Long suffering readers will know my history with The Blues Collection which was a collection of 92 recordings released between 1993 and 1997 with an accompanying magazine.
Just over ten years ago around Christmas and New Year I bought two job lots of 22 and 17 CDs from my local charity shop which is now a greengrocers. Over the years I have acquired a further 23 mostly from charity shops taking my total to 62.
I used to carry a note in my wallet with the numbers I still had to acquire. This has been superseded by a copy of my spreadsheet on my phone. I even have sub-contacted The Swede to keep an eye out down his way.
The earlier ones are easier to find as more people would have been purchasing the magazine then. The later ones are harder.
It has probably been about two or three years since I stumbled upon one I hadn't got. Then last week in the BRICC thrift shop in Ballantrae I spotted number 44 namely Rich Man by Luther Allison. I was pretty sure that I didn't have it and a quick check on my phone led to me parting 50p to acquire my 63rd CD from the series.
Luther Allison was a blues guitarist from Arkansas who was active from 1957 until his death in 1997 aged just 57. The Chicago Reader called him the Jimi Hendricks of Blues guitar. He was also one of the few Blues artists to record on Motown.
Most of the songs on the album were recorded in Paris in 1987 where he adopted a more rock orientated style .Like many Bluesman he moved to and plied his trade in Europe around then.
There is very much of a 70's feel to the music which isn't really up my street. Still it is The Blues Collection so it is a keeper. Don't worry Cold as Ice is not THAT one!
I feel your excitement, CC. I have a couple of collections I’m trying to complete myself, and the hunt is at least half the fun. - Brian
ReplyDeleteI think most bloggers have that gene Brian.
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