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BARGAIN BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Johnny Otis
-> T.N.T. Tribble
| JOHNNY OTIS | Savoy Jazz 17059 | The Johnny Otis Rhythm & Blues Caravan | ● CD |
| Fabulous three CD set featuring all of Otis and his
aggregations recordings for Savoy between 1949 and 1951 plus his first
session for Excelsior in 1946 and some recently discovered unissued
Savoy tracks. 77 tracks in all from this R&B pioneer with his great band
and vocalists like Jimmy Rushing, Little Esther, Mel Walker, The Robins
and others. JOHNNY OTIS ORCH.: Ain't No Use Beggin'/ Ain't Nothin' Shakin'/ All Night Long/ Because I Love My Baby/ Beer Bottle Boogie/ Blues Nocturne/ Boogie Guitar/ Chitlin' Switch/ Cool & Easy/ Cry Baby/ Cupid's Boogie/ Deceivin' Blues/ Doggin' Blues/ Double Crossing Blues/ Dreamin' Blues/ Far Away Blues (My Christmas Blues)/ Feel Like Crying Again/ Fool's Gold*/ Freight Train Boogie/ Gee Baby/ Get Together Blues/ Going to See My Baby/ Gonna Take a Train*/ Good Time Blues/ Hangover Blues/ Harlem Nocturne/ Head Hunter/ Heartache Here I Come/ Help Me Blues/ Helpless/ Hold Me Close*/ Honky Tonk Boogie/ Hunter Hancock Theme/ I Don't Care/ I Dream/ I Found Out My Troubles/ I'll Ask My Heart/ I'm Living O.K./ I'm Not Falling in Love With You/ I'm Through/ If I Didn't Love You So/ If It's So Baby/ It Ain't the Beauty/ It Can Never Happen Again*/ Just Another Flame*/ Just Can't Get Free/ Little Red Hen, The/ Living and Loving You/ Lonely Blues/ Lost in a Dream (Lost Dream Blues)/ Love Will Break Your Heart For You/ Lover's Lane Boogie/ Mambo Boogie/ Midnight in the Barrelhouse/ Misery/ Mistrustin' Blues/ My Baby's Business/ My Heart Tells Me/ New Love/ New Orleans Shuffle/ Our Romance Is Gone/ Preston Love's Mansion/ Rockin' Blues/ Round the Clock (Jimmy's Round the Clock Blues)/ Strange Woman/ Sunset to Dawn/ There's Rain in My Eyes/ Three Magic Words/ Turkey Hop Part 1/ Turkey Hop Part 2/ Turn the Lights Down Low previously unreleased)/ Uneasy Blues/ Walkin' Shoe Blues*/ Warning Blues/ Wedding Boogie/ Where's My Baby*/ You're Fine But Not My Kind |
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| CALVIN OWENS | Music Avenue 250144 | True Blue | ● CD |
| Last copy. 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 |
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| THE CALVIN OWENS SHOW | Sawdust Alley 4233 | Keeping Big Band Blues Alive | ● CD |
| 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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| THE PASCHALL BROTHERS | Smithsonian Folkways 40176 | On The Right Road Now | ● CD |
| 13 tracks recorded in 2007 by this acapella gospel group
from Virginia formed in 1981 who sound like a cross between the Golden
Gate Quartet and The Persuasions! Includes Ease My Troublin' Mind/
Remember Me/ Final Edition/ The Lord's Prayer/ I Want To See Jesus,
etc. Includes 32 page booklet with extensive notes. |
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| DAN PICKETT | Collectables 5311 | 1949 Country Blues | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, essential CD issue of Krazy Kat 811. Back in the 60s some of the most highly prized 78s among blues collectors were the rare Gotham records of Dan Pickett. These were valued, not only for their rarity but for the fact that they were among the finest commercial recordings of country blues in the post war era. At that time no one could have imagined that there would be an album available of Pickett's recordings but, here it is and not only do we get all of Pickett's sides issued on 78 rpm but four previously unissued titles and most of it from original master tapes thanks to Gotham's foresight in recording on to tape as early as 1948. Pickett, whose real name was apparently James Founty was a stunning performer. A distinctive vocalist he had a remarkable vocal technique in which he sometimes compressed an amazing amount of syllables into one line. He was also a stunning guitar player performing in either a rhythmic percussive picking style or a lovely melodic slide style stunning accentuating his playing with rapping on the guitar. The songs are mostly versions of songs originally recorded in the 30s including Leroy Carr's How Long , Buddy Moss's Ride To A Funeral In A V-8 , Blind Boy Fuller's Let me Squeeze Your Lemons (which Pickett calls Lemon Man and others including a spellbinding version of 99 1/2 Won't Do Pickett's only gospel performance. Pickett transforms the songs into totally unique ones. The unissued songs are every bit as good as the issued ones. Album has excellent sound and informative notes by Chris Smith. A special hand of thanks to Bruce Bastin whose foragings in the Gotham vaults has turned up this gem. All these tracks plus some additional Pickett material and tracks by Tarheel Slim are available on Flyright 25. (FS) |
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| BIG WALTER PRICE | Edsel-Diablo 8018 | Git To Gittin' - The Crazy Cajun Recordings | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, 32 mins, very good 12 sides recorded by this fine Texas bluesman for Huey Meaux's Crazy Cajun label in the late 60s. Half the tracks are with a band and were mostly issued on small Meaux labels and the rest are solo demos with just Price and his piano. Most of the band sides are relatively undistinguished novelty items with the exception of the fine slow blues If Blues Was Money. The solo sides are very nice ineed and get us a chance to hear how good a piano player Price was - it's a pity the sound of the piano isn't better. (FS) |
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| PROFESSOR LONGHAIR & OTHERS | Rounder 2082 | Collector's Choice | ● CD |
| 19 tracks, 47 min., essential This compilation covers the good Professor's musical output from the late '50s to the early '60s, the somewhat troubled period before his rediscovery. Among the treasures here are the classic 1959 version of Go To The Mardi Gras, cut for the Ron label (and its flip Every Day, Every Night), the equally spectacular Big Chief, his two rare singles for Rip, two previously unreleased alternate takes, and more. And that's just the half of it. The other half collects Crescent City favorites and obscurities (on Ric and Ron) from the same period, including Irma Thomas' initial outing Don't Mess With My Man, Joe Jones' You Talk Too Much, Martha Carter's answer I Don't Talk Too Much, Eddie Bo's Check Mr. Popeye, Al Johnson's Carnival Time,The Velvetiers' Feelin' Right On A Saturday Night, Tommy Ridgley's Double-Eyed Whammy, Bobby Mitchell's Mama Don't Allow, and Lenny Capello's Genevieve. (JC) |
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| SNOOKY PRYOR | Fuel 61605 | An Introduction To Snooky Pryor | ● CD |
| 18 tracks, 50 mins, essential If you missed out on previous reissues of this classic Chicago blues by singer and harmonica player player Snooky Pryor then you'd better grab this deleted release before it disappears too. Snooky's playing was transitional between the 40s style of John Lee Sonny Boy Williamson and the more urgent intense style of Little Walter. The first 2 tracks on this disc are from rare recordings made in 1947 for the obscure Planet label featuring Snooky accompanied by singer/ guitarist Moody Jones including the wonderful instrumental Boogie which was, in some respects, a precursor to Little Walter's later instrumental efforts. The remaining tracks were recorded for JOB - mostly from the early/ mid 50s along with a couple from the late 50s or early 60s. Accompanying Snooky are outstanding musicians like Moody Jones, Alfred Elkins, Eddie Taylor, Sunnyland Slim, Alfred Wallace and others. Except for the chaotic last session this is post war Chicago blues at its finest with eight tracks not originally issued on singles. Sound quality is excellent and Bill Dahl provides detailed background information. This music should be in the collection of every lover of Chicago blues. (FS) |
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| DOUG QUATTLEBAUM | Testament TCD 6003 | If You've Ever Been Mistreated | ● CD |
| Previously unissued recordings from 1961
by excellent singer and guitarist from Philadelphia. Quattlebaum is a
superb melodic singer and an original guitarist and his material includes
original songs and traditional blues, gospel and R&B songs. |
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| MA RAINEY | Document DOCD 5583 | Complete Recordings,Vol. 3 - December 1925 to June 1926 | ● CD |
| 20 tracks with Charlie Green, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher
Henderson, Buster Bailey and others - Slave To The Blues/ Titanic Man
Blues/ Bessemer |
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| DR. ROSS | Testament TCD 5009 | Call The Doctor | ● CD |
| 17 tracks, 60 min., recommended Ross is a one-man band (complete with drum, cymbals, guitar, and harmonica--the last two he plays backwards!) who produces a uniquely rich blues sound. His 1950's Sun sides are frequently cited as his finest work, but these tracks, recorded for Testement in 1965 and released as LP 2206, are exceptionally fine as well. Such harmonica pieces as Freight Train and Fox Chase betray a debt to Sonny Boy Williamson #1 while showing off Ross' own virtuosity. His guitar is tuned in open-G, yet the good Doctor prefers the strum to the slide many Delta bluesmen don. But the Doctor knows best. It's good to have this long out-of-print music available again, and the inclusion of the previously unissued Jivin' Blues is gravy. (JC) |
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| OTIS RUSH, MAGIC SAM, BUDDY GUY | Retroworld 6007 | Snakebite | ● CD |
| This two CD set features all of Otis Rush's recordings
made for Cobra between 1956 and 1958, Magic Sam's recordings for Cobra,
Chief and Crash recorded between 1957 and 1966 and a miscellany of Buddy
Guy tracks including two of earliest recordings cut for Ace in 1957 and
not originally issued, his four sides cut for Cobra subsidiary Artistic
in 1958 and four tracks where he accompanies vocalist Jesse Fortune
whose vocal delivery owes a lot to that of Buddy's that were recorded
for USA in 1963. These tracks have been out a number of times before -
most recently on Westside and Fuel but if you don't have them they are
absolutely indispensible recordings of great Chicago blues singing and
guitar playing. JESSIE FORTUNE: God's Gift To Man/ Good Things/ Heavy Heart Beat/ Too Many Cooks/ BUDDY GUY: I Hope You Come Back Home/ Sit And Cry/ This Is The End/ This Is The End (alternate)/ Try To Quit You Baby/ Way You Been Treatin' Me, The/ You Sure Can't Do (alternate)/ You Sure You Can't Do/ MAGIC SAM: 12 Days In Jail/ All My Whole Life/ All Night Long/ All Your Love/ Blue Light Boogie/ Do The Camel Walk/ Easy Baby/ Everything About This Time/ Everything Gonna Be Alright/ Look Whatcha Done/ Love Me This Way/ Love Me With A Feeling/ Magic Rocker/ Mr Charlie/ My Love Is Your Love/ Out Of Bad Luck/ She Belongs To Me/ Square Dance Rock/ Square Dance Rock/ You Don't Have To Work/ OTIS RUSH: All Your Love (I Miss Loving)/ Checking On My Baby/ Double Trouble/ Groaning The Blues/ I Can't Quit You Baby/ If You Were Mine/ It Takes Time/ Jump Sister Bessie/ Keep On Loving Me Baby/ Love That Woman/ My Baby Is A Good 'Un/ My Love Will Never Die/ She's A Good 'Un/ Sit Down Baby/ Sit Down Baby (alternate as Little Red Rooster)/ Three Times A Fool/ Violent Love |
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| JIMMY RUSHING | Vanguard 73166 | Vanguard Visionaries | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, highly recommended 2007 release not listed before. A fine selection of sides by this great blues shouter drawn from the three LPs he recorded for Vanguard in the mid 50s. Jimmy is in superb voice and is accompanied by great jazz and R&B musicians like Buddy Tate, Sam Price, Emmett Berry, Pete Johnson, Freddie Green, Vic Dickensen, Roy Gaines and others. He does splendid renditions of pop standards and blues classics drawn from his productive career. Includes Dinah/ Oh Love/ Sent For Your Yesterday/ Good Morning Blues/ See See Rider, etc. (FS) |
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| THE SAM BROTHERS 5 | Arhoolie 9044 | Sam (Get Down) | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, recommended Reissue of Arhoolie 1081 from 1979. The Sam Brothers 5 are the sons of veteran Zydeco artist Herbert Sam of Opelousas and when this album was recorded were all in their teens. The group featured Leon (15 years old)/ lead singer & accordion ; Carl (18)/ guitar; Rodney (16)/ drums; Glen (13)/ bass ; and Calvin (11). In spite of their youth the group sings and plays with an authority that belies their youth. They perform original songs, songs by their father (who guest on vocals and accordion on two tracks) and two from the "king" Clifton Chenier. Includes Sam (Get Down)/ La La Waltz/ Roll Me Baby/ Going Down To Big Mary/ I'm A Hog For You/ Country Boy and others. Lots of fun! (FS) |
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| JOHNNY SHINES | Testament TCD 5002 | Masters Of Modern Blues | ● CD |
| 10 tracks, 34 min., recommended Straight reissue of Testament 5002 - a rare full band Chicago session featuring this great "rediscovered" Delta bluesman. The first number Rollin' And Tumblin' starts a little tentatively, but midway through turns into a swirling blues torrent, powered by Fred Below's remarkable drumming. From there on out Shines and Co. (that's Big Walter Horton on harp, pianist Otis Spann, bassist Lee Jackson, and Below) can do no wrong. A look at the song titles brings Robert Johnson and Muddy to mind, but Johnny takes the standards Sweet Home Chicago/ Walkin' Blues/ Two Trains Runnin' and makes them completely his own. His vocals are truly spine-chilling throughout, tinged with a little studio echo for maximum potency, whether on the spooky Mr. Tom Green's Farm or the full-throttle rocker What Kind Of Little Girl Are You?. And his Delta-bred electric slide guitar blends easily with the sinuous work of this marvelous backing band, inviting very positive comparison to the magic of Muddy's peak performances. Get it! (MB) |
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| AL SMITH | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 514 | Hear My Blues | ● CD |
| 8 tracks, 33 min., good Gospel singer/blues shouter Al Smith was discovered by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, who brought the vocalist into the studio and oversaw this session for Bluesville. Backed by Davis on tenor, organist Shirley Scott (who played in Lockjaw's band) and Ellington bassist Wendell Marshall, Smith emotionally delivers a mixed bag of R&B, boogie woogie and ballads, the majority of which he composed. Originally a Crescent City choirboy, he at times sounds a little like Fats Domino here. Instrumentally, Scott offers some neat Hammond B-3 filler and Lockjaw gets down 'n dirty, though it's really all held together by Marshall's vamping bass line. Check out Tears In My Eyes/ I've Got A Girl/ Come On Pretty Baby. (PL) |
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| AL SMITH | Original Blues Classics OBCCD 583 | Midnight Special | ● CD |
| 8 tracks, 33 min., very good According to Nat Hentoff's notes, this Al Smith is a former gospel singer, one time member of Leon Lumpkin's Gospel Clefs (Savoy Records, 1957-1965). He may also be the Al Smith who recorded in 1957 for Irma Records. This, his 2nd Bluesville album, features tenor saxophonist King Curtis on 5 tracks including Eddie Boyd's Five Long Years (originally mistitled as I've Been Mistreated), and Ride On Midnight Special. Chicago guitarist Jimmy Lee Lonesome Robinson usually fills in behind organist Robert Banks. Five of the tracks are original compositions with Baby Don't Worry 'Bout Me having an R&B edge and a nice AL SMITH: Baby Don't Worry 'bout Me/ Five Long Years/ Goin' To Alabama/ I Can't Make It By Myself/ I'll Never Let You Go/ Ride On Midnight Special/ The Bells/ You're A Sweetheart |
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| SHIRLEY SMITH | The Sirens 5017 | In Hymn I Trust | ● CD |
| 2009 recordings of gospel singer and piano player from
DEtroit. |
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| OTIS SPANN | Testament TCD 6001 | Live The Life | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 71 mins, recommended Otis Spann was so good and died so young (in 1970 at the age of 40) that any chance to hear previously unissued recordings by him is to be treasured even if the sound on some of the material here is unexceptional. This is the first album in a series of reissues from the late Pete Welding's archive of previously unissued recordings. 12 of the cuts find Otis recorded live with his former boss Muddy Waters. There are five from a 1968 tribute concert to Martin Luther King with Muddy on acoustic guitar and an acoustic bass. Sound balance on these is not very good but there is beautiful singing and playing by Spann particularly on Tribute To Martin Luther King. There are seven cuts with the full Waters band with much better sound - Spann takes two vocals including a splendid version of the West Coast favorite Tin Pan Alley and Muddy does four excellent vocals and plays some fine slide on Can't Lose What You Never Had. There are two superb solo performances by Spann from around 1965 and a couple of accompaniments to Johnny Young and Slim Willis. A varied and entertaining collection though probably not the first Spann album to get. (FS) |
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| SPIRIT OF MEMPHIS | Acrobat ADDCD 3007 | Happy In The Service Of The Lord | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 47 tracks, 143 mins, essential In my humble opinion the 33 tracks recorded by the Spirit Of Memphis for King between 1949 and 1952, and included on this collection, features some of the greatest gospel quartet singing ever put on record. With the soaring tenor lead of Wilmer "Little Ax" Broadnax (a woman, living as man!), the powerful baritone/ tenor lead of Jethro "Jet" Bledsoe and the ferocious, thundering, baritone lead singing and preaching of the great Silas Steele they produced music of such visceral intensity that you will feel positively drained after hearing half a dozen songs. One can only imagine the effect it had a live audience at the time. Whether it's the interweaving of the lead voices or the exquisite harmonies of the rest of the group it's all just perfect. Listen to The Day Is Passed And Gone where Little Axe subtly intones the lyrics against the harmonies of the group oohing in the background with Silas Steele preaching at the same time - the effect is utterly spine chilling. And there's one classic after another On The Battlefield/ Blessed Are The Dead/ If Jesus Had To Pray/ Calvary/ I'll Go/ Everytime I Feel The Spirit/ That Awful Day/ Toll The Bell Easy and others. The group ended their King stay with the wonderful live two part Lord Jesus. After they left King they joined the major gospel label Peacock and this set includes their first dozen sides for that label which curiously lack the passion and fire of the King sides - fine performances on their own but they pale in comparison. Opening the set are the group's first recordings in 1949 for Deluxe and Hallelujah Spirituals which preasged what was to come on King. Sound is generally excellent, dubbed from mostly clean 78s, and booklet has informative notes by Opal Louis Nations. If you buy only one gospel CD this decade this is the one to get! (FS) |
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| THE STATE STREET SWINGERS, ETC | RST Records JPCD 1507 | Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, 1936-37 | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 76 mins, recommended The State Street Swingers, who recorded 14 sides in 1936 &'37 (2 issued as by The Chicago Black Swans) were a fine jazzy, bluesy, hokum group featuring the vocals of Leonard Scott, Washboard Sam, Bob Robinson, Mary Mack or Big Bill Broonzy with trumpet by Herb Morand or Alfred Bell, clarinet by Arnett Nelson and piano by the superb Black Bob or Myrtle Jenkins with various other musicians on bass & guitar. Their music covers the same sort of territory as The Harlem Hamfats. This set also features 4 nice solo sides by Mary Mack with (probably) Aletha Dickson/ piano and Big Bill/ guitar and 7 sides by the rather unexciting Leonard Scott with a similar line up to the Swingers. Good sound and informative notes from David Evans. (FS) |
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| HUBERT SUMLIN | Shout Factory 31157 | Healing Feeling | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, 44 min., highly recommended The lead guitar on Howlin' Wolf's songs from 1953-76 (minus a one-year stint with Muddy Waters) was Sumlin's. That's all the introduction anyone should need. As this reissue of a Black Top Records album (BT-1053) originally released in 1990 (his 2nd on that label) demonstrates, Sumlin's guitar work is still as frenetic and compelling as ever, the instrumental title track being a scorching case in point. Sumlin turns in a few vocal performances, but James "Thunderbird" Davis' voice on the first cut (I Don't Want To Hear About Yours) sets the bar higher than Sumlin can reach. But it doesn't matter because his guitar is the show. Tracks include Play It Cool, Down The Dusty Road, Just Like I Treat You, Blue Shadows, and more. Another well-chosen Black Top reissue from the folks at Shout Factory. (JC) |
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| SUPER CHIKAN | Rooster Blues 2634 | Blues Come Home To Roost | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, recommended Guess it's appropriate that the man who can make his guitar cluck like a chicken is on Rooster Blues! James Johnson also plays bass, harp, piano & drives a truck, bringing you REAL blues like "My house is 80 years old & the front porch is falling down" & "I've got a '71 Chevy & the dealer wants to take it away", from Down In The Delta. All tunes are Chikan originals, many of them fine shuffles, but he does rock'n'roll on one cut, in Rockin' (That 'Caine) & Roll in' (Mary Jane) - "you better chill out with your psychopathic lies" & "better pack your sack/ I believe your mama wants you back/ I ain't got no money for no damned crack." Also Camel Toe, Super Chikan Strut, Well Gone Dry, Mr. Love Juice. The CD booklet tells his story in cartoon form (GM) |
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| SUPER CHIKAN | Rooster Blues 2645 | Shoot That Thang | ● CD |
| 11 tracks, recommended Super Chikan has got to be one of my faves of the current bluesmen. Recorded in that blues capital, Salinas, Kansas(!) by Jim O'Neal of Living Blues, this set has Chikan in a trio setting with just bass & drums (The Fighting Cocks) with some nice funky blues with his trademark Chikan guitar solos. Titles include Mennonite Blues/ Staingy Wid It, the "Born Under A Bad Sign" influenced Don't Mess With The Blues/ Bus-Train-Rain and others. As an added bonus, the liner notes are a comic strip bio of Chikan by American Splendor duo Harvey Pekar & Gary Dumm (GM) |
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| THE SWAN SILVERTONES | Acrobat ADDCD 3004 | 1946-1951 | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 45 tracks, essential This features all the pre-Specialty recordings of one of the greatest of all post war gospel groups. Originally formed as the Four Harmony Kings by the superb high tenor Claude Jeter in 1938 the group had changed it's name The Swan Silvertone Singers by the time they recorded their first session in July 1946 where Jeter was joined by baritones Solomon Womack (uncle of Bobby Womack) and John Myles with bass singer William Johnson. This first session of eight songs is in the traditional jubilee style pioneered by The Golden Gate Quartet but by the second session they adopted a looser and ahrder gospel style with Jeter and Womack trading off leads and by their June, 1950 session they ascend into the stratosphere with the addition of the ferocious baritone Rev. Percell Perkins (formerly with the Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi) whose declmatory preaching style puts him in the same league as the great Silas Steele. This is post war gospel at its very finest with execellent sound and informed notes by Opal Louis Nations in the 12 page booklet as wella s full discographical info. A must! (FS) THE SWAN SILVERTONES: All Aboard/ All Alone/ All Night All Day/ Backslider's Plea/ Careless Soul/ Depending On Jesus/ Down On My Knees/ Every Day Seems Like Sunday/ Father Alone/ Go Ahead/ Grant It Lord/ He's My All/ I Believe/ I Cried Holy/ I Done Made It Up In My Mind/ I Got A Mother Done Gone/ I Got A Witness/ I Must Tell Jesus/ I Want My Crown/ I Want To Dig A Little Deeper/ I Want To Rest/ I'll Search Heaven/ I'm Gonna Wait/ I'm Tired/ I've Tried/ In That Upper Room/ Jesus Is God's Atomic Bomb/ Jesus Met The Woman At The Well/ Jesus Never Fails/ Live So God Can Use You/ Long Ago/ Mother's Cry/ My God's Getting Us Ready/ My Lord Done What He Said/ My Time Done Come/ No Not A One/ Over Yonder/ Standing In The Safety Zone/ These Bones Gwine Rise Again/ Toll The Bell/ Use Me Lord/ What Could I Do/ Will The Circle Be Unbroken/ Working On A Building |
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| THE SWAN SILVERTONES | Charly SNAPCD 188 | Move Up | ● CD |
| 28 tracks, 78 mins, essential A beautiful collection of tracks recorded for Vee-Jay by this superb group, covering the period from their first Vee-Jay session in 1956 through their last in 1964. Their Vee-Jay recordings features leads by the magnificent high ethereal tenor (and sometimes falsetto) Claude Jeter or the powerful baritone of Paul Owens, Dewey Young or Louis Johnson. Jeter and his sweet falsetto have had more than a little influence on countless soul acts, Al Green and The Temptations among them. It is difficult to overstate his importance to both soul and gospel. The material ranged from the classic harmony quartet style of Sinner Man to the more intense style that influenced soul music. This set features one magnificent performance after another ending with their utterly sublime rendition of The Lord's Prayer - if this doesn't send a chill down your spine you might want to see a chiropractor! (FS) THE SWAN SILVERTONES: A Lady Called Mother/ At The Cross/ Bible Days/ Breathe On Me/ Come To Jesus/ Going On With Jesus/ Great Day In December/ He Saved My Soul/ I Thank You Lord/ I'll Be Satisfied/ Jesus Is Alright With Me/ Jesus Remembers/ Leave Your Burden There/ Love Lifted Me/ Move Somewhere/ Move Up/ Nobody But You/ Oh Mary, Don't You Weep/ Savior Pass Me Not, Parts 1 & 2/ Singin' In My Soul/ Sinking Sand/ Sinner Man/ The Lord Is Coming/ The Lord’s Prayer/ Trouble In My Way/ When Jesus Comes/ Why I Love Him So/ Without A Mother |
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| ROOSEVELT SYKES | Acrobat ADDCD 3019 | Boot That THing, 1929-1941 | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 52 tracks, highly recommended From his first recording for Okeh in 1929 up to his death in 1984 there was rarely a year that Roosevelt Sykes was out of the studio but in spite of his considerable output his music was rarely less than excellent. This splendid collection provides a whistle stop tour through his prewar career opening with his very first recording from June 1929 of the much covered "44" Blues and including his answer to Pinetop's Boogie Woogie in Boot That Thing, on through fine 30's sides, some in the company of Kokomo Arnold and others, to his slicker, jumpy 40's output usually featuring Roosevelt and a drummer - a sound that in part paved the way for postwar R & B. Although originally contracted to OKeh, Roosevelt, like many others recorded for other labels under pseudonyms and this set includes sides he recorded as Willie Kelly and Dobby Bragg. Roosevelt was a fine lyricist and there are several examples of Roosevelt's knack for composing clever double entendre lyrics in songs like Jet Black Snake/ Hard Lead Pencil and Yellow Yam Blues as well as his original recording of Night Time Is The Right Times which was later rewoked by Ray Charles and other songs like Monte Carlo Blues and Mistake In Life ROOSEVELT SYKES: '44 Blues/ 15c A Day/ 3-6 And 9 (Three, Six And Nine)/ 32-20 Blues/ 44 Blues/ 47th Street Jive/ Boot That Thing/ D-B-A Blues/ Dirty Mother For You/ Doin' The Sally Long (Flames Of Evaporation)/ Down On My Knees/ Drunken Gambler/ Eight Ball Blues/ Essie Mae Blues/ Get Your Row Out (Then You Will Understand)/ Hard Lead Pencil/ Have You Seen Ida B/ Henry Ford Blues/ Highway 61 Blues/ Hospital, Heaven Or Hell/ Jet Black Snake/ Journey From The Germs/ Just Hanging Around/ KMA Blues/ Keep Your Hands Off Her/ Kelly's Special/ Let The Black Have His Way/ Little And Low/ Love Lease Blues/ Low As A Toad/ Mistake In Life/ Monte Carlo Blues/ Nasty But It's Clean/ Night Time Is The Right Time/ Night Time Is The Right Time No 2/ Pistol Shootin' Blues/ Prison Gate Blues/ Right Now/ Sad Yas Yas Yas (You Fade Away Like Morning Dew)/ She Left Me Cold In Hand/ She's Got What It Takes/ She's Long Gone/ Sister Kelly Blues/ Skeet And Garret/ Skin And Bones Blues/ The Cannon Ball/ The Honey Dripper/ The Road To Ruin/ The Train Is Coming (No More Baby Talk)/ Third Degree Blues/ Yellow Yam Blues/ You Can't Fix It Back |
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| ROOSEVELT SYKES | Document DOCD 5117 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 - 1930-31 | ● CD |
| 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: 3-6 And 9 Listen/ 32-20 Blues Listen/ As True As I've Been To You/ Big Time Woman/ Conjur Man Blues/ Cotton Seed Blues/ Don't Put The Lights Out/ Don't Squeeze Me Too Tight/ Drinkin' Woman Blues/ Give Me Your Change Listen/ Hard Luck Man Blues/ He Treats Me Like A Dog/ I Love You More And More Listen/ Kelly's 44 Blues Listen/ Kelly's Special/ Meat Cutter Blues/ Nasty But It's Clean/ No Good Woman Blues/ No Settled Mind Blues/ Papa Sweetback Blues/ Side Door Blues/ Thanksgivin' Blues/ We Can Sell That Thing/ You So Dumb |
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| ROOSEVELT SYKES | Document DOCD 5121 | Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 6 - 1939-41 | ● CD |
| 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: 44 Blues/ 47th Street Jive/ Concentration Blues/ Doin' The Sally Long/ Eight Ball Blues/ Essie Mae Blues (take A)/ Essie Mae Blues (take B)/ Get Your Row Out/ I've Made A Change/ Knock Me Out/ Love Will Wear You Down/ New Mistake In Life We Will Never Make The Grade/ New Style Blues/ Papa Low/ Pistol Shootin' Blues/ Right Now/ She's Got What It Takes/ She's In My Blood/ Shoe Shiner's Moan/ Take It With A Smile/ Under Eyed Woman/ Unlucky 13 Blues/ Ups And Downs Blues/ Yellow Yam Blues |
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| ROOSEVELT SYKES | Fuel 61659 | The Honeydripper's Ball | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, 47 mins, recommended The first 12 tracks of this collection reissues the 1970 Jewel LP bizarrely entitled "The Meek Roosevelt Sykes." Notwithstanding 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. The last two tracks are live recordings from around the same period with Sykes doing excellent solo versions of two of his most famous songs Driving Wheel and Night Time Is The Right Time. (FS) |
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| ROOSEVELT SYKES | Smithsonian Folkways 40051 | Blues By Roosevelt Sykes - The Honeydripper | ● CD |
| Superb collection of solo sides from this great singer
and piano player recorded and issued in 1961. Sykes is in fine form on a
selection that includes some of his trademark tunes along with newly
composed songs. On the instrumental Memphis Slim Rock he is
joined by Memphis Slim who produced this session. Also includes Sweet
Old Chicago/ 47th Street Jive/ 44 Blues/ R.S. Stomp/ All My MOney's
Gone/ The Mistaken Life/ The Thing, etc. This reissue was remastered
from original master tapes using the new HDC 24-bit mastering process.
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| BLIND JOE TAGGART | Document DOCD 5153 | Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1 (1926-28) | ● CD |
| 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 |
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| TAMPA RED | Document DOCD 5213 | Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol 13 | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| EDDIE TAYLOR | Castle CMRCD 629 | Ready For Eddie .. Plus | ● CD |
| 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. |
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| SONNY TERRY | Collectables 5307 | Gotham Record SEssions | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 807 featuring recordings made for
Gotham records.. 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 CD
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) |
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| SONNY TERRY | Smithsonian Folkways 40033 | The Folkways Years 1944-1963 | ● CD |
| 17 tracks, 48 mins, highly recommended Harmonica master Sonny Terry's eight Folkways LP's were full of ferocious North Carolina harp playing. Pete Seeger and his banjo show up on two tracks of this CD's 17 tracks, including an updating of the classic Fox Chase; Terry's longtime partner Brownie McGhee plays guitar on 10 others. There are two previously unreleased tracks here, both duets with McGhee dating from the late forties: a devastating version of James (St. Louis Jimmy) Oden's dark Going Down Slow, and an unissued acetate of the wild Sweet Woman. The sound on this set is exemplary, and the performances are consistently first-rate. (JG) |
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| SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE | Collectables 5198 | Blowin' The Fuses | ● CD |
| 13 tracks including Gonna Lay My Body Down/ Po' Boy/
Sun's Gonna Shine/ Blues For The Lowlands, etc. BROWNIE MCGHEE & SONNY TERRY: Blowin' The Fuses/ Blues For The Lowlands/ Down By The Riverside/ Drinking In The Blues/ Everybody's Blue (with Lightnin' Hopkins)/ Gonna Lay My Body Down/ I'm A Stranger Here/ Just Rode In Your Town/ Po' Boy/ Right On That Shore (with Lightnin' Hopkins)/ Sun's Gonna Shine/ Trouble In Mind/ Walk On |
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| BIG MAMA THORNTON | Proper Intro 2078 | They Called Me Big Mama - A Proper Introduction To Big | ● CD |
| 23 tracks, 61 min., highly recommended Great sampling of Thornton's earliest work (1950-54) for Don Robey's Houston Peacock/ Duke/ Backbeat labels, this collection also includes her first single for the E & W label from 1950, All Right Baby b/w Bad Luck Got My Man. Most of the tracks were produced under the direction of Johnny Otis and feature excellent sidemen such as Pete Lewis (gtr), George Washington (tbn), Leard Bell (dms). Although some of the bluesiest performances come when Thornton recorded with Bill Harvey's Orchestra in 1951, including Everytime I Think Of You and No Jody For Me. All this and her original version of Hound Dog, recorded three years before Elvis turned it into gold. (JC) |
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| REV. H.R. TOMLIN & REV. S. J. WORRELL | Document DOCD 5406 | Complete Recorded Works, 1926-1927 | ● CD |
| 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) |
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| T.N.T. TRIBBLE | Collectables 5309 | T.N.T. Tribble (14 tracks) | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, highly recommended CD reissue of Krazy Kat 828. Second volume of twin trumpet blowin' T.N.T. Tribble's great Gotham sessions from the early 50's. Tribble and band are, by turns, swingin', jumpin' and smokey sounding. Even the Krazy Kat sleuths are at a loss to pindown many of the band members, including the dynamic guitar player on Red Hot Boogie/ Rockin' Mama and others, although their best guess is Mauzette Graham. 14 cuts here, mostly unreleased. Hey Everybody/ Cadillac Blues/ TNT Stroll/ She Walked Right In , etc. (AE) |
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