"And This Is Maxwell
Street" is an historical gem.
--Mark A. Cole
Big City Blues, December 2000January 2001
Allow me to cut to the chase
here and say that "And This Is Maxwell Street" is a
phenomenal collection of live blues that reflects a perfect moment
in time, much like James Brown's "Live at The Apollo"
did for soul music.
--William S. Repsher,
New York Press
I'll make no bones about it
and begin by saying "And This Is Maxwell Street" is,
without a doubt, the most important release I can remember in
28 years of buying books, records, CD's, and anything else related
to the blues. Shortly before he passed away earlier this year,
Cub Koda stated that these recordings "should require a
major re-write of blues history..." and Cub knew great music
when he heard it.
There are few times as fans of the blues that we can truly
say we were around when something of utmost importance came out
in the form of records or CD's. The last time anything of this
magnitude was released was when Delmark first issued the 'live'
Magic Sam material; the Alex Club recordings from Chicago in
1963/64, and his stunning set at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival
in 1969.
--Craig Ruskey
Delta Snake
We can now celebrate the availability
of this priceless glimpse of the past.
--Jim DeKoester
Living Blues, No. 154
The words "landmark"
and "legendary" are too easily thrown about, but if
any recording merits such words it's certainly this one. The
lengthy, detailed liner notes make for fascinating reading and
provide the icing on the cake for what is certainly one of the
most important blues documents to come out in some time.
--Jeff Harris
Baddog Blues
"I just finished listening
to the two "And This Is Maxwell Street" CDs. The package
and music are beautiful. I loved every second of it. I really
like the street sounds in between the tunes, too."
--Charlie Musselwhite
"It's as if you're actually
there in the streets of Chicago 35 years ago."
--Kiyoshi Nagata
Blues writer, Japan
"Nice work. I like the
recordings! There really capture the Maxwell Street scene. The
liner notes look good too. What you've done is historically significant,
and I know the blues folks will appreciate it."
--Rich DelGrosso
Associate Editor
Blues Review Magazine
"The recently discovered
"And This Is Maxwell Street" tapes should require a
major rewrite of blues history. Blues release of the year?--Hell,
of the decade."
--Cub Koda
Musician, writer
"A treasure. Brings
us the music alive and as it was then."
--Mie Seno
Blues writer, Japan
"That sounds real
good to me!"
--Pinetop Perkins
(On hearing the "And This Is Maxwell Street" music
for the first time)
"Thanks for the liner notes.
They look great. It's just the kind of treatment Mike [Shea]
would really have appreciated. He was a stickler for the details...."
--Gordon Quinn
Filmmaker. Mr. Quinn was the sound recordist on "And This
Is Free"
"Though 'And This Is Free'
was the first movie Mike Shea ever made, it remains a milestone
in the art of the documentary....He would be deeply gratified
to know that the haunting and lyrical urban music from his seminal
documentary is available to a new audience."
--Mike Gray
Writer of the screenplay for The China Syndrome and a
writer and producer for the Star Trek: The Next Generation
series--a long-time friend of Mike Shea
"Man, they was workin' even
back then!"
--Frank Frost (sadly, the late Frank Frost)
(On hearing the "And This Is Maxwell Street" music
for the first time)
"Great news about the Shea
Maxwell Street tapes...A great find"
--Jim O'Neal
"It's nuts-and-bolts, warts-and-all
music a whole world away from the antiseptic dross that much
modern blues has become."
--Neil Slaven
(Blues and Rhythm No. 42)
"Unparalled for its freshness
and its depth of content."
--Hitoshi Koide
Musician, writer
