Essential Shoebox Full of Blues
This thing is huge. At 18 discs (that's nine two-disc sets, each of which has been previously released individually), the sheer size of this anthology is a little intimidating. But when you consider this set barely even scratches the surface of all the great blues that's ever been recorded, the sheer volume of the genre really hits home. Still, this definitely isn't a bad introduction for those unfamiliar with the blues; it boasts an array of regional styles and artists--one might findJohn Lee Hooker,Clifton Chenier,Buddy Guy, andLonnie Brooksall featured on the same CD, for instance--as well as some necessary classics, making a solid guided tour for the neophyte. A die-hard blues fan probably has this stuff already (on vinyl, natch); the mix is about what you'd encounter on a really good blues-radio program. Included areEssential Blues, vols. 1-3,Essential Women in Blues,Essential Blues Guitar, and more.--Genevieve Williams