Search - Various Artists :: Blues Masters 1

****1/2

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 12/07/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While more horn-driven and less raw and guitar reliant than other forms of blues, the urban style nonetheless provides its own spectacular highlights, some of the best of which are right here:
Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used To Do" is a must-have for any uptown blues compilation, and T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Blues", Big Joe Turner's "Chains Of Love", "Laudromat Blues" by Albert King, and Bobby Bland's "Farther up the Road" are prime examples as well. Otis Rush's classic "I Can't Quit You Baby" is more Chicago blues than urban blues, actually, but it is a welcome addition nonetheless.They could have done better by "Every Day I Have The Blues", which should have been included in Memphis Slim's stately original rendition, and why isn't B.B. King represented?
But those are minor complaints, really. This is a fine place to go for a sampler (you should get "Blues Masters volume 2" as well for a taste of the rough, tough Chicago blues), and even though it's far from being definitive, it will provide the newcomer with an excellent introduction."