The major labels have a dubious track record when it comes to reissuing classic blues records from their vaults. When they do inevitably unlock the vaults their reissue programs last just long enough for the corporate account to say their not selling enough units and before you know it the series disappears. This was certainly the case for RCA's late 90's reissue program which had a very brief shelf life. However I will say that the major labels do first class job in presentation, song selection and sound quality. "When The Sun Goes Down" is a superb and varied four volume series documenting the wealth of music RCA's Victor and Bluebird labels issued from the 20's to the 50's. Thematically these sets are loosely based on presenting the first recorded versions of songs that went on to become standards of electric blues and rock 'n' roll which explains the series subtitle- "The Secret History of Rock & Roll."

 "Walk Right In", the first volume in the series, spans from 1926-1941 and explores early blues styles such as jug bands, work songs and vaudeville blues. There's numerous classics including the first recorded version of the Delta classic "Catfish Blues" by Robert Petway, Big Joe Williams original "Baby, Please Don't Go" from 1935, Tommy Johnson's haunting falsetto on "Cool Drink of Water Blues" which was amplified by Howlin' Wolf in the 50's and covered often ever since. Many different strains of early blues are represented including work and prison songs magnificently sung by the unusual pairing of Leadbelly and the gospel group The Golden Gate Quartet, the vaudeville tradition exemplified the fine Trixie Butler on "Just A Good Woman Through With The Blues" one of only three songs she recorded, spiritual music by Rev. J.M. Gates who gives a fiery sermon on "Somebody's Been Stealin'" and jug band music as represented by a pair of songs by Gus Cannon including his famous "Walk Right In" which gives this volume it's title. In addition to blues we get some blues based roots music by the Carter Family on "Worried Man Blues" and Cajun on "Les Blues de Voyage" by Amédé Ardoin and Denus McGee. One of the set's most remarkable songs is an acapella version of "St. Louis Blues" done by The hall Johnson Choir a 20 piece trained choir- amazing!

 "The First Time I Met The Blues", volume two in the series, features the earliest versions of well known blues songs. Spanning 1927-1936 this volume is one of the more diverse of the series encompassing black vaudeville, jug band music, classic woman singers, delta blues and white country that is blues in everything but name. The volume includes a number of all-time classics like Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat Blues", Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" covered most notably in the 60's by the Allman Brothers, Little Brother Montgomery's original "'First Time I Met The Blues" later made into a post-war blues standard by Buddy Guy and the Memphis Jug Band's "Cocaine Blues" from 1930 magnificently sung by Hattie Hart. The woman definitely get their say on this volume including Victoria Spivey and Sippie Wallace, two of the best female singers of the 20's, an era when woman dominated the genre, plus fine lesser knowns such as Genevieve Davis' hard times lament on "Haven't Got a Dollar To Pay Your House Rent Man", Edna Winston's similarity themed "Rent Man Blues", Lizzie Miles (who actually recorded quite prolifically between 1922-1939) on the low-down "I Hate A Man Like You" featuring Jelly Roll Morton on piano and a pair of first rate man/woman duets in Harris & Harris' "I Don't Care what You Say" lifted straight from the vaudeville circuit and Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi Sarah on the lively jug band romp "If You Want Me Baby."

 "That's Chicago's South Side", volume three in the series, covers the early years of Chicago blues from 1931 to 1942 when the city already had a vibrant blues scene. Well before Muddy Waters was defining the aggressive, amplified Chicago blues sound in the 50's artists on this set like Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy and Washboard Sam were all busy creating a distinctive Chicago sound. Compared to the first volume the sound here is more urban including some of the era's most popular artists like pianist Peetie Wheatstraw on his boastful "Peetie Wheatstraw", Roosevelt Sykes celebrating the end of prohibition on 1933's "Devil Island Gin", the amazingly prolific Bumble Bee Slim on "Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On" which Muddy Waters' transformed into "Honey Bee" plus the original versions of such well known tunes like "Good Morning Little School Girl" (Sonny Boy Williamson), "Key To The Highway" (Jazz Gillum- not the first but most influential version), "Everyday I Have The Blues " (by Pinetop- a pseudonym for St. Louis bluesman Aaron Sparks) and "Sweet 16" by Walter Davis from 1935. Other well known names include Leroy Carr, Memphis Minnie on the salacious "Selling My Pork Chops" and Lonnie Johnson on the equally risqué "He's A Jelly Roll Baker." Two lesser known names worth mentioning are Sam Theard on the descriptive title cut "That's Chicago's South Side" and Joe Pullum's wistful, falsetto singing on "Black Girl, What Makes Your Head So Hard?" marking him as one of the era's most distinctive singers.

 The final disc in the series "That's All Right" is mainly rooted in Chicago spanning 1939- 1955 and documents the type of blues that would pave the way for rock & roll. This volume has a higher proportion of more well known artists than the previous volume highlighting such Chicago legends as Big Maceo's masterpiece "Worried Life Blues" plus the very first sessions by Memphis Slim's on "Grinder Man" from 1940 which kick started a long and successful career, Robert Lockwood from 1941 on "Little Boy Blue" a thorough updating of the sound he learned first hand from his stepfather Robert Johnson, a spirited Sunnyland Slim on "Illinois Central" which was the railroad that brought an estimated three million blacks from Mississippi to the Windy City and Eddie Boyd on the romping "Chicago Is Just That Way" who a decade later would cut his immortal "Five Long Years." Other well known Chicago veterans include Tampa Red a hugely influential figure on the early Chicago scene, three cuts by Arthur Crudup including "That's Allright" the song Elvis chose as his first record and "Dust my Broom" cut in 1949 two years before Elmore James' famous version and the popular and prolific Washboard Sam on the hilarious "Soap And Water Blues." Other notable recordings including the influential but neglected Doctor Clayton proving why he's considered one of the blues greatest songwriters in "Pearl Harbor Blues" (recorded three months after the attack) and "Angels In Harlem" and the very first recording from 1951 by Little Richard on the jump blues of "Get Rich Quick."

 Blues and rock fans who want to know were it all began would be well advised to pick up this well produced series before is disappears from the shelves. With a well balanced mix of classics and obscurities plus excellent sound quality this series comes highly recommenced.

(Jeff Harris)

 New Orleans most famous brass band celebrate their 25th anniversary in fine style on "Medicated Magic", the band's ninth release not including well received guest appearances on albums from the Black Crowes, Elvis Costello, and Widespread Panic. While new no ground is broken, The Dirty Dozen still sound inspired and ever so funky as they're joined in the celebration by well a chosen crew of guest stars.

 Over the course of their career The Dirty Dozen have managed to successfully wed traditional New Orleans brass band music with R&B to create a funky and fresh musical gumbo. The band has inspired a generation of younger innovative brass bands such as The Treme Brass Band and the New Birth Brass Band among other upstarts. Despite a rather conventional set list of New Orleans classics, "Medicated Magic", is an inspired outing featuring excellent contributions from an eclectic guest list that includes Dr. John, Olu Dara, Robert Randolph, Norah Jones, John Bell of Widespread Panic and DJ Logic.

 In addition to the standard five horn line up the band is fleshed out with guitar and keyboards that give the band an added punch. The horns never get lost in the mix pulsing and throbbing throughout on a freewheeling and funky blend of jazz, R&B and grooving second-line rhythms. Things kick off appropriately with "Ain't Nothin' But A Party" which moves from a slow simmer to a boiling funky workout, the Meters "Cissy Strut" gets a similar heated reading featuring Julius McKee's rousing sousaphone playing and a stellar jam on another Meters' number, "Africa", featuring DJ Logic. More familiar covers get equally inspired treatment including a sultry version of Irma Thomas' "Ruler of My Heart" by Norah Jones that's a true knockout, "Junko Partner" given a fine reading by singer Olu Dara, a crackling "Big Chief" with keyboardist Frederick Sanders evoking Professor Longhair on the piano and Dr. John on vocals and piano on a slinky cover of "Everything I Do Gon' Be Funky." Special mention goes to Robert Randolph who lays down some typically fine pedal steel guitar particularly on a beautiful version of Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is."

 After 25 years The Dirty Dozen show few signs of slowing down with age and still continue to amaze with their unpredictable joyful, soul drenched playing. If you've yet to hear The Dirty Dozen, "Medicated Magic", makes a fine introduction.

(Jeff Harris)

Junior Kimbrough: You Better Run - The Essential (Fat Possum)
CeDell Davis: Lightnin' Struck The Pine (Fast Horse)

 As the years roll by there's fewer and fewer bluesman who play the authentic delta blues- the real raw, dark and moody stuff that sends shivers down your spine. Up until his death in 1998 Junior Kimbrough was one of the prime exponents of the music and currently the tradition is upheld by only a few aging bluesman including R.L. Burnside and the lesser known CeDell Davis. "You Better Run - The Essential" is the perfect introduction to Kimbrough's dark and hypnotic blues while "Lightnin' Struck The Pine" is a raw and riveting new recording by the under recorded CeDell Davis.

 "You Better Run - The Essential" serves as a first rate introduction into Kimbrough's ominous blues world collecting the best tracks from his studio records for the Fat Possum label. During the '70s and '80s Kimbrough played juke joints throughout Mississippi but it wasn't until his signing with Fat Possum in the 90's that he got wider exposure. The music Junior Kimbrough and his Soul Blues Boys conjure up is based on repetitive, almost hypnotic riffs and a dense sonic guitar driven sound that has been rightly called trance like. This is deep, dark gritty blues seething with violence, sadness and longing. Many of Kimbrough's best known numbers are included like "All Night Long" the title track from his classic debut album, the low-fi, moving "Meet Me In The City" recorded at Junior's home, the crashing violent laden "You Better Run", the stomping "Black Mattie" and the pulsing starkness of "Tramp." For the uninitiated "You Better Run - The Essential" is the perfect entry point into Kimbrough's seductive blues world.

  Like Junior Kimbrough, the delta blues of CeDell Davis mines dark, haunting territory but sounds like no one else. Davis was born in 1927 in Helena, Arkansas and played locally throughout the 1950s and '60s with friends such as Big Joe Williams and most notably slide master Robert Nighthawk for nearly a decade. The 76 year old Davis has been severely under recorded cutting songs for a long out of print Arkansas Blues LP and pair of records for the Fat Possum label including the brilliant "Feel Like Doin' Something Wrong" from 1994. Davis' right hand was crippled by polio at the age of ten and he compensated by developing a left-handed bottleneck style played with a butter knife making for a totally unique sound. On "Lightnin' Struck The Pine" Davis' guitar playing and singing are superb backed this time with a bunch of rockers like Peter Buck from REM and the Screaming Trees' Barrett Martin. The results pack a crunching sonic wallop with Davis' passionate singing and tough slide up front on the rocking "Pay To Play", the low-down "Come Ride With Me", the lurching rumba feel of "Woke Up This Morning" and the footing stomping "Hold Me Baby" rounded out with sax and piano. The between the song patter adds to the down-home charm.

 If you've been searching for the real deal, the dark uncompromising blues, the blues that will send shivers down your spine then the music of Junior Kimbrough and CeDell Davis come highly recommended. Both of the discs open the doors to the blues at it's deepest and most primal and it's a world very few artists can summon up.

(Jeff Harris)