5 comments about After the Rain.

1. It is Irma Thomas, after all. She is fabulous. Anything by her has to be appreciated for the gem it is. True Americana. Blues as it should be interpreted.



2. Irma Thomas is undeniably one of the best blues singers of all time.
   For those of us with a special place in our heart for her amazing singing since "It's Raining" and "I wish someone would care", here she is back, as strong as ever.
   This album is delightful and the first song alone "In the middle of it all" is worth the price of the CD. Great band, wonderfully natural production.
   A keeper.



3. I have listened to After the Rain for hours and hours, and never tire of it. Never has her voice had greater depth or range. I love the choice of songs and the quality of the recording is excellent!



4. I wasn't familiar with this artist in any way shape or form a month ago (4-07). I heard "In the Middle of it All" by her on a Blues streaming channel on my computer one afternoon. I was absolutely entranced in every way. I immediately ordered the CD on Amazon and consider it one of the finest CDs I own by a female singer bar none. I own over 2500 CDs and had double that in vinyl a few years ago. Rest assured, this CD will find its' way into your heart and your ears as a top favorite in your music collection. Guaranteed.............. My only puzzlement is why I wasn't familiar with her before now, I arrogantly thought I knew who was who in mainstream music, obviously I have a whole lot left to learn (I love that because I will never hear enough music like this) Buy it, buy it, buy it.......



5. Back in the musically wonderful sixties a real standout classic and timeless performance is "Wish Someone Would Care" by Irma Thomas being a haunting listening experience to this day...over the years since this great singer has been making many fine albums then along comes a true masterpiece...who knew it would be all these years later! A fixture in New Orleans for decades, this collection of richly varied songs was recorded a few months after Hurricane Katrina which wiped out Irma's worldly possessions but not her soul or remarkable talent as she has never sounded quite like this...deeply involved with each song Irma takes the listener on the musical trip of a lifetime and richly illuminates each great song with a emotional richness that is stunning!!! Anyone who loves a great singer at the peak of her incredible powers will want this mesmerizing collection...essential must have desert island disc and the finale of this tremendous set is make up of not one but three incredible performances that are the most stirring and deeply moving that have come along in years. "Soul Of A Man" is bluesy and deep, "Stone Survivor" is a funky and riveting rocker while Stevie Wonder's "Shelter In The Rain" is deeply soulful and features a magnificent stunning vocal that is beautifully surrounded by piano only and the effect is unforgettable making one wish for a complete "Stevie Wonder Songbook" from this great singer...plus ten additional stellar performances and each is a richly rewarding listening experience! Bravo Irma and here is wishing you a much deserved Grammy Award for this musical treasure that is a true classic to be enjoyed over and over! 12/9 update; Congratulations Irma Thomas for your Grammy Award Nomination!!! 2/12 update; Congratulations, I knew you would win the Grammy Award!

5 comments about His Best : The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection.

1. Another legend was taken from us on June 2, 2008. One of the greatest and most influential bluesmen has left us at the age of 79. The breadth of his influence can hardly be described in a few words. It is best heard in the music he left behind for us to share and in the musicians who were inspired and influenced by it. The first big hit for the Rolling Stones, after all, was a Buddy Holly song revved up with that Bo Diddley beat. The song was "Not Fade Away." The Stones also covered some of Bo's originals like "Crackin' Up" and "Mona" and again, utilized that beat on their own "Please Go Home." George Thorogood has made a career out of "Who Do You Love" and what bar band in the world has not run through "Roadrunner" a half a million times? Creedence and Clapton covered "Before You Accuse Me" and The New York Dolls did "Pills." I guess my point is that Bo Diddley was a major musical giant in the world of blues and rock. These musicians as well as those I did not mention are indebted to him for life as well as the fans.
   
   Of course, to hear these songs in all their original glory is the best and most rewarding way to go. We have lost you, Bo, but not your music. That is what you gave to the world and the world is forever grateful for it. Time may have claimed your life, but you'll always be larger than life to me. You ARE the "Diddley Daddy."



2. Elvis had the charisma, Buddy Holly had the pop smarts, and Little Richard had the wildman persona, but Ellas Otha Bates "Bo Diddley" McDaniel had the greatest gift of all: Rhythm. Alongside Chuck Berry (who was simply in a league of his own), Bo was one of the most influential and exciting artists to make music for Chicago's Chess Records, and one of the label's premiere rock 'n' roll performers. And while Chuck excelled at combining blues with elements of pop, country, soul, and sheer genius, Bo's gift to mankind was his mesmerizing and totally unique vision of the Chicago sound. The man was a percussive genius, a musical hypnotist with an intuitive gift for blending African rhythms, lurching blues, tremolo laden guitars, and chant-along vocals into one churning, pulsating, hypnotic(not to mention totally wicked awesome) vision of rock 'n' roll. But there was more to it than just that: Diddley was also an inspired weirdo, with a knack for lyrical surrealism and offbeat humor that preempted Bob Dylan by about ten years. Even when he was singing about cheating girlfriends and sweet young things, he did it with his own unique, and absolutely delightful, gift for skewed storytelling.
   
   This collection is one of the best places to start listening to the man. It's also fairly safe to say that if you only want one Bo Diddley CD, this is the one to get. Of course, if you only want one Bo Diddley CD, then you're a moron. Just kidding. Anyway, this is a good purchase because it gives you a lot of his absolute classics. You'll get the trance-inducing masterpiece that is "Bo Diddley," the raw churn of "Bring It To Jerome," and the wonderfully inexplicable "Say Man." "Mona" is nothing but way cool pulsations, and "Ooh Baby" is nothing but way cool. There's also the surreal, rollicking boast of "Who Do you Love," the surreal, rollicking boast of "I'm A Man," and the surreal, rollicking boast of "Hey! Bo Diddley. It's the kind of thing you might wanna invest in, especially with a price as good of this. Trust me, you'll love it.



3. Otha Ellas Bates McDaniels, born December 30, 1928 in McComb, Mississippi, took the stage name Bo Diddley from the name of a one-string African guitar. He only registered eleven R&B hit singles from 1955 to 1967, all for the Checker subsidiary of Chess Records, and just five of those crossed over to the more lucrative Billboard Pop Top/Hot 100 [one more "bubbled under"] - and yet, justifiably so, he was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1987 - the second year of its existence - and only in 2004 was he so recognized by the Blues Hall Of Fame - some 24 years after they began!
   
   The only mystery is why he was not among those honoured in their first first years since, to my mind anyway, he was every bit as influential as any of those who were brought in at that time, despite the comparative low hit totals. Indeed, almost all the original inductess in the R&R Hall Of Fame adapted a Bo Diddley tune in their repertoire at one time or another.
   
   His first - the double-sided Bo Diddley [# 1 R&B for two weeks] and I'm A Man [a "follow-along" # 1] - peaked on those charts in the early summer of 1955, but it was the driving rhythm of the A-side that captured everyone's attention at a time when the film Blackboard Jungle was re-introducing the world to Bill Haley's (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock. That had first come out a year before with little fanfare but now, coupled with Bo Diddley, the world was on notice. A new sound had arrived.
   
   But, whereas Haley's # 1 signature tune also did very well on the R&B charts [# 3], Bo Diddley made no impression on the Billboard Pop Top 100. The same held true for his follow-up Diddley Daddy which, with The Moonglows doing backing vocals, reached # 11 R&B in late July b/w She's Fine, She's Mine [not included], as well as his next immediate hit, Pretty Thing, # 4 R&B in January 1956 b/w Bring It To Jerome.
   
   He then experienced a 3-year gap before his fourth hit, I'm Sorry, which peaked at # 17 R&B in April 1959 with the vocal backing of The Carnations and Oh Yea on the flipside. Neither, for some reason known only to the producer, is included in this volume, but his next two from 1959 are here, beginning with Crackin' Up which became his first Pop Hot 100 crossover, reaching # 62 that August [and # 14 R&B] b/w The Great Grandfather [not here].
   
   That was followed in October by his best crossover, Say Man, in which he trades insults with maracas player Jerome Green. That topped out at # 3 R&B/# 20 Hot 100 b/w The Clock Strikes Twelve [another omission]. Also overlooked in this volume is the sequel hit Say Man, Back Again which reached # 23 R&B and # 106 Hot 100 "bubble under" in late December, and its flipside, She's Alright.
   
   In April 1960 one of my Diddley favourites, Road Runner, made it to # 20 R&B/# 75 Hot 100 featuring the great Otis Spann on piano, with the B-side shown as My Story [in here it's listed at track 15 as The Story Of Bo Diddley]. Another I especially liked was You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover which, in September 1962, became his second-best crossover, reaching # 48 [and # 21 R&B] b/w I Can Tell. There would then follow a 5-year gap before his eleventh and final hit single, Ooh Baby [# 17 R&B/# 88 Hot 100] b/w Back To School [not included].
   
   The digitally re-mastered sound is flawless, there is a complete discography of the contents, and the eight pages of liner notes by the noted music writer Don Snowden (who, with Willie Dixon, also co-authored the book I Am The Blues: The Willie Dixon Story) are quite informative. But I still had to deduct one star for the omission of those two hit singles [which would have been better choices than tracks 7 and 13 which are obscure cuts] and SIX of the flipsides. A strange way to approach a 50th Year Anniversary compilation titled "His Best."



4. This is a nice introduction to the work of Bo Diddley. The liner notes say: ". . .you can't judge a book by its cover, but you can sure tell something about how important a musician is by the artists who do cover versions of his songs." And a lot of musicians covered his songs or were influenced by his work.
   
   Some of the songs on this album well exemplify his art:
   
   "Bo Diddley": This eponymous work lays out the classic Bo. What a romp! The rhythm is infectious and his guitar work is solid. He shows off a nice blues and rock voice. This is, of course, classic Bo Diddley. And it is one of the great blues/rock songs of the ages.
   
   "I'm a Man": The B side to "Bo Diddley" when 45s were the nature of the recording game. One of the best B sides of all time! Compare with Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy." Tough to choose between them! There is a wonderful basic instrumental tune with great blues vocals from Bo. Classic!
   
   "Hey Bo Diddley": A nicely done variation on "Bo Diddley." Good rhythm.
   
   Finally, "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover": There are nice lyrics here, with Bo playing nice variations off of the title. Well done indeed. The rhythm and guitar work is wonderful. The beat is infectious.
   
   This is a wonderful introduction to the corpus of Bo Diddley, one of the major founding figures in rock and roll as well as a nice blues contributor.



5. Bo is to rock and roll, what Strauss is to the polka. Bo is to rock and roll, what Waylon is to country. Bo is to rock and roll, what BB is to the blues. Bo is without peer! The CD belongs in the library of everybody who has an ear for music. I'll bet you'll open it a second time!

5 comments about Damn Right, I've Got the Blues: Expanded Edition.

1. I love this CD. They don't even need to list the guest artists. Make no mistake, this is buddy's CD. From the first second of the first song you realize this is something special. I have never heard better vocals from Buddy, so powerful, so deep. He truely captures the blues and then he blows it away. The guitar work is amazing, I'm a SRV fanatic, and this is as close to the raw power and intensity of any SRV recording.



2. LOVE IT
   Damn right Buddy knows how to sing the blues as well as play like the very best guitar players of all time. (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Hendrix, etc.)



3. I have wasted too much gas in my truck listening to this CD..I must take it into my house before I go broke..BUY IT



4. Buddy Guy is one of my favorite blues artists, and this album is not only a fine comeback, but well deserving of the Grammy award it received in 1991. And with only 6 customer reviews here on Amazon so far of a grammy nominated album which has been on the market since 1991, I would say the album (and the artist) are grossly underappreciated.
   
   One of my favorite songs on this album is the eponymously titled "Damn Right, I've Got the Blues"....right off the start Buddy shows he still has the strong voice, guitar work and the song writing. Another favorite which I hit repeat button many times when listening to is the instrumental "Remembering Stevie"....again, if this does not show a bluesman who hasn't lost his touch one bit, I don't know what will. Simply fantastic.
   
   Hearing his version of "Black Night" is eerie when one remembers older versions of the same song such as the one sung by Muddy Waters in the 60's. Instead of using Vietnam though, Buddy interchanges Iraq, showing us that the blues have a timeless purpose to serve.
   
   I love Buddy's Chess years....those are some of the best blues ever in my opinion. But this album is also excellent in its own right, and certainly deserves more notoriety than it (he) receives.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. Buddy Guy was a guitar legend before the release of Damn Right I've Got The Blues, but when this great record was released in 1990, he has been at the blues forefront ever since. This record proves that the forefront is where Guy belongs.
   
   Cuts like "Where Is The Next One Coming From," "Too Broke To Spend The Night," and the poignant tribute to his friend Stevie Ray Vaughn, "Remembering Stevie," serve notice that Guy not only hasn't lost anything, but still has plenty to teach the younger crowd.
   
   But by far, the title card is the most memorable. This is the kind of song that Buddy could play at the beginning of every concert for the rest of his career. Burning runs and milking every ounce out of every note, Guy grabs the listener and never lets go.
   
   These are the kind of blues that all music lovers need. The expanded re-release is welcomed if for no other reason than to remind all of us that Buddy Guy is a superstar.

5 comments about Power of the Pontchartrain.

1. I bought this CD for one song, track 3, Shelter Me. To my surprise and pleasure all the tracks are good but track 3 is still the stand-out.



2. Good guitar. Has the feel of the New Orleans scene. Excusing an arrangement or two, it's a good listen.



3. Excellent Blues cd with a strong dose of Cajun from a very talented artist! I had never heard of Tab Benoit before I found him here on Amazon, but after hearing this wonderful cd, I'm anxious to get more of his work! I'm a true fan now!



4. I first heard Tab Benoit at the 2006 Western Maryland Blues Fest and this is the first cd of his that I purchased. He really knows his way around a guitar and that sound dominates this effort. He runs the gamut from soulful ballads to rousing up-tempo stomps and each song is well crafted and performed. The only way he could improve this collection would be the addition of a great horn section. But it still gets 5 stars in my book.



5. I have been collecting blues for over 50 years, and this is one of the albums that is exceptional overall in the story telling type of blues I like. Even the songs he does by other artists are just different enough to make it great. Cant say enough about Tab Benoit.
   Gary

5 comments about Anthology Of American Folk Music (Edited By Harry Smith).

1. There are some truly haunting performances here, and some funny ones, and some of everything, really. This stuff is so far deeper and weirder and spookier than any folk I've ever heard. It's the motherlode; Harry Smith wandered around and got these recordings before radio started, and thus we get true folk music, passed down the generations and from that area, or from the motherland of the musicians, with the spirit of the New World.
   The vibes are palpable, varied, and intense. Lots of "mistakes", but so much feeling that missed notes only add to the experience.
   If you've ever liked any folk music at all, whether Leadbelly, the Seegers, the Carter family, early Dylan, or if you need to know where real country music comes from, this is your collection.
   Too many highlights to list. Beautiful and detailed booklet with notes on each tune makes it even better...though listening first with no preconceptions and creating your own story for the songs is probably an even better way to let this stuff seep into your subconscious.
   Best of all, it's probably at your local library.



2. Great stuff. Yet some of the singing is almost too real, too raw. Bob Dylan cites this album as a main inspiration, and you can hear his singing and songwriting style in a lot of the songs. Not for everybody, and may be even too much for casual folk music fans. Has to be listened to in the context of a historical document.



3. This CD compilation set is more than just an album of music--it's a historical document. I first heard of the AAFM in a Bob Dylan biography--after buying this and listening to it, I can understand how Bob was inspired to ditch his Little Richard aspirations and travel the rugged road of folk. Through the three sections--Ballads, Social Music (mostly instrumentals), and Songs (kind of like ballads, but less story-oriented), this collection not only contains some great, timeless music and performances, it's also steeped in pure humanity--the real essence of true folk music. The people Harry Smith collected and anthologized were mostly just that: folk. People like you and me who love music, and play the songs they've been handed down. You don't have to be Bob Dylan to appreciate and be moved by songs that have been passed down through the generations and soulfully interpreted by many different artists.
   
   Aside from some essential listening ("Coo Coo Bird," "Stackalee," "Mississippi Boweavil Blues," "I wish I Was a Mole in the Ground," etc. etc.), the package has some great supplementary material. It's very interesting to learn about the song information and performer information that Smith collected with his anthology, but it's also interesting to get a glimpse into his project, seeing how he relentlessly collected and chose which songs to represent. He was a true lover of music, and that love is reflected in his project.
   
   Please don't come to this compilation expecting pristine sound quality--it was assembled in the 50's, which means that the recordings come from then as well as much earlier--it's about the music and performers anyway, and a little bit of scratch really doesn't detract that much from the organic, down home experience. It IS a bit of a shame that there are 6 CDs, but really only about 4 full CDs worth of music--it would have been OK with me if the Ballad/Social Music/Songs organization was not cleanly divided between discs to save space, since the division isn't very efficient, but I suppose the reissuers wanted to emulate the original vinyl collection. I don't really find the material to be homogeneous like the second spotlight reviewer does, although I do agree that Roots N' Blues: Retrospective 1925-1950 is also a great compilation (though it's getting harder and harder to find)--I'd recommend getting both for a great complementary experience.
   
   Hopefully this set never goes out of print, as it's a great piece of art that any music fan or musician can learn a lot from--and enjoy, too! It's a shame that Smith had to preserve this music as it was beginning to die out even as he was collecting it, but it's also heartwarming that such classic sounds can be preserved for us to hear so many years later and keep the tradition alive. Enjoy the living history!



4. This collection led to the "re-discovery" of many artists who had dissapeared after when the depression crippled the recording industry. Mississippi John Hurt is probably the most famous as of now, but others, like Clarence Ashley were major finds at the time - and when Folkways sent a field crew to do a new record by Ashley he requested some assist from a young friend named Doc Watson. Watson was unknown outside his home town at the time but went on to become a major star in a field which has very few stars.
   Listening to many cuts on this album you can hear the source of much material for folk groups as diverse as the New Lost City Ramblers and The Holy Modal Rounders, rock groups like Canned Heat, and The Grateful Dead. Some of the melodies will be familiar to fans of Dylan, others to Jorma Kaukonan listeners. There are otehrs -- many many others.
   This set is the source, the headwaters of reissues, and revivals. An essential part of any folk music collection.



5. I dont think there is a need to go into to much detail about this *6 CD* set. If you can fork over the cash, just buy it. If you have any interest in roots music, just buy it. If you thought ol' Bobby Dylan and the Band made some great weird music in the basement of big pink in '67 .. for the love of god, BUY THIS! strange, unadorned, raw music , just buy it.

5 comments about In Session.

1. As a huge chicago blues fan, and a even greater SRV fan, you truely get the best of both worlds. With the hundreds of blues cd, that I own, spanning from leadbelly to keb'mo, this cd holds a special place in my heart. This cd comes out just as SRV'S texas flood is released, and the rest they say is HISTORY. Every track on this cd ROCKS!!! A must for any true blues fan, and in my opinion, One of the top 5 cd for people new to the blues to start with. You will not be dissapointed, you will become an instant lover of the blues!



2. I've been known to find cooperative efforts between guitar masters to be less than fulfilling, likely due to the high expectations I have from seeing two such names on an album cover. This, however, is an exception. Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, mentor and protege, play the Hell outta these blues! And there's little doubt that they're having a great time doing so, playing some classic blues selections, with the notable appearance of Vaughan's own "Pride and Joy" and King's "Blues at Sunrise."
   
   All in all, it's a great, fun blues album, featuring two of the masters.



3. Dear God,
   
   When I die, please send me to the same place as these two. Albert King...in my opinion the greatest bluesman (combination of voice and guitar) in the past 50 years, is at or near his best in this collaborative effort. Stevie Ray, as always, is simply flawless. Some folks complained about the chitchat between tracks, but I thought that it was a nice addition.
   
   We might as well have deleted the E and S from the blues with the passing of these two. If you don't have this CD, your blues collection isn't complete.



4. This was one of the best blues CD's I've purchased in the past couple of years. I like the jam sessions on the old favorites like Pride and Joy, etc.



5. Stevie Ray & Albert King were a breed of musicians, that the world may never see again, & this recording is a little bit of history that no music connoisseur should miss hearing.

5 comments about Born Under a Bad Sign.

1. This album and Earl Hooker's "The Moon Is Rising" are two of the greatest electric Blues albums of all-time. There is not a bad song on this disc. Albert King also displays great versatility; "Born Under A Bad Sign" sounds nothing like "The Very Thought Of You", perhaps an odd song choice for Albert, but very well-handled. This is one of the albums that the late Stevie Ray Vaughan most admired. He was heavily influenced by Albert's playing on this record, as were scores of other Blues guitarists and Blues-Rock performers.



2. This is really a fantastic blues album. Not even close to the most technical thing out there, but Albert King just pours out emotion into his guitar. It's a very soulful performance.



3. The Blues have always been much more popular in concert settings than on record. Truth is, there's not a wealth of terrific Blues studio records that appeal to a broad audience. If there were more Blues albums as excellent as "Born Under A Bad Sign", there's no question there'd be a much larger audience.
   
   If you've only ever heard the title song by Cream, do yourself a favor and get this to hear King's smoking version. No worries that this will be an album that starts with a hit followed by a lot of filler. There's a lot more searing guitar work on "Crosscut Saw" and "Kansas City" and then on throughout the album. Every song is terrific. "As The Years Go Passing By" is an achingly beautiful, if mournful, slow blues with a haunting solo from King. One of my all time favorite Blues songs. Closing the album with the Jazz chestnut "The Very Thought Of You" might seem a curious choice but King reworks it as a Blues number and it really works.
   
   This could not be a five star album if King weren't getting excellent support and Booker T and the MGs deliver that support with gusto. Their crack playing perfectly complements King on this outstanding collection of songs without ever overshadowing him.
   
   This is one of the very best Blues guitar albums and, come to that, one of the finest Blues albums period. If you were starting a Blues collection with as few as five CDs, this would have to be one of them. If you're looking for a first purchase of Albert King, I'd strongly recommend this over the excellent "Very Best of Albert King". It's not just that King never made a better Blues record. Nobody else did either.



4. Albert King-Born Under A Bad Sign *****
   
   
   This is it, the album that changed everything. Up until this point it was white boys playing only trashy rock n' roll, but after the release of Born Under A Bad sign all the little white boys from England wanted to be blues musicians, especially the guitar players. With out Born Under A Bad sign Clapton, the Vaughn brothers, and Jimi Hendrix to just name a few would not have chosen the paths they chose. Instead they would have opted for a more straight forward rock sound (not to say that Clapton wouldnt do that anyways in the late '70s and 80's sadly).
   
   Taken from a collection of singles and released as one whole album finally in 1967 Born Under A Bad Sign was Albert Kings crowning achivement so to speak. Pun intended. This was the album that solidified him as a guitar power-house and making him the third King in the three king trilogy along side B.B. King and Freddie King.
   
   The album features and all star line up of Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn on guitar and bass. Al Jackson jr. on Drums. The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, Joe Arnold). To top off the line up is the great Booker T. Jones and Isaac Hayes on the keys. Phenomonal. Easily the best blues line up ever assembled!
   
   Starting off with the title track, and legendary 'Born Under A Bad Sign' which is easily one of the top five blues numbers of all time. So good infact that in the mid 80's the hardcore band MDC (millions of dead cops) covered the song, and did a great job in fact. Killer cuts like 'Crosscut Saw' and 'Kansas City' keep things moving in an up beat manner complete with bleeding guitar. 'Oh, Pretty Woman' continues things. No not the Roy Orbison song, no, no, no, Kings 'Oh, Pretty Women' in my opinion is far superior. Possibly the very best song he ever recorded. A song that had a large influence over the Doors in the L.A. Woman period is 'Down Bother Me,' just a standard blues. 'The Hunter' is a rollicking number with a killer groove thanks to Al Jackson and Hayes. Now Albert King always said he thought of Born Under A Bad sign of more of a vocal album rather then a guitar album and for good reason, three of the albums best songs, 'I Almost Lost My Mind' 'As The Years Go Passing By' and the closer 'The Very Thought Of You' are very vocal. The guitar is there but the vocals are clearly the focal point of those tracks. Between those three are the gut wrenching 'Personal Manager' a song that should not be heard on a broken heart, and the severed wrist of a song, 'Laudromat Blues.'
   
   This is one blues album that even a regular rock fan would enjoy. Fans of Eric Clapton would love this album because you can see where he gained a lot of his classic guitar licks from. As far as the blues go, it doesn't get any better then Born Under A Bad Sign from the real king...Albert King!



5. Born Under a Bad Sign marked the history of the blues. This reissue is essential for blues lovers.

5 comments about From the Cradle.

1. I am a huge blues fan. I love artists like Peter Green, SRV, BB King, Muddy, Buddy guy and so on. I wouldn't rank Clapton up with any of these guys by any means, which most people would agree with me, would be a unfair comparison anyway. I am not a huge Clapton fan, I liked the stuff he did with John Mayall, but after that, I hadn't really heard a Clapton song I really enjoyed. I do agree with alot of people, Clapton doesn't have the phrasing the true greats have, but he does have some chops and a very good understanding of blues music. Its nice to see him go back to his earlier roots. This album is by far my favorite album of his, and I would rank it as one of the top blues albums i've ever heard. His phrasing on this album is exceptional, and his tone is just killer on EVERY track. His voice is fairly soulful on this album as well. But this is definately not your typical Clapton fan's favorite album. This sets Claptons prime for me. GREAT ALBUM! Now go listen to some Peter Green and enjoy the true British blues experience :).



2. Anyone who appreciates the blues, especially from a guitarist's paradigm, will enjoy this recording. Clapton is always a delight. However, on this album you get to enjoy a cornacopia of Slowhand riffs and solos throughout every track.
   If you do "air guitar", you'll want this disc.



3. "Clapton is God" used to be scrawled on the subways and phone booths of England in the 1960s. From the Cradle shows why. A tour de force of blues solos and techniques, Clapton shows why he is the master of rock and blues guitar, without ever sounding derivative. From the opening slide licks of Blues Before Sunrise through the incendiary riffs of Five Long Years and down to the syncopated jangling of Motherless Child and the choogling grind of Drifting, Clapton lays out the entire blues vocabulary in one tight, very listenable CD. Knowing that every song on here was done in one take with only minimal overdubs only makes this album all the more legendary. A must-have for any student of the blues.



4. Have to say that I have been a huge Clapton fan since the Cream days...He has just gone soft, it's time to face the facts...It has way more to do with inspiration than his getting on in years...I really had my hopes up that this would be an inspired effort, but nothing could be further than the truth!!! If this is "soul" then you are probably someone who thinks that Michael Bolton is a soul singer.



5. When this album came out I loved it but didn't see it for what it is, simply put, it is the quintessential Clapton BLUES album of his career. I've played blues for about 25 years and this is good stuff. I had this on tape but decided it definately belonged in my collection of "best sets". You won't be disappointed. Get it on CD and save it.

5 comments about Live at the Regal.

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. I can't believe the touch of B.B. King. I enjoy his playing immensely. I know this album gets buried in accolades. But I don't like it. The quality is poor and, differing from other's opinions, the crowd noise takes away from the music. B.B. said, in so many words, that Live at the Regal was far from his choice as his best recording. Typically, he said he wouldn't argue with success--and left it at that. There are so many good albums by B.B. You can't go wrong for $4.65 for the "Ultimate Collection". Sure it doesn't have them all--but it has quite a few of his great songs, including a few from Live at the Regal. I would steer clear of this selection. Or I'll send you mine for free!

4 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. 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.



2. 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!!!



3. 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.



4. 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.