This is the second of a projected four volumes in a mammoth body of work devoted to a truly unique rock n roll legend by noted Berry expert Morten Reff. When completed, the set will form the ultimate reference guide to all aspects of the rock n roll poets career and musical legacy. All four will be around 500 pages in length... and can be ordered from any decent bookshop or the company's website.

Volume One, reviewed by Chris Woodford in the June 2008 issue, contained discographies for over 40 countries with hundreds or rare label and sleeve illustrations. This second tome concentrates on bootlegs, transcription records, films, television appearances, video and DVD releases, Other areas covered in quite staggering detail are tour itineraries, hits, achievements and awards, Chuck's songs, roots and his influence on other artists, plus tributes. There are also chapters dedicated to Chuck Berry in print, fan clubs and websites, and annotated discographies of pianist Johnnie Johnson (post Berry) and ultimate Berry copyist Eddy Clearwater.

The bootleg section examines some of the more interesting and desirable items and covers singles, albums, CDs and various artists compilations. 'Berry On The Radio' is equally fascinating, taking in Armed Forces 16" transcription discs, concept albums and CDs, and radio spots. Lack of space and time prohibit an in-depth analysis of this nature, but it should be stressed that each chapter is profusely illustrated and greatly enhanced be the author's informed comments.

Next up are the 'In The Movies' and 'On TV' segments which list his film appearances, soundtracks featuring Berry recordings, notable worldwide television appearances and even a few TV soundtracks. 'Notable Video & DVD Releases' includes bootlegs and, again, Reff's illuminating critiques make for fascinating reading.

Starting with Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens In July 1956 and ending with the Maryport Blues Festival last July, the 'Intemational Tours' segment, at over 50 pages song, is mind-blowing. Dates, venues, backing musicians, other artists on the bill, adverts and souvenir programmes make this section a feast. The 'Songs' chapter contains an alphabetical listing of all Chuck's known recordings, strange titles credited to him on the BMI database, and the author's own choices as best Chuck Berry songs. The new section details Chuck's international chart successes and other accolades – immense research is evident In this comprehensive survey with the charts in 'Billboard', 'Cash Box', 'NME' and 'Record Mirror' reflecting his success (singles and albums) in the US and Great Britain, plus listings from Australasia, Europe and Scandinavia.

Berry-derived group stage names, songs based on his lyrics, and album titles are all covered in the chapter 'Influence On Other Artists', as well as song lyrics mentioning the great man. Tributes from around eighty notables include those from James Burton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton ('Chuck Berry is the Shakespeare of our time,' said Ronnie Hawkins, Amen to that!). The tribute songs and albums are very diverse, but I spotted a few familiar names like Bob Burgos, Jerry Reed, Chris Spedding and George Thorogood in the crowd. Nice to see 'Now Dig This' feature prominently in the 'Chuck Berry In Print' section, a real gargantuan chapter crammed with biographies, books with Berry content, magazines and newspaper articles. Songbooks and guitar tutors also figure.

'Roots' lists a wide range of songs that inspired Chuck, embracing blues (Elmore James, T-Bone Walker), country (Hank Williams. Bob WilIs) and pop (Nat 'King' Cole). An A-Z list of songs covered by Chuck, which number over sixty and reflect his wide taste completes the chapter. After a list of fan clubs and websites, the book concludes with the Johnnie Johnson and Eddy Clearwater sections. The 140 pages devoted to the prolific duo include sessionographies, solo releases, various artists compilations, session wok, guest appearances and DVDs.

A monumental piece of work, this is a must have for the Berry completist. Volumes and 4 are on the way so watch this space.

Harry Dodds, Now Dig This (January 2009)

Reff's continued catalogue of Berry's vinyl, bootlegs, film and TV soundtrack appearances is punctuated with engaging anecdotes and honest reviewing. Mind-bogglingly comprehensive.

Joel Golby, Record Collector (February 2009)

This is the second volume of what Berry-collector-supreme Morten Reff promises will be 'the ultimate reference guide to all aspects of Chuck Berry's career and legacy'. The first volume (reviewed and described by me as 'monumental', in B&R 235) carried on where Fred Rothwell's analysis of Berry's recordings ('Long Distance Information', also from Music Mentor) left off, containing discographies of all the known, more-or-less official issues of all those recordings, in forty-odd countries.

This second tome now carries this on, providing similarly copious listings of all known bootleg issues, both from those studio sessions – often being the first airings of much alternate and unissued material – as well as those sourced from films, radio and TV shows, concert dates, etc, etc. Bootleggers, of course, arouse differing emotions, not to be debated here, though they have undoubtedly made available masses of first-rate stuff for the first time – occasionally the only time, as instanced here by the Japanese 'Tokyo Session' LP, still widely regarded as the best-ever live Berry album, yet still to get an official release. And of course the process continues apace in the new century, for instance by the bootlegged 'Piazza Blues Festival', made available as a free download from a website (it says Spain, here, though the site carried weather reports for Argentina when I visited it, so who knows?) with the CD artwork also suitably ripped-off from Rothwell's book cover, He then gives us lists of promo and transcription discs made by radio and record companies; some cosmically rare individual Berry discs; Chuck on the radio, TV and in the movies; official and bootleg video and DVD issues, and we are still only just past halfway! He omits (yes, I found something!) Chuck's bootleg home-porno video, possibly concluding not unreasonably, that this is a little outside his 'career and legacy'.

There follow fifty pages on fifty-two years of Chuck's international tours, then another hundred-and-fifty-odd on his songs, from various angles; his achievements and awards (including his hits in umpteen countries); songs and performers named after Berry or his songs – and those that had influenced him – and on Berry in print (lots new to me in this bit especially). It is all wrapped-up by two major chapters and full career analyses and 'sessionographies' of Berry's long-standing accompanist and collaborator Johnnie Johnson, and Eddy Clearwater, for whom Reff clearly has much respect and admiration as the best and most prolific of all Berry-copyists. As with the previous volume, it is illustrated throughout with masses of photos, labels and book. LP and CD covers etc, and the whole job is as jaw-dropping as the first, still keeping the interest going despite the presence of many pages of mere lists. Still to come later this year are the two remaining volumes, promising massive annotated lists of cover versions – listed both by song and artist – over 800 soundalikes, 'non-Berry songs with similar titles'(!) and 'even a brief chapter on Chuck Berry karaoke!'. Time will tell whether these start to stretch their indispensability outside Berry-completists, but in the meantime, anyone still dipping with fascinated gratitude into Volume 1 can quite safely put this one on their 'must have' lists.

Brian Smith, Blues & Rhythm (March 2009)

You might imagine that only a Chuck Berry completist would have interest in a book of this nature, but you'd be wrong. As a Chuck Berry fan myself, I enjoyed several sections of this book, which covers Bootlegs, Chuck Berry on the radio, Rarest Berrys, Chuck Berry in the Movies, Notable Video & DVD Releases, International Tours, Songs, Achievements & Awards, Influence on other Artists, Tributes, Chuck Berry in Print, Fan Clubs & Websites, Johnnie Johnson and Eddie Clearwater. Though I'm nowhere near a completist, I'm a fan and did learn about a couple of things I want to add to my collection from the book. I also in particular enjoyed the sections on Chuck's own influences, including derivations for a number of Chuck's "original" songs. Lyrically, Chuck is the King of Rock'n'Roll. Musically, he has borrowed a lot, and it's interesting to learn about who and where he borrowed from. I still want to hear Clarence "Bon Ton" Garlow's "Route 90," which is the musical source for "Sweet Little 16." It's also fair to credit Chuck as the most influential Rock guitar player ever, I think, and there are quotes from a great number of other guitarists who feel the same. Hold onto your hats friends, this is only Volume 2 of a projected 4-volume series! Two issues of Blue Suede News even got mention in the "in print" chapter. Check out Morten's monumental work!

Marc Bristol, Blue Suede News (Spring 2009)

I reviewed Volume 1 in JB 66, and I did warn you that there was more to come. Here is Volume 2, and the signs of a magnificent obsession are now apparent. After a short section on bootlegs, we have a vast array of Chuck Berry lists: 'On The Radio', 'On TV', 'In The Movies', 'On Video & DVD', 'In Print'. There's a whole section of international (i.e. non-US) tour dates, proving what a compulsive list maker Mr. Reff is. Chuck's frequent touring has, it seems, only been interrupted by recording sessions and 'unfortunate jail sentences'. There's no mention of the fact that Chuck's appearances have not always given value for money.

Several sections deal with the songs – his own, as well as his cover versions and songs that influenced him. There is a fascinating chapter on 'Tribute Songs', which not only includes Robert 'Bilbo' Walker's 'Berry Pickin' ' (with front-and-insert shots from the Rooster CD), but also such classics as Gilberto Gil's 'Chuck Berry Fields Forever' and Yukon Fudge's ambiguous 'He Can't Play Just Like Chuck Berry'.

Of serious interest to blues lovers are two extensive chapters, one devoted to Berry's keyboard man Johnnie Johnson, and the other to Berry devotee Eddy Clearwater. Both get a worthwhile treatment, covering their solo releases (including video and DVD) and very detailed sessionographies. I cannot comment on how comprehensive these are, but there is one heck of a lot of information here.

In fact, there is more information in this book than anyone but the most worshipful of Berry disciples could possibly wish for, or indeed, cope with. And there aren't quite so many illustrations in this volume, although those present are never less than interesting.

Alan Empson, Juke Blues (Spring/Summer 2009)