Dave Kelly is one of the most underrated, albeit rather prominent, figures in British blues. Having arrived on the scene in the ’60s alongside his sister Jo Ann, the guitarist became a fast fixture there and cut a string of top-notch albums – with a group of his own and such collectives as TRAMP and THE BLUES BAND. Even less celebrated are Dave’s later recordings, laid down with stellar line-ups but lacking the attention they deserve. Which is why there’s a lot of logic in the forthcoming box set “40 Years On: A Recollection” whose three discs, spanning 1979-2015, will feature 55 remastered numbers, including 23 that never saw the light of day.
Among the album cuts, live recordings and rarities are a lot of genuine gems that must prompt many a genre aficionado to investigate Kelly’s multifaceted oeuvre.
CD 1 – All My Own Work:
1. Straight Line (To My Heart)
2. Dawn Surprise
3. Ungrateful
4. Don’tcha Hang Up The Phone
5. Velocity And Love
6. Life After Love
7. Duisburg Blues
8. Worried Man
9. Time After Time
10. Waiting For Bessie *
11. Give Me My Money
12. Come Kiss Me Love *
13. Mr Estes Said *
14. When The Blues Come To Call *
15. Going Home *
16. If It Fits
17. Watching The Fire
18. Love Is A Compromise
19. Glad I’m Living
CD 2 – Between The Covers:
1. Return To Sender
2. Foreign Station
3. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down *
4. That’s Why
5. Tongue Tied
6. Jim Canaan 2
7. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
8. I’m Into Something Good
9. Rooster Blues
10. 11.0. In The Shade
11. Pancho And Lefty
12. Two More Bottles Of Wine *
13. Oklahoma
14. Anyhow, I Love You *
15. Ee Do Do Qua Qua
16. You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome
17. World In Motion
18. Red Red Wine
19. Crying In The Rain
20. City Of New Orleans
21. She’s Funny That Way
CD 3 – Alive And Kicking:
1. Rolling Log *
2. That Same Thing *
3. I Can’t Be Satisfied/Chicago Calling *
4. Hoochie Coochie Man *
5. Lovey Dovey *
6. Too Bad To Be True *
7. My Old Friend The Blues *
8. Foolish Pride *
9. You Shook Me *
10. Barnyard Boogie *
11. Walking Blues *
12. Dust My Blues *
13. Lights Out *
14. Blind Man *
15. Grits Ain’t Groceries *
* – previously unreleased