"THE BLUES" Vol. 6 Chess Records '50's Rarities

Going beyond the slim selection and hits-biased format of previous volumes, Chess delivers with this 16-track collection of blues rarities from the '50s. And where label mainstays like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf dominated earlier discs, this go 'round features a balanced mix heavy on the obscure likes of Rocky Fuller and Blue Smitty; others, like Floyd Jones, Percy Mayfield, and Lowell Fulson, nicely fill the middle ground in between the Chicago masters and the more countrified singers. This is especially true of Mayfield, whose urbane and swinging style was removed in many ways from both Fuller's back-porch simplicity and Waters' fulsome sexual innuendo. Other low-profile highlights come courtesy of the Little Walter-inspired guitarist John Brim and singers Alberta Adams and Willie Mabon. Chipping in on the A-list side of things, stars like Walter, Memphis Minnie, and Sonny Boy Williamson turn in a fine mix of master takes and alternate cuts. Taking in Delta ramblings, city grit, and R&B's after-hours sophistication, this disc of rarities qualifies as the one volume in the blues series that aficionados will not want to miss. (Steven Cook, Allmusic)

Chess' 1960s "The Blues" series, which spanned five volumes, originally focused on hits, not rarities, but this addition to the series goes the other way by collecting a number of rarities, all of which make their CD debut here.
It opens with a great version of Howlin' Wolf's magnificent, thumping blues-rhumba "Cause Of It All", re-titled "Goin' Back Home" and featuring completely different lyrics. Tremendous syncopated drum part by Earl Phillips.
And there are plenty of other highlights, including the somber "Funeral Hearse At My Door", a gritty acoustic country blues by obscure Chess artist Rocky Fuller, the up-tempo boogie "Date Bait" by Blue Smitty & His String Men (great piano playing by Malron Jett), a latter-day Memphis Minnie-tune called "Lake Michigan", the nasal Percy Mayfield's catchy, horn-driven jump blues "Would You Call Me A Fool", and Jody Williams' energetic, R&B-flavoured "What Kind Of Gal Is That" (credited to Williams' alter ego, Little Joe Lee).
Other rarities include Eddie Boyd's "Got Lonesome Here", John Brim's jumping instrumental "Gary Stomp", which features a surprisingly energetic and complicated harmonica solo by the usually very minimalistic Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters' "All Night Long", just him and his guitar and Little Walter playing the harmonica, and a mournful "Alarm Clock Blues" by the always morose Floyd Dixon. (Blues Beat)

trax:
1. Going Back Home - Howlin' Wolf 2. Juke (Alt) - Little Walter 3. Funeral Hearse At My Door - Rocky Fuller 4. Date Bait - Blue Smitty 5. Lake Michigan - Memphis Minnie 6. What Kind Of Gal Is That? - Little Joe Lee 7. I Don't Know (Alt) - Sonny Boy Williamson (II) 8. Would You Call Me A Fool? - Percy Mayfield 9. All Night Long - Muddy Waters 10. Gary Stomp - John Brim 11. Overseas - Floyd Jones 12. Got Lonesome Here - Boyd Eddie 13. Messing Around With The Blues - Alberta Adams 14. I'm Mad (Alt) - Willie Mabon 15. Alarm Clock Blues - Floyd Dixon 16. Don't Drive Me Baby - Lowell Fulson
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