A pair of 70s albums from the great Chuck Berry – back to back on a single CD! First up is Bio – an overlooked early 70s set from the legendary Chuck Berry – one that has him in a really great setting that shows just how much Chuck continued to grow over the years! Sure, plenty of folks would have been content to live off their early hits – especially if those hits were as great as Berry's – but Chuck seems to be an even better guitarist here than usual, and hits all these great bluesy currents in the company of a small combo that features members of the group Elephant's Memory, who provide Berry with backing on most of the tracks. Things are nice and lean down – more blues than soul or funk – and titles include "Aimlessly Driftin", "Bio", "Woodpecker", "Rain Eyes", and "Talkin Bout My Baby". The Chuck Berry 75 set is nicely earthy work from Chuck Berry – one of those records that represented part of the continuing evolution of the guitar genius from his early years – which here seems to have Chuck maybe picking up a bit of a swamp rock vibe at times! The set was recorded in New York, but there's some southern currents in the rhythms too – and Berry even plays a bit of piano at times, with a heavy hand that seems to draw a lot from the Louisiana scene. Ingrid Berry Gibson joins Berry on vocals on a few cuts – and titles include "I'm Just A Name", "My Babe", "A Deuce", "Too Late", "South Of The Border", "Sue Answer", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", and "I'm Just A Name". CD

A double-helping of Chuck Berry brilliance from his early years on Chess Records – music that always has way way more to offer than you might think! Sure, some of Chuck's hits are very familiar – and sure, the man could later be a bit of a parody of himself – but there's no denying the power of this early material, and the revolutionary way Chuck had of playing guitar – rooted in blues, paving the way to rock, and also opening the door to lots more funky soul in years to come! The guitar work alone is worth the price of admission, but the songs and vocals are wonderful too – and the CD features 26 titles that include "Down The Road A Piece", "Mad Lad", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Anthony Boy", "Little Queenie", "Oh Baby Doll", "Confessin The Blues", "Almost Grown", "Jo Jo Gunne", "Wee Wee Hours", "Too Much Monkey Business", and "Brown Eyed Handsome Man". CD

If you think that Chuck Berry only hit his heights at Chess Records, then get ready to change your mind – as this late 60s record for Mercury is quite a cooker! Side one has Berry working in a cool hybrid of blues and soul, but with some very weird production – handled by Chuck himself, with almost a nod towards the way that the younger generation was messing up electric blues a bit with their rock experiments. Chuck uses a bit of unusual echo here and there, but still nicely avoids any cliched attempts to cash in with a rock blues mode – and then on side two, he really gets crazy – by offering up a side-long song that runs for over 18 minutes in length – the mighty "Concerto In B Goode", which is one hell of a guitar-heavy jam! Other shorter titles include "Good Looking Woman", "It's Too Dark In There", "Put Her Down", and "My Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

If you think that Chuck Berry only hit his heights at Chess Records, then get ready to change your mind – as this late 60s record for Mercury is quite a cooker! Side one has Berry working in a cool hybrid of blues and soul, but with some very weird production – handled by Chuck himself, with almost a nod towards the way that the younger generation was messing up electric blues a bit with their rock experiments. Chuck uses a bit of unusual echo here and there, but still nicely avoids any cliched attempts to cash in with a rock blues mode – and then on side two, he really gets crazy – by offering up a side-long song that runs for over 18 minutes in length – the mighty "Concerto In B Goode", which is one hell of a guitar-heavy jam! Other shorter titles include "Good Looking Woman", "It's Too Dark In There", "Put Her Down", and "My Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Maybellene", "30 Days", "You Can't Catch Me", "Too Much Monkey Business", "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Havana Moon", "School Days", "Rock And Roll Music", "Oh Baby Doll", "Reelin' & Rockin'", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode", "Around And Around", "Carol", "Beautiful Delilah", "Memphis", "Sweet Little Rock And Roller", "Little Queenie", "Almost Grown", "Back In The USA", "Let It Rock", "Bye Bye Johnny", "I'm Talking About You", "Come On", "Nadine", "No Particular Place To Go", and "I Want To Be Your Driver". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A searing live set from Chuck Berry – one that's way better than the "rock and roll revival" in the title! In 1969, Chuck was still completely on fire – after making some albums for Mercury that were filled with expansive guitar lines and really great sounds – and about to move back to Chess, where he'd experiment with funk too! Here, Berry stretches out in a live setting with all these wicked long guitar solos – of a sort that you'd be hard-pressed to find on earlier records – almost like he's showing the Hendrix generation that he was there first! Sure, most of the tunes are familiar – but the versions here are very different – and titles include "Wee Wee Hours", "Memphis Tennessee", "Maybellene", "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", "Rock & Roll Music", "School Day", "Johnny B Good/Carol/Promised Land", and "Reelin & Rockin". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A pair of amazing all-star albums from Chess Records – back to back on a single CD! First up is Two Great Guitars – in which Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry come together in a really unique album for Chess Records in the 60s – and that's saying a lot, given all the groundbreaking sounds we heard from that label at the time! The format is quite unusual – as each side features a long instrumental jam that really lets the guitarists work out their differences – in modes that are almost proto-funk more than blues, rock, or soul – with lots of wicked guitar lines that are way ahead of their time in terms of recording space! The long tracks are "Chuck's Beat" and "Bo's Beat" – but the duo also shine brilliantly on the shorter tunes "Liverpool Drive" and "When The Saints Go Marching In". Next is The Super Super Blues Band – 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 his at times – and the tracks are often nice and long, with more than enough room to make you feel like Phil Chess gave these guys plenty of space in the studio to hang out, and find the right way to interact. As much as we love Chess albums with short songs and a soulful punch, we really appreciate it when they can break format and open up on a session like this – which really helps create a unique moment on record! Titles include "Goin Down Slow", "Long Distance Call", "Sweet Little Angel", "Ooh Baby & Wrecking My Love Life", and "Spoonful". CD

Classic Chess cuts fill this famous rock and roll soundtrack – with some especially nice bits from The Moonglows and Flamingos! CD

Chuck Berry makes the same London move as some of his other Chess Records contemporaries – and the result is one of Chuck's best albums from the later years! The set's not as star-studded as other efforts of this nature – but that's fine with us because Chuck really shines as the lead star out front, on both vocals and guitar – getting some great gritty backing from players who include Derek Griffiths and Owen McIntyre on guitar, Ian McLagen and Dave Kaffinetti on piano, and Rick Gretsch on bass. The set features a mix of London studio recordings and a few live tracks – and titles include "I Will Not Let You Go", "London Berry Blues", "Let's Boogie", "Mean Old World", "Johnny B Goode", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Chuck Berry may have been a hell of a hitmaker on his own – but he also helped lots of other folks hit the heights, too – thanks to the fantastic songs he penned over the years! Berry's original versions are the stuff of early rock and roll gold – but the tunes here take off in all sorts of directions – from rockabilly to country, garage, psych, soul, and even a bit of folk as well – served up by a surprisingly large amount of artists you might not never associate with Chuck's music! The package is definitely one of the most striking in the "songwriter" series from Ace Records – and like the others, it's done with a similar sort of depth – including notes on all the many unusual records included in the collection. Titles include "Roll Over Beethoven" by Helen Dixon, "Around & Around" by Swinging Blue Jeans, "Nadine" by The Bunch, "I'm Talking About You" by The Remains, "Oh Baby Doll" by The Pretty Things, "Come On" by Ian Gomm, "Memphis" by Don Covay, "You Never Can Tell" by John Prine, "The Promised Land" by Dave Edmunds, "Beautiful Delilah" by The Count Bishops, "Back In The USA" by MC5, "You Can't Catch Me" by Sleepy LaBeef, "Sweet Little Sixteen" by The Hollies, "Almost Grown" by Syndicate Of Sound, "Too Much Monkey Business" by Elvis Presley, and "No Money Down" by John Hammond. CD

Four classic albums from The Routers – one of those unusual 60s groups who never really existed as a real band – but whose name was used to sell some very groovy records at the time! The Routers came from the same production talents who handled The Markettes – who also made some sweet instrumental albums for Warner Brothers at the time – and like that "group", the real music here is mostly played by the cream of LA's session musicians – including Wrecking Crew heavyweights like drummer Hal Blaine, and tenor sax legend Plas Johnson. All tunes are instrumental – and some follow a surf rock mode, while others focus on a particularly strong mode that made The Routers soar – kind of a jaunty, chanting style that was particularly great for big crowds at a live event. As you might guess from the album titles here, some of the records are heavy on Router-ized covers, while others feature original material – and titles include "Let's Go", "Sting Ray", "Martian Hop", "Half Time", "Bucket Seats", "Make It Snappy", "Mashy", "Charge", "Illinois Loyalty", "Ramblin Wreck", "School Days", "Sou'wester", "Pep Rally", "Roll Over Beethoven", and "Bye By Johnny". 48 tracks in all – and complete notes on the "group"! CD

The Band's surprising step back to their roadhouse roots – paying homage to early rock and rhythm & blues the grew up on, and honed their chops on when in their years as The Hawks! Moondog Matinee features a few great covers that split the difference between the raucous energy of their inspirations, from Chuck Berry to Clarence Frogman Henry to Fats Domino to Junior Parker – and the well-oiled, multi-voice Band groove at near-peak form. Titles include "I Ain't Got No Home", "Holy Cow", "Share Your Thoughts", "Mystery Train", "Third Man Theme", "Promised Land", "The Great Pretender", "I'm Ready", "Saved" and "A Change Is Gonna Come". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice assortment of odds and ends from the end of Gil's years at Philips – originally put together for the fabulous Ensaio Geral box set, but issued here finally as a separate package! The material is very striking in comparison with Gil's other work of the early 70s – and shows him moving towards a much fuller sound, and a much more joyous place, emotionally. A number of tracks have instrumentation that expands on Gil's earlier hard guitar sound, with additional keyboards, percussion, and lots of studio production. Joao Donato plays some great electric piano on the cut "A Bruxa De Mentira"; Doces Barbaros join Gil on a rocking version of "Chuck Berry Fields Forever"; Nara Leao sings lovely vocals in duet with Gil on "Sarara Miolo"; and Gil fronts the funky Brazil Very Happy Band on the ironic "Brazil Very Happy Band". Other tracks include "Sala Do Som", "Tipo Africa", "Musico Simples", "E", "Ha Ha Ha", and "Ninguem Segura Este Pais". CD

Includes tracks from Del Shannon, Buddy Holly, the Diamonds, Platters, Fleetwoods, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, the Clovers, Skyliners, Cleftones, Sonny Till and the Orioles, and the Beach Boys. CD

Includes work by Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lowell Fulsom, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Elmore James, and Memphis Slim. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, Reffy King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Skip James, Chuck Berry, Slim Harpo, Eddie Boyd, Bobby Bland, Elmore James, Freddy King, and more. CD

Stormin soul – and a killer set of upbeat 60s numbers! The package was put together for the UK mod scene, but it's a great batch of American tracks from the classic years of soul – not really Northern, not really southern – but kind of a hard-swinging approach to the music that makes for a really lively package overall! The set's got 20 tracks in all, all thumpin, bumpin, and gruntin-type numbers – with titles that include "Do The Whoo Pee" by Sugar Pie Desanto, "Lay This Burden Down" by Mary Love, "Make Me Yours" by Bettye Swann, "I Keep Forgetting" by Chuck Jackson, "I've Got Papers On You Baby" by BB King, "Hole in The Wall" by George Stone, "Have Love Will Travel" by Richard Berry & The Pharoahs, "Keep My Woman Home" by Danny White, "Mama Julie" by Terry & Jerry, and "I Got A Woman" by Billy Hawks. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Chuck Berry, Isley Brothers, Righteous Brothers, Frankie Avalon, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Shirelles, Johnny Ace, Tune Weavers, Olympics, Duprees, and Sam The Sham. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best compilation soundtracks of the 90s – and a key early example of the genius of Quentin Tarantino when it came to using music in movies – especially given that the record was almost as big of a hit as the film! There's a wonderful mix of sounds here, plus a few key dialogue bits from the film – alongside cuts that include "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The Gang, "Misirlou" by Dick Dale, "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry, "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill, "Surf Rider" by The Lively Ones, "Flowers On The Wall" by The Statler Brothers, "Bullwinkle (part 2)" by The Centurions, "Son Of A Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield, "Lonesome Town" by Ricky Nelson, and "Bustin Surfboards" by The Tornadoes. CD

One of the best compilation soundtracks of the 90s – and a key early example of the genius of Quentin Tarantino when it came to using music in movies – especially given that the record was almost as big of a hit as the film! There's a wonderful mix of sounds here, plus a few key dialogue bits from the film – alongside cuts that include "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The Gang, "Misirlou" by Dick Dale, "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry, "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill, "Surf Rider" by The Lively Ones, "Flowers On The Wall" by The Statler Brothers, "Bullwinkle (part 2)" by The Centurions, "Son Of A Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield, "Lonesome Town" by Ricky Nelson, and "Bustin Surfboards" by The Tornadoes. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks from Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Dion, Rick Nelson, Bobby Darin, and the Everly Brothers. CD

Features music from Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, LaVern Baker, Bo Diddley, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Martha and the Vandellas, and Chuck Berry CD

Music from Jackie Wilson, the Drifters, the Five Satins, Lloyd Price, the Coasters, Tommy Edwards, Wilbert Harrison, the Platters, Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, the Penguins, Little Richard, the Flamingos, Little Walter, Brook Benton, Shirley And Lee, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Willie John, Johnny Ace, Ray Charles, Thurston Harris, Ivory Joe Hunter, the Silhouettes, Clyde McPhatter, James Brown And The Famous Flames, Fats Domino, Bill Doggett, and Chuck Willis. CD