|
BARGAIN
BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Luther Allison - Champion Jack Dupree
| LUTHER ALLISON |
Inak 1715 |
Hand Me Down My Moonshine |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
Best known for his high energy electric blues this set shows that Luther was
also fine in a more traditionally oriented setting. Most of the tracks here
were recorded in 1992 in Luther's living room with Luther singing and
playing acoustic guitar accompanied on acoustic bass and occasional second
guitar or harmonica. Luther's singing and playing are fine throughout - I
particularly like some of the slower numbers like Lightning Bolt and
Stay With Me where his playing has echos of the acoustic playing of
Eddie Taylor or Jimmy Rogers. Most of the songs are originals - his cover of
Rogers' You're The One features some nice slide guitar by son
Bernard. (FS)
|
| BARRELHOUSE CHUCK |
The Sirens 5004 |
Prescription For The Blues |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
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)
|
| BUSTER BENTON |
Ronn RCD 8005 |
That's The Reason |
● CD $9.98 $6.98 |
1997 album (though possibly recorded earlier) - a mix of
electric Chicago blues, soul and even a bit of funk.
|
| THE BIDDLEVILLE
QUINTETTE |
Document DOCD 5362 |
Vol 2 + Birmingham Jubilee Singers, Siler
Leaf Qt. |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
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
|
| THE BIRMINGHAM
SUNLIGHTS |
Flying Fish 588 |
For Old Time's Sake |
● CD $15.98 $7.98 |
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)
|
| EDDIE BOYD |
Sonet 986 925-6 |
The Sonet Blues Story |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
Reissue of 1974 Sonet/ GNP album with two bonus alternate
takes by fine Chicago singer, songwriter and piano player. The set was
recorded in Chicago with several Swiss musicians plus veteran jazz drummer
Ed Thigpen. Performances are generally fine though Peps Persson's is
sometimes too over the top for my liking.
|
| ALEX
BRADFORD & THE BRADFORD SINGER |
Vee-Jay NVG2 605 |
One Step/ Angel On A Vacation |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
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)
|
| BIG BILL BROONZY |
Document DOCD 5132 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 10
(1940) |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
26 tracks, 74 minutes, recommended
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
|
| BUSTER BROWN |
Collectables 5110 |
The New King Of The Blues |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
Reissue of Fire 102 from 1961 with 4 added sides previously
issued on singles only for a total of 16 cuts. Brown is a lively singer and
harmonica player though a somewhat limited one and is accompanied by a solid
hard-rockin' group of musicians including guitarists Jimmy Spruill & Riff
Ruffin. Includes his big hit Fannie Mae plus Madison/ When Things
Go Wrong/ Gonna Love My Baby/ Don't Dog Your Woman/ Dr. Brown, etc.
BUSTER BROWN: Blue Berry Hill/ Doctor Brown/ Don't Dog
Your Woman/ Fannie Mae/ Gonna Love My Baby/ Good News/ I Got The Blues When
It Rains/ I'm Goin' But I'll Be Back/ Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby/
John Henry/ Lost In A Dream/ Louis Blues/ Madison/ Raise A Ruskus Tonight/
Sincerely/ When Things Go Wrong
|
| CHARLES BROWN |
Bullseye Blues 9501 |
All My Life |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
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)
|
| CHARLES BROWN |
Bullseye Blues 9521 |
Just A Lucky So And So |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
10 tracks, 50 min., recommended
Charles Brown, on this, his third, full length Bullseye 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)
|
| CHARLES BROWN |
Bullseye Blues 9551 |
In A Grand Style |
● CD $15.98 $7.98 |
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.
|
| CHARLES BROWN |
Westside 610 |
Blue Over You - The Ace Of Mississippi
Recordings |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
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!
|
| LEE BROWN |
Document DOCD 5344 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1927-1940 In
Chronological Ord |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
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
|
| BESSIE BROWN/ LIZA
BROWN |
Document DOCD 5456 |
The Original Bessie Brown, 1925-1929 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
Features the complete recorded works, 1925-1929 by Bessie
Brown and the remaining titles of Liza Brown from 1929. Accompaniments by
Clarence Williams, Benny Moten, Charlie Green, Fletcher Henderson, Coleman
Hawkins, Buster Bailey and others.
|
| BUMBLE BEE SLIM |
Document DOCD 5264 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, Vol 4 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
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?
|
| EDDIE C. CAMPBELL |
Rooster Blues 2638 |
Hopes & Dreams |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
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)
|
| CANNED HEAT |
Music Avenue 250106 |
Eternal Boogie |
● CD $22.98 $16.98 |
Two CD set. First disc is their first recordings made for
Johnny Otis in 1967 and the second is a live set from 1994 with the band led
by Walter Trout and including none of the original members.
|
| THE CARAVANS |
Charly SNAP 187 |
Going Home |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
28 tracks, 76 min., highly recommended
The Caravans produced many a gospel star in their day, and this Vee-Jay
aggregation, might be the strongest. The solo duties are split between the
amazingly spirit-filled Shirley Caesar and Cassietta George, although leader
and contralto Alberta Walker takes top honors on To Whom Shall I Turn
and a few others. Josephine Howard steps up to the plate vocally on What
Will Tomorrow Bring. But its really Caesar who galvanizes listeners on
cuts such as No Coward Soldier, Jesus Will Save, It's Jesus
In Me (sometimes listed as Jesus And Me on other releases, It
Must Not Suffer Loss, One Of These Old Days, and others. The
Caravans parted ways in 1965, after five Vee Jay LPs issued between 1952-65,
and their music is required listening for gospel fans. Drawn primarily from
two Vee Jay LPs (Seek Ye The Lord from 1962 and The Soul Of The Caravans
from 1963), this compilation shares 21 tracks with the domestic Vee Jay
release of 1993 (NVG2-608). The remaining 7 tracks come from 1964-65 and
include three live performances. (JC)
|
| CAROLINA SLIM |
Blues Documents BDCD 6043 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1950-52 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
27 tracks, 74 mins, very good
Carolina Slim is quite an enigma - between June 1950 and June 1952 he
recorded 27 songs. Though his real name was Ed Harris none of his recordings
were issued under his real name - although he only recorded for two labels
his recordings were issued under the names of Jammin' Jim, Country Paul,
Lazy Slim Jim and, of course, Carolina Slim! It's interesting, but probably
fruitless, to speculate on why his recordings were issued under so many
different names. In spite of his East Coast origins Slim's biggest influence
is Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins and many of the songs here seem to be
reworkings of Hopkins songs. Unfortunately Slim was neither the singer or
guitarist that Lightnin' was. Occasionally he slips out of the Hopkins mould
and shows the influence of Blind Boy Fuller on numbers like Worry You Off
My Mind or Shake Boogie. It used to be a great thrill collecting
and listening to Slim's obscure 78s one at a time but over the 74 minutes of
this disc his limitations are too evident. (FS)
CAROLINA SLIM: (pour Me) One More Drink/ Ain't It Sad/
Black Cat Trail/ Black Chariot Blues/ Blues Go Away From Me/ Blues Knocking
At My Door/ Carolina Boogie/ Come Back Baby/ Georgia Woman/ I'll Get By
Somehow/ I'll Never Walk In Your Door/ Jivin' Woman/ Mama's Boogie/ Money
Blues/ Mother Dear Mother/ One More Time/ Pleading Blues/ Rag Mama/ Shake
Boogie/ Side Walk Boogie/ Since I Seen Your Smiling Face/ Slo-freight Blues/
Sugaree/ Wine Head Baby/ Worry You Off My Mind/ Worrying Blues/ Your Picture
Done Faded
|
| LEROY CARR |
Document DOCD 5138 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 5 -
1934 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
22 tracks, 65 min, highly recommended
Six of the titles on this volume will be familiar to those of us who have
the classic 1962 Columbia album - the album that introduced most of us to
his/their music. Recordings like Big Four Blues (about the
Cleveland-Cincinnati-Chicago- St. Louis Railroad), Bo Bo Stomp (with
that wonderful Speckled Red-ish 'yas-yas' refrain!), and I Believe I'll
Make A Change, a song 1st recorded by Josh White, and later covered by
the Harlem Hamfats. Also during this period, his producer J. Mayo "Ink"
Williams was varying his repertoire by introducing influences like Big Bill
Broonzy (Don't Start That Stuff), covering Joe Pullum's Black Gal
(What Makes Your Head So Hard?), and asking guitarist Josh White to sit
in with Scrapper Blackwell. (EL)
|
| LEROY CARR |
Document DOCD 5139 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 6 -
1934-35 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
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.
|
| LEROY CARR/ BLACK
BOY SHINE |
Document DOCD 5465 |
Unissued Test Pressings And Alternate Takes |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
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)
|
| SAM CHATMON |
Dynamic 32 |
Blues When It Rains |
● CD $17.98 $11.98 |
Delightful collection of 11 sides recorded in 1976 at his
home in Hollandale, Mississippi by this infrequently recorded Mississippi
country bluesman and songster. Sam is in fine form on a selection of his
most popular songs - St. Louis Blues/ Stoop Down Girl/ I'm A Fool About
Your Loving/ Used To Be (Sam's unique take on Lowell Fulson's Black
Nights)/ Good Eat Meat Boy, etc.
|
| CLIFTON
CHENIER/ ROCKIN' DUPSEE |
Paula CD 17 |
Clifton Chenier & Rockin' Dupsee |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
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)
|
| CHICAGO BOB & THE
SHADOWS |
High Water/HMG 6506 |
Just Your Fool |
● CD $14.98 $4.98 |
Reissue of 1987 High Water LP plus one previously unissued
cut. Chicago Bob is actually from Louisiana though he did spend a few years
in Chicago. He is quite a good singer and harmonica though rather one
dimensional in his approach. His accompanying band is competent though
unexceptional. They perform a mixture of originals (Call My Landlady/
Your Time To Choose/ Bogaloosa Boogie) and covers Just Your Fool/
Mama, Talk To Your Daughter/ Sloppy Drunk, etc.
|
| REV. EDWARD W. CLAYBORN |
Document DOCD 5155 |
Complete Chronological Recordings 1926-28 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
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)
|
| DOCTOR CLAYTON |
Document DOCD 5179 |
Complete Chronological Recordings (1935-42) |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
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)
|
| EDDY CLEARWATER |
Bedrock 19 |
A Real Good Time - Live! |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
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 entert ain ing
performer on this selection of mostly original songs accompanied a 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)
|
| EDDY CLEARWATER |
Rooster Blues 2622 |
Flimdoozie |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
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.
|
|
JAYBIRD COLEMAN & THE BIRMINGHAM JUG BAND |
Document DOCD 5140 |
Complete Chronological Recordings 1927-1930 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 71 minutes, recommended
Alabama based bluesman Burl C. "Jaybird" Coleman was one of the finest
harmonica players to record in the pre-war era. His performances have a
primitive feel to them with vocals that are almost pure field hollers with
the harmonica acting as a solo voice. Most of his performances here are solo
which allows him to fully express himself both vocally and instrumentally.
On the beautiful spiritual I'm Gonna Cross The River Of Jordan he is
joined by Ollis Martin on second harmonica and the result is a masterpieces.
The two pieces where he is given piano accompaniments find him obviously
constrained by the steady rhythms. Coleman is thought to be the harmonica
player on the 8 tracks here by The Birmingham Jug band but whether he is or
not is really not important since the group is a wonderfully raucous group.
Most of Coleman's sides are very rare so one has to make allowances for the
very poor sound on some of his titles. (FS)
|
| ALBERT COLLINS |
Alligator 4719 |
Frostbite |
● CD $16.98 $12.98 |
Another fine set with powerful band - recorded 1980 - If
You Love Me Like You Say/ Hangover/ The Highway Is Like A Woman, etc
ALBERT COLLINS: Blue Monday Hangover/ Brick/ Don't Go
Reaching Across My Plate/ Give Me My Blues/ I Got A Problem/ If You Love Me
LIke You Say/ Snowed In/ The Highway Is Like A Woman
|
| MARTHA COPELAND |
Document DOCD 5372 |
Vol. 1 : 1923-1927 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended
Martha Copeland is a fine though obscure singer who recorded some 34 sides
between 1923 and '28 reissued in their entirety on this album and Document
5373. She was a powerful and expressive singer who sang some lightweight
vaudeville songs but also sang some very fine blues. The first 4 cuts
feature some particularly fine piano by Eddie Heywood. Other tracks feature
the piano of Cliff Jackson, Phil Worde, Porter Grainger and others. Bubber
Miley pops up on trumpet on two sides and a couple of cuts feature the
cornet of Louis Metcalf. Three cuts feature the rather drab violin of Bert
Howell who doesn't add anything to Martha's excellent I Don't Care Who
Ain't Got Nobody. This set includes her great recording from 1927 of
Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues which was the first and was covered by
several other female blues singers that year and was later revived by Blind
Willie McTell at his Library Of Congress session. She does a fine cover of
Victoria Spivey's Black Snake Blues and other songs include Papa,
If You Can't Do Better/ Fortune Teller Blues/ Stole My man Blues/ Soul And
Body (He Belongs To Me)/ Mr. Brakes-Man (Let me Ride Your Train)/ Hobo Bill
and more. Sound is fine and there are brief notes by John Wilby. (FS)
MARTHA COPELAND: Black Snake Blues/ Daddy, You've Done Put
That Thing On Me/ Dyin' Crap-shooter's Blues/ Hard Headed Mama (vocal Duet
W. Sidney Easton)/ Hobo Bill/ I Don't Care Who Ain' Got Nobody/ Mine's Just
As Good As Yours/ Mr. Brakes-man (let Me Ride Your Train)/ Nobody Rocks Me
Like My Baby Do/ On Decoration Day /fortune Teller Blues/ Papa If You Can't
Do Better (take 2)/ Papa If You Can't Do Better (take 3)/ Police Blues/
Skeleton Key Blues/ Sorrow Valley Blues/ Soul And Body (he Belongs To Me)/
Stole My Man Blues/ The Black Snake Moan/ The Down So Long Blues/ The Pawn
Shop Blues/ The Penetrating Blues/ When The Wind Make Connection With Your
Dry Goods (vocal Duet W. Sidney Eas
|
| BOB CORRITORE &
GUESTS |
HMG 1009 |
All-Star Blues Sessions |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
16 recordings made in Phoenix, Arizona between 1986 and 1998
featuring visiting bluesmen accompanied by Phoenix harmonica player and
booker Bob Corritore. Among the artists featured are J.B. Hutto, Bo Diddley,
Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop perkins, Henry Gray, Robert Lockwood Jr. and others.
|
| ROBERT CRAY |
Hip-O 06779-02 |
The Definitive Collection |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
16 tracks, 67 minutes, recommended
Considering Robert Cray's recording career has now spanned a quarter-century
and numerous efforts, a single-disc, 16-track collection might not equate to
being 'definitive' but it does get the job done as a well-chosen overview.
With powerful blues in the form of Phone Booth or Playin' In The
Dirt to his unbeatable blend of blues, soul and R&B for Bad
Influence, I Guess I Showed Her, Right Next Door, Forecast (Calls For Pain)
and plenty more, what's not to like? Lots of staccato guitar (with
influences ranging from Johnny "Guitar" Watson to Wes Montgomery) and rich,
soulful vocals out front from 'young Bob and a thumping band riding
loose-yet-tight behind, Robert Cray continues to be one of the finer artists
on the scene. The past twenty-five years have sure flown by.(CR)
|
| THE ROBERT CRAY BAND |
Nozzle 79815 |
Live From Across The Pond |
● CD $18.98 $12.98 |
2 CDs, 14 tracks, 89 min., highly recommended
The first time I saw The Robert Cray Band they were opening for George
Thorogood and the (then) Delaware Destroyers, and even then Cray's talents
were obvious. His guitar work is fiery and lyrical, his singing soulful, and
he can write a decent song as well. In the 1980s Cray did much to popularize
the blues and widen the definition of the term. This live release is taken
from a week of shows TRCB played in May 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall while
opening for Eric Clapton, another important blues popularizer. Nothing too
surprising here, just solid, consistently pleasing blues. The playlist
features a nice mix of older and newer material, including the classic
Bad Influence, Phone Booth, I Was Warned,I Guess I
Showed Her, Right Next Door (Because Of Me), Twenty,
BackDoor Slam, Poor Johnny and more. (JC)
|
| PEE WEE CRAYTON |
Purple Pyramid CLP 960 |
The Essential Recordings |
● CD $11.98 $7.98 |
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)
|
| ELDER CURRY &
ELDER BECK |
Blues Documents BDCD 6035 |
Complete Recordings In Chronological Order,
1930-39 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
25 tracks, 76 min., recommended
The 8 Curry cuts were recorded by an Okeh field unit in the King Edward
Hotel in Jackson, MS, during 4 Dec. days in 1930, and most of them feature
Elder Charles Beck on piano. The selections are usually part song, part
sermon, with notable exceptions including Beck's piano solo in When The
World's On Fire and the incredibly intense Memphis Flu, a
congregational masterpiece. The rest of the tracks were cut in 1937 & '39 in
NYC for Decca and Bluebird, and feature Beck, "The Singing Evangelist," in
various musical settings-- some with female backup singers and a trumpet,
some with piano and kazoo. Beck was among those who, on songs such as
Love, Oh Love Divine/ I'm A Stranger/ If I Have To Run, popularized the
idea of using melodies from the secular world for religious song.
Fascinating. (JC)
|
| LARRY DAVIS |
Rooster Blues 2616 |
Funny Stuff |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
10 tracks, 42 mins, highly recommended
Superb 1982 album by this brilliant singer/ guitarist. Produced by Oliver
Sain who also plays keyboards ond horns on this album and is joined by top
St. Louis musicians like Phil Westmoreland/ guitar & brrass, Johnnie
Johnson/ piano, Billy Gayles/ drums and others. This album strikes the
perfect balance between sounding contemporary yet being nothing but the
blues! (FS)
|
| REVEREND GARY DAVIS |
Vanguard 79588 |
Live At Newport |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
Davis recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
Includes two previously unissued tracks.
|
| WALTER DAVIS |
Document DOCD 5283 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1933-1952 : Vol 3,
1937-1938 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
More wonderful sides from this brilliant performer. There was not a lot of
variety in Davis's approach but the heartfelt directness of his music and
the straightforward yet never mundane lyrics are continually appealing. His
piano playing, though deceptively simple was full of subtle nuances as in
the quotes from Jabo Williams Pratt City Blues in his own My Babe
and the subtle boogie undertow in I Hear My Baby Crying. There are
some wonderful raunchy songs like Guiding Rod/ Candy Man and If
You Only Understand which J.B. Hutto reworked nearly 20 years later as
Pet Cream man. The opening cut Good Gal is a rarity for Davis
an almost hokum song sung as duet with Robert Lee McCoy (aka Nighthawk)
accompanied by two guitars - no piano in sight. Lots of other great stuff
like Streamline Woman/ Big Jack Engine Blues/ Million-Dollar Baby/ 13
Highway/ Love Will Kill You and more. Most of the cuts feature Davis
accompanied by the guitar of Henry Townsend or Yank rachell - the later
occasionally on mandolin. Another indispensable collection. (FS)
|
| WALTER DAVIS |
Document DOCD 5284 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1933-1952 : Vol 4,
1938-1939 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
23 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
More splendid sides from this brilliant performer. The 12 cuts from 1938
feature Walter with either mandolin or guitar accompaniment while the rest
are completely solo which was to remain the format of his recordings for the
next few years. Even on the tracks here where he is accompanied, the
accompaniment is so far in the background that these are, to all extent and
purposes, solo cuts. In the solo setting one can really appreciate the
uniqueness of his instrmental style. His vocals are as usual mournful and
the lyrics are frequently interesting. Includes Just Tell Me Your
Trouble/ Cuttin' Off My Days/ Smoky Mountin/ Troubled And Wearied/ Corrine/
Airplane Blues, etc. (FS)
|
| WALTER DAVIS |
Document DOCD 5285 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1933-1952 : Vol 5,
1939-1940 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
More wonderful recordings from the talented Walter Davis including eight
accompaniments to the very fine vocalist Booker. T. Washington. The only
accompaniment on all these recordings is Davis's piano playing which is now
at it's peak -- fluid and full of imaginative yet understated flourishes.
His singing is equally fine and his songs, if somewhat formulaic, are down
to earth tales of everyday life and includes several songs which have been
covered by post war singers like Come Back Baby and Hello Blues.
Washington is a very interesting singer with some imaginative lyrics. His
moving Death Of Bessie Smith is a stunning performance both
lyrically, vocally and instrumentally featuring some of Davis's most
haunting playing. Julian Yarrow's fine notes puts Davis' playing into a
technical perspective. (FS)
|
| WALTER DAVIS |
Document DOCD 5286 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1933-1952 : Vol 6,
1940-1946 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 73 mins, essential
This disc features some of the very finest work of this brilliant performer.
All but one track feature only his own piano accompaniment and the result is
some of his very finest piano work - deceptively simple on the surface but
full of complex ideas. It features his only two instrumental recordings -
the magnificent Frisco Blues and Biddle Street Blues. His
songs are vivid tableaux of life in the urban ghetto including the wonderful
minor key song The Only Woman, a suicide story, that was covered ten
years later by Blue Smitty (as Sad Story. He reworks a couple of his
older songs Santa Claus and Come Back Baby and does his own
unique treatment of the Sweet Home Chicago theme as Don't You Want
To Go. It's all wonderful and worth adding to your collection. (FS)
|
| CEDELL DAVIS/
HERMAN ALEXANDER |
Wolf 120.920 |
Highway 61 |
● CD $16.98 $11.98 |
Recordings of two Southern country bluesmen including 8
tracks by idiosyncratic Arkansas singer/ guitarist Cedell Davis and 11 fine
sides by the obscure Tunica, Mississippi bluesman Herman Alexander who plays
in the rhythmic Hill Country style of people like Fred McDowell, Ranie
Burnette and Jessie Mae Hemphill.
|
| REV. EMMETT DICKINSON |
Document DOCD 5441 |
In Chronological Order, 1929-1930 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 71 min., recommended
Although many of his sermons were more than similar to sermons recorded by
Rev. J. M. Gates (compare his A Black Cat Has Crossed Your Path to
Gates' Dead Cat On The Line) and Rev. A. W. Nix (compare his Pay
Your Bills to Nix's Pay Your Honest Debts recorded one month
earlier), he will no doubt be remembered as the only preacher to record a
eulogy for a blues singer. His Death Of Blind Lemon not only praises
the blues singer, it directly compares him to Jesus Christ! In fact,
Dickinson's first record Is There Harm In Singing The Blues answers
the question with a firm no, and sermons to follow borrow blues titles, a
practice later adopted by Rev. Nix and others. Predictably, some have argued
that strong-voiced Dickinson recorded blues under a different name--John
Byrd has been suggested. Sadly, the sermon entitled What The Men Wanted
The Women Was Settin' On remains undiscovered. (Unsurprisingly, sound
quality is frequently poor on the Paramount sides.) (JC)
|
| WILLIE DIXON |
Catfish KATCD 189 |
Big Three Boogie |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
20 track compilation of sides by the popular late 40s/early
50s group The Big Three TRio featuring a young Willie Dixon on vocals and
bass with Leonard Castin Sr. (vocals, piano) and guitarist Bernardo Dennis
(replaced by Ollie Crawford in '47), and Willie Dixon (vocals, bass) had
time and talent to spare. The Big Three Trio resist pigeonholing, but their
music combines the blues with elements of pre-war vocal groups like The Ink
Spots. Tracks on this compilation includes Appetite Blues/ Since My Baby
Been Gone/ You Sure Look Good To Me/ I Feel Like Steppin' Out/ No More Sweet
Potatoes/ Ain't Gonna Be Your Monkey Man and others.
|
| CHAMPION JACK DUPREE |
Fuel 2000 61229 |
St. Claude & Dumaine |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
58 minutes, 12 tracks, good
Champion Jack Dupree enjoyed a recording career that spanned five decades
and this twelve track disc is compiled from a few European sessions in the
1960's. John Moorhead steals a few memorable guitar moments while Victor
Brox offers solid harp on the 1969 band cuts, but Dupree is at his best when
alone at the piano. From Copenhagen in 1960 and 1962, the expatriate simmers
during Mercy On Me and I'm A Gambling Man is superb, while
I Hate To Be Alone and I'm Growing Older Every Day are pure and
unfettered blues. A Good Woman Is Hard To Find is mistitled in the
liner notes by Bill Dahl, but that's a minor quibble. Another decent
offering from Fuel 2000 Records. (CR)
|
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