Chicago/The Blues/Today!

Last updated
Chicago/The Blues/Today!
Chicago-The-Blues-Today-3-disc-LP.jpg
Studio album by
various artists
Released1966
Recorded1965
Genre Blues
Label Vanguard
Producer Samuel Charters
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [1]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]

Chicago/The Blues/Today! is a series of three blues albums by various artists. It was recorded in late 1965 and released in 1966. It was remastered and released as a three-disc album in 1999. [1] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

In 1965 Samuel Charters at Vanguard Records asked nine different blues artists to come into the studio and record several songs each, so that he could produce a sampler of Chicago blues music. The albums made a significant impression on some now-well-known American and English rock musicians, who at the time had not had much exposure to electric blues. [1] [3] [4] [5] [6]

The artists featured on Chicago/The Blues/Today! are Junior Wells, J. B. Hutto, Otis Spann, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Homesick James, Johnny Young, Johnny Shines, and Big Walter Horton. Also contributing are other musicians such as Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, and Floyd Jones.

Track listing

Disc 1 / Volume 1

The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

  1. "Help Me"
  2. "It Hurts Me Too"
  3. "Messin' with the Kid"
  4. "Vietcong Blues"
  5. "All Night Long"

J. B. Hutto and His Hawks

  1. "Going Ahead"
  2. "Please Help"
  3. "Too Much Alcohol"
  4. "Married Woman Blues"
  5. "That's the Truth"

Otis Spann's South Side Piano

  1. "Marie"
  2. "Burning Fire"
  3. "S. P. Blues"
  4. "Sometimes I Wonder"
  5. "Spann's Stomp"

Disc 2 / Volume 2

The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet

  1. "Cotton Crop Blues"
  2. "The Blues Keep Falling"
  3. "Love Me or Leave"
  4. "Rocket 88"
  5. "West Helena Blues"

The Otis Rush Blues Band

  1. "Everything's Going to Turn Out Alright"
  2. "It's a Mean Old World"
  3. "I Can't Quit You Baby"
  4. "Rock"
  5. "It's My Own Fault"

Homesick James and His Dusters

  1. "Dust My Broom"
  2. "Somebody Been Talkin'"
  3. "Set a Date"
  4. "So Mean to Me"

Disc 3 / Volume 3

Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band

  1. "One More Time"
  2. "Kid Man Blues"
  3. "My Black Mare"
  4. "Stealin' Back"
  5. "I Got Mine In Time"
  6. "Tighten Up on It"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band

  1. "Dynaflow Blues"
  2. "Black Spider Blues"
  3. "Layin' Down My Shoes and Clothes"
  4. "If I Get Lucky"

Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie

  1. "Rockin' My Boogie"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band

  1. "Mr. Boweevil"
  2. "Hey, Hey"

Personnel

Musicians

The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band

J. B. Hutto and His Hawks

Otis Spann's South Side Piano

The Jimmy Cotton Quartet

The Otis Rush Blues Band

Homesick James and His Dusters

Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band

The Johnny Shines Blues Band

Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie

Production

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Koda, Cub. "Chicago/The Blues/Today!". AllMusic. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  2. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings . Penguin. p. 745. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
  3. 1 2 Kopp, Ed (January 1, 2000). "Various: Chicago, The Blues, Today!". All About Jazz. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Mac, David. "Chicago/The Blues/Today! – Revisited". Blues Junction Productions. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  5. 1 2 O'Neal, Jim (November 10, 2016). "Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vol. 1-3 – Various Artists (Vanguard, 1966)". Blues Foundation. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Wyatt, Keith. "Chicago/The Blues/Today! Turns 50". ArtistWorks. Retrieved December 1, 2019.