Customer Reviews

Memphis Blues

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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This 4-disc set collects over 100 post-war blues sides recorded in Memphis, just about all for Sam Phillips' Sun label (in fact, quite a number of tracks are duplicated on the multi-disc Sun blues box issued a number of years ago). Early sides by such major blues artists as Howlin' Wolf, Little Milton, James Cotton, and Roscoe Gordon are here, but it's usually the lesser known artists that provide the surprises and highlights: Woodrow Adams, Hot Shot Love, Raymond Hill, Pat Hare, and L.B. Lawson all knocked my socks off with their recordings. A number of inclusions are alternate takes. The blues from Memphis offer a wide variety of styles, from boogie-woogie to the deepest down-home heartbreakers. JSP specializes in 4-disc boxes revolving around particular themes, and all of them are superb: lots of music, great selections, the best sound available - all at a bargain price. This set is no exception. Post-war blues fans will find this set a total knockout; I call it a must-have set. Grab it while you can.

As usual, JSP is not shy with the quantity of titles provided in this amazing 4-CD set of Memphis Blues. All of the songs in this collection were recorded by Sam Phillips at his Memphis Recording Services studio between 1951 and 1954, with some of them getting released on his home-grown Sun label. Many of the titles however, were not released until years after they were recorded, due to recording quality issues or due to Phillips' reluctance to market them as hit-parade material.

While some of these songs overlap the ones issued on the Varese 3-CD set "Sun Records: Ultimate Blues Collection", there is plenty of stuff here for collectors and non-collectors alike to go crazy with. The sheer volume of material itself is almost overwhelming but the musical integrity suffers not in spite of.

Sam Phillips had a sensitive nose for talent and this attribute ensured that many who came to his studio looking to make a record were not overlooked. Even Sam Phillip's janitor/plumber got to put down 2 songs (Mose Vinson) and the evidence is that the guy could have made a living as a musician. The long term result of all of this musical activity is that JSP have compiled here, a priceless miniature archive of indigenous Memphis area blues circa post-WW2.

Here also, are some rare and early titles by better-known artists like Earl Hooker, James Cotton, Little Jr. Parker, Little Milton, Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas, Big Walter Horton, Ike Turner, Bobby Bland, and Johnny Ace. All of these artists went on to other labels and more success following the demise of Memphis Recording Services.

The real treasures however, are the numbers waxed by the artists who made a few titles then left the business or vanished. The listener of this set will be treated to much additional pleasure from Doctor Ross, Joe Hill Louis, Jimmy DeBerry, Sammy Lewis, Willie Johnson (who became Howlin Wolf's working guitarist for a while), Willie Nix, and Houston Stokes.

Liner notes by long-term blues booster Neil Slaven are comprehensive and do a good job of drilling directly to the political times, the music business, and to the historical significance of this fine music. Collect this music now while it is still available in an artistically presentable format; it won't stay around like this forever.

Listeners who enjoy the music on this collection are encouraged to seek out the 4 single CD volumes of Memphis and neighbouring area blues, recorded for the Modern Records label (a competitor to Sun Records) around the same time, and re-released recently by Ace Records in England.

Five Stars JSP. Keep it coming.

Just wish this was an 8 CD box set. Memphis Blues follows the simple from the beginning to end format that is really not different. But as I was listening to this box set, which I did almost end to end on my first sit down with the set, I wish for more.

Yes more not less of the Memphis Blues.

And as I am writing this review I wonder if Memphis really is more than a lot of box sets of all kinds of music. I have a very extensive collection of Sun singles and greats. A very extensive collection of Stax materials. Of Hi Records materials. I have visited Memphis many times. Seen Issac Hayes in gold chains, BB King, Albert King, and many of the greats. Visited just a few months ago to fill in more of my understanding and appreciation of Memphis. The wife taking in all of Graceland and a re-introduction of that side of Memphis.

But Memphis is the Blues first. Up from the Delta from the Cross Roads from the cottom fields from the field and river songs of yesterday.

This is captured in this CD box set. Just wish it was an 8 CD box set.