5 comments about Live at the Regal.

1. So they finally went back and remastered the muddy audio on this classic album! The new sound is fantastic -- clear as a bell. Sadly, while the audio was being cleaned up, no one bothered to clean up the very, very sloppy edits (especially in the second half), such as when the second intro of B.B. (why two separate intros, anyway?) gets abruptly chopped off and goes right into a song that from the background crowd noise came at some other point in the show. If you're going to do a live album, the tracks should at least create the illusion of a live show, especially in this digital era when fade-outs and fade-ins are no longer used, and audience applause can be smoothly edited in to create seamless transitions!
   
   The performance is powerful and this is definitely a 5-star recording that has been royally botched by sloppy and oh-so-obvious edits. In addition, many remasters go back and add in some bonus tracks. If no original source material survives (which may be the case 42 years after this performance!), then something from the era is added as a bonus and the CD is fleshed out to anywhere from 60 to 79 minutes long. Not here. You get the original 35 minutes. No more. No less.
   
   Anyone who's seen what Legacy is doing with classic LPs (adding more to the original CD, plus a second CD of extra material) by Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, The Who, etc., surely have some idea how this great LP could have been updated for the 21st century. What we get is clearer audio, and nothing else. What a disappointment!



2. B.B. King-Live At The Regal *****
   
   Recorded live at the Regal in Chicago in 1964 this went on to become what is now widely considered the all time greatest live blues album. This is rightly deserved as this is in fact the greatest live blues album of all time.
   
   King's single note guitar lines are crisp as ever, and his vocals are beyond comparison. Aside from being obviously his best live recording, Live At The Regal is the best recording of King period. This is with out a doubt the best version of 'Sweet Little Angel' ever released. The essential version is more correct. 'Every Day I Have The Blues' and 'Its My Own Fault' are among some of the most inspired performances ever caught on tape. The albums closer 'Help The Poor' is just gut-wrenching. Pure bliss!
   
   This performance is pure electric. With every passing listen to Live At The Regal I still get chills all down my spine, and if you ask me that is the mark of a fantastic album after all these years and listens.



3. As a Memphis native, I have heard B.B. on many occasions. Never have I seen or hear him play with the same passion he did here in 1964. The quality of the recording is outstanding, with Lucille giving the center-stage on many occasions. The clarity and quality is amazing for a forty year old recording. This is the live B.B. King recording to buy. The Cook County Jail performance from 1971 is a close second, but the quality is not nearly as good.



4. recorded live at the regal theatre, chicago in 1964, this is generally considered b.b. king's best album, and deservedly so. this is simply one of the great urban blues albums of all-time. b.b.'s singing is as powerful and nuanced on this recording as it was ever to be, before or after. his guitar playing is at a peak of expressive beauty here, far more tasteful and beyond the technic, at this point, of what any rock and roll guitarist was yet capable of. yes, the rock and rollers would improve greatly in time, but this was 1964, and King was the undisputed guitar king. a fine horn section, it should be mentioned, also graces the album. the whole affair is magical. a great night in recording history.



5. BB King's Live at the Regal is a recording of a great show performed at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1965. Considered among many, including myself, as his greatest album its a must for any blues collection. King is at the top of his form and you can hear it in his guitar playing. His band gives their all and, importantly, the song selections are magnificent.
   
   Its a great recording of a great performance. Its also a perfect introduction to the blues for neophytes as well. Highly recommended.

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 Black Snake Moan.

1. An awesome CD!!! I really liked the movie, and absolutely had to have the soundtrack. Blues at its very best!!



2. 
   This is a very good collection of blues, and Samuel L Jackson really does lend an amazing voice to the collection. Just like his acting style is his own, so is his way of singing. I'm honestly impressed by his voice and style.
   
   The music is a nice blend of blues, rock, and almost ethereal, hynotic- spacey tunes.
   
   Some tracks are better than others, and though I have my favorites, I didn't skip over a single track.
   
   Is it the best blues CD ever? No. But for beginners and aficionados, it's a nice listen.
   
   Samuel L Jackson fits in well, and his authentic (not seemingly trained just for the movie) voice made the CD worth buying, for me at least.
   



3. This is an awesome soundtrack. If you love the blues you will definitely love this cd.



4. An extremely peculiar film from Craig Brewer, the director of Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan is a deep-South drama covering topics as diverse as promiscuity, religion, redemption, love, and Blues music. Samuel L. Jackson plays farmer and part-time blues musician Lazarus, who wakes up one morning to find a young woman named Rae (Christina Ricci), badly beaten and unconscious, lying half-naked in his yard. A childhood victim of sexual abuse, Rae had developed into the town tramp, using her sex addiction as a replacement for the love she has never felt in her life. Lazarus, however, seeing a chance to redeem both himself and Rae, takes it upon himself to `cure' Rae of her illness - and proceeds to chain her to the radiator of his remote farmhouse, forcing her to endure sexual cold turkey. And so begins a truly unusual friendship between the pair - and, as always happens in these things, they learn more about life from each other than they ever expected. As one might expect, the film's music is heavily rooted in the musical heritage of the deep South, especially that of blues artists such as R.L. Burnside, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House and the North Mississippi Allstars. Jackson performs a number of himself, his distinctive deep voice sounding very authentic when performing tracks like the forlorn "Just Like a Bird Without a Feather", the rollicking "Alice Mae", the angry/funny/dirty-sounding "Stack-o-Lee", and the languorous, eponymous "Black Snake Moan". Composer Scott Bomar's score is limited to just three cues and around 5 minutes in length, comprising mainly blues instrumentals, electric guitars, and ambient electronic textures, although his work arranging the blues tracks heard in the movie is important and impressive in context. Not really one for score fans, but recommended for fans of modern blues.



5. Black snake moan gives a raw and at the same time gentle look at two scarred people who succeed in helping eachother. Magnificent acting in combination with the very best of blues. I enjoyed it very much.

5 comments about His Best :(Little Walter)The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection.

1. Picture yourself in a crowded juke joint or blues bar on the southside of Chicago in the late '40's. Muddy Waters is about to play. He's already gone electric; I mean, he had to, to be heard over all the talking and yelling and what not. His harp player has about blown out a lung trying to be heard over all that din. Walter Jacobs has been doing a bit of experimenting himself, in an attempt to amplify the sound of that little instrument. Tonight he actually grabs the microphone off the stand, bumping it up close enough in his clasped hands to touch the harp. He cranks up the volume and starts to blow. The sound coming out of the amp is unlike anything anyone's ever heard. It's got a deep, heavy, honking, sexy wail, nothing at all like the unamplified harmonica sound of "country" blues. Men and women alike dance ecstatically, screaming and crying in excitement, over this new and intoxicating sound, this amazingly sensuous and insinuating beat. Necessity is the mother of invention; the guy was simply tired of people yelling that they couldn't hear him. So, being the innovator he was, he came up with a simple adjustment in technique.
   
   This small act completely revolutionized the blues. Walter Jacobs, probably more than any other individual, has influenced every person who has ever played electric blues. When it comes to harp players, he is the undisputed king, the god, the creator, the originator. You can listen to anyone who's ever played amplified harp since it begun, somewhere late '40's, and you will hear Little Walter's riffs. Most people would probably admit that Little Walter is the reason they play harp at all!
   
   This set contains all his best stuff, done after he went out on his own. Imagine this for a three-piece band: drums/bass/harp. That's it; no guitar. He actually played sets with this lineup, and blew the doors off. Most of the tunes on the set here do contain guitar, but it's clear that the lead is Walter and his harp. He wasn't content to just play ten-hole Marine band harps either; he incorporated the rich sound of the chromatic harp into his repertoire.
   
   All blues fans and most of all, those enamored, bewitched, and obsessed with the wonderful sound of electric harp need to own this record and commit it to memory.



2. Marion Walter Jacobs (b. May 1, 1930 in Alexandria, Louisiana), and influenced by the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson (No. 1) and Louis Jordan and his jump saxophone arrangements, quite simply revolutionized the blues harmonica technique when he showed up at Chicago's famed Maxwell Street market in 1947.
   
   Among the hundreds of artists plying their trade in that environment he stood out to the point where he attracted the interest of the small Chicago labels Ora Nelle and Regal where he cut several sides. His big break came in 1951 when the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, hired him to back Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers, and it was as much his amplified harmonica that made hits out of Mannish Boy, I'm Ready, and Standing Around Crying [by Waters), and That's All Right and The World Is In A Tangle (Rogers).
   
   By 1952 he was assigned to the Checker subsidiary, and by that September he literally burst into prominence when the instrumental Juke streaked to # 1 R&B and remained there for eight solid weeks [the flip was Can't Hold On Much Longer and is erroneously listed in this compilation as "Can't Hold Out ..."). This single was billed to Little Walter and His Night Cats.
   
   The follow-up Sad Hours (instrumental) didn't quite repeat that success, settling for # 2 early in 1953, while the vocal flipside, Mean Old World, reached # 6 as by Little Walter and His Night Caps. Fittingly, Muddy Waters played guitar on each of these first three hits.
   
   When his next hit reached the charts later that spring (Off The Wall, # 8 as an instrumental, and Tell Me Mama, # 10 as a vocal, he was billed as Little Walter and His Jukes in order to capitalize on his debut smash hit. The Jukes consisted of Chess sessionmen Louis and David Myers on guitar and Fred Belows on drums.
   
   From there to 1959 he would add 10 more hit singles to his credit, his last coming in 1959 when Everything Gonna Be Alright (erroneously listed as "Everything's") reached # 25 (his lowest charter) as simply by Little Walter. These included the seminal My Babe, written by Willie Dixon and based upon the old spiritual This Train, which became his only other # 1 hit, staying at that position for five weeks early in 1955.
   
   It would have been nice if, in putting this tribute together, producer Andy McKaie had found room for the three hits omitted - Oh Baby which made it to # 8 in May 1954 b/w Rocker, You'd Better Watch Yourself which reached the same position that September b/w Blue Light, and Who, which reached # 7 in April 1956 b/w It Ain't Right. You can find You'd Better Watch Yourself on The Best Of Little Walter from MCA/Chess, also listed by Amazon.
   
   Adding to this CD's worth are the six pages of liner notes written by the noted music historian Billy Altman, which includes a wonderful story behind Juke, several nice photographs, and a complete discography of the contents. To quote from Mr. Altman "By 1968 he was gone, leaving behind a legacy that harmonica players everywhere regard as, quite simply, the holy grail." That much was recognized by the Blues Hall Of Fame in 1982 when they inducted him among the 20 honoured in their first year of existence. You'd think those pompous ciphers at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame would wake up and at least recognize him in their Early Influence category.
   
   Just a superb collection.



3. Wonderful harmonica music! The liner notes mention that Marion "Little Walter" Jacobs was experimenting with different methods of getting the most out of his harmonica playing. He finally discovered an answer through the "use of a hand-held microphone which was plugged into its own amplifier. . . By `going electric,' Walter single-handedly transformed the harmonica. . . ."
   
   Some nice cuts on this CD. One was a tune that he played when he was with Muddy Waters' band in Chicago in the very early 1950s, "Juke." This is an instrumental tune and well played, beginning with some very strong harmonica work by Little Walter. The band overall produces a nice blues sound. Fun to listen to!
   
   By the time "Blues with a Felling" was recorded, Little Walter had left Waters' band and had a new one of his own, featuring the Myers Brothers and Fred Below. Once more, the harmonica work is great. Little Walter sings nicely, although his voice is not in the genre of Sonny Boy Williamson (II), Muddy Waters, or Howlin' Wolf. One nice line:
   
   "I'm gonna find my baby
   If it takes all night and day"
   
   "My Babe" is a nice little rocking song. As before, good harmonica and good overall band playing. The recurring vocal riff: "My babe don't stand no cheating."
   
   Another quick note. "Confessin' the Blues" was covered by the Rolling Stones.
   
   In short, a nice album. His singing may not have been as rough and distinctive and powerful as other leading blues singers of the era, but he still sang well enough. And the harmonica work was outstanding.



4. There are no bad songs on this overview of the career of maybe the greatest blues harp player of all time. Chess' compilations, be they boxsets or single disc comps, are all, in my experience, very well remastered. Buy it if you want to hear straight up great blues in the Chess tradition.



5. Little Walter had an amazing harmonica sound and style that was all his own and could never be duplicated. Man, is this some hot stuff. His first record, "Juke", an instrumental is just, to quote another title of his, "off the wall." Yeah, there is a number that's called that which is on this CD. Absoultely what the blues is all about. Songs like "Sad Hours" and "Off the Wall" are practically Little Walter and the band sittin' around and jammin'. Check out the guitar lick at the beginning and the through the whole of "Sad Hours"; classic blues lick. Some other cool stuff is "Tell Me Mama", "Blues With A Feeling", "You're So Fine", "Mellow Down Easy", "My Babe", "Hate To See You Go", and especially "Boom, Boom Out Goes The Light." That one's a regular jam session, too. This is how music was made and appreciated to these guys. They just played as and what they felt. If you're learning about the blues, don't forget one of the supreme harmonica players of the genre: Little Walter.

5 comments about Super Session.

1. "Stop" never fails to get me, no matter how many listens. Same thing with "Albert's Shuffle", w/ or w/o horns. All in all, a brilliant album.



2. Seems like a lot of the people who bought this album bought it mostly because of Mike Bloomfield's half of it.
   
   And let me tell you, this is a great half. The instrumentation is nothing new, but the musicians play with this flare that is unique to this album. It's as if all of the players were discovering their amazing powers at music for the first time, all at once.
   
   You can tell they were having a really great time. It shows through in the music.
   
   Stephen Stills side is the less appreciated side of the album (though still appreciated). I'm just going to say that I am extremely glad that they decided to call in Stills to finish this album off, because I have fallen in love with his half.
   
   The layed back, feelin cool, not a care in the world groove of "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" is just ridiculously original. I don't think they could have done a better job on this song, no matter what.
   
   It is a fresh song, with tons of replay value. It's like listening to Rock N Roll for the first time again.
   
   Season of the Witch is another fantastic cover that Stephen and the band took home. It's a lengthy song, with great singing and jamming.
   
   Bonus tracks are definitely worth checking out as well. The whole album is wonderful, and I'd be surprised if it were to let you down in your expectations.



3. I grew up with this recording, as well as all the other original Bloomfield works (PBBB, Electric Flag). It's still a wonderful album, warts and all. I enjoy listening to it now as much as I did then, and it's been forty years, almost exactly. I still have a vinyl copy of it I bought new in 1968 or 1969.
   
   One of the reviewers above pointed out that the purpose of these reviews is to get people to listen to and appreciate this music who might not otherwise do so. How true! I hope that occurs. Bloomfield had a troubled and short life, but he managed to get some masterpieces down on tape before he shuffled off this mortal coil: the early Butterfield records, Electric Flag, and these sessions. No one else sounds like Bloomfield; for better or worse, he was his own man. These tracks show his best side, beyond doubt.
   
   It's worth noting that Robben Ford, an extraordinary contemporary blues and jazz guitar master, cites Bloomfield as an early influence and one of the reasons he switched from playing reeds to guitar. Listening to these tracks, you can see why. And after all these years, these tracks still have their poignancy and ringing sad sweetness.



4. What can I say ?
   It's like getting two albums in one.
   "It takes a lot to laugh..." best song. How do you get from Dylan to Steven Stills to Little Feat? Answer.. see above.
   Albert's Shuffle, best blues number. Tribute to Albert King.
   "His Holy Modal Majesty" best acid fade to jazz. No, it's not from "Easy Rider". Get the first Blood Sweat & Tears album for more Al Kooper.



5. I first bought Super Session (and its semi-sequel "The Live Adventures") on vinyl at a garage sale for $1, primarily after reading Al Kooper's book "Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards" detailing the sessions. After 1-2 plays of each I found myself saying "I bought these because...?" Don't get me wrong, each is full of well played music, but the legend of these albums seems to have overtaken the facts. So years later when I bought the CD's (for whatever reason) I was saying the same things. But a funny thing happened, Super Session seemed to grow on me. And it found a regular place in my bag of CD's (no Ipod just yet). The more you listen, the more you find yourself getting into the groove of the music within.
   
   Super Session was the brainchild of producer Al Kooper. Having been kicked out of Blood Sweat & Tears, frustrated in his job as a staff producer at CBS Records, and without enough material for a solo album he hit upon an idea that had been a mainstay of jazz players. Gather a group of like-minded musicians together and jam on whatever songs were available for a quickie album. But this had never been tried in a rock context. And Kooper was eager to show what his friend Michael Bloomfield was capable of. Bloomfield had been kicked out of his own band Electric Flag, and was game for the idea. They added bassist Harvey Brooks and drummer Eddie Hoh to complete the band, then started recording in California. They knocked off 5 songs the first day and Kooper thought this would be easy. Until the next day when he got a phone call asking if Michael had made his plane home. Bloomfield had left, citing chronic insomnia. Kooper desperately contacted every guitarist he could think of, eventually getting a commitment from another musical orphan, Stephen Stills. Stills' band Buffalo Springfield had just split up and he was a year away from forming CSN.
   
   Super Session was an unlikely success when first released in 1968. No hit singles came from it. Each member of the "band" remains (except for Stills) a trivia question. Its musical structure starts as hard-edged Chicago blues (courtesy of Bloomfield) then veers in country rock and psychedelics (via Stills & Kooper). And yet it hit #11 on the album charts and became a fixture on underground FM stations that year. Bloomfield turns in some stinging blues on the opener "Albert's Shuffle" and on "Really".
   
   The 2nd half belongs to Stills and Kooper as they mix it up on covers of Dylan's "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry", Donovan's "Season of the Witch". And the blues standard "You Don't Love Me" gets the phased guitar sound here. (Compare this to the Allman Brothers version on "Live at the Fillmore"). You can clearly hear Stills' Buffalo Springfield guitar sound here as well as the beginnings of the sound he had later with CSN. In Kooper's book he says that "Stills had just gotten his first set of Marshall amps and was chompin' at the bit to blast his Les Paul through 'em".
   
   The expanded version of this album adds 4 songs. 2 are alternate mixes of "Albert's Shuffle" and "Season of the Witch" that eliminate the horn sections. A live cut called "Fat Grey Cloud" comes from a 1968 Fillmore West show. And an unreleased instrumental "Blues for Nothing" that sounds like an alternate "Albert's".
   
   The legend of this album continued with the "Live Adventures" album a year later (Bloomfield left again after playing on half this album too) and with the more recently released "Lost Fillmore Show" disc (which is a complete Kooper/Bloomfield show adding an then-unknown Johnny Winter as a special guest ).
   
   Like I said, this album grows on you. It comes from a time we won't see again when musicians with nothing to lose just met to play and see what might happen.

5 comments about His Best.

1. I am amazed that this cost so little, but was SOOOOO good. Sonnny Boy II is (IMHO) the better of the Sonny Boys. A lot of people will justifiably rave about his skill on the harp, but do not let that distract you from his vocals. This performer has a tremendous voice.
   Sonny Boy Williamson II is a complete blues package, musician and vocalist.
   
   Although he is a polished performer, there is still a huge amount of emotion that comes through his work.
   
   This recording is very clear and enjoyable, which is very good, considering the time and recording technology available when the originals were made. (No, it's not Alan Lomax recording in hotel rooms, but still . . . . .)
   
   If you liked this, you might want to consider looking at "King Biscut Time" - also available on Amazon.
   
   Also good is "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson" - but please make sure you get the right Sonny Boy, as both of them have an 'Essentials' CD available.



2. Sonny Boy II is not my favorite. I like more honk from the harp and less undercurrent of menace from the vocals, and I like Little Walter's and Paul Butterfield's ways of extending the blues melodically without losing the Chicago of it. But Sonny Boy grows on me, and this album has a lot of great stuff for a guy like me to hear who's trying to pick up journeyman skills on the harp.



3. When Aleck Ford, alias Alex "Rice" Miller, claimed during one his early Forties radio broadcasts for King Biscuit Time on KFFA in Helena, Arkansas to be THE "Sonny Boy" Williamson, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson was already well known by that nickname in the Chicago area [see my review of the CD Shake The Boogie].
   
   However, born on December 5, 1899 in Glendora, Mississippi, Ford would become the better known of the two, especially in Europe where, decked out in his two-tone suits and bowler hats, he would generate a large, loyal following in the early Sixties.
   
   Before then he had two charted R&B hits on the Checker label, with the first, Don't Start Me Talkin' - on which he was backed by Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers on guitar - peaking at # 3 in November 1955 b/w All My Love In Vain). The second charter came almost exactly one year later when Keep It To Yourself made it to # 14 R&B. The B-side of that record was The Key (To Your Door) which seems to be unavailable (the other Williamson CD, The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson, carries a previously unreleased take).
   
   After a seven year absence from the charts he returned in 1963 with Help Me (# 24 R&B) b/w Bye Bye Bird, again on Checker, and would go on to cut several LPs with some well known groups of the day, among them The Yardbirds and The Animals.
   
   Van Morrison and The Moody Blues would also pay homage by cutting, respectively, Help Me and Bye Bye Bird, while Bring It On Home (To Me) became hits for Sam Cooke (1962), Eddie Floyd (1968), The Animals (1965), and Lou Rawls (1970). The most faithful rendition, however, was by Led Zeppelin on the album Led Zeppelin II.
   
   Williamson, who died in Helena on May 25, 1965. is widely regarded as one the most influential harmonica-playing bluesmen of his era, and if you want to know why, simply buy this great CD. In 1980 the Blues Hall Of Fame was launched and among the initial 20 inductees were both "Sonny Boys."



4. He was probably born Aleck or Alex Ford, took the name "Rice" Miller later on, and adopted the name of another fine blues player, Sonny Boy Williamson still later. His harmonica playing is wondrous to listen to; he was a mentor to such luminaries as Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, Little Walter, and so on. This CD features work from 1955 to 1964.
   
   A few selections well illustrate his art.
   
   "Good evening Everybody" begins the CD with typical riveting harmonica work. The instrument wails. What a backing group: Otis Spann, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, and Fred Below. The song has an up tempo beat (as liner notes mention, the tempo slows over the 10 year period covered by this CD). He finishes the song by singing of being in a studio in Chicago playing the blues. And play the blues he does.
   
   "Don't Start Me to Talkin'" is a nice tune, with more exquisite harmonica work.
   
   "All My Love in Vain" should not be confused with the similarly named song by the legendary Robert Johnson. Again, terrific harmonica playing. And some good lines:
   
   "Heart's been broken,
   And all my love in vain."
   
   The backing group (same as the previous two cuts) plays well.
   
   One of his most well known songs, "Nine Below Zero" features good lines, such as:
   
   "It was 9 below zero
   And she put me down for another man.
   I gave her all my love and all my money,
   Everything."
   
   His voice suggests a hard living life (and liner notes indicate that that was the truth)! The harmonica work embellishes the singing nicely.
   
   All in all, a good introduction to the work of Sonny Boy Williamson. For blues' enthusiasts, this is a work well worth considering.



5. This is a wonderful collection of blues harmonica music. The Sonny Boy Williamson who was also known as Rice Miller was a masterful player, and a talented songwriter. His voice aged with him to produce that fine bluesy-gravelly sound that endears a blues performer to his audience.
   
   Some of his classic songs like Don't Start Me To Talking, Your Funeral and My Trial, Fattening Frogs For Snakes, and Nine Below Zero are on this retrospective. This is a blues music collectors must have if you love harmonica music.

5 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. I was pretty J L Hooker stupid when I bought this. I only bought it to have a copy of 'Boom Boom'. But this is pretty good stuff. The guy who is mainly into hard rock and heavy metal is finding this very good. There are a lot of good songs encompassing his career. If you are just beginning to delve into the blues, pick this up.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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 comments about Live Bootleg Series, Volume Two.

1. More great live music from the real king of texas blues. This material is killer. BUT, when they say bootleg, they mean it... The mix sounds if taken from a sound board and maybe ran thru a sound enhancer. Not sure if it is just my cd, but the treble is way up -sounding like it is maxed out to hide the hiss. You have to turn it down -which on my car deck is a pain. But then again, you have to take the bad with the good when it comes to a legend like Johnny Winter. If you are like me, you will buy everything he puts out -and relish it. Which is exactly what I do - and you should too. They do not make them like Johnny Winter anymore. He was and still is the one first real and true Texas blues guitar slinger! Apoligies to SRV, but without Johnny Winter, there would be no Stevie Ray. Rock me baby, crossroads, and red house??? Come on!!! This IS the BLUES!!! I can't wait for for bootleg vol III, IV, and V!!!!



2. Wow, volumes 1 and 2 bring back so many great memories of seeing Johnny at the Capitol in Passiac in the early eighties. Saw him at least 3 times in a 2 year period including one show at the Beacon with Roy Buchanon and Buddy Guy. These recordings were probably from the late seventies, but with the same lineup. Jon Paris was an amazing bass player, and even though Johnny seemed to switch drummers evry couple of yeras they were all talented, and brought their own unique style. Johnny was simple the best guitar player ever, period .



3. When I got this I was not too pleased by the sound quality.
   It has too much top end , a little treble-ish for my taste , but the music ROCKS !!!
   A gotta have for blues fans everywhere.



4. This "album" is highly recommended! This is a must-have for any fan of Johnny Winter or blazing guitar playing. The band's music overcomes any shortcomings in the sound quality. (Volume 1 is a better recording, but volume 2 may have more innovative playing.) After all, these are live recordings, from an era before sophisticated remote music equipment. Don't let the warts spoil a fantastic musical experience. Sit back (if you can) and enjoy! The licks aren't as polished (occasionally) as his studio albums, but the improvisation is fantastic. This group puts out an amazing sound for three members.



5. This is great. I'm not sure that this great guitarist will be with us for too many more years. Lyrics are hard to understand on track 1, but the music is top notch and the guitar playing is top of the line throughout this CD. I like "live" stuff and these tracks are all worthy additions to my collection. I recommend this for Johnny Winter, Bluesman fans.

5 comments about The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James.

1. Love the blues? This is for you. One of the early up from Mississippi to Chicago bluesmen (I think he died in '43). "Madison Blues" and "The Sky is Crying" the way 'lonesome George' heard them first.



2. Since the advent of the compact disc two decades ago, there have been a number of worthy compilations by the great Elmore James (1918 - 1963), and yet James' reputation and popularity still falls far short of many of his contemporaries, post-War giants like Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, who came out of the Mississippi Delta and migrated North to cities like Chicago or Detroit. James, perhaps even more than Wolf or Waters, embraced amplification - not just because you had to be loud to be heard in a crowded bar, but for the creative possibilities offered by plugging in. Only Bo Diddley, perhaps, found electricity to be as essential to his creative evolution as Elmore did, as one can't help but be blown away by the way Elmore deployed distortion, volume, sustain, and other effects that allow for the myriad of textures and colors heard on these vintage masterpieces. And playing the music on this superb set LOUD goes a long way towards demonstrating just how vital James' intense, piercing, and hugely influential slide guitar playing remains on rock and blues players (from Duane Allman and Ron Wood to Hound Dog Taylor and Jack White), how cohesive and sympathetic his bands (especially the Broomdusters) were, and how emotionally raw and deep his greatest work sounds some 45 years after his death.
   "The Sky Is Crying", issued by Rhino in 1993, remains the single best collection of Elmore's work, essential to any serious blues collection as well as the perfect introduction for newcomers. The 21 track set (recorded between 1951 and 1961) is unique in that it represents James' recordings for a variety of labels, including Trumpet (where he recorded his debut, 'Dust My Broom'), Flair, Chess, Atlantic, Chief, Flashback, and finally Bobby Robinson's Fire, where James settled during his final, fruitful four years. The fact that this CD's producer, the late Robert Palmer (who also contributes a typically insightful essay that allowed me to really HEAR this music 14 years ago) brings together so many of James' recordings from different periods and labels allows us to hear the evolution, abd especially the range and scope of Elmore's body of work, from his almost tentative (in light of what follows) debut hit to fully realized masterpieces with the Broomdusters, as well as blistering workouts with Ike Turner (whose own go-for-the-throat guitar is a perfect foil for Elmore's slide), a collaboration with Big Joe Turner, plus performances by Willie Johnson (guitarist on Wolf's immortal early Memphis sides), Willie Dixon, and more. By the time we get to hear "Hawaiian Boogie" and "Madison Blues", "I Can't Hold Out" (covered by Clapton), "Done Somebody Wrong" (ditto the Allman Brothers Band), the amazing "12 Year Old Boy" (track down Lydia Lunch's version!), and the primal funk of "Rollin and Tumblin" the power of Elmore James is undeniable, as is the intellegent sequencing of this lovingly compiled collection. For those who want more, I'd recommend two inexpensive boxed sets that are still in circulation if not in print: "The Classic Early Recordings 1951 - 56" (Flair/Virgin, 1993) has some amazing workouts by the Broomdusters and a booklet full of rare photos and the compilers' tale of visiting Canton Mississippi in 1993, where we meet folks who knew Elmore. "King Of The Slide Guitar" (Capricorn, 1993) takes us to the last years of James' career, which found him at his peak: 50 wonderful tracks recorded for Bobby Robinson (James' best producer) and originally issued on Fire.



3. Elmore James is underrated--period. He was as much of a pioneer and original artist of electric blues as Muddy Waters, yet timing, connections, and probably his health problems seemed to diminish his stature in the blues world in the 1950's and early '60's somewhat, at least compared to Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf. Over time, we have seen his work to be just as influential as Muddy's, and probably more than Wolf's. I admire Muddy Waters and the Wolf and respect their supreme positions as kings of Chicago blues, but I actually enjoy listening to Elmore James more. His singing is second only to Son House in sheer terms of emotional intensity. I love his quivering vocal vibrato that so perfectly fits the beat to "Dust My Broom." And his slide playing is without question some of the most influential music ever. The legendary Duane Allman studied him--need I say more?
   
   This is a perfect CD for those interested in sampling Elmore's music for the first time. Every song is a winner. You won't be disappointed!!



4. I love blues music and this is one of my faviorte artist. This cd does a good job with song selection and its just an awesome piece of music. The price is a steal as well.



5. If you want a slick full blown stereo recording of Elmore you may be disappointed, but if you are a true blues brother you will appreciate that they have reached back in time for some early Elmore. Dust My Broom - the classic standard of Elmore - has a better sound later and by other artists...but man this is Elmore when Elmore wasn't even hardly known...dig it and appreciate it. The Sun Is Shining and The Sky Is Crying seems to have been covered by everybody. Why, they are true Chicago Electrified Blues Standards. I loved T.V. Mamma because my main man "Big Joe" Turner is backed up by Elmore and that classic distorted slide guitar of his....loved it. Madison Blues has a completely different sound than most of the later covers especially by the white blues bands...the original is the best. Other favorites were I Can't Hold Out, Shake Your Money Maker (man whats blues dude hasn't done this one), and Rollin and Tumblin. Elmore was the 2nd blues man I ever heard..circa 1958 on KATZ a.m. and Dave Dixon is St. Louis, Mo. He was one 1st I ever heard and still is one of the best in my opinion...his slide guitar set the trend for people like Hound Dog Taylor and many others. When he gets that sucker wailing, it puts chills up and down my back. Elmore James is one wailing cat...makes me feel like I am in some smoky, black club back in the late 50s and early 60s enjoying real music when Paul Anka and Annette Funicello were on the white stations singin bubble gum music...buy Elmore and be a BIG FAN just like ole Joliet Jayle the Bluze Brother ... Rock-n-roll, boogie woogie, rollin and tumblin all night long!

3 comments about Silverlined.

1. It seems very rare over the past few decades that any group actually is able to follow-up a great album with another great one, but DTB has pulled it off. Not to mention that they are making music in a niche that they more or less created.
   
   I've listened to the album a few times already and I'm still not sure I'm ready to say that it's better than the last album, Life's a Ride, but I have a feeling I will eventually rank this album higher. This album is produced almost to perfection - there are a few background vocals I could do without but no major complaints there. With 13 songs on the album I can honestly say there is not a bad song on the album (Jeb pushes the limits with his songwriting, and even with his singing on "Blue Eyes" but it's enjoyable when you listen to the album as a whole). Tara's voice is perfect, beautiful as always, produced well, and her songs are as lyrically brilliant as ever. The special guests are great and add just more flavor to the album.
   
   The bottom line is that DTB is making music that has a feel , an energy and a creativity that is lacking in most of the music that comes out these days. I am grateful that these two superb songwriters crossed paths and continue to crank out great music.



2. On the second listening I was already skipping through the CD. Donna the Buffalo's wonderful personality and uniqueness are only quietly present beneath the surface. The overall sound is homogenized and bland. A sad day for me.



3. Tara and Jeb have done it again! The music is Danceable Americana and the lyrics are uniquely true. They've teamed up with guest musicians to add new sounds to songs we've heard at shows for a few years. When's the last time we heard horns with DTB? Jeb's brought back the pedal steel and Bela Fleck brings his banjo into the mix. Tara sings about the struggles of love and Jeb sings about the joys and limitations of life.
   
   There's an unguarded maturity here that brings a smile and a nod of understanding as you dance. Some of the topics, (war, selfishness), cause reflection but DTB works hard to find the Silverlining in these times.
   "How good it could be to make a world called home"