Boogie chillen (John Lee Hooker) (LP 2769 - 2771)

John Lee Hooker  The Best of Hooker N Heat (CD, Dark Horse Records, 1971 compilation 1996) ****  

John Lee Hooker  The Healer (CD, Chameleon Records, 1989) ***  

John Lee Hooker  The best of Friends (CD, Virgin Records, 1998) ****  

Genre: Blues 

Places I remember: Hope's collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Boogie Chillen #2

Gear costume: I'm in the Mood

Active compensatory factors: Hooker N Heat was originally a double album recorded in 1970. This single CD cherry picks 10 of the best tracks.

It marks the last time Canned Heat's Al (Blind Owl) Wilson appeared on record as he died of a drug overdose later that year. Such a shame because he is awesome throughout on harmonica and guitar.

The album retains a lot of studio chatter, making it an authentic record of the recording (supposedly all recorded on one day!)

The Healer won a lot of awards but it sounds too polite to me after the raw authenticity of Hooker N Heat. The two bright moments are the incredible I'm in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt in sizzling form (lawdy mama!!) and the track with George Thorogood - Sally Mae.

The third album here is another compilation - with a succession of guests joining John Lee Hooker. The guests include Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, Bill Payne, Booker T., Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite, Robert Cray, and Carlos Santana. I'm in the Mood with Raitt is again a standout, but there are plenty of others as well to raise this one up to a 4-star rating.

Where do they all belong? A good clutch of John Lee Hooker albums for the blues genre.