Short Cuts

I was talking with a serious record collector friend recently, and our discussion turned the current wave of sophisticated reissues many of us are enjoying these days. We agreed on a detail that many may not realize or fully appreciate — vinyl-loving music fans are in fact living through a genuine golden age of reissues! In particular, several of the top entities who control of the most important back catalogs of hard-to-find jazz, blues, soul, and Latin music — Universal, Concord, etc. — have stepped up to the plate to deliver home run after home run through affiliated labels like Acoustic Sounds, Tone Poet, and Craft Recordings. Raising the bar to a level long desired by collectors, these new editions are generally expertly remastered and authentically restored and recreated, in turn producing vinyl reissues that often best the originals.

With that in mind, our first Short Cuts combo-review entry of 2025 covers six recent blues reissues — five from the aforementioned Craft Recordings, plus one archival release issued on RSD 2024 by Deep Digs/Elemental Music. All of the Craft releases have been reissued as part of their exemplary Bluesville Series, and they have been pressed on 180g vinyl at QRP (Quality Record Pressing) in a AAA mastering process. All vinyl lacquers in the Bluesville portion of this Short Cuts roundup have been cut from the original master tapes by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab at Blue Heaven Studios.

Each of the Craft/Bluesville LP covers are presented in period-accurate, tip-on style cardboard sleeves, come in audiophile-grade plastic inner sleeves, and sport an informational OBI strip. Each album in the Bluesville series carries an SRP of $29.99. We think this is a very reasonable price, when you consider the cost of finding M or NM original pressing for any of these albums. (More on the latter in each individual mini-review below.) Regardless, the five Bluesville LPs covered here can all be obtained via the Music Direct link graphic beneath the tracklisting section that follows each individual review. If MD happens to be sold out of any of these titles at the time you click your way over there, you can reserve a copy through them directly and get notified instantly when they’re back in stock, or you can also go to Craft Recordings’ official Bluesville store here to see if any copies are currently available there. (The sixth entry in this combo review is an RSD First, and thus, its own, separate link appears at the end of that particular review.)

In general, each of the following six blues LPs sound quite excellent, given their diverse recording styles. If I encountered any problems, you’ll read about them in the individual descriptions that follow. As for our ratings, the Music ranges between 9 and 11 from these revered blues masters, while the Sound ranges between 8.5 and 10. Given each LP’s source material, the AAA TLC really comes across in the respective grooves.

ALBERT KING
LIVE WIRE / BLUES POWER
180g 1LP (Stax/Craft Recordings)

Recorded in 1968 at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore Auditorium, Albert King’s Live Wire / Blues Power LP is a live album that features an even half-dozen originals and covers, three per side. This is a scorching set featuring King’s burnin’, yearnin’, and a-churnin’ upside-down Gibson Flying V guitar in all its overdriven glory, delivering the then-future sound of modern electric blues as we know it today. Albert King arguably was one of the key architects of this sound, as evidenced on his influential Stax debut, August 1967’s Born Under a Bad Sign, the fine 2023 Craft Recordings reissue of which I reviewed here, back on June 8, 2023. (You can also read AP editor Mike Mettler’s review of the 3LP Craft edition of King’s 1983 collaboration with acolyte Stevie Ray Vaughan, In Session, which posted here on October 17, 2024, and was also deemed one of our Top Reissues of 2024.)

The recording quality on Live Wire / Blues Power is exemplary for the times, sounding rich and fresh as the day it was recorded. Perhaps most importantly, it sounds very much like my original 1968 Stax pressing — only quieter and cleaner, in many ways.

Incidentally, the seven NM original pressings of Live Wire / Blues Power on Discogs at the time of this posting range from $30 to $145, all of them with only VG covers at best. So, getting a great quality reissue for $29.99 feels like a win. I’ve looked for reasonably priced copies of this LP for ages, and, like most blues and soul albums, it’s a real challenge! This new Craft Recordings edition is so close to my original — which has a NM cover still in shrink, but is only VG in terms of the vinyl — that I frankly see no problem with replacing it with this wonderful-sounding upgrade.

Side 1
1. Watermelon Man
2. Blues Power
3. Night Stomp

Side 2
1. Blues At Sunrise
2. Please Love Me
3. Look Out

JIMMY REED
I’M JIMMY REED
180g 1LP (Vee-Jay/Craft Recordings)

There are many Jimmy Reed albums out there, so it can be confusing figuring out where to start. But, as I’ve learned with many vintage blues artists, it often makes sense to start at the beginning when the performers were fresh with ideas and optimistic energy. If you are just getting into Jimmy Reed’s music, his early Vee-Jay LPs are certainly the starting point.

This 1958 release, declaratively titled I’m Jimmy Reed, compiles singles made between 1953 and 1958, and it is technically his first full-length LP. Note that this was a “thing” at the time, as the long-playing (a.k.a. LP) record was still a relatively new medium and idea. Many artists’ first long-players were basically hits collections of early sides released originally on 45rpm and 78rpm vinyl and/or shellac discs (see Muddy Waters, Little Walter, etc.).

Reed was popular, and sold a lot of records — his “Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby” was a No. 8 hit on the Billboard R&B chart in 1956 — so finding his original albums on vinyl is not the problem. Finding them in playable condition is the true challenge — and locating pristine copies is a total needle-in-the-haystack proposition.

For added perspective, as of this posting, on Discogs, there are 19 original 1958 copies of I’m Jimmy Reed on the maroon Vee-Jay Records label that has been faithfully recreated for this new reissue. However, none of them are in better than VG+ condition, and most sport beat-up covers and prices ranging from $10 to $90. So, for $29.99, this new Craft reissue is a great deal. I’m Jimmy Reed also sounds great, and it looks very close to the best-looking original copy of it I have (which has a laminated cover). In short, Craft’s I’m Jimmy Reed LP is a pure winner.

Side 1
1. Honest I Do
2. Go On To School
3. My First Plea
4. Boogie In The Dark
5. You Got Me Crying
6. Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby

Side 2
1. You Got Me Dizzy
2. Little Rain
3. Can’t Stand To See You Go
4. Roll & Rhumba
5. You’re Something Else
6. You Don’t Have To Go

LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS
LAST NIGHT BLUES
180g 1LP (Prestige/Craft Recordings)

Texas country-blues legend Lightnin’ Hopkins is an artist whose music I have been exploring in recent years. Most of the records I have come across by Hopkins out in the wilds of vinyl crate-digging feature him performing in relatively stripped-back acoustic settings, both onstage and in studio. This is perfectly fine and great, as Hopkins is a great player and engaging storyteller. You can certainly hear the trickle-down influence on guitarists like Jorma Kaukonen who, in his post-Jefferson Airplane days with Hot Tuna and in his own solo work, has frequently delivered stunning solo acoustic blues performances in this vein.

I’ve picked up many Hopkins LPs on a variety of budget labels including Pickwick, Guest Star, Crown, Horizon, Tradition, and others. However, in my admitted naiveté as I started exploring Hopkins’ catalog, I admit I was more than half-expecting an artist with a name like his to lean more towards the electric side of 20th century blues. As it turns out, those kinds of albums don’t seem to show up until later in his career — such as it does on my very well-loved copy of 1968’s Talkin’ Some Sense on Jewel Records, which is a pretty ripping-great raw electrified blues session.

Setting expectations accordingly, Hopkins’ 1961 Prestige LP Last Night Blues, which also features harmonica icon Sonny Terry, is one of the better and more engaged-sounding acoustic Lightnin’ Hopkins recordings I’ve heard to date. It was issued amidst the then-emerging folk music revival when Hopkins was beginning to enjoy resurgent interest in his music. For some listeners, this would be a good place to start exploring Hopkins’ music.

Not surprisingly, there aren’t many Last Night Blues originals on Discogs right now, as the two VG+ copies listed there range in price from $200 to $250! In short, you really can’t go wrong with this fine new Bluesville reissue of Last Night Blues — not in the least.

Side A
1. Rocky Mountain
2. Got To Move Your Baby
3. So Sorry To Leave You
4. Take A Trip With Me

Side B
1. Last Night Blues
2. Lightnin’s Stroke
3. Hard To Love A Woman
4. Conversation Blues

SKIP JAMES
TODAY!
180g 1LP (Vanguard/Craft Recordings)

If you’ve ever wondered where the legendary 1960s British blues-rock power trio Cream found “I’m So Glad” — one of the key songs they reinterpreted and reinvigorated so masterfully on Fresh Cream, their highly influential debut December 1966 LP on Reaction — look no further than the final track on Today!, this amazing 1966 album by Skip James. While James originally recorded many sides in the 1930s (including those for the Paramount label), the takes found on Today! — technically, his second-ever album! — are later re-recordings performed mostly solo on guitar and piano. Here on Today!, James’ voice is curiously, and interestingly, reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield.

Three original pressings of Today! are currently on Discogs, ranging in price from about $70 to $150. So, again, a good-quality, reasonably priced reissue of this key blues album was long overdue. Kudos to the folks at Craft for also recreating the hard-to-find original, bright orange Vanguard Stereolab label for the LP sides in this edition.

Side One
1. Hard Times Killing Floor Blues
2. Crow Jane
3. Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues
4. Special Rider Blues
5. Drunken Spree
6. Cherryball

Side Two
1. How Long
2. All Night Long
3. Cypress Grove
4. Look Down The Road
5. My Gal
6. I’m So Glad

BLIND GARY DAVIS
HARLEM STREET SINGER
180g 1LP (Prestige/Craft Recordings)

If you ever wondered where bands like the Grateful Dead and Hot Tuna got the idea to cover songs like “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” “I Am the Light of This World,” and “Samson and Delilah,” then take heed of Blind Gary Davis’ Harlem Street Singer. This 1961 album — with the artist re-christened as Reverend Gary Davis and the LP retitled Pure Religion! on the orange-tinted 1964 Prestige Folklore reissue version of it I also own — is a hard one to find in original form in good condition. In fact, the three originals of it on Discogs range in price from $99 to $300.

The new 180g Harlem Street Singer reissue fares quite well. The vinyl is much quieter than my 1964 edition, and it is mastered at a lower volume, so I had turn up my amp a bit to match the levels, allowing the underlying recording to open up nicely. The tapes sound like they are in great shape — very clear and bright, but not overly crisp. Once I got used to the new LP, I liked it to the point that I wonder if I am going to even keep my 1964 edition at this point. Either way, Davis’ vocal delivery and guitar playing on the folk-blues classic Harlem Street Singer LP is downright inspiring.

Side A
1. Samson And Delilah
2. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
3. I Belong To The Band
4. Pure Religion
5. Great Change Since I Been Born
6. Death Don’t Have No Mercy

Side B
1. Twelve Gates To The City
2. Goin’ To Sit Down On The Banks Of The River
3. Tryin’ To Get Home
4. Lo, I Be With You Always
5. I Am The Light Of This World
6. Lord, I Feel Just Like Goin’ On

B.B. KING
IN FRANCE: LIVE AT THE 1977 NANCY JAZZ PULSATIONS FESTIVAL
180g 2LP (Deep Digs/INA/Elemental Music)

It’s weird for me to say this, but as I’ve gone deeper into exploring the vast trajectory of blues music, I have come to better appreciate B.B. King’s life’s work as something of a gateway listening entry to the form. He’s got a great voice. His playing is beautiful, and generally heartfelt. And, having seen him live (just once, alas), I can attest he had a certain stage presence that was magical. That said, listening to B.B.’s vast album catalog can be a mixed bag, and I tend to favor his earlier, rawer recordings — and even the ’60s and some of the early ’70s releases on ABC/Bluesway — than the latter, CD-era albums of his I’ve checked out periodically over the years.

Thus, I had a bit of trepidation approaching B.B.’s new 2LP live set, In France: Live at the 1977 Nancy Jazz Pulsations Festival, but I’m pleased to report that it’s a darn good collection! His band — which includes a small, three-piece horn section — is rocking, solid, and swinging, but also loose and vibing in the moment.

Happily, this great-sounding collection was released on Grammy winning producer Zev Feldman’s Deep Digs imprint via Elemental Music and INA France. This Record Store Day 2024 release — which came in an RSD First limited edition of 2,800 copies — is a sweet package if you are a deeper fan of B.B. King, or simply would like to hear a well-produced later incarnation of the man as he was ascending to legendary status as one of the three “Kings of the Blues” alongside Freddie and Albert (none of whom are related).

The SRP for B.B. King’s In France: Live at The 1977 Nancy Jazz Pulsations Festival 2LP set is typically around $48.99, and you should still be able to find a copy at your favorite RSD-inclined indie record store by following this official RSD link.

LP1, Side A
1. Blue Monk / Caldonia
2. Sweet Little Angel
3. I Like To Live To Love

LP1, Side B
1. It’s Just A Matter Of Time
2. Why I Sing The Blues

LP2, Side C
1. I Got Some Outside Help (I Don’t Really Need)
2. The Thrill Is Gone
3. I Need My Baby

LP2, Side D
1. Sweet Sixteen
2. Blues Instrumental
3. To Know You Is To Love You
4. When I’m Wrong
5. Have Faith
6. Outro Blues Instrumental

Author bio: Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has also worked in marketing communications for decades. He has reviewed music for AudiophileReview.com, among others, and you can see more of his impressive C.V. at LinkedIn.