Road Runner: The Chess Masters 1959-1960 (CD - 2008)

Personnel: Bo Diddley (vocals, guitar, violin, background vocals); Jerome Green (vocals, maracas, background vocals); Peggy Jones (guitar, background vocals); Lafayette Leake, Otis Spann (piano); Willie Dixon (double bass); Bobby Baskerville (bass guitar, background vocals); Clifton James, Frank Kirkland (drums).

Audio Remasterer: Gavin Lurssen.

Liner Note Author: George White.

Recording information: Chicago, IL (??/1959-01/1960); New York, NY (??/1959-01/1960); Washington DC (??/1959-01/1960).

Photographer: Chuck Stewart.

The death of Bo Diddley in 2008 provided an occasion to reassess the man's sizable contribution to rock & roll, and the nicely compiled ROAD RUNNER: THE CHESS MASTERS 1959-1960, also released in '08, facilitates the purpose. ROAD RUNNER packs 52 tracks onto two discs, adding up to a case history of Diddley's distinctive, groove-driven, blues-and-soul-fueled genius. In addition to well-known Diddley tunes featuring his classic line-up of two guitars, bass drums, and vocals (with a variety of his trademark beats), ROAD RUNNER features 23 previously unreleased tracks (including many alternate takes), making it a must for collectors and completists. But THE CHESS MASTERS also works well as an introduction, summing up the essence of Bo Diddley as one of rock's founding fathers. minimize