Well here it is long after the rumors of this project began swirling with many of us wondering if this would ever see the light of day. It was worth the wait. "The Vintage Years" is a mammoth and lovingly compiled
4-CD set collecting B.B.'s unrivaled recordings cut for Modern Records and it's subsidiary imprints on RPM, Crown and Kent labels during the 1950s and 1960s.

 B.B. could seemingly do no wrong during this period and what we hear on these sides is a very hungry B.B. King well before the awards and accolades and it's clear he was out to prove something. It was also well before he broke out to a white audience. B.B. was playing exclusively to a black audience, paying his dues in juke joints and roadhouses, driving hundreds of miles to play one nighters and dealing with the indignities of segregation that still blanketed the South. Throughout the 106 tracks B.B. positively bristles with creative energy and an unrelenting drive. The combination of his scorching guitar playing, magnificent singing and those wonderful horn blasted arrangements is a joy to listen to. For those who are only familiar with his more well known material this set will come as a revelation.

 The box set follows a roughly chronological path except for the first CD titled "The Great B.B. King" which contains many of the big hits associated with B.B. and ones he still plays to this day. The disc kicks off appropriately with B.B.'s first smash hit "3 O'clock Blues" from 1952 setting the blueprint for B.B.'s dramatic style. B.B. began hitting the charts regularly and this first discs is studded with classics like the rumba beat of "Woke Up This Morning", "Please Love Me" which opens with a vicious Elmore James style guitar lead, the immortal "Every Day I Have The Blues", a magnificent string bending version of "Sweet Little Angel" (not the hit version), "Sweet Sixteen" and "Walking Dr. Bill" and "My Own Fault", two marvelous stripped down songs from the Crown album "My Kind Of Blues" which B.B. has cited as his favorite record.

 Disc two is titled "Memphis Blues'n'Boogie" and takes us through the rare recordings cut between 1950-1953 engineered by Sam Phillips in Memphis (leased to Modern), followed by those led by bandleader Bill Harvey in Houston. Listening to these recordings you can almost document step by step the emergence of B.B.'s own style. None of this material was making a dent in the charts at this point although songs like the rocking "She's Dynamite" were certainly deserving. There's plenty of fine material of course including the storming "Hard Workin' Woman" with the band shouting the refrain, the romping "That Ain't The Way To Do It" (the flip of "3 O'clock Blues"), the passionate "My Own Fault, Darlin'" (the first version from 1952) featuring some remarkably aggressive guitar playing and "why Did You Leave Me" a rather average song elevated by some incredible guitar work.

 Disc three is titled "Take A Swing With Me covering the mid-late 1950s when Maxwell Davis became the music director and B.B. began experimenting with his sound having been caught unprepared by the rise of rock 'n' roll. Despite some forays into jazz, rock 'n' roll and pop during this period B.B. still stuck with the blues and the same thing is really true of his entire career. The disc blasts off with "Love You Baby" aka "Take A Swing With Me" which swings like crazy and sets the tone for the great arrangements of Maxwell Davis that define this era. Each of this records are beautifully arranged gems like the gorgeous "When My heart Beats Like A Hammer", the raw, scorching guitar that kick starts "Whole Lotta' Love" before easing into a loping shuffle, the exquisite solos on the lightly jumping two parter "Dark Is The Night" and the oft covered "I've Got Papers On You, Baby" featuring a mind blowing solo propelled by a furiously swinging big band are a just a few of the highlights.

 The final disc "King Of The Blues" concludes B.B.'s stint at Modern in typically fine fashion with absolutely no artistic drop off. Despite his high quality output during this period this was a low point for B.B. commercially. While whites were increasingly discovering blues it was the "folk Blues" they favored and B.B. did not play "folk Blues." B.B. sounds as vital as ever on material like the previously unsissued "Baby Please Don't Go", the furiously chugging "Mean Old Frisco", the wonderful groove on "Bad Luck Soul" brings this old war-horse gloriously up to date, the after hours feel of "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" which opens with a fine unaccompanied solo, the sizzling instrumental "Mashed Potato Twist" that surely left budding guitarists shaking their heads and the Latin tinged "Long Gone Baby" which has recently become an underground favorite with UK dancers- go figure.

 Anyone at all familiar with Ace Records knows that the packaging will be first rate and the box set should set example for others. Packaged in a handsome, sturdy full length box the set includes: a 74-page book printed in full color, essays based on new interviews with B.B. King, Joe Bihari (of Modern Records) and Sam Phillips (of Sun Records), a track by track analysis, a complete B.B. King discography for the years 1949-1972, details of B.B.'s tours in the late 1950s and many previously unseen photos and illustrations.

 Ace Records has outdone themselves with this set that gives us the most complete look ever at B.B. King's extraordinary early years reminding us forever why this man was, and remains, The King Of The Blues. Writer Colin Escott sums it up eloquently: "This is music of passion and brilliant economy. In terms of ongoing influence, these could very well be the most important Post-War blues recordings. Prepare for the shock of the old." Undoubtedly the reissue of the year.

-Check out these related reviews:
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Let The Good Times Roll
Live In Japan
Blues On The Bayou

(Jeff Harris)

Duke Robillard: Living With The Blues (Stony Plain)

Magic Slim & The Teardrops: Blue Magic (Blind Pig)

 
  Magic Slim and his formidable band The Teardrops are one of the most reliable bands on the block consistently delivering bone crunching Chicago Blues the way it should be played. "Blue Magic" is typically rock solid outing in what has been an excellent run of records on the Blind Pig label.

 Slim first came to Chicago in 1955 but wasn't yet good enough to make it in the competitive Chicago blues scene. After returning to his native Mississippi he came back to the Windy City in 1965 finally good enough to make a name for himself. While he became a force to be reckoned with on the South side it was the issuance of four tunes on Alligator's 1979's "Living Chicago Blues Anthology" series that really opened the recording floodgates. Since then Magic Slim and his Teardrops have produced a massive discography cutting a slew of records for the Austrian Wolf label as well as domestically for Rooster and most recently for Blind Pig.

 The last few years Slim has cut some particularly tough, focused record for the Blind Pig label and "Blue Magic" is no exception. Slim's last two records benefited from first rate production from Dick Shurman and this time around the job went to labelmate Poppa Chubby. Despite Poppa Chubby's rock leanings on his own records and the absence of long time bass-wielding brother Nick Holt, the sound hasn't changed all that much- and that's a good thing. The sound is straight up tough Chicago Blues with a raw edged sound that rightly hasn't been smoothed over in the studio. The Teardrops lay the bedrock with a rock solid groove on greasy set of tunes including the pounding opening anthem "I'm A Bluesman", the funky "Get Your Business Straight", the thumping, menacing tone on "You Got To Pay" and the shuffling closer "Goin' To Mississippi" with the band singing the refrain. Slim's vocals are spot on and his guitar playing is as tough and vicious as ever.

 Magic Slim & The Teardrops, despite some changes, continue to gloriously roll on and remain one of the finest torchbearers of good old Chicago Blues.

-Check out these related reviews:
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(Jeff Harris)

Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up On Me (Fat Possum)

 At 66 years old Solomon Burke remains one of the greatest living proponents of true soul music. Burke has forged on continuing to release records through the decades and if the records themselves weren't that distinctive, Burke's magnificent voice has never failed him. "Don't Give Up On Me" is a glorious record matching Burke's mighty pipes with great songs and sensitive production.

 Solomon Burke was one of the truly great soul singers of the 60's bringing a gospel fervor and emotional power to songs like "Just out of Reach," "Cry to Me," "If You Need Me," "Got to Get You off My Mind," "Tonight's the Night", many of which hit the upper reaches of the R&B charts. Burke has never stopped cutting records, even if the hits dried up, continuing to record a variety of different labels. His association with Rounder and Black Top in the 80's and 90's resulted in some top notch records. Burke's last really worthwhile record was 1994's "Live At House of Blues" and he was in danger of becoming another forgotten legend if it wasn't for producer Joe Henry and the folks at Fat Possum. On "Don't Give Up On Me" Burke sounds positively revitalized as sinks his teeth into songs written specifically for him by legendary songwriters such as Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson and Tom Waits among others.

 Singer and songwriter Joe Henry has done a beautiful job producing this set which features a low key, stripped down rhythm section featuring Rudy Copeland adding marvelous sanctified organ (he performs the same duties at the church where Burke preaches). The subdued backing gives Burke the spotlight and his singing is extraordinary, delivering these eleven tales with a simmering, dramatic power and superb phrasing that recalls his glory days. These songs are very different from his classic Atlantic hits but the material is first rate and the songwriters obviously relished the opportunity to write for Burke. Brian Wilson's "Soul Seachin'" is a classic soul number as Burke takes us along as he prowls the backstreets looking for redemption and Van Morrison's melancholy "Only A Dream" sounds like a lost soul classic. The rest of the material is quite different like Tom Wait's uplifting "Diamond In Your Mind" a fine song filled with Wait's dark, vivid imagery, Elvis Costello's "Judgment" is a dark and moody tale while Dylan's "Stepchild" has a wonderful bluesy swagger featuring some subtlety distorted guitar from Daniel Lanois. "None of Us Are Free" features backing from the Blind Boys of Alabama and is a powerful message song with Burke moving from a whisper to some inspired preaching. In many ways, "Don't Give Up On Me" is very similar project to Johnny Cash's stellar American Recordings, both featuring stripped down backing and superbly chosen songs from today's best songwriters. Like that fine recording, "Don't Give Up On Me" is an unqualified success.

 For those who've been unimpressed the current state of soul music I urge you to give a listen to "Don't Give Up On Me", a powerful statement from a legend still at the peak of his powers. Solomon Burke has been called the "King of Rock & Soul" and the "Bishop of Soul" and this record proves he's still worthy of those lofty titles.

(Jeff Harris)