Howlin` Wolf

INCLUDES 4 BONUS TRACKS

4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

This edition contains Howlin’ Wolf’s eponymous second album for Chess Records, Howlin’ Wolf (released in January 1962), long unavailable on vinyl. The long play, which has come to be known as The Rockin’ Chair Album, was originally released as a collection of 6 single records (2 tracks per single) that were released between 1959 and 1962. The music presented here is a testament to Wolf’s unearthly, mighty force. This is one of Wolf’s best loved LPs, and is widely recognized as one of the all-time cornerstones of the Chicago Blues (it was named the third greatest guitar album of all time by Mojo magazine in 2004). In addition to the original LP, this collector’s reissue contains 4 bonus tracks (gathering a variety of those great sides Wolf recorded between 1954 and 1958, some of them justly celebrated, others less-heard), which together with this remastered gem represent the finest work of this blues master in his prime.

PERSONNEL:

HOWLIN’ WOLF, vocals & harmonica, plus:

SIDE ONE (1) & (2): Hubert Sumlin (guitar), Willie Dixon (bass),
Johnny Jones (piano), Sammy Lay (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, May 1961.

SIDE ONE (3) & SIDE TWO (2): Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers (guitar),
Willie Dixon (bass & vocal recitation on Side Two, track 2), Henry Gray (piano),
Sammy Lay (drums). Howlin’ Wolf also plays guitar.
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, December 1961.

SIDE ONE (4) & SIDE TWO (6): Hubert Sumlin, Willie Johnson (guitar),
Willie Dixon (bass), Hosea L. Kennard (piano), Earl Phillips (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, June 24, 1957.

SIDE ONE (5) & SIDE TWO (1) & (4): Hubert Sumlin, Freddy Robinson (guitar),
Willie Dixon (bass), Otis Spann (piano), Fred Below (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, June 1961.

SIDE ONE (6) & SIDE TWO (3): Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers (guitar),
Willie Dixon (bass), Johnny Jones (piano), Sammy Lay (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, May 1961.

SIDE TWO (5): Hubert Sumlin, Otis “Smokey” Smothers (guitar),
Hosea Lee Kennard (piano), S.P. Leary (drums), Abe Locke (tenor saxophone).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, late 1959.

* BONUS TRACKS:

SIDE ONE (7): Howlin’ Wolf (vocals & harmonica), Hubert Sumlin (guitar),
Alfred Elkins (bass), Hosea Lee Kennard (piano), Earl Phillips (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, December 1957.

SIDE ONE (8): Howlin’ Wolf (vocals & harmonica), Lee Cooper (guitar),
Willie Dixon (bass), Otis Spann (piano), Earl Phillips (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, March 18, 1954.

SIDE TWO (7): Howlin’ Wolf (vocals & harmonica), Hubert Sumlin, L.D. McGhee (guitar),
Hosea Lee Kennard (piano), S.P. Leary (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, September 1958.

SIDE TWO (8), track 8: Howlin’ Wolf (vocals & harmonica),
Hubert Sumlin, Willie Johnson (guitar), Willie Dixon (bass),
Otis Spann or Hosea Lee Kennard (piano), Earl Phillips (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, January 1956.

SIDE ONE:

01. SHAKE FOR ME
02. THE RED ROOSTER
03. YOU’LL BE MINE
04. WHO’S BEEN TALKIN’
05. WANG-DANG-DOODLE
06. LITTLE BABY
07. POOR BOY *
08. ROCKIN’ DADDY *

SIDE TWO:

01. SHAKE FOR ME
02. THE RED ROOSTER
03. YOU’LL BE MINE
04. WHO’S BEEN TALKIN’
05. WANG-DANG-DOODLE
06. LITTLE BABY
07. POOR BOY *
08. ROCKIN’ DADDY *