Song Listing
Disc 1
Song Title
1. Sitting On Top Of The World - Howlin' Wolf ~ Various Artists
2. Fattening Frogs For Snakes - Sonny Boy Williamson ~ Various Artists
3. Key To The Highway - Little Walter ~ Various Artists
4. Take The Bitter With The Sweet - Muddy Waters ~ Various Artists
5. Spoonful - Howlin' Wolf ~ Various Artists
6. So Many Roads, So Many Trains - Otis Rush ~ Various Artists
7. Madison Blues - Elmore James ~ Various Artists
8. Red Rooster, The - Howlin' Wolf ~ Various Artists
9. You Shook Me - Muddy Waters ~ Various Artists
10. Help Me - Sonny Boy Williamson ~ Various Artists
11. Baby, What You Want Me To Do - Etta James (live) ~ Various Artists
12. My Time After A While - Buddy Guy ~ Various Artists
13. We're Gonna Make It - Little Milton ~ Various Artists
14. I Got What It Takes - Koko Taylor ~ Various Artists
15. One Bourbon, One Scotch And One Beer - John Lee Hooker ~ Various Artists
16. I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James ~ Various Artists
Album Notes and Credits
Notes & Personnel Info |
|
| Recorded between 1957 and 1967. | |
| All tracks have been digitally remastered. | |
| This is part of Chess' 50th Anniversary Collection series. | |
| Personnel: Howlin' Wolf (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, Little Milton, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); Muddy Waters (vocals, slide guitar); Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II (vocals, harmonica); Etta James, Koko Taylor (vocals); David T. Walker, Earl Hooker, Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Freddie King, Gerald Sims, Homesick James Williamson, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Johnson, Jody Williams, Luther Tucker, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Pat Hare, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Robert Nighthawk, Albert Lowe (guitar); James Cotton , Big Walter Horton (harmonica); Floyd Newman, Aaron Varnell, Charles Chalmers (saxophone); Bob Neely, Gavrell Cooper, J.T. Brown, A.C. Reed (tenor saxophone); Donald Hankins (baritone saxophone); Gene Miller, David Hines (trumpet); Dewey Oldham (piano, organ); Hosea Lee Kennard, Johnny Jones , Lafayette Leake, Leonard Caston, Otis Spann, Charles Stepney (piano); Vonzell Cooper, Carl Banks, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker (organ); David Hood (electric bass); Clifton James, Roger Dawkins, Earl Phillips, Francis Clay, Fred Below, Richard Waters, Freeman Brown, George Hunter , Al Duncan , Maurice White, Odie Payne, Jr., Sam Lay (drums). | |
| Liner Note Author: Dick Shurman. | |
| Recording information: Chicago, IL (02/08/1957-08/23/1967); Muscle Shoals, AL (02/08/1957-08/23/1967); The New Era Club, Nashville, TN (02/08/1957-08/23/1967). | |
| Photographers: Ray Flerlage; Frank Driggs. | |
| Arranger: Phil Wright. | |
| This second volume of a two-volume entry in MCA's Chess 50th Anniversary reissue series chronicles the second decade of blues classics produced by the landmark company. Although Chess' big four (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson) are all finely represented, influential sides by Elmore James ("Madison Blues"), Otis Rush ("So Many Roads, So Many Trains"), and John Lee Hooker (his monochord boogie treatment of Amos Milburn's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") pepper the mix as well. As Chess moved into the soul market, so it was that latter-day blues sides by Little Milton, Koko Taylor, and Etta James took on a more pronounced R&B edge, and it is these sides that close this compilation in a near perfect bookend fashion. Extra special highlight: Etta James' nitro reading of Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do," recorded live in 1964. ~ Cub Koda | |
Producer: Leonard Chess; Andy McKaie; Phil Chess; Ralph Bass; Rick Hall; Willie Dixon; Billy Davis; Andy McKaie (Compilation) |
|
Technical Info
| Release Date : 03/25/1997 | |
| Original Release Date : 1997 | |
| Catalog ID : 9368 | |
| Label : Chess (USA) | |
| Number of Discs : 1 | |
| Studio/Live : Studio | |
| Mono/Stereo : Mixed | |
| SPAR Code : n/a | |
| UPC : 00076732936825 |
Professional Reviews
Down Beat (8/97, p.60)
- 3 stars (out of 5)
- "...mainstays Wolf, Waters, Williamson and Walter put over likable performances..."
- 3 stars (out of 5)
- "...mainstays Wolf, Waters, Williamson and Walter put over likable performances..."












