Customer Reviews

Complete L.O.C. 1940

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This is an amazing tour of the world of Blind Willie McTell, circa 1940. Recorded in a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia, with John Lomax, McTell plays some amazing guitar and talks about his life as a blind musician. In one incredible sequence he describes in voice and guitar the history of the blues. Equally incredible is Lomax's stunningly insensitive prompt to get McTell to play a "complaining song," one describing how whites mistreat the blacks, and McTell's sensitive evasions to do so. A time capsule of race relations in that time and place. Any lover of Blind Willie McTell and his music should own this CD.

This is a very good collection of spirituals, blues and rags, played and sung with panache for the Lomax field-recording clan. It's rare to hear McTell singing hymns and he's a remarkably moving, if not sincere, performer of these religious numbers. The slight flaw with this disc is inconsistency, as McTell was apparently asked to provide samples of the different types of material he knew. The disc has a unity of purpose, however, that makes it more listenable from start to finish than most compilations of 78 rpm blues recordings. The conversation between McTell and the Lomaxes is VERY interesting, as others have noted here. McTell is asked about Blind Willie Johnson, and from the tone of the inquiry it sounds as if the Lomaxes thought they had the other "Blind Willie" when they arranged this recording session. (That would account for the initial preponderance of spirituals.) This is a remarkable historical document and a superior McTell disc.

Just an incredible recording. Anyone who likes Mctell and/or acoustic blues should own this CD. Mctell's 12 string slide playing is breath taking. An amazing talent playing his usual excellant material. I can't say enough good things about this CD or Blind Willie.

What makes this music album important and utterly fascinating are the non-musical spoken dialogs between Mr. Lomax and Mr. McTell. There are precious few extended recorded interviews from the 20's and 30's with "original" [sic] blues players in their prime; this could well be the best. Hearing Mr. McTell speak about his life and music is a trip and a half; he comes across as a very intelligent, focused professional, and he has some perspectives on blues that I have never heard elsewhere. Musically, this is not "Blind Willie McTell's Greatest Hits".... (although I have great fondness for all of these tunes.) ... so if you are looking for Mr. McTell's best music recordings, this CD may not suit you. But this particular recording brings a mythical blues figure to real life, and it is wonderful that it is available.

This CD compiles everything recorded by Blind Willie McTell for the Library of Congress, including a handful of often fascinating monologues (or, in some cases, dialogues with the ageing and obviously racist John A. Lomax).

The sound is reasonably good, and there are plenty of excellent cuts here, some blues tunes, and numerous religious songs as well. McTell's playing is masterful as always...the only "problem" with this CD is that all of these tracks are available on JSP's phenomenal Willie McTell-box set "The Classic Years 1927-1940", so there's really not much point in going out and buying this disc unless you already have McTell's commercial sides and just want the LoC recordings to go with them.

If you are a fan of oldschool acoustic blues get this C.D. for real this C.D. is awesome you get to hear Blind Wllie McTell like you have never heard him before it's very interesting to get to hear any blues legend from Blind Willies era talk and especially to hear him get interveiwed from one of the Lomaxes. Here Blind Willie kicks back and plays some songs from his childhood, and his era (early 1900's) tells you the history of the blues this may also be the only C.D. where Blind Willie plays slide (on a 12 string!) after hearing this I'm almost convinced Mr. Lomax thought he had come across Blind Willie Johnson that may be the reason McTell plays slide and sings some spritual songs (Willie McTell is more known as a ragtime player) any ways get it I feel very privlaged to own this . Thank you amazom.com & Libray of congress 5stars all the way. Oh yeah there are some excellent songs on here : muder's home blues, dying crapshooters blues, bo weevil blues just to name a few

If you are a fan of oldschool acoustic blues get this C.D. for real this C.D. is awesome you get to hear Blind Wllie McTell like you have never heard him before it's very interesting to get to hear any blues legend from Blind Willies era talk and especially to hear him get interveiwed from one of the Lomaxes. Here Blind Willie kicks back and plays some songs from his childhood, and his era (early 1900's) tells you the history of the blues this may also be the only C.D. where Blind Willie plays slide (on a 12 string!) after hearing this I'm almost convinced Mr. Lomax thought he had come across Blind Willie Johnson that may be the reason McTell plays slide and sings some spritual songs (Willie McTell is more known as a ragtime player) any ways get it I feel very privlaged to own this . Thank you amazom.com & Libray of congress 5stars all the way. Oh yeah there are some excellent songs on here : muder's home blues, dying crapshooters blues, bo weevil blues just to name a few