Pee Wee Crayton – The Modern Legacy Volume 1 – Ace Records CDCHD 632

23 glorious cuts of innovative west coast blues!  Crayton’s was an impeccable blend of touch, tone, and the dualities of restraint and energy, all infused with the resonance of blues guitar master T-Bone Walker looming in the background.  But, make no mistake, Crayton was never an imitator; no, these selections reveal a master at work, and whether it’s blues, ballads, boogies, or pure instrumentals, Crayton’s musical revelations stand firm upon their own distinguished virtues!

Culled from Modern label sides from the 1948-1951 era, these are Los Angeles blues worthy of the highest accolades.  Sure, some way-too-deep-in-the-blues-weeds enthusiasts will grumble that only roughly 50% of what is offered here originally emerged as single releases, with the remainder not made available until into the 1980s and 1990s.  These same complainers will bemoan that “I Love You So,” Crayton’s greatest Modern release isn’t found here, but they’re not getting “it.”

The initially released selections and later-released sides found across the landscape of this amazing Crayton anthology provide unequivocal testimony to his elevation to the higher stratus of blues artists, and that he was significantly responsible, as were others at the time, of taking early electric blues and raising and melding it into a firmer R&B format.

Crayton was always a formidable singer and songwriter; without exception.  However, what really cooks throughout this collection is his combustible guitar stylings.  There is no doubt that Crayton could fashion and deploy astounding single-string guitar soloing attacks, but when coupled with his sweet, flaming, and rapid placement of jazz-infused chords, he altered the way blues artists operated.  It brought the electric style of playing forward in a major way, and Crayton’s ambitious style ushered in a flamboyant framework.

Blazing fiery instrumentals abound; one listen to “Pee Wee’s Wild” will leave the listener frenzied and exhausted!  Crayton’s solo outlines presented and achieved new cascades of sound. 

Overall, what this amazing collection yet again brings to the fore is that Crayton was a true blues guitar innovator.

Below are the astounding tracks of this superlative collection.

Song Titles

• Texas Hop
• Central Avenue Blues
• Bounce Pee Wee
• T For Texas (Mistreated Blues)
• Rosa Lee
• Blues After Hours
• I’m Still In Love With You
• Pee Wee’s Boogie
• Louella Brown
• From Blues To Boogie
• Please Come Back
• Rock Island Blues
• Rockin’ The Blues
• Change Your Way Of Lovin’
• Pee Wee’s Wild
• Black Gal
• Boogie Woogie Upstairs
• When Darkness Falls
• Bop Hop
• My Everything
• Blues For My Baby
• Tired Of Travelin’
• Austin Boogie

This is an essential blues document for any serious collection!