A really amazing package – not just for fans of John Lee
Hooker, but for anyone who loves postwar blues in general! The work here is all from the tiny Sensation Records label in Detroit – the label to first record John Lee
Hooker in the late 40s, and who continued to do sessions with
Hooker even after they were getting some of their recordings placed on bigger labels for wider distribution. The material here really gets at the brilliance of the
Hooker approach in a second – that spare, striking style that was almost rural blues in construction, but transformed the urban sound as well – given the strong use of electric guitar next to foot-driven rhythm, topped by
Hooker's incredible vocal style! The set features 24 gems – including some that were not issued at the time – titles that include "War Is Over", "Sailing Blues", "Women In My Life", "Grinder Man", "Boogie Chillen", "Three Long Years Today", "Goin on Highway 51", "Find Me A Woman", "Hastings Street Boogie", "Burnin Hell", and "Henry's Swing Club".
(Now out of print!)