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Various Artists Collections - Post War Chicago Blues

La Salle Chicago Blues Recordings -> Wrapped In My Baby

VARIOUS Wolf 120.297 La Salle Chicago Blues Recordings, Vol 2 ● CD $14.98

14 tracks, 35 mins, good Entertaining collection of Chicago blues recorded for Jump Jackson's La Salle label between 1959 and 1970. Eddie Clearwater has a varied quartet of tunes including his obligatory Chuck Berry impersonation on Cool Clear Water. Sy Perry has the solid West Side feel of a Magic Sam on his two songs but is out of tune! Eddie Boyd is as always fine and I Cry has some nice biting guitar from Euegen Pearson. The set also includes Little Mac, Sunnyland Slim, Little Wolf Jr., Wilbur "Hi-Fi" White and the man himself Jump Jackson. Many of the tracks were apparently recorded in Jumps' garage and they sound like it. Being a Wolf release you have only yourself to blame if you try to read the liner notes. (FS)
EDDIE BOYD: I Cry/ Vacation From The Blues/ EDDIE CLEARWATER: Ain't That A Shame/ Baby Please/ Cool Clear Water/ Dancin' Time/ JUMP JACKSON: Midnight Shuffle/ LITTLE WOLF JR.: Inflation Blues/ SY PERRY: I Don't Understand You, Baby/ I Really Don't Have The Blues/ LITTLE MAC SIMMONS: Broken Heart/ Driving Wheel/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: Something Is Going Wrong/ WILBUR "HI-FI" WHITE: Don't Look Now.

VARIOUS Alligator 7701 Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 1 ● CD $15.98

Alligator has wisely taken their six record series of 1970's Chicago blues recordings and transferred them to four maximum-length CD's/ cassettes. The first installment features The Jimmy Johnson Blues Band, Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang (Howlin' Wolf alumni, including Hubert Sumlin), Left Hand Frank & His Blues Band (with Dimestore Fred and Pocketwatch Paul), and Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band. 17 cuts. (MB)

VARIOUS Alligator 7702 Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 2 ● CD $15.98

The second chapter of Alligator's contemporary Chicago blues legends series includes The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, and Pinetop Perkins (with the Muddy Waters band - Sammy Lawhorn, Luther Johnson Jr., Calvin Jones and Willie Smith). 16 selections. (MB)

VARIOUS Alligator 7703 Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 3 ● CD $15.98

A.C. Reed & The Spark Plugs, Scotty & The Rib Tips, Lovie Lee with Carey Bell, Lacy Gibson, and The Sons Of Blues (Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell et. al.) are heard on this third volume of 70's Chicago blues veterans. 19 cuts. (MB)

VARIOUS Alligator 7704 Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 4 ● CD $15.98

The fourth and final offering in Alligator's revamped contemporary Chicago blues array issues Detroit Junior, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (with fellow Muddy sidemen Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones and Willie Smith), Queen Sylvia Embry, Big Leon Brooks' Blues Harp Band (with Louis Myers and Pinetop Perkins) and Andrew Brown. 19 numbers. (MB)

VARIOUS Testament TCD 5008 Modern Chicago Blues ● CD $11.98

Exciting selection recorded in early/mid 60s (Testament 2203) - Johnny Young, Maxwell St. Jimmy, Robert Nighthawk, John Lee Granderson, John Wrencher, Wilbert Jenkins, Walter Horton. Five previously unissued cuts.

VARIOUS Blue Chicago 5005 Mojo Mamas ● CD $14.98

Excellent collection featuring some of the women singers active on the current Chicago blues scene who play at the Blue Chicago clubs. Includes Grana Louise, Big Time Sarah, Gloria Shannon, Mary Lane & others.

VARIOUS Earwig 4902 Old Friends ● CD $14.98

VARIOUS Relic 7016 Parrot/ Blue Lake #2 - Cool Playing Blues ● CD $13.98

Complementing Relic CD 7015, this is another excursion into the vaults of the Parrot & Blue Lake labels - this time focusing on urban stylings, and also including a healthy dose of previously unissued material. There are four tracks by the brilliant Jody Williams - a fine singer and outstanding guitarist who, though little known, was an influential figure on the Chicago scene in the 50s. His previously unissued Groan My Blues Away is his only known slide guitar on record. There are two tracks by excellent T-Bone flavored singer/ guitarist L.C. McKinley who also accompanies Curtis Jones on his last commercial recordings. St. Louis Jimmy is also represented here by his last commercial recordings, including a version of his most famous song Going Down Slow. Jazzy blues shouter JoJo Adams has two tracks and the collection is rounded out by three previously unissued tracks from the dean of Chicago sax players J.T. Brown. Excellent sound and informative notes by the indefatigable Dick Shurman. Same as Relic LP 8025. (FS)
JO JO ADAMS: Call My Baby/ NATURE BOY BROWN: Blue Blues Boogie/ I'm Wise/ Lookout/ CURTIS JONES: Cool Playing Blues/ Wrong Blues/ LITTLE PAPA JO: Easy Lovin'/ Looking For My Baby/ L.C. MCKINLEY: Rosalie Blues/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Going Down Slow/ Murder In The First Degree/ JODY WILLIAMS: Groan My Blues Away/ I Feel So All Alone

VARIOUS Bullseye Blues 9530 Rare Chicago Blues, 1962-68 ● CD $14.98

20 tracks, 71 mins, recommended but ...
Musically I have no qualms about this disc of recordings made in Chicago in the 60s by Norman Dayron featuring great blues artists like Little Brother Montgomery, John Lee Granderson, Robert Nigthhawk, Otis Spann, Big Joe Williams, Johnnie Jones, Reverend Robert Wilkins, James Cotton and others, mostly recorded in informal settings. However this disc is not exactly what it appears to be - firstly no note is made of the fact that this is a straight reissue of the two LP set "Rare Gems" issued on the Roots label in 1977 (less a few tracks to fit on one CD) including the original liner notes by Pete Welding. No big deal except since that time the two Robert Nighthawk sides have appeared on Rounder 2022 (Rounder is Bullseye Blues' parent company) and the two Johnie Jones sides are on Alligator 4717. Since Dayron has other material available from this period so why not substitute them? That fact notwithstanding there are some particularly fine recordings by Robert Wilkins, James Cotton and Otis Spann. The latter's two songs are both about Martin Luther King and were recorded at a storefront church the day King was assassinated. Cotton is featured in several acoustic settings including a harmonica trio with Billy Boy Arnold and Paul Butterfield! In addition to Welding's original notes the booklet has some great photos of many of the performers. (FS)

VARIOUS Blue Chicago 5001 Red Hot Mamas ● CD $14.98

13 tracks featuring some of the female blues artists that have appeared at Chicago's famed Blue Chicago club - Karen Carroll, Liz Mandville Greeson, Patricia Scott, Lynne Jordan, Bonnie Lee, Shirley Johnson, etc.

VARIOUS Delmark 618 Sweet Home Chicago ● CD $11.98

11 tracks, 33 mins, recommended Nice collection of sides recorded for Delmark between 1966 and '68. Highlights are the two tough sides by the always great Magic Sam - That's Why I'm Crying/ Bad Luck Blues. Sam also accompanies saxophonist Eddie Shaw on two fine instrumentals. Luther Allison makes his recording debut with two B.B. King flavored cuts with spooky Hawaiian guitar work from Fred Roulette. Louis Myers plays fine harp on Top Of The Harp and there are worthwhile cuts by Big Mojo and Lucky Lopez with The Jazz Prophets. (FS)

VARIOUS Chess CHD 31262 The Blues, Vol 1 ● CD $11.98

CD issue of Chess 9253 - 12 tracks by Sonny Boy Williamson, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, Muddy waters, etc.
CHUCK BERRY: Worried Life Blues/ LOWELL FULSON: Reconsider Baby/ BUDDY GUY: First Time I Met The Blues/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Walkin' The Boogie/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Smokestack Lightning/ Spoonful/ LITTLE WALTER: Juke/ My Babe/ MUDDY WATERS: Hoochie Coochie Man/ Just Make Love To Me/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Don't Start Me To Talkin'/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: When The Lights Go Out

VARIOUS Alligator 7707 The New Bluebloods ● CD $13.98

Essentially this is the most recent Alligator sampler, although not at a budget price. Focuses on "new" talent like Valerie Wellington, Donald Kinsey, Lil' Ed and 7 more, one cut from each.

VARIOUS P-Vine PCD 5271/4 Vee-Jay, Chicago's Black Music ● CD $79.98

4 CDs, 90 tracks, 3 hrs 54 mins, highly recommended. Four CD box set featuring 90 blues and R&B cuts recorded for Vee-Jay between 1953 and 1964. The first CD is all down home blues featuring artists originally from Mississippi - Elmore James (who opens the set with the first Elmore track I ever heard and still one of my favorites Coming Home), Big Joe Williams, J.B. Lenoir, Floyd Jones and others - no surprises but all great music. The second disc is "the best of the Vee-Jay blues guitarists" and includes Junior Wells & Earl Hooker (not really a Vee-Jay cut!), Memphis Slim (with great Matt Murphy guitar), Willie Cobbs (two cuts recorded in Memphis in 1961 featuring an early appearance on record of Samy Lawhorn), the fine T-Bone flavored vocalist L.C. McKinley, Pee Wee Crayton (his sensational The Telephone Is Ringing), Larry Birdsong (horrible vocals but fine guitar by Lefty Bates), Little Richard (with a pre Experience Jimmy Hendrix demonstrating his blues chops). The third disc features Chicago urban blues and R&B and includes three tracks by The Tommy Dean Orchestra with excellent vocalist Joe Buckner including his topical Recession and the great One More Mile which has been covered by a number of performers. Also included on this disc are the Jay McShann Orchestra with vocalist Priscilla Bowman, Jimmy Witherspoon (a great loping version of K.C. Loving aka Kansas City), Earl Phillips (best known as a session drummer - he's an unexceptional vocalist but has a hot band with Jody Williams and Henry Gray), The Crume Brothers, Edith Mackey (with the Arnett Cobb Orch), Camille Howard, Grant Jones and others. The fourth disc features Southern R&B performers including Roscoe Gordon (including his big hit and frequently covered Just A Little Bit and a remake of No More Doggin'), Gene Allison (his soulful You Can Make It If You Try and two others), Christine Kittrell, Lue Cazz ( a cover of Jimmy McCracklin's The Walk with McCracklin's Orchestra!), Lee Diamond with The Upsetters, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters and others. Sound quality is generally very good. 40 page booklet has notes (in Japanese), discographical information, photos and song lyrics. There are only 15 duplications with the Charly Vee-Jay double released a while back (CDGR 145) and the selection of music is more varied. (FS)
GENE ALLISON: Reap What You Sow/ Three Times Seven/ You Can Make It If You Try/ BILLY BOY ARNOLD: Don't Stay Out All Night/ I was Fooled/ HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS: The Twist/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Ain't Nothin But A Fool/ Fanny's Place/ I'll Run My Business/ I'm Pleading Just For You/ My Darling/ PRISCILLA BOWMAN: A Rockin' Good Way/ HAROLD BURRAGE: Crying For My Baby/ CHICK CARBO: Baby, Baby/ I Don't Want To Lose Her/ Pigtails And Blue Jeans/ So Tired/ LUE CAZZ: The Walk/ Your Picture/ DANNY COBB: Some Day/ WILLIE COBBS: Lonely Boy (I Need A Woman)/ You Don't Love Me/ You're So Hard To Please/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: The Telephone Is Ringing/ Tie It Down (Benedict Canyon Boogie)/ THE CRUME BROTHERS: It's You I Love You/ Rock 'n Roll Boogie/ TOMMY DEAN ORCHESTRA: Eventime/ One More Mile/ Recession/ LEE DIAMOND: Upsetter Rock/ Wake Up/ Hattie Malatti/ Vald Head Baby/ DIZZY DIXON: Soup Line/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: You Never Miss You Water/ THE FIVE ECHOES: Evil Woman/ Tell Me Baby/ ROSCOE GORDON: Goin' Home/ Jelly Jelly/ Just A Little Bit/ No More Doggin'/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Boom Boom/ Dimples/ House Rent Boogie/ Moanin' Blues/ CAMILLE HOWARD: Business Woman/ ELMORE JAMES: Coming Home/ Cry For Me Baby/ Elmore's Contribution To Jazz/ It Hurts Me Too/ Knocking At Your Door/ Take Me Where You Go/ The 12 Year Old Boy/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/ Floyd's Blues/ Schooldays (On My Mind)/ GRANT JONES: What have You Done To Me/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: I'm A Woman/ It's Nobody's Fault/ Mr Big Wheel/ Sittin' And Drinkin'/ J.B. LENOIR: Do What I Say/ Oh Babe/ LITTLE RICHARD: Money Honey/ EDITH MACKEY: The Skillet's Gonna Fry/ L.C. MCKINLEY: Down With It/ She's Five Feet Three (Brown Skin Baby)/ PRO MCLAM: Cinemascope Baby/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: Big Jay's Hop/ JAY MCSHANN ORCHESTRA: Hootie Blues/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Blues & Lonesome/ Guitar Cha Cha/ MORRIS PEJOE: Hurt My Feelings/ You're Gonna Need Me/ EARL PHILLIPS: Oop De Oop/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Judgement Day/ Someone To Love Me/ JIMMY REED: Boogie In The Dark/ High And Lonesome/ You Don't Have To Go/ EDDIE TAYLOR: Big Town Playboy/ I'm Sittin' Here/ NOBLE "THIN MAN" WATTS: Give It Up/ South Side Drive/ JUNIOR WELLS & EARL HOOKER: Calling All Blues/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Baby Left Town/ King's Highway/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: K.C. Loving

VARIOUS Chess CHD2 16500 Willie Dixon : The Chess Box ● CD $24.98

A tribute to one of the most important blues songwriters whose songs have been recorded by hundreds of performers. This 2 CD box set features 36 songs written by Willie including such favorites as My Babe/ Hoochie Coochie Man/ Mellow Down Easy/ I Just Want To Make Love To You/ You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover/ You Need Love/ Back Door Man/ Wang Dang Doodle. 6 of the songs are performed by Willie himself (one previously unissued) plus recordings by great Chess & Checker performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Lowell Fulson, Koko Taylor, Sonny Boy Williamson and others. Includes 12 page booklet with extensive liner notes and rare photos.

VARIOUS Delmark 690 Women Of Blue Chicago ● CD $11.98

11 Tracks, 56 min., very good This is sort of a sampler for the Delmark label's female artists. What you've got is two songs each by Big Time Sarah, Shirley Johnson, Bonnie Lee, Karen Carroll and Lynne Jordan as well as one cut by Katherine Davis. It's Chicago blues by ladies who are out there doing it at the clubs known as Blue Chicago. The highlight of the CD is Karen Caroll's version of Vicksburg Blues. Seven of the tracks are on releases by the individual artists with the other four songs only available on this CD. (RS)

VARIOUS Delmark 716 Wrapped In My Baby ● CD $11.98

1954/55 Chicago blues recordings cut in the basement of producer Al Smith by Morris Pejoe, Arthur "Big Boy" Spires and Willy "Big Eyes" Smith.

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VARIOUS	Wolf 120.297	La Salle Chicago Blues Recordings, Vol 2	● CD $14.98
14 tracks, 35 mins, good Entertaining collection of Chicago blues recorded for Jump Jackson's La Salle label between 1959 and 1970. Eddie Clearwater has a varied quartet of tunes including his obligatory Chuck Berry impersonation on Cool Clear Water. Sy Perry has the solid West Side feel of a Magic Sam on his two songs but is out of tune! Eddie Boyd is as always fine and I Cry has some nice biting guitar from Euegen Pearson. The set also includes Little Mac, Sunnyland Slim, Little Wolf Jr., Wilbur "Hi-Fi" White and the man himself Jump Jackson. Many of the tracks were apparently recorded in Jumps' garage and they sound like it. Being a Wolf release you have only yourself to blame if you try to read the liner notes. (FS) EDDIE BOYD: I Cry/ Vacation From The Blues/ EDDIE CLEARWATER: Ain't That A Shame/ Baby Please/ Cool Clear Water/ Dancin' Time/ JUMP JACKSON: Midnight Shuffle/ LITTLE WOLF JR.: Inflation Blues/ SY PERRY: I Don't Understand You, Baby/ I Really Don't Have The Blues/ LITTLE MAC SIMMONS: Broken Heart/ Driving Wheel/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: Something Is Going Wrong/ WILBUR "HI-FI" WHITE: Don't Look Now.

VARIOUS	Alligator 7701	Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 1	● CD $15.98
Alligator has wisely taken their six record series of 1970's Chicago blues recordings and transferred them to four maximum-length CD's/ cassettes. The first installment features The Jimmy Johnson Blues Band, Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang (Howlin' Wolf alumni, including Hubert Sumlin), Left Hand Frank & His Blues Band (with Dimestore Fred and Pocketwatch Paul), and Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band. 17 cuts. (MB)

VARIOUS	Alligator 7702	Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 2	● CD $15.98
The second chapter of Alligator's contemporary Chicago blues legends series includes The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, and Pinetop Perkins (with the Muddy Waters band - Sammy Lawhorn, Luther Johnson Jr., Calvin Jones and Willie Smith). 16 selections. (MB)

VARIOUS	Alligator 7703	Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 3	● CD $15.98
A.C. Reed & The Spark Plugs, Scotty & The Rib Tips, Lovie Lee with Carey Bell, Lacy Gibson, and The Sons Of Blues (Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell et. al.) are heard on this third volume of 70's Chicago blues veterans. 19 cuts. (MB)

VARIOUS	Alligator 7704	Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 4	● CD $15.98
The fourth and final offering in Alligator's revamped contemporary Chicago blues array issues Detroit Junior, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (with fellow Muddy sidemen Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones and Willie Smith), Queen Sylvia Embry, Big Leon Brooks' Blues Harp Band (with Louis Myers and Pinetop Perkins) and Andrew Brown. 19 numbers. (MB)

VARIOUS	Testament TCD 5008	Modern Chicago Blues	● CD $11.98
Exciting selection recorded in early/mid 60s (Testament 2203) - Johnny Young, Maxwell St. Jimmy, Robert Nighthawk, John Lee Granderson, John Wrencher, Wilbert Jenkins, Walter Horton. Five previously unissued cuts.

VARIOUS	Blue Chicago 5005	Mojo Mamas	● CD $14.98
Excellent collection featuring some of the women singers active on the current Chicago blues scene who play at the Blue Chicago clubs. Includes Grana Louise, Big Time Sarah, Gloria Shannon, Mary Lane & others.

VARIOUS	Relic 7016	Parrot/ Blue Lake #2 - Cool Playing Blues	● CD $13.98
Complementing Relic CD 7015, this is another excursion into the vaults of the Parrot & Blue Lake labels - this time focusing on urban stylings, and also including a healthy dose of previously unissued material. There are four tracks by the brilliant Jody Williams - a fine singer and outstanding guitarist who, though little known, was an influential figure on the Chicago scene in the 50s. His previously unissued Groan My Blues Away is his only known slide guitar on record. There are two tracks by excellent T-Bone flavored singer/ guitarist L.C. McKinley who also accompanies Curtis Jones on his last commercial recordings. St. Louis Jimmy is also represented here by his last commercial recordings, including a version of his most famous song Going Down Slow. Jazzy blues shouter JoJo Adams has two tracks and the collection is rounded out by three previously unissued tracks from the dean of Chicago sax players J.T. Brown. Excellent sound and informative notes by the indefatigable Dick Shurman. Same as Relic LP 8025. (FS) JO JO ADAMS: Call My Baby/ NATURE BOY BROWN: Blue Blues Boogie/ I'm Wise/ Lookout/ CURTIS JONES: Cool Playing Blues/ Wrong Blues/ LITTLE PAPA JO: Easy Lovin'/ Looking For My Baby/ L.C. MCKINLEY: Rosalie Blues/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Going Down Slow/ Murder In The First Degree/ JODY WILLIAMS: Groan My Blues Away/ I Feel So All Alone

VARIOUS	Bullseye Blues 9530	Rare Chicago Blues, 1962-68	● CD $14.98
20 tracks, 71 mins, recommended but ... Musically I have no qualms about this disc of recordings made in Chicago in the 60s by Norman Dayron featuring great blues artists like Little Brother Montgomery, John Lee Granderson, Robert Nigthhawk, Otis Spann, Big Joe Williams, Johnnie Jones, Reverend Robert Wilkins, James Cotton and others, mostly recorded in informal settings. However this disc is not exactly what it appears to be - firstly no note is made of the fact that this is a straight reissue of the two LP set "Rare Gems" issued on the Roots label in 1977 (less a few tracks to fit on one CD) including the original liner notes by Pete Welding. No big deal except since that time the two Robert Nighthawk sides have appeared on Rounder 2022 (Rounder is Bullseye Blues' parent company) and the two Johnie Jones sides are on Alligator 4717. Since Dayron has other material available from this period so why not substitute them? That fact notwithstanding there are some particularly fine recordings by Robert Wilkins, James Cotton and Otis Spann. The latter's two songs are both about Martin Luther King and were recorded at a storefront church the day King was assassinated. Cotton is featured in several acoustic settings including a harmonica trio with Billy Boy Arnold and Paul Butterfield! In addition to Welding's original notes the booklet has some great photos of many of the performers. (FS)

VARIOUS	Blue Chicago 5001	Red Hot Mamas	● CD $14.98
13 tracks featuring some of the female blues artists that have appeared at Chicago's famed Blue Chicago club - Karen Carroll, Liz Mandville Greeson, Patricia Scott, Lynne Jordan, Bonnie Lee, Shirley Johnson, etc.

VARIOUS	Delmark 618	Sweet Home Chicago	● CD $11.98
11 tracks, 33 mins, recommended Nice collection of sides recorded for Delmark between 1966 and '68. Highlights are the two tough sides by the always great Magic Sam - That's Why I'm Crying/ Bad Luck Blues. Sam also accompanies saxophonist Eddie Shaw on two fine instrumentals. Luther Allison makes his recording debut with two B.B. King flavored cuts with spooky Hawaiian guitar work from Fred Roulette. Louis Myers plays fine harp on Top Of The Harp and there are worthwhile cuts by Big Mojo and Lucky Lopez with The Jazz Prophets. (FS)

VARIOUS	Chess CHD 31262	The Blues, Vol 1	● CD $11.98
CD issue of Chess 9253 - 12 tracks by Sonny Boy Williamson, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, Muddy waters, etc. CHUCK BERRY: Worried Life Blues/ LOWELL FULSON: Reconsider Baby/ BUDDY GUY: First Time I Met The Blues/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Walkin' The Boogie/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Smokestack Lightning/ Spoonful/ LITTLE WALTER: Juke/ My Babe/ MUDDY WATERS: Hoochie Coochie Man/ Just Make Love To Me/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Don't Start Me To Talkin'/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: When The Lights Go Out

VARIOUS	Alligator 7707	The New Bluebloods	● CD $13.98
Essentially this is the most recent Alligator sampler, although not at a budget price. Focuses on "new" talent like Valerie Wellington, Donald Kinsey, Lil' Ed and 7 more, one cut from each.

VARIOUS	P-Vine PCD 5271/4	Vee-Jay, Chicago's Black Music	● CD $79.98
4 CDs, 90 tracks, 3 hrs 54 mins, highly recommended. Four CD box set featuring 90 blues and R&B cuts recorded for Vee-Jay between 1953 and 1964. The first CD is all down home blues featuring artists originally from Mississippi - Elmore James (who opens the set with the first Elmore track I ever heard and still one of my favorites Coming Home), Big Joe Williams, J.B. Lenoir, Floyd Jones and others - no surprises but all great music. The second disc is "the best of the Vee-Jay blues guitarists" and includes Junior Wells & Earl Hooker (not really a Vee-Jay cut!), Memphis Slim (with great Matt Murphy guitar), Willie Cobbs (two cuts recorded in Memphis in 1961 featuring an early appearance on record of Samy Lawhorn), the fine T-Bone flavored vocalist L.C. McKinley, Pee Wee Crayton (his sensational The Telephone Is Ringing), Larry Birdsong (horrible vocals but fine guitar by Lefty Bates), Little Richard (with a pre Experience Jimmy Hendrix demonstrating his blues chops). The third disc features Chicago urban blues and R&B and includes three tracks by The Tommy Dean Orchestra with excellent vocalist Joe Buckner including his topical Recession and the great One More Mile which has been covered by a number of performers. Also included on this disc are the Jay McShann Orchestra with vocalist Priscilla Bowman, Jimmy Witherspoon (a great loping version of K.C. Loving aka Kansas City), Earl Phillips (best known as a session drummer - he's an unexceptional vocalist but has a hot band with Jody Williams and Henry Gray), The Crume Brothers, Edith Mackey (with the Arnett Cobb Orch), Camille Howard, Grant Jones and others. The fourth disc features Southern R&B performers including Roscoe Gordon (including his big hit and frequently covered Just A Little Bit and a remake of No More Doggin'), Gene Allison (his soulful You Can Make It If You Try and two others), Christine Kittrell, Lue Cazz ( a cover of Jimmy McCracklin's The Walk with McCracklin's Orchestra!), Lee Diamond with The Upsetters, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters and others. Sound quality is generally very good. 40 page booklet has notes (in Japanese), discographical information, photos and song lyrics. There are only 15 duplications with the Charly Vee-Jay double released a while back (CDGR 145) and the selection of music is more varied. (FS) GENE ALLISON: Reap What You Sow/ Three Times Seven/ You Can Make It If You Try/ BILLY BOY ARNOLD: Don't Stay Out All Night/ I was Fooled/ HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS: The Twist/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Ain't Nothin But A Fool/ Fanny's Place/ I'll Run My Business/ I'm Pleading Just For You/ My Darling/ PRISCILLA BOWMAN: A Rockin' Good Way/ HAROLD BURRAGE: Crying For My Baby/ CHICK CARBO: Baby, Baby/ I Don't Want To Lose Her/ Pigtails And Blue Jeans/ So Tired/ LUE CAZZ: The Walk/ Your Picture/ DANNY COBB: Some Day/ WILLIE COBBS: Lonely Boy (I Need A Woman)/ You Don't Love Me/ You're So Hard To Please/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: The Telephone Is Ringing/ Tie It Down (Benedict Canyon Boogie)/ THE CRUME BROTHERS: It's You I Love You/ Rock 'n Roll Boogie/ TOMMY DEAN ORCHESTRA: Eventime/ One More Mile/ Recession/ LEE DIAMOND: Upsetter Rock/ Wake Up/ Hattie Malatti/ Vald Head Baby/ DIZZY DIXON: Soup Line/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: You Never Miss You Water/ THE FIVE ECHOES: Evil Woman/ Tell Me Baby/ ROSCOE GORDON: Goin' Home/ Jelly Jelly/ Just A Little Bit/ No More Doggin'/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Boom Boom/ Dimples/ House Rent Boogie/ Moanin' Blues/ CAMILLE HOWARD: Business Woman/ ELMORE JAMES: Coming Home/ Cry For Me Baby/ Elmore's Contribution To Jazz/ It Hurts Me Too/ Knocking At Your Door/ Take Me Where You Go/ The 12 Year Old Boy/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/ Floyd's Blues/ Schooldays (On My Mind)/ GRANT JONES: What have You Done To Me/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: I'm A Woman/ It's Nobody's Fault/ Mr Big Wheel/ Sittin' And Drinkin'/ J.B. LENOIR: Do What I Say/ Oh Babe/ LITTLE RICHARD: Money Honey/ EDITH MACKEY: The Skillet's Gonna Fry/ L.C. MCKINLEY: Down With It/ She's Five Feet Three (Brown Skin Baby)/ PRO MCLAM: Cinemascope Baby/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: Big Jay's Hop/ JAY MCSHANN ORCHESTRA: Hootie Blues/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Blues & Lonesome/ Guitar Cha Cha/ MORRIS PEJOE: Hurt My Feelings/ You're Gonna Need Me/ EARL PHILLIPS: Oop De Oop/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Judgement Day/ Someone To Love Me/ JIMMY REED: Boogie In The Dark/ High And Lonesome/ You Don't Have To Go/ EDDIE TAYLOR: Big Town Playboy/ I'm Sittin' Here/ NOBLE "THIN MAN" WATTS: Give It Up/ South Side Drive/ JUNIOR WELLS & EARL HOOKER: Calling All Blues/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Baby Left Town/ King's Highway/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: K.C. Loving

VARIOUS	Chess CHD2 16500	Willie Dixon : The Chess Box	● CD $24.98
A tribute to one of the most important blues songwriters whose songs have been recorded by hundreds of performers. This 2 CD box set features 36 songs written by Willie including such favorites as My Babe/ Hoochie Coochie Man/ Mellow Down Easy/ I Just Want To Make Love To You/ You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover/ You Need Love/ Back Door Man/ Wang Dang Doodle. 6 of the songs are performed by Willie himself (one previously unissued) plus recordings by great Chess & Checker performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Lowell Fulson, Koko Taylor, Sonny Boy Williamson and others. Includes 12 page booklet with extensive liner notes and rare photos.

VARIOUS	Delmark 690	Women Of Blue Chicago	● CD $11.98
11 Tracks, 56 min., very good This is sort of a sampler for the Delmark label's female artists. What you've got is two songs each by Big Time Sarah, Shirley Johnson, Bonnie Lee, Karen Carroll and Lynne Jordan as well as one cut by Katherine Davis. It's Chicago blues by ladies who are out there doing it at the clubs known as Blue Chicago. The highlight of the CD is Karen Caroll's version of Vicksburg Blues. Seven of the tracks are on releases by the individual artists with the other four songs only available on this CD. (RS)

VARIOUS	Delmark 716	Wrapped In My Baby	● CD $11.98
1954/55 Chicago blues recordings cut in the basement of producer Al Smith by Morris Pejoe, Arthur "Big Boy" Spires and Willy "Big Eyes" Smith.