The Beautiful Stuff highlights 15 artists who recorded definitive tracks of blues recorded in Chicago from 1941 through to 1961 and who were almost all prevalent in the Chicago blues scene during its golden age.

It includes a seminal recording from Jimmy Rogers plus early down home blues classic recordings from Muddy Waters, Elmore James, J.B. Lenoir and Little Johnny Jones as well as later tracks of established pre-war artist Robert Lockwood Jr. Also included are rare blues sides by Blue Smitty and female pianist Mata Roy.

The concept idea for this vinyl album release follows on from the critical acclaim of Wienerworld’s three box sets of Chicago blues released over the past seven years, given even more credence by the award of the Best Historical Post-War Blues Compilation release of 2023 by Living Blues magazine for the third Chicago box series, the ‘Special Stuff’ and with high critical praise from RNR, MOJO, Blues & Rhythm, DownBeat, Record Collector and Shindig.

Aimed at existing blues fans and those music fans and vinyl collectors wanting to find out more about post war Chicago blues. The Beautiful Stuff is pressed on blue vinyl and is housed in a 1960’s style album sleeve with a stunning period photo. It includes an outstanding 4000 word, 4 page detailed insert with period pictures and graphics by renowned blues historian Chris Bentley detailing each performer’s origins and their impact on the wider music scene, as well as full sessionography and discography detailing the where, when and who of the recordings, expertly compiled by blues music authority and author Mike Rowe.

This vinyl album is dedicated to the memory of the much-loved and missed Peter Moody, who created the Down Home Blues series together with Wienerworld.

A wonderful opportunity to discover the very cream of Chicago Blues – The Beautiful Stuff.[info sheet from distr.]