Essential Blues

This five-disc box collects as many complete concerts by Irish blues-rock guitarist Gary Moore, recorded in 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 at the Montreux Jazz Festival…

Like each of the entries in the Classic blues catalog, The Essential Bill Gaither summarizes the artist's contribution to musical history by tapping into his complete works as reissued by Document in five volumes a few years prior to this collection's appearance in 2001. Gaither, whose recording career began in 1935 and was interrupted then ultimately terminated by the Second World War, operated under the combined influences of Leroy Carr, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, Jazz Gillum, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Big Maceo Merriweather. Most but not all of his records were made with Indianapolis pianist Honey Hill, and the producers of this collection were thoughtful enough to include Hill's only known piano solos, "Boogie Woogie" and "Set ‘Em"…

Atlanta's Robert "Barbecue Bob" Hicks recorded some 65 sides between 1927 and his death in 1931, an interesting mix of modal country blues that is as fine as any tracked by a country blues artist in the era, although he seldom gets the same attention afforded the Mississippi Delta players of the period. This double-disc set has all the essentials, although it may be more than the casual listener really needs, since like most blues players of the day, Hicks wasn't about to change what worked. Still, his modal approach sets him apart, and his guitar playing is vastly underrated.

This double-CD set may well mislead listeners on two counts. On the one hand, there will be some neophyte listeners expecting to hear the silky pop/rock strains of the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac. This is, indeed, the original version of the band organized in 1967 by virtuoso blues guitarist/singer Peter Green, in which the latter shared the spotlight with fellow guitarist Jeremy Spencer, and they got no closer to pop/rock than renditions of Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King material.

Epic's The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble gathers two discs' worth of the late blues guitarist's work, including many live performances and a few tracks with the Vaughan Brothers. The collection presents Vaughan's material in roughly chronological order, from the 1980 live recording "Shake for Me" to 1989's "Life by the Drop." It also touches on most of Vaughan's definitive songs and performances, including "Tightrope," "Wall of Denial," "Couldn't Stand the Weather," and "Cold Shot," and live versions of "The Sky Is Crying," "Superstition," and "Rude Mood/Hide Away." Though this album doesn't offer anything that hasn't already been released in some form or another, it does go into slightly more depth than several of the other Stevie Ray Vaughan retrospectives by presenting both his greatest studio hits and some of his best live work.

This collection is the best place for most beginner or intermediate players to start. If you don't know any music theory at all, start with Essential Theory, otherwise Essential Fretboard is the best starting point.