CD1. Blues In The City
1.Feelin Good Little Junior Parker 2.Mystery Train Elvis Presley 3.Red Hot Billy Emerson 4.Baby Let's Play House Arthur Gunther
5.Tiger Man Rufus Thomas 6.Honey Don't Carl Perkins 7.If Lovin' Is Believing Billy Emerson 8.3 O'Clock Blues B.B. King 9.Sad Hours Little Walter 10.Evil Howlin' Wolf 11.Just Can't Stay Willie Nix 12.Five Long Years Eddie Boyd 13.I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man Muddy Waters 14.Reconsider Baby Lowell Fulsom 15.I Don't Know Willie Mabon 16.She's Fine, She's Mine Bo Diddley 17.I Ain't Got you Billy Boy Arnold 18.Dimples John Lee Hooker 19.Don't Start Me To Talkin' Sonny Boy Williamson 20.Pretty Thing Bo Diddley 21.Smokestack Lightnin' Howlin' Wolf 22.Got My Mojo Working Ann Cole 23.Walking By Myself Jimmy Rogers 24.I Got Love If You Want It Slim Harpo 25.The Sun Is Shining Jimmy Reed 26.No More Nights By Myself Sonny Boy Williamson

CD 2. Rockin’ The House
1.K.C.Loving Little Willie Littlefield 2.Easy, Easy Baby Varetta Dillard 3.Rock The Joint Bill Haley & The Comets 4.Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean Ruth Brown 5.Hound Dog Big Mama Thornton 6.Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On Big Maybelle 7.Shake, Baby, Shake Champion Jack Dupree 8.Shake, Rattle And Roll Big Joe Turner 9.You Know Yeah! Pee Wee Crayton 10.Space Guitar Young John Watson 11.Crazy Lover Richard Berry 12.Tipitina Professor Longhair 13.Ain't It A Shame Fats Domino 14.I Hear You Knocking Smiley Lewis 15.I'm Wise Eddie Bo 16.Tutti Frutti Little Richard 17.See You Later, Alligator Bobby Charles 18.Mellow Saxophone Roy Montrell 19.Lucille Little Richard 20.Blue Monday Fats Domino 21.Ain't Got No Home Clarence "Frogman" Henry 22.Maybellene Chuck Berry 23.Honky Tonk Part 1 Bill Doggett 24.I Put A Spell On You Screamin' Jay Hawkins 25.No Good Lover Mickey & Sylvia 26.Brown-Eyed Handsome Man Chuck Berry 27.Little Bitty Pretty One Bobby Day 28.King Kong Big "T" Tyler 29.Susie Q Dale Hawkins

CD 4. This Soul’s On Fire
1.Blackjack Ray Charles 2.Daddy Rollin' Stone Otis Blackwell 3.Need Your Love So Bad Little Willie John 4.Woman Etta James 5.Is It Really You? Nappy Brown 6.Candy Big Maybelle 7.I'll Drown In My Tears Lula Reed 8.One Room Country Shack Mercy Dee Walton 9.After Hour Joint Jimmy Coe 10.Night Train Jimmy Forrest 11.Aged & Mellow Little Esther 12.Whiskey & Gin Johnnie Ray 13.Feelin' Sad Guitar Slim 14.Oh Lord, Stand By Me Five Blind Boys Of Alabama 15.It Must Be Jesus Southern Tones 16.I've Got A Woman Ray Charles 17.Too Close To Heaven Alex Bradford 18.It Won't Be Very Long The Soul Stirrers 19.Consider Me Mahalia Jackson 20.I'm All Alone Solomon Burke 21.Soul On Fire LaVern Baker 22.Don't Cry Baby Jimmy Scott 23.Pledging My Love Johnny Ace 24.Fever Little Willie John 25.Just Because Lloyd Price 26.Hallelujah I Love Her So Ray Charles 27.Please, Please, Please James Brown

Well what a set this one is… it is not JUST the music that makes it so valuable (I nearly wrote important)…The 68 page booklet (fully illustrated with labels, photos and billboards) is an exemplar of how these things should be done. Each individual track comes with a textual analysis and full recording details…
The wealth of information presented is both impressive and delightful. Impressive because of the volume of research that must have been undertaken to produce the text and delightful because of the fascinating information delivered to the reader, particularly in the context of the sequencing of the tracks…there is more information here than will often be found in some books purporting to discuss the genre.
Ian McKenzie Blues & Rhythm

Breathtaking collection of vintage greats...brilliantly packaged with a detailed 68-page booklet, it’s hard to think of a music fan who wouldn’t want this in their collection.
Terry Staunton Record Collector

Hugely entertaining…ease back and luxuriate in the warm flow of mostly black sounds
Geoff Brown Mojo

A multi-genre, colour-blind, cross-label and highly inclusive collection… delivers a history lesson with a helluva backbeat… Essential music by any measure, in a box set which does it justice and best of all, it rocks like a mother.
Elsewhere.co.nz

CD1. Jumpin’ from Harlem to the West Coast
1.Little John Special Lucky Millinder 2.That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch Ella Johnson 3.Evil Gal Blues Dinah Washington 4.I Wonder Cecil Gant 5.Drifting Blues Charles Brown 6.T-Bone Boogie T-Bone Walker 7.Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Night Five Red Caps 8.The Blues Can Jump The Four Blues 9.Be-baba-leba Helen Humes 10.Caldonia Louis Jordan 11.Milton's Boogie Roy Milton 12.The Honeydripper Joe Liggins 13.Who Threw The Whisky In The Well Lucky Millinder 14.Strange Things Happening Sister Rosetta Tharpe 15.That's The Blues Rubberlegs Williams 16.My Gal's A Jockey Big Joe Turner 17.House Of Blue Lights Ella Mae Morse 18.Ain't That Just Like A Woman Louis Jordan 19.He's A Real Gone Guy Nellie Lutcher 20.Snatch And Grab It Julia Lee 21.Chicken Shack Boogie Amos Milburn 22.Route 66 King Cole Trio 23.Please Remember Me Walter Davis 24.Get the Mop Henry “Red” Allen 25.Ooh-Pa-Pa-Dah Babs Gonzales

CD 2. Guitar Boogies - Sax Screamers - Gospel Roads
1.That's Alright Arthur Crudup 2.Baby Please Don't Go Big Joe Williams 3.Midnight In The Barrel House Johnny Otis 4.Louie's Guitar Boogie Jay McShann 5.Guitar Boogie Arthur Smith 6.Move It On Over Hank Williams 7.Let Me Play With Your Poodle Lightnin' Hopkins 8.Shake That Boogie Sonny Boy Williamson 9.I Can't Be Satisfied Muddy Waters 10.Boogie Chillen John Lee Hooker 11.You Got To Run Me Down Jazz Gillum 12.Call It Stormy Monday T-Bone Walker 13.Blues After Hours Pee Wee Crayton 14.The Twister Paul Williams 15.Deacon's Hop Big Jay McNeely 16.The Hucklebuck Roy Milton 17.Landslide James Von Streeter 18.Pettin' And Pokin' Louis Jordan 19.After While Big Three Trio 20.Milky White Way Trumpeteers 21.Rough And Rocky Road Stars Of Harmony 22.Friends, Let Me Tell You About Jesus Dixiaires 23.St Louis Blues Jubalaires 24.Write Me a Letter The Ravens 25.It's Too Soon To Know The Orioles

CD 3. Have You Heard The News – There’s Good Rockin’ Tonight
1.Good Rockin' Tonight Wynonie Harris 2.Rock And Roll Wild Bill Moore 3.Butcher Pete Roy Brown 4.Saturday Night Fish Fry Louis Jordan 5.Rock Around The Clock Hal Singer 6.Rock A While Goree Carter 7.I'm Gonna Rock Ralph Willis 8.Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee Stick McGhee 9.Cool Down Mama Lost John Hunter 10.Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston 11.How Many More Years Howlin' Wolf 12.Booted Rosco Gordon 13.Well Oh Well Tiny Bradshaw 14.Good Morning Judge Wynonie Harris 15.My Baby Left Me Arthur Crudup 16.Eyesight To The Blind The Larks 17.Dust My Broom Elmore James 18.Two Little Girls Jimmy Witherspoon 19.Lets Rock Awhile Amos Milburn 20.Rockin' Chair Mama Little Willie Littlefield 21.Pink Champagne Joe Liggins 22.Sixty Minute Man The Dominoes 23.Walk Right In Fluffy Hunter 24.It Ain't The Meat The Swallows 25.Big Ten Inch Bullmoose Jackson 26.Go Go Go Treniers

CD 4. Soul Train Mambo - Destination New Orleans
1.Stone Cold Dead In The Market Ella Fitzgerald 2.Fat Meat 'n' Greens Edgar Hayes 3.Country Boy Dave Bartholomew 4.Mardi Gras In New Orleans Professor Longhair 5.Bon Ton Roula Clarence Garlow 6.The Fat Man Fats Domino 7.Stack-A-Lee Archibald 8.Lawdy Miss Clawdy Lloyd Price 9.Goin' Home Fats Domino 10.Mambo Boogie Johnny Otis 11.Don’t You Want A Man Like Me B.B.King 12.Chica Boo Lloyd Glenn 13.Don't You Know I Love You? The Clovers 14.5-10-15 Hours Ruth Brown 15.Hey Little Girl Billy Wright 16.Mistrustin' Blues Little Esther 17.Please Send Me Someone To Love Percy Mayfield 18.Everyday I Have The Blues Lowell Fulson 19.T-99 Blues Jimmy Nelson 20.Chains Of Love Big Joe Turner 21.Too Late Baby The Five Keys 22.Do Something For Me The Dominoes 23.Give Me One More Chance The Royales 24.Misery In My Heart Ray Charles 25.The Lord's Gospel Train Mary Deloatch

The History of Rhythm and Blues 1942-52 is just splendid, it's a labour of love and a work of supreme scholarship, put together by people who obviously care. From boogie men to boppers, hillbilly's to honkers it is beautifully programmed and has polished some dusty old gems into a relevant and modern work of art.
Compilations of the music of any genre from history are ten a penny these days, thrown together with little thought for anything bar profit. This is something else, something very special indeed. It realises that recorded music has a place in social history, its own mythology, a narrative and in its four discs and lovingly annotated 68 page book, it tells that story. So as well as the fabulous and joyful music, we get thoughts on the development of radio, the race laws of early 20th century America and the migration of workers, the jukebox phenomenon and even technical information about patterns in the 12 bar blues form.
The compilers of this set have created a desirable object every bit as a precious as a memory, as valuable as a necklace, they are heroes of the gramophone, the record player, the cd machine. Just buy it, you won't go far wrong.
Ian Clayton

Among a plethora of such comps…frankly, it’s probably the best of its kind. Whether you want to learn more about the genre or have been listening for years, this collection leaves others eating its dust.
Laith Al-Kaisy Record Collector

There’s so little on this box set that I wouldn’t be overjoyed to play you… an absolutely essential purchase
Mark Lamarr BBC Radio Two

Fellow addicts will already have many of the tracks, but purchasing them again to have them put in the context of blues development should be a joy rather than a hardship.… As a whole package, it is irresistible and should be an essential on the shopping list of all self respecting r’n’b junkies
David Innes R2

CD 1. Country Blues, Spirituals, Jug Bands & Hokum
1.My Soul Is A Witness Austin Coleman 2.It's Nobody's Fault But Mine Blind Willie Johnson 3.The Crucifixion Of Christ Jessie May Hill 4.Shake That Thing Papa Charlie Jackson 5.Outside Woman Blues Blind Joe Reynolds 6.It's A Good Thing Frank Stokes 7.Minglewood Blues Gus Cannon 8.Match Box Blues Blind Lemon Jefferson 9.Diddie Wah Diddie Blind Blake 10.Milk Cow Blues Sleepy John Estes 11.Ease It To Me Blues Barbecue Bob 12.No No Blues Curley Weaver 13.Apaloosa Blues Leecan & Cooksey 14.Little Rock Blues Pearl Dickson 15.Kansas City Blues Jim Jackson 16.Train Whistle Blues Jimmie Rodgers 17.Goin’ Back To Texas Memphis Minnie 18.Roll And Tumble Blues Hambone Willie Newbern 19.If You Haven't Any Hay Skip James 20.Kokomo Blues Scrapper Blackwell 21.It's Tight Like That Georgia Tom 22.Didn't It Rain Bryant's Jubilee Quartet 23.Beale Street Breakdown Jed Davenport 24.Milk Cow Blues Kokomo Arnold

CD 2. Piano Boogie-Woogie, Ragtime & Jazz
1.Get Low-Down Blues Bennie Moten 2.Mr Johnson's Blues Lonnie Johnson 3.Backwater Blues Bessie Smith 4.Knockin' A Jug Louis Armstrong 5.Bullfrog Blues Muggsy Spanier 6.Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie Pinetop Smith 7.Cow Cow Blues Cow Cow Davenport 8.Guitar Boogie Blind Roosevelt Graves 9.How Long, How Long Blues Leroy Carr 10.The Dirty Dozen Speckled Red 11.Vicksburg Blues Little Brother Montgomery 12.Sweet Miss Stella Blues Rufus and Ben Quillian 13.Minnie The Moocher Cab Calloway 14.St. Louis Blues The Mills Brothers 15.Somebody Stole Gabriel's Horn Three Keys 16.Midnight Hour Blues Leroy Carr 17.Lafayette Bennie Moten 18.Flaming Reeds And Screaming Brass Jimmie Lunceford 19.Strut That Thing Cripple Clarence Lofton 20.Dirty Mother For You Roosevelt Sykes 21.Weed Smoker's Dream Harlem Hamfats 22.Press My Button Lil Johnson 23.Night Time Is The Right Time Roosevelt Sykes 24.The Blues Ain't Nothing But Georgia White

CD 3. Urban Blues & Gospel
1.Teasin’ Brown Blues Louie Lasky 2.Barrelhouse Woman Leroy Carr 3.Lead Pencil Blues Johnnie Temple 4.Policy Dream Blues Bumble Bee Slim 5.Naptown Stomp Bill Gaither 6.Sloppy Drunk Again Walter Davis 7.Jockey Blues Jazz Gillum 8.Holy Mountain Elder Otis Jones 9.Standing By The Bedside Of A Neighbour Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet 10.Louise Louise Blues Johnnie Temple 11.Barrelhouse When It Rains Big Bill Broonzy 12.Good Morning Little Schoolgirl Sonny Boy Williamson 13.Preachin' Blues Robert Johnson 14.Number Runner's Blues Jimmie Gordon 15.Tell Me Baby Sonny Boy Williamson 16.Rockin' Chair Blues Big Bill Broonzy 17.Diggin’ My Potatoes Washboard Sam 18.This Train Sister Rosetta Tharpe 19.Don’t You Lie To Me Tampa Red 20.Jivin' The Blues Sonny Boy Williamson 21.I Feel So Good Big Bill Broonzy 22.Worried Life Blues Big Maceo 23.Junker Blues Champion Jack Dupree 24.Ain't No Business We Can Do Dr Clayton 25.Mean Ol' Frisco Arthur Crudup

CD 4. After Hours, Swing, Boogie & Jive
1.Boogie Woogie Stomp Albert Ammons 2.Boogie-Woogie Count Basie 3.One O’Clock Jump Count Basie 4.Sing Sing Sing Benny Goodman 5.Keep A-Knockin' Louis Jordan 6.T'Aint What You Do Jimmie Lunceford 7.Jumpin' Jive Cab Calloway 8.I Like To Riff King Cole Trio 9.That's The Rhythm Three Sharps And A Flat 10.I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water The Cats & The Fiddle 11.After Hours Erskine Hawkins 12.Floyd’s Guitar Blues Andy Kirk 13.Gangster's Blues Peetie Wheatstraw 14.Roll'em Pete Big Joe Turner 15.Down The Road A Piece Will Bradley 16.Central Avenue Breakdown Lionel Hampton 17.Death Ray Boogie Pete Johnson 18.Natchez Mississippi Blues Lewis Bronzeville Five 19.Confessin' The Blues Jay McShann 20.What's The Use Of Getting Sober Louis Jordan 21.Take It And Git Andy Kirk 22.Cow Cow Boogie Ella Mae Morse 23.Flying Home Lionel Hampton 24. Mean Old World T-Bone Walker

A cross-label 4CD set, which not only tells the story better than anything before, but offers insights into song origins and provides fascinating musical connections across decades….this 97-song set offers a wealth of insights into the cross-pollination of blues, jazz, country, gospel, pop and rock.
Johnny Black, Mojo

One of the finest box-sets of recent years…finely chosen set of tracks… the reissue of the year by a country mile…Anyone who’s heard Volume One will be counting down the days (to the release of Volume Two)… the three sets will become the standard work on the genre
Jeremy Searle, RocknReel

The most important and fascinating collection of rhythm and blues music compiled in recent years…. comprehensive and musically-savvy sleeve notes
Bluesmans Blog

Its difficult to imagine any set doing a better job of tracing the roots of R&B –
Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

As an introduction to early blues and more this compilation takes some beating - and to anyone doing research or a historian - I would imagine pretty essential.
Grahame Rhodes

This album is a distillation of a four-CD set; as such, it's an exceptionally strong collection, each of the 25 tracks a discovery, a joy. The liner notes are worth the price in themselves: Well-written and entertaining, they detail not only the history of each artist, but the context of each song. This is no dusty exercise in musicology. This is creative, vibrant music. Even today, it quickens the pulse.
M.D. Spenser