Room with a View of the Blues
Artist: Johnny Adams

Although calling Johnny Adams a blues singer is far too confining, he's certainly among the finest to perform in that idiom. He's equally brilliant at slow or uptempo numbers, can effectively convey irony, heartache or triumph, and is a masterful storyteller. These ten blues numbers covered every emotional base, allowing Adams a chance to show... Read More

Born to Play the Blues
Artist: Larry McCray

After a brief detour with the Bluegills' duet album Meet Me at the Lake, Larry McCray returned to form with the storming Born to Play the Blues. Since his 1991 debut Ambition, McCray has been hailed as one of the great contemporary bluesmen of the '90s, and this record reminds us why. It isn't that he offers any innovations or surprises -- it's... Read More

Satchmo of the Ghetto
Artist: James Andrews

A nice taste of Louis Armstrong-flavored New Orleans jazz that keeps Satchmo to the level of influence, avoiding any outright swipes. The music has a nicely laid-back feeling to it, making it sway nicely, and Andrews blows a nice trumpet, rather than a mean one - there are some pleasantly rough edges that provide engaging character. The NO r&b... Read More

Story of the Blues/A Date With Della Reese at Mr. Kelly's
Artist: Della Reese

In 1998, WestSide released Story of the Blues/A Date With Della Reese at Mr. Kelly's, which contained two complete albums -- Story of the Blues (1958, originally released on Jubilee) and Date With Della Reese at Mr. Kelly's (which was recorded in 1958 at the legendary Chicago jazz club and was also originally released on Jubilee) -- by legendary... Read More

The Collection
Artist: Della Reese

Seventeen-track collection of 1965-68 sides. Reese was one of the singers of the era who, like Nancy Wilson and Cleo Laine, was more than anything else a pop singer, but whose style and arrangements did admit some influences from contemporary jazz, blues, and soul. The majority of the time, this is good supper-club music with strings aplenty,... Read More

The Best of Marvin Sease
Artist: Marvin Sease

The Best of Marvin Sease is the first comprehensive collection of Sease's best bawdy, funky '70s soul, culled from his four albums for Polygram. Among the 15 tracks are the notorious "Candy Licker" and a single that had never been available on an album prior to this collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More

Heart of Gold
Artist: W.C. Clark

Heart of Gold is an impressive showcase for W.C. Clark's deep talents, giving him the opportunity to flaunt his chops and prove that he can play nearly anything. Clark's foundation is in greasy roadhouse Texas blues and while there's a number of wonderful cuts in that style here, he doesn't limit himself to Texas shuffles. Instead, he turns out... Read More

Ambition
Artist: Larry McCray

Burly Larry McCray crashed the consciousness of the blues world with his stunning debut album, comprised of equal parts blues, soul, and rock. Guitar fanatics will no doubt wax rhapsodic about McCray's blazing pyrotechnics on "Nobody Never Hurt Nobody with the Blues," but it's the mellower R&B material buried toward the end of the CD -- "Secret... Read More

Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings
Artist: Bobby "Blue" Bland

Subtitled The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings, this picks up the last tenure of Bland working under the corporate MCA umbrella. With tunes aboard from various albums and singles, this 16-track collection covers the highlights from his 1970s period, with only 1982's "Recess in Heaven" falling outside the time frame. Bland was a much different vocalist... Read More