Various Artists – Juke Joint Blues – Blues Classics BC 23 (LP)

This 13-track 1970 LP containing selections recorded between 1948-1959 in Detroit, Michigan, Austin, Texas, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California, New York, New York, Chicago, Illinois, Oakland, California, and Memphis, Tennessee by Eddie Burns, Ernest “Buddy” Lewis, Harvey Hill Jr., Mr. Honey (Honeyboy Edwards), L.C. Williams, Lightning Leon, Alvin Smith, Dr. Hepcat, Sonny Boy Holmes, Arthur “Big Boy” Spires, Sonny Terry, Jimmy Wilson, and Square Walton is astounding for its breadth of diversity of blues styles and incredible performances.

The Blues Classics imprint’s parent label was Chris Strachwitz’s famed Arhoolie Records, and the intriguing range and high quality of blues found here will enthrall all blues fans.

Here the blues gamut runs the length of tough urban blues, obscure country style blues, piano artists, guitar-driven performers, harmonica-fueled tunes, and flat-out terrific vocalists.  There is not a clunker in the bunch!

The 1948-1959 blues period was a very prolific era in blues, and to have these selections captured and available for current and future generations of blues enthusiasts to value is a boon.  Yes, someone interested in acquiring this collection will have to be a bit of a detective to find it, but once in hand, the effort will be worth the high payout.

Essential to any blues collection!