A nice bit of funky blues, and a very strange record to appear on Motown! The production style and presentation are very rootsy – right down to the photo of Luther on the front cover, who's smoking a cigarette, but trying to pretend it's a joint! The style is electric blues of the Chicago ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Purple label stereo pressing. Cover has light ringwear.)
We know it's hard to think of anyone named Mildred as hip, but take it from us, the lady's actually a great singer with a deep capacity for jazzy blues and mellow R&B. These rare Savoy sides were cut during the years 1946 and 1947, and they feature great backing by pianist Ellis Larkin on ... (Vocalists, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original green label Regent pressing with a deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
Produced by Rod Stewart and Elton John. With Ron Wood and most of the players that would wind up playing on Rod's "Every Picture Tells A Story" album. (Rock, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
(White label stereo promo. Cover has light wear and aging.)
A great collection of Maybelle's big early hits for Savoy – all featuring backings directed by Ernie Wilkins, with a nice jazzy undercurrent. Maybelle's got a robust voice that was one of the first key attempts to bridge gospel, R&B, and jazz – and the album features 10 tracks that ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Maroon label pressing, in a red tinted cover. Cover has light wear, a small cut corner, and a bit of seam splitting – but this is a nice copy overall.)
Titles include "For The Last Time", "Let's Part As Friends", "I've Got A Problem", "Our First Blues Song", and "24 Hours A Day". LP, Vinyl record album
A later gem from Bobby Blue Bland – done in a smooth style that fits the later approach of the Malaco label, but with a vocal style that hasn't dimmed a bit over the years! Bobby's still got that incredible rasp in his voice – that approach that easily made him one of the most soulful ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
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.)
Bluesbusters —
This Time ... LP Landslide, 1987. Sealed ...
$0.99
One of the funkiest records ever recorded for Impulse – and the debut set by guitarist Mel Brown! Mel has a really down-and-dirty style that's quite unusual for the label at the time – a rootsy approach to guitar that's steeped in equal parts jazz, soul, and R&B – and which ... (Jazz, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cut by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes!)
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
An archetypal album from the legendary Paul Butterfield – and a set that would shape the sound of countless blues rock records to come! Despite what you might think of the genre or its many later incarnations, there's a raw power here that's really amazing – the young Butterfield and ... (Rock, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono gold "big E" label pressing. Cover has light wear and aging.)
Eddie C Campbell —
King Of The Jungle ... LP Mr Blues/P-Vine (Japan), 1977. New Copy (reissue)...
$32.9939.99
A raw cooker from the Chicago scene of the 70s – the best kind of gritty electric blues that was being recorded by the indie labels, even at a time when other bigger companies were trying to turn it into cliche! Eddie Campbell is great here – with raw vocals that captivate instantly, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The cover's a striking one – and it definitely supports the music inside, given that most of these Bo Carter tunes are vintage blues tunes with a decidedly erotic bent! The metaphors are obvious, but they're put together beautifully – without any of the heavy-handed schlock that later ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo pressing. Cover has surface and edge wear, with a small split on the top seam.)
Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland —
Showdown ... LP Alligator, 1985. Near Mint- ...
$14.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some edge wear and is lightly bent at the top right corner and spine.)
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.)
Arthur Big Boy Crudup —
Mean Ol Frisco ... LP Fire/P-Vine (Japan), Early 60s. New Copy (reissue)...
$32.9939.99
An early full length album from the great Arthur Crudup – and one that wasn't cut until after he'd had years on the scene, including some work that was a key inspiration for Elvis Presley and others of his generation! The set's done in a nice raw style – that grittier side of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Raw funky blues from the Cleveland scene – unreleased recordings from the obscure singer Fred Davis, who hardly ever set his music to wax back in the day! The album's got a gritty blend of blues inflections and soulful expressions – similar to some of the hippest west side work from ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download card!)
Rev Gary Davis —
At Newport ... LP Vanguard, 1965. Near Mint- ...
$24.99
Features Gary Davis on six and twelve string guitar, plus a bit of harmonica – on titles that include "Lovin Spoonful", "Samson & Delilah", "You Got To Move", "Twelve Sticks", "Buck Dance", and "Twelve Gates To The City". LP, Vinyl record album
Rare work from the legendary Honeyboy Edwards – a blues guitarist who was a key force in helping the music make the transition to an electric mode in the 40s – but an artist whose talents were eclipsed by so many others he worked with at the time! This set's got a real back-to-basics ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download!)
Lowell Fulsom —
Tramp ... LP Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1967. New Copy (reissue)...
Just Sold Out!
One of THE all time classics of funky blues – a record built around Lowell's huge single "Tramp" – a massive tune that spawned a whole generation of answer tunes! "Tramp" kicks off the set with a stone break that's worth the price of the album – then Lowell ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Some of the funkiest work we've ever heard from Vernon Garrett – recorded in California, but with a nicely gritty southern soul sound! The tunes have some of the bluesy inflections of Vernon's more famous work – but they also come across with a groove that's tighter, especially on the ... (Soul, Blues)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.)
(Cover has deep scrapes across the front, bent corners, edge wear, half split top seam held with clear tape, and splitting in the bottom seam.)
Jessie Mae Hemphill —
Run Get My Shotgun ... LP Fat Possum/Big Legal Mess, 1989. New Copy ...
$13.9918.99
Jessie Mae Hemphill might look like an 80s blues artist on the cover, but the record's got a much more vintage vibe – as the set features field recordings done on New Years Eve in 1989, with Jessie Mae singing in a style that seems geared to ring in the year with the ghosts of the past! The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A classic album from the early years of soul music – the only full length set ever served up by the great Joe Henderson – a vocalist with roots in the legendary Fairfield Four gospel group, but sounding equally great here in a secular mode! The arrangements are by Cliff Parham, and ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original mono pressing. Cover has minimal wear, aging.)
Classic work from Joe Hinton – a labelmate to Bobby Blue Bland and Little Junior Parker on Duke Records, but an artist who was a bit more jazzy! The set includes his classic "Funny" – plus "If It Ain't One Thing", "Be Ever Wonderful", "The Whole Town's ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s green label pressing. Cover has light wear, some aging, splitting at the bottom of the spine, a promo sticker in front, and a round sticker in back.)
Raw genius from Smokey Hogg – a set of recordings originally issued as singles for the Modern/RPM label, brought together here to make one of the few full length documents of Hogg's talents from the time! Smokey sings here with spare acoustic guitar on most tracks, and a bit of piano added ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Recorded in Chicago at PS Studios – with a small combo that includes Snooky Pryor, Eddie Taylor, Willie Smith, and Dave Myers! Titles include "13 Highway", "I Ain't Doin No Good", "Sugar Mama", "Little & Low", "In Love", and "Fayette ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A totally great little record – the initial recording of "Boogie Chillen" by the legendary John Lee Hooker – presented here on a 7" pressing that looks like the original single on Sensation Records from Detroit! Unlike that one, this issue features a bonus second take of ... (Funky 45's, Blues)read more7-inch, Vinyl record
Boogie, indeed – as the tracks here are filled with the kind of skittish guitar lines that made John Lee Hooker one of the real standouts of the 50s scene – maybe one of the most rhythmic bluesmen of his generation, next to Bo Diddley! Like Diddley's classic records for Chess, most of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Hardly a folk album, despite the title – and instead a wicked batch of raw bluesy numbers from the mighty John Lee Hooker! Two of the album's tracks were recorded live at the Newport Folk Fest, but the rest were done back in Chicago – with lots of gritty vocals and guitar from Hooker, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 00s 180 gram Get Back reissue. Cover has a center split in the top seam.)
A rootsy cover, and some rootsy blues to match – a fairly stripped down session from John Lee Hooker –- and one that mostly just features vocals and guitar, plus some occasional added guitar and piano! Most of the recordings here are from the early 50s, pulled together in a full LP at ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 60s stereo blue fade label with deep groove. Includes Chess inner sleeve. Cover has surface wear. The back has a large stain in the corner with some wear.)
Gritty work from John Lee Hooker – a set recorded at the end of the 60s in Paris, at a time when that city was playing host to some of the hippest blues work of the decade! The style here is very much like John Lee Hooker of a decade before – simple, stark, and unadorned – with a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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.)
John Lee Hooker gets some great treatment here – working in a loose, groovy style for the Bluesway label – and getting a nice dose of funk right down at the core! The set's produced by Ed Michel – who'd also done some great soul jazz work over the years – and in addition to ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Includes the ABC inner sleeve. Cover has surface wear, a promo sticker, and a number in pen.)
A really great, but very unusual John Lee Hooker album – one that was recorded in London with backing from later blues rock heroes The Groundhogs – a group who do a really great job here of hanging back, and letting Hook really take the lead! All those raw, gritty charms of Hooker's ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Great gritty sides from the mighty John Lee Hooker – material with a slightly obscure origin, but recorded in the late 50s, right in a stretch when he was cutting some of his classics! Hooker's guitar and vocals are center stage – both growling with a hell of a lot of soulful power ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A fantastic pairing of soulful talents – the legendary John Lee Hooker on the mighty Stax Records – in a set that's a real standout in the career of both! The vibe here is different than the usual sound of Stax – not a Memphis-ized John Lee Hooker, but instead the kind of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(2017 reissue.)
John Lee Hooker & Coast To Coast Blues Band —
Anywhere Anyplace Anytime ... LP United Artists, Late 40s/Early 50s. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$19.99
Early recordings by John Lee Hooker and his Coast To Coast Blues Band – recorded in Detroit in the late 40s through the early 50s. The Coast To Coast Blues Band may be a little misleading in the title, as the recordings find Hooker with only the sparest accompaniment on bass, drums, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner, half split top seam, some wear and aging.)
Lightnin Hopkins —
Blue Lightnin' ... LP Jewel/P-Vine (Japan), 1965. New Copy (reissue)...
$31.9939.99
A real 60s killer from Lightnin Hopkins – the kind of set that showed that even when just working alone, he could carry the force of a much bigger group! Hopkins plays guitar here with just a bit of rhythm at points – a drummer who kicks things up on a few cuts – and he's got a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A really well-recorded set by Lightnin Hopkins – one that's got a crisper, cleaner sound than some of his others of the time – yet which still comes across with all his best rootsy modes too! The instrumentation here is quite spare – just Hopkins' acoustic guitar behind his ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono Bluesville pressing with deep groove and RVG stamp. Vinyl has some pressing bumps, but is nice and clean. Cover has water damage a few inches off the spine, with some staining and peeling.)
Lightnin Hopkins —
Strums The Blues ... LP Score/Third Man, Early 50s. New Copy (reissue)...
$20.9926.99
A late 50s collection of earlier 78rpm singles issued by Aladdin Records – material that's far rawer than the "strums" in the title might imply! At a time when other blues musicians were fleshing things out a bit – sometimes adding in larger backings, horns, and a bit of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Walter Horton —
Fine Cuts ... LP Blind Pig, 1977. Sealed ...
$11.9916.99
Features Big Walter Horton on vocals and harmonica – with Ron Levy on piano, John Nicholas on guitar, and Mark Kazanoff on sax – on tiles that include "Walter's Swing", "Everybody's Fishin", "Worried Life", "Stop Clownin", "Hobo Blues", ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a small cut corner.)
Camille Howard/Priscilla Bowman/Christine Kittrell/Edith Mackey —
Rock N Roll Mamas ... LP Charly (UK), Mid 50s. Near Mint- ...
$9.9914.99
Don't think "rock n roll", think pre-soul – as the set features excellent work from these four fantastic singers! (Soul, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s orange label pressing. Cover has light ringwear, slightly wavy panels, and some heavy wear at the bottom seam.)
A killer album of funky blues – recorded by Howlin Wolf during the period when Chess/Cadet was backing its older artists up with some of the newer funk musicians it had working in its studios! The overall sound works quite well – and although purists at the time moaned at the way ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo Cadet Concept pressing with deep groove. Cover has some ringwear, yellowing from age at the edges, and spotty blemishes.)
Howlin Wolf sings the blues, and comes across in a way that influences an entire generation too – with that raw, raspy sound that made the singer a perfect blend of delta roots and contemporary sounds that were bubbling up in the postwar years! These tracks have a spare, simple, stark style ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Still in a brown Dot sleeve, with small numbers written in pen.)
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!)
A really wonderful album of Etta James material for Chess – 10 of her biggest tracks for the label, including some really hard-hitting R&B numbers, mixed with other tunes that represent the sadder, softer side of Etta's wonderful voice! Tracks include "Stop The Wedding", "S ... (Soul, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
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.)
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
(Cover has a cutout notch, but is nice.)
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.)