|
BARGAIN
BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
The Harlem Hamfats
-> Calvin Owens
| THE HARLEM HAMFATS |
Fabulous 253 |
Let's get Drunk & Truck |
● CD $8.98 $6.98 |
Budget priced 14 track introduction to the music of this
excellent Chicago studio group that blended blues, jazz and hokum -
Oh! Red/ Let's Get Drunk & Truck/ The Garbage Man/ Hamfat Swing/
Hallelujah Joe Ain't Preachin' No More/ We Gonna Pitch A Boogie Woogie/
Black Gal You Better Use Your Head, etc
|
| JAMES HARMAN |
Cannonball 29107 |
Taking Chances |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
13 track compilation of songs about gambling from fine
singer and harmonica player with an outstanding array of backing
musicians include "Kid" Ramos, Bob Margolin, "Junior" Watson, Tom Mahon,
Rick Reed and others. Includes Modern Numbers Game/ Gamblin' Blues/
Crapshoot/ Lucky Dog/ Takin' Chances, etc.
|
| JAMES HARMAN BAND |
Cannonball 29102 |
Extra Napkins |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended
1997 reissue of 1988 Rivera album. This is a fine contemporary blues
record. Harman and band jump, wail and sweat their way through seven
originals and five loving covers. James is a marvelous harp player
(check out the title cut if you need convincing) whose blowing evokes
Jr. Wells, Big Walter, Snooky Prior and other Chicago greats. The guitar
work by the late Hollywood Fats and Kid Ramos is blistering but seldom
excessive. Find yourself a smokey room, break out the booze, call up
your friends and play this one LOUD! (WSG)
|
| THE HARMONIZING FOUR |
Acrobat ADDCD 3005 |
1943-1954 |
● CD $18.98 $13.98 |
Acrobat brings another great two CD set devoted to the
recordings of one of the great gospel quartets of the post war era -
this time The Harmonizing Four of Richmond, Virginia. The group was
originally founded in 1927 but didn't make their first recordings until
1943 and this set covers almost all their recordings from that first
session until 1954. Their earliest sides are all acapella but by 1947
second tenor Lonnie Smith (father of Lonnie Listin Smith) picked up the
guitar and provides discreet but beautifully effective and imaginative
guitar licks. 54 tracks in all - many making their first appearance on
CD. Compiled and annotated by Opal Louis Nations.
|
| WYNONIE HARRIS |
Proper BOX 20 |
Rockin' The Blues |
● CD $26.98 $19.98 |
Most welcome four CD set featuring all the recordings
made by this great and influential blues shouter from Omaha between
1944, when he made his recording debut with the Lucky Millinder
Orchestra, and 1950. 81 tracks including all time classic hits like
Wynonie's Blues/ Playful Baby/ Good Rockin' Tonight/ Lolly Pop Mama/
Grandma Plays The Numbers/ All She Wants To Do is Rock/ Sittin' On It
All The Time and other rip-roaring gems. Comes with 52 page booklet
with rare photos and discography.
WYNONIE HARRIS: A Love Untrue/ All She Wants To Do Is
Rock/ Around The Clock-Part 1/ Around The Clock-Part 2/ Baby Shame On
You/ Baby, Look At You/ Battle Of The Blues-Part 1/ Battle Of The
Blues-Part 2/ Be Mine My Love/ Big City Blues/ Bite Again, Bite Again/
Blow Your Brains Out/ Blowin To California/ Blues/ Cock-A-Doodle-Doo/
Come Back Baby/ Confessin The Blues/ Crazy Love/ Dig This Boogie/
Drinkin' By Myself/ Drinkin' Wine Spo-dee-o-dee/ Everybody's Boogie/
Everybody's Boogie (Alternate Take)/ Feel That Old Age Coming On/ From
Bad To Good Blues/ Ghost Of A Chance/ Goin' Home/ Good Morning Corinne/
Good Morning Judge/ Good Morning Mr. Blues/ Good Rockin' Tonight/
Grandma Plays The Numbers/ Hard Ridin' Mama/ Here Comes The Blues/ Hey!
Ba-ba-re-bop, Part 1/ Hey! Ba-ba-re-bop, Part 2/ Hurry, Hurry!/ I
Believe Ill Fall In Love/ I Can't Take It No More/ I Got a Lyin' Woman/
I Got a Lyin' Woman (Alternate Take)/ I Like My Babys Pudding/ I Want My
Fanny Brown/ I Want To Love You Baby/ In The Evenin' Blues/ Lightnin'
Struck The Poor House/ Lollipop Mama/ Love Is Like Rain/ Man Have I Got
Troubles/ Mr. Blues Is Coming To Town/ Mr. Blues Jumped The Rabbit/ My
Baby's Barrel House/ Oh Babe/ Papa Tree Top/ Playful Baby/ Put It Back/
Rebecca's Blues/ Rock Mr Blues/ Rose Get Your Clothes/ Rugged Road/ She
Just Won't Sell No More/ She's Gone With The Wind/ Sittin' On It All The
Time/ Somebody Changed The Lock On My Door/ Stormy Night Blues/
Straighten Him Out/ Take Me Out Of The Rain/ Teardrops From My Eyes/
Thats The Stuff You Gotta Watch/ Time To Change Your Tune/ Triflin'
Woman/ Whiskey And Jelly-Roll Blues/ Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well/
Wynonie's Blues/ Wynonie's Boogie/ Yonder Goes My Baby/ You Got To Get
Yourself A Job, Girl/ Young And Wild/ Young Man's Blues/ Your Money
Don't Mean A Thing
|
| ROSA HENDERSON |
Document DOCD 5403 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 3 :
1924-1926 |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
23 tracks, recommended
Rosa, who was born in 1896, was quite prolific, recording nearly 100
titles between 1923 and '31. She was a powerful and expressive singer
and her material included blues, novelty songs and popular songs of the
time. The tracks here were recorded over 13 different sessions - most
accompanied by fine small jazz groups often with Rex Stewart/ cornet and
Bob Fuller/ clarinet and two sides find her accompanied by the piano of
Fats Waller. The set opens with a fine version of the jazz / pop
favorite Hard Hearted Hannah and includes a fine cover of Clara
Smith's great Don't Advertise Your Man. It also includes the
intense Undertaker's Blues, a superb rendition of Nobody Knows
The Way I Feel This Mornin' and the intriguing Here Comes My Baby
which appears to be a love song to another woman! Sound quality is
generally fine and there are informative notes by Steve Tracy. (FS)
|
| HEZEKIAH &
THE HOUSE ROCKERS |
High Water/HMG 6511 |
Hezekiah & The House Rockers |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
Reissue of 1990 High Water album by group that is a
litle different to your usual blues group. In additional to the
traditional line up of guitar, harmonica and drums (the latter two both
played by Early) the group also features 80 plus year old Pee Wee
Whittaker on trombone. The trombone is used as another lead instrument
rather than just riffing and the effect combined with the boogie guitar
lines is quite novel.
|
| THE HIGHWAY Q.C'S |
Charly SNAPCD 189 |
Where He Leads Me (27 tracks from Vee
Jay) |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
27 tracks, 72 mins, essential
Indispensable collection of songs recorded by this superb Chicago
quartet for Vee Jay between 1955 and 1964. It includes six tracks from
the group's first two session which featured Johnny Taylor. His great
Sam Cooke inspired lead vocals are featured to great effect on the
sublime Somewhere To Lay My Head and I Dreamed Heaven Was Like
This. Most of the subsequent leads are by the very fine Spencer
Taylor (no relation) who is at his peak on songs like Something On My
Mind/ Working On The Building/ The Way Up The Hill and the fabulous
I Heard. With the Collectables series of Vee-Jay gospel reissues
now deleted this is the best available collection of this wonderful
group. (FS)
THE HIGHWAY QCS: Amazing Grace/ Child Of God/ Do You
Love Him/ Every Man,womn And Child/ Golden Bells/ Great Trumpet/ He
Lifted My Burdens/ He Said/ Heavenly Father's Children/ I Dreamed Heaven
Was Like This/ I Heard/ I Used To Wonder/ I Used To Wonder/ I'll Be
Satisfied/ I'll See Jesus Too/ I'll Trust His Word/ Jesus, I'm Waiting/
Lord I'll Go/ Nobody Knows/ Oh What A Beautiful Day/ Pray/ Sad How They
Done My Lord/ Something On My Mind/ Somewhere To Lay My Head/ The Milky
White Way/ The Way Up The Hill/ Where He Leads Me/ Working On The
Building
|
| HOMESICK JAMES |
Original Blues Classics OBCCD 529 |
Blues On The South Side |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended
Originally on Prestige, this is a classic of latter-day Chicago blues
recorded in 1964 with expert backing by Lafayette Leake/ piano, Eddie
Taylor/ bass and drummer Clifton James. Out in front is Homesick's
plaintive voice and raw slide guitar on 12 numbers including She May
Be Your Woman/ Gotta Move/ The Cloud Is Crying and a masterful
Stones In My Passway. (FS)
HOMESICK JAMES WILLIAMSON: Crawlin'/ Goin' Down
Swingin'/ Gotta Move/ Homesick's Blues/ Homesick's Shuffle/ Johnny Mae/
Lonesome Road/ She May Be Your Woman/ Stones In My Passway/ The Cloud Is
Crying/ The Woman I'm Lovin'/ Working With Homesick
|
| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Hearts Of Darkness DTKBOX 90 |
Trilogy |
● CD $17.98 $11.98 |
3 CD set, 64 tracks, 3 Hrs 10 mins, recommended
Previously in Charly and Dressed To Kill labels. A nice, inexpensive
compilation of Hooker's work from various periods. The first disc is the
same as Charly CDGR 176 issued in the 1990s featuring material mostly
not on other CDs. The first 9 tracks from 1948-1950 are fantastic solo
cuts with Hooker at his most ferocious and there are 3 cuts from the
same period with piano and drums, There are 3 late 50s Vee-Jay cuts not
on Charly's box set of Hooker material, two 1960 cuts recorded for
Fortune and 5 songs from the 1960 Newport Folk Festival where he is
accompanied by the Muddy Waters band. Sound on the latter is muddy
(sorry!) but there is some fine playing, particularly by Otis Spann. The
other two discs features 42 of Hooker's Vee-Jay sides from the mid 50s
to the early 60s - no real surprises, but all good stuff and some of it
is not readily available elsewhere - Mambo Chillun/ I'm So Worried/
Trouble Blues/ Crawlin' Black Spider/ You've Taken My Woman/ I'm A
Stranger/ I Wanna Walk/ Onions/ Dimples/ I'm In The Mood/ Boogie
Chillun/ I'm Going Upstairs, etc. No notes but, apart from the
afoementioned live tracks, the sound is excellent. (FS)
|
| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Rhino 70572 |
Ultimate Collection: 1948-1990 |
● CD $29.98 $14.98 |
While claiming this to be "ultimate" may be a bit
extreme this is certainly as good a cross section of recordings of this
great blues artist as one could wish for. In two CDs and 31 songs it
covers his career from his first blues hit Boogie Chillen to a
previously unissued live version of I'm In The Mood from 1990 on
which he is joined by Bonnie Raitt and Roy Rogers. A version with
similar line up won Hooker his first Grammy award. Along the way we hear
some of his classic solo performances - Sally Mae/ Crawling Kingsnake/
Hobo Blues/ John L's House Rent Boogie with John's distinctive
vocals accompanied by his intensely rhythmic and modal guitar style.
There are some of his small group classics from Vee-Jay in the mid 50s
and early 60s where he was accompanied by small groups - Frisco Blues
(apparently inspired by Tony Bennett with The Vandellas on backup
vocals!) / It Serves Me Right/ Boom Boom, etc. Acoustic
recordings for Riverside, sessions for Chess, Wand, Bluesway and other
labels including collaborations with T. Bone Walker, The Muddy Waters,
Canned Heat and others. Excellent sound and decent notes by Greg Drust
round out a most entertaining package. (FS)
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Back Biters And Syndicators/ Big
Legs, Light Skirt/ Boogie Chillen'/ Boom Boom/ Bottle Up And Go/ Burning
Hell/ Crawlin' King Snake/ Dimples/ Frisco Blues/ Hobo Blues/ Huckle Up
Baby/ I Cover The Waterfront/ I Need Some Money/ I'm Bad Like Jesse
James/ I'm In The Mood/ It Serves Me Right/ Jon L's House Rent Boogie/
Let Your Daddy Ride/ Let's Go Out Tonight/ No More Doggin'/ One Bourbon,
One Scotch, One Beer/ Peavine/ Sally Mae/ Shake It Baby/ She's Mine
(Keep Your Hands To Yourself)/ Teachin' The Blues/ Terraplane Blues/
Think Twice Before You Go/ Weeping Willow Boogie/ You Know I Know
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Acrobat ACMCD 4332 |
Rockin' At Herald Records |
● CD $13.98 $11.98 |
27 tracks, 77 mins, essential
If you missed out on the great Ember CD of a few years ago featuring
these classic Lightnin' Hopkins sides recorded for Herlad in 1954 now's
your chance to get them again but don't delay - with the Acrobat label
out of business this might not be around for much longer. These were
among his last commercial recordings for an African-American audience
and find him somewhat adapting to the times with heavier amplification
on his guitar and accompaniment throughout by bassist Donald Cooks and
drummer Ben Turner. The result is some of his fiercest and most intense
recordings particularly on the second session where he really cranks up
the volume and adds some distortion. Whether he is singing introspective
slow blues like Lonesome In Your Home/ Sittin' Down Thinkin'/ Don't
Think Cause You're Pretty/ Sick Feeling Blues/ Evil Hearted Woman
and the appropriately titled Nothin' But the Blues or letting
loose with raucous rockers like Grandma's Boogie/ Don't Need No Job/
They Wonder Who I Am and My Little Kewpie it's all down home
Texas blues at it's very finest. In their attempt to get the most
mileage out of these recordings Herald would often issue the same song
with different titles - sometimes with edits or added echo but this
presents all the original singles in chronological order plus what might
be an alternate take of Don't Think 'Cause You're Pretty though
I'm not so sure. As a bonus (to me anyway) the cover is a reproduction
of the Herald LP originally issued in 1960 with 12 of these tracks. This
was one of the first blues LPs I ever bought when I first became
interested in blues in the early 60s so the cover really brought a
(lightning) flash of nostalgia. Includes informative notes by Bob
Fisher. It doesn't matter how much Lightnin' you already have these
recordings are absolutely indispensible! (FS)
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Collectables 5143 |
From The Vaults Of Everest, Part 1 :
Drinkin' In The B |
● CD $11.98 $5.98 |
16 tracks recorded for Tradition and Society in 1959 and
'60 - Big Black cadillac Blues/ Coffee House Blues/ Stool Pigeon
Blues/ Drinkin' In The Blues/ Ball Of twine / "G" String Blues/ Rain/
Last Night, etc.
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Ball Of Twine/ Big Black Cadillac
Blues/ Brand New Car/ Coffee House Blues/ Drinkin' In The Blues/ Early
In The Mornin' Blues/ Fugitive Blues/ G String Blues/ Goin' To Dallas/
Grandma Told Grandpa/ I've Been Buked And Scored/ Last Night/ Rain/
Shake It Baby/ Shining Moon/ Stool Pidgeon
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Collectables 5145 |
From The Vaults Of Everest, Part 3 :
Mama & Papa Hopkins |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: 75 Highway/ Bottle Up And Go/
Bunion Stew/ Don't Wake Me/ Get Off My Toe/ Go Down Old Hannah/ Hear My
Black Dog Bark/ In The Evening, The Sun Is Going Down/ Mama And Papa
Hopkins/ Short Haired Woman/ That Gambling Life/ The Food Race Is On/
Trouble In Mind/ What Did I Say/ When The Saints Go Marching In/ You Got
To Work To Get Your Pay
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Proper BOX 123 |
Texas Thunderbolt |
● CD $31.98 $23.98 |
Another winner from Proper featuring 110 sides recorded
by the king of Texas country between 1946 and 1955 - a healthy
percentage of the sides he recorded during this period. Includes 48 page
booklet.
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: (let Me) Play With Your Poodle/
Abilene/ Ain't It A Shame/ Ain't It A Shame/ Another Fool In Town/
Appetite Blues/ Automobile Blues/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Bad Luck And
Trouble/ Bad Things On My Mind/ Beggin' You To Stay/ Black Cat/ Black
Cat Bone/ Bluebird Blues/ Blues For My Cookie/ Can't Get That Woman Off
My Mind/ Candy Kitchen/ Cemetery Blues/ Coffee Blues/ Contrary Mary/
Crazy 'bout My Baby/ Daddy Will Be Home One Day/ Dark And Cloudy/ Dirty
House/ Disagreeable/ Don't Think 'cause Your Pretty/ Evil Hearted Woman/
Freight Train Blues/ Give Me Central/ Goin' Back And Talk To Mama/
Grievance Blues/ Grosebeck Blues/ Had A Gal Called Sal/ Happy New Year/
Have To Let You Go/ Henny Penny Blues/ Highway Blues/ Honey Babe/ I
Can't Stay Here In Yourtown/ I Just Don't Care/ I'm Beggin' You/ I'm
Wild About You Baby/ Ida Mae/ Jackstropper Blues/ Jake Head Boogie/
Katie Mae Blues/ Last Affair/ Life I Used To Live/ Lightnin' Special/
Lightnin's Boogie/ Lightnin's Boogie/ Lightnin's Boogie/ Little Mama
Boogie/ Lonesome Dog Blues/ Lonesome Home/ Lonesome In Your Home/ Long
Way From Texas/ Mad With You/ Mama's Baby Child/ Merry Christmas/ Miss
Loretta/ Miss Me Blues/ Mistreater Blues/ Moanin' Blues/ Moonrise Blues/
Morning Blues/ Movin' On Out Boogie/ My Baby's Gone/ My California/ My
Little Kewpie Doll/ Needed Time/ Nightmare Blues/ Nothin' But The Blues/
One Kind Favour/ One Kind Of Favour/ Picture On The Wall/ Policy Game/
Praying Ground Blues/ Racetrack Blues/ Remember Me/ Rollin' And Rollin'/
Rollin' Woman Blues/ Sad News From Korea/ Santa Fe Blues/ See See Rider/
Shine On Moon/ Short Haired Woman/ Shotgun Blues/ Sick Feeling Blues/
Sittin' Down Thinking/ So Long/ Some Day Baby/ Somebody's Got To Go/
Sugar On My Mind/ T-model Blues/ Tap Dance Boogie/ Tell It Like It Is/
That Mean Old Twister/ The War Is Over/ Tim Moore's Farm/ Unpredictable
Woman/ Unsuccessful Blues/ Untrue Blues/ West Coast Blues/ What Can It
Be?/ Whiskey Headed Woman/ You Caused My Heart To Weep/ You Don't Know/
You're Not Goin' To Worry My Life Anymore/ Zologo
|
| SON HOUSE |
Fuel 2000 61249 |
Revisited |
● CD $19.98 $11.98 |
Two CDs, 27 tracks, recommended
Two live performances from 1965 by the Delta blues legend. The first
disc features a performance at Oberlin College right after he had
recorded his Columbia album and finds Son in good spirits giving lengthy
introductions to each song which are fascinating the first time but you
probably won't want to hear every time. Most of the songs are one he
recorded for the album including Levee Camp Moan/ Empire State
Express/ Preachin' The Blues/ John The Revelator, most accompanied
by his steel bodied National and a couple unaccompanied. His vocals are
powerful and the guitar work is exciting though he seems to run out of
steam later in the show resulting in a few clams. Sound quality is
excellent. The second disc was recorded live at the Gaslight Cafe in New
York on January 3, 1965 not too long after his rediscovery. Son is in
good, if not great, form on a collection includingPony Blues/
Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ Death Letter Blues/ I Shall Not Be
Moved/ Empire State Express/ Louise McGhee and others. Son's
performances on the first set seem a little tentative but are stronger
and more assured on the second. A couple of the songs are cut short
(presumably recorder ran out of tape) and there is noticeable tape hiss
on the quiter moments. While not essential performances these are a
worthwhile addition to the legacy of this blues giant. These
performanbces have been reissued before but this is the first time they
are issued with the cooperation of the House estate and sound quality is
better than on previous issues. (FS)
|
| PEG LEG
HOWELL & EDDIE ANTHONY |
Matchbox 2005 |
Complete Recordings In Chronological
Order, Vol 2 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
21 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended
The second volume of these two brilliant Georgia musicians features only
two solo tracks by Howell including the very fine Walkin' Blues.
He is joined by Eddie Anthony on two tracks including their lively
Turkey Buzzard based on the old time country tune Turkey In The
Straw The other six tracks by Howell feature him with the fiddler
Ollie Griffin or mandolin player Jim Hill and includes the excellent
Rolling Mill and Ball & Chain Blues. There are 8 tracks by
Tampa Joe & Macon Ed - Ed is, of course, our old friend Eddie Anthony -
Tampa Joe is an unknown singer and guitarist. The duo's singing, playing
and repertoire shows the influence of the Mississippi Sheiks but there
are some fine performances. The set ends with Brother's Wright And
Williams asssited by Sisters Jordan and Norman on the old time religious
song I'll Play My Harp In Beulah with fiddles and guitar that is
hypothesized to be Macon Ed and Tampa Joe - could be - whoever it is
it's very nice. Not as strong as the first volume there are,
nevertheless, many fine performances here. (FS)
"SLOPPY" HENRY: Long, Tall, Disconnected Mama/ Royal
Palm Special Blues/ PEG LEG HOWELL: Away From Home/ Ball And Chain
Blues/ Banjo Blues/ Broke And Hungry Blues/ Chittlin' Supper/ Monkey Man
Blues/ Rolling Mill Blues/ Turkey Buzzard Blues/ Turtle Dove Blues/
Walkin' Blues/ MACON ED AND TAMPA JOE: Everything's Coming My Way/ Mean
Florida Blues/ Tantalizing Bootblack/ Tickle Britches/ Try That Thing/
Warm Wipe Stomp/ TAMPA JOE AND MACON ED: Worrying Blues/ Wringing That
Thing/ BROTHERS WRIGHT & WILLIAMS: I'll Play My Harp In Beulah Land
|
| HOWLIN' WOLF |
Chess CHD 12026 |
His Best, Vol. 2 (20 Chess sides) |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
20 track collection - no surprises but lots of great
music if you don't already have much by Wolf - Howlin' Wolf Boogie/
All Night Boogie/ I'm The Wolf/ Who Will Be Next/ Tell Me/ Down In The
Bottom/ Just Like I Treat You/ My Country Sugar Mama/ Don't Laugh At Me/
New Crawlin' King Snake, etc.
|
| JOE "GUITAR"
HUGHES |
Blues Express 002 |
Stuff Like That |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
10 tracks, 57 mins, recommended
Good new album from Texas singer/ guitarist Hughes recorded recently in
San Francisco in the studio in front of a live audience. Joe is backed
by a solid group with horns which includes popular Bay Area guitarist
Bobby Murray. Singing and playing is solid throughout and while Joe is
not a particularly original artist he does have a nice feel for
interesting and witty lyrics. Highlight is the excellent Pit Bull
about his girlfriends dog (or is it?) who "Can do more with a bone/ Than
Rambo can with a gun" and features some of his best guitar work. (FS)
|
| IVORY JOE HUNTER |
Classics 5026 |
The Chronological Ivory Joe Hunter, 1947 |
● CD $14.98 $10.98 |
25 tracks, recommended
The Ivory Joe Hunter saga continues with 25 tracks from 1947. A diverse
mixture of jivey jazzy jump blues, blues, blues ballads and pretty much
straight ahead pop songs. Sidemen include Pee Wee Crayton, Ben Webster,
Sonny Turner, Owen Bradley, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope and others.
Includes two top ten hits with the ballad Don't Fall In Love With Me
and the fine blues What Did You Do Me. (FS)
IVORY JOE HUNTER: All states Boogie/ Big Wig/ Boogin'
In The Rain/ Come On Let Your Hair Down/ Did You Mean It/ Don't Be No
Fool- Fool/ Don't Fall In Love With Me/ Don't Know/ False Friend Blues/
Foolish Pride/ I Like It/ I Shouldn't Love you/ I Was Only Playing/ In
Time/ Jumpin' At The Dew Drop/ Landlord Blues/ No Money No Luck Blues/
Old Gal New Gal Blues/ San Francisco Blues/ Send Me Pretty Mama/ She's A
Killer/ She's Gone Blues/ The Code Song/ Woo Wee Blues/ what Did You Do
To Me
|
| LONG JOHN HUNTER |
Alligator 4861 |
Ride With Me |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
10 tracks, 51 min., recommended
Reissue of 1993 Spindletop album. If you've heard the handful of singles
he recorded for the tiny Yucca label in the early 1960's, reissued some
year ago on a Double Trouble LP, you know how talented this Texas
singer/guitarist is. And at 62, he hasn't lost his edge, turning in this
fine set of originals that includes El Paso Rock/ West Texas
Homecoming, just in case anyone should doubt where his heart is. On
the latter cut Hunter is joined by T. D. Bell and his guitar;
throughout, saxophonists Mark Kazanoff and Red Rails give the backing
band distinction and heat. Pianist Erbie Bowser is no slouch either.
Solid. (JC)
|
| MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT |
Fuel 2000 61149 |
Revisited |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
18 tracks, 60 min., highly recommended
Mississippi John Hurt played the melody and bass line at the same time,
sang, and made the whole thing sound as simple as tapping your foot. His
fluid, relaxed style was first dedicated to wax in 1928, and he sounded
like no one else in the world. Only 35 years later he was "rediscovered"
and recorded again. This live show is drawn from an April 15, 1965,
performance at Oberlin College in Ohio. His sound, essentially unchanged
over the years, is as pleasing as ever, as he moves through some of his
old classics, including I'm Satisfied, Rich Woman Blues,
Candy Man, My Creole Belle, and others. Highlights include
Here Am I, Oh Lord, Send Me, The Angels Laid Him Away and
the children's ditty C-H-I-C-K-E-N. Great fun. (JC)
|
| MAHALIA JACKSON |
Acrobat ADDCD 3006 |
The Forgotten Recordings |
● CD $18.98 $13.98 |
Two CDs, 36 tracks, highly recommended
The reason for the name is that prior to this double CD these recordings
were only available on three rare LPs on the French Vogue label that
were issued in the 70s after Mahalia's death. Apparently these were
taken from short films shot by Mahalia in the early 60s. They were
probably recorded by Mahalia with piano and organ accompaniment with
additional accompaniment added on some selection prior to release.
Mahalia is in fine form on a selection that includes Give Me That Old
Time Religion/ I Asked The Lord/ Only Believe/ Tell It Sing It Shout It/
To Me It's So Wonderful/ Highway Up To Heaven/ It's My Desire/ Never
Look Down/ You Can't Hurry God/ God Will Take Care Of You, etc.
Sound quality is not the greatest and I'm not sure if that's how the
original Lps sounded or as a result of the remastering but I suspect the
former. Includes 12 page booklet with affectionate notes by Opal Louis
Nations. (FS)
|
| LARRY JOHNSON |
Biograph BCD 138 |
Midnight Hour Blues |
● CD $14.98 $7.98 |
1971 album by this fine bluesman with John Hammond on
harp and National steel guitar. Includes Blood Red River/ Saturday
Evening Blues/ Walking Blues/ Red River Dam Blues/ Midnight Hour Blues/
Tell Me Mama, etc.
LARRY JOHNSON: Blood Red River/ Mama-Less Rag/
Midnight Hour Blues/ Nobody's Biz-ness/ One Room Country Shack/ Peace
Breakin' People/ Red River Dam Blues/ Saturday Evening Blues/ Tell Me
Mama/ Walking Blues/ When Things Go Wrong
|
| LONNIE JOHNSON |
Blues Magnet 1001 |
The Unsung Blues Legend |
● CD $14.98 $7.98 |
17 tracks, 56 min, highly recommended
Something about this set I find beautiful. This was recorded at the home
of Bernie Strassberg, who had become friends with Lonnie during the 60s
after Lonnie's "rediscovery". An informal recording in a Forest Hills
living room in '65, Lonnie accompanies himself on guitar on what is a
long string of pop, jazz & blues tunes & standards. His single string
runs still sound great as he fluidly goes from tune to tune.
Interestingly, he starts off with 2 songs which, in '65, were associated
with Frank Sinatra - This Love Of Mine & September Song.
From there it's everything from Duke's Solitude, early classics
likr St. Louis Blues/ Back Water Blues/ Careless Love and
Prisoner of Love, Earl Hine's Jelly Jelly, his own New
Orleans Blues & There's Been Some Changes Made, even a solo
guitar version of Danny Boy. (GM)
|
| LONNIE JOHNSON |
RCA Bluebird 66064 |
He's A Jelly Roll Baker |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
Last copy. If you're not ready
for the 10 CD's of Lonnie on Document & Blues Documents, try this for an
appetizer. 20 cuts from the WWII-era, mostly in his pleasing song style
with dazzling guitar plus piano and bass accompaniment from the likes of
Lil Armstrong, John Davis and Ransom Knowling. Songs are varied
including the vitriolic attack on a woman stealer Nothing But A Rat,
pop ballad stylings like The Loveless Blues, a remake of one of
his most famous songs the insightful Crowing Rooster Blues , the
risque title song and other fine performances like Why Women Go
Wrong/ Jersey Belle Bluews/ I'm Just Dumb/ That's Love/ Lazy Woman
Blues,D>, etc. Lonnie had a long and extremely productive career and
this a typically fine selection. (FS)
LONNIE JOHNSON: Baby Remember Me/ Chicago Blues/
Crowing Rooster Blues/ Get Yourself Together/ He's A Jelly Roll Baker/ I
Did All I Could/ I'm Just Dumb/ In Love Again/ Jersey Belle Blues/ Lazy
Woman Blues/ Nothing But A Rat/ Rambler's Blues/ Somebody's Got To Go/
That's Love/ The Last Call/ The Loveless Blues/ The Victim Of Love/
Watch Shorty/ When You Feel Low Down/ Why Women Go Wrong
|
|
LUTHER "GUITAR JUNIOR" JOHNSON |
Bullseye Blues 9546 |
Country Sugar Papa |
● CD $15.98 $6.98 |
13 tracks, 55 min., recommended
A member of the Muddy Waters Band in the '70s, Johnson plays Chicago
blues guitar West Side style a la Magic Sam. His 3rd Bullseye release is
solid as usual, and several cuts, namely his own
Walkin' With You Baby/ I'm Going Back, Back, Back/ Can't Come
Home, are downright hot. The songs that work the best do not attempt
to force the guitar down the listener's throat just for the sake of
guitar, opting instead for the inclusion of tasty harp solos or horns
and back-up singers. And so on. When producer Ron Levy lets the guitar
become more important than the song, the results are competent blues
without the flair necessary to make them stand out. Fortunately, Johnson
and Levy hit much more often than they miss. (JC)
|
| ROBERT JOHNSON |
Sony (Germany) 296752 |
The Complete Recordings |
● CD $15.98 $7.98 |
European issue of Columbia 46222 from 1990 but without
the notes. This two CD set with 41 tracks features all of Bob's
recordings in chronological order including all alternate takes with the
exception of the alternate take of Traveling Riverside Blues
which was discovered after this release originally came out. These
recordings should be in every blues lovers collection so if you don't
already have them, what are you waiting for?
|
| CURTIS JONES |
Original Blues Classics OBCCD 515 |
Trouble Blues |
● CD $11.98 $7.98 |
12 tracks, 39 min., recommended
Deleted. Reissue of Bluesville 1022 originally recorded in 1960, with
one CD bonus track. Curtis Jones was an excellent and distinctive singer
and a very fine blues songwriter as well as a decent piano player. On
this album he is accompanied by a rhythm section and most incongruously
an organ player who sounds totally out of place here, almost ruining an
excellent album. The songs are all Jones originals and includes a remake
of one of his most popular 30's recordings Lonesome Bedroom Blues
along with other fine items like Suicide Blues/ Weekend Blues/
Trouble Blues/Low Down Worried Blues, etc. Some nice stuff but it's
a shame about that organ! (FS)
CURTIS JONES: A Whole Lot Of Talk For You/ Fool Blues/
Good Time Special/ Good Woman Blues/ Lonesome Bedroom Blues/ Love
Season/ Low Down Worried Blues/ Pinetop Boogie/ Please Say Yes/ Suicide
Blues/ Trouble Blues/ Weekend Blues
|
|
EDDIE "ONE
STRING" JONES/ EDWARD HAZLETON |
Takoma (UK) 1023 |
One String Blues |
● CD $22.98 $16.98 |
15 tracks, 53 min, highly recommended
Available again. On the surface, the idea of someone performing Ernest
Lawler's-Memphis Minnie's Me And My Chauffeur ('41), Big Joe
Williams' Baby Please Don't Go ('35), Walter Davis' Come Back
Baby ('40) and Hambone Willie Newbern's Roll And Tumble Blues
('29) on a one-string guitar (using an old whiskey bottle as a slide)
may sound very limiting but I'm here to tell you, it's an experience! I
first heard this record when Takoma Records rescued the original 1964
Portents album from oblivion. The CD reissue includes three additional
sides by Jones not previously issued. It also contains the track, The
Dozens, that Captain Beefheart refers to as "He Was A-F--kin'".
Recorded in 1960 on the streets of Los Angeles by Frederick Usher, Eddie
Jones (if that's his real name) was not the first Afro-American to
record on such an instrument. That honor may just belong to One-String
Sam (who recorded I Need A Hundred Dollars in 1956). Those of you
who are interested in the history of Afro-American one-string
instruments should read David Evans' 16 page 1971 article in Western
Folklore #29. The remaining six tracks (3 previously unissued) belongs
to one Edward Hazelton, featuring his amateur harmonica & vocals on such
standards as Motherless Children Have A Hard Time/ Poor Boy and
Red River Blues. (EL)
|
| LOUIS JORDAN |
Proper BOX 47 |
Jivin' With Jordan (4 CDs - 100 tracks) |
● CD $26.98 $19.98 |
Holy battling Louis Jordan boxes! A couple of months ago
JSP issued a five CD set featuring 121 tracks by Louis recorded between
1938 and 1950 for $29.98 (24.78 cents per song) and here comes Proper
with a slightly less complete set featuring 100 tracks from the same
period for $25.98 (25.98 cents per song). The JSP has minimal
documentation while the Proper has a handsome 40 page illustrated
booklet. As they say - you pays yer money you take yer choice!
|
| JO ANN KELLY |
Mooncrest CRESTCD 063 |
Tramp 1974 |
● CD $16.98 $8.98 |
The third collection of rare and unissued recordings by
this wonderful British blues singer features studio and live cuts from
1974 with the excellent band she worked with on an occasional basis. The
material is mostly R&B including covers and a couple of fine originals
by Jo Ann and band members.
JO ANN KELLY: Baby What You Want Me To Do/ Feel Like
Breaking Up Somebody’s Home/ Help Me Through The Night/ It’s Too Late
For That Now/ Jump Steady Daddy/ Love Blind/ Nicki Hoeky/ Put A Record
On/ Put A Record On/ Til My Back Ain’t Got No Bone/ Travellin’ Mood/
What You Gonna Do/ You Don’t Love Me Baby/ You Got To Move
|
| VIVIAN VANCE KELLY |
Wolf 120.812 |
Hit Me Up |
● CD $16.98 $8.98 |
Debut album from the daughter of fine Chicago bluesman
Vance Kelly. Vivian is an excellent singer though her material is overly
familiar (Got My Mojo Working/ Down Home Blues/ Stand By me/ Proud
Mary/ Proud Mary, etc.). Some titles are performed acoustic and some
electric and several songs are presented twice in acoustic and electric
versions.
|
| JUNIOR KIMBROUGH |
High Water/HMG 6503 |
Do The Rump! |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
Mostly previously unissued sides from early 80s recorded
for High Water by this distinctive bluesman.
JUNIOR KIMBROUGH: Come on and Go with Me/ Do the
Rump!/ Done Got Old/ I Feel Good, Little Girl/ I Want to Know What's
Wrong with You/ I'm So Glad Trouble Don't Last Always/ Keep Your Hands
off Her/ My Mama Done Told Me/ Nobody But You Baby/ Please Don't Leave
Me, Baby/ Too Late Baby/ Walk with Me/ You Better Run
|
| ALBERT KING |
Collectables 2887 |
The Complete King & Bobbin Recordings |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
24 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
Compares to the "More Big Blues" CD Ace 827 ($18.98), which shares 22
tracks with this collection. The main differences would then be that
there are two tracks on this that don't appear on the Ace collection:
This Funny Feeling, and Had You Told It Like it Was. Also
this CD is cheaper than the Ace version, but the Ace version is cooler,
better put together, has better notes and although this sounds totally
fine, I would bet (without having done a track by track comparison) that
the Ace set has slightly superior sound. This material certainly
represents a fine period for Albert King, so I would recommend getting
it all in some form or another. Recorded between 1959 and 1964, and
covering his earliest recordings on Bobbin, over to King, and leading up
to his departure for Stax records and the real big time. Stand out
tracks from this period like Ooh-Ee Baby/ I Walked All Night Long/
Blues at Sunrise/ Don't Throw Your Love on Me so Strong/ I Get Evil,
and Dyna Flow, to name a few. (JM)
|
| B.B. KING |
MCA 11921 |
His Definitive Greatest Hits (Two CD set
- 34 tracks) |
● CD $35.98 $17.98 |
1999 compilation. 2 CD set with 34 tracks from his ABC,
Bluesway and MCA years including tracks cut with U2, Robert Cray, Gary
Moore, and Bobby Bland.
|
| EARL KING |
Fuel 2000 61113 |
King Of New Orleans |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
16 tracks, 61 minutes, highly recommended
This could easily be considered a 'Best Of' collection in that it
gathers 16 tracks recorded for the Scott brothers' Black Top label. Earl
King's commanding skills as a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist are
shown to excellent advantage on Love Rent/ It All Went Down The
Drain/ Hard River To Cross/ Three Can Play The Game/ Sexual Telepathy/
Medieval Days, and another ten riveting tracks. Supported by Roomful
Of Blues, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, The Black Top All-Stars,
Snooks Eaglin, Derek O'Brien, Sarah Brown, George Porter, and plenty
more top-shelf talent, King delivers an hour of brilliance with
shuffles, second-line funk, and hard-edged blues. (CR)
|
| EARL KING |
Sonet 986 926-0 |
The Sonet Blues Story |
● CD $13.98 $10.98 |
10 tracks from this fine New Orleans singer and
guitarist recorded in the 70s with a fine small band including Clarence
Ford and David Lastie on saxes and Maurice Richard on piano. Most of the
songs are reamkes of songs he first recorded in the 50s and 60s and
includes Let's Make A better Worl/ Do Re Mi/ Time For The Sun To
Rise/ Baby Sittin'/ The Panic's On, etc.
|
| LEAD BELLY |
Rounder 1151 |
Bridging Lead Belly |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
A collection of 17 previously unissued recordings - 12
recorded for the BBC in New York in 1938 and 5 recorded at a private
party in Salt Lake City in 1946. Mostly familiar songs but often given
unfamiliar treatments - Boll Weevil/ Go Down Ol' Hannah/ (Baby) Take
A Whiff On Me/ Jail-House Blues/ Ox Driver's Song/ Julie Ann Johnson/
Frankie & Albert/ We're In The Same Boat Brother/ Irene, etc. Sound
quality on the home recordings is very rough.
|
| J.B. LENOIR |
Fuel 2000 61182 |
Mojo Boogie - An Essential Collection |
● CD $16.98 $8.98 |
20 tracks, 56 minutes, recommended
Although J.B. Lenoir is less-recognized than he should be, his highly
rewarding music belongs in every blues collection. Blessed with a
high-pitched and individual vocal style, his guitar was workmanlike and
well-suited to his voice. The better part of this disc stems from
sessions waxed for the JOB label in the early 1950's and six titles
offer both the released take and its unissued counterpart, although none
are stiffs. Sidemen include Sunnyland Slim on piano and Alfred Wallace
supplying the backbeats while Lenoir drills solid rhythm and jarring
fills from his guitar. Two cuts were produced by Willie Dixon for a USA
single in 1963 with I Sing Um The Way I Feel propelled by bongos,
a style J.B. deemed his 'African Hunch Rhythm,' although its flip side,
I Feel So Good suffers from low-fidelity. Bill Dahl's liner notes
are informative and interesting but there's a small knock for leaving
session details by the wayside. (CR)
J.B. LENOIR: (i Wanna) Play A Little While/ How Can I
Leave/ How Much More/ I Feel So Good/ I Feel So Good (take 21)/ I Have
Married/ I Sing Um The Way I Feel/ I Sing Um The Way I Feel (take 18)/ I
Want My Baby (take 1)/ I Want My Baby (take 4)/ I'll Die Tryin'/ Let's
Roll (take 1)/ Let's Roll (take 2)/ Louise/ Mojo (take 1)/ Mojo (take
4)/ Mountain/ People Are Meddling In Our Affairs/ Slow Down Woman (take
1)/ Slow Down Woman (take 2)
|
|
J.B. LENOIR, SUNNYLAND SLIM & FRIENDS |
Fuel 61300 |
DS: Live In 1963 |
● CD $16.98 $9.98 |
18 tracks, 63 mins, recommended
A remarkable find - previously unreleased recordings made by Norman
Dayron at Nina's Lounge in Chicago in 1963 featuring some outstanding
Chicago bluesman. J.B. Lenoir and Sunnyland are predominantly featured -
on their own and accompanying each other. There is also a guest spot
featuring three songs by the infrequently recorded John Lee Granderson
with Mike Bloomfield on second guitar. Both J.B. and Sunnyland are in
good form though J.B.'s guitar is enough out of tune to detract from the
enjoyment of his performances though his singing is superb. Sunnyland
performs some of his old favorites like It's You Baby/ Brown Skin
Woman/ For You My Love and others and J.B. does I Want To Know/
My Dear Old Mother/ Mojo Boogie and others including and
instrumental with J.B. playing guitar and a harmonica in a harp-rack. On
Lend Me Your Love Sunnyland is joined by St. Louis Jimmy Oden who
provides some very nice harmonica accompaniment. There are also some
interesting introductions from the artists that lend to the atmosphere.
Sound quality is very good considering the circumstances of the
recording and booklet has informative notes by the ever reliable Bill
Dahl. (FS)
|
| JOE LIGGINS |
Acrobat ACMCD 4236 |
Jukebox Hits, 1945-1951 |
● CD $13.98 $10.98 |
21 tracks, highly recommended
Truly a pioneer of Rhythm & Blues, Joe Liggins is probably best known
for his much covered smash The Honeydripper, which you get here
in parts one & two as well as other classics like I've Got a Right to
Cry/ Dripper's Ball/ Know My Love is True, and more great originals.
Liggins did fine renditions of others' material as well with songs like
Duke Ellington's Caravan, old timey tunes like Sweet Georgia
Brown, and Darktown Strutter's Ball, and one of his most
famous records, Rag Mop, which was previously a Country hit for
Johnny Lee Wills. A fine collection and an artist that fans of classic
R&B will want to have represented in their collections. (JM)
|
| JOE LIGGINS |
Classics 5063 |
The Chronological Joe Liggins, 1946-1948 |
● CD $14.98 $10.98 |
24 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended
Following on from Classics 5020 this presents another 24 tracks from
this great West Coast R&B pioneer. Joe's soulful and engaging vocals and
piano are joined by the great Little Willie Jackson on alto and baritone
sax, James Jackson on tenor, Red Callender on bass and others. Includes
the hits Blow Mr. Jackson/ Sweet Georgia Brown and Dripper's
Blues as well as other fine tracks like Some Of These Days/ Down
Home Blues/ Sugar/ Apple Of My Eye/ Ruth/ He
Knows How To Knock Me Out, etc. (FS)
JOE LIGGINS: Apple Of My Eye/ Blow Mr. Jackson/ Down
Home Blues/ Dripper's Blues/ Groovy Groove/ He Knows How To Knock Me
Out/ How Come/ Life Don't Mean A Thing To Me/ Little Willie/ Ruth/
Siboney/ Some Of These Days/ Spooks Holiday/ Sugar/ Sweet And Lovely/
Sweet Georgia Brown/ Ten Toes/ The Blues/ The Darktown Strutters' Ball/
Think Of Me/ Walkin'/ Worried/ Loosiana/ You'll Miss Me Sure's You're
Born
|
| LITTLE MILTON |
Charly SNAP 262 |
Running Wild Blues |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
27 tracks, essential
Fabulous collection of sides, mostly recorded for Sun in 1953 and 1954.
Amazingly, most of Milton's great Sun sides were not originally issued
and this set includes originally unissued songs and alternate takes.
This is Milton at his rawest and most energetic, accompanied by a solid
riffing small band with Ike Turner/ piano, and a couple of horns Milton
sings in a powerful heartfelt style and plays some wonderful searing,
slashing electric guitar in that over-amplified distorted style we have
come to associate with Memphis guitarists like Willie Johnson and Pat
Hare but, if anything, even grittier and more impassioned. In addition
to 21 tracks under his own name this set also features three sides
recorded for Trumpet in 1951 with Milton accompanying the superb
Mississippi singer/ piano player Willie Love and three Sun cuts from
1953 accompanying Houston Boines. Milton's Sun sides have ben reissued
before on several different labels but this is the most comprehensive
selection of these dynamite sides. Informative notes by Adam Komorowski
but no discographical information. (FS)
|
| LITTLE SONNY
(1) |
Black Top 1113 |
New Orleans R & B Gems |
● CD $15.98 $5.98 |
11 tracks, 35 mins, recommended
Now out of print. Previously available on Black Magic as an import.
Johnny "Little Sonny" Jones is a fine New Orleans singer who had a
handful of singles on Specialty and Imperial in the 50s but never made
much of an impact. These sides were cut in 1975 with a group that
included top New Orleans musicians like Dave "Fat Man" Williams/ piano,
Dave Lastie & Clarence Ford/ saxes, Justin Adams/ guitar and others and
the result is very pleasing. Jones is a solid singer and his material
includes originals, songs written by Williams and some Southern blues
favorites like I'm Loaded and Further Up The Road.
Williams also takes a couple of appealing vocals. (FS)
|
| LITTLE SONNY
(2) |
Stax 8599 |
Hard Goin' Up |
● CD $12.98 $9.98 |
9 tracks, 41 min., recommended
Now deleted. Originally recorded in Detroit & released on Enterprise
(1973), singer/harmonica player Aaron Willis introduces 6 of his
original songs, including the excellent funk-based instrumental Sure
Is Good, and an early 8 minute tribute to his wife Maggie Stevenson
Willis (1933-1996), You Made Me Strong. The other 3 titles were
written by longtime Stax writer Bettye Jean Barnes Crutcher, including
the title track. This CD is a must for those of you who like funk-based
harmonica blues. (EL)
|
| ROBERT JR. LOCKWOOD |
Bullseye Blues 9623 |
Just The Blues |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
Mid-price collection of songs drawn from Lockwood's two
Rounder albums with Johnny Shines - Hangin' On/ Razzmadazz/ For You
My Love/ Rockin' Free/ Blues On The Hour/ I Gotta Find My Baby, etc.
|
| LOUISIANA RED |
Tomato (Germany) 269 607-2 |
Midnight Rambler |
● CD $11.98 $7.98 |
Louisiana Red is a talented singer, guitarist and
songwriter who has been rather over-recorded in the past 20 years. This
set features 19 songs recorded in 1975 before his over exposure, some of
which were previously released on the Blue Labour label. This compact
disc features 8 previously unissued sides. Red was in good form on these
songs, mostly self written or written by producer Kent Cooper. He plays
acoustic guitar with some nice slide playing from time to time. The
notes by producer Cooper are a bit self serving but interesting. (FS)
|
| MAGIC SAM |
Fuel 2000 61104 |
The Essential Magic Sam |
● CD $16.98 $11.98 |
25 tracks, very highly recommended
This CD features all of Sam's sides for Cobra (1957/58), Chief (1960)
and Crash (1966) and five alternates from the Cobra sessions. Little
need be said about Sam. He, like Otis Rush, was one of the major
contemporary blues talents to emerge in the 50s - a superb singer with a
emotive gospel tinge to his vocals and a brilliant and imaginative
guiitarist who made very effective use of tremelo in his playing. On
these recordings he is accompanied by some of Chicago's finest - Little
Brother Montgomery, Willie Dixon, Odie Payne, Syl Johnson, Johnny Jones,
Louis Myers, etc. The recordings here have been issued several times
before but the sound quality here is improved over previous issues
making this indispensable. Informative notes by Bill Dahl. (FS)
MAGIC SAM: 21 Days In Jail/ 21 Days In Jail (alternate
Take)/ All My Whole Life/ All Night Long/ All Your Love/ All Your Love
(alternate Take)/ Blue Light Boogie/ Do The Camel Walk/ Easy Baby/ Easy
Baby (alternate Take)/ Every Night About This Time/ Everything Gonna Be
All Right (alternate Take)/ Everything Gonna Be Alright/ Look Whatcha
Done/ Love Me This Way/ Love Me With A Feeling/ Love Me With A Feeling
(alternate Take)/ Magic Rocker/ Mr. Charlie/ My Love Is Your Love/ Out
Of Bad Luck/ She Belongs To Me/ Square Dance Rock, Pt. 1/ Square Dance
Rock, Pt. 2/ You Don't Have To Work
|
| MAGIC SLIM |
Storyville 8040 |
Volume 2 - Let Me Love You |
● CD $25.98 $15.98 |
11 songs recorded live in 1976 for the MCM label with
Alabama Jr. Pettis, Nick Holt and Douglas Holt. Tough gritty renditions
of blues standards in Slim's inimitable style along with a couple of
originals - That's All Right/ As The Years Go Passing By/ Let Me LOve
You/ That Ain't Right/ Nineteen Years Old/ Please Love Me, etc.
|
| TONY MATTHEWS |
HMG 5502 |
Condition: Blue |
● CD $12.98 $4.98 |
Reissue of album originally issued on Alligator in 1981
by original bluesman. Interesting mixture of blues, soul, jazz and funk
with emphasis on the blues - good singing and guitar by Matthews and
very varied arrangements. CD has bonus track previously only available
in Japan.
|
| BROTHER JOE MAY |
Specialty 7033 |
Thunderbolt Of The Middle West |
● CD $14.98 $10.98 |
27 tracks, 72 min., recommended
Brother Joe, the baritone belter from Macon, MS., could, without much
effort, move a church through the power of his voice. On these
recordings culled from 1952-55 sessions, Joe is ably supported by the
vocalizing of The Sallie Martin Singers, Sister Wynona Carr, Annette
May, and The Pilgrim Travelers. 17 lung-splitting solo outings, 10
previously unissued. Includes hits Search Me Lord/ I'm Gonna Live The
Life I Sing About In My Song. The Caruso of post-war gospel. (OLN)
|
| JERRY MCCAIN |
Varese Vintage 6022 |
Good Stuff |
● CD $15.98 $5.98 |
16 tracks, 49 mins, recommended
Collection of recordings made between 1960 and 1984 by this Alabama
singer and brilliant harmonica player drawing on recordings made for
Jerry's long time producer Gary Sizemore and issued on various singles
and LPs. It opens with his classic Rex sides from 1960 of the much
covered She's Tough and one of the all time great blues harmonica
instrumentals Steady. From the same session but not released
until 1977 were the almost as good What About You and Rough
Stuff. After that it's a bit of a mixed bag with fine blues and
harmonica playing interpersed with silly novelty songs (including the
controversial Welfare Cadillac Blues) and not always successful
attempts at soul. The disc ends with the rock 'n roll novelty
Pussycat A-Go-Go by The Shindigs, who were actually Sam The Sham &
The Pharaohs - a dumb song rescued by a fine harp solo from Jerry. (FS)
|
| JIMMY MCCRACKLIN |
Bullseye Blues 9508 |
My Story |
● CD $15.98 $7.98 |
Jimmy McCracklin has been on the music scene for more
than 50 years as a singer, songwriter and piano player and this fine new
release is his first in several years. McCracklin sounds good on a
collection of mostly original songs. 7 were recorded in New Orleans with
a fine band including Wayne Bennett & John Mooney/ guitars, Ron Levy/
piano and organ and a fine horn section. Two of the songs are duets with
Irma Thomas. Four tracks were cut on the west coast with a smaller and
tougher band featuring fine tenor by Dr. Wile "Willie" Moore (who
recently passed away) and alto by veteran Earl "Good Rockin'" Brown.
(FS)
|
| CLARA MCDANIEL |
HMG 1002 |
Unwanted Child |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
Very Good Clara sings the REAL St. Louis blues with a
fine band that includes Chuck Berry's backbone - pianist Johnnie Johnson
& Frank Frost's harpist Arthur Williams. Clara pays tribute to St.
Louis's native & adopted sons with fine versions of Albert King's
What Can I Do To Change Your Mind, Chuck Berry's Wee Wee Hours
(Johnson really shines on this one) & Ike Turner's Hurtin' Inside.
(GM)
|
| MISSISSIPPI FRED
MCDOWELL |
Original Blues Classics OBCCD 535 |
Long Way From Home |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
9 tracks, highly recommended
This is a reissue of Milestone 93003 originally issued in 1968. To my
mind there can never be too much Fred McDowell - he was a truly
magnificent performer and possibly the greatest blues discovery of the
60s. A rich, powerful and expressive singer he was also a unique and
brilliant guitarist whose playing embodied some of the most hypnotic
rhythms to be heard anywhere. He was also a brilliant slide guitarist.
What makes this collection somewhat unique is that it includes several
songs that Fred had not recorded elsewhere. In addition to his unique
interpretations of traditional songs like Poor Boy, Long Way From
Home/ Milk Cow Blues and Sail On Little Girl it also includes
less familiar items like The Train I Ride/ Millionaire's Daughter
Blues/ You Drove Me From Your Door, etc but all of it is superb.
(FS)
|
| MISSISSIPPI FRED
MCDOWELL |
Testament TCD 6007 |
Levee Camp Blues |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
Reissue of Fred's OJL album from 1968 featuring mostly
songs he hadn't recorded elsewhere. This CD includes two previously
unissued outtakes from other sessions.
|
| CHARLIE
"SPECKS" MCFADDEN |
Blues Documents BDCD 6041 |
Complete Chronological Recordings
1929-37 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
20 tracks, 62 mins, recommended
I bet you never expected to see a whole CD of Charlie "Specks" McFadden?
No neither did I? But here we have a collection of 20 songs performed by
this fine but utterly osbcure performer. Apart from the fact that he was
from St. Louis and got his nickname from the glasses he wore not much
else is known. He was a fine singer with a high, expressive voice and
recorded for a number of labels between 1929 and 1937 and on most of his
recordings was accompanied by the brilliant piano of Roosevelt Sykes.
Aprt from two 78s that have never been found this disc presents his
entire output. He was best known for his songs Groceries On The Shelf
(about an early supermarket chain) and People People and he
recorded four versions of the former and thre of the latter. There are
other good songs here including Gambler's Blues/ Weak-Eyed Blues,
the always topical Times Are Tight and Lonesome Ghost Blues
but it's all worth a listen. Don't let the obscurity put you off. Sound
is generally good and there are notes by Mike Rowe. (FS)
CHARLIE "SPECKS" MCFADDEN: Broken Down Blues/ Don't
Bite That Thing/ Friendless Man/ Gambler's Blues/ Groceries On My Shelf
(91208)/ Groceries On The Shelf (l-155)/ Groceries On The Shelf No. 2/
Harvest Moon Blues/ Hold It Where You Got It/ Last Journey Blues/
Lonesome Ghost Blues/ Low Down Rounders Blues/ Misunderstood Blues/
People People (91209)/ People People Blues (l-154)/ People, People
(76832)/ Piggly Wiggly Blues/ Times Are So Tight/ Weak-eyed Blues/
Yellow Woman Blues
|
| MEMPHIS MINNIE |
Columbia (European) 301202 |
Original Masters - The Best Of Memphis
Minnie, 1933-37 |
● CD $8.98 $6.98 |
20 tracks, very highly recommended
Budget European reissue of 1991 U.S. album originally released as
"Hoodoo Lady". A beautiful collection of 20 songs recorded between 1933
and '37 by one of the greatest of all female singers and blues
guitarists. These tracks were recorded in Chicago usually with a small
group usually including Black Bob on piano and/or Bill Settles on bass.
There are also two lovely sides from '33 with just Minnie and her
guitar. Besides the title song it also includes Down In The Alley/ I
Hate To See The Sun Go Down/ Caught Me Wrong Again/ Good Morning/ Keep
On Eatin'/ Good Biscuits/ My Butcher Man/ If You See My Rooster/ Please
Don't Stop Him, etc. Superb sound and booklet with informative notes
by Arthur Levy. (FS)
|
| MEMPHIS SLIM |
Original Blues Classics OBCCD 507 |
All Kinds Of Blues |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
10 tracks, recommended
Recorded in 1961, this album was originally issued on Bluesville 1053,
and features Memphis Slim alone with his piano. Three of the ten songs
were written by Peter Chatman (Slim's real name); the other seven are
traditional. Three instrumentals, Three In One Boogie/ The Blacks/
Frankie And Johnny Boogie are all strong and show off Slim's varied
keyboard technique to best effect. Churnin' Man Blues is an
extended sexual metaphor made so graphic that sailors and Prince fans
will be made to blush like virgins. And If You See Kay, which
spells trouble if you say it just fast enough, is a playful number that
starts with the opening strains of Dragnet. As if that isn't
enough, the excellent liner notes by LeRoi Jones (author of Blues
People) have been reproduced from the original album. (JC)
MEMPHIS SLIM: 3-in-1 Boogie/ Blues is Troubles/
Churnin' Man Blues/ Frankie and Johnny Boogie/ Grinder Man Blues/ If You
See Kay/ Letter Home/ Mother Earth/ The Blacks/ Two of a Kind
|
| MEMPHIS SLIM |
Sonet 986 925-3 |
The Sonet Blues Story |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
The ubiquitous singer and piano player recorded in 1972
with a small band with Billy Butler/ guitar, Eddie Chamblee/ tenor sax
and others and originally issued by Sonet in Europe and GNP in the USA.
Good performances of mostly familiar songs but nothing really
exceptional. Includes Everyday (I Have The Blues)/ A Long Time Gone/
Strange Strange Feeling/ Broadway Boogie/ Freedom, etc.
|
| MEMPHIS WILLIE B. |
Original Blues Classics 573 |
Introducing Memphis Willie B. |
● CD $12.98 $8.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
Fine Memphis country bluesman recorded by Sam Charters in 1961. Willie
Borum had previously recorded in 1934 accompanying Allen Shaw and Hattie
Hart. He is featured here accompanying himself on guitar and
occasionally harmonica. He is a fine singer and a basic but effective
guitarist. Most of his material is drawn from popular and traditional
sources including material from the repertoire of Sleepy John Estes,
Sonny Boy Williamson and Memphis Slim. The session was a engineered by
former Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore which may have something to do with
excessive use of echo on the recordings. (FS)
|
| LUELLA MILLER |
Document DOCD 5183 |
Complete Recordings In Chronological
Order (1926-28) |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
24 tracks, 70 min., good
A largely unknown performer, the St. Louis-raised Miller performs in a
style generally unlike her classic blues contemporaries. Her voice is
nasal, powerful, and suited to her choice of material. But the material
itself, in spite of support from James Johnson and Lonnie Johnson, is
rather unimaginative, with little variance in tempo. Over an hour of her
material in one sitting can feel pretty monotonous. Specific tracks
include Dago Hill Blues/ Down the Alley/ Peeping at the Rising Sun
Blues and Tornado Groan. Generally good sound quality, brief
notes, and typical Document graphics. (DH)
LUELLA MILLER: Brick House Blues/ Carrier Pigeon
Blues/ Chicago Blues/ Dago Hill Blues/ Down The Alley (-40)/ Down The
Alley (-41)/ Dreaming Of You Blues/ East St. Louis Blues/ Frisco Blues/
Jackson's Blues/ Muddy Stream Blues/ North Wind Blues/ Peeping At The
Rising Sun Blues/ Pretty Man Blues (548)/ Pretty Man Blues (549)/ Rattle
Snake Groan/ Smiling Rose Blues/ Through And Through Blues/ Tombstone
Blues/ Tornado Groan/ Triflin' Man Blues/ Twelve O'clock Blues/ Walnut
Street Blues/ Wee Wee Daddy Blues
|
| ROY MILTON |
Classics 5041 |
The Chronological Roy Milton, 1945-1946 |
● CD $14.98 $10.98 |
26 tracks, 73 mins, essential
Drummer, vocalist and bandleader Roy Milton is a legendary figure in the
history of African-American music, affectionately called by many "the
grandfather of rhythm & blues." Johnny Otis called him a national
treasure - an appellation that applies to Otis himself. Milton started
his musical career in the 1920s working in Ernie Fields orchestra and
subsequently with other bands before moving to California and forming
his own band The Solid Senders in 1938. It wasn't until 1945 that he
landed a record contract with the Hamp-Tone label and this wonderful
collection of recordings from 1945 and '46 features recordings for Hamp-Tone,
Juke Box and his own Roy Milton label which often featured wonderful
cartoon drawings on the label. The music here is a glorious mixture of
blues with a touch of jazz with the band featuring the brilliant pianist
Camille Howard, trumpeter Hosea Sapp, tenor saxist Lorenzo "Buddy" Floyd
and others. Two thirds of the tracks have vocals - usually featuring the
immensely appealing warm tones of Milton plus a few featuring soulful
warbling from Camille. West Coast blues at its' very finest - superb
music from beginning to end. (FS)
ROY MILTON: Blues In My Heart/ Burma Road Blues, Part
1/ Burma Road Blues, Part 2/ Grooving With Joe/ Groovy Blues/ Groovy
Blues/ I'll Always Be In Love With You/ I'll Always Be In Love With You/
It Should Never Have Been This Way/ Little Boy Blue/ Milton's Boogie/
Milton's Boogie/ Mr. Fine/ My Blue Heaven/ Pack Your Sack Jack/ R.m.
Blues/ R.m. Blues/ Rainy Day Confession Blues, Part 1/ Rainy Day
Confession Blues, Part 2/ Red Light/ Rhythm Cocktail/ Sometimes I'm
Happy/ Sunny Side Of The Street/ Them There Eyes/ To Be Alone Blues/
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
|
| ROY MILTON |
Specialty 7024 |
Vol. 2 - Groovy Blues |
● CD $14.98 $8.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended
This disc continues in the mold of vol. 1 (#7004), proferrring picks
from Roy's 1945-1953 reign as the Grandfather Of R&B (and Great
Grandfather Of Rock). He was Specialty's first big hitmaker, fusing
sophisticated jump blues with the raucous horn riffing of Basie and
other Southwest bands. Top 10 hits fill the first volume, but there's
plenty more uncharted juice here for early R&B fans. The riffing style
is set on 1945's Rhythm Cocktail, and motivates many
instrumentals - the unissued One O'Clock Jump/ Marie and features
like Roy Rides/ Little Boy Blue/ Junior Jumps. The bands' bread
and butter was midtempo blues, expertly sung by Roy on Cryin' And
Singin' The Blues/ Waking Up Baby/ Playboy Blues/ That's The One For Me.
Pianist Camille Howard graces the sassy 'Tain't Me/ Groovy Blues/
Pack Your Sack, Jack with her warm vocals. Other treats include an
unissued I Want A Little Girl, a red hot sax break on the
unissued Cold Blooded Woman, and, depending on your taste, Roy's
pop covers of Sunny Side Of The Street/ My Blue Heaven/ Oh Marie.
(MB)
ROY MILTON: Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Cold Blooded Woman/
Cryin' And Singin' The Blues/ Don't You Remember Baby?/ Groovy Blues/ I
Stood By/ I Want A Little Girl/ Junior Jumps/ Little Boy Blue/ Marie/ My
Blue Heaven/ Oh Marie/ On The Sunny Side Of The Street/ One O'clock
Jump/ Pack Your Sack Jack/ Playboy Blues/ Rhythm Cocktail/ Roy Rides/
Short, Sweet And Snappy/ Sympathetic Blues/ T'aint Me/ That's The One
For Me/ Unidentified Novelty Song No 1/ Unidentified Shuffle Blues No.
1/ Wakin' Up Baby
|
| ROY MILTON |
Specialty 7060 |
Vol. 3 - Blowin' With Roy |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
25 tracks, 68 min, highly recommended
Roy Milton and his Solid Senders were so damn good that Vol. 3 of their
work at Specialty Records contains mostly b-sides, previously unreleased
material (nearly half the tracks!), and only one real hit (Everything
I Do Is Wrong) and it's still great. Some of the unreleased cuts
(covers of Along The Navajo Trail/ Old Man River/ Blue Skies)
sound like numbers Roy and company would dish out primarily to white
audiences, but it doesn't matters since Camille Howard sounds perfect on
the piano all the time. All cuts were recorded between 1947-53, and each
is a cool slice of boogie 'n' blues. If you haven't picked up Vol. 1 or
2, you will after you hear this. (JC)
ROY MILTON: Along The Navajo Trail/ Believe Me Baby/
Blowin' With Roy/ Blue Skies/ Blues Ain't News/ Cool Down/ Coquette/
Everything I Do Is Wrong/ I've Had My Moments/ If You Don't Know/ If You
Love Me Baby/ La Hop/ My Sweetheart/ New Year's Resolution/ Ol' Man
River/ Practice What You Preach/ Sad Feeling/ The Song Is Ended/ Thelma
Lou/ Them There Eyes/ There Is Something Missing/ Train Blues/ What's
The Use/ When I Grow Too Old To Dream/ You Mean So Much To Me
|
| ROY
MILTON & HIS SOLID SENDERS |
Acrobat 4327 |
Jukebox Hits, 1946-1953 |
● CD $15.98 $13.98 |
20 tracks, 55 mins, highly recommended
I love this "Jukebox Hits" series that Acrobat has been doing for a
while now. They have really done a fantastic job capturing the essence
of an artist or particular year and I have found new interest and
reverence in some artists that I didn't pay so much attention to before.
This brilliant collection follows the career of Roy Milton from the
waning days of Big Band Jazz/ Early days of Rhythm & Blues to the dawn
of Rock'N'Roll. This covers all of Milton's chart hits including
swingin' numbers like Night and Day (I Miss You So)/ Information
Blues/ T-Town Twist/ R.M. Blues/ Oh Babe, and many more. Roy Milton
was an R&B shouter of the finest order and can easily be considered one
of the Godfathers to Rock'N'Roll in the company of Louis Jordon, Big Joe
Turner and Johnny Otis. Booklet includes reproductions of some great
ads, handbills and newspaper articles from the time about Milton. (JM)
|
| MITCHELL'S
CHRISTIAN SINGERS |
Document DOCD 5496 |
Vol.4 :1940 /WRIGHT BROTHERS GOSPEL
SINGERS, 1940-48 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
24 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended
The first 7 tracks here complete the reissue of the recordings of
Mitchell's Christian Singers and find them in typically fine form on
songs like Don't Drive Them Away/ Famine In The Land/ Kneel Down &
Pray and others. The rest of the disc is devoted to the Wright
Brothers a splendid group from Texas who settled in California in the
late 40s and were active until the 80s. Their sound was, to some extend,
inspired by the Golden Gate Singers though with a harder edge and with
frequent use of soaring falsetto lines. Their first session of 9 songs
from May 1940 is particularly fine with wonderful performances of the
moving Walk Around, the Golden Gate inspired Gospel Train
and the intense He's My Rock. There is also a fine session from
1941 and a slightly less interesting session from 1948 with a slightly
different line up. (FS)
MITCHELL'S CHRISTIAN SINGERS: Don't Drive Them Away/
Don't You Want That Stone?/ Famine In The Land/ Go Where I Send Thee/
Jesus Is Everything To Me/ Kneel Down And Pray/ Walk With Me/ THE WRIGHT
BROTHERS GOSPEL SINGERS: After A While/ Blessed Quietness/ Cool Down
Here/ Gospel Train (take 1)/ Gospel Train (take 2)/ Gospel Train (tr)/
He's My Rock/ Heavenly Father's Children/ I Go Where You Want Me To Go/
Jonah/ Jordan's Stormy Banks/ Mother Is Your Friend/ Shadows Of The
Cross/ Shady Green Pastures/ Some Day/ Wake Me, Shake Me, Don't Let Me
Sleep Too Long/ Walk Around
|
| MONKEY JOE/
ROOSEVELT SCOTT |
Document DOCD 5413 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
MONKEY JOE: B.v.d. Blues/ Bad Luck Man Blues/ Bitin'
On Me/ Carry My Business On/ Headache Blues/ Just Give Some Away/ Mccomb
City Blues/ Mobile And K. C. Line/ Mountain Baby Blues/ Old Man Blues/
That Same Cat/ We Can't Get Along/ You Don't Have To Tell Me/ ROOSEVELT
SCOTT: Be My Baby/ Black Gal Blues/ Brown Skin Woman Swing/ Dark Road
Blues/ Do You Call That Right?/ Doctor Bill Blues/ Down In The Gutter/
Look Up And Down/ Panama Special/ Send Me An Angel Down/ Suitcase Blues/
Tender Foot Blues
|
| GATEMOUTH MOORE |
Westside WESF 100 |
Hey Mr. Gatemouth |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
The complete recordings of Kansas blues shouter/ crooner
cut for King in 1947 including 9 previously unissued sides.
GATEMOUTH MOORE: After Loving A Woman/ Christmas
Blues/ Did You Ever Try To Cry/ Don't You Know That I Love You/ East Of
The Sun/ Evil's Gal's Jockey/ Gamblin' Woman/ Gotta Walk/ Graveyard
Disposition/ Hey Mr. Gatemouth/ Highway 61 Blues/ Hincty Chick Blues/ I
Ain't Mad At You/ I'm A Fool To Care/ I'm A Man/ It Hurts My Heart/ Let
Me Be Your Man/ Lucinda/ My Woman Blues/ Satisfying Papa/ She Wants Me
To Move/ Something I'm Gonna Be/ Teasin' Brown/ Think It Over Baby/
Willie Mae Blues/ You're Having Hard Luck Blues/ You're My Speciality
Baby
|
| KID PRINCE MOORE |
Document DOCD 5180 |
Complete Chronological Recordings
(1936-38) |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
23 tracks, 67 mins, recommended
Kid Prince Moore is an utterly obscure but fine singer and guitarist -
probably from the Carolinas. The first 11 tracks (two takes of two
songs) recorded in 1936 are solo and are particularly fine. Though
clearly influenced by people like Blind Lemon Jeffersob, Blind Blake and
Blind Boy Fuller his performances are so strong that the comparisons
become irrelevent. There are 6 tracks from 1938 on which he is
accompanied by pianist Shorty Bob Parker. These are not as interesting
due to Parker's somewhat heavy handed piano. The last six tracks from
1938 feature Moore accompanying Parker and these are excellent. Parker
had a distinctive high voice and sings some unusual songs. Many of these
tracks were previously on the LP Wolf LP 126 but this reissue represents
the complete recordings of these two mysetry men. (FS)
KID PRINCE MOORE: Bear Meat Blues/ Bite Back Blues/
Bug Juice Blues/ Church Bells/ Ford V-8 Blues/ Honey Dripping Papa/
Market Street Rag (tk. 1)/ Market Street Rag (tk. 2)/ Mississippi Water/
Pickin' Low Cotton (tk. 1)/ Pickin' Low Cotton (tk. 2)/ Sally Long/ Sign
Of Judgement/ Single Man Blues/ South Bound Blues/ Talkin' 'bout The
Snuff/ That's Lovin' Me/ SHORTY BOB PARKER: Death Of Slim Green/ I'm
Through With Love/ Rain And Snow/ Ridin' Dirty Motorsickle/ So Cold In
China/ Tired Of Being Drug Around
|
| CALVIN OWENS |
Music Avenue 250144 |
True Blue |
● CD $16.98 $9.98 |
Remixed and remastered version of 1993 album featuring
band led by former B.B. King bandleader Calvin Owens. Features guest
appearances from B.B. KIng, Trudy Lynn, Johnny Copeland, David "Fathead"
Newman and Gloria Edwwards.
CALVIN OWENS: Cherry Red/ Deviation/ Don't You Want a
Man Like Me/ Don't You Want a Woman Like Me/ Dreams Come True/ Hot
Burning Fever/ Lick or Split/ No New Blues/ Sitting Here/ Sweet Meat/
Texas Stomp/ The Christmas Song/ True Blue/ True Blue/ Woke Up Screaming
|
| THE CALVIN OWENS SHOW |
Sawdust Alley 4233 |
Keeping Big Band Blues Alive |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
14 tracks, 65 mins, recommended Owens long list of
musical credentials includes A & R Director and studio musician for the
famed Duke-Peacock label and a very long stint as trumpet soloist and
band director for B. B. King. Here, the 70-something Houston, Texas
trumpeter leads roughly 40 musicians (in various aggregations) through a
set of originals with an energy and power beyond that of most mortal
blues albums. Owens musical sensibility may harken back to the 1940s but
it spends most of its time in right now. Check the instrumental punch of
Love On A Silver Platter and the cool sophistication of Why
Can't I. Why isn't this guy more famous? (JC)
|
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