Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Memphis Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson – The Reissued 1963 Blues Festival

Okay, my big challenge with this one is: Where am I gonna file it? I don’t sort things on my shelves by “various artists.” I think when I slipped it in the M’s, my thought was that I’d file it under Memphis Slim – which may be the only answer, though I don’t have any other Memphis Slim albums.

I found this at my local record store, Forever Changes, last July (2024), and, having never seen it before, had no idea what it was but also didn’t hesitate to pick it up. The back cover copy indicates that these recordings were taken from a European tour of the American Folk Blues Festival in 1963, for which Memphis Slim was emcee and performer. This features various combinations of Memphis Slim, Matt Murphy and Sonny Boy Williamson II, along with the incredible Willie Dixon on bass and Billy Stepney on drums.

Beyond what’s on the liner notes, I don’t know anything about this concert series, but these are some fine tracks. The recordings are not stunning by modern standards, but they’re fine. Happy to have added this to my collection, and even happier once I finally decide where I’m filing it.