Customer Reviews

Johnny Winter

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1969 album is one of Johnny Winter's best and bluesiest.
Here he is at 25, backed by Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughan's bass player in the 80s), drummer John Turner, and occationally his brother Edgar (Winter's brother, not Turner's!) on piano and saxophone. Chess stalwart Willie Dixon even pays a visit, as does harmonica ace Walter Horton who blows the harp on a great "Mean Mistreater".

While most every other white blues singer in the late 60s was trying to make the blues more palatable to the mainstream pop audience by toning it down a little, Winter makes no concessions to pop sensibility at all. His guitar playing is pure and savage, yet he never resorts to meaningless shredding, and his prowess on the acoustic slide guitar is impressive...just listen to his self-penned "Dallas", a perfectly authentic slice of Delta blues.
This exquisitely remastered 2004 reissue also adds three bonus tracks, including a slightly longer version of the aforementioned "Dallas" which finds Winter backed by bass and harmonica (the version originally issued is a solo performance). "Country Girl" is a gritty mid-tempo boogie, and "Two Steps From The Blues" is a surprisingly sleek, soul-flavoured rendition of the Bobby "Blue" Bland number. It clashes a bit with the rest of the album, but it also gives Johnny Winter a chance to show off his abilities as an R&B-crooner.

There is barely a weak track on this fine record. Contained here is some of the best and certainly most authentic blues ever recorded by a white bluesman, and "Johnny Winter" is the perfect introduction to the albino guitarist, as well as being one of his two or three best albums. And this expanded edition features a newly written essay in addition to the original liner notes, as well as the best sound ever.
4 1/2 stars - highly recommended.

That day in 1969, I bought this album, put it on my hi-fi, and found out what blues guitar was all about. This is one of a handful of albums that I always have kept close at hand and updated. I saw Winter live in 1970 in Columbia, SC. He had then picked up Rick Derringer and was touring about the South with The Allman Brothers. I will never forget the sight of Winter thrashing about the stage his fingers a blur of white lightening: His pale skin and white hair were so exaggerated because he was otherwise totally dressed in black. What a show that was. Until this album was released, I thought I had heard what rock/blues guitar sounded like via the albums of Cream, Hendrix and the like...but for my money, if it's pure, nasty, sliding blues guitar you want, you won't do much better than this album. It's a classic sounding as good today as it did 37 years ago; it's truly one of a kind. This is definitely an album for anyone who loves the blues and wants their collection to be complete. This is a no brainer...

This is the record that started the Johnny Winter storm and this beautifully expanded edition is what this cd deserve. Amazing sound and great enhaced booklet, what else could you ask for?! I hope they reissue all Johnny's album this way!!!!!!!! I don't waste time talkin' about Johnny cause if you're reading this you already know the guy and if you don't you'd better start from here. See you all!!

Thanks to the reviews that came before mine. I had been looking for a Johnny Winter cd (having nothing by him) and the reviews on this page convinced me to start here.

Glad I did. As a guitarist I am blown away by Winter's approach to the blues. No compromises to the current music scene going on in '69. This guy just brought the serious, serious blues to this album. He burns through a set of standard blues songs leaving the listener dumbfounded.

His brother, Edgar, joins him on a couple of tunes with keyboards and horns. Most of the songs are performed with just bass and drums backing up Johnny's guitar.

The sound of this remastered cd is incredible. I still have a hard time believing this was recorded in 1969. The only let down - it's kind of short. But that's not a real drawback. It's so good you'll just put it on replay or shuffle.

Along with the original album artwork you get a short but informative write-up on what led up to the recording sessions for this debut.

If you're a fan of Hendrix, Page, Clapton, and Beck and haven't heard Winter then this just might be like Christmas day for you.

I bought this album in 1969 when I was in high school, and I was completly blown away. By the time I graduated from college I had pretty much worn it out. This year I "rediscovered" it on CD. It's still one of the best examples of blues guitar I have ever heard, and I've been listening to it at least once a week for the last 5 months. I'm still trying to figure out which version of "Dallas" I like better. (The next album I bought was BB King Live and Well, but that's another story).

I am a novice when it comes to the blues. I picked up this disc somewhat on a whim after hearing a small clip online and i'm glad I did. This disc is amazing. I don't know what blew me away more, the vocals or the guitar playing. I can't decide on which is best. All I know is that I enjoy this disc very much.

Johnny Winter is quite simply excellent on guitar and vocals, John Turner and Tommy Shannon Round out his trio solidly and guest appearances from Water Horton, Willie Dixon and John's brother Edgar make the music excellent. The songs "I'm Yours and I'm Hers" and "Dallas" are quite different and both great, excellent sound quality and liner notes.

I originally bought this LP 36 years ago. It is still my favorite album of all time. This new release just reinforces my opinion!

Quite a lot of Blues Styles on this album. Johnny brings Willie Dixon, Walter "Shakey" Horton (harp), Edgar Winter & Tommy Shannon (Bass, who would later go on to be in Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble)onboard for his debut album on Columbia. Johnny does every kinda blues here.
Whips out The Dobro for a raw, Gut-Bucket Robert Johnson cover (When you've got a Good Friend)to a slick & polished Ray Charles cover (Drown in my Own Tears).
He also throws in some real rockers. The Drum Beat That Uncle John Turner does on Good Morning Little Schoolgirl is worth the price of admission. I had this album when I was about 12 and it still does it for me. It is definitely one of my all-time favorites! And now with re-mastered sound and the addition of Extra tracks! Buy this and if you can "Johnny Winter And Live " It was recorded at the Fillmore East in NYC.
Live Johnny Winter And

Prior to 1969, Johnny Winter was an established, regional artist in Texas, but it was with the release of "Progressive Blues Experiment", and this, his debut on Columbia Records, that he gained national attention. In 40 years of personal record-collecting and appreciation of recorded music, I would place this album on my top ten favorites list of all time. I simply never tire of listening to this visceral, heartfelt rendition of the blues. He never puts a note wrong. Even after playing this record perhaps a thousand times, it still sends chill up my spine.

Johnny himself was never able to top this material on subsequent recordings. This record is a watershed in the history of recorded blues music, at least, the Texas blues genre as performed by white people. And, no one is more white than Johnny Winter.