Blues 170 Items

Forget lightning in a bottle, we have Lightnin' on a vinyl! Recorded in New York in 1960 with famed producer Bobby Robinson, Mojo Hand is considered by many to be one of the finest blues records of all time. Since P-vine reissued it for the first time ever in 1983, word of the record’s quality quickly spread, with original copies now selling for thousands of dollars on the second hand market! Whether it’s the boogie of title song “Mojo Hand”, or the low and slow blues of “Have You Ever Loved a Woman”, the Lightnin’s acoustic blues is soulful. Don’t miss Mojo Hand, available for the first time ever on limited edition red vinyl with an obi-strip, only from P-vine Records.

Why you'll love it...
The songs that populate Odetta and the Blues are 1920s blues and jazz standards sung by the likes of Bessie Smith, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Mississippi John Hurt, Leroy Carr and other titans of the time and genre. Most are traditional, unattributable to any one songwriter — but all are linked to Black musicians. In this way, the album feels like an important (and understandable) aspect of Odetta’s quest to show America the myriad ways this country’s music wouldn’t be what it is without Black Americans.

Odetta makes each track sound timeless and true, but also utterly, entirely her own. I think that’s the hallmark of a true and truly unique talent — and a sign that the artist in question understands the assignment, as it were: to find the throughlines between their perspective and the art itself; to preserve the original message and add one of your own, like a constructive game of Telephone. There’s an art to being a cover artist and an art to being an archivist.

Why you'll love it...
The late '60s were a mixed bag for Muddy Waters. In 1969, Waters needed to pivot, and away from the longhairs. He made ‘Fathers and Sons’.

Why you'll love it...
Tennessee Woman is an undervalued Chicago blues masterpiece, a flawlessly executed showcase for Charlie Musselwhite’s unique blues harp sound, an album that perfectly meshed the urban, raucous sounds of Chicago electric blues of Musselwhite’s adult life and the down-home sound of the Memphis blues of his youth. Musselwhite never set out to be a musician; he just wanted to find a job in Chicago that would allow him some spending money to see the blues musicians he loved. When it came time to make his own records, all of Charlie Musselwhite went into Tennessee Woman, and you can hear it from the first notes.

Tiny seam wear.

Ike Turner, a guitarist, pianist, band leader, producer, talent scout... With his diverse talents, he excelled in many fields. In a recent announcement from Rolling Stone magazine, he was ranked 148th in the "250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," highlighting his undeniable talent as a guitarist. His 1st album "Rock The Blues," recorded in the 1950s and released on Crown Records in 1963, serves as proof of his exceptional skills and originality as a guitarist. P-vine is delightfully reissuing the important album on Japanese edition vinyl with Obi-strip for the first time.

Record is close to VG+. Cover has small seam splits.

Original US mono pressing. Tear in top spine.

Seam split. Original US Stereo pressing.

Sleeve has handwriting.

Texan country blues kingpin Lightnin’ Hopkins was rated one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Billboard, and was a notable influence on Stevie Ray Vaughan, among others. Recordings for Aladdin and Gold Star cemented his reputation, and after performing at Carnegie Hall with Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, ‘Mojo Hand’ was a breakthrough hit. The superb 1961 LP Lightnin’ (The Blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins) benefits from the understated presence of King Curtis’ drummer, Belton Evans, and jazz bassist Leonard Gaskin, placing Hopkins’ guitar licks and raspy voice at centre stage, playfully relating heartbreak and woe.

Fully licensed ! Ltd to 500 copies. Singer and guitarist Ram John Holder was born in. 1939 in Georgetown, British Guiana, then moved to Cincinnati in 1954, and to the East Coast to work as folk blues singer in the early 1960s. In 1963, he took residency in England where he recorded several albums. Released in 1969 Black London Blues is surely is masterpiece. A socio-political manifesto the album chronicles the trials and tribulations that were the result of being a black-immigrant in London, and it contains all the pathos and pain one can imagine. Self-conscious, as concept albums often are, the record is almost like an audio A-Z or pub guide. It’s funky and represents his own black experience. It is a must have for all the blues revivalist out there, a record to rank along the lines of early Mike Cooper and american stalwarts like Eugene McDaniels or Sixto Rodriguez !

Terre Haute pressing. US repress.

Vinyl with scuffs and hairlines. Cover with yellowing

US original.
Record close to VG. Writing on back cover. Cover with hype sticker

Close to VG+. Seam split.

"Polk Salad Annie" was the song and cadence for delivering White's unmistakable swamp rock sound, which called to mind the sound John Fogerty whipped up on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bayou Country" and "Green River". Released in 1969, White's album debut "Black And White" contains some of the best swamp-folk-soul-funk of the era. White grew up in the soggy marshlands of Louisiana, his real-deal deep voice sounding like it's dredged from the bottom of the Delta. Rural life in the dirty south provided the inspiration for witty, sometimes funny, and sometimes poignant lyrics (later Tony Joe would pen the smash "Rainy Night In Georgia"). This Analogue Productions edition is the highest-quality reissue of "Black And White" released to date. It was mastered from the original analog tape by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, and features unsurpassed plating and pressing on 200-gram heavyweight vinyl by Quality Record Pressings, makers of the finest-sounding LPs in the world. The dead-silent LP playing surface captures White's voice and his strong and funky backing band in true analog majesty. Besides "Annie", side one of "Black And White" includes several other White originals. AllMusic judges the best of these to be "Willie And Laura Mae Jones", a song about race relations with an arrangement similar to "Ballad Of Billie Joe", and "Soul Francisco", a short piece of funky fluff that had been a big hit in Europe in 1968. "Aspen, Colorado" presages the later "Rainy Night in Georgia," a White composition popularized by Brook Benton. The second side of Black and White consists of covers of hits of the era, with the funky "Who's Making Love" and "Scratch My Back" faring better than the slow stuff. Dusty Springfield had a minor hit with "Willie And Laura Mae Jones", and White's songs were recorded by other performers through the years, but "Polk Salad Annie" and the gators that got her granny provided his only march in the American hit parade. Highly recommended for fans of Creedence Clearwater Revival, J.J. Cale, and 1960s soul!

Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines. Cover with heavy shelf wear and writing on the back.

Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines

Copy close to VG+

In 1965, just one year after Paul Butterfield had formed his blues band – named after himself - and launched one of the very best groups among the white Chicago blues community, the band produced this dynamic and visionary album. The group presents a wide range of contrasting numbers, both eastern and western, which reflect the LP’s title – something totally new and innovative. In the first few titles, traditional standard numbers come over rather enigmatically while supporting original and rhythmic compactness, but this soon gives over to a tactically well-formed instrumentation and lengthy solo interludes. The all-embracing motto 'blues' is taken up by the band in Nat Adderley’s "Work Song" at the very latest, with mind-expanding ways of playing and varying sounds. Catapulted by Mike Bloomfield’s artistry on the guitar into the world of rock, all the musicians celebrate these well-known jazz standards and each man contributes his personal skill into forging a perfectly balanced team effort. The title number "East-West" ultimately demolishes the world of the blues. In the tonal mixture of confidently prepared rock ingredients and borrowings from Indian music (raga rock), we have an amalgamation of rock, blues, jazz and oriental melodies which result in an emotional, unheard-of sound that is well worth the hearing.

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. More information under www.pure-analogue.com. All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Recording: July 1966 at Chess Studios, Chicago (il), by Jac Holzman Production: Barry Friedman, Mark Abramson, Paul Rothchild

EU reissue. Scotch tape for protection around open spine. Record is close to NM.

US mono pressing. Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines

Alexis Korner's third album, originally released on the Transatlantic Label in 1964, after two live albums recorded at the Cavern at the Marquee, featuring his all-time hits 'Stormy Monday ' and Chicken Shack'. A true masterpiece from one of the godfathers of the white blues movement from the 60's.

Cover with seam split on top spine. Vinyl with scuffs and hairlines

Original US pressing.

1962 Mono Repress! Cover with completely open top and bottom spine. Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines

US original.

Original US Research Craft pressing.

Cover close to VG+

Seam split on top spine

Promo copy with stamp. tear in spine

US original.
Sleeve and label have handwriting.

Aaron Thebeaux "T-Bone" Walker was all but destined for performance from the start. After all both of his parents were musicians, who taught him how to play guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano. He was even an early protege of Blind Lemon Jefferson, who was a friend of the family, and often came over to dinner. Walker began performing blues music during the late 1920s and early 1930s, cutting his first singles, while performing as a sideman across the country, often performing alongside Blind Lemon Jefferson himself, as well as contemporaries like Douglas Fernell, Big Jim Wynn, and Charlie Christian. By the 1940s, Walker had begun to perform more frequently as a solo act, recruiting his own backing band, and being among the first to adapt a guitar technique that would change the course of music history: electric amplification.Were it not for Walker leading the charge and pioneering the electric blues sound, contemporary music might have been very different. His sound help set the stage for essential Chicago Blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon, while providing key influence to the likes of B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, and innumerable others.

Son House was one of the most influential delta blues
singers and was famous for his emotional style of signing
and slide guitar playing. Father of Folk Blues presented
him to the public during the 60s folk revival. The roughness
of his voice and intensity of the metal sounds from his
guitar are prominent on the album. Nine tracks which can
be considered as gems and all telling the story of a hard
working man and the intrigues of life. The blues comes
alive in subjects as women, religion, war and crime. The
album features guitarist and harmonica player Al Wilson,
a founding member of Canned Heat. This release is an
original 1965 re-issue.
During his early 20s Son House turned to the blues after
working as a preacher and pastor. He developed his own
unique playing style, full of emotional layers and rhythmic
melodies. During the American folk music revival he began
performing for young audiences and became known as
the Father of Folk Blues.

Paul Butterfield was an iconic blues harmonica player and singer, famous for his in 1963 formed Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Their 1966 releases classic East West is one of the outstanding albums in which they integrated psychedelic rock in traditional blues music. The supergroup consisted at that time of guitar hero Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Mark Naftalin, bassist Jerome Arnold, drummer Billy Davenport and, of course, the master himself, Paul Butterfield. The authentic blues sounds are woven in the sounds of jazz and raga music. It’s an exciting trip in which you can hear the talented individuals, but also how they created their music together. The album proved to be one of the essential albums in the blues-rock movement of the 60s.

Paul Butterfield died in 1987 at the age of 44. During that time he was still recording new songs. In 2006 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and in 2015 again as part of his own Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Vinyl with many scuffs and marks

180 gram vinyl!

Born Booker T. Washington White, Bukka’s trajectory as a blues performer follows a familiar template for his
time. Born in Mississippi, maybe in Houston, MS – maybe in Aberdeen, MS – maybe in 1902, maybe in 1909
or even 1906 he recorded throughout the 1930s. Bukka even recorded while incarcerated in the Mississippi
State Penitentiary aka Parchman Farm. Asked about his time at Parchman White commented “Well, I mostly
played guitar.”
During the 1940s and 50s as Blues moved from the Delta to Chicago, from rural to urban, Bukka’s career went
dormant. And then, like many of his time, his talent was “rediscovered” in the early 60s, in no small part thanks
to a brilliant guitarist in his own right, John Fahey. Performances and all new recordings happened throughout
the 60s, building interest in Bukka White’s Delta roots. This compilation of White’s best early material was first
issued in 1969 (1970 in the US), collecting Bukka’s 78s recorded for Vocalion and Okeh. His influence on rock
performers of that day cannot be understated. He opened for rock bands he’d inspired at venues like The
Fillmore, played his instrument in such a fashion that some said it’s like he was trying to destroy that guitar, his
most famous guitar, a 1933 National Duolian, was even known as “Hard Rock.” And then there’s the fact that
his song “Shake‘em On Down” was so influential on Led Zeppelin that they, “borrowed” from the song for both
“Hats Off To Roy Harper” and “Custard Pie.”
Bukka White was many things, a strong influence on his cousin B.B. King, a cotton picker, a mule driver, a hobo,
a player in the old Negro Leagues, a boxer, a preacher, a convict, a factory laborer and, as celebrated here,
one of America’s blues pioneers.

Original US mono pressing.

Original US stereo pressing.
Record has some hairlines and a few superficial scratches.
Label side 1 is missing.

Santa Maria Pressing.
Ships in a brand new plain sleeve.

"Lightnin'" is among the rewarding acoustic dates Lightnin' Hopkins delivered in the early '60s. The session has an informal, relaxed quality, and this approach serves a 48-year-old Hopkins impressively well on both originals like "Thinkin' 'Bout An Old Friend" and the familiar "Katie Mae" and enjoyable interpretations of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's "Back To New Orleans" and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup's "Mean Old Frisco". Hopkins' only accompaniment consists of bassist Leonard Gaskin and drummer Belton Evans, both of whom play in an understated fashion and do their part to make this intimate setting successful. From the remorseful "Come Back Baby" to more lighthearted, fun numbers like "You Better Watch Yourself" and "Automobile Blues", "Lightnin'" is a lot like being in a small club with Hopkins as he shares his experiences, insights and humor with you.

Cover with long open seam splits

Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines

More than a compilation, this album is a complete document of the Bluesbreakers' recordings with Peter Green, of which "A Hard Road" was just the most prominent part. The 16 bonus tracks include several non-LP singles (among them the 1967 B-side "Rubber Duck," which has never before appeared on LP).

Original US stereo pressing.

US original.
Sleeve has heavy wear.

Original UK Mono pressing.
Writing on label.
Small light scuff on side 2.
Record is close to VG+.
Yellowed cover with faint ring wear on the back.

Original US stereo pressing. Beginning seam split.

Writing on cover.