Search - Artistes Divers, Various Artists :: Chicago Blues : The Chance Era

Mississippi blues become Chicago blues

Jeff Crompton | Atlanta, GA USA | 09/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an amazing collection: the complete blues recordings of the obscure Chance label, which operated in Chicago from 1950 to 1954 or '55. Since the bigger labels already had the more well-known blues artists signed, Chance recorded mostly uncelebrated bluesmen. Some of these men are now legends, while others have remained unknown except to hard-core blues specialists. Included here are the debut recordings of Homesick James, J.B. Hutto, and Little Walter! (Chance purchased Walter's first recording session from the even tinier Ora Nelle label.) Among the other well-known artists represented are John Lee Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, and Tampa Red, but you will also find the likes of Big Boy Spires, Johnny Williams, Willie Nix, and Lazy Bill Lucas.Most of the artists are captured making the transition from Mississippi-style blues to modern Chicago style; they have one foot in the Delta and one on Maxwell Street. The music is raw and powerful; these musicians are more interested in making a strong expressive statement than in counting the correct number of beats before the next chord change. Much of the music is reminiscent of the music the Fat Possum label has been recording in Mississippi in recent years, with the expressiveness of down-home blues overlayed with the energy of the big city. As with many of the small Chicago labels, the sound quality is extremely variable.About the time the Chance label folded, Chicago blues entered its classic phase. Nothing here can compete with the power and beauty of the best recordings of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, but blues fans should do themselves a favor and check out these rugged, groundbreaking sides."