“Chess Blues”, 1993 USA-Only 4CD Box Set on MCA/Chess CHD4-9340. A Review…

“…I Woke Up This Morning…Couldn’t Even Get Out Of Bed…”

Released in early 1993 in the USA, the 101 tracks on this 4CD box represented the first proper overview by MCA of the Chess Blues legacy since their acquisition of its entire catalogue way back in 1985. And even now (in late 2009) with many subsequent compilations and box sets having followed - I estimate there are still at least 20 to 30 tracks exclusive to this set.

Here's a basic breakdown (each CD has a themed label):

Disc 1, 1947-1952, 25 Tracks, Yellow Aristocrat Label (73:31 minutes)
Disc 2, 1952-1954, 25 Tracks, Blue Chess Label (73:01 minutes)
Disc 3, 1954-1960, 26 Tracks, Plum Checker Label (73:08 minutes)
Disc 4, 1960-1967, 25 Tracks, Brown Argo Label (71:30 minutes)

"Chess Blues" was produced and co-compiled by ANDY McKAIE and features a wonderful 64-page booklet detailing track-by-track liner notes by MARY KATHERINE ALDIN of the LIVING BLUES Magazine (she handled the liner notes for many of the early Chess compilations). The text is peppered with classy black & whites photos of Chess giants like MUDDY WATERS, JOHN LEE HOOKER, LITTLE WALTER, HOWLIN' WOLF, WILLIE DIXON, SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON, CHUCK BERRY and ETTA JAMES. There are a few reproduced trade adverts and an opening comment by PHIL CHESS. Best of all though is the read - the paragraphs have great insights into the songs and revelatory information on long forgotten artists like LAURA RUCKER, ROBERT NIGHTHAWK and ARBEE STIDHAM. Just like Peter Grendysa's liner notes in the "Chess Rhythm & Roll" box that followed it, the booklet in this is a peach.

Remastered from Aristocrat and Chess master tapes by ERICK LABSON (over 800 credits to his name), the sound is great throughout - excepting a few tracks dubbed from disc ("Memory Of Sonny Boy" by FOREST CITY JOE from 1949 is one of them).

The music is far grittier than the "Rhythm & Roll" box where the Blues morphed into Rhythm 'n' Blues and then into Soul, but it's equally brilliant.

Unreleased gems include the fabulous piano-boogie of "Cryin' The Blues" by LAURA RUCKER sounding like a blues'd up version of Nellie Lutcher (lyrics above) - and a truly electrifying stripped down alternate take of "All Night Long" by Muddy Waters (just Muddy on guitar and Little Walter on harmonica) where he wants his woman to "rock me...all night long...'til my back has no bone..." Great stuff!

Listening to "Chess Blues" a full 16 years after its release is still a fabulous experience - and although it's not nearly as rare as it's follow-up set "Chess Rhythm & Roll", it's just as desirable...

Recommended - big time.

PS:
See also 5 separate reviews - the 1994 4CD box set "Chess Rhythm & Roll", the mammoth 15CD box set "The Chess Story 1947-1975" issued in 2000 and it's 3 separate parts issued as stand-alone 5CD sets in 2003

"The Chess Story - 1947 - 1975". A Review of the 15CD Universal Box Set.

You Can Get Less For More…And Should…

When this Chess label behemoth was released by Universal USA in 1999 - as you can imagine - it was something of an event. Remastered by tape maestro ERICK LABSON (over 800 credits to his name), it was housed in a hard card outer with three colour-coded wood-effect books inside and a further printed 70-page hardback beside them. It certainly looked the part.

Each book carried 5CDs - 15 in total - offering up 340 tracks dating from 1947 to 1975 across 13 audio discs - Disc 14 and 15 being an interview disc and a CD-Rom. Many were first time on CD and exclusive to this set. It was later broken down into 3 separate releases in 2001 offering a cheaper option. Ten years down the line into 2009, however, and time hasn't been to kind to either the original big box or the three reissues.

Each of the three 'books' has a crappy centred booklet at the top which lists the song and artist, but amazingly for a retrospective of this size, doesn't provide a catalogue number nor which personnel played on what. The 70-page hardback book is nice to look at, but again deceptively slight - it gives us a history of the label by Robert Pruter (of Chicago Soul magazine), a printed version of the interviews on Disc 14 (repeating itself) and a Chess R&B Charts list at the very end. While Pruter's story of Chess is very entertaining, and the music on Disc 1 to 13 simply sensational, precisely because of its cost, you still feel like you've been short changed.

I've reviewed all 3 boxes separately and provided track-by-track catalogue numbers, but reviewing the full box now - something occurs to me.

Good releases - especially between 2007 and 2009 - have made much of the box's exclusivity redundant and its price tag since deletion a bit of an expensive extravagance (300 to 400 sterling or 500 to 600.00 dollars). The now ludicrous cost of acquiring this set coupled with the less than stellar packaging makes me think that you must be able to get better elsewhere. So I set about a trawl to find alternatives and have come up with the following list, which will provide fans with 90% of what's on this 15CD box while throwing in a good 20% more - and all of it for less than half the money...

All of the following are remastered by the best labels and have superb and detailed liner notes:

1. The Very Best Of - FONTELLA BASS (2006 CD, 25 Tracks)
2. Gold - CHUCK BERRY (2005, 2CDs, 50 Tracks, Remasters)
3. Standing Ovation - The Very Best Of - THE DELLS
(2007, 2CDs, 39 Tracks, Remasters)
4. Go Go Power - Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966 -SUGAR PIE DeSANTO
(2009 CD, 26 Tracks)
5. Gold - BO DIDDLEY (2008, 2CDs, 41 Tracks, Remasters)
6. Gold - JOHN LEE HOOKER (2007, 2CDs, 35 Tracks, Hip-O Select Remasters)
7. The Real Folk Blues/More Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF
(2003, 2LP on 1CD, 24 Tracks, US Hip-O Select)
8. Gold - ETTA JAMES (2007, 2CDs, 36 Tracks - Hip-O Select Remasters)
9. The Chess Collection - LAURA LEE (2006 CD, 20 Tracks)
10. Hoochie Coochie Man - Complete Chess Masters Vol.2 - MUDDY WATERS
(2004, 2CD Hip-O Select Book set, 51 Tracks)
11. The Real Folk Blues/More Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS
(US Hip-O Select)
12. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS (2001, 2LP set on 1 CD with bonus tracks)
13. The Real Folk Blues/More Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
(2003, 2LPs on 1CD, US Hip-O Select)
14. Chess Uptown Soul - VARIOUS (1997, 24 Tracks, UK Kent Compilation)
15. Chess Club Rhythm & Soul - VARIOUS
(1996, 25 Tracks, UK Kent Compilation)
16. Chicago Radio Soul - VARIOUS
(1996, 26 Tracks, Chess Labels, UK Kent Compilation)
17. Chess Chartbusters Vol. 1 to 6 - VARIOUS
(UK Budget-Priced 20 Track Compilations, 120 songs in total)
18. Chess Tearjerkers - VARIOUS (UK Mojo Comp 20 Tracks)
19. Chess Soul Sisters - VARIOUS (UK Mojo Comp, 20 Tracks)
20. Chess Northern Soul - VARIOUS (UK Mojo Comp, 20 Tracks)
21. Chess Blues - VARIOUS (1993, 4CD Box Set, 101 Tracks)
22. Just Keep On Dancing - Chess Northern Soul - VARIOUS
(1996, 24 Tracks, UK Kent Compilation)

There are over 500 tracks on 1 to 22 above and the cost is about £150 including P&P. Universal can't of course be held responsible for retailers trying to chance £350 on a deleted and desirable rarity, but punters should know that the same material - and better - is available elsewhere - and for a fraction of the cost.

Like Atlantic and Motown, Chess is a label worth taking that time and effort for.

"The Chess Story" PART 1 1947-1956. A Review of Universal's 5CD Box Set [Part 1 of 3].

"Someone Said Jump The Boogie...And That's What We're Going To Do…”

Part 1 of 3. A long hardback book-shaped box set - coloured green - 5CDs.

I've supplied the catalogue numbers for all 5 CDs after the track details - it'll help those fans of Chess and its associate labels that are trying to hunt down that elusive tune...

Made in the USA, the entire 5CD set is remastered from original master tapes by one of Universal's top engineers ERICK LABSON and soundwise (with over 800 mastering credits to his name) it's a typically superb job. The packaging I feel could be better, disappointing booklets - but for Chess fans many of these tracks remain unavailable anywhere else...

CD1:
1. Chicago Boogie (The Five Blazers)
2. Hey Pretty Mama (Jump Jackson & His Orchestra)
3. Ice Man's Blues (Tom Archia)
4. Boogie Woogie Blues (Clarence Samuels)
5. Bilbo Is Dead (Andrew Tibbs)
6. Johnson Machine Gun (Sunnyland Slim)
7. Gypsy Woman (Muddy Waters)
8. I Feel Like Crying (Andrew Tibbs)
9. She Ain't Nowhere (Sunnyland Slim)
10. I Feel Like Going Home (Muddy Waters)
11. I Can't Be Satisfied (Muddy Waters)
12. I Can't Be Tony Boogie (Forrest Sykes)
13. Florida Hurricane (St. Louis Jimmy)
14. You're Gonna Miss Me (Muddy Waters)
15. Locked Out Boogie (Leroy Foster)
16. Streamline Woman (Muddy Waters)
17. A Woman On Every Street (Forest City Joe)
18. Crying The Blues (Lura Rucker)
19. Baby I'm Sick Of You (Duke Jenkins' Aristocrats)
20. Black Angel Blues (Robert Nighthawk)
21. You're Gonna Need My Help (Muddy Waters)
22. Big Town Playboy (Little Johnny Jones)
23. Screamin' And Cryin' (Muddy Waters)
24. All I Need Is You (The Dozier Boys)
25. Six Three O (Robert Nighthawk)
26. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Muddy Waters)

CD2:
1. Rollin' Stone (Muddy Waters)
2. That's Alright (Jimmy Rogers)
3. You Got To Get It (The Dozier Boys)
4. Send For The Doctor (Doc Pomus)
5. Louisiana Blues (Muddy Waters)
6. Goin' Away Baby (Jimmy Rogers)
7. So Glad I Found You (Johnny Shines) (Shoeshine Johnny)
8. Mother Earth (Memphis Slim)
9. Long Distance Call (Muddy Waters)
10. Slow Caboose (Sax Mallard)
11. The World's In A Tangle (Jimmy Rogers)
12. Rocket 88 (Jackie Brenston)
13. Leave My Wife Alone (John Lee Hooker)
14. Honey Bee (Muddy Water)
15. My Real Gone Rocket (Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats)
16. Moanin' At Midnight (Howlin' Wolf)
17. Howlin' Tomcat (Harmonica Frank)
18. Crying The Blues (Lura Rucker)
19. Juiced (Billy Love)
20. How Many More Years (Howlin' Wolf)
21. Still A Fool (Muddy Waters)
22. Hey Little Girl (John Godfrey Trio)
23. Booted (Rosco Gordon)
24. She Moves Me (Muddy Waters)
25. No More Doggin' Around (Rufus Thomas)
26. Dark Road (Floyd Jones)

CD3:
1. Mr. Highway Man (Howlin' Wolf)
2. Murmur Low (Big Boy Spires)
3. Walkin' The Boogie (John Lee Hooker)
4. When I Am Gone (Joe Hill Louis)
5. Truckin' Little Woman (Willie Nix)
6. Sugar Mama (John Lee Hooker)
7. Juke (Little Walter & His Nightcats)
8. Date Bait (Blue Smitty)
9. Every Day I Have The Blues (Joe Williams)
10. Standing Around Cryin' (Muddy Waters)
11. Mean Old World (Little Walter)
12. I Don't Know (Willie Mabon)
13. 24 Hours (Eddie Boyd)
14. Me And My Chauffeur (Memphis Minnie)
15. Sad Hours (Little Walter)
16. She Just Won't Do Right (Elmore James)
17. I'm Mad (Willie Mabon)
18. Be Careful What You Do (John Brim)
19. Off The Wall (Little Walter)
20. Diggin' My Potatoes (Washboard Sam)
21. Nadine (The Coronets)
22. I'm Glad (Mitzi Mars)
23. Forty Cups Of Tea (Danny Overbea)
24. Tell Me Mama (Little Walter)
25. Third Degree (Eddie Boyd)

CD4:
1. White Cliffs Of Dover (The Blue Jays)
2. Blues With A Feeling (Little Walter)
3. Jock-A-Mo (Sugar Boy Crawford)
4. Mad Love (Muddy Waters)
5. You're So Fine (Little Walter)
6. Wine, Wine, Wine (Jimmy Binkley)
7. Chicago Bound (Jimmy Rogers)
8. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man (Muddy Waters)
9. Biscuit Baking Woman (Big Ed & His Combo (Eddie Burns)
10. I'm A Young Rooster (Leon D. Tarver) (The Chordones)
11. Just Make Love To Me (Muddy Waters)
12. Sloppy Drunk (Jimmy Rogers)
13. Evil (Howlin' Wolf)
14. When The Lights Go Out (Jimmy Witherspoon)
15. You Better Watch Yourself (Little Walter)
16. That Man Is Walking (Larry Ligget)
17. I'm Ready (Muddy Waters)
18. Reconsider Baby (Lowell Fulson)
19. Sincerely (The Moonglows)
20. Mama Talk To Your Daughter (J.B. Lenoir)
21. Last Night (Little Walter)
22. It Must Have Been The Devil (Otis Spann)
23. Forty Four (Howlin' Wolf)
24. I Want To Hug You, Kiss You, Squeeze You (Various)
25. Free And Easy Mind (Jimmy Nelson)
26. Most Of All (The Moonglows)
27. If You Don't Somebody Else Will (Jimmy & Johnny)

CD5:
1. Mardi Gras Mambo (The Hawketts- first recording of Aaron Neville)
2. Love Me (Jimmy Lee & Wayne Walker)
3. My Babe (Little Walter)
4. Check Yourself (Lowell Fulson)
5. I’m A Man (Bo Diddley)
6. Bo Diddley (Bo Diddley)
7. Are You Out There? (Percy Mayfield)
8. Mannish Boy (Muddy Waters)
9. Maybelline (Chuck Berry)
10. Diddley Daddy (Bo Diddley)
11. Walking The Blues (Sonny Boy Williamson)
12. The Seventh Son (Willie Mabon)
13. Pretty Thing (Bo Diddley)
14. Don’t Start Me Talkin’ (Sonny Boy Williamson)
15. The $64,000 Question (Bobby Tuggle)
16. Trouble, Trouble (Lowell Fulson)
17. Thirty Days (Chuck Berry)
18. In My Diary (The Moonglows)
19. See You Later Alligator (Bobby Charles)
20. Tippity Top (The Rays)
21. Trouble No More (Muddy Waters)
22. I’ll Be Home (The Flamingos)
23. Who (Little Walter)
24. No Money Down (Chuck Berry)
25. So Glad She’s Mine (Charles “Hungry” Williams)
26. You’re The One (Jimmy Rogers)
27. Smokestack Lightnin’ (Howlin’ Wolf)

CD1 1947-1950 (76:07 minutes):
1. Aristocrat 201 [A] (1 to 26 were issued on 78's except 18 and 21)
2. Aristocrat 402 [A]
3. Aristocrat 602 [A]
4. Aristocrat 1001 [A]
5. Aristocrat 1101 [A]
6. Aristocrat 1301 [A]
7. Aristocrat 1302 [A]
8. Aristocrat 1103 [A]
9. Aristocrat 1304 [A]
10. Aristocrat 1305 [A]
11. Aristocrat 1305 [B]
12. Aristocrat 1401 [A]
13. Aristocrat 7001 [A]
14. Aristocrat 1307 [A]
15. Aristocrat 1234 [A]
16. Aristocrat 1310 [A]
17. Aristocrat 3101 [A]
18. Chess CHD4 9340 [4CD Box Set "Chess Blues", USA, 1992]
19. Aristocrat 811 [A]
20. Aristocrat 2301 [A]
21. Chess CHD2 9348 [2CD Chess Compilation "One More Mile", USA, 1997]
22. Aristocrat 405 [A]
23. Aristocrat 406 [A]
24. Aristocrat 409 [A]
25. Aristocrat 413 [A]
26. Aristocrat 412 [A]

CD2 1950-1951 (73:34 minutes):
1. Chess 1426 [A] (1 to 26 were issued on 78's)
2. Chess 1435 [A]
3. Chess 1436 [A]
4. Chess 1440 [A]
5. Chess 1441 [A]
6. Chess 1442 [A]
7. Chess 1443 [A]
8. Chess 1446 [A]
9. Chess 1452 [A]
10. Chess 750 [A]
11. Chess 1453 [A]
12. Chess 1458 [A]
13. Chess 1467 [A]
14. Chess 1468 [A]
15. Chess 1469 [A]
16. Chess 1479 [A] (see also 19)
17. Chess 1494 [A]
18. Chess 1472 [A]
19. Chess 1479 [B] (see also 16)
20. Chess 1480 [A]
21. Chess 1478 [A]
22. Chess 1486 [A]
23. Chess 1490 [A]
24. Chess 1492 [A]
25. Chess 1498 [A]
26. Chess 1504 [A]

CD3 1952-1954 PART ONE (73:33 minutes):
1. Chess 1510 [A] (1 to 10 were issued on 78's, 11 onwards on 45's)
2. Checker 752 [A]
3. Chess 1513 [A] (see also 6)
4. Checker 763 (Extended Version)
5. Checker 756 [A]
6. Chess 1513 [A]
7. Checker 758 [A}
8. Chess LP CHD 9330 ("The Blues, Vol.6", USA LP, 1991)
9. Checker 762 [A]
10. Chess 1526 [A]
11. Checker 764 [A]
12. Chess 1531 [A]
13. Chess 1533 [A]
14. Checker 771 [A]
15. Checker 764 [A]
16. Checker 777 [A]
17. Chess 1538 [A]
18. Chess LP 1537
(On the LP "Whose Muddy Shoes" by Muddy Waters & John Brim, USA, 1969)
19. Checker 770 [B] (see also 24)
20. Chess 1545 [A]
21. Chess 1549 [A]
22. Checker 773 [A]
23. Checker 774 [A]
24. Checker 770 [A] (see also 19)
25. Chess 1541 [A]

CD4 1952-1954 PART TWO (77:42 minutes):
1. Checker 782 [A]
2. Checker 780 [A]
3. Checker 787 [A]
4. Chess 1550 [A]
5. Checker 786 [A]
6. Checker 789 [A]
7. Chess 1574 [A]
8. Chess 1560 [A]
9. Checker 790 [A]
10. Checker 791 [A]
11. Chess 1571 [A]
12. Chess 1574 [A]
13. Chess 1575 [A]
14. Checker 798 [A]
15. Checker 799 [A]
16. Chess 1578 [A]
17. Chess 1579 [A]
18. Checker 804 [A]
19. Chess 1581 [A]
20. Parrot 908 [A]
21. Checker 805 [A]
22. Checker 807 [A]
23. Chess 1584 [A]
24. Chess 1586 [A]
25. Chess 1587 [A]
26. Chess 1589 [A]
27. Chess 4859 [A]

CD5 1955-1956 PART ONE (72:04 minutes)
1. Chess 1591 [A]
2. Chess 4863 [A]
3. Checker 811 [A]
4. Checker 812 [A]
5. Checker 814 [B] (see also 6)
6. Checker 814 [A] (see also 5)
7. Chess 1599 [A]
8. Chess 1602 [A]
9. Chess 1604 [A]
10. Checker 819 [A]
11. Checker 822 [A]
12. Chess 1608 [A]
13. Checker 827 [A]
14. Checker 825 [A]
15. Checker 823 [A]
16. Checker 829 [A]
17. Chess 1610 [A]
18. Chess 1611 [A]
19. Chess 1609 [A]
20. Chess 1613 [A]
21. Chess 1612 [A]
22. Checker 830 [A]
23. Checker 833 [A]
24. Chess 1615 [A]
25. Checker 831 [A]
26. Chess 1616 [A]
27. Chess 1618 [A]

PS:
PART 2, the 2nd box, is 5 discs also and covers 1957-1964, 133 tracks (see separate review)

PART 3, the 3rd box, is 5 discs too and covers 1965-1975. However, in box 3, there are only 3 audio CDs (70 tracks) - Disc 14 is divided into 18 interview parts (just over 74 minutes) and Disc 15 is a CD-Rom with interactive downloads, Chess catalogue etc

PPS: title of this review is from Track 1 on CD1 - "Chicago Boogie" by THE FIVE BLAZERS