Magic Sam's Blues Band
Black Magic
And
West Side Soul

Review by Ian White
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LP Number: Black Magic DS-620, West Side Soul DS-615

  Magic Sam Maghett may have hailed from Mississippi, but the West Side of Chicago was his home, and if not for a tragic heart attack which took his life at the age of 32, he might have reached the level of stardom that he so rightly deserved. His style which incorporated a more modern type of blues, almost a cross between soul and traditional blues, electrified audiences all across America, and made him a living legend in Chicago.

Maghett made his first blues bar appearance in 1955 when he was eighteen years old, and it was not until 1968, that his first full-length LP West Side Soul was released. West Side Soul was the only blues record from 1968 to earn a five-star review from Downbeat and its luster has yet to tarnish. Maghett's guitar playing is electrifying on "I Don't Want No Woman," and his covers of "Sweet Home Chicago," and "Mama Talk to Your Daughter." Both albums possess a level of intensity and richness that were to become Maghett's signature and which made them both instant classics and an indelible part of blues history. While it is easy to find both CD and vinyl copies of both recordings, there is a great deal more to hear on the records and the CDs lack the rich tone that makes them worth owning in the first place. Consider owning both a no-brainer.

Black Magic
Record Quality: 75
Musical Enjoyment 95

West Side Soul
Record Quality 75
Musical Enjoyment 100