One of the standout classics from BB King's legendary run at Kent – a classic album with a cool little cover to boot! Arrangements on the set are by Maxwell Davis – who has this great way of bringing out some of the jazzier currents in BB's music – almost the same Memphis blend ... read moreCD
(Comes in a great little cardboard LP-styled sleeve!)
One of THE electric blues records of the 60s – a seminal set by Albert King that was probably blasted out of more college dorm rooms than southside juke joints, but which still more than deserves its due! The set was recorded by Stax with a nice raw sound – guitar very much upfront, ... read moreCD
(Out of print, gold CD pressing from Mobile Fidelity.)
Harvey Mandel/Barry Goldberg/Charlie Musselwhite —
Blues From Chicago ... LP Cherry Red, Late 60s. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
Late 60s recordings from the Chicago scene – with nicely raw work from these up and coming giants! LP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing. Cover has ring & edge wear and a small sticker mark.)
Here it is, the mother of them all! The set's got 8CDs worth of killer soul, funk, and Rhythm & Blues – all culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Although this sort of set usually tends to be a bit ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
(Out of print, and original version, in the LP-sized box, with book – in nice shape!)
Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, & Bo Diddley —
Super Super Blues Band ... LP Checker, 1967. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
A group that definitely lives up to its name – given that the lineup features the Chess Records stalwarts Bo Diddley, Howlin Wolf, and Muddy Waters! The set's maybe a bit more in the mode of Wolf or Waters than some of Bo's own records – although there's a bit of that riffing spark of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover has surface wear, edge wear, and some aging. Vinyl is nice.)
Rare work from Chicago bluesman Shakey Jake – issued on a small label from LA! Features work from Hollywood Fats on guitar, Lee King on second guitar, and Rod Pizzia on harmonica and arrangements. LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a split top seam, a partially split bottom seam, light surface wear, and light aging.)
A record with a title that certainly fits the bill – as the amazing voice of Bobby Bland is as real here as it ever was, and blended with superbly soulful backings that take the singer's sound forward for a whole new generation! Some of Bobby's contemporaries were content to just stick in a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original white label pressing in the textured cover, with a cut corner.)
Various —
Takoma Blues ... CD Takoma/Fantasy, Early/Mid 60s. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Music from Little Brother Montgomery John Lee Granderson, Dr Isaiah Ross, Big Joe Williams, James Cotton, Maxwell Street Jimmy, James Cotton, Eddie Boyd, Son House, Rev Robert Wilkins, and more. CD
(Out of print, cutout notch through case spine.)
Muddy Waters & Howlin Wolf —
Muddy & The Wolf ... LP Chess, Early 70s. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing. Cover has light staining and waviness, but looks nice overall.)
Luther Allison —
Love Me Mama ... LP Delmark, 1969. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
Raw early work from the great Luther Allison – with the man himself on guitar and vocals, plus a bit of extra guitar from Jimmy Dawkins – and tenor on two tracks from Jim Conley too! LP, Vinyl record album
(70s Lincoln Ave pressing. Cover is lightly bent at about 3 inches from the opening, with light aging and a small stain in back.)
Howlin Wolf —
His Best ... CD Chess, 1950s/Early 60s. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
The cover has a 70s photo, but the set features key postwar work from this early king of R&B – titles that include "Gamblin Man", "I Feel That Young Man's Rhythm", "It's A Cryin Shame", "Cryin & Singin The Blues", "Deep Sea Diver", ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear.)
John Lee Hooker —
I'm In The Mood ... LP Up Front, Late 1950s/1960s. Very Good+ ...
$16.99
A collection of early recordings for Vee Jay, with titles that include "Baby Lee", "Trouble Blues", "Drug Store Woman", "Frisco Blues", "I'm In The Mood", and "Hobo Blues". LP, Vinyl record album
(Late 60s dark grey label issue. Cover has some ring and edge wear, price sticker remnants, some yellowing from age, and a light stain at the bottom of the spine.)
Not the Bay Area effort you might guess from the title – and instead a sweet Chicago session that's easily one of the funkiest records that Buddy Guy ever cut! There's a great mix of funk and soul mixed in with the blues – thanks to arrangements from Charles Stepney and Gene Barge, who ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 80s Original Chess Masters pressing. Cover has some ringwear, a bit of chewing at the top seam, center split in the bottom seam, and some stained spots in back.)
A sharp live set, recorded in 1975 by Trio Records in Tokyo – with Rush on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Johnson on second guitar, Sylvester Boines on bass, and Tyrone Centuray on drums! CD
Hardly any "recycling" going on here – as Taj Mahal takes bluesy roots and turns them in a whole new direction for the 70s, evolving the music way past the level most other bluesmen were working in at the time! At some level, Mahal's style is far more rootsy than most early 70s ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(In the textured cover, with some staining & waviness on the bottom left corner.)
Johnny Shines isn't standing at the crossroads at the same time as Robert Johnson, but he's still sounding pretty darn great here – recording this stripped-down set in Cali in 1970, with just his own guitar alongside his vocals! Shines is maybe best known for his Chicago recordings of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original beige label Testament pressing. Cover has light ring & edge wear.)
John Lee Hooker —
Cream ... LP Tomato, 1978. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold ...
$49.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the Tomato inner sleeves. Cover has light wear, but looks great overall.)
The Big Bill in the title is Big Bill Broonzy – a key influence on midcentury bluesmen all over the US, and paid tribute to nicely here by Muddy Waters! Given this tribute approach, the sound's a bit rootsier than some of Waters' other work for Chess at the time – a bit more emphasis ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label electronic Stereo pressing. Cover has some wear and aging, Stereo sticker, fading at the spine, bumped corners, some aging and a bit of pen in back, and is lightly bent near the opening.)
A rich collection of Muddy Waters' famous work for Chess Records – put together in the 70s, but featuring tracks from his earliest days in the studio, up through the key electric years of the 60s! The package pulls together some real gems – including work with Little Walter and James ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 70s blue fade label stereo pressing. Cover has some surface wear, small splits in the top seam and spine, and heavy yellowing from age around the edges in back.)
A great collection – one that mixes American blues with a generation of UK musicians who drew on them for inspiration – featuring work by Eddie Boyd, Robert Nighthawk, John Mayall, Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, and Champion Jack Dupree! LP, Vinyl record album
Chrysalis 25th Anniversary Special Edition. Packaged as a long box containing a 30 page booklet about the history of Chrysalis records. The CD is packaged in a dark blue jewel case & inner tray. On the front of the jewel case in the centre, a small sticker of the cover art. (Rock, Blues)CD
Recorded live at Newport in New York and features tracks by Big Mama Thornton, Jay McShann, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson, Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup, Lloyd Glenn, Muddy Waters, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, and BB King – 18 tracks over 2 discs! CD
Great guitar work from this legendary Caribbean player – working here with his Royal Victoria Hotel ensemble! (Global Grooves, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
(Note: Labels have come unglued, but are still included. Cover is great, and vinyl is nice and clean.)
Beautiful blues from Guitar Slim – west coast material from the mid-50s, recorded with some very hip backings! Slim's got a lean, mean edge – a style that's a bit similar to Johnny Watson in his early years, touched with some of the class of the R&B scene that was bubbling up in ... read moreCD
Music by Jimmy Witherspoon, Lloyd Glenn, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Otis, Lowell Fulson, Charles Brown, Jimmy McCracklin, the Nightengale Jubalaires, and Dusty Brooks – 24 tracks total. CD
Features "Suitcase Blues" by Sippie Wallace, "Trouble In Mind" by Jimmy Witherspoon, "Make Me A Pallet On The Floor" by Mama Yancey, "St Louis Blues" by Big Joe Turner, "Every Time" by Lil Green, "Destination Love" by Wynonie Harris, " ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 80s issue. Cover has minimal wear and a cutout notch.)
Sonny Boy Williamson —
Real Folk Blues ... LP Chess, Late 1950s/Early 1960s. Very Good- ...
Just Sold Out!
Not as folksy as you might think from the title – thanks to a really powerful presentation by Sonny Boy Williamson! The style here has echoes of Bo Diddley or Jimmy Reed's sense of rhythm – a more upbeat and electrified Chicago approach than Chess was serving up a decade before – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono black & silver label pressing. Cover has surface wear & aging, some gloss peeling along the top.)
A legendary set of concerts – put together by this famous producer who discovered Billie Holiday and so many other great jazz talents! Features work by Joe Turner, Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Sonny Terry, Pete Johnson, and Count Basie – plus a a 44 page booklet and a cool ... (Jazz, Blues)read moreCD
(Out of print and in great shape!)
Lowell Fulsom —
Lovemaker ... LP Big Town, 1978. Sealed ...
Just Sold Out!
A bit later than some of Lowell Fulsom's funk work for Kent Records – but a set that's almost more vintage overall! The album's recorded for the short-lived Big Town imprint – a late 70s venue that took older R&B artists back to the sounds of a few decades before – never too ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Sealed original pressing! Cover has a small cutout hole.)
A well-titled set – as the album features some of the best early sides that Little Walter recorded for Chess – records that went on to set a whole new standard both in blues vocals and harmonica! There's tightness here that's a bit different from some of the other Chess blues at the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo blue fade label pressing with deep groove. Cover has surface & ring wear & aging.)
Music from Wynonie Harris, Dinah Washington, Memphis Slim, Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, Ruth Brown, Johnny Ace, Jesse Belvin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, and more – 75 tracks total. (Soul, Blues)CD
(Comes in a nice clamshell box.)
Sherwood Fleming with the Moeller Brothers —
Blues Blues Blues ... CD Dynaflow, 2015. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Piano blues from the legendary Curtis Jones – a Texas player who first rose to fame in the late 30s, and who here still has a way with the keys and a vocal style that nobody else can touch! It's a bit hard to put the distinctness of Jones in words, but it definitely comes through on the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Lincoln Ave pressing, with Sample stamp. Vinyl appears heated but play is not affected. Cover has minimal wear and a Sample stamp in back.)
Chicago blues, but plenty darn funky – recorded with a sharpness and tightness that shows a strong soul-based influence in the second-generation electric work of James Cotton's generation! The core group here features James on harmonica and vocals – backed by piano, guitar, bass, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Tan label stereo Verve Forecast pressing. Cover has ring and edge wear, Verve Forecast sticker, some splitting in the bottom seam, and is bent a bit at the bottom right corner.)
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers —
Stories ... CD Eagle, 2002. Used ...
$3.99
Willie 'The Lion' Smith —
Memorial Vol 2 ... LP Vogue (UK), 1949/1950. Sealed ...
$14.99
Includes a session from 1949 with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Claude Luter on clarinet, and Wallace Bishop on drums; plus solo recordings from 1950. (Jazz, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
A great set for the French Blue Phoenix label – one side of work with Larry Davis on guitar and vocals, the other with Byther Smith – backed by Maurice Vaughn on guitar, Doug Watson on bass, and Julian Vaughan on drums. Davis and Smith wrote most of the tracks too! CD
Music from JB Hutto, Hound Dog Taylor, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Hop Wilsonop, Elmore James, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials, Earl Hooker, Hop Wilson, Smokin' Joe Kubek, Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom with Ronnie Earl & Wayne Bennett. CD
BB King at his late 60s best – working here in the company of producers Johnny Pate and Quincy Jones, and serving up a great blend of blues and soul in the process! The set's less a "best of", than a collection of ABC work that doesn't seem to be on the other full albums of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s non-gatefold pressing on MCA in a barcode cover.)
BB King hips up his groove a bit here – picking up some of the crossover soul and rock touches used by contemporaries over at Chess/Cadet, and expanding his sound with a range of guests that include Leon Russell, Joe Walsh, and Carole King! Despite the presence of these bigger names, the set' ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label stereo pressing with Artisan etch. Cover has some surface wear & aging.)
Backings feature Kenny Burrell on guitar, Leo Wright on alto, and Gildo Mahones on piano! Titles include "Mean Old Frisco", "Rocks In My Bed", "Lonely Boy Blues", and "One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer". (Vocalists, Blues)CD
Produced by Johnny Winter – with cuts that include "The Blues Had A Baby & They Named It Rock & Roll #2", "Little Girl", "Deep Down In Florida", "Jealous Hearted Man", and "Mannish Boy". CD
(2004 remastered edition. Barcode has a cutout hole.)
A smoking live set from the Butterfield Blues Band – and like all the group's work, as much of a jazz and soul album as a blues one! Butterfield drew his inspiration from the Chicago bluesmen, it's true – but his style also has plenty of echoes of New Orleans soul, Memphis R&B, and ... (Rock, Blues)read moreCD
Music from Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, Eddie Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, Otis Spann, J.B. Lenoir, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Earl Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Lockwood Jr, Billy Boy Arnold, Luther Allison, and Hound Dog Taylor & The House ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Big Bill Morganfield —
Rising Son ... CD Blind Pig, 1999. Used ...
$1.99
A side each of these two important talents in blues – presented here in a format that makes the record a real double-header! Side one features Big Bill Broonzy in the lead – working with sweet electric lines on guitar alongside acoustic and his own really rich vocals – plus this ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
We love our Buddy Guy here in Chicago – and this set cut for Vanguard, one of his first full solo albums with his own band will always be a favorite! Buddy's late 60s sound was as charismatic as he'd always be, but there's an understated approach to his lead that's really wonderful, and hits ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Gold label stereo pressing. Cover has light surface wear, some aging, and a small split on the top seam.)
Titles include "She's Gone", "Wild About You Baby", "Walking The Ceiling", "Phillips Theme", "55th Street Boogie", and "It's Alright". LP, Vinyl record album
(Original white label pressing with green text. Cover has light wear.)
A pretty nice little 2LP set – put together in the early 70s, and featuring material that Walter recorded for Chess during the 60s. As the title would imply, there's a lot of harmonica on the album – but Walter's vocals should also be given their due, as they're a bit more in the soul ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 70s orange label pressing. Cover has light wear and aging.)
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.)
Probably THE album you truly need to own from Koko Taylor – and a completely great one, recorded way before she'd become a cliched fixture paying the bills on the frat boy tourist blues scene! The tracks here were recorded over a few years in mid-to-late 60s Chicago – mostly with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A smoking live performance from these two Chicago blues legends – recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, but with a gritty electric vibe that's very much like the duo's best work back home! The approach is very stripped-down and unadorned – just vocals by both Guy and ... read moreCD
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
Great early work from Lowell Fulson – tracks recorded in the 50s for Chess Records – all in Chicago, and a fair bit more obscure than some of Lowell's better-known sides from the 60s! There's still a nicely gritty groove going on here – a style that's rooted in blues, but which ... read moreCD
(Columbia House pressing.)
Sonny Boy Williamson —
This Is My Story ... LP Chess, 1950s/Early 60s. Very Good 2LP Gatefold ...
$9.99
A sweet collection of early work by Sonny Boy Williamson – lots of Chess Records classics! LP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label 70s pressing. The first 2 tracks on side 3 play with a click, but the rest is great! Cover has faint staining along the opening.)
Chris Whitley —
Weed ... CD Messenger, 2004. Used ...
$6.99
Later work from New Orleans legend James Booker – but a set that may well be one of his greatest records ever – a real back to basics effort recorded with a hands-off approach that almost makes you feel like you're catching Booker in some small club down off the Quarter! James plays ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
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.)
An excellent 2LP set that brings together 28 early 50s recordings by T-Bone Walker – crucial sides that link together jazz and blues traditions, with incredible work on guitar that would go onto influence both genres tremendously. The fact that Walker became a huge influence on soul jazz ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Includes music by Amos Milburn, Lafayette Leake, Dr. John, Eddie Boyd, Johnnie Johnson, Omar Shariff, Memphis Slim, Detroit Junior, Katie Webster, Blind John Davis, and more – 31 tracks in all! CD
(Barcode has a cutout hole.)
Roosevelt Sykes & Little Brother Montgomery —
Urban Blues ... LP Fantasy, 1960. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$9.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing. Cover has some ringwear, edge wear, and is bent at the top left corner.)