Various Down Home Blues: Chicago Volume 3: The Special Stuff (4-CD)Down Home Blues: Chicago Volume 3: The Special Stuff (4-CD)

(Wienerworld) 110 tracks.
Down Home Blues: The Special Stuff is the third volume of Chicago Blues post-war down home blues music from Wienerworld: 110 tracks of rare, unissued or alternate takes of blues recorded in Chicago from 1941 through to 1961.

This is the sixth box set in Wienerworld’s award-winning Down Home Blues series, which explores the rich heritage and regional identities in the black American blues scene

This set is dedicated to the memory of the much-loved and missed Peter Moody, who finished compiling this collection just before his passing in November 2021. His friend and collaborator Chris Bentley – The Special Stuff blues music expert – notes that the title 'was one of Peter Moody’s favourite expressions. Anything that he really liked or enjoyed was ‘the special stuff’. The tracks on this box set were selected solely by Peter.'

The Special Stuff highlights 36 artists who were prevalent in the Chicago blues scene during its golden age, from the early 40s to early 60s. It includes early down home blues recordings from Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley just before they were on the cusp of taking their music into the new world of rock and roll, as well as later recordings of established pre-war artists such as Robert Lockwood Jr and Sonny Boy Williamson. A 4CD set, packaged in a deluxe digipak with an outer slip case, featuring 110 tracks – all remastered and including alternate takes of well-known recordings. All unissued and alternate take records are from the late Peter Moody’s private collection, many of which are otherwise unavailable.

Includes an outstanding 15,000 word, 88-page book, by renowned blues historian Chris Bentley on the post-war Chicago scene; many rare period photographs illustrate the essay throughout; plus full track details, as well as full sessionography detailing the where, when and who of the recordings, expertly compiled by blues expert Mike Rowe.