The Studio Albums 1969-1978 Vol. 1

This is my favorite era of the Chicago band, 1969 - 1978. After Terry Kath, the band just wasn't the same. The jazz vocals and guitar work of Terry Kath was what gave the band that progressive edge. Peter Cetera and Robert Lamm were great contributers to the band as well. Overall they had developed that signature sound with the classic horn section. The first three albums is filled with experimental improvisation. That is why they were double albums. They didn't have in mind a radio friendly, cookie cutter pop formula. After Chicago V, they were more and more concerned about what could make it on the charts. Their big hit "Saturday In The Park" off Chicago V was a high charting success in the summer of 1972. They would record their next few albums at the Caribou Ranch in Colorado. It ended up being one classic right after another. Chicago VI had "Feeling Stronger Every Day" and "Just You 'n' Me". "What's The World Comin' To" is a hot jamming track where they just pull out all the stops. Chicago VII was another double album set with the first 5 tracks being all instrumental with jazz improvisation. It had classic songs like, "Life Saver", "Happy Man", "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long", "Mongonucleosis", "Wishing You Were Here" (featuring Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys) and "Call On Me". Chicago VIII was the album with "Old Days", "Harry Truman" and "Brand New Love Affair Part I & II". "Hideaway" is a favorite track on the album. Chicago IX was a hit compilation album. It was excluded from this box because there would have been many tracks repeated. It contained a shorter version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" that not only cuts off the piano intro, but the vinyl versions even chop off the horn intro. "Beginnings" is almost complete, but fades out before the percussion tag. Chicago X had their most seccessful hit, "If You Leave Me Now". It also had "Another Rainy Day in New York City" and "You Were On My Mind". The song, "Skin Tight" and "Gently I'll Wake You" were sure to raise some eyebrows back then. The starting song, "Once or Twice" kicks things off into high gear and the closing song, "Hope for Love" winds things down with a slow introspective feel. My personal favorite is "Scrapbook", which is great song with a fantasic groove. Chicago XI is the last album to feature Terry Kath. It was a tragic fatal accident at a party that took his life. He is grealy missed. Some the bands best songs are on Chicago XI like, " Baby What a Big Surprise", "Take Me Back to Chicago", "Little One", "Takin' It On Uptown" and "Missisippi Delta Blues" which starts off the album. Chicago 12 "Hot Streets" was probably the hardest album for the band, but they pulled it off quite well with smash hits like, "Alive Again", "No Tell Lover" and "Gone, Long, Gone". "Little Miss Lovin' is a strong song as well. Overall you cannot go wrong. Even though you don't get the extra art work that came with the gatefold covers, inner sleeves and posters, You do get the music. Chicago IV: Live at Carnegie Hall is omitted and so is Chicago IX: Greatest Hits. It would have been nice if a book was included with liner notes and history of the band, but it probably would have brought the price up. The price is right for this set. Purchase it before it becomes a collector's item.

The Studio Albums, 1969-1978 is a magnificent set of the first ten studio albums/cd collection from Chicago. This music presented by Chicago from 1969 through to 1978 is remastered and sounds excellent. This appears to be the most musically productive, popular and solid time period for Chicago. The jazz rock band had all the original members, Terry Kath, lead vocals and guitar, Peter Cetera, vocals and bass, Robert Lamm, vocals and piano, James Pankow, trombonist, Lee Loughnane, trumpet, Walter Parazaider, saxaphone, and drummer Danny Seraphine. This provided the trademark blend of Kath with his slightly raspy rock/soul vocals, outstanding guitar work and Cetera with a slightly higher vocal range. Blended in with the outstanding horn section and percussion, Chicago developed the unique, horn driven, powerful and popular jazz rock fusion sound that made the band famous and well respected. The volume of hit songs and notable songs is significant and shows Chicago at the beginning of a upward climb of a very successful musical journey. The one aspect of Chicago during the first nine studio albums was the presence of Terry Kath, with raspy lead vocals and top level guitar work. Listening to the tracks you can hear and sense that Kath was the foundation where Chicago built their sound. When Kath unexpectedly passed away in 1978, the sound and direction took a different path. On the tenth cd, a Chicago without Kath had a slightly different sound and musical direction. Sadly, it really was never the same band. The box set comes in a well designed cover box that has small depictions of the ten original album covers. Each cd has it's own sleeve with the specific, original album cover depicted on the front side. There are no liner notes or inserts in this box set. This is a slight oversight and disappointment as it would have been a additional feature that Chicago fans would review and appreciate. For Chicago fans, this collection will provide an outstanding and nostalgic listening experience. The price point for this ten set cd collection is very reasonable.

I was mainly familiar with the first three albums and the radio singles. This is a treasure. The depth and breadth of their talent is mind blowing. Jazz, jazz fusion, musique concrete, experimental, pop ear candy, rock, jazz rock hybrid whatever you call it. The mastering is great, and the bonus tracks are really nice additions. You probably won't like every single song, but the majority of their output for this period was really tasty!

No booklets or anything. Just basic packaging on the CDs but they are the remastered versions with bonus tracks. I bought the first 5 Chicago albums in in real time as they came out and then they lost me though of course I was aware of the hits. An inexpensive way to revisit their catalogue.

I got this on sale for about $34. I am a Chicago fan so how can you go wrong for about $3.40 for each Chicago CD. Some of the songs I would not know it was Chicago. It sounded good just different. If you like Chicago and want to get some of their music I would recommend The Very Best of Chicago, Only the Beginning. It is a 2 disk set with a bunch of their greatest hits. If you get any of Chicago's greatest hits albums you will know the songs and they have that Chicago sound to them. If you are a Chicago fan this album is still a great deal for the money. The advantage of the greatest hits album, I can leave it on and enjoy it all the way through without wanting to skip any songs.

Ah, yes. Chicago. The name. The iconic logo. The reliable hit factory. The peerless collective of superior artists. The deserving recipient of awards and accolades for five decades on. Ok. I am a fan, but I had never made the deep dive into Chicago's massive songbook. Recently, I decided to correct my long-time error in judgment and purchase The Studio Albums (1969-1978) box set. Additionally, I committed the time to listen to every song on every album. It plays continuously every time I drive my car, and I have a long, daily commute, so I am able to take in multiple tracks on every trip. This has been an enlightening endeavor, to be sure. You and I already know of this band's storied history. You and I may also know Chicago to be lyrically, musically, and artistically Rock's symphony orchestra. What I did not know and what you may not know is the depth of their genius. Friends, it may well be bottomless. I did not love every track. You may not love song either. However, the great majority of what I heard was fascinating, compelling, pleasing. One learns that Chicago was and is highly motivated by creativity because there is a profound sense of invention and exploration that the listeners experience in their journey through the band's first decade. It is a road trip of joy. It is a tour through history. It is also a sojourn of personal discovery because one learns about oneself along the way. Chicago The Studio Albums (1969-1978) is more a mind-blowing encounter; it's mind-opening. Enjoy it. Absorb it. Buy it!

Perfect gift for my husband.

Rhino's stellar remastering makes the overall value of this ten album collection of the "Terry Kath era" of Chicago an absolute no-brainer. For those who write off Chicago as nothing more than Chardonnay, "mom rock" you might want to pop in the band's first five albums and discover why Hendrix himself thought Kath was a guitar virtuoso.