Customer Reviews

Crucial Harmonica Blues

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

 

 

The tracks with Cephas and Wiggins, the harmonica champ Sonny Terry, and Billy Boy Arnold (best known for his work with Bo Diddley) are the standouts here. Among the many good collections of Harmonica music (particularly of the blues variety), this is highly recommended budget-friendly stuff that is for the casual fan of good music as well as the practicing harmonicist.

Various Artists
"Crucial Harmonica Blues"
Alligator Records ALCD 115

Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell continue the protégé and mentor tradition on "Have Mercy". Blues harp doesn't get any better than that. Under-rated Bell appropriately adorns the disc's cover. With one `whew', you will recognize the brown jug, country blues of Sonny Terry on "Sonny's Whoopin' The Doop". Junior Wells could combine funk, grease and sweat like no other. Experience it on "Broke and Hungry". James Cotton's "Superharp" remains one of the best harp-blowin' tunes ever, while fiery Carey Bell shows why he now reigns as best harpist/vocalist on "Lonesome Stranger".

Do these artists and songs qualify as Crucial Harmonica Blues? You're damn right they do.

-- Tim Holek

Alligator Records hit it right on the head when they named this series, "Crucial". As in this is a crucial series that every Blues fan should add to their CD collection. I bought this CD because I'm new to the Blues and wanted to find a few new artists to add to my collection. This CD introduced me to several artists that I have now added to my collection buy purchasing several other CDs. This CD starts out with an up tempo and rousing romp with Charlie Musselwhite's "Make My Getaway" and then moves on to a Harmonica Duet by Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell. The Gems just seem to roll out one after another from there. Among the notables on the CD are Legends like Billy Boy Arnold, Sonny Terry, Junior Wells, Delbert McClinton and James Cotton. I not only recommend this CD from the Crucial Blues series but all of them, especially for new comers to blues material.

It is a great collection, that harmonica lovers will enjoy - BUT it's also a great CD to give someone not all that familiar with harmonica playing. There is enough variety on here for everone to find a style they love.

I was disappointed in this collection. I expected more variety of harp-playing styles (bending acoustic, electric, a couple of harp-solo songs). There's no reason for the chosen Delbert McClinton song to even be on this CD. Paul Butterfield or Magic Dick would have been a much wiser choice. Spend $2 more and get Blues Harp Greats; it's a better collection.

I wanted a blues harp album, but didn't know where to start. I came across this album, composed of blues harp pieces from harp masters like James Cotton, Carey Bell, and Charlie Musselwhite, and found the price too good to pass up. As an introductory album it was well worth it, and provides exposure to a wide range of blues harp: the songs cover a 30 year period, from 1972 to 2002, each of the twelve tracks is by a different harp great, and blues styles vary from piece to piece. It offers plenty of value for the money, too, with a run time of 47:58.

As a side note, this album is composed of selections from other albums available from Alligator Records. The insert lists the albums in question, along with a picture of the album cover and a short description.

The bottom line: almost 50 minutes of blues harp from some of the the all-time greats, at a price that won't put a hole in your wallet. Yes, it's worth it.

The CD exceeded my expectations as a learner harmonica player. Received in good order and on time.

Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty good collection, but crucial? I don't think so. It should be re-named "A pretty good collection of blues harmonica from a diverse group of cats, ancient and modern", but of course, the name's too long.