John Lee Hooker Plays and Sings the Blues   Chess LP 1454.   Early fifties recordings (When Hook was a younger stud) compiled and released by Chess in 1961.   Personnel: John Lee Hooker vocals; guitar.   (Eddie Kirkland guitar on “Just Me and My Telephone”.)   Studs Terkel writes the liner notes.   Another cool cover photo by Chess house photog Don Bronstein.   This is back porch music from the heart of the Delta.   “Although he often reworked themes by earlier bluesmen during this period, it was rare that Hooker outright covered another artist’s material. So his riveting interpretations of Muddy Waters’s ‘Please Don’t Go’ and Big Maceo Merriweather’s ‘Worried Life Blues’ peak this collection”

(46 votes, average: 4.39 out of 5)

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“String Along With Peter”   The Multi Guitars of Peter Posa     Zodiac Records   Another nice cover delivered in person by Magic Mel from Wellington, New Zealand.

(30 votes, average: 3.53 out of 5)

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Straight from New Zealand – The dynamic, the incomprable, the amazing FELLOWMEN!

(26 votes, average: 3.42 out of 5)

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Bruce Murdoch “33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute”   Stormy Forest Records (1971)   Canadian folky.   Here’s a nice post about this record.   Thanks again to Joe in Maine!

(31 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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“Adentro Arracacheros!”   Emeterio y Felipe –   Los Tolimenses   Zeida Records

(14 votes, average: 3.29 out of 5)

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“Party Down” Little Beaver   Cat Records (1974) Willie Hale was a session musician who played on such hits as Betty Wright’s “Clean Up Woman”, and George McCrae’s “Rock Your Baby”.     The back-up musicians here are a who’s who of the Miami funk/soul sound and TK, Alston and Glades Records stable. Party Down Part 1   features background vocals by Betty Wright, pianist Benny Lattimore (“Let’s Straighten It Out”), and organ man Timmy Thomas (“Why Can’t We Live Together”).

“Come on girl, don’t be shy, we’re just partying down, you and all your friends, we’re gonna party down.”

(20 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)

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Luis Alberto del Parana and His Trio Los Paraguayos   “Mood for Romance”   Philips Records   She’s either in a state of pure ecstasy or can’t believe this guy won’t go to another table!

(42 votes, average: 3.83 out of 5)

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“Tonic Chop Cajah”   Lagu Hiboran

(14 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

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“Super Talent”   An EP from Thailand on Four Track Records featuring Western soul hits of the day:   TIME IS TIGHT – BOOKER T. & THE MG’S / POPCORN – HOT BUTTER / THEME FROM SHAFT – ISAAC HAYES / ASHA RACH   – SHOCKING BLUE

(34 votes, average: 3.79 out of 5)

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Link Wray & The Wraymen   Epic Records   It’s hard to imagine an instrumental being banned as too subversive, but that is what happened to Link Wray’s Rumble   in 1958.   Its tough, muscular sound captured the tension of a gang fight and many US radio stations refused to play it or even mention its title.It’s hard to imagine an instrumental being banned as too subversive, but that is what happened to Link Wray’s “Rumble” in 1958. Its tough, muscular sound captured the tension of a gang fight and many US radio stations refused to play it or even mention its title. Wray’s opening chord sets the scene for 150 echo-drenched seconds of feedback and distorted guitar. This is Link Wray’s original 1960 debut LP.   An all instrumental album incluing Link’s smash hit “Raw-Hide”, the often covered “Comanche”, the ballad “Lillian” plus Caroline/Slinky/Right Turn/Rendezvous/Dixie-Doodle/Ramble/Hand Clapper/Radar/Studio Blues.   You can get this and more Link Wray from Norton Records.

“He is the king; if it hadn’t been for Link Wray and ‘Rumble,’ I would have never picked up a guitar.” – Pete Townsend

Link Wray –   still NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

(40 votes, average: 3.85 out of 5)

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