This 52-disc (no, that is not a typo) comp, ABC of the Blues: The Ultimate Collection from the Delta to the Big Cities, may just indeed live up to its name. There are 98 artists represented , performing 1,040 tracks. The music begins at the beginning (though the set is not sequenced chronologically) with Charlie Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson, and moves all the way through the vintage Chicago years of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, with stops along the way in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, New York, and all points in between. Certainly, some of these artists are considered more rhythm & blues than purely blues artists: the inclusion of music by Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Bo Diddley, and others makes that clear. That said, along with all the well-known acts are some startling - and wonderfully considered - selections by Magic Sam, Barbeque Bob, Professor Longhair, Jimmy Witherspoon, and many others. This is an exhaustive set that most aficionados will enjoy, even if they find choices to quibble with. Add to this its super budget price tag: it lists for $99.98 and sells for as little as $75.00 in various places on the internet. This is a steal, as well as a blues freak's dream come true.

Track List CD37 - Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush:

01. Jimmy Reed - Baby What You Want Me To Do [02:27]
02. Jimmy Reed - Found Love [02:20]
03. Jimmy Reed - Big Boss Man [02:51]
04. Jimmy Reed - Hush hush [02:39]
05. Jimmy Reed - I'm Nervous [02:40]
06. Jimmy Reed - Going By The River Pt. 1 [02:06]
07. Jimmy Reed - I Ain't Got You [02:20]
08. Jimmy Reed - Come Love [02:32]
09. Jimmy Reed - Meet Me [02:53]
10. Jimmy Reed - I Was So Wrong [03:15]
11. Otis Rush - Checking On My Baby [02:58]
12. Otis Rush - Love That Woman [03:02]
13. Otis Rush - My Baby Is A Good'un [02:41]
14. Otis Rush - All Your Love [02:39]
15. Otis Rush - If You Were Mine [03:07]
16. Otis Rush - Violent Love [02:33]
17. Otis Rush - My Love Will Never Die [03:09]
18. Otis Rush - Three Times A Fool [02:52]
19. Otis Rush - Keep On Loving Me Baby [02:22]
20. Otis Rush - It Takes Time [02:51]

Track List CD38 - Jimmy Rushing, Tampa Red:

01. Jimmy Rushing - Good Morning Blues [05:20]
02. Jimmy Rushing - See See Rider [05:14]
03. Jimmy Rushing - Take Me Back, Baby [02:40]
04. Jimmy Rushing - Sent For You Yesterday [03:40]
05. Jimmy Rushing - Roll'em Pete [04:34]
06. Jimmy Rushing - My Friend Mr. Blues [05:04]
07. Jimmy Rushing - Every Day [05:41]
08. Jimmy Rushing - Sometimes I Think I Do [06:35]
09. Jimmy Rushing - Take Me With You, Baby [05:03]
10. Jimmy Rushing - Evenin' [05:32]
11. Tampa Red - You Missed A Good Man [03:32]
12. Tampa Red - She Want To Sell My Monkey [03:16]
13. Tampa Red - She's Love Crazy [02:58]
14. Tampa Red - Hard Road Blues [02:56]
15. Tampa Red - Let Me Play With Your Poodle [02:35]
16. Tampa Red - Crying Won't Help You [03:10]
17. Tampa Red - Sweet Little Angel [02:55]
18. Tampa Red - But I Forgive You [02:50]
19. Tampa Red - So Much Trouble [02:56]
20. Tampa Red - Big Stars Falling Blues [03:08]

Track List CD39 - Bessie Smith:

01. Bessie Smith - Down Hearted Blues [03:27]
02. Bessie Smith - Gulf Coast Blues [03:06]
03. Bessie Smith - Oh Daddy Blues [03:06]
04. Bessie Smith - Baby Won T You Please Come Home [02:57]
05. Bessie Smith - Aggravation Papa [03:18]
06. Bessie Smith - Beale Street Mama [03:36]
07. Bessie Smith - Keeps On Raining [03:08]
08. Bessie Smith - Taint Nobodys Bizness [03:28]
09. Bessie Smith - Mama S Got The Blues [02:58]
10. Bessie Smith - Outside Of That [03:29]
11. Bessie Smith - Lady Luck Blues [03:09]
12. Bessie Smith - Yodling Blues [03:13]
13. Bessie Smith - Bleeding Hearted Blues [03:07]
14. Bessie Smith - Midnight Blues [03:19]
15. Bessie Smith - If You Don T Know Who Will [03:37]
16. Bessie Smith - Nobody In Town Can Brake [03:33]
17. Bessie Smith - Jail House Blues [03:15]
18. Bessie Smith - Sam Jones Blues [02:49]
19. Bessie Smith - Cemetery Blues [03:31]
20. Bessie Smith - Graveyard Dream Blues [02:45]

Track List CD40 - Huey 'Piano' Smith, Frankie Lee Sims:

01. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu [02:19]
02. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Little Chickee Wah Wah [02:07]
03. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Hush Your Mouth [02:41]
04. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Don't You Know Yockomo [02:28]
05. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Havin' A Good Time [02:32]
06. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Beatnik Blues [02:23]
07. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Well I'll Be John Brown [02:30]
08. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Everybody's Wailin' [02:40]
09. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Mean Mean Man [02:38]
10. Huey 'Piano' Smith - Little Liza Jane [02:13]
11. Frankie Lee Sims - Lucy Mae Blues [02:28]
12. Frankie Lee Sims - Long Gone [02:53]
13. Frankie Lee Sims - Jelly Roll Baker [02:37]
14. Frankie Lee Sims - I Done Talked And I Done Talked [02:47]
15. Frankie Lee Sims - Cryin' Won't Help You [02:43]
16. Frankie Lee Sims - Don't Take It Out On Me [02:50]
17. Frankie Lee Sims - Raggedy And Dirty [02:38]
18. Frankie Lee Sims - Frankie's Blues [02:42]
19. Frankie Lee Sims - Married Woman [03:04]
20. Frankie Lee Sims - Lucy Mae Blues Pt. 2 [02:59]