Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3

 

There are influential albums, and then there's 'Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3'.

In 1965, musician, author, historian, and producer Samuel Charters enlisted nine of the Chicago’s finest blues artists to record a brief set each for a Vanguard Records sampler.  This compilation aimed to showcase the distinctive electric sound of Chicago Blues.  Artists like Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Jonny Young, Otis Spann, Johnny Shines and Big Walter Horton exemplified this unique style, which featured electric guitars, amplified harmonicas, a rhythm section, and often a piano. All of these artists are featured on the compilation. 

The 'Chicago/The Blues/Today!' trilogy introduced countless listeners to the blues, helping to popularize the genre in the US, the UK, and beyond.  These recordings also influenced a host of up-and-coming rock artists, including The Animals, Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, and later, The Allman Brothers Band. I guarantee that all of these artists have these three albums in their collections.

As AllMusic notes: 

"It’s fair to assume that most blues-influenced artists had all three volumes in their respective collections, and the songs on them ended up in the repertoires of everyone from Jimi Hendrix…to Led Zeppelin…to Steppenwolf."

If you're a Blues fan and don't have 'Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3' [Shame on you - Ed], you should have this in your collection.  If you already have them, the freeload is a reissue from 2021, on the Craft label and are Hi-Res 24bit/192kHz files, so they make for a serious upgrade.  You've never heard them sound this good.

I rebought (had it on the original vinyl and also CD)  Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vols. 1, 2 & 3 on Record Store Day 2021, which were limited edition of 1,800 copies on 180g vinyl.  Included was a card with a link to download the Hi-Res 24bit/192kHz files.

Volume 1
The Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band
    
Junior Wells – harmonica, vocals
Buddy Guy – guitar
Jack Myers – bass
Fred Below – drums

01. "Help Me"
02. "It Hurts Me Too"
03. "Messin' with the Kid"
04. "Vietcong Blues""All Night Long"

J. B. Hutto and His Hawks

J. B. Hutto – guitar, vocals
Herman Hassell – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

05. "Going Ahead"
06. "Please Help"
07. "Too Much Alcohol"
08. "Married Woman Blues"
09. "That's the Truth"

Otis Spann's South Side Piano
    
Otis Spann – piano, vocals
S. P. Leary – drums

10. "Marie"
11. "Burning Fire"
12.  "S. P. Blues"
13. "Sometimes I Wonder"
14. "Spann's Stomp"



Volume 2
The Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet
    
Jimmy Cotton – harmonica, vocals
James Madison – guitar
Otis Spann – piano
S. P. Leary – drums

01. "Cotton Crop Blues"
02. "The Blues Keep Falling"0
03.  "Love Me or Leave"
04.  "Rocket 88"
05. "West Helena Blues"

The Otis Rush Blues Band

Otis Rush – guitar, vocals
Robert "Sax" Crowder – alto saxophone
Luther Tucker – guitar
Roger Jones – bass
Willie Lion – drums

06. "Everything's Going to Turn Out Alright"
07. "It's a Mean Old World"
08. "I Can't Quit You Baby"
09. "Rock"
10. "It's My Own Fault"

Homesick James and His Dusters
Homesick James – guitar, vocals
Willie Dixon – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums
    
11. "Dust My Broom"
12. "Somebody Been Talkin'"
13. "Set a Date"
14 "So Mean to Me"



Volume 3
Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band

Johnny Young – guitar, mandolin, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Hayes Ware – bass
Elga Edmonds – drums

01. "One More Time"
02. "Kid Man Blues"
03. "My Black Mare"
04. "Stealin' Back"
05. "I Got Mine In Time"
06. "Tighten Up on It"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band
    
Johnny Shines – guitar, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

07. "Dynaflow Blues"
08. "Black Spider Blues"
09. "Layin' Down My Shoes and Clothes"
10. "If I Get Lucky"

Big Walter Horton's Blues Harp Band with Memphis Charlie

Walter Horton – harmonica
"Memphis" Charlie Musselwhite – harmonica
Johnny Shines – guitar
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

11. "Rockin' My Boogie"

The Johnny Shines Blues Band

Johnny Shines – guitar, vocals
Walter Horton – harmonica
Floyd Jones – bass
Frank Kirkland – drums

12. "Mr. Boweevil"
13. "Hey, Hey"

I've also included in the freeload the excellent liner notes by Ed Ward, from the 2000 CD release.

For the freeload, name some artists/bands that you wish you saw live.