Blind Pig Records will be revisiting its Vinyl Master Series in January with a pair of the label's best early releases from Chicago blues guitarist Otis Rush and the vastly underrated blues harpist Big Walter Horton.
Blues great Willie Dixon called him "the best harmonica player I ever heard," and Walter Horton's influence can still be heard in the music of blues harpists today. As a young teen in Mississippi, Horton often performed alongside legends like Robert Johnson, Homesick James, and David "Honeyboy" Edwards. After arriving in Chicago in the late-1940s, Horton would play behind talents like Tampa Red, Muddy Waters, and Otis Rush.
Horton recorded two fine collections for Blind Pig, and on January 27th, 2009 the label will provide the blues harpist's 1978 album Fine Cuts the deluxe vinyl reissue treatment on high quality 180-gram virgin vinyl, remastered to achieve that perfect warm sound that only vinyl LPs can deliver.
Chicago blues legend Otis Rush is also often overlooked when fans begin discussing the masters of blues guitar. There can be no doubting of Rush's accomplishments, however. Since arriving in Chicago in 1948, Rush has made his presence and talent felt. The leading practitioner of what is called the "West Side" style of Chicago blues, Rush's recordings for the Cobra and Chief labels during the 1950s with Willie Dixon would result in several R&B chart hits.
Blind Pig will reissue Otis Rush's Tops on deluxe vinyl, also on January 27th. A scorching live album that captures a September 1985 performance by the blues guitar great at the San Francisco Blues Festival, the seven-song LP features a full band cutting up such Rush classics as "Right Place, Wrong Time," "Crosscut Saw," and "Keep On Lovin' Me Baby" as well as the original title track.
Both of these classic Blind Pig albums would make worthy additions to your blues vinyl library!
LP cover photos courtesy Blind Pig Records
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