The American Folk-Blues Festivals 1963-1966: The British Tours (DVD, 2007)

Once you see the names "Reelin' In The Years Productions" and "Experience Hendrix" in the credits you can better understand why this is such an important music concert dvd. Compared to some recent blue offerings on dvd this one may seem a bit reserved and dated, but it does contain some very good music by some great bluesmen and women nevertheless.

The 1963 concert features Sonny Boy Williamson (Keep It To Yourself), Muddy Waters (Got My Mojo Working), Lonnie Johnson (Too Late To Cry) and Big Joe Williams (Baby Please Don't Go). The Big Joe tune, cover versions of which have made the pop charts on a couple of occasions, is a personal favorite.

The 1964 concert features Sonny Boy Williams (Bye Bye Bird, Getting Out Of Town), Lightnin' Hopkins (Come Go With Me, Lightnin's Blues), Sugar Pie DeSanto (Baby What You Want Me To Do, Rock Me Baby) and Howlin' Wolf (Smokestack Lightning, Don't Laugh At Me). Howlin' Wolf got the biggest audience reaction, understandable considering the fact that "Smokestack Lightning" was on the British pop record charts for five weeks around that time--an amazing accomplishment. Watch for the electric guitar stylings of loyal sidekick Hubert Sumlin in 'Wolfy's' set.

The 1966 concert features Big Joe Turner (Oh Well Oh Well) and Junior Wells (What'd I Say). Otis Rush on guitar and Little Brother Montgomery on piano are a perfect accompaniment to BJT's up tempo vibe while Junior Wells sure kicks up a dancing storm a la Soul Brother #1: Jaaaaames Brown. Oh yeah!

The bonus tracks are from the "The Blues and Gospel Train" which was filmed at a railway station in Manchester in 1964 and feature Muddy Waters (You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had, Blow Wind Blow) and Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Didn't It Rain, Trouble In Mind). The train station is an interesting backdrop to close this dvd presentation and Sister Rosetta Tharpe closes it on a high note.

This is the fourth installment of the Grammy nominated series, "The American Folk Blues Festival." The quality of the black and white video and the mono audio is quite good and this dvd is accompanied by an 18-page brochure containing photos and valuable background information.

Another great realease from Experience Hendrix / Reeling In The Years. While it would have been better to have the whole show of "I Hear The Blues", I'm thankful for what they have released here. Maybe someday they'll release all of it. The Sonny Boy Willamson and Muddy Waters clips from "I Hear The Blues" are priceles and worth the price of the disc alone. Other highlights include Two songs by Howlin Wolf w/ Hubert Sumlin and a few songs by Lightnin Hopkins. The only footage I've seen of Sugar Pie De Santo. If you want to see the blues performed by it's originators, this is the one.. The singing is great.. not off key like the tone deaf Archie Lee Hooker.

Like all aboru ti. Good shipment, nice price, and good quality of the goods.
Love to do buiseness with you again.