Although his name may not be as instantly recognizable stateside as
Eric Clapton,
the Rolling Stones, or
Led Zeppelin,
Alexis Korner played an enormously large role in helping launch the British blues explosion of the '60s. After all, such soon-to-be household names as
Mick Jagger,
Keith Richards,
Ginger Baker, and
Robert Plant either recorded with
Korner, or credit the singer/guitarist as an early inspiration to follow their blues calling. The double-disc. 40-plus-track
Kornerstoned: The Anthology 1954-1983 chronicles
Korner's entire recording career, from Alexis Korner Skiffle Group in the early '50s, to fronting various bands later in the '50s and throughout the '60s (as
Alex Korner's Blues Incorporated,
Alex Korner's Blues All Stars, etc.), all of which are included here. Individual standouts include the recently unearthed "Steal Away," which features a 20-year-old
Robert Plant (evidence that he had his whole "shrieking sex god" thing down -- even pre-
Zeppelin), as well as a laid-back yet funky cover of
Curtis Mayfield's "Mighty-Mighty Spade & Whitey" (credited to New Church), which features
Free's then-lead singer
Paul Rodgers on vocals. Also included is a mostly instrumental cover of
Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" (which long served as the theme music for the popular British TV show Top of the Pops), as well as another laid-back funk-rock cover, "The Gambler."
Kornerstoned: The Anthology 1954-1983 is a fitting testament to one of rock's most oft-overlooked yet important figures. ~ Greg Prato