Soulful Chicago vocalist and guitarist Byther Smith is a fighter, a scrapper, a hard worker and a survivor. As a child in Monticello, Mississippi he lost both his parents; his mother when he was one year old and his father six months later. Smitty came to Chicago in the mid-'50s and by the early '60s was playing at Theresa's Lounge, where he backed Junior Wells. He also worked with Big Mama Thornton, George "Harmonica" Smith and Otis Rush. He recorded his first LP for the Grits label in 1983, two for Bullseye in the early '90s, and this is his fourth Delmark CD and his first live album. On this recording you will hear Byther in his natural element, raw, alive and completely real.

The best musicians transcend styles and techniques. They deliver their hearts and souls, connecting on a primal level, one on one with each and every listener. Karen Carroll is just such an artist and one of the most universal artists to come on the scene since Nina Simone. Within one line she can lay down the grit of Howlin' Wolf stroked by the sass of Sarah Vaughan.

The follow up to Hoodoo Man Blues (DMK 612), this classic Chicago blues album is now re-issued in an expanded digipak, "Deluxe Edition" containing unissued performances and a 16-page booklet with many never-before-seen photos. The Godfather of Blues, Junior Wells is accompanied by Buddy Guy and Louis Myers, guitar; Otis Spann, piano; Earnest Johnson, bass; Fred Below, drums. Recorded December 30, 1969 and January 8, 1970 the five extra performances include "Rock Me Baby", an alternate take of "I Could Have Had Religion", "Junior's In Charge" a eight-minute improvisational studio jam with lots of Otis Spann and more, 73 minutes. With new notes by producer Bob Koester. A must have for blues lovers.

Legendary Tennessee blues poet toured Europe in 1964 - these are the studio recordings he made while in Copenhagen & London, feat. Hammie Nixon on harmonica & jug.

Sizzling collaboration of this veteran Chicago vocalist w. Dave Specter and the Bluebirds.

Solo piano/vocal from 1966.

Blues/barrelhouse/boogie piano player's mid-1950's recordings, also inc. 2 live tracks, an interview segment & never before released tracks, 60 min. Total.

Probably the two biggest influences on Johnny B. Moore's sound are Muddy Waters and Magic Sam. Johnny's first big break came in '75 when he joined Koko Taylor's Blues Machine and recorded on her Grammy Award winning album, the Earthshaker. In '77 he joined Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All-Stars. (Previously deleted: 7/1/10 Original release date: 7/10/97) "With his Mississippi roots and solid commitment to Chicago's West Side blues sound, Johnny B. Moore has much in common with Johnny Littlejohn and Magic Sam - two of his mentors. Like those artists, Moore's blues is hard-edged, quirky, and beautiful. Troubled World captures him at his best." - Living Blues.

Not just the best live Otis Rush album, but one of his best albums, period. His big vibrato (on both his voice and guitar) shakes up the rapt Tokyo crowd in '75 as he digs into I Can't Quit You Baby; Mean Old World; So Many Roads, So Many Trains; Chitlins Con Carne; Three Times a Fool; All Your Love (I Miss Loving), and more!

Chicago guitarist crosses the line between modern blues & vintage jazz of the 1940's-60's w. sterling jazz organist Jack McDuff & harp man Lynwood Slim.

Nine-string guitarist's first full album of classic country blues from 1958, feat. J.D. Short-gtr/harmonica on 4 songs.

Performances from the "Blues Before Sunrise" radio program from Chicago, featuring Billy Boy Arnold, John Brim, Big Wheeler & Jimmy Burns.(Previously deleted:11/1/07. Original release date:3/27/97)

The blues players on this album underscore the cultural & musical ties between the Southeastern U.S. & New York City. Around 1950, down-home blues recordings were clearly out of the mainstream of black American popular music. Nonetheless, Apollo felt that the market remained strong enough to release such blues-drenched guitar & vocal blues. This 22 track collection from 1947-50 appears on CD for the first time, all from original source material. 11 tracks are previously unissued.

Blues harpist (Earl Hooker, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf+) discovered by Charlie Musselwhite, performs 15 tracks of Chicago blues w. Eddie Taylor, Pinetop Perkins & Jimmy Dawkins, 1969.

Of her first Delmark CD, "Learned My Lesson" (DMK 748), Living Blues magazine said "Her rough-edged croon can raise welts or love bumps. She has the versatility to strut comfortably from back-alley funk to uptown jump sophistication." "Tore Up from the Floor Up" features six original compositions, some choice covers and an interview. Guitarist Pete Allen provides most of the musical direction, while the Chicago Horns provide support on "Til the Fat Lady Sings" and "Ace of Spades." Zora's done-somebody-wrong medley is especially colorful when she combines "Since I Fell for You", "Silhouettes" and "Me And Mr. Jones"!

1975 session that captured the essence of Jimmy's club performances, contains 4 never before released tracks, 60 minutes total.

As bandleader and composer, Pierre Lacocque's vision has never wavered since he founded Mississippi Heat in 1991. "Mississippi Heat not only breathes new life into the classic sounds of Chicago Blues, but they also uplift with joy and dedication everything they play. Pierre Lacocque is that rare younger generation harpist who's absorbed the lessons of subtlety, silence and solo construction from the masters." - David Whiteis, Chicago Reader. Mississippi Heat's lineup for this live recording: Inetta Visor, vocals; Lurrie Bell, vocal/guitar; Max Valldeneu, guitar; Chris "Hambone" Cameron, organ/piano; Sparling Banks, bass; Kenny Smith, drums. A DVD of this performance is available as DMK #1783.

4 cuts live - 6 cuts studio from this blues shouter feat. Johnny B. Moore (gtr), Ken Saydak (keys), Johnny B. Gayden (bs) & Baldhead Pete (drms) - trad. Chicago blues at it's best.

This 1968 recording was originally issued as Electric Sleep, the title a riff on the Muddy Waters LP title Electric Mud. But the similarities ended there; whereas Mud was psychedelic and musically quite a departure from a traditional blues sound, Electric Sleep simply combines a country blues artist with an electric blues band. This 2007 reissue is re-mixed and mastered from the original analog tapes and has a brand new cover with photos from the recording session. The legendary blues poet is accompanied by Jimmy Dawkins (guitar), Sunnyland Slim (piano), Carey Bell (harmonica/bass), Earl Hooker, Joe Harper (bass), Odie Payne, Jr. (drums).(Previously deleted: 4/1/05. Original release date: 5/91)

Standup blues singer recorded on the West Coast during the heyday of Central Avenue, 1945, w. Jack McVea, Lucky Thompson (Dinah Washington), Shift Henry, Wild Bill Moore, Teddy Buckner+, from the Apollo Series, 15 tracks.

Classic blues 20's style w. Little Brother Montgomery & the State Street Ramblers, 12 tracks.

Ammons' name is on the marquee, but Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis share the ivories as you hear 18 live and studio cuts from '38 and '39! It's a boogie-woogie blowout: Bear Cat Shuffle; Mama's Blues; Jesse James; Yancey Special; Try Again; Shout for Joy; Boogie Woogie Stomp, and more.

W. Illinois Jacquet & His All Stars (inc. Bill Doggett & Charles Mingus), Jack McVea & His All Stars (inc. Teddy Buckner), Oscar Pettiford +.

Return to 50's style blues w. The Ice Cream Men.

11 blistering' blues classics, including Beale Street Sugar Sleepy John Estes; That's All Right Jimmy Rogers, Rub a Little Boogie Champion Jack Dupree, and eight more.