Elmore James – Screamin’ Blues [1977; Soul Parade]

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Collecting nine songs from Elmore James’ catalog, including one from his very first single (B-side “Dust My Broom”), this compilation show-cases his Chicago-style blues, with amped guitar and sizable backing bands.  Horns, piano, dobro guitar, bass, drums, and more join in on the slow-cruising tunes, with the pulse of the lead guitar and sly soulfulness of James’ vocals providing the main driving energy.  The songs are kept brief, with just a third running over three minutes, but the moody character packed into each song helps them feel larger, and despite the collection as a whole just barely scraping past 25 minutes, it makes for a decent introduction to and overview of James’ music.