The British compilation By Popular Demand is essentially an expanded edition of Barbara Blue's Sell My Jewelry album, adding a few tracks from three of her other releases (Out of the Blue, Memphis 3rd & Beale, and Love Money Can't Buy). On the 12 songs that originally comprised the Sell My Jewelry album, Blue presented a gutsy set of soulful contemporary blues with the backing of Taj Mahal's Phantom Blues Band. There's nothing groundbreaking about Blue, the songs, or the arrangements, but she has a powerful throaty voice, often used on songs playing up to a "tough mama" persona. The band gives her able support that draws soul music influences into the blues context, using organ and horns as well as the staple guitar and rhythm section. Blue wrote a bit of the material, but most of it's devoted to songs by other writers, including Janis Joplin ("Turtle Blues"), Lucinda Williams ("Drunken Angel"), and Rod Piazza (co-writer of "Brought Together by the Blues"), though the other composers won't be familiar names to many listeners. While she often sings about not taking guff from guys, in truth she sounds as good-natured as she does angry, though that doesn't detract from the merit of the music. She also breaks up the gruffer stuff with a couple of serious emotional near-ballads in "Don't Lead Me On" and Williams' "Drunken Angel," as well as a gutbucket self-penned John Lee Hooker tribute, "From the Delta to the Golden Gates." Taj Mahal's Phantom Blues Band also plays on four of the six other tracks, which largely follow a similar style. ~ Richie Unterberger

These 26 sides originally issued under the name of trumpeter Joe Morris have a lot going for them, but the main reason to get yourself a copy of this disc and play it really loud for the entire neighborhood is the continued presence of young Johnny Griffin blowing tenor sax like there's no tomorrow. On six sides cut for the Manor label in 1946, Griff cuts up in the manner of Lockjaw Davis, hammering away with abandon. Although the adventuresome electric guitarist is unidentified, he sounds like he might be George Freeman, who was present on the Atlantic sessions of December 1947. Here the bop element has set in a bit further, mingling powerfully with the R&B energies. Morris sings once in a while, scatting almost alarmingly on the rowdy opus simply called "Wow" and screaming like a banshee at the beginning of "Applejack." Beginning in September of 1948 the jazz players really start to file in -- Elmo Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones -- and every early modern jazz enthusiast will want to dive in and paddle around in these old Atlantic and Decca recordings. Check out Philly Joe's percussion and Griff's inspired improvising on "Tia Juana." Joe Morris blew fine trumpet and was a capable vocalist, but what makes this reissue so exciting is the presence of Johnny Griffin and a small pack of guys who were each getting ready to revolutionize the art of jazz. ~ arwulf arwulf

I Am The Blues is a Chicago blues album released in 1970 by the well-known bluesman Willie Dixon. It is also the title of Dixon's autobiography, edited by Don Snowden. Personnel: Willie Dixon - vocals, bass Johnny Shines - guitar Walter "Shakey" Horton aka Big Walter Horton - harmonica Sunnyland Slim, Lafayette Leake - piano Clifton James - drums