Chicago / The Blues / Today!

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Chicago / The Blues / Today!
Compilation album by Junior Wells , JB Hutto , Otis Spann , Jimmy Cotton , Otis Rush , Homesick James , Johnny Young , Johnny Shines , Big Walter Horton , Memphis Charlie (Musselwhite)

Publication
(s)

1966

admission

Late December 1965

Format (s)

3 LP, 3 CD set, 3 single CDs

Genre (s)

Blues, Chicago blues

Title (number)

42

running time

130: 46

occupation see track list

production

Samuel Charters , Reissue: Tom Vickers

Studio (s)

RCA Studio, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago / The Blues / Today! is a compilation album consisting of three single LPs that was released on Vanguard Records in 1966 and gave the electric Chicago blues a boost. It represents a cross-section of the Chicago blues scene in the mid-1960s, which is what the "Today!" refers in the title of the album.

History of origin

The release of the three albums was a big risk for Vanguard Records , because outside of the African American community, all of the artists on the album, except for Otis Spann , the pianist of the band of Muddy Waters Band, were relatively unknown. Blues records have been heard, especially by jazz fans, since the 1920s, but blues was only perceived as a "degenerate cousin of jazz". Even after the folk revival at the beginning of the 1960s, the knowledge of white music listeners about the blues was largely limited to acoustic blues. The development of the electric blues in Chicago was largely locked out. Samuel Charters, who edited the 1964 Newport Folk Festival recordings for Vanguard Records , was sent to Chicago after this work was completed to document the city's blues music. Charters had previously done reissues of various blues musicians and was a great blues connoisseur. These recordings resulted in Chicago / The Blues / Today!

Impact history

The recordings were very important for individual artists. B. Johnny Shines back to music he had given up in 1958. The recordings put his career back on track. For the record company, the risk paid off too; the three LPs opened up a new audience for the blues, especially among young, white rock fans.

The general aftermath of the album was also significant for the artists. The Chicago scene was frequented by journalists and researchers, and the musicians were given record deals they could only dream of, booked for festivals, and album sales reached numbers they could never imagine.

Ed Ward writes in the album booklet of the CD edition:

"The music is no longer the blues of today , but it is a vital documentation, with no commercialism or thought of the market, a pinnacle of this basic American music." (The music of these discs in no longer the blues "Today!", but it is a vital documentation, recorded without thought of commercialism or marketing strategy, of a cusp in this essential American music.)

Musicians about the album

In the booklet of the CD edition, some musicians comment on the compilation and its effect.

Eric Clapton :

"It's a very important piece of history that has helped me understand the nature of modern blues."

Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top):

"... stands as a promising milestone that shows the liveliness of Chicago, the blues and the future."

Bonnie Raitt :

" Chicago / The Blues / Today! is one of my favorite blues recordings. I learned blues piano through Otis Spann's recordings on this album and the recordings of Junior Wells, Johnny Shines and Otis Rush are among my all-time favorites. "

Track list

CD 1

  • 1 Help Me Wells 4:05
  • 2 It Hurts Me Too (When Things Go Wrong) Wells 2: 44
  • 3 Messin 'with the Kid Wells 2:21
  • 4 Vietcong Blues Wells 4:57
  • 5 All Night Long (Rock Me Baby) Wells 3:44
  • 6 Going Ahead Hutto 2: 03
  • 7 Please Help Hutto 2:53
  • 8 Too Much Alcohol Hutto 2:29
  • 9 Married Woman Blues Hutto 3:06
  • 10 That's the Truth Hutto 2:47
  • 11 Marie Spann 2:27
  • 12 Burning Fire instep 3:14
  • 13 SP Blues Spann 2: 51
  • 14 Sometimes I Wonder Spann 3:27
  • 15 Spann's Stomp Spann 2: 19
  • Tracks 1 to 5 - The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band : Junior Wells (harmonica and vocals), Buddy Guy (guitar), Jack Myers (bass), Fred Below (drums)
  • Tracks 6 to 10 - JB Hutto and his Hawks: JB Hutto (guitar and vocals), Herman Hassell (bass), Frank Kirkland (drums)
  • Tracks 10 to 15 - Otis Spann's Southside Piano: Otis Spann (piano and vocals), SP Leary (drums)

CD 2

  • 1 Cotton Crop Blues Cotton 2: 18
  • 2 The Blues Keep Falling Cotton 4:01
  • 3 Love Me or Leave Cotton 3:25
  • 4 Rocket 88 Cotton 2:02
  • 5 West Helena Blues Cotton 3:27
  • 6 Everything's Going to Turn Out Alright Rush 3:52
  • 7 It's a Mean Old World Rush 2:21
  • 8 I Can't Quit You Baby Rush 3:14
  • 9 Rock Rush 3:32
  • 10 It's My Own Fault Rush 5:55
  • 11 Dust My Broom Williamson 3:15
  • 12 Somebody Been Talkin Williamson 2:14
  • 13 Set a Date Williamson 2:43
  • 14 So Mean to Me Williamson 2:48
  • Tracks 1 to 5 - The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet: Jimmy Cotton (harmonica and vocals), James Madison (guitar), Otis Spann (piano), SP Leary (drums)
  • Tracks 6 to 10 - The Otis Rush Blues Band: Otis Rush (guitar and vocals), Robert "Sax" Crowder (alto saxophone), Luther Tucker (rhythm guitar), Roger Jones (bass), Willie Lion (drums)
  • Tracks 11 to 14 - Homesick James and his Dusters: Homesick James Williamson (guitar and vocals), Willie Dixon (bass), Frank Kirkland (drums)

CD 3

  • 1 One More Time Young 2: 26
  • 2 Kid Man Blues Young 2:59
  • 3 My Black Mare Young 3:40
  • 4 Stealin 'Back Young 3:17
  • 5 I Got Mine in Time Young 4:18
  • 6 Tighten Up on It Young 3:09
  • 7 Dynaflow Blues Shines 2:34
  • 8 Black Spider Blues Shines 3:02
  • 9 Layin 'Down My Shoes and Clothes Shines 2: 27
  • 10 If I Get Lucky Shines 3:23
  • 11 Rockin 'My Boogie Horton, Memphis Charlie 3:26
  • 12 Mr. Boweevil Shines 3:10
  • 13 Hey, Hey Shines 2: 21
  • Tracks 1 to 6 - Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band: Johnny Young (guitar, mandolin and vocals), Walter Horton (harmonica), Hayes Ware (bass), Elga Edmonds (drums)
  • Tracks 7 to 10 - The Johnny Shines Blues Band: Johnny Shines (guitar and vocals), Walter Horton (harmonica), Floyd Jones (bass), Frank Kirkland (drums)
  • Track 11 - Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie: Walter Horton (lead harmonica), Memphis Charlie Musselwhite (2nd harmonica), Johnny Shines (guitar), Floyd Jones (bass), Frank Kirkland (drums)
  • Tracks 12 to 13 - The Johnny Shines Blues Band: Johnny Shines (guitar and vocals), Walter Horton (harmonica), Floyd Jones (bass), Frank Kirkland (drums)

Publications

The original release consisted of 3 LPs released by Vanguard Records in 1966.

In 1999 the company released a 3 CD set containing all three original LPs, but which were digitally edited. The set contains a 47-page booklet with an essay by Ed Ward, memories by Sam Charters (1999) and the original liner notes from 1966. There are no bonus tracks as all songs from the recording sessions were released in 1966 and there were no outtakes.

Each of the three albums is also available as a single CD, which was released in 1989.

Photographs

The cover photo was taken by Samuel Charter's wife Ann, one of the photos she took while she was recording the album on her forays through the South Side of Chicago. She also took the photos of the artists.

Criticism

Eric Olsen writes in his review of the album: It is not much of an exaggeration to say that the original release in 1966 of the three volumes of Chicago: The Blues Today! helped save electric Chicago blues ... This is a must-own if you have any interest in the blues. (It's no exaggeration to say that the release of Chicago's 3 albums: The Blues Today! helped the electric Chicago Saving the blues ... this is a must if you're interested in the blues.)

Michael Erlewine also finds the album excellent in the All Music Guide: This is one of the all-time great blues series ever recorded. Aside from the classic Chess albums (Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin 'Wolf etc.), there is no better introduction to Chicago-style blues than this three-volume set. (This is one of the greatest blues series ever recorded. Aside from the classic Chess albums by Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin 'Wolf, etc., there is no better introduction to the Chicago blues than this three-part set.)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Ed Ward: Today! Chicago / The Blues in: Album Booklet pp. 3–9
  2. ↑ Biography of Johnny Shines ( Memento of the original from July 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / physics.lunet.edu
  3. ↑ It is a very important slice of history which helped me to undersstand the nature of modern blues music. Album booklet p. 27
  4. ↑ Chicago / The Blues / Today! stands as one of this promising landmark that suggests the liveliness of Chicago ... the blues ... and tomorrow as well. Album booklet p. 35
  5. ↑ Chicago / The Blues / Today! series are some of my favorite blues recordings. I learned blues piano from Otis Spann's great cuts on this album and the recordings of Junior Wells, Johnny Shines and Otis Rush are some of my favorites ever. Album booklet p. 47
  6. ↑ a b AMG Review
  7. ↑ Vanguard 1722
  8. ↑ AMG
  9. ↑ AMG
  10. ↑ Album Booklet p. 23
  11. ↑ Eric Olsen Blogcritics.org ( Memento of the original from December 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / blogcritics.org