Jimmy Witherspoon had a long and varied career, but it is only recently that his output has been treated with the respect it deserves. Unfortunately,
Spoon's Blues is not one of the more exemplary releases of
Witherspoon's work, and its rather confusing choice of songs (from various periods of the artist's career) does not make for a satisfying listen. Of course, many of the recordings themselves are magnificent, but by the absence of any historical framework, this compilation does not do them justice. Having said this, the sound on this disc is terrific, better than on many previous releases, but both the new fan and the
Witherspoon devotee would be better served by looking elsewhere. ~ Thomas Ward