Hooker [Box set]

John Lee Hooker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B000IU3YN2
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,867 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Blues > Regional Blues > Detroit Blues
  • #98 in Music > Blues > Delta Blues

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Boogie Chillen'

2. Sally Mae

3. Black Man Blues

4. Hobo Blues

5. Hoogie Boogie

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Dimples

2. Every Night

3. I'm So Excited

4. I Love You Honey

5. Tupelo Blues

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

2. Let's Go out Tonight

3. Bottle Up and Go

4. Let's Make It [Live]

5. King of the World [Live]

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Baby Lee

2. I'm in the Mood

3. The Healer

4. Mr. Lucky

5. I Cover the Waterfront

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There's perfect symmetry in the way this four-disc anthology opens with a raw, solo acoustic 1948 rendition of John Lee Hooker's signature tune, "Boogie Chillen'," and then closes a half-century later with Eric Clapton teaming with Hooker on the same tune. Though the Mississippi bluesman who relocated to Detroit has been justly celebrated for his spellbinding repetitions and primal incantations, this comprehensive set shows just how much more range and depth there was to Hooker's music than basic boogie. Beyond the influential hits--"Dimples," "Boom Boom," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" among them--the set shows his music touching on everything from religion ("Moses Smote the Water," "We're All God's Chillen") to sociopolitical commentary ("Democrat Man," "King of the World"). Even so, sensual pleasure remained his prime inspiration, and few bluesmen have made sex and liquor sound as sexy and intoxicating as Hooker did. Included are selections from his career revivals spurred by disciples (1970's teaming with Canned Heat, 1989's Grammy-winning collaborations with Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, and others), but the most powerful Hooker is the earlier stuff that cuts closest to the bone. It may be surprising that it has taken Hooker this long to be memorialized with a comprehensive box set, but when you consider how many labels he recorded for (almost all of which he outlived) and under how many different names (Texas Slim, Johnny Williams, et al.), it’s quite an achievement that this set even exists. --Don McLeese

Product Description

John Lee Hooker, master bluesman and undisputed father of boogie, recorded for more than 30 labels over a span of 50 years. Amazingly, he has never had a definitive career box set, until now. Hooker is an 84-track, 4CD set that culls material from all eras of his lengthy career, produced in conjunction with his estate to serve as the definitive tribute to his legacy. Includes collaborations with Canned Heat, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Ry Cooder, Charles Brown, Los Lobos, Eric Clapton to name a few. Special packaging - Long form carton with matt celloglaze finish including 4 CDs in jewel cases, 60 page longfrom booklet. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cream of the Crop, November 25, 2006

By 

Freddie Green ""All around nice guy"" (Northeastern New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hooker (Audio CD)

Whether or not one will buy this killer box set may depend on the amount Hooker material you have in your collection. There's no question that this magnificent box set is the dinfinitive collection of John Lee Hooker material. It covers his entire recording career from the late 40's through the 90's. Still, it's a drop in the bucket considering the vast wealth of material he recorded over his 50 year career. One wouldn't be able to carry or afford his entire recording output. For new fans or people who may be a little "thin" with Hooker material, this is, without a doubt the way to go. As for me, I'm OK with John Lee Hooker cd's, but I do see this on my shelf in the near future. I mean what the heck, it's all Hooker and it's all good.
I do think they could of extended the set to another disc of material, along with a DVD of vintage Hooker in concert. They did it with the recently released Buddy Guy box set, "Can't Quit the Blues", with rave reviews. Anyway, no matter which way you slice it, you're getting quality John Lee Hooker material with this set. I consider this box set essential.
One more note for anyone who may be interested in early Hooker material. There's a 10 CD box set out there with vintage, mostly solo, Hooker recordings. I'm talking Johnny Lee with only guitar and a big o'l stomping foot. This isn't recomemmed for wimps, strictly die hard fans who enjoy this type of stuff. The better news is that the set is under $25.00. If you type in John Lee Hooker through Amazon, you'll come up with about 600 Hooker titles. You'll get a headache looking at all of them. But, if you type in John Lee Hooker: Portrait, which is tha name of this killer box set, you'll come to the page of this box set. I got a little pissed because the page didn't include any info on the set. I mean, I like to see what I'm buying. So I bought the set, brand new for around $25.00. I wrote a reveiw on it, and painstakenly inclucded the entire track listing, so anyone who may be interested can see the song titles. Remember, this set is for die hard fans only!!
I hope this reveiw helped all fans of John Lee Hooker. Thanks for reading.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine survey, January 2, 2007

By 

Timothy G. Niland (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hooker (Audio CD)

This lavish boxed set is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive survey of John Lee Hooker's lengthy career. Hooker was active for more than 50 years, and in the early years recorded under a variety of pseudonyms so this is quite a daunting task. The first couple of CDs cover the early groundbreaking solo recordings he made for labels like Modern where his ominously pounding foot and over-amped guitar propel classics like "Boogie Chillun" and "Let Your Daddy Ride." Slowly expanding his band to include second guitar (usually Eddie Burns) and drums he moved on to Vee-Jay and Chess for the blasting "Mad Man Blues" and deep down in the alley for "Tupelo Blues." After years toiling on the blues circuit, the blues revival found him touring around the world as the "king of the boogie" and disc three shows him recording with the blues-rock band Canned Heat on "Burning Hell" and waxing his immortal ode to alcoholism, "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." The final disc shows the elder statesman/lion in winter recording with a variety of blues and rock luminaries most successfully a simpatico relationship with Van Morrison that produced two gems, "I Cover the Waterfront" and "Don't Look Back." The liner notes and discographical information is very good with nice essays and photographs. Longtime Hooker collectors will have most of this music already, but those looking for an overview of the great musician's entire career should be pleased.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 discs of pure blues!, December 24, 2006

By 

MPQ (San Diego, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hooker (Audio CD)

This Cd set is a bit pricey but is out there for about $40.00 if you look hard enough. What a set! If you like blues, and I mean REAL blues, you will love this. If you're the type of blues fan that needs loud, fast , Stevie-Ray wanabees on CD, this is not for you. This set is way over due, has great sound, and spans Hooker's entire career. This guy was the real deal and there are few of his kind left. If you really love pure blues, this set will not disappoint.