Over the 1952-82 time-span covered here, Bobby "Blue" Bland united tough-as-pavement blues singing with heartbroken Southern R&B, and helped to create chitlin-circuit soul as we know it now. Too raw for most oldies ... more »radio, Bland was a major presence in his time: 30 of these 50 songs hit the pop charts, and almost all of them were significant R&B hits. The first disc-and-a-half documents his long-running Duke Records collaboration (in Chicago, Texas, and Nashville) with trumpeter Joe Scott, who wrote ambitious arrangements that ran from tender love-man pop to howling, honking blues terrorism, but usually gave Bland a chance to emote harder than his microphone could handle. The remainder finds Little Boy Blue on his own in L.A. in the '70s, spicing up smoother blues-inflected soul (and even a stab at light disco, "It Ain't the Real Thing") with the famous squall in his voice. --Douglas Wolk« less
Over the 1952-82 time-span covered here, Bobby "Blue" Bland united tough-as-pavement blues singing with heartbroken Southern R&B, and helped to create chitlin-circuit soul as we know it now. Too raw for most oldies radio, Bland was a major presence in his time: 30 of these 50 songs hit the pop charts, and almost all of them were significant R&B hits. The first disc-and-a-half documents his long-running Duke Records collaboration (in Chicago, Texas, and Nashville) with trumpeter Joe Scott, who wrote ambitious arrangements that ran from tender love-man pop to howling, honking blues terrorism, but usually gave Bland a chance to emote harder than his microphone could handle. The remainder finds Little Boy Blue on his own in L.A. in the '70s, spicing up smoother blues-inflected soul (and even a stab at light disco, "It Ain't the Real Thing") with the famous squall in his voice. --Douglas Wolk
"For years on my R&B oldies shows on radio and in night clubs throughout the glorious south I've always featured this legend. In fact anybody that knows anything about R&B ought to be able to tell ya it's hard to do a show and not play 2 or 3 of his hits. I can fondly remember screams of joy from women in dark smoke filled clubs whenever I would play " I'll take care of you"or "I pity the fool" or " Stormy Monday". And guess what-Bobby was the first blues man to have a top 20 on the pop charts- In fact it's been a staple on my shows for years and is my all time favorite BB Bland song-The 1964 classic "Aint nothin you can do". In my opinion this cd is worth [a lot more than] they're asking for-because like a van Gogh painting all of these tracks are priceless ! Get it in the collection pronto.
P.S. They should've included one more BB Bland essential classic-"St.James Infirmary""
Raw Blues from the Juke joints
Andre M. | Mt. Pleasant, SC United States | 02/08/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bobby Bland is a master at hardcore, juke joint-style, unassimilated, raw funky blues. If you like your blues PURE without British imitations or Motown refinements, this is for you. "Turn on the Love Light," "Don't Cry No More," "Aint That Loving You," and "Poverty" will be a revelation to those who aren't familiar with the raw music that was the link between blues and rock and roll. This CD is filled with the REAL STUFF! Enjoy."
Unfairly good.
Frank Stellavich | Deep In the Hip-Hop Underground | 07/31/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Though nothing holds together, conceptually, as well as the "Two Steps from the Blues" LP, this package is a long-awaited treat, collecting a lot of essentials previously spread over numerous other discs. If you're new to Bobby then you might want to get the abovementioned LP first (unless you know for a fact you have a penchant for B.B. King styled blues. But then, you probably would've been listening to Little Boy Blue for awhile already). But take my word for it, or if you know how amazing he is already, leap on this beautiful set. Also, his late stuff is just as good in its own way as the early stuff, so digging for "His California Album" would also be recommended once you've fell for one of the dopest, and sadly slept on, blues singers. The best pure male singer of the blues ever?? At least in the R&B era/genre."
All that you need.
. | Chicago, IL USA | 05/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bobby "Blue" Bland will give you all you need on this double cd. The obvious point being that Bland is one of the great blues/soul singers ever, but also, he always has great bands: Jabbo,(who also appears on many James Bown hits), the drummer on 'Lovelight', and others tracks, is probably the most amazing drummer to come out of the blues and soul field."
Bobby Bland Anthology
Matt | 02/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"How many artists have been covered by the Grateful Dead ("One More Saturday Night"), been sampled by Jay-Z ("Ain't No Love In the Heart of the City"), and played with B.B. King in concert? Just one: Bobby "Blue" Bland. Man, this guy is amazing. I religiously listen to the blues show on my local jazz radio station every weekend, but besides one live Albert Collins CD, some John Lee Hooker, and some Howlin' Wolf, I've almost never actually gone out and bought something I heard on that show. But when I heard Bobby's "Goin' Down Slow," I was transfixed. I had already arrived home in my Jeep, but I sat there through the five minute song, in awe, and I couldn't stop thinking how this was something that Dylan or Jerry Garcia would just LOVE (and that was before I knew that "One More Saturday Night" was actually a Bobby Bland cover!). Well, about half the stuff on this Anthology is equally good. Just listen to the sound sample for "Poverty," as well as the songs I've already mentioned. Check Bobby Bland out for yourself and you won't be disappointed."