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Son House - Father Of The Delta Blues - The Complete 1965 Sessions (Pure Pleasure 180g Dolp 24-96 Needledrop)(aksman)

Track listing:
Volume 1
  1. Death Letter 4:22
  2. Pearline 4:33
  3. Louise Mcghee 6:12
  4. John The Revelator 2:31
  5. Empire State Express 3:40
  6. Preachin' Blues 5:44
  7. Grinning In Your Face 2:07
  8. Sundown 6:12
  9. Levee Camp Moan 9:27
Volume 2
  1. Death Letter (Alternate Take) 5:52
  2. Levee Camp Moan (Alternate Take) 4:50
  3. Grinning In Your Face (Alternate Take) 3:13
  4. John The Revelator (Alternate Take) 2:13
  5. Preachin' Blues (Alternate Take) 5:32
  6. President Kennedy 3:43
  7. A Down Staff 3:41
  8. Motherless Children 4:29
  9. Yonder Comes My Mother 3:39
  10. Shake It And Break It 2:43
  11. Pony Blues 5:23
  12. Downhearted Blues 7:08

Notes


Recorded: on the 12th to 14th April 1965, at Columbia’s New York City studios.
Original recordings produced by: John Hammond and Frank Driggs

After being rediscovered by the folk-blues community in the early '60s, Son House rose to the occasion and recorded this magnificent set of performances. Allowed to stretch out past the shorter running time of the original 78s, House turns in wonderful, steaming performances of some of his best-known material. On some tracks, House is supplemented by folk-blues researcher/musician Alan Wilson, who would later become a member of the blues-rock group Canned Heat and here plays some nice second guitar and harmonica on several cuts. This two-disc set features alternate takes, some unissued material and some studio chatter from producer John Hammond, Sr. that ocassionally hints at the chaotic nature inherent to some of these '60s "rediscovery" sessions. While not as overpowering as his earlier work (what could be?), all of these sides are so power packed with sheer emotional involvement from House, they're an indispensable part of his canonade.