South Side Lady

Old School Go ahead and call it a comeback. Despite her advancing years and frail health following a 2003 hospitalization, Old School shows that the Queen of Chicago Blues has no intentions of abdicating her throne just yet. Koko Taylor isn't terribly prolific--this is only her third album ...	Deluxe Edition Koko Taylor's something of a deluxe edition herself. With a Cadillac of a voice that rumbles the earth and rattles the glassware, she reigns as the undisputed empress of the blues. Deluxe Edition, a retrospective of her 15 years with Alligator Records, may not include such classi...	Jump for Joy	The Earthshaker Koko Taylor's second Alligator album from 1978 features eight blues standards and one self-composed number. As the title implies, the tempo is up. Subtle nuances give way to raw power. There's a remake of Taylor's only major R&B hit, "Wang Dang Doodle," amid like-minded flo...	Queen of the Blues
Force of Nature Force of Nature is aptly titled; over three decades into her career, Koko Taylor is unstoppable. The Queen of Chicago Blues is in fine form on this 1993 release from Alligator, from her own "63 Year Old Mama," "Put the Pot On," and "Spellbound" to such blues classics as "Hound Do...	From the Heart of a Woman	Royal Blue Koko Taylor is the undisputed queen of Chicago blues vocals, and this record is her first since 1993's Force of Nature. It's a characteristically well-informed tour of contemporary and electric blues, showcasing that gravelly, saucy growl that just gets more satisfying with age. ...	Live From Chicago : An Audience With The Queen	Blues to the Bone Californian Etta James decided against accepting filmmaker Martin Scorcese's personal invitation to sing at The Blues gala in New York in early 2003. The well-celebrated soul and blues queen makes amends here with what is one of the most blues-centered recordings in her expansive...

Good early-70s album with a handful of interesting live cuts
This Disques Black and Blue-album is the only one Koko Taylor recorded between leaving Chess and joining Bruce Iglauer's Alligator Records. It contains a couple of re-recordings of old Chess singles, like "I Got What It Takes", "I'm A Little Mixed Up", and "Twenty-Nine Ways", five live recordings, and a number of songs not previously associated with Koko Taylor. Taylor's own "What Kind Of Man Is This" makes it debut on this album, a grinding mid-tempo blues and one of her best original songs, and she does well by Lillian Offitt's "Wonder Why" and the classic boogie "Big Boss Man", usually associated with Jimmy Reed. This studio rendition of "Twenty-Nine Ways" doesn't quite match Taylor's Willie Dixon-produced Chess version, mostly because of a more "ordinary" and less charming arrangement, but the live version is very nice, and Taylor also interprets Preston Foster's "Got My Mojo Working" during the live portion of the disc, and performs a six-minute rendition of her R&B hit single "Wang Dang Doodle". The band is top-notch, featuring Little Walter's 50s backing group The Aces (brothers Louis and Dave Myers on guitar and bass, and drummer extraordinaire Fred Below), in addition to guitarist Jimmy Rogers and pianist Willie Mabon, whose presence is a bonus all the way through. This is not an absolutely necessary purchase...not as necessary as Taylor's classic Chess sides or the best of her Alligator sides, anyway. But there is a lot of good stuff here nevertheless, and fans will certainly want a listen. Just because some of this material is out there in even better versions doesn't mean that these 1973 recordings aren't head and shoulders above most other female blues singers' best efforts. And besides, this is the only place (other than the "various artists" box set "Chess Blues") to get the irresistable "What Kind Of Man Is This?". 3 3/4 stars. Definitely worth a listen.

A Blues Reviewer
This is a collectors item. This is when Koko wasn't with Chess or alligator records. she recorded this on Black and Blue. She really is a good team withJimmy Rogers Louis Myers Willie Mabon Dave Myers and Fred below.I would say if you want to jump and shout then pop this in your cd player. she isn't playing in this record and even does a live version of Wang Dang Doodle and a few other hits. all of her live music on this album was recorded in amstelveen,netherlands.

i'm a little mixed up...
great time blues, and one f the best voices for it you'll find. hear her growl, and feel your knees give way to the beast of the blues...