The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection: His Best

As a 20-track summary of a legendary career, The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection serves its purpose. Bo Diddley was one of rock n’ roll’s most influential originators, pioneering a rhythm (“Shave and a haircut, two bits”) and enforcing a sound of tough drums and tremolo-ed guitar in the mid 1950s that was raw and amazingly expressive within its deliberately limited range. While Diddley made a name for himself by inserting his name into many of his early tracks (“Bo Diddley,” “Diddley Daddy,” “Hey! Bo Diddley”), he also wrote a number of other tunes (“Who Do You Love,” “Before You Accuse Me”) that have become rock and bar band standards. His guitar playing is severely underrated and his skills as a vocalist should not be overlooked either. Fellow traveler and songwriter Willie Dixon gave Diddley the quick-witted “You Can’t Judge a Book By Its Cover.” His maracas player Jerome Greene contributes the great braggadocio anthem “Bring it to Jerome” and their repartee through “Say Man” shows just how loose and free these boys could swing it.