CD-Charts Position 21
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Anyway The Wind Blows

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: J.J. Cale

Release Date June 02, 1997
A masterpiece as it has the capacity to satisfy many types of listener:

JJ Cale fans will enjoy the breadth of material

Casual fans will enjoy the consistent high quality of music

Newcomers are bound to be swayed by the fact that the music shows the influence or roots of many a popular artist's set - Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Clapton.

What talent!

CD-Charts Position 22
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5

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: J.J. Cale

Release Date December 03, 2007
This is a great album, my favourite. Let's Go to Tahiti, Friday,Thirteen Days, Don't Cry Sister, Sensitive Kind. This was made for CD, 15 years to early. Okay I like JJ,but this to me is the peak. And Eric Clapton hasn't covered a single track of this!

CD-Charts Position 23
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Me and Mr. Johnson

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Eric Clapton

Release Date March 22, 2004
'Me and Mr Johnson' has some solid playing from EC and his love and mastery of Robert Johnson's musics is pretty evident on this album. I think the reason why this album gets slated as much as it does is because the terrible Simon Climie production relegates it to the 'elevator' music described by other reviewers. The music and playing are pretty good (although without the fire and passion of 'From the Cradle') but the production is yet again flat and uninspiring. When will EC learn everyone hates this style of production and it does nothing for his music? This album is very polished and slick, which detracts from the rawness of the blues played, but there are some good tracks here and it's a good homage from EC of Johnson's amazing playing and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 24
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Crossroads: Original Soundtrack

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Ry Cooder

Release Date October 01, 1999
Thankfully the 80s hair metal duel is excluded from this album. Cooder's slide at the beginning of the duel is great, but the song then descends into something more suited to 'This is Spinal Tap'.

The soundtrack contains an interesting take on Robert Johnson's 'Crossroads', a haunting version of Lenoir's 'Down in Mississippi', the awesome 'Nitty Gritty Mississippi', great slide on 'Feeling Bad Blues' and 'Walking Away Blues', and wonderful gospel vocals on 'Somebody's Callin' My Name'.

CD-Charts Position 25
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Strong Persuader

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: The Robert Cray Band

Release Date January 22, 1991
I have the first 6 or 7 albums (on vinyl) by Robert Cray and I believe this is the one to buy first. Possibly the best known songs are the title track and 'Smoking Gun' but really they're all great, especially the first five tracks. He can definitely play but it's the singing and the song writing which come to the fore.

Well worth buying for soul and blues fans alike.

CD-Charts Position 26
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Down By the Jetty

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Dr. Feelgood

Release Date December 31, 1993
I love showing people my vinyl version of this masterpiece and I boast about how I bought it second hand for 2.50 at Scorpion Records in High Wycombe. Mono sound and monochrome cover - a little piece of understated history!

CD-Charts Position 27
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Riding With the King

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Eric Clapton, B.B. King

Release Date June 12, 2000
I really wanted to like this album. Two icons of R&B getting together again to cover some classic tracks. Unfortunately, this album is anaesthetic, tame and bland. Maybe 4 out of the 12 tracks are worth listening to. Clapton mumbles away in the background and spoils perfectly good music with muffled vocals and most of the track choice is at best uninspired.

Probably the notable exception is "Key to the Highway", which, along with "Riding with the King" is among the few highlights of this album. The musicianship is brilliant but it's so TAME!

What this pair need to to is get up on stage with George Thorogood and hammer it out instead of sitting in their rocking chairs telling everyone what fine guitarists they are while they pluck a few fine ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 28
Average Rating:

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20 Beat Classics

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Georgie Fame, The Blue Flames

Release Date March 26, 1991
Georgie Fame could do little wrong from the moment he burst into the public consciousness with the no.1 hit, 'Yeh Yeh'. Not surprisingly, this collection of mid-1960s recordings opens with this and his follow-up chart-topper, 'Get Away'. These are among the poppier tracks, along with Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny' and 'Sitting In The Park', a languid, summery hit. All of the music contained here though is jazz-inflected r&b, led by Fame's organ, husky vocals and complemented by brass. Most of the tracks are uptempo and reflect a buoyant and exciting musical era. The album is a capsule of swinging Britain as we like to imagine it, even if the image isn't the truth. Perhaps the only mistake is the cover of 'Green Onions'. It's actually a good track in its own right, but against Booker T's awesome ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 29
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Stayin' Home With The Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Freddie King

Release Date July 21, 1997
Freddie King is very rocky with a Texas style bluesman and this album really displays it. You can clearly see where guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter got some of their style from. This album is a great representation of his work with some great songs. For me as a young guitarist I would rate this as first class to any of the other blues influences and modern bands I have heard. Its an awesome album definately worth getting.

CD-Charts Position 30
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Blues Alive

CD-Charts > Music > Modern Blues
by: Gary Moore

Release Date May 10, 1993
People who are indifferent about Blues music need not apply. For everyone else this album (along with others Moore has done) really rewrites the rules for blues guitarists and fans of such everywhere. I reckon Gary Moore ranks in the top five guitar players in the world EVER, and I would rather listen to this virtuoso irishman than Eric Clapton any day.

If you met somebody who had no idea what Blues music sounds like and they ask you to give them a taster, you could do no better than to play them 'The Sky Is Crying' or 'Jumping At Shadows' from this CD.

A word of warning though. Only invest in this CD (which comprises entirely of live material recorded at various concert venues), if you like your guitar players loud fast and full on. If you cut your teeth listening ... Read More: