DUETS, The Blind Boys of Alabama— The Blind Boys of Alabama need no help in shaking a listener’s soul to its foundation. Still, every so often they’ve been asked to or have invited others to participate in one-off duet events. Finally, some of those—tracing a 15-year-history—are anthologized on Duets.

YOU GOT TO MOVE, David Maxwell & Louisiana Red— David Maxwell and Louisiana Red, two masters of the blues craft, got together in a studio one fine day in 2007—“nothing planned, no song list (a few ideas), no ‘producer,’ according to the album liner notes—and went where their collective muse led them. In the end they emerged with a fine, unfiltered musical dialogue with a carefree, spontaneous spirit and appealing warmth emanating from seasoned pros that speak the same language.

BETWEEN A ROCK AND THE BLUES, Joe Louis Walker— On a unique journey through the blues that has taken him through gospel, Memphis soul, Latin music (2002’s Pasa Tiempo, a meshing of blues, soul and R&B with a Latin foundation), funk and rock ‘n’ roll, Joe Louis Walker, with another able assist from producer Duke Robillard, gets back to the basics on Between A Rock And the Blues, his 20th album.