Like VOL. 1, BLUES JAM IN CHICAGO VOL. 2 documents collaborations between some of Chess Records' most prominent bluesmen and the late-1960s version of Fleetwood Mac (the blues-rock power outfit, as opposed to the commercially successful soft-rock incarnation from the '70s). Given that the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac was already deeply rooted in Chicago blues, the project proved to be a natural for the group, with Green's blues-drenched leads and the chops of Mick Fleetwood (drums), John McVie (bass), Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer (guitars) providing a perfect framework for contributions by Willie Dixon, Otis Spann, and David "Honeyboy" Edwards, among others.
Green and company bring an edge to the proceedings, playing with the kind of muscle and unbridled energy associated with rock music. Interestingly, VOL. 2 has greater variety in the lineup than VOL. 1, with Dixon substituting on bass for McVie on a number of tracks, along with much swapping of vocal duties. This last fact gives the second installment the edge over the first, with Edwards singing on his own tunes ("Honey Boy Blues" is a highlight), and the inimitable Spann singing "Someday Soon Baby" and "Hungry Country Girl." This is one of the finer snapshots of British blues-rock meeting its source.
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