It's a matter of opinion as to whether
Dixon's Aladdin output was his peak; many would give his Specialty sides (available on the Marshall Texas Is My Home compilation) the nod. Still, his late-'40s and early-'50s work for the label included some of his most popular and best tracks, such as "Wine, Wine, Wine," "Call Operator 210," "Tired, Broke and Busted," "Let's Dance," "Telephone Blues," and "Too Much Jelly Roll" (the last of which was one of
Leiber-Stoller's first recorded compositions). This two-CD, 48-track compilation is geared more toward the completist collector than the average fan, especially with the inclusion of five Sonny Parker sides (which
Dixon now says he didn't play on, despite some reports to the contrary) and about ten songs that feature
Mari Jones on vocals. The best stuff is jump blues at its best, though, with good guitar work by
Johnny and
Oscar Moore (the latter of who had played with Nat "King" Cole),
Dixon's fine piano playing, and witty, knowing vocals and lyrics. ~ Richie Unterberger