A cool Japanese-only collection of deep soul – with a few tracks by each artist, originally done for the Sound Stage 7 family of labels in the south! (Soul, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
(In a very cool Japanese-styled, LP-like cardboard sleeve cover!)
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
Butterfield Blues Band —
East West ... LP Elektra, 1966. Very Good ...
$14.99
Titles include "Walkin Blues", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Mary Mary", "East West", "Two Trains Running", and "Work Song". (Rock, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
Frankie Chavez —
Frankie Chavez ... CD Optimus Discos (Portugal), 2010. Used ...
$2.99
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original stereo pressing.)
Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland —
Showdown ... LP Alligator, 1985. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
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 moreCD
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
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
Bo Diddley —
Big Bad Bo ... CD Chess/Get On Down, 1974. New Copy ...
$6.9914.99
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
(Part of the "True Blue Masters – Black & Blue" series!)
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
(Blue fade label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover and label have a small drillhole through the center.)
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
(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.)
John Lee Hooker —
Jealous ... LP 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 moreLP, 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.)
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 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
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
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
Lightnin Hopkins —
His Blues ... CD Ace (UK), 1940s/1950s/1960s. New Copy 2CD ...
$15.9922.99
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
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 moreCD
(Part of the "True Blue Masters – Black & Blue" series!)
(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 —
Four ... CD Blue Bella, 2011. Used ...
$6.99
Junior Kimbrough —
First Recordings ... CD Big Legal Mess/Fat Possum, 1966. New Copy ...
$9.9914.99
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 moreCD
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. 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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 moreCD
(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.)
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful heavy vinyl mono pressing – just like an original King Records version!)
King Biscuit Boy —
Gooduns ... LP Paramount, 1971. Very Good+ ...
$19.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(With the burlap sack!)
Eddie Kirkland —
Way It Was ... LP 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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing. Cover has a very small bump on one edge, but is great overall.)
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 moreCD
(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.)