Blind Dog Radio

Blues Masters (Vol. 6) Blues Originals by Various Artists

Label: Rhino Records.
Release Date: February 16, 1993.
Recording Time: 49 minutes.
Release Info: Studio Recording.
Recording Date: June 13, 1928 - 1965.

Styles: Chicago Blues, Electric Blues, Regional Blues, Blues-Rock, Boogie-Woogie, Delta Blues, Early R&B, Electric Chicago Blues, Electric Delta Blues, Electric Harmonica Blues, Electric Memphis Blues, Electric Texas Blues, Harmonica Blues, Juke Joint Blues, Modern Electric Blues, Piano Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Rock & Roll, Songster, Soul-Blues, Swamp Blues.

It's unfortunate, but it's true: the original versions of many blues classics aren't nearly as well-known as their hit covers by (usually white) rock groups. That's not to say that some of these covers aren't great as well, but it's both educational and enjoyable to hear them from the source's mouth. Blues Originals contains 18 original versions of classics that went on to reach a wide audience via covers by the Stones, the Yardbirds, Elvis, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, and others. The Chess stable of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson is represented here, of course, along with standards by Elmore James, Otis Rush, Robert Johnson, Slim Harpo, and Jimmy Reed. Mixed in with great and fairly available performances like Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" and Howlin' Wolf's "Back Door Man" are some quite obscure and collectable delights. Arthur Crudup's original version of "That's All Right," covered by Elvis Presley for his first single, has been surprisingly hard to find over the years; ditto for Muddy Waters' "You Need Love," which formed the blueprint for Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Even most Yardbirds fanatics are unaware that the prototype for "Lost Woman" was taken from (and retitled after) an obscure Snooky Pryor single, "Someone to Love Me." And even many Chicago blues fanatics will be surprised to find the original version of "Got My Mojo Working," which was not recorded by Muddy Waters, but little-known jump blues singer Ann Cole. A fine collection, mixing together famous standards and obscure gems with thorough liner notes. - Review by Richie Unterberger.

Credits: Floyd Arceneaux - trumpet; Harold Ashby - sax (tenor); James Austin - producer; Mickey Baker - guitar; Fred Below - drums; Wayne Bennett - guitar; Big Walter - performer, primary artist, vocals; James Booker - piano; Dave Booth - research; Reggie Boyd - guitar; J.T. Brown - sax (tenor); Clifford Burks - sax (tenor); Clarence Carter - composer; Ann Cole - performer, primary artist, vocals; Lee Cooper - guitar; Ernest Cotton - sax (tenor); G.L. Crockett - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; W.C. Dalton - guitar; Jack Daniels - composer; Lester Davenport - harmonica; Larry Davis - bass, composer, performer, vocals; Larry Davis & His Band - performer, primary artist; David Dean - sax (tenor); Bo Diddley - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Willie Dixon - bass, composer; Dr. Demento - research; Al Duncan - drums; Jockey Etienne - drums; Bob Fisher - remastering; Preston Foster - composer; guitar Gable - guitar; Grady Gaines - sax (tenor); Geoff Gans - art direction; Henry Gray - piano; Frank Green - maracas; Bill Greensmith - research; Rachel Gutek - design; John Hammond, Jr. - performer; Slim Harpo - composer, harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Earl Hooker - guitar; Big Walter Horton - harmonica; Howlin' Wolf - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Elmore James - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Robert Johnson - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Johnny Jones - piano; Freddie King - guitar; Frank Kirkland - drums; Ransom Knowling - bass; Cub Koda - compilation producer, liner notes, research; Sam Lay - drums; Sammy Lay - drums; Lafayette Leake - guitar, organ, piano; Stan Lewis - composer; Little Walter - harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Robert Lockwood, Jr. - guitar; Carl Lott - bass; Patrick Milligan - research; Matt "Guitar" Murphy - guitar; Louis Myers - guitar; Ted Myers - research; Odie Payne, Jr. - drums; Jim O'Neal - research; Glenn Parsons - design; Fats Perrodin - bass; Johnny Perry - drums; Earl Phillips - drums; Ray Price - composer; Snooky Pryor - composer, harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Milton Rector - bass; A.C. Reed - sax (tenor); Jimmy Reed - guitar, harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Jimmy Reed Jr. - guitar, vocals; Judge Riley - drums; Don Robey - composer; Fenton Robinson - guitar; Jimmy Rogers - guitar; Otis Rush - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; William Schurk - research; Joseph Scott - composer; Otis Spann - piano; The Suburbans - primary artist, vocals; Hubert Sumlin - guitar; Henry Thomas - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, Reed Pipes, vocals; Luther Tucker - guitar; Odie Turner - piano; Johnny "Big Moose" Walker - organ; Lucius Washington - sax (baritone); Muddy Waters - performer, primary artist, vocals; Homesick James Williamson - guitar; Sonny Boy Williamson II - harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Sonny Boy Williamson I - harmonica, performer.

Tracks: 1) Bring It On Home - Sonny Boy Williamson; 2) You Need Love - Muddy Waters; 3) Texas Flood - Larry Davis & His Band; 4) Got My Mo-Jo Working (But It Just Won't Work On You) - Ann Cole, with The Suburbans & Orchestra; 5) I Ain't Superstitious - Howlin' Wolf; 6) Love In Vain - Robert Johnson; 7) I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush; 8) Bulldoze Blues - Henry Thomas; 9) Madison Blues - Elmore James; 10) Someone To Love Me - Snooky Pryor; 11) I Ain't Got You - Jimmy Reed; 12) That's All Right - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup; 13) I'm A Man - Bo Diddley; 14) Boom, Boom Out Goes The Lights - Little Walter; 15) Pack Fair And Square - Big Walter & His Thunderbirds; 16) I'm a King Bee - Slim Harpo; 17) It's A Man Down There - G.L. Crockett; 18) Back Door Man - Howlin' Wolf.