T-Bone Blues

It's hard to think of a single occasion that wouldn't be improved by a few licks from electric blues master T-Bone Walker, and these mid-'50s recordings find him at the top of his game. His Gibson ES-250 is stingingly sharp as he combines with Junior Wells and Jimmy Rogers on the sexy slow blues "Why Not" and slyly salacious "Papa Ain't Salty." His collaboration with jazz guitarist Barney Kessel on the swinging "Two Bones and a Pick" is nothing short of an explosive, tag-team blowout.