Chess Blues Classics 1957-1967 Volume 2 (CD)

Part 2 of a 2-volume set in MCA's Chess 50th Anniversary collection, Chess Blues Classics 1947-1956 Volume 2 chronicles the second decade of blues classics produced by the landmark company. Although Chess' big 4 (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson) are all finely represented, influential sides by Elmore James ("Madison Blues"), Otis Rush ("So Many Roads, So Many Trains"), and John Lee Hooker (his monochord boogie treatment of Amos Milburn's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") pepper the mix as well. As Chess moved into the soul market, so it was that latter-day blues sides by Little Milton, Koko Taylor, and Etta James took on a more pronounced R&B edge, and it is these sides that close this compilation in a near perfect bookend fashion.

Track Listing
1.Sitting on Top of the World - 2:34 (Howlin' Wolf)
2.Fattening Frogs for Snakes - 2:22 (Williamson, Sonny Boy)
3.Key to the Highway - 2:47 (Little Walter)
4.Take the Bitter With the Sweet - 3:08 (Waters, Muddy)
5.Spoonful - 2:46 (Howlin' Wolf)
6.So Many Roads, So Many Trains - 3:12 (Rush, Otis)
7.Madison Blues - 2:25 (James, Elmore)
8.The Red Rooster - 2:29 (Howlin' Wolf)
9.You Shook Me - 2:45 (Waters, Muddy)
10.Help Me - 3:09 (Williamson, Sonny Boy)
11.Baby, What You Want Me to Do [Live] - 4:20 (James, Etta)
12.My Time After Awhile - 3:01 (Guy, Buddy)
13.We're Gonna Make It - 2:43 (Little Milton)
14.I Got What It Takes - 3:08 (Taylor, Koko)
15.One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - 3:04 (Hooker, John Lee)
16.I'd Rather Go Blind - 2:33 (James, Etta)

If you don't have Volume 1, pick it up now!