Customer Reviews
Essential Wolf - By: Pitoucat, 27 Aug 2006 
A welcome budget price collection by one of the most charismatic & influential blues artists of alll time. Many of Wolf's best known numbers are here, commencing with 'How Many More Years' from his first session in 1951 in Sam Phillips' Memphis studio, & continuing through the 1954 to 1965 period with Chess Records. The material is licensed from MCA, & therefore in excellent sound quality, with stereo mixes being used on some of the later dates. Just reading the titles reveals that most of the essential tracks are present, including the ones that were to feature strongly in the white blues boom of the 1960s: 'The Little Red Rooster', 'Spoonful', 'Killing Floor', & the inevitable 'Smokestack Lightnin''.
Wolf's songs were notable for their innovative lyrics, mostly composed by Willie Dixon, who, as a member of the Chess house band, played bass on many of these numbers. The CD could almost be considered a tribute to Dixon's songwriting talents. The lyrics of 'Tail Dragger' are particularly interesting in that they describe how the prowling wolf would wipe his tracks out with his tail, a theme borrowed from the 1930 recording 'Howling Wolf Blues No.3' by J.T. 'Funny Paper' Smith, the original Howling Wolf, from whom Chester Burnett obtained his pseudonym.
The rich, dynamic sound of the original recordings is well captured on this reissue, with the stunning guitar of Hubert Sumlin well to the fore on most numbers, & Otis Spann's piano featured here & there, including 'Wang Dang Doodle' & the moody 'Evil'. If you don't already own these classic recordings then this is an excellent place to start.
A good place to start - By: Docendo Discimus, 04 May 2003 This is actuallly a pretty good compilation. It has most of Wolf's best-known songs, the fidelity is good, & the price is reasonable. It doesn't quite measure up to MCA/Chess' "His Best", however, & if you're into Howlin' Wolf, "His Best" & "His Best, vol. II" are an ultimately more satisfying purchase.
A good place to start - By: Docendo Discimus, 04 May 2003 This is actuallly a pretty good compilation. It has most of Wolf's best-known songs, the fidelity is good, & the price is reasonable. It doesn't quite measure up to MCA/Chess' "His Best", however, & if you're into Howlin' Wolf, "His Best" & "His Best, vol. II" are an ultimately more satisfying purchase.
The main man. - By: doublegone, 25 Oct 2002 
When the blues hit Chicago & got lectrified there were two competing champs for the heavyweight title.
Muddy Waters is the better known, & no slouch in my book, but this guy is the real king.
Listen in awe to that primal bellow. Hubert Sumlin was no slouch on guitar either. Truelly a giant of the blues, & with Willie Dixon penning most of the songs, how can you lose?
So turn your blues-lite Clapton cds into coasters & get your ears round the Wolf.
A good compilation with some cracking songs. - By: , 22 Feb 2002 This is a great compilation if Howlin Wolf's best known work & as such is not going to be of much use to die hard fans but as an introduction it works just fine. Howlin Wolf had one of the greatest blues voices, a kind of melodic growl, that was almost an instrument in its own right. It is in fine especiaaly on such songs as "Backdoor Man" (which is a classic) & "Smokestack Ligthning". The tunes are fine & great if you like delta blues but the whole compilation lacks depth (probably due to the fact it's a compilation)and so does not receive the full 5 stars. But this is defenitely worth purcahsing if your a fan of the blues, Beefheart or Zappa
