Abc Of The Blues (52 Cds + Har [Box set]

52 CDs for about £52 - now that represents damn good value in my book plus a baby Hohner "Puck" harmonica too (well in the first edition anyway).
I'm not going to pretend to have listened to everything yet - I do have to eat and sleep you know but there's a wealth of stuff here from the well known (B B King and Howling Wolf) to the less well known (Son House and Scrapper Blackwell. All of the CDs I have listened to so far are good quality recordings devoid of the hisses, crackles and pops that blighted some of the earlier releases of blues CDs.
As a sort of "instant" record collection of the blues this really cannot be beaten and at about £1 per CD it's a cheap way of bringing the blues to the masses and that cannot be a bad thing at all.Hopefully people will treat this as a taster and go on to order more stuff by those artists that they like. There's a nice booklet too - all in all a good quality package that I am enjoying working through

If you want an instant collection then this is for you. Is it perfect? No because although it boasts 100 artistes there are dozens of every ones favourite blues singer is missed out. There are some little niggles such as Sonny Terry but no Brownie McGghee. Howlin Wolf features but no `smokestack lightnin'. Smiley Lewis but no ` I hear you knockin'. Robert Johnson features on one cd boasting 20 tracks, so you get at least two thirds of his entire output, whereas on the other hand Charley Patton arguably one of the most influential blues players only gets 10 tracks. But hey there these are only little niggles and as for quality it passes ok and as value for money, whether you pay £50 or £100 just think of the compilers who got this thing together, YES IT IS VALUE FOR MONEY.
JUST BUY IT AND SPEND SEVERAL MONTHS PLOUGHING THROUGH THIS DELIGHTFUL SET AND LOOK OUT FOR THE ONES YOU DON'T KNOW.

Kokomo Arnold
1. Backfence Picket Blues (James Arnold) (03:06)
2. Fool Man Blues (James Arnold) (03:06)
3. Long And Tall (James Arnold) (02:46)
4. Sally Dog (James Arnold) (02:48)
5. Cold Winter Blues (James Arnold) (03:09)
6. Sister Jane Cross The Hall (James Arnold) (02:39)
7. Wild Water Blues (James Arnold) (03:13)
8. Laugh And Grin Blues (James Arnold) (03:09)
9. Mean Old Twister (James Arnold) (02:57)
10. Red Beans And Rice (James Arnold) (03:03)

Billy Boy Arnold

11. My Heart Is Crying (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:08)
12. I Wish You Would (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:41)
13. I Ain't Got You (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:13)
14. Here's My Picture (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:10)
15. You Got Me Wrong (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:39)
16. Prisoner's Plea (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:49)
17. Every Day, Every Night (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:26)
18. No, No, No, No, No (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:34)
19. Rockinitis (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:38)
20. I Was Fooled (Billy Boy Arnold) (02:50)

TOTAL TIME 55:14

Richard Berry

1. Louie, Louie (Richard Berry) (02:15)
2. Sweet Sugar You (Richard Berry) (02:48)
3. You Look So Good (Richard Berry) (02:19)
4. Mess Around (Richard Berry) (02:37)
5. No Room (Richard Berry) (03:16)
6. I Want You To Be My Girl (Richard Berry) (03:20)
7. I'm Your Fool (Richard Berry) (02:56)
8. Walk Right In (Richard Berry) (03:04)
9. Give It Up (Richard Berry) (02:37)
10. Have Love, Will Travel (Richard Berry) (02:56)

Barbecue Bob

11. Yo Yo Blues (Robert Hicks) (02:59)
12. California Blues (Robert Hicks) (02:59)
13. Motherless Chiles Blues (Robert Hicks) (03:16)
14. She's Coming Back Some Cold Rainy Day (Robert Hicks) (03:07)
15. Barbecue Blues (Robert Hicks) (03:14)
16. Ease It To Me Blues (Robert Hicks) (03:01)
17. Chocolate To The Bone (Robert Hicks) (02:54)
18. Good Time Rounder (Robert Hicks) (03:18)
19. Atlanta Moan (Robert Hicks) (03:09)
20. Diddle-Da-Diddle (Robert Hicks) (03:01)

TOTAL TIME 59:15

Bobby "Blue" Bland

1. It's My Life, Baby (F Washington - D. Robey) (02:45)
2. Honey Bee (D. Robey) (02:30)
3. Lost Lover Blues (F Washington - D. Robey) (02:37)
4. Time Out (F Washington - D. Robey) (02:50)
5. Million Miles From Nowhere (D. Robey) (02:52)
6. You've Got Bad Intentions (J. Scott) (02:32)
7. I Don't Believe (D. Robey - M. Charles) (02:38)
8. You Did Me Wrong (D. Malone) (02:36)
9. Last Night (D. Robey) (02:53)
10. Wise Man's Blues (D. Mattis - D. Robey) (02:51)

Charles Brown

11. Driftin' Blues (Brown - Moore - Williams) (03:15)
12. Trouble Blues (C. Brown) (02:23)
13. In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down (Trad.) (02:56)
14. Get Yourself Another Fool (Tucker - Haywood) (03:03)
15. Black Night (J.M. Robinson) (03:08)
16. Hard Times (J. Leiber - M. Stoller) (03:10)
17. Cryin' Mercy (K. Owens) (02:43)
18. Evening Shadows (Q. Martin) (02:46)
19. Fool's Paradise (Johnny Fuller - R. Geddins - D. Avid) (02:47)
20. Merry Christmas, Baby (J. Moore - L. Baxter) (02:53)

TOTAL TIME 56:18

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

1. Midnight Hour (C. Brown - Duchess) (02:45)
2. Ain't That Dandy (C. Brown - Duchess) (02:52)
3. Dirty Work At The Crossroads ' (Don Robey - Duchess) (02:47)
4. Hurry Back Good News (Don Robey - Duchess) (02:46)
5. Okie Dokie Stomp (Pluma Davis - Duchess) (02:34)
6. Sad Hour (C. Brown - Don Robey - Duchess) (02:51)
7. Gate's Salty Blues (Eddie Curtis) (02:45)
8. Just Before Dawn (C. Brown - Duchess) (02:09)
9. Depression Blues (C. Brown - Duchess) (02:55)
10. For Now So Long (C. Brown - Duchess) (02:45)

Blue Lu Barker

11. Trombone Man Blues (Barker - Black) (02:52)
12. Here's A Little Girl (Barker) (03:15)
13. A Little Bird Told Me (Barker - Brooks) (02:12)
14. What Did You Do To Me? (Barker - Hunter) (02:33)
15. Leave My Man Alone (Barker) (02:31)
16. Now You're Down In The Alley (Barker) (02:35)
17. When The Wagon Comes (Barker) (02:56)
18. Loan Me Your Husband (Barker) (02:46)
19. Bow Legged Daddy (Barker) (02:50)
20. Love That Man (Barker) (02:41)

TOTAL TIME 54:34

Big Bill Broonzy

1. Mississippi River Blues ' (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (02:42)
2. Long Tall Mama (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (02:48)
3. Worrying You Off My Mind (Part 1)
(William Lee Conley Broonzy) (03:05)
4. Rising Sun Shine On (Lester Melrose) (03:10)
5. Come Home Early (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (03:00)
6. Good Jelly (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (03:17)
7. Bull Cow Blues (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (02:52)
8. I Can't Make You Satisfied (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (03:13)
9. How You Want It Done (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (02:51)
10. Hattie Blues (William Lee Conley Broonzy) (02:44)

Scrapper Blackwell

11. Kokomo Blues (Kokomo Arnold) (03:04)

Blind Blake

12. Come On Boys, Let's Do That Messin' Around (Blind Blake) (02:45)
13. Hard Pushin' Papa (Blind Blake) (02:36)
14. Skeedle Loo Doo Blues (Blind Blake) (03:02)
15. Georgia Bound (Blind Blake) (03:22)
16. Too Tight Blues, No. 2 (Blind Blake) (02:55)
17. Diddie Wah Diddie (Blind Blake) (02:58)
18. Southern Rag (Blind Blake) (02:50)
19. C.C. Pill Blues (Blind Blake) (02:28)
20. Rope Stretching Blues, Pt. 1 (Blind Blake) (03:02)

TOTAL TIME 58:55

Champion Jack Dupree

1. Strollin' (Jack Dupree) (03:01)
2. T.B. Blues (Jack Dupree) (03:42)
3. Can't Kick The Habit (Jack Dupree) (03:43)
4. Evil Woman (Jack Dupree) (04:21)
5. Nasty Boogie (Jack Dupree) (03:10)
6. Junker's Blues (Jack Dupree) (03:12)
7. Bad Blood (Jack Dupree) (03:59)
8. Goin' Down Slow (Jack Dupree) (04:04)
9. Frankie & Johnny (Jack Dupree) (03:23)
10. Stack-O-Lee (Jack Dupree) (03:56)

Cousin Joe

11. Fly Hen Blues (Pleasant Joseph) (02:38)
12. Little Eva (Pleasant Joseph) (02:33)
13. Lightning Struck The Poorhouse (Pleasant Joseph) (03:04)
14. Baby You Don't Know At All (Pleasant Joseph) (02:43)
15. The Barefoot Baby (Pleasant Joseph) (02:49)
16. Box Car Shorty And Peter Blue
(Pleasant Joseph - Sammy Price) (02:42)
17. Beggin' Woman (Pleasant Joseph - Sammy Price) (02:47)
18. Sadie Brown (Pleasant Joseph - Sammy Price) (02:46)
19. Evolution Blues (Pleasant Joseph - Sammy Price) (02:58)
20. Box Car Shorty's Confession
(Pleasant Joseph - Sammy Price) (02:41)

TOTAL TIME 64:22

Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell

1. Wrong Man Blues (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:16)
2. Gettin' All Wet (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:28)
3. Blue With The Blues (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:29)
4. Christmas In Jail, Ain't That A Pain
(L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:12)
5. That's Tellin'em (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:01)
6. Papa Wants A C ookie (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (02:44)
7. The Dirty Dozen (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (02:53)
8. Carried Water For The Elephant (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (02:57)
9. Let's Disagree (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (02:56)
10. Papa's Got Your Water On (L. Carr - S. Blackwell) (03:13)

Pee Wee Crayton

11. Win-O (C.C. Crayton) (02:18)
12. I Got News For You (C.C. Crayton) (02:39)
13. Blues Before Dawn (C.C. Crayton) (01:59)
14. Don't Break My Heart (C.C. Crayton) (02:52)
15. The Telephone Is Ringing (C.C. Crayton) (02:54)
16. California Women (C.C. Crayton) (03:28)
17. Blues For My Baby (C.C. Crayton) (02:58)
18. Dedicated To The Blues (C.C. Crayton - Taub) (03:05)
19. Phone Call From My Baby (C.C. Crayton) (02:48)
20. Blues After Hours (C.C. Crayton) (03:07)

TOTAL TIME 59:27

Bo Diddley

1. I'm A Man (Ellas McDaniel) (02:59)
2. Bo Diddley (Ellas McDaniel) (02:48)
3. Pretty Thing (Willie Dixon) (02:50)
4. Bring It To Jerome (Jerome Green) (02:29)
5. Diddy Wah Diddy (Ellas McDaniel - Willie Dixon) (02:33)
6. I'm Looking For A Woman (Ellas McDaniel) (02:33)
7. Who Do You Love? (Ellas McDaniel) (02:29)
8. You Don't Love Me (Ellas McDaniel) (02:53)
9. Hey Bo Diddley (Ellas McDaniel) (02:12)
10. Mona (I Need You Baby) (Ellas McDaniel) (02:22)
11. Say Boss Man (Ellas McDaniel) (02:33)
12. Before You Accuse Me (Ellas McDaniel) (03:06)
13. Say Man (Ellas McDaniel) (03:13)
14. The Clock Strikes Twelve (Ellas McDaniel) (02:59)
15. Crackin' Up (Ellas McDaniel) (02:06)
16. Don't Let It Go (Hold On To What You Got) (Ellas McDaniel) (02:46)
17. Read more ›

I always wanted a collection like this one. I remember a French documentary about blues where a guy says something like
"Blues is a man without a job, a man who lost his woman ..."

I checked a few cds and the sound is in general very good. Unfortunately, this is the worse designed box of cds that I've ever seen.
The box is not like normal square boxes of cds. This one has a different format and it looks like a box for
singles vinyl records.

The cds are disposed on the horizontal, in three divisions. Each one of them has about 17 cds. If I want to hear cd 47, for example, I need to take out ten cds that
are over cd 47 and it is not easy to take the cds from the box because there is no room for your fingers. The last cds are very difficult to reach. As a matter of fact,
the only way to reach the last cds without damaging the box is turning the box upside down and throwing all cds on the table. The box is "user hostile".
Or, better saying, the box is a really lousy job. This is not acceptable.

This box reminds me of Columbo's first dvds box set. It has the shape of a cigar box. Nice idea but the dvds are disposed on the horizontal and are very difficult to handle. As a matter of fact
the studio relaunched the box in a more user friendly format.

It seems that most customers don't mind being sold a box set like that, reason why some labels don't bother to improve the quality of their products. I, on the other hand, choose not to accept this lousy way of treating customers.

I don't know if I will keep the cds and spend extra money buying a decent box to store the cds or if I will just return the box set as a protest against the lousy, stupid design of the box.

PS. The box set comes with a Hohner harmonica and a pamphlet advertising Hohner products. I wonder if the label shaped the box the way they did just in order to fit the harmonica in the box and include the ad.