Michael Bloomfield

By the time the majority of these 12 tracks from various solo projects were recorded, Michael Bloomfield was already well-established as America's first official guitar slinger of the baby boomer generation. The selections on Best of Michael Bloomfield come from the later stages of his career, and as such are a marvelous showcase for his wide-ranging versatility. They run the gamut from Mississippi John Hurt-style fingerpicking ("Frankie and Johnny"), Scrapper Blackwell-acoustic style flat-picking, and Lonnie Johnson-like slide playing (with "Mr. Johnson and Mr. Dunn," "Effinona Rag," "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" featuring him on acoustic slide, piano, accordion, and tipple), and two duets with Little Brother Montgomery ("Pleading Blues" and "Michigan Water Blues") to the red-hot electric solo work he's best noted for. Other highlights include "Between the Hard Place and the Ground," and a stray track with the Woody Herman big band, "Hitch-Hike On the Possum Trot Line." ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide