Blues and Gospel from the Bandera, Laredo and Jerico Road labels of Chicago

 These sets seem to be nearly endless, but I've got to say that this one is entirely worthwhile. The first 17 tracks are some entertaining blues, the last 10 tracks are some even more entertaining gospel. The aren't any "names" here, but there ain't no duds either.

Dusty Brown is one of those guys who you would cheerfully catch at a local blues club and come away satisfied.

Jimmy Lee Robinson is the kind of blues guy who was likely a local sensation, a regional star. There is a lot of variety to his sounds and he was clearly very creative in his ear for sound palates.

The Grover Pruitt single is worth the listen as is the Bobby Davis material - both of these are rock n roll crossover attempts that are easily as listenable as tracks from those better-known.

The 'memorable' quotient increases with the gospel material included. The A side of the Norfleet Brothers single is destined for a compilation. Both sides of the Space Spiritual Singer are good enough to have me keeping an eye for them from now on. The six tracks from The Faithful Wanderers and Elder Samuel Patterson are all easily good enough to be welcome additions to any collection of obscure gospel -- the kind of thing I love having in my pocket.