Blues charts

Review: A year shy of its 40th anniversary, Inspiration Information enjoys a reissue and it's still as sparkly and soul-laden as it was in 1974. Ranging from the guitar-twanging smoky blues funk of "Rainy Day" to the sultry, strutting title track, it's largely regarded as Otis's most comprehensive work of that time. According to legend it took him three years to create... 39 years later and it still sounds as good as this? We'd say that's time well spent!

Review: Solos, Sessions & Encores is an impressive overview of Stevie Ray Vaughn's history of collaborations with the world's greatest blues and rock stars. The selection of songs goes further than most compilations by bringing many new long-lost and sought-after tracks to the table, be they be a lost cersion of a 1978 cut with Lou Ann Barton, or the unreleased 'Albert's Shuffle' with Albert Collins. The fresh new retrospective album flaunts Stevie Ray Vaughan's technique and deft, versatile playing style across a wide range of genres and contexts. With many of the cuts adapted from live sessions, the album is also an impressive remaster, unifying Vaughn's sound despite a multitude of recording contexts.

Review: As you will no doubt know if you are reading this, Mountain's debut album is a seminal piece of hard rock history that was released in 1970. Led by guitar virtuoso Leslie West and featuring the powerhouse vocals of Felix Pappalardi, the album delivers a thunderous blend of blues, psychedelia, and heavy riffs. Tracks like 'Mississippi Queen' and 'Theme for an Imaginary Western' showcase the band's dynamic range and undeniable musicianship. Elsewhere, the record's gritty production and infectious energy helped to establish Mountain as pioneers of the hard rock genre and an influencer on countless bands to come. It remains a timeless classic, rightfully lauded for its raw power.

Review: Martin Scorsese's Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues series may not be the Academy Award-winning director's most famous contribution to popular culture, but the PBS documentary film saga, in which the legendary director takes us on a journey through the development of a sound he holds dear to his heart, is well worth looking for. Featuring luminaries such as John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, and more, each episode welcomes a different filmmaker, allowing them to refocus on artists they love. For this album spin-off, we centre attention on the mighty Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of the most influential of all blues musicians who tragically died at the age of 35 in a helicopter crash. Although far younger than many of the greats he's often listed alongside, his exceptional abilities on the guitar, and often unique sonics, set him apart from almost anyone else, alive or dead. Listen to what we mean here.

Review: Nina Simone has rather been written out of popular music history because of quite how confrontational and proudly Black she was. She was just as far ahead of her times musically too and this legendary album Baltimore shows why. It arrived with no promotion and no lead singles and so it was an utter commercial failure, but the sleuths of the internet have rediscovered it over the 45 years since its release and helped to make it a cult favourite now regarded as one of the best in her oeuvre. It has distinctive reggae production and of course plenty of beautiful vocals from Simone as she tackles songs written by Judy Collins, Hall & Oates, and Randy Newman.

Review: Before we even get to the music, shall we talk about this album title? Easily up there with the best named records of all time, thankfully this is matched in the quality of the music itself. All-British blues rock 'n' roll at its grittiest and funkiest, and most musically impressive. A showcase of exquisite guitar and piano work, and songwriting, marks the debut of Chicken Shack, the group founded by Stan Webb, Andy Silvester, and Alan Morley, who also enlisted Christine Perfect, later Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie. Comprising ten predominantly rather short tracks (most are around three minutes), this format only leaves us wanting more as the record plays out. There's the classic heartbroken ode 'Lonesome Whistle Blues', the fraught six string solos of 'See See Baby', and the rowdy bar-in-a-track that is 'San Ho Zay' to get you started, but really everything on here is gold.