Originally issued on three 10-inch LPs, these albums feature three outstanding but underrated jazz guitarists: Lou Mecca, Bill de Arango and Chuck Wayne. Crisp, inventive and fleet-fingered, Mecca found his own voice from his main inspiration, Tal Farlow, whom he replaced in the Gil Mellé Quartet. Lous classical guitar sound is complemented in this 1954 Blue Note recording by fine vibist Jack Hitchcock, bassist Vinnie Burke and drummer Jimmy Campbell.
With the recent loss of Detroit Jr. it becomes more acutely aware than ever that the piano blues is a dying art form. There's only a handful of old timers keeping the tradition alive such as Pinetop Perkins, Big Joe Duskin, Henry Gray and Ernest Lane. Barrelhouse Chuck represents one of the few younger generation pianists (he's 48) and has been well schooled in the art as he demonstrates on the fabulous "Slowdown Sundown."
Chuck has paid his dues the time honored way by apprenticing with piano masters such as Sunnyland Slim, Pinetop Perkins, Lafayette Leake and Little Brother Montgomery. Chuck spent 10 years studying with Sunnyland who he calls "the great-granddaddy of all the blues piano players." He also formed a special bond with piano legend Little Brother Montgomery. He honed his craft working and recording with a who's who of Chicago legends like Louis Myers, Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Dawkins, Billy Boy Arnold, Detroit Jr. and Big Smokey Smothers and many, many others. Along the way Chuck has released several fine recordings under his own name such as 1999's fine "Salute To Sunnyland Slim" and 2002's strong "Prescription For The Blues." "Slowdown Sundown", on his own Viola label, finds Chuck in peak form playing both solo and with an all-star cast of Chicago bluesmen…..
Son of the blues, boogie woogie and rhythm & blues, rock and roll was first known under the name of ‘jump blues’, a more rhythmic and sped up sub-genre of blues, with the well-marked (and very danceable) snare beat. In 1955, ‘Maybelline’ Chuck Berry’s first single is released, and with it, a new era begins. Admired by everybody from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Elton John, Eric Clapton and AC/DC, Chuck Berry's influence on the world of music has been massive. In The Many Faces of Chuck Berry we will explore his explosive live performances and his blues roots; we will dig deep into his catalog of hits performed by other artists and we will review some of his fellow early-rockers that changed the music landscape more than 60 years ago. With fantastic artwork, remastered sound and extensive liner notes, this an essential additional to your 20th century music collection.