CD-Charts Position 61
Average Rating:

Mr. Scrapper's Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Scrapper Blackwell

Release Date July 31, 2001
Francis "Scrapper" Blackwell was not only one of the legendary pre-war virtouosos - who, as Leroy Carr's guitarist, essentially defined what is now called "urban blues" - but a capable singer-songwriter, too. In this album he essentialy re-visited some of his pre-war material (e.g. "Penal Farm Blues", his first 78rpm single) and managed to create an album which, I think, should be included in every collection that prouds to have gone deep into the blues.

Although age had by then left visible signs on Blackwell's voice, he is at least moving singing "Goin' Where The Monon Crosses The Yellow Dog", and also in moments like "Little Boy Blue" or "Shady Lane". But, although these are good reasons to buy this album themselves, the most ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 62
Average Rating:

Complete Recordings 1929-34

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Charley Patton

Release Date September 24, 2002
Comments about the treble roll off (see note below) of JSP's edition compared with other editions (I have Yazoo's on vinyl, and Document's & Revenant's on compact disc) are reasonable, but the person who appreciates Charley Patton enough to acquire any edition of his complete recordings should be or become familiar with the quantitative and qualitative limitations of the source recordings: not a lot of copies of any Patton record exist, they're often pretty beaten up, and Paramount's studio where Patton recorded most of them was notoriously primitive. Many of us may be quite willing to accept some sort of sonic compromise in the remastering process. Really it comes down to a matter of how much the listener wants to struggle through varying ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 63
Average Rating:

The Very Best of John Lee Hooker

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: John Lee Hooker

Release Date April 25, 1995
Some of John Lee Hooker's best known songs are compiled from his many years and albums onto this budget CD, with not one being one you will skip over. From "Boogie Chillen'" to "Boom, Boom," they are all here. Even the songs which made others famous, such as "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."

"I'm Bad Like Jesse James" is a favorite of mine, with this particular song showing his inimitable rambling style so strikingly, a style which over the years can be found less and less.

It should be noted that the version of "I'm in the mood" on this album is different than the Chess side he recorded with the Chess brothers (I actually prefer the more polished Chess side). But regardless, each song is representative of a different time in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 64
Average Rating:

Blues Singer

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Buddy Guy

Release Date June 03, 2003
First of all, let it be said that Buddy Guy is an electric Blues guitarist, and not a pre-War "Country Blues" artist. His guitar playing on the Skip James track really shows that Buddy was simply clowning around at these sessions and is also very limited on an acoustic guitar. The subtleties and nuances that Skip James provided us with in the song, on both the 1931 recording and on later versions, is totally missing from the Buddy Guy version. Johnny Shines, who is one of the greatest Bluesmen of the second half of the 20th century, has a song on this album that is covered by Buddy Guy, according to the liner notes from this album. The only problem is that the Buddy Guy track doesn't resemble the Shines version in any way. The music and lyrics are totally different. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 65
Average Rating:

John Lee Hooker: The Ultimate Collection 1948-1990

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: John Lee Hooker

Release Date November 19, 1991
John Lee Hooker: The Ultimate Collection 1948-1990 is one of the best, if not the best anthologies of the blues master early work and some of his later work.

Hooker, who because of legal entanglements, recorded under a lot of different names (John Lee Cooker, etc...), is one of the alltime greats, able to evoke haunting tones and moods on some songs, while kicking off a rocking boogie vibe in others. Just about all of the blues standards that he is known for are on this collection - Boogie Children, Crawling Kingsnake Blues, House Rent Boogie, One Bourbor, One Scotch, Onr Beer, and many others.

If you want to get the best representation of his early era, and pickup his later comeback material elsewhere, this is a great way to get your fill of Johnny ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 66
Average Rating:

Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: R.L. Burnside

Release Date October 24, 2000
I discovered RL Burnside thanks to Sirius Radio. I have purchased 2 of his CD's and have been pleasantly surprised with both. Great music.I plan to buy all or at least most of his CD's in the near future.

CD-Charts Position 67
Average Rating:

The Best of Hooker 'n Heat

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Canned Heat & John Lee Hooker

Release Date May 28, 1996
Like ice cream pizza, Hooker 'n' Heat is a pairing of two great things that doesn't quite work. The record company realized that the original 2-disc Hooker 'N' Heat release was overbloated, so they pared it down to this 1-disc....but it's still just not worth the money.

Find a Hooker compilation that includes "Burning Hell" (which is nearly ANY Hooker compilation) and you're good to go.

CD-Charts Position 68
Average Rating:

Blues Masters, Vol. 16: More Harmonica Classics

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Various Artists

Release Date July 14, 1998
An excellent compilation of blues harp playing. Buy this if you are looking to hear the best and learn some of the best techniques ever!

CD-Charts Position 69
Average Rating:

His Best: 1947 to 1955

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Muddy Waters

Release Date March 25, 1997
There may be slightly (and I do mean slightly) better produced Muddy Waters CDs, but this stands out as my favorite. It has an intimate, yet at the same time outstanding, archival feel. Without R+B musicians like Muddy Waters its hard to imagine the evolution of mainstream Rock.

This CD has got to be in any music anthology, and certainly in any R&B collection.

It is a cultural treasure.

Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Muddy Waters
At Newport
Let's Roll
Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday
The Ultimate Collection
The Essential Bessie Smith
The Definitive Soul Collection

CD-Charts Position 70
Average Rating:

Blues Masters, Vol. 8: Mississippi Delta Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Delta Blues
by: Various Artists

Release Date February 16, 1993
Not five straight stars, though...partly because the authentic Mississippi Delta stuff is interspersed with much more urban sounds from B.B. King and Albert King. And (very) electric Chicago-sides by Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, and Robert Nighthawk do much to blur the distinctiveness of this package.

But there's nothing wrong with the music itself. Delta legends Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Son House are here, doing "Rattlesnake Blues", the eerie "Crossroads Blues" and the harsh "Preachin' The Blues" respectively. Muddy Waters' late-40s single "I Feel Like Going Home" is one of his finest early songs. And the awesome (and sadly underrated) Tommy Johnson is represented by two of his best and most impressive songs, "Big Road Blues" and "Cool Drink Of Water Blues" (the basis ... Read More: