by Roch Parisien
Scorchin' Blues marries tracks from Johnny Winter's early Columbia albums -- including the classic National steel-driven &Dallas& from his 1969 debut -- with material from his return-to-roots Blue Sky period in the late '70s. The aggressive playing and raunchy vocals will appeal to both blues and rock fans, and Ben Sandmel crams an authoritative biography into seven pages, complete with interesting Winter quotes. The one downside: a miserly ten tracks spread over only 45 minutes of playing time.