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 (146) new/used, Vinyl (96) new/used, LPs (92) new/used, 7-inch (2 used), 78 RPM (2), Magazines (2), All (244)
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Mapleshade, 1993. Used ... $6.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Sound Stage 7/Vivid (Japan), Late 60s. Near Mint- ... $24.99
Sweet Pea Atkinson —
Don't Walk Away ... LP Island, 1982. Near Mint- ... Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a promo stamp, tracklist sticker, and light wear.)
Gospel Friend, Late 30s/1940s/Early 50s. New Copy ... $16.99 19.99
Two decades' of work by Elder Charles Beck – a really important force in the early years of gospel music, and an artist who really helped link the music to more secular styles too! Beck plays both piano and trumpet – the latter quite a surprise, and is used here on early cuts to ... (Gospel, Blues) read more CD
Carey Bell —
Carey Bell's Blues Harp ... LP Delmark, 1969. Very Good+ ... Just Sold Out!
Features Bell on harmonica and vocals – with Jimmy Dawkins on guitar and Pinetop Perkins on piano! LP, Vinyl record album
(Lincoln address pressing.)
Rojac/Traffic, 1967. New Copy ... $7.99 16.98
A great set that may well be Big Maybelle's best record ever – really rare work that's quite different than her famous work of the 50s! The set was recorded in the Criteria studios in Miami – and it's got a cool southern soul sound that's part Bobby Blue Bland bluesy soul, and part ... (Soul, Blues) read more CD
(In a very cool Japanese-styled, LP-like cardboard sleeve cover!)
Arhoolie/P-Vine (Japan), 1960. New Copy ... $24.99
One of the earliest albums on Arhoolie Records – an amazing document of steel guitar bluesman Black Ace! Ace plays just like he sits on the cover – really leaning into the instrument in ways that bring out all these cool, deep inflections – completely hypnotizing on their own, ... read more CD
ABC/BGO (UK), 1975/1977. New Copy ... $9.99 16.99
A pair of ABC Records classics from Bobby Blue Bland – back to back on a single CD! First up is Get On Down – brilliant later work by Bobby Blue Bland – done with backings that are much fuller than on his earlier albums – a mixture of strings and horns that really expand ... read more CD
MCA, 1970s. Used ... $5.99
... CD
(Traycard artwork has some wear.)
ABC/BGO (UK), 1973. New Copy ... $8.99
A nice little record from Bobby Blue Bland – quite different from his 60s sides for Duke/Peacock, and recorded in California (as you might guess from the title!) with a smoother more soulful approach that comes off surprisingly well! The style works well for Bobby – and kind of gave ... read more CD
Second City, 1977. Very Good ... $48.99
Features Lonnie Brooks on vocal and lead guitar – with piano and organ from Robert Waters, and more guitar from Bob Tevis! LP, Vinyl record album
(Still sealed! Cover has two bumped corners, and a light stain in another corner – but is still nice overall.)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/1950s. New Copy ... $18.99 20.99
Tremendous work from Clarence Gatemouth Brown – a postwar guitarist who was big on the Texas scene, but who had the modern flair and jazzy swinging groove of some of his contemporaries who'd left for the west coast! All the work here is from the early years of the Peacock Records label, and ... read more CD
Rounder, 1950s. Used ... $9.99
A killer collection of work from Brown's run on the legendary Peacock label! CD
Mr R&B (Sweden), 1950s. Near Mint- Gatefold ... $4.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
Document (Austria), 1936. Used ... $9.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Butterfield Blues Band —
East West ... LP Elektra, 1966. Very Good ... $14.99
Yazoo, 1930s. Near Mint- ... $13.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Colorful peacock label pressing. Cover has light wear.)
Jasmine (UK), Late 30s/1940s. New Copy 2CD ... $16.99
A huge amount of work from The Cats & The Fiddle – a vocal group that stands as a strong bridge between some of the male quartets of the 30s and the big wave of R&B acts to come! The music here is nice and jazzy, often with a lot of guitar used to emphasize the rhythms – maybe ... (Soul, Blues) read more CD
Optimus Discos (Portugal), 2010. Used ... $2.99
Imperial, Late 60s. Very Good+ ... $24.99
Damn great work from Albert Collins – one of those hard-edged gems from the early days that's a lot more funk than his later blues! Sure, there's still plenty of blues here – but the rhythms are pretty funky too, and the album's got some great raw production from Bill Hall – free ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Original stereo pressing.)
Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland —
Showdown ... LP Alligator, 1985. Very Good+ ... Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear.)
Quicksilver, Mid/Late 70s. Near Mint- ... $19.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s issue on Intermedia.)
Hightone, 1983. Very Good+ ... $9.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
Ace (UK), Late 40s/Early 50s. New Copy ... $11.99 18.99
A tremendous guitarist, with a really mindblowing sound – easily one of the most powerful players on the electric guitar of the time! Pee Wee Crayton's got this full, rich tone that reminds us a lot of T Bone Walker – especially when he hits lots of raspy edges – and like Walker, ... read more CD
RCA, 1940s/Early 50s. Very Good+ Gatefold ... $14.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear.)
Arthur Big Boy Crudup —
Look On Yonder's Wall ... LP Delmark, 1967. Very Good+ ... $24.99
Mostly just the legendary Arthur Crudup on vocals and guitar – in a much more stripped-down setting than his early material! LP, Vinyl record album
(Lincoln address pressing.)
Duke, 1958. Very Good ... $19.99
Vanessa Davis Band —
Fast Forward ... LP Spectra, 1984. Very Good ... $1.99
Strong work from this 80s female blues singer from Chicago – with titles that include "Sure Fooled Me", "Take Me", "One More Kiss", "Matter Of Time", "Running In Circles", and "Quasimodo's Midnight Movers". LP, Vinyl record album
Jimmy Dawkins —
All For Business ... CD Delmark, 1973. Used ... $7.99
Features Jimmy Dawkins on guitar – and on vocals on one track – alongside Big Voice Odom on main vocals, Otis Rush on guitar, Sonny Thompson on piano, and Jim Conley on tenor sax! CD
Chess/Get On Down, 1974. New Copy ... $6.99 14.99
Heavy funk from the legendary Bo Diddley – one of his amazing comeback albums from the early 70s for Chess, all of which are plenty darn great! For this set, Bo's traded in the scratchy guitar mode of his classic work for a sweeter, tighter funk-based sound – a groove that's supported ... read more CD
Chess/MCA, 1958/1959. Used ... $8.99
Two classic Bo Diddley albums in a single set! The self-titled Bo Diddley record is fantastically twangy! We never tire of Bo Diddley's incredible guitar work – and you'll get plenty of it in this early album he cut for Chess, a tasty batch of 12 tracks, all original tunes with a stripped-do ... read more CD
(Out of print.)
Willie Dixon —
Original Wang Dang Doodle – The Chess Recordings & More ... CD Chess/MCA, 1988. Used ... $8.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Black & Blue/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979. New Copy ... $22.99
One of the first recordings to ever feature Lefty Dizz in the lead – done at a time when the singer/guitarist was a young star on the Chicago scene, but getting some key exposure here, thanks to an overseas recordings! Lefty's as great as you might guess from his name – a strong ... read more CD
(Part of the "True Blue Masters – Black & Blue" series!)
Champion Jack Dupree —
From New Orleans To Chicago ... CD Decca (UK), 1966. Used ... $14.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Blue Dakin, 1981. Sealed ... $6.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a bit wavy.)
Bongo Joe (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ... $18.99
Not the kind of calypso that was issued by the big American labels in the 50s – and instead, sounds that have a sound, style, and overall approach that's maybe a lot more similar to American blues from the rural scene! The tracks here are all pulled from the personal archive of Walter Gavitt ... (Global Grooves, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1969. New Copy ... $22.99
Very nice work from Lowell Fulsom – strongly in the mode of his Tramp album for Kent, with a mix of blues and 60s soul, coming together in a sock-hard style that's much better than a lot of Fulsom's other work for other labels! Arrangements are by Rene Hall and Maxwell Davis – the ... read more CD
Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1966. New Copy ... $22.99
The title gets it right here – as the album's as much a soul effort as a blues one – and is a nice change from the sound of Lowell's earlier years! There's still plenty of grit in the grooves here – and even with the front cover proclamation, the album's still one that's best ... read more CD
Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1967. New Copy ... $23.99
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 more CD
Document (Austria), 1929/1930. Used ... $8.99
Chess, Late 50s. Sealed ... $14.99
One of the first great R&B artists on the New Orleans scene in the 50s – and one who never got the same sort of fame as some of his contemporaries! Yet that doesn't stop Paul Gayten from being one of the greats – as you'll hear on this excellent collection that brings together a ... (Soul, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Late 80s issue.)
Buddy Guy —
I Left My Blues In San Francisco ... LP Chess, 1969. Very Good+ ... $69.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover and label have a small drillhole through the center.)
P-Vine (Japan), 1977. New Copy ... $22.99
An overlooked gem from the equally-overlooked Clay Hammond – a sweet 70s groover that offers up a great mix of modern and deep soul modes! Clay's vocals are still every bit as great as on some of his earlier soul singles, but the arrangements push things into tighter territory that's mighty ... (Soul, Blues) read more CD
Geffen/Mobile Fidelity, 1994. Used ... $19.99
... CD
(Out of print Gold CD pressing on Mobile Fidelity!)
Vocalion, 1923. Very Good ... $24.99
Ace (UK), Late 40s/Early 50s. New Copy ... $12.99 18.99
A heady helping of work from the great Smokey Hogg – a Texas talent who really set the LA scene on fire in the postwar years – presented here with a full set of titles that appear on CD for the first time ever, including four previously-unissued tracks! Smokey's true to his roots, but ... read more CD
Philips, Late 60s. Very Good+ ... $33.99
A brilliant British set from Ram John 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, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some light wear, vinyl is nice.)
Blue Horizon, Late 60s. Very Good ... $33.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear, stains, and a fully split spine.)
Prestige/OBC, 1965. Used ... $9.99
Gritty blues from the Chicago scene of the 60s – a time when the frat bars still hadn't yet taken over the city's blues! The group features Homesick James on vocals and guitar – with Lafayette Leake on piano, Eddie Taylor on bass, and Clifton James on drums! CD
(Out of print.)
Bluesway, 1969. Very Good ... $34.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Original stereo pressing with LW etch. Vinyl has a mark that clicks a bit on "The Sky Is Crying". Cover has ringwear, heavy edge wear, splitting in the seams, and heavy wear at the top left corner.)
MCA, Late 60s/Early 70s. Used ... $1.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Hip-O, Late 40s/1950s/1960s/1970s/1980s/Early 90s. Used ... $4.99
20 tracks in all – from early Detroit classics to later duets with Carlos Santana and Canned Heat! CD
(BMG club pressing.)
Specialty, Early 50s. Used ... $4.99
... CD
(Out of print, promotional stamp on CD.)
PA USA, 1986. Near Mint- ... $19.99
A bit of a comeback set for John Lee Hooker – recorded in the mid 80s, but with a sound that's still pretty traditional overall! Most tracks are original compositions, performed with small combo instrumentation that features Hooker on guitar, alongside organ, rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Vinyl has a slight warp but played fine for us. Cover has a wrinkled corner, a hype sticker, a cut corner, and light wear.)
Rhino, Late 40s/1950s/1960s/1970s/1980s/Early 90s. Used 2 CDs ... $4.99
Includes 31 tracks on 2 CD's. CD
(NOTE: this copy includes both CD's but is missing the slipcover and large booklet – just the CD's!)
Wand, Late 60s. New Copy (reissue)... Just Sold Out!
A really unique album from the great John Lee Hooker – done for the mostly-soul Wand Records label, and with a feel that's quite different than some of Hooker's other records! There's a distinctly jazzy undercurrent running through the record at times – sometimes with some moody, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Chess, Late 60s. Used ... $2.99
... CD
(Out of print, BMG music club pressing.)
John Lee Hooker —
That's Where It's At! ... LP Stax, 1969. New Copy (reissue)... $18.99 21.99
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
Rhino, Late 40s/1950s/1960s/1970s/1980s/Early 90s. Used ... $0.99
Titles include "Boom Boom", "Shake It Baby", "I'm In The Mood", "Buckle Up Baby", "Hobo Blues", "Boogie Chillen", "Crawlin King Snake", and "I Need Some Money". CD
Lightnin Hopkins —
Complete Aladdin Recordings ... CD Aladdin/EMI, Late 40s. Used 2 CDs ... $6.99
With 43 tracks including "Big Mama Jump", "LA Blues", "Katie May", "Thinkin & Worryin", "Sugar On My Mind", "Moon Rise Blues", "Howling Wolf", and "See See Rider". CD
Ace (UK), 1940s/1950s/1960s. New Copy 2CD ... $15.99 22.99
A hugely sprawling 2CD collection of spanning the career of the incredible Lightnin Hopkins – from his most beloved years from the late 40s to late 50s – and a quite wonderful collection of numbers from the 60s after he had captured the hearts of the young, idealistic folk crowd of the ... read more CD
Chess, 1950s/Early 60s. Used ... $3.99
2 blues classics from the great Howlin Wolf – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Howlin Wolf – a record that has Wolf tightening it up a bit from his earliest years at Chess, and moving into a groove that would forever make him one of the key artists to record for ... read more CD
Yazoo, 1928. New Copy (reissue)... $13.99
Vintage work from Mississippi John Hurt, but somehow amazingly clear and crisp in this classic LP presentation! The tunes are wonderfully earthy – just vocals and guitar from Hurt, in a style that's definitely blues, but which has some surprisingly jazzy inflections at times – at least ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Fat Possum, 1964. New Copy ... $13.99 18.99
Rare recordings of delta blues legend Mississippi John Hurt – captured solo and beautifully well on 3 dates in late 1964, recorded by Gene Rosenthal – with Hurt's distinctive way of a somehow gentle melodic acoustic blues guitar sound, coming from hard-strummed and plucked strings as ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes download.)
Ace (UK), Early 50s. New Copy 3 CDs ... $14.99 24.99
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
Sue (UK), 1965. Very Good+ ... $43.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has lightly bent corners and light surface wear.)
Chess, 1950s. Used ... Just Sold Out!
A great entry in the Chess Heritage Series at the end of the 60s – one that features rare 50s Chicago recordings by Elmore James, plus some even more obscure sides by lesser-known singer John Brim! James' style is well known, and well-executed here – rough and raw, but with a good ... read more CD
(Out of print.)
Mississippi, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy ... $15.99
Folk soul guitar player, singer, songwriter, storyteller and genuine character Abner Jay's brilliant home recordings – the first release of his "terrible comedy blues" in far too long – courtesy of the always deep digging Mississippi label! Abner takes on the topical issues ... (Folk/Country, Blues) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Blind Lemon Jefferson —
Blind Lemon Jefferson (Milestone) ... LP Milestone, Late 20s. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold ... Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(NOTE – Cover has large sections that are lightly stained and wavy, with some surface wear and small sticker remnants.)
Jasmine (UK), 1950s/Early 60s. New Copy 2CD ... $13.99
A huge collection of work from the overlooked Gus Jenkins – one of a number of blues musicians who started in the south, then moved out to the west coast during the postwar years – and found a way to change his older style into a great mix of jump blues and raw R&B! Jenkins both ... (Soul, Blues) read more CD
Black & Blue/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1983. New Copy ... $22.99
A lean little set from Jimmy Johnson – recorded in France in the early 80s, but with the feel of an indie set on a small Chicago label from the decade before! Jimmy sings and plays guitar, and has a mighty sly way of working the two together – with a quality that kind of beats some of ... read more CD
(Part of the "True Blue Masters – Black & Blue" series!)
King, Late 50s. Near Mint- ... $19.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing. Vinyl has some cosmetic sleeve impressions and some press flaw bumps that click just a bit. Cover has some splitting in the bottom seam.)
Kilborn Alley Blues Band —
Tear Chicago Down ... CD Blue Bella, 2007. Used ... Just Sold Out!
... CD
Big Legal Mess/Fat Possum, 1966. New Copy ... $9.99 14.99
Wicked early work from Junior Kimbrough – sides that are quite different than some of his better-known recordings over the years! The material was cut in Memphis in 1966 by producer Quinton Claunch – and it's got a spare, rootsy quality that's totally great – slow moving drums ... read more CD
Rhino/Mobile Fidelity, 1967. Used ... $24.99
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 CD
(Out of print, gold CD pressing from Mobile Fidelity. Tray card has some wear and is creased on both sides.)
Albert King —
King Albert ... LP Tomato, 1977. Very Good ... Just Sold Out!
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 more LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has small cutout notch.)
Stax/Mobile Fidelity, 1968. Used ... $24.99
Plenty of blues power here – a searing live set recorded by Albert King before a very enthusiastic crowd at the Fillmore in the late 60s! The album's filled with lots of King's sharp-edged guitar lines – searing with a bit more soul than your usual bluesman, possibly in part because ... read more CD
(Out of print. Cover image varies slightly.)
BB King —
Friends ... LP ABC, 1974. Very Good ... Just Sold Out!
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some very light staining along the bottom edge, mostly on the back.)
BB King —
Live At The Regal (180 gram pressing) ... LP ABC/Geffen, 1965. New Copy (reissue)... $19.99 21.99
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 LP, Vinyl record album
ABC, 1971. Near Mint- (pic cover)... $36.99
Includes "You Move Me So", "No Money No Luck", "I Need Your Love", "Rainin' All The Time", "I'm With You", and "Stop Putting The Hurt On Me". (Funky 45's, Blues) 7-inch, Vinyl record
(Includes a full sheet of jukebox strips too!)
King/Sundazed, 1963. New Copy (reissue)... $23.99 24.98
Bossa nova and blues? Turns out they're a surprisingly great combination – but not in a mode that's really the more mainstream conception of either – and instead more of that mix of Brazilian rhythms and soul you'd find in early 60s work by The Drifters! The record's a real standout ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful heavy vinyl mono pressing – just like an original King Records version!)
Paramount, 1971. Very Good+ ... $19.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(With the burlap sack!)
Tru Sound/Red Lightnin (UK), 1962. Near Mint- ... $14.99
UK issue of a raw early set from Eddie Kirkland – equal parts blues and R&B – with titles that include "Man Of Stone", "I Tried", "Something's Gone Wrong In My Life", "Baby You Know It's True", "Saturday Night Stomp", "Down On ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing. Cover has a very small bump on one edge, but is great overall.)
Asch, 1969. New Copy ... $12.99 16.99
A wild little record – and hardly the set of square dance material that you might expect! Instead, the album's a weird blend of folk, blues, and a little bit of soul – delivered by Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick in a jaunty, upbeat style that's downright optimistic – at one level ... read more CD
(Special limited CD – pressed up for us by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Comes with original cover artwork, and the CD also features a PDF file with the original liner notes and other materials from the original record release.)
Malaco, 1990. Very Good ... $0.99
Columbia, 1935. Very Good ... $7.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(70s issue. Cover has some ring and edge wear.)
Justin Time, 1997. Used ... $3.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
