Customer Reviews

Complete Chess Recordings

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This is Jimmy Rogers complete output of work from Chess Records. Muscians take note in the many styles that Jimmy encompasses throughtout his work which shows through the sophistication of the songs(learning from the likes of T-bone Walker and Tampa Red).Just a very enjoyable body of work by one of the Blues greats who influenced people like Freddie King and Otis Rush. Excellant singer also!!!!!

USA released in April 1997 as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations "The Complete Chess Recordings" is a 2CD set containing 51 tracks. It gathers up the A&B-sides of 13 singles between 1950 and 1957, 11 songs from the 1976 2LP Chess retrospective "Jimmy Rogers" and then tags on 14 previously unreleased tracks (1 on Disc 1, 13 on Disc 2).

I've filled in the catalogue numbers below by way of a discography - so MCA/Chess CHD2-9372 breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (74:28 minutes):
1. That's All Right
2. Luedella (Chess 1435, A&B sides)
3. Goin' Away Baby
4. Today, Today Blues (Chess 1442, A&B sides)
5. I Used To Have A Woman (Chess 1506, A-side)
6. The World's In A Tangle
7. She Loves Another Man (Chess 1453, A&B sides)
8. Money, Marbles And Chalk (Chess 1476, A-side)
9. Hard Working Man (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
10. Chance To Love (Chess 1476, B-side)
11. My Little Machine (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
12. Back Door Friend (Chess 1506, B-side)
13. Crying Shame (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
14. Mistreated Baby (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
15. The Last Time (Chess 1519, A-side)
16. What's The Matter (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
17. Out On The Road (Chess 1519, B-side)
18. Left Me With A Broken Heart
19. Act Like You Love Me (Chess 1543, A&B sides)
20. Blues All Day Long (Blues Leave Me Alone) (Chess 1616, B-side)
21. Chicago Bound
22. Sloppy Drunk (Chess 1574, A&B sides)
23. You're The One (First Version) [Previously Unreleased In The USA]
24. You're The One (Chess 1616, A-side)
25. If It Ain't Me (Who Are You Thinking Of) (Chess 1643, A-side)

Disc 2 (70:23 minutes):
1. Walking By Myself (Chess 1643, B-side)
2. I Can't Believe
3. One Kiss (Chess 1659, A&B sides)
4. What Have I Done (Chess 1687, A-side)
5. My Baby Don't Love Me No More (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
6. Trace Of You (Chess 1687, B-side)
7. Don't You Know My Baby (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
8. Don't Turn Me Down [Previously Unreleased In The USA]
9. Looka Here [Previously Unreleased]
10. This Has Never Been (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
11. Rock This House
12. My Last Meal (Chess 1721, A&B sides)
13. You Don't Know (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
14. Can't Keep From Worrying (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
15. Luedella (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
16. Act Like You Love Me (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
17. What Have I Done (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased In The USA]
18. My Baby Don't Love Me Anymore (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased In The USA]
19. Trace Of You (Alternate) (1976 2LP Set "Jimmy Rogers: on Chess 2CHMD-207)
20. Don't You Know My Baby (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
21. Don't Turn Me Down (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
22. This Has Never Been (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
23. Rock This House (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
24. My Last Meal (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
25. You Don't Know (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]
26. Can't Keep From Worrying (Alternate) [Previously Unreleased]

Willie Dixon and/or Leonard and Phil Chess produced the original recordings in Chicago and top engineer ERICK LABSON has remastered the first generation tapes for this release (has over 900 credits to his name and has handled huge swathes of the Chess catalogue). Given the notorious limitations of the original recordings, the sound quality of the remaster is typically excellent - except on "Don't Turn Me Down" which was dubbed from disc.

The 16-page booklet has liner notes by MARY KATHERINE ALDIN (of the "Living Blues" magazine) who did such great work on the "Spoon So Easy" Jimmy Witherspoon CD and the "Chess Blues" 4CD box set of 1993 (see separate reviews). The bevvy of previously unreleased 'Alternate' takes are excellent too and the sessions featured big draws for blues collectors - Little Walter, Otis Spann, Walter "Shakey" Horton and even Muddy Waters.

Jimmy Rogers (real name James Lane) died in 1997 at the ripe old age of 73 - the year this set came out. At least he is remembered well by it.

A rare release now - but absolutely worth hunting down.

Like his Muddy Waters Band contemporary, Little Walter, some of Jimmy Rogers' best work was done before he went solo. After "Luedella" broke in 1956, Rogers had already become yet another star in the galaxy that was launched by Waters' seminal band. Although the two Chess "Muddy Waters: His Best" would serve as the ideal introduction for both Rogers and Little Walter, I think this disk would be a good buy for anyone interested in Rogers guitar style or anyone that might be interested in hearing the Muddy Waters Band without Muddy Waters on lead vocals. Recommended, but not essential though the craftsmaship is, of course, superb and influential throughout.

Jimmy Rogers never stayed in the spotlight like his companions Muddy Waters and Little Walter. This collection of his Chess recordings shows that he would have deserved more attention. He did not have as many hits as Muddy and Walter and accordingly the collection only contains two CDs. Chess concentrated on the hitmakers. Don't let that detract you because this is high quality blues that still deserves to be heard.

I've had most of these recordings in my collection on vinyl and cassette since the early-mid 1970s and I consider them to be mandatory staples in any and every serious blues collection. To have them all under one cover on 2 CDs is, well, music to my ears! I can not overstate how great this music is if you love the blues!