V.a. A Modern Blues Anthology

The great American musical invention of the 20th century, jazz is an ever-youthful, still evolving music of beauty, sensitivity, and brilliance that has produced (and been produced by) an extraordinary progression of talented artists. JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology traces the turning points in its history through its legendary innovators among them Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, Parker, Gillespie, Davis, Hancock, Corea, Marsalis and notable styles, from early ragtime to
international modernism and every major movement in between.

Jeff Healey was an astounding and varied talent as a singer, guitarist, and, later in his career, as a trumpet player, and it's difficult to imagine an artist quite like him. Blind from eye cancer since the age of one, he drew attention as a maverick guitar player (he played his Stratocaster on his lap, which allowed him to attack and bend the strings in a totally unique style; at his best, he roared and soared as well as anybody ever has on the instrument). This four-disc set (three CDs and a DVD) features Healey and his crackerjack band live in three separate concerts, and it makes clear what a powerful and empowering performer he was on-stage. The first disc catches the Jeff Healey Band blazing through an 11-song set at the 1989 Montreal Jazz Festival, with the second disc capturing a set from the St. Gallen Open Air Festival in Switzerland from 1991 (the performance was filmed and makes up the DVD included here), and the third disc presents a 1995 stage set from the Hard Rock in Toronto.

Pee Wee Crayton - The Modern Legacy. Volume 1 (1996) {Ace CDCHD632 rec 1948-1951}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 156 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 136 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 15 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1948-51, 1996 Modern Recordings / Ace Records | CDCHD 632
Blues / Jump Blues / Texas Blues / Electric Blues

As an overview of Crayton's work for Modern from 1948-51, this might not be ideal, as only about half of it appeared on singles during that time; the rest was mostly unissued until the 1980s and 1990s, some making their first appearance on this CD. It also means that some of his Modern singles, including his biggest hit for the label (the ballad "I Love You So"), aren't here, as they were saved for another Ace volume of Crayton's Modern sides. Those considerations aside, this is superior Los Angeles jump blues, with the rare vault sides holding up about as well as what came out on singles.

Ruf Records is proud to present Ruf Records Antology: 12 Years oOf Where Blues Crosses Over. Two discs for the price of one CD celebrating 12 years of German-based Ruf Records, the company that has built its reputation and continuing success primarily on tough modern blues recordings with a rock edge. Born on a late night in a small village bar in the Black Forest of Germany, Ruf records has release 100 albums in 12 years and has become one for the premier blues labels around today. With an impressive artists roster including Bernard Allison, Canned Heat, Sue Foley, Omar & the Howlers, the Night Hawks and Walter trout, Ruf has raised the bar constantly in the world of blues. This CD and DVD combo set features 13 songs on CD and 13 videos on DVD (with entirely different recordings) from 2006 to 1994.

The title is bound to confuse (and possibly annoy) some blues purists. Except for a handful of straight blues numbers – including one of the most heartfelt T-Bone Walker tributes ever in "Duke's Mood" – Duke Robillard Plays Blues: The Rounder Years is mostly a rock-oriented anthology drawn from the post-Roomful of Blues but pre-Fabulous Thunderbirds stage of Robillard's career. No bonus tracks or previously unissued takes – just reissued material culled from four albums released on Rounder between 1983 and 1991. (Note that Robillard's "Rounder Years" also produced some fantastic swing music, but you won't find any of it here since it's been allocated to the sister compilation Duke Robillard Plays Jazz: The Rounder Years.) The '80s were an interesting decade for Robillard, as he took on a more stripped-down, roots rock (but still bluesy) approach with his trio, the Pleasure Kings, and then headed into that contemporary blues-rock zone often associated with the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

75 blues classics with up to 3 hours of music from Muddy Waters, the Father Of Modern Chicago Blues.

In its original form, Crown's Howlin' Wolf Sings the Blues LP was a patchwork compilation of sides cut for the Modern label in 1951-1952, including three songs that had previously showed up on RPM singles, a bunch of outtakes not released on 45, and a couple instrumentals that weren't even the work of Howlin' Wolf himself. The material hails from that confusing junction in his discography where his first Memphis recordings were being leased to both Modern and Chess, which is why material from that era has tended to get released on different labels. Certainly the Wolf's Modern sessions could have been better represented than they were by this 1962 album, but it's still groundbreaking early electric blues, though not quite up to the peaks he'd scale with his best Chess sessions of the mid-'50s to the mid-'60s…

These recordings with the exception of tracks 8, 9, 10, and 11 were originally released on LP in 1983 by Murray Brothers Records under the title "Johnny Dyer and the L.A. Jukes". Untill now, they have never been available on compact disc. This reissue is Johnny's debut album. Produced by Rod Piazza. "Breezy jump rhythms, clear-toned guitar solos, playful breaks and novelty melody lines…is pure West Coast, as are Dyer's smooth vocals." "Characteristic style and a cut-loose approach to playing."