A fascinating look at the world of Mexican music in the 20th Century – put together in collaboration with Arhoolie Records, the label that's done plenty to reissue the music over the years! The book begins with the huge archive of recordings by the label's founder, Chris Strachwitz – then takes off in a number of different streams – providing historical context, critical evaluation, and even some discographical details – in the form of various lists and sections of music. The book looks at some key styles too – including corridos and mariachi, traced both through Mexican recordings, and US singles by Mexican-Americans – and the whole thing is only the tip of the iceberg, in relation to the 40,000 recordings that have been digitized by the University Of California Library as part of the project. Still, there's plenty here to get you started – a huge amount of information that's even more inspirational than some of Arhoolie's great reissues over the years – in an oversized book that's 226 pages, softcover, with many black and white images too. Book

An album that brings together unissued tracks from the Arhoolie catalog by each of the three blues artists on the cover! CD

A well-recorded set from the 60s, done with a very rootsy vibe – with some guest work from Big Willie on washboard, and some spoken material on side two! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Chicago recordings – all from the 40s, and featuring Big Joe Williams on vocals and guitar, and Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica! Most tracks feature bass and drums, too. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of early 60s recordings from the first few years of the Arhoolie label – titles by Little Son Willis, Fred McDowell, Bukka White, Manny Nichols, Essie Jenkins, Detroit Slim, RC Smith, Mercy Dee, Lightning & Spider, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled collection of early Arhoolie Records material – all tracks exclusive to the set, with titles by Lil Son Jackson, Lowell Fulson, Sam Chatman, Whistling Alex Moore, Robert Curtis Smith, Mercy Dee, and Black Ace! LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

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 Nichols on bass, and Booker Sidgrave on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great early session on Arhoolie, one of the first on the label – early 60s work from Mercy Dee Walton on piano and vocals, with help from Sidney Maiden on harmonica and KC Douglas on electric guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

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, with almost an unworldly feel at points – and accompanied by vocals on most tracks. Titles include "Drink On Little Girl", "Bad Times Stomp", "Farther Along", "Evil Woman", "Fore Day Creep", "Little Augie", and "Golden Slipper". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Thomas on trumpet, Manuel Paul on tenor, Louis Nelson on trombone, and Joe James on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

A late 60s session, but one that has a nicely raw vibe – just vocals and guitar from Big Joe Williams, plus guest harmonica from Charlie Musselwhite on a few cuts! LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

Titles include "Going Back To The Country", "Sad Sad Sound", "Hard Luck", "Working With Juke Boy", "My Blues", "Stay Off Lyons Avenue", and "I'm Getting Tired". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A killer late 60s Chicago blues set from Earl Hooker – one of his best! Earl is one of the great blues slide guitarists, and his tone is captured so incredibly well here – songs recorded at Chicago's Sound Studios with impeccable players. Earl sings on "Anna Lee" and "You Don't Want Me", does some conversing with Andrew Odom on the great title track. Louis Meyers contributes some great harmonica on "Anna Lee", with Carey Bell on vocals and harmonica on "Love Ain't A Plaything". Geno Skaggs is on bass, Joe Willie Perkins the keys and Levi Warrens on drums. Other songs include "Off The Hook", "You Don't Love Me" and "Earl Hooker Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The Steve here is Steve Miller - who plays piano on one track, and organ on all the rest – and even sings on two tracks too! Hooker's guitar is wonderful, as always, and Louis Myers plays harmonica on two tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic document of the first-ever Ann Arbor Blues Festival – the start of a great event that would blossom into other styles of music in the 70s, but which stood as a strong blues-based event in its initial year of 1969! In some ways, the three day series of concerts is a roots answer to Woodstock – which took place just a few weeks before – as the festival featured a great scope of blues talents, from the rootsier sort of artists who were recording for labels like Folkways or Arhoolie, to some of the sharper modern talents rising to the top on Chess or Delmark! The package alone is almost worth the price of admission – beautiful photographs of the event, detailed notes, and the first-ever release of this music – which has sat in the vaults for decades, finally to see the light of day. Titles include "Dirty Mother For You" by Roosevelt Sykes, "So Glad You're Mine" by Arthur Big Boy Crudup, "Everybody Must Suffer/Stone Crazy" by Luther Allison & The Blue Nebulae, "Help Me" by Junior Wells, "I Wonder Why" by Jimmy Dawkins, "Too Much Alcohol" by JB Hutto & His Hawks, "So Many Roads So Many Trains" by Otis Rush, "Long Distance Call" by Muddy Waters, "Off The Wall" by James Cotton Band, "Juanita" by Big Joe Williams, "Jelly Jelly Blues" by Shirley Griffin, "I Feel So Good" by Magic Sam, "Call It Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker, "Death Letter Blues" by Son House, "Key To The Highway" by Sam Lay, and "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin Hopkins. CD

A great collection – mostly 60s work by artists who include Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulson, Fred McDowell, Jesse Fuller, Earl Hooker, Mercy Dee, Big Walter, Mance Lipscomb, George Coleman, Bukka White, Black Ace, and others – with lots of Arhoolie tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A key record in the establishment of Delmark Records as a powerhouse in blues – a session that began as something of an expedition to find the near-lost Sleepy John Estes – who was brought to the studio to record this really well-done comeback set in 1962! Although Delmark's best known with the electric sound of Chicago blues, their early work did plenty in the same rural blues modes of a label like Arhoolie – and there's a lean, stripped-down quality to the record – a very strong focus on Estes' acoustic guitar and vocals – with support from Knocky Parker on piano, Hammie Nixon on harmonica, and Ed Wilkinson on bass. Titles include "Married Woman Blues", "Rats In My Kitchen", "Drop Down Mama", "Milk Cow Blues", "Stop That Thing", and "Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown". CD

A key record in the establishment of Delmark Records as a powerhouse in blues – a session that began as something of an expedition to find the near-lost Sleepy John Estes – who was brought to the studio to record this really well-done comeback set in 1962! Although Delmark's best known with the electric sound of Chicago blues, their early work did plenty in the same rural blues modes of a label like Arhoolie – and there's a lean, stripped-down quality to the record – a very strong focus on Estes' acoustic guitar and vocals – with support from Knocky Parker on piano, Hammie Nixon on harmonica, and Ed Wilkinson on bass. Titles include "Married Woman Blues", "Rats In My Kitchen", "Drop Down Mama", "Milk Cow Blues", "Stop That Thing", and "Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown". LP, Vinyl record album

A key record in the establishment of Delmark Records as a powerhouse in blues – a session that began as something of an expedition to find the near-lost Sleepy John Estes – who was brought to the studio to record this really well-done comeback set in 1962! Although Delmark's best known with the electric sound of Chicago blues, their early work did plenty in the same rural blues modes of a label like Arhoolie – and there's a lean, stripped-down quality to the record – a very strong focus on Estes' acoustic guitar and vocals – with support from Knocky Parker on piano, Hammie Nixon on harmonica, and Ed Wilkinson on bass. Titles include "Married Woman Blues", "Rats In My Kitchen", "Drop Down Mama", "Milk Cow Blues", "Stop That Thing", and "Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown". CD