They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". LP, Vinyl record album

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 Talking", "Baby Please", "I'm Waiting", and "Tell Her The Truth". (Soul, Blues) LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Buster Benton, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ike Turner, Willie Dixon, Little Joe Blue, Lowell Fulson, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam, and Earl Hooker. CD

They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". CD features two bonus tracks – "Sad & Blues" and "Back Home Blues". CD

They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". CD features two bonus tracks – "Sad & Blues" and "Back Home Blues". CD

Johnny's very much in his "revival" mode here – dipping back to his earlier R&B roots, and working with a host of famous older blues singers. The set's got vocals by Roy Milton, Roy Brown, Esther Phillips, Mighty Mouth Evans, Ivory Joe Hunter, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Margie Evans, and Big Joe Turner – and even though Shuggie Otis is on the album, the whole thing's a pretty bluesy affair overall. Titles include "Shuggie's Boogie", "Plastic Man", "Margie's Boogie", "Baby You Don't Know", "Little Esther's Blues", "RM Blues", "Goin Back To LA", "Willie & The Hand Jive", and "Since I Met You Baby". (Soul, Blues) LP, Vinyl record album

A hip little record – produced by Bob Thiele as pre-Flying Dutchman effort, and with some of the great vibe of the blues records on that label! The set's got an unusual lineup – with jazzman Richard Williams on trumpet, plus Ed Davis on tenor, Marshall Hooks on guitar, Curtis Tillman on bass, Robert Schedel on piano, and Big Jim Wynn on saxophones. One track also features guitar from Art Adams and harmonica from Lightnin Rod – and titles include "Blues For Reverend King", "Ode To Billie Joe", "If You Were A Rabbit", "Juicy Harmonica", "Help Me", and "A Letter To The President". CD

A hip little record – produced by Bob Thiele as pre-Flying Dutchman effort, and with some of the great vibe of the blues records on that label! The set's got an unusual lineup – with jazzman Richard Williams on trumpet, plus Ed Davis on tenor, Marshall Hooks on guitar, Curtis Tillman on bass, Robert Schedel on piano, and Big Jim Wynn on saxophones. One track also features guitar from Art Adams and harmonica from Lightnin Rod – and titles include "Blues For Reverend King", "Ode To Billie Joe", "If You Were A Rabbit", "Juicy Harmonica", "Help Me", and "A Letter To The President". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Milt Jackson and Roy Eldrige. Titles include "I Want A Little Girl", "Crawdad Hole", "Juke Joint Blues", and "How Long How Long Blues". CD

A great little set from T-Bone – recorded at the end of the 60s, with a lineup that includes other blues musicians like Joe Turner, Otis Spann, and George Harmonica Smith, plus jazz funk players like Paul Humphrey and Ernie Watts! The vibe is very laidback – and most tracks on the album stretch out in an extended free-form style that's quite unusual compared to T-Bone's other records. As usual, his guitar and vocals are very soulful – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Blues Jam", and "Jot's Blues". A real gem on Flying Dutchman/Bluestime. CD

A great little set from T-Bone – recorded at the end of the 60s, with a lineup that includes other blues musicians like Joe Turner, Otis Spann, and George Harmonica Smith, plus jazz funk players like Paul Humphrey and Ernie Watts! The vibe is very laidback – and most tracks on the album stretch out in an extended free-form style that's quite unusual compared to T-Bone's other records. As usual, his guitar and vocals are very soulful – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Blues Jam", and "Jot's Blues". A real gem on Flying Dutchman/Bluestime. LP, Vinyl record album

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Tracks include "Lowe Groovin", "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", & "Applejack" by Joe Morris, "That Old Black Magic", "Annie Laurie", & "Midnight Special" by Tiny Grimes, "Cole Slaw", by Frank Cully, "So Long", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Daddy Daddy", & "5-10-15 Hours" by Ruth Brown, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" & "Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Stick Mcghee, "The Chill Is On", "Chains Of Love", & "Sweet Sixteen" by Joe Turner, "Hey Little Girl" & "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" by Professor Longhair, "Fool Fool Fool" & "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, and "The Midnight Hour" by Ray Charles. (Soul, Blues) LP, Vinyl record album

Huge blues collection with music from Junior Wells, JB Hutto, Big Joe Williams, Luther Allison, Dave Spector, Roosevelt Sykes, Little Walter, Sleepy John Estes, Sunnyland Slim, Carey Bell, and more. CD

Includes tracks by Memphis Minnie, Little Son Joe, Floyd Jones, Little Hudon, and Baby Face Leroy – 20 tracks total. CD

Blues 45s – but material that's also pretty close to the funky 45 spirit of the 60s too – given that most of these cuts have a pretty raw groove! The blues element usually comes from a guitar or harmonica element, or a way of vocal phrasing – but much of the background instrumentation hits a gritty soul groove that's pretty darn funky overall – a great fusion of modes that must have sounded pretty darn great coming from a jukebox in the back room of some south side nightclub! This second volume is every bit as great as the first – and titles include "Love Is A Serious Thing" by Otis Reed, "Stretchin Out" by Little Sonny, "Lonesome" by Memphis Slim, "Don't Change Your Mind" by TB Fisher, "You Won't Treat Me Right" by TV Slim & His Bluesmen, "Fatten Pin" by Clyde Hopkins, "Dark River" by Freddy Young, "I'm Leaving You" by Bob Reed & His Band, "I Tried" by Larry Davis, "Pickin Heavy" by Joe Scott, "Roll On Train" by Elton Anderson, and "I'm So Tired" by Eddie Bo. CD

Music from Lonnie Brooks & Koko Taylor, Wynonie Harris & Joe Turner, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf & Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Louis Jordan & Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith & Clara Smith, Big Mama Thornton & Johnny Ace, John Cephas & Phil Wiggins, Butterbeans & Susie, Bobby Bland & Little Junior Parker, and more. CD

A host of southern soul tracks – all presented here in versions that have never been issued before – as they're all the original takes of the tunes that were first tone for Ace Records of Mississippi! You'll recognize a few of these tunes, which sound different in the earlier takes – and there's also plenty of other more obscure numbers you won't know at all – served up in modes that bridge the New Orleans soul and deeper Mississippi music that Ace did so well at the end of the 50s. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "I Was Wrong" by Roland Cook, "Can't Let You Go" by Albert Scott, "Heaven Came Down" by Calvin Spears, "Mr Blues" by Joe & Ann, "I Know" by Bobby Marchan, "Blessed Are These Tears" by Joe Tex, "Gee Baby" by Joe & Ann, "Yes I Got You" by Chuck Carbo, "Honey Honey" by The Supremes, "Teenage Rock" by Little Booker, and "My Love Is Strong" by Earl King. (Soul, Blues) CD

An unusual small label collection of rare postwar blues from Chicago – with work by Floyd Smith, Othum Brown, Baby Face Leroy, Little Walter, Delta Joe, Snooky & Moody, JB Hutto & His Hawks, Johnny Shines, and John Brim! LP, Vinyl record album

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

A great little set that really lives up to the promise of its title – and it's claim to offer up "commercial recordings of Anglo-European American vernacular music that challenges the stereotypes"! The set's a wealth of obscure 78rpm recordings that really defy genre convention – and which show that the 20s was easily one of the most experimental times in American music – a point when later common styles were really quite new, and still very fluid – bits of later blues, folk, or country intermingling equally – often from sources that you wouldn't expect a decade or two later. These tracks are all acoustic, but feature really inventive instrumentation – especially when modes of a generation or two before are pushed into new phrasings with decidedly (then) modern flavors. As usual with these Tompkins Square reissues, the sound quality is great – and the package offers up some good notes to help situate the music too. Titles include "Caliope" by Lewis Brothers, "Bacon & Cabbage" by Blind Joe Mangrum & Fred Shriver, "Don't Get One Woman On Your Mind" by Willard Hodgin, "The Whale Did I Know He Did" by Mustard & Gravy, "Ladies Quadrille" by The Happy Hayseeds, "Dill Pickles Rag" by McLaughlin's Old Time Melody Makers, and "Down In Tennessee Blues" by Homer Davenport. (Folk/Country, Blues) CD