Travelin

I have bought several copies of this album, and ALL have been sold as issued by the "Collectables" label, however, none of them have actually been the collectables issues.. unfortunately, JLH is one of those people who's recordings are over 50 years old, so (except in America) companies all over the world are free to issue his stuff with no complaints from the copyright cops..And they do.. a Million smalllkabels have sprung up offering"Digitally Remastered from original recordings"Sometimes this mean *remastered* onto a digital device from a vinyl record, but more oftem it means simply copied off another competitor's CD issue..I once had a Veejay issue of this CD, an actual official one, but I got lucky and ran into a true stereo copy (I think it was Charly R&B)..Collectables *(The label that all these sellers are touting) NORMALLY does try to issue their albums in stereo too..However, I bought one from this list which should have been a "Collectables" make, but it was a "Chameleon" instead,, on the front of the cd are the words "STEREO" clearly visible , just as on the original vinyl.. So, did any one actually Get the "collectables" issue IS IT STEREO?.. Or is it ONLY the Charly ones that used the origina stereo masters?Music is great though.. classic JLH!Doc

Great album, simply a joy to listen to.

love the music

When I started to get interested in music in the middle 1960s, this was one of the Albums everyone who was serious was supposed to have. Jazz musicians and Blues lovers alike would take me aside and tell me to listen seriously when they played these sides for me because this was education. Hooker benefited in these sides from being on Vee Jay records, a fine, sadly defunct, black owned label that provided him quality production and recording and presentation. You have the feeling that compared with a lot of his other recording companies, Vee Jay treated Johnnie Lee as a serious artist, worthy of good sound, enough time in the studio to get the take right, and tasteful accompaniment usually just drums and bass. Here we have Hooker recorded in a special time in his career right in between the time that RB labels were milking him for a different recording every month, sometimes under different names, and the later period when the folk and the folk blues revivals got him into do one recording it seemed every week. In 1960 when these sides were cut Hooker still had an audience in the Black base blues community and was also known to a lot of Jazz lovers as well. He's not jiving or being a charicature of himself as on some of his last CDs, sad to say. Johnnie had "something in him that's got to come out." It's so far inside that it evades even the heart and themind. It's deep down in our bones, fear of loneliness, isolation, poverty, and defeat, love hunger in the brick and concrete squalor of the Black ghettos that were about to explode in revolt.There is such a feeling of despair here in bluer songs that blend together: "No Shoes," "Whiskey and Women," "Canal Street," "I'm a stranger." Wow, just typing these titles today 40 years after the first time I heard them still moves me, still make me wonder why I don't keep this permanently on the CD player "No food on my table no shoes on my feet my children crying for bread they ain't Got nothing to eat" "Night life night life, it ain't No good for me. If it weren't for whiskey and women and night life, I'd have a happy life." Plain simple words, but delivered by John Lee Hooker deep from inside him, plunging out with the music, across all the years, he emerges as such a poet, such a poet! . The words are still ringing in my ears. Let them ring in yours.

John Lee Hooker/ Travelin' (Vee Jay): If there is anyone out there looking to make a movie about a man having a hard time with women and the road...this would make the perfect soundtrack for you. There are 12 cuts to the original album but it was still a short one as none of those songs was longer than two minutes and thirty-seven seconds, but what it might have been missing in length it made up for in content. The several bonus tracks added to this version of the album is greatly appreciated as they fit well into the theme. Yes, I am a fan of JLH. This is another great CD. Highly Recommended.

Somehow I hadn't heard of this CD. I saw it here on Amazon and downloaded it. As soon as I played it, I was stunned that this isn't a better known John Lee Hooker release. It's already on the top of my rotation and will stay there for some time. Great stuff!Even better is that Amazon's got this as a five dollar special this month (October 2009). Great way to get the word out about this fantastic blues album. Tell all your blues loving friends.

This is JLH with some of his best stuff. Some of it is deep, heavy, slow and dark like in "Canal Street Blues" and "Whiskey and Women". Some is the brawling, bluesband stuff Like boom Boom Boom gonna shootya right down." I have owned these songs since the vinyl days of my high school and college day in the 60's and have worn out the grooves. It's great John Lee Hooker with soul!

This CD was recorded in 1960. The masterization is excellent. If you like Hooker, do not miss this one for your collection.