Amazon.comIf there's a pantheon for unsung blues heroes, Pee Wee Crayton belongs in it. Like T-Bone Walker, whose style Crayton's closely resembles, he came from Texas, heading for the West Coast early on. Though he recorded prolifically throughout the late 1940s and 1950s, he never quite garnered the attention he deserved. That's a shame, as Early Hour Blues--collecting several cuts from Crayton's final two albums--attests. The material is an appealing mix; Texas and West Coast, instrumental and vocal, sensual ballads and uptempo rockers, the latter of which display some impressive guitar gymnastics. Rod Piazza, who helped produce the albums from which these songs are taken, does harp duty on several tracks. This aptly titled collection is evocative of a late night in a bar, somewhere where last call happens at around 4 a.m., and is definitely worth a listen or several. --Genevieve Williams