Doc & Dawg

Amazon.com
Since a young David Grisman joined a newly discovered Doc Watson on the stage of Gerde's Folk City in 1962, the two have made indelible marks in the realm of acoustic music. Watson has attached his ripe vocals and fleet flatpicked guitar to traditional, old-time, and bluegrass; Grisman has blended a variety of traditional styles to form a progressive one. This cozy, comfortable record culls 14 songs recorded at an assortment of relaxed, informal, after-dinner sessions at Grisman's studio. As it moves from Jimmie Rodgers to Bill Monroe to jazz standards to traditional blues to rippling fiddle tunes, the record beautifully illustrates where the common ground lies. Most of all, the album exudes a passion and respect for the songs at hand; the superb picking (whether brisk or leisurely) is merely gravy. --Marc Greilsamer

Doc & Dawg,Doc Watson,Acoustic Disc,Bluegrass,Country,Country & Western,Old-Timey,Pop,Traditional Country,Traditional Folk

Average customer rating: Another great Ace compilation!

The Pomus & Shuman Story: Double Trouble 1956-1967 Various Artists Manufacturer: Ace Records UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Oldies | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus The Leiber & Stoller Story, Volume 3: 1962-1969 Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration Birth of Soul, Volume 4 Till the Night is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus ASIN: B000O5916A Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. (Wake Up) Miss Rip Van Winkle - TIBBS BROTHERS
2. Lonely Avenue - RAY CHARLES
3. I Ain't Sharin' Sharon - BOBBY DARIN
4. Hushabye - MYSTICS
5. It's Been Nice - MARTY WILDE
6. (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - DEL SHANNON
7. Angel Face - JIMMY DARREN
8. Turn Me Loose - FABIAN
9. A Teenager In Love - DION AND THE BELMONTS
10. Hey Memphis - LAVERN BAKER
11. Save The Last Dance For Me - DRIFTERS
12. Go Jimmy Go - JIMMY CLANTON
13. Too Good - LITTLE TONY AND HIS BROTHERS
14. Seven Sins - BARRETT STRONG
15. So Close To Heaven - RAL DONNER
16. First Taste Of Love - BEN E. KING
17. Can't Get Used To Losing You - ANDY WILLIAMS
18. All You Gotta Do Is Touch Me - BOBBY VEE
19. A King For Tonight - BARRY DARVELL
20. Suspicion - TERRY STAFFORD
21. Seven Day Weekend - GARY U.S. BONDS
22. Spanish Lace - GENE McDANIELS
23. Double Trouble - ELVIS PRESLEY
24. I'm Gonna Cry 'Til My Tears Run Dry - IRMA THOMAS
25. Stop - HOWARD TATE
26. Say Those Magic Words - McCOYS

Album Description

To complement our soon-to-conclude Leiber & Stoller series, Ace UK now presents its first salute to the 'other' great song-writing team of Rock 'n' Roll's Golden Age.

Individually and collectively, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman have written more classics of American Pop than almost any other writers of their era. They had more songs accepted and recorded by Elvis Presley than even Leiber & Stoller did (apparently, without ever meeting the King even once).

This package offers a strong mix of the obvious classics we couldn't leave out, and songs that should have been as big as those that did become major hits. It also includes songs that will surprise people who think that P & S only wrote teen pop, tackled by artists including Irma Thomas, Howard Tate, Ray Charles and the McCoys. Many of these tracks are making their CD debut here.

We are also privileged to include, for the first time on an Ace CD, an Elvis Presley recording as our title track - one which, incidentally, was the last song that Pomus & Shuman ever wrote together before dissolving their song-writing partnership in 1966.

Released with the blessing of the Estates of both Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, "Double Trouble" is the sort of tribute that writers of their calibre deserve. Don't bet against there being a volume two sometime in the near future.

Album Description

To complement our soon-to-conclude Leiber & Stoller series, Ace now presents its first salute to the 'other' great song-writing team of Rock'n'Roll's Golden Age.Individually and collectively, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman have written more classics of American Pop than almost any other writers of their era. They had more songs accepted and recorded by Elvis Presley than even L & S did (apparently, without ever meeting the King even once). We are also privileged to include, for the first time on an Ace CD, an Elvis Presley recording as our title track - one which, incidentally, was the last song that Pomus & Shuman ever wrote together before dissolving their song-writing partnership in 1966.ACE 2007 ·

Customer Reviews:

Another great Ace compilation!.......2007-06-27

At least 12 songs I've never heard before, several that are different versions of songs that I am familiar with.

There are a couple of cases where it would have been nice to hear a mono version instead of the overly familiar stereo (A Teenager In Love for example).

The Del Shannon version of His Latest Flame is a particularly disappointing stereo, and the volume on the track is way too low in relation to other tracks on the compilation. The stereo has nothing happening on one channel for nearly half the record :(.

There seems to be an actual defect on the Fabian track, at about the 1 minute mark.

But these are trivial concerns, compared to having a nice companion to the Leiber and Stoller series.

Average customer rating: timeless tunes 2 living legends and one bluegrass great A work of bluegrass art! No Matter How You Classify It, It's Just Good Music Traditional and Excellent Bluegrass

The Three Pickers Earl Scruggs , Doc Watson , Ricky Skaggs , Doc Watson , and Ricky Skaggs Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Bluegrass Rules! Hand-Picked: 25 Years Of Bluegrass On Rounder Records Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics The Three Pickers Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways ASIN: B00009XFQR Release Date: 2003-07-15

Tracks:

1. Feast Here Tonight
2. What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?
3. Spoken Introduction
4. Who Will Sing For Me?
5. Spoken Introduction
6. Soldiers Joy
7. Walk On Boy
8. Daybreak Blues
9. Dont Let Your Deal Go Down
10. Pick Along
11. Spoken Introduction
12. What Is A Home Without Love?
13. Doin My Time
14. Earls Breakdown
15. The Storms are on the Ocean
16. Down in the Valley to Pray
17. The Banks of the Ohio
18. Ridin That Midnight Train
19. Spoken Introduction
20. Road To Spencer
21. Katy Hill
22. Foggy Mountain Top
23. Roll In My Sweet Babys Arms

Amazon.com

It took a North Carolina concert for PBS's Great Performances series to get bluegrass legends Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, and Ricky Skaggs together for the first time. It was a celebratory occasion, and this live session, supersaturated with hot licks and down-home warmth, successfully captures the excitement of the unprecedented event. For all the assembled instrumental expertise, it is the traditional vocals--with Skaggs leading the way--that makes the music work. The trio opens with the lively "Feast Here Tonight," featuring scintillating sounds from Skaggs's mandolin, Scruggs's banjo, and Watson's guitar, before taking on the high, lonesome gospel of "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul." Each member of the trio gets feature spots for his individual band, in addition to the dozen or so songs where the three combine forces. Watson is joined by grandson Richard for a couple of country blues tunes before Scruggs, reinforced by his Family and Friends, takes over for two songs, showcasing his seminal banjo technique on "Earl's Breakdown." Skaggs and his Kentucky Thunder also take center stage for two songs, and, as if the litany of legends wasn't enough, fiddler Alison Krauss even joins the trio of principals for three songs. --Michael Point

Customer Reviews:

timeless tunes.......2006-06-27

this is my favorite bluegrass album of all time.. i listen to it more than any of my other ones... its awsome cause three of the greatest men in bluegrass are here together, legends just the same as any of them... and the songs are some of the best in bluegrass history. i give it a 5 stars. wish bill monroe couldve made this one.... im sure he was somewhere above.

2 living legends and one bluegrass great.......2006-03-23

This is one of the best bluegrass/folk discs around. I've seen Scruggs, Watson and Skaggs play live separately on multiple occasions and would've loved to have been at this great show. It's hard to believe this was a one time performance as Watslon and Skaggs' vocals blend so well with Watson's incredible guitar-picking and Scruggs' classic banjo sound.

This is a live set that you can definitely listen to over and over again.

A work of bluegrass art!.......2005-12-07

In December of 2002, three legends of bluegrass sat down to do some picking - Earl Scruggs (on banjo), Doc Watson (on guitar), and relative newcomer Ricky Skaggs (on mandolin). It was aired on the American Public TV program Great Performances, and it certainly was that! This is a great CD, a work of bluegrass art.

The music is absolutely wonderful to listen to, sure to be enjoyed by any bluegrass fan. I love listening to this album, and highly recommend it to you!

No Matter How You Classify It, It's Just Good Music.......2005-08-01

About a year ago, I bought three albums --the latest album by the Blind Boys of Alabama (wonderful), R. L. Burnside's A Troubled Mind (one of the two best I bought from Fat Possum records --the other was Robert Balfour), and this album. In other words, I bought three outstanding albums, all at the same time.

So which one do I listen to most often? The Three Pickers.

I've been a fan of Earl Scruggs for a long time. His albums with Lester Flatt are incomparable. They're the only blue grass albums that compare to jazz in my opinion, like listening to early Louis Armstrong.

I like Ricky Skraggs, mostly for his background work on the Evangeline album, by Emmy Lou Harris. (I don't greatly like the one album I bought by Ricky with his own group.)

I know that Doc Watson is a giant and I love his voice and manner but I've never spent time listening to him, principally because C&W and folk aren't my first thing. I've spent fifty-five years listening to jazz first and classical music second. It's not that easy changing gears.

I bought this album first because Earl Scruggs was on it, second because Ricky and Doc are premiere players, and lastly because it looked pure and unadulterated, just world class performers playing together for fun.

That's what it is. All three pickers are in good form. They are having fun. It's clear they like being together. All of the songs they play are good, some wondrous.

I like the cuts with Ricky Scraggs' group least, those with the three of the pickers and with Doc and his son most. Doc Watson has a beautiful tenor-baritone voice; he plays fine guitar both in background and solo. Earl Scruggs still plays with the fire and passion he had thirty-five years ago. What technical control he has! Ricky Scraggs is a first rate instrumentalist and very good in ensemble singing, but less successful as a solo vocalist. I wish I liked Ricky's group better --it's good but the cuts with the other groups are better. Alison Krause is on some cuts but doesn't have much to do.

I usually don't like chatter on a music record but here it fits. The love --for the music they are playing and among the three men themselves -- is transparent. It adds a warm glow to an exceptional record.

Dave Keymer
Modsesto CA

Traditional and Excellent Bluegrass.......2005-07-09

It has been years since I have listened to bluegrass. Recently I listened to Nickel Creek's excellent self-titled CD, and was very impressed. Then I switched to the more traditional American bluegrass of this album. The "three pickers" are Earl Scruggs, 79 years old and playing banjo, Doc Watson, 80 years old and playing guitar, and Ricky Scaggs, at 49 years old the youngest member of trio and playing mandolin. While these three men are not just pretty faces (they really are not), they are incredible artists, both instrumentally and vocally. They are also joined by various guests, most especially Alison Krause, who sings and plays violin.

I almost felt as though I was listening to early Grand Old Opry, because the Opry frequently featured bluegrass, and this bluegrass is some of the best available. Excluding the four spoken introductions, there are 19 superb instrumentals and songs that are sure to delight anyone who enjoys this uniquely American style of music.

"Feast Here Tonight" starts the album off right with a very traditional bluegrass song. The instruments generally stay in the background until an Earl Scruggs banjo solo. Later in this song Ricky Scaggs's mandolin takes front honors, and for a brief time Doc Watson's guitar takes a turn, all to introduce the quality to come. The more melancholy "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?" follows; also a traditional bluegrass song. After a spoken introduction is yet another traditional song, "Who Will Sing for Me?" The harmonies in this song are traditional and as nicely executed as any harmony in a studio containing millions of dollars of electronic manipulation. After a second spoken introduction is a short, peppy instrumental, "Soldier's Joy."

The style changes a little with "Walk on Boy." This time we hear Doc and grandson Richard Watson play a song that has a strong blues flavor. This song is powerful because of its simplicity. The next song, "Daybreak Blues," stays in the blues vein, and even includes some yodeling.

The pace and style changes once again on "Don't Let Your Real Deal Go Down." There is some fast-paced picking on this song and a good deal of enthusiasm that the audience picks up. The next selection is "Pick Along," an instrumental that initially highlights Earl Scruggs's banjo, moving along to what I believe is Glen Duncan's fiddle. Next Doc Watson's guitar takes the lead with gusto. I believe Rob Ickes then takes a turn on banjo, followed by Ricky Scaggs on mandolin. Earl Scruggs then takes the lead to the end of the song. Somewhere on this instrumental is Mark Fain on bass, though I have difficulty picking the bass out.

The next song, "What Is a Home without Love," returns to a more traditional bluegrass style. This simple song is readily reminiscent of the Appalachian Mountains and an era but recently gone. "Doin' My Time" has a blues style that is similar to some of the music in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Earl's father wrote the next instrumental, which Earl says in the introduction he though he named after him, "Earl's Breakdown." This instrumental is fast-paced and, as with the other instrumentals, features several instruments in the lead.

The next song is "The Storms Are on the Ocean." This lovely bluegrass song is about separation and longing, and is a rarity among bluegrass songs in that it includes oceans. The first song on this CD to have a strong gospel flavor is "Down in the Valley to Pray." This a capella song features guest artist Alison Krause. "The Banks of the Ohio" follows and is as mellow as the former song. Alison Krause also sings on this song.

The pace picks up significantly with "Ridin' that Midnight Train." Having a train song is an excellent enhancement to this bluegrass collection.

The next instrumental was written by Ricky Scaggs and was performed by Scaggs and Kentucky Thunder, his band. "Road to Spencer" is bluegrass with a Celt flavor. I was immediately reminded of Nickel Creek's music when I heard this instrumental that is more strongly bluegrass than Nickel Creek's music.

The last three songs include Alison Krause and the performers who appeared on the previous tracks. "Katy Hill" and the last song, "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," are traditional bluegrass music. The song in the middle, "Foggy Mountain Top," was written by A.P. Carter, Maybelle Carter and Sara Carter, also known as the Carter Family. The three songs are a marvelous finish to this CD, and will leave bluegrass enthusiasts wanting more.

Some of us may have forgotten what it means to play music. Today electronic effects hide mistakes and mediocre performances, turning street corner crooners who would scare chickens into marketable commodities. The three pickers and their ensemble remind us what it means to be in front of an audience with acoustic instruments and their voice. There are no pretty people here, just us. This music may have something to do with reminding us of our roots, but it may also tell us about ourselves, as we are now. The next time someone drives by and you hear thundering bass vibrating your bones, remember that loud electronic noise does not make music great, nor does it make up for lack of virtuosity, which does exist, here. You just need to reach for it.

Average customer rating: Classic Songs Performed By One Of The Greats Of American Music The Best of Doc Watson Doc Watson Is a National Treasure Doc Watson is a fast guitar picker and bluegrass innovator! Doc Watson - A musician's musician

The Best Of Doc Watson 1964-1968 Doc Watson Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Appalachian | North America | International | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Country | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues The Essential Doc Watson Doc Watson on Stage (Featuring Merle Watson) Trouble in Mind: Doc Watson Country Blues Collection The Three Pickers ASIN: B00000IIW2 Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

1. Muskrat
2. Country Blues
3. Rising Sun Blues
4. Tennesse Stud
5. Down In The Valley To Pray
6. Dill Pickle Rag
7. Otto Wood The Bandit
8. Windy And Warm
9. Little Sadie
10. Blue Railroad Train
11. Omie Wise
12. Intoxicated Rat
13. Tom Dooley
14. Alberta
15. Beaumont Rag
16. Shady Grove
17. My Rough And Rowdy Ways
18. The Train That Carried My Girl From Town
19. Black Mountain Rag
20. Grandfather's Clock
21. The Cyclone Of Ryecov
22. Doc's Guitar
23. Crawdad Hole

Amazon.com

Few musicians are as adept as Doc Watson is at making the remarkable seem routine. Song after song on this 23-track label retrospective demonstrates effortless flat-picking virtuosity. Listen to the fleet, precise picking on "Beaumont Rag," and you'll immediately recognize why the North Carolinian's skills are the envy of just about anyone who's ever tried to master folk guitar. Yet his plainspoken baritone vocals on "Tennessee Stud," "Shady Grove," "Little Sadie," and others speak of his devotion to his songs. Watson in his prime could play rings around just about any picker alive, but he's never gone in for hollow showboating. Culled from six of the nine albums Watson recorded for Vanguard between 1964 and 1971 (though the most recent inclusions here are from 1968), this album is a condensed alternative to the four-disc Vanguard Years box set. Four previously unreleased tunes add to the value of this worthy intro to an American master. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Classic Songs Performed By One Of The Greats Of American Music.......2006-02-23

After being born blind in a small mountain town in North Carolina, Doc grew up playing guitar with local musicians. But it wasn't until 1960, at age 37, that Doc was "discovered" by folk music archivist, Ralph Rinzler and brought to play in New York City. Doc became a popular figure in the folk music scene of the early 60's and his legend has grown ever since. I used to go see him play at a small club in Black Mountain, North Carolina when I was attending a nearby school, Warren Wilson College, in the late 1980's.

This album is a treasure trove of American folk classics with Doc's distinctive voice and hot picking making for a beautiful and inimitable sound. A close listening to the words of these songs will show just how rich, profound and meaningful they truly are. There is none of the "corniness" often associated with some of the more commercialized folk music. But instead Doc belts out powerful tales of murder and mayhem, wild women and rebellious "rounders" off to get drunk and raise hell. Some of these songs almost remind me of Old Testament stories in their ability to use dark and sometimes lurid subject matter to convey the true meaning of the human condition. Of course, you also have straightforward gospel songs like "Down In The Valley To Pray" which offer redemption to all of us wayward sinners. All in all this is a beautiful record of extraordinary songs by one of the masters of American music - the great Doc Watson.

The Best of Doc Watson.......2006-01-29

Doc Watson is one amazing guitar picker, human being, and musician. I`ve been a fan of his for more than forty years.

Doc Watson Is a National Treasure.......2005-06-22

Arthel "Doc" Watson is perhaps the finest flatpick guitar player to ever pick up a guitar and this generous 23-track anthology goes a long way to support that claim. All tracks are taken from the six studio albums he recorded for Vanguard from 1964 through 1968.

I first heard Doc Watson on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN where he performed his signature song "Tennessee Stud," included here from his classic SOUTHBOUND album. While not as good a singer as he is a guitar player, there is an earthy quality to his vocals, which is especially effective on the a capella gospel number "Down in the Valley To Pray."

On many of these tracks, Watson is accompanied by his son Merle on second guitar. Listen to their delicate interplay on the instrumental "Dill Pickle Rag."

As an added bonus, the final four tracks are previously unreleased. First, is a solo performance of "Grandfather's Clock" with Watson accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica. Next is the Carter Family's tragic tale of "The Cyclone of Ryecov." Then there is the brief (1:23) guitar workout "Doc's Guitar." The final is the traditional "Crawdad Hole" performed live.

Doc Watson is one of our national treasures, and if you're looking for a solid introduction to his music, this is an excellent place to start. [Running Time - 65:55] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Doc Watson is a fast guitar picker and bluegrass innovator!.......2001-03-08

As an impressionable teenager in the mid 1960s, I was one of the youngest members of the Seattle Folklore Society (the folks who later started the Northwest Folklife Festival). In those early days, they would rent small halls and bring in old black blues musicians like Rev. Gary Davis, Mance Lipscomb and Jesse Fuller, and relatively unknown folk musicians like Buffy Sainte Marie and Doc Watson.

Watson is an incredibly talented blind guitar and banjo picker from the Blue Ridge Mountains with a resonant voice. The night I saw Doc Watson, he was ushered to a lone chair at the center of a small stage, and within one or two songs, I felt like I was sitting at his kitchen table, as he sang songs from the mountains of North Carolina with a decidedly bluegrass flavor. At the time, I just knew he was one of the fastest flat-picking and fingerpicking guitarists around, who held the respect of anyone who had taken up the instrument in the Sixties.

What I didn't know then was that Watson is largely responsible for shifting bluegrass guitar from a supportive rhythm guitar role (so that fiddlers and banjo pickers could shine) to playing leads, which is standard practice these days.

Vanguard Records, the company that released these original 1960s era recordings, came out with this "Best of" album in the late 1990s, with over 65 minutes of tunes, many of which have become standards by other artists, like "Rising Sun Blues" (known to most of us as "The House of the Rising Sun," although with a different tune), "Tennessee Stud" (a great horse song), "Down in the Valley To Pray" (an inspiring white spiritual), "Tom Dooley" (quite different from the Kingston Trio version), "Alberta" (about a girl, not a province in Canada), "Black Mountain Rag" (still one of my favorite bluegrass guitar instrumentals, "Grandfather's Clock" ("...it stopped short, never to go again when the old man died"), "Doc's Guitar" (if only I could play half that fast), and "Crawdad Hole."

While a few cuts on this album are done with a bluegrass band, on most he is alone, or with one other guitarist (including his late son, Merle). On these more intimate cuts it still feels like he's sitting at his kitchen table playing just for me (or you, if you get this CD). If you like bluegrass, or simply some of the best acoustic guitar ever recorded, this is highly recommended!

Doc Watson - A musician's musician.......2000-10-07

As a bluegrass musician myself, as well as a choral singer my tastes range from Baroque to Folk and classic Rock. In that wide disparity, if I had to count the five finest musicians I know, Doc would be a must in the group. Real musicians love fine music, regardless of the genre, and Doc's clean, crisp delivery - both vocal and (of course, mainly) playing is literally without peer. Doc's finest are so enjoyable that I can listen to them over and over. I never hesitate to 'turn on' another music lover to Doc; indeed I spent a pleasant half hour one day introducing Maestro Leroy Kromm, director of the San Jose Symphonic Choir, to Doc's fine work. Leroy agreed with me that here was a pearl among masters.

Average customer rating: Hot No one did it better... The 1st West Coast Classic Classic West Coast/Southern Rap Debut! One of the first great West Coast lyricists.........

No One Can Do It Better The D.O.C. Manufacturer: East/West Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music West Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Party Boys | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music Similar Items: Strictly Business AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted By All Means Necessary Follow the Leader Unfinished Business ASIN: B000002JN4 Release Date: 1989-06-19

Tracks:

1. It's Funky Enough
2. Mind Blowin'
3. Lend Me An Ear
4. Comm. Blues
5. Let The Bass Go
6. Beautiful But Deadly
7. The D.O.C. & The Doctor
8. No One Can Do It Better
9. Whrilwind Pyramind
10. Comm. 2
11. The Formula
12. Portrait Of A Master Piece
13. The Grand Finale

Amazon.com

Long before Snoop Dogg, Eminem, or Xzibit came into the picture, Dr. Dre had already found the perfect MC in the D.O.C., a Texas transplant to Los Angeles. Before he tragically lost his vocal chords in an auto accident, the D.O.C. was easily one of the fiercest lyricists that the West Coast had ever witnessed--a combination of Ice Cube's scowling aggressiveness but balanced with a sophistication that would have rivaled KRS-One at his best. With a ragga-tinged flow, he could drop lyrical bombs with fury on "It's Funky Enough" or sublimely style for "The Formula." Dre supported the D.O.C. with a bevy of funk-laden tracks that were pre-Chronic, meaning that the feel was rough and rugged vs. wet and sticky. Had his voice survived, there's little doubt that the D.O.C. would have become one of Cali's greatest MCs ever. All the supporting evidence is on this album. --Oliver Wang

Customer Reviews:

Hot.......2007-07-09

The Doc was hip hops up and commer until his accident that damaged his vocal cords...

No one did it better..........2007-05-30

To say that this guy would have been one the Greatest MC'S OF ALL TIME is an understatement! As it is the D.O.C. is finding his way back into the cd players of the younger kids out there looking for REAL RAP. Exploding lyrics, a brash tone in his voice with a hint of reggae made the DOC one of the most original MC's of our time. I compare the game to him ...that's a hell of a compliment to the GAME. Don't get it twisted though, this guy was one of a kind and "No one can do it better", #8 and the title track of this rap masterpiece is so true. "It's funky enough" hit the radio and the video hit "pump it up"...he was the real deal winning a rap contest in Texas and the services of Dr.Dre ,who is a West Coast Genius, made this album untouchable. There a bit of comedy with a few sketches between tracks but this is no joke. The formula was also a hit with it's smooth mellow approach easy to appreciate his lyrics on. The cuts that i still love today also include "Lend me an ear","Whirlwind Pyramid" are straight up lyrical BOMBS! Fierce lyrics straight to the throat!...to cap this masterpiece off listen to a very raw Ice Cube( "My medly is deadly as a pin in a hand grinade") leading off the "Grand Finale" which also include the late Eazy E, MC Ren, and of course a splash of Dre is the one cut you can't overlook. I turned my 14 year old son on to the D.O.C. and he's now his favorite rapper. All the young bucks out there...pay homage to one of the greatest of all time...our one hit wonder of a MASTER PIECE! I met him in the mall in Thousand Oaks, Ca and I was able to pay respects and offer condolinces on his accident that took his voice away from us...This is a 5 star masterpiece!!!!!

The 1st West Coast Classic.......2007-05-26

Before Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Snoop were droppin classics on the left coast, D.O.C. did it first. While the production was top notch, the lyrics were a perfect compliment and left you wanting more. The CD title speaks for itself cause whether he was rapping fast, slow, smooth, or rugged he could do it all. If you don't have it, then you got to get it cause i been blessed ever since i got the tape 18 years ago.

Classic West Coast/Southern Rap Debut!.......2007-05-10

Dallas, Texas native Tracy Curry started his rap career in a group called the Fila Fresh Crew. A chance acquaintance by a group member with Los Angeles, California's Dr. Dre' led the group into the auspices of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. After recording a handful of 12" singles, the group soon broke up, but Curry, a.k.a. "The D.O.C." stayed with the Ruthless camp, writing lyrics for several songs on Eazy E's solo debut, "Eazy Duz It" and becoming a peripheral member of N.W.A. Though his presence was limited on "Straight Outta Compton", soon the hip-hop world would know his name in major way on the Ruthless/Atlantic release, "No One Can Do it Better."

The album is produced in its entirety by Dr. Dre, and combines street-ready breakbeats with Dre's preference for Soul and Funk samples (keen listeners will note that on several songs there is not an outright sample but rather a live studio reinterpretation of key riffs).

The debut single is here, "It's Funky Enough", as is "The D.O.C. and the Doctor", "Mind Blowin'" and the guitar-rocker "Beautiful but Deadly". The best song is the mellow "The Formula", which samples Marvin Gaye's "Makes Me Wanna Holler" (even better is the extended remix). Also of note is "The Grand Finale", a posse cut featuring Dr. Dre', Eazy-E, MC Ren and Ice Cube (and DJ Yella on drums), which would be the final recording of all the N.W.A. members before the death of Eazy-E in 1995. The album would sell over 1 million copies.

Lyrically, D.O.C. had a cadence that was clear and articulate that couldn't be automatically pegged by New York purists as Southern or West Coast. He also generally avoided profanity and his thematic content wasn't entrenched in gang life & violent boasts. Tragically, a car accident permanently damaged D.O.C.'s voice, so this is really his defining artistic statement.

Despite being in-print for many years now, this album truly deserves a deluxe re-release. Remixes, 12-inch/EP cuts and music videos could be included.

One of the first great West Coast lyricists................2006-11-15

Dre and his first solo protoge delivered this classic back in 89.

Classic Joints:
Grand Finale (One of the greatest posse cuts ever. Ice Cube kills it.)
The Formula
Whirlwind Pyramid
It's gettin funky
Let the Bass Go
The whole joint!

Average customer rating: 5-Star Music, 3-Star Value

Doc Watson (Vanguard Visionaries) Doc Watson Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Appalachian | North America | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ian & Sylvia (Vanguard Visionaries) Joan Baez (Vanguard Visionaries) Black Mountain Rag Last of the Breed A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection ASIN: B000PC6GEW Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

1. Country Blues
2. Rising Sun Blues
3. Little Sadie
4. Muskrat
5. Dill Pickle Rag
6. Beaumont Rag
7. Shady Grove
8. Black Mountain Rag
9. Tennessee Stud
10. Wind And Warm

Album Description

A true visionary, Doc Watson influenced artists like Nickel Creek, Vince Gill & Marty Stuart

Customer Reviews:

5-Star Music, 3-Star Value.......2007-06-13

When Doc Watson recorded his self-titled debut for Vanguard in 1964, he was already forty years old; and the nine albums he recorded for the label through 1971 are arguably the best of his career. [Although the most recent song included here is from 1966.] These ten songs are culled from five of those albums. Watson performs solo on some of these tracks, others with his son Merle. In addition, Watson also plays banjo ("Country Blues") and harmonica ("Muskrat"). There are several instrumentals that showcase Watson's considerable finger-picking skills ("Dill Pickle Rag," Black Mountain Rag" among them), but he also possesses a fine baritone voice as exhibited on songs like the traditional "Little Sadie" or his signature song "Tennessee Stud."

This release is part of a series "Vanguard Visionaries" who have recorded for the label over the last 50-plus years, but with this particular release there are too many flaws. Each release in this series is limited to ten songs, which means in this case the total time is well under thirty minutes. The mid-line price still doesn't make it much of a bargain. If you're looking for a more representative Vanguard collection, pick up 1999's THE VERY BEST OF DOC WATSON. At twenty-three tracks, it duplicates all ten tracks here and it isn't that much more expensive. [Running Time - 26:01]

Average customer rating: Not For Purists Cute CD for Looney Tunes fans Oh, the memories this brings back! BRILLIANT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; THE CD IS JUST AS GREAT Bugs at the Bowl

Bugs Bunny on Broadway Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons, 1936-1958 The Carl Stalling Project, Volume 2: More Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1939-1957 Tunes from the Toons: The Best of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Greatest Hits That's All Folks! Cartoon Songs from Merrie Melodies & Looney Tunes ASIN: B000002LOA Release Date: 1991-01-29

Tracks:

1. Overture (Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
2. This Is A Life
3. High Note
4. What's Up, Doc?
5. Baton Bunny
6. Jumpin' Jupiter
7. The Rabbit Of Seville
8. Act II Entr' Acte (Excerpt From Long Haired Hare And Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
9. A Corny Concerto
10. Long-Haired Hare
11. What's Opera, Doc?
12. Merrie Melodies Closing Theme 'That's All Folks'

Amazon.com

Though it's the "cast album" to the touring Bugs Bunny on Broadway show, which featured a 50-piece orchestra playing to the original cartoons, the real stars here are not the musicians but Carl Stalling and Milton J. Franklyn. As the composers behind the Looney Toons cartoons, Stalling (and later Franklyn) expertly composed scores that borrowed from classical music, popular songs of the day, and the whimsical compositions of Raymond Scott. Working with talents like Chuck Avery (the most musically adventurous of Bugs Bunny's directors) and voice actors Arthur Q. Bryan (Elmer Fudd) and Mel Blanc (virtually everybody else), they created some of the best-loved music of the century. They also introduced classical music to new generations through their loving reenactments of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (as "The Rabbit of Seville") and, amazingly, the entire Ring cycle (condensed to seven minutes in "What's Opera, Doc?"). Not as expansive as the two volumes of the Carl Stalling Project, Bugs Bunny on Broadway nevertheless is a fine collection that concentrates on an oft-overlooked legacy of Bugs Bunny and company. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Not For Purists.......2004-09-22

If you have an ear for the original recordings, then this collection is not for you. On tracks like "The Rabbit of Seville" the switch from the original soundtrack to the modern re-recording is both jarring and unsatisfying. If you loved the "live" show then this may bring back some memories for you. If you want to hear the original performances of the great music from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, I recommend "The Carl Stalling Project" instead.

Cute CD for Looney Tunes fans.......2004-04-03

Sure, it's not for everyone's taste but no fan of Bugs or Daffy can be without this CD. Outside of the famous 'Merry Go Round Broke Down' and Merrie Melodies theme the Looney Tunes cartoons are well known for paying tribute to and parodying classical music and there's loads of that behavior to be had on this CD. The popular song 'What's Up Doc' is also featured here and there's just enough of Daffy Duck included to keep me happy. Hard to come by but worth getting if you can pick it up cheap.

Oh, the memories this brings back!.......2003-03-05

I never thought I'd hear some of these again. At their height, the Warner Brothers studio used classical music very cleverly in their animations, and this compilation gives us a sampling of the best. About the only thing that made me not give it the full five stars was that it didn't have the excellent "Daffy's Rhapsody."

BRILLIANT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; THE CD IS JUST AS GREAT.......2002-03-12

I just had the incredible pleasure of seeing this production, conducted by George Daugherty, at The Sydney Opera House. If the week of sold-out audiences were any indications, it's "adult kids" who really love the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Ordered the CD immediately from Amazon when I got home, and have relived this magnificent production over and over. The music is as incredible as the animation, and Carl Stalling's incredible collaboration with the brilliant Chuck Jones is even more evident when one is just listening to the incredible orchestral performances of these spectacular scores. With the death of Mr. Jones, this CD is even more of a memento of a brilliant golden age of American animated cinema. As we say down here "downunder," it's a bloody ripper!!! (And that's a supreme compliment in Australian!!!!)

Bugs at the Bowl.......2001-07-14

Oh what joy there is in Bugs Bunny. Santa Claus came down the chimney last Christmas and left a beautifully wrapped gift with my name on it underneath our Christmas tree. A CD? For me? Yes, it was. I listened entranced and recaptured so many happy memories of my favourite Chuck Jones characters, all brought vividly to life in George Daugherty's brilliant Bugs Bunny on Broadway. But that wasn't the end of my dreams come true. I was lucky enough to see Bugs brought to life again at The Hollywood Bowl. Rush out and buy this joyful CD - then do your utmost to catch a live performance when it's next in your city.

Average customer rating: Six string heaven Great stuff, but not enough of it the Quintessential Doc ( THE MAN ) The best of Doc in instrumental form.

Foundation: Doc Watson Guitar Instrumental Collection, 1964-1998 Doc Watson Manufacturer: Sugarhill [Country] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Country | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 33 Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals 58957: The Bluegrass Guitar Collection Trouble in Mind: Doc Watson Country Blues Collection Strictly Instrumental Black Mountain Rag ASIN: B00004U1G6 Release Date: 2000-07-25

Tracks:

1. Black Mountain Rag
2. Windy & Warm
3. June Apple
4. Doc's Guitar
5. Stone's Rag
6. Victory Rag
7. Nashville Pickin'
8. Medley: Fiddler's Dram/Whistling Rufus/Ragtime Annie (Raggedy Ann)
9. Billy In The Lowground
10. Rainbow
11. Dill Pickle Rag
12. Salt River/Bill Cheatham
13. Lonesome Banjo
14. Texas Gales
15. Tucker's Barn
16. Cannonball Rag

Amazon.com

Deep Gap, North Carolina's Doc Watson is considered one of country music's most influential guitar players. Watson's blend of Appalachian folk, blues, country, gospel, and bluegrass first gained steam nationally during a 1963 Newport Folk Festival appearance, and this anthology of instrumentals begins with "Black Mountain Rag" from his self-titled debut record from the following year. Foundation borrows 16 tracks from 11 albums--nearly 35 years worth of material--from his earliest recordings for Vanguard through the '70s and '80s duets with his late son Merle (who accompanies on banjo and guitar). Doc's voice serves only as an introduction to several of the collection's live numbers, letting his strings do the talking where it counts: on cap-tipping covers of songs by John D. Loudermilk, Maybelle Carter, and Molly O'Day, and on the nearly half-dozen rags that best display Doc's trademark flat-picking frenzy. --Scott Holter--

Customer Reviews:

Six string heaven.......2002-12-05

A flatpicking fan's delight. Ya can't beat Doc Watson when he gets those strings a-ringing, although I have to confess being more partial to his vocal numbers, myself. Sixteen sterling examples of Watson's flawless guitar playing, gathered from various old Vanguard albums.

Great stuff, but not enough of it.......2001-12-13

Clocking in at a spare 31:36, this CD collects sixteen instrumental cuts from a small selection of Doc's output during these 25 years. This collection is a good starting point for newcomers to Doc's fine guitar (and banjo) playing, but for the avid fan it provides only highlights of his career and little more. We get a taste of flat picking, and a taste of finger picking, with a little banjo playing thrown in on the side. Still, it's hard to complain about an artist who is truly a national treasure, and whose picking is unsurpassed. It's just so good one wishes that they had included much, much more.

the Quintessential Doc.......2001-10-02

I first heard Doc when I was A boy. Being that my mother is from Kentucky, I was blessedly afforded the gift of bluegrass. Being A Yankee from Michigan, this type of music was lost on my friends but Lawdy, not on me. My first experience with Docs music was through the hands of my uncle Nathen who would play everything you could imagine and then some. But,... But when he got to Doc, time stood still. I tell you these things as when I listened to this collection, time stood still with meaning for me. "Docs guitar" still leaves me speachless, and "Windy and Warm" is a lovely coalition of two generations (God rest Merle) coming together, one at his fathers feet, to gift the world with the glory of artisans. I have been a guitarist for 27 years and yet still I stand in rapt awe of his magesty on the guitar.

( THE MAN ).......2000-10-20

THE MAN

Doc has always been THE MAN to a lot of picker's,even the top picker's today, like Tony Rice,Norman Blake,& so on,it might seem like straight picking,but try and do some of his song and you'll find out different. When I frist started playing I started out with the guitar, listing to the Stanely Brother's, then I heard Doc play, and was in awh, I did'nt no you could pick a guitar that fast and smooth. And then I heard Tony Rice play and he would start out like Doc but then take it a different level, and now today I here young picker's play, start out like Tony Rice, but take it a new level, but it all started with THE MAN (Doc Watons). Its a must bye if you dont have these recordings already in your (Library), bye this one, sit back, and listen to the picking of Doc and the picker's of today and you'll see what I'am talking about, and you will also say yes he is (THE MAN)... thanks

The best of Doc in instrumental form........2000-08-20

Doc Watson is a man who has had enormous influence on the the emergence of the acoustic guitar as a lead instrument in the folk/bluegrass genres. Without a doubt, Doc is the guy who blazed the trail and showed just what the guitar could do. This album is a fitting tribute to Doc and showcases a selection of tunes that span his career.

While all of these cuts have been previously issued, this instrumental album is a first and should not be missed by any serious Doc Watson fan. It is truly magical to hear Doc's playing through the years on this CD. While his own style is remarkably similar throughout, the variety of artists who accompany him that make the tunes quite different and varied. This CD demonstrates just how special a player Doc is.

Average customer rating: Doc's Best Album Doc Severinsen is great The magic spell! Great album if you want to hear great lead trumpet Doc is the man!

The Very Best of Doc Severinsen Doc Severinsen Manufacturer: Amherst Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Trumpet Spectacular Unforgettably Doc The Tonight Show Band, Vol. 1 Swingin' the Blues Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Orchestra ASIN: B000001O7A Release Date: 1997-11-04

Tracks:

1. Begin The Beguine
2. April In Paris
3. Flying Home
4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
5. In The Mood
6. Georgia On My Mind
7. One O'Clock Jump
8. Stardust
9. Honeysuckle Rose
10. Poor Butterfly
11. I Can't Get Started
12. What Is This Thing Called Love
13. City Lights
14. Siciliano
15. Take The 'A' Train
16. Johnny's Theme (The Tonight Show Theme)

Customer Reviews:

Doc's Best Album.......2006-10-15

Every song on this CD is wonderful!!! In the Mood is the best arrangement I've ever heard. Georgia on My Mind has masterful improv. This version of One O'Clock Jump makes every other arrangement sound like it's only 12:15. Doc and his band are solid on this one. You MUST add it to your collection

Doc Severinsen is great.......2005-08-15

This is a great album of big band stuff and Doc wailing on the trumpet. It includes the Tonight Show theme and many others. Try it you'll like it.

The magic spell!.......2005-06-29

Doc Severinson makes the another half: his magic cornet is surrounded of magical efluvies: he is not only a virtuoso player but also an expressive and lyrical musician. He plays more sounds that you are capable to listen.
This album will be one your favorite ones, once you get it. You have my word!

Great album if you want to hear great lead trumpet.......2001-08-21

Doc Severinsen was at the height of his abilities when this was recorded. (I think this album is made up of selections from some albums cut with the Tonight Show orchestra in the mid-1980's).

The album is a hallmark of clean, clear "lead" trumpet playing -- Doc was always great at that kind of 50's/60's Big Band romping lead trumpet playing, and this album features him at his peak. There are a number of fun songs here, with great charts and playing by real pros.

You have to like stomping big bands to like the music on this album, and if you do, you'll like the album.

Doc is the man!.......1999-05-28

This is the greatest collection of Doc songs i've ever heard. Doc is one of the greatest trumpet players to ever live. This is a must have album for you jazz lovers!

Average customer rating: great artists pay tribute to a great songwriter The best songwriter you never heard of Viva Doc An Obscure Gem One of my favorite CDs

Till the Night is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus Various Artists Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music 1990-1999 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus The Pomus & Shuman Story: Double Trouble 1956-1967 Johnny Adams Sings Doc Pomus: The Real Me Feeling Minnesota (1996 Film) The Big Lebowski: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ASIN: B0000033GU Release Date: 1995-03-28

Tracks:

1. Lonely Avenue - Los Lobos
2. Boogie Woogie Country Girl - Bob Dylan
3. Viva Las Vegas - Shawn Colvin
4. A Mess Of Blues - John Hiatt
5. This Magic Moment - Lou Reed
6. Blinded By Love - B.B. King
7. Young Blood - The Band
8. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere - Irma Thomas
9. Turn Me Loose - Dion
10. I Count The Tears - Roseanne Cash
11. I'm On A Roll - Dr. John
12. Still In Love - Solomon Burke
13. Sweets For My Sweet - Brian Wilson
14. Save The Last Dance For Me - Aaron Neville

Amazon.com

Born Jerome Felder in Brooklyn in 1925, Doc Pomus was stricken with polio at age nine and spent most of his life on crutches or in a wheelchair. That didn't stop him from imitating his hero Big Joe Turner in Manhattan clubs with musicians like Milt Jackson, Horace Silver, King Curtis, and Buddy Tate. He soon found he had a gift for writing witty lyrics to standard blues changes, and in 1955, a 17-year-old kid named Mort Shuman started hanging around Pomus's apartment as a sort of apprentice songwriter. Shuman wrote catchy pop/R&B tunes for Pomus's lyrics, and by '59 they had hits with Dion's "Teenager in Love" and the Mystics' "Hushabye." Before they broke up in '65, they had written 20 songs for Elvis Presley and at least half that many for the Drifters. After a 10-year retirement, Pomus started writing again with Mac Rebennack for albums by B.B. King, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Johnny Adams. Till the Night Is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus reinforces the obvious point that Pomus's tunes should be considered American pop standards as much as Irving Berlin or Harold Arlen's compositions, and should be recorded again and again. The three greatest American songwriters of the '60s--Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, and Lou Reed--are all on hand to pay their respects. Dylan turns in the disc's most surprising performance, a slinky, funky, country-swing version of "Boogie Woogie Country Girl." Reed injects a modern irony into "This Magic Moment" by contrasting a straightforward, optimistic vocal against grinding, apocalyptic guitars. Los Lobos and John Hiatt & the Guilty Dogs turn in invigorating, garage-rock demolitions of "Lonely Avenue" and "Mess O' Blues" respectively. In fact, the only misstep on the whole album is Shawn Colvin's ponderous, portentous take on "Viva Las Vegas." --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

great artists pay tribute to a great songwriter.......2006-09-28

Having owned and listened to this over 10 years I can say with absolute confidence this ranks as the best tribute CD I own by a stretch. The diversity of the music on this CD is a wonderful tribute to a terrific songwriter. (PS : The headline review couldn't be more wrong about Shawn Colvin's version of Viva Las Vegas - it's a stunner).

The best songwriter you never heard of.......2004-11-25

I was referred this cd by a friend who described it just that way- the best songwriter you never heard of- the liner notes are worth the price of the cd. You can tell by the artists who performed Doc's songs how much he was respected. Shawn Colvins "viva las vegas" knocked me out.

Viva Doc.......2002-09-01

Shawn Colvin brings meanings and nuances out of Viva Las Vegas maybe not intend by the Doc, but this is a great version. Got a good song? Need a good singer? Call Aaron Neville. What a voice, this ranks with his work on In The Still Of The Night from the Red Hot And Blue benefit album of a few years back.
This cd tribute is uniformly good from start to finish, and it seems unfair not to mention everyone taking part, but I'll just end with a recommendation to check out John Hiatt and his most excellent band chewing their way through Mess Of The Blues.

An Obscure Gem.......2002-08-01

This is a fantastic CD. Any single one of these songs would be reason enough to buy the disc; together they are a bonanza. The highlight for me is the great B.B. King's rendition of "Blinded By Love"; the depth and resonance of B.B.'s voice send chills. I've long loved Elvis Presley's recording of "Viva Las Vegas" and the ridiculous movie it came from, but I also love Shawn Colvin's version from the ridiculous Lebowski. Cesar Rosas and Los Lobos do a number on "Lonely Avenue." Dylan, John Hiatt, The Band, Doctor John; every last one is great.

One of my favorite CDs.......2001-06-12

I find myself listening to this one a lot, and why not? A great song is a great song, and Doc wrote hundreds. Favorites are Shawn Colvin's "Viva Las Vegas" (who wouldn't want to see the strip with a woman with a voice like that?) and B.B. King's "Blinded by Love," which to me is his most recent truly great performance. The only blot on this landscape is Lou Reed's "This Magic Moment," which is one of the most unintentionally hilarious hachet jobs I've ever heard. I mean, the Harmonicats couldn't have done a worse job; Reed, despite his links to Pomus, simply isn't a singer, and his band on this cut sounds like a garbage truck with an oil leak.

Average customer rating: Doc & Merle at the Top of Their Game A Welcome Reissue/Expansion

Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues Doc Watson , and Merle Watson Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Trouble in Mind: Doc Watson Country Blues Collection The Best Of Doc Watson 1964-1968 Black Mountain Rag The Three Pickers Doc Watson on Stage (Featuring Merle Watson) ASIN: B0001IN0Y4 Release Date: 2004-04-13

Tracks:

1. Freight Train Blues
2. Hobo Bill's Last Ride
3. Mississippi Heavy Water Blues
4. Did You Hear John Hurt?
5. John Henry/Worried Blues
6. I'm A Stranger Here
7. Talking To Casey
8. Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
9. Any Old Time
10. Sittin' Here Pickin' The Blues
11. Stormy Weather
12. How Long Blues
13. Honey Babe Blues
14. St. Louis Blues
15. Carroll County Blues
16. California Blues
17. Going To Chicago Blues
18. Jailhouse Blues
19. Windy And Warm
20. Deep River Blues

Album Description

This album is an expanded edition of Doc and Merle Watson's classic Pickin' the Blues, with eight additional tracks from their Flying Fish Records catalogue. In the hands of Doc and Merle, the blues and country music are a natural fit, with songs drawn from a range of blues, jazz and country styles. In addition to Doc's flat-picking and Merle's slide guitar playing, this collection is a fine showcase for Doc's baritone voice, as natural and expressive an instrument as any in country music or the blues. With T. Michael Coleman, Mark O'Connor, Sam Bush and others.

Customer Reviews:

Doc & Merle at the Top of Their Game.......2005-11-01

Doc Watson is one of the premier flatpick guitar players ever, and some of his best albums were recorded with his late son Merle. SITTIN' HERE PICKIN' THE BLUES draws from the three early to mid-Eighties studio albums they recorded for Flying Fish (and one live track from THE TELLURIDE FESTIVAL TAPES). Here's the breakdown on the tracks:

RED ROCKING CHAIR (1981): "California Blues," "Did You Hear John Hurt," "Any Old Time" and "How Long Blues." T. Michael Coleman plays bass on all tracks and Tom Scott plays clarinet on "Any Old Time."

DOC & MERLE WATSON'S GUITAR ALBUM (1983): "Talking to Casey," "Goin' to Chicago Blues" and "John Henry/Worried Blues." T. Michael Coleman plays bass on all tracks and Mark O'Connor plays fiddle.

THE TELLURIDE FESTIVAL TAPES (1984): "Deep River Blues"

PICKIN' THE BLUES (1985): All twelve tracks from the original vinyl release are included. T. Michael Coleman plays bass on all tracks and Sam Bush plays mandolin or fiddle on many (except for "St. Louis Blues" which Doc plays solo).

Not only is Doc an accomplished guitar player, but his son Merle more than holds his own on slide guitar on most of these tracks. My only complaint is that the individual albums are currently out of print and more than a dozen tracks from RED ROCKIN' CHAIR and GUITAR ALBUM were left off. This should have been a double CD to enable all three CDs to be included in their entirety. But if you're looking for a solid introduction to the music of Doc & Merle, this is an excellent place to start. [Running Time - 60:05] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A Welcome Reissue/Expansion.......2004-09-22

This album is essentially a deluxe reissue of Doc and Merle's Pickin' the Blues (1985). Rounding out the tracks from that album are four choice cuts from Red Rockin' Chair (1981) and three fine instrumentals from Doc and Merle's Guitar Album (1983). Also included is a nice, but non-definitive, live rendition of "Deep River Blues" from The Festival Tapes / Tellulive (1979). This is a great sampling of the material Doc and Merle recorded for Flying Fish Records before Merle's untimely death on October 23, 1985. For those new to Doc's music, I would suggest exploring Doc's Vanguard recordings (On Stage, Southbound, Home Again, Ballads From Deep Gap) before you venture into this material. For those already familiar with Doc's early work and are looking for a good sampler of Doc and Merle's stint with Flying Fish, this is the best you're going to do.

Music Album:

1. End Time
2. Famous Country Music Makers [Import]
3. Fly
4. Followin' a Feelin'
5. Freedom's Child
6. Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Full Circle [Enhanced]
8. Full Western Dress
9. "Gary P. Nunn - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2"
10. Haggard Like Never Before

Music Album