Blues After Hours

There are much better annotated Pee Wee Crayton anthologies out there, but the dark horse import Blues After Hours offers an extremely well-rounded collection of material, compiling sides from Crayton's memorable stints at both the Modern and Imperial labels (a feat that has yet to be accomplished by any domestic single-CD reissue of Crayton's work). This is a great starting point for blues guitar fans -- especially Texas- and West Coast-style enthusiasts -- who may be unfamiliar with Crayton's often overlooked career. The seven instrumentals alone (including the classics "Blues After Hours," "Texas Hop," and "Poppa Stoppa") are worth the price of admission, and the vocal cuts are just as impressive, with a young Crayton showing off his keen ability to switch from "over the top blues shouter" mode to "dapper R&B crooner" mode at the drop of a downbeat. In addition to the tracks culled from the Modern and Imperial sessions (originally recorded between 1947 and 1955), Blues After Hours includes "The Telephone Is Ringing," a slow blues that Crayton cut for Vee-Jay in 1956. Ignore the skimpy liner notes and the cheap cover art; the songs assembled in this package are all first-rate, and they represent an essential chapter in postwar electric blues. ~ Ken Chang|