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BARGAIN BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Alberta Adams ->
Pee Wee Crayton
| ALBERTA ADAMS | Cannonball 29106 | Born With The Blues | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, highly recommended This 1999 album was the first in almost 50 years by this fine singer whose career dates back to the 40s and whose previous recording was a session for Chess in 1951! In her mid 70s at the time of these recordings she performs a selection of 11 songs including several originals. Her singing is powerful and expressive and she is accompanied by an excellent band featuring excellent horn work and outstanding guitar work from Johnnie Bassett. (FS) |
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| ALBERT AMMONS | Acrobat ADDCD 3010 | King Of Boogie Woogie | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 36 tracks, highly recommended A splendid collection of sides by one of the greatest of all boogie pianists. Ammons had the solidest left hand in the business and was endlessly inventive with his right hand - rarely cliched. The set opens with five gorgeous solo cuts from 1939 and the remainder is devoted to recordings made between 1945 and 1949 (the year he died) with his group The Rhythm Kings usually with guitarist Ike Perkins, bassist Israel Crosby and a number of different drummers. There are several fine vocals from Sippie Wallace, Mildred Anderson and drummer Jack Cooley. Two cuts feature his son Gene on tenor sax. The music is consistently superb but it's a shame they couldn't have added another dozen sides which would enable them to have presented a much broader picture of Albert's career. Still for the price there is enough great music here to please just about any fan of blues and boogie piano playing. (FS) |
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| BARRELHOUSE CHUCK | The Sirens 5004 | Prescription For The Blues | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 45 min, recommended New recordings by pianomeister Chuck, mostly solos, but 3 with fellow-pianist Erwin Helfer. Chuck's solo playing & singing are fine as usual, with nods to Little Brother Montgomery, Leroy Carr & Sunnyland Slim (a particularly fine version of Johnson Machine Gun, as well as beautiful version of The Missisippi Shieks' Sitting On Top Of The World (credited to Howlin' Wolf). Each of the 3 duets are presented in a different way - a straight duet on the original tune Nutty Boogie, Chuck singing & Helfer playing the title track, but my fave on the set is a version of Ain't Nobody's Business with Helfer on piano & Chuck on Farfisa!! (GM) |
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| THE BELLS OF JOY | Acrobat 4207 | The Collection | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended Gorgeous collection of quartet gospel singing recorded for Peacock between 1952 and 1954 by this outstanding quartet from Austin, Texas led by A.C. Littlefield who still leads a group with the same name today. Originally known as the Starlight Singers they changed to The Bells Of Joy in 1950. They were in the vanguard of a more modern quartet style with a more intense vocal style, effective use of call of response and use of guitar and drums to accentuate the rhythm. At their first session they cut the uptempo Let's Talk About Jesus which was a massive gospel hit. Since most of the members of the group were unwilling to tour following their hit Littlefield joined forces with The Southern Tones who became the new Bells Of Joy. Whatever the line up their singing was superb - Littlefield did many of the leads with others featuring Clem Reed or Vernon Maynor on the early sides and Sam Cooke influenced Robert Dawkins on the later sides. This collection features all their issued side from this period as well as eight originally unissued sides that first appeared on a long out of print Japanese LP and are every bit as good as the issued sides and in fact the unissued No More Sorrow with searing lead by Clem Reed is probably my favorite track here. Excellent sound and informed notes by Opal Louis Nations round out an exceptional release. (FS) |
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| BUSTER BENTON | Ronn RCD 8005 | That's The Reason | ● CD |
| 1997 album (though possibly recorded earlier) - a mix of
electric Chicago blues, soul and even a bit of funk. |
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| THE BESSEMER SUNSET FOUR | Document DOCD 5379 | Complete Recorded Works, 1928-1930 | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 66 min., recommended Formed in 1925 when the legendary yet unrecorded Rolling Mill Four disbanded, allowing tenor Sam Riley to join vocal forces with Dave Brown (lead), Wash Ivey (baritone), and Pat Gaines (bass), the Sunset Four recorded many an excellent a cappella side during their 3 year career on wax. That Brunswick recorded them in 5 sessions during that time argues for the probable popularity of the outfit. The minor surface noise from the original rare 78's does almost nothing to mar the uniformly outstanding performances. Cuts include Heaven Is My View/ I'm Going Home To Rest/ Mighty Day/ I've Got A New Name/ My Lord's Coming Soon/ Are You Ready? and many others. Nearly essential (JC) THE BESSEMER SUNSET FOUR: Are You Ready?/ Climbing Jacob's Ladder/ Don't You Want That Stone?/ Ham And Eggs/ He Brought Joy To My Soul/ Heaven Is My View/ I Feel Like My Time Ain't Long/ I Want To Go Home To See My Lord/ I Will Ever Stand/ I'm A Child Of God/ I'm Climbing Up Zion Hill/ I'm Going Home To Rest/ I've Got A New Name/ In The Valley Of Peace/ Lord I'm Troubled/ Mighty Day/ My Lord's Coming Soon/ Rollin' Down To Jordan/ Take This Ring With You/ That Wonderful Love The Father Has/ The Lord's Been Good To Me/ We're Going To Walk The Golden Streets/ When I Lay My Burden Down/ You're Going To Need That Pure Religion |
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| THE BIDDLEVILLE QUINTETTE | Document DOCD 5362 | Vol 2 + Birmingham Jubilee Singers, Siler Leaf Qt. | ● CD |
| 21 tracks, 65 min., recommended Volume 2 offers the last 16 sides (all from 1929) from this talented fivesome, blessed, if the ears may judge, with genuine religious fervor. The group sounds a touch smoother without giving up an ounce of the spontaneous exhortations of spiritual excitement that mark their performances. Titles include Pharaoh's Army Got Drowned/ Blessed Be The Tie That Binds/ I Stretch My Hand To Thee, and 13 others. The gang at Document has cleaned a little house here too, tacking on the 4 remaining Birmingham Jubilee Singers sides and the final Silver Leaf Quartette Of Norfolk number, worthy efforts all. Another winner. (JC) THE BIDDLEVILLE QUINTETTE: As I Live Let Me Live In Love/ Blessed Be The Tie That Binds/ Coming To Christ/ Dip In The Beautiful Stream/ Goin' To Heaven Anyway/ Got The Heaven In My View/ Handwriting On The Wall/ I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say/ I Stretch My Hand To Thee/ I Wan't God's Bosom To Be Mine/ I'm Going To Serve God Till I Die/ I'm Going To Sit At The Welcome Table/ I'm Going Up To Live With God/ I'm Tormented In The Flame (gex-2294)/ Jesus Is A Rock In The Weary Land/ Jesus Is Gonna Shake My Righteous Hand (437-a)/ Join The Band/ Judas And Jesus Walked Together/ Pharaoh's Army Got Drowned/ The Lord Giveth/ THE SILVER LEAF QUARTETTE OF NORFOLK: Oh! Glory Glory |
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| BIG MACEO | Document DOCD 5674 | Volume 2: 1945-1950, Big City Blues | ● CD |
| The rest of Maceo's great recordings including his post
Bluebird recordings for Specialty and Fortune. |
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| BIG MAYBELLE | Rev-Ola CRBAND 20 | I've Got A Feelin' | ● CD |
| 27 tracks recorded for Savoy and OKeh between 1952 and
1956 by this superb singer ranging from soulful blues to pop-oriented
ballads plus bonus live performances of Ring Dang Dilly and
Candy. from 1956 Also features Gabbin' Blues/ Just Want Your
Love/ My Country Man/ You'll Never Know/ Don't Leave Poor Me/ One Monkey
Don't Stop No Show/ New Kind Of Mambo/ That's A Pretty Good Love/ Ring
Dang Dilly, etc. |
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| THE BIRMINGHAM SUNLIGHTS | Flying Fish 588 | For Old Time's Sake | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, 45 min., recommended The Sunlights come from Jefferson County, Alabama and are talented descendants of its extraordinarily rich a cappella gospel tradition. They have learned their craft under the tutelage of older quartets like the Sterling Jubilees, the Shelby County Big Four, and the Four Eagles. They starred at the 1989 National Folk Festival in Lowell, Massachusetts, and they have successfully toured southern Africa for the U.S. Information Agency's Arts in America program. Tracks include If You Miss Me/ Gospel Train/ Jesus Gave Me Water, and It's Gonna Rain. Too good to miss. (DH) |
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| REV. JOHNNY BLAKEY/ REV. M.L. GIPSON | Document DOCD 5363 | Son Of Thunder | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 67 min., good/recommended Blakey's 14 sides reveal a preacher for whom subtlety of delivery is not of uppermost importance. Aside from the absence of guitar and drums, Blakey's style is textbook "sanctified." Each sermon opens with a good 20 seconds of congregational singing, followed by preaching that starts at a dead shout and stays there. Such titles as The Sainted Devil, Fourteen Steps To Hell, and The Scarlet Thread In The Window seem designed to pique interest, although the lack of variety in approach limits the desirability of Blakey's cuts. The 8 sides by Gipson -- 4 of them unissued -- stand as rough and ready sanctified numbers, but are more musical by comparison. Oddly, though, Gipson sounds as if he's in a big hurry to get the sermons out. (JC) |
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| LITTLE JOE BLUE | Collectables 5744 | The Very Best Of Little Joe Blue | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 49 mins, highly recommended Once you get beyond the uncanny resemblance of Joe's voice to that of B.B. King you realize that Joe has lot more to offer. Apart from that striking voice he was a powerful and funky guitar player that imitated no one and was an excellent songwriter. Such songs as Who's The Fool?/ Shopping Instead ("I've got a good mind to give up living/ And go shopping instead")/ Don't Tax Me In and We All Have The Blues show a philosophical and topical awareness that was not that common among his contemporaries. This set also includes a remake of his one R&B hit - the excellent Dirty Work Is Going On. These recordings were cut for Mel Alexander's Space and Kris labels in the early 70s and Joe is accompanied by various small groups with occasional horns or vocal group backup. Recording quality is bargain basement but Joe's singing and playing comes through loud and clear. (FS) |
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| ALEX BRADFORD | Specialty 7042 | Too Close | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 74 min., recommended Bradford recorded a vast and varying amount of material for Specialty during the 50's. Singer, pianist, songwriter, A&R man, and talent scout were all roles fulfilled by this highly talented artist through whom Ray Charles found his style. This collection includes his major selling Too Close, selections shared with Sallie Martin and Bessie Griffin, and the touching The Man Is Wonderful lead by Jonothan Jackson, all supported by The Bradford Specials or The Men Of Song. Bradford plays celeste, and whistles one of his softer numbers. His vision at Specialty was to front a male vocal group reminiscent of the Sallie Martin Singers, but borrowing rhythms from the Latin genre. (OLN) ALEX BRADFORD: Beginning Tomorrow/ Boney Fingers/ Crossing Over Jordan/ Don't Let Satan Turn You 'Round/ God Is All/ God Searched The World/ He Leads Me Safely Through/ He Lifted Me/ He'll Wash You Whiter Than Snow/ Holy Ghost/ I Can't Tarry/ I Dare You/ I Don't Care What The World May Do/ If Mother Knew/ Just The Name Of Jesus/ Life's Candlelight/ Lord, Lord, Lord/ Move Upstairs/ Oh Lord, Save Me/ The Lifeboat/ The Man Is Wonderful/ The Meeting Ground/ The Truth Will Set You Free/ There's Only One Way (To Get To Heaven)/ This May Be The Last Time/ Too Close To Heaven/ What Did John Do/ What Folks Say About Me/ Without A God |
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| ALEX BRADFORD & THE BRADFORD SINGER | Vee-Jay NVG2 605 | One Step/ Angel On A Vacation | ● CD |
| 26 tracks, 71 min., recommended When Bessemer-born Prof. Bradford left Savoy to join Vee Jay in 1962, he took his gal-sounding Bradford Singers with him. The strongest element on the Vee Jay sides are his songs, self-penned and performed with wit, grace, and a raspiness of soul. On these we hear the emergence of an exciting rejuvenated Bradford. This amalgam of two albums (Vee Jay 5023 and 5037) contains One Step/ Walk Through The Streets/ Climbing Up The Mountain/ What About You/ When You Pray/ He Always Keeps His Promises, the spine-chilling It Makes Me Tremble/ I Made God A Promise, and a remake of Too Close - all exceptional tunes presented with good concise sleeve notes by Lee Hildebrand. (OLN) |
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| HADDA BROOKS | Columbia/ Legacy 65081 | Jump Back Honey - The Complete OKeh Sessions | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 46 min., recommended Having been classically trained in her youth, Hadda Brooks ironically enjoyed her first taste of recording fame as a boogie-woogie pianist on Los Angeles's Modern label in the late 40's. When she moved to the reactivated Okeh label in 1952, she settled into the more reserved, ballad-dominated style that is presented here. Featured tracks include the upbeat title track, plus Dreamin' & Cryin', My Song, If Your Love Me (Really Love Me), All Night Long, When I Leave the World Behind, I Went to Your Wedding, He's Coming Home, and Brooks Boogie. Gentle, often melancholy supper club music, impeccably reissued this time around, and a nice companion to the earlier reissue of her 40's sides on Romance in the Dark (Ace 453). (DH) |
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| BROOKS, HUNTER, WALKER & CHARLES | Alligator 4866 | es Lone Star Shootout | ● CD |
| 15 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended Four veterans of the Gulf Coast blues scene of the 60s and 70s join forces on an exciting collaboration. Lonnie Brooks and Phillip Walker have gained quite a following over the years and Lost John Hunter is gradually building one. Ervin Charles is an unfamiliar name but is somewhat of a legend in the Gulf Coast area and his superb singing and playing on his two songs here shows why - can we have a solo album by him soon please? The others perform in a variety of different configurations - solos, duos and trios and are accompanimed by an excellent group. Old songs, new songs but all of them blue songs - Roll, Roll, Roll/ A Little More Time/ Feel Good Doin' Bad/ Street Walking Woman/ You're Playing Hookey/ Quit My baby/ I Met The Blues In Person/ two Trains Running, etc. (FS) |
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| BIG BILL BROONZY | Document DOCD 5128 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 6 (1937) | ● CD |
| 26 tracks recorded between January and October 1937
including tracks with Midnight Ramblers. Includes numerous alternate
takes. BIG BILL BROONZY: Barrel House When It Rains/ Come Home Early (tk. 1)/ Come Home Early (tk. 2)/ Come Home Early (tk. 3)/ Come Home Early (tk. 4)/ Evil Hearted Me/ Hattie Blues (tk. 1)/ Hattie Blues (tk. 2)/ Horny Frog (tk. 2)/ I Want My Hands On It (tk. 1)/ I Want My Hands On It (tk. 2)/ It's Too Late Now (tk. 1)/ Let Me Be Your Winder/ Louise Louise Blues (tk. 1)/ Louise Louise Blues (tk. 2)/ Made A Date With An Angel (tk. 1)/ Mean Old World (tk. 1)/ Mean Old World (tk. 2)/ My Gal Is Gone/ My Old Lizzie (tk. 2)/ You Do Me Any Old Way (tk. 1)/ You Do Me Any Old Way (tk. 2)/ THE MIDNIGHT RAMBLERS: Down In The Alley (tk. 1)/ Down In The Alley (tk. 2)/ Stuff They Call Money |
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| BIG BILL BROONZY | Document DOCD 5132 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 10 (1940) | ● CD |
| 26 tracks, 74 minutes, recommended Fine collection of sides recorded in 1940 featuring Big Bill in the company of pianists Joshua Altheimer, Blind John Davis or Memphis Slim with either Fred Williams on drums, Washboard Sam on washboard or Ransom KNowling on string bass. It includes his reply to Blind Boy Fuller's Jivin' Big Bill Blues from 1939 - Jivin' Mr. Fuller Blues, the personal Plow Hand Blues, the rocking Looking For My Baby, the whimsical Leap Year Blues and other excellent performances. (FS) BIG BILL BROONZY: Bed Time Blues/ Beedle Um Bum/ Brown Skin Shuffle/ Getting Older Every Day (tk. 1)/ Getting Older Every Day (tk. 2)/ Hit The Right Lick/ I Wonder What's Wrong With Me/ I'll Never Dream Again/ I've Got To Dig You/ Jivin' Mr. Fuller Blues/ Leap Year Blues/ Lone Wolf Blues/ Lonesome Road Blues/ Looking For My Baby/ Looking Up At Down/ Make My Get Away/ Medicine Man Blues/ Merry Go Round Blues (3039)/ Merry-go-round Blues (3309)/ Midnight Steppers/ Mistreatin' Mamma (18384)/ My Gal Is Gone/ Plow Hand Blues/ Selling That Stuff/ Serenade Blues/ Stove Pipe Stomp/ That Number Of Mine/ Too Too Train Blues (18383)/ What Is That She Got?/ When I Have Money/ You Better Cut That Out/ You Got To Hit The Right Lick |
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| BIG BILL BROONZY | Document DOCD 5133 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 11 (1940-42) | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 71 minutes, recommended BIG BILL BROONZY: All By Myself/ Bad Acting Woman/ Conversation With The Blues/ Double Trouble/ Going Back To My Plow/ Green Grass Blues/ Hard Hearte Woman/ I Feel So Good/ I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town/ I'm Having So Much Trouble/ I'm Woke Up Now/ In The Army Now/ Keep Your Hand On Your Heart/ Key To The Highway/ My Little Flower/ Night Watchman Blues/ Rockin' Chair Blues/ She's Gone With The Wind/ Shine On, Shine On/ Sweet Honey Bee/ Tell Me Baby/ Wee Wee Blues/ What's Wrong With Me/ When I Been Drinking/ Why Should I Spend My Money |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Bullseye Blues 9501 | All My Life | ● CD |
| Some 45 years after his first recordings Charles Brown was still going strong in 1990 when this album was released. His voice is deeper and huskier than it was then but is still as smooth as silk and his piano playing is as good as ever and he continues to purvey that mellow sound that he pioneered and was a big influence on hundreds of performers. On this selection of old hits and newer songs he is accompanied by a tatesful and sympathetic group including veteran sax man Clifford Solomon, guitarist Danny Caron, Earl May on bass and Keith Copeland on drums. Occasional guest musicians sit in Dr John, Ruth Brown, Heywood Henry and the album's producer Ron Levy. A first rate effort all round. (FS) |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Bullseye Blues 9521 | Just A Lucky So And So | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 50 min., recommended Charles Brown, on this, his third, full length Bulleseye disc, displays his awesome talent in a variety of musical settings. There are the expected late night piano solos, but we also get small combo numbers featuring the sax of Clifford Solomon and the guitar of Danny Caron, and big band and string section arrangements, with the musical texture sometimes varying considerably within individual numbers. Highlights include extended versions of Black Night and Driftin' Blues, plus I Won't Cry Anymore, the title track, and the delightful Song for Christmas. Sound, graphics, and notes are all up to snuff. Get it while you can; this is not one to miss. (DH) |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Bullseye Blues 9551 | In A Grand Style | ● CD |
| Previously unissued sides recorded at various Bullseye
Blues sessions by Brown in the early 90s. An after hours set featuring
Charles alone with his piano on a selection of ballads and blues.
Includes One Never Knows, Does One/ Black Night/ Give Me A Woman/
Charles' Chopin Liszt/ Stumbled And Fell In Love, etc. |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Fuel 2000 61664 | An Introduction To Charles Brown | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, recommended An enjoyable collection of latter day Charles Brown. The first 11 sides were cut in Los Angeles in 1971 with a small band and originally issued on Jewel as "Blues & Brown". The material is varied including blues ballads, straight blues, jump numbers and pop ballads. Some of the tunes are remakes of some of his earlier hits - When Did You Leave Heaven/ Trouble Blues/ Changeable Woman Blues, etc along with a few new ones including a couple written in collaboration with Floyd Dixon who also contributes some piano work and duets with Charles on Graveyard Song. Guitarist, Johnny Moore, (is it THE Johnny Moore?) provides generally sympathetic backup though occasionally goes overboard with the then popular wah-wah pedal. The remaining three sides are probably also from the 70s and include a version of I Stepped In Quicksand and remakes of his two seasonal favortites Merry Christmas Baby and Please Come Home For Christmas. (FS) |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Savoy Jazz 17295 | Blues And Other Love Songs | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, highly recommended Originally issued on Muse
this is a fine 1992 set from the master of laid back blues, 10 songs of
heartache and sentimental emotion. With the able backing of Houston
Person, Ruth Davies, Danny Caron, and Gaylord Birch, Mr. Brown uses his
piano and his beautifully weary voice to weave a jazz-tinged tapestry of
gritty lament. Titles include Do You Want Me?/Who's Beating My Time/
What a Life/ You Are My First Love and a near ten minute
instrumental rendition of Mint Julep, known as One Mint Julep
when the Clovers cut it as a vocal in 1952. Luscious stereo sound, solid
notes, the artist on the cover in a stylish beret, and great music from
start to finish. (DH) |
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| CHARLES BROWN | Westside 610 | Blue Over You - The Ace Of Mississippi Recordings | ● CD |
| 24 tracks from the king of smooth blues recorded for
Johnny Vincents Ace label in the late 50s. A number of the cuts are
recently discovered unissued sides but the rest includes tracks already
reissued on Westside 530 and six of the tracks are simply the
instrumental tracks for titles already on the CD - Charles Brown as
karaoke - yow! Good music but it seems to me that Westside are
stretching things a bit thin to devote a whole Charles Brown CD to it!
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| CHARLES BROWN & FRIENDS | Fuel 61068 | Merry Christmas Baby | ● CD |
| Christmas blues with four tracks by Charles Brown plus
sides by Lowell Fulson, Louis Jordan, The Violinaires, etc. |
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| LEE BROWN | Document DOCD 5344 | Complete Recorded Works, 1927-1940 In Chronological Ord | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 71 mins, recommended 24 songs recorded between 1937 and 1940 by singer/ piano player Brown. The 4 earliest cuts - 2 with Sleepy John Estes/ gtr are the most down home and includes the first recording of his most popular song Little Girl, Little Girl and he was to recorded several variations on this song over the next few years. The later tracks find him with various small groups some with a jazzy flavor and usually feature Sam Price or Lil Armstrong on piano. One session features a harmonica player who is probably the fine and enigmatic Rhythm Willie. Brown is an excellent singer with some interesting lyrics though his soaring, swooping vocal affectations can get annoying in large doses. (FS) LEE BROWN: Another Little Girl/ Carpenter Man Blues/ Cross The Sante Fe/ Down By The M & O/ Forsaken Blues/ Howling Man Blues/ I Can Lay It On Down/ Jeff Davis Highway/ Lemon Roller/ Let Me Be Your Bo Weavil/ Little Brown Skin Girl/ Little Girl Little Girl/ Lock And Key Blues/ Low Down Feelin'/ Midnight Dream/ Moanin' Dove/ My Driving Wheel/ New Little Girl Little Girl/ Perlina Blues/ Pitchin' Boogie/ Ripley Rumbling Blues/ Rolling Stone/ She's My All And All/ Treated Like A Dog |
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| BUMBLE BEE SLIM | Document DOCD 5262 | Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol 2 | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 76 mins, recommended Fine collection of tracks by this very popular and prolific performer recorded between March and October 1934. Although not an intense performer his approach is a most engaging one, obviously inspired by Leroy Carr, and he is accompanied by some of the best musicians Chicago had to offer including Jimmie Gordon or Black Bob on piano and Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy or Carl Martin on guitar and others. Includes Step Child/ Cruel Hearted Woman Blues, Parts 1 & 2/ Blue Blues (with some nice blues violin)/ Climbing On Top Of The Hill/ Bad Gal (a variation on Black Gal)/ Aching Pain Blues/ Burned Down Mill/ Muddy Water Blues, etc. (FS) BUMBLE BEE SLIM: Aching Pain Blues/ Ain't It A Crying Shame/ Bad Gal (take A)/ Bad Gal (take B)/ Blue Blues/ Burned Down Mill (take A)/ Burned Down Mill (take B)/ Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Climbing On Top Of The Hill/ Cold-blooded Murder/ Cruel Hearted Woman Blues - Part I/ Cruel Hearted Woman Blues - Part Ii/ Deep Bass Boogie/ Everything I Could/ I Tried/ Mean Bad Man/ Mean Mistreatin' Woman/ Muddy Water Blues/ New Mean Mistreater Blues/ Rough Road Blues/ Sad And Lonesome/ Sail On Little Girl No. 2/ Step Child/ The Longest Day You Live - Part 1/ The Longest Day You Live - Part 2/ Worrisome Woman Blues |
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| BUMBLE BEE SLIM | Document DOCD 5264 | Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol 4 | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, highly recommended Fine collection of tracks by this very popular and prolific performer recorded between April and July 1935. Although not an intense performer his approach is a most engaging one, obviously inspired by Leroy Carr, and he is accompanied by some of the best musicians Chicago had to offer including Jimmie Gordon, Black Bob or Myrtle Jenkins on piano and Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy or Scrapper Blackwell on guitar. He was also sang a fine selection of songs which includes an excellent and touching tribute to Leroy Carr The Death Of Leroy Carr with Leroy's old partner Scrapper Blackwell providing some beautifully plangent guitar licks plus the topical Policy Dream Blues, the fine two part I Keep On Drinking, the risque Lemon Squuezing Blues and a cover of Carr's When The Sun Goes Down (here twice - once for Decca and once for Vocalion!). Some of the tracks are from rough 78s but sound is generally excellent. (FS) BUMBLE BEE SLIM: Can't You Trust Me No More?/ Cold Blooded Murder - No. 2/ Fattenin' Frogs For Snakes/ Feather Bed Blues/ Hey Lawdy Mama/ I Done Lost My Baby/ I Keep On Drinking - Part 1/ I Keep On Drinking - Part 2/ I'm Needing Someone/ If The Blues Was Whiskey/ Lemon Squeezing Blues/ Mean Bloody Murder Blues/ Policy Dream Blues/ Right From Wrong/ Sail On Little Girl - No. 3/ Sail On Sail On Blues/ Smoky Mountain Blues/ Sometimes Blues/ Steady Roll Mama Blues/ The Death Of Leroy Carr/ Walking And Drifting Blues/ What's Wrong?/ When The Sun Goes Down/ When The Sun Goes Down/ Where Was You Last Night? |
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| ELDER J.E. BURCH/ REV. BEAUMONT | Document DOCD 5329 | Complete REcorded Works, 1927-1929 | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 72 min., very good With Burch you get sermons from a Sanctified preacher and singing with bass, guitar, snare drum, tambourine(s), and female accompaniment, all recorded during one October day in 1927. As is common with preachers recorded in the period, nothing is known of Burch; he may even have been white. He preaches and sings with urgency, always slightly out of control, seemingly as concerned with cleanliness as godliness, seeing them as one and the same. An older style of sermon is represented by Rev. Beaumont, aka Rev. Johnson, aka Rev. Walsh, who mis-cites his Biblical references as often as not. Beaumont's sermons feature familiar Bible stories of Noah and Lazarus and such. As with Burch, a total lack of biographical info is made up for somewhat by excellent booklet notes from David Evans. Interesting, though not for all ears. (JC) |
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| EDDIE C. CAMPBELL | Rooster Blues 2638 | Hopes & Dreams | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended After being off the scene for several years due to heart problems Eddie C. Campbell is back with the best record of his career. In the past I have thought of Eddie as a solid representative of the West Coast Chicago blues style with a repertoire consisting of equal parts Chicago style blues originals and covers but nothing really out of the ordinary. This album represents a leap forward - it's all songs written by Eddie, often in collaboration with his wife and manager Barbara Mason Campbell. The Chicago blues sound is still there but other elements make their presence felt resulting in a sound that is distinctively Eddie C. Campbell. Eddie's singing is superb - dark and expressive and his guitar playing is exceptional. The title song alone is worth the price of the album - it's a lovely blues ballad with a really gorgeous melody and some truly lyrical guitar playing from Eddie. The gently strummed electric guitar in the background really lends a wonderful atmosphere. There are lots of other good songs here including Did I Hurt You/ Geese In The Ninny Bow (Hey!)/ Cool Cool Mama and others including a follwup to his popular Santa's Messin' With The Kid called I'm Your Santa and a delightful acoustic duet with Billy Boy Arnold on the semi spoken Those Were The Days. The instrumental arrangements are imaginative - ranging from small group to a larger band with several horns. A real delight. (FS) |
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| GUS CANNON | Stax 8603 | Walk Right In | ● CD |
| Reissue of rare as hens teeth Stax album recorded in
1963 recorded in the wake of the success of the Rooftop Singers' bit hit
with Gus's song Walk Right In. Though age had diminished some of
his musical prowess he was still an entertaining performer accompanied
by Will Shade on jug and Milton Robey on washboard doing songs like
Walk Right In (natch!)/ Going Around The Mountain/ Gonna Rise A
Ruckus Tonight/ Boll-Weevil/ Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor/ Crawdad
Hole and others. It also includes a three minute narration where Gus
reminisces about his life. |
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| LEROY CARR | Document DOCD 5139 | Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 6 - 1934-35 | ● CD |
| 21 tracks, 64 min., recommended Needless to say, not every track here is great: the problem with multi-volume completist sets full of alternate takes and versions of every song a performer recorded is that nobody bats 1000. Still, at least half the tracks on each set are worth hearing, and the cumulative effect of hearing these recordings is to be impressed by how many times Carr and Blackwell would press new wrinkles into their mix. They were hardly ever complacent. Includes Bread Baker/ Longing For My Sugar/ Shinin' Pistol/ Arlena (two takes)/ My Good For Nthin' Gal/ Suicide Blues (two takes)/ Rocks In My Bed/ Bad Luck All The Time/ Just A Rag/ Going Back Home and more. |
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| LEROY CARR/ BLACK BOY SHINE | Document DOCD 5465 | Unissued Test Pressings And Alternate Takes | ● CD |
| 23 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended What a pleasant surprise - some really interesting unissued songs and alternate takes including 3 never before heard songs by the great Leroy Carr from August & December, 1934 when he was at his peak. Most of his cuts feature the twin guitars of Scrapper Blackwell and Josh White. There are two takes of Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child which bears only a passing resemblance to famous spiritual and one take each of The Stuff Is Here (a duet with Bobby Phillips) and the beautiful Bozetta Blues. There are also three fine alternate takes of songs previously issued on previous Document CDs. The rest of the CD is devoted to Black Shine featuring two takes each of seven songs and one take each of two others - none of these have ever been issued before in any form. Although not as well known as Carr Black Boy Shine (Harold Holiday) was an excellent and imaginative performer and a most worthwhile companion. He was a piano player in the "Santa Fe" style with a harmonically varied left hand and a "stride" feel to his approach. He was also a fine singer with a solemn style rather like that of Walter Roland. Like many Texas bluesmen his songs are above average with references to his lifestyle and enviroment. These significant recordings came from the archives of Art Satherly - the recording engineer on these sessions. Sound quality is excellent and there are informative notes by David Evans. (FS) |
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| THE CARTER BROTHERS | Fuel 61467 | The Essential Carter Brothers | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, recommended This fine set features 20 tracks recorded by Roman, Albert and Jerry Carter for Jewel between 1965 and '69. The Carters from Garland, Alabama performed basic, no nonsense, electric blues with an occasional nod to soul, featuring the energetic lead vocals of Roman and the fine guitar of Albert with Jerry helping out on keyboards. Some of the cuts are just the trio while others feature horns. Most of the songs are originals by the group or by their original producer Duke Coleman including the title song which was an R&B hit. Jewel only issued six singles but this set also includes eight originally unissued cuts. There's not a whole lot of variety in the Carters' music but if you like your blues raw and intense and without any frills you'll enjoy this set. (FS) |
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| CLIFTON CHENIER | Specialty 7039 | Zodico Blues & Boogie | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 50 min., highly recommended In 1955, long before the king of Zydeco became the king and recorded for Arhoolie, he came to the attention of Specialty Records' owner Art Rupe. Chenier's brief affiliation with Specialty - one year - produced a handful of fine singles, the first and best being Boppin' The Rock/ Ay-Te Te Fee (SP 552). This CD collects the singles, draws material from the 1971 compilation LP, and adds 12 previously unreleased takes, Opelousas Hop/ Clifton's Dreaming/ Wherever You Go I'll Go/ All Night Long among them. Session musicians included guitarists Phillip Walker and Lonesome Sundown, not to mention Clifton's rubboard playing brother Cleveland. Informative liner notes and session info kindly provided by Ray Topping, who originally compiled this set for Ace. (JC) CLIFTON CHENIER: All Night Long (Take 7)/ All Night Long (Take 8)/ Ay-Te Te Fee/ Ay-Te Te Fee (Take 8)/ Boppin' the Rock/ Cat's Dreamin'/ Chenier's Boogie (Take 3)/ Chenier's Boogie (Take 4)/ Chenier's Boogie (Take 8)/ Clifton's Dreamin' (Take 3)/ I'm on My Way (Back Home to You) (Take 1)/ I'm on My Way (Back Home to You) (Take 2)/ Opelousas Hop (Take 3)/ Opelousas Hop (Take 4)/ Squeeze Box Boogie/ Things I Did for You (Take 1)/ Think It Over (Take 4)/ Wherever You Go I'll Go/ Wherever You Go I'll Go (Take 2)/ Wherever You Go I'll Go (Take 6)/ Yesterday (I Lost My Best Friend) (Take 4)/ Zodico Stomp |
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| ROSCOE CHENIER | Bayou 1004B | Roscoe Rocks | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, recommended 2000 album from fine Louisiana singer/ guitarist who has been performing since the 50s though didn't start recording regularly until the 1990s. Roscoe is a fine singer with a rich voice and a solid guitar player with a gritty unflashy style and is accompanied by a good band with horns and occasional female backup group. The material is mostly blues with the occasional soul - he does a very nice version of You Don't Miss Your Water. About half the tracks are originals by Roscoe or band members and the rest are covers. A very enjoyable selection. (FS) |
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| CLIFTON CHENIER/ ROCKIN' DUPSEE | Paula CD 17 | Clifton Chenier & Rockin' Dupsee | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 55 mins, recommended A fine collection featuring 8 tracks by the King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier recorded between 1958 and '60 and 12 by the now very popular Rockin' Dupsee recorded between 1970 and 1974. The Chenier sides, some issued on Zynn and some not originally issued, are all blues and R&B with great vocals and accordion by Clifton, hot tenor by Lionel Prevost and tough guitar from Travis Phillips including a shattering solo on Worried Life Blues. The Dupsee sides are also strongly blues and R&B oriented with some fine performances on Blues/ Run Here To Me Baby/ Things I Used To Do/ You Told Me Baby and others. (FS) |
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| THE CHOSEN GOSPEL SINGERS | Specialty 7014 | The Lifeboat | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, highly recommended In his carefully-researched notes for this issue, Lee Hildebrand paints the picture of a group, first organized in 1950, whose membership was so erratic that between sessions number one and four for Specialty, within a year and a half, all of the group's members had changed. Yet, in spite of this, the various Chosen Gospel aggregations who recorded between 1952 and 1955 produced a consistently superb body of work. Worthy of note is the fact that their first and second sessions, producing 9 cuts, was done entirely a cappella, and that one of the leads for the third and fourth sessions, producing 11 cuts, was none other than a teenaged Lou Rawls. Highlights include Come By Here/ One-Two-Three/ No Room At The Hotel, and Prayer for the Doomed. Fine sound and a nice cover photo of one of the group's permutations. Well worth a listen. (DH) THE CHOSEN GOSPEL SINGERS: Ananais/ Before This Time Another Year I May Be Gone/ Come By Here/ Don't Worry About Me/ Don't You Know The Man?/ Family Prayer/ I'm Going Back With Him/ I've Tried/ It's Getting Late In The Evening/ Leaning On The Lord/ No Room At The Hotel/ On The Mainline/ One-two-three/ Prayer For The Doomed/ Stay With Me Jesus/ The Lifeboat Is Coming/ The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow/ Watch Ye Therefore/ What A Wonderful Sight/ When I Get Home |
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| REV. EDWARD W. CLAYBORN | Document DOCD 5155 | Complete Chronological Recordings 1926-28 | ● CD |
| 27 tracks, 78 min., recommended As for any hard information on Clayborn's life, forget it. The liner notes say he may possibly have been born somewhere in or near Alabama. And that's it. His music tells everything that's important, though. He was one of those great, late-'20s guitar wielding evangelists who sounds too earnest to be a poser. His songs urge listeners to be nice to Mom and Wife, beware of friends--eh, Judas?--and get tickets for the Gospel Train, 'cause it's coming. Notes warn that "Clayborn's records were never intended to be listened to en masse," which is to say the songs sound a lot alike. So here they are en masse. Guess that's why the company's called Document. Best title: The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas. (JC) |
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| DOCTOR CLAYTON | Document DOCD 5179 | Complete Chronological Recordings (1935-42) | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 69 mins, recommended Although not terribly prolific or well known today Peter "Doctor" Clayton wrote several songs that have become blues standards (Gotta Find My Baby, Cheating & Lying Blues (usually known as Gonna Murder My Baby) and others. He was the major influence on Sunnyland Slim and an influence on B.B. King. He had a distinctive vocal style with a lovely soaring swooping quality to it. He wrote some brilliant lyrics including the previsouly mentioned songs, Slick Man Blues/ Moonshine Man Blues the patriotic '41 Blues and Pearl Harbor Blues, the witty Ain't No Business We Can Do- and the original version of Confessin' The Blues. Nearly all the cuts feature effective piano by John Davis and several feature the rather unusual but effective sound of a tuba played by Ransom Knowling. (FS) |
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| EDDY CLEARWATER | Bedrock 19 | A Real Good Time - Live! | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, recommended U.K. issue of Rooster Blues 2625. Good solid collection of energetic Chicago blues, R&B and rock 'n roll recorded live at two different clubs. Although no great innovator, Eddy is an entertaining performer on this selection of mostly original songs accompanied by solid bands. 13 songs including How!/ Three Weeks To Skin A Cat/ Hustlin' & Schemin'/ I'll Change My Style/ Party At My House/ All Your Love/ Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight, etc. (FS) |
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| EDDY CLEARWATER | Rooster Blues 2622 | Flimdoozie | ● CD |
| Enjoyable 1986 album. Eddy is accompanied by a talented
group of musicians including Will Crosby/ guitar, Leo davis/ keyboards
and herman Applewhite/ bass. There are several fine guest musicians
including Otis Rush who contributes some of his mighty string bending to
5 cuts. Sugar Blue plays fine harp on a couple of cuts and Abbe Locke
plays sax on a couple. The songs, mostly originals are a mixture of
upbeat blues, slow blues, Chuck berry flavored rock 'n roll and a dance
tune (Flimdoozie). Nothing earthshaking here but some fine
contemporary Chicago blues sounds. |
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| THE COLEMAN BROTHERS | Acrobat 4080 | The Coleman Brothers | ● CD |
| Lovely collection of gospel quartet singing with the
occasional secular title from this superb family group from Virginia who
were based in New Jersey, 29 tracks recorded between 1944 and 1948
including Lonesome Valley/ You May Run On/ Forgive Me Lord/ Walls Of
jericho/ Sending Up My Timber/ Low Down The Chariot/ It's My Desire/ I
Can See Everybody's Mother, etc. |
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| THELMA COOPER/ DAISY MAE & HER HEPCATS | Collectables 5322 | Thelma Cooper/ Daisy Mae & Her Hepcats | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 822. Six tracks feature the
chirpy, sultry pipes of Thelma "Baby Doll" Cooper who recorded for
Gotham & Coleman in 1949. It's amazing how closely her voice matches
that of namesake Dolly Cooper. Her scat singing (with Doles Dickens) on
Cute Papa is a classic.The rest features the mid-50's Gotham,
Richloy & 20th Century sides of singer/ drummer Daisy Mae Diggs, whose
band The Hep Cats can blast up a storm. Daisy has a fine bluesy voice
and on Woman Trouble shows how well she can handle vocal comedy
routines. Buy this album for The Hep Cats - they burn like a house on
fire. (OLN) THELMA COOPER: Cute Poppa/ Dasiy Mae: Fanny Duncan (alt. Take)/ Down By The Woodshed/ Fanny Duncan/ Frosty's Groove/ Hop Scotch/ Let's Try Again/ Lonesome Playgirl/ Ooh Daddy/ Stuff You Got To Watch/ Talk To Me Daddy/ Want Me A Man/ Woman Trouble |
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| JOHNNY COPELAND | Edsel 581 | The Crazy Cajun Recordings | ● CD |
| 21 tracks, good 21 tracks (including 6 alternate takes) recorded by the great gravel voice bluesman for the legendary (infamous?) Huey P. Meaux in Houston in the mid/late 60s. Most of this material was never originally issued but turned up on various Crazy Cajun LPs in the late 70s after Johnny had started recording his acclaimed albums for Rounder. Most of these sides sound like demos and find Johnny performing in a variety of styles including blues, soul, R&B and pop. Although there are some fine moments, particuarly an early version of his great Gonna Make My Home Where I Hang My Hat most of these recordings do not find Johnny at his best and don't do justice to his abilities. (FS) |
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| MARTHA COPELAND/ IRENE SCRUGGS | Document DOCD 5373 | Martha Copeland, Vol. 2/Irene Scruggs, Remaining Titles | ● CD |
| HARRY CRAFTON | Collectables 5318 | Harry Crafton 1949-54 | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 818. A collection of material from
Ivin Ballen's Gotham archives this one features jump sides and easy
blues tunes in the "Cleanhead" Vinson vein. Singer/ guitarist "Fat Man"
Crafton is no slouch on the axe and pitches a fine set of vocal pipes to
match. Many of these sides are ably supported by Joe Sewell, tenor sax,
and organist Doc Bagby with whom Crafton cut many important early Blues
& Rhythm sides. (OLN) HARRY CRAFTON: Big Fat Hot Dog/ Bring That Cadillac Back/ Get Off, Mama/ Guitar Boogie/ I Don't Want Your Money Honey/ In The Middle Of The Night/ It's Been A Long Time Baby/ It's Been A Long Time Baby/ Let Me Tell You Baby/ Roly-poly Mama/ Rusty Dusty/ Saturday Night Boogie/ She Got A Mule Kick/ So Long Baby |
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| PEE WEE CRAYTON | Blind Pig 5052 | Early Hours Blues | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, 45 mins, recommended Pee Wee was in fine form on these sides drawn from his last recordings made for the Murray Brothers label in 1983 and 1984, shortly before his death. The 1983 sessions feature him with a 9 piece group including Doug MacLeod on rhythm guitar, Claude Williams/ trumpet, Rod Piazza/ harp, Bill Clark/ tenor sax and others and the '84 recordings are with a six piece group. Pee Wee's singing is fine and he plays lots of his distinctive stinging guitar and the instrumental tracks here really give him a chance to stretch out.. The set includes a couple of remakes of his old classics, some new songs and tunes and a few covers (Robert Parker's Barefootin', B.B. King's When I'm Wrong, etc). The only drawback is the less than great recording quality - Pee Wee's vocals particularly suffer in this regard but it's a small price to pay for such excellent music. (FS) |
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| PEE WEE CRAYTON | Purple Pyramid CLP 960 | The Essential Recordings | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, highly recommended Though there's very little information on this disc this is actually Pee Wee's Blue Spectrum album recorded for and with Johnny Otis in 1974. Pee Wee is in fine form with powerful vocals and tough stinging guitar. He redoes some of his old favorites like Texas Hop/ Blues After Hours/ Louella Brown and The Telephone Is Ringing (retitled here as My Baby's On The Line) as well as more recent compositions like Don't Forget To Close The Door and Blues In The Ghetto. He also does a fine rockin' version of Little Richard's Lucille and a soulful rendition of the blues ballad Need Your Love So Bad. Pee Wee is given fine accompaniment by members of Otis's band of the time include excellent piano by Otis himself. A most worthwhile release. (FS) |
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