Blues — All Formats  

BB King in London – not playing live, but working in the studio with a host of British musicians he'd inspired over the years! The lineup varies from track to track, giving a nice sort of variety to the album – and the overall feel is a bit like some of the Chess London sessions of the time – but maybe more blues overall! Features work by Peter Green on guitar, Steve Marriott on harmonica, Alexis Korner on acoustic guitar, Gary Wright on electric piano and Hammond, Ringo Starr on drums, and The Mystery Shadow on Hammond – and titles include "Ghetto Woman", "Wet Hayshark", "Part Time Love", "We Can't Agree", and "Blue Shadows". CD also fetaures the bonus track "May I Have A Talk With You".

A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit of harmonica and guitar as well – and other artists include Steve Winwood on piano and organ, Eric Clapton on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums – all players who are respectful of the original bluesy sound of Chess, and who clearly dig the opportunity to show off their chops in the setting. Titles include "I Ain't Superstitious", "Poor Boy", "Do The Do", "Red Rooster", "Built For Comfort", "What A Woman", "Highway 49", "Who's Been Talking", and "Rocking Daddy".

Amazing sounds from Ram Jam Holder – an artist unlike anyone else we can think of! Black London Blues is a brilliant British set from Holder – not really blues at all, but a cool kind of crossbreeding of styles in the 60s London scene – almost the same mad mix of modes you might hear in The Equals! There's plenty of funk on the record – some great drums, bouncing basslines, and an overall tightness that's more gritty soul than blues – although there's definitely a bluesy bent at times too! Titles include "Brixton Blues", "Too Much Blues", "Pub Crawling Blues", "Wimpy Bar Blues", and "Hampstead To Lose The Blues". Bootleg Blues has a groove that's really wonderful – definitely blues, but with lots of other elements mixing through the music too – kind of that criss-crossing of styles you'd find in San Francisco music of the late 60s – but given a particularly London twist here – with some folksy elements, soulful phrasing, and even some echoes of the mod 60s scene in the way the organ and grooves come across. The album's a great one – and titles include "Saturday's Child", "Bed Sitter Girl", "London Paris Rome Blues Express", "Freedom I'm Ready", and "Low Down In Paris".

A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit of harmonica and guitar as well – and other artists include Steve Winwood on piano and organ, Eric Clapton on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums – all players who are respectful of the original bluesy sound of Chess, and who clearly dig the opportunity to show off their chops in the setting. Titles include "I Ain't Superstitious", "Poor Boy", "Do The Do", "Little Red Rooster", "Built For Comfort", "What A Woman", "Highway", "Who's Been Talking", and "Rocking Daddy".

A killer album from one of the most legendary versions of John Mayall's Blues Breakers – a quartet that features drummer Aynsley Dunbar, bassist John McVie, and lead guitarist Peter Green – who's also singing a fair bit on the album as well! The style here is tighter and more focused than before – showing a bit more of a rockish bent, especially on the guitars – but still strongly drenched in American R&B traditions, served up in a way that never waters down the sound for a mainstream audience. While other UK artists were taking American roots and softening them up for the charts, Mayall only seemed to deepen his commitment to more authentic representation of the styles – really only taking a bit more liberties with the strength and length of guitar parts. As before, there's a bit of reed work here that's especially nice – served up by UK jazzers Ray Warleigh, John Almond, and Alan Skidmore – and titles include "A Hard Road", "It's Over", "The Stumble", "Dust My Blues", "There's Always Work", "The Same Way", "The Supernatural", and "Living Alone".

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 guitar – a key factor in the previous combo's sound, given almost even more space here to stand out front with Mayall. Other instrumentation includes bass and drums, plus a bit of tablas – and the overall approach is a lot more spare than other Blues Breakers sets – still bluesy in approach, but with some definite freer-thinking moments too, picked up from a trip to Laurel Canyon that was Mayall's inspiration for the set. Titles include "Walking On Sunset", "Vacation", "Ready To Ride", "Medicine Man", "Miss James", "The Bear", "First Time Alone", and "Fly Tomorrow".

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 guitar, John McVie on bass, Keep Hartley on drums, Chris Mercer on tenor, and Rip Kant on baritone sax – the latter two of whom help keep the set from being a straight Chicago electric blues copy. Titles include "I Can't Quit You Baby", "Streamline", "Snowy Wood", "Man Of Stone", "Stand Back Baby", and "My Time After A While".

A definite diary of this unique British combo of the 60s – and a set that's arguably one of the band's bluesiest to date! The set features live recordings from 1967 – most very long and stretched-out, with a feel that's arguably even more rootsy than any American blues of the time – an possibly even more so than some of Mayall's earlier records too! The looseness of the performances really unlocks some new sounds in the group – and given the experimentation and intensity of some of these tracks, it's easy to see why they were such an important force at the time. Mick Taylor serves up some great guitar solos – and other players include Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Mercer on saxes, plus Keef Hartley on drums. Titles include an unusual interview section, plus "Blood On The Night", "Edmonton Cooks Ferry Inn", "I Can't Quit You Baby", and "My Own Fault".

A definite treasure from Taj Mahal – especially for fans of his excellent early work for Columbia Records! The first CD in the package features unreleased studio tracks recorded during the glory days for Columbia – not rough cuts or demos, but well-finished gems that offer up the same sublime mix of modes – a bit of blues with plenty of soul – that you'd expect from Taj! Titles include "Shady Grove", "Butter", "Yan Nah Mama Loo", "Chainey Do", "Sweet Mama Janisse", "Ain't Gwaine Whistle Dixie", and "Jacob's Ladder". CD two features more rare treats – a full concert recorded in London in 1970 – never issued before, and really well-produced. Titles include "Runnin By The Riverside", "Big Fat", "Diving Duck Blues", "Bacon Fat", "Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day", and "Checkin Up On My Baby".

A definite treasure from Taj Mahal – especially for fans of his excellent early work for Columbia Records! The first CD in the package features unreleased studio tracks recorded during the glory days for Columbia – not rough cuts or demos, but well-finished gems that offer up the same sublime mix of modes – a bit of blues with plenty of soul – that you'd expect from Taj! Titles include "Shady Grove", "Butter", "Yan Nah Mama Loo", "Chainey Do", "Sweet Mama Janisse", "Ain't Gwaine Whistle Dixie", and "Jacob's Ladder". CD two features more rare treats – a full concert recorded in London in 1970 – never issued before, and really well-produced. Titles include "Runnin By The Riverside", "Big Fat", "Diving Duck Blues", "Bacon Fat", "Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day", and "Checkin Up On My Baby".