Living Chicago Blues Vol. 1-4 - Various Artists (USA 1978 &1980)

Roddus Album Of The Day

Vol.1 

1. Jimmy Johnson - Your Turn to Cry (5:50)
2. Jimmy Johnson - Serves Me Right to Suffer (3:58)
3. Jimmy Johnson Blues Band - Ain't That Just Like a Woman (3:13)
4. Jimmy Johnson Blues Band - Feel Like Breaking up Somebody's Home (4:46)
5. Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang - It's Alright (2:52)
6. Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang - Out of Bad Luck (3:21)
7. Eddie Shaw - Stoop Down Baby (4:00)
8. Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang - Sitting on Top of the World (3:42)
9. Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang - My Baby's So Ugly (3:31)
10. Left Hand Frank - Come Home, Darling (4:02)
11. Left Hand Frank - Blues Won't Let Me Be (2:31)
12. Left Hand Frank - One Room Country Shack (4:29)
13. Left Hand Frank - Linda Lu (4:12)
14. Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - Too Late (2:41)
15. Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - Laundromat Blues (4:31)
16. Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - One Day (2:50)
17. Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - Woman in Trouble (4:40)

  

Vol.2

1. Don't Answer That Door - The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band (4:16)
2. Two Headed Man - The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band (3:28)
3. Cold, Lonely Nights - The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band (4:45)
4. Move Over, Little Dog - The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band (4:16)
5. Would You, Baby - Johhny 'Big Moose' Walker (3:26)
6. Worry, Worry - Johhny 'Big Moose' Walker (4:16)
7. Sunnyland Blues - Johhny 'Big Moose' Walker (2:51)
8. Cry, Cry Darling - JJohhny 'Big Moose' Walker (3:22)
9. Stranded On The Highway - Magic Slim And The Teardrops (4:25)
10.Dirty Mother For You - Magic Slim And The Teardrops (5:08)
11.Spider In My Stew - Magic Slim And The Teardrops (4:21)
12.Don't Say That No More - Magic Slim And The Teardrops (3:44)
13.Take It Easy, Baby - Pinetop Perkins (3:30)
14.Blues After Hours - Pinetop Perkins (5:03)
15.Little Angel Child - Pinetop Perkins (5:18)
16.How Much More Long - Pinetop Perkins (3:31)

Vol.3 

1. A.C. Reed - Hard Times (3:18)
2. A.C. Reed - She's Fine (4:17)
3. A.C. Reed & His Spark Plugs - Moving Out of the Ghetto (3:53)
4. A.C. Reed - Going to New York (3:38)
5. Scotty and the Rib Tips - Big Leg Woman (3:41)
6. Scotty and the Rib Tips - Careless With Our Love (3:02)
7. Scotty and the Rib Tips - Road Block (2:49)
8. Scotty and the Rib Tips - Poison Ivy (3:17)
9. Carey Bell/Lovie Lee - I Dare You (2:47)
10. Carey Bell/Lovie Lee - Nobody Knows My Troubles (5:18)
11. Carey Bell/Lovie Lee - Sweet Little Girl (3:13)
12. Carey Bell/Lovie Lee - Naptown (3:04)
13. Lacy Gibson - Drown in My Own Tears (4:40)
14. Lacy Gibson - Crying for My Baby (2:48)
15. Lacy Gibson - Feel So Bad (3:54)
16. Lacy Gibson - Wish Me Well (2:57)
17. Sons of Blues - Have You Ever Loved a Woman (6:09)
18. Sons of Blues - Berlin Wall (4:25)
19. Sons of Blues - Prisoner of the Blues

Vol.4 

1. If I Hadn't Been High - Detroit Junior
2. Some Nerve - Detroit Junior
3. Somebody to Shack - Detroit Junior
4. I Got Money - Detroit Junior
5. Somebody Have Mercy - Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
6. Got to Have Money - Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
7. Just Like Mama Said - Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
8. Look What You Done - Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
9. Going Upstairs - Queen Sylvia Embry
10. Blues This Morning - Queen Sylvia Embry
11. Tired of Being Pushed Around - Queen Sylvia Embry
12. Please Let Me Stay - Queen Sylvia Embry
13. Blues For a Real Man - Big Leon Brooks
14. Thirteen Years in Prison - Big Leon Brooks
15. Country Boy - Big Leon Brooks
16. My Life Ain't the Same - Big Leon Brooks
17. I Got News For You - Andrew Brown
18. Morning, Noon and Night - Andrew Brown
19. Two Years - Andrew Brown

Back in  1978, the still young, Alligator records, took the template of the above Chicago/The Blues/Today series and did the same for upcoming or unrecorded Chicago blues artists of the late 70s. This four volume series from 1978 and 1980 is just as exceptional and awesome as it's earlier sister set and has a cleaner sound than its predecessor, due to improving technology and the style, while of course, still rooted in that Chicago sound, is also more closer to the contemporary blues sound we know today. Volume One was the catalyst for me to review both these series and in particular, the unbelievable Jimmy Johnson's, unarguably, four of the most awesome slabs of soulful blues ever committed to disc. Sounding like a cross between Koko Taylor and Bill Withers, Jimmy is astounding and his blues just move my soul.  As with the aforementioned Chicago/Blues/Today series the quality of the music stays constant across all four volumes and again these are another must for serious blues collectors and people just discovering the blues. My rating for the complete Series 4.5/5.

Listen to these totally brilliant series HERE and then go and buy them.