Delmark was the label that bridged the gap between the post-war Chicago blues style heard on Chess Records and the contemporary Chicago blues heard on Alligator Records. This album celebrates the label’s 55th anniversary with a 17-track CD/10-artist live DVD. While it’s impossible to place all the highlights from a 200-plus album catalog on a single disc, there’s some splendid music here. The opening track, “Little by Little,” was one of the calling cards of the prolific Junior Wells, and the version here was recorded live at the legendary blues club, Theresa’s, in 1975. “Live” seems to be the theme here as other live tracks are supplied by J. B. Hutto—”Evening Train,” with its piercing southside slide guitar—Magic Sam’s telling shuffle, “I Don’t Want No Woman,” and Otis Rush’s pleading “Please Love Me,” There are also a couple of examples of country blues here: Sleepy John Estes’ traditional “I Ain’t Gonna Sell It,” and Big Joe Williams’ tasty “Coffeehouse Blues.” There’s a local connection as the always entertaining Roosevelt Sykes contributes “Fine and Brown,” and Barkin’ Bill covers Guitar Slim’s “Suffering Mind.

The accompanying DVD features contemporary footage filmed in Chicago blues clubs. The names are less familiar, but there’s some good stuff here. Tail Dragger is especially animated, very much in the tradition of Howlin’ Wolf. Jimmy Burns is a new name, but he demonstrates splendid stage presence and there’s home footage of Carey and Lurrie Bell that’s pretty interesting. While one CD can’t possibly tell the complete story of a label as important as Delmark, (Malaco, for example, released a six-CD anniversary box set), this is a good introduction to many important artists and some great music to boot.