Early recordings by Alberta Hunter – with three tunes from 1935 with unknown accompaniment; from 1939 accompanied by Charlie Shaves, Buster Baiiley, Lil Armstrong, and Wellman Braud; with Eddie Heywood in 1940; and with Leroy Jones, Sam Clanton, Al Casey, and Al Matthews from an unknown ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Late 70s issue, still sealed with a small corner cut.)
Two great female blues talents, recorded at a time when they were still alive and well in Chicago – Alberta Hunter on vocals, and Lovie Austin on piano! CD
18 tracks in all – including "I'm Satisfied", "Rich Women Blues", "Chicken", "here I Am Oh Lord Send Me", "Coffee Blues", "Shake That Thing", "Make Me A Pallet On The Floor", "Salty Dog", and "Trouble I Had ... read moreCD
Mississippi John Hurt —
Today ... LP Vanguard, 1963. Near Mint- ...
$79.99
Mississippi John Hurt and his guitar – captured beautifully on this mid 60s set for Vanguard! Today was the first studio recordings made by Hurt since his rediscovery by the 60s folk revival generation, and it's wonderful stuff – with timeless solo blues, warm and good natured and kind ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition UK Pure Pleasure reissue from 2006.)
Seminal sounds from Elmore James – a classic album that brings together material recorded in California, New Orleans, and Chicago – all with an amazing focus on Elmore's stunning talents on electric guitar! The music here mixes sides that have tight band backing with some smaller combo ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful Japanese pressing – much nicer vinyl than the original, and it includes 2 bonus tracks!)
Elmore James —
Dust My Broom ... CD Tomato, Late 50s/Early 60s. Used ...
$1.992.99
A massive 3CD look at the key early years of Elmore James – a package that's overflowing with great work by one of the greatest blues guitarists of the 50s! The set starts way back at James' roots in Mississippi, with some sweetly rough-edged recordings that still sparkle with incredible ... read moreCD
An amazing step forward for the young Etta James – a singer who was delivering a raw, shouting form of R&B just a few years before – but who here ascends into soul music heaven with her famous work on the album! The title cut is the stuff of legend – played and played, again ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing. Cover has light ringwear and a scrape in front.)
Great spare work from Skip James – who plays both guitar and piano on the set! The album's one of Skip's best from the 60s – raw, rootsy, and undeniably powerful – with titles that include "Illinois Blues", "Catfish blues", "Mistreating Child Blues", ... read moreCD
Skip plays both guitar and piano along with his vocals – and titles include "Special Rider Blues", "Crow Jane", "All Night Long", "Cypress Grove", "My Gal", and "Look Down The Road". CD
A great overview of the work of Abner Jay – as much of a blues singer as the folk artist promised on the cover – working here in a stunning array of styles, pulled from a variety of recordings he made in the late 60s and early 70s! It's clear that Jay is one of those talents who was ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
With 30 tracks including "Mother's Children Have A Hard Time", "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying", "Bye and Bye I'm Goin' To See The King", "Take Your Stand", "Soul Of A Man", and "John The Revelator". CD
Features Jimmy Johnson on guitar and vocals, plus a bit of harmonica on one track too – and the set features an unusual take on Dave Brubeck's "Take Five"! CD
Lonnie Johnson with Victoria Spivey —
Idle Hours ... CD Prestige/Bluesville, 1961. Used ...
$4.99
Beautiful late work from Lonnie Johnson – recorded decades after his bigger years on record, but handled with great care by Prestige Records, during the brief run of its Bluesville imprint! Like most of the rest of the sides at the time, the approach here is to make an older mode live again ... read moreCD
All 41 recordings of Robert Johnson – a lasting legacy of music that's still one of the touchpoints for any exploration of early blues! LP, Vinyl record album
(Original early 90s issue. Includes the booklet and catalog insert. Box has some corner wear, light wear and lightly bent side in back, and is bent a bit at the left edge.)
Collects b-sides, alternate takes, plus unissued cuts from Albert King's run at Stax and features Isaac Hayes, Booker T, Steve Cropper, and others! 13 tracks total. CD
A tight date from 1977, and one that follows nicely in the spirit of King's later Stax sides, but with a slightly smoother groove. There's a bit of the Detroit 70s mode going on in the set – that rough-and-smooth quality that you'd find on a Don Davis production, which proves to be a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Classic Stax blues by the king of the Memphis blues scene of the late 60's. Production's handled by Stax, even though the LP was released on Atlantic, and the set includes "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Overall Junction", "Laundromat Blues", "Cold Feet", and ... read moreCD
BB King —
Great BB King ... LP Crown/P-Vine (Japan), 1960. New Copy (reissue)...
$29.9944.99
The definitely got the title right here – as BB King is plenty great, and already a powerhouse in these early years of his career! King sprung forth from the Memphis scene almost fully-formed – and in addition to his famous guitar work, he was also a hell of a singer who could bring a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The definitely got the title right here – as BB King is plenty great, and already a powerhouse in these early years of his career! King sprung forth from the Memphis scene almost fully-formed – and in addition to his famous guitar work, he was also a hell of a singer who could bring a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing with rainbow Crown logo and deep groove. Cover has some light wear, but no splits – and vinyl is nice and clean.)
An excellent collection of rare work from the legendary BB King – a selection of 25 tracks from the vaults of RPM and Kent Records, 23 of which appear here for the first time ever! Some cuts are alternates, some are different versions of other recordings – and all are pretty darn ... read moreCD
An excellent set by BB King – one of his best from the 60s, and a smoking live set recorded at Chicago's legendary Regal Theatre! The enthusiasm at the venue shows that BB's Memphis-honed style is a perfect fit for the electrified Chicago sound of the 60s – and the recording really ... read moreCD
(Out of print, gold CD pressing from Mobile Fidelity.)
One of the most tightly-produced of BB King's albums for MCA, but a set that's still filled with undeniable charm – and which really shows King more than able to step up to some well-deserved superstardom! There's a bit of an LA finish to the backings, but things are never too smooth – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow label pressing. Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light ring & edge wear.)
If you only know BB King from later years, you'll really be stunned at the sound of this great set from the start of the 60s – a record that's much more R&B than the straighter blues of King's bigger label work – and which has a jumping groove nearly all the way through! The mix of ... read moreCD
BB King —
Singin' The Blues ... LP Crown/P-Vine (Japan), 1957. New Copy (reissue)...
$29.9944.99
The very first full length album from BB King – a killer collection of previous singles for the RPM Records label, served up as a bold statement of King's early genius! The record announces its presence right from the very first note – that brilliant blend of effortless electric guitar ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record that really has Alexis Korner stretching out from the straighter blues of his 60s material – using his fantastic style on a set of tunes that show as much New Orleans influence as you might guess from the title – but also an evolved British roots rock quality too! The group is ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Green label stereo pressing in the textured cover, with light wear and some sticker remnants. Includes the Warner inner sleeve.)
Great 40s work from Leadbelly – featuring the man himself on vocals and guitar, caught in a nice raw mode – plus extra odd zither accompaniment on a few tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album
(Duophonic stereo lime green label pressing. Cover has light wear.)
(Blue label pressing – FA 2942 – in the box set package. Includes the booklet, bent a bit at the top right corner. Box has light wear, split corners, center split at the right edge, and small splash spots of white paint in back.)
(Late 60s red label big E pressing. Includes the booklet, Elektra catalog from 1966, and the Elektra inner sleeves. Box has split corners, tears in the top and bottom edge, center splits in the spine and bottom seam, and is faded at the spine.)
Raw early blues material – with Bobby Leecan on guitar and Robert Cooksey on vocals – including tracks with the Dixie Jazzers Washboard Band! LP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 80s issue. Cover has light marks from sticker removal.)
Little Esther (Esther Phillips) —
Bad Baad Girl ... LP King/Charly (UK), Early 50s. Near Mint- ...
$14.9919.99
A really wonderful collection of early work from the great Esther Phillips – different than her later material for Atlantic and Kudu Records – as it was done in a raw R&B style for the mighty King Records! 16 tracks in all – and detailed notes on the material, too! (Soul, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
Little Milton —
Friend Of Mine ... CD Glades/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1976. New Copy ...
$18.9923.99
Tight and soulful blues from Little Milton – just the sort of record that helped him cross over to bigger audiences back in the day, and a set that still sounds plenty great all these many years later! The set was done in Chicago – arranged by James Mack, with backing vocals from Kitty ... read moreCD
A great example of why Little Milton was always one of the few Chicago blues artists who could also break strongly in the soul camp at the time – and a beautifully balanced set that perfectly shows both sides of the Chicago scene of the time! Production is by old Vee Jay maestro Calvin ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo promo. Cover has ringwear, heavy edge wear, call letters in marker on both sides, pieces of colored tape at the spine, and a peeled spot and some titles circles in marker in back. Labels have call letters in marker.)
Little Milton's always been as much of a soul singer as a bluesman – and this overlooked gem from the 70s has him hitting equally well on both fronts! The set's a great precursor to Milton's 80s revival on Malaco – but has the singer working in Chicago, with these deep soul ... read moreCD
With 48 tracks including "Sneaking Around", "She Put A Spell On Me", "Blind Man", "Country Style", "Let Me Down Easy", "Twenty-Three Hours", "Moanin' For Your Girl", and "Grits Ain't Groceries". CD
(Out of print, cutout mark through barcode.)
Little Sonny —
Hard Goin Up ... LP Enterprise, 1973. Near Mint- ...
$14.9919.99
Funky blues from Little Sonny – very much in the spirit of his Black & Blue album for Stax, in that the album's a mix of Memphis soul and bluesy licks – making for a full-on style that really cooks things up! Sonny sings and plays harmonica, but the best side of the album is the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some surface wear and is lightly bent near the top of the spine.)
A rare soul treasure – previously unissued work from Little Willie John, cut for Capitol Records by the mighty David Axelrod! The pairing is quite unique, but it's a great one – and if anything, Little Willie John sparkles here even more than on his later King sides – finding a ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
Features Johnny Littlejohn on vocals and guitar – on titles that include "Seven Day Blues", "Lost In The Jungle", "Bloody Tears", "Lottery Blues", "Two way Street", and "Chips Flying Everywhere". LP, Vinyl record album
Beautiful images from the legendary Ann Arbor Blues Festival – a long-running even that's pulled together an amazing range of talent over the years – a good number of whom are featured here! The festival probably hit its biggest fame in the early 70s – when recordings documented ... (Books, Blues)read moreBook
Rough-edged blues from the west side of Chicago – a stone classic from the mighty Magic Sam – a player who was taken from us all too soon! On the west side, they mix plenty of soul in with their blues – and you can definitely hear that on this stone smoker – a record that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue and white 7 West Grand pressing. Cover has surface wear and light aging.)
Never-issued material from the sessions for two classic Magic Sam albums – Black Magic and West Side Soul – not alternate tracks or demos, but really great material that stands strongly here as an album on its own! If you know those records, you'll now the raw power here – that ... read moreCD
Magic Sam —
West Side Soul ... CD Delmark/P-Vine (Japan), 1967. New Copy ...
$14.9924.99
A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on ... read moreCD
A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on ... read moreCD
At the time of this set, Magic Slim called Chicago his home – but the title may well be apt, as the set was recorded overseas in the Barclay Studios in Paris, at a time when Slim was hitting the highway to reach a wide global audience with his music! Despite that displacement, though, there's ... read moreCD
A great title for this second set from Taj Mahal – because the sound here is even more stripped-down and natural than on his first LP! Taj turns in a lot more original tunes this time around – and is in wonderfully comfortable territory with his own lead lyrics, sung alongside his own ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
John Mayall's definitely getting back to his roots here – and he's also getting help from an all-star cast as well! Mayall's vocals and piano are in fine form – almost with a rough-edged Blues Breakers sort of vibe, but sometimes a bit funkier too – in ways that strongly show the ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(In the textured cover, in fantastic shape! Includes the booklet and Polydor inner sleeves.)
British blues meets LA's Laurel Canyon – a trans-Atlantic (or is it Pacific?) blend that makes for one of John Mayall's most compelling albums of the 60s! The album was recorded after the breakup of the Blues Breakers group – but it still features strong support from Mick Taylor on ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label stereo pressing. Includes the London inner sleeve. Cover has minimal wear.)
John Mayall's Blues Breakers —
Bare Wires ... LP London, 1968. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
$16.99
Another great step forward for the legendary John Mayall – proof that he was never just content to copy American blues modes, and always willing to bring something new to the table! Although steeped in sounds from the delta on up to Chicago, the record's also got a hipper, almost trippier ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo blue label pressing with Bell Sound/SF etch. Cover has light aging, but is nice overall.)
John Mayall's Blues Breakers —
Crusade ... LP London, 1967. Very Good- ...
$9.99
John Mayall's on a new crusade here – hitting lines that are almost more truly blusey than his previous albums – thanks to a new lineup in the Blues Breakers combo! Alongside Mayall's lead on vocals, organ, harmonica, and bottleneck guitar – the group also features Mick Taylor on ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo blue label pressing with Bell Sound stamp. Includes London inner sleeve. Cover has a split spine with clear tape repair, edge & surface wear, aging.)
Titles include "My Bottle Is My Companion", "I Reached For A Tear", "Ha Ha In The Day Time", "Fading Love", and "Long As You're Mine. LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a small cutout hole, some ring and edge wear, splitting at the left side of the top seam, and a scrape in front.)
Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les ... (Jazz, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(1841 Broadway label pressing. Cover has ring wear with a peel spot in the middle, light surface wear, small top seam split.)
An incredible record from Mississippi Fred McDowell – a set that was issued on a big label, but which has a wonderfully rootsy feel throughout – in a way that almost out-does any work from the indie blues labels of the time! The package was put together by Tommy Couch as an early ... read moreCD
A great collection of early R&B by one of the genre's best – the mighty Amos Milburn, a singer who brought a new level of hardcore to the genre! The set features recordings taken from the vaults of Aladdin Records – issued here for the first time! (Soul, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s issue. Cover has a cutout hole and lightly bent corners.)
Amos Milburn —
Chicken Shack Boogie ... LP Aladdin/United Artists (UK), Late 40s/Early 50s. Near Mint- ...
$14.9919.99
Killer R&B from one of the hippest singers on postwar Aladdin Records! Titles include "Chicken Shack Boogie", in two versions – plus "Amos Boogie", "Johnson Rag", "Sax Shack Boogie", "House Party", "Roll Mr Jelly", "Jitterbu ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Late 70s issue. Cover is bent at the top right corner and is bent a bit at the spine.)
Amos Milburn & His Chickenshackers —
Rock Rock Rock ... LP Route 66 (Sweden), Late 40s/1950s. Very Good+ ...
$6.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s issue. Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has some ring and edge wear, price sticker remnants, and is lightly bent at the edges.)
If you've never got the concept of a string band, this is the record to really illuminate your ears – as it features a beautiful set of stripped-down sides by the Mississippi Sheiks – all recorded in the early 30s, and a wonderful blend of bluesy inflection and folksy roots! Most ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
If you've never got the concept of a string band, this is the record to really illuminate your ears – as it features a beautiful set of stripped-down sides by the Mississippi Sheiks – all recorded in the early 30s, and a wonderful blend of bluesy inflection and folksy roots! Most ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Blues, but with an undercurrent of New Orleans jazz – no surprise, given the Louisiana roots of Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery! The album's a classic set recorded in Chicago in the early 60s – featuring both Montgomery in a spare solo setting, and with help from a small ... read moreCD