Best Of The Blues 1959-1968
These three CDs document some of the greatest moments of  culture shock in American music. Most of the bluesmen who first came to  Newport had never played before audiences so attentive, large, or  white. And those listening had never experienced anything likeSkip James's  blood-chilling whine,Reverend Gary  Davis's furious testifying, orMississippi John Hurt's twirling melodies. Most of the audience, in fact, assumed  the bluesmen were dead. As a cinematic sweep of just what made those countercultural gatherings so exciting and diverse, this set is an  unqualified success (though the rather arbitrary and ahistorical  sequencing by blues subgenre is as puzzling as the omission of specific  performance dates). While many tracks have long been available on other  compilations, the unreleased cuts, 11 in all, are revelations,  especiallyMuddy WatersandOtis Spannstrutting through "Flood" andJohn Lee Hookersinking into the scary groove of "Let's Make It."--Roy Kasten