Customer Reviews

I'm John Lee Hooker

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With his second-coming which began in 1989 with the release of the star-studded The Healer, you can't walk into a music store and swing a dead cat without hitting a John Lee Hooker album. But at age 80, Hooker is well past his prime and real fans of the blues would be better served by digging deep into this blues giant's voluminous catalog. Because of the many labels Hooker recorded for beginning with his classic sides for Modern in 1948, it can be a daunting task. While nearly anything Hooker has recorded is worth listening to, the neophite fan would do best to stick with Hooker's albums recorded for Modern, Chess and Vee-Jay.

This album was first released in 1960 by Vee-Jay, again in 1991 by Chameleon, and now by Collectables. The standout tracks are the four featuring Hooker performing solo while keeping the rhythm with his foot pounding a piece of plywood as he plays his boogie guitar licks and sings in that distinctive deep voice. Those four tracks ("Hobo Blues," "Boogie Chillun," "I'm In the Mood" and "Crawlin' Kingsnake") were first recorded on Modern, but these versions are all first-rate. The other eight tracks include a second guitar, bass and drums.

While not as essential as The Legendary Modern Recordings 1948-1954 or Rhino's excellent 2-disc The Ultimate Collection, I'm John Lee Hooker is certainly one of his top ten recordings. [And keeping in mind the more than one hundred albums currently in print, that says a lot.] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Very nice. A lot of variety here. Sounds nice too. Serves as a good intro to John Lee but works for me even though I have many other discs and albums by him.

This John Lee Hooker album,it my opinion is his best overall single album,featuring new renditions of some of his best songs "Boogie Chillums", "Hobo Blues", "Crawling Kingsnake" mixed with some nice soulful full band arrangements without losing that great solo Hooker feel. Some of these particular versions wound up on the orginal "Blues Brothers" movie soundtrack! A Great introduction for peopel new to John Lee and an essential collection for the hardcore John Lee Hooker Fan like me!

"Dimples" "Boogie Chillun" "I'm In The Mood" "Crawling Kingsnake" These are all essential songs by John Lee Hooker and they are all right here. It is a shame that this CD is apparantly out of print. Released on VJ in 1959, Hooker shows all the power that most people who listen to his later stuff find so appealing. If you can find it, buy it immediately. It is worth the search and the purchase. I liked it so much that I got it on vinyl and CD. It is a staple of my blues collection.

I'm John Lee Hooker: Yes indeed, He IS John Lee Hooker and this album is The Real honest to God Blues album you've been looking for. This thing THUMPS (in all the right ways) from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

I used to listen to this stuff all the time on tape. When it came time recently to get this on cd or ipod, it is strange how hard it is to get this version of "Boogie Chillun." Try to get the 2:30 length version instead of the original 1948 which is around 3:10. This is the one I like better and the one on Elwood's stereo in The Blues Bros movie.