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John Lee Hooker: Hooker - 4 Disc Boxed Set

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: John Lee Hooker
Title: Hooker
Format: 4 Disc Boxed Set
Label: Shout! Factory
Website: www.johnleehooker.com

When I heard Shout! Factory was releasing a four disc John Lee Hooker boxed set I almost jumped through my monitor, man I wanted it now! This label reminds of a label that was once a flourishing indie label as well, Rhino. They do things in a very distinctive way that separates them from all the rest.

I have been listening to Hooker's music for several years now and always found his sound to be unique and just as important as legends like B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters. He ranks very high on the list of all time great bluesmen that made a prolific difference for their respective genre and music as a whole.

One thing I always mention when I cover Hooker's music is the time I saw him play live in a beat up back alley nightclub in Oakland, California. I was sitting a table away from Carlos Santana, and I knew when I saw him that we were all in for a very special evening with two great guitar god's exchanging licks. Carlos and John Lee were friends, soul mates of the blues, and this night would prove that fact to me beyond a shadow of a doubt. Since that night I have never heard music in the same way.

All of these factors made hearing this box set a very important experience for me personally, and it expanded my understanding of Hooker's recorded artistry more in one sitting than ever before. This box did serve that purpose very well indeed. Along with the four CDs that are jam packed with Hooker gems there is also a comprehensive booklet that outlines the importance of what the man did for music during his time on this earth. He touched countless lives with speak from the heart blues and distinctive guitar playing. He single handedly created the Detroit Blues sound and the rest as they say, is history. Bits and pieces of that legacy are right here on this superb box set.

I have thousands of CDs, some are organized, and some are not. My Hooker collection is all over the place, not clumped together like some favorite artists I have a literal catalog of to access. The funny thing about that is the fact that I do not seem to have a problem finding any of the many titles that encompass my collection with Hooker's name on it. Maybe its my internal radar that scopes it out amongst the countless CDs spread all over my music room. Whatever it is, it does work and I know deep inside its my connection to Hooker's soul, his music, and his life. Everyone has special artists that leave a lasting impression and certainly, John Lee did this for many people. Even though his time has passed from this realm of existence, he continues to make an impact unlike most recording artists past and present. If you listen to bands like ZZ Top and others you can hear the influence of this incredible talent everywhere.

I have to say now that the fire has been reignited within and I find myself wanting to gather all of the music of John Lee Hooker that I have in my collection, and that includes CDs and vinyl, and then seeking out more music from this eternal blues icon. This box set accomplishes what it sets out to do and then some. If you are familiar with the John Lee magic this is a must, or if you want to start somewhere and learn more about his accomplishments in the world of recorded music this is not a bad place to start.

Reviewed - January 10, 2007

Disc One:

1. Boogie Chillen'
2. Sally Mae
3. Black Man Blues – Texas Slim
4. Hobo Blues
5. Hoogie Boogie
6. Weeping Willow Boogie
7. Crawlin’ King Snake
8. Driftin’ From Door To Door
9. Catfish Blues
10. Moses Smote The Water
11. Huckle Up Baby
12. Wandering Blues – Texas Slim
13. Don’t You Remember Me – Texas Slim
14. Notoriety Woman
15. Let Your Daddy Ride
16. John L’s House Rent Boogie
17. Bumble Bee Blues – Johnny Williams
18. Leave My Wife Alone – John Lee Booker
19. Just Me And My Telephone
20. I’m In The Mood
21. Blues For Big Town
22. Stuttering Blues – John Lee Booker
23. Down Child
24. Boogie Rambler
25. Baby You Ain’t No Good
26. I’m Ready

Disc Two:

1. Dimples
2. Every Night
3. I’m So Excited
4. I Love You Honey
5. Tupelo Blues
6. I Need Some Money
7. Democrat Man
8. No More Doggin’
9. Gonna Use My Rod
10. Whiskey And Wimmen
11. No Shoes
12. We’re All God’s Chillun
13. I’m Goin’ Upstairs
14. Teachin’ The Blues
15. You Lost A Good Man
16. Don’t Turn Me From Your Door
17. When My First Wife Quit Me
18. Boom Boom
19. She’s Mine
20. Frisco Blues
21. Birmingham Blues
22. Big Legs Tight Skirt
23. It Serves Me Right To Suffer
24. I’m Losin’ You
25. I Cover The Waterfront

Disc Three:

1. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
2. Let’s Go Out Tonight
3. Bottle Up And Go
4. Let’s Make It (Live)
5. King Of The World (Live)
6. I’m Bad Like Jesse James (Live)
7. Think Twice Before You Go
8. Mean Mean Woman
9. Burning Hell - John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat
10. Peavine - John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat
11. I Got My Eyes On You - John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat
12. Doin’ The Shout
13. Bluebird
14. Early One Morning
15. We’ll Meet Again
16. Loving People

Disc Four:

1. Baby Lee - John Lee Hooker & Robert Cray
2. I’m In The Mood - John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt
3. The Healer - John Lee Hooker & Carlos Santana
4. Mr. Lucky - John Lee Hooker & Robert Cray
5. I Cover The Waterfront - John Lee Hooker & Van Morrison
6. This Is Hip - John Lee Hooker & Ry Cooder
7. Bottle Up And Go - John Lee Hooker & John Hammond
8. Same Old Blues Again - John Lee Hooker & Robert Cray
9. Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker & Jimmie Vaughan
10. Chill Out (Things Gonna Change) - John Lee Hooker & Carlos Santana
11. Tupelo
12. Kiddio - John Lee Hooker & Charles Brown
13. Dimples - John Lee Hooker & Los Lobos
14. Don’t Look Back - John Lee Hooker & Van Morrison
15. Up And Down
16. Mean Mean World
17. Boogie Chillen’ - John Lee Hooker & Eric Clapton

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.