John Hammond: Best of the Vanguard Years

John Hammond’s Best of the Vanguard Years (Vanguard 79555-2; 75:32) is culled mainly from 1964’s Big City Blues, 1965’s Country Blues and So Many Roads and 1979’s Hot Tracks. It includes stark, riveting solo performances of Robert Johnson’s “Statesborough Blues,” Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Goin’ Back to Florida” and other blues standards like “Drop Down Mama,” “Keys to the Highway,” “Big Boss Man” and “Who Do You Love?”

Originally Published June 1, 2000