Roomful of Blues - Two Classic Albums (CD)

All Music Guide

In their early days, Roomful of Blues recorded some seminal LPs for the Muse label, which were bought by 32 Jazz, and two of them are available on this twodisc set. Blues Train with Big Joe Turner and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson Roomful of Blues are the recordings included, and they offer some of the very best, and certainly seminal, earlyperiod work of the Rhode Islandbased hornfired blues/jazz band. Dr. John also helps out on the first recording, which features Turner's signature takes on "Crawdad Hole" and "I Want a Little Girl," while the sessions with alto saxophonist/vocalist Vinson serve up evergreens "He Was a Friend of Mine" and "Past Sixty Blues," among many others. This one is also out of print, but will surely come back. The music is too keen, vital, and precious to be off the market. Find it as best you can.

- Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide