Wynonie Harris was a larger than life figure shouting the blues with wild abandon backed by blasting horn powered combos that propelled his good time music to the top of the charts during the 40's and 50's. Rockin' The Blues is a phenomenal undertaking collecting everything (4 CD's/81 tracks) "Mr. Blues" cut between 1944 and 1950.

 Housed in a handsome box complete with a 52 page illustrated booklet this is the definitive look at one of the greatest blues shouters of all time. While there are many Wynonie Harris "hit" collections this set is particularly valuable for collecting Wynonie's early sides which have rarely been anthologized. Rockin' The Blues follows Wynonie's trajectory from his somewhat less than confident 1944 debut with the Lucky Millinder orchestra right through his string of rocking R&B chart toppers for the King label.

 Disc one features sides cut between 1944-45 for a trio of labels including Decca, Philo and Apollo. As would be the case for his entire career Wynonie had help from a crew of blistering horn players like Howard McGhee, Illinois Jacquet, Jack McVea and Tab Smith among others. Among the disc's highlights include the big band propelled "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" hitting number one on the charts in 1945, the wonderful low down "Here Comes The Blues" and the jumping "Wynonie Blues."

 Disc two spans the years 1945-47 including sides for Apollo, Hamp-Tone, Alladin and some very rare side for Nashville's Bullet label. Wynonie's personality becomes more evident on these sides as he joyously relates risque tales of sex, booze, and endless parties. Tracks like "Playful Baby", "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop", "Mr. Blues Jumped The Rabbit" and "Hard Ridin' Mama" relentlessly convey nothing but good times.

 Disc three covers the years 1947-48 with all but four of the cuts from his very fruitful association with the King label. The disc kicks off with the celebrated two part "Battle Of The Blues" a good natured pairing with Wynonie's idol Big Joe Turner. The two shouters are also paired up on "Goin' Home" and the gloriously laid back "Blues." One of the more interesting sessions finds Wynonie backed by trumpeter "Hot" Lips Page's band featuring marvelous tenor sax playing from Hal Singer and Tom Archia. This session produced "Good Morning Mr. Blues" plus blistering rockers like "Blow Your Brains Out" and "Bite Again, Bite Again." The disc also boasts such celebrated numbers as "Good Rockin' Tonight" which rode the number one spot on the charts for six months, "Grandma Plays The Numbers" and "I Want My Fanny Brown" both in the same jumping R&B vein.

 The final disc wraps up by covering the years 1948-50 with Wynonie rocking as strong as ever and boasting more chart toppers. The set contains a string of R&B rockers like "I Feel That Old Age Coming On", "All She Wants To Is Rock" plus salacious numbers like "Sittin' On It All The Time" and "I Like My Baby's Pudding." Wynonie shows he's equally at home on more introspective material like "Triflin' Woman" , the marvelously atmospheric "Stormy Night Blues" and the moving "A Love Untrue." This 4-CD set finishes up in October of 1950. That wasn't the end of the story however, and Wynonie continued to rock on right up until his death in 1969, dying in style with a smuggled bottle of Johnny Walker Red close by his bedside.

 Rockin' The Blues is the definitive document on one of the hardest rocking R&B shouters of all time. Proper Records is known for putting out high quality box sets at a budget price so this is one box set that won't bust your bank account. Highly reccomended!

[For more information check out the Proper Records website]

(Jeff Harris)

Mighty Sam McClain: Sweet Dreams (Telarc)

 In the last decade or so Mighty Sam McClain has been riding a creative peak few others can match. McClain is a master of deep Southern soul-blues and each successive release is a powerful, immaculately produced affair. Sweet Dreams is further proof that at 58, McClain is still at the pinnacle of his game.

 McClain's first made records in the 60's for the Amy label hitting big with a cover of the country classic "Sweet Dreams" which shot up the charts selling upwards of 100,000 records. Unfortunately whatever comes up must come down and McClain fell on very hard times. Things have now come full circle and McClain's string of records for the AudioQuest label in the 90's drew well deserved critical and popular acclaim. His jump to the Telarc label last year has seen absolutely no drop off in his creative talents. Sweet Dreams is as good as anything The Mighty One's done and that's very high praise indeed.

 Mighty Sam sings his mostly original songs with enormous power and conviction. He has unerring timing, knowing just when to hold back and just when to cut loose. McClain also commands one of the finest bands in the business complete with a dynamic full horn section (The Mighty Horns) who lay down surging arrangements behind their leader. Filling things out are Bruce Katz on piano and Barry Seelen on B-3 who lay down a marvelous groove. The record's centerpiece is a deeply moving remake of "Sweet Dreams" with McClain investing a lifetime of experience behind the tortured lyrics. Two of the best cuts feature brilliant horn arrangements by McClain himself including the opener "Here I Come Again" and particularly "Standing In The Wings" with the horns ebbing and swelling dramatically behind McClain's powerhouse singing. Other standouts include the funky "Fool For The Blues", the shuffling upbeat "Living In My Dreams", the bouncy "I Love Hard" and the rocking, joyous "Must Be The Music" which really cooks.

 McClain's music has a depth and conviction sorely lacking from most contemporary blues/soul records and he's maintained an almost impossibly high level of artistic quality. Sweet Dreams continues McClain's remarkable musical journey.

(Jeff Harris)

Robert Cray: Shoulda Been Home (Rykodisc)

 It's hard to believe that Robert Cray has been recording for over twenty years. Through the course of twelve records Cray has weaved between hard blues and southern soul racking up an impressively consistent body of work. Shoulda Been Home can be seen as a continuation of last year's Take Your Shoes Off finding Cray once again mining a deep soul groove.

 Cray has always flirted with deep southern Soul going way back to his first couple of records where he covered O.V. Wright and Eddie Floyd. It wasn't until 1997's Sweet Potato Pie that he fully made the plunge into a full out soul-blues effort. Cray has managed to pull it off with his supple vocals and the uncanny knack for writing classic sounding songs. Those talents are as evident as ever on Shoulda Been Home another sultry soul-blues winner.

 Once again Cray manages to nail down the classic soul sound drawing inspiration from the Stax and Hi eras. Of course it helps that Hi's prime architect, Willie Mitchell, has a hand in the recording process with the horns recorded at his own Memphis studios. As for the Stax sound the lead off cut "Baby's Arms" could have been a hit for the label while Mack Rice's bouncy "Love Sickness" was a hit for the label and drives along like a runaway train. The rest of the record lays down a mellower groove including minor key gems like "Already Gone", "Anytime" and the sprawling nine minute "Out Of Eden" a loose, after hours slow burner unlike anything else Cray's attempted. Blues fans shouldn't fret as Cray's crisp guitar playing sounds as good as usual. There's three genuine blues cuts including the one minute snippet "Renew Blues" with a very T-Bone Walker type feel and a pair of tough Elmore James covers on the romping "Cry For Me" and the down in the alley vibe of "The 12 Year Old Boy."

 While Cray at times gets written off by the critics as being too slick they're missing the boat. Cray remains one of the few successful bluesman still willing to experiment and while Shoulda Been Home is not a radical departure it's still offers some new twists to the blues formula while delivering some very satisfying music.

(Jeff Harris)

Etta James: Tell Mama-
The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions (MCA)

 In the past year or so MCA has delighted Etta James fans with a remastered reissue of At Last, her 1960 Chess debut, as well as a lavish 3-CD box set. MCA has done it again with Tell Mama collecting 22 soul drenched tracks James cut at the legendary FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

 The music on Tell Mama dates from 1967-1968, four years since her last chart hit. When Leonard Chess sent Etta James to Muscle Shoals in 1967 he was obviously hoping that some of the FAME magic would rub off on her. After all it had paid off big time for Atlantic Records with hit records for Wilson Pickett and most famously for Aretha Franklin who cut "I Never Loved A Man" a song that paved the way to her becoming the "Queen of Soul." While James didn't see that kind of success the music is nothing short of stellar and put her back on the charts with the relentlessly driving title cut.

 The original Tell Mama LP was released in January, 1968 and in addition to those 12 songs we get ten more cuts including two cuts never before issued. Credit has to go to studio founder Rick Hall who was given complete artistic control of the sessions as well as his crew of extremely accomplished studio musicians. Etta was obviously inspired and the chemistry between her and the musicians is remarkable resulting in a scorchingly tough soul outing. Besides the title cut the record also boasts the justly famous "I'd Rather Go Blind" a spine chilling soul ballad that still remains a staple of her live show. Other numbers include blistering covers of Otis Redding's "Security", a sultry cover of Don Covay's "I'm Gonna Take What He's Got" and Jimmy Hughs' moving "Don't Lose Your Good Thing." The extra tracks are equally good especially the super funky "You Got It", a marvelous reading of the pop chestnut "Misty" transformed into a sizzling soul workout and the heartachingly beautiful "Almost Persuaded"

 For Etta James fans and those who appreciate gritty soul music, Tell Mama is absolutely essential. The booklet feature the original LP notes plus a new essay by Lee Hilderand and some great vintage photos from the sessions.

(Jeff Harris)

 The music has a decidedly old-timey feel and besides the fiddle most of the bands feature musicians playing everything from mandolin, banjo, string bass, washboard and even some jug blowers. The music is raucous, rough, spirited and ultimately a whole lot of fun.

 The musicians and bands run the gamut from the obscure to the relatively well known. Blues fans will recognize names like Big Joe Williams who plays his typical fine delta blues backed by "Dad" Tracy on violin and Chasy Collins on washboard on a pair of 1935 sides. Big Bill Broonzy also shows up on two cuts under the guise of the State Street Boys (featuring veterans Jazz Gillum and Black Bob) showing off some surprisingly fine fiddle work. Broonzy pops up once more in a band called the Alabama Rascals whose "Ruckus Juice Shuffle" is is a wild hot jazz showcase. Like Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson is best known for his guitar abilities but on "Memphis Stomp", performed with a group called The Blues Boys, he makes a strong case for his violin talents.

 Also worth mentioning are Peetie Wheatstraw who delivers the boisterous "Throw Me In The Alley" propelled by His Blue Blowers featuring clarinet and trombone, Franks Stokes with Will Batts on the engaging "Bunker Hill Blues" and Henry Williams with Eddie Anthony playing soulful, wailing fiddle on the infectious "Georgia Crawl." Williams and Anthony also appear on the moving "Moanin' And Groanin' Blues" with the addition of Peg Leg Howell on vocal and guitar. The remaining artists are all of similar high caliber.

 Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow! is a fascinating and joyous tribute to early American rural music expertly compiled by the folks at Old Hat Records. The set is rounded out by a 32 page booklet that tells the story of the music which includes some wonderful vintage photos.

(Jeff Harris)