Barry Goldberg & Friends

Two of Barry Goldberg's best albums from the late '60s, Reunion and Two Jews Blues, are combined on this single disc. There's some very hot playing on these two albums, particularly from Mike Bloomfield on Two Jews Blues, but they sound a little dated and don't quite burn as hot as some blues-rock albums from the late '60s. Nevertheless, this does capture Goldberg's two best records, which makes it both a good summary of his peak and a good introduction to his sound.

Freddie Roulette is a Chicago Bluesman who started playing lap-steel guitar back in the 1940's. He's played with some of the greats including Earl Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, and Harvey Mandel. His music is known worldwide and he has played throughout Europe, Canada and Japan. He has also been playing with bands in the San Francisco Bay Area including Nightfire featuring Harvey Mandel, Michael Warren, Michael Borbridge, and Eugene Huggins; Harvey Mandel & The Snake Crew featuring Elvin Bishop, Norton Buffalo, Pete Sears, Barry Goldberg, Mic Gillette, and album drummer and producer Michael Borbridge…

Now on CD, the second full-length by the band surrounding Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Merryweather (a.k.a. Neil Lillie) contains impressive bluesy improvisations as well as psychedelic effects. Originally issued by Capitol in 1969, participating musicians include Steve Miller, Howard Roberts, Barry Goldberg, Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby Notkoff.

This is the lone solo album by sideman Roger "Jellyroll" Troy, a consummate session player who was best known for his collaborations with blues bandleader Michael Bloomfield, including as part of a reunited mid-'70s version of Electric Flag. Troy's bona fides go back even further than that: while still a teen, he was the bassist in the novelty rock band, the Hollywood Argyles, and went on to gigs with James Brown and Freddie King. In 1969 he cut an album as the leader of the band Jellyroll (which was his nickname) and he had considerable success as a songwriter in the early '70s. This album is pretty much pure white soul, with a heavy Muscle Shoals feel: four songs were written by Troy, though tellingly he also covers Dan Penn, whose emotive vocals style is echoed in Troy's own phrasing. Among the many musicians backing him are jazz saxophonist Ernie Watts and pianist/producer Mike Lipskin… Fans of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Joe Cocker and any number of eclectic Memphis roots/soul bands might want to check this one out.