Personnel: Big Bill Broonzy (vocals, guitar); Louie Lasky (guitar); George Barnes (electric guitar); Charlie McCoy (mandolin); Odell Rand (clarinet, alto saxophone); Buster Bennett (alto saxophone); Punch Miller (trumpet); Jazz Gillum (horns); Horace Malcolm, Black Bob Hudson, Joshua Altheimer, Memphis Slim, Blind John Davis (piano); Fred Williams, Judge Riley (drums); Washboard Sam (washboard).

Liner Note Author: Les Fancourt.

Recording information: Chicago, IL (06/20/1935-03/06/1942); New York, NY (06/20/1935-03/06/1942).

Illustrator: Chris Myers.

It is hard enough to find a comprehensive collection of Big Bill Broonzy's music, much less a smaller one that covers most of the bases. This 22-track set, with 18 of his compositions, showcases many of his best-known tunes from an acoustic on-the-porch approach, and there are a few that saddle up to a more jazzy aesthetic. Among the top-drawer tunes, you get "Bull Cow Blues," "You Know I Got a Reason," and "You Better Cut That Out," plus his immortals "Key to the Highway," "I Feel So Good," "Too Many Drivers," and "All by Myself," among many others. If you can find a "best-of" or "complete" box that trumps this, get it, but you'd be well served with Indigo's offering, especially if you could only have one. I Feel So Good comes highly recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos