Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights, Big City (1988)

One of the many "best of Jimmy Reed" albums released over the years, Bright Lights, Big City is a 16-song CD that the independent Chameleon put out in 1988 for its Vee-Jay Hall of Fame series. The liner notes are poor; exact recording dates and personnel are missing, and a brief summary only scratches the surface in describing Reed's accomplishments. But the sound quality isn't bad, and the material itself is nothing to complain about. Laidback hits like "Baby, What You Want Me to Do," "Big Boss Man," "Honest I Do" and "Shame, Shame, Shame" are included along with some enjoyable rarities, including the playful "Sugar, Sugar," the infectious "Don't Say Nothin'" and "Honey, Where You Goin'." These 16 songs certainly wouldn't be a bad introduction to Reed's legacy, but a bluesman of his magnitude deserves better than Chameleon's skimpy, inadequate liner notes.