Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal may have explored more far-flung corners of African-rooted musical traditions than any other performer, but he has always returned to the sound at the core of his journeys, the blues. Born Henry St. [...]
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas has reigned as 'The Soul Queen of New Orleans' since the 1960s and remains not only a hometown favorite but also an international legend in the annals of rhythm & blues. Born Irma [...]
Skip James
Nehemiah Curtis “Skip” James possessed one of the most hauntingly distinctive styles in the blues, and, according to some who knew him, one of the most disturbed and complex personalities as well. His vocals, guitar [...]
Can’t Get No Grindin’ — Muddy Waters (Chess, 1973)
Can't Get No Grindin' is, surprisingly, the only Muddy Waters album in the Hall of Fame that was actually recorded as an album, not a compilation of singles and older material. Chess veteran Ralph Bass [...]
Down on Stovall’s Plantation — Muddy Waters (Testament, 1966)
Muddy Waters' legendary first recordings, cut at his house in Mississippi on portable equipment by a Library of Congress/Fisk University recording unit led by Alan Lomax and John W. Work III, were first collected on [...]
The Complete Plantation Recordings–Muddy Waters (MCA Chess, 1993)
Muddy Waters' legendary first recordings, cut at his house in Mississippi on portable equipment by a Library of Congress/Fisk University recording unit led by Alan Lomax and John W. Work III, were first collected on [...]
The Chess Box — Muddy Waters (P-Vine Special, 1985)
P-Vine Special, the exemplary Japanese specialist reissue label, set the standard in blues box sets during the LP era with the Muddy Waters compilation The Chess Box, issued as an 11-LP set, with a bonus [...]
The Complete Recordings of T-Bone Walker 1940-1954 — T-Bone Walker (Mosaic, 1990)
Mosaic Records has excelled in the compilation of high-quality boxed set reissues, primarily focusing on co-founder Michael Cuscuna's passion for Blue Note Records' vaunted jazz catalogue. Along the way Mosaic has also issued a few [...]
Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin made his mark with his sharp, innovative and unpredictable guitar work on Howlin' Wolf's classics such as Killing Floor, Shake for Me, and Hidden Charms, and became an acclaimed and beloved figure in [...]
T-Bone Blues (Atlantic, 1959) — T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Walker is best remembered as the father of electric blues guitar, the icon who paved the way for B.B. King, Albert King, Otis Rush, and the rest. His work on his 1959 Atlantic LP [...]