Customer Reviews

Plays 12 String Guitar Blues

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Because he had commercial success with crossover audiences considerably beyond his 1950s/early 1960s contemporaries and elders, it's easy enough to forget that Jimmy Reed proved himself a topflight bluesman in his own right. Here is the perfect place to begin appreciating or re-appreciating Reed (as the Rolling Stones certainly did - they covered his "Honest, I Do" and often cited him as an influence equal to the influence folks like Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry had on them). Three of his signature hits are here: "Baby What You Want Me To Do," "Big Boss Man," and the particularly unforgettable "Bright Lights, Big City," which is still as gripping a blues jukebox classic as they come.

The rest are up to that standard and then some, laced as they are by the trademarks of Reed's deceptively easy grooving singing and harmonica playing style, Eddie Taylor's Delta-meets-the-city guitar playing, and the fingerpop backbeats. This could as much be called an extant of swamp music (Reed hailing himself from Louisiana) as it could be called R and B (as it was in its own day), so thick is the sound and the groove. Maybe VeeJay was a little clumsy with his album releases (and even album titles, or do you REALLY think Reed's real bread and butter was his playing a 12-string guitar?), but Collectibles is doing the blues world a huge favour by bringing Reed's original albums back in print, where they belong. So what if he was almost a pop star with those crossover hits? Since when is a little commercial success enough to disqualify someone as the authentic article? Jimmy Reed earned his place among the seminal postwar American bluesmen. Here's where the dues began to be paid in full.

My first music by Jimmy Reed and its sure worth the money. I think I have about worn it out since it arrived 3 days ago. Put it on sit back and listen but it wont be long and you are up swaying to the beat. Even my 5 year old granddaughter came in dancing and said "Oh My that is good music". By all means if you like blues get this one.

I bought the LP in 1964 and played it to death. 12 string guitar had become popular as a lead instrument on songs like Walk Right In. Jimmy Reed was also at the height of his popularity in Britain, and every self-respecting beat group had some of his songs in their set. I can't remember if I bought my 12 string guitar before or just after buying this album, but either way the two events were connected and I learned all the tunes on the album, featuring them in my live set. The sound was so different from other blues, purely because of the tune being played on a guitar rather than being sung, and because of the sound of the guitar itself... With hindsight, it was clear that the tracks were re-recordings of some of his earlier hits, with top quality session musicians providing the backing. Some of the tracks were also released with vocals, instead of 12 string guitar, elsewhere on record. The sound was punchy, exciting, and pretty unique... It was great to get a copy of the album on CD, but I have two issues: the album is very short, and why not include the mono version as well? My mono record is far more powerful sounding; although the CD is a true stereo recording, the sound lacks focus and loses much of the impact. I guess most old recordings sound better in mono - even The Beatles! But it was nevertheless a real treat to acquire this rare gem and to relive the excitement of hearing the album for the very first time!
P.S. My guitar just happened to be light blue, like the one on the sleeve, so I guess I bought it after the album!