Includes liner notes by Leonard Feather.
Here's 20 of John Lee Hooker's Vee-Jay recordings. It's a mixed batch of full-band sides -- some that work, some that don't -- a couple of live solo tracks (dubbed from noisy vinyl, too), and some solo studio tracks that include re-cuts of his early hits like "Boogie Chillun" and "I'm in the Mood." As Hooker collections go, this one's not bad, but it's certainly not the place to start. ~ Cub Koda
John Lee Hooker was prolific in his output and this BEST OF does a good job of reflecting the different contexts in which Hooker did his earlier recording. As with many compilations, you have to put up with a complete lack of documentation regarding recording dates and band personel. From the deliciously period Leonard Feather liner notes one can approximate that none of these cuts date later than the early-to-mid-'60s. The cover art still boasts "Special Value 2-Record Set." Be that as it may, you can hear Hooker both solo and with various bands.
The solo acoustic "Hobo Blues" harks back to acoustic Lightnin' Hopkins and earlier, while the solo electric "Boogie Chillun" provides a direct antecedent to Magic Sam's showstopper "Feelin' Good." On tunes like "Blues Before Sunrise," someone went so far as to match Hooker up with a low-key horn section and some refined piano work. Elsewhere, the basic ensembles are more directly an amplification of the driving, one-chord boogie Hooker has virtually owned for the last 50 years. Other official Hooker classics here include "Dimples," "Boom Boom," "I'm in the Mood," and "Crawlin' Kingsnake." minimize