Record Reviews

OTIS SPANN ~ COMPLETE BLUE HORIZON SESSIONS BLUE HORIZON 82290 (Barcode: 828768229026) ~ USA ~ Blues Recorded: 1968 - 1969 Released: 2006 This album collects all the recordings by US Blues pianist / vocalist Otis SpannFind albums by this artist recorded for the British Blue HorizonFind albums on this label label owned by producer and Blues connoisseur Mike VernonFind albums by this artist, who was one of the great heroes behind the scenes of the British Blues revival in the mid-1960. Since the British Blues group Fleetwood MacFind albums by this artist also recorded for Blue Horizon, the group met Spann during their 1969 US tour and befriended him, leading to Spann participating on the Fleetwood Mac´s "Blues Jam At ChessFind albums with this title" album recorded during that tour as well as Fleetwood Mac guitarists Peter GreenFind albums by this artist and Danny KirwanFind albums by this artist and bassist John McVieFind albums by this artist playing on Spann´s album "The Biggest Thing Since ColossusFind albums with this title", which is included here in its entirety and with many bonus tracks. Just a year after these sessions took place Spann fell victim to cancer, robbing the Blues fans of any opportunity to hear more of his superb work. This album is classic Blues at its best and an essential part of any serious Blues collection. Highly recommended!

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ FATHERS & SONS CHESS 602438056224 (Barcode: 602438056224) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 1998 This is a reissue / remaster of the legendary 2LP Blues album released originally in 1969 by ChessFind albums on this label Records. The music was recorded by a core sextet, which included vocalist / guitarist Muddy WatersFind albums by this artist, pianist Otis SpannFind albums by this artist, guitarist Mike BloomfieldFind albums by this artist, harmonica player Paul ButterfieldFind albums by this artist, bassist Donald DunnFind albums by this artist and drummer Sam LeyFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians guest on selected tracks. The album presents ten studio tracks, which appeared on the first LP, six live tracks, which appeared on the second LP and one bonus unreleased studio track, altogether seventeen tracks. Most of the music (ten tracks) was written by Muddy Waters (a.k.a. McKinley MorganfieldFind albums by this artist), three by Willie DixonFind albums by this artist and the rest by other songwriters. The “Fathers & Sons” title refers of course to the meeting between the Godfathers of modern electric Blues, like Waters, and the young white American Blues disciples, like Bloomfield and Butterfield, who embraced the Blues tradition and transported into the next level of Blues-Rock. The music is all classic Blues / Blues-Rock at its absolute best, and although it does not introduce anything previously unheard, it remains an icon of the time and the genre, played by the best musicians on the scene at the time. Overall, this is an absolute classic, which lost nothing from its impact and beauty over time. The performances are all stellar and the music is as genuine as it can be. Bloomfield, a Jewish boy from Chicago, became in time the greatest American Blues guitar player and his tragically premature death in 1981 devastated us, the Blues lovers, at the time, as he proved to be irreplaceable. In fact, Waters, Bloomfield, Spann and Butterfield were dead by 1987, so a reunion of “Fathers & Sons” never happened and this is the only document of their work. For electric Blues lovers this album is a timeless icon!

Updated: 11/07/2025Posted: 11/07/2025

CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend