The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions - Wolf, Howlin' (CD 1989)

One of the reasons why I got this album was the special energy and sound I've found in other releases by the Howling Wolf. His name is something that will always draw me to reach into my pockets to shell out money.

This recording in particular has a very special quality that goes beyond the presence of such talented guest musicians, and maybe even over the very own voice of the Wolf. The sound is just delicious. It has a living quality, very hard to measure by objective standards like decibels or channel separation. The atmosphere that permeates this recording is very common in its time period: The use of valve amplifiers and mixing equipment gives a unusual warmth to the sound, which enhances the simple, yet full of virtuosism interpretation of the Wolf's music.

Such warmth can hardly be found on any of today's recordings, probably only on those using vintage equipment, namely bands like the Black Crows and others of their class. But they lack the originality their forefathers had.

Recorded in 1970, this album is totally original, not because the material it features, by the Wolf (a.k.a Chester Burnet) and Willy Dixon, but because of the strength it displays, as an older blues man shares his knowledge with his younger apprentices.

If you find this album, get it and take full advantage of it, since even with the most portable and transistorized piece of hardware it will sound amazing.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and get it!