Search - Billy Boy Arnold :: I Wish You Would

Billy Boy Arnold's Best

peter krampert | eharmonica.net | 01/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those who love Blues harmonica, Chicago holds a very special place. During the 1930's, 1950's and 1960's it was where three revolutions took place, first the emergence of a Chicago Blues scene, then Electric Blues in the 1950's and in the later 60's when white guys started playing the music they learned to love. The 50's era was marked by such legends as Little Walter, Walter Horton, Junior Wells and dozens of others. One of these Blues harmonica giants, Billy Boy Arnold, has often been overshadowed.Billy Boy Arnold was something of an anomaly, having actually been born in Chicago, he took some of his first lessons from early Chicago Blues master John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Arnold was friends with Bo Diddley and when Diddley cut his first album for Chess records, Arnold was there to record some tracks. When Leonard Chess turned down the opportunity to make a record for Billy Boy, Billy Boy went to rival VeeJay Records and cut some landmark Chicago Blues records.This CD represents the best of those recordings. It contains such standards as "I Wish You Would", "Ain't Got You" and "Kissing At Midnight". The first two were later recorded by The Yardbirds and hit the Top 40 here in the States. No collection of Chicago Blues would be complete without these recordings by Billy Boy, they are that good.This is a definite must-have CD for any Blues fan."