Spread over two discs and a total of 36 tracks,
Roots of Rhythm & Blues profiles rock & roll's predecessor with a potent and key mix of blues, swing (combo and big band), and jump blues from mostly the '40s. And the variety is never lacking, as
T-Bone Walker delivers his dirty-guitar blues alongside
Charles Brown's congenial piano-bar musings. The mix is a dizzying -- yet still cogent -- array of musical genius, taking in a the likes of
Billy Eckstine,
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup,
Louis Jordan,
Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
Joe Liggins,
Dinah Washington,
Lionel Hampton, and
Wynonie Harris, among many others. Whether your vote for most important figure is
Big "Joe" Turner or maybe even
Johnny Otis, this R&B primer will go a long way in getting you up to speed on one of modern music's most vital eras. ~ Stephen Cook