Customer Reviews

Deluxe Edition

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Koko Taylor has been hailed as "Queen of the Blues" for forty-five years. Born Cora Walton in Mississippi in 1928 (according to her own website), she made her first recordings for Chess Records in Chicago, but signed with Bruce Iglauer's Alligator Records in 1975 when Chess went under.

This 2002 compilation brings together 14 songs from her first seven Alligator albums. And the good people at Alligator Records have included a new song, of course, just as you knew they would. If they can make a few thousand diehard fans buy 14 songs they already have in order to get one new one, they'll do it. (It's a really great song, by the way.)

Still, "Deluxe Edition" is a really fine collection, no doubt about that.
The opening track is a somewhat predictable rip-off of Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy", and a couple of numbers are a little bit too polished for their own good. But most of what is here is top-notch. Koko Taylor has a deep, powerful voice which sounds like it was meant to sing the blues, and she excels on tough, swaggering grooves like "Come To Mama" and "Beer Bottle Boogie". Her brand of blues is the real thing, no pop, no blues-rock, no jazz, just down and dirty electric Chicago blues arranged by people who knew what they were doing, and Taylor is equally convincing on soulful R&B numbers, dirty mid-tempo blues grinds, and a smouldering rendition of Etta James' soul ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind". It's just too bad that one of the best songs of her career, "Find A Fool, Bump Her Head", is missing.

Again, this is an excellent compilation. The only "problem", if you will, is that almost all of Taylor's original albums are so good that you are actually missing out on a whole lot of good music if you only ever buy this compilation. But "Deluxe Edition" is a really good place to start, no doubt about that. Just remember that albums like "The Earthshaker", "Force Of Nature" and "I Got What It Takes" are just as good!

Before marrying "Pops" Taylor, Koko Taylor was Memphis native Cora Walton. She had a number of hit songs on Chess records in the 1960s. After her time at Chess she went without a record label until she signed with Alligator Records; this 2002 collection is taken from those seven studio albums and one live album.

DELUXE EDITION consists of 15 songs, including one live recording (track 8) and one previously unreleased track (track 7), recorded 1975-1999 (most from '78-'93). Disc packaged in clear jewel case; total running time: 64:07. Booklet includes track information, but it is not easily discerned. There is also a six-panel fold-out with a mini-poster on one side; the other side is an assortment of captioned photographs, a discography (that does not provide release dates), and a short essay. Sound quality is excellent.

Track listing & info:
01. I'm a Woman [1978] mid-tempo, from "The Earthshaker"
02. Beer Bottle Boogie [1985] up-tempo, from "Queen of the Blues"
03. Born Under a Bad Sign (with Buddy Guy: vocal & guitar) [1993] mid-tempo, from "Force of Nature"
04. Mother Nature [1993] mid-tempo, from "Force of Nature"
05. Hey Bartender [1978] up-temp, from "The Earthshaker"
06. I'd Rather Go Blind [1981] ballad, from "From the Heart of a Woman"
07. Man Sized Job [1998/1999] up-tempo, previously unreleased
08. Let the Good Times Roll (LIVE) [1985] mid-tempo, from "Live from Chicago - An Audience with the Queen"
09. Voodoo Woman [1975] up-tempo, from "I Got What It Takes"
10. Wang Dang Doodle [1978] mid-tempo, from "The Earthshaker"
11. Stop Watching Your Enemies [1987] slow-tempo, from "Jump for Joy"
12. Sure Had a Wonderful Time Last Night [1981] Jazzy up-tempo, from "From the Heart of a Woman"
13. Come to Mama [1985] mid-tempo, from "Queen of the Blues"
14. Time Will Tell [1987] ballad, from "Jump for Joy"
15. Blues Hotel (with B.B. King: vocal & guitar) [1999] up-tempo, from "Royal Blue"

Familiar songs include "Born Under a Bad Sign", Etta James's "I'd Rather Go Blind", "Come to Mama" (recorded by Ann Peebles), "Let the Good Times Roll", and a remake of her own 1965 hit "Wang Dang Doodle".

This is a really fun CD. Koko Taylor is very deserving of the title "Queen of Chicago Blues" and any other accolades she receives. She has a powerful voice, as amazing as Bessie Smith, Mahalia Jackson, Big Mama Thornton, and Etta James. Long live the queen!

Typcially nice Alliagtor Deluxe Edition that is a retrospective of the artist (sorta of a greatest hits). Few have had a longer tenure with the label that the "Queen" of the Blues Koko Taylor and this nicely samples her various albums. She belts out a number of tunes that are associated with her the most with some special guests on some tracks but the finest moments are Koko herself belting out her songs with so much feeling and authority. Hopefully if you are new to her, this will inspire you to check out more stuff by her

Koko belts it! That's all there is to say. She is UN-BE-LEEEEE-VABLE. And this disk is no exception. I also have 3 others. If you have not heard Koko Taylor belt blues, and you are (as I am) a lover of blues, this is a must! This is the greatest thing since "canned Peanut butter."
Enough of the flattery. If you like blues, this is an essential CD to add to your collection. Simply, each and every cut on the disk is, in it's own right and in my estimation, a piece of blues history.......... Aquire it and see for yourself.

If you have stumbled across this page because you are looking for a great blues CD to add to your collection, then congratulations--you have found it. If you buy this CD, or any other CD by Koko Taylor, you will be rewarded with moving songs that hit you right in your gut. In other words, this is not background music. This is music for when you actually want to listen to music. Koko need only sing one note and I have chills from head to foot. Not a lot of artists can do that to me. This is the real thing.

This is her very best. I have been collecting her records for about a year now and when i listened to this record I think it sums up all of what Koko is about. She doesn't play and is very rough. No one in this universe can replicate her voice.Her growls are scary as a wolfs.When she sings with other blues singers the song just can't get any better. This is a collectors Item. This is a good CD to listen in the car or in the house or a gift to someone. If you have never heard Koko sing well by this record because it will show you what she is all about.

The choice of songs in this collection is outstanding, because it superbly showcases Koko's enormous talent at its very best. Backed by some of the best musicians in the business, she belts out her trademark tunes with power, attitude and conviction. This collection is a MUST for the die-hard blues fan, and it's also a great way to introduce new audiences to the "Queen of the Blues" and her music. Keep making the music, Koko . . . your fans love you!

This cd is fantastic. If you like deep southern blues sung by a woman you'll love this one. Her raspy voice will get your attension and you will want to listen to her all day long. Lynn From St Louis Mo.

Nobody sounds like Koko. She is great, and I mean there are no bad songs. Every song is a classic. Excellent CD.

This truly is the definitive collection of Koko Taylor's great output. Not only does it show her at her best, but the backing musicians are also among the greatest. Highly recommended!