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Reelin'
In The Years Discovers Rare Blues Archive! | "Things
would have been a whole lot different in Britain without the American Folk Blues
Festivals; they proved to be a rich legacy for musicians throughout Europe.”
--
Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones) “What
a treat! This is an amazing collection from a legendary time. I never thought
I’d be able to see these artists together ever again!”
-- Ray
Manzarek (Doors) A
major discovery has been unveiled during this Year Of The Blues--nearly three
hours of previously unseen performances filmed in the early ‘60s during the
famed American Folk Blues Festival tours of Europe. Reelin’ In The Years
Productions, in partnership with Experience Hendrix and Hip-O Records, is proud
to announce the August 26th release of The American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1966,
Volumes One and Two on DVD and a compilation of 16 audio highlights on CD compiled
from the two volumes. The A.F.B.F. was an annual event that featured the cream
of American blues musicians barnstorming their way across western Europe every
fall from 1962 through 1966. |
The
two DVDs feature 36 previously unseen live in-studio performances
by such blues legends as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf,
Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon playing
alongside other blues greats such as T-Bone Walker, Lightnin’
Hopkins, Memphis Slim, Big Mama Thornton and many others.
Recorded
live in a small TV studio in Germany, these historic and
unseen performances have been lost for nearly 40 years.
Filmed with superb camera work and pristine sound (remastered
by famed producer/engineer Eddie Kramer - The Beatles/The
Rolling Stones/Jimi Hendrix), each DVD contains 18 complete
performances from the greatest blues musicians of all time.
Captured during their heyday in an era of scant video documentation,
these DVDs are truly one of the most unique and precious
visual documents of the blues.
A
handful of festivals have had a profound impact on the history
of popular music - Woodstock, the Monterey Pop Festival
and the Newport Folk Festival are obvious examples. While
not as well-known, the American Folk Blues Festival belongs
side-by-side with such august company. Young then-unknown
musicians such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Jimmy
Page were all in attendance, learning at the feet of their
idols. In addition, the tours directly helped launch the
career of 18-year-old Eric Clapton’s group, The Yardbirds.
The American Folk Blues Festivals featured a dazzling array
of talent - the most significant group of blues artists
ever assembled - and miraculously it was captured on tape.
The package also features extensive liner notes by Grammy
Award winning author Rob Bowman, written commentary by Bill
Wyman of The Rolling Stones and never before seen photographs
from the television tapings, these releases capture the
sights, sounds and feel of these definitive concerts.
Released
to coincide with the seven-part series on the blues that
is being produced by Martin Scorsese, these previously unissued
live performances on these releases will prove an ideal
companion to the Scorsese documentary The Blues: A Musical
Journey.
Highlights
include:
Harmonica
legend Sonny Boy Williamson sitting in with Muddy Waters
and Willie Dixon on the classic "Got My Mojo Working"
from the 1963 festival.
Three
extraordinary performances by the legendary Howlin’
Wolf backed by Willie Dixon on bass from 1964.
John
Lee Hooker’s haunting version of “Hobo Blues” from 1965. Texas
blues legend Lightnin’ Hopkins’ searing version of “Mojo Hand”
from 1964. Blues
innovator T-Bone Walker’s earliest known performance on film from the 1962
festival. Grand
finale harmonica jam from 1965 featuring John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton and
three other blues greats trading solos on “Down Home Shakedown.”
Forward
by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones.
Extensive liner notes by Grammy Award-winning
author Rob Bowman.
Never-before-seen photographs from the television tapings.
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