Tinsley Ellis 2024

The boastful title is no exaggeration; this is a welcome return for the classic Chicago blues sideman, who, primarily because of the misfortune of his music being exploited by other musicians, took a self-imposed retirement for nearly 30 years. It's especially rewarding since Williams – whose work you hear on early Howlin' Wolf, Otis Spann, Bo Diddley, Billy Boy Arnold (who guests here) sides – hadn't played a lick during that time, keeping his guitar stashed under his bed. He sounds like he never put the instrument away on this album, the first cohesive disc under his own name ever. Aided by comparative youngsters Tinsley Ellis, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and Rusty Zinn, along with a 21-year-old Sean Costello, Williams holds the spotlight like the pro his is. Though well into his sixties when this was recorded in 2001, he sounds remarkably vibrant, completely confident, and totally in his element.

This is the third compilation sampling the blues roster of Alligator Records as it existed in its earliest incarnation. These 15 tunes capture several Chicago blues and modern soul-blues artists, including Elvin Bishop, Katie Webster, The Paladins, A.C. Reed, Roy Buchanan, Lonnie Brooks, Kenny Neal, Little Charlie, Maurice John Vaughn, Tinsley Ellis, Siegel-Schwall Band, Rufus Thomas and more.

This is the fourth compilation sampling the blues roster of Alligator Records as it existed in its earliest incarnation. The style varies greatly from the blues/rock of The Kinsey Report, to the country blues of Elvin Bishop, to the jazz of Charles Brown. The album is the best of the 'HouseRockin' series and offers a link to the various artists of the Alligator label at that stage. The many highlights include Lonnie Mack, Delbert McClinton, Kenny Neal, Tinsley Ellis, Lucky Peterson and William Clarke.