Rating:
Genre:
Blues
Release Date: 02/21/2006
This collection centers on the prolific
John Lee Hooker's recordings for
Vee-Jay Records in the late '50s and early '60s, with a nice dose of sides
Hooker recorded for
Bernie Besman at
United Sound Studios in Detroit between 1948 and 1952 (these were leased to
Modern Records in Los Angeles, although
Besman did release some of them on his own
Sensation Records imprint). You'd have to just know that, though, since the track annotation here, beyond a broad and hardly specific biographical booklet, is nonexistent. However, the music is vintage
Hooker, and some of it is as smooth as
Hooker ever got (relatively speaking, of course). Check out
"Onions" here to get a glimpse of what
Hooker might have sounded like in a parallel universe backed up by
Booker T. & the MG's and
the Memphis Horns. There are countless compilations of
Hooker material on the market, issued by a variety of labels under assorted different titles, but you really can't go wrong with this guy -- he always delivered what he was supposed to deliver with no frills and no fuss.
~Steve Leggett, All Music Guide