This collection of Wells' debut recordings for the States label adds four previously unheard tracks along with the original 13-track vinyl lineup.
Wells' legacy begins with these landmark sides, featuring Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Johnnie Jones, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, and the Aces in the lineup at various points.
Whether it's a slow one like his original take on "Hoodoo Man" or a jump number like "Cut That Out," the grooves are classic Chicago and a mile deep.
Most telling are the acoustic duets with Louis Myers recorded between the 1953 and 1954 studio sessions and the fine instrumentals like "Junior's Wail" and "Eagle Rock." Although at the start of a long career, it's obvious that Junior Wells was already a young man with a style all his own, ready to make blues history.
File under essential.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoodoo ManJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 03:08 | 7 MB | 12 MB |
| 2 | Cut That OutJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:53 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 3 | Junior's WailJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:55 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 4 | Tomorrow NightJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:29 | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| 5 | Ways Like an Angel | Junior Wells | Play | 03:18 | 7 MB | 13 MB |
| 6 | Eagle RockJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:24 | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| 7 | Please Throw This Poor Dog a Bone | Junior Wells | Play | 02:31 | 5 MB | 8 MB |
| 8 | Blues Hit Big TownJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:58 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 9 | Lord, LordJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:42 | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| 10 | 'Bout the Break of DayJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 03:17 | 7 MB | 13 MB |
| 11 | So All AloneJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 03:22 | 7 MB | 12 MB |
| 12 | Can't Find My Baby | Junior Wells | Play | 03:16 | 7 MB | 11 MB |
| 13 | Please Throw This Poor Dog a Bone | Junior Wells | Play | 02:31 | 5 MB | 8 MB |
| 14 | Junior's WailJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:55 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 15 | Eagle RockJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:24 | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| 16 | Lord, LordJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:42 | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| 17 | Blues Hit Big TownJunior Wells | Junior Wells | Play | 02:58 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 48 mins | 113 MB | |||||
| 48 mins | 189 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Aces | Guest Artist |
| 2 | Leonard Allen | Supervisor |
| 3 | Fred Below | Drums |
| 4 | Willie Dixon | Bass, Guest Artist, Supervisor |
| 5 | Ray Flerlage | Photography |
| 6 | Kate Hoddinott | Design |
| 7 | Elmore James | Guest Artist, Guitar |
| 8 | Johnny Jones | Piano |
| 9 | Bob Koester | Liner Notes |
| 10 | Robert G. Koester | Producer |
| 11 | Dave Myers | Bass, Guitar (Bass) |
| 12 | Louis Myers | Guitar |
| 13 | Odie Payne, Jr. | Drums |
| 14 | Bill Putnam | Engineer |
| 15 | Otis Spann | Guest Artist, Guitar, Piano |
| 16 | Steve Wagner | Producer |
| 17 | Muddy Waters | Guest Artist, Guitar |
| 18 | Junior Wells | Band, Composer, Harmonica, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |