Sunnyland Slim, Walter Horton, Honeyboy Edwards, Floyd Jones, Kansas City Red – Old Friends

Old Friends...together for the first time...nearly fifty years after their paths first crossed, a legendary group of old blues friends from Memphis and the Mississippi Delta finally gathered in a Chicago studio to record together for the first time. Not until 1979, at a prestigious Carnegie Hall concert in New York, did all five play together on the same stage, and it was 1980 before the quintet recorded as a unit.

The music has the unforced feel of (Chicago's) blues of the late 30s and 40s without once sounding anachronistic. The five musicians (playing as a quintet) share the vocal duties, providing striking contrasts...All the material is original in the true sense, not just old blues with reshuffled lyrics and new titles, and the quintet interprets it with real conviction. Horton is featured on seven of the seventeen numbers. - Manchester, England Evening News

Track Listing:
1. Apron Strings - 3:04   2. Gamblin' Man - 2:49   3. 43rd Street Jump - 2:55   4. The War Is Over - 3:18   5. When I Came In - 2:52   6. Banty Rooster - 3:44   7. Mr. Freddy Blues - 3:36   8. Over the Sea Blues - 4:13   9. I'm a Prisoner - 5:18   10. Freedom Train - 4:55   11. Lightin' Struck the Roor House - 4:37   12. Linda Lu - 5:58   13. Lula Mae - 4:49   14. That's All Right I'll Be Around - 3:53   15. Heartache - 4:40   16. Sometimes I Worry - 4:14   17. I'm Going Back Home - 3:44 

Personnel: 
David "Honeyboy" Edwards (guitar) , Sunnyland Slim (piano) , Big Walter Horton (harmonica) , Floyd Jones (bass) , Kansas City Red, (drums)

Reviews:

1. AllMusic - Tim Sheridan
While this meeting of blues greats should be an important document, the sad fact is that the group sounds unrehearsed and past their prime. While some tunes, such as "43rd Street Jump" and "Freedom Train" have some real drive and feeling, much of the material is sloppy at best. The one thing that stands out on the album is the vocals, with each of these giants taking lead on several tracks. The variety of styles in their blues singing is a treat.