"Drift Away: A Decade Of Dobie 1969-1979" by DOBIE GRAY – Eighty-Track Four-Disc Book Set featuring Six US 45-Single Sides from 1969 to 1972 on White Whale and Anthem Records - plus Seven US Albums and a Further Four 45-Single Sides and One Unreleased Outtake from 1973 to 1979 on Decca, MCA, Capricorn and Infinity Records – Albums include "Drift Away" (January 1973), "Loving Arms" (October 1973), "Hey Dixie" (October 1974), "New Ray Of Sunshine" (December 1975 US, January 1976 UK), "Let Go" (February 1977), "Midnight Diamond" (December 1978) and "Dobie Gray" (October 1979) – Guest Musicians Include Guitarists Troy Seals, Reggie Young, Mentor Williams, Lonnie Mack, Pete Carr with Keyboards from David Briggs, Harmonica by Charlie McCoy, The Muscle Shoals Horns and many more (December 2004 US-Only Hip-O Select 4CD 80-track Card Book Set featuring Seven Albums Plus Ten 45-Single Sides and one Previously Unreleased Outtake – Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

RATINGS: 

Overall ***

Material *** to ****

Presentation *** to ****

Audo *****

"…Give Me The Music That Frees My Soul…"

Timber-voiced singer Lawrence Darrow Brown (Dobie Gray to you and me) can be viewed as a one-hit wonder in Soul/Country-Soul circles - and even that was someone else's great song.

"Drift Away" – a Mentor Williams written-tune that originated in 1970 - was picked up by 60ts Brit star Mike Berry in 1972 for his "Drift Away" LP on the obscure York Records label (York FYK 409). Produced by Mentor Williams and playing guitar in the band for Dobie Gray, DB then seized on the song as well and had a huge hit with the music-moving emotional tune in early 1973 when it was released Stateside on Decca Records 33057 with the equally cool LP cut "City Stars" on the flipside. Its lyrics and melody are classic nostalgia, but in a Soul-Rock kind of way that gave the tune huge crossover appeal. Even Rod Stewart joined in on the Rock Soulful tip when he covered "Drift Away" for his mega "Atlantic Crossing" album in 1975. Not to be outdone by others on his own song, Mentor Williams released his debut album "Feelings" with his version of "Drift Away" on it (June 1974 in the UK on MCA Records MCF 2549). There was also a US 7" single with "Feelings" leading the charge on the A-side and "Drift Away" on the flip – but it went unnoticed.

The other six Dobie Gray albums on here and straggler seven-inch singles did marginal business and, in the UK, meant less than naught. In fact, Dobie would have to wait until February of 1979 to see his "Midnight Diamond" LP (released in December 1978) finally become the first album of his to register on the US Billboard R&B charts albeit peaking at a modest No.73. 

Which brings us to this obscure but fantastic-sounding 4CD compilation on the US Mail-Order Label Hip-O Select (via Universal) with its quality ERICK LABSON Remasters from original tapes. LABSON has over 1,200 mastering credits to his name across 30 to 40 years – almost all of the gargantuan Chess Records Catalogue including large swathes of Motown acts, Rock Bands and Artists like The Who, Wishbone Ash, The Mamas & The Papas, The Jayhawks, Neil Diamond, The Dells, Steppenwolf, Buddy Holly, Three Dog Night and loads more. I actively seek out any CD he has had a hand in because the Audio is always a huge improvement on what went before. And this Dobie Gray US-only compilation is no different. To the details because there is a lot…

USA-only released December 2004 - "Drift Away: A Decade Of Dobie Gray 1969-1979" by DOBIE GRAY on Hip-O Select B0003621-02 (No Barcode) is an 80-Track Limited Edition Compilation Remastered onto 4CDs in a Book-Sized Card Sleeve. It contains 7 full-albums, 10 x Non-LP 45-single sides and 1 Previously Unreleased Session Outtake that plays outs as follows:

CD1 "The White Whale & Decca Years" (50:17 minutes):
1. Rose Garden
2. Where's The Girl Gone
Tracks 1 & 2 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a March 1969 US 45-single on White Whale WW-300, A-side is a Joe South cover version made famous by Country singer Lynn Anderson

3. Do You Really Have A Heart
4. What A Way To Go
Tracks 3 & 4 are the Non-LP A&B-sides of a September 1969 US 45-single on White Whale WW-339, A-side is a Paul Williams and Roger Nicholls cover version

5. Guess Who
6. Honey, You Can't Take It Back
Track 5 is the Non-LP A-side of a December 1972 US 45-single on Anthem AN-200, B-side was "Bits And Pieces" – not on this set. Track 6 is the Non-LP A-side of a March 1970 US 45-single on White Whale WW-342, B-side was "Hallelujah" – not on this set

7. Drift Away [Side 1]
8. The Time I Loved You The Most
9. L.A. Lady
10. We Had It All
11. Now That I'm Without You
12. Rockin' Chair [Side 2]
13. Lay Back
14. City Stars
15. Street Lovin' Woman
16. Caddo Queen
17. Eddie's Song
Tracks 7 to 17 are his third album "Drift Away" – released January 1973 in the USA on Decca DL7-5397 and MCA MUPS 489 in the UK (reissued February 1974 in the UK on MCA Records MCF 2520). 

CD2 "The MCA Years" (67:20 minutes):
1. Good Old Song [Side 1]
2. You And Me
3. I Never Had It So Good
4. Lovin' The Easy Way
5. Loving Arms
6. Reachin' For The Feeling [Side 2]
7. There's A Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me In)
8. Mississippi Rolling Stone
9. Love Is On The Line
10. Rose
Tracks 1 to 10 are his fourth album "Loving Arms" – released October 1973 in the USA on MCA Records MCA-371 and March 1974 in the UK on MCA Records MCF 2528. 

11. Hey Dixie [Side 1]
12. How Can You Live All Alone
13. So High (Rock Me Baby And Roll Me Away)
14. Watch Out For Lucy
15. Old Time Feeling
16. Turning on You [Side 2]
17. Roll On Sweet Mississippi
18. Can You Feel It
19. Performance
20. The Music's Real (Mentor's Song)
Tracks 11 to 20 are his fifth album "Hey Dixie" – released October 1974 in the USA on MCA Records MCA-449 and November 1974 in the UK on MCA Records MCF 2578.

21. Watch Out For Lucy (Single Version) – July 1974 US 45-single on MCA Records MCA-40268, A-side, B-side is the LP track "Turning On You" – January 1975 UK 45-single on MCA Records MCA 171 – same flipside as the US issue

CD3 "The Capricorn Years" (73:44 minutes):
1. Harold And The Swinging Rocks [Side 1]
2. Drive On, Ride On
3. If Love Must Go
4. Lover's Sweat
5. A New Ray Of Sunshine
6. I'll Take You Down To Mexico [side 2]
7. Easy Loving Lady
8. Comfort And Please You
9. What A Lady
10. Easy Come, Easy Go
Tracks 1 to 10 are his sixth album "New Ray Of Sunshine" – released December 1975 in the USA on Capricorn Records CP 0163 and January 1976 in the UK on Capricorn Records 2429 132

11. Let Go [Side 1]
12. Do It (aka Do Me)
13. Mellow Man
14. Find 'Em, Fool 'Em And Forget 'Em
15. The Best Of My Love
16. Country Love [Side 2]
17. When A Man Loves A Woman
18. But I Do
19. Moonlight Trippin'
20. Can't Stop A Man In Love
Tracks 11 to 20 are his seventh album "Let Go" – released February 1977 in the USA only Capricorn Records ML 1040 (no UK issue). It was released 1978 in Germany and France retitled as "Mellow Man" with the same 10-tracks but with the running order slightly altered. 

21. Find 'Em, Fool 'Em And Forget 'Em (Single Version) – August 1976 US 45-single on Capricorn CPS 0259 with the LP track "Mellow Man" as its flipside
22. The Christmas Song – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD4 "The Infinity Years" (79:16 minutes):
1. You Can Do It [Side 1]
2. We've Got To Get It On Again
3. Let This Man Take Hold On Your Life
4. Weekend Friend
5. Miss You Nights
6. I Can See Clearly Now [Side 2]
7. Starting The Night Together
8. Who's Lovin' You
9. I'll Be Your Hold Me Tight
10. Thank You For Tonight
Tracks 1 to 10 are his eight album "Midnight Diamond" – released December 1978 in the USA on Infinity Records INF 9001 and February 1979 in the UK on Infinity Records INS 2001. Produced by RICK HALL. 

11. The "In" Crowd [Side 1]
12. Stumblin' Rock To You
13. Sunny Day To Rain
14. Spending Time, Making Love And Going Crazy
15. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down [Side 2]
16. Fool, Fool
17. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
18. We Had It All
19. Bridge Of Silence
Tracks 11 to 19 are his ninth album "Dobie Gray" – released October 1979 in the USA on Infinity Records INF 9016 (no UK issue). Produced by RICK HALL and featuring The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Horns

20. The "In" Crowd (Single Version) – November 1979 US 45-single on Infinity Records INF 50,043, A-side (B-side was "Let This Man Take Hold On Your Life" from the previous album "Midnight Diamond" of 1978). With the LP track "Spending Time, Making Love And Going Crazy" chosen as the A-side, the British 45 of September 1979 on Infinity INF 115 put the remake of "The "In" Crowd" on the B-side.

Specialising to a large degree in Classic 60ts and 70ts Soul and Rhythm & Blues and able to access the truly massive Universal Music Company (UMC) umbrella of labels like Motown, Chess, James Brown Single Series on King and Polydor etc - Hip-O Select releases of this nature (multiple disc sets) tended to go for the matt almost sepia-tinted card sleeve look. As far as I know (here in Nov 2024), Hip-O no longer issues material so all are deleted and costly on the open market. But when they did reissue stuff (see my reviews for Muddy Waters, Buddy Holly, Little Walter, Burt Bacharach, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Joe Walsh, Stephen Bishop, Nils Lofgren, Junior Parker and many more) - Hip-O Select releases always looked different, felt classy too and even special. And "Drift Away: A Decade Of Dobie 1969-1979" by Dobie Gray is no different.

Shaped and sized akin to a small paperback book - the gold Limited Edition logo on the rear doesn't indicate a numbered edition though I would imagine as little as 2,000 or less copies were pressed (nor does it even have a Barcode). The front cover, two inners flaps and rear cover hold the four CDs and 20-page colour paperback-sized booklet in card slots. Each flap lists the tracks for CD1, CD2 etc while the lovely-looking booklet features an essay on his career (for this period) by SCOTT SCHINDER dated August 2004, New York City (Pages 2 to 12). Page 13 has a signed note from the singer with a picture of DB above it (also August 2004). Pages 14 to 19 lay out album-by-album production credits, players, writers, single catalogue numbers beneath titles when necessary. Mike Ragogna is the Compilation Producer with Pat Lawrence and Thane Tierney for Hip-O Select. 

Between the text (which confirms his name is Lawrence Darrow Brown and not Leonard Ainsworth as some sources have acclaimed) are some photos and his long-haul story from a Fifties Baptist-Gospel upbringing to and early/mid Sixties singles until his version of "The "In" Crowd" in 1965 broke him through to National attention. There are stories of his time on the "Hair" musical in the early Seventies, acting on US TV's Beverly Hillbillies, his fortuitous connection to songwriters Paul Williams and his brother Mentor Williams – the latter of the two being the author of the magnificent "Drift Away" written apparently during a period of intense self-doubt.

The song "Drift Away" is one of those tunes that screams cover me – especially to Pop and Rock singers looking for that elusive Soul-feel that gives their variant surefire Hitsville crossover appeal ("…gimme the beat boys and free my soul...I wanna get lost in your Rock 'n' Roll..."). John Kay of Steppenwolf covered it on his second solo album "My Sportin' Life" (July 1973 on ABC/Dunhill DSX-50147 in the USA and July 1973 on Probe SPBA 6274 in the UK) while John Henry Kurtz of obscuro band Country Coalition did a version on his debut solo album "Reunion" (November 1972 on ABC Records ABCX-742 in the USA, February 1973 in the UK on Probe SPB 1068). The Kurtz album featured interesting guests like Jeff Baxter of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers fame, future Foot Loose singer Kenny Loggins and Doug Dillard of The Dillards on Banjo. When Rhino Handmade reissued the Jackie DeShannon album "Jackie" in 2003 as "Jackie…Plus" (the LP was originally on Atlantic Records in 1972) – they too found an unreleased recording of "Drift Away" and included it on that CD. Hardly surprising then when Dobie Gray talks about the song in the liner notes that he was desperate to record a version of what he and many others knew was a winner. I would argue (as I'm sure many aficionados would to) that Dobie Gray did the definitive version of "Drift Away" (it became his signature song) – a less-is-more approach to the arrangement that let the lyrics breath, the instruments be heard and his naturally Soulful vocals towards the end soar – moving you and not just impressing (comparisons to Bill Withers and Luther Ingram jump to mind). 

To the long-player that carries its name. The audio across the whole "Drift Away" album (which will be many people's fave here) is exceptionally clean and full of warmth – the piano fills at the end of "Eddie's Song" that closes out the LP, the slow acoustic start to "Sweet Lovin' Woman" and those double-upped vocals matching the guitar lines, the funky clavinet of the gambler-come-lover (Ruby and Billy) song "Caddo Queen" and that clever passage after the chorus. The only moment I take umbrage with is the ever-so-slightly Neil Diamond schlock feel to "We Had It All" – but if that is your bag or your song – the audio is fabulous. The bass too of Mike Leach on "Drift Away" (with Reggie Young on Guitar) is so sweet – punchy but not overdone. And as I said earlier, the flipside cut "City Stars" also excellent, making the "Drift Away" 45-single (in any country) a bit of a double-whammy class in my book.

CD2 throws up the "Loving Arms" and "Hey Dixie" albums from October 1973 and October 1974 with a Non-LP A-side tagged on a Bonus (Track 21). As with the "Drift Away" LP, songwriter Mentor Williams is once again at the Producer helm for both records. The "Hey Dixie" album features Country-Rock types like guitarists Lonnie Mack, Troy Seals and Reggie Young backing up by The Muscle Shoals Horns and other cool session dudes. Many Soul fans rate the "Loving Arms" LP as much as they do "Drift Away". Realigning himself with songwriters like Mentor Williams and Ron Davies (a re-run of the same ideas for "Drift Away" in "Good Old Song"), Troy Seals and Will Jennings (a Staples Singers meets Country Rock vibe for "You And Me"), Paul Williams and Roger Nichols (the lovely and mellow never had much money song but I got love of "I Never Had It Good"), the 45-single of "Lovin' The Easy Way" (MCA 40188 with "Rose" from the "Loving Arms" LP as its flipside)coming at you with crystal clear production values. Brit power-vocalist Tom Jones provides a highlight on the album, the title track of "Loving Arms". Personal fave comes in the shape of the gee-tar plucking of "Mississippi Rolling Stone" (a Troy Seals and Don Goodman song). 

The "Hey Dixie" album sounds like its title, Country Soul meets Pop and R&B. Lonnie Mack and Troy Seals provide the title track and the mellower "How Can You Live All Alone". Another Mentor Williams song (a co-write with Jack Conrad) comes in the shape of "So High (Rock Me Baby And Roll Me Away)" – a tad cheesy in the lyrics and overdone strings department. Lonnie Mack wrote the Country Soul boogie of "Watch Out For Lucy" where the waitress is more dangerous than the band (there is a Single Version of the song at the end of CD2 as a Bonus). "Roll On Sweet Mississippi", "Can You Feel It" and a cover version of the Allen Toussaint song "Performance" continue the honky-tonk-ified schtick but it all feels a tad too ordinary to impress. But again, if these albums are your big dish of prime ribs, then you have never heard them sound or taste this good. 

CD3 covers his two albums on Capricorn Records "New Ray Of Sunshine" (December 1975 in the USA, January 1976 in the UK) and "Let Go" from February 1977 (USA, no UK issue) - a label more comfortable with The Allman Brothers Band and The Marshall Ttucker Band Southern boogie. "New Ray Of Sunshine" was produced by Troy Seals and Dobie Gray but for "Let Go" he went to Rick Hall's Fame Label studio and his Muscle Shoals backing band. The "New Ray Of Sunshine" album is a halfway-house between Soul, Funk and the Country Soul of say Eddie Hinton. The audio on tracks like "Harold And The Swinging Rocks" and "Drive On, Ride On" is so damn clear and muscled enough to add to the band's funk. Will Jennings (who would go on to do huge amounts of co-writes with Steve Window of The Spencer David Group, Traffic and Blind Faith in the late Seventies and Eighties for his hugely successful stints on Island Records) wrote the sappy "If Love Must Go" - itself followed by the Clavinet Pop-Funk of "Lover's Sweat". But tracks like "A New Ray Of Sunshine" and "I'll Take You Down To Mexico" have an awkward genre feel - like they don't know what they want to be - Rock - or Rock Soul - when both end up not hitting either spot. The album comes to a big-ballad finish with "Easy Come, Easy Go" - love walking off down the road real slow - too much time for DB to see it disappear over the horizon of bad decisions. 

Rick Hall and his production crew opens the 1977 LP "Let Go" with a sophisticated Soul smoocher - hurts to say her name - gorgeous audio. But as with the album before it poor material like the seriously cheesy "Mellow Man" and the staggeringly incorrect lyrics of the funk work-out "Find 'Em, Fool 'Em and Forget 'Em" - not a story I want to hear DB. His cover version of the gorgeous Eagles ballad "The Best Of My Love" from their 1974 album "On The Border" is awful - the bippity-boppity shuffle of Country Love is not a whole lot better. Dobie's stab at Percy Sledge's fabulous 60ts Atlantic Records anthem "When A Man Loves A Woman" tries hard with its strings and guitars but again feels forced and not a patch on the genuinely moving original. Beautiful Bass Notes audio on "But I Do" but like the falsely upbeat schtick of "Midnight Trippin'" and the singalong finisher "Can't Stop A Man In Love" - it all feels like three-stars when you crave five. The final insult comes in the unreleased outtake – a 1977 Hallmark Movie and Greeting Card pour-on-the-syrup version of "The Christmas Song" – the magic of 1973's "Drift Away" drifting off into the distance depressingly fast. 

Straight-up nicking The Bee Gees sound and arrangements - "You Can Do It" is chasing the 'Saturday Night Fever' dollar so hard it's liable to disappear up its open-top silk shirt. Lurve-cack like "Let This Man Take Hold Of Your Life" and a cover of the Cliff Richard hit "Miss You Nights" only add to the falsehood even if they sound amazing. Johnny Nash and his Reggae hit of 1972 "I Can See Clearly Now" gets funked up to little point and saccharin strings drown "Who's Lovin' You" in layers of Soulless fairy dust. At least "Thank You Tonight" ends a very patchy album on a semi-high note. The self-titled "Dobie Gray" opens with a truly dreadful moment where Dobie butchers his Sixties masterpiece "The "In" Crowd" with a heavy-handed Disco take. Once again the Production values are top notch but super-produced ballads like "Sunny Day To Rain" and the cringe-lyrics of "Spending Time, Making Love And Going Crazy" are not tunes I will reach for ever again. 

So there you have it - "Drift Away: A Decade Of Dobie 1969-1979" by Soul Man Dobie Gray is the very definition of a musical mixed-bag - the first two albums in spiffing sound quality and actually worth returning too. But the rest is serious hard work if I'm honest. 

Released in December 2004 and like all American Hip-O Select reissues - limited and desirable - it also has the added wallop of costing you should you want a copy. But once you clap your tired lugs on that sweet-as-a-nut remastered sound quality -  fans will have to own it...

"The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues" by MUDDY WATERS – January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess Records featuring Little Walter, Junior Wells, Jimmy Rogers, James Cotton, Sunnyland Slim, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Walter Horton, Ernest "Big" Crawford, James "Pee Wee" Madison, S.P. Leary and more (June 2002 US MCA/Chess CD Compilation - Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited Series featuring 2LPs onto 1CD – Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

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This Review Along With Over 215 Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

"MANNISH BOY" 

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, DOO WOP, ROOTS

RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD 

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

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****

"...You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had... "

 

I loved every release in this classy CD Reissue Series - most of which appeared across the years 2001 and 2002 on MCA/Chess in the States – their archival Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited Series (see list below).

 

Hardly surprising then that the mighty McKinley Morganfield aka MUDDY WATERS was going to be in that list more than a few times. So, what you have here are two albums that appeared on Chess Records in the USA in January 1966 and January 1967 – both capitalizing on his fabulous "Folk Singer" LP of January 1964 that brought him a whole new audience of Sixties hipsters cottoning on to the Blues. Loads to discuss – to the details...

 

US released 12 March 2002 - "The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues" by MUDDY WATERS on MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226) offers 2LPs from 1966 and 1967 Remastered onto 1CD and it plays out as follows (69:31 minutes):

 

1. Mannish Boy [Side 1] – May 1955 Recording

2. Screamin' And Cryin' – July 1949 Recording

3. Just To Be With You – June 1956 Recording

4. Walking Thru The Park – Late 1958 Recording

5. Walkin' Blues – February 1960 Recording

6. Canary Bird – July 1949 Recording

7. The Same Thing [Side 2] – April 1964 Recording

8. Gypsy Woman – 1947 Recording

9. Rollin' & Tumblin' Part One – February 1950 Recording

10. Forty Days And Forty Nights – February 1956 Recording

11. Little Geneva – July 1949 Recording

12. You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "The Real Folk Blues" – released January 1966 in the USA on Chess LP 1501. Guest Musicians include Little Walter on Harmonica (Track 1), Jimmy Rogers on Guitar (Tracks 1, 3 and 10), Walter Horton on Harmonica (Tracks 3 and 10), James Cotton on Harmonica (Track 4), Otis Spann on Piano (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12), "Pee Wee" Madison on Guitar (Tracks 7 and 12), Willie Dixon on Bass (Tracks 1, 3, 7, 10 and 12), Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass (Tracks 5, 6, 8, 9 and 11) and more

 

13. Sad Letter Blues [Side 1] – June 1950 Recording

14. You're Gonna Need My Help I Said – June 1950 Recording

15. Sittin' Here And Drinkin' (Whiskey Blues) – Fall 1948 Recording

16. Down South Blues – Fall 1948 Recording

17. Train Fare Home Blues – Fall 1948 Recording

18. Kind Hearted Woman – Fall 1948 Recording

19. Appealing Blues (Hello Little Girl) – June 1950 Recording

20. Early Morning Blues – June 1950 Recording

21. Too Young To Know – January 1951 Recording

22. She's Alright – December 1952 Recording

23. Landlady – December 1952 Recording

24. Honey Bee – January 1951 Recording

Tracks 13 to 24 are the album "More Real Folk Blues" – released January 1967 in the USA on Chess LP-1511. Guest Musicians include Little Walter on Harmonica and Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass (Tracks 13, 14, 21 and 24), Little Walter on Harmonica and Jimmy Rogers on Guitar (Tracks 22 and 23), Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass Only (Tracks 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20) and more.

 

The 12-page booklet reproduces the front and rear artwork of both LPs with their respective period liner notes; that is supplemented with new notes from PAUL WILLIAMS of Crawdaddy Magazine with Remastered Audio from one of Universal's Top Audio Engineers - ERICK LABSON (see List Below). While it's not genuinely substantial, it's a pretty booklet nonetheless and there's a colour photo of Morgan in full-flow on stage beneath the see-through CD tray at the rear with the 'Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited' Logo on the inlay spine. To the music...

 

A quick scan of the tracks lists provided above and you will see that these January 1966 and 1967 American LPs had little to do with Sixties Blues – for the most part they were a mixed brew of late Forties and mid Fifties Chess oldies and sounded like it too. Across the first LP only two songs - "The Same Thing" and "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" hailed from the Sixties (both 1964) whilst the second album had none at all. As a result, the audio on the 1948 and 1950 tracks is crude to say the least and no amount of ERICK LABSON Remasters is going to bring them up to fidelity. Even the liner notes of the day alluded to this – claiming they were not flawless – but that the spirit was there.

 

Having acknowledged that, Labson does a great job anyway (he has remastered thousands of Chess tracks and has a long line of Remastering accolades). To counter all the originals, those two 1964 nuggets have astonishing audio – the kind of Blues thrill that is rare – fab full sound elicited by players like Otis Spann (Piano), James "Pee Wee" Madison (Guitar), Willie Dixon (Bass) and S.P. Leary (Drums) – sessioned Blues dudes who would play with Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac at the Chess Studios in 1969. On the second LP Little Walter gets to shine while Muddy Waters gets to attack that guitar – Ernest "Big" Crawford pumping up the bottom end with a Double Bass.

 

I actually prefer the second album – Muddy and Guitar and Voice with Harmonica accompaniment – moody and real indeed. A good entry in the series, but just don't go expecting audio miracles, but more authenticity...

 

The "Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited" CD Series

A LIST in ARTIST ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1 and 2 Remastered SUHA GUR, 3 to 11 Remastered by ERICK LABSON

 

1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON

Debut US Album from December 1972 on Gordy Records G 964L (no UK) - Featuring Ray Goodman and Paul White

April 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/Motown 440 013 407-2 (Barcode 044001340727) with 4 Previously Unreleased Bonuses - SUHA GUR Remasters (56:10 minutes)

 

2. Luther's Blues - LUTHER ALLISON

Second US Album from July 1974 on Gordy G 967V1 (no UK) – featuring Bob Goodman and Gene Block

April 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/Motown 440 013 409-2 (Barcode 044001340925) with 3 Previously Unreleased Bonuses – SUHA GUR Remaster (70:32 minutes)

 

3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND

January 1961 USA 12-track LP on Duke DLP 74

February 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Duke-Peacock 088 112 516-2 (Barcode 008811251628) with 2 Bonus Tracks – ERICK LABSON Remaster

(35:12 minutes)

 

4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER

October 1966 and September 1991 US LPs on Chess LP 1508 and MCA/Chess-9329

March 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112-821-2 (Barcode 008811282127) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (79:47 minutes)

 

5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF

January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess LP 1502 and Chess 1512

March 2002 US CD Reissue on Universal/MCA/Chess 088 122 820-2 (Barcode 008811282028) – ERICK LABSON Remaster (66:45 minutes)

 

6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES

January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet LPS 802 (Stereo and Mono)

May 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/MCA/Chess 088 112 518-2 (Barcode 008811251826) – ERICK LABSON Remaster with 10 Bonus Tracks (57:11 minutes)

 

7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING

September 1990 US 13-Track LP on MCA Records MCA 6103

March 2001 US CD Reissue 13-Track CD Compilation on MCA America 088 412 517-2 (Barcode 008811251727) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (64:11 minutes)

 

8. At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS

November 1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess LP 1449 with Tracks 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from June 1960 as Bonuses

March 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112 515-2 (Barcode 008811251529) – ERICK LABSON Remaster (44:43 minutes)

 

9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS & Friends

Tracks 1 to 10 of the CD (studio recordings) combined with 15 to 20 (live recordings) make up the "Fathers And Sons" double-album issued August 1969 on Chess LPS-127 in the USA and October 1969 on Chess CRL 4556 in the UK (both 2LP vinyl sets). Tracks 11, 12, 13 are previously unreleased - and 14 is previously unreleased in the USA and are Bonuses on this CD

October 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112 648-2 (Barcode 008811264826) – ERICK LANSON Remaster (77:38 minutes)

 

10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS

January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess LP-1501 and Chess LP-1511

March 2002 US CD Reissue (2LPs onto 1CD) on MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (69:31 minutes)

 

11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess LP 1503 and Chess LP 1509

May 2002 US CD Reissue (2LPs onto 1CD) on MCA/Chess 088 112 823-2 (Barcode 008811282325) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (65:26 minutes)

"The Chess Box" by ETTA JAMES – Single Sides, Album Tracks, Ten Previously Unreleased Recordings, Three New To An Album and Three from Post MCA/Chess CD Compilations. Releases cover March 1960 to April 1975 on Argo, Cadet and Chess Records and Guests Include Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows, Sugar Pie DeSanto and Lowell George of Little Feat (June 2000 US MCA/Chess Records 3CD 72-Track Digibook Compilation with Inner Attached 40-Page Booklet, Previously Unreleased Tracks and Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...At Last My Love Has Come Along..."

 

Between 1988 and 1991 on MCA/Chess - Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and even Bassist and Songwriter Willie Dixon all had their LP-Sized multiple CD Box Sets released in "The Chess Box" series. But because it came late to the reissue dancehall (June 2000 in the USA) – when Etta James finally did get her "Chess Box" set - it turned out to be 3CD Digibook presentation that few seemed to notice at the time or even care about.

 

Which is a damn shame because Etta's 'Chess Box' is chockers with goodies and boasts stonkingly great Remastered Audio by ERICK LABSON – an Audio Engineer with over 1000 credits to his name including almost all of the famous Chess Records catalogue. I seek out Erick Labson transfers - see my reviews for Buddy Holly, Steppenwolf, The Crusaders, The Mamas & The Papas, Three Dog Night, Neil Diamond, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley & His Comets, Bobby Bland, The Dells, John Lee Hooker, The Who and loads more. This is the very best you have ever heard the 1960 Etta James classic "At Last" in all its romantic swooning passion. Despite its title - "The Chess Box" may only be a book, but it rocks like something bigger. To the pain-drenched details...

 

US released 27 June 2000 - "The Chess Box" by ETTA JAMES on MCA/Chess Records 088 112 288-2 (Barcode 008811228828) is a 3CD Long Digibook of Remastered 1960 to 1974 Argo and Chess Mono and Stereo Recordings that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 1960-1962 (75:58 minutes):

1. All I Could Do Was Cry (March 1960, Argo 5359, A-side)

2. My Dearest Darling (August 1960, Argo 5368, A-side)

3. If I Can't Have You (Etta James and Harvey Fuqua, July 1960, Chess 1760, A-side)

4. I Just Want To Make Love To You (December 1960, Argo 5380, B-side of "At Last" – for A-side see Track 9 on CD1)

5. Anything To Say You're Mine (March 1961, Argo 5385, B-side of "Trust In Me" – for the A-side see Track 11 on CD1)

6. In My Diary (from her 2nd album "The Second Time Around" released September 1961 in the USA on Argo Records LP 4011 (Mono) and Argo LPS 4011 (Stereo) - the MONO mix is used)

7. Spoonful (Etta James and Harvey Fuqua, November 1960, Chess 1771, A-side)

8. A Sunday Kind Of Love (July 1961, Argo 5393, B-side of "Don't Cry Baby" – for the A-side see Track 12 on CD1)

9. At Last (December 1960, Argo 5380, A-side – for B-side see Track 4 on CD1)

10. Stormy Weather (from her Debut Album "At Last!" released November 1960 in the USA on Argo Records LP 4003 (Mono) and Argo LPS 4003 (Stereo) – MONO Mix is used)

11. Trust In Me (March 1961, Argo 5385, A-side – for the B-side see Track 5 on CD1)

12. Don't Cry Baby (July 1961, Argo 5393, A-side of– for the B-side see Track 8 on CD1)

13. Fool That I Am (May 1961, Argo 5390, A-side)

14. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (from her 2nd album "The Second Time Around" released September 1961 in the USA on Argo Records LP 4011 (Mono) and Argo LPS 4011 (Stereo) - the MONO mix is used)

15. Waiting For Charlie (To Come Home) (January 1962, Argo 5409, B-side of "Something's Got A Hold On Me" – for the A-side see Track 19 on CD1)

16. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (from her 2nd album "The Second Time Around" released September 1961 in the USA on Argo Records LP 4011 (Mono) and Argo LPS 4011 (Stereo) - the MONO mix is used)

17. Next Door To The Blues (September 1962, Argo 5424, A-side)

18. I Don't Want It – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded Dec 1961)

19. Something's Got A Hold On Me (January 1962, Argo 5409, A-side – for the B-side see Track 15 on CD1)

20. Stop The Wedding (July 1962, Argo 5418, A-side)

21. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) (from her 3^rd studio album "Etta Sings For Lovers" on Argo LP 4018)

22. You Got Me Where You Want Me – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded June 1962)

23. I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You) (from her 3^rd studio album "Etta Sings For Lovers" on Argo LP 4018)

24. Prisoner Of Love (from her 3^rd studio album "Etta Sings For Lovers" on Argo LP 4018)

25. Pushover (March 1963, LP 4018)

26. Be Honest With Me (July 1963, Argo 5445, B-side of "Pay Back" – for the A-side see Track 3 on CD2)

NOTES:

Tracks 18 and 22 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Track 26 is Previously Unreleased on Album

 

CD2 1962-1969 (76:56 minutes):

1. Would It Make Any Difference (December 1962, Argo 5430, A-side)

2. Look Who's Blue? (March 1964, Argo 5465, B-side of "Loving You More Every Day" – Previously Unreleased on Album – A-side is Track 7 on CD2)

3. Pay Back (July 1963, Argo 5445, A-side – for the B-side see Track 26 on CD1)

4. Two Sides (To Every Penny) (September 1963, Argo 5452, A-side)

5. At Last (Live) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded September 1963 at The New Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee)

6. Baby What You Want Me To Do (Live) (From the 1963 US LP "Etta Rocks The House" on Argo LP 4032)

7. Lovin' You More Every Day (March 1964, Argo 5465, A-side – the B-side is Track 2 on CD2)

8. I Wish Someone Would Care (from the 1964 US LP "Queen Of Soul" on Argo LP 4040)

9. Bobby Is His Name (November 1964, Argo 5485, B-side of "Mellow Fellow")

10. Only Time Will Tell (January 1966, Argo 5526, A-side)

11. (I Don't Need Nobody To Tell Me) How To Treat My Man – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded 4 August 1965)

12. In The Basement, Part 1 - with SUGAR PIE DeSANTO (July 1966, Cadet 5539, A-side)

13. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can He Be?) (First issued on the 1995 US CD compilation "These Foolish Things: The Classic Balladry Of Etta James" on Chess CHD-9354 – originally recorded September 1965)

14. Do I Make Myself Clear – with SUGAR PIE DeSANTO (December 1965, Cadet 5519, A)

15. I Prefer You (December 1966, Cadet 5552, A-side)

16. It Must Be Your Love (May 1967, Cadet 5564, A-side)

17. 842-3089 (Call My Name) (July 1967, Cadet 5568, A-side)

18. I'd Rather Go Blind (October 1967, Cadet 5578, B-side of "Tell Mama" – see Track 19 on CD2)

19. Tell Mama (October 1967, Cadet 5578, A-side – for B-side see Track 18 on CD2)

20. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (First issued on the 1993 US 2CD Chess Masters Compilation "The Essential Etta James" on MCA/Chess CHD2-9341 – November 1967 recording)

21. Security (February 1968, Cadet 5594, A-side)

22. I Worship The Ground You Walk On (May 1968, Cadet 5606, B-side of "I Got You Babe" – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED on Album)

23. You Took It – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (recorded 2 August 1968)

24. Almost Persuaded (December 1968, Cadet 5630, A-side)

25. You Got It (September 1968, Cadet 5620, A-side)

26. Light My Fire – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Doors cover version, recorded 29 and 30 April 1969)

NOTES:

Tracks 2 and 22 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED on Album

Tracks 5, 11, 23 and 26 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

CD3 1969-1974 (76:16 minutes):

1. Slow And Easy – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded 29 and 30 April 1969)

2. The Soul Of A Man – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded 29 and 30 April 1969)

3. Miss Pitiful (September 1969, Cadet 5655, A-side)

4. Losers Weepers, Part 1 (September 1970, Cadet 5676, A-side – also on the December 1970 US LP "Losers Weepers" on Cadet LPS 847 in Stereo)

5. I Found A Love (March 1972, Chess 2125, A-side)

6. W.O.M.A.N. (May 1972, Chess 2128, A-side)

7. Never My Love – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded March 1973)

8. I Never Meant To Love Him (First issued on the 1993 US 2CD Chess Masters Compilation "The Essential Etta James" on MCA/Chess CHD2-9341 – March 1973 recording)

9. You Lost That Lovin' Feelin' – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Righteous Brothers cover, Barry Mann, Cynthia Well and Phil Spector song, recorded March 1973)

10. Sail Away (from the July 1973 US LP "Etta James" on Chess CH 50042 – Randy Newman cover version)

11. Down So Low (from the July 1973 US LP "Etta James" on Chess CH 50042 – Tracy Nelson cover version)

12. All The Way Down (September 1973, Chess CH 2144, A-side)

13. God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (from the July 1973 US LP "Etta James" on Chess CH 50042 – Randy Newman cover version)

14. Feelin' Uneasy (from the July 1973 US LP "Etta James" on Chess CH 50042 – Also July 1974 US 45-single on Chess CH 2153, B-side of "Out On The Streets, Again" – Track 19 on CD3)

15. St. Louis Blues (from the June 1974 US LP "Come A Little Closer" on Chess CH 60029 – W.C. Handy cover version)

16. Let's Burn Down The Cornfield (from the June 1974 US LP "Come A Little Closer" on Chess CH 60029 – Randy Newman cover version)

17. Gonna Have Some Fun Tonight (from the June 1974 US LP "Come A Little Closer" on Chess CH 60029 – Trevor Lawrence and Gabriel Mekler song)

18. Sookie Sookie (from the June 1974 US LP "Come A Little Closer" on Chess CH 60029 – a Steppenwolf cover version)

19. Out On The Street, Again (from the June 1974 US LP "Come A Little Closer" on Chess CH 60029 – Trevor Lawrence and Gabriel Mekler song)

20. Lovin' Arms (April 1975, Chess CH 2171, A-side)

NOTES:

Tracks 1, 2, 7 and 9 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

The look on the outside of the tall Digibook is almost of Hessian – that famous publicity photo of a young Jamesetta Hawkins centring the text – the whole set compiled and produced by ANDY McKAIE – a trusted name associated with loads of archival Box sets and Anthologies. Inside is a rather lovely and carefully put-together 40-page attached booklet with a History of her career by LEE HILDEBRAND (Pages 3 to 19) with the rest taken up by Track-By-Track info and Discography Details. Etta died January 2012, so she was still alive when the set was compiled and contributed new interviews to Hildebrand that were in turn wrapped around new photos from her own archive and that of Chess. But the big news is ERICK LABSON Transfers and Remasters from Mono and Stereo Tapes which are amazing. The crooner material of the early Sixties did not really suit – so you will (like say Sam Cooke) struggle a tad with material not up to her potential. But make no mistake – it will at least sound beautifully clean and present and it adds so much enjoyment to the music. To the chunes...

 

Of the overall seventy-two tracks, 10 are Previously Unreleased, 3 Previously Unreleased on Album and 3 from later MCA/Chess CD Compilations - the remainder are Single and LP-sides - many being rare Non-LP B-sides and so on. The overall listen as regards songs is not all great as I said already, but when she the material matched the passionate voice, sparks flew. Tracks on CD1 like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" are too close to bad cabaret – but then you get tingles from the Bluesy almost female Sinatra vibe to "Fool That I Am" – and in beautifully clear audio. The unreleased "I Don't Want It" on CD1 is OK and you can hear why it was canned – better unreleased is the Brassy Bopper "You Got Me Where You Want Me" – a genuine find – gorgeous Stereo Audio too. The orchestra swirling around "I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You)" is beautifully presented here even if the sentiment is a tad too syrupy for Etta. Better is the punchy Organ-driven Tony Clarke/Billy Davis kitty-kitty-purring bopper "Pushover" (look out Romeo). A Gene Autry/Fred Rose Country shuffler gets the Etta piano R&B treatment from Etta on "Be Honest With Me" – a single side that has never been on an album until this 2000 Anthology.

 

As you can see from the credits on CD1 - the singles include duets with Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows and I am fairly sure that that is his spoken voice introducing "Stop The Wedding" like a courtroom judge about to don his executioner cap. "A Sunday Kind Of Love" is a cover of The Harp-tones 1953 Vocal Group classic on Bruce Records – Etta doing it justice. What can you say about "At Last" - a song that still touches and tingles after all these decades. Other highlights include the let's get frisky "I Just Want To Make Love To You" - a Willie Dixon song made famous by Muddy Waters on Chess in 1954 and covered by hundreds of band since. But as I already said, CD1 is slightly let down by too many sappy crooner tunes clearly hustling for that female Sam Cooke/Frank Sinatra marketplace – she feels like Aretha pre Atlantic Records – waiting to be given the right material and then unleashed.

 

As CD2 starts with a Roy Orbison-good sounding "Would It Make Any Difference" where our EJ wonders if her man would stay away ever she was in trouble bad (he would, the snake) – you are hit with clarity that is stunning. Etta would not like any person to experience "Pay Back" – a cautionary bopper tale – another playing him for a fool in "Two Sides (To Every Story)". The Previously Unreleased live version of "At Last" was recorded in September 1962 and in some ways is bizarre – a rough and rowdy crowd where you cannot make out of they are just drunk or actively against and talk all the way through the performance – it’s like she’s singing to a crowd with a band that is just trying to get through the set. The raucous live version of "Baby What You Want Me To Do" is the same – only the crowd seems more in her boogie favour – her voice and delivery just fantastic (Janis Joplin smiling from ear to ear).

 

The "Etta James" Soul, Funk and Seventies R&B relaunch album from July 1973 on Chess Records saw EJ cover three Randy Newman songs - "Sail Away" from the RN album of the same name from 1972 being the first choice here (the other is "God's Song" – they left off "Leave Your Hat On"). But with just her name in block capitols on the cover of "Etta James", it is hardly surprising that this uninspired and uninspired-looking artwork did the LP no favours. Few Soul fans even knew of its existence. Hip-O Select finally did a Reissue CD of it in 2006 remastered superbly by Gavin Lurssen, but even that is hard to find and expensive in 2023. Thankfully this "Chess Box" also includes the excellent "Down So Low" from the same album – a Tracy Nelson cover version that includes Ken Marco on Guitar, William D. Smith on Keyboards and master sessionman Chuck Rainey on Bass. Another is the Gabriel Mekler (Producer) and Trevor Laurence written opening cut "All The Way Down" which Chess issued as an American 45-single in September 1972 with the album cut "Lay Back Daddy" on the flipside.

 

But perhaps most astonishing of all inclusions on CD3 is the gut-wrenchingly moving almost creepy "Feelin' Uneasy" where she literally sings no words but moans through the music with guttural pleas that have risen up the surface (she was in withdrawal from drugs). "Feelin' Uneasy" was not surprisingly relegated to the flipside of a July 1974 US 45 for "Out On The Street, Again" (Track 19 on this CD) – but what an astonishing moment and somehow a microcosm for her whole troubled life. Little Feat fans will probably know that amongst the guitar players for the 1974 "Come A Little Closer" album sessions was Lowell George (Danny Kortchmar – long associated with James Taylor and Carole King – was in there too as was Wah Wah Watson). Lowell George turns up on three 1974 cuts – the W.C. Handy traditional "St. Louis Blues" and another Randy Newman cover version "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield" – both from the "Come A Little Closer" on Chess. That album ably attacks the old 60ts Steppenwolf/John Kay-written chestnut "Sookie Sookie" – very cool and one that suited EJ.

 

"The Chess Box" is by no means all genius (hence the 4-star rating), but it has 5-star Remastered Audio and enough released and unreleased goodies to satisfy. And frankly anything by the great lady on the many fab labels around Chess Records is nectar to me. Get uneasy with this one...