John Lee Hooker

A history and tribute to British Jim Marshall's amplifiers, which since then became the standard of rock'n'roll amplifiers ever since.

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On October 29th and 30th, 2009, rock 'n' roll royalty held court at Madison Square Garden for what have been called 'the best concerts ever,' and 'where rock 'n' roll history was made.' The concerts featured a who's who of rock 'n' roll from the '50s to the '90s and included artists performing together in unprecedented combinations that will most likely never be witnessed again. 'The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary Concerts' included sets by Crosby, Stills & Nash; Stevie Wonder; Paul Simon; Simon & Garfunkel; Aretha Franklin; Metallica; U2; Jeff Beck and Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band. Joining this iconic line up on stage were special guests including: Jerry Lee Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, Annie Lennox, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Mick Jagger, Fergie and others. A 4-hour special of the concerts aired on HBO to high ratings, and was seen by tens of millions. Now this historic event is available on DVD.

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Collection of performances by British and American blues artists on BBC programmes such as The Beat Room, A Whole Scene Going, The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Late Show. Includes the seminal slide guitar of Son House, the British R&B of The Kinks, the unmistakable electric sound of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker, as well as less-familiar material from the likes of Delaney and Bonnie, Freddie King and Long John Baldry.

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Documentary looking at how Detroit became home to a musical revolution that captured the sound of a nation in upheaval. In the early 60s, Motown transcended Detroit's inner city to take black music to a white audience, whilst in the late 60s suburban kids like the MC5 and the Stooges descended into the black inner city to create revolutionary rock expressing the rage of young white America.

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Compilation of live performances by various blues artists.

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The blues legend John Lee Hooker was the last great King of the Mississippi Delta Blues, and his unmistakeable musical style made him known the world over. He spent more than half a century in the music business, received numerous awards and influenced various generations and world-renowned artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Pete Townshend with his music. This film shows an interesting American television interview in which he reviews his musical life, speaking, for example, of his album "The Healer". It is interspersed with excerpts from performances and music videos such as "Dimples", "I'm in the Mood" with Bonnie Raitt and "Chill Out" with Carlos Santana.

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Come And See About Me illustrates the career of John Lee Hooker through complete archival performances of his most popular songs, many featuring special guests.

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The Blues (2003) is a seven-part documentary series produced by Martin Scorsese that explores the history and influence of blues music. Each episode, directed by a different filmmaker, traces a unique aspect of the genre’s evolution—from its African roots to its global impact. Originally airing on PBS, the series includes Scorsese’s Feel Like Going Home, Wim Wenders’ The Soul of a Man, Richard Pearce’s The Road to Memphis, Charles Burnett’s Warming by the Devil’s Fire, Marc Levin’s Godfathers and Sons, Mike Figgis’ Red, White and Blues, and Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues.

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Martin Scorsese traces the roots of the blues from the Mississippi Delta back to West Africa, journeying from the juke joints of Mississippi to the banks of the Niger River in Mali. Featuring performances by Corey Harris, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, and Ali Farka Touré, along with rare archival footage of blues legends like Son House and Muddy Waters, the film offers a lyrical portrait of the music’s deep African origins.

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Taken from the European tours organised for American blues musicians between 1962 and 1969, this release features performances by several popular blues artists, including: T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, etc. ( Concerts originally released as a TV special )

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This hour long collection of clips presents John Lee Hooker in a variety of settings, playing both with a band and as a solo artist. The 1964 full-band clips from the BBC are the best, particularly a percolating "Boom Boom." Also good are a couple of songs (again with a full band) from the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival; a few tunes filmed in Seattle in 1970 just have Hooker alone with his guitar (as do a couple of performances from 1960). Particularly after having seen so much concert footage in which blues musicians really ham it up onstage, the viewer is really impressed with how little Hooker needs to move to get his presence across. He's able to hold listeners spellbound while remaining stationary with his guitar, aware that his intensity, growling vocals, and pure musicianship are enough to do the job.

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A teenage runaway who never went to school, John Lee Hooker had trouble spelling his name, even into his eighties. But, despite these humble beginnings, John Lee Hooker is today considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

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Wired For Sound documents the role of the Gibson guitar throughout the evolution of rock music.

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Blues as a genre shaped the sound of jazz in the early 20th century and directly led to the creation of rock 'n' roll in the '50s. The scales, chords, and progressions of blues as a musical form can be found in styles from jazz to rock to contemporary R&B.

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John Lee Hooker is one of the few legendary bluesmen to crack the MTV barrier. He has recorded and performed with a host of contemporary pop stars. John Lee's music hasn't changed but the accompanying musicians have. This 60 minute video presents John Lee performing with many of his friends from 1984 to 1992. Ry Cooder duets on three tracks. Robert Cray burns up the fretboard on Mr. Lucky, John Hammond plays slide behind Father Was a Jockey and Bonnie Raitt cajoles and teases on "I'm In The Mood".

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One Irish Rover, a documentary focusing on the words and music of Van Morrison, was broadcast in 1991 on BBC 2 Arena TV special and on A&E cable television program. It is a series of live songs with commentary by Morrison about music and poetry, it has some truly amazing performances. It includes the footage of Morrison and Dylan in Greece, Georgie Fame at Ronnie Scott’s, John Lee Hooker, The Chieftains and Danish Radio Big Band.

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Van Morrison: The Concert is the second video released by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, first released in 1990. Recorded in New York at the Beacon Theater on 30th November 1989, the concert featured two special guests and long-time friends Mose Allison and John Lee Hooker, each of whom performed some of their own songs. This concert mainly consisted of Morrison's work from his last two albums, including four songs from both Avalon Sunset and Irish Heartbeat, and features jazz singer Georgie Fame on Hammond organ. Some reviewers have stated that Van Morrison was not in best shape during the concert, with his voice probably strained by a cold.

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Having not hit the road for most of the 80s, The Steel Wheels Tour was an astounding return for the Rolling Stones, not least as it was the longest tour they had by that point undertaken. It was also to be their last with Bill Wyman. Steel Wheels Live was recorded towards the end of the band’s 60-date run through the stadiums of North America, in the second half of 1989. The stage and lighting design of The Steel Wheels Tour set the pace for superstar tours as we know them today. Special guest appearances from Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker on this Atlantic City date make this an even more extraordinary document of the band’s return to touring.

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The 1983 show kicks off with a simmering version of Hooker’s mid-60s single “Serves Me Right To Suffer.” The Coast To Coast Blues Band puts down John Lee’s signature style of hypnotic rhythm behind him and Hooker works his minimalist magic on the assembled fans. The Hook has always defined what cool is all about and that presence is in full force here from the moment he hits the stage. He’s vibrant and captivating and the Montreux crowd clearly can’t get enough.

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Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.

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The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

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A hugely groundbreaking and influential live recording, that set the tone for generations of Blues artist afterwards. Performed during a tumultuous time at the Newport Jazz Festival, where just the day prior police used teargas and water hoses to control a drunken, riotous crowd, this extraordinary, historic set includes old blues standards as well as new Waters compositions. Despite the somewhat dangerous and unruly atmosphere at the festival, Waters and his electric blues band delivered an exquisite, confident performance. Featuring an all-star band with the likes of the legendary James Cotton, Otis Spann and John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters at Newport 1960 would go on to become one of the most revered albums in modern day Chicago blues history.

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