Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection

Various Artists - Blues - Modern/Electric | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Alligator Records
• ASIN: B0000009WW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,283 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #53 in Music > Blues > Harmonica Blues
  • #99 in Music > Blues > Regional Blues > Texas Blues

Editorial Reviews

compilation, soul, R&B, country, pop, rock, general interest, novelty, blues, anniversary collection. alligator record label

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good old blues, February 20, 2002

By 

Bob Davis (Christchurch New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour - Live! In Concert (Audio CD)

Amazon keeps inter-mixing the reviews for the 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection' album and the similarly named 'Alligator Records 20th Anniversary tour' album. So I will include a review of both here to set the record straight.

The 'Collection' album is by far superior to the 'tour' album. The collection has many artists on show and offers a bit of everything. The best tracks are AC Reed's 'These blues are killing me' with SRV brilliant on guitar, Little Charlie and the Nightcats with 'Rain', Roy Buchanan's classic 'Drowning on dry land', Koko Taylor with 'That's why i'm crying', Katie Webster with 'Pussycat Moan', Son Seal with 'Going back home' and Hound Dog Taylor and the classic 'Give me back my wig'. The album is uneven as you would expect for a label show case but well worth it as a introduction to a variety of blues styles and artists.

The 1993 20th aniversary tour album has only Li' Ed, (the late) Kattie Wester, Elvin Bishop, Lonnie Brooks and Koko Taylor. The album does typify Alligator records music that by my definition is mostly reasonable blues without being great. This live album has plenty of energy and is listenable, but fails to scale the heights I expect of the blues.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I discovered most of my favorite blues artists from this CD, November 13, 2000

By 

Darren Burton "virtualbloodhound" (Ogden, Utah United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

Alligator records has some serious talent on it's label. Many of them are big names that you will recognize if you have been into blues for very long. I have tried samplers from other blues record labels and have been very disappointed with the mediocre talent on their label. Usually there are only one or two people -out of fourteen or fifteen - that stand out on other blues samplers. You will recognize that the vast majority of artists on Alligator Records are true talents - even if you don't like their style. This album is definitely worth the investment.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars They're all here, March 26, 2002

By 

Eric E. Weinraub (Issaquah, Washington United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

The reviewer who said that SRV was not on this set obviously did not read the liner notes, which indicate that SRV played on the Lonnie Mack tracks from the Strikes Like Lightening sessions. The other artists the reviewer stated that were not there ARE, but are not the featured artist on the tracks.

I bought this set, and the 25th, when they came out and was really wowed by what I heard. Houndog Taylor is my favorite, followed closely by Koko Taylor and Albert "Master of the Telecaster" Collins. There is some really fine musicianship, great feel, and real respect for the blues displayed on this set.
Higly recommended.