Chicago/The Blues/Today!
I briefly lived in Chicago in the early 70's. It was the the beginning of the end of deep Chicago blues. If you want to hear what was actually being played in the blues bars, there isn't a better album than this 3 disk release from Vanguard. It's rough and raw and straight at it. And worth it just for the Junior Wells performance, which was partially a tribute to his harp teacher, Sonny Boy Williamson II. 1999 Vanguard Chicago/The Blues/Today!

Muddy Waters
Muddy recorded dozens of quality albums. But he only recorded one album with his touring band instead of studio musicians. And that's probably why this live album, recorded in a Chicago jazz club in 1971, captures Muddy Waters' music at it's elemental best. Muddy is in fine voice, and he belts out one perfect performance after another. The band lays down a subtle beat that can only come from working together for years. 1992, 1971 Chess MCA Muddy Waters Live (At Mr. Kelly's).

Howling Wolf
Yes, there was Wolf's crazed vampire underworld voice. But that's not all there is to his music. Admittedly, Willie Dixon wrote many of the Wolf's best songs. But Howling Wolf was also a solid writer. Any Howling Wolf song will immediately deliver you straight to the center earth of genuine blues music. Wolf performed a crazy wild live show, but offstage he was a responsible happily married man who carefully managed his money. Recommended Howling Wolf albums include Howling Wolf - The Definitive Collection released by Chess, and Howling Wolf - The Real Folk Blues on MCA

John Lee Hooker
John Lee was not a Chicago blues musician. He was from Detroit. But his pioneering work in electric blues heavily influenced Chicago electric blues. Hooker is rightly his own category. While he could pen hits such as"Boom Boom," he could also create surrealistic spiritual encounters such as "The Waterfront." You can't go wrong with any John Lee Hooker album, but the MCA release The Best of John Lee Hooker is an excellent overview.

Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Yes it isn't authentic. It was mostly a band of white blues scholars, Howling Wolf's rhythm section, and an out of control lead guitarist who was added later when the producer thought the tracks were flat. That guitarist was Michael Bloomfield, and electric blues would never be the same. While East West was a legendary groundbreaking album, PBBB's first release was a better Chicago blues album. 1988 Elektra/Asylum The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. And 1966 Electra, 1987 Demon Records Ltd. East-West.

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