Various Artists - Vanguard: Roots of the Blues 3 x CDs (special)
SKU
02-Vanguard 208-10
Fine compilation (with a sprinkling of previously unreleased material as well) from the Vanguard catalog of 1960s and 1950s recordings. The set is divided into 3 sets: "Folk Blues", "Delta & Country Blues" and "Urban Blues". Some (not all, but a good deal) of the greatest names in blues who survived into the post WWII era appear here: Mance Lipscomb, Elizabeth Cotten, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Son House, Bukka White, Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, J.B. Hutto, Otis Spann, James Cotton, Buddy Guy, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Charlie Musselwhite, and John Lee Hooker. If you are interested in the blues and would like a nicely priced compilation and one that features modern, decent sounding recordings (I love Charley Patton and Robert Johnson, but those are not great recordings...), this is a fine place to dip your toes in.