Chess Records Announces Compilation Reissues
‘The Chess Records Christmas Album’ and ‘Let’s Play Chess: A Chess Records Anthology’ are part of the Chicago label’s 75th anniversary celebrations
Chess Records has announced a pair of new additions to their 75th anniversary release lineup. On November 14, the legendary Chicago label will publish the compilation releases The Chess Records Christmas Album and Let’s Play Chess: A Chess Records Anthology.
The Chess Records Christmas Album gathers holiday classics and rarities across gospel, soul, and the blues. The album’s highlights include Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” “Christmas,” and “Merry Christmas Baby,” The Moonglows’ “Hey Santa Claus,” the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s “Christmas Blues,” and Kenny Burrell’s “Silent Night.” The compilation includes new-to-digital rarities from The Soul Stirrers (“Christmas Means Love”), The Salem Travelers (“Merry Christmas to You”), Lenox Avenue (“Little Drummer Boy”), and The Meditation Singers (“Blue Christmas.”) The LP is pressed on Blue Frost vinyl.
Let’s Play Chess: A Chess Records Anthology is a double LP collection curated by drummer, scholar, and Grammy-winning producer Steve Jordan. The set offers 25 highlights from the label’s history and showcases the influence of Chess Records in popular music today. The tracklist includes Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, and more.
Chess Records was founded in 1950 by Polish immigrant brothers Leonard and Phil Chess. In the 1950s and ’60s, the Chicago-based label was known for the development of blues, rhythm and blues, and early rock and roll music. The brothers built a roster that included Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.
As part of its 75th birthday celebrations, Chess will reissue The Best of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf’s Moanin’ in the Moonlight in October. First released in 1958, The Best of Muddy Waters features 12 of his best tracks, including “Rollin’ Stone,” “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man,” “I’m Ready,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” and more. Also released in 1958, Moanin’ in the Moonlight was Wolf’s first long-playing album and collects a dozen singles recorded over the preceding decade, including favorites like “Smokestack Lightnin’,” “Evil” and “How Many More Years.”
