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The American Folk-Blues Festival: The British Tours 1963-1966 DVD


12/17/2008
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(PR) Historic performances by the aristocracy of American blues, unseen for forty years and never before released, comprise the latest addition to Experience Hendrix/Reelin' In The Years Productions/Hip-O Records' The American Folk-Blues Festival DVD series. The British Tours 1963-1966, to be released May 8th, offers 18 complete performances from some of the most iconic blues artists of all time including Sonny Boy Williamson, Lightinin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Lonnie Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Howlin' Wolf, Big Joe Turner plus gospel great Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

These performances were recorded live and broadcast nationally in Britain and are known to have had a dramatic impact on the rise of the British blues movement and such bands as The Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown and many others. With superb camera work, fully restored visuals and pristine audio, painstakingly transferred and mastered by legendary recording engineer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Woodstock), The American Folk-Blues Festival: The British Tours 1963-1966 is a document of the work of some of the greatest blues artist of all time, at the very peak of their powers.

Zeppelin's Robert Plant recalled, "I was at these shows in shabby provincial England in the mid-60s. Those eerie voices from another world lit up my life leaving me breathless, spooked and inspired for a lifetime." Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones commented, "Things would have been a whole lot different in Britain without the American Folk-Blues Festivals; they proved a rich legacy for musicians throughout Europe."

With extensive notes by U.K. author and music historian Mike Rowe who witnessed many of these performances first hand, the set is remarkable time capsule that captures the artists and music at its very best. Blues aficionados will be delighted to note that musicians backing these headliners include are such notables as Otis Spann, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Willie Dixon, Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Clifton James, Bill Stepney, Otis Rush, Little Brother Montgomery, Jack Myers, Fred Below, Cousin Joe Pleasant.

Tracklist

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
"Keep It To Yourself" (1963)
MUDDY WATERS
"Got My Mojo Working" (1963)
LONNIE JOHNSON
"Too Late To Cry" (1963)
SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
"Bye Bye Bird" (1964)
SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
"Getting Out of Town (1964)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS
"Come Go With Me" (1964)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS
"Lightnin's Blues" (1964)
SUGAR PIE DESANTO
"Baby What You Want Me To Do" (1964)
HOWLIN' WOLF
"Smokestack Lightning" (1964)
HOWLIN' WOLF
"Don't Laugh At Me" (1964)
BIG JOE TURNER
"Oh Well, Oh Well" (1966)
JUNIOR WELLS
"What'd I Say" (1966)
MUDDY WATERS
"You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" (1964)
MUDDY WATERS
"Blow Wind Blow" (1964)
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE
"Didn't It Rain" (1964)
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE
"Trouble In Mind" (1964)



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