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Ghost Canyon

Title - 'A Double Dose of The Blues'
Artist - Various

Oh my goodness! What an INCREDIBLE double CD of music we have here on display in this WONDERFUL 2CD set, A Double Dose of The Blues. Basically, a deluxe 2-for-1 package, it features a star-studded tribute to the music of John Lee Hooker (From Clarksdale To Heaven - Remembering John Lee Hooker) and a superb gathering of UK bluesmen (Knights Of The Blues Table).

With Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker, Gary Moore, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, Gary Brooker, Peter Green, Clem Clempson, Johnnie Johnson, Georgie Fame, and lots more included, PLUS a special appearance on harmonica by Mick Jagger ("Racketeer's Blues"), this is simply one of the best double acts of Blues music that I have ever had the pleasure to review!

DISC 1: From Clarksdale To Heaven - Remembering John Lee Hooker
1. Zakiya Hooker, Johnnie Johnson & Bobby Murray - "I Want To Hug You"
2. Jack Bruce & Gary Moore - "I'm In The Mood"
3. LLC (Leo Lyons, Ric Lee & Vince Converse) - "I'm Bad Like Jesse James"
4. Jeff Beck - "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"
5. Gary Brooker & Andy Fairweather-Low - "Baby Lee"
6. T.S. McPhee & Dick Heckstall-Smith - "Ground Hog Blues"
7. Mick Taylor & Max Middleton - "This Is Hip"
8. Peter Green Splinter Group - Crawlin King Snake
9. Clem Clempson, Dick Heckstall-Smith & T.S. McPhee - "I'm Leaving"
10. Gary Brooker & Andy Fairweather-Low - "Little Wheel"
11. Gregg's Eggs - "The Business"
12. Jeff Beck - "Hobo Blues'
13. Gary Moore & Jack Bruce - "It Serves You Right To Suffer"
14. John Lee Hooker, Booker T. Jones & Randy California - "Red House"

Well, as you can clearly see/read, this first CD, a tribute to John Lee Hooker is chock full with stars from across the pond; such as Jack Bruce, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Mick Taylor and Clem Clemson. Hooker's daughter, Zakiya also puts in an appearance on the discs opening track, "I Want To Hug You." Whilst there are some excellent performances here, including "Bad Like Jessie James" (LLC) and "I'm Leaving" (Clem Clempson, Dick Heckstall-Smith & T.S. McPhe), the disc (and playing Devil's Advocate, that's all, folks) does kinda suffer from some slight (oh so slight) inconsistencies in style and qualities that often plaque tribute discs.

On the bright side, the disc contains the late duo of Jack Bruce & Gary Moore on both a sizzling "I'm In The Mood" and a ball-bustin' "It Serves You Right To Suffer," along with a near five minute, previously unreleased track, "Red House" - featuring John Lee Hooker and Booker T. Jones - that closes out the CD in some very fine musical styling.

DISC 2: Knights Of The Blues Table
1. Jack Bruce & Clem Clempson - "Send For Me"
2. Georgie Fame - "If You Live (Your Time Will Come)"
3. Duffy Power - "Go Down, Sunshine"
4. Chris Jagger feat. Mick Jagger - "Racketeer's Blues"
5. Pete Brown, Phil Ryan & Dick Heckstall-Smith - "Rocks In My Bed"
6. Miller Anderson - "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
7. Maggie Bell & Big Jim Sullivan - 'Blind Man"
8. Peter Green & Nigel Watson - "Traveling Riverside Blues"
9. T.S. McPhee - "Drop Down Mama"
10. Jack Bruce & Clem Clempson - "I've Got News For You"
11. Nine Below Zero - "Nine Below Zero"
12. The Pretty Things - "Judgment Day"
13. Paul Jones & Otis Grand - "Play On Little Girl / T-Bone Shuffle"
14. Mick Clarke & Lou Martin - "One More Mile To Go"
15. Max Middleton & Mick Taylor - "You Shook Me"
+ BONUS TRACKS
16. Tom Killner - "Midnight Call"
17. Eli Cook - "Sweet Thang" feat. Tinsley Ellis

Knights of the Blues Table is not, by any means, a run-of-the-mill blues compilation, believe me. It is an ambitious overview of the talent of some of the best of the British Blues scene. Some of these guys, like the aforementioned Blues brethren of Jack Bruce, Georgie Fame, TS McPhee, Peter Green, and Nigel Watson, I was very familiar with. Others, and to be quite honest, like Mick Jagger's brother Chris, I didn't know about at all!

My favorites here are Jack Bruce's rousing rendition of "Send For Me," Georgie Fame's smoky, keyboard infused "If You Live," the hilarious "Racketeer Blues" featuring the Jagger brothers, Pete Brown's hot take on "Rocks In My Bed," TS McPhee's unforgettable "Drop Down Mama," Clem Clempson's high voltage take on "I've Got News For You," and the rollicking Paul Jones/Otis Grand medley of "Play On Little Girl" and "T-Bone Shuffle." So yeah, you get all that and a track from the UK's best, most under-rated Blue / rock bands ever, Nine Below Zero (aka Dennis Greaves and co.) on the self-titled zinger, "Nine Below Zero."

CD Purchase Link

www.CleopatraRecords.com





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