Blues Hit Big Town contains the historic first recordings of Junior Wells. Junior was still a teenager at the time of the first session and between sessions replaced Little Walter in the Muddy Waters band. In a Down Beat review Pete Welding said "In their power, directness, unerring taste and utter consistency of mood, these may well be the most perfectly distilled examples of Wells' music ever recorded, taking their place alongside of those of Waters, Walter, Wolf and other masters of the period. Five stars." Blues Hit Big Town captures genius emerging from one of the greatest blues personalities and harmonica players of all time.(Previously deleted:3/1/03. Original release date:4/1/92)

Matthew Shipp "The Reward" - Matthew Shipp (piano)

With Mingus, Milt Jackson, Lucky Thompson 1945.

Joshua Abrams' Cloud Script - "Cloud Script" - Joshua Abrams (double bass), Ari Brown (tenor saxophone), Jeff Parker (guitar), Gerald Cleaver (drums)

Vinyl LP reissue. One of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s, and one of the first to successfully capture the smoky ambience of a night at a West Side nightspot. The Monday blues boys-guitarist Buddy Guy, bassist Jack Myers, drummer Billy Warren-join Wells on his harp to create this raw, gutsy, uninhibited sound, yielding melodic memory-makers such as "Snatch it Back and Hold it," "You Don't Love Me, Baby," "Chitlin con Carne," and others. Widely hailed as one of Wells's finest achievements, the album has gone on to be Delmark's highest-selling release of all time. And little wonder why: If not just Wells, Guy truly dazzles here on the guitar. Every blues lover will confirm this record as prerequisite stuff for Chicago Blues 101.

Robert Nighthawk recorded for United on it's first day of sessions and two of United's first five releases were by "Robert Nighthawk and his Nighthawks Band". He had a national hit in late '49 on Aristocrat and perhaps United had envisioned Nighthawk as it's blues-singing slide guitar rival to Chess' Muddy Waters. Sales didn't pan out but to many he was the ultimate slide guitarist of the amplified blues era, one who influenced the likes of Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Earl Hooker. B.B. King cited Nighthawk as one of his "Ten Favorite Guitarists" in "Guitar Player" magazine. Today, more than 30 years after his death, Nighthawk is ranked among the greats in blues history.

Original LP version! The rough and rowdy blues heard at Turner's Blues Lounge in the 60's has been captured in these explosive '66 and '68 sessions. J.B. tears the joint up along with Sunnyland Slim and Lee Jackson.

Live in Japan with Jimmy Johnson in 1975.

Anthony Braxton was first documented as a player in 1967 on Muhal Richard Abrams' Levels and Degrees of Light (DMK 413) Nine months of gestation produced this, his first recording as a leader. Braxton the player/composer/constructor is here at full length. In retrospect he was a much more developed and confident musician than he may have seemed at the time.

DANCE & A HOP

In a review of Jason Stein's debut album, The Story This Time (Delmark 2013), JazzTimes said "This record kills. The double-horn front line allows for torrid, bop-rooted synchronicity and numerous moments of unfettered exploration." Stein understands the bass clarinet's history and seeks to extend it's comfort zone, and he's not prone to move into the stratosphere, staying in the natural range on his instrument, but picking up the pace manually, the overland route, through force of will. Add to a couple tracks the contrabass clarinet of Keefe Jackson, which ratchets the sound down into the substrata a few notches, and the uncanny play between the anchor and the waves is even more pronounced.

Blues From The Inside Out is the most expressive project of Dave Specter's 35 year career. Featuring his debut as a vocalist, the album is an exciting and timely celebration of blues, soul, jazz, funk and gospel. With a guest appearance on guitar by Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna fame, who also co-wrote one of the album's 12 original tunes. These are exciting times to hear Specter, an evolving artist who embraces growth and discovery. In times when darkness and doubt may seem to hang over us, we need to remember the world is illuminated by possibilities. With this new album, Dave Specter's brilliant light shines down on us all.

Sun Rooms is Jason Adasiewicz's three year old trio featuring Jason (vibraphone), Mike Reed (drums) and Nate McBride (bass). Their debut record Sun Rooms (DMK 593) was named by the New York Times (Ben Ratliff) as one of the Top 10 Pop and Jazz Records of 2010. Spacer was written in the winter of 2011 and slowly shaped through a month long residency at a north side Chicago bar, the Whistler. Engineered by Griffin Rodriguez, Spacer documents 8 new tunes by Adasiewicz, one from McBride, and one from Dutch cornetist Eric Boeren.

A classic album of modern blues by guitarist/vocalist Magic Sam who is joined by fellow guitarist Mighty Joe Young for blistering blues and soul influenced tunes. (Previously deleted:6/7/99. Original release date:4/21/92)

Sun Ra's second album was a Delmark release recorded in 1957, although it was originally intended for the Transition label, which did not survive long enough to release it. Personnel: Sun Ra, piano, electric piano; Art Hoyle & Dave Young, trumpets; John Gilmore, tenor sax; Pat Patrick, alto & baritone sax; Jim Herndon, tympani, timbali; Julian Priester, trombone; Charles Davis, baritone sax; Victor Sproles, bass; William Cochran, drums; Clyde Williams, vocals. (Previously deleted:4/1/02. Original release date:1/3/98)