This 26-track overview brings together the early and impossibly rare tracks James recorded for imprints like Chance, Colt, USA and others, from his earliest efforts in 1952 into the mid-1960s before signing with Prestige and producing the Blues on the South Side album for them. The first 15 tracks are culled from his 1952 and 1953 sessions for Chance Records (including an alternate take of his first single, Lonesome Old Train”), and some great harp work from Big Walter Horton on the instrumental ”Williamson Shuffle.” Along with the surviving Chance material are stray singles for USA (an uptown version of ”Crossroads” featuring a droning sax section), Colt (”Set a Date”), UK Decca (”Got to Move”), Spivey (”Can’t Hold Out”) and a pair of sides shared with Sunnyland Slim… [via Twilightzone]”