Chess Box [Box set]

Willie Dixon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: November 22, 1988
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Chess
• ASIN: B000002P8I
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,319 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Jazz > Jive Jazz
  • #3 in Music > Blues > Regional Blues > West Coast Blues
  • #6 in Music > Blues > Piano Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Best known for his work as a songwriter, producer, and talent scout, singer-bassist Willie Dixon essentially built Chicago's Cobra and Chess labels with his sweat. Although this double-disc set does include five performances by the man from Vicksburg, Mississippi, himself, it's really a testament to his songwriting prowess, packed with recordings that made his tunes classics of blues and early rock & roll. There's Howlin' Wolf tearing through "Spoonful," "Little Red Rooster," "Evil," and "Back Door Man." There's Muddy Waters belting "You Shook Me," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and "I'm Ready." There's Bo Diddley delivering "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" and Koko Taylor launching her career with "Wang Dang Doodle." The set features excellent liner notes, and its only disappointment is that its label-centricity excludes Dixon's work for Cobra with then-youngsters Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. --Ted Drozdowski

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD

This top-shelf tribute, two discs plus a twelve-page booklet, has three dozen acclaimed or forgotten tunes written by Dixon that showcase the impudent urgency of electric Chicago blues between 1951 and 1968. Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, and seven more singing headliners all vent their respective optimism, disquietude, or resentment while treating his provocative lyrics. So do, in instrumental terms, a passel of responsive musicians. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dixon IS The Blues On The Essential 2CD "Chess Box", April 24, 2000

By 

Anthony G Pizza "trivialtony" (FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chess Box (Audio CD)

Willie Dixon gave the blues (and, by proxy, rock and roll) much of its identity and personality. As a songwriter, he created some of music's most indelible images: the Back Door Man, Little Red Rooster, Hootchie Coochie Man, and Seventh Son. He not only gave British and Southern rock and roll much of its early repetoire, but his songs became their monikers ("Spoonful," "Pretty Thing"). He played bass on many seminal Chess Records sides (for Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry), and himself recorded several first-class singles.

Chess celebrates Dixon's legacy on the 2-disc "Chess Box," and hearing these original versions is a revelation after exposure for years to their classic rock covers. Hear Waters' "You Need Love," and "You Shook Me," Little Milton's "I Can't Quit You Baby," or Sonny Boy Williamson's "Bring It On Home." Led Zeppelin covered these over their first two LPs, but could only amplify the raw power of Dixon's original words and melodies.

Dixon's prowess also shows through his influential bass work and the sides he did solo and with his group, The Big Three. Highlights here include "Crazy For My Baby," the humorous "Walkin' The Blues," and the acoustic "Weak Brain, Narrow Mind."

So, applying Willie Dixon's place in music history to freshman logic class goes like this: Dixon once named an album, "I Am the Blues." He also said in the liner notes, "As long as American music survives, so will the blues." Therefore, as long as American music survives, so will the songs of Willie Dixon. "The Chess Box" proves that to be no boast.Essential.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting addition to the "Chess Box" series, November 16, 2003

By 

Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chess Box (Audio CD)

Willie Dixon is the featured performer on only six of these thirty-six songs. But he is there on the rest as well, composing, producing, playing bass, and usually taking a back seat to stars like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and Bo Diddley.

All of these songs are written and composed or co-composed by Willie Dixon, including classic blues hits like Little Walter's "My Babe", Bo Diddley's "Pretty Thing", Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man", and Howlin' Wolf's magnificent "Hidden Charms" with its fiery guitar solo.

But there are many other superb songs here as well, including lesser-known tracks like the delightful jazzy number "Violent Love", performed by Dixon, guitarist Ollie Crawford, and pianist Leonard Caston, and Dixon's own performance of the catchy "29 Ways".
Eddie Boyd's "Third Degree" is here too, co-written by Dixon, and from Howlin' Wolf's incredible catalogue comes "Evil", along with "I Ain't Superstitious", and "Little Red Rooster".
Little Milton performs "I Can't Quit You Baby" (usually associated with Otis Rush), Willie Mabon contributes the excellent "Seventh Son", and Muddy Waters' "I Just Want To Make Love To You" ranks among the highlights as well, as do Little Walter's rendition of "Dead Presidents" and Jimmy Witherspoon's take on "When The Lights Go Out".
Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) usually composed his own songs, but he pops up as well, doing "Bring It On Home".

Willie Dixon's "Chess Box" is a great collection of 50s and 60s blues, proving if proof was needed that Dixon deserves his place alongside the greats of Chess Records, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Rice Miller.
Furthemore, the sound is impeccable, and this fine set includes a well-illustrated and annotated booklet.
4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Songs of Chicago, December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Chess Box (Audio CD)

Looking at the track listing for this album shows just what an impact Willie Dixon's songwriting had on Chicago Blues and popular music in general. The list of Chess artistes featured on this album speaks for itself. This is almost the "Best of Chess".

It's remarkable the number of songs on the album that were covered or "expanded on" by bands of the sixties and seventies: "I Just Want To Make Love To You" and "Little Red Rooster" - The Rolling Stones. "Spoonful" - Cream. "Back Door Man" - The Doors. "You Shook Me", "Bring It On Home", "I Can't Quit You Babe" and "You Need Love"(Whole Lotta Love) - Led Zeppelin. It's also worth noting that several songs we normally associated with Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf were in fact penned by Dixon.

"Third Degree" was covered by Eric Clapton in recent years. "Evil" is an excellent vehicle for Howlin' Wolf's voice. "Mellow Down Easy" has an unusual rhythm. "I Just Want To Make Love To You" is probably now better known for the Etta James version, rather than the Stones, thanks to TV. "I'm Ready" is one of my favourite Muddy Waters tracks. It's a perfect example of that unique Chess "sound". Little Walter's harp sound in the solo is unearthy.

Disc 2 features a series of classic Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters songs, with fine guitar from Hubert Sumlin on the Wolf tracks. There's a change of mood for the acoustic "Weak Brain, Narrow Mind", one of 5 tracks featuring lead vocals by Willie Dixon. He plays bass on many of the songs.

I would recommend this album to anyone you has enjoyed the covers of these songs, and is interested in hearing the originals. Or indeed to anyone who likes Dixon, Wolf, Muddy, or any of the artistes featured.