Charly Blues Masterworks

Chester Arthur Burnett, known as Howlin' Wolf, was a Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, originally from Mississippi. With a booming voice and looming physical presence, he is one of the best-known Chicago blues artists. Musician and critic Cub Koda noted, "no one could match Howlin' Wolf for the singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits." Producer Sam Phillips recalled, "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies'". Several of his songs, including "Smokestack Lightnin'", "Back Door Man", "Killing Floor" and "Spoonful", have become blues and blues rock standards. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 51 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

Former radio repairman Elmore James spent a good deal of time re-wiring his amplifiers, giving him a raw, distorted, and urgent sound on electric guitar that, coupled with his killer slide style, made him the Godfather of modern electric guitar, and few gunslingers can match his intensity or powerful, dirty sound (even when armed with a train-load of stomp boxes). This intriguing disc packages late sessions James did for Bobby Robinson's Fire imprint, including fine versions of "Sunnyland Train" and "Standing at the Crossroads," which features James' signature roaring slide guitar sound, a force of nature that will forever be his calling card.

Arthur Crudup may well have been Elvis Presley's favorite bluesman. The swivel-hipped rock god recorded no less than three of "Big Boy's" Victor classics during his seminal rockabilly heyday: "That's All Right Mama" (Elvis' Sun debut in 1954), "So Glad You're Mine," and "My Baby Left Me." Often lost in all the hubbub surrounding Presley's classic covers are Crudup's own contributions to the blues lexicon. He didn't sound much like anyone else, and that makes him an innovator, albeit a rather rudimentary guitarist (he didn't even pick up the instrument until he was 30 years old).

There are a large number of blues albums floating around. It is a great collection of tunes and a value purchase. Outstanding group of musicians and totally enjoyed the music, blues and recommend this to anyone enjoying the blues and wanting the best of musicians.

Based out of New Orleans, guitarist and singer Walter "Wolfman" Washington has become one of the leading lights in the Louisiana blues scene, playing a fiery mixture of soul, funk, jazz, and blues. Washington first became a local hero backing up some of the Crescent City's most celebrated blues and R&B acts before moving on to a successful solo career, playing the blues with rare fluency and power.
In 1981, Washington cut his first solo album, Rainin' in My Life, for the small New Orleans label Help Me Records. Rounder Records, who had released several of Johnny Adams' albums with Washington, offered the guitarist a deal, and he released three albums for the respected roots music label, 1986's Wolf Tracks, 1988's Out of the Dark, and 1991's Wolf at the Door…