CD-Charts Position 1
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Essential Collection

by: Muddy Waters

Release Date August 07, 2000
Depend who this is supposed to be essential do-the newcomer to the Urban blues which influenced the British blues bands or essential as the biggest songs are here.Big via other people not especially Muddy who I don't think troubled the pop charts.
Which is besides the point-the pop charts are only a mirror to public taste.
In the U K Muddy waters was represnted in the 50s by a solitary EP which retailed at the same price as Cliff Richard or Elvis so it died a death and was only there because Decca were licensing product from Chess having only just obttained the catalog.
Muddy Waters was also a very unlikely artist to aim his music at the charts for the simple reason that while he may have introduced Chuck Berry to Chess he ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Blues Breakers

by: John Mayall, Eric Clapton

Release Date December 15, 2000
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Dog House Music

by: Seasick Steve

Release Date November 27, 2006
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

CD-Charts Position 4
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The Collection

by: Howlin' Wolf

Release Date September 25, 2000
A welcome budget price collection by one of the most charismatic and influential blues artists of all time. Many of Wolf's best known numbers are here, commencing with 'How Many More Years' from his first session in 1951 in Sam Phillips' Memphis studio, and continuing through the 1954 to 1965 period with Chess Records. The material is licensed from MCA, and therefore in excellent sound quality, with stereo mixes being used on some of the later dates. Just reading the titles reveals that most of the essential tracks are present, including the ones that were to feature strongly in the white blues boom of the 1960s: 'The Little Red Rooster', 'Spoonful', 'Killing Floor', and the inevitable 'Smokestack Lightnin''.

Wolf's songs were notable for their innovative ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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The Best Of

by: John Lee Hooker

Release Date February 01, 2001

This was one of my earliest Hooker purchases and remains one of my absolute favourites.

The track selection is very good - given the HUGE number of Hooker recordings, its often hard to find a compilation without 2 or 3 duds, but this CD is an exception (apart from Baby Lee, which I've never rated).

Throughout, you are treated to the great man's totally distinctive sound - his stark, plain but striking voice and guitar, all of it entirely unadorned and unembellished - just a great master growlin' and howlin' and pickin' the blues!

An excellent sample of JLH's work, and one that has remained a favourite despite the passing years and expanding blues collection. You won't be disappointed.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Robert Johnson - The New Transcriptions

by: Robert Johnson

Release Date May 10, 1999
I have had this book for at least 1 to 2 years. I have dipped into it many times whilst trying to figure out how certain RJ songs go. Personally I am confused how they figure out the exact amount of detuning and capo positions but place my faith in the authors.
The tunings don't always agree with other sources such as Scott Ainslie, Rory Block etc. I guess you have to decide for yourself.
An authoritive book, coupled with the original recordings - enlightening.

CD-Charts Position 7
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I Started Out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left

by: Seasick Steve

Release Date September 29, 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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A Hard Road

by: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers

Release Date October 30, 2006
Where is 'Greeny'? I just can't believe it. The most stunning, emotional bluesy Peter Green song and it is not on this otherwise brilliant album. I now have to dig deeper and purchase the double CD version which is quite a bit more expensive just for this one track alone.
Why, oh why, oh why?

CD-Charts Position 9
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The Best Of

by: Sonny Boy Williamson

Release Date July 17, 2000
The music on this compilation is magnificent, I didn't give it 5 stars only because it lacks the listing of musicians on each track (some of which are true blues legends themselves).
In this period he recorded with Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and others, so it would be nice to have the correct info on that.

Otherwise, this is classical stuff; both vocally and instrumentally...

BTW, if my ears don't decieve me, the performer of "Like Wolf" (track 18) is Howlin' Wolf , although the authorship of the song is attributed to Williamson.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Fleet Foxes

by: Fleet Foxes

Release Date June 16, 2008
HELLO? HI, THIS IS A GOOD ALBUM, THE SONGS ARE GOOD, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, IT MAKES YOU THINK.