Junior Wells - Blues Legend (2 CD)

Album: Blues Legend
Size: 100,9 + 106,1 MB
Time: 43:19 + 45:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Chicago blues, harmonica blues
Art: Front, back

CD 1:
1. Cut That Out (2:52)
2. Eagle Rock (2:22)
3. Hodo Man (Hoodoo Man) (3:06)
4. Junior's Wail (2:55)
5. 'Bout The Break Of Day (Early In The Morning) (3:16)
6. Lawdy! Lawdy! (2:41)
7. Tomorrow Night (2:28)
8. So All Alone (3:20)
9. Two Head Woman (Two-Headed Woman) (2:41)
10. Lovey Dovey Lovey One (2:12)
11. I Could Cry (3:11)
12. Cha Cha Cha In Blue (Cut My Toe Nail Instrumental) (2:22)
13. Little By Little (2:34)
14. Come On In This House (2:23)
15. You Don't Care (2:20)
16. Prison Bars All Around Me (2:29)

CD 2:
1. Galloping Horses A Lazy Mule (w. Earl Hooker) (2:35)
2. Calling All Blues (w. Earl Hooker) (2:34)
3. So Tired (2:14)
4. Love Me (2:09)
5. Messin' With The Kid (2:16)
6. Universal Rock (2:32)
7. I'm A Stranger (2:42)
8. The Things I Do For You (2:20)
9. You Sure Look Good To Me (2:26)
10. It Hurts Me Too (2:41)
11. I Could Cry (1961 Version) (2:53)
12. I Need Me A Car (2:21)
13. I'll Get You Too (3:04)
14. Every Goodbye Ain't Gone (2:51)
15. She's a Sweet One (3:01)
16. When The Cat's Gone The Mice Play (2:20)
17. What'd I Say (Live 1966) (Bonus Track) (4:25)

A superb and thrilling collection of early singles from one of the all-time blues greats, pioneering vocalist and harmonica player Junior Wells. Wells blended numerous styles including soul, gospel and even early rock on these early recordings some of which still remain his most identifiable sides including "Hoodoo Man," "Lovey Dovey Lovey One," "Messin' With The Kid" and more.

Junior Wells (December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998), born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist. Wells, who was best known for his performances and recordings with Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy, also performed with Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison.

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Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Drinkin' TNT 'N' Smokin' Dynamite

Album: Drinkin' TNT 'N' Smokin' Dynamite
Size: 103,9 MB
Time: 44:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1988
Styles: Chicago blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Introduction 1 (0:53)
2. Ahw Baby/Everything Gonna Be Alright (4:06)
3. How Can One Woman Be So Mean (6:21)
4. Checking On My Baby (4:55)
5. When You See The Tears From My Eyes (6:18)
6. Introduction 2 (1:16)
7. Ten Years Ago (8:46)
8. Messing With The Kid (3:38)
9. Hoodoo Man Blues (5:42)
10. My Younger Days (2:54)

Cut at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival with Stones' bassist Bill Wyman anchoring the rhythm section, the set captures some of the ribald musical repartee that customarily distinguished the pairing of Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, though they certainly break no new ground as they roll through their signature songs. /Bill Dahl, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Junior Wells - Southside Blues Jam (Bonus Tracks)

Size: 171.8 MB
Time: 73:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Stop Breaking Down (3:33)
02. I Could Have Had Religion (3:08)
03. Just Make Love To Me (4:49)
04. Lend Me Your Love (7:03)
05. Long Distance Call (3:15)
06. Blues For Major Daley (5:57)
07. In My Younger Days (4:06)
08. Trouble Don't Last (7:54)
09. It's Too Late Brother (6:12)
10. Warmin Up (1:16)
11. Love My Baby (3:39)
12. I Could Have Had Religion (Alt) (7:38)
13. Rock Me (5:52)
14. Lexington Movies (1:19)
15. Got To Play The Blues (7:37)

Junior Wells lives. The iconic blues singer and harmonica player passed away in 1998, but a reissue of his loose, raucous studio album Southside Blues Jam is yet another document proving that he won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Wells’ 1965 debut, Hoodoo Man Blues, is a classic blues album and a cornerstone release for Chicago’s Delmark label. That LP featured guitarist Buddy Guy, who would become a longtime collaborator with Wells (and later develop into a blues legend himself). Southside Blues Jam—recorded on Dec. 30, 1969, and Jan. 8, 1970—finds Wells fronting a band that includes Guy (on eight songs), guitarist Louis Myers (on nine songs), bassist Earnest Johnson, drummer Fred Below and Blues Hall of Fame inductee Otis Spann on piano. (It would be the pianist’s final studio session before he succumbed to liver cancer on April 24, 1970.) Wells is a force of nature here, whether he’s blowing mighty riffs on harmonica, bellowing a tune, squealing like an alley cat, imitating Howlin’ Wolf’s guttural delivery on “Got To Play The Blues” or exhorting his bandmates with comments like “Preach it, brother!” The original LP contained eight tracks, but this 73-minute CD reissue adds seven more, including two snippets that are brief but juicy: “Warmin’ Up” is just over a minute long, but it showcases an exciting musical conversation between Guy and Spann, illustrating how they could push each other and generate sparks. The incidental track “Lexington Memories,” which captures casual comments and jokes between takes, shows the camaraderie these musicians shared. More substantial is the muscular, six-minute bonus track “It’s Too Late Brother.” This is an example of the classic Chicago blues sound, spiked by patter in which Wells says to his pianist, “Would you do me a favor, Spann? Would you get up on the bass keys and kinda rap a little bit?” Spann complies with a rumbling, rolling motif, and then Wells yelps, “Get it! Ooo, shucks! Ain’t it nice!” That’s an understatement. ~Bobby Reed

Southside Blues Jam (Bonus Tracks) MP3
Southside Blues Jam (Bonus Tracks) FLAC

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Memphis Slim - Parisian Blues (Feat. Roosevelt Sykes, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells)

Size: 174,2 MB
Time: 74:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1988
Styles: Piano Blues
Art: Full

01. Introducing The Grinder Man And The Honey Dripper (0:38)
02. Mr Sykes Blues (4:28)
03. Eagle Rock (3:20)
04. Miss Ida Bee (4:28)
05. Going Down Slow (4:02)
06. 44 Blues (3:04)
07. Soft And Mellow (1:43)
08. The Churning Man (2:33)
09. 47Th Street Boogie (2:09)
10. Mno Blues (3:40)
11. Roosevelt Daddy's Blues (2:07)
12. When Buddy Comes To Town (6:30)
13. How Long Blues (2:35)
14. Good Time Charlie (3:11)
15. You Called Me At Last (7:40)
16. Ain't Nothing But A Texas Boogie On A Harpsichord (1:59)
17. You're The One (3:27)
18. No (5:37)
19. Help Me Some (4:16)
20. Rolling And Tumbling (6:02)
21. Ain't Nothing But A New Orleans Boogie On The Same Harpsichord (0:50)

Personnel:
Bass – Ernest Johnson* (tracks: 12 to 21)
Drums – Roosevelt Shaw (tracks: 12 to 21)
Guitar, Vocals – Buddy Guy (tracks: 12 to 21)
Harmonica – Junior Wells (tracks: 12 to 21)
Piano – Memphis Slim (tracks: 1 to 11 on the left channel), Roosevelt Sykes (tracks: 1 to 11 on the right channel)
Piano, Vocals – Memphis Slim (tracks: 12 to 21)
Rhythm Guitar – Phil Guy (tracks: 12 to 21)
Tenor Saxophone – A.C. Reed (tracks: 12 to 21)
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Conley* (tracks: 12 to 21)
Vocals – Memphis Slim (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 8, 10), Roosevelt Sykes (tracks: 3, 7, 9, 11)

Tracks 1 to 11 recorded at Barclay studio, Paris December 1970.
Tracks 12 to 21 recorded at Michel Magne studio, Hérouville, France, September 17 and 18, 1970 during the Rolling Stones European tour.

An amazingly prolific artist who brought a brisk air of urban sophistication to his frequently stunning presentation, John "Peter" Chatman -- better known as Memphis Slim -- assuredly ranks with the greatest blues pianists of all time. He was smart enough to take Big Bill Broonzy's early advice about developing a style to call his own to heart, instead of imitating that of his idol, Roosevelt Sykes. Soon enough, other 88s pounders were copying Slim rather than the other way around; his thundering ivories attack set him apart from most of his contemporaries, while his deeply burnished voice possessed a commanding authority.

As befits his stage name, John "Peter" Chatman was born and raised in Memphis; a great place to commit to a career as a bluesman. Sometime in the late '30s, he resettled in Chicago and began recording as a leader in 1939 for OKeh, then switched over to Bluebird the next year. Around the same time, Slim joined forces with Broonzy, then the dominant force on the local blues scene. After serving as Broonzy's invaluable accompanist for a few years, Slim emerged as his own man in 1944.

After the close of World War II, Slim joined Hy-Tone Records, cutting eight tracks that were later picked up by King. Lee Egalnick's Miracle label reeled in the pianist in 1947; backed by his jumping band, the House Rockers (its members usually included saxists Alex Atkins and Ernest Cotton), Slim recorded his classic "Lend Me Your Love" and "Rockin' the House." The next year brought the landmark "Nobody Loves Me" (better known via subsequent covers by Lowell Fulson, Joe Williams, and B.B. King as "Everyday I Have the Blues") and the heartbroken "Messin' Around (With the Blues)."

The pianist kept on label-hopping, moving from Miracle to Peacock to Premium (where he waxed the first version of his uncommonly wise down-tempo blues "Mother Earth") to Chess to Mercury before staying put at Chicago's United Records from 1952 to 1954. This was a particularly fertile period for the pianist; he recruited his first permanent guitarist, the estimable Matt Murphy, who added some serious fret fire to "The Come Back," "Sassy Mae," and "Memphis Slim U.S.A."

Before the decade was through, the pianist landed at Vee-Jay Records, where he cut definitive versions of his best-known songs with Murphy and a stellar combo in gorgeously sympathetic support (Murphy was nothing short of spectacular throughout).

Slim exhibited his perpetually independent mindset by leaving the country for good in 1962. A tour of Europe in partnership with bassist Willie Dixon a couple of years earlier had so intrigued the pianist that he permanently moved to Paris, where recording and touring possibilities seemed limitless and the veteran pianist was treated with the respect too often denied even African-American blues stars at home back then. He remained there until his 1988 death, enjoying his stature as expatriate blues royalty. ~Bill Dahl

Parisian Blues (Feat. Roosevelt Sykes, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells) MP3
Parisian Blues (Feat. Roosevelt Sykes, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells) FLAC

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Junior Wells - Blues Brothers

Size: 102,0 MB
Time: 43:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Art: Front

1. Blues Hit Big Town (Feat. Colin James) (2:55)
2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Feat. Pat Travers) (4:00)
3. Messin' With The Kid (Feat. Tyler Bryant) (2:16)
4. Baby, Scratch My Back (Feat. Albert Castiglia) (4:41)
5. Worried Life Blues (Feat. Mike Zito & James Montgomery) (4:56)
6. When The Cat's Gone The Mice Play (Feat. Harvey Mandel) (1:52)
7. Lovey Dovey Lovey One (Feat. Eric Gales) (2:17)
8. You Gotta Love Her With A Feeling (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (4:16)
9. Two-Headed Woman (Feat. Guitar Shorty) (2:43)
10. Snatch It Back And Hold It (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (2:53)
11. You Don't Care (Feat. Popa Chubby) (2:21)
12. It's A Man Down There (Feat. Bernard Allison) (3:13)
13. Hoodoo Man Blues (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (5:29)

Blues legend Junior Wells lives on with these historic recordings featuring vintage Wells performances enhanced with new recordings from some of the hottest blues players around today. Includes guest performances by a slew of guitar slinging heroes such as Eric Gales, Joe Louis Walker, Tyler Bryant, Colin James, Kirk Fletcher, Popa Chubby, Guitar Shorty, Pat Travers and many more plus harmonica by the great James Montgomery. From the rollicking "Messin' With The Kid" to the ultra groovy "Snatch It Back And Hold It" to the stone cold classic "Hoodoo Man Blues" - you've never heard these classic Wells tracks done like this before.

Without abandoning the thrill of Junior Wells' recordings, these versions blow off the dust and give each song a shiny new spin. They don't try to erase the memory of the originals. Instead, they add a new dimension and present Wells' energy and excitement to a new generation of blues fans.

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Buddy Guy, Junior Wells & Junior Mance - Buddy And The Juniors

Size: 98,2 MB
Time: 42:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1970/1998
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Talkin' 'Bout Women Obviously (9:50)
02. Riffin' (7:33)
03. Buddy's Blues (3:26)
04. Hoochie Coochie Man (5:16)
05. Five Long Years (5:52)
06. Rock Me Mama (5:36)
07. Ain't No Need (4:33)

The historical details surrounding the recording session that became Buddy & the Juniors are almost as entertaining -- and oddly satisfying -- as the music itself. Released on Blue Thumb in 1970 on multi-colored wax, this session, was it not for a very real economic necessity due to Buddy Guy's feud with Vanguard Records, would never have happened. It appears that Vanguard wouldn't pick up the tab for Guy to fly to New York to mix an album he'd cut with Junior Mance and Gary Bartz -- also produced by Cuscuna. Being an ever-enterprising genius, Cuscuna pitched the idea for a recording between Guy, Mance, and Junior Wells to Blue Thumb label boss Bob Krasnow, who jumped at the chance. The all-acoustic Buddy & the Juniors was recorded on December 18 of 1969, and on December 19, they mixed this album and the Vanguard date! While an acoustic pairing between Guy and Wells is a natural one, adding jazz pianist Mance -- a Chicago native whose early influences were the boogie-woogie recordings of Meade "Lux" Lewis and Albert Ammons -- to the mix was risky in terms of interpersonal dynamics, but in retrospect, proved a brilliant idea. The proceedings are informal and raw with plenty of fireworks. The first two tracks -- "Talkin' 'Bout Women Obviously" and "Riffin' (aka A Motif Is Just a Riff)" -- were the last two recorded. They are blazing, hairy, on-the-spot improvisational duets between Wells and Guy: the former offers lyrics in a back-and-forth extemporaneous style; the latter develops in intensity as it goes on. The playing by Guy and Wells is inspirational. "Buddy's Blues," the first interplay of the trio, has Mance digging deeply into the Otis Spann tradition, just rolling inside it, accenting lines, punching chords, and offering beautiful tags to Wells' harmonica lines. Wells' vocal on "(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man" meets Guy's six-string head-on, with Mance comping and popping a melodic fill underneath each sung phrase. He introduces "Five Long Years" as a piano blues that gets countered in exponential grit by Guy's vocal and Wells' punchy harp; he shuffles, fills, trills, and blows straight at the keyboard, creating a forceful gale of dialogue. On the slippery boogie-woogie set closer, Wells' "Ain't No Need," the listener grasps the deep communication of this trio. Given how earthy, informal, and joyful this acoustic session is, it conveys everything right about Chicago blues. ~Thom Jurek

Buddy And The Juniors MP3
Buddy And The Juniors FLAC

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Junior Wells - Undisputed Godfather Of Blues

Size: 107,4 MB
Time: 46:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1993
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Junior's Nuts (4:40)
02. You Know What I Saw (6:26)
03. Sweet Home Chicago (5:21)
04. Don't Nobody Know (6:40)
05. Help Me (5:07)
06. What My Mamma Told Me (3:26)
07. When Things Go Wrong (5:20)
08. Little Red Rooster (9:24)

After a long hiatus, Chicago blues harpist Junior Wells has recorded two studio albums in rapid succession-and, if not for the inclusion of three painfully overworked standards, this Japanese import might earn a marginal nod over Wells' slicker recent album for Telarc. Certainly this set, cut with Wells' own band, better captures his irrepressible persona. The storming "What My Ma Told Me" and a downbeat "Don't Nobody Know" (with Wells on chromatic harp) are offset by pointless marathon revivals of "Sweet Home Chicago," "Help Me," and "Little Red Rooster" that would try the patience of the staunchest clubgoer. But an intimate rendition of Tampa Red's "When Things Go Wrong," with only pianist John Kattke in supple support, is one of the best things the harpist has done in ages. ~Bill Dahl

Undisputed Godfather Of Blues MP3
Undisputed Godfather Of Blues FLAC

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Johnny Jones - Doin' The Best I Can

Size: 372 MB
Time: 151:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

CD A:
01. Sweet Little Woman (Little Johnny Jones) (3:05)
02. I May Be Wrong (Little Johnny Jones) (2:52)
03. Wait Baby (Little Johnny Jones) (3:11)
04. Hoy, Hoy (Little Johnny Jones) (2:40)
05. Chicago Blues (Little Johnny Jones) (3:13)
06. Doin' The Best I Can (Little Johnny Jones) (2:41)
07. Come On If You're Coming (Tampa Red) (2:53)
08. Please Try To See It My Way (Tampa Red) (3:06)
09. One Sunday Morning (Big Maceo) (2:50)
10. Just Tell Me Baby (Big Maceo) (2:31)
11. Do You Remember (Big Maceo) (2:27)
12. Big City Blues (Big Maceo) (2:33)
13. It's Too Late Now (Tampa Red) (2:58)
14. I'll Find My Way (Tampa Red) (2:38)
15. Midnight Boogie (Tampa Red) (2:47)
16. I Miss My Lovin' Blues (Tampa Red) (2:56)
17. Since My Baby's Been Gone (Tampa Red) (2:49)
18. She's A Cool Operator (Tampa Red) (3:04)
19. Look A-There, Look A-There (Tampa Red) (2:44)
20. True Love (Tampa Red) (2:45)
21. All Mixed Up Over You (Tampa Red) (2:49)
22. So Much Trouble (Tampa Red) (3:02)
23. Ti-Ri-Lee (Big Joe Turner) (2:56)
24. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop (Big Joe Turner) (2:47)
25. TV Mama (Big Joe Turner) (2:48)

CD B:
01. Baby What's Wrong (Elmore James) (2:56)
02. I Believe (Elmore James) (3:17)
03. Sinful Woman (Elmore James) (2:54)
04. I Held My Baby Last Night (Elmore James) (3:25)
05. Round House Boogie (J.T. Brown) (2:49)
06. Kickin' The Blues Around (J.T. Brown) (3:00)
07. Saxony Boogie (J.T. Brown) (2:39)
08. Dumb Woman Blues (J.T. Brown) (3:16)
09. Early In The Morning (Elmore James) (2:50)
10. Hawaiian Boogie (Elmore James) (2:21)
11. Can't Stop Lovin' (Elmore James) (2:26)
12. Make A Little Love (Elmore James) (2:51)
13. Make My Dreams Come True (Elmore James) (2:43)
14. Strange Kinda Feelin' (Elmore James) (2:33)
15. Dark And Dreary (Elmore James) (2:48)
16. Sho' Nuff I Do (Elmore James) (2:54)
17. 1839 Blues (Elmore James) (3:16)
18. Cut That Out (Junior Wells) (2:52)
19. Ways Like An Angel (Junior Wells) (3:17)
20. Hoodoo Man (Junior Wells) (3:06)
21. Tomorrow Night (Junior Wells) (2:28)
22. Eagle Rock (Junior Wells) (2:22)
23. Junior's Wail (Junior Wells) (2:55)
24. The Twelve Year Old Boy (Elmore James) (3:05)
25. Coming Home (Elmore James) (2:27)
26. It Hurts Me Too (Elmore James) (3:05)
27. Knocking At Your Door (Elmore James) (2:38)
28. Elmore's Contribution To Jazz (Elmore James) (2:19)

In 40 short years on earth, Johnny Jones established himself as one of the greatest piano players ever to inhabit the Chicago blues scene. Best known for his rock-solid accompaniment to slide guitarist Elmore James both in the studio and as an onstage member of James' Broomdusters, "Little Johnny" also waxed a handful of terrific sides as a leader.

Jones arrived in Chicago from Mississippi in 1946 well-versed on the 88s. Influenced greatly by pianist Big Maceo Merriwether, Jones followed him into Tampa Red's band in 1947 after Maceo suffered a stroke. Johnny Jones's talents were soon in demand as a sideman -- in addition to rolling the ivories behind Tampa Red for RCA Victor from 1949 to 1953, he backed Muddy Waters on his 1949 classic "Screamin' and Cryin'" and later appeared on sides by Howlin' Wolf.

But it's Elmore James that he'll forever be associated with; the indispensable pianist played on James's halcyon 1952-56 Chicago sessions for the Bihari brothers' Meteor, Flair, and Modern logos, as well as dates for Checker, Chief, and Fire. The Broomdusters (rounded out by saxist J.T. Brown and drummer Odie Payne, Jr.) held down a regular berth at the West Side blues club Sylvio's for five years.

When he got the chance to sit behind a microphone, Jones's insinuating vocal delivery was equally enthralling. Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, and Leroy Foster backed Jones on his 1949 Aristocrat label classic "Big Town Playboy" (later revived by Eddie Taylor, another unsung Chicago hero), while Elmore James and saxist J.T. Brown were on hand for Jones's 1953 Flair coupling "I May Be Wrong"/"Sweet Little Woman" (the latter a wonderfully risqué "dozens" number). The rocking "Hoy Hoy," his last commercial single, was done in 1953 for Atlantic and also featured James and his group in support. Jones continued to work in the clubs (with Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Syl Johnson, Billy Boy Arnold, and Magic Sam, among others) prior to his 1964 death of lung cancer.

Ironically, Jones was reportedly the first cousin of another Chicago piano great, Otis Spann. ~Bill Dahl

Doin' The Best I Can MP3
Doin' The Best I Can FLAC

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Junior Wells - The Blues Is Alright!: Live!

Size: 284 MB
Time: 117:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

CD 1:
01. 1st Set Intro ( 1:39)
02. Cissy Strut (Cut, Power Outage) ( 2:22)
03. Cissy Strut (Reprise) (10:08)
04. Turning Point ( 4:36)
05. Broke And Hungry ( 8:47)
06. Keep Your Hands Out Of My Pockets ( 7:45)
07. Got My Mojo Workin' ( 5:53)
08. Little Red Rooster ( 9:31)
09. Hey, Hey, The Blues Is Alright (11:25)

CD 2:
01. 2nd Set Intro ( 0:33)
02. One Way Out ( 6:34)
03. Funky Broadway ( 9:00)
04. Messin' With The Kid ( 4:29)
05. In My Younger Days ( 9:21)
06. Give It Up Or Turnit Loose ( 9:42)
07. Goin' Back Down South ( 5:30)
08. Today I Started Lovin' You Again (10:03)

The blues virtuosos Junior Wells, started his first blues band when he was 14 years old. For reign of postwar blues harmonica king he battled his way bar by bar, club by club from Chicago to the Mississippi Delta. Arrested for shoplifting a harmonica, the case was dismissed, when the judge heard Junior play and paid the money owed. These events formed the legend and bring us to this new live CD, 'The Blues Is Alright!'., Skillfully recorded in 1994 with a stereo mix, superbly backed by a razor-sharp funky band well-versed in soul and blues, the recording captures the lightning-in-a-bottle essence of a classic blues R&B experience, tearing through a program of classic R&B and Junior's stellar blues hits. Funk juxtaposed against deep soul and blues, along with Junior's sly raps, cover artwork designed by illustrator William Stout, internationally renowned as one of the first rock 'n' roll bootleg cover artists, makes an excellent (and essential!) find for the blues connoisseur.

The Blues Is Alright! MP3
The Blues Is Alright! FLAC

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Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Little Walter & Otis Rush - The Chicago Blues Festival

Size: 169,2 MB
Time: 73:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Buddy Guy - Buddies Blues (4:38)
02. Buddy Guy - Blue Monday (5:00)
03. Buddy Guy - Everyday I Have The Blues (4:29)
04. Buddy Guy - Woman Blues (3:08)
05. Buddy Guy - Satisfaction (3:36)
06. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Messin' With The Kid (2:31)
07. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - No Use Cryin' (3:01)
08. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Just To Be With You (4:11)
09. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Junior's Shuffle (4:28)
10. Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Out Of Sight (6:08)
11. Otis Rush - It's Hard For Me To Believe Baby (5:55)
12. Otis Rush - May Be The Last Time (4:04)
13. Otis Rush - I Feel Good (3:00)
14. Otis Rush - Otis' Blues (3:59)
15. Goin' Down Slow (4:17)
16. Little Water - Walter's Blues (3:28)
17. Little Water - Lovein' You All The Time (4:20)
18. Little Water - Blue Mood (3:32)

Tracks 1 - 10 Chicago Blues Festival 1964
Tracks 11 - 18 Chicago Blues Festival 1967

The Chicago Blues Festival MP3
The Chicago Blues Festival FLAC

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Shirley King - Blues For A King

Size: 85,9 MB
Time: 36:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. All Of My Lovin' (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (2:42)
02. Feelin' Alright? (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:15)
03. I Did You Wrong (Feat. Elvin Bishop) (3:11)
04. That's All Right Mama (Feat. Pat Travers) (2:47)
05. Can't Find My Way Home (Feat. Martin Barre) (3:12)
06. Johnny Porter (Feat. Arthur Adams) (2:50)
07. Feeling Good (Feat. Robben Ford) (2:31)
08. Give It All Up (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (2:20)
09. Gallows Pole (Feat. Harvey Mandel) (4:06)
10. Hoodoo Man (Feat. Junior Wells & Joe Louis Walker) (5:28)
11. At Last (Feat. Steve Cropper) (3:16)

Being the blues-singing daughter of B.B. King has earned Shirley King the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right and capable of singing any kind of music that comes her way. Just witness her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers & Elvin Bishop, King absolutely shines as she performs spectacular version of the blues classics “Gallows Pole” and “Hoodoo Blues Man” as well as the soul hit “Johnny Porter” (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Feelin’ Alright?.” The album closes with a powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable “At Last,” which signals that, at long last, Shirley King is finally getting the attention and recognition she so richly deserves.

You Make Me Feel MP3
You Make Me Feel FLAC

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Otis Spann - In Session: Diary Of A Chicago Bluesman 1953-1960

Size: 179,1+164,6 MB
Time: 76:08+70:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Chicago Blues, Rockin' Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Blow Wind, Blow (Feat. Muddy Waters) (3:12)
02. Mad Love (Feat. Muddy Waters) (3:05)
03. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man (Feat. Muddy Waters) (2:52)
04. She's So Pretty (Feat. Muddy Waters) (2:18)
05. Rockin' Daddy (3:04)
06. 'Bout The Break Of Day (Feat. Junior Wells) (3:16)
07. Lawdy! Lawdy! (Feat. Junior Wells) (2:41)
08. So, All Alone (Feat. Junior Wells) (3:21)
09. I Got To Find My Baby (Feat. Little Walter) (2:50)
10. Baby How Long? (Feat. Howlin' Wolf) (2:55)
11. Evil Is Goin' On (Feat. Howlin' Wolf) (2:56)
12. You'd Better Watch Yourself (Feat. Little Walter) (3:05)
13. I'll Be Around (Feat. Howlin' Wolf) (3:15)
14. It Must Have Been The Devil (2:43)
15. Five Spot (2:44)
16. I'm A Man (Feat. Bo Diddley) (3:02)
17. Bo Diddley (Feat. Bo Diddley) (2:46)
18. Don't Start Me Talkin' (Feat. Sonny Boy Williamson II) (2:36)
19. All My Love In Vain (Feat. Sonny Boy Williamson II) (2:51)
20. You Can't Catch Me (Feat. Chuck Berry) (2:45)
21. No Money Down (Feat. Chuck Berry) (2:59)
22. Let Me Explain (Feat. Sonny Boy Williamson II) (2:55)
23. Your Imagination (Feat. Sonny Boy Williamson II) (3:01)
24. I'm Leaving You (2:41)
25. I'm In Love With You Baby (2:38)
26. Cops And Robbers (Feat. Bo Diddley) (3:24)

CD 2:
01. Boogie Woogie (2:36)
02. Slow Blues (2:41)
03. Jump Blues (2:54)
04. It's My Own Fault (Feat. John Lee Hooker) (3:53)
05. Maudie (Feat. John Lee Hooker) (3:35)
06. I Wanna Walk (Feat. John Lee Hooker) (4:27)
07. I Wish You Were Here (Feat. John Lee Hooker) (5:37)
08. Great Northern Stomp (4:18)
09. Otis In The Dark (4:38)
10. Worried Life Blues (4:22)
11. Country Boy (4:28)
12. The Hard Way (5:06)
13. Beat-Up Team (6:04)
14. Take A Little Walk With Me (3:29)
15. I Got Rambling On My Mind (4:07)
16. Little Boy Blue (3:44)
17. My Daily Wish (4:26)

Joining Eddie Taylor and Jody Williams in Jasmine's popular 'In Session' series comes this excellent 43 track 2CD set of Otis Spann's sessions that he cut in Chicago between 1953 and 1956 along with live performances at Newport and his legendary first LP release. 'Otis Spann is the Blues'.

This wonderful set kicks off with Muddy Waters and of course includes two of his greatest hits 'Mad Love' and 'Hoochie Coochie Man' and then Otis' takes us through a plethora of fine bluesmen: Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker.

In the pantheon of great Chicago blues pianists, Otis Spann stands head and shoulders above most of the competition and this CD is another must have in Jasmine's ever growing blues series.

In Session

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Junior Wells & The Aces - Live In Boston 1966

Year: 2010
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:42
Size: 152,5 MB
Styles: Chicago blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Feelin' Good (4:31)
2. Man Downstairs (3:15)
3. Talk (0:44)
4. Worried Life Blues (5:03)
5. Talk (0:51)
6. Junior's Whoop (7:44)
7. That's All Right (3:26)
8. Talk (0:54)
9. Look On Yonder's Wall (3:11)
10. Talk (0:45)
11. Messin' With The Kid (2:39)
12. Talk (1:04)
13. Hideaway (7:13)
14. If You Gonna Leave Me (4:31)
15. Talk (3:24)
16. I Don't Know (6:19)
17. Talk (0:56)
18. Got My Mojo Workin' (7:05)
19. Theme (1:57)

Feisty, full of street swagger, humor, and sweat, Live in Boston 1966 provides a side of Junior Wells' stage persona that few, if any, of his other albums revealed. This previously unreleased date features Wells with the Aces; the crack bar band that he began his solo recording career with in the early '50s for the States imprint. The Aces - guitarist Louis Myers, bassist Dave Myers, and drummer Fred Below - were playing juke joints and bars on the South and West sides of Chicago, their early, deserved reputation as one of Chicago's hardest swinging blues bands had, by the '60s, been all but eclipsed by Buddy Guy and Magic Sam.

This gig is as enjoyable a listening experience as it is an historical artifact, following as it does the previous year's classic Hoodoo Man Blues. Wells and the Aces are playing from the heart: they reach back to the gritty electric blues of the old-school Chicago ensemble sound - the postwar years - and they flaunt their panache with the funkier R&B grooves that the West Side blazed trails with in the early '6os, and they look to the future with the nastier, more improvisational electric blues that would come later in the decade.

How many blues recordings can you hear where the artist's stage banter is as fresh on the tenth listen as it was on the first? Even more importantly, one on which the banter is as enjoyable as the music itself? Wells raps plenty here. The album begins with the opener "Feelin' Good," and extends from between-song banter where he engages the audience, to his improvised originals such as the killer "Junior's Whoop," "I Don't Know," and "If You Gonna Leave Me." The way he and the Aces work together is seamless and instinctual; Wells can take chances with his lyrics and his harp phrasing because the band is on a roll; they are part and parcel of the groove; they push Wells further in a friendly, competitive way. The band just shines.

The standards here are completely reinvented. Dig the readings of standards such as "Man Downstairs," "That's All Right," "Look on Yonder's Wall," and "Mojo Workin'," they're uptempo, full of raucous exuberance and soul, while the reading of Sleepy John Estes "Worried Life Blues" is lowdown sad as the crying blues get. The sound on here is gritty, but very present. Live in Boston 1966 is the great blues surprise of 2010. /Thom Jurek, AllMusic

Live In Boston 1966 mc
Live In Boston 1966 zippy

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Buddy Guy & Junior Wells - Bringin' The Blues Back Home (Live 1985)

Size: 141.6 MB
Time: 61:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Chicago Blues, Blues Rock, Funky Blues
Art: Front

01. Look Over Yonder Wall (Live 1985) (5:06)
02. Crazy About You (Live 1985) (6:09)
03. I Just Wanna Make Love To You (Live 1985) (6:31)
04. Any Way You Look At It (Live 1985) (5:04)
05. Don't Ever Leave Me (Live 1985) (9:45)
06. Make Me Feel So Good (Live 1985) (5:26)
07. Messin' With The Kid (Live 1985) (6:01)
08. Nothing In This World (Live 1985) (4:27)
09. Got My Mojo Workin' (Live 1985) (5:25)
10. Sex Machine (Live 1985) (3:48)
11. I Feel Good (Live 1985) (3:48)

The Classic 1985 Grant Park, Chicago Broadcast.

Bringin' The Blues Back Home

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Junior Wells - Bobbin' & Weevin' (Live)

Digital Lossless Copy
Size: 129.7 MB
Time: 56:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front

01. Broke And Hungry (Live In Rochester 1994) (10:22)
02. My Younger Days (Live In Rochester 1994) ( 6:20)
03. Little Red Rooster (Live In Rochester 1994) ( 6:08)
04. Got My Mojo Workin' (Live In Rochester 1994) ( 6:33)
05. Little By Little (Live In Rochester 1994) ( 5:33)
06. Today I Started Loving You Again (Live In Rochester 1994) ( 9:41)
07. Help Me (Live In Boulder 1995) (11:46)

He was one bad dude, strutting across the stage like a harp-toting gangster, mesmerizing the crowd with his tough-guy antics and rib-sticking Chicago blues attack. Amazingly, Junior Wells kept at precisely this sort of thing for over 40 years; he was an active performer from the dawn of the '50s until his death in the late '90s. Born in Memphis, Wells learned his earliest harp licks from another future legend, Little Junior Parker, before he came to Chicago at age 12. In 1950, the teenager passed an impromptu audition for guitarists Louis and David Myers at a house party on the South Side, and the Deuces were born. When drummer Fred Below came aboard, they changed their name to the Aces.

Little Walter left Muddy Waters in 1952 (in the wake of his hit instrumental "Juke"), and Wells jumped ship to take his place with Waters. That didn't stop the Aces (who joined forces with Little Walter) from backing Wells on his initial sessions for States Records, though -- his debut date produced some seminal Chicago blues efforts, including his first reading of "Hoodoo Man," a rollicking "Cut That Out," and the blazing instrumentals "Eagle Rock" and "Junior's Wail." More fireworks ensued the next year when he encored for States with a mournful "So All Alone" and the jumping "Lawdy! Lawdy!" (Muddy Waters moonlighted on guitar for the session). Wells was already exhibiting his tempestuous side -- he was allegedly AWOL from the Army at the time.

In 1957, Wells hooked up with producer Mel London, who owned the Chief and Profile logos. The association resulted in many of Wells' most enduring sides, including "I Could Cry" and the rock & rolling "Lovey Dovey Lovely One" in 1957, the grinding national R&B hit "Little by Little" (with Willie Dixon providing vocal harmony) in 1959, and the R&B-laced classic "Messin' with the Kid" in 1960 (sporting Earl Hooker's immaculate guitar work). Wells' harp was de-emphasized during this period on record in favor of his animated vocals. With Bob Koester producing, the harpist cut an all-time classic LP for Delmark in 1965. Hoodoo Man Blues vividly captured the feel of a typical Wells set at Theresa's Lounge, even though it was cut in a studio. With Buddy Guy (initially billed as "Friendly Chap" due to his contract with Chess) providing concise lead guitar, Wells laid down definitive versions of "Snatch It Back and Hold It," "You Don't Love Me," and "Chitlin' con Carne."

The harpist made his second appearance on the national R&B lists in 1968 with a funky James Brown-tinged piece, "You're Tuff Enough," for Mercury's feisty Blue Rock logo. Wells had been working in this bag for some time, alarming the purists but delighting R&B fans; his brass-powered 1966 single for Bright Star, "Up in Heah," had previously made a lot of local noise. After a fine mid-'70s set for Delmark (On Tap), little was heard from Wells on vinyl for an extended spell, though he continued to enjoy massive appeal at home (Theresa's was his principal haunt for many a moon) and abroad (whether on his own or in partnership with Guy; they opened for the Rolling Stones on one memorable tour and cut an inconsistent but interesting album for Atco in the early '70s).

Toward the end of his career, Wells just didn't seem to be into recording anymore; a pair of sets for Telarc in the early '90s were major disappointments, but his last studio session, 1997's Come on in This House, found him on the rebound and the critics noticed: the album won the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Traditional Blues Album in 1997. Even when he came up short in the studio, Wells remained a potent live attraction, cutting a familiar swaggering figure, commanding the attention of everyone in the room with one menacing yelp or a punctuating blast from his amplified harmonica. He continued performing until he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in the summer of 1997. That fall, he suffered a heart attack while undergoing treatment, sending him into a coma. Wells stayed in the coma until he passed away on January 15, 1998. A handful of compilations were released shortly after his death, as was the film Blues Brothers 2000, which featured a cameo by Wells. ~Bill Dahl

Bobbin' & Weevin'

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Various Artists - Chicago Blues Bash

Year: 1992
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:13
Size: 93,1 MB
Styles: Blues
Scans: Front, back

1. Junior Wells - Good Morning Schoolgirl (3:54)
2. Big Joe Williams - I Done Stopped Hollering (4:16)
3. J.B. Hutto - Blues Do Me A Favor (3:42)
4. Jimmy Johnson - Poor Boy's Dream (4:35)
5. Big Joe Williams - Jumpin' In The Moonlight (3:39)
6. Junior Wells - Early In The Morning (4:48)
7. Big Joe Williams - Indiana Woman Blues (4:39)
8. J.B. Hutto - Young Hawks' Crawl (3:20)
9. Jimmy Johnson - Take Five (3:59)
10. Big Joe Williams - You're Gonna Need Big King Jesus (3:16)

The title Chicago Blues Bash sounds as if this material was taken from live performances by some of the Windy City's finest electric bluesmen. Unfortunately, that's not the case. These ten studio tracks, taken from the vaults of Delmark Records, include Big Joe Williams, J.B. Hutto, Jimmy Johnson, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells.

While Chicago Blues Bash contains excellent music of the genre, pass on this Laserlight issue and go directly to the source; there are many great compilations available directly from Delmark. /Al Campbell, AllMusic

Chicago Blues Bash mc
Chicago Blues Bash zippy

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Junior Wells - Pushin' & Shovin' (Live)

Size: 137,8 MB
Time: 59:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Chicago Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Everything Gonna Be Alright (Live In Netherlands 1987) ( 5:11)
02. Driving Wheel (Live In Netherlands 1987) ( 6:46)
03. Who's Making Love (Live In Netherlands 1987) ( 8:13)
04. Messin' With The Kid (Live In Netherlands 1987) ( 5:13)
05. Ships On The Ocean - Champagne & Reefer (Live In Netherlands 1987) (15:15)
06. Trouble No More (Live In Philadelphia 1983) ( 5:03)
07. What My Momma Told Me (Live In Philadelphia 1983) ( 7:26)
08. I Got A Bag Of My Own (Live In Philadelphia 1983) ( 4:25)
09. I Got You (I Feel Good) (Live In Philadelphia 1983) ( 1:42)

Unreleased live material from 1983 and 1987.

Strutting across the stage, cocksure like the blues' answer to James Brown, Junior Wells owned one of the most dynamic voices in Chicago blues. He was as confident belting brassy soul as he was doing lowdown blues, his wide-toned amplified harmonica excursions always compelling. Before joining forces with Buddy Guy, Junior teamed up with light-fingered guitar master Earl Hooker at Mel London's Chief and Profile Records. It was a match made in blues heaven

Amos Wells Blakemore was born December 9, 1934 in West Memphis, Arkansas. He found a kindred spirit while growing up on his family's farm. "His name was Junior Parker," said the late Wells. "We was raised up together, and he was playing the harmonica. I said to myself, if he could do it, I could too." But the bright lights up north beckoned. "I came to Chicago in 1941," he said. "My mother, she was already in Chicago.

"When I got to Chicago, I met all the older musicians--blues singers, I should say--and they took up so much time with me. Like Muddy Waters, Big Maceo, Tampa Red, Johnny Jones, Sunnyland Slim, Big Bill Broonzy, the original Sonny Boy (John Lee Williamson), and the late Rice Miller. But the late Rice Miller was the thing that set my soul on fire with the harmonica." The fun-loving teen hooked up with guitar-wielding brothers Louis and David Myers in 1950; along with drummer Fred Below, they formed a band called the Aces.

"Me and the Aces, we go way back as kids," Wells said. "I was living at 22nd and Prairie, and they came over to some friends of theirs across the street at a house party. The people that had the house party came over and asked me to come over,” he said. “So I went over, and they asked me, do I want to sit in and jam with 'em? So we started to jamming, and it came out pretty good. Then after that, we decided maybe we would try to do some things together. We started doing house parties and stuff like that. The first little gig at a club we had, we went in there and did a thing there for three nights. We was making like $12. That's for the whole group."

Wells briefly joined Muddy Waters' combo in 1952, replacing Little Walter, before making his solo recording debut the next year with a romping Cut That Out for Leonard Allen's States label (he encored with his first version of Hoodoo Man). After four States singles in all and then a lengthy hiatus, Junior joined London's fledgling label setup in 1957, waxing Two-Headed Woman and I Could Cry for Chief. A '59 date for Profile resulted in the national hit Little By Little (I'm Losing You).

"Mel London and Willie Dixon was the ones that was doing the singing on it. They're backing me up. I thought it was a tremendous thing, because I didn't think it was hittin' on too much when we first started off to doin' it," said Junior. "But after I listened to it when they played it back to me, it was great."

A talented composer, savvy producer, and commercially astute label boss, the Mississippi-born London wrote Wells' sassy signature song Messin' With The Kid, cut October 17, 1960 at Chicago's Universal Recording. Its killer instrumental hook, inserted at the end of most choruses, was played by impeccable lead guitarist Earl Hooker. He was joined in the band by saxists Jarrett Gibson and Donald Hankins, pianist Johnny 'Big Moose' Walker, bassist Jack Myers, and drummer Fred Below (Wells left his harp in his pocket). Hooker did a sublime instrumental version, Rockin' With The Kid, the following year for London's Age imprint. ~Bill Dahl

Pushin' & Shovin'

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Junior Wells - Reelin' & Rockin': Live In Osaka 1997

Size: 134,6 MB
Time: 57:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front

01. Messin' With The Kid (Live In Osaka 1997) (7:32)
02. Take Off Your Shoes (Live In Osaka 1997) (4:37)
03. Little By Little (Live In Osaka 1997) (3:37)
04. Hoodoo Man Blues (Live In Osaka 1997) (4:29)
05. The Train (Live In Osaka 1997) (5:18)
06. You Gotta Love Her With A Feeling (Live In Osaka 1997) (4:33)
07. Sweet Sixteen (Live In Osaka 1997) (7:26)
08. What My Momma Told Me (Live In Osaka 1997) (5:06)
09. Little Red Rooster (Live In Osaka 1997) (6:02)
10. Today I Started Loving You Again (Live In Osaka 1997) (9:11)

He was one bad dude, strutting across the stage like a harp-toting gangster, mesmerizing the crowd with his tough-guy antics and rib-sticking Chicago blues attack. Amazingly, Junior Wells kept at precisely this sort of thing for over 40 years; he was an active performer from the dawn of the '50s until his death in the late '90s. Born in Memphis, Wells learned his earliest harp licks from another future legend, Little Junior Parker, before he came to Chicago at age 12. In 1950, the teenager passed an impromptu audition for guitarists Louis and David Myers at a house party on the South Side, and the Deuces were born. When drummer Fred Below came aboard, they changed their name to the Aces.

Little Walter left Muddy Waters in 1952 (in the wake of his hit instrumental "Juke"), and Wells jumped ship to take his place with Waters. That didn't stop the Aces (who joined forces with Little Walter) from backing Wells on his initial sessions for States Records, though -- his debut date produced some seminal Chicago blues efforts, including his first reading of "Hoodoo Man," a rollicking "Cut That Out," and the blazing instrumentals "Eagle Rock" and "Junior's Wail." More fireworks ensued the next year when he encored for States with a mournful "So All Alone" and the jumping "Lawdy! Lawdy!" (Muddy Waters moonlighted on guitar for the session). Wells was already exhibiting his tempestuous side -- he was allegedly AWOL from the Army at the time.

In 1957, Wells hooked up with producer Mel London, who owned the Chief and Profile logos. The association resulted in many of Wells' most enduring sides, including "I Could Cry" and the rock & rolling "Lovey Dovey Lovely One" in 1957, the grinding national R&B hit "Little by Little" (with Willie Dixon providing vocal harmony) in 1959, and the R&B-laced classic "Messin' with the Kid" in 1960 (sporting Earl Hooker's immaculate guitar work). Wells' harp was de-emphasized during this period on record in favor of his animated vocals. With Bob Koester producing, the harpist cut an all-time classic LP for Delmark in 1965. Hoodoo Man Blues vividly captured the feel of a typical Wells set at Theresa's Lounge, even though it was cut in a studio. With Buddy Guy (initially billed as "Friendly Chap" due to his contract with Chess) providing concise lead guitar, Wells laid down definitive versions of "Snatch It Back and Hold It," "You Don't Love Me," and "Chitlin' con Carne."

The harpist made his second appearance on the national R&B lists in 1968 with a funky James Brown-tinged piece, "You're Tuff Enough," for Mercury's feisty Blue Rock logo. Wells had been working in this bag for some time, alarming the purists but delighting R&B fans; his brass-powered 1966 single for Bright Star, "Up in Heah," had previously made a lot of local noise. After a fine mid-'70s set for Delmark (On Tap), little was heard from Wells on vinyl for an extended spell, though he continued to enjoy massive appeal at home (Theresa's was his principal haunt for many a moon) and abroad (whether on his own or in partnership with Guy; they opened for the Rolling Stones on one memorable tour and cut an inconsistent but interesting album for Atco in the early '70s).

Toward the end of his career, Wells just didn't seem to be into recording anymore; a pair of sets for Telarc in the early '90s were major disappointments, but his last studio session, 1997's Come on in This House, found him on the rebound and the critics noticed: the album won the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Traditional Blues Album in 1997. Even when he came up short in the studio, Wells remained a potent live attraction, cutting a familiar swaggering figure, commanding the attention of everyone in the room with one menacing yelp or a punctuating blast from his amplified harmonica. He continued performing until he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in the summer of 1997. That fall, he suffered a heart attack while undergoing treatment, sending him into a coma. Wells stayed in the coma until he passed away on January 15, 1998. A handful of compilations were released shortly after his death, as was the film Blues Brothers 2000, which featured a cameo by Wells. ~Bill Dahl

Reelin' & Rockin' MP3
Reelin' & Rockin' FLAC

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Junior Wells, Buddy Guy - Pleading The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:30
Size: 111.0 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1979/2013
Art: Front

[7:40] 1. Pleading The Blues
[4:22] 2. It Hurts Me Too
[7:48] 3. Cut Out The Lights
[4:29] 4. Just For My Baby
[6:57] 5. Quit Teasing My Baby
[4:03] 6. I'll Take Care Of You
[4:11] 7. Take Your Time Baby
[8:56] 8. I Smell Something

Bass Guitar – J.W. Williams; Drums – Ray Allison; Guitar – Buddy Guy; Harmonica, Vocals – Junior Wells; Rhythm Guitar – Phil Guy.

Recorded on Halloween night in 1979, this pairs up Wells and Guy in a fashion that hasn't been heard since Hoodoo Man Blues, their first, and best collaboration. Solid backing by the Philip Guy band (Buddy's brother) makes this album a rare treat. ~Cub Koda

Pleading The Blues mc
Pleading The Blues zippy

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Junior Wells - Chicago '50s Blues Masters

Size: 173,3 MB
Time: 73:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Chicago Blues, Rockin' Blues
Art: Front

01. Lovey Dovey Lovey One (2:14)
02. So Tired (2:15)
03. The Things I'd Do For You (2:22)
04. Eagle Rock (2:19)
05. Come On In This Houuse (2:25)
06. Eagle Rock (Alternate Take) (2:22)
07. You Sure Look Good To Me (2:28)
08. Tomorrow Night (2:25)
09. Please Throw This Dog A Bone (Alternate Take) (2:24)
10. Prison Bars All Around Me (2:32)
11. Please Throw This Poor Dog A Bone (2:26)
12. Universal Rock (2:33)
13. Little By Little (2:37)
14. Blues Hit Big Town (Alternate Take) (2:36)
15. It Hurts Me Too (2:39)
16. Lord Lord (2:42)
17. Lord Lord (Alternate Take) (2:38)
18. Cut That Out (2:53)
19. Junior's Wail (2:52)
20. Blues Hit Big Town (2:59)
21. Junior's Wail (Alternate Take) (3:02)
22. Hoodoo Man (3:03)
23. I Could Cry (3:13)
24. Can't Find My Baby (3:11)
25. 'bout The Break Of Day (3:13)
26. Ways Like An Angel (3:18)
27. So All Alone (3:17)

He was one bad dude, strutting across the stage like a harp-toting gangster, mesmerizing the crowd with his tough-guy antics and rib-sticking Chicago blues attack. Amazingly, Junior Wells kept at precisely this sort of thing for over 40 years; he was an active performer from the dawn of the '50s until his death in the late '90s. Born in Memphis, Wells learned his earliest harp licks from another future legend, Little Junior Parker, before he came to Chicago at age 12. In 1950, the teenager passed an impromptu audition for guitarists Louis and David Myers at a house party on the South Side, and the Deuces were born. When drummer Fred Below came aboard, they changed their name to the Aces.

Little Walter left Muddy Waters in 1952 (in the wake of his hit instrumental "Juke"), and Wells jumped ship to take his place with Waters. That didn't stop the Aces (who joined forces with Little Walter) from backing Wells on his initial sessions for States Records, though -- his debut date produced some seminal Chicago blues efforts, including his first reading of "Hoodoo Man," a rollicking "Cut That Out," and the blazing instrumentals "Eagle Rock" and "Junior's Wail." More fireworks ensued the next year when he encored for States with a mournful "So All Alone" and the jumping "Lawdy! Lawdy!" (Muddy Waters moonlighted on guitar for the session). Wells was already exhibiting his tempestuous side -- he was allegedly AWOL from the Army at the time.

In 1957, Wells hooked up with producer Mel London, who owned the Chief and Profile logos. The association resulted in many of Wells' most enduring sides, including "I Could Cry" and the rock & rolling "Lovey Dovey Lovely One" in 1957, the grinding national R&B hit "Little by Little" (with Willie Dixon providing vocal harmony) in 1959, and the R&B-laced classic "Messin' with the Kid" in 1960 (sporting Earl Hooker's immaculate guitar work). Wells' harp was de-emphasized during this period on record in favor of his animated vocals. With Bob Koester producing, the harpist cut an all-time classic LP for Delmark in 1965. Hoodoo Man Blues vividly captured the feel of a typical Wells set at Theresa's Lounge, even though it was cut in a studio. With Buddy Guy (initially billed as "Friendly Chap" due to his contract with Chess) providing concise lead guitar, Wells laid down definitive versions of "Snatch It Back and Hold It," "You Don't Love Me," and "Chitlin' con Carne."

The harpist made his second appearance on the national R&B lists in 1968 with a funky James Brown-tinged piece, "You're Tuff Enough," for Mercury's feisty Blue Rock logo. Wells had been working in this bag for some time, alarming the purists but delighting R&B fans; his brass-powered 1966 single for Bright Star, "Up in Heah," had previously made a lot of local noise. After a fine mid-'70s set for Delmark (On Tap), little was heard from Wells on vinyl for an extended spell, though he continued to enjoy massive appeal at home (Theresa's was his principal haunt for many a moon) and abroad (whether on his own or in partnership with Guy; they opened for the Rolling Stones on one memorable tour and cut an inconsistent but interesting album for Atco in the early '70s).

Toward the end of his career, Wells just didn't seem to be into recording anymore; a pair of sets for Telarc in the early '90s were major disappointments, but his last studio session, 1997's Come on in This House, found him on the rebound and the critics noticed: the album won the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Traditional Blues Album in 1997. Even when he came up short in the studio, Wells remained a potent live attraction, cutting a familiar swaggering figure, commanding the attention of everyone in the room with one menacing yelp or a punctuating blast from his amplified harmonica. He continued performing until he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in the summer of 1997. That fall, he suffered a heart attack while undergoing treatment, sending him into a coma. Wells stayed in the coma until he passed away on January 15, 1998. A handful of compilations were released shortly after his death, as was the film Blues Brothers 2000, which featured a cameo by Wells. ~by Bill Dahl

Chicago '50s Blues Masters

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