“What It Takes – The Chess Years [Expanded Edition]” by KOKO TAYLOR. A Review of the 2009 “Hip-O Select” CD Compilation.

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Hip-O Select B0013186-02 (Barcode 602527122625) is a reissue of a deleted 18-track 1991 CD compilation - now with 6 bonus tracks added on. It has the same front artwork, but a live photo spreads itself across the 3 flaps of the tri-gatefold on the inside, while the booklet is expanded to 16-pages. It's embossed on the rear of the card sleeve in gold "limited edition". 

More importantly, it has a truly stunning 2009 remaster by ace tape expert ERICK LABSON (over 1,200 credits to his name - including most of the entire Chess catalogue). Here are the details for the 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue...

Released November 2009 in the USA, February 2010 in the UK - "What It Takes - The Chess Years [Expanded Edition]" by KOKO TAYLOR plays out as follows (73:06 minutes):

1. I Got What It Takes (1964 USA 7" single on Checker 1092, A - see also 19)

2. Don't Mess With The Messer (1969 USA LP "Koko Taylor" on Chess LP 1532)

3. Whatever I Am, You Made Me (as per 2)

4. I'm A Little Mixed Up (as per 2)

5. Wang Dang Doodle (1966 USA 7" single on Checker 1135, A)

6. (I Got) All You Need (1966 USA 7" single on Checker 1174, A) 

7. (Just) Love Me (1967 USA 7" single on Checker 1166, A)

8. What Came First The Egg Or The Hen [B-side of 7, duet vocals with Willie Dixon)

9. Insane Asylum (as per 2 - duet vocals with Willie Dixon)

10. Fire (as per 2 - duet vocals with Willie Dixon)

11. I Don't Care Who Knows (1968 USA 7" single on Checker 1210, A)

12. Twenty Nine Ways (To My Baby's Door) (as per 2)

13. Blue Prelude [Previously Unreleased, Recorded November 1971]

14. I Need More And More (September 1972 USA LP "Basic Soul" on Chess CH-50018)

15. Um Huh My Baby (as per 14)

16. Bills, Bills & More Bills (as per 14)

17. Let Me Love You Baby (as per 14)

18. I Got What It Takes [Live Duet With MUDDY WATERS] (1972 USA 2LP set "Blues/Rock Avalanche - The Montreaux Festival" on Chess 2CH-60015)

BONUS TRACKS:

19. What Kind Of A Man Is That? (B-side of 1 - a Koko Taylor original)

20. Blues Heaven (1966 USA 7" single on Checker 1135, A - Willie Dixon co-write with Dick LaPalm)

21. Tell Me The Truth (1966 USA 7" single on Checker 1148, A - a Johnnie May Dunson song)

22. Good Advice (B-side of 21 - a J.B. Lenoir cover)

23. Separate Or Integrate (1967 USA 7" single on Checker 1210, A)

24. Tease Your Man (1972 USA 7" single on Chess 2132, A - also on the Sept 1972 "Basic Soul" album on Chess CH-50018)

Tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 12, 14 to 18 and 23 to 24 are all written by WILLIE DIXON

Track 20 is co-written by WILLIE DIXON and DICK LaPALM

Other track credits listed above

With a powerhouse voice that could level tall buildings from ten paces, Koko Taylor truly met her soul mate in Chess' principal songwriter - the mighty Willie Dixon. He wrote 18 of the tracks on here and co-wrote one other - his presence is everywhere. With the house-band containing the cream of the Blues crop (Lafayette Leake on Piano, Buddy Guy and Johnny "Twist" Williams on Guitars and a host of others - including Willie Dixon on Bass), it's no wonder that these slices of Sixties Blues and R'n'B boogie along so brilliantly. 

But the real revelation is the SOUND - I've raved about Erick Labson's work before, but the lad's excelled himself here - beautiful clarity and depth - in your face for all the right reasons. Fans will thrill to the care given - infused no doubt with the same affection that exudes from ANDY McKAIE's typically excellent liner notes. It's a shame though that they didn't picture either of her albums "Koko Taylor" (a ragbag of tracks from '65, '67 and '69 finally issued in 1969) and the "Basic Soul" LP from 1972 - but that's offset against a colour photo of her debut Checker 45 "I Got What It Takes" on 1092 - what a lovely sight. Its fab B-side "Blues Heaven" is also here (lyrics above). The previously unreleased and exclusive-to-this-set "Blue Prelude" is a slow blues Joe Bishop/Gordon Jenkins song and it's excellent. 

Koko has been poorly served by Chess reissues across the last two decades - until now. With her passing in June 2009 at the age of 80, Memphis' Cora Taylor is finally done proud by this lovely and wonderful reissue. Top marks to all involved - and another goodie from Hip-O Select. Recommended...

For info purposes - a Checker Records (Chess) Discography

USA 7" 45-Singles:

1. I Got What It Takes b/w What Kind Of A Man Is This (1964, Checker 1092)

2. Don't Mess With The Messer b/w Whatever I Am, You Made Me (1965, Checker 1106)

3. Good Advice b/w When I Think Of My Baby (1965, Checker 1140)

4. Good Advice b/w Tell The Truth (1965, Checker 1148)

5. What Came First The Egg Or The Hen b/w (Just) Love Me (1967, Checker 1166)

6. (I Got) All You Need b/w All Money Spent (1967, Checker 1174)

7. Fire b/w Insane Asylum (1968, Checker 1191)

8. Separate Or Integrate b/w I Don't Care Who Knows (1968, Checker 1210)

9. Tease Your Man b/w That's The Way Love Is (1972, Chess 2132)

Checker LPs:

"Koko Taylor", October 1969 USA LP on Chess LPS-1532 [Produced by Willie Dixon]

Side 1: 

Love You Like A Woman

I Love A Lover Like You

Don't Mess With The Messer [Track 2]

I Don't Care Who Knows [11]

Wang Dang Doodle [5]

I'm A Little Mixed Up [4]

Side 2:

Nitty Gritty

Fire [10]

Whatever I Am, You Made Me [3]

Twenty-Nine Ways [12]

Insane Asylum [9]

Yes, It's Good For You

"Basic Soul", Sept 1972 USA LP on Chess CH-50018 [Produced by Willie Dixon]

Side 1:

It's A Poor Dog

Let Me Love You Baby [Track 17]

Bills, Bills And More Bills [16]

I Need More And More [14]

Love Me To Death 

Side 2: 

That's The Way Love Is

Um Huh My Baby [15]

Tease Your Man [24]

Pollution

Violent Love

"Chess Blues" by VARIOUS ARTISTS -1947 to 1967 Tracks by Sunnyland Slim, Muddy Waters, Forest Sykes, Jimmy Rogers, Little Milton, Doctor Ross, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Memphis Minnie, Elmore James, Lowell Fulson, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Witherspoon, Sonny Boy Williamson, Otis Spann, Andrew Tibbs, Paul Gayton, Willie Mabon, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy and more (February 1993 USA MCA/Chess 4CD 101-Track Long Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Released in early February 1993 in the USA - the 101 tracks on this 4CD box represented the first proper overview by MCA of the Chess Blues legacy since their acquisition of its entire catalogue way back in 1985. And even now (in 2026) with many subsequent compilations and box sets having followed - I estimate there are still at least 20 to 30 tracks exclusive to this superb box set.

Each CD on "Chess Blues" by VARIOUS ARTISTS has a themed label (listed below) - here's a basic breakdown of what's on MCA/Chess CHD4-9340 (Barcode 076732934029): 

Disc 1, 1947-1952, 25 Tracks, Yellow Aristocrat Label (73:31 minutes):

1. Lollypop Mama- CLARENCE SAMUELS

2. Bilbo Is Dead - ANDREW TIBBS

3. Johnson Machine Gun - SUNNYLAND SLIM

4. Fly Right, Little Girl - SUNNYLAND SLIM

5. Little Anna Mae - MUDDY WATERS

6. I Can't Be Satisfied - MUDDY WATERS

7. My Sweet Lovin' Woman - ROBERT NIGHTHAWK

8. I Feel Like Going Home - MUDDY WATERS

9. She Ain't Nowhere - SUNNYLAND SLIM

10. Florida Hurricane - ST. LOUIS JIMMY

11. Memory Of Sonny Boy - FOREST CITY JOE

12. Tonky Boogie - FOREST SYKES

13. Cryin’ The Blues - LAURA RUCKER

14. My Head Can't Rest Anymore - BABY FACE LEROY

15. Big Town Playboy - JOHNNY JONES

16. Sweet Black Angel - ROBERT NIGHTHAWK

17. Rollin' Stone - MUDDY WATERS

18. Luedella - JIMMY ROGERS

19. Mother Earth - MEMPHIS SLIM

20. Dr. Ross' Boogie - DOCTOR ROSS

21. Joliet Blues - JOHNNY ROSS

22. Moanin' at Midnight - HOWLIN’ WOLF

23. All Night Long (Alternate Take) - MUDDY WATERS

24. Mr. Commissioner (Alternate Take) - ARBEE STIDHAM

25. Getting Old And Grey - HOWLIN’ WOLF

Disc 2, 1952-1954, 25 Tracks, Blue Chess Label (73:01 minutes):

1. Walkin' The Boogie (Alternate Take) - JOHN LEE HOOKER

2. Juke - LITTLE WALTER

3. Conjur Man - MEMPHIS MINNIE

4. Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone - MUDDY WATERS

5. Broken Heart (Alternate Take) - MEMPHIS MINNIE

6. Truckin' Little Woman - WILLIE NIX

7. Funeral Hearse At My Door - ROCKY FULLER 

8. Hard Time Gettin' Started - EDDIE BOYD

9. Don't Need No Horse - LITTLE WALTER

10. Eight Ball - GUS JENKINS 

11. Fast Boogie - LITTLE WALTER

12. I'm Mad - WILLIE MABON

13. Ice Cream Man - JOHN BRIM

14. Whose Muddy Shoes - ELMORE JAMES

15. Got To Have It - WILLIE MABON

16. I Declare That Ain't Right - HENRY GRAY

17. Remember - ALBERTA ADAMS

18. [Untitled Instrumental] - HENRY GRAY

19. Blues With A Feeling - LITTLE WALTER

20. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man - MUDDY WATERS

21. Forty-Four - HOWLIN' WOLF

22. Got To Find My Baby (Alternate Take) - LITTLE WALTER

23. Evil - HOWLIN' WOLF

24. Reconsider Baby - LOWELL FULSON

25. Mama Talk To Your Daughter - J.B. LENIOR

Disc 3, 1954-1960, 26 Tracks, Plum Checker Label (73:08 minutes):

1. Mellow Down Easy - LITTLE WALTER

2. My Eyes (Keep Me In Trouble) - MUDDY WATERS

3. My Baby - LITTLE WALTER

4. You Got To Love Me - BILLY BOY ARNOLD

5. Walking The Blues - WILLIE DIXON

6. Don't Start Me To Talkin' - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II

7. Smokestack Lightning - HOWLIN’ WOLF

8. Twenty-Nine Ways To My Baby's Door - WILLIE DIXON

9. Right To Love You - PAUL GAYTON

10. Ain't Nobody's Business - JIMMY WITHERSPOON

11. I'm Leaving You - OTIS SPANN

12. Break Of Day - HOWLIN' WOLF

13. Please Don't Go - FLOYD DIXON

14. Keep It To Yourself - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II

15. Walking By Myself - JIMMY ROGERS

16. Got My Mojo Working - MUDDY WATERS

17. Fattening Frogs For Snakes (Alternate Take) - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II

18. Slow Leake - LaFAYETTE LEAKE

19. Sitting On Top Of The World - HOWLIN' WOLF 

20. She Don't Know - J.B. LENIOR

21. Your Funeral And My Trial - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II

22. Key To The Highway - LITTLE WALTER

23. Double Trouble (Alternate Take) - MUDDY WATERS

24. Come On Home - EDDIE BOYD

25. The Goat - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON II

26. So Many Roads, So Many Trains - OTIS RUSH

Disc 4, 1960-1967, 25 Tracks, Brown Argo Label (71:30 minutes):

1. First Time I Met The Blues - BUDDY GUY

2. Too Poor - DETROIT JUNIOR

3. Blue Shadows - LOWELL FULSON

4. The Shakedown - LLOYD GLENN

5. Sun Is Shining (Alternate Take) - ELMORE JAMES

6. Calling On My Darling - ALBERT KING

7. The Red Rooster - HOWLIN' WOLF 

8. Nine Below Zero - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

9. Goin' Down Slow - HOWLIN' WOLF

10. Satisfied - LITTLE MILTON

11. Something's Got A Hold On Me - ETTA JAMES

12. Wrinkles - THE BIG THREE TRIO

13. Bring It On Home - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

14. Good Moanin' Blues - BIG WALTER HORTON

15. Killing Floor - HOWLIN' WOLF

16. What Kind Of Man Is That? - KOKO TAYLOR

17. We're Gonna Make It - LITTLE MILTON

18. Wang Dang Doodle - KOKO TAYLOR

19. Dirty Work Goin' On - LITTLE JOE BLUE

20. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - JOHN LEE HOOKER

21. Jinglin' Baby - EDDIE "GUITAR" BURNS

22. That's Why I Don't Mind - MUDDY WATERS

23. Keep It To Myself - BUDDY GUY

24. Sitting Here Alone - HOUND DOG TAYLOR

25. I'd Rather Go Blind - ETTA JAMES

"Chess Blues" was produced and co-compiled by ANDY McKAIE and features a wonderful 64-page booklet detailing track-by-track liner notes by MARY KATHERINE ALDIN of the LIVING BLUES Magazine (she handled the liner notes for many of the early Chess compilations). The text is peppered with classy black & whites photos of Chess giants like MUDDY WATERS, JOHN LEE HOOKER, LITTLE WALTER, HOWLIN' WOLF, WILLIE DIXON, SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON, CHUCK BERRY and ETTA JAMES. There are a few reproduced trade adverts and an opening comment by PHIL CHESS. Best of all though is the read - the paragraphs have great insights into the songs and revelatory information on long forgotten artists like LAURA RUCKER, ROBERT NIGHTHAWK and ARBEE STIDHAM. Just like Peter Grendysa's liner notes in the "Chess Rhythm & Roll" box that followed it, the booklet in this is a peach. 

Remastered from Aristocrat and Chess master tapes by ERICK LABSON (over 1,200 credits to his name), the sound is great throughout (except a few tracks dubbed from disc - "Memory Of Sonny Boy" by FOREST CITY JOE from 1949 is one of them). 

The music is far grittier than the "Rhythm & Roll" box where the Blues morphed into Rhythm 'n' Blues and then into Soul - but it's equally brilliant. Unreleased gems include the fabulous piano-boogie of "Cryin' The Blues" by LAURA RUCKER sounding like a blues'd up version of Nellie Lutcher (lyrics above) - and a truly electrifying stripped down alternate take of "All Night Long" by Muddy Waters (just Muddy on guitar and Little Walter on harmonica) where he wants his woman to "rock me...all night long...until my back has no bone…"

It's cool to see Doctor Ross, Paul Gayton, Memphis Minnie and Little Milton represented. And outside of the usual spattering of unreleased 'Alternate Takes' to entice collectors (big names like Elmore James, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson) - all the huge hits of the genre (covered by hundreds of bar-bands and big-star names down through the decades) are gathered here in one place and in great audio - Muddy's "I Just Can't Be Satisfied" and "Hoochie Coochie Man", Wolf's "Killing Floor" and "Moaning At Midnight", Mabon's "I'm Mad" (covered by Dr. Feelgood), Little Walter's "My Baby", Hooker's boozy "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer", Sonny Boy Williamson's "Bring It On Home" (famously covered and rearranged to devastating effect by Zeppelin in 1969 on Led Zeppelin II) and Koko Taylor's fab R 'n' B early Sixties Soul crossover hit "Wang Dang Doodle". It ends with a nod towards the Sixties Blues Rock revolution with the Etta James original "I'd Rather Go Blind" which Britain's Chicken Shack made into an anthem. Oh - and a certain band named themselves after the Muddy Waters track "Rollin' Stone"….

Over 20 years after its release - listening to "Chess Blues" is still a fabulous experience - and although it's not nearly as rare as its follow-up set "Chess Rhythm & Roll" - it's just as desirable...

PS: See also 5 separate reviews - the 1994 4CD box set "Chess Rhythm & Roll" - the mammoth 15CD box set "The Chess Story 1947-1975" issued in 2000 and its 3 separate parts issued as stand-alone 5CD sets in 2003…

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