From 1962 until 1971, the
American Folk Blues Festival was responsible for bringing dozens of the most celebrated American blues artists to audiences from England to Poland. For many of the musicians, these were the largest audiences they'd ever played to, and the first (and often only) decent money they ever made. This five-CD set captures the vital early years of the festival more fully than any prior issues, with previously unreleased bonus tracks (some of which overlaps).
The 1962 volume was recorded live in Hamburg, and has no extra tracks, but the material is so vital and robust that this volume, featuring Memphis Slim, John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, never needed it. The 1963 disc, recorded live in Bremen, opens with three previously unreleased live Memphis Slim cuts, and follows these with a previously unissued Muddy Waters solo acoustic guitar piece and three more never-issued numbers featuring Muddy backed by Dixon, Otis Spann, and Matt "Guitar" Murphy. The three Sonny Boy Williamson bonus tracks were very late in the day and constitute some of the very last songs left behind by the increasingly ailing harp legend. The 1964 volume is a little less enhanced, with two songs by Willie Dixon and one song each by Sonny Boy Williamson, Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon, and Sugar Pie DeSanto. The 1965 volume was always the odd one in this series; as a studio recording rather than a concert document, it lacks the vibrancy of the earlier volumes, but its eight bonus tracks do include some interesting moments by Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, and Big Walter Horton. The sound quality is good, but given the time that's passed, a full set of notes might have been nice.
Disc: 1
1. Rockin' the House - Memphis Slim
2. I Wanna See My Baby - T-Bone Walker
3. I'm in Love - T-Bone Walker
4. I'm Crazy 'Bout You - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
5. Stewball - Willie Dixon
6. Let's Make It - John Lee Hooker
7. Shake It Baby - John Lee Hooker
8. Night Time Is the Right Time - John Lee Hooker
9. Ah'w Baby - Shakey Jake Harris
10. Love My Baby - Shakey Jake Harris
11. Crying at the Station - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
12. Wee Baby Blues - Memphis Slim
Disc: 2
1. Blues Is Everywhere - Memphis Slim
2. John Henry - Memphis Slim
3. Wish Me Well - Memphis Slim
4. Memphis Boogie - Memphis Slim
5. My Captain - Muddy Waters
6. Catfish Blues - Muddy Waters
7. Blow Wind Blow - Muddy Waters
8. My Home Is in the Delta - Muddy Waters
9. Five Long Years - Muddy Waters
10. That's All I Want Baby - Sonny Boy Williamson
11. Don't Misuse Me - Sonny Boy Williamson
12. I Don't Know - Sonny Boy Williamson
13. I'm Gettin' Tired - Sonny Boy Williamson
14. Goin' Down Slow - Otis Spann
15. Sonny Boy's Harmonica Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson
Disc: 3
1. Goin' Down Slow [Alternate Take] - Otis Spann
2. Sittin' and Cryin' the Blues - Willie Dixon
3. Crazy for My Baby - Willie Dixon
4. Grant Spivey - Victoria Spivey
5. T.B. Blues - Victoria Spivey
6. Big Roll Blues - Big Joe Williams
7. Back in the Bottom Blues - Big Joe Williams
8. I Have No Friends - Big Joe Williams
9. Baby Please Don't Cry - Big Joe Williams
10. Careless Love - Lonnie Johnson
11. C.C. Rider - Lonnie Johnson
12. It's Too Late to Cry - Lonnie Johnson
13. Matt's Guitar Boogie - Matt "Guitar" Murphy
14. Bye Bye Blues - Memphis Slim
Disc: 4
1. I'm Trying to Make London My Home - Sonny Boy Williamson
2. Dissatisfied - Sonny Boy Williamson
3. Everytime I Get to Drinkin' - Sunnyland Slim
4. Ain't It a Pity - Lightnin' Hopkins
5. Baby Please Don't Go - Lightnin' Hopkins
6. I'm a Tearing Little Daddy - Sleepy John Estes
7. I Ain't Gonna Pick No More Cotton - John Henry Barbee
8. No Title Boogie - Hubert Sumlin
9. Slip-In Mules - Sugar Pie DeSanto
10. Dust My Broom - Howlin' Wolf
11. I Got to Cut Out - Sonny Boy Williamson
12. Weak Brain and Narrow Mind - Willie Dixon
13. Big Legged Woman - Willie Dixon
14. Your Best Friend's Gone - Sleepy John Estes
15. Baby, What You Want Me to Do - Sugar Pie DeSanto
Disc: 5
1. Highway 61 - Mississippi Fred McDowell
2. Slow Down Woman - J.B. Lenoir
3. Blues Harp Shuffle - Big Walter Horton
4. Christine - Big Walter Horton
5. Come on Back Home - Roosevelt Sykes
6. Five Long Years - Eddie Boyd
7. Big Question - Eddie Boyd
8. Rosa Lee - Jimmie Lee Robinson
9. King of the World - John Lee Hooker
10. Della Mae - John Lee Hooker
11. First Time I Met the Blues - Buddy Guy
12. Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton
13. My Black Name Is Ringing - Doctor Ross
14. Della Mae [Alternate Take] - John Lee Hooker
15. Hound Dog [Alternate Take] - Big Mama Thornton
16. South Side Jump - Buddy Guy
17. If I Get Lucky - J.B. Lenoir
18. Got a Letter This Morning - Mississippi Fred McDowell
19. Sail On - Roosevelt Sykes
