Various Artists: Blues Masters Volume 4: Harmonica Classics
Label: Rhino
Year: 1952-1982
Released : 1992
Format : [email protected]
Harmonica Classics is a typically ace installment of the Blues Masters series has examples par excellence from most of the major electric blues harmonica geniuses, including Little Walter, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Billy Boy Arnold, Lazy Lester, and Jimmy Reed. And while there are a few expected classics here (Little Walter's "Juke," Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me," Junior Wells' "Messin' with the Kid," Slim Harpo's "I Got Love if You Want It"), there are numerous delightful obscurities, like Jerry "Boogie" McCain's "Steady," Walter Horton's "Easy" (credited to Jimmy & Walter), and Snooky Pryor's "Boogie Twist." Charlie Musselwhite's 11-minute adaptation of the jazz tune "Christo Redemptor" is superb and challenges conventional ideas of what should and shouldn't be done with blues harmonica. Richie Unterberger, AMG
Tracklist :
01. Juke (2:43)
Little Walter & His Night Cats - Recorded Chicago 12 May 1952
Little Walter - harmonica
Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers – guitar
Elgin Edmonds - drums
02. Ends & Odds (2:24)
Jimmy Reed – Recorded Chicago 5 September 1957
Jimmy Reed – harmonica, guitar
Eddie Taylor – guitar
“Levinsky” – violin
Earl Phillips - drums
03. Rocket 88 (2:05)
Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet – Recorded Chicago December 1965
Jimmy Cotton – vocal, harmonica
Otis Spann – piano
Pee Wee Madison – guitar
S P Leary - drums
04. Help Me (3:09)
Sonny Boy Williamson – Recorded Chicago 11 January 1963
Sonny Boy Williamson – vocal, harmonica
Billy Emerson or Lafayette Leake – organ
Matt Murphy – guitar
Milton Rectoor – bass
Al Duncan - drums
05. Messin' with The Kid (2:23)
Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band – Recorded Chicago late 1965
Junior Wells – vocal, harmonica
Buddy Guy – guitar
Jack Myers – bass
Fred Below - drums
06. Blues with a Feeling (4:24)
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – Session date & location unknown Released 1965
Paul Butterfield – vocal, harmonica
Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop – guitars
Mark Naftalin – piano
Jerome Arnold – bass
Sam Lays - drums
07. Sugar Coated Love (2:44)
Lazy Lester - Recorded Crowley Los Angeles 1958
] Lazy Lester - vocal, harmonica
Al Forman, Bobby McBride – guitar
Warren Storm - drums
08. Steady (2:08 )
Jerry McCain – Recorded Birmingham Alabama 1961
Jerry McCain - harmonica
Robert McCoy – piano
Bo Diddley – guitar
Ivory Williams – bass
Leon Davis - drums
09. I'll Be Around (3:13)
Howlin' Wolf – Recorded Chicago October 1954
Howlin' Wolf – vocal, harmonica
Otis Spann – piano
Jody Williams, Hubert Sumlin – guitar
Willie Dixon – bass
Earl Phillips - bass
10. I Was Fooled (2:50)
Billy Boy Arnold - Recorded Chicago May 1955
Billy Boy Arnold - vocal, harmonica
Henry Gray – piano
Jody Williams – guitar
Milton Rector – bass
Earl Phillips - drums
11.Take a Little Walk with Me (1976) (2:35)
. Big John Wrencher with Joe Carter – Recorded Chicago 1976
Big John Wrencher – harmonica
Joe Carter – vocal, guitar
Walter “ Big Red” Smith - bass
12. Easy (2:58 )
Big Walter Horton & Jimmy DeBerry - Recorded Memphis early 1953
Big Walter Horton – harmonica
Jimmy DeBerry – guitar
Willie Nix - drums
13. Boogie Twist (2:47)
Snooky Pryor - Recorded Chicago prob late 1950’s
Snooky Pryor - vocal, harmonica
Unknown – bass, guitar, drums
14. Wolf Call Boogie (2:37)
Coy 'Hot Shot' Love - Recorded Memphis 8 January 1954
Coy 'Hot Shot' Love - vocal, harmonica
Mose Vinson – piano
Pat Hare – guitar
Kenneth Banks – bass
Houston Stokes - bass
15. Last Night (4:22),
George 'Harmonica' Smith & The Chicago Blues Band – Recorded Los Angeles 3 October 1968
George 'Harmonica' Smith – vocal, harmonica
Otis Spann – piano
Muddy Waters, Luther Johnson –guitar
Lawrence “Little Sonny” Wimberly – bass
S PLeary -drums
16. I Got Love if You Want It (2:48 )
Slim Harpo – Recorded Crowley LA1957
Slim Harpo – vocal, harmonica
Guitar Gable – guitar (poss)
Fats Parroden – bass
Clarence “ Jockey” Etienne - drums
17. Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White (2:00)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - locn and date unknown Released 1981
Jimmy Vaughan – guitar
Kim Wilson – harmonica
Keith Ferguson – bass
Fran Christino - drums
18. Christo Redemptor (11:46)
Charlie Musselwhite - locn and date unknown Released 1967
Charlie Musselwhite - harmonica
Harvey Mandel – guitar
Barry Goldberg – keyboard
Bob Anderson – bass
Fred Below – Jr - drums