VARIOUS ARTISTS
Live at the W.C. Handy Blues Awards, Vol. 1
(Tone Cool/Artemis)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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The Blues Foundation honors the best in the blues with the annual W.C. Handy Awards, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. We're fortunate that the tape was rolling at many of the shows, and this first compilation is a blues fan's delight. Many of the artists record for Tone-Cool/Artemis, but the disc also features artists from Malaco (Bobby Rush), Capitol (Bonnie Raitt), Verve (Joe Louis Walker), and Kan-Du (a joint venture between Tone Cool and Taj Mahal). If the passion and quality of these 10 live cuts is any indication of the treasures that lie in the Handy Awards vaults, Tone Cool/Artemis is sitting on a blues gold mine. Check out Luther Allison's "Cherry Red Wine," and his son's version of "Bad Love," with help from Deborah Coleman. Joe Louis Walker struts his considerable stuff on "Bluesifying," and the late Memphis legend Rufus Thomas shares the stage with Bonnie Raitt on "Walking the Dog." There are other unforgettable performances captured live at the Handy Awards show on this disc, and if you can't get to Memphis to share in the celebration, Live at the W.C. Handy Blues Awards is the next best thing to a front row seat at the Orpheum.

Track List:

Joe Louis Walker (Bluesifying) * Luther Allison with the Memphis Horns (Cherry Red Wine) * Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers (Low Down Dog) * Rufus Thomas and Bonnie Raitt (Walking The Dog) * Deborah Coleman and Bernard Allison (Bad Love) * Paul Rishell and Annie Raines (Michigan Water) * Susan Tedeschi (Just Won't Burn) * Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band (Senor Blues) * Bobby Rush (Hoochie Man) * Bonnie Raitt (Three Time Loser)

© 2004 - Eric Steiner