Blues

Broke, Black & Blue delivers multiple surprises within its 100 songs of prewar blues. Arranged chronologically by Joop Visser, the set admirably covers the first 22 years of recorded blues, 1924 to 1946, from vaudeville and Delta to boogie-woogie and jump blues. It's a swell gift for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of blues. But old-timers will be pleased, too, as special attention has been paid to culling rare and idiosyncratic tracks by the well-known and the obscure. The first three discs present single tracks by artists as diverse as the Memphis Jug Band, De Ford Bailey, Tommy Johnson, Son House, Skip James, Peetie Wheatstraw, Lonnie Johnson, and Bukka White, alongside unknowns such as Isaiah "The Mississippi Moaner" Nelson, Barbecue Bob and Laughing Charley, Ed Andrews, Chicken Wilson, and Bumble Bee Slim. On the fourth disc, this convention is jettisoned to luxuriate in a series of very rare sides of lovely, oddly subdued boogie-woogie and jump blues by Jimmie Gordon, Johnny Temple, and Lee Brown.

The box contains CDs with the ten albums of the blues group from The Hague, from "Hell's Session" from 1969 to "Out Of The Blue" from 1995. Two bonus CDs complete the collection (see tracklist below). The box appears on July 22.
Around 1970 Livin ’Blues, along with the band Cuby + Blizzards, was counted among the absolute top of the Dutch blues world. The fixed core consisted of Ted Oberg (guitar), John Lagrand (harmonica) and Nicko Christiansen (vocals). The group scored hits such as "Wang dang doodle" and "L.B. Boogie. The band performed throughout Europe, from England to Italy.

This superb five-disc box set gives a sweeping overview of the hugely influential music of blues legend Ma Rainey. Rainey was already a seasoned performer by the time she made her first recordings in 1923, and though she only recorded for six years she cut over 100 songs, many of which went on to become blues classics. Those tunes, including "C.C. Rider," "Bo Weavil Blues," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," are here, alongside dozens of other gems. Rainey ranged across styles and settings, from acoustic blues to jazz to jug bands, but her saucy, gritty vocal delivery remained a lynchpin. Given the historical impact of Rainey's output, the set's title - Mother Of The Blues - is no understatement…

Various Artists - Let Me Tell You About The Blues - Detroit: The Evolution Of Detroit Blues (2010) {3 CD Box Set}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 537 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 443 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 116 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2010 Fantastic Voyage / Future Noise Music Ltd. | FVTD070
Blues / Regional Blues

Detroit in the 1940s and ‘50s didn’t have a thriving record industry like Chicago. Detroit artists went there because that’s where the companies were. Even musicologist Alan Lomax made just one visit for the Library of Congress in 1938, when he recorded Calvin Frazier and Sampson Pittman. Nevertheless, enterprising individuals like Jack and Devora Brown, Bernard Besman and Joe Von Battle did their best to reflect the city’s musical talent.

From the earthy guitar-driven country blues of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley Patton to the sequined glamour of the classic blues singers Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, this Rough Guide charts the early recorded history of the blues through its key pioneers.

When it came to the compiling of this country blues album, the towering influence of a dozen or so of the giants of pre-war blues made them totally un-droppable. Therefore, with so many familiar names, the challenge lay with creating the best possible cross section of this most diverse of genres within the time constraints of a CD.

This three-CD set documents some historic country-blues performances by the likes of Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Bukka White, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Mance Lipscomb. The urban side of things is well represented by Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters with Otis Spann, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The Chambers Brothers turning in a riveting rendition of “See See Rider.” Included here are 11 previously unreleased tracks. A must for acoustic-blues fans.

Various Artists - Nothing But The Blues 1923-1948 (1998) {40CD Box Set Remastered - The International Music Company AG}
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© 1923-48, 1998 The International Music Company AG, Germany | 201931-302 A/B ~ 201950-302 A/B
Blues / Traditional Blues / Acoustic Blues / Electric Blues / Regional Blues / Folk Blues

40 CD box set. Artists include John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson, Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, Memphis Minnie, John Lee Hooker, Big Joe Williams and many more. 725 tracks all digitally remastered to enhance the original recordings without manipulating the character of the music. Recordings made between 1923 and 1948. 20 double slimline jewel cases housed together in a cardboard box.

Various Artists - Let Me Tell You About The Blues - West Coast: The Evolution Of West Coast Blues (2010) {3 CD Box Set}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 567 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 438 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 126 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2010 Fantastic Voyage / Future Noise Music Ltd. | FVTD062
Blues / Regional Blues

California experienced a phenomenal growth in independent recording in the postwar years, after decades of dominance by the major labels. Millions had flocked there during the war years and they needed entertainment.