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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Frett'n The Blues/Blow'n The Blues (Vanguard)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
This pair of discs cull some of the classic cuts from the Vanguard blues vaults, which are chock full of classic cuts. Separated into sets that feature guitarists (Frett'n) and harpists (Blow'n), there are actually lots of good guitar tracks on the harp disc and vice versa. There's not a dissapointing cut in the whole batch, and there are several that are essential for any overview of the development of blues in the sixties, especially the development of white bluesmen with a genuine feel for the tradition.
Among the featured pickers on Frett'n, you get Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, J.B. Hutto, John Hammond, Robbie Robertson, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. That's more than enough, but there are even more.
The harp collection has strong doses of Junior Wells and James Cotton, along with the twin kings of white-boy harp blues, Charlie Musselwhite and Paul Butterfield. Fold in Johnny Shines, Big Walter Horton and the Siegal-Schwall Band and you've got as fine a collection of hot harmonica as you could hope for.
Vanguard has released a pile of compilations in the last couple years, and I've enjoyed all of them. In many cases, though, that enjoyment has been as much about the trip down memory lane as it has been about the quality of the songs and performances. Not with these ones--these are collections of some of the best music by some of the best artists ever to grace the label. If you love the blues, you've got to get 'em. If you don't love the blues yet, get 'em and you will.
Track Lists:
Frett'n The Blues: Buddy Guy - Poison Ivy/One Room Country Shack/Mary Had A Little Lamb/Sweet Little Angel * Buddy Guy w/Junior Wells - (I Got A) Stomach Ache/Vietcong Blues * The Otis Rush Blues Band - Everything's Going To Turn Out Alright/Rock/It's My Own Fault * Homesick James And His Dusters - Dust My Broom * J.B. Hutto And His Hawks - That's The Truth * John Hammond w/Robbie Robertson - Long Distance Call/Who Do You Love/Rambling Blues * Lightnin' Hopkins - Baby Please Don't Go * John Lee Hooker - I Can't Quit You Baby/Stop Now Baby * Muddy Waters - Walkin' Blues/I Can't Be Satisfied/Nineteen Years Old * The Siegal-Schall Band - Down In The Bottom
Blow'n The Blues: Junior Wells - Help Me (A Tribute To Sonny Boy Williamson)/Messin' With The Kid/Stormy Monday Blues/Checkin' On My Baby/Early In The Morning * James Cotton - Cotton Crop Blues/The Blues Keep Falling/Rocket 88/Honest I Do/Coast Blues * The Johnny Shines Blues Band - Hey, Hey * Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie - Rockin' My Boogie * Charlie Musselwhite - Chicken Shack/Juke/ Christo Redemptor/My Baby's Sweeter * The Siegal-Schwall Band - Angel Food Cake/Tell Me * Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Blues With A Feeling
© 2000 - Shaun Dale