1 comments about Homemade Songs.

1. The temptation here is to use all sorts of Swamp/Americana cliches extolling what a great CD this is ("a modern swamp classic,etc."). Instead, as one who would buy a CD of Bobby singing his tax-returns, I will say, go out and buy this album now!!! You'll dig it.

5 comments about King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2.

1. 
   I fell in love with the music of ROBERT JOHNSON in the late 1970s, and played it frequently during the early 1980s while hanging out with THE LEAGUE OF SOUL CRUSADERS in my "Liquidated Youth" (some people have a "drinking buddy" but I had a "drinking gang.") I owned both of the KING OF THE DELTA SINGERS albums, and though Vol. 1 has his most revered Blues masterpieces, including his great "devil" tunes, I always preferred Vol. 2 because I felt it contained more sonic variety. (Even my Ma loved "They're Red Hot" because of all the changes in pitch that Johnson's voice assumes in that cut.) I played the hell out of Robert Johnson in those days, and the other Soul Crusaders became infected with the Blues as a result. (They eventually learned the words to "Love In Vain" and we'd sing it while driving to the next watering hole.)
   
   By now, everyone's heard that Johnson sold his soul to the devil for his prodigious musical talent. (What're ya tryin' to cast doubt on one of the great stories in the history of American music? Why ya blasted commie, I oughta --- a-Woo-Woo-Woo!) And hopefully you know that Led Zeppelin ripped off Johnson (and Wolf and Muddy) shamelessly with their first two albums. (Remember that line from Led Zepp II, where Plant sings, "You can squeeze my lemon 'til the juice runs down my leg"? Stole it directly from R.J. But R.J. wasn't always so crude with his "seckshual" references; he could also be funny. In "From Four Until Late" he sings, "A woman is like a dresser; some man's always rambling through its drawers.")
   
   I have myriad Robert Johnson/Booze 'N' Blues memories intertwined throughout my personal history to keep me company in my sober, old age. When we League Of Soul Crusaders were in an energetic drinkin' mood we'd often play Springsteen's BORN TO RUN; MORRISON HOTEL by The Doors; or TOO-RYE-AY by Dexy's Midnight Runners. When I was in a more mellow, contemplative mood, I'd drink to Van Morrison's ASTRAL WEEKS; PIRATES by Rickie Lee Jones; or SMALL CHANGE by Tom Waits. (Of course, when we were in a Country-Western frame of mind there was just no substitute for the album, MY BABY BUSTED MY HEART BUT I'M CRYIN' 'CAUSE I SLICED AN ONION by Yoey O'Dogherty And His Corn Liquor Boys.)
   
   But at 3:30 AM, when all the other Soul Crusaders were passed out, me 'n' Twinkie would head for his bedroom. I know what you're thinkin', and it wasn't like that at all! Despite his nickname, Twinkie and I were both manly men - like lumberjacks, OK? And we were just going into his bedroom to listen to Robert Johnson. One night, we experienced a Liquidated Magical Moment: we simultaneously heard an R.J. lick that was literally "IMPOSSIBLE" for a single guitarist to play. Our heads snapped, and we looked to each other, both of us slack-jawed. We never could find that exact same spot on the album again when in a sober state, so it was just one more of those mysterious "thangs" that happen when Boys 'N' Booze meet (you rummies know what I'm talkin' about).
   
   Twinkie's real surname was "Johnson", and borrowing the lyric from "Kind Hearted Woman Blues", we used to sing out "Now there ain't but the one thing makes Mister Johnson drink" everytime he was having female troubles. (And he was ALWAYS having female troubles, so he did a lot of drinking. I only drank when I didn't have a woman to give me trouble, meaning this lonesome boy also did a lot of drinking.) And Robert Johnson even inspired me to write my own Blues song, "Devil On My Coattail Blues." I'd sing it for ya, but I like ya too much to do that.
   
   The best performance of R.J.'s "Love In Vain" that the Soul Crusaders ever gave was the night an angry Napoleon, my brother (The League's 5' 6" "enforcer"), decided to stumble home from The Music Machine dance club when a smart woman declined his request for a dance. It would have been about a 12 mile walk, so we went looking for him shortly after he stormed out. Meanwhile, Napoleon had entered a bar to buy a cigar for the walk home, when some big, fat feller with some artificial hair started some cr@p with Nappy just because he was only 5' 6". Well, Nappy - never one to take any cr@p - reciprocated with some lip of his own and then left the bar with his cigar.
   
   Fat Feller, figuring he would show his bar buddies how tough he was, went out after little Nappy and took a swing at him. (Ooooh, big boo-boo, Fat Feller! Ya just don't antagonize "Little Mad Guy") With freakish quickness, Nappy flicked a left jab to set Fat Feller up, and immediately followed that with the right cross. Now ordinarily, Nappy's right cross is enough to send ANY man to the next lunar cycle, if not to the moon itself. But in this case, being in the "100 proof condition" that he was, Nappy's punch merely succeeded in putting Fat Feller's head into the full speed Linda Blair Exorcist-Spin Cycle. By the time the headlights of our van flashed upon the two combatants squared off with each other in the street, Fat Feller's head was just coming to a stop, his toupee was lying in the dirt in the next county, and all of the fight had gone out of him (who knows where it went, but it was later reported that something with its tail between its legs was seen yelping Westbound on Pico Boulevard, moving with great haste toward the Pacific Ocean).
   
   We hustled Napoleon into the van while apologizing to Fat Feller (Nappy was involved, so naturally we had just "assumed"), but undoubtedly Fat Feller couldn't hear the apology because of the ringing in his ears. And we drove off singing, "Ooooh-Ooooh, all my love's in vain!"
   
   When I converted my Robert Johnson albums to compact disc, I bought 'The Complete Recordings' but the thing gave me the blues because I didn't like the fact that all of the alternate takes were placed back-to-back with their released versions, so that unless I wanted to take time to program the player first, I was hearing many of the songs twice in a row. So I later sold that set and acquired KING OF THE DELTA BLUES SINGERS Volume 1 and 2 separately, and I'm much happier now.
   
   Whether you need a soundtrack for drinkin', fightin', or cryin', -- or need great Blues just for listenin' to 'cause that's the kinda guy or gal ya are -- KING OF THE DELTA BLUES SINGERS is the real deal, the genuine article, true Blues for the true you! Buy it today and start creating your own intoxicated Robert Johnson memories. This is Five-Star stuff (that I only gave Four Stars to because R.J. is dead, and I never give Five Stars to dead people - just a little idiosyncrasy of mine).
   
   But whatever you do, don't listen to KING OF THE DELTA BLUES SINGERS while in public, especially while you're driving, or you'll have M.A.R.J. (Mothers Against Robert Johnson) madd at ya, and that's even worse than having Napoleon madd at ya!



2. Yeah, volume one has CrossRoad Blues. But this compilation has "They're Red Hot." Johnson at his most upbeat.



3. I am really pleased that this second volume has come out at last, as I remember getting both volumes when they came out first time round as LPs with their beautiful artwork, which has been faithfully reproduced. But what has really amazed me is the quality of the remastered sound, even better than that on the first volume which was very good. Every nuance of Johnson's voice and guitar work has been reproduced, so you really feel you are there in that San Antonio hotel room. Included on both volumes are alternative versions of songs which are fascinating to hear, as they are quite different in parts and (to me) show that Johnson was very prone to improvise, which is contrary to the view expressed in the sleeve notes.



4. When you are talking about Robert Johnson, alternate takes are not just alternate takes. This is a genious of the highest order, that was barely captured on disc, in a world then ruled by Jim Crow. Therefore, you want to listen to every single note he put on record eventually. Besides, many of the alternate takes are completely different than the released versions, sometimes different rythms, different words, and some alternates are even better than the released versions. I dont see the point in these King of the Delta Blues CDs when you can go for the Complete 2 CD box set.



5. This is some of the best delta blues ever recorded, but enough has been written about that. The reason to get this compilation and its companion "King of the Delta Blues Singers [vol. 1]" is for the wonderful remastering. The sound on these two issues is far better than the 1990 "Complete" box set (and better even than the remastered 1997 version of that set). Both volumes of "King of the Delta Blues" employ minimal noise reduction. While this leaves some high end hiss and low end rumble, it makes the recordings clearer, more full bodied and natural sounding than any versions of Johnson's recordings that I have ever heard. His voice and guitar do not sound as thin as they do on previous issues. I also prefer the sequencing on this CD over the "Complete" set, which has back to back alternate takes. The only thing you miss out on with "King of the Delta Blues" volumes 1 and 2 are a handful of alternate takes which appear only on the "Complete" box set. Highly recommended!

5 comments about What a Diff'rence a Day Makes!.

1. Truly enjoyed listening to Dina Washington singing all those beautiful songs in that CD.



2. Dinah Washington possessed a singularly beautiful voice that remains instantly unforgettable to this day. Dinah instinctively knew how to take a song and make it her own using her excellent diction and beautiful voice. Her voice is not unlike Billie Holiday's in that you can sense each and every nuance of all the emotions in the world in every single syllable Dinah ever sang. This CD gives us an excellent look at Dinah's strong ability to sing great ballads about the joy of love and love gone awry. Dinah makes each ballad into a type of symphony that very few singers could ever hope to recreate.
   
   The CD track set starts off with the beautiful "I Remember You." Dinah sings the first few bars a Capella; and this REALLY shows off her exquisite voice and perfect diction. The musical arrangement that then begins enhances the beauty of the melody with strings, percussion, flute and piano while never detracting so much as an ounce from Dinah's powerful voice. The chorus sings well, too.
   
   Other special numbers on this CD include a haunting rendition of "Cry me A River" with Dinah's voice gliding through the lyrics like a flowing melody all its own. The musical arrangement and the chorus help; but Dinah carries this song without question. "What A Diff'rence A Day Made" displays Dinah's thoughtfulness once again; she takes the song's title "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes" and changes "Makes" to "Made" and this tiny little shift alone makes the ballad even more beautiful than it was before. Dinah's attention to every last detail always made her performance stronger and more commanding; you can't help but focus on the sound of her beautiful voice whenever you hear it.
   
   "Manhattan" gives Dinah the chance to belt out this classic love ballad once again in her own way. You'll notice how Dinah used the subtlest changes in rhythm and enunciation of syllables to evoke strong emotional reactions from her audience. The musical arrangement positively shines while the chorus in the background harmonizes perfectly, too!
   
   One bonus of this CD is that you get three extra tracks: you get the first version of "Time After Time" in addition to the version that made it to the record album final cut; and you'll enjoy "Come On Home," too. Dinah does a superb job with "It Could Happen To You;" and I confess I don't know why this masterpiece was not released on the record album. Dinah sings "It Could Happen To You" so skillfully with a special degree of sensitivity that I rarely hear.
   
   The liner notes include an excellent essay about Dinah's career by Al Young; and the art work exceeds my expectations with great use of colors and prints. The photos of Dinah are wonderful to look at as well; and the extra bonus track of Dinah joking with her peers shows how Dinah really enjoyed herself when she recorded this fine music.
   
   It would be misleading to state that Dinah Washington truly left this world when she passed so prematurely in late 1962. Indeed, Dinah lives on very well through her music. There are dozens of Dinah Washington CDs out there; and this one is certainly a "must-have" for Dinah Washington fans. I also recommend this CD for people who enjoy classic pop vocals and easy listening music from the late 1950s.



3. I have the LP of the same. Listening to the recordings again bought chills to my body. Wonderfully romantic.



4. I have heard of Dinah Washington but had no idea what a totally beautiful voice she had.What a romantic album! I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys dreamy lovely music. I will certainly purchase more of her music.



5. Dinah was at his best back then. She sang these american standards brilliantly. It's such a shame that the arrangements made this record unbareble. Really, ever since I bought other Dina's Cds (e.g.: Swingin' Ms. D) , I have never returned to this very one. But the most terrible side effect of the comercial success of this recording in 1959, is that for the following years all arrangers have insisted in the same sounding approach. That is why it is very rare to find uptempo swinging tracks among her last recordings, which I personally think it is when she found her best. That is a real shame! ....

5 comments about Absolutely the Best.

1. This is an excellent compilation of Odetta's best stuff. The collection covers her years with Tradition Records to Vanguard Records. This will satisfy both the soulful, gospel fan, as well as as some folk legends such as Bob Dylan.



2. This is an excellent compilation of Odetta's best stuff. The collection covers her years with Tradition Records to Vanguard Records. This will satisfy both the soulful, gospel fan, as well as as some folk legends such as Bob Dylan.



3. Odetta is the greatest, this CD is a must. I downloaded it in MP3
   format but I'll be buying her on CD. Her voice deserves that sort
   of respect.



4. Odetta is the greatest, this CD is a must. I downloaded it in MP3
   format but I'll be buying her on CD. Her voice deserves that sort
   of respect.



5. Odetta is one of the greatest and this CD is a gem. I downloaded it in MP3 format but I'll be buying her on CD. Her voice deserves that sort of respect.

5 comments about The Howlin' Wolf Story - The Secret History of Rock & Roll.

1. I have reviewed several of Howlin' Wolf's CDs in this space previously and had expected that this documentary about the life, the times and the influence of this incredible blues performer would merely be an appetizer for further reviews of his music. Not so. This well-done, lovingly put together and extremely informative documentary is a worthy viewing for the novice and old Wolf aficionados like me. Thus, rather than placing this commentary as a tail to some other Wolf entry it is worthy of separate entry here.
   
   In this presentation filled, as always in this kind of work, with the inevitable "talking heads" we go from Wolf`s roots down in the Mississippi Delta, cotton country and nothing else, in the 1920's and 1930's through to the first stop up the Mississippi at Memphis on to the Mecca Chicago in the post- World War II period and finally to international renown in the blues revival started by the likes of The Rolling Stones in the mid-1960s. In short we are treated to a view of the trajectory of Wolf's life; unlike let us say Son House with whom Wolf worked with in the old days who stuck with the country roots, from country blues of the back road jukes to the electricity of the urban ghetto that made those old blues jump for at first migratory urban blacks and then young whites like this reviewer. Along the way many of the musicians that worked with Wolf like Hubert Sumerlin, a blues guitarist legend in his own right, and Sam Lay as well as Wolf's daughters, the Chess Record producer Marshall Chess and others give some amusing stories and anecdotes on the life of the great bluesman. And seemingly as always when blues or rock and roll are mentioned little segments with the ubiquitous Sam Phillips of the well-known Sun Recording studio in Memphis.
   
   I do not generally comment on (or for that matter look at) the special features sections of DVD. Not doing so here would be a mistake. There is some nice home movie footage, some interesting Wolf stories by his companions and rivals, a nice segment on the rivalry between Wolf and Muddy Waters to be "King of The Chicago Blues" and a recording of a radio broadcast of Wolf doing Little Red Rooster. Damn, I flipped out the first time I heard that song when it was covered by The Rolling Stones in the early 1960's. I also flipped out when I first heard a Wolf recording of it. I don't know what I would have done had I heard it on my radio then. Probably started hitchhiking for Chicago.
   
   All of this information is nice but I am sure the reader is just as interested to know about the music. Oh yes there is some great footage of classic Wolf efforts. Of course for this reviewer number one is always Wolf's Little Red Rooster. Christ, he is practically eating the harmonica by the end of the song. Lovin' Spoonful, Moaning at Midnight and a host of other songs get their usual Wolf professional treatment. That is a point to be underscored, he was a professional in his approach to the music, its presentation and the way that he could influence a genre that he practically build (along with his competitor Muddy Waters) from scratch. If you need an hour of the Wolf doin' his Midnight Creep then you really have to see this documentary. Kudos to the filmmakers on this one.



2. One of the finest bluesmen in history, the real father of rock and roll, is brilliantly captured on this DVD. Excellent choice for anyone interested in this amazing man.
   
   "When you thinkin' evil, you thinking 'bout the blues."



3. Essential part of Blues history! A simply must have!



4. I thoroughly enjoyed the DVD. It told the story of his life, with great music, and included his family and friends. It made him come to life for me, and was informative of his life and relationships with those close to him.



5. I was generqally pleased with the music on this DVD. However, it did not meet my objective to obtain video footage of the Howlin' Wolf performing before a live audience. The recordings of him sitting in a chair in an empty room was not what I was searching for.

5 comments about Down In The Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s 1926-1937 (Jewel Case with 28-page booklet).

1. After seeing " DESPERATE MAN BLUES " on TV; I found out about this CD & knew that I had to own it. Even though ( as I indicated in a prior review ) I am NOT a 78 rpm Collector; I do know that this CD really is a TREASURE TROVE of some extremely special records that are definitely worth listening to. Kudos to JOE BUSSARD for being the superb Collector that he so obviously is & for putting this incredible Collection together !!!......My only question is ( as other reviewers have also inquired )......JOE; HAVING SOME AWARENESS OF THE EXTENT OF YOUR COLLECTION.....WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH ANOTHER CD LIKE THIS ?????



2. Sell your shoes cause your goin to heaven after you play this one! You can finally say you've heard it all. Top drawer assemblage of roots, blues, and just plain fun. Uncle Joe say it ain't so... give us another, PLEASE!



3. If you're interested in the history of US music, as I am, you'll find this a fine addition. Cleaned up as well as can be expected but still some hum & hiss...but not enough to be distracting.



4. everything i've ever bought on the old hat label has been fantastic, and this is no exception. a must have disc for fans of old time music. and if you have no old time music discs, this would be as good a place as any to start with. great sound and a variety of musical styles make this disc a complete winner.



5. A generous 24-track helping of some of record collector extraordinare Joe Bussard's favorites. The examples included run the gamut of early 20th centruy roots music ranging from Hillybilly music to Blues, Jazz, Jug Bands and beyond.
   
   Sound quality is top notch -- these guys really know how to do 78-RPM transfers. Also Joe's records seem to be in excellent condition to begin with so not a lot of noise reduction is required. This is one of the very finest sounding discs of 78-RPM transfers that I have heard.
   
   Packaging is also lavish with a 70 page booklet that contains annotations for each of the 24 tracks, and lots of interesting photos of vintage record labels and packaging, as well as several essays and stories about Joe's record collecting career. There's much of interest here for those who love Roots music.

5 comments about The Essential Etta James.

1. This cd is perfect if you are looking for some jazzy sexy blues. Her voice gives me goosebumps! It will make anyone an instant Etta James fan.



2. If you have not heard Etta James, you are missing the most soulful, funky, get on down and crank it out blues singer to ever grace the face of this earth. To me, this is her finest collection. Don't let your friends borrow it, if you ever want to see it again. It's that good, trust in me... ;)



3. Ken while I agree with almost everything you say, I have to inform you of an error. The outstanding soul tune "Tell Mama" IS NOT the "Memphis Sound." It is in fact part of the immortal legacy of Rick Hall's FAME Studios in the Southern Soul Mecca of MUSCLE SHOALS, ALABAMA. Trust me check out the orginal liner notes. Or just check out the FAME Studios Website.



4. This is an excellent cross-section of Miss James' vocal ability. It's all here - smoke-filled standards, rockin' R&B, scorching soul, and yes indeed, torch songs to put modern "divas" to shame. Though Etta's voice has spectacular range and emotional drive, these recordings do not contain the shrill vocal calesthenics forced on us by the 90's pop divas. The result was this ultra-quality collection, which I guarantee you will never loan out, even to your best friend.



5. "Etta" Wails, "I'd Rather Go Blind", and ALL I can say is; "Yeah, me too, mama, PLEASE, just don't EVER render me "deaf"!! This "W.O.M.A.N."; can and DOES, "render me awestruck, not to mention, dumbstruck with her sheer "gutesy, simmering, beltin', sheer vocal force/power, and then DOES IT AGAIN, when she "ratches-down" that INCREDIBLE RANGE of her's (doesn't get any better than THIS, folks) and into her OWN "stylistic-trademark "cruise-control", to give us the treat of her "smooth, sly, earthy delivery of her "gentler?-side"; joking here, of course she does have it, and displays it, in all her multifaceted hues, and glory; her instintual brilliance of interpretation is unequaled, and unrivaled. THE MUSIC HEREIN. Well, the "raw jewels" at her absolute "zenith" are pretty much all here. Then they jusy casually drop in previous unreleased "gems", such as "I Never Meant To Love Him", now a personal fave of mine, and her OWN rendition of Aretha"s "Do Right Womam, Do Right Man"; and I'm certainly hard-pressed to say who's version is better. Different, not better. Two cds "chock-full", each containing 22 "cuts' and ALL "prime-Etta", in any style, or aproachto this staggering array of material. I take issue with "other prior posters" who said they weren't ALL "keepers", you can "Lose and Weep" all you want to. I can't find one "sub-standard" cut anywhere here. None. Personal fave "standouts": "Almost Persuaded", a blistering, searing "God"s Song" (That's Why I Love Mankind); and a true "barnburner" by anyone's standards, the aptly titled "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield"; and man, oh, man-does she EVER!! I certainly felt raw, and than "crispy" by the end of cd No. 2. (Appropriately, the "closer". Randy Newman has GOT to be "one proud papa" with these to two seminal/stellar "inteprets". Of course, by the end of this "rollercoaster-ride", over the course of these entire cds "contents", I was "slack-jawed"; and that's putting it lightly. Other noteables: "Waiting For Charlie (To Come Home)"; "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pushover""Payback", a bone-chilling rendition of "All The Way Down"; and "closer" on cd No.1, "Baby What You Want Me To Do"-LIVE! YEOWWW! This "comp." is a Very thrifty bargain at any price. Need I say it again? GET THIS "SET"!! You can't POSSIBLY lose. Promise!Lynn Luv, or; Nancy N.

5 comments about Billie Holiday - Ultimate Collection.

1. There was a good amount of footage of her, but not nearly enough and I didn't get to see her perform some of my favorites, but still worth owning.



2. This is a great collection to my Billie collection. Its great to see how she moved and smiled. It's almost like I was there!



3. Indeed, the footage of Lady Day is preciously rare, they say, so this DVD might contain basically everything. However, the film with Duke Ellington's orchestra is not complete. They shouldn't have cut it after the part where Billie appears, regardless of the fact that this is definitively not the best Ellington perfomance of the period (to say the least...). Also, the fabulous "Sound of Jazz" performance with Young, Hawkins, Eldridge, Mulligan, Webster and Dickenson is seen and heard in much better shape on the "Sound of Jazz" DVD (the one with Henry Red Allen, Count Basie, Miles Davis and others)...
   
   On the other hand, it's a great thrill to see and hear Billie in other rare TV occasions (even as her self-destructive life obviously took its toll, she is still impressive even in her last TV appearance...)... The very useful "timeline" feature mentions, among other things, an appearance on British television; it would be very nice if that footage would surface at some point....
   
   The interviews audios (with Billie, John Hammond...) and the rehearsal with Jimmy Rowles on piano are also very useful and interesting...
   
   BTW; the Bessie Smith flick is a welcome addition (as is the Armstrong big band number), but they should have presented the entire film...
   Also; although the interactive part is useful and amusing and the interviews at times amazing, the selection of songs for the audio part should have been a bit more "ultimate"...
   
   Also, there are some mistakes in the liner notes: James P. Johnson is the musical director, not the director of "St. Louis Blues" short film while, although Jo Jones is listed as the drummer on "Fine and Mellow" video-number, the announcer in the beginning of the clip mentions Ossie Johnson at the drums (still, in this case the announcer might be wrong...).
   
   All in all, this is a must have for a Lady Day fan, but the editors and producers should have done better...



4. ...you will want this. If this is indeed complete, then there is not much footage of Billie Holiday actually performing live. What does exist is wonderful, the "Stars on Jazz" is priceless. Some of the clips are soundies, that is, the musicians are fake-playing to a prerecorded track. They were the true precursors of MTV-type video clips, and show Billie at the early stages of her career. Two of the tracks are from the movie "New Orleans" (and also lip-synced). And for some reason, there are two clips by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong that do not contain Billie. Think of them as bonus tracks. There is are also 5 audio-only live performances, and a Mike Wallace radio interview with Billie, a great discography and photo slide show. The kicker is an audio-only rehearsal with pianist and drummer, working out the arrangement for "Jeepers Creepers", with Billie's salty language as she jives with the players. The dvd also comes with a classy and informative booklet which covers all the details. They did a nice job on this release.



5. What an amazing DVD of collected Billie Holiday snips. Lots of things that someone spent considerable time pulling together, not just video but audio recordings and interviews. This was my first time seeing Billie sing, after having listened to her for the past 25 years on albums and CDs. Wanted to see how she stood, how she held her mouth, all that. I was mesmerized watching her; dazzled and calmed all at the same time, watching her nonchalantly let lyrics float from her mouth, easy as 1,2,3. You have to remember that most clips come from later in her career; they didn't have MTV in the 1930s! Billie's rendition of Fine and Mellow on this DVD is worth the purchase price all by itself. I had dreams about her after watching this collection last night. Fine and mellow dreams.

3 comments about Appalachian Mandolin and Dulcimer.

1. Being a new fan to Bluegrass thanks to David Davis and the Warrior River Boys, I wanted to find some music that was strictly mandolin. In my search I found Mr. Butch Baldassari and his incredible music! A find it was! I needed to go no further in my search and highly recommend any of Mr. Baldassari's work! I bought three that day (this one, Mandolin Hymns, and Duets for Mandolin and Guitar) and love them all. This CD is invigorating and a truly incredible showcase. Mr. Baldassari is fighting an inoperable brain tumor. Purchasing this CD would be a great way to show him and his family support. It's a joy to have!



2. Too often instrumental music by skilled musicians is strong on musicianship at he expense of poetry. This release is rich in both, with beautiful aural landscapes portraying a range of thought and emotion. This version of Wayfaring Stranger reaches a desolation few vocalists have ever found, and Pretty Saro sounds like the wind through cenuries. Much glee, warmth, and romp throughout, with Wolves-A-Howling a personal favorite. An echo from the past, yet as immediate as your heartbeat today. Highly recommended.



3. David Schnaufer, a national dulcimer champion brought the dulcimer to the Nashville scene. Dulcimer means "sweet sound" and it's never sounded sweeter than when played by David Schnaufer. Combine that with Bruce Baldassari and you've got a winning combination. Bruce can play the mandolin like no other. I had the opportunity to hear these two together in concert, and I've never heard such a wonderful sound as the dulcimer and mandolin played together by these two masters. This may be heavenly music at it's best. It sure would have the angels singing, clapping, and stomping their feet.

5 comments about Blues Masters, Vol. 4: Harmonica Classics.

1. Another excellent collection of blues harp playing. Buy this and you won't be disappointed!



2. pretty much all the songs on here are actually good, unlike with a lot of compilations. a good buy.



3. cd was as advertised and arrived in good condition, in a timely fashion. this is the first used product i have purchased on the net and i am very satisfied with the results



4. Wow! A friend recommended this CD to me (as I am beginning to play), and what a treat this was. Terrific variety in style, and superb playing all around. Especially helpful were the extensive liner notes to the CD, listing each artist and going into their background as well as details about the songs. Really enjoyable reading. I just can't say enough about it if you are looking for a good sampling of harp songs. :)



5. Rhino's "Blues Masters" series is the best of its kind, and while this one disc obviously only scratches the surface of blues harmonica playing, it does feature a lot of good music.
   
   Most longtime blues fans will own the lion's share of this material already, but "Harmonica Classics" also features several lesser-known songs like Jerry McCain's "Steady", Lazy Lester's superbly groovy "Sugar Coated Love", "Boogie Twist" by Snooky Pryor, and "Easy" by the greatest blues harmonica player of them all, the great Walter Horton (that's the song credited to "Jimmy and Walter").
   
   Howlin' Wolf is here as well, Billy Boy Arnold is here, Little Walter Jacobs is here with his instrumental classic "Juke", and Jimmy Reed is here, doing the loping "Ends And Odds" in his lazy, minimalistic style. Other highlights include Junior Wells' tough "Messin' With The Kid" and Sonny Boy Williamson (II)'s "Help Me".
   
   These songs don't necessarily rank among the artists' very best, since they were chosen primarily for the harp playing, and that may be seen as a little bit of a drawback. But that's not to say that these songs are generally below par, however, and this collection does focus on blues harmonica after all.
   And there is some impressive instrumental prowess on display here, including the Fabulous Thunderbirds' lyrical "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White", "Last Night" by George "Harmonica" Smith, and the one-armed John Wrencher's rendition "Take A Little Walk With Me".
   
   As I said, this is not excactly the defintive word on blues harmonica, or on the artists represented here, but "Harmonica Classics" and its companion volume (excitingly titled "More Harmonica Classics") are still a fine purchase for casual and "mid-level" blues listeners.
   Lots of great music here.