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Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 4 | 
 enlarge | Artist: Various Artists
Creators: Detroit Junior, Luther Guitar Junior Johnson
Label: Alligator Records
Category: Music
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $12.48
You Save: $5.50 (31%)
New (27) Used (13) from $6.43
Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 255343
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 014551770428
EAN: 0014551770428
ASIN: B000000A25
Release Date: July 12, 1991
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW Factory Sealed - Ready to be shipped within 24 hrs from California - Average 5 workdays delivery time - Excellent customer service - Buy with confidence!
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| Tracks:
| • | If I Hadn't Been High - Williamson, Sonny B | | • | Some Nerve - Williamson, Sonny B | | • | Somebody to Shack - Williamson, Sonny B | | • | I Got Money - Williamson, Sonny B | | • | Somebody Have Mercy - Cooke, Sam | | • | Got to Have Money - Rush, Otis | | • | Just Like Mama Said - Johnson, Luther "Gu | | • | Look What You Done - Magic Sam [1] | | • | Going Upstairs - Embry, Sylvia | | • | Blues This Morning - Embry, Sylvia | | • | Tired of Being Pushed Around - Embry, Sylvia | | • | Please Let Me Stay - Embry, Sylvia | | • | Blues for a Real Man - Brooks, Leon | | • | Thirteen Years in Prison - Brooks, Leon | | • | Country Boy - Brooks, Leon | | • | My Life Ain't the Same - Brooks, Leon | | • | I Got News for You - Brown, Andrew [1] | | • | Morning, Noon and Night - Brown, Andrew | | • | Two Years - Brown, Andrew |
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| Customer Reviews:
the most authoritative reflection of Chicago blues May 25, 2005
Tim Holek
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
VARIOUS
Living Chicago Blues Vol. IV
Alligator ALCD 7704
Nowhere has blues been so transformed as in Chicago. To this day, gritty, electric blues fills its night air. Alligator's Living Chicago Blues series is "all about exposing Chicago blues talent to new audiences". The hope was blues would "not be resigned to mere history". As a minimum, each volume features four artists with session players as historically rich as the recordings themselves. They are obscure, unknown, and not originally from Chicago. However, Volume IV contains some of the city's best vocalists, guitarists, harpists, and pianists. It features the most diverse songwriting, and unfortunately, the greatest number of deceased artists. At the time of these recordings, none of these real deal musicians were big names in the blues. After you listen to this bona fide album, it will be harder to come to grips with the fact they still aren't.
Amos Milburn was Detroit Junior's idol. His "half-sing half-talk" vocal style features on his selections. With only occasional rattling piano, "If I Hadn't Been High" is homey, and speaks to the men. Saxophones ignite Junior's upper register on "Some Nerve". Minor key blues, when performed on piano, creates a whole new sub-genre. As proof, listen to "Somebody To Shack". Using a contented rhythm, it tells a story. Instrumentation isn't important or necessary here. West side guitar is defined as "alternating stinging single-note leads with powerful, distorted chords". Listen to Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, best known for his seven year stint with Muddy Waters, perform it to a tee. Strong rhythm, as on "Look What You Done" is Johnson's essential magic as well. On "Just Like Mama Said", Willie Smith gets slap happy on drums while Johnson sounds like Otis Rush. This is the style of blues I originally fell in love with.
The departed artists begin with Queen Sylvia Embry. She had everything to be "Chicago's next great blues woman". The way she spits out the words force you to listen, and pay attention because he commands it. Her exemplary vocals and mighty guitarists on "Going Upstairs" are the album's surprise smash, while Dino Alvarez is the disc's most impressive drummer. Big Leon Brooks idolized Little Walter. These remarkable recordings feature Brooks recovering from serious heart and lung problems, and sounding like Junior Wells. "Blues For A Real Man" accurately describes all the music on this album. "Country Boy" stresses the importance of family and a simple life. Brooks' and Embry's brilliant bands are the most rounded. Andrew Brown's versatility allowed him to gig at cocktail lounges, black social club dances, and basement bars. With soul-swooning vocals and Albert King guitar licks, Brown creates a deep trance on the omnipotent "I Got News For You". Definitely another uncovered treasure.
There are four volumes in the Living Chicago Blues series. Originally issued in the late '70s on six LPs, every song in the collection has been put onto four CDs, each lasting over an hour long. Until a more modern series of recordings is made, these four premium samplers remain the most authoritative reflection of Chicago blues. Volume IV is one of those desert island discs that your CD player won't want to eject. However, you should get any of them as fast as you can. If you've never been to a Chicago blues bar, any of these CDs will let you know what you are missing.
--- Tim Holek
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