Willie Dixon - The Chess Box

Best known for his work as a songwriter, producer, and talent scout, singer-bassist Willie Dixon essentially built Chicago's Cobra and Chess labels with his sweat. Although this double-disc set does include five performances by the man from Vicksburg, Mississippi, himself, it's really a testament to his songwriting prowess, packed with recordings that made his tunes classics of blues and early rock & roll. There's Howlin' Wolf tearing through "Spoonful," "Little Red Rooster," "Evil," and "Back Door Man." There's Muddy Waters belting "You Shook Me," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and "I'm Ready." There's Bo Diddley delivering "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" and Koko Taylor launching her career with "Wang Dang Doodle." The set features excellent liner notes, and its only disappointment is that its label-centricity excludes Dixon's work for Cobra with then-youngsters Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. --Ted Drozdowski Amazon.com

Original recordings of Willie Dixon's songs

Like many blues musicians, Willie Dixon had an interesting background. He was born, and spent his childhood, here in Vicksburg. He never had formal music education, but a local carpenter taught him harmony singing. Dixon sang bass in a local gospel quartet. Along the way, he served a couple stretches on Mississippi prison farms. He started his career as a heavyweight boxer in Chicago, but switched to music and played bass, part of the time as a house musician.

Dixon started out as a studio bass player with Chess Records when it was a fledgling company started by the Chess brothers. The present set includes 36 songs written by Dixon, and performed by a variety of artists in addition to Dixon including Muddy Waters (Hoochie Coochie Man, etc.), Howlin Wolf (I Ain't Superstitious, etc.), Bo Diddley (Pretty Thing, and You Can't Tell a Book by its Cover), Koko Taylor (Wang Dang Doodle) and many others.

The boxed set is a must addition for your collection if you have a serious interest in blues. It also makes a good gift.

I would note that the Vicksburg Blues Society and others served as co-sponsors of the Willie Dixon Wang Dang Doodle Blues Festival held in Vicksburg in 2006. The City of Vicksburg has added a Willie Dixon mural to the murals on the Mississippi River floodwall near Catfish Row (the southern end of The Delta). The mursl, featuring the legendary Blue Room in the background, was painted by the noted mural artist Robert Dafford under the sponsorship of local blues patrons Ray and Nancy Neilsen. June 22, 2007

A lesson in blues music

This set was my introduction to the *real* blues, and to not only Willie Dixon, but Muddy Waters and others featured in the set. For newcomers to the genre, it includes a wide array of rythms and styles in the blues category, showing its depth and richness. Lots of danceable selections, but more importantly, ALL genuine blues. Highly recommended! January 31, 2007

old master of the blues

the willie dixon chess set is a window into the early blues
that was the basis for some of the most well known rock and
roll songs of all time. from led zeppelin to the kinks willie dixon and his music was a source of inspiration and musical reinvention. sometimes you have to stay true to your roots. its
an incredible journey into the heart of original blues. July 3, 2006

Willie Dixon was a maestro of imense proportions

I never have understood how some people have an inate quality for music and some don't. Well , Willie was one of those that definately did. It is hard to imageine the blues without the likes of Willie Dixon: the writer, the musician, the producer, the businessman. I listen to his work over and over again , each time learning new nuances I did not hear before.

How incredible is that ? May 29, 2006

Great Introduction to Chess Blues

This box is a fantastic introdution to post-war Chicago blues and the key figure behind Chess Records' success, Willie Dixon. I am a huge fan of the Chess box sets, and this one is my favorite. With seminal tracks by blues icons like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley and Koko Taylor as well as lesser known artists and Dixon himself, this CD is definitely on my deserted island list. If you're only going to have one blues CD in your collection (which would be a tragedy), this is the one to buy. Best of all, for the quality and quantity of music, you can't beat the price! January 18, 2006

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