Billy Boy Arnold – More Blues On The South Side – Prestige Records OBCCD-562-2

Originally released in 1965 as a 12-song collection, this 1993 reissue includes on additional cut from one of the originators of post-war Chicago blues harmonica.  With the production efforts of the esteemed Sam Charters behind this outing, and a supporting cast of the day’s top session men, the end result is a fully realized view of Arnold’s rightfully venerated status within the blues space.

Chicago blues guitar titan Mighty Joe Young is on-board here, along with piano great Lafayette Leake, low-end bass master Jerome Arnold, and percussion ace Junior Blackman, all providing the lofty consolidation of musical framework to present Billy Boy’s blues ideas at their glorious best.

Vocally, Billy Boy is buoyant and strong, and his celebrated harmonica work, which owes much to his boyhood idol, Sonny Boy Williamson I, is resolute, compelling, and sharp.  The song selection, a splendid mix of originals and topnotch covers by the likes of B.B. King, Junior Parker, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, and Brownie and Ruth McGhee make this a very interesting indication as to what Billy Boy was performing on the blues circuit, and what the listening public wanted to hear.

There is not a throw-away selection among the breadth of this incomparable collection.  It simply endures as a master class of one of the most important post-war Chicago blues harmonica geniuses ever recorded.

Below are the running tracks of this essential CD. 

Song Titles

• School Time
• Goin’ By The River
• You Don’t Love Me No More
• You’re My Girl
• Oh Baby
• Evaleena
• I Love Only You
• Two Drinks Of Wine
• I’ll Forget About You
• Billy Boy’s Blues
• You Better Cut That Out
• Get Out Of Here
• Playing With The Blues

Essential!  This needs to be in any serious blues collection!