|
BARGAIN
BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
The Swan Silvertones -> Johnny Young
| THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Frank Music 5521 |
Great Camp Meeting |
● CD $11.98 $5.00 |
Reissue of 1968 Hob album - though lacking the magic of
their earlier sides for King, Specialty and Vee-Jay this is still a fine
selection of hard gospel. As far as I can tell Claude Jeter is not on most
of these tracks in spite of what the notes say but the leads by tenor Carl
Davis and baritones Louis Johnson and Paul Owens is fine. Includes No
Secret/ Oh, When I get Home/ It's Good To Be Saved/ This Little Light Of
Mine/ Little Wooden Church, etc.
|
| ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Diablo 854 |
Sings The Blues |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
10 tracks, 26 mins, recommended
Short but fine set featuring
the brilliant and ever reliable singer and piano player. The set was
recorded in Chicago in 1962 with an excellent group including "Sax" Mallard
on sax, Lee Jackson /guitar, Willie Dixon/ bass and Jump Jackson/ drums and
was originally issued on a hard to find Crown LP. A good mix of material is
featured including slow blues, rockers and ballads. Singing and playing is
fine throughout with some exceptional guitar work from Jackson on Your
Will Is Mine. (FS)
|
| ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5116 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1 -
1929-30 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
Roosevelt Sykes ranks as one of the greatest blues piano
players of all time and his recorded legacy is truly impressive. He remained
a consistently worthwhile artist from his earliest recordings in 1929 to his
last recordings made in the late 70s. This is the first of seven volumes
documenting his pre war recordings and is consistently fine from beginning
to end. It starts with his June 1929 recordings of "44" Blues, a blues piano
classic and ends with a June 1930 recording featuring Sykes accompanying
singer Ben Turner with Oliver Cobb on cornet. The emphasis here is on slow
and mid tempo blues with mournful expressive vocals by Sykes and lovely
thoughtful and imaginative piano accompaniments. Lest you think he is only
comfortable with slow and mid tempo items his variation on Pinetop's
Boogie Woogie called Boot That Thing shows he is capable of piano
pyrotechnics when neccessary. Some tracks feature guitar accompaniments by
Oscar Carter or Henry Townsend. With a few exceptions sound quality is
excellent and there are good notes by Chris Smith. (FS)
MAE BELLE MILLER: Beale And Main Blues/ Long Tall Man
Blues/ Trouble Everywhere Blues/ Working Man On The Seas/ ROOSEVELT SYKES:
'44' Blues/ All My Money Gone Blues/ Black River Blues/ Boot That Thing/
Bury That Thing/ Fire Detective Blues/ Henry Ford Blues/ Home Of Your Own
Blues/ I'm Tired Of Being Mistreated/ Little Sow Blues/ Lost All I Had
Blues/ Poor Boy Blues/ Roosevelt's Blues/ Single Tree Blues/ Skeet And
Garret/ Ten And Four Blues/ The Way I Feel Blues/ BEE TURNER: Jivin' Jelly
Roll Blues/ Rough Treatin' Daddy
|
| ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5117 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 -
1930-31 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 72 mins, recommended
The second volume of this
brilliant singer and piano player features 24 tracks recorded between June
1930 and June 1931. Sykes was busy hopping from label to label recording
under the name of Willie Kelly for Victor, Dobby Bragg for Paramount and
Easy Papa Johnson for Melotone. As prolific as he was his music was
consistently outstanding with great singing, varied and imaginative piano
work and interesting and meaningful lyrics. Two tracks feature his
accompaniments to the relatively undistinguished singer St. Louis Bessie.
The sound here is mostly excellent and their are brief, informative notes,
by Chris Smith. Piano blues at its finest. (FS)
|
| ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5121 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 6 -
1939-41 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
The sixth volume by this great artist features 25 tracks
with Sykes accompanied by legendary drummer Sid Catlett. Throughout Sykes's
vocals are powerful and expressive, his piano work endlessly inventive and
Catlett's playing discreet and propulsive. As always, Sykes's lyrics are
interesting and imaginative and his use of word play in Concentration
Blues is a real delight.
|
| ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Jewel 5011 |
The Meek |
● CD $9.98 $6.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
I'm not sure why anyone would think
of Roosevelt Sykes as "meek" but not withstanding the silly title this is a
fine set of latter day Sykes recorded in France in 1970 with a good French
drummer and bass player. Sykes rarely made a disappointing record and this
one is no exception with fine and powerful vocals and dynamic piano and, as
always, Sykes managed to turn up some songs that he hadn't recorded before
and the four instrumental tracks show that at the age of 69 he had lost
little of his instrumental prowess. One minor thing - the track listings on
the back are incorrect - the first six tracks are actually the second six
tracks and vice versa but that's no biggie! (FS)
|
| BLIND JOE TAGGART |
Document DOCD 5153 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1
(1926-28) |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 70 min., recommended
Josh White said Taggart was
the 2nd meanest man he'd ever met and not even blind...Cataracts. At any
rate, Blind Joe Taggart was apparently the first "guitar evangelist" (read:
religious country blues guitarist) to put his act on shellac. His early
Vocalion sides are generally excellent, especially Keep On The Firing
Line, but his Paramount efforts are paramount. Some of them, anyway. The
notes call Goin' To Rest Where Jesus Is/ Been Listening All The Day
"Two of the most intriguing recordings in the history of American folk
music." Intriguing claim, that. Some secular sides recorded under pseudonyms
have been included, though Blind Percy may or may not be the real (Blind)
McCoy. (JC)
BLIND JOE AMOS: C &O Blues/ BLIND PERCY & HIS BLIND BAND:
Coal River Blues/ Fourteenth Street Blues/ BLIND JOE TAGGART: Been Listening
All The Day/ Everybody's Got To Be Tried/ God's Gonna Separate The Wheat
From The Tares/ Goin' To Rest Where Jesus Is/ I Will Not Be Removed/ I Wish
My Mother Was On That Train (-52)/ I Wish My Mother Was On That Train (-53)/
I'll Be Satisfied (-48)/ I'll Be Satisfied (-49)/ I've Crossed The
Separation Line/ Just Beyond Jordan/ Keep On The Firing Line/ Lord Don't
Drive Me Away/ Mother's Love/ Religion Is Something Within You/ Scandalous
And A Shame/ Take Your Burden To The Lord (-50)/ Take Your Burden To The
Lord (-51)/ The Half Ain't Never Been Told/ The Storm Is Passing Over/
There's A Hand Writing On The Wall
|
| TAMPA RED |
Document DOCD 5076 |
In Chronological Order - Vol. 4 (1930-1931) |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
This volume featuring 24 sides recorded between July, 1930
and October, 1931 is a bit of a mixed bag. Highlights are the two cuts by
The Hokum Jug Band with the wonderful vocals of Frankie Jaxon - low points
are the 4 dull vocals by Sweet Papa Tadpole with Tampa and Tom Dorsey
accompanying (great artist name though)! Most of the rest feature Tampa and
Tom and are enjoyable enough but a bit repetitive and frequently marred by
being dubbed from very noisy 78s. A couple of fine guitar solos round out
this set which is far less essential than the first 3 volumes. Notes by
Teddy Doering don't have a whole lot to say. (FS)
|
| TAMPA RED |
Document DOCD 5207 |
Complete Recorded Works, Volume 7 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 75 mins, recommended
These cuts were recorded at
five sessions between July 1935 and August 1936. Another nice collection
from the prolific Hudson Whittaker though some stylistic changes are evident
- not necessarily for the best. The most aggravating is the fact that Tampas'
kazoo playing is more in evidence. I personally feel that a little kazoo
goes a long way. The material is moving away from straight blues and
includes some jazzy and pop songs inspired by the popularity of people like
Fats Waller and Cab Calloway. On many of these songs he is accompanied by a
lively small band with Arnett Nelson on clarinet. Tampa's lovely single
string slide guitar is much less in evidence here though his playing on
tracks like Keep On Dealin' is as good as ever. On two tracks Tampa
plays piano with Willie B. James on guitar and they do an uncanny
duplication of the Leroy Carr/ Scrapper Blackwell style. A number of cuts
here are from pretty worn pressings but most of it is acceptable. (FS)
TAMPA RED: (i Could Learn To Love You) So Good/ All Night
Long/ Dark And Stormy Night/ Drinkin' My Blues Away/ Good Woman Blues/ I
Hate Myself/ I Wonder What's The Matter/ I'm Betting On You/ Keep On Dealin'
(play Your Hand)/ Let's Get Drunk And Truck/ Maybe It's Someone Else You
Love/ My Baby Said Yes/ Nutty And Buggy Blues/ Rowdy Woman Blues/ She Don't
Know My Mind/ She Don't Know My Mind -part 2/ Stormy Sea Blues/ That's The
Way I Do/ Waiting Blues/ When I Take My Vacation In Harlem/ When You Were A
Gal Of Seven/ You Got Me Worryin'/ You Missed A Good Man/ You Stole My Heart
|
| TAMPA RED |
Document DOCD 5213 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, Vol 13 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
22 tracks, 65 mins, recommended
Tampa, under the guidance of
the astute Lester Melrose, continues his post war career. The first three
sessions from 1945 and early '46 find him once again in the company of the
brilliant Big Maceo's whose wonderful rolling piano are the perfect
complement to Tampa's singing and guitar. The songs are excellent and
include a remake of his 1928 recording Corrine and the outstanding
Crying Won't Help You which has been recorded by a number of bluesmen
including Robert Nighthawk. The rest of the disk features 3 sessions from
late 1946 and 1947 and features Tampa in the company of a small jump band
with Blind John Davis on piano and one or two horn players. The singing and
playing is competent enough but doesn't have the spirit of the earlier
sides. (FS)
|
| EDDIE TAYLOR |
Castle CMRCD 629 |
Ready For Eddie .. Plus |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
Superb Chicago singer and guitarist recorded in England in
1974. 14 songs accompanied by an English group originally issued on the Big
Bear label. Includes I'm A Country Boy/ Gamblin' Man/ Sloppy Drunk/ You
Don't Love Me/ You'll Always Have A Home/ My Little Machine/ I Used To Have
Some Friends, etc. This is not Eddie at his best but with comparatively
little by him on the market it's worth a listen.
|
| JOHNNY TEMPLE |
Document DOCD 5239 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 2 : 1938-40 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
Fine collection of 23 tracks by this Mississippi born
bluesman. Temple was based in Chicago and the tracks here find with small
groups - usually with piano, guitar and bass and about half of them with
clarinet. In spite of the urbanity of the accompaniments Johnnie's voice has
a strong rural feel to it and his songs often have a rural flavor.
|
| SONNY TERRY |
Capitol 29372 |
Whoopin' The Blues : The Capitol Recordings,
1947-50 |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
16 tracks, 47 mins, recommended
Long out of print. A lovely collection of 16 early
recordings by this outstanding singer & harmonica player. 12 of the tracks
are from three sessions held for Capitol in 1947 and the remaining 4 are
from 1950 Capitol session (two previously unissued). On the first 2 sessions
we hear Sonny in trio format with his usual guitar playing partner Brownie
McGhee (who was trying to forge a solo career) replaced by Brownie's brother
Stick McGhee. The 3rd session features Brownie and fine piano player Melvin
Merritt. These early sessions have more of a country blues flavor to them
with fine singing and playing from Sonny on a selection of vocal &
instrumental cuts including his theme song
Whoopin' The Blues and other fine pieces like
Worried Man Blues/ Screamin' & Crying Blues/ Crow Jane Blues, etc. The
final session features a slightly more urban sound with Brownie playing
electric guitar where they are joined by the magnificent piano player
Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis. Ellis's playing on the opening track Telephone
Blues is particularly fine. Excellent sound and informative notes by
Pete Welding. (FS)
|
| SONNY TERRY |
Collectables 5307 |
Sonny Terry |
● CD $11.98 $9.98 |
CD issue of Krazy Kat 807. On Aug. 15, 1952 Sonny cut 2
takes each of 8 tunes for Gotham, who released 2 couplings, Baby Let's
Have Some Fun/ Four O'Clock Blues & Harmonica Rhumba/ Lonesome Room.
This LP releases 14 of 16 recordings, only 3 ever before issued (for some
reason, only the alternate take of Rhumba is here.) With backing by
Brownie McGhee, Doc Bagby(org) & Daddy Merritt(p,d), the released tunes are
more in the folky vein Sonny & Brownie were doing at the time for Folkways,
with the other 4 being a harder, more blues sound - Wine Headed Baby
(great)/ Bad Luck Blues/ No Love Blues/ News For You Baby (GM)
|
| REV.
H.R. TOMLIN & REV. S. J. WORRELL |
Document DOCD 5406 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1926-1927 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
22 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended
The complete
recordings of two obscure but fine preachers and singers. The first six
performances by Tomlin from 1926 are relatively staid with vocal
accompaniments from the rather formal Rigoltto Quintette of Morris Brown
University. It includes a cover of the Rev. Gate s"hit" Death's Black
Train Is Coming and the fascinating Come Ye That Love The Lord
where Tomlin compares some Christians to canned fruit ("they spoil in the
summer and freeze in the summer"!). The last two sides by him from 1927 are
much more energetic and are mostly sung with very little preaching and
exciting vocals fromTomlin and two female singers with harmonium
accompaniment. Harlem based preacher Rev. S.J. Worell, aka "Steamboat Bill",
is a powerful and exciting preacher of the "straining" school who titles
usually open with a sung chorus followed a sermon usually based on theme
drawn from the bible and includes The Prodigal Son/ Zacharias The Tax
Colector/ Daniel In the Lion's Den/ What A Man Soweth So Shall He Reap
and others. Powerful and moving music. (FS)
|
| JOHN
"BROADWAY" TUCKER |
Blue Movie 7014 |
Impromptu Blue |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
New album from West Coast bluesman Tucker with a small band
with Bill Heid on piano and organ, Dave Workman/ guitar and others plus
horns on some tracks. Tucker is a good, powerful singer and he performs a
mix of blues and soul favorites (The Woman I LOve/ I'm A Jealous Man/
Help Me/ Tin Pan Alley, etc.) and the band does a good job though Heid's
organ work is sometimes abit intrusive..
|
| IKE TURNER
& THE KINGS OF RHYTHM |
Ikon 8850 |
Here And Now |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
This 2001 album was the first new solo album from this
important music pioneer in quite a while and certainly his best in a long
time. It's a pretty much straight ahead blues effort with Ike redoing some
of his old favorites, some new songs and some blues standards. It lacks the
energy of his earlier recordings but is certainly worth a listen. Includes
Tore Up/ You Can't Winnum All/ Catfish Blues/ I Need A Nuddin'/ Feelin'
Low Down/ Cold Day In Hell, etc.
|
| EDDIE
"CLEANHEAD" VINSON |
Bethlehem 4003 |
Cleanhead's Back In Town |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
Reissue of 1957 album with Joe Newman, Charles Fowlkes, Ed
Jones and others. Includes three bonus stereo mixes.
|
| JOE LOUIS WALKER |
Hightone HCD 8006 |
Cold Is The Night |
● CD $11.98 $9.98 |
This is the first album by this talented blues performer.
Joe, a Bay Area based performer is a striking and powerful singer and an
imaginative guitarist who can play both fast or with restrained feeling. He
is backed by a basic but effective rhythm section (bass, keyboards and
drums) which is occasionally augmented by sax or added keyboards. As is
usually the case producers Bruce Bromberg and Dennis Walker get a thick
sound out of only a handful of instruments. The songs include 7 fine
originals by Joe Louis and 3 from the brilliant pen of Dennis Walker
including the moving and soulful title song and the fine
Ten More Shows To Play written in collaboration with Lowell Fulson.
Highly recommended.(FS)
|
| JOE LOUIS WALKER |
JSP 2157 |
She's My Money Maker |
● CD $16.98 $13.98 |
Joe's fourth new album in less than a year is a collection
of 10 songs - mostly new originals by Joe accompanied by a small group and
featuring lots of his much in demand slide guitar playing.
|
| PHILLIP WALKER |
Black Top 1117 |
Working Girl Blues |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
1995 album by outstanding singer/ guitarist based in
California. Sessions were cut in Louisiana and Los Angeles with different
bands including a zydeco group.
|
| ROBERT "BILBO"
WALKER |
Rooster Blues 2643 |
Rock The Night |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
11 tracks, 43 min, highly recommended
In an attempt to
record the ultimate juke-joint disc, Living Blues's Jim O'Neal followed
Walker around the country, through different locations & rhythm sections
until finally settling on one live performance. Done in Chicago at The
Hideout 2/4/00 with a rhythm section of Pecan Porter on bass & Sam Carr on
drums, the guitarist is heard with nothing but raw houserockin' blues with a
few surprises, including a version of Buck Owens' (& writer Terry Fell's)
classic Truck Drivin' Man, & a Chuck Berry medley where he combines
parts of Little Queenie with his autobiographical Robert U Goode!
(GM)
|
| JIMMY WALKER &
ERWIN HELFER |
Testament 5011 |
Rough & Ready |
● CD $11.98 $9.98 |
20 tracks, 62 min., recommended
Recorded
when Chicago Pianist Jimmy Walker was in his 60s, this album (a reissue of
Testament 2202 with 6 previously unreleased cuts) explores the boogie woogie
duet form which gained prominence in the '40s and then effectively died.
Walker and 28-year-old white pianist Erwin Helfer (trained by Cripple
Clarence Lofton!) have a musical rapport that only time and mutual respect
could produce, the two having played together for 2 years before these
recording were made. Some tracks feature Walker by himself, sometimes
singing, sometimes not. Willie Dixon adds his bass to Helfer's piano on 4
Helfer compositions, including Fringe Benefit/ Give Me 10 Cents Worth Of
Love. (JC)
|
| JOE LOUIS
WALKER & OTIS GRAND |
JSP JSPCD 2153 |
Guitar Brothers |
● CD $16.98 $11.98 |
10 tracks, 52 mins, highly recommended
Exciting new set
featuring top West Coast bluesman Walker with his old friend and one of
Britain's finest blues guitarists Otis Grand accompanied by a solid band.
Joe is back with an independent label after a number of years with Verve and
this set is mostly new songs and tunes along with a few carefully chosen
covers. Joe handles all the vocal work and the two of them provide dynamic
guitar work - I particularly like the minor key song Better Off Alone.
(FS)
|
| J.W. WARREN |
Fat Possum 1024 |
Life Ain't Worth Livin' |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
12 tracks, 41 mins, recommended
1981/82 recordings by
Alabama country bluesman Warren made by George Mitchell and previously
available on a Swingmaster LP. Warren is a good singer and a decent
guitarist and performs a mixture of traditional songs, original pieces and
songs learned from the records of Blind Boy Fuller. He doesnt' quite have
the ability to pull off the raggy Piedmont style of Fuller but his playing
is quite good and he also plays some nice slide. Highlight of these
recordings is the 6 minute story/ song The Escape Of Corinna with
some particularly nice slide. Not an outstanding album but well worth a
listen. (FS)
|
| WASHBOARD SAM |
Document DOCD 5171 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1
(1935-36) |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 72 min., recommended
This is the first disc in a
projected series of seven covering the recordings of Robert Brown from 1935
to 1949. This disc focuses on the first two years of that time period when
Sam, on washboard, and his half-brother (?) Big Bill Broonzy, on guitar,
were still putting out a country blues sound. Among the highlights are
Mama Don't Allow No.1 and 2/ Who Pumped the Wind in my Doughnut/ Don't Tear
My Clothes/ Pains in My Heart and Razor Cuttin' Man. An
interesting look at the beginning of an influential artist's career.
Generally excellent sound quality, fine notes by Victor Pearlin, and a
handsome photo of Sam on the cover. (DH)
|
| BOOGIE BILL WEBB |
Flying Fish 70506 |
Drinkin' & Stinkin' |
● CD $15.98 $8.98 |
This collection features 13 tracks by Mississippi bluesman
based in New Orleans. Webb was an associate of the great Tommy Johnson and
many of his previous recordings focused on Johnson's influence on him. This
release draws on a more diverse repertoire - there is the obligatory Johnson
song Canned Heat but this collection also features Bill doing
Leadbelly's Red Cross Store, Lowell Fulson's Black Nights, an
unexpected Cuttin Out Baby which Bill learned from Professor Longhair
who he played with in the 50s. Plus there are several originals including
the humorous title songs, the instrumental Bill's Boogie Woogie and
others. Bill's sings and plays electric guitar and is given sympathetic
backup by Ben Sandmel on drums and Reggie Scanlan on bass. Album comes with
detailed 8 page boklet by Nick Spitzer. (FS)
|
| VALERIE WELLINGTON |
Rooster Blues 2619 |
Million Dollar Secret |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
Fine young blues singer from Chicago. Her debut album from
1984 features an interesting selection of songs including updates of several
songs from the 20s and 30s such as the title song,
Down In The Dumps and Bessie Smith's
Dirty No Gooders Blues. There are several originals by Valerie along
with songs by Howlin' Wolf, Roy Brown and others. Valerie has a vocal style
akin to that of Koko Taylor though she is a more subtle performer and she is
given solid support by some top Chicago blues musicians including some great
guitar by Magic Slim. Also includes John Littlejohn and Sunnyland Slim.
|
| ARTHUR WESTON |
Testament TCD 6005 |
Pea Vine Whistle |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
Superb Mississippi country bluesman based in St. Louis
recorded there in the mid 60s. Weston was a wonderful singer and a
distinctive guitarist who did some great string snapping. Some tracks
feature Big Joe Williams on second guitar and some feature harmonica players
George Robertson or Andrew Cauthen.
|
| PEETIE WHEATSTRAW |
Document DOCD 5244 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, Vol 4 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 70 min., recommended
The duets with slide
guitarist Kokomo Arnold continue through the first 5 sides here, opening
with a favored Wheatstraw theme Old Good Whiskey Blues. As usual,
there is little variety in Peetie's piano style, but the imaginative lyrics
and strong imagery of Country Fool Blues/ Jungle Man Blues/ Don't Take A
Chance/ Block And Tackle/ Little House transcend his formula
accompaniments. Arnold returns later in the chronology, issuing extroverted
slide excitement on False Hearted Woman/ Beggar Man Blues. And the
final two cuts show a whole new side to The Devil's Son-In-Law, as he romps
handily through the jazz inflections of Peetie Wheatstraw Stomp. Like
previous volumes, this one gets bogged down in repetitive tempos, but is
recommended for its frequent high points. (MB)
|
| GEORGIA WHITE |
Document DOCD 5302 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 : 1936-1937 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
23 tracks, 64 mins, recommended
The second collection
features seven sessions between May, 1936 and May, 1937. Georgia is no
longer accompanying herself on piano - that role being taken by the
relatively pedestrian Richard M. Jones though Georgia more than compensates
with her expressive voice and some great songs and guitarist Ikey Robinson
provides some imaginative accompaniments. The material is varied ranging
from blues to novelty to pop and includes a gorgeous version of Jones's
classic Trouble In Mind which was so succesful that six months later
she recorded New Trouble In Mind and Trouble In Mind Swing!
Other fine songs include I Just Want Your Stingaree/ Sinking Sun Blues/
Your Hellish Ways/ You Don't Know My Mind/ Walking The Streets and
others. More great stuff by the gal from Georgia. (FS)
|
| JOSH WHITE |
Collectables 5602 |
Josh White Sings The Blues/ Sings |
● CD $13.98 $9.98 |
Two Stinson LPs from 1950 and 1952 on one CD.
JOSH WHITE: Baby Baby/ Careless Love/ Cotton Eyed Joe/
Dupree/ Evil Hearted Man/ Fare Three Well/ Hard Times/ I Got A Head Like A
Rock/ Jim Crow Train/ Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho/ Mean Mistreating
Woman/ Miss Otis Regrets/ Motherless Children/ Number 12 Train/ One Meat
Ball/ Outskirts Of Town/ St. James Infirmary/ Strange Fruit/ T.B. Blues/
Well, Well, Well/ When I Lay Down To Die, Do Die
|
| JOSH WHITE |
Document DOCD 5194 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1929-40; Vol 1 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
26 tracks, 78 mins, essential
The first of three discs
presenting all the recordings made between 1929 and 1940 by this brilliant
performer. Although he later became known as a suave night club folk
performer his early recordings are brilliant examples of East Coast country
blues. His voice was always a smooth one but one with great flexibility and
he spiced up his vocals with fragments of scat singing and moaning. His
guitar playing was joy - varied, supple and flowing and always apprpriate.
Both Buddy Moss and Blind Boy Fuller acknowledge him as an influence. This
disc starts with two delightful instrumentals from 1929 by the white country
band The Carver Boys with Josh accompanying harmonica player Warner
Carverand guitarist Bob Carver. The remaining tracks are from 1932 and '33
and with the excption of two tracks with a fine unknown piano player they
are all solo. They include such performances as the menacing Little
Brother (his knife - or is it?), some self advertising in The
Greenville Sheik, the beautiful Blood Red River and more
including half a dozen spirituals. With the exception of a couple of tracks
the sound is excellent and there are informative, though all too brief,
notes by Dave Moore. (FS)
|
| JOSH WHITE |
Document DOCD 5195 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1929-40; Vol 2 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
25 tracks, 74 mins, recommended
Another fine collection
from this South Carolina blues and gospel singer featuring recordings made
between November 1933 and March 1935. This is not quite as strong as the
first volume - mostly due to the fact that a higher proportion of titles are
from rather worn 78s and there are more covers and fewer original songs. The
disc opens with 7 spirituals - mostly fairly bland with the exception of
You Sinner You which is a sanctified version You Rascal You (or
is it the other way round?) complete with Louis Armstrong impersonation. The
rest is all blues and many of the tracks feature piano accompaniment - often
by the magnificent Walter. On four tracks he is accompanied by Leroy Carr &
Scrapper Blackwell and does a very fine version of the duo's Mean
Mistreater Blues. Other tracks include versions of Kokomo Arnold's
Milk Cow Blues, the raunchy Sissy Man, Joe Pullum's Black Gal
and others. (FS)
|
| JOSH WHITE |
Document DOCD 5196 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1929-40; Vol 3 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 more fine sides by White. The first 16 sides from 1935
and 1936 find him still recording for an AfricanAmerican audience performing
blues and spirituals with his voice and magnificent guitar solo or
accompanied by pianist Walter Roland or second guitarist Buddy Moss. By 1940
Josh had become a part of the New York white club scene and find him
performing in a slicker and more sophisticated style accompanied by string
bass player Wilson Myers and on two cuts by graet jazz clarinestist Sidney
Bechet.
|
| ROBERT WILKINS &
OTHERS |
Document DOCD 5014 |
Memphis Blues, 1928-1935 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
A truly superb collection. 17 of the 23 tracks feature all
the pre-war recordings of the magnificent Robert Wilkins. Born in Hernando,
Mississippi, he setled in Memphis when he was a child. He was a lovely
singer with an appealing gentle voice and a stunning guitar player who
played in complex finger picked style that was both lyrical and hypnotic.
His songs are all originals and interesting lyrically and includes the
exquisite That's No Way To Get Along which he rewrote as the gospel
song The Prodigal Son when he turned to the ministry in the late 30s.
Complementing the Wilkins sides from 1928, '29, '30 & '35 are 4 by the very
fine though obscure Tom Dickson and two by Alan Shaw including the
magnificent Moanin' The Blues on which his wonderful churning slide
guitar is seconded by the powerful rhythm of Willie Borum. Excellent sound
and brief notes by CHris Smith. A must! (FS)
|
| ARTHUR WILLIAMS |
Rooster Blues 2646 |
Midnight Blues |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
14 tracks, recommended
Fine set of down home blues featuring
St. Louis singer/ harmonica player with a solid band including ex-Muddy
Waters drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, guitarist Jesse Hoggard, bassist
Charles Davis and pianist Bob Lohr. Williams is a fine vocalist whose
singing is influenced by Howling Wolf and an exceptionally fine harmonica
player with a rich and expressive tone. The material is a nice blend of
originals and covers of songs from Sonny Williamson, Muddy Waters and
others. (FS)
|
| BIG JOE WILLIAMS |
Testament 5013 |
Back To The Country |
● CD $11.98 $8.98 |
21 tracks, 57 min., recommended
This reissue of Testament LP
2205 captures Big Joe Williams with fiddler/guitarist Jimmy Brown and harp
blower Willie Lee Harris as they recreate the sound and feel of an old time
country party. Thirteen tracks features Williams as vocalist, including a
solo effort on Mean Backstabber, the pensive The Mood Is Rising,
and two previously unissued cuts, Saturday Night Ball/ Goin' Back Home.
Brown sings on 6 cuts, including the absorbing Woody Woodpecker,
leaving Harris two opportunities (Worried And Lonesome/ Miss Ida B)
to vocalize his blues. But Williams dominates the proceedings with his
booming voice and impressing guitar work, and that's as it should be.
Includes Pete Welding's original liner notes, as do other volumes in this
excellent reissue series. (JC)
|
| BIG JOE WILLIAMS |
Testament TCD 6010 |
These Are My Blues |
● CD $14.98 $9.98 |
One of the greatest country bluesmen recorded live at
Rockford Colleg, Illinois in 1965. Joe is in tremedous form on a wide
variety of songs including old favorites like Baby Please Don't Go/
Mellow Peaches/ Good Morning Little Schoolgirl/ Sloppy Drunk, more rcent
compositions like Man Among Men and 56 Plymouth and even
You Are My Sunshine - 17 in all. Joe's 9-string is amplified with heavy
use of tremelo giving these recordings a unique feel.
|
| SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON |
Document DOCD 5057 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, Vol. 3 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
The third volume of recordings by this brilliant and
immensely influential singer and harmonica player features 25 songs recorded
at 3 sessions held between July 1939 and April 1941. The first 11 tracks
continues the mammoth 18 track session from 1939 that started on Document
5056. It's not too surprising that, at times, Sonny Boy and his accompanying
musicians (Big Bill Boonzy and Walter davis) sound abit tired! Still there
are some fine performances including his reworking of Victoria Spivey's
T.B. Blues, the topical Joe Louis And John Henry and the lyrical
Thinking My Blues. The enrgy level rises on the next session from May
1940 where he is accompanied by the superb piano player Joshua Altheimer and
drummer Fred Williams. It includes some classic performances including the
powerful Dealing With The Devil with its prophetic image of an ice
pick which was the instrument of Sony Boy's murder in 1948. There are a
couple of topical songs (War Time Blues & Welfare Store Blues)
and a hard driving version of Walter Roland's Early In The Morning
with an energy that pointed to the direction Chicago blues was to take in
the near future. The enrgy level isn't quite as high at the next session
where Sonny Boy is accompanied by Broonzy, pinaist Blind John Davis and
imitation bass player William Mitchell but there are some fine performances
include some particularly fine harp on Big Apple Blues. Sound quality
varies though it is generally satisfactory and there good notes by keith
Briggs. (FS)
|
| SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON |
Optimism 0125-2 |
With The Yardirds/ The Animals |
● CD $16.98 $10.98 |
Limited stock of this out of print 2 CD set. Sonny Boy
Williamson, a.k.a. Aleck or Rice Miller, was in Europe in 1963 when the
blues revival was taking off. He toured with The Yardbirds, who had already
developed a cult following, and the live album that followed was a boost to
both of their careers. One of the greatest blues harp players ever,
Williamson sounds good despite his advanced age and declining health. The
Yardbirds provide solid backing with Clapton taking guitar honors. From the
rocking Mister Downchild and A Lost Care to the slow blues of
23 Hours Too Long and the instrumental Western Arizona, the
playing is solid and the sound quality relatively good. Includes informative
liner notes on this show, but oddly the there is no information on The
Animals live date with Williamson, which was recorded in Newcastle in 1963
and apparently not released until the 70's. Neither the recording quality
nor the music is as good as on the Yardbird's album - between songs
Williamson apologizes for his playing, saying he's got a bad tooth. These
two concerts are among Sonny Boy's last recordings, and despite the
shortcomings are well worth preserving in this convenient two-disc package.
(JC)
|
| SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON |
Purple Pyramid 833 |
I Ain't Beggin' Nobody |
● CD $13.98 $8.98 |
15 tracks, 40 mins, highly recommended
Complementing
Arhoolie 310 ("King Biscuit Time" - $12.98) this is another great collection
of recordings made by the wonderful singer and harmonica player Sonny Boy
Williamson for Lillian McMurray's Trumpet label in Jackson, Mississippi in
the early 50s. It features at least take of all the songs not on the
Arhoolie set including tracks not originally issued. The tracks are drawn
from five different sessions in 1953 and 1954 with different line ups. The
use of a sax on some cuts seems a little incongruous but is well done and
side | |
