Here is wishing all of our loyal readers a Happy New Year. I would also to welcome those of you who are visiting the JUNCTION for the first time. I hope all of you enjoy a peaceful and fulfilling 2016.

One of the many things in life that make 2016 so promising is the continued efforts of that small, yet dedicated, worldwide contingent of zealous musicians who speak the universal language of the blues. Their continued dedication to their art is always something from which we can all take inspiration.

For those of us who are students of history, we can look to the past to see where we are headed. Here in our micro world of blues music we can tell that the very recent past, 2015 for example, has given us hope that 2016 will offer up another great year of wonderful music. If history teaches us anything it is that it is bound to repeat itself and yet it is also full of surprises.

With that as a subtext, I am proud to welcome you to our annual “Best of...” edition of BLUES JUNCTION. It is here in January where we celebrate the Best of 2015. I would like to point out that one of the most popular essays in previous January issues of our ezine is my commentary on the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Award nominees. This year I give this organization kudos for their nominees. Now that’s a surprise. You can read about that in the piece, Congratulations to the Blues Music Foundation.

Our “Best of...” issue kicks off with The Best of 2015. That is followed by The Top 50 Albums of 2015. We also have a feature which I happen to enjoy and I hope you find entertaining as well. That is our annual piece entitled, Dave’s Top Ten List of Top Ten Lists. This is where ten very serious record collectors, archivists, unapologetic fans and, most importantly, LISTENERS, share with our readers their top ten albums of 2015. To a fault, these ten individuals don’t let their long standing involvement in the blues biz get in the way of their love of this music. This is reflected in their contributions to BLUES JUNCTION. Thanks guys!

One of these gentlemen happens to be the one and only Charlie Lange of Bluebeat Music. He has provided us with a New Year’s celebration of old noise via his Re-issue Rodeo with some brand new releases from 2015. We conclude that piece by presenting some re-issues which celebrate the legacies of three beloved artists who left us in this past year; they are the recently departed sax man Joe Houston as well as Allan Tousaint and, of course, the undisputed King of the Blues, Mr. B.B. King, who has a brand new album of some recordings from the 50’s that have until now never been heard. The album, courtesy of Ace Records, is a blues archeologists’ dream come true.

To complete our “Best of...” issue I would like to express my gratitude to our loyal readers and their much appreciated kind words of support of what we are doing around here. You are the best blues music fans in the world. When I started this project a few years ago I was gambling that there were a whole bunch of like minded people lying in the weeds who weren’t buying off on the overly commercialized blues-light that was being foisted upon the market. There is, in fact, a world full of wonderful music and discerning blues fans willing to give it a listen. I am so glad we found each other here at the JUNCTION. Be well and be in touch.

- David Mac

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