Down Home Blues Chicago Fine Boogie (5CD)
> Down Home Blues Chicago is THE definitive collection of blues music from Chicago-based musicians from the late 1940s to the late 1950s
> Features 41 artists who were influential in developing the Chicago blues scene, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers and many more
> Five CD set, packaged in a deluxe digipak with an outer slip case, featuring 134 rare tracks, all digitally remastered, some of which have never been previously available
> Also includes an 88 page book featuring an essay on the origins of Chicago music by renowned blues researcher and historian Mike Rowe, complete with rare photos, tracklisting and full sessionography
The period from the end of World War II until the dawn of the 1960s, the blues scene in Chicago can rightfully be described as one of its golden ages.
Passionate, powerful and personal, blues is the spirit of black America. It was a direct result of the Great Migration, when thousands upon thousands of black people left the rural south to settle in the urban areas in the North. Many of these came from the Mississippi delta and chose Chicago as the natural destination. Chicago was a city of opportunities. For musicians with their roots from the South, here was a welcoming network of clubs, radio stations and record labels and – most importantly – a large and appreciative audience.
This 5CD set features a collection of 134 extraordinary performances from this golden era of down home blues. Some by most famous blues stars like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers – with several lesser known artistes. Many of these tracks were unissued at the time, others are alternate takes of issued songs, but are equally as fine. There are included some ultra-rare gems.
Included is an 88 page book written by Mike Rowe, blues historian and the author of Chicago Blues, first published as Chicago Breakdown, the definitive works on the history and the thriving times of its blues scene. Fully illustrated including rare photographs, graphics and sessionography.
CD 1
1. I GOT TO CHECK UP ON MY BABY
James McCain
2. GOOD MORNING MR ROOSEVELT
James McCain
3. COME ON BABE
ʻBluesboyʼ Bill
4. TENNESSEE WOMAN BLUES*
Johnny Shines
5. JITTERBUG BLUES*
Muddy Waters
6. BURYING GROUND BLUES*
Muddy Waters
7. HARD DAY BLUES*
Muddy Waters
8. LET ME BE YOUR SIDETRACK
John Sellers
9.MY BUDDY DOCTOR CLAYTON
Willie ʻLong Timeʼ Smith
10. I LOVE YOU BABY BOOGIE
Willie ʻLong Timeʼ Smith
11.ORA NELLE BLUES – ALT
Little Walter with Othum Brown vocals
12. I JUST KEEP LOVING HER – ALT
Little Walter
13. LITTLE STORE BLUES – ALT
Jimmy Rogers
14. MONEY TAKING WOMAN
Johnny Young
15. OLDʼS “98” BLUES*
Johnny Temple
16. I CANʼT BE SATISFIED
Muddy Waters
17. FLORIDA HURRICANE
St Louis Jimmy
18. TRAIN TIME
Delta Joe (Sunnyland Slim)
19. ROLL TUMBLE AND SLIP
Delta Joe (Sunnyland Slim)
20. STOCKYARD BLUES
Floyd Jones
21. KEEP WHAT YOU GOT
Floyd Jones
22. BLUE BABY
Little Walter
23. I WANT MY BABY
Little Walter
24. DOWN THE LINE*
Robert Nighthawk – Ethel Mae Brown vocals
25. SHE KNOWS HOW TO LOVE A MAN*
The Nighthawks
26. ONE SUNDAY MORNING
Big Maceo
27. JUST TELL ME BABY
Big Maceo
CD 2
1. DOWN BEHIND THE RISE
Pete Franklin
2. CASEY BROWN BLUES
Pete Frankin
3. KIND HEARTED WOMAN
Mildred White
4. CUTTING OUT ON ME
Mildred White
5. LAST TIME I FOOL AROUND WITH YOU*
Muddy Waters
6. YOU GONNA NEED MY HELP*
Muddy Waters
7. MY HEAD CANʼT REST ANYMORE
Baby Face Leroy
8. TAKE A LITTLE WALK WITH ME
Baby Face Leroy
9. GERTRUDE
Gray Haired Bill
10. IʼM A HARD WORKING MAN
Gray Haired Bill
11.BLACK ANGEL BLUES
The Nighthawks
12. LUDELLA – ALT
Jimmy Rogers
13. ROLLINʼ STONE – ALT
Muddy Waters
14. DARK ROAD
Floyd Jones
15. OVERSEAS*
Floyd Jones
16. PLAYHOUSE*
Floyd Jones
17. LONG DISTANCE CALL
Muddy Waters
18. ALL NIGHT LONG – ALT
Muddy Waters
19. LETʼS ROLL – ALT
J B Lenoir
20. HOWLING WOLF BOOGIE
Howlinʼ Wolf
21. RAMBLINʼ
Johnny Shines
22. AINʼT DOING NO GOOD*
Johnny Shines
23. FINE BOOGIE*
Snooky Pryor
24. CONJUR MAN*
Memphis Minnie
25. JUKE – ALT
Little Walter
26. CANʼT HOLD OUT MUCH LONGER – ALT
Little Walter
CD 3
1. SHE JUST WONʼT DO RIGHT
Elmore James
2. MY BEST FRIEND*
Elmore James
3. WHOSE MUDDY SHOES *
Elmore James
4. BLUES IS KILLINʼ ME*
Baby Face Leroy
5. LATE HOURS AT MIDNIGHT*
Baby Face Leroy
6. CRYING
Blue Smitty
7. DATE BAIT*
Blue Smitty
8. MISTREATED BABY*
Jimmy Rogers
9. WHATʼS THE MATTER?*
Jimmy Rogers
10. WHISKEY HEADED WOMAN*
Homesick James
11. BLUE MIDNIGHT – ALT
Little Walter
12. SILVER HAIRED WOMAN*
Johnny Williams
13. FAT MOUTH *
Johnny Williams
14. YOU DONʼT HAVE TO GO
Jimmy Reed
15. ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME – ALT
Jimmy Rogers
16. HOMESICK – ALT
Homesick James
17. LATE HOURS AT MIDNIGHT*
Homesick James
18. HELLO STRANGER
Billy Boy Arnold
19. I AINʼT GOT NO MONEY
Billy Boy Arnold
20. EVENING SHUFFLE – ALT
Johnny Shines
21. THE MOJO – ALT
J B Lenoir
22. SLOW DOWN WOMAN – ALT
J B Lenoir
23. YOU GONNA WRECK MY LIFE- ALT
Howlinʼ Wolf
24. SOMEDAY LITTLE DARLING*
Big Boy Spires
25. RHYTHM ROCK BOOGIE*
Big Boy Spires
26. KISSING IN THE DARK
Memphis Minnie
CD 4
1. WORK WITH ME*
Sonny Boy Williamson
2. YOU KILLING ME*
Sonny Boy Williamson
3. DONʼT START ME TALKING
Sonny Boy Williamson
4. ICE CREAM MAN*
John Brim
5. LIFETIME BABY*
John Brim
6. MY BABYʼS GONE*
Lazy Bill
7. I CANʼT SLEEP, I CANʼT EAT*
Lazy Bill
8. LITTLE BOY BLUE*
Albert King
9. SWEET WOMAN*
Albert King
10. TROUBLE OF MY OWN*
Sunnyland Slim
11. WORRIED ABOUT MY BABY*
Sunnyland Slim
12. I DECLARE THAT AINʼT RIGHT*
Henry Gray
13. MATCHBOX BLUES*
Henry Gray
14. PRICE OF LOVE*
J B Hutto
15. TIRED OF BEING MISTREATED*
Big Boy Spires
16. I DONE YOU WRONG*
Sunnyland Slim
17. BE MY BABY*
Sunnyland Slim
18. IʼVE GOT TO FIND MY BABY – ALT
Little Walter
19. EISENHOWER BLUES – ALT
J B Lenoir
20. YES SHEʼS GONE
Dusty Brown
21. HE DON’T LOVE YOU
Dusty Brown
22. RUSTY DUSTY*
Dusty Brown
23. YOUʼRE THE ONE*
Jimmy Rogers
24. SWEET ON YOU BABY*
Billy Boy Arnold
25. YOU GOT TO LOVE ME*
Billy Boy Arnold
26. YOU UPSET MY MIND*
Jimmy Reed
27. COME ON BABY*
Jimmy Reed
CD5
1. THE TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY
Elmore James
2. COMING HOME
Elmore James
3. IT HURTS ME TOO
Elmore James
4. GO AWAY
John Brim
5. THAT AINʼT RIGHT
John Brim
6. BIRMINGHAM LATE HOURS
Birmingham Jr
7. YOUʼRE TOO BAD
Birmingham Junior
8. BREAK OF DAY*
Howlinʼ Wolf
9. BLUEBIRD*
Howlinʼ Wolf
10. YOU OUGHT TO KNOW*
Howlinʼ Wolf
11. IʼM LEAVING YOU*
Otis Spann
12. IʼM IN LOVE WITH YOU BABY*
Otis Spann
13. SOMEONE TO LOVE ME – ALT
Snooky Pryor
14. JUDGEMENT DAY – ALT
Snooky Pryor
15. YOU TRIED TO RUIN ME BABY*
Snooky Pryor
16. KINGS HIGHWAY*
Poʼ Joe Williams
17. EULA MAE*
Poʼ Joe Williams
18. DONʼT LOSE YOUR EYE*
Sonny Boy Williamson
19. I WONDER WHY*
Sonny Boy Williamson
20. I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT*
Sonny Boy Williamson
21. WHEN YOU LEFT ME*
Jimmy Reed
22. ITʼS YOU BABY*
Jimmy Reed
23. DO THE THING*
Jimmy Reed
24. THE KEY TO YOUR DOOR – ALT
Sonny Boy Williamson
25. I WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU GO
John Brim
26. YOU GOT ME WHERE YOU WANT ME
John Brim
27. 24 HOURS OF FEAR
Eddie Boyd
28. FIVE LONG YEARS
Eddie Boyd
KEY
*Track originally not issued
-ALT = Alternate Take (originally not issued)