Customer Reviews

Blues Masters: The Very Best of

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's encouraging to hear contemporary artists like Keb Mo', Robert Cray, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd carry on the blues tradition into the new millennium. However, I'm always drawn back to the originals like Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf and of course Lightnin' Hopkins.

This newly packaged collection of songs from Rhino is an excellent companion to Rhino's 1993 anthology Mojo Hand. The Very Best of duplicates seven tracks from that release and focuses on Hopkins' work from 1947 to 1961, but offers enough new material to make this a worthwhile purchase. And with Hopkins' lack of loyalty to any one record label, no fewer than seven different labels are represented on this 16-track collection.

On many of these songs Hopkins performs solo accompanying himself on guitar (and adding piano on "Mighty Crazy"). On a handful of tracks he is backed by a bass player and on "Shotgun Blues," a second guitarist. Only on "Conversation Blues" and "Last Night Blues" is there a full band of bass, drums and harmonica (provided by Sonny Terry) backing Hopkins.

This is an excellent introduction (or addition) for fans of acoustic Texas folk/blues performed by one of the genre's greatest practioners. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The blues do not get any bluer than this. This was my first foray into Texas/folk blues, and it will most certainly not be my last, as the music on this CD are some of the most representative blues music I have ever heard. One of my favorite songs is a song sung by both Hopkins and Sonny Terry, Conversation Blues. If you do not like this song, the blues are simply not for you! But every song on here is exceptional, something I had not expected as I picked this up more out of curiosity than anything else. Now, it is one of my favorites to listen to, right up there with Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters. The album covers Hopkins career for a 20 year period, from 1941 to 1961, and is ideal for anyone who is starting out their Hopkins' collection(as I was).

Sam "Lightning" Hopkins learned the blues, at least in part, from Blind Lemon Jefferson, and for a time even became his guide. Let the music on this CD be your guide to Texas/folk blues. Surely there can be no better guide for an introduction into this genre.

A definite 5 star pick, especially for all that Rhino has managed to pack on here for the inexpensive price. A must have.

One thing to note however: If you believe from the outset that you will come to love Hopkins' music, Rhino's release of "Mojo Hand" is recommended; it is a 2-CD set of Hopkins career. Either way, you will not go wrong.

I have enjoyed this album, it is like old time Blues you would hear in rural areas where things are simpler and sung and played like it was. Bars and night clubs had one to three people in a group performed by regular folks who worked hard for a living and enjoyed a good time.

The songs on this CD were recorded between 1946 and 1961. They cover a wide range of his songs. The instrumentation is spare, with--normally--only Hopkins or playing or only a couple other backing players (sometimes we don't even know who the other musicians were). This is unelectrified blues, hearkening back to an earlier era in the history of the blues.

A handful of examples of his work on this CD:

"Baby please don't go." The cut features simple and spare guitar work by Hopkins. The liner notes comment that (page 12): "They say he only knew three chords on the guitar. I say that made him greater. . . .I saw how he turned technical limitations to aesthetic advantage." He repeats the title line several times to set a tone and atmosphere and implores her not to go to New Orleans. Hopkins plays alone, with no backing instruments.

"Mighty Crazy", too, features no backing musicians. He surely displays a "lived in" voice. He begins the song, as with "Baby please don't go" with a repeat of the title four times.

Finally, "Mojo Hand," one of his better known works. This cut features a nice rhythm section backing him (musicians' names not known). This has some of the best recording quality on the CD. He shows animated singing and spare but effective guitar work.

The liner notes summarize Hopkins' place in the blues world (pages 11-12): "Lightnin' Sam Hopkins was one of the towering geniuses of American music. At a time when big-city blues was electrifying the world, Lightnin' brought us back to the basics. He infused his country sensibility and singular personality into every song he sang." This represents a nice introduction to the work of one of the finest blues players.

i thought that the cd was no better than ok. if you've never heard lightnin' sam, it will expose you to his work but i thought the selection was mediocre and the quality of the recordings was average to poor.

i'm a huge fan of deep south blues..this is really passionate blues..some blues get on my nerves not enough passion and repetitive you get none of that with lightnin' hopkins he sings writes and played from the heart and fantastic collection by a superb artist that's up there with the best blues artist's

i.e jimmy page,jimi hendrix peter green muddy waters....

the reason i got into lightnin' hopkins was because i was watching a program on john peel's record box and "mojo hands" was in that box and they had about 30 seconds of performance footage i was hooked by the sheer brilliance..my best of it vagely different to this compltation but as i see there has been many that shine the torch on the brillance that is lightnin' hopkins

Just wanted to say that Item was every thing I expected of it and your attention and response to order was outstanding. will most probably be ordering from you again.

Bought this CD as a gift and he really loves it. He grew up listening to Lightnin' Hopkins, so it really brought back some good memories for him.

A classic from a little known, at least by me, talent. Lightnin Hopkins is easily one of the best blues artists I ever heard. This is down home, back in the day, drafty shack wif dee leaky roof Blues.