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Hudy (or "Huddie") Ledbetter was a songster, a folk singer, a blues singer and a gospel singer, and "Take This Hammer" is an excellent compilation of Leadbelly's 1940 Victor recordings, showing his versatility and the power of his huge, resonant baritone.
On half of these 26 tracks, Leadbelly is joined by The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet (a vocal ensemble); the rest are solo performances. The sound is exceptionally good for 64-year-old recordings, and while "Take This Hammer" is not an exhaustive career overview, it does include many of Huddie Ledbetter's best and best-known songs, including "Pick A Bale Of Cotton", "Alberta", "Yellow Gal", "Alabama Bound", "Rock Island Line", "The Midnight Special", "TB Blues", and the title track. The presence of The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet on tracks 1-6 and 15-21 lends a new dimension to Leadbelly's songs, adding texture and depth to them without robbing songs like "Can't You Line 'Em" and "Whoa Buck, Back" of any of their power. These sides have inspired artists from Muddy Waters to Aerosmith (!), and they are also some of the most accessible Hudy Ledbetter ever recorded.
Originally released in 1965 on Smithsonia Folkways, these wonderful recordings are an essential part of Hudy William Ledbetter's recorded legacy.
Highly recommended.
Top reviews from other countries
FrizzText - Didi van Frits
heraustreten aus der welt des kommerz ...
Reviewed in Germany on April 24, 2004Tamnaceol
Half these tracks ain't solid enough for the train -
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2010