John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981) < Trusted >

A disciple of Elmore James, Littlejohn was one of the few who could make a slide guitar scream with aggression while maintaining a haunting, melodic soul. His technique was precise, but his delivery was pure grit.

The Raw Magic of 1981: When John Littlejohn Met Carey Bell In the world of Chicago blues, there are "studio polish" records, and then there are records that sound like they were cut in a basement filled with cigarette smoke and overpriced bourbon. The 1981 collaboration between slide guitar master and harmonica wizard Carey Bell (often released as Blues Show! Live at the Pit Inn ) is firmly the latter. John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981)

They stuck to the fundamentals: Standout Vibes A disciple of Elmore James, Littlejohn was one

If you haven't spun this lately, go find it. Your speakers will thank you (even if your neighbors don't). The 1981 collaboration between slide guitar master and

The chemistry here is conversational. On tracks like "Dream" or their blistering takes on Elmore James classics, they don't step on each other's toes. Instead, they push each other. Littlejohn sets the house on fire with a sliding riff, and Bell arrives like the siren on a fire truck to wail over the top. The Verdict

A protege of Little Walter and Big Walter Horton, Bell brought a "chromatic" flair to the harp. He didn't just play notes; he bent the air around them. Why This 1981 Pairing Matters