Very Best of Vee-Jay Blues, Volume 1

by Various Artists

Rare & Hard-To-Find Audio CDs (series)

Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl.

While Chicago's Vee Jay label was primarily known for their line of doo wop and gospel singles, they delved into electric blues in the late '50s and early '60s, releasing a fair share of classic records that gave the legendary Chess label a run for their money. Collectables' The Very Best of Blues, Vol. 1, highlights previously issued Vee Jay tracks, including four from Jimmy Reed, two each by Billy Boy Arnold and John Lee Hooker, and a combination of 12 obscure but no less enjoyable songs by Morris Pejoe, Eddie Taylor, L.C. McKinley, and Floyd Jones. ~ Al Campbell