Rockin' Wild in Chicago

I first bought Magic Sam's record in 1984. It was the "Live at Ann Arbor & In Chicago" album and I was 18 years old, only in my 5th year of playing guitar. I definitely hadn't seen him perform live so I can't make any comparison. But I never had any complains about the sound quality with that album and neither with this one. For crying out loud, we're talking about blues music in the '60 folks. To those who complain about the poor sound quality, I'd like to suggest listening to the Rolling Stones' first live album from 1966. And I'm not just saying it's because of the screaming. Even a band like the Stones becoming #1 at the charts competing with the Beatles in those days, couldn't have released a live record with better sound quality.Before purchasing this CD from amazon, I read all the reviews. But when I actually palyed the CD I had forgotten which tracks were the "terrible" ones. After listening to the first track I thought it was going to get worse. But it didn't at all.This is another very important sound source of a great legend who had to pass away before seeing today's technology. I'd rather appreciate it and savor every moment to actually try and capture how it must have been if I were there in front of him myself.I don't remember in which of the two live albums' reviews it was, but someone wrote that people should listen to the studio albums. But why ? Why miss out all the raw excitement of live performance ? All that power and energy that you can actually feel from Magic Sam's live records (CDs) is a true Blues experience outside the live joints downtown. Just close your eyes and feel it. I myself rarely listen to his studio stuff.Someone also wrote that the "Magic" was gone by this time and Sam is doing the same thing over and over again. What's wrong with that ? It was his style of the moment which we should appreciate to actually have this chance to experience.Maybe today's high technology is spoiling us in a way. But all the noise you hear from the CD, is also part of this recording. I at least, can feel the air. And you can too because it's not so hard. For those who complain but still have this CD, just get used to it. It's worth it.

I don't know how anybody can give five stars for this album. The sound quality for the first eight songs is really bad. Far worse than usual delmark live records from the 60s and 70s. The second half is about the same sound as comparable CDs by Jimmy Dawkins or Otis Rush, but still a little worse.This makes it impossible to enjoy the first half of the CD, while the second half is allright. If you're a completist, you'll go for this one, otherwise, I think there are better albums to enjoy Magic Sam's wild West Side Blues

This is Magic Sam, meaning that the playing is fantastic--ON FIRE! These are--or sound like--audience recordings. The ones from '68 are actually pretty crisp and clear; the earlier ones sound kind of muffled but I'm happy to have heard all of them.

The sound quality is not the best. If you crave more Magic Sam, then get this music. Whatever it is that some performers can deliver, Magic Sam has it and that comes across even better in a live performance.

Tear it up!

I hear Jim Hendrix, Freddie King, Steve Ray Vaughan and even some Beatles in this album. To call Magic Sam a virtuoso prodigy is an injustice. This album deserves a place in the top 5 blues albums of all time. Whoever was there recording this, thank you from the bottom of the west side of my soul.

I assume you already love West Side Soul and Black Magic, or you wouldn't be reading this far along in the reviews. Don't let the sound quality turn you off, this is classic, beautiful Sam at his best; some phenomenal talent and showmanship that you're obviously not going to get anywhere else. Here you can enjoy listening to what so many others learned from him (and what he learned from the great guitarists of his time). The live takes are priceless; the ladies are screaming to get up on stage and touch this magic man and his guitar. The recording at the Copa (tracks 1-8) sounds like an old mono deck set in the middle of a gym. Delmark did a service to the listener in putting better and better sounding recordings as you get deeper into this CD. I've got Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Richie Valens recordings that sound a lot worse and I still love them (not to mention Robert Johnson's for crying out loud). If you love 60's blues guitar, and if your a fan of anything played by Freddie King, Albert Collins, Robert Nighthawk, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Luther Allison et al, trust me, you're going to love adding this Magic Sam recording to your collection. In these performances, you also get a taste of sax players Eddie Shaw and A.C. Reed, and others performers "back in the day".

v g

un album live decevant du celebre guitariste de Chicago,il n'est pas au mieux de sa forme dans cet enregistrement effectue dans plusieurs clubs de la ville de plus l'enregistrement est déplorable,préférer de loin Live At The Avant Garde 1968 du meme artiste beaucoup plus jouissif