Various Artists - Music City Blues & Rhythm / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Here's a welcome surprise for blues fans, who might have been despairing they'd never again get a CD full of juicy rarities and previously unreleased goodies. Ray Dobard's Music City imprint didn't record or a vast amount of blues as Dobard soon began to concentrate on the tag's trademark vocal group recordings. But what there is gives a fascinating and previously unseen glimpse of life in Berkeley at the time. Compiled by Roger Armstrong and Alec Palao, with notes from Lee Hildebrand, there is something for every shade of blues fan, from the juke joint to the lounge. 22 of the generous 28 tracks are previously unreleased. And while there are plenty obscurities, there also first-time releases for bigger names like Roy Hawkins, Little Willie Littlefield and Jimmy 'T99' Nelson.