Blues — In Stock
Our Chicago roots run deep here, with plenty of postwar Chicago blues -- plus delta blues, folk blues, electric blues, pre-war blues, and more!
CDs (202) new/used, Vinyl (180) new/used, LPs (169) new/used, 12-inch (1 used), 7-inch (4 used), 78 RPM (6), Books (1), All (383)
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Vee Jay/Shout Factory, 1959. Used ... $2.99
Classic Chicago blues issued on Vee Jay – recorded by John Lee Hooker in a handful of sessions over the second half of the 50s – an incredible document of Hooker's lonely roots as well as a benchmark for the band based live blues scenes in the years to come! I'm John Lee Hooker was ... read more CD
(Small cutout hole through rear case and tray card.)
Impulse/Elemental, 1965. New Copy (reissue)... $31.99 35.99
There's no suffering here – as the record's a real delight, and one of the more unique sessions in the career of the great John Lee Hooker! The record was done for Impulse Records, mostly known for its jazz recordings at the time – and the session has the vocals and guitar of John Lee ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Verve/BMG, 1965. New Copy (reissue)... $22.99 24.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
John Lee Hooker —
Live At Sugar Hill Vol 2 ... CD Fantasy, 1962. Used ... Just Sold Out!
Previously-unreleased live material from John Lee Hooker – recorded at the Sugar Hill club in San Francisco, as part of the same sets that were also issued on the Boogie Chillun album! The material here is rough and raw – just Hooker's vocals and guitar, captured in a style that's ... read more CD
(Out of print, punch through barcode and promotional stamp on CD.)
Muse/Happy Bird (Germany), Late 50s. Near Mint- ... $18.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Late 70s European pressing.)
BGO (UK), 1967. Used ... $6.99
A fantastic late 60s set from John Lee Hooker – one that has the legend working in a mode that echoes some of the funkier soul styles of the time, but with a vibe that's still very much in the best spirit of his classic work! The groove is slightly amped up by the electric bass of Eddie ... read more CD
Smithsonian Folkways, 1959. Used ... $5.99
A late 50s session, but an album that captures Lighnin Hopkins in a rootsy style that could well hearken back to the 78rpm blues records of the 30s – thanks to production by Samuel B Charters, who captured Hopkins alone making music in his apartment in Houston! The tracks have that ... read more CD
(1990 CD pressing.)
Stony Plain, 1972. Sealed ... $19.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Still sealed, with a somewhat messy cutout hole at the top right corner.)
Howlin Wolf —
Boy You Got The Blues There Vol 2 (10 inch LP) ... LP Sun/Bear Family (Germany), Early 50s. New Copy ... $25.99 34.99
A fantastic package of work – material that not only helped kick off the career of the legendary Howlin Wolf, but also the Memphis powerhouse Sun Records too! The material here was all cut in the Sun Studios right at the start of its famous run – material recorded by Sam Phillips long ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Chess/Traffic, Late 50s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $6.99 14.98
Almost a decade's worth of great work from Howlin Wolf – late 50s and early 60s recordings done for Chess Records in Chicago, nicely packaged up here in an archival series album with full notes on the sessions and music! Nearly all tracks are originals by Wolf – aka Chester Burnett ... read more CD
Chess/Elemental, 1971. New Copy (reissue)... $23.99 25.99
Funky blues work from Howlin Wolf – his key entry into the funked-up genre that Chess Records was cutting at the end of the 60s with other blues artists like Etta James, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters! As on records with those artists, Wolf's older modes are updated here for a hipper, younger ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Checker/Jackpot, 1967. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 23.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited colored vinyl pressing.)
Columbia, 1980. Near Mint- ... $5.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
Mojo, 1920s/1930s. Used ... $5.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
King, Late 40s. Very Good+ ... $1.99
Flyright (UK), 1963. Near Mint- ... $29.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(80s issue. Cover has minimal wear.)
Delmark, 2020. Used ... $5.99
... CD
Black Lion, 1961/1962. Used ... $3.99
Le Roi Du Blues, Late 50s/Early 60s. Sealed ... $24.99
Rare and unissued tracks from this Chicago harmonica legend! LP, Vinyl record album
Elmore James —
Blues In My Heart Rhythm In My Soul (aka Blues After Hours) ... LP United Superior, 1960. Very Good ... $19.99
Great raw sounds from Elmore James – and a record that definitely shows his strong connection to the early years of soul music too! The style is still blues, but the arrangements and production have lots of early soul inflections – bits borrowed from tighter R&B records, but ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono light blue label Custom pressing. Cover has light wear, tiny name in pen.)
Ace (UK), Early 50s. Used 3 CDs ... $11.99
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 more CD
Capricorn, Late 50s/Early 60s. Used 2 CDs ... $8.99
Features the rare Fire/Fury recordings of Elmore James – 50 tracks in all! CD
United, 1950s. Sealed ... $14.99
Titles include "Elmo's Shuffle", "Hawaiian Boogie (parts 1 & 2)", "Quarter Past Nine", "Sho Nuff I Do", "Late Hours At Midnight", and "Strange Kinda Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album
Argo/Chess/Jackpot, 1960. New Copy (reissue)... $20.99 23.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Black vinyl pressing.)
Fantasy, 1987. Used ... $7.99
Paramount/P-Vine (Japan), Late 20s. New Copy ... $16.99 19.99
20 rare recordings from one of the all-time greats of early blues recording – the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson, presented here on a set of seminal recordings done for the Paramount label in the late 20s! All tracks were recorded in Chicago, but hardly have the famous sound of that city's ... read more CD
Columbia, Mid 30s. Used 2 CDs ... $4.99
All 41 recordings of Robert Johnson – a lasting legacy of music that's still one of the touchpoints for any exploration of early blues! CD
(Box has light wear.)
Wolf (Austria), Late 20s. Used ... $7.99
... CD
Tommy Johnson —
King Of The Blues 5 ... CD P-Vine (Japan), Late 20s. Used ... $8.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Junior Kimbrough —
Sad Days, Lonely Nights (b/Fat Possum/Capricorn, 1994. Used ... $4.99
... CD
Stax/Craft, 1967. New Copy (reissue)... $26.99 28.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Albert King —
Crosscut Saw – Albert King In San Francisco ... CD Stax, 1983. Used ... Just Sold Out!
Albert King's San Francisco album – with some previously unreleased cuts added on for good measure! The core session is from the early 80s, and there's a clean, lean recording approach that certainly belies that fact – although it also brings out some mighty sharp lines from King's ... read more CD
Stax, 1977. Very Good ... $9.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has unglued seams, 'remastered' sticker, some wear, promo stamp.)
MCA, 1980. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ... $24.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1950s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $16.99 19.99
A great document of the early genius of BB King – a set that brings together material recorded just over the space of a decade for the RPM/Kent label in LA – the company who gave BB a wonderful showcase in the years before he hopped over to a larger label and bigger fame! The material ... read more CD
ABC, 1972. Near Mint- ... $14.99 19.99
BB King's collapsed here on the beach in California – and maybe that's because he gave so much energy to the session – which is a lot more full than some of his previous work from the 60s! The whole thing is a mix of blues and soul – some larger charts that really provide a great ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a small cutout hole.)
Ace (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $12.99 19.99
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 more CD
ABC/Elemental, 1970. New Copy (reissue)... $31.99 35.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
BB King —
Live ... LP United Superior, Early 60s. Very Good ... $7.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Purple label pressing. Cover is nice.)
MCA, 1965. Used ... $2.99
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 more CD
BB King —
Midnight Believer ... LP ABC, 1978. Very Good ... $7.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow label pressing. Includes the printed inner sleeve.)
ABC, 1963. Very Good+ ... $19.99
BB King's soaring debut LP for ABC Records – a mix of grand numbers that find the legendary BB backed up in surprisingly soulful orchestra settings culled from bicoastal sessions in LA and NYC! BB King has a signature style that's pretty strongly rooted in homespun, truthspeaking rhythm & ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono black label Am-Par pressing. Cover has some wear and aging, some separation along the opening, with a small tear, some stains, a round sticker, and crunched corner in back.)
MCA, 1979. Very Good+ ... $16.99
A great late 70s set from BB King – a record that really echoes that mix of jazz and blues that he first had when coming out of the Memphis scene – but in a style that's very different than his initial recordings! Here, King plays with some great production help from The Crusaders, who ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Tan label pressing. Includes lyric insert! Cover has light wear.)
BB King & Eric Clapton —
Riding With The King ... LP Reprise, 2000. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ... Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(2020 180 gram blue vinyl pressing.)
Rounder, 1988. Near Mint- ... $4.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear and some aging.)
Eddie King & Mae B May —
Blues Has Got Me ... CD Black Magic (Holland), 1986. Used ... $4.99
... CD
(Sealed copy.)
RSO, 1977. Very Good+ ... $19.99
A posthumous collection of work from Freddie King – material recorded in a variety of different sources, but all of it with Freddie's well-honed guitar sound in the lead! Some tracks were done down at Criteria Studios in Miami, and have a warmly southern sort of glow – others were done ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear.)
Freddie King —
Getting Ready ... LP Shelter, 1971. Very Good+ ... $59.99
A pivotal album in the career of the great Freddie King – his first in a set of records done for the Shelter label in the early 70s – and the kind of material that catapulted King from the underground to superstardom! The label was a project of Leon Russell, who produced the set with ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Original Superman logo label pressing. Cover has light wear. Includes the Superman inner sleeve.)
Rhythm Bomb (Germany), 2017. Used ... $3.99
... CD
(Sealed.)
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King —
Show Me The Money ... CD Blind Pig, 2004. Used ... Just Sold Out!
... CD
KC (UK), Early 50s. Near Mint- ... $11.99
Blues Spectrum, Early 70s. Near Mint- ... $4.99
Little Charlie & The Nightcats —
Shadow Of The Blues ... CD Alligator, 1998. Used ... $2.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Evejim, 1989. Near Mint- ... $4.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(A nice copy.)
Isabel (France), 1982. Very Good+ ... $13.99
A set recorded in Paris, but one with a great small combo vibe that's right in the spirit of Chicago – work from Lucky Peterson on organ and piano next to the vocals and guitar of Little Milton! LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a tiny bit of laminate peeling, but is nice overall.)
Stax, 1973. Very Good+ ... $9.99
No waiting here – as Little Milton's guitar is plenty sweet throughout – making the album a key cooker from his classic years on Stax! The album's an essential effort in the shift between grittier urban blues and some of the tighter, more warmed up sounds that played big in the 70s ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow label stereo pressing with L Nix etch. Label has an X in marker. Cover has light wear and a partially unglued back paste-on.)
Stax, Early 70s. Very Good+ ... $7.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(80s issue. Cover has wrinkled corners at the bottom.)
Enterprise, Early 70s. Very Good+ ... $19.99
Tasty batch of funky blues tracks from Sonny – an artist who we normally don't like that much, but who sounds very sweet here, thanks to tight arrangements by The Bar-Kays, who back him up on the session! The record is a great mix of funky blues and Memphis soul – and includes the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing! Cover has a small cutout hole, and a small bit of paper near the bottom edge.)
Checker, 1954. Very Good ... $29.99
John Littlejohn —
John Littlejohn's Chicago Blues Stars ... LP Arhoolie, 1969. Very Good+ ... Just Sold Out!
Tight small group work from the Chicago underground of the 60s – with John Littlejohn on vocals and guitar – in a group with Robert Pulliam and Willie Young on tenor, Monroe Jones on rhythm guitar, Alvin Nicholes on bass, and Booker Sidgrave on drums. LP, Vinyl record album
Rooster, 1985. Sealed ... $19.99
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
(Cover has a cut corner.)
Delmark/P-Vine (Japan), 1973. Used ... $19.99
A searing quartet set – with Lockwood on guitar and vocals, plus Louis Myers on second guitar, Dave Myers on bass, and Fred Below on drums! CD
(Includes obi.)
Chess, Early 50s. Very Good+ ... $9.99
Delmark, 1968. Used ... $8.99
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 more CD
Columbia, 1969. Very Good 2LP Gatefold ... $16.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo 360 Sound pressing. Cover has light surface wear & aging.)
Columbia, 1968. Very Good ... $13.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(360 Sound stereo pressing. Cover has light surface wear & aging.)
Stony Plain, 2023. Used ... $9.99
... CD
(Digipak has an airplay sticker on the back.)
Polydor, 1972. Near Mint- ... $14.99
The title certainly gets it right – as the album definitely brings a bit of jazz into the mix for the great John Mayall – given that the set features strong work from funky jazz heavyweights Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Freddy Robinson on guitar! Both are musicians that we love for ... (Rock, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Deram, 1966. Used ... $4.99
Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is ... (Rock, Blues) read more CD
London, 1967. Very Good+ ... $9.99
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 ... (Rock, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes London inner sleeve. Cover has some surface wear, small top seam split.)
Specialty/Rev-Ola (UK), Early 50s. Used ... $11.99
Seminal sides from 50s crossover bluesman Percy Mayfield – some of his best-known recordings ever, done for the Specialty label at the height of his powers! Percy's music epitomizes the changes going on in blues in the postwar years – a move towards jazzier, more sophisticated styles ... read more CD
Brunswick/Demon (UK), Late 60s. New Copy (reissue)... $16.99 29.99
Great work from R&B legend Percy Mayfield – one of the singer's most obscure sessions, and really more of a soul record overall! The album was done for Brunswick at the end of the 60s – and has lots of work from Chicago soul arrangers like Johnny Cameron and Willie Henderson – ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Atlantic, 1972. Very Good+ Gatefold ... $14.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(1841 Broadway label pressing. Cover has minimal wear, some gloss peel on the back cover.)
Modern/Ace (UK), Mid 50s. Very Good ... $9.99 13.99
Heavy blues from Jimmy McCracklin – a set of tracks recorded for the Modern label in the mid 50s, with a sound that's much rawer and raunchier than his 60s soul sides! The quality of the set is excellent – with wonderful restoration that makes the tunes crackle with even more raw ... (Soul, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(80s UK pressing. Cover has some light wear.)
Capitol, 1970. Used 2 CDs ... $11.99
Includes unreleased tracks! CD
(Out of print, propmotional stamp on CDs and sticker over barcode. Artwork has some age spots.)
Snapper (UK), 1920s/1930s. Used 2CDs ... $14.99
Includes "Writin' Paper Blues", "Stole Rider Blues", "Three Women Blues", "Warm It Up To Me", "It's A Good Little Thing", "Lord Have Mercy If You Please" and more – 40 Tracks in all! CD
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $15.99 20.99
A package that definitely lives up to the title – as it presents the hardest-wailing work recorded by Memphis Slim in the postwar years – including plenty of cuts that were a huge influence on early rock and roll, and many that have him in more of an R&B mode than usua! Slim's ... read more CD
Red Lightnin (UK), 1989. Near Mint- ... $5.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear.)
Delta Groove, 2013. Used ... $3.99
... CD
(Sealed copy.)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/Early 50s. New Copy ... $15.99 20.99
Roy Milton definitely rocks, even though he wasn't a rocker at all – and instead was one of the key artists in postwar R&B who helped really chart the course for other decades of musicians to follow! As you'll see from the image on the cover, Roy's a drummer, but his real strength is ... (Soul, Blues) read more CD
Delmark, 2008. Used ... $4.99
With Lurrie Bell and Carl Weathersby. CD
(Sealed copy.)
Essential (France), 1990. Used ... $6.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
P-Vine (Japan), 2022. New Copy ... $32.99 39.99
The title's not right – as there's plenty of soul and plenty of blues throughout – just the sort of thing we'd expect from Stan Mosley's long legacy of indie recordings from the contemporary underground! We first started hearing Stan's music on the Malaco label at the end of the 90s ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Mercury, 1968. Very Good+ Gatefold ... $11.99 14.99
Fantastic early work from Mother Earth – one of those special late 60s groups who emerged out of the rock, folk, and blues scenes – but who somehow managed to make a very special sound of their own! Part of the group's strength is the lovely Tracey Nelson – a singer who could ... (Rock, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Original red label stereo pressing. Cover has a bumped corner and small cutout hole.)
Robert Nighthawk —
Robert Nighthawk & His Flames Of Rhythm – Live On Maxwell Street 1964 ... CD Rounder, 1964. Used ... $9.99
Features Nighthawk on vocals and guitar – plus a bit of guest harmonica from Carey Bell! CD
(Out of print.)
