Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials: Lil' Ed Williams (vocals, guitar); Michael Garrett (guitar, background vocals); James "Pookie" Young (bass guitar, background vocals); Kelly Littleton (drums).

In the vein of Chicago electric blues titans like Hound Dog Taylor & the HouseRockers, Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials make raucous, blues-based party music fit to bring down the roof. FULL TILT (2008) finds Ed and Co. still going strong after 20-plus years. The leader's slide work and blistering leads are as hot as ever, and the rollicking rhythms of the Blues Imperials threaten to move hips and shake loose inhibitions. Guest appearances by horn and organ players round out this collection of boogies, slow-burn blues, and all-out rockers.

Dirty Linen (p.94) - "[A] gutsy, no-holds-barred set rooted in Chicago blues. Highly charged renditions of the Contours' 'First I Look at the Purse' and Hound Dog Taylor's 'Take Five' pay homage to early influences..."

Living Blues (p.47) - "Like Elmore James, Ed has the uncanny knack of delivering a ballad with the same intensity and relentless, high volume attack he brings to his uptempo material, yet nonetheless making it sound tender..."