Chess Blues Classics: 1957-1967

• Artist: Various Artists
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1997
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Blues

Review

This second volume of a two-volume entry in MCA's Chess 50th Anniversary reissue series chronicles the second decade of blues classics produced by the landmark company. Although Chess' big four (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson) are all finely represented, influential sides by Elmore James ("Madison Blues"), Otis Rush ("So Many Roads, So Many Trains"), and John Lee Hooker (his monochord boogie treatment of Amos Milburn's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") pepper the mix as well. As Chess moved into the soul market, so it was that latter-day blues sides by Little Milton, Koko Taylor, and Etta James took on a more pronounced R&B edge, and it is these sides that close this compilation in a near perfect bookend fashion. Extra special highlight: Etta James' nitro reading of Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do," recorded live in 1964. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Sitting on Top of the World	Walter Vinson, Lonnie Chatmon	Howlin' Wolf	(2:34)
Fattening Frogs for Snakes	Sonny Boy Williamson	Sonny Boy Williamson	(2:22)
Key to the Highway	Big Bill Broonzy, Charles Segar	Little Walter	(2:47)
Take the Bitter With the Sweet	James Burke Oden	Muddy Waters	(3:08)
Spoonful (Lyrics)	Willie Dixon	Howlin' Wolf	(2:46)
So Many Roads, So Many Trains	Marshall Paul	Otis Rush	(3:12)
Madison Blues (Lyrics)	Elmore James	Elmore James	(2:25)
The Red Rooster (Lyrics)	Willie Dixon	Howlin' Wolf	(2:29)
You Shook Me (Lyrics)	Willie Dixon, J.B. Lenoir	Muddy Waters	(2:45)
Help Me	Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson	Sonny Boy Williamson	(3:09)
Baby, What You Want Me to Do [Live]	Jimmy Reed	Etta James	(4:20)
My Time After Awhile	Ron Badger, Sheldon Feinberg, Robert Geddins	Buddy Guy	(3:01)
We're Gonna Make It	Gene Barge, Raynard Miner, Clifton William Smith	Little Milton	(2:43)
I Got What It Takes	Willie Dixon	Koko Taylor	(3:08)
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer	John Lee Hooker	John Lee Hooker	(3:04)
I'd Rather Go Blind	Bill Foster, Ellington Jordan	Etta James	(2:33)

Credits

James Cotton (Harmonica), Willie Dixon (Bass), Willie Dixon (Producer), Buddy Guy (Guitar), Buddy Guy (Vocals), Buddy Guy (Performer), Earl Hooker (Guitar), John Lee Hooker (Guitar), John Lee Hooker (Vocals), John Lee Hooker (Performer), Big Walter Horton (Harmonica), Etta James (Vocals), Etta James (Performer), Freddie King (Guitar), Little Walter (Harmonica), Little Walter (Vocals), Little Walter (Performer), Matt "Guitar" Murphy (Guitar), Robert Nighthawk (Guitar), A.C. Reed (Sax (Tenor)), Hubert Sumlin (Guitar), Koko Taylor (Vocals), Koko Taylor (Performer), Maurice White (Drums), Johnny Jones (Piano), Sam Lay (Drums), David T. Walker (Guitar), Jody Williams (Guitar), David Hines (Trumpet), Homesick James Williamson (Guitar), Robert Lockwood, Jr. (Guitar), Carl Banks (Organ), Ralph Bass (Producer), Fred Below (Drums), Freeman Brown (Drums), J.T. Brown (Sax (Tenor)), Howlin' Wolf (Guitar), Howlin' Wolf (Harmonica), Howlin' Wolf (Vocals), Howlin' Wolf (Performer), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Guitar), Little Milton (Guitar), Little Milton (Vocals), Little Milton (Performer), Leonard Caston (Piano), Charles Chalmers (Saxophone), Leonard Chess (Producer), Phil Chess (Producer), Francis Clay (Drums), Frank Driggs (Photography), Al Duncan (Drums), Mike Fink (Design), Rick Hall (Producer), Donald Hankins (Sax (Baritone)), Pat Hare (Guitar), David Hood (Bass (Electric)), George Hunter (Drums), Clifton James (Drums), Elmore James (Guitar), Elmore James (Vocals), Elmore James (Performer), Jimmy Johnson (Guitar), Hosea Lee Kennard (Piano), Lafayette Leake (Piano), Albert Lowe (Guitar), Andy McKaie (Producer), Andy McKaie (Compilation Producer), Jack Meyers (Bass), Gene Miller (Trumpet), Muddy Waters (Vocals), Muddy Waters (Slide Guitar), Muddy Waters (Performer), Bob Neely (Sax (Tenor)), Floyd Newman (Saxophone), Odie Payne (Drums), Earl Phillips (Drums), Milton Rector (Bass), Otis Rush (Guitar), Otis Rush (Vocals), Otis Rush (Performer), Louis Satterfield (Bass), Dick Shurman (Liner Notes), Gerald Sims (Guitar), Otis Spann (Piano), Andrew Stephenson (Bass), Charles Stepney (Piano), Luther Tucker (Guitar), Aaron Varnell (Saxophone), Johnny Big Moose Walker (Organ), Richard Waters (Drums), Sonny Boy Williamson (Harmonica), Sonny Boy Williamson (Vocals), Sonny Boy Williamson (Performer), Roger Dawkins (Drums), Dewey Oldham (Organ), Dewey Oldham (Piano), Erick Labson (Digital Remastering), Phil Wright (Arranger), Ray Flerlage (Photography), Geary Chansley (Photo Research), Billy Davis (Producer), Marion Wright (Bass), Gavrell Cooper (Sax (Tenor)), Vonzell Cooper (Organ)