Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Best of the Blues by Vari...

"Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Best of the Blues" (08/26/2003) Blues Various Artists, UTVFull title: Martin Scorsese Presents: The Best Of The Blues. Includes liner notes by Mark A. Humphrey. Personnel: David Hidalgo, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Lee Schell, Keb' Mo', Muddy Waters, Robert Cray, Robert Johnson, Skip James, Son House, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Susan Tedeschi, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt (vocals, guitar); Howlin' Wolf (vocals, harmonica); Ray Charles (vocals, piano); Gregg Allman (vocals, electric piano); John Mayall (vocals, organ); Jeff Scott Young (vocals, keyboards); Etta James, Janis Joplin, Shemekia Copeland, Bessie Smith, James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Cassandra Wilson (vocals); Danny Kortchmar, Dickey Betts, Marvin Sewall, Eric Clapton, Sam Andrews, Hubert Sumlin, Hugh McCracken, Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy Rogers , Jody Williams, Kevin Breit, Louie P?rez, Albert Lowe, Cesar Rosas (guitar); Duane Allman (slide guitar); Charlie Dixon (banjo); Al Wilson, Little Walter (harmonica); Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Floyd Newman, Aaron Varnell, Charles Chalmers (saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Don Wilkerson, Terry Clements , Andrew Love (tenor saxophone); Jim Horn, Steve Berlin, Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers (baritone saxophone); Gene Miller, Joe Bridgewater, Riley Webb, Luis Gasca, Ben Cauley (trumpet); Joe "Fox" Smith (cornet); Jimmy Harrison, Jack Hale (trombone); Dewey Oldham (piano, organ); Dr. John, Fletcher Henderson, Otis Spann (piano); Ivan Neville, Carl Banks, Richard Kermode, Tom West (organ); Paul "Harry" Harris (keyboards); Pete Thomas (drums, percussion); Chris Layton, Steve Jordan , Roger Dawkins, Earl Phillips, Fred Below, William Peebles, Jaimoe Johnson, Ricky Fataar, Tom Hambridge, Hughie Flint, Herb Lovelle, Mitch Mitchell, Maury Baker, Lonnie Castille, Butch Trucks (drums); Jeff Haynes, Victor Bisetti, Cougar Estrada (percussion). Audio Mixer: Niko Bolas. Liner Note Authors: Mark A. Humphrey; Martin Scorsese. Recording information: Boston, MA (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); Burbank, CA (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); Chicago, IL (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); Grafton, WI (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); London, England (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); Miami, FLMuscle Shoals, AL (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); New York, NY (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); Salute To The Blues Concert, Radio City Music Hall, New (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); San Antonio, TX (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); SIR Studios, New York, NY (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); The Fillmore East, New York, NY (03/02/1927-02/07/2003); The Knitting Factory, Los Angeles, CABrookline & Watert (03/02/1927-02/07/2003). When 2003 was officially proclaimed "The Year of the Blues" by the United States government, famed film director Martin Scorsese produced a PBS documentary series entitled THE BLUES. A series of compilations were released in conjunction with the shows, and THE BEST OF THE BLUES collects some of the finest tracks from those more in-depth titles, serving as both a convenient sampler and an excellent introduction to the genre as a whole. While a single disc can only present the briefest overview of a style that has spanned more than a century and birthed both jazz and rock & roll, the collection does a good job of hitting several of the most pivotal and legendary blues and blues-rock tracks, from Skip James's chilling "Devil Got My Woman" to Stevie Ray Vaughn's Texas roadhouse classic "Pride and Joy." In addition, the album finishes up with several new recordings from contemporary artists who are deeply indebted to the blues, offering insight into the music's continued influence in the 21st century.