Mosura 1961

The sound quality on this album of Parker's Dial mid-'40s Dial material lacks the precision and clarity of his later Verve sessions. Much of the original source material disappeared when Dial went out of business, and, from the remaining masters, a good deal has been lost in the subsequent transfer and re-issue. Still, barring some distortion and a kind of hollow, muffled quality, Parker is in superior form as an artist on these tracks. The mid-'40s seems to be the time Bird hit his stride, and these tracks serve as no subtle reminder that Parker was not only a great innovator, but an incredibly emotional and soulful player, a fact often overshadowed by his technical prowess…

Two classic Hooker LPs, all digitally re-mastered, 22 solid slabs of dark, leathery, brooding nostalgia. This is the electric blues at its very roots. This stripped-bare, one man and a growling electric guitar (on most tracks) music is the stuff those guys who fled the south for the auto production lines in the north used to listen to. Hooker’s ‘talking blues’ style is well represented on Folk Lore. Great numbers like I’m Going Upstairs (and we all know what John was going up for), I Like to See You Walk and My First Wife Left Me start to haunt you like some swamp ghost. The Folk Blues tracks are no less powerful. Half A Stranger, Shake, Holler And Run, Down Child and Gonna Boogie all roll into one another to form a big, dusty landscape punctuated by mid-20th century American industry.

John Lee Hooker developed a “talking blues” style that became his trademark. Though similar to the early Delta tradition, his metrically free approach and unique sound would make him a staple of the Detroit blues tradition. Often called the “King of the Boogie,” Hooker's driving, rhythmic approach to guitar playing has become an integral part of the blues. His thunderous electric guitar sounded raw, while his basic technique was riveting.
This quintessential release includes two of Hooker's finest albums: Burnin' (1962) - with a full-band accompaniment and featuring the chart success “Boom Boom,” one of Hooker's most identifiable and enduring songs, plus Plays and Sings The Blues (1961) which was filled with 1951-1952 solo­recordings and gems from Hooker's early days. Both masterpieces have been remastered and packaged together in this very special collector's edition, which also includes 3 bonus tracks…