Steeped in the Blues Tradition is a notable budget compilation of pre- and postwar acoustic blues -- a much more varied sampler of Tradition's blues catalog than the three-CD set Best of Blues Tradition, Vol. 1. While there might seem to be a lot of overly familiar blues fare here ("See See Rider," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," "Baby Please Don't Go"), when it's played by the likes of Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Big Bill Broonzy, it's as good as original. Compilation producer Anton Glovsky makes sure to include a handful of celebrated blues revival moments, such as performances by Hopkins, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Big Joe Williams at the Ash Grove in the early '60s, as well as the jaw-dropping 1960 studio session that united this fantastic foursome on "Blues for Gamblers" (aka "Three Aces on the Bottom of the Deal"). Meanwhile, the prewar material pays homage to Leadbelly, Josh White, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Overall, the only letdown -- and a minor one at that -- is that Lightnin' Hopkins' introduction to "Big Car Blues" was brutally edited down for no apparent reason. (For the full story of how his black Cadillac got stolen, check out the version on Blues Hoot.)