American Folk Blues Festival 1962-66 (2003)

Product Summary Label: Universal Music Group UPC: 00602498606704 Release Date: 8/26/2003 Buy.com Sku: 60610340 Item#: MLC7XP Format:  CD Song Listing Disc 1 Song Title Sample 1. Shake For Me - Howlin' Wolf ~ Various Artists 2. I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush ~ Various Artists 3. Another Night To Cry - Lonnie Johnson ~ Various Artists 4. Women Be Wise - Sippie Wallace ~ Various Artists 5. Everyday I Have The Blues - Memphis Slim ~ Various Artists 6. Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong - T-Bone Walker ~ Various Artists 7. Hoodoo Man Blues - Junior Wells ~ Various Artists 8. Black Snake Blues - Victoria Spivey ~ Various Artists 9. Mojo Hand - Lightnin' Hopkins ~ Various Artists 10. My Younger Days - Sonny Boy Williamson ~ Various Artists 11. Five Long Years - Eddie Boyd ~ Various Artists 12. Going Down To The River - Mississippi Fred Williamson ~ Various Artists 13. Sittin' And Cryin' The Blues - Willie Dixon ~ Various Artists 14. Nine Below Zero - Sonny Boy Williamson ~ Various Artists 15. Love Me Darlin' - Howlin' Wolf ~ Various Artists 16. Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters ~ Various Artists (P) 2003 Reelin' In The Years Productions, L.L.C. and Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. Under Exclusive License to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. (C) 2003 Reelin' In The Years Productions, L.L.C. and Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. Under Exclusive License to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.   Album Notes and Credits Notes & Personnel Info Includes liner notes by Rob Bowman. Personnel: Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Lonnie Johnson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, T-Bone Walker (vocals, guitar); Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells (vocals, harmonica); Eddie Boyd, Memphis Slim (vocals, piano); Muddy Waters, Sippie Wallace, Victoria Spivey, Willie Dixon Band (vocals); Hubert Sumlin, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy (guitar); Little Brother Montgomery, Otis Spann, Sunnyland Slim (piano); Clifton James, Fred Below, Billy Stepney, Jump Jackson (drums). Liner Note Author: Rob Bowman. Recording information: 1962-1966. Introduction by: Big Joe Williams. Photographer: Stephanie Wiesand. "A rare collection of performances by America's premier bluesmen at the peak of their artistry" proclaims the cover of this disc, and that's no idle boast. Culled from 33 tracks on two DVDs released simultaneously, these 16 tunes -- recorded at various times during the titular five years -- were performed live in German TV studios and thought lost until recently discovered. Although the audio is mono, it's immaculately clean, and each instrument is clearly audible, an amazing feat for TV sound during these years. The sampler is heavy on Willie Dixon-booked Chicago acts such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Otis Rush, and Howlin' Wolf (the only artist with two tracks), but also features folk-bluesman Mississippi Fred McDowell and Texans T-Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins. The predominantly unplugged (except for electric guitar) acts are all excellent, but only Wolf and Williamson show glimpses of their typically wilder stage antics in front of audiences that were far less sedate. Muddy Waters' version of "Got My Mojo Working" in particular is one of the most restrained of that usually frenzied song. In fact, some of the more raucous acts from the DVDs, such as Earl Hooker and Magic Sam, didn't make the cut to CD, possibly because they were too dissimilar from the rest of the pack. The 28-page book is filled with rare pictures (including a few of John Lee Hooker, who is not represented here) and an explanation of the history and importance of these yearly European treks in exposing American blues artists to the rest of the world. Especially impressionable were young British blues lovers such as the Rolling Stones and members of Led Zeppelin, who were heavily influenced by seeing these bluesmen live. Although it's a little short (why not add 20 more minutes to the CD, since each DVD has an hour's worth of music?), this is still a goldmine for folk and Chicago blues fans since these historic performances were never easily available in pristine sound before. ~ Hal Horowitz Producer: John McDemott; Jon Kanis; David Peck; Janie Hendrix   Technical Info Release Date : 08/26/2003 Original Release Date : 2003 Catalog ID : 000103002 Label : Hip-O Records Number of Discs : 1 Studio/Live : Studio Mono/Stereo : Mixed SPAR Code : n/a UPC : 00602498606704   Professional Reviews Living Blues (11/03, pp.92-3) - "...It goes without saying that there has never been a collection quite like this..."    Product Image