Definitive Leadbelly

Leadbelly | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 21, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Catfish UK
• ASIN: B00006373O
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #631,509 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2008 three CD set from one of the singular most important Blues artists of all time. Features 75 Leadbelly classics including 'Jim Crow Blues', 'Ain't Going Down To The Well No More', 'Sweet Mary Blues', 'Midnight Special' and more. Complete Blues. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Leabelly CD's Are Great, But..........., May 5, 2006

By 

P. Layer (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Definitive Leadbelly (Audio CD)

The Definitive Leadbelly cd box set is a well-worth investment, especially for the first-time Leadbelly listeners, but there a few flaws with this compilation:

1. The version of 'Goodnight Irene' on the first disc is of great sound quality, but Catfish Records seem to cut this song off about 40 seconds early. This bothered me a lot.

2. If you can find this box set, go ahead and buy it, just be careful that the seller actually has it, not just something listed by a power-seller or on some internet store. Since Catfish Records is a British-based record company, it is harder to find this compilation in the United States.

3. The booklet contains little information. Besides a good biography, it only has a song list in the back 2 pages of the booklet. It has no information pertaining to when and where the tracks were recorded. Not even composer rights are listed in this booklet, but the composer information can be found on [...] ,Leadbelly recorded several of his songs more than once, so it's pretty hard to figure out where to go from here for more Leadbelly CD's.

Besides these few little flaws, it is a great collection if you can find it. The sound quality is, for the most part, awesome (considering the recordings are about 65 years old)!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Compilation, March 4, 2004

By 

Aaron Smith (Woodcliff Lake, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Definitive Leadbelly (Audio CD)

For some reason very few people know about this compilation. I'm not sure why, as it's definitely the best Leadbelly compilation on the market. The sound quality is great, it's comprehensive without being too long, and it's got great liner notes. The way the songs are divided on the discs is great too. Disc one contains most of the big hits, making it a sort of greatest hits album, while discs two and three contain more rarities and alternate takes. Definitely recommended for any Leadbelly fan or anyone looking for an introduction to the artist.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Bargain, October 7, 2002

By 

John W. London (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Definitive Leadbelly (Audio CD)

This is a wonderful set of 3 CDs. The sound quality is terrific. How they clean up these old recordings is a wonder! If you're not familiar with him, Leadbelly's style is stiff and somewhat formal, but he grows on you. His 12-string playing is fairly simple, with occasional boogie-woogie riffs. He was influential though and a friend of the folkies of his day - Woody Guthrie, the Weavers, Pete Seeger, etc. This collection is a great buy.