Guitarist, singer and songwriter T-Bone Walker was one of the most important and influential pioneers of the electric blues sound, specially the style most closely associated with the West Coast - he was one of the first to amplify his guitar, which he had done by 1940, and was a key influence on B.B. King and Chuck Berry. This 2014 collection is about as comprehensive an anthology of his most important recordings as it is possible to achieve. It comprises 124 tracks in a terrific value 5-CD set, and effectively encompasses every track he recorded through to the end of the 1950s. Beginning with two early tracks recorded in 1929, it includes important performances from the early '40s with other leaders' bands before the many sessions he recorded under his own name for the Black & White, Capitol, Comet and Imperial labels through to the mid-'50s, along with the tracks from the LP "T-Bone Blues" which he recorded for Atlantic in 1956-7, and which many consider his finest work. It naturally includes the blues standards and chart hits for which he is best known, such as "Call it Stormy Monday", "Bobby Sox Blues" and "West End Blues". It is a fine showcase for his distinctive guitar style and sound, and an ideal purchase for anyone wanting a thorough insight.
Despite the fact that his career was curtailed in 1963 by a fatal heart attack when he was only 45, Elmore James was an extremely influential figure in the development of blues guitar, both but virtue of his highly distinctive sound, which he consciously developed by building his own combination of a modified hollow-bodied guitar and custom pick-ups, but also his hit with a version of Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom", which has become one of the most ubiquitously performed and recorded tunes in blues. This 52-track 2-CD collection comprises the A and B sides of every single he released from his debut on the small Trumpet label with the aforementioned classic in 1951 through to a few months before his death, during which time he recorded for the Meteor, Flair, Modern, Chief, Fire and Chess labels. A host of high profile guitarists have readily cited Elmore James as an influence and performed his material over the years, despite his relatively modest body of work, including Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood. This collection is an ideal introduction to his work.
MODERN CHESS & VEEJAY SINGLES COLLECTION 1949-62 - John Lee Hooker is one of the true giants of blues, ranking alongside the likes of other post-war greats such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf as one of the artists who contributed massively to the development of the genre. His driving boogie style has become an essential element of the way blues is played in the modern era. He took the simple structures of Delta blues, sometimes using one and two-chord compositions, but added a fierce, relentless and hypnotically rhythmic approach, underling the rawness of the messages in his songs. He was one of the blues artists who exerted a substantial influence on emerging stars in the rock 'n' roll era, from Bob Dylan through to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, and his legacy resonates through the rock music of the last half-century. He recorded prolifically under a number of names, but this great value 101-track 4-CD collection focuses on the singles he released under his own name (or in the case of some Chess singles, as John Lee Booker) on the Modern, Chess and VeeJay labels from 1949 through to 1962. It naturally includes his big R&B hits during that period - "Boogie Chillen", "Crawlin' King Snake", "Hobo Blues", "Hoogie Boogie", "I'm In The Mood", "Boom Boom" and "Dimples", some of which have become blues and R&B standards. Includes comprehensive booklet with full discographical and session information. It's a thorough overview of his output during what was perhaps the key era of his career, and a fine showcase for his unique talent.
Chester Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf, was one of the most important and influential figures in Chicago Blues through the 1950s, and along with Muddy Waters helped to establish the electric blues style that laid the foundations for rock music in subsequent decades. With his imposing physical presence and loud, almost fearsome voice, he was a powerful and impressive performer, who wrote and popularised songs which have become classic standards of the genre, like "Spoonful", "Smokestack Lightning", "Killing Floor" and "Red Rooster", which became fixtures in the repertoire of bands like The Rolling Stones, who very much championed his cause and widened his reputation in the latter years of his career. This collection brings together both sides of all the singles he released through the RPM and Chess labels during the first hugely important decade of his career, along with bonus tracks comprising recordings made at sessions during this period which were not released as singles at the time. It's a great-value 80-track 3-CD set, which showcases one of the major personalities of the blues.
Confessin' the Blues collects the greatest bluesmen ever and provides a perfect study of the genre. The tracks on the various formats of the release have been chosen by The Rolling Stones in collaboration with BMG and Universal. Confessin' the Blues includes tracks by the biggest blues pioneers including Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson. Confessin' the Blues will be available as a 2-CD set, 2x2 Vinyl LP sets and a 5x10" Vinyl book-pack (mimicking the original 78 RPM releases). All versions include liner notes by music journalist Colin Larkin and the book-pack contains removable art card prints by noted blues illustrator Christoph Mueller. The album cover artwork comes courtesy of Wood, who has added his own personal twist to the project by painting his interpretation of a bluesman.
Following their successful 1994 return to recording, Jay Geils (Jay Geils Band) and Magic Dick document their love affair with the blues on these new studio tracks. Geils' superior guitar work and Dick's powerful harmonica playing give this blues record an added edge.
As a trio, we have been jammin' for a couple of years. We thought it would be nice to bring the group into a studio and make a recording. Here is the result, featuring some tunes written by me and others. Hope you'll enjoy! (Max Schultz) Max Arndth Schultz, born August 31, 1960 in Stockholm, is a Swedish jazz guitarist who plays and composes music in the jazz, blues and pop genres. He started playing a guitar at the age of 10 after seeing a concert with Jimi Hendrix in Stockholm, and began touring in 1979 with the band Rena Liquid. Max Schultz has collaborated with jazz musicians and artists like Håkan Broström, Herbie Hancock, Bob Moses, Nils Landgren, and Esbjörn Svensson, Svante Thuresson, Anna Nederdahl and Tommy Körberg. Max Schultz has also worked as studio musician on recordings with Marie Fredriksson, Rebecka Törnqvist and other artists. The Max Schultz Trio also features Andreas Hellkvist and Daniel Olsson.
(2-CD set) The legendary star Big Joe Williams was one of the major creators of Delta blues and played an important role in orchestral Chicago blues before holding a key position in the sixties folk boom - indeed, he can be thanked for the discory of Bob Dylan! This album covers the first part of the career of this blues great, from his most celebrated composition, "Baby Please Don't Go," to "She Left Me," his last hit for the black public in 1951.
(2-CD set) If John Lee Hooker is a wise man of today, the remarkable debut of his commercial career must not be forgotten. He was once a sort of crazy young dog, the heart-throb of manu a dame who heard him play in the cabarets of Detroit's black ghetto. Young and wild... This boxed set depicts the first musical years of one of the biggest names in the history of the Blues. Includes a 24 page booklet with both French and English notes.
(2-CD set) T-Bone Walker was immensely successful after the war and strongly influenced the evolution of the blues. He was also one of the great pioneers of the electricguitar, perfecting a clear and flowing style which influenced blues and rock guitarists, from B.B. King and Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown to Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This boxed edition traces the first part of R-Bone Walker’s career, from when he led Blind Lemon Jefferson through the streets of Dallas to his national acclaim. Includes a 24 page booklet with both French and English notes.
"Patrick & Steve Verbeke are more than the heirs to the entire North-American tradition; they’re craftsmen when it comes to contemporary portrayals of this human and artistic story, and they
use the musical setting of the blues, not forgetting its scathing humour over life’s misfortunes, in an exceptional fusion that is resolutely French. A savoury conversation between father and son that not only serves the blues, but gives you the irresistible urge to listen to “tu m’as menti”, “la tangente” or “La p’tite cein ture” on repeat, time and time again." Benjamin GOLDENSTEIN
Although not a specific genre there was a style to the way Blues were recorded in Los Angeles in the immediate post-war years. Here are 50 examples spread over two CDs featuring many of the greatest names and as many obscure ones to have recorded in the City. Migrants came from all over America to work in the War plants and other industries that were springing up in the City and a musical style quite different from those of Chicago or New Orleans developed. It emphasized ballads crooned in the style of Nat King Cole and fluid electric guitar solos, much of which had it's roots in Texas, and storming horn sections. It's all included here and the track listing speaks for itself.
Victoria Spivey was a blues and jazz singer who enjoyed significant popularity during the 1920s and '30s, performing with many well-known accompanists and ensembles, with a vivacious personality that made her a successful stage performer, later making a comeback into prominence in the 1960s after spending many years involved in religious music. Most notably, she recorded a considerable number of sides with the great guitarist Lonnie Johnson, and their collaborations represent some of her most highly-regarded work. She also worked with other major figures of the day like Clarence Williams, King Oliver, Henry 'Red' Allen and Louis Armstrong, as well as leading her own ensembles in the '30s. This 48-track 2-CD collection comprises a substantial proportion of her releases from her studio debut in 1926 through to 1937, after which she made no significant recordings until the '60s. It draws from many of her sessions, including performances with all the artists mentioned above, and provides an enjoyable cross-section of her core career, giving a platform for her distinctive voice which was equally effective working with single guitar or piano accompaniment or larger jazz-oriented bands.
