Blues & Gospel - Big Walter Horton

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BLUES & GOSPEL
Big Walter Horton -> Mark Hummell

BIG WALTER HORTON
SON HOUSE
THE HOUSE ROCKERS
BEE HOUSTON
FRANK HOVINGTON
CAMILLE HOWARD ROSETTA HOWARD
PEG LEG HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY
HOWLIN' WOLF
JOE "GUITAR" HUGHES
HELEN HUMES
MARK HUMMEL

BIG WALTER HORTON Ace CDCH 252 Mouth Harp Maestro ● CD $18.98

A superb collection featuring all the recordings made by this giant of post-war blues harmonica at Memphis' Sun studios in 1951, including previously unissued songs and alternate takes. Accompaniment is provided by down home southerners Joe Hill Louis (gtr & drms), Calvin Newbern (gtr), Phineas Newborn (pno), Willie Nix (drms) and Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Willie Johnson. The CD is rounded out with 3 rare Memphis recordings of Jim Lockhart and Alfred Harris. (FS)
WALTER HORTON: Black Gal/ Blues In The Morning/ Boogie Woogie Boogie/ Cotton Patch Hot Foot/ Go Long Woman/ Hard Hearted Woman/ Jumpin' Blues/ Little Boy Blue/ Little Boy Blue/ Miss Darling/ Now Tell Me Baby/ Sufficient Clothes/ Walter's Blues/ Walter's Blues/ What's The Matter With You/ What's The Matter With You

BIG WALTER HORTON Alligator 4702 Big Walter Horton ● CD $13.98

One of his best solo albums with second harp by Carey Bell on some tracks plus accompaniments by Eddie Taylor, Joe Harper and Frank Swan.
WALTER HORTON: Can't Hold Out Much Longer/ Christine/ Have A Good Time/ Have Mercy/ Little Boy Blue/ Lovin' My Baby/ Tell Me Baby/ Temptation Blues/ That Ain't It/ Trouble In Mind/ Under The Sun

BIG WALTER HORTON Blind Pig 70678 Fine Cuts ● CD $14.98

Excellent sides.

BIG WALTER HORTON Blind Pig 71484 Can't Keep Lovin' You ● CD $14.98

An outstanding set of recordings. All cuts feature John Nicholas on guitar - some feature a tough full band, one features added drummer only and three feature duets with Walter & John. These recordings along with his Alligator album are probably his best 70s recordings.
WALTER HORTON: Can't Keep Lovin' You/ Careless Love/ Gettin' Outta Town/ Hard Hearted Woman/ Honeydripper/ Skip It/ Sugar Mama/ Tin Pan Alley/ Walter's Boogie/ West Wind

BIG WALTER HORTON JSP 2152 Live At The Knickerbocker ● CD $16.98

9 tracks, 52 mins, recommended
JSP does like to recycle it's releases. This album has been out twice before on JSP 208 and 806 under the title "Little Boy Blue". These are live recordings cut in 1980 and are, I believe, his last - he died in 1981. Walter is featured on six of the tracks, the other three feature vocals and harmonica by Sugar Blue. They are accompanied by a band including Ronnie Earl (his first recordings) on guitar, Michael "Mudcat" Ward/ bass, Little Anthony/piano and Ola Dixon/ drums. Walter is in fine form on three vocals and three instrumentals with his distinctive rich and horn like harmonica phrasing and the band do a good job accompanying himself. The live recording quality is not great but is satisfactory. If you don't already have this then this is most worthwhile, particularly for harmonica buffs. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON Pacific Blues 9801 Live ● CD $13.98

8 tracks, 47 mins, recommended The Chicago blues harmonica giant recorded live at the famed Union Bar in Minneapolis in 1979. Although Walter was never the greatest of singers and the accompanying trio are pretty amateurish there is lots of his wonderful and innovative harmonica work to make this set worthwhile. Includes Union Shuffle (Parts 1 & 2)/ All Because Of You/ Little Boy Blue/Shake Your Money Maker and others. Although recorded live the sound quality is excellent. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON Red Lightnin' RLCD 0088 Live At The El Mocambo ● CD $14.98

Along with Little Walter and Sonny Boy "Rice Miller" Williamson, Big Walter Shakey Horton was one of the triumvirate of the greatest post war blues harmonica players. He was a a remarkable performer with a rich horn like tone to his playing and an endless supply of ideas. Being an unexceptional vocalist and mostly performing as an accompanying musician he is not quite as well known as his contemporaries. This set was recorded live in Canada in 1973 and finds him in fine form accompanied by a tasteful, if unexceptional, group of unknown musicians. The emphasis is on instrumentals though there are a few rather poorly miked vocals. Sound quality is adequate, though there is quite a bit of ambient club noise but it's still a joy to hear a master in good form. Not essential, but definitely worth a listen. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON & ALFRED "BLUES KING" HARRIS Delmark 712 Harmonica Blues Kings ● CD $11.98

16 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended Reissue of Pearl 12 with 3 bonus unissued alternate takes. A marvelous collection of harmonica blues recorded for the States and United labels of Chicago in 1954. 8 tracks feature the brilliant Walter Horton in his prime - two songs under his name (plus alternate takes of each song) and four accompanying urban blues singer Tommy Brown including the classic Southern Woman which features some of Walter's best playing. There are two previously unissued cuts from the Brown session. The other 8 sides featuring the brilliant but mysterious Alfred Harris - a fine rural sounding harmonica player accompanied by a lovely down home group .Only two tracks from this session were ever issued - the superb Gold Digger and Blues & Trouble featuring vocals by drummer James Bannister. The other five tracks (plus one alternate) feature vocals by Harris - an excellent and very country blues sounding singer. Sound is excellent and there are informative notes by the always reliable Jim O'Neal. (FS)

SON HOUSE Biograph BCD 118 Delta Blues - Original Library Of Congress Sessions ● CD $15.98

This set features 15 of the superb sides Son recorded for the Library Of Congress in 1941 and '42. All these tracks plus four more were previously reissued on Travelin' Man CD 02 and although the sound here is somewhat improved it's not enough to warrant replacing that with this reissue. (FS)
SON HOUSE: Am I Right Or Wrong/ American Defense/ Country Farm Blues/ Delta Blues/ Depot Blues/ Government Fleet Blues/ Levee Camp Blues/ Low Down Dirty Dog Blues/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Special Rider Blues/ The Jinx Blues/ The Jinx Blues/ The Pony Blues/ Walking Blues/ Walking Blues

SON HOUSE Columbia C2K 48867 Father Of The Delta Blues : The Complete 1965 Sessions ● CD $21.98

Son House's 1965 Columbia recordings have been one of our most requested blues items. The essential 9-song set is reissued here with a second CD of 7 unissued songs and 5 alternate takes from this monumental three-day session! Featured on the first disc is a remake of the classic Preachin' Blues (Paramount 13013 - 1930), along with songs not previously recorded by him until he returned to touring in the 60's. Also included are the chugging Empire State Express accompanied on second guitar by the late Al Wilson, a visceral acapella performance of Grinning In Your Face, the gritty gospel of John The Revelator and the beautiful Sundown/ Louise McGhee. Death Letter/ Levee Camp Moan reprise lyrical ideas from his original Paramount and Library Of Congress recordings of the 30's and 40's. Dick Waterman's liner notes are left off, but Lawrence Cohn's narratives substitute nicely. The rarities on the second disc are more of a mixed bag, but there are many which no serious blues lover should be without. The alternates of Death Letter/ Levee Camp Moan/ Grinnin'/ John The Revelator/ Preachin' Blues sound very good to me, and certainly aren't lacking for expression or inspiration. A couple of the unreleased songs are letdowns - President Kennedy is a tentative topical song, and fatigue is setting in on Shake It And Break It. A Down The Staff contains no new revelations, but is a passionate blues with unusual lyrics and anguished vocals. Motherless Children is done in stark, archaic Delta style with ghostly slide, while Yonder Comes My Mother is pure rural gospel, with Wilson's guitar reinforcing a quavering theme. Pony Blues was done by Son in 1942 - this rendition is strong vocally, and the guitar drives it hard. There must have been some reason why it was withheld, but I can't hear it! And Downhearted Blues is a triumph of spine-chilling vocal intensity, reprising some strains of Louise McGhee. Sound quality is more than just clear, it's nearly lifelike. The guitar sounds close enough to touch, and every detail of the voice which inspired Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters (and their many imitators) is preserved with uncanny realism. If you have the Johnson box, or any pre-war Delta blues record for that matter, you owe it to yourself to get this priceless slice of history. (MB)
SON HOUSE: A Down The Staff/ Death Letter/ Death Letter/ Downhearted Blues/ Empire State Express/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ John The Revelator/ John The Revelator/ Levee Camp Moan/ Levee Camp Moan/ Louise McGhee/ Motherless Children/ Pearline/ Pony Blues/ Preachin' Blues/ Preachin' Blues/ President Kennedy/ Shake It And Break It/ Sundown/ Yonder Comes My Mother

SON HOUSE Document DOCD 5148 At Home - The Legendary 1969 Rochester Sessions ● CD $15.98

13 tracks, 79 min., good
Toward the end of his rediscovery period Son House made these home recordings for Steve Lobb. The guitar-accompanied songs are clearly inferior to his 1965 Columbia session, as time had taken its toll, slowing down his once-nimble fingers. And the guitar isn't too well recorded either. I was impressed by the five vocal solos; stark Delta echoes that are equally hypnotic and melancholy. Son's voice trembles and mumbles a bit, but can still send a chill up the spine, especially on the favorite Grinnin' In Your Face, accompanied by tambourine. The 20-minute Son's Blues will interest hard-core fans. (MB)

SON HOUSE Document DOCD 5663 Live At The Gaslight Cafe ● CD $15.98

12 tracks, 58 mins, recommended
The master of Mississippi Delta blues recorded live at the Gaslight Cafe in New York on January 3, 1965 not too long after his rediscovery. Son is in good, if not great, form on a collection of mostly familiar pieces - Pony Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ Death Letter Blues/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Empire State Express/ Louise McGhee and others. Son's performances on the first set seem a little tentative but are stronger and more assured on the second. A couple of the songs are cut short (presumably recorder ran out of tape) and there is noticeable tape hiss on the quieter moments but this is a worthwhile if not essential addition to recordings available of this great artist. (FS)
SON HOUSE: Death Letter Blues./ Empire State Express/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Levee Camp Moan/ Louise McGhee/ Motherless Children/ Pearline/ Pony Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ This Little Light Of Mine/ Yonder Comes My Mother (When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder)

SON HOUSE Shout Factory 30251 Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Son House ● CD $13.98

16 tracks, 50 minutes, recommended
Son House was easily one of the most impassioned performers in the long history of blues. Whether listening to his few Paramount sides waxed in 1930, his Library Of Congress recordings from 1941 and '42, or sessions from his comeback in the 1960s, he could captivate with little more than a word, phrase, or slashing burst of slide guitar. My Black Mama Part 1/ Walking Blues/ Dry Spell Blues date from 1930, while the middle ten tracks are Library Of Congress recordings including the harrowing County Farm Blues plus Shetland Pony Blues/ Depot Blues/ Am I Right Or Wrong and others (some with a small string band), and the final three from 1965 shortly after his rediscovery including the brilliant Empire State Express. The power in Son House's voice is next to impossible to describe, but suffice it to say it has enthralled listeners for decades, and will for many more. (CR)
SON HOUSE: Am I Right Or Wrong/ American Defense/ Country Farm Blues/ Delta Blues/ Depot Blues/ Dry Spell Blues/ Empire State Express/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ John The Revelator/ Levee Camp Blues/ My Black Mama Part 1/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Special Rider Blues/ Walking Blues/ Walking Blues (death Letter)/ Walking Blues (unissued Test)

SON HOUSE Travelin' Man 02 The Complete Library Of Congress Sessions ● CD $18.98

Re-release of CD originally issued in 1997. These recordings are truly magnificent. Eddie "Son" House was one of the greatest Mississippi Delta bluesmen - a ferocious singer and a stirring slide guitarist. He was at his prime when these recordings were collected by Alan Lomax in 1941 and 1942 for the Library Of Congress. Most of them were previously issued on Folklyric 9002 and the rest on Flyright 541 but this CD collects them all in chronological order. The first 7 tracks are with a wonderful string band featuring Willie Brown/ gtr, Fiddlin' Joe Martin/ mandolin & Leroy Williams/ harmonica who urge Son along with joyous shouts and additional vocalising. The other 12 are just Son alone with his steel bodied National guitar. Although the CD reissue doesn't improve too much on the sound of the deteriorated acetates used it is wonderful to have all this classic material in one place. (FS)

THE HOUSE ROCKERS Wolf 120.300 Have Some Fun ● CD $14.98

BEE HOUSTON Arhoolie 9008 The Hustler ● CD $9.98

CD issue of Arhoolie 1050 with bonus unissued cuts including one where Bee accompanies Big Mama Thornton.
BEE HOUSTON: Any Time/ Any Time/ Be Proud To Be A Black Man/ Blues For Rupez (D Flat Blues)/ Break Away/ Busy Bee/ Charlie's Bag/ Do It Easy/ Don't Take Your Love From Me*/ Freddy's Bag/ Lovesick Man/ Lovesick Man*/ Never/ The Hustler/ Things Gonna Get Better/ Things Gonna Get Better/ When I Go Out/ Woke Up This Morning (Vocal/ You Think I'm Your Good Thing

FRANK HOVINGTON Flyright 66 Gone With The Wind ● CD $16.98

19 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended
Delaware is not usually thought of as a home of country bluesmen but Frank Hovington was a wonderful exception. Frank was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1919 but he and his family moved to Frederica, Delaware when he was young and, except for several years in Washington, DC, he lived most of his life in Delaware (he died in 1982). When he was young he came under the influence of several local musicians who were originally from North Carolina and Virginia and developed into a fine musician. Although he played regularly he never made music his career and was reluctant to appear in public and only made a handful of recordings, most of them are featured here. Many of these recordings were issued on long out of print albums on Flyright, Rounder & Library Of Congress so this CD issue, which includes some previously unissued material, is most welcome. Frank was a superb singer with a warm engaging style and an outstanding guitarist whose playing is strongly influenced by the Piedmont style but has lots of individualistic touches. His material is mostly traditional (Lonesome Road Blues/ Diggin' My Potatoes/ John Henry/ Mean Old Frisco, etc) along with original songs (Gone With The Wind/ Sing Sing Blues, etc) with strong traditional elements. A couple of tracks feature Frank playing some banjo. Frank was a signcant discovery and well worth a listen - particularly for fans of Piedmont guitar styles. (FS)

CAMILLE HOWARD Specialty 7062 Vol. 2 : X-Temporaneous Boogie ● CD $14.98

25 tracks, 63 min., recommended
With this volume 2 we have nearly the complete Specialty sides of singer/ pianist Camille Howard (b. 1914) available on CD. Her piano is featured on all tracks except two where Willard McDaniel sits in on Everything He Lacks and Nobody Else - both previously unissued and sounding very much like a Ruth Brown session. Those of us who are fans of Roy Milton know exactly what a great player she is, especially playing boogie woogie. At least 6 of the titles here were recorded during Roy Milton sessions, including the famous X-Temporaneous Boogie, said to be recorded just 5 minutes before the January 1/1949 record ban. Highlights from the 20 previously unissued tracks include guitarist Roy Rogers' solo on Ivory & Pick Boogie, and the slow blues instrumental, Sutherland Blues. (EL)

ROSETTA HOWARD RST Records JPCD 1514 Complete Recorded Works, 1939-1947 ● CD $15.98

21 tracks, 61 mins, very good
Rosetta Howard was a powerful and expressive vocalist who recorded in the late 30s and mid 40s with several jazz flavored groups. Her 20 sides from 1937 and '38 with the Harlem Hamfats are avilable on three of the Harlem Hamfats reissues on Document (5272, 5273 & 5274). This set focusses on her later recordings from 1939 and '47. There are two 1937 sessions - one with the Harlem Blues Serenaders (Charlie Shavers, Buster Bailey, Lil ARmstrong, etc) and one with a group including Henry "Red" Allen, Barney Bigard, etc. In 1947 she cut three sessions - two with the excellent BIg Three Trio (Willie Dixon, Leonard Caston, etc) who provide very effective vocal group accompaniment as well as instrumental on cuts like I Keep On Worrying/ When I Been Drinking/ Help Me Baby and other. Her last session from December 1947 features a larger group of Chicago stalwarts Big Bill Broonzy, Bob Call, Sax Mallard and others. Songs include Come Easy Go Easy/ My Downfall/ Men Are Like Street Cars/ Ebony Rhapsody/ Help Me Baby/ Too Many Drivers/ Plough Hand Blues, etc. Good sound and decent notes from Victor Pearlin. (FS)

PEG LEG HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY Matchbox 2004 Complete Recordings In Chronological Order, Vol. 1 ● CD $15.98

PEG LEG HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY Matchbox 2005 Complete Recordings In Chronological Order, Vol. 2 ● CD $15.98

HOWLIN' WOLF Bear Family BCD 15460 Memphis Days : The Definitive Edition, Vol 1 ● CD $21.98

Fantastic collection of 21 tracks recorded in Sam Phillips' studios in Memphis in 1951 and 1952. It's amazing when listening to these performances to realize that not a single one was originally issued! Most of them resurfaced some years ago on various Charly albums but this CD issue also features previously unissued versions of six songs including Oh Red/ Come Back Home/How Many More Years, etc. These early recordings feature Wolf at his most ferocious with a great collection of songs featuring Wolf's vocals accompanied by a hard driving band with the shattering guitar of Willie Johnson and the knocked out piano of Albert Williams or William Johnson plus drums and occasional horn. With the exception of two tracks drawn from a rather worn acetate the sound on this collection is stunning with a great presence that brings out all the force of Wolf's vocals and Johnson's over amplified guitar. The set has full discographical information, informative notes by Colin Escott and a startling early photo of Wolf in a grocery store dwarfing the electric guitar he is holding! Absolutely essential! (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF Bear Family BCD 15500 Memphis Days ● CD $21.98

This 19 track collection features the remaining sides cut by the Wolf at Sam Phillips Memphis Recording Studios in 1951 and 1952. It includes the first sides that Phillips sold to Chess including such classics as How Many More Years/ Saddle My Pony/ My Last Affair/ Gettin' Old And Grey and his version of the old blues favorite Oh Red with unexpected but very effective trombone and tenor sax added. There are more great tracks not originally issued plus some previously unissued alternate takes. More tremendously exciting and essential blues recordings. (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF Chess CHD 9297 The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions ● CD $10.98

Well worth picking up to hear the Wolf (and Hubert Sumlin) teaching the kiddies all 'bout those evil blues. Rockin' Daddy/ I Ain't Superstitious/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ The Red Rooster , etc. 12 in all. (AE)
HOWLIN' WOLF: Built For Comfort/ Do the Do/ Goin' Down Slow/ Highway 49/ I Ain't Superstitious/ I Want To Have A Word With You/ Killing Floor/ Poor Boy/ Red Rooster, The/ Rockin' Daddy/ Sittin' On Top of the World/ Wang Dang Doodle/ What A Woman!/ Who's Been Talking?/ Worried About My Baby

HOWLIN' WOLF Chess CHD3 9332 The Chess Box ● CD $43.98

The 5th box set from U.S. Chess is a tribute to one of the most exciting bluesmen ever to record - Chester Arthur Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf. 71 songs on 3 Compact Discs presents an overview of this remarkable artists' career from Moanin' At Midnight recorded at his first session in Memphis in May 1951 through Moving recorded at his last Chess session in Chicago in 1973. Like fellow Mississippian and rival Muddy Waters, Wolf was brought up with the sounds of the Mississippi Delta, and his first musical influence was the great Charlie Patton. After learning guitar he turned to harmonica where he had a good teacher in the person of Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) who married Wolf's half sister. When he moved to Memphis he teamed up with a group who were fashioning a new blues style that drew on elements of blues and jazz and filtered it through a rugged and ragged sensibilities with over-amplified distorted guitar, knocked out piano and chaotic drumming resulting in some terrific music. Fronting such a band Wolf was to produce some of his fiercest recordings with his ferocious vocals urged on by the incredible guitar of Willie Johnson in a number of classic performances like Moanin' At Midnight/ Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ Mr Highway Man/ All Night Boogie, etc. When he moved to Chicago in 1953 he left most of his band behind and went into Chess's Chicago studio where he was teamed with top Chicago musicians like Otis Spann, Henry Gray or Hosea Lee Kennard on piano, Lee Cooper or Jody Williams on lead guitar (Willie Johnson rejoined the band for a while), Hubert Sumlin/ rhythm guitar, Fred Below or Earl Phillips/ drums and others. Although the sound became a little more disciplined the performances were still full of energy, braggadocio and menace and produced some of his most well known recordings - You Gonna Wreck My Life/ Evil/ Forty Four/ Smokestack Lightnin'/ I Asked For Water/ The Natchez Burning and others. In spite of their urban sound, several of the songs were based on traditional Mississippi Delta blues themes. By the late 50s the energy in his recordings diminished somewhat though there were still fine songs being cut like Who's Been Talking/ I Didn't Know and Change My Way. Hubert Sumlin who followed Wolf from Mississippi in the 50s started to take over the role of lead guitarist and by 1960 had perfected a unique fleet fingered, almost choppy style, that was perfect for filling in and around Wolf's vocals. This also coincided with a period where Wolf's songs were being supplanted by those of Willie Dixon and although the band was superb and Sumlin's guitar little short of staggering, Wolf's voice was down in the mix and some of Dixon's songs were truly dopey (Hidden Charms/ 300 Pounds Of Joy/ Built For Comfort, etc.). The best of the songs from this period are those based on traditional songs like Spoonful and Down In The Bottom, the latter with Wolf playing some nice slide guitar. From 1964 on Wolf was singing his own songs again and the quality of the material improved dramatically and here there are some powerful performances with great vocals and harp by Wolf, stunning guitar by Hubert and a tight horn section. From this period come such great performances as Killing Floor/ My Country Sugar Mama/ I Walked From Dallas/ My Mind Is Ramblin' and others. The late 60s and early 70s are a less interesting period with unexceptional songs and hit or miss arrangements though Wolf and Hubert were rarely less than excellent. From 1968, the year he recorded his infamous "dogshit" album, comes a couple of previously unissued acoustic songs, not exceptional, but Wolf showed that he had forgotten the Delta blues he had grown up with. Like previous Chess boxes, the sound here is exceptional with clarity and depth and the true stereo on some of the 60s songs is a real revelation. There is very little previously unissued material though quite a few tracks have not been issued in the U.S. before and many are making their first appearance on compact disc. There are also several snippets of a 1968 interview interspersed with music where Wolf talks about his influences, the origin of his name, etc that make for fascinating listening. The set is packaged in an LP sized box with beautiful full color photo of Wolf on the cover and a 32 page book with notes by Dick Shurman and Chris Morris and some terrific photos - many not published before, discographical details on all the songs and track listings for all U.S. Wolf albums. A beautiful package and essential for any lover of blues. (FS)
HOWLIN' WOLF: (Well) That's All Right/ Ain't Goin' Down That Dirt Road (acoustic solo)/ All Night Boogie (All Night Long)/ Baby How Long/ Back Door Man/ Bluebird/ Build For Comfort/ Change My Way/ Commit A Crime/ Crazy About You Baby/ Don't Laugh At Me/ Don't Mess With My Baby/ Down In The Bottom/ Dust My Broom/ Evil/ Forty Four/ Goin' Down Slow/ Hard Luck/ Hidden Charms/ How Many More Years/ Howlin' For My Darling/ Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #1/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #2/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #3/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #4/ I Ain't Superstitious/ I Asked For Water/ I Better Go Now/ I Didn't Know/ I Walked From Dallas/ I'll Be Around/ I'm The Wolf/ I'm The Wolf (acoustic solo)/ I've Been Abused/ Just Like I Treat You/ Just My Kind/ Killing Floor/ Louise/ Love Me Darlin'/ Mama Died And Left Me/ Mary Sue/ Moanin' At Midnight/ Moaning For My Baby/ Mr. Airplane Man (alt. take)/ Mr. Highway Man/ My Country Sugar Mama/ My Last Affair/ My Mind Is Ramblin'/ Neighbors/ New Crawlin' King Snake/ Ooh Baby (Hold Me)/ Rockin' Daddy/ Saddle My Pony/ Shake For Me/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Smokestack Lightnin'/ Spoonful/ Streamline Woman/ Tail Dragger/ Tell Me/ Tell Me What I've Done/ The Natchez Burnin'/ The Red Rooster/ The Red Rooster (London Sessions w/false start and dialog)/ The Wolf Is At Your Door/ Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy/ Wang Dang Doodle/ Who Will Be Next/ Who's Been Talking/ Work For Your Money/ You Can't Be Beat/ You Gonna Wreck My Life (No Place To Go alternate take)/ You'll Be Mine

HOWLIN' WOLF Chess CHD 12026 His Best, Vol. 2 ● CD $15.98

20 track collection - no surprises but lots of great music if you don't already have much by Wolf - Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ All Night Boogie/ I'm The Wolf/ Who Will Be Next/ Tell Me/ Down In The Bottom/ Just Like I Treat You/ My Country Sugar Mama/ Don't Laugh At Me/ New Crawlin' King Snake, etc.

HOWLIN' WOLF Chess 112 820 Real Folk Blues/ More Real Folk Blues ● CD $18.98

Two albums formerly on individual CDs combined on one. Lots of classic Wolf material from throughout his Chess career.
HOWLIN' WOLF: Built For Comfort/ I Have A Little Girl/ I Love My Baby/ I'll Be Around/ I'm The Wolf/ I've Got A Woman/ Just My Kind/ Killing Floor/ Louise/ My Country Sugar Mama/ Natchez Burnin'/ Nature/ Neighbors/ No Place To Go (you Gonna Wreck My Life)/ Ooh Baby, Hold Me/ Poor Boy/ Rockin' Daddy/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Tail Dragger/ Tell Me What I've Don/ Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy/ Who Will Be Next/ Work For Your Money/ You Can't Be Beat

HOWLIN' WOLF Rounder SS 28 Cadillac Daddy ● CD $15.98

Priceless early Howlin' Wolf sessions from Memphis 1952, with all the rough edges left intact. A singer of Wolf's power had to have an unstoppable band behind him, making tracks like Mr. Highway Man/ Color And Kind/ Drinkin' C.V. Wine/ Everybody's In The Mood the hard-rocking foundation of the Chicago sound that soon followed. This release is pretty much made redundant by the two superb Bear Family CDs.

HOWLIN' WOLF Sundown 907 Live in Europe, 1964 ● CD $17.98

CD issue of Sundown 709-07. Recorded live in Bremen, Germany in November, 1964 with Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon & Clifton James. 7 long performances - enjoyable though not among Wolf's most exciting and the sound is not exceptional but a rare chance to hear this great artist live and it includes a couple of songs Wolf had not recorded elsewhere. Includes Shake It For Me/ Dust My Broom/ Rockin' The Blues/ Going Down Slow/ Forty Four, etc. (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF & THE WOLF GANG Wolf 120.100 "Live" At Joe's Place 1973 ● CD $12.98

This is the second Wolf release featuring live recordings of the great Howling Wolf and is a bit of an improvement over the previous release which featured recordings cut only a few months before his death. These recordings were made at Cambridge, Mass blues hangout Joe's Place in 1973 shortly after Wolf's recovery from a near fatal car accident. Wolf does only four songs - the rest of the disc featuring instrumentals or vocals by members of the band which included Hubert Sumlin/ gtr, Eddie Shaw/ sax, S.P. Leary/drums, Andrew McMahon/ bass and Detroit Jr./ pno. Wolf sings familiar songs Little Red Rooster/ Going Down Slow/ Evil and the unfamiliar Blind Love. His performances are OK though he sounds pretty weak and his voice is somewhat down in the mix. The band is good enough with nice guitar from Sumlin and sax by Shaw. An interesting but, by no stretch of the imagination, a significant one. (FS)

JOE "GUITAR" HUGHES Blues Express 002 Stuff Like That ● CD $14.98

10 tracks, 57 mins, recommended. Good new album from Texas singer/ guitarist Hughes recorded recently in San Francisco in the studio in front of a live audience. Joe is backed by a solid group with horns which includes popular Bay Area guitarist Bobby Murray. Singing and playing is solid throughout and while Joe is not a particularly original artist he does have a nice feel for interesting and witty lyrics. Highlight is the excellent Pit Bull about his girlfriends dog (or is it?) who "Can do more with a bone/ Than Rambo can with a gun" and features some of his best guitar work. (FS)

HELEN HUMES Classics 892 1927-1945 ● CD $15.98

Features her early blues sides from 1927 in the company of such musicians as Lonnie Johnson plus cuts from early/mid 40s with jazz/ R&B groups.

HELEN HUMES Classics 1333 1948-1950 ● CD $14.98

24 tracks with the Buck Clayton Orchestra, Marshall Royal Orchestra, Roy Milton's Band and Dexter Gordon's Orchestra. Includes her 1950 hit Million Dollar Secret recorded live at the Blues Jubilee Concert as well as a remake of her 1945 hit Be Baba Leba plus Time Out For Tears/ Somebody Loves Me/ I've Got The Strangest Feeling/ Sad Feeling/ This Love Of Mine/ I'm Gonna Let Him Ride/ Hard Driving Mama/ I Ain't In The Mood/ Hey Hey Baby, etc.
HELEN HUMES: Ain't Gonna Quit You/ Airplane Blues/ Be-baba-le-ba/ Don1t Fall In Love With Me/ Free/ Hard Driving Mama/ He May Be Yours/ Helen's Advice/ Hey, Hey, Baby/ I Ain1t In The Mood/ I'm Gonna Let Him Ride/ I've Got The Strangest Feeling/ If I Could Be With You/ Knockin' Myself Out/ Laziest Gal In Town/ Livin' My Life My Way/ Married Man Blues/ Million Dollar Secret/ New Million Dollar Secret/ Rock Me To Sleep/ Sad Feeling/ Somebody Loves Me/ This Love Of Mine/ Time Out For Tears

HELEN HUMES Topaz Jazz TPZ 1073 Blue Prelude ● CD $17.98

24 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended Excellent retrospective of this versatile singer from 1927 to 1947 ranging from early blues sides with James P. Johnson and Sylvester Weaver to late 30s big band sides with the Harry James and Count Basie Orchestras to mid 40s R&B sides Pete Brown & His Hand, leonard Feather's Hiptet, The Bill Doggett Octet and Buck Clayton All Stars. (FS)

MARK HUMMEL Flying Fish 634 Feel Like Rockin' ● CD $15.98

Harmonica virtuoso plays chicago blues with elements of jump blues & rock 'n roll.

MARK HUMMEL Flying Fish 647 Married To The Blues ● CD $15.98

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BIG WALTER HORTON	Ace CDCH 252	Mouth Harp Maestro	● CD $18.98
A superb collection featuring all the recordings made by this giant of post-war blues harmonica at Memphis' Sun studios in 1951, including previously unissued songs and alternate takes. Accompaniment is provided by down home southerners Joe Hill Louis (gtr & drms), Calvin Newbern (gtr), Phineas Newborn (pno), Willie Nix (drms) and Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Willie Johnson. The CD is rounded out with 3 rare Memphis recordings of Jim Lockhart and Alfred Harris. (FS) WALTER HORTON: Black Gal/ Blues In The Morning/ Boogie Woogie Boogie/ Cotton Patch Hot Foot/ Go Long Woman/ Hard Hearted Woman/ Jumpin' Blues/ Little Boy Blue/ Little Boy Blue/ Miss Darling/ Now Tell Me Baby/ Sufficient Clothes/ Walter's Blues/ Walter's Blues/ What's The Matter With You/ What's The Matter With You

BIG WALTER HORTON	Alligator 4702	Big Walter Horton	● CD $13.98
One of his best solo albums with second harp by Carey Bell on some tracks plus accompaniments by Eddie Taylor, Joe Harper and Frank Swan. WALTER HORTON: Can't Hold Out Much Longer/ Christine/ Have A Good Time/ Have Mercy/ Little Boy Blue/ Lovin' My Baby/ Tell Me Baby/ Temptation Blues/ That Ain't It/ Trouble In Mind/ Under The Sun

BIG WALTER HORTON	Blind Pig 70678	Fine Cuts	● CD $14.98
Excellent sides.

BIG WALTER HORTON	Blind Pig 71484	Can't Keep Lovin' You	● CD $14.98
An outstanding set of recordings. All cuts feature John Nicholas on guitar - some feature a tough full band, one features added drummer only and three feature duets with Walter & John. These recordings along with his Alligator album are probably his best 70s recordings. WALTER HORTON: Can't Keep Lovin' You/ Careless Love/ Gettin' Outta Town/ Hard Hearted Woman/ Honeydripper/ Skip It/ Sugar Mama/ Tin Pan Alley/ Walter's Boogie/ West Wind

BIG WALTER HORTON	JSP 2152	Live At The Knickerbocker	● CD $16.98
9 tracks, 52 mins, recommended JSP does like to recycle it's releases. This album has been out twice before on JSP 208 and 806 under the title "Little Boy Blue". These are live recordings cut in 1980 and are, I believe, his last - he died in 1981. Walter is featured on six of the tracks, the other three feature vocals and harmonica by Sugar Blue. They are accompanied by a band including Ronnie Earl (his first recordings) on guitar, Michael "Mudcat" Ward/ bass, Little Anthony/piano and Ola Dixon/ drums. Walter is in fine form on three vocals and three instrumentals with his distinctive rich and horn like harmonica phrasing and the band do a good job accompanying himself. The live recording quality is not great but is satisfactory. If you don't already have this then this is most worthwhile, particularly for harmonica buffs. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON	Pacific Blues 9801	Live	● CD $13.98
8 tracks, 47 mins, recommended The Chicago blues harmonica giant recorded live at the famed Union Bar in Minneapolis in 1979. Although Walter was never the greatest of singers and the accompanying trio are pretty amateurish there is lots of his wonderful and innovative harmonica work to make this set worthwhile. Includes Union Shuffle (Parts 1 & 2)/ All Because Of You/ Little Boy Blue/Shake Your Money Maker and others. Although recorded live the sound quality is excellent. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON	Red Lightnin' RLCD 0088	Live At The El Mocambo	● CD $14.98
Along with Little Walter and Sonny Boy "Rice Miller" Williamson, Big Walter Shakey Horton was one of the triumvirate of the greatest post war blues harmonica players. He was a a remarkable performer with a rich horn like tone to his playing and an endless supply of ideas. Being an unexceptional vocalist and mostly performing as an accompanying musician he is not quite as well known as his contemporaries. This set was recorded live in Canada in 1973 and finds him in fine form accompanied by a tasteful, if unexceptional, group of unknown musicians. The emphasis is on instrumentals though there are a few rather poorly miked vocals. Sound quality is adequate, though there is quite a bit of ambient club noise but it's still a joy to hear a master in good form. Not essential, but definitely worth a listen. (FS)

BIG WALTER HORTON & ALFRED "BLUES KING" HARRIS	Delmark 712	Harmonica Blues Kings	● CD $11.98
16 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended Reissue of Pearl 12 with 3 bonus unissued alternate takes. A marvelous collection of harmonica blues recorded for the States and United labels of Chicago in 1954. 8 tracks feature the brilliant Walter Horton in his prime - two songs under his name (plus alternate takes of each song) and four accompanying urban blues singer Tommy Brown including the classic Southern Woman which features some of Walter's best playing. There are two previously unissued cuts from the Brown session. The other 8 sides featuring the brilliant but mysterious Alfred Harris - a fine rural sounding harmonica player accompanied by a lovely down home group .Only two tracks from this session were ever issued - the superb Gold Digger and Blues & Trouble featuring vocals by drummer James Bannister. The other five tracks (plus one alternate) feature vocals by Harris - an excellent and very country blues sounding singer. Sound is excellent and there are informative notes by the always reliable Jim O'Neal. (FS)

SON HOUSE	Biograph BCD 118	Delta Blues - Original Library Of Congress Sessions	● CD $15.98
This set features 15 of the superb sides Son recorded for the Library Of Congress in 1941 and '42. All these tracks plus four more were previously reissued on Travelin' Man CD 02 and although the sound here is somewhat improved it's not enough to warrant replacing that with this reissue. (FS) SON HOUSE: Am I Right Or Wrong/ American Defense/ Country Farm Blues/ Delta Blues/ Depot Blues/ Government Fleet Blues/ Levee Camp Blues/ Low Down Dirty Dog Blues/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Special Rider Blues/ The Jinx Blues/ The Jinx Blues/ The Pony Blues/ Walking Blues/ Walking Blues

SON HOUSE	Columbia C2K 48867	Father Of The Delta Blues : The Complete 1965 Sessions	● CD $21.98
Son House's 1965 Columbia recordings have been one of our most requested blues items. The essential 9-song set is reissued here with a second CD of 7 unissued songs and 5 alternate takes from this monumental three-day session! Featured on the first disc is a remake of the classic Preachin' Blues (Paramount 13013 - 1930), along with songs not previously recorded by him until he returned to touring in the 60's. Also included are the chugging Empire State Express accompanied on second guitar by the late Al Wilson, a visceral acapella performance of Grinning In Your Face, the gritty gospel of John The Revelator and the beautiful Sundown/ Louise McGhee. Death Letter/ Levee Camp Moan reprise lyrical ideas from his original Paramount and Library Of Congress recordings of the 30's and 40's. Dick Waterman's liner notes are left off, but Lawrence Cohn's narratives substitute nicely. The rarities on the second disc are more of a mixed bag, but there are many which no serious blues lover should be without. The alternates of Death Letter/ Levee Camp Moan/ Grinnin'/ John The Revelator/ Preachin' Blues sound very good to me, and certainly aren't lacking for expression or inspiration. A couple of the unreleased songs are letdowns - President Kennedy is a tentative topical song, and fatigue is setting in on Shake It And Break It. A Down The Staff contains no new revelations, but is a passionate blues with unusual lyrics and anguished vocals. Motherless Children is done in stark, archaic Delta style with ghostly slide, while Yonder Comes My Mother is pure rural gospel, with Wilson's guitar reinforcing a quavering theme. Pony Blues was done by Son in 1942 - this rendition is strong vocally, and the guitar drives it hard. There must have been some reason why it was withheld, but I can't hear it! And Downhearted Blues is a triumph of spine-chilling vocal intensity, reprising some strains of Louise McGhee. Sound quality is more than just clear, it's nearly lifelike. The guitar sounds close enough to touch, and every detail of the voice which inspired Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters (and their many imitators) is preserved with uncanny realism. If you have the Johnson box, or any pre-war Delta blues record for that matter, you owe it to yourself to get this priceless slice of history. (MB) SON HOUSE: A Down The Staff/ Death Letter/ Death Letter/ Downhearted Blues/ Empire State Express/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ John The Revelator/ John The Revelator/ Levee Camp Moan/ Levee Camp Moan/ Louise McGhee/ Motherless Children/ Pearline/ Pony Blues/ Preachin' Blues/ Preachin' Blues/ President Kennedy/ Shake It And Break It/ Sundown/ Yonder Comes My Mother

SON HOUSE	Document DOCD 5148	At Home - The Legendary 1969 Rochester Sessions	● CD $15.98
13 tracks, 79 min., good Toward the end of his rediscovery period Son House made these home recordings for Steve Lobb. The guitar-accompanied songs are clearly inferior to his 1965 Columbia session, as time had taken its toll, slowing down his once-nimble fingers. And the guitar isn't too well recorded either. I was impressed by the five vocal solos; stark Delta echoes that are equally hypnotic and melancholy. Son's voice trembles and mumbles a bit, but can still send a chill up the spine, especially on the favorite Grinnin' In Your Face, accompanied by tambourine. The 20-minute Son's Blues will interest hard-core fans. (MB)

SON HOUSE	Document DOCD 5663	Live At The Gaslight Cafe	● CD $15.98
12 tracks, 58 mins, recommended The master of Mississippi Delta blues recorded live at the Gaslight Cafe in New York on January 3, 1965 not too long after his rediscovery. Son is in good, if not great, form on a collection of mostly familiar pieces - Pony Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ Death Letter Blues/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Empire State Express/ Louise McGhee and others. Son's performances on the first set seem a little tentative but are stronger and more assured on the second. A couple of the songs are cut short (presumably recorder ran out of tape) and there is noticeable tape hiss on the quieter moments but this is a worthwhile if not essential addition to recordings available of this great artist. (FS) SON HOUSE: Death Letter Blues./ Empire State Express/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Levee Camp Moan/ Louise McGhee/ Motherless Children/ Pearline/ Pony Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ This Little Light Of Mine/ Yonder Comes My Mother (When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder)

SON HOUSE	Shout Factory 30251	Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Son House	● CD $13.98
16 tracks, 50 minutes, recommended Son House was easily one of the most impassioned performers in the long history of blues. Whether listening to his few Paramount sides waxed in 1930, his Library Of Congress recordings from 1941 and '42, or sessions from his comeback in the 1960s, he could captivate with little more than a word, phrase, or slashing burst of slide guitar. My Black Mama Part 1/ Walking Blues/ Dry Spell Blues date from 1930, while the middle ten tracks are Library Of Congress recordings including the harrowing County Farm Blues plus Shetland Pony Blues/ Depot Blues/ Am I Right Or Wrong and others (some with a small string band), and the final three from 1965 shortly after his rediscovery including the brilliant Empire State Express. The power in Son House's voice is next to impossible to describe, but suffice it to say it has enthralled listeners for decades, and will for many more. (CR) SON HOUSE: Am I Right Or Wrong/ American Defense/ Country Farm Blues/ Delta Blues/ Depot Blues/ Dry Spell Blues/ Empire State Express/ Grinnin' In Your Face/ John The Revelator/ Levee Camp Blues/ My Black Mama Part 1/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Special Rider Blues/ Walking Blues/ Walking Blues (death Letter)/ Walking Blues (unissued Test)

SON HOUSE	Travelin' Man 02	The Complete Library Of Congress Sessions	● CD $18.98
Re-release of CD originally issued in 1997. These recordings are truly magnificent. Eddie "Son" House was one of the greatest Mississippi Delta bluesmen - a ferocious singer and a stirring slide guitarist. He was at his prime when these recordings were collected by Alan Lomax in 1941 and 1942 for the Library Of Congress. Most of them were previously issued on Folklyric 9002 and the rest on Flyright 541 but this CD collects them all in chronological order. The first 7 tracks are with a wonderful string band featuring Willie Brown/ gtr, Fiddlin' Joe Martin/ mandolin & Leroy Williams/ harmonica who urge Son along with joyous shouts and additional vocalising. The other 12 are just Son alone with his steel bodied National guitar. Although the CD reissue doesn't improve too much on the sound of the deteriorated acetates used it is wonderful to have all this classic material in one place. (FS)

THE HOUSE ROCKERS	Wolf 120.300	Have Some Fun	● CD $14.98

BEE HOUSTON	Arhoolie 9008	The Hustler	● CD $9.98
CD issue of Arhoolie 1050 with bonus unissued cuts including one where Bee accompanies Big Mama Thornton. BEE HOUSTON: Any Time/ Any Time/ Be Proud To Be A Black Man/ Blues For Rupez (D Flat Blues)/ Break Away/ Busy Bee/ Charlie's Bag/ Do It Easy/ Don't Take Your Love From Me/ Freddy's Bag/ Lovesick Man/ Lovesick Man/ Never/ The Hustler/ Things Gonna Get Better/ Things Gonna Get Better/ When I Go Out/ Woke Up This Morning (Vocal/ You Think I'm Your Good Thing

FRANK HOVINGTON	Flyright 66	Gone With The Wind	● CD $16.98
19 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended Delaware is not usually thought of as a home of country bluesmen but Frank Hovington was a wonderful exception. Frank was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1919 but he and his family moved to Frederica, Delaware when he was young and, except for several years in Washington, DC, he lived most of his life in Delaware (he died in 1982). When he was young he came under the influence of several local musicians who were originally from North Carolina and Virginia and developed into a fine musician. Although he played regularly he never made music his career and was reluctant to appear in public and only made a handful of recordings, most of them are featured here. Many of these recordings were issued on long out of print albums on Flyright, Rounder & Library Of Congress so this CD issue, which includes some previously unissued material, is most welcome. Frank was a superb singer with a warm engaging style and an outstanding guitarist whose playing is strongly influenced by the Piedmont style but has lots of individualistic touches. His material is mostly traditional (Lonesome Road Blues/ Diggin' My Potatoes/ John Henry/ Mean Old Frisco, etc) along with original songs (Gone With The Wind/ Sing Sing Blues, etc) with strong traditional elements. A couple of tracks feature Frank playing some banjo. Frank was a signcant discovery and well worth a listen - particularly for fans of Piedmont guitar styles. (FS)

CAMILLE HOWARD	Specialty 7062	Vol. 2 : X-Temporaneous Boogie	● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 63 min., recommended With this volume 2 we have nearly the complete Specialty sides of singer/ pianist Camille Howard (b. 1914) available on CD. Her piano is featured on all tracks except two where Willard McDaniel sits in on Everything He Lacks and Nobody Else - both previously unissued and sounding very much like a Ruth Brown session. Those of us who are fans of Roy Milton know exactly what a great player she is, especially playing boogie woogie. At least 6 of the titles here were recorded during Roy Milton sessions, including the famous X-Temporaneous Boogie, said to be recorded just 5 minutes before the January 1/1949 record ban. Highlights from the 20 previously unissued tracks include guitarist Roy Rogers' solo on Ivory & Pick Boogie, and the slow blues instrumental, Sutherland Blues. (EL)

ROSETTA HOWARD	RST Records JPCD 1514	Complete Recorded Works, 1939-1947	● CD $15.98
21 tracks, 61 mins, very good Rosetta Howard was a powerful and expressive vocalist who recorded in the late 30s and mid 40s with several jazz flavored groups. Her 20 sides from 1937 and '38 with the Harlem Hamfats are avilable on three of the Harlem Hamfats reissues on Document (5272, 5273 & 5274). This set focusses on her later recordings from 1939 and '47. There are two 1937 sessions - one with the Harlem Blues Serenaders (Charlie Shavers, Buster Bailey, Lil ARmstrong, etc) and one with a group including Henry "Red" Allen, Barney Bigard, etc. In 1947 she cut three sessions - two with the excellent BIg Three Trio (Willie Dixon, Leonard Caston, etc) who provide very effective vocal group accompaniment as well as instrumental on cuts like I Keep On Worrying/ When I Been Drinking/ Help Me Baby and other. Her last session from December 1947 features a larger group of Chicago stalwarts Big Bill Broonzy, Bob Call, Sax Mallard and others. Songs include Come Easy Go Easy/ My Downfall/ Men Are Like Street Cars/ Ebony Rhapsody/ Help Me Baby/ Too Many Drivers/ Plough Hand Blues, etc. Good sound and decent notes from Victor Pearlin. (FS)

PEG LEG HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY	Matchbox 2004	Complete Recordings In Chronological Order, Vol. 1	● CD $15.98

PEG LEG HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY	Matchbox 2005	Complete Recordings In Chronological Order, Vol. 2	● CD $15.98

HOWLIN' WOLF	Bear Family BCD 15460	Memphis Days : The Definitive Edition, Vol 1	● CD $21.98
Fantastic collection of 21 tracks recorded in Sam Phillips' studios in Memphis in 1951 and 1952. It's amazing when listening to these performances to realize that not a single one was originally issued! Most of them resurfaced some years ago on various Charly albums but this CD issue also features previously unissued versions of six songs including Oh Red/ Come Back Home/How Many More Years, etc. These early recordings feature Wolf at his most ferocious with a great collection of songs featuring Wolf's vocals accompanied by a hard driving band with the shattering guitar of Willie Johnson and the knocked out piano of Albert Williams or William Johnson plus drums and occasional horn. With the exception of two tracks drawn from a rather worn acetate the sound on this collection is stunning with a great presence that brings out all the force of Wolf's vocals and Johnson's over amplified guitar. The set has full discographical information, informative notes by Colin Escott and a startling early photo of Wolf in a grocery store dwarfing the electric guitar he is holding! Absolutely essential! (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF	Bear Family BCD 15500	Memphis Days	● CD $21.98
This 19 track collection features the remaining sides cut by the Wolf at Sam Phillips Memphis Recording Studios in 1951 and 1952. It includes the first sides that Phillips sold to Chess including such classics as How Many More Years/ Saddle My Pony/ My Last Affair/ Gettin' Old And Grey and his version of the old blues favorite Oh Red with unexpected but very effective trombone and tenor sax added. There are more great tracks not originally issued plus some previously unissued alternate takes. More tremendously exciting and essential blues recordings. (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF	Chess CHD 9297	The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions	● CD $10.98
Well worth picking up to hear the Wolf (and Hubert Sumlin) teaching the kiddies all 'bout those evil blues. Rockin' Daddy/ I Ain't Superstitious/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ The Red Rooster , etc. 12 in all. (AE) HOWLIN' WOLF: Built For Comfort/ Do the Do/ Goin' Down Slow/ Highway 49/ I Ain't Superstitious/ I Want To Have A Word With You/ Killing Floor/ Poor Boy/ Red Rooster, The/ Rockin' Daddy/ Sittin' On Top of the World/ Wang Dang Doodle/ What A Woman!/ Who's Been Talking?/ Worried About My Baby

HOWLIN' WOLF	Chess CHD3 9332	The Chess Box	● CD $43.98
The 5th box set from U.S. Chess is a tribute to one of the most exciting bluesmen ever to record - Chester Arthur Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf. 71 songs on 3 Compact Discs presents an overview of this remarkable artists' career from Moanin' At Midnight recorded at his first session in Memphis in May 1951 through Moving recorded at his last Chess session in Chicago in 1973. Like fellow Mississippian and rival Muddy Waters, Wolf was brought up with the sounds of the Mississippi Delta, and his first musical influence was the great Charlie Patton. After learning guitar he turned to harmonica where he had a good teacher in the person of Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) who married Wolf's half sister. When he moved to Memphis he teamed up with a group who were fashioning a new blues style that drew on elements of blues and jazz and filtered it through a rugged and ragged sensibilities with over-amplified distorted guitar, knocked out piano and chaotic drumming resulting in some terrific music. Fronting such a band Wolf was to produce some of his fiercest recordings with his ferocious vocals urged on by the incredible guitar of Willie Johnson in a number of classic performances like Moanin' At Midnight/ Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ Mr Highway Man/ All Night Boogie, etc. When he moved to Chicago in 1953 he left most of his band behind and went into Chess's Chicago studio where he was teamed with top Chicago musicians like Otis Spann, Henry Gray or Hosea Lee Kennard on piano, Lee Cooper or Jody Williams on lead guitar (Willie Johnson rejoined the band for a while), Hubert Sumlin/ rhythm guitar, Fred Below or Earl Phillips/ drums and others. Although the sound became a little more disciplined the performances were still full of energy, braggadocio and menace and produced some of his most well known recordings - You Gonna Wreck My Life/ Evil/ Forty Four/ Smokestack Lightnin'/ I Asked For Water/ The Natchez Burning and others. In spite of their urban sound, several of the songs were based on traditional Mississippi Delta blues themes. By the late 50s the energy in his recordings diminished somewhat though there were still fine songs being cut like Who's Been Talking/ I Didn't Know and Change My Way. Hubert Sumlin who followed Wolf from Mississippi in the 50s started to take over the role of lead guitarist and by 1960 had perfected a unique fleet fingered, almost choppy style, that was perfect for filling in and around Wolf's vocals. This also coincided with a period where Wolf's songs were being supplanted by those of Willie Dixon and although the band was superb and Sumlin's guitar little short of staggering, Wolf's voice was down in the mix and some of Dixon's songs were truly dopey (Hidden Charms/ 300 Pounds Of Joy/ Built For Comfort, etc.). The best of the songs from this period are those based on traditional songs like Spoonful and Down In The Bottom, the latter with Wolf playing some nice slide guitar. From 1964 on Wolf was singing his own songs again and the quality of the material improved dramatically and here there are some powerful performances with great vocals and harp by Wolf, stunning guitar by Hubert and a tight horn section. From this period come such great performances as Killing Floor/ My Country Sugar Mama/ I Walked From Dallas/ My Mind Is Ramblin' and others. The late 60s and early 70s are a less interesting period with unexceptional songs and hit or miss arrangements though Wolf and Hubert were rarely less than excellent. From 1968, the year he recorded his infamous "dogshit" album, comes a couple of previously unissued acoustic songs, not exceptional, but Wolf showed that he had forgotten the Delta blues he had grown up with. Like previous Chess boxes, the sound here is exceptional with clarity and depth and the true stereo on some of the 60s songs is a real revelation. There is very little previously unissued material though quite a few tracks have not been issued in the U.S. before and many are making their first appearance on compact disc. There are also several snippets of a 1968 interview interspersed with music where Wolf talks about his influences, the origin of his name, etc that make for fascinating listening. The set is packaged in an LP sized box with beautiful full color photo of Wolf on the cover and a 32 page book with notes by Dick Shurman and Chris Morris and some terrific photos - many not published before, discographical details on all the songs and track listings for all U.S. Wolf albums. A beautiful package and essential for any lover of blues. (FS) HOWLIN' WOLF: (Well) That's All Right/ Ain't Goin' Down That Dirt Road (acoustic solo)/ All Night Boogie (All Night Long)/ Baby How Long/ Back Door Man/ Bluebird/ Build For Comfort/ Change My Way/ Commit A Crime/ Crazy About You Baby/ Don't Laugh At Me/ Don't Mess With My Baby/ Down In The Bottom/ Dust My Broom/ Evil/ Forty Four/ Goin' Down Slow/ Hard Luck/ Hidden Charms/ How Many More Years/ Howlin' For My Darling/ Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #1/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #2/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #3/ Howlin' Wolf Talks #4/ I Ain't Superstitious/ I Asked For Water/ I Better Go Now/ I Didn't Know/ I Walked From Dallas/ I'll Be Around/ I'm The Wolf/ I'm The Wolf (acoustic solo)/ I've Been Abused/ Just Like I Treat You/ Just My Kind/ Killing Floor/ Louise/ Love Me Darlin'/ Mama Died And Left Me/ Mary Sue/ Moanin' At Midnight/ Moaning For My Baby/ Mr. Airplane Man (alt. take)/ Mr. Highway Man/ My Country Sugar Mama/ My Last Affair/ My Mind Is Ramblin'/ Neighbors/ New Crawlin' King Snake/ Ooh Baby (Hold Me)/ Rockin' Daddy/ Saddle My Pony/ Shake For Me/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Smokestack Lightnin'/ Spoonful/ Streamline Woman/ Tail Dragger/ Tell Me/ Tell Me What I've Done/ The Natchez Burnin'/ The Red Rooster/ The Red Rooster (London Sessions w/false start and dialog)/ The Wolf Is At Your Door/ Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy/ Wang Dang Doodle/ Who Will Be Next/ Who's Been Talking/ Work For Your Money/ You Can't Be Beat/ You Gonna Wreck My Life (No Place To Go alternate take)/ You'll Be Mine

HOWLIN' WOLF	Chess CHD 12026	His Best, Vol. 2	● CD $15.98
20 track collection - no surprises but lots of great music if you don't already have much by Wolf - Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ All Night Boogie/ I'm The Wolf/ Who Will Be Next/ Tell Me/ Down In The Bottom/ Just Like I Treat You/ My Country Sugar Mama/ Don't Laugh At Me/ New Crawlin' King Snake, etc.

HOWLIN' WOLF	Chess 112 820	Real Folk Blues/ More Real Folk Blues	● CD $18.98
Two albums formerly on individual CDs combined on one. Lots of classic Wolf material from throughout his Chess career. HOWLIN' WOLF: Built For Comfort/ I Have A Little Girl/ I Love My Baby/ I'll Be Around/ I'm The Wolf/ I've Got A Woman/ Just My Kind/ Killing Floor/ Louise/ My Country Sugar Mama/ Natchez Burnin'/ Nature/ Neighbors/ No Place To Go (you Gonna Wreck My Life)/ Ooh Baby, Hold Me/ Poor Boy/ Rockin' Daddy/ Sittin' On Top Of The World/ Tail Dragger/ Tell Me What I've Don/ Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy/ Who Will Be Next/ Work For Your Money/ You Can't Be Beat

HOWLIN' WOLF	Rounder SS 28	Cadillac Daddy	● CD $15.98
Priceless early Howlin' Wolf sessions from Memphis 1952, with all the rough edges left intact. A singer of Wolf's power had to have an unstoppable band behind him, making tracks like Mr. Highway Man/ Color And Kind/ Drinkin' C.V. Wine/ Everybody's In The Mood the hard-rocking foundation of the Chicago sound that soon followed. This release is pretty much made redundant by the two superb Bear Family CDs.

HOWLIN' WOLF	Sundown 907	Live in Europe, 1964	● CD $17.98
CD issue of Sundown 709-07. Recorded live in Bremen, Germany in November, 1964 with Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon & Clifton James. 7 long performances - enjoyable though not among Wolf's most exciting and the sound is not exceptional but a rare chance to hear this great artist live and it includes a couple of songs Wolf had not recorded elsewhere. Includes Shake It For Me/ Dust My Broom/ Rockin' The Blues/ Going Down Slow/ Forty Four, etc. (FS)

HOWLIN' WOLF & THE WOLF GANG	Wolf 120.100	"Live" At Joe's Place 1973	● CD $12.98
This is the second Wolf release featuring live recordings of the great Howling Wolf and is a bit of an improvement over the previous release which featured recordings cut only a few months before his death. These recordings were made at Cambridge, Mass blues hangout Joe's Place in 1973 shortly after Wolf's recovery from a near fatal car accident. Wolf does only four songs - the rest of the disc featuring instrumentals or vocals by members of the band which included Hubert Sumlin/ gtr, Eddie Shaw/ sax, S.P. Leary/drums, Andrew McMahon/ bass and Detroit Jr./ pno. Wolf sings familiar songs Little Red Rooster/ Going Down Slow/ Evil and the unfamiliar Blind Love. His performances are OK though he sounds pretty weak and his voice is somewhat down in the mix. The band is good enough with nice guitar from Sumlin and sax by Shaw. An interesting but, by no stretch of the imagination, a significant one. (FS)