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BARGAIN BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Larry Davis
-> Buddy Guy
| LARRY DAVIS | Rooster Blues 2616 | Funny Stuff | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 42 mins, highly reccomended 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 519 | Say No To The Devil | ● CD |
| Superb 1961 set featuring Rev. Davis not only playing
his usual six string guitar but a couple of tracks with 12-string
and
one track features him playing old time harmonica.. Includes Say No
The Devil/ Hold To God's Unchanging Hand/ I Decided To Go Down/ Little
Bitty Baby, etc. REV. GARY DAVIS: Bad Company Brought Me Here/ Hold To God's Unchanging Hand/ I Decided To Go Down/ Little Bitty Baby/ Lord, I Looked Down The Road/ Lost Boy In The Wilderness/ No One Can Do Me Like Jesus/ Say No To The Devil/ Time Is Drawing Near/ Tryin' To Get To Heaven In Due Time |
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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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| JIMMY DAWKINS | Ichiban 1014 | American Roots: Blues | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended Jimmy Dawkins was part of the great African American migration, moving from Tchula, Mississippi to Chicago in 1955. After he got to the big city, Dawkins spent the next decade or so working in the factories and developing as a session musician renowned for playing scorching hot guitar. By 1969 with the help and encouragement of his friend Magic Sam, he recorded his debut album "Fast Fingers" for the Delmark label. This album showed that Jimmy Dawkins was a fine Blues singer as well as a hot guitar player. Since the release of that fine album, Dawkins has spent his time touring and recording at a steady pace, never hitting too big, but gathering a loyal following and much respect from his fellow blues musicians. As a side man, he has played with some of the best Blues artists around: Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, just to name a few. This here collection gathers up a sampling of the best tracks from his 1990's albums on the Ichiban record label. Smokin' Urban Blues numbers like Begging Business/ Down, Down Baby(featuring Francine Reed)/ Cold As Hell, and -- probably his best track from the period -- Lonely Guitar Man, are all here sounding great. (JM) |
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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 farly 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 vaugue 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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| THE DETROITERS/ GOLDEN ECHOES | Specialty 7034 | Old Time Religion | ● CD |
| 26 tracks, 70 min., recommended The Detroiters and Golden Echoes were hard-singing quartets from the golden age. The Detroiters, featuring Oliver Green and Leroy Barnes, deliver 15 selections. 11 of these are previously unissued and taken from unsweetened studio tapes recorded at United Sound. The Golden Echoes are led by legendary gospel vets Paul Foster Sr. and "Little Axe", coming from a 1949 session. Ten of the eleven sides are now made available for the first time having been carefully transcribed from original 16" metal masters. (OLN) |
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| REV. EMMETT DICKINSON | Document DOCD 5441 | In Chronological Order, 1929-1930 | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| FLOYD DIXON | Alligator 4841 | Wake Up And Live! | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 58 minutes, very good The return of one of the great jump blues pianists, Floyd is heard on 16 originals, old tunes, new tunes, even re-writes of old tunes. Starting off with Hey Bartender, his best known tunes thanks to The Blues Brothers, (is it my imagination, or are the horns in the wrong key?), the titles here are self explanatory - I Wanna Rock Now/ Mean & Jealous Man/ Got The Blues So Bad/ 450 Pound Woman/ Rockin' At Home. I'm not familiar with the backers, but the only ones that are on all the tracks are guitarist Port Barlow, who helped persuade Floyd to go back to the recording studio, & tenor saxist Eddie Synigal, longtime member of BB King's band. (GM) |
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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 informtive 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 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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| REV. ISAAC DOUGLAS | Nashboro 4523 | By The Grace Of God | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, 60 min., recommended Isaac Douglas grew up in the New York and Philadelphia areas, cutting his gospel-singing teeth in stints with the Gospel Troupadores (sic), the Edwin Newberry Singers, and the Rasberry Singers. In these 70's recordings, he is usually paired with choir accompaniment, and his vocal style ranges from smoothly soulful to gruffly powerful. Selections include Jesus Is on the Main Line, Keep on Working for the Lord, You Light Up My Life, On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, I'll Go Anywhere, The Harvest is Plentiful, and I Can Depend on Jesus. Righteous music, presented with deft professionalism. (DH) |
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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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| 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 enthusiasts. (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 | Liquid 8 12018 | I Saw The Light | ● CD |
| 15 sides - Something's Got A Hold Of Me/ Love, Love,
Love/ Lord I TRied, etc. |
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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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| LOWELL FULSON | Acrobat ACRD 147 | Jukebox Blues, 1946-1948 | ● CD |
| 18 tracks, 50 minutes, highly recommended Although only covering a few early years of Lowell Fulson's lengthy career, these 18 tracks represent a smoldering and formative period for the Oklahoma-born bluesman. Waxed for labels like Big Town, Trilon, Down Beat, and Swingtime, Fulson was a riveting guitar picker along the lines of T-Bone Walker (with a bit more of an edge) and a vocalist of decent capability. Most of the tracks are trio format with Eldridge McCarty on piano and an upright bassist, while a handful are quartets with a drummer in tow. There's an interesting element to a few cuts where Fulson's guitar clangs with furor while Rufus Russell's piano has a touch of cocktail lounge velvet. One small drawback is that mastering is a bit uneven with some songs clearly louder than others, but all in all, very worthwhile. (CR) |
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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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| BILL GAITHER (LEROY'S BUDDY) | Document DOCD 5253 | Complete Record Works In Chronological Order, Vol 3 | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, highly recommended More fine sides by this underrated bluesman. Gaither was a fine vocalist and an exceptional songwriter, often with a witty edge to his lyrics. He accompanied himself with some tasty guitar and, on his best recordings, was accompanied by pianist Honey Hill. Although many of recordings were credited as Leroy's Buddy, he was anything but a Lery Carr imitator. The first 11 tracks here from a June 1938 session with Hill are particularly fine ranging from the mournful Old Coals Will Kindle, the wonderfully witty That's Grieving Me with it's brief spoken interlude and a great tribute to The Brown Bomber Champ Joe Louis. These are followed by two solo sides by Hill including an outstanding version of Pinetop Smith's Boogie Woogie. The final nine tracks from a June 1939 session find Gaither in the company of pianist Lil Armstrong and Teddy Bunn on guitar and is fine though somewhat less inspired than the earlier sides. (FS) BILL GAITHER: Babyfied Ways Girl/ Big Time Town Woman/ Boogie Woogie (Honey Hill)/ Champ Joe Louis/ I Got Your Water On/ If I Was The Devil/ It's Coming Back Home To You/ It's Grieving Me/ New Pains In My Heart/ New Rocky Mountain Blues/ Noah's Dove/ Old Coals Will Kindle/ Old Fashioned Woman/ Old Model 'A' Blues/ Racket Blues/ Right Hand Friend/ Set 'Em (Honey Hill)/ So Much Trouble/ Sweet Mama/ Too Late Too Late/ When My Woman's Lovin' Someone Else/ You Done Lost Your Swing No. 2 |
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| PAUL GAYTEN | El Toro R&B 116 | Ain't Nothin' Happenin' - Cool Jump Blues, 1947-1957 | ● CD |
| 30 tracks, highly recommended Superb collection of New Orleans blues focusing on the talents of the outstanding singer/ pianist/ songwriter/ bandleader and producer Paul Gayten. About half the tracks are by Gayten himself while the rest features sides produced by Gayten and backed by Gayten's band including vocalists Annie Laurie, Joe "Mr. Google Eyes" August, Larry Darnell and Charles "Hungry" Williams and instrumentalist Lee Allen. Joining Gayten's sterling piano work are such fine musicians as guitarist Edgar Blanchard, teno saxist Lee Alen, trumpeter Wallace Davenport and others. The tracks are arranged chronologically so one can watch the development of the music from the mellow West Coast flavored stylings to the more hard driving New Orleans sound that defined the music of the city. Although a fair number of the tracks have been reissued before this is the first time they have been brought together under the rubric of the man who made them all possible. Includes the R&B chart hits For You My Love/ Cuttin' Out and I'll Never Be Free Sound is excellent and there are informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS) LEE ALLEN: Drivin' Home (Part 2)/ Gayten's Nightmare/ LARRY DARNELL: For You My Love/ PAUL GAYTEN: Back Trackin'/ Cow Cow Blues/ Creole Gal/ Down Boy/ For You My Love/ Get It/ Hey Little Girl/ If You Love Me, Tell Me So/ It Ain't Nothin' Happenin'/ Nervous Boogie/ Oooh-La-La/ The Music Goes Round And Round/ The Sweeper/ Tickle Toe/ Yeah Yeah Yeah/ Yellow Dog/ You Better Believe It/ Your Hands Ain't Clean/ ANNIE LAURIE: Annie's Blues/ Cuttin' Out/ I Still Love You/ My Rough And Ready Man/ One Sweet Letter From You/ I Ain't Gonna Let You In/ I'll Never Be Free/ MR GOOGLE EYES: Young Boy/ CHARLES "HUNGRY" WILLIAMS: So Glad She's Mine |
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| JAZZ GILLUM | Acrobat 4007 | Take One More Chance With Me | ● CD |
| 25 Tracks, 73 Mins, recommended A fine introduction to the recordings of this popular Chicago singer and harmonica player. He was a pleasant, warm, if somewhat inexpressive singer and a limited harmonica player with a shrill reedy tone. The earliest tracks with just guitarist Big Bill Broonzy and a bass player have a loose country dance swing feel to them - later track add additional instrumentation and have a more plodding feel. Accompanying musicians, in addition to the ubiquitous Broonzy, include Washboard Sam, Joshua Altheimer, Alfred Elkins, Blind John davis, Willie Lacey and others. Songs include Sarah Jane (a delightful novelty piece)/ You're Laughing Now/ Mule Blues/ She Won't Treat Me Kind/ Got To Reap What You Sow/ I Got Somebody Else and others. Good sound and brief notes from Neil Slaven. (FS) JAZZ GILLUM: Against My Will/ Country Woman Blues/ Don't You Scandalize My Name/ Gillum's Windy Blues/ Got To Reap What You Sow/ I Got Somebody Else/ I'll Get Along Somehow/ I'm Gonna Get It/ I'm Gonna Leave You On The Outskirts Of Town/ It Looks Too Bad For You/ It's All Over Now/ Keyhole Blues/ Let Her Go/ Look What You Are Today/ Me And My Buddy/ Mule Blues/ One Letter Home/ Riley Spring Blues/ Sarah Jane/ She Won't Treat Me Kind/ Take One More Chance With Me/ Whiskey Headed Buddies/ Woke Up Cold In Hand/ You Drink Too Much Whiskey/ You're Laughing Now |
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| THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET | Acrobat 173 | Rock My Soul | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 53 mins, recommended Excellent inexpensive introduction to the music of this brilliant and influential group from Alabama. Includes many of their most popular sides recorded between 1937 and 1943 including Golden gate Gospel Train/ Go Where I Send Thee/ Massas In The Cold Cold Ground/ Noah/ Job/ Stlin Wasn't Stallin'/ Dip Your Fingers In the waters/ Didn't It Rain/ Blind Barnabas/ Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer, etc. (FS) |
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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 | Varese Vintage 63852 | I'm Gonna Shake It! The Sun Recordings | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 58 mins, highly recommended 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 GOSPEL SONGBIRDS | Nashboro 4518 | Ring Them Golden Bells: The Best OF Nashville Songbirds | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, 36 min., recommended Drawn from sessions held between 1962 and 1966, this delightful collection of sanctified Chicago gospel numbers offers the work of three different Songbirds' lead singers: James Phelps, Cash McCall, and Otis Clay. Program highlights include The Bible is Right, When They Ring Them Golden Bells, Traveling Pilgrim, Glory Glory Hallelujah, Let Jesus Lead You, I Believe, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Story of the Woman (At the Well), and Beulah Land. Fine music, mixing sweet soul sounds with hard-edged, latter day gospel. Sound quality is solid, as are the in-depth liner notes are by our own gospel pundit, Opal Nations. (DH) |
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| COOT GRANT & KID WILSON | Document DOCD 5563 | Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 - March 1925 to Novem. 1928 | ● CD |
| 23 tracks, 65 mins, recommended Great collection of black vaudeville and blues featuring the talented Leola B. "Coot" Grant and "Kid" Wesley Wilson. The duo pieces are witty and humorous and the duo are accompanied by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Buster Bailey, Shirley Clay, Rex Stewart and others as well as Wesley's own piano playing. There are a number of excellent solo blues by Grant issued under her married name of Leola B. Wilson - several featuring the beautiful guitar work of Blind Blake. Musically and historically this deserves a higher rating than recommended but the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired on many of the tracks. Several of the performances have such a high level of surface noise as to make for very difficult listening and many of the others have that shrill thin sound of acoustic recordings which could possibly be improved with sophisticated equalization but, as it stands, is pretty tiring to listen to after more than a few songs. It's too bad as the music is great! (FS) GRANT & WILSON: (take 1)/ (take 2)/ Ashley St. Blues/ Black Biting Bee Blues/ Come On Coot Do That Thing/ Crying Won't Make Him Stay/ Dishrag Blues/ Down The Country/ Ducks/ Dying Blues/ Find Me At The Greasy Spoon (if You Miss Me Here)/ Find Me At The Greasy Spoon (if You Miss Me Here)/ Have Your Chill, I'll Be Here When Your Fever Rises/ Key Hole Blues/ Mama Didn't Do It And Papa Didn't Do It/ Rasslin' 'till The Wagon Comes/ Rock, Aunt Dinah, Rock/ Rollin' Mill Blues/ Scoop It/ Speak Now Or Hereafter Hold Your Peace/ State Street Men Blues/ Stevedore Man/ When Your Man Is Going To Put You Down (you Never Can Tell)/ Wilson Dam/ You Dirty Mistreater |
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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 SHORTY | Collectables 5724 | Billie Jean Blues | ● CD |
| Seven tracks of high energy blues - mostly recorded
live. |
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| GUITAR SHORTY | Collectables 5725 | The Blues Is All Right | ● CD |
| 8 tracks - The Blues Is Alright/ History Of Jody/
Never Make Your Move Too Soon |
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| GUITAR SLIM | Specialty 7007 | Sufferin' Mind | ● CD |
| 26 tracks, essential Eddie "Guitar Slim" was a brilliant performer whose career was cut short by his early death at the age of 33 in 1958. With his powerful gospel tinged vocals, intense guitar work and his dynamic on stage performance he was a big influence on later generations of performers. His song The Things I Used To Do recorded at his first Specialty session in 1953 with Ray Charles on piano became a #1 R&B hit and has become a blues standard with hundreds of cover versions. Although "Things" was his only chart hit he recorded other classic sides for Specialty between 1953 and 1955 like Well I Done Got Over it/ Sufferin' Mind/ Reap What You Sow and I Got Sumpin' For You. All these are here along with unissued songs and alternate takes. Sound is superb and booklet has colorful notes by Jerry Wexler. (FS) GUITAR SLIM: Bad Luck Blues/ Certainly All/ Going Down Slow/ Guitar Slim/ I Got Sumpin' For You/ I Want To Love-A You (Take 1)/ I Want To Love-A You (Take 11)/ Later For You Baby/ Letter To My Girlfriend/ Our Only Child/ Quicksand/ Reap What You Sow/ Something To Remember You By/ Stand By Me/ Story Of My Life/ Sufferin' Mind/ The Things That I Used To Do/ Think It Over/ Trouble Don't Last/ Twenty-five Lies/ Well I Done Got Over It/ You Give Me Nothing But The Blues/ You're Gonna Miss Me |
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| BUDDY GUY, JUNIOR WELLS & JUNIOR MANCE | BGO 399 | Buddy And The Juniors | ● CD |
| 7 tracks, recommended We've turned up a few copies of
this long out of print CD. Originally released in 1970 on Blue Thumb
Records (BTS 20), this album features Chicago bluesmen Buddy Guy and
Junior Wells going completely acoustic. No bass and drums either, though
jazz great Junior Mance does add his piano to give the sound some
fullness. The first 2 songs (17 minutes) are reasonably well-focused
improvisations in which Guy and Wells trade verses and riffs. Best cover
here is Willie Dixon's Hoochie Coochie Man, but the quiet take on
Arthur Crudup's Rock Me Mama is a close second. Outstanding harp
from Junior Wells throughout. A rare opportunity to hear blues legends
with their plugs pulled, and an amusing cover, too. (JC) |
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