American Folk Blues Festival ‘65 (1983)

01. Mississippi Fred McDowell - Highway 61
02. J.B. Lenoir - Slow Down Woman
03. Big Walter Horton - Blues Harp Shuffle
04. Big Walter Horton - Christine
05. Roosevelt Sykes - Come on Back Home
06. Eddie Boyd - Five Long Years
07. Eddie Boyd - The Big Question
08. Jimmie Lee Robinson - Rosa Lee
09. John Lee Hooker - King of the World
10. John Lee Hooker - Della Mae
11. Buddy Guy - First Time I Met the Blues
12. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog
13. Doctor Ross - My Black Name Is Ringing
14. John Lee Hooker - Della Mae [Alternate Take]
15. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog [Alternate Take]
16. Buddy Guy - South Side Jump
17. J.B. Lenoir - If I Get Lucky
18. Mississippi Fred McDowell - Got a Letter This Morning
19. Roosevelt Sykes - Sail On
20. Doctor Ross - Farewell Baby

I bought a vinyl copy of this record in the 60s and it was one of the best purchases I ever made, a wonderful record that contains some great performances and a good variety of country, Chicago, acoustic and electric blues. This was the first time I'd heard a lot of these artists but I went on to be a lifelong blues fan.

Unlike others in the series this record was recorded 'live in the studio' rather than in concert or in a TV studio - see some of the rather strange performances on the AFBF DVDs. The results are wonderful relaxed, informal recordings and in the case of Buddy Guy's "First time I met the blues" I think the version here is much better than the original recorded version. Similarly J.B.Lenoir's "Slow down" benefits from having Walter Horton playing absolutely wonderful harmonica making this version much better than the original and still one of the best blues performances that I have EVER heard. Walter Horton (confusingly billed as Shakey Jake) also sings and plays harp on his own slow blues "Christine. Big Mama Thornton delivers a fantastic version of "Hound dog" (with Buddy Guy on guitar) and despite Eddie Boyd's uncharacteristic use of organ on his two tracks I still like them very much, particularly "The big question". On the acoustic side we have Fred McDowell's marvelous "Highway 61" and one-man-band Dr. Issiah Ross. There are also two typical trance blues from John Lee Hooker and one roking piano song from Rosevelt Sykes - both men were frequent visitors to Britain in the 60s. I'd give this record ten stars if I could! ---G. E. Harrison, amazon.com

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