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BARGAIN BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Alberta Adams - Guitar Slim
| 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 clichéd. 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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| BILLY BOY ARNOLD | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 562 | More Blues On The South Side | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, 34 min., recommended Arnold's first full LP, produced by Sam Charters in 1963, is a journeyman effort of rockin' Chicago blues. His initial Vee Jay sides had a fair amount of impact, especially on the British scene, and this selection continues in the same peppy vein. Initially inspired by Sonny Boy Williamson I, his approach here is solidly contemporary, close to the classic Little Walter sound on many songs, similar to Otis Rush's vocal style on I Love Only You, and resembling his former boss Bo Diddley on a few rockers including Evaleena/ Get Out Of Here. The unissued Playing With The Blues closes it. (MB) BILLY BOY ARNOLD: Billy Boy's Blues/ Evaleena/ Get Out Of Here/ Goin' By The River/ I Love Only You/ I'll Forget About You/ Oh Baby/ Playing With The Blues/ School Time/ Two Drinks Of Wine/ You Better Cut That Out/ You Don't Love Me No More/ You're My Girl |
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| JOHNNIE BASSETT & THE BLUESINSURGENTS | Cannonball 29103 | Cadillac Blues | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, recommended This 1997 album was the first full length album from this fine Detroit singer and outstanding guitarist. The album was recorded at Willie Mitchell's Royal Studio in Memphis with a solid band with organist Chris Codish and a small horn secetion. Fine singing and musicianship is somewhat let down by an abundance of mid-tempo "dance" numbers - mostly written by Bassett or Codish. Still, worth a listen. (FS) |
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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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| BIG MACEO | RCA 66716 | The Bluebird Recordings, 1945-47 (16 tracks) | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 46 min., highly recommended Last copy. Don Kent, in his insightful notes, says it best when he writes that "Maceo was more than a bridge, he was a milestone ...". His piano playing is so stunning that it's a shame that only 12 post-war sides were recorded before his 1946 stroke. With Tampa Red on electric guitar (and a sympathetic drummer), the interplay between these two titans has to be heard to be believed. Eight of the tracks were recorded at the same time as Tampa Red sessions, which surely accounts for this empathy. "Texas Stomp", "Detroit Stomp" and especially the instrumental "Chicago Breakdown" sound as fresh today as they must have been in 1945. For sure, the legendary postwar pianist Private Cecil Gant was listening! The last 4 tracks feature Eddie Boyd at the piano. As with the previous volume, the sound quality is as good as it gets when you consider that the metal masters were used. (EL) Other release BMG/RCA 66715 BIG MACEO The Bluebird Recordings 1941-1942 BIG MACEO: Big Road Blues/ Broke And Hungry Blues/ Chicago Breakdown/ Come On Home/ Detroit Stomp/ I Lost My Woman/ I'm So Worried/ If You Ever Change Your Ways/ It's All Over Now/ Kid Man Blues/ Maceo's 32-20/ My Own Troubles/ Texas Stomp/ Things Have Changed/ Winter Time Blues/ Won't Be A Fool No More |
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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 SINGERS | 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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| BIG BILL BROONZY | Document DOCD 5132 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 10 (1940) | ● CD |
| 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 |
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| BUSTER BROWN | Collectables 5110 | The New King Of The Blues | ● CD |
| 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 |
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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 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) |
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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 | Collectables 2891 | The Very Best Of Charles Brown | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended Very nice! There've been a lot of Charles Brown CDs out drawn from his lengthy career but this is the first CD devoted exclusively to his King recordings which he made for Syd Nathan between 1961 and 1968 - many of them appearing in true stereo for the first time. This is almost all his King recordings with the exception of some of his Christmas songs (he recorded a whole LPs worth) which will not be geatly missed and are available on a King Christmas CD. It opens with his 1961 recording of Please Come For Christmas and ends with 1968 remakes of two of his classic Aladdin sides Black Night and Merry Christmas. Material and arrangements are varied ranging from straight blues to jumping R&B to doo-wop songs to a few pop flavored to an R&B cover of the bluegrass song I Don't Want Your Rambling Letter. There are a couple of fine duets with Amos Milburn, a superb cover of Rosie & The Originals' Angel Baby, the very soulful Christmas Blues> and more. Throughout Charles smooth and silky vocals are a joy - groups range from small to largish with the occasional vocal chorus rearing it's ugly head. Nobody seems to know who the musicians are on these sessions which is a shame as there is some fine guitar and tenor playing on some of the tracks. A fine addition to your collection of Charles Brown recordings! (FS) |
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| BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO | Black Top 1024 | 100% Fortified Zydeco | ● CD |
| Long out of print. Excellent and delightful 1983 album.
On this album singer and accordion player Stanley "Buckwheat" Doral and
his excellent band tackle a wide range of material - rhythm & blues,
blues, zydeco, cajun two steps and waltzes and pop songs and it all
comes off well and ends up being stamped with that distinctive south
Louisiana flavor. Includes I Need Your Lovin' Everyday/ Jasperoux/ In
The Summertime/ Buck's Nouvelles Jole Blon/ I'm Ready To Play, etc. |
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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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| 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 came 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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| CANNED HEAT | Music Avenue 250106 | Eternal Boogie (Two CD set) | ● CD |
| 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. Disc One: Spoonful/ Big Road Blues/ Rollin' and Tumblin'/ Got My Mojo Workin'/ Pretty Thing/ Louise/ Dimples/ Can't Hold On/ Straight Ahead/ Rollin' and Tumblin' Disc Two: On the Road Again/ Amphetamine Annie/ Going Up the Country/ Let's Work Together/ Kings of the Boogie/ Refried Hockey Boogie/ Hell's on Down the Line/ Chicken Shack Boogie/ So Long |
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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. |
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| SAM CHATMON | Dynamic 32 | Blues When It Rains | ● CD |
| 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. |
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| CHICAGO BOB & THE SHADOWS | High Water/HMG 6506 | Just Your Fool | ● CD |
| 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. |
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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 enterating performer on this selection of mostly original songs accomapanied 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) |
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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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| MARTHA COPELAND/ IRENE SCRUGGS | Document DOCD 5373 | Martha Copeland, Vol. 2/Irene Scruggs, Remaining Titles | ● CD |
| THE ROBERT CRAY BAND | Nozzle 79815 | Live From Across The Pond | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| PAPA JOHN CREACH | Bee Bump 03 | Papa Blues | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, 62 min., recommended Most people discovered
John Henry "Papa" Creach during his years playing violin behind
Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship. His 1970s LPs on that group's
Grunt label were well received, and this album (reissued here on the
tiny Bee Bump Music label) recorded two years before Creach's death in
1992 was to be his last album. Papa is backed here by the Bernie Pearl
Blues Band and takes on vocal and fiddle duties. In all a solid set and,
though perhaps not as pleasing as his earlier work, filled with Creach's
own brand of understated cool singing (check Why Don't You Let Me Be)
and remarkable violin work Scufflin' and everything else). (JC)
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| EDDIE CUSIC | HMG 1005 | I Want To Boogie | ● CD |
| Debut recording of 71 year old Delta singer/ acoustic
guitarist from Leland, Mississippi. Most of Eddie's material and style
was learned from records like Lowell Fulson's Reconsider Baby,
Yank Rachell's Ludella, Jimmy Reed's Big Boss Man, Junior Parker's
Feelin' Good, etc along with Eddie's versions of traditional titles
(Catfish Blues/ Little Angel Child and a couple of originals (Pretty
Thing/ I Walk The Water). Enjoyable, if unexceptional. (FS) |
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| LARRY DAVIS | Rooster Blues 2616 | Funny Stuff | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| REV. GARY DAVIS | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 588 | A Little More Faith | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended Reissue of the good Reverend's second Bluesville album (1032) from 1962. Davis is in fine form vocally and instrumentally on a collection of familiar and unfamiliar gospel songs - You Got To Move/ I'm Glad I'm In That Number/ Motherless Children/ I'll Be All Right Some Day/ A Little more Faith/ God's Gonna Separate, etc. |
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| WALTER DAVIS | Document DOCD 5285 | Complete Recorded Works, 1933-1952 : Vol 5, 1939-1940 | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| WALTER DAVIS | Fabulous 204 | Don't You Want To Go? | ● CD |
| 17 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended Superb, budget priced, introduction to the recordings of this wonderful performer featuring 17 tracks ranging from his first session in June, 1930 to his last in July, 1952. Davis is one of my favorite performers with his wonderful lugubrious vocal style and senstive piano accompaniments. On his earliest sides he was accompanied on piano by the great Roosevelt Sykes but soon took over the piano role himself. He is featured solo and with guitar accompaniments from Henry Townsend or Big Joe Williams and his last session features John Moore on tenor sax. Davis was a great songwriter and quite a few of his songs were picked up by later generations of bluesmen. Unlike previous releases on the Fabulous label, the sound quality here is superb and there are brief notes by Neil Slaven who doesn't have as high an opinion of Davis as I do. (FS) WALTER DAVIS: Ashes In My Whiskey/ Don't You Want To Go/ Howling Wind Blues/ L & N Blues/ Let Me In Your Saddle/ M & O Blues/ Minute Man Pt1/ Minute Man Pt2/ Moonlight Is My Spread/ New Come Back Baby/ Root Man Blues/ Sweet Sixteen/ Tears Came Rollin' Down/ That Stuff You Sell Ain't No Good/ The Only Woman/ Think You Need A Shot/ What Your Troubles May Be |
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| THE DEEP RIVER BOYS | Acrobat ACMCD 4262 | Let's Go | ● CD |
| 28 tracks, highly recommended The Deep River Boys were a black vocal group formed in the mid 30s by baritone singer Harry Douglass. They recorded fairly extensively in the 40s and 50s doing both gospel and jivey pop material. In the 50s they toured extensively in Europe where they became very popular and recorded regularly. The notes to this collection by Opal Louis Nations are extensive but vague as to the date of these recordings here but I believe most of them are from the period 1946 through 1950. Highlights are six stunning acapella recorded for the obscure Pilotone label in 1945 or '46 including Get On Board Little Children/ Swing Low Sweet Chariot/ I'm Trampin' and others. On most of the other tracks they are accompanied by piano or rhythm section and tracks include Carmena Waltz Song/ I Am Bound For Sweet Canaan Land/ You Talk Too Much/ A Zoot Suit/ Cousin Jedidiah/ What Did He Say/ That's What You Need To Succeed/ Ain't Misbehavin', etc. Sound quality is generally excellent. (FS) |
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| FLOYD DIXON | Specialty 7011 | Marshall Texas Is My Home | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, highly recommended A fine collection of sides by this West Coast singer and piano player. Dixon was a fine singer and piano player with a husky, plummy style which was similar to Charles Brown though a little rougher. 14 tracks are from his two 1953 Specialty sessions where he is accompanied by a small group featuring the outstanding West Coast guitarist Chuck Norris. Only 6 of the songs were issued and the remainder are unissued songs or alternate takes. There is a lovely solo performance of his minor hit Call Operator 210 taken from his Specialty audition tape. From 1954 there is the whimsical Hey Bartender recorded for the Cat label. There are two fairly nondescript sides recorded for John Dolphin's Cash label in 1956 and the set winds up with 4 fine songs recorded for the Ebb label run by Specialty owner Art Rupe's ex-wife Leona. Digital transfer and remastering by Gordon Skene and Kirk Felton is superb, there are informative notes by Billy Vera and some nice photos. (FS) FLOYD DIXON: Call Operator 210/ Carlos/ Chicken Crowing/ Hard Living Alone/ Hey Bartender/ Hole In The Wall/ I'll Always Love You/ Instrumental Shuffle/ Judgement Day/ Me Quieres/ Never Can Tell (When A Woman's Going To Change Her Mind)/ Nose Trouble/ Oh Baby/ Old Memories/ Ooh Eee! Ooh Eee!/ Ooh Little Girl/ Please Don't Go/ Reap What You Sow/ Rita/ Time Brings About A Change/ What Is Life Without A Home? |
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| K.C. DOUGLAS | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 569 | Big Road Blues | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, 40 mins, recommended Deleted. Reissue of Bluesville 1050 from 1961. Mississippi singer/ guitarist K.C Douglas moved from Mississippi to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1945 but until the folk revival of the 60s performed and recorded infrequently. K.C. had an engaging warm voice and his guitar playing was similarly warm and flowing. His material is mostly familiar and includes two songs he learned from the great Mississippi bluesman Tommy Johnson - Big Road Blues and Canned Heat. Other songs include Move To Kansas/ Tore Your Playhouse Down/ Whiskey Headed Woman/ Key To The Highway. Though K.C.'s music is lacking in intensity it is enjoyable to listen to. (FS) K.C. DOUGLAS: Big Road Blues/ Bottle Up And Go/ Buck Dance/ Canned Heat/ Catfish Blues/ Howling Blues/ K.C.'s Blues/ Key To The Highway/ Move To Kansas City/ Tore Your Playhouse Down/ Whiskey Headed Woman |
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| SHY GUY DOUGLAS | Black Magic 9205 | Stone Doin' Alright | ● CD |
| 21 tracks recorded by fine, obscure Nashville singer and
harmonica player Tom "Shy Guy" Douglas between 1949 and 1969. This is
pretty much everything he recorded, except for his sides for Excello. It
includes sides for Todd, Calvert, Bullet (from the 60s Bullet label
including several previously unissued), Sur-Speed, Sun (originally
unissued), MGM and Chane. Includes Monkey Doin' Woman/ My Little
Baby/ Evening Soul/ Stone Doin' Alright (two takes)/ Detroit
Arrow/ I Should Have Known/ Shy (two takes), etc. Includes 8 page
booklet with brief notes by Fred James and what little discographical
info is known about these recordings. (FS) |
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| DRIFTIN' SLIM | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 590 | Somebody Hoo-Doo'd The Hoo-Doo Man | ● CD |
| Long out of print CD. Reissue of 1967 Milestone by fine
down-home bluesman originally from Arkansas and relocated to Los Angeles
in the late 50s. Some of the cuts feature him as a one-man band (guitar,
harmonica & drum) as well as solo harmonica cuts and some cuts with a
down home electric band. |
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| CHAMPION JACK DUPREE | Fuel 2000 61229 | St. Claude & Dumaine | ● CD |
| 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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| SNOOKS EAGLIN | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 568 | That's All Right | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, 38 min., recommended Versatile New Orleans singer/guitarist Fird Eaglin, Jr., who remained under-recorded until signing with Black Top Records in 1987, cut an album of country blues in 1961 for Prestige/Bluesville. Reissued here with original liner notes, That's All Right finds Eaglin playing 6-string and 12-string guitars all by his lonesome and finessing the mellow hoarseness of his voice on a set of half traditional material, half familiar covers, including Robert Johnson's The Walkin Blues, Amos Milburn's One More Drink, Tommy McClennan's Bottle Up And Go, the title cut, and others. A fine album with some graceful guitar work. (JC) SNOOKS EAGLIN: Alberta/ Bottle Up And Go/ Brown Skin Woman/ Don't You Lie To Me/ Fly Right Back Baby/ I Got A Woman/ I'm A Country Boy/ Mailman Passed/ Mama Don't You Tear My Clothes/ One More Drink/ That's All Right/ Walkin' Blues/ Well, I Had My Fun (goin' Down Slow) |
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| ARCHIE EDWARDS | Bellaphon CDLR 712621 | Living Country Blues USA, Vol. 6: Road Is Rough & Rocky | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, 40 mins, highly recommended Archie Edwards was a fine Piedmont style bluesman originally born in Virginia in 1919 but based in Washington, D.C. when these recordings were made in 1980. Archie was an excellent and expressive singer and a fluid guitarist - sometimes playing a steel bodied National and using effective slide on a couple of tunes. Edwards palled around with Mississippi John Hurt when Hurt was living in Washington and his fine versionsof Lovin' Spoonful and Stagg-O-Lee pay tribute to that but most of the songs are Edwards originals, mostly based around traditional themes but also including a couple of semi-autobiographical pieces. When he was young he loved the music of Jimmie Rodgers and his version of T For Texas is a delight. A very enjoyable collection. (FS) |
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| BIG BOY TEDDY EDWARDS | Document DOCD 5440 | Complete Recorded Works, 1930-1936 | ● CD |
| The complete recordings of this obscure blues performer
- one of very few to play the tiple on record. Edwards was a fine singer
though his earliest solo sides from 1930 are rather boring because of
his limited strumming accompaniment. His later sides are more enjoyable
where he is accompanied by musicians like pianist Black Bob, guitarist
Big Bill Broonzy and banjo player Papa Charlie Jackson. Some tracks are
from very worn 78s but most of the performances are quite listenable.
BIG BOY TEDDY EDWARDS: Alcohol Mama/ Dancing The Blues Away/ Family Troubles/ Good Doing Daddy (take A)/ Good Doing Daddy (take B)/ Hoodoo Blues/ I Ain't Gonna Give You None/ I'm Gonna Tell My Mama On You/ If I Had A Girl Like You/ It Was No Dream/ Louise (80608)/ Louise (c-708)/ Louisiana/ Love Will Provide For Me/ Lovin' Blues/ Run Away Blues/ Them Things/ W-p-a-blues/ Who Did You Give My Barbecue To? - Part 1 (80605)/ Who Did You Give My Barbecue To? - Part 2 (80606)/ Who Did You Give My Barbecue To? -1 (c-752)/ Who Did You Give My Barbecue To? -2 (c-753)/ Wild Woman Blues |
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| THE FAIRFIELD FOUR | Acrobat 4205 | Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around | ● CD |
| Fabulous collection of 30 of the earliest tracks by this
outstanding gospel quartet drawing on recordings made for Bullet and Dot
between 1946 and 1951. Some of this material was on a long out of print
P-Vine album but the rest is new to CD. Includes Better Leave That
Liar Alone/ Where Shall I Go/ Amazing Grace/ I'm Going To Live The Life
I Sing About/ Dig A Little Deeper In God's Love/ Lift Him Up, etc. |
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| THE FAIRFIELD FOUR | Fuel 2000 61398 | The Road To Glory | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, 34 mins, highly recommended Previously issued on Ace 771 as "The Bells Are Tolling". By 1960 when these sides were recorded The Fairfield Four was a different group than the one that recorded those classic sides for Bullet, Dot & Nashboro. Apart from leader Rev. Sam McCrary the rest of the group was all different but very fine including tenor Clarence Mills who shares most of the leads with McCrary and incredible bass singer Joe Henderson (who also plays guitar) and takes a couple of superb leads. Acapella gospel singing was no longer in favor and so the group recorded with accompaniment. The music is consistently fine ranging from the hard driving The Bells Are Tolling to the gentle and exquisite Memories Of My Mother. The album was released by Old Town in 1962 but disappeared soon after and was impossible to find until it was reissued on Athens in 1973 when it became merely very difficult to find. This reissue features excellent notes by the prolific Bill Dahl. A must for gospel enthusiats. (FS) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI | Acrobat ADDCD 3003 | The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 43 tracks, 116 mins, essential Almost the entire output between 1947 and 1954 of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, post-war gospel quartet - The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi featuring the lead of possibly the greatest "hard" gospel singer of all time - the late, great Archie Brownlee. These recordings firmly establish his reputation, not only as a church-wrecking screamer of the first rank, but also as a versatile artist capable of articulating the entire range of gospel emotions. The first 14 tracks feature their earliest recordings cut in 1947 and 1949 for Excelsior and Coleman. These earlier sides show the development of their music from the more traditional style on their Excelsior sides to the intense hard edged sound of their Coleman recordings - a style which reached its final fruition when they moved to Peacock. In addition to Brownlee they also had another magnificent lead vocalist in the form of Rev. Percell Perkins and the rest of the group provide magnificent harmonies. As the group moved into the early 50's and became stars of the gospel circuit, Brownlee's style became more extroverted, venturing into exalted falsetto (In The Garden). These recordings feature just one magnificent performance after another - many of the songs are based on traditional titles but are completely transformed in the hands of Brownlee and the group. Their earlier recordings feature them acapella but some of the best recordings add an incredibly effective thudding drum accompaniment and some others features guitar, piano and organ. Sound quality on some of the Excelsior and Coleman sides is pretty rough and I'm annoyed that they didn't include all the Coleman recordings but that's a minor quibble for this is surely the gospel release of the year.! (FS) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Acrobat 4204 | 1948-1951 | ● CD |
| 28 tracks, 78 mins, essential The Blind Boys first recorded in 1948 for the Coleman label with Clarence Fountain and Paul Excano sharing lead duties. This superb disc features both sides of their three Coleman sides plus 20 of the 26 sides they recorded for the Gospel label in 1950 and 1951. The Coleman sides are acapella while the Gospel sides add discreet acoustic guitar accompaniment. These performances outshine even their more popular Specialty recordings for sheer vocal beauty. Spirited numbers such as Honey In The Rock, one of their most popular numbers, feature Excano and Fountain trading verses, increasing the overall intensity on every pass. Sound on the first couple of Coleman sides is a bit muffled and distorted but the rest is fine and there are detailed notes by Opal Louis nations. (FS) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Savgos 5006 | Original Blind Boys Of Alabama | ● CD |
| Here are some of the Blind Boys of Alabama's finest
Gospel label singles sides from 1959 and 1961. This set contains some of
Clarence Fountain's (lead) most spirited performances, including the
church wrecking |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Specialty 7041 | The Sermon | ● CD |
| 27 tracks, 71 min, highly recommended Jazzy, joyful, jubilant - all words that aptly describe this hard-singing quartet out of the Talladega Institute. Besides the world-renowned Clarence Fountain, the church-wrecking pipes of the Reverends Samuel K. Lewis, Paul Exkano, George W. Warren, and Percell Perkins can be heard singing, shouting, preaching, and testifying. This speaker-popping set includes alternate takes, and demos rendered here for the first time. The set opens with a novelty whose roots date back to the 20's, and ends with a psuedo-secular jump rendition of In The Garden. An amazingly broad range of styles and experiments from 1952-'56. (OLN) THE ORIGINAL FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA: All The Way/ Does Jesus Care/ Fix It Jesus/ God's Promise/ Golden Bells/ Hallelujah/ Heaven On My Mind/ Heavenly Light/ I Cried/ I'll Fly Away/ I'm Going Through/ I'm On The Battlefield/ I've Been Born Again/ In The Garden/ Marching Up To Zion/ Old Time Religion/ Our Father's Praying Ground/ Precious Lord/ Sit Down Servant/ Standing By The Bedside/ Swingin' On The Golden Gate/ The Sermon/ This May Be The Last Time/ When Death Comes/ When I Need Him Most/ Without The Help Of Jesus/ You Got To Move |
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| KIRK FLETCHER | JSP JSPCD 8820 | I'm Here And Gone | ● CD |
| 15 tracks, recommended Over the past decade Kirk Fletcher has become one of the most sought after blues guitarists on the West Coast. His style, though modern, is strongly rooted in traditional style with none of the rock excesses or overly flashy playing of some of his contemporaries. This CD reissues his first album from 1999 and adds as bonus tracks the four songs from his demo session. Not being a vocalist himself the vocals are taken here by Jackie Payne, John Marx or Roosevelt Caldwell. Of the three, Caldwell, who is featured on the demo recordings, is the most impressive. Payne strains a little too hard though when he ratchets things back like on the lovely minor key Silver Spoon the result is superb. Marx's singing is generally rather uninspired. Still with Fletcher's superb playing and fine band work this is a most worthwhile release. (FS) |
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| PETE FRANKLIN | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 560 | Guitar Pete's Blues | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 44 mins, highly recommended Long deleted. An unexpected Bluesville reissue from OBC and a most welcome one. Apart for a couple of sides for Victor in 1949 and a few recordings made in 1963 these 1961 recordings are the only ones available of this excellent Indianapolis singer, guitarist and piano player. Although he was only in his 30s at the time of these recordings Pete has the mournful and reflective vocal style of an older, more experienced man. He was a terrific guitarist with a melodic and percussive style that brings to mind the playing of fellow Indianaopolis resident Scrapper Blackwell from whom Pete learned a great deal. In spite of his moniker he was also an excellent piano player. Apart from the title song the material is all traditional or from blues hits from the 30s and 40s by Dr. Clayton, Leroy Carr, Tampa Red, Bumble Bee Slim and others though Pete gave them his own individual stamp. Beautiful and rewarding recordings. (FS) PETE FRANKLIN: Black Gal/ Grievin' Me/ Guitar Pete's Blues/ I Got To Find My Baby/ Lonesome Bedroom Blues/ My Old Lonesome Blues/ Prison Bound/ Rocky Mountains/ Sail On/ Six White Horses |
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| JESSE FULLER | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 564 | Jazz, Folk Songs, Spirituals & Blues | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, 40 min., essential Deleted - last few copies. There must be a Jesse Fuller disc somewhere that isn't terrific, but this one certainly isn't it. In fact, this 1958 set is arguably among his best. Born in 1896, Fuller was a venerable songster even before he turned professional in 1951; nonetheless, he sounds downright youthful here. Featured numbers include Take This Hammer/ Linin' Track/ Memphis Boogie/ By and By/ Stagolee and Hesitation Blues. The title of this collection and the titles of the various featured numbers illustrate the difficulty of classifying his output, but, for me, "gentle" and "irrepressibly joyful" come pretty close to catching his spirit. Not a disc to miss. Fine stereo sound; original cover art and notes. (DH) JESSE FULLER: 99 Years/ By And By/ Fingerbuster/ Hesitation Blues/ I'm Going To Meet My Loving Mother/ Linin' Track/ Memphis Boogie/ Raise A Ruckus/ Stagolee/ Take This Hammer/ Tiger Rag |
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| LOWELL FULSON | Fuel 2000 61082 | I've Got The Blues | ● CD |
| 18 track compilation of Lowell's Jewel sides from the
late 60s/early 70s. Includes several sides not originally issued. LOWELL FULSON: Baby/ Change Of Heart/ Crying Won't Help/ Don't Leave Me/ Every Second A Fool Is Born/ Fed Up/ How Do You Want Your Man/ Hurry Home/ I Started Out Wrong/ I've Got The Blues/ Please Let Me Go/ Searchin' Out/ Stoned To The Bone/ Teach Me/ The Last One To Know/ Thug/ Too Soon/ You're Going To Miss Me |
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| LOWELL FULSON | Night Train 7001 | Back Home Blues | ● CD |
| We've turned up a few more copies of this fine out of
print title. Bay area blues guitar legend Lowell Fulson cut his first
sides in 1946 for the late Bob Geddins' Big Town label out of Oakland.
When Geddins' company fell on hard times (and it often did), Lowell
switched to Swing-Time which not only recorded him, but reissued many
Big Time masters. Some fine straight ahead blues was recorded at this
time (circa 1946-49). Leadbitter and Slaven indicate that Lowell cut in
many different formats during this period - some had him with simple
trio backings, others with his brother Martin, the Lloyd Glenn unit, Que
Martin Orch., and Jay McShann Orch. to name but a few. The fourteen
sides presented here probably feature some of the above. Great down home
blues including I Love My Baby, the previously unissued
alternates of Mama Bring Your Clothes Back Home/ Sinners Prayer/ Back
Home Blues, plus ten other gems. Minor duplication on wax with B&E
1012 and Crown Prince 407/8, but none with Arhoolie 2003. Highly
recommended. (OLN) LOWELL FULSON: Back Home Blues/ Cold Hearted Mama/ Don't Be So Evil/ Fulson Boogie (instrumental)/ I Love My Baby/ Let's Live Right/ Mama Bring Your Clothes Back Home (alternate take)/ My Baby Can't Be Found/ Rock This House/ Sinner's Prayer (alternate take)/ The Day Is Passing On (instrumental - unissued)/ Trying To Find My Baby/ Upstairs/ Want To See My Baby |
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| CECIL GANT | Blue Moon 6047 | The Complete Recordings Volume 5 : 1947-1949 | ● CD |
| 20 tracks recorded between 1947 and 1949 by this
talented performer. Most of the material is slow and mid tempo blues and
blues ballads with a couple of exceptions including his classic
performance of Hogan's Alley. This disc also includes two cuts
That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch and Time Will Tell which
were issued on a rare1958 LP on the Sounds label and were unissued
alternate takes from his early Gilt Edge sessions with an overdubbed
band! |
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| JIMMIE GORDON | Document DOCD 5649 | Complete Recordings, Vol. 2, 1936-1938 | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, recommended Apart from Document, Jimmie Gordon has been almost totally ignored by reissue labels even though he recorded some 60 titles between 1934 and 1941. Though not a major artist he was certainly a most worthwhile - an engaging singer with an offhand approach akin to that of Bill Gaither or Bumble Bee Slim (two other ignored artists) he also wrote some fine songs. His earlier sides (on Document 5648) mostly featured him accompanying himself on piano with Charlie McCoy on guitar. Most of the tracks here find him with a small group called the Vip Vop Band whose personnell varied from session including Horace Malcom or Sam Price on piano, Odell Rand/ clarinet, Joe Bishop/ flugel horn, Teddy Bunn/ guitar and others. Two tracks feature him accompanied by Peetie Wheatstraw on piano and Lonnie Johnson on electric guitar. A number of the songs are covers of songs originally popularized by artists as varied as Blind Boy Fuller, Walter Davis, Curtis Jones and The Mississippi Sheiks but he also has some fine original songs like I Believe I Been Hoodooed/ Plenty Trouble On Your Hand and Bleeding Heart Blues. As an interesting side note, line note writer Dr. David Evans, draws a semantic connection between the terms "Vip Vop," "bebop" and "hip hop." (FS) JIMMIE GORDON: Alberta Alberta/ Bleeding Heart Blues/ C. C. & St. Louis Blues/ Crying My Blues Away/ Fast Life/ Good As I Been To You/ I Believe I Been Hoodooed/ Jacksonville - Part 1/ Jacksonville - Part 2/ Keep Your Nose Out Of Other People's Business/ Lonesome Bedroom Blues/ Me And My Gin/ Number Runner's Blues/ Playing In The Grass/ Plenty Trouble On Your Hand/ Rattlesnake Bite/ Sail With Me/ She Wants To Rattle Me All The Time/ She's Doin' It Now/ Think You Need A Shot/ Whip It To A Jelly/ You're Bound To Look Like A Monkey (when You Get Old) |
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| ROSCO GORDON | Charly SNAP 222 | Rosco's Rhythm (30 tracks - Sun & Vee-Jay) | ● CD |
| 30 tracks, highly recommended Great collection by one of the most distinctive of urban bluesmen featuring 28 tracks recorded for Sam Phillips between 1952 and '57 and 2 recorded for Vee-Jay in 1959. Only a handful of these recordings were originally issued by Sun in the 50s - most of them are unissued songs or alternate takes that have turned up in the various excavations of the Sun vaults over the past 50 years and reveal just what a talented performer Gordon was. He had a flair for novel lyrics and rhythm - some consider him the father of ska/ bluebeat! Roscoe is accompanied by fine bands with a couple of horns and some of the tracks rock like crazy. Includes sides like T Model Boogie/ I Wade Through Muddy water/ Just Love Me Baby/ Do The Chicken/ That's What You Do For Me/ I Don't Like It/ Hard Headed Woman, etc. Though not quite as raucus, his Vee-Jay sides include some fine cuts including his most famous song - Just A Little Bit. Includes informative notes by Adam Komorowski. However the lack of discographical information is regretted. (FS) ROSCO GORDON: Booted/ Cheese and Crackers/ Decorate the Counter/ Do the Bop/ Do the Chicken (Dance with You)/ Hard Headed Woman/ Hey Little Girl/ I Don't Like It/ I Found a New Love/ I Love You Better Than I Love Myself/ I Wade Through Muddy Water (Dream on Baby)/ I'm Gonna Shake It/ If You Don't Love Me Baby/ Just Love Me Baby/ Just a Little Bit/ Let's Get High/ Love With Me Baby/ Love for You Baby/ My Chick/ New Orleans, Louisiana/ Nineteen Years/ No More Doggin'/ Real Pretty Mama/ Sally Jo/ Shoobie Oobie/ T-Model Boogie/ That's What You Do to Me/ Tired of Living/ Torro/ Weeping Blues |
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| ROSCO GORDON | Varese Vintage 63852 | I'm Gonna Shake It! The Sun Recordings | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 58 mins, highly recommended Deleted. Rosco Gordon's Sun recordings remain classic and timeless regardless of how much time passes. Jumping blues, boogie, and ballads are generously sprinkled throughout the set as Gordon's piano fronts small, yet powerful bands with plenty of bootin' sax and potent drums. From the stomping grooves of Decorate The Counter and Just Love Me Baby to the hilarious and painfully slow Weeping Blues or Tired Of Living, Rosco was in great form when recording for Sam Phillips. Bill Dahl hands in strong liner notes and offers insight into Rosco's drunken rooster, Butch, but session details are sadly absent. Incredible music. (CR) ROSCO GORDON: Bop With Me Baby/ Cheese And Crackers/ Decorate The Counter/ I Don‘t Like It/ I Found A New Love/ I Wade Through Muddy Water/ If You Don‘t Love Me Baby/ I‘m Gonna Shake It/ Just Love Me Baby/ Let‘s Get High/ Love For You Baby/ Love With Me Baby/ New Orleans, La/ Nineteen Years/ Real Pretty Mama/ Sally Jo/ Shoobie Oobie/ T-model Boogie/ That‘s What You Do To/ The Chicken (dance With You)/ Tired Of Living/ Weeping Blues |
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| THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS | Acrobat ACRCD 209 | Blues With A Beat | ● CD |
| 23 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended Terrific collection of jumping R&B and blues recorded in the early 50s by this outstanding combo from the Washington D.C. area. This Buddy Johnson/ Louis Jordan inspired outfit fronted two superb vocalists, Margie Day (heard here singing her classic version of Little Red Rooster and her lowdown I'm Gonna Jump In the River) and Tommy Brown who is thought to have reinvented the crying blues on THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS: Ace In The Hole/ Blues All Alone/ Blues With A Beat/ Comin'home/ Double Faced Deacon/ Griff's Boogie/ Hot Pepper/ House Near The Railroad Track/ I Wanna Go Back/ I'll Get A Deal/ I'm Gonna Jump In The River/ It'd Surprise You/ Little Red Rooster/ One Steady Baby/ Pretty Baby/ Sadie Green/ Shuffle Bug/ Stormy Night/ Stubborn As A Mule/ The Clock Song (let Your Pendulum Swing)/ The Teaser/ Tra La La/ Weepin' And Cryin' |
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| THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS | Acrobat ACRCD 218 | Blues With A Beat, Volume 2 | ● CD |
| Another fabulous collection of sides by this exciting
combo featuring a mix of rocking instrumentals and fine vocals by Margie
Day and Buddy Griffin. In addition to 23 tracks by the band there are
four solo sides by Buddy Griffin with his wife Claudia on vocals.
Includes 12 page booklet with notes by Dave Penny. |
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| GUITAR JUNIOR (LONNIE BROOKS) | Charly Blues Masterworks BM 1 | The Crawl - Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 1 | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, highly recommended Long out of print. This disc, previously a Charly LP, presents 14 fine Goldband sides from 1957/58 when Brooks was known as Guitar Junior. A fine mixture of blues, blues ballads, R&B and even a country song, all given that distinctively appealing Louisiana touch. Includes Junior's original recordings of The Crawl and Roll, Roll, Roll that were later made famous by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Junior is a splendid singer and guitarist, and this album is most worthwhile. (FS) |
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| GUITAR SLIM | Collectables 7700 | Atco Sessions | ● CD |
| 15 tracks, 37 mins, essential Previously on Atlantic 81760. Guitar Slim was a brilliant and influential singer and guitarist whose career was cut short by his early death at the age of 33. This album presents all the recordings he made for Atco between 1956 and '58 - his last. It includes both sides of his four Atco singles, one track that was only available on a long deleted album and six tracks that have never been issued before in any form. Six tracks were recorded in New Orleans with top New Orleans sidemen and the rest were recorded in New York with excellent bands. Although several of the songs fall into the novelty category there are also some of Slim's distinctive blues ballads which give his gospel flavored vocals and stinging guitar full reign. The unissued sides include a brilliant version of Gatemouth Brown's My Time Is Expensive and two takes of Guitar Slim Boogie, his only recorded instrumental and one which also seems to owe a debt to Gatemouth. Excellent sound, informative notes by Jeff "Almost Slim'" Hannusch and full discographical information. (FS) |
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