Harp Blues Various Artists (Themes)

£11.70

Genre:
Blues
Label:
Ace Records
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDCHD 710

It's hard to think of another musical instrument that is so closely associated with the blues as the humble harmonica or "harp". Since the 1920s - one hundred years after its invention - blues musicians have taken advantage of its low cost, volume and portability and have made some of the most influential of 20th century music. In the hands of early masters like DeFord Bailey and Jaybird Coleman the harp rose above its earlier status of a simple novelty instrument, while Jazz Gillum and John Lee "Sonny Boy #1" Williamson helped to define the sound of post-war blues bands. From the early 1950s, the harmonica became a key component of the blues almost entirely due to the recordings of the musicians on this compilation.

A quick glance at the track listing reveals that just about every post-war harmonica player of note is here together with some rather more (undeservedly) obscure names. (No Sonny Terry, you say? Well, he's blowing on Cousin Leroy's Up The River). Legendary figures rub shoulders with rather less familiar names. To the initiated, however, Eddie Hope's A Fool No More, Papa Lightfoot's Wine, Women And Whiskey and Little Willy Foster's Little Girl are long-time classics. Legendary Sun recordings like Jimmy (de Berry) & Walter (Horton)'s Easy and Dr Ross' Chicago Breakdown are interspersed with masterpieces from the Chess studios by Little Walter (Juke) and Jimmy Rogers (If It Ain't Me) and Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley and Eddie Taylor are among the accompanists.

Recorded between 1947 and 1968, this collection includes several of the greatest examples of harp blues ever recorded and with several tracks appearing on CD for the first time, it's bound to be a popular blues release on Ace.

By Big Joe Louis

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Track listing

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Side 1

  • 01 Preview Wine Women, Whiskey - Papa Lightfoot

  • 02 Preview Walking By Myself - Jimmy Rogers with Big Walter

  • 03 Preview Chicago Breakdown - Doctor Ross

  • 04 Preview Ninety Nine - Sonny Boy Williamson

  • 05 Preview Steady - Jerry McCain

  • 06 Preview Up The River - Cousin Leroy

  • 07 Preview Sweet Home Chicago - Little Junior Parker

  • 08 Preview Sleeping In The Ground - Sammy Myers

  • 09 Preview Monkey Doin' Woman - Shy Guy Douglas

  • 10 Preview Found Love - Jimmy Reed

  • 11 Preview Roller Coaster - Little Walter & His Jukes

  • 12 Preview Ride With Your Daddy Tonight - Frank Frost

  • 13 Preview All Night Long Aka Rockin' And Rollin' - The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

  • 14 Preview A Fool No More - Eddie Hope & Manish Boys

  • 15 Preview Howlin' Wolf Boogie - Howlin' Wolf

  • 16 Preview Need My Baby - Shakey Horton

  • 17 Preview Little Girl - Little Willie Foster

  • 18 Preview Bring Another Half Pint - Sonny Boy Williamson

  • 19 Preview I Ain't Got You - Billy Boy

  • 20 Preview Easy (I Almost Lost My Mind) - Jimmy & Walter

  • 21 Preview Western Union Man - Chicago Sunny Boy (Joe Hill Louis)

  • 22 Preview What's This I Hear? - Shy Guy Douglas

  • 23 Preview Rocket 88 - The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

  • 24 Preview West Helena Blues - George Smith

  • 25 Preview Boogie Twist - Snooky Pryor

Delivery & Returns

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We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

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You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Press quotes

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This set comes very highly recommended. In fact if you don't find much to enjoy here, not only do you not like harp blues, you probably don't like blues at all.

Blues & Rhythm

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