Midnight Lady Called the Blues
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

Singer Jimmy Witherspoon was starting to show his age by 1986 but he is in pretty strong form on these seven selections co-composed by Dr. John and Doc Pomus. With altoist Hank Crawford (who also wrote some of the arrangements) and tenor saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman contributing plenty of solos while pianist Dr. John leads the rhythm... Read More

Singin' the Blues
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

Jimmy Witherspoon is heard in superior form throughout the two Pacific Jazz sessions included here. With fine backup and short solos from either Harry "Sweets" Edison (in top form) or Gerald Wilson on trumpet, both Teddy Edwards and Jimmy Allen on tenors, Henry McDode or Hampton Hawes on piano, rhythm guitarist Herman Mitchell, bassist Jimmy... Read More

Rockin' L.A.
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

This CD finds Jimmy Witherspoon at age 65 on one of his last fairly strong records before his voice began to really shrink and fade. 'Spoon, assisted on this live set by tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, pianist Gerald Wiggins, bassist John Clayton and drummer Paul Humphrey, revives some of his hits, performs a pair of medleys and emphasizes... Read More

The 'Spoon Concerts
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

This single CD (which reissues all of the music from an earlier two-LP set) includes the high point of singer Jimmy Witherspoon's career. On October 2, 1959, he appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival and created such a sensation that it caused his career to go through a renaissance. Heard at the peak of his powers, Witherspoon holds his own with... Read More

Attack of the Atomic Guitar
Artist: U.P. Wilson

This slashing live CD by the underrecorded veteran Texas guitarist includes harpist Paul Orta and The Kingpins providing support. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide Read More

Turn on Your Love Light: The Duke Recordings, Vols. 1-2
Artist: Bobby "Blue" Bland

Picking up right where the first volume left off and continuing into 1964, this two-disc compilation (50 tracks!) showcases one of Bland's most appealing periods at Duke. Joe Scott was experimenting boldly with his protegé's repertoire, his brass-powered arrangements urging Bland to increased heights of incendiary energy on "Turn on Your Love... Read More

Jazz Me Blues: The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

Whether this is truly the "best" of Witherspoon is debatable -- there's nothing predating 1956 -- however, it's a good 20-track sampling of 1956-1966 material, favoring (but not limited to) his sessions for Prestige. Witherspoon puts his imprint on a lot of blues/R&B classics -- "Good Rockin' Tonight," "Bad Bad Whiskey," "One Scotch, One... Read More