2010 two CD collection. Big Joe Turner was one of the great Blues shouters of the post-war era, and was one of those artists that bridged the gap from R&B to Rock 'n' Roll. This 54-track set focuses on his formative years a decade and more (the collection includes his early recordings from the late '30s) spent working with a variety of line-ups, the consistency and ebullience of his performance and his ability to work with Jazz and Blues performers alike attracting some of the best accompanists and soloists of his time. The booklet provides comprehensive detail of recording dates, titles and musicians on each session. It is presented chronologically to see the progression of his work, although from start to finish, Big Joe just does what he did best: deliver the songs with humor, defiance and joy.