2 comments about The Cream.

1. While 'The Cream' may sound like a greatest-hits record, it's actually not. It's John Lee Hooker just jamming with his group during a concert in California in late 1977. You get some of his finest songs here.
   
   Among the sides: A stunning live version of 'When My First Baby Left Me,' a killer version of 'Tupelo,' and a mighty fine version of 'Rock Steady.'
   
   Hooker's band is also mighty fine as well. I don't know the exact personnel, but they just jam along with John Lee Hooker.
   
   Overall, if you've never purchased a live album from John Lee Hooker, this is a mighty fine album to start with.
   
   Highly recommended for any John Lee Hooker fan. A classic. ENJOY!!!



2. This is one of the sweetest sounding Johnny Lee live CD's I have ever heard. The sound quality is excellent, and Hooker's voice is so great it scares me. This is a must for anyone who likes down home smokin & drinkin blues to the bone. Damnnn!!

3 comments about Mojo Lady.

1. I first heard his cover of "House of the Rising Sun" on a blues station and loved it! So of course I had to hear the rest of the CD (so I bought it). He has some great somgs on this album with a fun sound. I definitely recommend it for people that like blues with a "perky" beat and sound.



2. This is an amazing first-time CD by a very talented artist. Good voice; fastastic guitar; original music and arrangements; wonderful selections. I can't get enough of it and am buying two more CDs for relatives. I'd recommend this to anyone.



3. Where has this guy been? Tasteful guitar playing, great voice, great tunes. I can't wait to see this guy with his band live...hopefully he'll be at some of the major festivals soon.
   I give this CD my absolute highest rating.

1 comments about At Town Hall.

1. This is a very impressive live recording by Odetta. The reason I'm not giving this disc 5 stars is that, while it has comedic material, a trilogy of beautiful spirituals at the end, and amazing vocals throughout the disc, there is a definite lack of Blues material on the album. Still, this is a thoroughly enjoyable disc that is very cheap on Amazon.com. There are probably Odetta compilations that are better than this single disc concert cd, so the casual listener would be better off going with one of those. Odetta was a major influence on the young "folk" music crowd in New York City in the late '50s/early '60s. Unlike many of them, she could really sing and possessed a deep knowledge of the material she was performing. I'd live to see her live some time, even considering her advanced age.

No comments about Some Like It Raw.

No comments about Twenty Miles.

No comments about Complete Bloomington Indiana Concert, Vol.3, Pt 2 (3/30/68.

2 comments about Leadbelly: A Tribute.

1. LEADBELLY: A TRIBUTE is a transcription of a concert that took place at the Hunter College Assembly Hall (New York City), on March 15, 1976. Besides vintage recorded narration and music by Huddie Ledbetter himself, appearing on stage were Arlo Guthrie, the Lunenberg Travelers, Pete Seeger, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and Alan Lomax. The program consists of songs written and/or popularized by Leadbelly.
   
   Sound quality of this over 30 year-old folk concert is quite good and the performances are competent.



2. Obviously, when you die you have to stop making records (unless you're Jimi Hendrix, but that's another story). And the only way to keep your songs alive is to make sure that your pals keep singing them. This concert, recorded around 1977, brings together some of Leadbelly's friends and acquaintances, who then pay tribute to the man by basically phoning in their performances.

   We get decent, but not stellar performances from Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, who by this time were pretty much sick of each other and on the verge of breaking up. Sonny introduces "Poor Howard" by telling a story that even Leadbelly once said was wrong; Pete Seeger, an old friend, appears to be embellishing the stories he tells, too. His performances of "In the Pines" and "Bourgeois Blues" are pretty good, though.

   The only really great performances here belong to Arlo Guthrie. Always a showman, and clearly standing in for his late father (since he's way too young to have any kind of recollection of Leadbelly himself), he works the audience with "The Grey Goose" and keeps things bouncing along with "On a Monday." He then stays at the piano for the obligatory group finale with all the performers present.

   If you collect any of these artists, then by all means buy this. But otherwise, get a real Leadbelly album.

No comments about Frozen Alive!: Live in Japan.

No comments about Magic Slim, Vol. 1: Born on a Bad Sign.

No comments about Fingers on Fire.