Amazon.com: A good introduction to modern guitar-based blues, Pure Blues features classics by Muddy Waters, Freddy King, Bobby Bland, and John Lee Hooker, along with recent blues stars like Stevie Ray Vaughan and his followers Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang. While attributing classic status to Susan Tedeschi's "Just Won't Burn" may chafe some purists, this comp clearly wasn't intended for the die-hard blues fanatic. But as an introduction, it illustrates the blues tradition and its influence on rock (and rock's influence on the blues) quite nicely. For fans of the Allman Brothers (whose version of Blind Willie McTell's classic "Statesboro Blues" is included) or Eric Clapton's work with Derek & the Dominos or for dad at Christmas, this would make a good gift. Also, if this manages to inspire anyone to pick up Etta James's classic Tell Mama set, the folks at UTV will have done the world a service. --Mike Johnson
Disc 1:
Mean Old World - Eric Clapton/Duane Allman
Good Morning Little School Girl - Jonny Lang
Shame, Shame, Shame - Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Flood Down In Texas - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Smoking Gun - Robert Cray
Just Won't Burn - Susan Tedeschi
Little Red Rooster - Luther Allison
Let Me Love You Baby - Buddy Guy
Statesboro Blues - The Allman Brothers Band
Spoonful - Howlin' Wolf
(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters
Have You Ever Loved A Woman - Freddy King
Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton
Big Boss Man - Jimmy Reed
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - John Lee Hooker
Smashing array! What else can be said? Read the other reviewers comments, as they sound very seasoned on whats good. I, for one, have been into the blues for a few years and bought this CD. Awesome stuff!! Makes me want to smoke a fat cigar and sit on my back patio with shades on at night time. Er, well.....a really good compilation. Buy it and you won't be disappointed.
You like blues? You'll like this! This starts off with Eric Clapton and Duane Allman singing "Mean Old World" and ends with B. B. King singing the classic "The Thrill Is Gone." In between, works of blues artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers Band, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Freddy King, Jimmy Reed, Albert King, Etta James, and others. WOW! If you like blues, you'll like this eclectic CD.
Some examples:
"Mean Old World." Clapton and Allman do a nice job here. Spare guitar work and raw blues vocals. This is a Little Walter song, and Clapton and Allman do it justice.
"Shame, Shame, Shame." Kenny Wayne Shepherd takes this song on. There is some nice scorching blues guitar work and fine blues vocals. This is a neat cut! Blues fans will enjoy. . . .
"LIttle Red Rooster." Oh, yeah! One of Willie Dixon's best compositions. Mick Jagger and the Stones did a nicer turn on this. Here, Luther Allison is the artist. This is another fine rendering of this work. Great guitar work, fine vocals. Outstanding!
"Hoochie Coochie Man." This is the real deal. Muddy Waters himself takes on this Willie Dixon song--and as soon as I say it's Muddy Waters, I need say nothing further. This is another terrific cut. I get goose bumps listening to this one.
"Hound Dog." Elvis did a version of this that stood the United States ion its head. Before Elvis, Big Mama Thornton sang an earlier version. What a treat! Listen and compare her version with Elvis'. Hers is absolutely great blues and I find it compelling. This is 2:50 of raw blues. Wow!
The final cut on this CD--"The Thrill Is Gone." One of B. B. King's best! Forget its popularity and get back to the music itself. This is a great work. His spare guitar work is more effective than some rock guitarists who spew out zillions of notes--with not a scintilla of the effectiveness of King. Stunning!
There are many other fine works, too.
In short, if you are interested in blues, from all manner of singers, you will find this most satisfying. 5 stars without any question!
Good all around blues compilation This is a good blues CD if you're looking for one with artists spanning many decades. It has older stuff as well as some of the latest artists. I enjoyed it although some of the songs are a bit lengthy.
A must-have for a blues fan This CD has some great music on it. My only gripe is that they included two or three tracks that got overplayed on FM radio, like "Smoking Gun" and "The Thrill Is Gone". The first track, with Eric Clapton & Duane Allman is awesome and it alone, in my opinion, makes this CD worth buying.
A great CD I own a pretty extensive collection of blues CD's and also DJ. I find compilation CD's a good alternative to burning my own since it's pretty easy to have a glitch in the copy process show up "live". This is one of my favorites that I play a lot simply because of the great mix of artists and styles. This CD packages some very popular tunes from several eras into one very good CD with excellent sound quality and balance. Buy it and you won't be sorry.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
