Top Ten Electric Blues Albums

[johmica]

What I'm going for here are the classics. More B.B. King Live at the Regal, less some esoteric recording no one's heard of before. If someone wanted to learn the electric blues canon in ten albums, what would they be?

 

[Geoff738]

What I'm going for here are the classics. More B.B. King Live at the Regal, less some esoteric recording no one's heard of before. If someone wanted to learn the electric blues canon in ten albums, what would they be?

If you're a guitar player and willing to include compilations, the new Freddie King one is good, and I'd pick up the Otis Rush one with his Cobra stuff.

I'd probably put West Side Soul on there too.

Yeah, you'll probably want the other two Kings on that list as well. You could do worse than Live at the Regal. Not sure which of Albert's though. Honestly I only have a couple.

Muddy is a must.

I dunno. My list would probably end up being a little Chicago-centric other than the Kings.

John Lee Hooker - ok, I think he's Detroit.

Maybe some slide guys. Elmore? JB Hutto? Is that getting too obscure.

Maybe some earlier guys. T Bone Walker.

How about some harp - Junior Wells and Buddy Guy?

Do you want to get into some more jump blues stuff?

Personally I'd probably put Layla on there too, but that may not be what you had in mind.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[twintwelve]

1.Hoodoo Man Blues-Junior Wells
2."Girls Go Wild"- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
3. Player-Nick Curran
4.-The Essential Little Walter-Little Walter
5.-West Side Soul-Magic Sam
6.The Chess Box-Muddy Waters
7.The Chess Box-Howlin Wolf
8.Johnny Winter-Johnny Winter
9. Live. The Boston Tea Party, Vol.s 1-3-Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac
10. Do The Boogie, B.B.King's Early '50's Classics-B.B.King

 

[AirBagTester]

I want to say SRV "Texas Flood," but I wasn't around for the top 10 albums that influenced HIM, which I would really like to think would come first.

DEFINITELY John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom." Something by Bo Diddley maybe? Lighnin' Hopkins, "Great Electric Show & Dance"

This is a really interesting question... can't really say I know of any Robert Johnson electric recordings, or Blind Gary Davis... Son House maybe? Where's a good starting point for "the electric blues classics?"

 

[chezdeluxe]

Albert King Born under a bad sign
Freddie King The Complete King Federal Singles
Magic Sam West Side Soul
Junior Wells Hoodoo Man Blues
Muddy Waters The Best Of...
Howling Wolf Howlin'Wolf (The Rocking Chair Album)
Jimmy Rogers Gold Tailed Bird
Sonny Boy Williamson More Real Folk Blues
Buddy Guy A man and the blues
T Bone Walker The complete Imperial recordings
Otis Rush The Cobra Recordings
Slim Harpo The best of
Jimmy Reed The essential Boss man
Elmore James The very best of

In my view this live album from the mid sixties is far superior to Live at the Regal
B B King Blues Is King

image removed

 

[Mr Perch]

B.B. Live at the Cook County Jail. I haven't heard the Jimi blues compilation, but if it has Red House and Hear My Train A-comin', it's a keeper.

 

[johmica]

Keep 'em coming!!! I'm hoping for some consensus.

 

[AirBagTester]

**Takes notes**

 

[gordon schumway]

... can't really say I know of any Robert Johnson electric recordings...

Aw, isn't that cute!

 

[Larry F]

Well, a couple of issues to think about. First, I have a feeling that people's exposure to musicians is from a broad array of sources, not just albums. Yes, many of us grew up with albums, but increasingly, people are cherry picking their favorites. Second, the box set is a godsend to us disciples, but doesn't that undermine the album concept of yore?

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Chezdeluxe is correct.

In my view this live album from the mid sixties is far superior to Live at the Regal
B B King Blues Is King

"Blues is King" is the one. Way better than Regal.

Cook County is really good too like others have said.


(Everybody is peripheral to BB and Muddy IMNSHO...)

 

[bblumentritt]

Roy Buchanan's Live Stock.

 

[4pickupguy]

John Mayall's 1966 "Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton" album. Had a great version of Hideaway on it....good album even now.

 

[benderb9]

Electric Flag-Long Time Coming-Michael Bloomfield YIKES! ANYTHING by Mike
Albert King-Born Under a Bad Sign
Robert Johnson the complete recordings-2 cd's everybody's stolen from here including Robert hisself
Buddy Guy and Junior Wells-any of several albums
Muddy Waters-take your pick
Howling Wolf-take your pick
Lightnin' Hopkins-anything
John Lee Hooker-take your pick and have mercy
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee-Harp and guitar at it's best

 

[AirBagTester]

Aw, isn't that cute!

I've found that every time I think I know something about the blues, I really only know a small piece of the thing I thought I knew.

 

[gordon schumway]

I've found that every time I think I know something about the blues, I really only know a small piece of the thing I thought I knew.

I hope I didn't offend. Just having a little fun.

 

[AirBagTester]

Robert Johnson the complete recordings-2 cd's everybody's stolen from here including Robert hisself

That's definitely a classic of sorts (I have it) but was that really recorded with electric guitar? (If I am wrong I guess that will put my "blues cred" into the negative.)

 

[AirBagTester]

I hope I didn't offend. Just having a little fun.

No problem; I will be the first to admit I don't know very much about the blues.

 

[AirBagTester]

Well, a couple of issues to think about. First, I have a feeling that people's exposure to musicians is from a broad array of sources, not just albums. Yes, many of us grew up with albums, but increasingly, people are cherry picking their favorites. Second, the box set is a godsend to us disciples, but doesn't that undermine the album concept of yore?

Good point. Probably none of the recordings I have are from the original albums except for some of the Fat Possum guys (which wouldn't really be considered "classic" I guess...) It's all "Best of Muddy Waters" and "Jimmy Reed greatest hits" and whatever.

I keep waiting for someone to hear "Smokestack Lightning" and say, "Hey, isn't that the song from that Cialis commercial?"

 

[billgwx]

Albert Collins/Johnny Copeland/Robert Cray - Showdown!

If "T-Bone Shuffle", "The Moon Is Full" and "Albert's Alley" on that record don't stir your soul, then nothing will.