Neil Young - 'Decade' (24bit-96kHz Hi-Rez)

 

Let's take a trip down memory lane, to April 22, 2017, a.k.a. Record Store Day. In my local record store, I found the "RSD" vinyl releases I was looking for: Art Pepper's 'The Art Pepper Quartet' and Dexter Gordon's 'Walk The Blues'. As I was waiting to pay for the records, on the shelf behind the counter, I spotted a limited edition, remastered reissue of Uncle Neil's 'Decade' on 3 180-gram vinyl LPs. When it was my turn to pay, I asked for a copy of 'Decade', and paid for the records. As I was halfway out the door, I heard "HEY LADY!". Turning around, expecting to see Jerry Lewis standing there, it was the cashier who was waving me back into the store and said, "I forgot to tell you, inside the album is a card with a code to get a 24-96-bit digital version of 'Decade', for free. Just go to the website on the card, and enter the code". When I got home, I searched for the card inside the album, but it was nowhere to be found.

This past Friday, I woke up with Neil's 'Like a Hurricane' stuck in my head. Now, when I get a song stuck in my head, a.k.a. “Earworm”, the only way I can exorcise it from my brain is to play the song a few times. So later on Friday afternoon, I pulled out the "RSD" version of 'Decade'. As I was taking the record out of its sleeve, the card that I could not find and had completely forgotten about came tumbling out. After several hits of my current favorite sativa strain, “Jack One” a.k.a. "J1" and listening to 'Like a Hurricane', I was intrigued by the card and wondered if it would work seven years later. So I went to the website, entered the code, and much to my surprise, it worked.

So here's the 24bit-96kHz digital version. It sounds ridiculously sweet, and will make a very nice upgrade (you won't be sorry).

Here's the thing about Neil to me (and don't get me wrong, I love Neil): He's not the greatest singer, guitarist, or songwriter, yet there's a certain "Je ne sais quoi" about Neil that I can't put my finger on. The overall vibe and his point of view are the best descriptions I can come up with.

So for the freeload, tell us, in your opinion, what makes Uncle Neil so great.

Howlin' Wolf - 'The Complete Recordings 1951-1969'

 

Drawing by Gary Tennant

'The Complete Recordings 1951-1969' is a 7CD set, which was released by Charly Records in 1993, as part of their "RED BOX" series. Due to legal disputes that occurred in 1994 between Charly Records and MCA Records, the production of this set and others in the series ceased, rendering it a rare and difficult-to-find item.

You can read about the lawsuit here: MCA Records, Inc. v. Charly Records, Ltd

While this set is entitled “Complete”, it does not have 'The Super, Super Plus Band' album from 1967 and the 1968 Cadet album a.k.a. “Howlin' Wolf Didn't Like This Album”, which is no great loss, as both albums are not very good (your mileage may vary).

What is in this box are the Chess and Sun recordings, most of which have Hubert Sumlin on guitar. Plus tracks that have never been released elsewhere and probably never will. This Wolf's very best stuff, the real essential recordings without one bad track. This box also has a 28-page booklet that has a brief bio of Wolf, followed by a complete sessionography of his work.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite recordings by Wolf?

Bob Dylan - 'From Newport To The Ancient Empty Streets in LA'

Here's a really nice "Boot", from good ol' Zimmy.

'The Dandelion label released From Newport To The Ancient Empty Streets in LA in 1998. It contains both the 1964 and 1965 Newport shows, as well as the Hollywood Bowl show from 1965.

The release compiles the majority of the two Newport gigs, and the contrast is remarkable: while the 1964 audience treats sublime, introspective songs like "To Ramona" and "All I Really Want to Do" with reverence and awe. The Newport 1965 crowd appears to be on the verge of chaos, and I'm not sure why. Maybe the cause was the intensity of the music, or inadequate sound system, or the shortness of the set? Whatever the reason, the heightened energy is perceptible, and it motivates Bob and his band to new heights. Conspicuous by absence from Newport 1964 is "It Ain't Me Babe" which for an unknown reason was omitted.

Bob's show at The Hollywood Bowl, from September 3, 1965, is in its entirety on this release.  This legendary show has guitarist Robbie Robertson, drummer Levon Helm, keyboardist Al Kooper, and bassist Harvey Brooks, backing Bob.  While lacking the primal force of his future electric tour with the Hawks, the performance is nevertheless excellent, capturing the complexity and potency of songs like "Tombstone Blues," "Maggie's Farm," and "Like a Rolling Stone" in full.

 This is one of my favorite Zimmy boots, and has soundboard-quality fidelity.

For the freeload, post your favorite verse (just one) from a Zimmy song

Cannonball Adderley - 'Somethin' Else'

 

In March 1958, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley stepped into the studios of the legendary Rudy Van Gelder and produced what many consider to be the finest record of his career, 'Somethin' Else'.  This album was recorded just before Adderley joined forces with Miles Davis for the 'Kind of Blue' sessions.

With its iconic Reid Miles designed cover, and with a photo by Frank Wolff, this is quintessential Blue Note.

As Billboard Magazine said in October 1958 in its review of the LP:

"Here’s one of the outstanding jazz sets released in the past few months and perhaps one of the best of the year.  It features some truly fine, sensitive trumpet work by Miles Davis, and at times, some of the best work yet waxed by Cannonball Adderley. Both ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Love for Sale’ are handed superb treatments by Davis, and Adderley shines with his solo on ‘Dancing in the Dark.’ An album that will be important to all jazz fans."

Throughout the album, Cannonball and Miles seem to be engaged in their own private conversation, one that we are privileged to be allowed to hear.  The stand-out tracks for most listeners is "Autumn Leaves" and "Love For Sale", what’s so gratifying about both numbers, is that neither song sounds like a simple rehash or reworking.  If you want to know what makes Cannonball such a master, just listen to “Dancing In The Dark”; all it needs are strings, and you’d swear it was Charlie Parker.

It's an understatement to say that Miles Davis did not record as a sideman for just anyone.  Indeed, the number of occasions after 1950 when the trumpeter consented to uplift another musician's record can be counted on a single hand.  However, Cannonball Adderley was not simply another musician.  He was a sensation when he debuted in New York in 1955.  Cannonball's exceptional technique and innovative ideas were matched by his jubilant sound, which was always filled with joy and excitement.  After leading a very enjoyable and commercially successful quintet during 1955-57, he became a member of the Miles Davis Sextet, playing next to John Coltrane.  Cannonball would have phenomenal success with his own quintet in 1959, but he was already one of the greatest jazz musicians when he recorded his lone Blue Note album, 'Somethin' Else' in 1958.

The Players:
Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone
Miles Davis on trumpet
Hank Jones on piano
Sam Jones on bass
Art Blakey on drums

The Album was produced by Alfred Lion, and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder  

The freeload (24bit/ 88.2khz) is the 2009 reissue by Analogue Productions; an SACD Hybrid, with wonderful sonics. 
This is the digital version you should have.

Julian Adderley's original nickname was "Cannibal" due to his voracious appetite.  Cannonball's friend who who gave him the nickname pronounced it as "can-i-bol", and over time, it morphed into "Cannonball."

For the freeload, give me a nickname.

American Folk Blues Festival 1962 and 1963

 

The American Folk Blues Festival was a succession of annual tours throughout Europe.  The first festival was held in 1962, and they continued almost annually until 1972, after an eight-year hiatus reviving the festival in 1980 until its final performance in 1985.

American Folk Blues Festival, 1962

The artists on the 1962 American Folk Blues Festival tour, were:
Helen Humes - vocals
Memphis Slim - piano and vocals
T-Bone Walker - guitar and vocals
Shakey Jake - guitar and vocals
John Lee Hooker - guitar and vocals
Sonny Terry - harmonica and vocals
Brownie McGhee - guitar and vocals
Willie Dixon - bass and vocals
Armand "Jump" Jackson - drums

'American Folk Blues Festival 1962' is a 3CD set from Frémeaux & Associés.  It was recorded on  October 20, 1962, at the Olympia Theater in Paris, France

American Folk Blues Festival, 1963

The artists on the 1963 American Folk Blues Festival tour, were:
Victoria Spivey - ukulele and vocals

Memphis Slim - piano and vocals

Otis Spann - piano and vocals

Sonny Boy Williamson - harmonica and vocals

Muddy Waters - guitar and vocals

Big Joe Williams - guitar and vocals

Lonnie Johnson - guitar and vocals

Matt "Guitar" Murphy - guitar

Willie Dixon - bass and vocals

Bill Stepney - drums

'American Folk Blues Festival 'sixty three' is a two CD set from the Evidence label. It was recorded at Die Glocke on October 13th 1963 in Bremen, Germany

For the freeload, tell us what was your introduction to the blues.

Led Zeppelin Live in 1973, 1975 and 1977

Here's three Led Zeppelin "Boots", all with superb audio, they sound like official releases, and could be released pretty much as is.  To my ears, the performances are better than anything on 'The Song Remains The Same'.

'Live At Southampton University Working Tapes'
Recorded at the Old Refectory, Southampton, England
on January 22nd, 1973

'Snow Jobs'
Recorded at the Pacific Coliseum in
 Vancouver, British Columbia, 

on 19 March 1975

'The Dragon Snake'
Recorded at The Summit, Houston, Texas
on May 21, 1977

What I like about all three "Boots" is that, this is what Led Zeppelin really sounded like on any given night (and they sound pretty damned good).  Of course, if these were official releases, Jimmy would have rerecorded three quarters of the guitar parts, and Robert would have rerecorded all the vocals, and we'd be left with something akin to a latter-day allegedly "live" Rolling Stones album.

I've also included the 1973, 1975 and 1977 Tour Programs in the freeloads.

For the freeloads, what's your top 5 favorite Led Zeppelin songs?

Charlie Haden - 'The Private Collection'

 

This 2CD set is a re-release of two separate recordings, 'Private Collection, No. 1' and Private Collection, No.2', that were originally released in very small quantities on the specialty audiophile, label Naim Audio in 1995.

CD1 was recorded on Charlie Haden's 50th birthday party at "My Place" in Santa Monica, CA on August 6th 1987.  Not surprising, it has a slightly loose jam session feel to it, but the compositions and the high caliber of musicianship more than compensate for any looseness in the playing.

The tunes range from two Pat Metheny songs, "Hermitage" and "Farmer's Trust", to Miles Davis' "Nardis", to two Charlie Parker tunes "Passport" and "Segment"), to a tune each by Tony Scott "Misery" and J.S. Bach "Etudes", all which the group attacks in equal amounts of subtle fervor and restrained skill-all from many years of playing both together in Charlie's Quartet West and with many other jazz greats.

Along with Charlie Haden's bass are:
Ernie Watts on saxophones
Alan Broadbent on piano
Billy Higgins the drummer's drummer, who at the time of the recording played on and off with Charlie for three decades.

CD2 was recorded live on April 4th 1988, at Webster University, St Louis Mo. (near Charlie's boyhood home).  It has identical personnel to CD1, except Billy Higgins, who is replaced with Paul Motian, another legendary jazz drummer.

In comparison to CD1, at least to my ears, these tracks have a bit more life in them, thanks in large part to Ernie Watt's angular sounding sax, Paul Motian's drumming is also a bit more forceful.  As always, Charlie's bass playing (especially his solos) is truly intricate and engaging.

The compositions range from Pat Metheny's "Farmer's Trust" (again), to Charlie Parker's  "Visa", to two tracks by Charlie "Bay City" and "Silence", to Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman", to the standard "Body and Soul".

Both CDs are Jazz from the days when melodies mattered, from true group interplay when a solo was something that was played strictly to advance the music, not the musician's ego.  When musicians listened to each other and contributed something of true value.  A time when the song was (is) the thing.  If you like unpretentious, straight ahead, no nonsense Jazz, with great solos out in front of an equally fine rhythm section, this is one to listen to.

For the freeload, tell us about a memorable birthday you had.

Neil Young - 'The Archives Vol. 1 - 1963–1972'

 

'The Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972' is an 8CD box set from everybody's favorite uncle.  Released in 2009, it's the first of several in the Archives series, which will eventually chronicle the Neil's entire career.  The box features previously released as well as rare and unreleased material from Neil's early years with The Squires and Buffalo Springfield, it also includes cuts, demos, outtakes and alternate versions of songs from his albums 'Neil Young', 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere', 'After the Gold Rush', and 'Harvest', as well as tracks he recorded with both Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young during this time.  Also included in the set are several live discs.

If Neil is your favorite uncle, you really should have this.

CD1 Early Years (1963-1968)
1. Aurora The Squires – from the 45 RPM single (mono)
2. The Sultan The Squires – from the 45 RPM single (mono)
3. I Wonder The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono)
4. Mustang The Squires – previously unreleased instrumental (mono)
5. I'll Love You Forever The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono)
6. (I'm A Man And) I Can't Cry The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono)
7. Hello Lonely Woman Neil Young & Comrie Smith** – previously unreleased version
8. Casting Me Away From You Neil Young & Comrie Smith – previously unreleased song
9. There Goes My Babe Neil Young & Comrie Smith – previously unreleased song
10. Sugar Mountain Neil Young – previously unreleased demo version (mono)
11. Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing Neil Young – previously unreleased demo version (mono)
12. Runaround Babe Neil Young – previously unreleased song (mono)
13. The Ballad Of Peggy Grover Neil Young – previously unreleased song (mono)
14. The Rent Is Always Due Neil Young – previously unreleased song (mono)
15. Extra, Extra Neil Young – previously unreleased song (mono)
16. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong Neil Young – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono)
17. Burned Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield (mono)
18. Out Of My Mind Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield (mono)
19. Down, Down, Down Neil Young – previously unreleased version (mono)
20. Kahuna Sunset Buffalo Springfield – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono)
21. Mr. Soul Buffalo Springfield – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono)
22. Sell Out Buffalo Springfield – previously unreleased song (mono)
23. Down To The Wire Neil Young – from the album Decade (mono)
24. Expecting To Fly Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield
25. Slowly Burning Neil Young – previously unreleased instrumental
26. One More Sign Neil Young – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set
27. Broken Arrow Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield Again
28. I Am A Child Buffalo Springfield – from the album Last Time Around

CD2 Topanga 1 (1968-1969)
1. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Neil Young – from the stereo promotional 45 RPM single-second pressing
2. The Loner Neil Young – from the album Neil Young
3. Birds Neil Young – previously unreleased version
4. What Did You Do To My Life? Neil Young – previously unreleased mix
5. The Last Trip To Tulsa Neil Young – from the album Neil Young
6. Here We Are In The Years Neil Young – from the album Neil Young–second version
7. I've Been Waiting For You Neil Young – previously unreleased mix
8. The Old Laughing Lady Neil Young – from the album Neil Young
9. I've Loved Her So Long Neil Young – from the album Neil Young
10. Sugar Mountain Neil Young – previously unreleased stereo master
11. Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
12. Down By The River Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
13. Cowgirl In The Sand Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
14. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

CD3 Live at the Riverboat (Toronto, 1969)
1. Sugar Mountain Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
2. The Old Laughing Lady Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
3. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
4. On The Way Home Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
5. I've Loved Her So Long Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
6. I Am A Child Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
7. 1956 Bubblegum Disaster Neil Young – previously unreleased song
8. The Last Trip To Tulsa Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
9. Broken Arrow Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
10. Whiskey Boot Hill Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
11. Expecting To Fly Neil Young – previously unreleased live version

CD4 Topanga 2 (1969-1970)
1. Cinnamon Girl Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
2. Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets) Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
3. Round And Round (It Won't Be Long) Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
4. Oh Lonesome Me Neil Young with Crazy Horse – previously unreleased stereo mix
5. Birds Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the 45 RPM single (mono)
6. Everybody's Alone Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Previously unreleased song
7. I Believe In You Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album After The Gold Rush
8. Sea Of Madness Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – from the original soundtrack album Woodstock
9. Dance Dance Dance Neil Young with Crazy Horse – previously unreleased version
10. Country Girl Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – from the album Déjà Vu
11. Helpless Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – previously unreleased mix
12. It Might Have Been Neil Young with Crazy Horse – previously unreleased live version

CD5 Live at the Fillmore East (New York, 1971)
1. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
2. Winterlong
3. Down By The River
4. Wonderin'
5. Come On Baby, Let's Go Downtown
6. Cowgirl In The Sand

CD6 Topanga 3 (1970)
1. Tell Me Why Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
2. After The Gold Rush Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
4. Wonderin' Neil Young – previously unreleased version
5. Don't Let It Bring You Down Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush-first pressing
6. Cripple Creek Ferry Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
7. Southern Man Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
8. Till The Morning Comes Neil Young – from the album After The Gold Rush
9. When You Dance, I Can Really Love Neil Young with Crazy Horse – from the album After The Gold Rush-first pressing
10. Ohio Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – from the stereo 45 RPM single
11. Only Love Can Break Your Heart Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – previously unreleased live version
12. Tell Me Why Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – previously unreleased live version
13. Music Is Love David Crosby, Graham Nash & Neil Young – from the album If I Could Only Remember My Name
14. See The Sky About To Rain Neil Young – previously unreleased live version

CD7 Live at Massey Hall (Toronto, 1971)
1. On The Way Home
2. Tell Me Why
3. Old Man
4. Journey Through The Past
5. Helpless
6. Love In Mind
7. A Man Needs A Maid/Heart Of Gold (Suite)
8. Cowgirl In The Sand
9. Don't Let It Bring You Down
10. There's A World
11. Bad Fog Of Loneliness
12. The Needle And The Damage Done
13. Ohio
14. See The Sky About To Rain
15. Down By The River
16. Dance Dance Dance
17. I Am A Child

CD8 North Country (1971-1972)
1. Heart Of Gold Neil Young – previously unreleased live version
2. The Needle And The Damage Done Neil Young – from the album Harvest
3. Bad Fog Of Loneliness Neil Young with The Stray Gators – previously unreleased version
4. Old Man Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the album Harvest
5. Heart Of Gold Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the album Harvest
6. Dance Dance Dance Neil Young – previously unreleased version
7. A Man Needs A Maid Neil Young with the London Symphony Orchestra – previously unreleased mix
8. Harvest Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the album Harvest
9. Journey Through The Past Neil Young with The Stray Gators – previously unreleased version
10. Are You Ready For The Country? Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the album Harvest
11. Alabama Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the album Harvest
12. Words (Between The Lines Of Age) Neil Young with The Stray Gators – from the original soundtrack album Journey Through The Past
13. Soldier Neil Young – previously unreleased mix
14. War Song Neil Young & Graham Nash with The Stray Gators – from the 45 RPM single (mono)

For the freeload, if you could only listen to one Neil Young album (studio, live, compilation or bootleg) for the rest of your life, which one (and only one) would it be?

The Sonny Criss Orchestra - 'Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)'

 

In the 1950s, alto saxophone player Sonny Criss was the West Coast’s Bird, not a copy of Charlie Parker but strongly and obviously influenced by him.  He recorded with Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Hampton Hawes and on a session with both Bird and Chet Baker. 

Sonny recorded an impressive twenty-three albums as a leader.  When you listen to Sonny, you can hear why he is appealing to Jazz fans.  His rich, full tone on saxophone conveyed confidence and positive energy.  He was equally fluent and on his second "axe", the soprano saxophone.  Sadly, his career was cut short, when he committed suicide at fifty after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

It takes a lot of (what my friend Zelda calls) chutzpah (pronounced hutzpah, the c is silent) to subtitle a Jazz album "Birth of the New Cool", but that's what Sonny Criss did with his 1968 release 'Sonny's Dream'.  In fairness, it was meant to call attention to the similarity in instrumentation between this band and the legendary Miles Davis Nonet; but the Sonny Criss Orchestra has a style all its own.

Horace Tapscott

Despite Sonny Criss being the "protagonist performer", this essentially is a Horace Tapscott album, that could have easily been titled, 'Horace Tapscott Presents: The Sonny Criss Orchestra - Birth of the New Cool', and this in no way, is meant as a slight against Sonny Criss.  Horace comes off as a first-class composer and arranger, and far more than the avant-garde style in which he is usually identified.  Like Sun Ra & Charles Mingus, he favors a low, dark instrumentation, and the ensemble is characterized by prominent use of baritone sax and tuba.  It becomes clear that Horace had closely studied Mingus' work, especially, 'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady', but make no mistake, this is not a pale imitation.  Horace's compositions, arrangements and charts here are bold, highly rhythmic, and a passionate.

That said, Sonny's playing is of a high caliber, with highly intelligent lines, his bright sound infuses everything he plays with a positive energy and an underlying sense of confidence to the whole recording.  Sonny adds many different musical "colors" to this outstanding album.

'Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)' is one of my favorite Jazz album of 1968, which granted was a strange year for Jazz; John Coltrane had died the year before, Free Jazz was more or less on its way out, and fully realized Fusion was a year away.

The players:
Sonny Criss – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
Horace Tapscott – arranger, composer and conductor
Tommy Flanagan – piano
Conte Candoli – trumpet
Dick Nash – trombone
Ray Draper – tuba
David Sherr – alto saxophone
Teddy Edwards – tenor saxophone
Pete Christlieb – baritone saxophone
Al McKibbon – bass
Everett Brown Jr. – drums

1968 was a wonderful year for music. For the freeload, tell us what albums released in 1968 do you listen to on a regular basis?

Rest In Peace

 

George Thorogood - 'George Thorogood and the Destroyers' & 'Move It On Over'

 

By 1977, blues music was in a slump.  Many of its legends like Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed etc. had already passed on.  Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker were in limbo, with their career revivals a few years away.  1960s blues revivalists like Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield had become footnotes in the history of the blues.  Disco and the so-called New Wave were the prominent genres.

Into the void stepped a young guitarist and former minor league baseball player by the name of George Thorogood.  Leading a ramshackle foursome known as the "Delaware Destroyers", the band was thoroughly steeped in the sort of houserockin’ blues pioneered by folks like Elmore James, J.B. Hutto, and Hound Dog Taylor.  Moving the band from Delaware to Boston, George and crew made a name for themselves on a thriving Boston blues club scene.  While in Boston, George's demo tapes grabbed the attention of Ken Irwin of Rounder Records, who would release the band’s self-titled 1977 debut album.

On George's debut, he and the Delaware Destroyers roar through ten rough and ready blues-rock performances.  Cover versions of songs by Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson and Bo Diddley are inspired.  An original titled "Homesick Boy" fits into the festivities like a glove.  George's frenetic slide guitar work and the Delaware Destroyers' relentless locomotive rhythms make for a red-hot, juke-joint like performance.

George's sophomore effort, 1978’s 'Move It On Over' is in the same mold as his debut. That said, it branches out into country with the Hank Williams-penned title track and early rock ‘n’ roll with a wild cover of Chuck Berry’s "It Wasn’t Me" alongside the blues and R&B tracks of his first album.  The covers of Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and Bo Diddley’s "Who Do You Love?" received lots of FM radio airplay.

The albums 'George Thorogood and the Destroyers' and 'Move It On Over' are both blues-rock classics and established the blueprint that George has followed on his records, for almost 50 years now.  You’ll get a couple of original tracks written in an old-school blues style, a bunch of classic cover tunes that are ramped up and amped as George Thorogood and the Destroyers do so well.

While George wasn’t the best singer to emerge from the blues-rock world, and he wasn’t the flashiest or most talented guitarist, he did however have a personality, energy, a deep knowledge of the blues, and an undeniable charisma that enabled him to perform to an audience like one of the old masters.

To my ears, these two albums sound as vibrant and energetic today, as they did in the late 1970s.  Both albums also brought the blues to a new generation of young people, jolted the music out of its late-decade doldrums and paving the way for artists like Robert Cray and Stevie Ray Vaughan and the blues boom of the 1980s.

For the freeload (both albums are 24bit, cuz sonics matter), who are your favorite blues-rock bands and artists?