Chicago blues of the first order. A definitive album!
11/07/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A definitive album! It features songs by Johnny Shines and Johnny Young, both backed by Big Walter Horton (who takes center stage once, with Charlie Musselwhite on second harp, to blow the instrumental Rockin' My Boogie). These are some of the best recordings you'll find by any of these artists. Horton is absolutely magnificent. There is no harp-man that gets a tone quite as full as Horton's, and he is at his best on this album. One listen will prove why this lesser-known bluesman is considered one of the Chicago harp masters along-side Little Walter and Sonny Boy. The first three notes he blows on Black Spider Blues will pierce your heart. You will also be hard-pressed to find Johnny Shines sounding any better than he does here. It is not an exaggeration to say that Shines has a more capable voice than the majority of bluesmen and it is displayed in full power on this disc. Shines' Dynaflow Blues (an alteration of Robert Johnson's Terraplane Blues) is absolutely breathtaking. Johnny Young is also in top form. His band on this album gets a very complete sound not found on most of his recordings. One More Time just plain rocks and Young's work with the mandolin on Stealin' Back is incredible. Don't be fooled if you've never heard of these guys. These are bluesmen of the first order and they all perform to the best of their capabilities. This is the best album in the series (which is made up of two other excellent albums) and I'd say one of the best blues albums out there. Among my 100 blues albums this is one of my two or three favorites."
One of great tours of the Blues
Christopher R. Kerr | Hastings on Hudson, NY USA | 10/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On the heels of a SATURDAY REVIEW of these three records, I hitch-hiked from my Army post in Indianapolis to Chicago's ROSE RECORDS where helpful clerks help me find them. I've treasured them for more than 40 years, bought them in new formats and never been disappointed when I turned them on. WOW."