The Painted Faces: Anxious Color 1967 - 1969 (2002)

 
The Painted Faces were an American garage and psychedelic rock band from Fort Myers, Florida, who were active from 1967 through 1969, and were not only popular in Florida but achieved a following outside of their own region by playing regular shows in New York City and elsewhere. Originally

known as the Dimension, they went on to become one of the top local bands in Florida during the middle and late-1960's. They even developed a following in New York beginning in 1967, and ended up signed to the Manhattan Records label, where they had a modest hit with "Anxious Color" that same year. The name change to Painted Faces accompanied a gig in the Virgin Islands, where they started doing precisely that. The band broke up in 1968 as members started getting called up for military service.
                            

After disbanding they became practically unknown for a number of years. But since the 1980s, with the reissue their songs on various compilations, they have come to the attention of garage rock and psychedelic devotees. They are known for songs such as "Anxious Color", which Mojo magazine

named one of the top 100 psychedelic songs of all time. The record company received complaints from disc jockeys about perceived drug references in a couple of the songs released on the 45s. Consequently, "I Lost You In My Mind" never received much airplay outside of south Florida. Nonetheless, Painted Faces were beginning to land better gigs and often traveled to New York City. The parents of Jerry Turano and John McKinney objected the excursions to New York and convinced their sons to leave the band to pursue careers outside of music.
               

They were replaced by other musicians, but the core of the band remained with Jack O'Neill, George

Schule and Harry Bragg. The group became popular in Greenwich Village clubs such as Cafe Wha?, whose manager sent them to Puerto Rico to do a two-week residency at popular nightspot, the Jet Set. From here they landed a gig at Creque Alley in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, where The Mamas & Papas had performed. At the end of 1967, the Painted Faces released another Manhattan single, "In the Heat of the Night" b/w "Don't Say She's Gone".
                 

As was the case with countless American bands of the era, the Vietnam War led to the ultimate demise

of the group, when drummer Harry Bragg was drafted into combat. Without his services the group fell into disarray and disbanded in 1969. The Painted Faces faded into obscurity until some of their songs began to appear on garage compilations in the early 1980s. Their work was anthologized on the compilation Anxious Color, released in 1994 on Distortions Records.
                          

This compilation includes all seven of the tracks they released during their lifetime, as well as a dozen

previously unreleased cuts from 1967 and 1968. A fair collection of a band that leaned toward the moodiest end of the garage-psych spectrum. Taken from copies of the singles and the like, the sound quality on some of the material  is very poor  and many tracks are distorted.  [Anxious Color was reissued on CD with bonus tracks in 2002.]
                

The Painted Faces – Anxious Color 1967-69
Label: Distortions Records – DR 1020
Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

               

01. Anxious Color   2:33
02. I Want You   3:03
03. Things We See   2:04
04. She Don't Care About Time   2:21
05. I Can't Wait   2:12
06. Can't Stop Loving You   2:20
07. I Lost You In My Mind  2:18
08. I Think I'm Going Mad   2:13
09. Don't Say She's Gone   2:08
10. Girl, You're Growing Up   2:15
11. Hard Life   2:22
12. Incense & Peppermints   2:26
13. Play With Fire   2:59
14. Lady   2:46
15. Black Hearted Susan   3:42
16. Birdie Told Me   2:33
17. I Can't See Nobody   3:41
18. Lonely People   2:20
19. I Think Of You   2:54
20. If You Go Away   1:57
21. And Nnow She Knows   2:42
22. Close Your Mind   3:03
23. To Love Somebody   3:09
24. Look Away   2:37
25. Good Day Sunshine   2:08
26. Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore   2:42
27. One Minute Woman   2:17
28. A Day In The Life   5:10

LINE - UP

Bass – Bruce Morford, Craig Guild, George Schule, John McKinney
Drums – Harry Bragg
Guitar – George Ayers, Jack Ross, Jerry Turano
Guitar [Lead] – Jerry Turano, Tony Yadouga
Guitar [Rhythm] – George Schule, John McKinneyA4,
Organ – Danny Toriello, George Schule
Vocals – Jack O'Neill

NOTES

                        

Re-Issue of 1994 LP compilation on Distortions Records.
Two tracks have been omitted from original comp ("In The Heat Of The Night" and "Shovel Song").
Tracks 18-28 are bonus tracks added for this 2002 CD Re-Release.

Flac Size: 461 MB

Various: Battle Of The Garages Part I + Part II (1993 - 1994)

 

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS

There was a time when the alternate musical universe of the 60s garage bands was thought to be forever lost in time, never to be seen or heard again except by a few smelly, crusty, socially inept record collectors.
 

THE GRAVEDDIGER V

Then there were faint stirrings, started first by the Nuggets and Pebbles compilations, that turned into rumbling sounds, as if wooly mammoths had been thawed out of blocks of glacier ice and were again stomping through these cultural wastelands, looking for water holes and a place to plug in their Fender amps.

PLASTICLAND

Greg Shaw, the editor of Who Put The Bomp! fanzine and operator of Bomp and Voxx Records, had an ear to the ground. He invited the untamed youths who aspired to play in the style of the Chocolate Watch Band, Shadows of Knight and other forgotten heroes to send in tapes to be included in a survey of new garage bands.
 

THE VIPERS

Eventually, there were four "Battle of the Garages" compilations on vinyl, later reissued on two CDs. This is the first CD, with such worthy folks as the Vertebrats, Crawdaddys, Chesterfield Kings, Slickee Boys, Plasticland, Vipers, Miracle Workers, and others.

THE FUZZTONES

Hard to imagine, but this first garage band revival movement is now further away in time than it was from the lost world of the mid 1960s that it sought to recreate. Play this loud; flashing red lights and mind-expanding aids are optional.

GREG SHAW & SUZI SHAW

Bomp! Records is a Los Angeles-based record label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw, and Suzy Shaw. Voxx Records was formed by Bomp! Records founder Greg Shaw in 1979 to release 60's style garage revival, roots rock and psych music.

THE CYNICS

Shaw was one of the first and best-known rock fanzine editors. Active in science fiction fandom as a young man, he became familiar with fanzines. Shaw founded one of the earliest rock fanzines, the mimeographed Mojo Navigator and Rock 'n Roll News in 1966.

THE CRAWDADDYS

During the 1970s, Shaw worked for Sire Records, and was instrumental in the signing of Flamin' Groovies, a band that he also managed for a couple of years. In 1974, Bomp! became a record label, and Shaw released records by Devo, the Weirdos and Iggy Pop, and worked with several artists including Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys.

THE PANDORAS

He signed, and distributed, power pop and new wave acts such as Shoes, the Nerves, the Plimsouls and the Romantics. Bomp! Records was an LA record store for a couple of years, as well as one of the first independent distributors in the U.S.

THE LAST DRIVE

In the 1980s, Shaw helped launch the garage revival scene with bands such as the Miracle Workers and the Pandoras. He also released music by Spacemen 3 and the Brian Jonestown Massacre in the mid to late-1990s, and appears in the Sundance award-winning documentary Dig!.

MIRACLE WORKERS

In 1994, he associated with Patrick Boissel's Alive Records, a label with music by the Black Keys, Two Gallants, the Bobby Lees, Radio Moscow, Swamp Dogg and many other artists. Greg Shaw died from heart failure at the age of 55 on October 19, 2004. Bomp! Records is headed by his ex-wife, Suzy Shaw.

                            

VARIOUS - BATTLE OF THE GARAGES PART I 1994
                        

Various – Battle Of The Garages: Part 1
Label: Voxx Records – VCD 2067
Series: Battle Of The Garages – Part 1
Format: 2 CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1994
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Punk, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock

CD1.

                

01. United States Of Existence - Return To The Psychedelic   02:46
02. The Vertebrats - Left In The Dark    03:26
03. Deniz Tek - RPM    02:12
04. The Dark Side - In The Dark    02:35
05. The Wombats - The Reason Why    03:35
06. The Crawdaddys - You're Gonna Need My Love Someday   4:15
07. The Unclaimed - Run From Home    02:03
08. The Chesterfield Kings - Are You Gonna Be There?    02:13
09. The Slickee Boys - Going All The Way-Glendora    4:14
10. Eddy Best - Things I Should've Said    02:42
11. Plasticland - Office Skills    01:46
12. Vipers - Nothing's From Today    02:36

Flac Size: 425 MB

CD2.

                      

13. Miracle Workers - Flashing Red Light    02:11
14. The Time Beings - Why Don't You Love Me    03:21
15. Mad Violets - Psilocybe    03:15
16. True West - And Then The Rain    03:48
17. The Fezmen - So Easy Baby    02:44
18. Prime Movers - Come To Where It's At    03:37
19. Mystic Eyes - Enough Of What I Need    02:05
20. Trip - Stick Like Glue    02:28
21. Odds - I'll Make You Sorry    03:04
22. Yard Trauma - Some People    02:46
23. The Cynics - Let Me Know    02:48
24. The Fuzztones - Green Slime    02:26

Flac Size: 444 MB

NOTES

                             

On this 2-CD series we present the best of the 4 LPs, plus a few extras. The present volume is drawn from Volumes 1 (outs 1-11) and 2, while Part 2 features selections from Volumes 3 and 4.
                           

VARIOUS - BATTLE OF THE GARAGES PART II 1993
                          

Various – Battle Of The Garages Part II
Label: Voxx Records – VCD 2068
Series: Battle Of The Garages – Part II
Format: 2 CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1993
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock

CD1.

                   

01. Zebra Stripes – Intro '66   0:54
02. Thee Fourgiven – Yeah   3:01
03. The Gravedigger V – Spooky   2:51
04. Untold Fables – I Try   2:33
05. Mystery Machine – She's Not Mine   2:59
06. Tell-Tale Hearts – My World Is Upside Down   2:51
07. The Pandoras – Melvin   2:26
08. Hidden Peace – Summer Of Love   2:18
09. Eyes Of Mind – Donna, Donna   3:39
10. Young Lords – Tearing Up My Heart   2:29
11. SS20 – No Matter What   2:33
12. The Cannibals – Good Times   3:10

Flac Size: 396 MB

CD2.

                

13. The Otherside – Haunted House   2:53
14. Les Thugs – Femme Fatale   2:58
15. The Surfadelics – Bad Little Girl   2:12
16. The Klepstones – She'll Always Be Mine   1:56
17. Sex Museum – Drugged Personality   3:07
18. Bad Karma Beckons – Listen   3:36
19. The Last Drive – Everynight   4:12
20. Sick Rose – I Want Love   1:59
21. The Green Telescopes – Thinkin' Bout Today   2:47
22. The Birdmen Of Alkatraz – April Dancer   2:59
23. Les Coronados – Free Again   2:22
24. Flamingos – Let It Shine   4:11

Flac Size: 433 MB

Luther Allison: Blues Overdose

 

Luther Sylvester Allison (August 17, 1939 – August 12, 1997) was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Widener, Arkansas, although some accounts suggest his actual

place of birth was Mayflower, Arkansas. Allison was interested in music as a child and during the late 1940s he toured in a family gospel group called The Southern Travellers. He moved with his family to Chicago in 1951 and attended Farragut High School where he was classmates with Muddy Waters' son. He taught himself guitar and began listening to blues extensively. Three years later he dropped out of school and began hanging around outside blues nightclubs with the hopes of being invited to perform.
                    

Allison was the 14th of 15 children, the son of cotton farmers. His parents moved to Chicago when he was in his early teens, but he had a solid awareness of blues before he left Arkansas, as he played organ

in the church and learned to sing gospel in Widener as well. Allison recalled that his earliest awareness of blues came via the family radio in Arkansas, which his dad would play at night. Allison recalls listening to both the Grand Ole Opry and B.B. King on the King Biscuit Show on Memphis' WDIA. Although he was a talented baseball player and had begun to learn the shoemaking trade in Chicago after high school, it wasn't long before Allison began to focus more of his attention on playing blues guitar.
                         

Allison played with the bands of Howlin' Wolf and Freddie King, taking over King's band when King toured nationally. He worked with Jimmy Dawkins, Magic Sam and Otis Rush, and also

backed James Cotton. Chicago Reader has called him "the Jimi Hendrix of blues guitar". It was while living with his family on Chicago's West Side that he had his first awareness of wanting to become a full-time bluesman, and he played bass behind guitarist Jimmy Dawkins, who Allison grew up with. Also in Allison's neighborhood were established blues greats like Freddie King, Magic Sam, and Otis Rush. He distinctly remembers everyone talking about Buddy Guy when he came to town from his native Louisiana.
                         

After the Allison household moved to the South Side, they lived a few blocks away from Muddy Waters, and Allison and Waters' son Charles became friends. When he was 18 years old, his brother

showed him basic chords and notes on the guitar, and the super bright Allison made rapid progress after that. Allison went on to "blues college" by sitting in with some of the most legendary names in blues in Chicago's local venues: Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and Howlin' Wolf among them. Allison's big break came in 1957, when Howlin' Wolf invited him to the stage. The same year he worked briefly with Jimmy Dawkins, playing in local clubs. Freddie King took Allison under his wing, and after King got a record deal, Allison took over his gig in the house band of a club on Chicago's West Side.
                            

He worked the club circuit in the late 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, Allison moved to California for a year where he worked with Shakey Jake Harris and Sunnyland Slim. He recorded his first single in 1965. He signed a recording contract with Delmark Records in 1967 and released his

debut album, Love Me Mama, the following year. He performed a well-received set at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival and as a result was asked to perform there in each of the next three years.
Allison was known for his powerful concert performances, lengthy soulful guitar solos and crowd walking with his Gibson Les Paul. He lived briefly during this period in Peoria, Illinois, where he signed with Rumble Records, releasing two live recordings, Gonna Be a Live One in Here Tonight!, produced by Bill Knight, and Power Wire Blues, produced by George Faber and Jeffrey P. Hess.
                    

Although his Motown albums got him to places he'd never been before, like Japan and new venues in

Europe, the recordings didn't sell well. He does have the distinction of being one of a few blues musicians to record for Motown. Allison stayed busy in Europe through the rest of the 1970s and 1980s, and recorded Love Me Papa for the French Black and Blue label in 1977. He followed with a number of live recordings from Paris, and, in 1984, he settled outside of Paris, since France and Germany were such major markets for him. At home in the U.S., Allison continued to perform sporadically, when knowledgeable blues festival organizers or blues societies would book him.
                  

During his tour in the summer of 1997, Allison checked into a hospital on July 10, 1997 for dizziness

and loss of coordination. It was discovered that he had a tumor on his lung that had metastasized to his brain. He began radiation therapy on July 16, which lasted until August 1. In and out of a coma, Allison died on August 12, 1997, five days before his 58th birthday, in Madison, Wisconsin. His final album, Reckless, had just been released five months prior.
                     

01. LUTHER ALLISON - BAD NEWS IS COMING 1972

                     

The very thing that made Luther Allison noteworthy became an albatross around his neck. Years after his initial run of records in the '70s, he was known for the same thing he was at the time -- he was the

only blues artist on Gordy, or any Motown affiliated label. This was true and novel, but many focused on the novelty, not the truth, ignoring Allison's status as a terrific torchbearer of raw Chicago blues. Some of material illustrates some contemporary influence -- dig that funky groove and organ on "Raggedy and Dirty," or the rock-oriented slow burn of Mel London's "Cut You A-Loose" -- but as his original title track illustrates, he can also deliver a torturous, impassioned slow grind. Still, this isn't an album about originality, it's a record how tradition can remain alive in a contemporary setting.
                   

Luther Allison – Bad News Is Coming
Label: Motown – 440 013 407-2
Series: Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited 2001
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 1972    
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                   

01.The Little Red Rooster   4:13
Written-By – Willie Dixon
02.Evil Is Going On   4:38
Written-By – Willie Dixon
03.Raggedy And Dirty   3:42
Written-By – Andrew Smith, Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Ray Goodman, R. Kreiner
04.Rock Me Baby   5:46
Written-By – B.B. King, J. Josea
05.Bad News Is Coming   7:26
Written-By – Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Paul White
06.Cut You A-Loose   5:59
Written-By – Mel London
07.Dust My Broom   2:48
Written-By – Elmore James
08.The Stumble   2:23
Written-By – Freddy King
09.Sweet Home Chicago   4:13
Written-By – Robert Johnson
10.It's Been A Long Time   10:44
Written-By – Luther Allison
11.Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You)   4:21
Written-By – Mertis John

LINE - UP

Vocals, Lead Guitar, Arranged By – Luther Allison
Rhythm Guitar – Ray Goodman
Drums, Bass – Andrew Smith
Harmonica – Garfield Angove
Piano – Paul White

NOTES

Tracks 1 to 7 released as Gordy, G9462, December 1972.
Tracks 8 to 11 previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Tracks recorded February to April, June and August, 1972.

Flac Size: 366 MB

02. LUTHER ALLISON - LUTHER'S BLUES 1974

                

Luther's Blues is where Luther Allison began to come into his own, developing a fluid, gutsy style full

of soulful string bending. There are still a few weak spots, but the album remains an effective slice of contemporary Chicago blues.
              

Luther Allison – Luther's Blues
Label:Motown – 440 013 409-2
Format:CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2001
Country:US
Released:1974
Genre:Blues
Style:Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                

01. Luther's Blues   6:18
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Someday Pretty Baby   2:40
Written-By – Berry Gordy, James Woodley
03. Easy Baby   5:17
Written-By – Willie Dixon
04. Part Time Love   2:43
Written-By – Janie Bradford, Richard Wylie
05. Now You Got It   3:38
Written-By – Gary Beam, Gene Block, Kenneth Miles, Luther Allison
06. K.T.   3:07
Written-By – Benny Emerson, Joseph Peraino, Luther Allison
07. Let's Have A Little Talk   7:04
Written-By – Luther Allison
08. Driving Wheel   5:34
Written-By – Roosevelt Sykes
09. Into My Life   3:30
Written-By – Luther Allison

BONUS TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED        

10. San-Ho-Zay   5:20
Written-By – Freddie King, Sonny Thompson
11. Bloomington Closing - Early Version   5:27
Written-By – Luther Allison
12. Medley: I'm Gonna Miss My Baby/Bad News Is Coming/The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Ann Arbor)   19:10
Written-By – Joseph Peraino, Luther Allison, Paul White, Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins

LINE - UP

Vocals, Harmonica, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Guitar [Strato-Caster], Arranged By – Luther Allison
Bass – Bob Babbitt (tracks: 1 to 11), Gary Beam (tracks: 1 to 11)
Drums – Andrew Smith (tracks: 1 to 11), K. J. Knight (tracks: 1 to 11)
Piano, Organ – Paul White (tracks: 1 to 11), Tom Curry (tracks: 3)
Rhythm Guitar – Gene Block (tracks: 1 to 11), Ray Goodman (tracks: 1 to 11)

NOTES

Bonus Tracks (Previously Unreleased) Tracks 10-12. Track 12 recorded at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, September 9, 1973.

Flac Size: 460 MB

03. LUTHER ALLISON - NIGHT LIFE 1976

             

On Night Life, Luther Allison tried to make a crossover album between Soul and Blues and this vinyl

LP was never released on CD. Occasionally, he spits out a good solo, but only the most devoted listeners will be able to dig them out, since they're buried beneath a glossy varnish.
                 

Luther Allison – Night Life
Label: Gordy – G6-974S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Hollywood Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Funk / Soul, Blues
Style: Chicago Blues, Funk

SIDE A.

               

A1.Turn Back The Hands Of Time   3:04
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
A2.I Can Make It Thru The Day (But Oh Those Lonely Nights)   3:35
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
A3.The Bum Is Mine   3:31
Soprano Saxophone, Soloist – Robin Kenyatta
A4. Hollywood Be Thy Name    3:55
A5. That's What Love Will Make You Do   3:37
Trombone, Soloist – Ray Anderson

SIDE B.

                 

B1. Night Life   3:17
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
B2. Full Speed Ahead   4:11
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
B3. Cross-Cut Saw    4:22
B4. Bloomington Closing    5:38

LINE - UP

Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Alto Saxophone – Lew Del Gatto, Richard Drake
Backing Vocals – Gail Kantor, Hilda Harris, Maretha Stewart, Tasha Thomas
Baritone Saxophone – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Jeffrey Aldrich, John Lee
Drums – Gerry Brown, Michael Carvin
Guitar – Jim Solberg, Steve Khan
Keyboards – Richard Tee
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Piano – Mac Rebennack
Piano, Organ – Larry Byrne
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Trumpet – Randy Brecker

Flac Size: 388 MB

04. LUTHER ALLISON - LOVE ME PAPA 1977

                  

Luther Allison is the blues' proverbial little boy with the curl; when he's good, he's great. When he's bad, he's awful. Allison was on throughout most of the nine tracks (three bonus cuts) on this 1977 date

recently reissued by Evidence on CD, playing with the ferocity, direction, and inventiveness that is often missing from his more uneven efforts. His covers of Little Walter Jacobs' "Last Night" and "Blues With A Feeling" are not reverential or respectful but are launching pads for high-octane, barreling riffs, snappy phrases, and exciting solos. His vocals are not always that keen, but Allison at least stretches them out and adds verbal embellishments, yells, and shouts of encouragement.
                      

Luther Allison – Love Me Papa
Label: Black And Blue – 233524
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1986
Country: France
Released: 1977
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues
Total time: 58:33

TRACKS

                     

01. Love Me Papa   5:56
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Blues With A Feeling   6:23
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
03. Last Night   11:36
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
04. Key To The Highway   5:12
Written-By – B.B. Broonzy, C. Segar, J. Gillum
05. It's Too Late   11:15
Written-By – Luther Allison
06. Feelin' So Good   4:42
Written-By – H. Parker
07. Going Down   5:56
Written-By – Don Nix
08. Luther's Boogie   3:05
Written-By – Luther Allison
09. Standing At The Crossroad   3:13
Written-By – R. Johnson

LINE - UP

Bass Guitar – Jim Campbell
Drums – Donald Robertson
Guitar – Dan Hoeflinger
Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica – Luther Allison
Liner Notes – Didier Tricard
Organ, Piano – Sid Wingfield

NOTES

Recorded on December 13th 1977 at Barclay studio
Selections from 1 to 6 previously released on Black And Blue 33.524. Selections from 7 to 9 previously unreleased.

Flac Size: 567 MB

05. LUTHER ALLISON - BLUE STREAK 1995

                       

A follow-up to his previous Soul Fixin' Man (which uses the same personnel and may be from the same

sessions), bluesman guitarist/singer Luther Allison is in top form throughout this well-rounded set. Allison wrote (or co-wrote with guitarist James Solberg) all but one of the dozen songs, and these range from heated blues struts to blues ballads. Recommended to fans of lowdown, intense Chicago blues.
               

Luther Allison – Blue Streak
Label: Alligator Records – ALCD 4834
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1995
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues, Electric Blues

TRACKS

                      

01. All The King's Horses    5:37
02. What Have I Done Wrong?    4:48
03. Big City    5:23
04. Move From The 'Hood    3:42
05. What's Going On In My Home?    4:07
06. I Believe In You    4:36
07. Cherry Red Wine (Watching You)    4:21
08. Walking Papers    4:28
09. Think With Your Heart    4:570
10. You Don't Know    2:47
11. Should I Wait?    5:04
12. Midnight Creeper    3:37

LINE  - UP

Backing Vocals – Jacqueline Johnson (tracks: 12), Jacquelyn Reddick (tracks: 12)
Bass – Dave Smith (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12), Ken Faltinson (tracks: 7, 8)
Drums – Robb Stupka (tracks: 7, 8), Steve Potts (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12)
Executive-Producer – Thomas Ruf
Guitar – James Solberg
Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Keyboards – Ernest Williamson (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12), Mike Vlahakis (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano – Bruce McCabe (tracks: 11)
Rhythm Guitar – Charlie Bingham (tracks: 8)
Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Love (tracks: 5, 9, 10, 12)
Trumpet, Trombone – Wayne Jackson (tracks: 5, 9, 10, 12)

Flac Size: 352 MB

06. LUTHER ALLISON - WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? (LIVE IN MONTREUX 1976 - 1994) 1996

                   

Where Have You Been? Live in Montreux 1976-1994 features the exciting blues guitarist/singer Luther Allison on selections taken from four appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Although the title says 1974-1994, the earliest numbers are actually from 1976, and these are the most memorable cuts on the

CD. Even when sticking to cover tunes throughout the powerhouse performance (such as "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Little Red Rooster"), Allison plays with such enthusiasm and ferocity that he sounds as if he wrote the songs himself. Among the other highlights, Allison is heard on his 1983 set closer "Sky Is Crying," shouting out a Memphis soul-type ballad ("Memories") in 1984 and sounding remarkably close to B.B. King at times during 1994's "Bad Love" (which has background riffs from the Memphis Horns). This is a strong (and easily recommended) all-around overview that can serve as a perfect introduction to the talented Luther Allison.
             

Luther Allison – Where Have You Been? (Live In Montreux 1976 - 1994)
Label: Ruf Records – Ruf 1008
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Germany
Released: 1996
Genre: Blues
Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                    

01. Introduction   2:19
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Gamblers Blues   6:50
Written-By – Otis Rush
03. Sweet Home Chicago   5:08
Written-By – Robert Johnson
04. Same Thing   8:27
Written-By – Willie Dixon
05. Little Red Rooster   11:30
Written-By – Willie Dixon
06. Sky Is Crying   7:40
Written-By – Elmore James
07. Back Down South   4:00
Written-By – Luther Allison
08. Memories   5:53
Written-By – Luther Allison
09. Spontaneous Improvisation   5:15
Written-By – Luther Allison
10. Bad News Is Coming   7:30
Written-By – Luther Allison
11. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is   5:20
Written-By – James Solberg, Luther Allison
12. Bad Love   9:40
Written-By – James Solberg, Luther Allison
13. Audience (1976)    0:19

LINE - UP

Electric Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Bass – David Hood (tracks: 7 to 10), Dave Smith (tracks: 11, 12), Jeff Aldrich (tracks: 1 to 5), Mike Morrison (tracks: 6)
Drums – Jay Mattes (tracks: 1 to 6), Roger Hawkins (tracks: 7 to 10), Yvette Preyer (tracks: 11, 12)
Guitar – James Solberg (tracks: 1 to 5, 11, 12)
Keyboards – Larry Byrne (tracks: 1 to 5), Michel Carras (tracks: 6 to 10)
Organ – Barry Becket (tracks: 7 to 10), Ernest Williamson (tracks: 11, 12)
Rhythm Guitar – Jimmy Johnson  (tracks: 7 to 10)
Saxophone – Andrew Love (tracks: 11, 12), Richard Drake (tracks: 1 to 5)
Trumpet – Wayne Jackson (tracks: 11, 12)

NOTES

Recorded At – Montreux Jazz Festival
Tracks 1 to 5, 13: Recorded 1976.
Track 6: Recorded 1983.
Tracks 7 to 10: Recorded 1984.
Tracks 11 to 12: Recorded 1994.

Flac Size: 520 MB

07. LUTHER ALLISON - LIVE IN CHICAGO 1999

            

Pulled from performances at the Chicago Blues Festival, Buddy Guy's Legends club with a couple of strays recorded in Lincoln, NE, that were too good not to include, this two-disc set captures Allison at

the absolute peak of his powers. Disc one is the Chicago Blues Festival in its entirety with a bonus track of Luther jamming on the finale with Otis Rush and Eddie C. Campbell on a medley of two B.B. King tunes. Disc two is equally potent, a combination of performances pulled from Buddy Guy's Legends club and the Zoo Bar in Lincoln, NE. Luther simply played his heart and spirit out right to the end and these recordings spotlight it in a very fine manner. One of the label's best.

                

Luther Allison – Live In Chicago
Label: Ruf Records – RUF 1042
Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1999
Genre: Blues
Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues

CD1.

                     

01. Intro   0:23
MC – Tom Marker
02. Soul Fixin' Man   4:03
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
03. Cherry Red Wine   8:36
Written-By – Allison
04. Move From The Hood   4:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. Bad Love   10:16
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is   6:00
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. Big City   9:07
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
08. Give Me Back My Wig   5:22
Written-By – Taylor
09. It Hurts Me Too   7:40
Written-By – Whittaker
10. Medley: Gambler's Blues/Sweet Little Angel   (10:25)
Baritone Saxophone – Willie Henderson
Bass – Leonard Gill
Drums – Ray Stewart
Keyboards – Dave Rice
Lead Guitar [Center], Vocals [Center] – Otis Rush
Lead Guitar [Left] – Eddie C. Campbell
Lead Guitar [Right], Vocals [Right] – Luther Allison
Rhythm Guitar – John Kattke
Tenor Saxophone – Bobby Neely
Trumpet – Ken Anderson
10.1.Gambler's Blues
Written-By – King, Pate
10.2.Sweet Little Angel
Written-By – Bogan

Flac Size: 468 MB

CD2.

             

01. Party Time   5:20
Written-By – Allison
02. All The King's Horses   12:19
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
03. What Have I Done Wrong?   7:10
Written-By – Maghett
04. Walking Papers   6:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. Think With Your Heart   6:27
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. What's Going On In My Home?   7:13
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. Will It Ever Change?   5:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
08. You're Gonna Make Me Cry   8:26
Written-By – Malone
09. Everything's Gonna Be All Right   5:30
Written-By – Jacobs

Flac Size: 431 MB

08. LUTHER ALLISON - SONGS FROM THE ROAD 2009

                 

The great blues singer and guitarist Luther Allison died in August of 1997, just a month after being

diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor. Four days prior to that diagnosis, he played a blistering show in Montreal; it was filmed for later airplay on Canadian television, and most of the show is captured on this very fine CD/DVD set (several of the songs not included on the CD are covered on the DVD and vice-versa). The bitter irony is obvious here -- Allison is at the peak of his powers, and yet at the same time, it could be said that he's playing like a man with only weeks to live.
                  

The urgency and fire of his playing and singing on numbers like his slide showcase "It Hurts Me Too," and the powerfully swinging, barrelhouse blues of "Will It Ever Change" and "You Can, You Can" would put musicians half his age to shame. But what really sets him apart is the relentlessly positive

nature of his message: whether preaching social uplift on "Move from the Hood" or entreating a reluctant lover on "You Can, You Can," Allison always seems to be encouraging and exhorting more than pleading or bemoaning. His "talking guitar" shtick is charming, his slide playing is beautifully greasy, and the gleeful disregard with which he struts back and forth over the lines that separate the blues from R&B and rock is inspiring. Songs from the Road is a bittersweet but more than welcome look back at one of America's lost musical treasures.
                 

Luther Allison – Songs From The Road
Label: Ruf Records – RUF 1157
Series: Songs From The Road (2)
Format: CD, DVD
Country: Germany
Released: 2009
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                      

01. Cancel My Check
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
02. Living In The House Of The Blues
Written-By – Williams
03. What Have I Done Wrong
Arranged By – Allison
04. Will It Ever Change
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. You Can, You Can
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. There Comes A Time
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. (Watching You) Cherry Red Wine
Written-By – Allison
08. Low Down And Dirty
Written-By – Bernard Allison
09. It Hurts Me Too
Written-By – Whittaker
10. Serious
Written-By – Allison, Carras

LINE - UP

Vocals, Guitar – Luther Allison
Bass – Ken Faltinson
Drums – Rob Stupka
Guitar – James Solberg
Keyboards – Mike Vlahakis

NOTES

Recorded at one of Luther's last performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on July 4, 1997.
Track CD-4 is listed as "That Ain't The Way Things S'posed To Be" but it is "Will It Ever Change"

Flac Size: 486 MB