Hendrix to Howlin' Wolf, Ellington to ELO

Give a gift with heft: the box set

By David John Farinella
Special to CNN Interactive

MESSAGE BOARD What is the best CD you've gotten in 2000? What albums and boxed sets make the best gifts?

(CNN) -- The box set is the granddaddy of all collections, bigger and better than any greatest-hits releases. In one nifty package , which may be as much fun as the music inside, fans can find album cuts, obscure tracks, alternative mixes, live takes and, on occasion, some experimental things that never were meant for public consumption.

To be sure, the box set is not only the ultimate for fans; it's the ultimate gift idea.

This year's list of box-set releases is impressive. Included are The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Los Lobos, ELO, Genesis, Louis Armstrong, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Eagles and Rick Nelson. Also coming out are genre-based box sets, including "Ken Burns JAZZ - The Story Of America's Music," "Rhapsodies In Black," "Brain In A Box: The Science Fiction Collection" and "A Salute to the Chicago Blues Masters."

Perhaps the most hilarious box set ever, though, is the nine-CD "Richard Pryor: And It's Deep Too!" collection.

Here are some of the year's best:

(Experience Hendrix/MCA Records)

It is amazing that a musician who flashed onto the music consciousness for a mere four years and three studio albums has had such a lasting impact, yet Jimi Hendrix was such a talent. This four-CD box set (or a limited edition of eight vinyl albums) collects a bevy of unreleased live tracks, alternate studio cuts and even a handful of unreleased studio tracks. "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" shows that Hendrix was much more than an innovative guitarist; he was a spirited sonic innovator and live performer.

Lord knows, there are enough Hendrix Greatest Hits collections out there, but this set is the jumping-off place for fans seeking a behind-the-scenes peek at who Hendrix was in his most-raw state. Perhaps that point is most obvious during the second disc as the track listing shifts from the stunning ballad "Sweet Angel" to a live version of "Fire," taken from "The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At Clark University." The former, with Hendrix on vocals, guitar and bass and accompanied by an early drum machine, shows his careful songwriting talents and lyrical acuity. The latter puts him on display at his most animated. In just a two-song swing the entire Hendrix experience is portrayed.

'El Cancionero Mas y Mas'
(Rhino/Warner Records)

Few bands still making music have the ability to shift between cultures as easily as Los Lobos -- well, perhaps none but Los Lobos. Thanks to this four-disc compilation of their most noted work, that point is clearly obvious. Now in its 27th year, Los Lobos is composed of the musical characters David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Louie Perez and Steve Berlin.

This box set collects each of the band's moods, ranging from Tex-Mex to plain old folk music. It also contains some solo efforts from Rosas and side projects by Latin Playboys, Los Super Seven and Houndog (basically, David Hidalgo solo). Sprinkled throughout the collection are a handful of live takes; the most incendiary and exciting is the band's cover of "What's Going On" with Sheryl Crow and its cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" from the PBS special "In The Spotlight: A Beatles Songbook."

• Audio: 'Tomorrow Never Knows' WAV sound

(Sony Legacy)

What's most remarkable about "Ken Burns JAZZ - The Story Of America's Music," the five-disc box set companion piece to the upcoming 10-episode PBS series, is how jazz has changed over the years. From the ragtime early days to big-band swing jazz to the more experimental fusion times, jazz artists -- if there was ever a genre that demanded the artist moniker it's this one -- have looked for new avenues of expression. Not only are the styles at times widely divergent, but so are the choices of instruments. Bright horns gave way to piano foot-stompers that blended into melodious saxophone offerings.

No way one could pick a list of highlights from such an all-star-studded collection. Names include the more obvious of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, plus feature less-known artists such as Lieut. Jim Europe's 369th Infantry ("Hell's Fighters") Band. Of course, the purpose of the box set, and the Ken Burns documentary, is to show the genre's evolution. It succeeds without falling into clichÈ, which is refreshing.

'SRV'
(Epic/Legacy)

After listening to "SRV," a three-disc (and one DVD) offering from the catalog of legendary guitar player Stevie Ray Vaughan and the dynamic rhythm duo Double Trouble, it's striking to hear the player's passion and energy. No matter where he was playing, with whom or even the song, Vaughan brandished a distinct style reserved for legends. Indeed, the set's first song comes from one of Vaughan's first frontman performances with a local Austin, Texas band called Paul Ray & The Cobras. In it, his playing is as steady and emotive as if he were a seasoned veteran.

Over the course of the next two discs, representing 11 years of music, Vaughan's playing continues to flower. Without any noticeable spike in creativity -- that would demand a valley, and Vaughn has never faltered -- the guitar slinger's blues-drenched style shines on each song. What's equally as impressive is the chemistry between Vaughan, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton -- still called Double Trouble. There are a number of live tracks included here, including a concert he played at the Alpine Valley festival in Wisconsin just two days before his August 1990 death, where this jewel continues to shine.

'Richard Pryor: And It's Deep Too!'
(Rhino Records/Warner Archives)

There will never be another Richard Pryor. As hard as comedians try and as close as they may come, there will always be something special about the funnyman. Each of the nine discs found in "Richard Pryor: And It's Deep Too!" highlight a step in Pryor's career and, in the process, his life. Able to make a joke about everything and anything, Pryor's keen eye often turned inward. At times, he was nearly painfully autobiographical, though Pryor never failed to elicit an authentic laugh from his audience.

This set includes each of the comedy albums he released on Warner Bros. Records, from 1968's "Richard Pryor" to the renowned 1982 disc, "Richard Pryor Live On The Sunset Strip." It also includes a handful of odds and ends that have never been released. For all his bluster, there are times on each album when Pryor hits an emotional taproot. It's during these moments that Pryor -- whether he's discussing his own drug problems or racial issues -- steps back from being a comedian and becomes a messenger. He proves that, while it's good to laugh, it's also good to learn.

• Audio: Richard Pryor on 'Smells' ... WAV sound

'Bowie At The BEEB'
(Virgin Records)

As Davy Jones morphed into David Bowie -- and then into any number of alternative personalities -- he grew into an evocative songwriter who bent the rules as often as he broke them. Indeed, since Jones became Bowie in 1966, he has redefined the art of modern music; "Bowie At The BEEB" is the most stunning validation of that statement. The three-disc collection chronicles his appearances on the BBC network from 1968 through 1972. There's also a disc of material from a June 27, 2000, appearance at the BBC Radio Theatre.

The catalog of Bowie personalities is referenced here, and it includes the majestic orchestral "Silly Boy Blue" (never heard before this release), the Ziggy Stardust-era "Starman," and even the overly produced "Fame." What's most obvious and stunning in this set is Bowie's growth as a writer, performer and singer. Where other performers with 30-plus years in music have started to lose steam, Bowie sounds as if he is finding new passion and depth in old and new songs alike. "Let Me Sleep Beside You," which was performed for the first time in public on the David Lee Travis Show in 1969 is a keeper from disc No. 1, as is the more relaxed version of "Let's Dance" from the third disc. What the set provides best is an intimate look at the evolution of the enigma we now know as Bowie.

'The Man Who Invented Soul'
(RCA Records)

Like a comet, Sam Cooke flashed across the musical heavens brilliantly and all too quickly. Thanks to the 99 Cooke songs found on "The Man Who Invented Soul," his legend only grows stronger. Before Cooke (born Sam Cook) first hit the charts in 1957 with "You Send Me," he was a major force in the gospel circles. It's unfortunate that none of his early material is found in this collection. However, there are plenty of moments in this four-disc set that show the brilliance of the smooth crooner who set hearts afire just as easily as he set toes to tapping with a unique blend of gospel, soul, R&B and blues.

All of Cooke's staples are included, including his Top 40 hits "Wonderful World," "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha" and "Only Sixteen" -- to name but a few from the first disc. More than anything, though, "The Man Who Invented Soul" demonstrates Cooke's talents and innate musical ability for penning crossover hit songs. And, thanks to the live set found on the second half of the fourth disc, Cooke's dynamic live presence is chronicled.

(Telarc)

The three-disc "A Salute to the Chicago Blues Masters" is an interesting package because, while it features songs of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon, none of the original performances is included. Instead a number of blues session player legends, including the bands that backed Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, perform the songs with striking accuracy and depth. "You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Dead & Gone)," the Muddy Waters tribute, was originally released in 1996 and features a handful of classic Waters numbers. Special guest stars on the Waters disc include Greg Allman, Buddy Guy and Levon Helm.

"A Tribute to Howlin' Wolf" highlights the musician's storied career with such choice cuts as "Saddle My Pony" and "Back Door Man." The album features former members of his band -- Sam Lay, Eddie Shaw and Hubert Sumlin - plus Taj Mahal, Lucinda Williams and James Cotton. Players Tab Benoit, Deborah Coleman, Ronnie Earl and Sonny Landreth contribute their talents to the "The Songs of Willie Dixon." Dixon's "Spoonful," "When the Lights Go Out" and "I Ain't Superstitious" punch through the collection and shine.

'Genesis Archive #2 1976-1992'
(Atlantic Records)

These were to be the dark days for Genesis. Peter Gabriel, the theatrical frontman of the band, had gone; the group's drummer was taking over lead singer responsibilities; and the band was entering uncharted waters. Little did the group know its greatest success was just around the corner. "Genesis Archive #2 1976-1992" is a three-disc conglomeration of rare studio recordings, previously unreleased live tracks and four 12" remixes, not a documentation of the group's hit songs. While the band has always been known for impressive album cuts, there are a couple of numbers here that deserved broader release. "Inside And Out" is one, and "Paperlate" -- a song that was released by the band on a three-song EP -- is another. The 12 remixes are interesting snapshots of what was contemporary at the time, but don't really offer anything new to the Genesis lexicon.

The live tracks, songs that have never appeared on any other live release, are where the band's musical proficiency and complexity come to the fore. Tony Banks, the band's keyboard wizard, shines throughout with haunting synthesizer parts and entrancing ambiences. "Ripples" and "Entangled," two live cuts from disc No. 2, show Genesis at its jam-band best. And the fusion-influenced "No Reply At All" on the third disc proves that the band had the rare ability to move between genres mercurially while not becoming categorized by any.

'The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Records'
(Colombia/Legacy)

Louis Armstrong, one of the favorite sons of jazz, continues to exert his influence on the genre. "The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Records" brings together what enthusiasts call the launch pad for jazz as we know it today. Each of the four discs here are filled with innovative musical moments that are as impressive today as they were when they were recorded in 1925. This set concerns itself with Armstrong's recording sessions spanning November 1925 to December 1928, before he became a big-band and orchestra leader in 1929.

This is clearly the gift for any jazz aficionado, or for any music fan looking for a greater understanding of jazz. Staples like "Heebie Jeebies," "You Made Me Love You" and "Savoy Blues" stand along side such Armstrong classics as "Potato Head Blues" and "Weather Bird." Also included here is the only known alternate take of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" in existence.

• Audio: 'Stardust' WAV sound

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