88 Recordings You Should Have
In Your Blues Collection From Jazz 88

Gritty, essential, soulful, nasty, and always the truth. The Blues. No other station in the NY/NJ area has such a deep handle on what it is and where it comes from. This fact led the Blues Foundation to honor WBGO with their "Keeping the Blues Alive" Award last year.

We asked those who know the blues here, to flag some of their favorites - the kind of recordings that make Portraits in Blue and Saturday Morning Function host Bob Porter's top ten list, that make The Blues Hour host Michael Bourne's favorite blues hours. Last year we printed a list of the 88 Jazz recordings you should have in your Jazz collection. Now, finally, here's the blues, edited by WBGO Music Director Gary Walker. Not the BEST 88. Just 88 to love. Enjoy!

• Johnny Adams Walkin' on a Tightrope^ Rounder
• Johnny Adams There is Always One More Time* Rounder
• Luther Allison Live in Chicago* Alligator
• Lavern Baker Soul on Fire^ Atlantic
• Marcia Ball Presumed Innocent+ Alligator
• Marcia Ball with Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson Sing It* Bullseye
• Bobby Bland First Class Blues+ Malaco
• Bobby Bland Dreamer* MCA
• Bobby Bland with BB King Together for the First Time* MCA
• Bobby Bland Anthology^ MCA
• Lonnie Brooks with Long John Hunter and Philip Walker Lone Star Shootout+ Alligator
• Charles Brown One More for the Road* Aladdin
• Charles Brown All My Life+ Bullseye
• Charles Brown Driftin' Blues^
• Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Texas Swing+ Rounder
• Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Original Peacock Recordings^ Rounder
• Roy Brown Good Rocking Tonight: The Best of Roy Brown^ Rhino
• Ruth Brown Blues on Broadway+ Fantasy
• Ruth Brown R+B=Ruth Brown* Bullseye
• Ruth Brown Miss Rhythm Greatest Hits and More^ Atlantic
• Paul Butterfield Blues Band Paul Butterfield Blues Band*^ Elektra
• Ray Charles Live+ Atlantic
• Albert Collins Frost Bite+ Alligator
• Johnny Copeland with Robert Cray and Albert Collins Showdown*+ Alligator
• Shemekia Copeland Wicked+ Alligator
• James Cotton with Junior Wells, Carey Bell and Billy Branch Harp Attack* Alligator
• James Cotton with Charlie Musselwhite, Sugar Ray Norcia and Billy Branch Superharps* Alligator
• Robert Cray Strong Persuader^ Mercury
• Robert Cray False Accusations+ High Tone
• Ida Cox Collector's Classics^
• Willie Dixon I am the Blues^ Columbia
• Ronnie Earl Colour of Love* Verve
• The Fins The Fins* Finsi
• Lowell Fulson Complete Chess Masters+^ Chess
• Anson Funderburgh Change in My Pocket+ Bullseye
• Buddy Guy Feels Like Rain+ Silvertone
• Buddy Guy Buddy's Best* Rhino
• Buddy Guy Complete Chess Studio Recordings^ Chess
• Wynonie Harris Bloodshot Eyes^ Rhino
• Lightnin' Hopkins Blues in my Bottle+ Prestige/Bluesville
• John Lee Hooker The Healer+^ Charisma/Point Blank
• John Lee Hooker Best of Friends* Point Blank
• Elmore James The Sky is Crying - The History of Elmore James^+ Rhino
• Etta James The Essential^ Chess
• Etta James with Cleanhead Vinson The Late Show+ Fantasy
• Dr. John Gumbo+ Atco
• Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings^ Columbia/Legacy
• Louis Jordan Anthology* MCA
• Louis Jordan Let the Good Times Roll (The Anthology)^ MCA
• Albert King King of the Blues Guitar* Atlantic
• Albert King I'll Play the Blues for You+ Stax
• BB King Live at the Regal+ MCA
• BB King Anthology* MCA
• BB King The Best of BB King Vol. 1^ Flair/Virgin
• Freddie King Best of+ Rhino
• Denise LaSalle Love Talkin'+ Malaco
• Robert Jr. Lockwood Complete Trix Recordings+ 32
• Professor Longhair New Orleans Piano+ Atlantic
• Slim Harpo Excello Collection+ MCA
• Magic Sam Give Me Time+ Delmark
• Taj Mahal Mo' Roots^ Columbia
• Taj Mahal The Real Thing* Columbia
• David Maxwell Maximum Blues Piano*
• Tone-Cool John Mayall with Eric Clapton Bluesbreakers^ Epic
• Delbert McClinton Nothing Personal+ New West
• Little Milton Welcome to the Club^ Chess
• Little Milton Greatest Hits* Chess
• Charlie Musselwhite Ace of Harps^ Alligator
• Johnny Otis Johnny Otis^ Savoy
• Jimmy Reed Speak the Lyrics to Me Mama Reed^ VJ
• Jimmy Rodgers Complete Chess Recordings+ Chess
• Roomful of Blues There Goes the Neighborhood* Bullseye
• Duke Robillard New Blues for Modern Man* Shanachie
• Otis Rush 1956-58 Classic Cobra Recordings+* Fuel 2000
• Son House The Father of the Delta Blues^ Columbia
• Son Seals Living in the Danger Zone+ Alligator
• Son Seals Nothing but the Truth+ Alligator
• Memphis Slim USA+ Delmark
• Bessie Smith The Collection^ Columbia/Legacy
• Otis Spann Otis Spann is the Blues^
• Koko Taylor Queen of the Blues+ Alligator
• T-Bone Walker The Complete Capitol Black and White Recordings^ Capitol
• Susan Tedeschi Just Won't Burn* Tone-Cool
• Big Mama Thornton Hound Dog+ MCA
• Ike Turner Here and Now+ Ikon
• Big Joe Turner Big, Bad & Blue+* Rhino
• Eddie Vinson Sings* Bethlehem
• T-Bone Walker T-Bone Blues+ Atlantic
• Little Walter The Best of Little Walter+ Chess
• Little Walter Blues with a Feeling^ Chess
• Dinah Washington Back to the Blues+ Roulette
• Muddy Waters His Best* Chess
• Muddy Waters His Best 1956-64^ Chess
• Junior Wells Hoodoo Man Blues+^ Delmark
• Sonny Boy Williamson The Essential^+* Chess
• Jimmy Witherspoon Spoon so Easy^ MCA/Chess
• Jimmy Witherspoon Evening Blues+ Prestige
• Howlin' Wolf Best of +* Chess
• Howlin' Wolf Best Vol. 2+ Chess
• Howlin' Wolf The Real Folk Blues^ Chess

+ The choice of Portraits in Blue, Saturday Morning Function host Bob Porter
* The choice of Blues Hour, Afternoon Jazz and Singers Unlimited host Michael Bourne
^ The choice of Fillet of Soul host Walter Wade