Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight (CD - 1986)

Includes liner notes by Don Kamerer.

MOANIN' IN THE MOONLIGHT:

Personnel: Howlin' Wolf (vocals, harmonica); Willie Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Jody Williams, Lee Cooper, L.D. McGhee, Otis "Smokey" Smothers (guitar); Adolph "Billy" Dockins (tenor saxophone); Ike Turner, Hosea Lee Kennard, Otis Spann (piano); Willie Dixon (bass); Willie Steel, Earl Phillips, Fred Below, S.P. Leary (drums).

Recorded in Memphis, Tennessee and Chicago, Illinois between 1951 and March 1959. Originally released on Chess (9195) in 1959. Includes original liner notes by Ralph Bass.

HOWLIN' WOLF:

Personnel: Howlin' Wolf (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Willie Dixon (vocals, bass); Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers, Otis "Smokey" Smothers, Willie Johnson (guitar); Abe Locke (tenor saxophone); Johnny Jones, Henry Gray, Hosea Lee Kennard, Otis Spann (piano); Sammy Lay, Earl Phillips, Fred Below, S.P. Leary (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois between June 24, 1957 and May 1961. Originally released on Chess in 1962. Includes original liner notes by Paul Ackerman.

Personnel: Howlin' Wolf (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Willie Dixon (vocals); L.D. McGhee, Lee Cooper, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers , Jody Williams, Otis Smokey Smothers, William Johnson, Willie Johnson (guitar); Abe Locke, Adolph Dockins (tenor saxophone); Henry Gray, Ike Turner, Hosea Lee Kennard, Johnny Jones, Otis Spann (piano); Earl Phillips, Fred Below, Willie Steel, S.P. Leary, Sam Lay (drums).

Liner Note Authors: Paul Ackerman; Ralph Bass.

Recording information: Chicago, IL; Memphis.

Howlin' Wolf's first and second Chess albums are essential listening of the highest order. They were compiled -- as were all early blues albums -- from various single sessions (not necessarily a bad thing, either), and blues fans will probably debate endlessly about which of the two albums is the perfect introduction to his music. But this CD reissue renders all arguments moot, as both album appear on one disc, making this a true best buy. Wolf's debut opus -- curiously tacked on here after his second album -- features all of his early hits ("How Many More Years," "Moanin' at Midnight," "Smokestack Lightning," "Forty Four," "Evil," and "I Asked for Water [She Gave Me Gasoline]"), and is a pretty potent collection in its own right. But it is the follow-up (always referred to as "the rocking chair album" because of Don Bronstein's distinctive cover art) where the equally potent teaming of Willie Dixon and Wolf produced one Chicago blues classic ("Spoonful," "The Red Rooster," "Back Door Man," "Wang Dang Doodle") after another. It's also with this marvelous batch of sides that one can clearly hear lead guitarist Hubert Sumlin coming into his own as a blues picking legend. The number of blues acolytes, both black and white, who wore the grooves down to mush learning the songs and guitar licks off these two albums would fill a book all by itself. If you have to narrow it down to just one Howlin' Wolf purchase for the collection, this would be the one to have and undoubtedly the place to start. This and The Best of Muddy Waters are the essential building blocks of any Chicago blues collection. And seldom does the music come with this much personality and brute force. ~ Cub Koda

Simply put, this disc is indispensable for anyone interested in blues, rock, or good music in general. One of the rare, genuine "deals" on record store shelves, this two-fer compiles Howlin' Wolf's first two full-length albums on one CD and offers twenty-two tracks of the man's absolute finest. These are the essential documents of the man who was the last word in electric Chicago blues--a unique and riveting performer whose voice could loose buildings from their foundations and remove skin from bone.

Wolf's visceral impact is overwhelming at times, and his performances on these tunes are definitive. All his best-known and loved are here, including "Shake For Me," "The Red Rooster," "Wang Dang Doodle" Spoonful," "Evil" and "Forty Four." As good, if not better, than any "best of" collection, MOANIN' IN THE MOONLIGHT/HOWLIN' WOLF is a must. minimize