule been kickin' in your stall" (Long Distance Call).
   It's all about the sexual tension between men and women - the life blood of rock 'n' roll.
   This CD pulls and yanks that tension to amazing places with a heavy emphasis on the interrelationship of blues and R&B. As I'm writing I'm on my second listening to this CD and thinking, if it weren't for rock'n'roll and hockey, why are we here?
   I cannot fathom why some reviewers have problems with this CD. Maybe they just don't get that the blues and R&B are innseparable.



2. This CD is excellent - just like every other CD put out by The Tommy Castro Band. You will be hopping and bopping - to soulful, fun blues. A "bad sax solo" out of Mr. Crossan? NEVER - and if you buy this CD - you won't hear one either. CMD in Mass.



3. This cd seems to not quite get it.Tommy is a fantastic blues guitar player.He has made great cd`s in exception to the rule and right as rain,but those were in the blues mode.I don`t want to hear a talent like this just trying to make you boogie,come on this guy is a great guitar player.Tommy please,stick to the blues.



4. you can't separate the power of blues and the spirit of soul...and trust me, every lick of tommy's guitar and every shriek or whisper of his raspy soulful voice, will knock you off your feet, and if your booty ain't shaking by the end of the first track, i suggest you have cpr administered immeaditely...buy this cd...you wont regret it one second...better yet see the band live..you will walk away a firm believer...that they are the real deal



5. Tommy Castro rocks. He sings like Delbert & plays guitar like Buddy & Stevie. If you listen to this in you car, be careful to watch your odometer because the uptempo boogie-woogie blues will have you speeding in no time.

5 comments about Live in Japan.

1. Even if you own "Live at the Regal", you can't go wrong picking this up. Just as "Miles In Tokyo" benefits from audience reception, so too does "Live In Japan". It really is that good.

   There's an exhuberance on this recording that can rarely be found in live 'blues' albums. The band is spot-on, the solos are immaculate, and the recording is clear as a whistle. On top of that, it's a double-album worth of material, and none of it is filler.




2. This is vintage BB King complete with a band providing piano, trombone, trumpet and sax for that jazzy blues feel. Recorded live in 1971 at Sankei Hall, Tokyo, Japan the CD is fast moving and has an air of excitement surrounding it. In addition to the staples, "Every Day I Have The Blues", "How Blue Can You Get?", "The Thrill Is Gone" the disc contains some rarities such as "Niji Baby", "Japanese Boogie", "Jamming at Sankei Hall" and "Hikari #88". A fine performance from a living legend.



3. Cook County Jail is considered a classic, with good reason. Live at the Regal is considered even more classic, with less reason (although it would be difficult to top the first few songs on that set). This set was bumped aside from American release by a busy schedule of B.B King records. But it blows away every B.B. King live record I've heard, including the classics. Don't know what it is about blues singers in Japan (Otis Rush also recorded a tremendous live set in Japan) but the audiences seem to elicit best performances. This disk sounds fabulous and B.B.'s singing is great, although not quite as great as his guitar playing. He plays all kinds of blues in all tempos and just nails 'Sweet Sixteen' and 'Thrill is Gone' (better than the very fine Cook County versions in both cases). Please try this disk out!



4. Don't want to sound like an echo, but this album is a real treasure. Not enough banter? I'd rather hear the man play Lucille, & play he does... all over this disc, & than some. He's in absolutely fine form on this night, & there are some obscure gems on this set that will delight the BB King fan.

   After having this disc for a few months... I ask myself if it isn't more enjoyable than the acclaimed Regal album. This album is THAT good. Highly, highly recommended!!




5. Being a blues guitarist from Memphis, I think I have a unique perspective of BB and his legacy. I will make this short. Buy this album, Live At the Regal, and Blues Is King. If you have more than that, you are a die hard fan, and need this CD anyway. It truly is wonderful. BB stretches out, and plays more than any other CD he has done. Truly inspired.

5 comments about Live '92/'93.

1. It's amazing some of the idiots that bring down a solid release with one star reviews. The sound quality and performances on this disc are fine.
   R.I.P. brother.



2. If you are one of "Shaq's, The King Of The World Blues Reviewer's" loyal fans, you of course know that Albert Collins is one of my six favorite electric blues guitarists! Once again, a great blues performance, is hampered by faulty recording quality. The power and verve, that a true blues fan, knows is Albert Collins, is simply thwarted by the lack of loud, clear, sound. As usual, I was in a blues funk, due to the lack of any new quality electric blues on the market, so in February 2007, I took a chance, knowing the odds about buying an older (? Jeez! 1992 & 1993 ain't that old!) blues CD. What a disappointment! If you at least want some historical data in this review, here it is. The first part of the live recordings, were in 92 at Montreux, Switzerland, before Albert knew he was dying. The 2nd half of these live recordings, were in 93 in Illinois, when Albert knew he was dying, which he did in November of that year. Despite, being on deaths "door steps", Albert still played with enthusiasm, and his unmatched humorous look at life. If you're a blues collector, that might be enough to warrant your purchase. If you want Albert at his best, (I'm not talking about his health, I'm talking about recording quality!) this CD isn't for you!



3. I am a big fan of Albert's guitar playing and I bought this CD hoping that his last material before his death would be good to have and listen to. I am not disappointed with Albert's playing but the recording quality is woeful and it is not worth paying the money for unless you have to have all Albert's recordings, his other live material is much better. Sorry but it's simply not up to scratch for a 1990's recording



4. This is one of my favorite recordings from one of my favorite guitarists. If you want to play in Texas, you have to play music that people can dance to. Cowboys, oil workers, black folks and Mexican Americans all love to dance in Texas and expect to hear dancin' music when they go out to clubs. This influence is heard in most of the works of Mr. Collins, a Texas native, and especially in this CD.



5. These performances were recorded shortly before Collins' death in late 1993, but rather than sounding tired, they offer proof that the "Master of the Telecaster" remained a commanding stage presence until the end.

   Albert Collins' highly original, percussive guitar playing is still sharp, and his vocals are strong and soulful. He is backed by an excellent band which includes two sax players and a trumpet, and they offer solid backing and the occational soul-revue riff without overwhelming the 60-year old guitarist.

   Collins and his band swing on the superb "If You Love Me Like You Say" and the funky "Iceman", and they groove on the eight-minute blues workout "Put The Shoe On The Other Foot".
   Other highlights include the rocking "Travelin' South" and the sweaty soul of "Talkin' Woman". And listen to Albert Collins' solo on "Iceman", and his take on T-Bone Walker's classic "T-Bone Shuffle"...Collins played without a pick, and often used a capo high up on the neck of his slightly metallic sounding Telecaster, plucking tinkling, piercingly clear notes from the strings (this was the technique which gave his playing its "icy" tone).

   This is a strong collection of some of Collins' best and most accessible latter-day material. It is a great place to start if you're new to the music of Albert Collins, and a must-have if you're a fan.
   Definitely recommended.

1 comments about Blues Is Alright: Live at Kalamazoo.

1. Varese Records presents the blues artists Little Milton, Mighty Sam McClain and Reverend Raven & His Chain-Smoking Altar Boys with a latest release "The Blues Is Alright/Live at the Kalamazoo Blues Fest" ~ first disc features Little Milton with an array of top notch blues cues "I DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS", "JUST ONE MOMENT", "STILL SOME MEAT LEFT ON THIS BONE"and a Slow Blues Medley:"CATCH YOU ON YOUR WAY DOWN", "ANNIE MAE'S CAFE", "LITTLE BLUEBIRD", "I WOULDN'T TAKE NOTHING FOR YOUR LOVE" and "THE BLUES IS ALRIGHT" ~ with an originality and delivery we've come to love.

   The second disc divides the selections in half with Mighty Sam McClain performing his signature classic "NEW MAN IN TOWN", and another tidbit "ALL WE NEED IS LOVE" listen and soak up his talent ~ now with Reverend Raven (and his Chain-Smoking Altar Boys), harmonica (Slim Harpo) with essential cues of "MY BACK SCRATCHER" "BORN IN CHICAGO" and "BIG BEE" makes this package a must have ~ with high voltage drawing power ~ a full-blown event in the genre of BLUES!...gotta love it!

   Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Varese Records 66545 ~ (3/09/2004)

5 comments about Your Game: Live at the 9:30 Club Washington, D.C..

1. HIS STYLE IS SO HEY WILD,
   THE MUSIC MAKES YOU WANT TO SMILE,

   GO-GO IS THE REAL BEAT,
   THE SOUND MAKES YOU MOVE YOUR FEET.
   
   SOME OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW
   ABOUT THIS MUSIC CALLED GO-GO.

   TOO BAD, NOT TOO LATE,
   YOU NEED TO FIND OUT, WHILE IT STILL AWAITS.

   STEP UP IN DA CLUB;
   ASK THE DJ WHAT'S UP.

   HE KNOWS ABOUT THIS SYNCOPATED BEAT.
   THIS SOUND IS HEARD ALL THROUGH THE STREETS.

   SEE YA LATER PEACE OUT.
   JUST REMEMBER, GO-GO IS THE REAL STYLE!!!!!

   GOGO LAKA




2. THIS IS THE REAL LIVE GROOVE OF GO GO MUSIC. CHUCK BROWN WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THE BASS IN HIS VOICE TELLS THE AUDIENCES THAT THIS IS THE CAREER HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR. THE INSTRUMENTS USED FOR GO GO MUSIC IS OUTSTANDING. I AM A FORMER RESIDENT OF D.C. I AM NOW LIVING IN SUFFOLK, VA, WHICH TO ME IS BAMMA. ANYWAY, CHUCK BROWN, IS THE ONE TRUE GO GO MICKEY. HE IS THE ORIGINGAL GODFATHER OF GO GO. PEACE OUT.



3. Go-go is D.C.'s indigenous funk, but I'll freely admit that I'm way less familiar with it than I really should be. This realization came upon me with astonishing force upon listening to this record, which is unlike anything else I've ever heard except Chuck's actual live show, which I had to check out after hearing this CD.
   The audience for this live show seems to be specially selected people who know every rite of the go-go show and who appreciate the cameos from Jas, Funk, Benny, Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson (some irony there), and other special guest artists from old school go-go luminaries such as Trouble Funk. I hope one day to be well-enough versed in go-go to savor such moments.
   Coming to this CD from classical and hip-hop, though, there are priceless moments enough. A horn riff with (electronic piano doubling as) harpsichord under it in the opening "Wind Me Up, Chuck" sounds freaking exactly like the opening ritornello in Bach's second Brandenburg Concerto, but about five million times funkier. Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" gets a conga-driven workout and some ultrasmooth Chuckster lyrics. "2001 (That'll Work)" again takes a classical work, in this case "Dawn" from Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra, and funkafies it mercilessly into the go-go strut, producing extra-special glee for anyone who likes historical irony and remembers Strauss's vile late-life racism. "No Diggity," the one hit in the wonder that was Blackstreet, and the Kool Moe Dee classic "Do You Know What Time It Is?" both get slamming covers towards the close of the album, showing that Chuck and his band can cover all the R&B bases they choose to.
   But mostly this record is about bold, jazzy brass playing, guitar riffs powerful enough to shake mountains, Chuck's magesterial presence, and the go-go beat powering it all. It's really a wonderful thing, and the only reason I don't play this record more than I do is that I'm worried about becoming inured to its glories.
   The fact that the first of like five shout-outs to Silver Spring occurs at 4:26 into the record is purely incidental to my enjoyment of it, by the way.



4. Chuck Brown brings Go-Go home where it belongs.....Go-Go is live, Audience-interaction, Conga-smacking, Backbeat-Drumming......if you are ever in DC.....Check out Chuck Brown.....this cd is hot



5. Is it possible for a CD to have one beat throughout its entire length, and still be as good to your head as to your booty? If Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers are layin the groove down the answer is yes. Mr. Brown invented one beat--the go go beat--and he's stuck to it, but what he does on top of that beat is what keeps your attention. His guitar, the bass, keys, and especially the horns are all over the place in the jazziest sense of the word. Brown is a master, classy MC for the party. I have several other live discs by CB and this may be the best. Recommended highly for anyone who likes their music loose and funky.

5 comments about Live at Ann Arbor & In Chicago.

1. sound quality - not so good. everything else about this disc -excellent. actually the sound makes it sound like getting your hands on a blues album, getting it down to your old turntable, and playing it trying to pick up any thing you can from it. he is definitely magic.



2. Live at Ann Arbor and In Chicago does not have the greatest sound. This fact would be admitted by anyone. Any concert taped by a tape recorder can only be remastered so much, if at all. So understand that the sound on this recording is not the best.
   
   But when you consider that Magic Sam Maghett was one of the great blues guitarists ever, that he has influenced every generation of blues musicians since his arrival on the scene, and when you remember that when he died in 1969 at the age of 32 with only two recorded albums, you should be willing to give a little to get a whole lot back.
   
   And these recording do give a lot. They show the Magic Sam we know and love from West Side Soul and Black Magic, the skilled guitarist, the compelling, pleading voice, and gifted songwriter. But they also show a Sam Maghett we would encounter only a live show - a master showman who knew how to engage his audience, a performer who might show up to a gig without a guitar or a band, but who could dig up a guitar and a band, and sound as if they had rehearsed for days.
   
   This live recording is a valuable document for all blues and Magic Sam lovers. Don't miss out because of understandable imperfections.



3. Currently, I'm goin' through the 'Rough Guide to the Blues' matching my own blues collection w/ the recommendations in the book - hoping to refine and add to my current discs; this 'live' disc is a top recommendation - personally, I do not own this CD, but I have had 'West Side Soul' & 'Black Magic' for many years - great albums; thus, I probably will not buy this 'live' compilation but its reputation and the writings of others certainly warrants a higher rating, despite the poor sound, often a 'victim' of these outings.



4. SO HERE HE IS...MAGIC SAM...LIVE...AS WELL AS NOT LIVING...ANYWAY YOU HAVE HIM HE IS A GREAT MAN OF THE BLUES...SO WHAT IF SOME OF THE TRACKS ARE NOT PRODUCED UP TO THE LEVEL OF OTHER RECORDINGS....THEY ARE THE BLUES....AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS....THE BLUES IS A FEEL...LIKE A BLESSING FROM HEAVEN....BLUES COMING THROUGH MAGIC SAM IS A WONDERFUL THING TO BE AROUND....DIG HIS LIVE TRACKS...IT SAYS IT ALL...RAW ...ROLLICKING...AND REAL...THAT IS WHAT THE BLUES IS ...WAS....AND WILL ALWAYS BE....THANK YOU MAGIC SAM...YOU ARE MUCH MORE THAN MAGIC...YOU ARE A MIRACLE...HOLLYWOOD JOE http://www.hollywoodjoe.com http://www.hollywoodjoe.8m.com hollywoodjoe@usa.com 212-989-6193



5. Magic Sam was magic.One of the greatest blues talents ever.This was one hell of a show,great guitar and great vocals.The setlist was also very good.The only problem is the sound,it's really bad.Save your money and buy one of his studio albums.I suggest either West side soul or Black magic.You won't be sorry.

5 comments about Live on Beale Street.

1. Much has been made about Bobby Bland's voice not being what it once was. He is still one of the great ones, and if one weren't aware how truly extraordinary he once was, listening to him now wouldn't be quite so depressing. But, except for the occasional trademark phlegm induced growl he'll let out, he is still great. This CD was recorded at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis where Bland made a name for himself. He is in good form as is his solid rhythm section. The real treat is that for recording purposes Bland and Malaco Records added a keyboard player to his regular band. They got renowned songwriter and session man Carson Whitsett, who played on several Bland albums as Malaco's band leader. Whitsett is absolutely terrific. His B-3 organ work really adds life to this concert, especially since Bland's horn section unfortunately gets worse and worse as the show progresses.

   Southern Soul fans will be delighted as "Bad" Bobby Rush and Johnnie Taylor join Bland on stage. Rush is typically hilarious, and J.T., in one of his last appearances, shows what an absolute superstar he was as he belts out the Bland staple "Stormy Monday".

   Among the highlights are three songs that appeared on Bland's 1961 landmark Two Steps From the Blues album: "I Pity the Fool", "St. James Infirmary", and the wonderful "I'll Take Care Of You". The band is especially tight on Tommy Tate's and Cookie Palmer's "Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time" originally released on Malaco in 1987. Another great moment is Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine". Somewhat ironically, the original was produced by Booker T. Jones, who also played on it. Whitsett, whose playing as the song ends is almost epic, replaced Jones for a while with the MGs.

   All and all, this is an excellent live Blues show that holds up very well amongst the recordings of the legendary Bobby "Blue" Bland. It is also available on VHS and DVD.




2. ...superlatives fail me. You just gotta hear it/gotta have it. A masterful Beale Street performance of (the classics and the 'Malaco moderns') Bobby Blue Bland and his revue. Blues you can use. Do not, do not, do not miss out...



3. How long have we been waiting for this? Bobby Bland with his overwhelming band LIVE ON BEALE STREET? I am a blues fan from Germany who saw Bobby several times in the States, in Chicago and New York City. Bobby is without doubt the greatest blues singer and he proves this on this occasion. Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Rush, longtime chitlin-curcuit friends round the great recording up. Only negative side: Bobby, please look for a different horn section!! They are not in tune on this CD and not on other concerts. 5 stars for the atmosphere, the sound , the rhythm-section (10 stars!!!) and the star, only 2 stars for the horns. Nevertheless that' s the stuff dreams are made of.



4. Bobby is and always will be the greatest Man of Blues. Live on B. Street is running a close second to an actual appearance by this great and hypnotic story teller. Ain't no sunshine...Members only...all of the greatest with a little help from Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Rush welcomed but unneccesary. Bobby has the style and sound of something so soothing and warm. I recently enjoyed seeing Bobby in Mpls and he is looking and sounding better than ever before. Keep it up, hear!



5. After seeing Bobby live for the first time in Mpls in 1993 I have been hooked on Bobby- I recently saw Bobby Nov.' 98 and this album is the closest thing to being at his show. There is nothing better than Bobby live. Bobby doesn't need help, however he gets a little help on this album from a few greats Johnny Taylor - Bobby Rush. Live on B. Street is melodic, strong and soothin - Thank you Bobby.