Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Baltimore
2. Black Autumn
3. Story of Isaac
4. There'll Always Be
5. Sweet Dreams
6. Pete's Blues
7. Messiah Will Come Again
8. Tribute to Elmore James
9. After Hours
10. Five String Blues
11. C.C. Rider [Live]
12. My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me
13. Please Don't Turn Me Away
14. Country Preacher
15. Wayfaring Pilgrim

Disc 2:

1. Down by the River [Live]
2. I'm a Ram [Live]
3. I'm Evil [Live]
4. Good God Have Mercy
5. If 6 Was 9
6. Green Onions
7. Soul Dressing [Live]
8. Hey Joe [Live]
9. Fly...Night Bird
10. Turn to Stone
11. Dual Soliloquy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36445 in Music
• Released on: 1992-09-22
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .38 pounds

Amazon.com
One of the tragic figures in blues-rock, Roy Buchanan possessed chops that matched those of any of his more acclaimed contemporaries, including Eric Clapton. His recording accomplishments, however, were problematic. Despite forecasts of stardom that corresponded with his 1972 solo debut (the Arkansas- born virtuoso made his debut as a sideman 15 years earlier), Buchanan never found the perfect forum for instrumental expression. After years of frustration, he hung himself in a jail cell in 1986 after being arrested for drunk driving. This 2 CD anthology stands as the definitive overview of Buchanan's career, mixing the best of his '70s and '80s records with a generous assortment of unreleased tracks. --Steve Stolder

Customer Reviews

The Telecaster Blues Master
This is a 2 cd anthology which compiles Roy Buchanan's Polgram output with a few tracks from Atlantic thrown in for good measure. The time period represented is from 1969-78. No tracks from his later Alligator output are included. Roy Buchanan was from the excellent technique but weak singing line of white blues/rock/jazz guitar heroes which include Jeff Beck, Harvey Mandel and Mike Bloomfield. Roy Buchanan was a master of many styles from rock to blues to jazz. This compilation concentrates on his earlier output. He gained recognition after being named as one of the best "unknown" guitarists alive in the early seventies. He reportedly was being sought as a replacement in the "Rolling Stones" at one point. However his alcohol problems eventually led to his downfall and eventual suicide. This compilation contains no less than 7 unissued tracks with an additional 2 tracks from an ultra rare live Japanese only release. Roy Buchanan's guitar playing mostly resembles that of Jeff Beck among current guitarists. Beck supposedly was influenced by Roy Buchanan's technically masterful guitar playing. This set contains many live tracks which gave Buchanan more room to develop songs and solos. Among his more famous cuts are "The Messiah Will Come Again", and his version of Neil Young's "Down By The River". Buchanan is a weak singer and the better cuts are either fully or mostly instrumental or feature another vocalist. Most of the music is blues or blues related. However by the time of his later Atlantic material he become more jazz influenced. Some of my favorite cuts include "Tribute To Elmore James", and covers of Cannonball Adderley's "Country Preacher" and Booker T. & the MGs "Green Onions" and "Soul Dressing". Perhaps the most revealing cut is unissued jaw dropping 12 minutes plus Buchanan solo "Dual Soliloquy". Buchanan solos in a vast array of styles and unleashes all his tricks. A fitting coda to a tragic figure. A few cuts I like were missed such as "Roy's Bluz", "Further On Up The Road" and "Filthy Teddy". Most of the musicians who appear are relatively unknown, however Charlie Daniels appears on a few of the earlier cuts while Steve Cropper and "Duck" Dunn from Booker T. & the MGs appear on the cover of their "Green Onions" while jazz guitarist Ray Gomez appears on some of the later Atlantic recordings. I found this to be the best Roy Buchanan anthology available as it omits some of the weaker cuts. I also recommend the single disc "Guitar On Fire" a single disc anthology of the currently out of print Atlantic Recordings and "Deluxe Edition" which compiles his last recordings with a few unissed tracks added.

Disappointing selection of songs, Polydor heads should roll
I am a Roy Buchanan fan and think that he's one of the greatest players of modern electric guitar blues. But there's some real junk on these two CDs. As another reviewer has already pointed out, the first four tracks on CD 1 spotlights other instruments or the vocalist but not Buchanan. On one of the cuts, the other instruments jam for 5 minutes before you even hear Buchanan's guitar!! He then plays for 30 seconds and suddenly the song is over!! And, we're all here for the same thing, to hear Buchanan's pyrotechnic guitar--we don't care about a lot of other instrumental jamming. Then, also on CD 1, a better, much longer 1974 version of C. C. Ryder could have been included. On CD 2, the version of Hey Joe is absolutely dreadful. It has a long almost guitar-free introduction, what sounds like a drunken Buchanan at the microphone and mediocre guitar playing. Listen to Buchanan do Hey Joe on American Axe, Live 1974 or even his 1973 studio version and you'll hear what I mean. On another song, there is a repetitious organ solo for several minutes before the guitar comes in and plays for less than 1 minute.

Some good stuff on these two CDs but some crap as well; Polydor should fire the incompetent that put this together. Seek out the original CDs and stay away from this over-priced, under-produced insult to a great musician.

Producer needed some help
Five stars, obviously on Roy's playing, which always managed to rise above the material, no matter how mediocre. But this collection mystifies me in the selection of material.

The first four selections of disc 1, "previously unreleased," put Roy in a strange, psychedelicized place that is difficult to listen to. Roy was a power, electric blues player, and these pieces simply do him no favor at all.

By the fifth cut, we have his great version of Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams," from his first Polydor album, and we also have the first taste of his muscular lyricism. The remainder of the first disc is nearly flawless, the highlight for me being the inclusion of the "Second Album"'s "The Messiah Will Come Again." Roy couldn't sing -- at all -- yet somehow he was able to add something when he decided to vocalize, perhaps because he believed in the tune.

As for Disc 2, I saw Roy live, and because of that I'm confident in expressing my disappointment in the choices here. Other than "Soul Dressing," none of the tracks are memorable (apologies to vocalist Billy Price, who was capable of some great vocal performances), and Polydor would have produced a much better disc by including more from the overlooked "A Street Called Straight" or from "Loading Zone."

My advice? If you buy this set, pay little attention to the first four cuts on each disc. If you decide you love Roy's sound, as may of us did, listen to cuts 5 and on and then seek out the individual albums, which contain many gems the producer failed to include.