Ice Pickin' (Albert Collins)

More than eight years after his death, there is still no getting away from the vital wellspring of music that is the works of J.J. Cale. With his unique alloy of blues, folk, country and jazz, the man worshipped by Clapton, who lived for a while in a trailer, is still one of rock's most influential hermits.

The Dixiefrog label was founded in Paris in 1986 by lovers of American country, folk and blues. Thirty-five years later, the label keeps on keepin’ on, with its impressive catalogue (about 450 releases) and passion intact. Dixiefrog specialises in the blues, with a largely American and French roster of loyal artists and open artistic horizons. It’s impossible to capture all the interesting Dixiefrog albums here, but these 10 are absolutely essential.

Rock’n’roll isn’t dead. But you can count the pioneers of the genre who are still alive on two fingers: Jerry Lee Lewis and Wanda Jackson. They’re 84 and 82. Lewis was a wild rocker signed with Sun Records who made history by igniting his instrument and transforming church music, country and boogie-woogie into wicked rock'n'roll. Jackson was a country singer who had a brilliant career alongside Elvis. Going from Little Richard to Chuck Berry, not forgetting Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and Hank Williams, Qobuz pays tribute to the precursors of rock.