AMG Review of Great Bluesmen in Britain

Steve Leggett
All Music Guide

This is an odd and charming collection of private recordings by Big Bill Broonzy, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, probably done at small parties in hotel rooms, or in the case of Josh White, at a radio station. Entirely acoustic, the sets by Broonzy and Terry and McGhee have a kind of muted, casual feel that is impossible to resist. The radio set by White, which includes a short interview, feels more like a performance, but still features a hushed intimacy. While the material here probably shouldn't be considered a good introduction to any of these artists, its charm is undeniable, and no one will suffer for adding this to their collection.