This Is Blues

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Athan Maroulis
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: There are countless blues compilations out there, and at first glance, this two-disc, 30-track selection doesn't seem to be anything special, but a closer look reveals that it covers a fairly wide spectrum, both in the number of blues styles it includes (prewar country-blues to Chicago blues, jump blues, folk-blues and more) and in the years it considers (disc one covers 1927 to 1950, while disc two carries things from 1950 through 1973). It also features relatively rare tracks even when the artist is well known (Muddy Waters is represented by "Mean Red Spider," for instance, rather than one of his better known songs like "I Can't Be Satisfied"), which doesn't necessarily make this collection essential, but it does make it more likely to fill in some cracks for listeners who may already have a large blues library. [Some editions of This Is Blues included a bonus third disc of twelve Ray Charles' tracks that were originally released by Cleopatra Records as a standalone album called Essentials.] ~ Steve Leggett

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