Blues & Gospel - Buster Brown -> Bob Brozman

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BLUES & GOSPEL
Rev. J.C. Burnett -> Paul Butterfield

REV. J.C. BURNETT
EDDIE BURNS BLUES BAND
R.L. BURNSIDE
J.C. BURRIS
ARON BURTON

W.E. "BUDDY" BURTON/ ED HUDSON
GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER
THE BUTLER TWINS
BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE
PAUL BUTTERFIELD

REV. J.C. BURNETT Document DOCD 5557 Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1, 1926-1927 ● CD $15.98

22 tracks, 67 mins, recommended First of two volumes featuring the recordings of this outstanding and very popular preacher. Most of the performances start off with an excerpt from a long meter hymn by Burnett and Sisters Ethel Grainger and Odette Jackson and then moves into Burnett's exposition of a biblical text which he builds into a ferocious and almost incoherent climax urged on by the shouts and declamations of the sisters. A couple of the performances are simply hymns sung with little or no preaching. They are usually joined on piano or organ by Porter Grainger and one session features organ accompaniment by Fats Waller! This set includes his most famous recording The Downfall Of Nebuchadnezzar plus others like Drive And Go Forward/ Hebrew Children In The Fiery Furnace/ Daniel In The Lion's Den/ It's You Turn Now But My Time After Awhile and others including the particularly powerful I Will Stay here And Send The News To Town. Generally excellent sound plus informative notes by Chris Smith. (FS)

REV. J.C. BURNETT Document DOCD 5558 Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2, 1927-1945 ● CD $15.98

23 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended More fine preaching and singing - this time covering the period 1927 through 1945 and more varied and exciting than the first volume. There are 9 sides from sessions held between 1927 and 1929 - usually with Porter Grainger on organ and sisters Ethel Grainger and Odette Jackson on vocal backup. Some tracks are just preaching, some are just singing and some have both. The titles include the wonderful The Gambler's Doom which relates the numbers on a deck of card to biblical points and is a precursor to a number of similar songs in both the black and white tradition and also a stirring version of Will The Circle Be Unbroken. The eight sides from 1938 with Burnett accompanied by two unknown female and one male vocalist are the highlights here and include a truly spine chilling version of Amazing Grace, the wonderful topical Speed On! Hell Is Waiting For You and a remake of his "hit" Downfall Of Nebuchadnezzar which is better than the original. Finally there are 6 sides from 1945 - probably the latest date that any of the preachers from the 20s recorded - which show that Burnett had not run out of any of the fire that he showed on his earlier recordings. He is accompanied by a group of women singers on another excellent set of performances including the powerful War In Heaven! Remarkable music. (FS)

EDDIE BURNS BLUES BAND Evidence 26024 Detroit ● CD $12.98

11 tracks, good. Reissue of Blue Suit 103 by this legend of Motor City blues.

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80301 Mr. Wizard ● CD $13.98

R.L. BURNSIDE: Alice Mae/ Georgia Women/ Highway 7/ Out on the Road/ Over the Hill/ Rollin' & Tumblin'/ Snake Drive/ Tribute to Fred/ You Gotta Move

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80307 Too Bad Jim ● CD $13.98

10 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended Available again at a new lower price. R.L. Burnside may not have too much original material and may not be a guitar virtuoso but he certainly lays done some of the funkiest low down blues you are likely to hear in the 90s. Drawing on traditional Mississippi songs (Shake 'Em On Down/ Old Black Mattie/ Going Down South) plus songs from John Lee Hooker (When My First Wife Left Me), Lightnin' Hopkins (Short Haired Woman/ .44 Pistol and others he accompanies his rough hewn vocals with wonderfully nasty sounding electric guitar, sometimes playing slide. Most cuts feature solid accompaniments from drummer Calvin Jackson and guitarist Kenny Brown who really help kick things along. Kudos to producer Robert Palmer for doing such a great job in capturing the real essence of down home blues and providing some illuminating liner notes though his references to chaos theory may be a little over the top! (FS)
R.L. BURNSIDE: .44 Pistol/ Death Bell Blues/ Fireman Ring The Bell/ Goin' Down South/ Miss Glory B./ Old Black Mattie/ Peaches/ Shake 'Em On Down/ Short-Haired Woman/ When My First Wife Left Me

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80317 Come On In ● CD $13.98

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80332 Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down ● CD $15.98

14 tracks, 61 minutes, recommended Seems like every crowd needs to adopt a legit bluesman to feel vital - the southern hippies had Furry Lewis, the yuppies have John Lee Hooker - now the post-punk crowd has RL! Since teaming with Jon Spencer on "Ass Pocket Full of Whiskey", RL has been gaining more success doing different things. This set continues with the experiments on '98's Come On In, mixing swamp blues with loops, scratching & even some hip-hop rhythms & a female chorus (heard on a strange cover of Chain of Fools.) In 2 tracks RL goes into his brief period living in Chicago in the 50s where in short order his father & 2 brothers were killed (Hard Time Killing Floor/ RL's Story). Too Many Ups/ My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble (with some fine mandolin) & Nothin' Man are pieces of funky fun nonsense. But there's plenty of brooding Hooker-ish pieces like See What My Buddy Done & Got Messed Up. The final 3 tracks are tunes from other Fat Possum artists. (GM)

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80341 Mississippi Hill Country Blues ● CD $16.98

19 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended Previously available as an import on Swingmaster. An excellent collection of sides by Tate County, Mississippi country bluesman R.L. `Rule' Burnside. This is one of the more interesting albums of the rather prolific Burnside since he in in particularly good form vocally and instrumentally playing all acoustic through with fine harp player Red Ramsey lending a hand on one cut. The material is mostly traditional songs like Skinny Woman/ Rolling & Tumbling/ Mellow Peaches, etc or songs he learned locally like Miss Maybelle/ Jumper On The Line/ Long Haired Doney. Much of it is familiar from his more recent recordings but there are a number of songs he hasn't recorded elsewhere including a very nice version of Lonesome Sundown's Lost Without Love. Most of the tracks were recorded in the 80s in Holland plus a few recorded by his discoverer George Mitchell in 1967. (FS)

R.L. BURNSIDE Fat Possum 80343 Burnside On Burnside ● CD $16.98

Live set recorded on the West Coast in 2001 with his regular band.

R.L. BURNSIDE Genes 9917 My Black Name A-Ringin' ● CD $14.98

Previously unissued recordings from 1969 - some with Red Ramsey/ harmonica and/or guitarist Jesse Vortis.

R.L. BURNSIDE High Water/HMG 6501 Sound Machine Groove ● CD $13.98

Reissue of 1980 album originally on the French Vogue label plus 3 previously unissued cuts from this currently much in demand Mississippi bluesman accompanied by his sons Joseph & Daniel on guitars and bass plus Calvin Jackson on drums.

R.L. BURNSIDE Matador 214 Ass Pocket Full Of Whiskey ● CD $16.98

New album features Mississippi bluesman accompanied by blues-rock band The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

R.L. BURNSIDE MC 034 Acoustic Stories ● CD $13.98

All acoustic album by this very popular Delta stylist.

R.L. BURNSIDE MC 042 Well, Well, Well ● CD $13.98

18 tracks, 63 mins, recommended
Another month, another R.L. Burnside album. There's no shortage of Burnside albums out there, but he rarely disappoints, and this collection of informal recordings made between 1986 and 1993 is most enjoyable. It was compiled by Jon Morris who worked for a number of years with R.L. as his harmonica player and includes concert recordings made in South Carolina, Holland and Greece as well home recordings. R.L. is featured on acoustic and electric guitar and Morris provides tasteful harp on several cuts and a couple also feature a drummer. He's no great original but turns in entertaining performances of songs like How Many More Years/ Staggolee (with X-rated lyrics!)/ Boogie Chillen/ Rolling & Tumbling/ Last Nigh, etc. There are also some spoken excerpts including some jokes. (FS)

RURAL L. BURNSIDE Arion 60397 Mississippi Blues ● CD $15.98

11 tracks, 39 mins, very good
Enjoyable set of performances - mostly recorded live in France in 1983. Most of the songs are versions of traditional Mississippi pieces like Poor Black Mattie/ Rolling and Tumbling, etc. along with some Lightnin' Hopkins songs. Burnside sings well and plays some good acoustic guitar but the record suffers from overly familiar material and a very restrained approach. (FS)

J.C. BURRIS Arhoolie 497 Blues Professor ● CD $12.98

20 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
What a treat to finally have a CD available of this wonderful Bay Area artist who died in 1988. J.C., who was the nephew of Sonny Terry was originally from North Carolina and after spending some time in New York in the 40s and 50s moved to the West Coast in 1959, eventually settling in San Francisco. He became a much beloved artist regularly playing at clubs, concerts and festivals but recording infrequently. This CD reissues his 1975 Arhoolie LP and adds to it 11 previously unissued tracks - most of them recorded by J.C. himself at his home. In addition to his outstanding singing and harmonica playing he was also an exponent of the traditional folk arts of accompanying himself on rhythm bones and hand slapping and performing with his hand crafted dancing doll he called Mr. Jack. J.C. was a creative performer and his songs were very original, only rarely dipping into the well of traditional themes, and reflect his view of the world around him - sometimes with a topical political edge. (FS)

ARON BURTON Delmark 727 Good News To You ● CD $14.98

Newest by Chicago blues singer/bassist with his brother Larry, Billy Branch, Lester Davenport and others.

ARON BURTON Earwig 4927 Past, Present & Future ● CD $14.98

ARON BURTON Earwig 4935 Live! ● CD $14.98

13 tracks recorded live in early 1995 by bassist Burton who also contributes some vocals. The rest of the band includes Michael Dodson, Lester Davenport and others. Mostly old favorites like Little Red Rooster/ Fever/ River's Invitation/ Hoochie Coochie Man, etc.

W.E. "BUDDY" BURTON/ ED HUDSON RST Records JPCD 1511 Chicago South Side Blues & Jazz ● CD $16.98

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER Black Magic 9015 Keep On Doing What You're Doing ● CD $16.98

Reissue of Butler's rare 1970 Mercury album recorded in November, 1969 with a band which included Jimmy Dawkins, Lafayette Leake, Mighty Joe Young and others. Having now had a chance to hear this I think it is justifiably rare. In spite of the impressive line-up it is a rather apathetic effort with unexceptional vocals and harp playing and sloppy accompaniments. The chief problem seems to be a lack of cohesiveness which points to inadequate rehearsal and/or poor direction by the producers. If you are thinking of laying out big bucks for the LP you might want to think again! (FS)

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER Bullseye Blues 9518 These Mean Old Blues ● CD $14.98

Despite past praise from bluesmen like Willie Dixon and Lightnin' Hopkins, George "Wild Child" Butler has largely escaped public notice. Butler has been recording since the mid-sixties when he cut a few sides for the Shaw label and many more for Shreveport-based Jewel Records (collected on Charly CRB 1104). But during his lengthy career, he has made only two previous albums (in 1969 and 1976). These Mean Old Blues is a strong, strong set of 11 originals, featuring Butler's tremendous country-style harmonica (just listen to Walkin' The Little Girl Home!) and rugged vocals. Songs like Crack House Woman show Howlin' Wolf's influence, and mix traditional blues with a timely lyric. Likewise, the slow blues It's A Pity makes reference to the Gulf War, among other things. His harmonica style is reminiscent of Sonny Boy Williamson #2 and Hammie Nixon, without being derivative. Recommended. (JC)

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER Bullseye Blues 9539 Stranger ● CD $14.98

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER MC. Records 36 Lickin' Gravy ● CD $14.98

Reissue of album originally issued on Roots in 1976 and then reissued on Rooster Blues in 1986 with overdubs and now on CD for the first time.

THE BUTLER TWINS JSP 257 Not Gonna Worry About Tomorrow ● CD $14.98

Detroit based blues duo.

THE BUTLER TWINS JSP 268 Pursue Your Dreams ● CD $14.98

BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE Document DOCD 5544 Complete Recorded Works 1924-1927: Vol 1 - 1924/25 ● CD $14.98

BUTTERBEANS & SUSIE: A Married Man's A Fool/ A To Z Blues/ Adam And Eve/ Bow Legged Papa/ Brown Skin Gal/ Cold Storage Papa (mama's A Little Too Warm For You)/ Consolation Blues/ Construction Gang/ Do Right Papa/ Don't Start Nothin' Here Tonight/ Get Yourself A Monkey Man, Make Him Strut His Stuff/ How Do You Expect To Get My Lovin'?/ Hydrant Love (turn It On, Shut It Off)/ I Can't Use You/ I Got Your Bath Water On/ I'll Put You Under The Jail/ I've Had Those Lonesome Journey Blues All Day/ If You Can't Bring It, You've Got To Send It/ Kiss Me Sweet/ Leaving Blues/ Sue, I Don't Want You No More/ That Same Dog/ When My Man Shimmies/ You Ain't Talkin' To Me

BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE Document DOCD 5545 Complete Recorded Works 1924-1927: Vol 2 - 1926/27 ● CD $14.98

BUTTERBEANS & SUSIE: 'tain't None O' Your Business/ 'tain't What You Used To Have, My Friend (it's What You're Holding Now)/ Da Da Blues/ Deacon Bite-'em-in-the-back/ Deal Yourself Another Hand/ Gonna Make You Sorry (for Everything You Do)/ He Likes It Slow/ I Can't Do That/ I Wanna Hot Dog For My Roll/ Jelly Roll Queen/ Let The Door Knob Hit You In The Back/ Love Me And The World Is Mine (hit Me And The Jail Is Yours)/ Mama Stayed Out The Whole Night Long/ Mama's Gonna Shorten Your Days/ My Daddy's Got The Mojo, But I Got The Say-so/ Not Today, Sweet Mama/ Not Until Then - Part 1/ Not Until Then - Part 2/ Oh Yeah!/ Papa, Don't Hold Back On Me/ Sweet Papa Butterbeans And Sweet Mama Susie/ You Know Why Your Mama Has The Blues/ You're A No 'count Triflin' Man/ Your Folks Will Start Wearing Black

PAUL BUTTERFIELD Rhino 70877 Paul Butterfield's Better Days ● CD $11.98

Reissue of Bearsville 2119 from 1973. The best of the lot. After breaking up the Blues Band, Butter headed to Woodstock and formed this all-star band, kind of a folkie version of the Blues Band, with Amos Garrett, Geoff Muldaur, Ronnie Barron, with Billy Rich & Chris Parker on bass & drums. Technically, the band is incredible but the LP seems to snooze, aided by the inclusion of such war horses as Baby Please Don't Go , (New) Walkin' Blues/ Nobody's Fault But Mine & Please Send Me Someone To Love . Vocals by Butter, Geoff & Ronnie, guests include Maria Muldaur and a 5 piece Howard Johnson-led horn section with old Blues Band mates Gene Dinwiddie & David Sanborn (GM)

PAUL BUTTERFIELD Rhino 70878 It All Comes Back ● CD $11.98

Reissue of Bearsville 2170 from 1974. After a promising start with a blazing version of Smokey Hogg's Too Many Drivers , it goes downhill rather quickly. The overdone blues standards are replaced by new material written by Butter, Barron & Bobby Charles, with lots of not really successful funk and New Orleans R&B experiments, the best being the Barron-Dr. John-penned Louisiana Flood . Most songs, especially the ones with vocal chorus, sound real dated. Also includes a bad version of Mose Allison's If You Live (GM)

PAUL BUTTERFIELD Rhino/ Elektra 73505 The Original Lost Elektra Sessions ● CD $15.98

19 previously unissued sides including his first recordings from 1964 that were originally intended to be his first album and outtakes from the 1965 session that resulted in their first official release.
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: Ain't No Need To Go No Further/ Everything's Gonna Be All Right/ Goin' Down Slow/ Good Morning Little School Girl/ Hate To See You Go/ Help Me/ It Hurts Me Too/ Just To Be With You/ Love Her With A Feeling/ Lovin' Cup/ Mellow Down Easy/ Nut Popper #1/ Our Love Is Driftin'/ Piney Brown Blues/ Poor Boy/ Rock Me/ Spoonful/ Take Me Back Baby/ That's All Right

THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND Elektra 7294 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band ● CD $11.98

CD issue of Elektra 7294 from 1965. When every other white kid played the blues as loud rock'n'roll or reverential folk, Butterfield had the first major white fronted powerful Chicago blues band, a move that would spark the great late 60s Blues Revival. Butter originally had U of Chi buddy Elvin Bishop on guitar, with Howlin' Wolf rhythm Jerome Arnold & Sam Lay. Added Naftalin, & to round out the recording, future legend Mike Bloomfield. These recordings still sound fresh & alive, & incl the classic Nick Gravinites tune Born In Chicago, Elmore James' Shake Your Moneymaker & Look Over Yonders Wall, Little Walter's Mellow Down Easy/ Blues With A Feeling/ Last Night, & originals Screamin' & Thank You Mr. Poobah (GM)
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: Blues With A Feeling/ Born In Chicago/ I Got My Mojo Working/ Last Night/ Look Over Yonders Wall/ Mellow Down Easy/ Mystery Train/ Our Love Is Drifting/ Screamin'/ Shake Your Money-maker/ Thank You Mr. Poobah

THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND Elektra 7315 East West ● CD $11.98

CD issue of the 1966 classic. If Butter's 1st LP was to be a classic in white & electric blues, he transcended that by his 2nd LP, with the same lineup except drummer Billy Davenport replacing Sam Lay. The Blues covers are down to a minimum, incl Walkin' Blues & Two Trains Running (AKA Still A Fool), along with covers of Lee Dorsey's Get Out Of My Life Woman, even The Monkees' Mary Mary. But what really set this apart are the two long tracks, a hard harp workout on Cannonball Adderly's Work Song, & the 13 minute title track that experimented in modal playing & turned Mike Bloomfield into a Superstar. (GM)
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: All These Blues/ East-West/ Get out of my Life, Woman/ I Got a Mind to Give Up Living/ Mary, Mary/ Never Say No/ Two Trains Running/ Walkin'Blues/ Work Song

THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND Elektra 74015 The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw ● CD $11.98

CD reissue of the original album with Pity The Fool, Born Under A Bad Sign, Drivin' Wheel, Tollin' Bells, 9 in all. A must for Butterfield fans.
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND: Born Under a Bad Sign/ Double Trouble/ Driftin' and Driftin'/ Drivin' Wheel/ Droppin' Out/ One More Heartache/ Pity the Fool/ Run Out of Time/ Tollin' Bells

Back To Blues Index

REV. J.C. BURNETT	Document DOCD 5557	Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1, 1926-1927	● CD $15.98
22 tracks, 67 mins, recommended First of two volumes featuring the recordings of this outstanding and very popular preacher. Most of the performances start off with an excerpt from a long meter hymn by Burnett and Sisters Ethel Grainger and Odette Jackson and then moves into Burnett's exposition of a biblical text which he builds into a ferocious and almost incoherent climax urged on by the shouts and declamations of the sisters. A couple of the performances are simply hymns sung with little or no preaching. They are usually joined on piano or organ by Porter Grainger and one session features organ accompaniment by Fats Waller! This set includes his most famous recording The Downfall Of Nebuchadnezzar plus others like Drive And Go Forward/ Hebrew Children In The Fiery Furnace/ Daniel In The Lion's Den/ It's You Turn Now But My Time After Awhile and others including the particularly powerful I Will Stay here And Send The News To Town. Generally excellent sound plus informative notes by Chris Smith. (FS)

REV. J.C. BURNETT	Document DOCD 5558	Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2, 1927-1945	● CD $15.98
23 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended More fine preaching and singing - this time covering the period 1927 through 1945 and more varied and exciting than the first volume. There are 9 sides from sessions held between 1927 and 1929 - usually with Porter Grainger on organ and sisters Ethel Grainger and Odette Jackson on vocal backup. Some tracks are just preaching, some are just singing and some have both. The titles include the wonderful The Gambler's Doom which relates the numbers on a deck of card to biblical points and is a precursor to a number of similar songs in both the black and white tradition and also a stirring version of Will The Circle Be Unbroken. The eight sides from 1938 with Burnett accompanied by two unknown female and one male vocalist are the highlights here and include a truly spine chilling version of Amazing Grace, the wonderful topical Speed On! Hell Is Waiting For You and a remake of his "hit" Downfall Of Nebuchadnezzar which is better than the original. Finally there are 6 sides from 1945 - probably the latest date that any of the preachers from the 20s recorded - which show that Burnett had not run out of any of the fire that he showed on his earlier recordings. He is accompanied by a group of women singers on another excellent set of performances including the powerful War In Heaven! Remarkable music. (FS)

EDDIE BURNS BLUES BAND	Evidence 26024	Detroit	● CD $12.98
11 tracks, good. Reissue of Blue Suit 103 by this legend of Motor City blues.

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80301	Mr. Wizard	● CD $13.98
R.L. BURNSIDE: Alice Mae/ Georgia Women/ Highway 7/ Out on the Road/ Over the Hill/ Rollin' & Tumblin'/ Snake Drive/ Tribute to Fred/ You Gotta Move

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80307	Too Bad Jim	● CD $13.98
10 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended Available again at a new lower price. R.L. Burnside may not have too much original material and may not be a guitar virtuoso but he certainly lays done some of the funkiest low down blues you are likely to hear in the 90s. Drawing on traditional Mississippi songs (Shake 'Em On Down/ Old Black Mattie/ Going Down South) plus songs from John Lee Hooker (When My First Wife Left Me), Lightnin' Hopkins (Short Haired Woman/ .44 Pistol and others he accompanies his rough hewn vocals with wonderfully nasty sounding electric guitar, sometimes playing slide. Most cuts feature solid accompaniments from drummer Calvin Jackson and guitarist Kenny Brown who really help kick things along. Kudos to producer Robert Palmer for doing such a great job in capturing the real essence of down home blues and providing some illuminating liner notes though his references to chaos theory may be a little over the top! (FS) R.L. BURNSIDE: .44 Pistol/ Death Bell Blues/ Fireman Ring The Bell/ Goin' Down South/ Miss Glory B./ Old Black Mattie/ Peaches/ Shake 'Em On Down/ Short-Haired Woman/ When My First Wife Left Me

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80317	Come On In	● CD $13.98

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80332	Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down	● CD $15.98
14 tracks, 61 minutes, recommended Seems like every crowd needs to adopt a legit bluesman to feel vital - the southern hippies had Furry Lewis, the yuppies have John Lee Hooker - now the post-punk crowd has RL! Since teaming with Jon Spencer on "Ass Pocket Full of Whiskey", RL has been gaining more success doing different things. This set continues with the experiments on '98's Come On In, mixing swamp blues with loops, scratching & even some hip-hop rhythms & a female chorus (heard on a strange cover of Chain of Fools.) In 2 tracks RL goes into his brief period living in Chicago in the 50s where in short order his father & 2 brothers were killed (Hard Time Killing Floor/ RL's Story). Too Many Ups/ My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble (with some fine mandolin) & Nothin' Man are pieces of funky fun nonsense. But there's plenty of brooding Hooker-ish pieces like See What My Buddy Done & Got Messed Up. The final 3 tracks are tunes from other Fat Possum artists. (GM)

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80341	Mississippi Hill Country Blues	● CD $16.98
19 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended Previously available as an import on Swingmaster. An excellent collection of sides by Tate County, Mississippi country bluesman R.L. `Rule' Burnside. This is one of the more interesting albums of the rather prolific Burnside since he in in particularly good form vocally and instrumentally playing all acoustic through with fine harp player Red Ramsey lending a hand on one cut. The material is mostly traditional songs like Skinny Woman/ Rolling & Tumbling/ Mellow Peaches, etc or songs he learned locally like Miss Maybelle/ Jumper On The Line/ Long Haired Doney. Much of it is familiar from his more recent recordings but there are a number of songs he hasn't recorded elsewhere including a very nice version of Lonesome Sundown's Lost Without Love. Most of the tracks were recorded in the 80s in Holland plus a few recorded by his discoverer George Mitchell in 1967. (FS)

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80343	Burnside On Burnside	● CD $16.98
Live set recorded on the West Coast in 2001 with his regular band.

R.L. BURNSIDE	Genes 9917	My Black Name A-Ringin'	● CD $14.98
Previously unissued recordings from 1969 - some with Red Ramsey/ harmonica and/or guitarist Jesse Vortis.

R.L. BURNSIDE	High Water/HMG 6501	Sound Machine Groove	● CD $13.98
Reissue of 1980 album originally on the French Vogue label plus 3 previously unissued cuts from this currently much in demand Mississippi bluesman accompanied by his sons Joseph & Daniel on guitars and bass plus Calvin Jackson on drums.

R.L. BURNSIDE	Matador 214	Ass Pocket Full Of Whiskey	● CD $16.98
New album features Mississippi bluesman accompanied by blues-rock band The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

R.L. BURNSIDE	MC 034	Acoustic Stories	● CD $13.98
All acoustic album by this very popular Delta stylist.

R.L. BURNSIDE	MC 042	Well, Well, Well	● CD $13.98
18 tracks, 63 mins, recommended Another month, another R.L. Burnside album. There's no shortage of Burnside albums out there, but he rarely disappoints, and this collection of informal recordings made between 1986 and 1993 is most enjoyable. It was compiled by Jon Morris who worked for a number of years with R.L. as his harmonica player and includes concert recordings made in South Carolina, Holland and Greece as well home recordings. R.L. is featured on acoustic and electric guitar and Morris provides tasteful harp on several cuts and a couple also feature a drummer. He's no great original but turns in entertaining performances of songs like How Many More Years/ Staggolee (with X-rated lyrics!)/ Boogie Chillen/ Rolling & Tumbling/ Last Nigh, etc. There are also some spoken excerpts including some jokes. (FS)

RURAL L. BURNSIDE	Arion 60397	Mississippi Blues	● CD $15.98
11 tracks, 39 mins, very good Enjoyable set of performances - mostly recorded live in France in 1983. Most of the songs are versions of traditional Mississippi pieces like Poor Black Mattie/ Rolling and Tumbling, etc. along with some Lightnin' Hopkins songs. Burnside sings well and plays some good acoustic guitar but the record suffers from overly familiar material and a very restrained approach. (FS)

J.C. BURRIS	Arhoolie 497	Blues Professor	● CD $12.98
20 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended What a treat to finally have a CD available of this wonderful Bay Area artist who died in 1988. J.C., who was the nephew of Sonny Terry was originally from North Carolina and after spending some time in New York in the 40s and 50s moved to the West Coast in 1959, eventually settling in San Francisco. He became a much beloved artist regularly playing at clubs, concerts and festivals but recording infrequently. This CD reissues his 1975 Arhoolie LP and adds to it 11 previously unissued tracks - most of them recorded by J.C. himself at his home. In addition to his outstanding singing and harmonica playing he was also an exponent of the traditional folk arts of accompanying himself on rhythm bones and hand slapping and performing with his hand crafted dancing doll he called Mr. Jack. J.C. was a creative performer and his songs were very original, only rarely dipping into the well of traditional themes, and reflect his view of the world around him - sometimes with a topical political edge. (FS)

ARON BURTON	Delmark 727	Good News To You	● CD $14.98
Newest by Chicago blues singer/bassist with his brother Larry, Billy Branch, Lester Davenport and others.

ARON BURTON	Earwig 4927	Past, Present & Future	● CD $14.98

ARON BURTON	Earwig 4935	Live!	● CD $14.98
13 tracks recorded live in early 1995 by bassist Burton who also contributes some vocals. The rest of the band includes Michael Dodson, Lester Davenport and others. Mostly old favorites like Little Red Rooster/ Fever/ River's Invitation/ Hoochie Coochie Man, etc.

W.E. "BUDDY" BURTON/ ED HUDSON	RST Records JPCD 1511	Chicago South Side Blues & Jazz	● CD $16.98

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER	Black Magic 9015	Keep On Doing What You're Doing	● CD $16.98
Reissue of Butler's rare 1970 Mercury album recorded in November, 1969 with a band which included Jimmy Dawkins, Lafayette Leake, Mighty Joe Young and others. Having now had a chance to hear this I think it is justifiably rare. In spite of the impressive line-up it is a rather apathetic effort with unexceptional vocals and harp playing and sloppy accompaniments. The chief problem seems to be a lack of cohesiveness which points to inadequate rehearsal and/or poor direction by the producers. If you are thinking of laying out big bucks for the LP you might want to think again! (FS)

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER	Bullseye Blues 9518	These Mean Old Blues	● CD $14.98
Despite past praise from bluesmen like Willie Dixon and Lightnin' Hopkins, George "Wild Child" Butler has largely escaped public notice. Butler has been recording since the mid-sixties when he cut a few sides for the Shaw label and many more for Shreveport-based Jewel Records (collected on Charly CRB 1104). But during his lengthy career, he has made only two previous albums (in 1969 and 1976). These Mean Old Blues is a strong, strong set of 11 originals, featuring Butler's tremendous country-style harmonica (just listen to Walkin' The Little Girl Home!) and rugged vocals. Songs like Crack House Woman show Howlin' Wolf's influence, and mix traditional blues with a timely lyric. Likewise, the slow blues It's A Pity makes reference to the Gulf War, among other things. His harmonica style is reminiscent of Sonny Boy Williamson #2 and Hammie Nixon, without being derivative. Recommended. (JC)

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER	Bullseye Blues 9539	Stranger	● CD $14.98

GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER	MC. Records 36	Lickin' Gravy	● CD $14.98
Reissue of album originally issued on Roots in 1976 and then reissued on Rooster Blues in 1986 with overdubs and now on CD for the first time.

THE BUTLER TWINS	JSP 257	Not Gonna Worry About Tomorrow	● CD $14.98
Detroit based blues duo.

THE BUTLER TWINS	JSP 268	Pursue Your Dreams	● CD $14.98

BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE	Document DOCD 5544	Complete Recorded Works 1924-1927: Vol 1 - 1924/25	● CD $14.98
BUTTERBEANS & SUSIE: A Married Man's A Fool/ A To Z Blues/ Adam And Eve/ Bow Legged Papa/ Brown Skin Gal/ Cold Storage Papa (mama's A Little Too Warm For You)/ Consolation Blues/ Construction Gang/ Do Right Papa/ Don't Start Nothin' Here Tonight/ Get Yourself A Monkey Man, Make Him Strut His Stuff/ How Do You Expect To Get My Lovin'?/ Hydrant Love (turn It On, Shut It Off)/ I Can't Use You/ I Got Your Bath Water On/ I'll Put You Under The Jail/ I've Had Those Lonesome Journey Blues All Day/ If You Can't Bring It, You've Got To Send It/ Kiss Me Sweet/ Leaving Blues/ Sue, I Don't Want You No More/ That Same Dog/ When My Man Shimmies/ You Ain't Talkin' To Me

BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE	Document DOCD 5545	Complete Recorded Works 1924-1927: Vol 2 - 1926/27	● CD $14.98
BUTTERBEANS & SUSIE: 'tain't None O' Your Business/ 'tain't What You Used To Have, My Friend (it's What You're Holding Now)/ Da Da Blues/ Deacon Bite-'em-in-the-back/ Deal Yourself Another Hand/ Gonna Make You Sorry (for Everything You Do)/ He Likes It Slow/ I Can't Do That/ I Wanna Hot Dog For My Roll/ Jelly Roll Queen/ Let The Door Knob Hit You In The Back/ Love Me And The World Is Mine (hit Me And The Jail Is Yours)/ Mama Stayed Out The Whole Night Long/ Mama's Gonna Shorten Your Days/ My Daddy's Got The Mojo, But I Got The Say-so/ Not Today, Sweet Mama/ Not Until Then - Part 1/ Not Until Then - Part 2/ Oh Yeah!/ Papa, Don't Hold Back On Me/ Sweet Papa Butterbeans And Sweet Mama Susie/ You Know Why Your Mama Has The Blues/ You're A No 'count Triflin' Man/ Your Folks Will Start Wearing Black

PAUL BUTTERFIELD	Rhino 70877	Paul Butterfield's Better Days	● CD $11.98
Reissue of Bearsville 2119 from 1973. The best of the lot. After breaking up the Blues Band, Butter headed to Woodstock and formed this all-star band, kind of a folkie version of the Blues Band, with Amos Garrett, Geoff Muldaur, Ronnie Barron, with Billy Rich & Chris Parker on bass & drums. Technically, the band is incredible but the LP seems to snooze, aided by the inclusion of such war horses as Baby Please Don't Go , (New) Walkin' Blues/ Nobody's Fault But Mine & Please Send Me Someone To Love . Vocals by Butter, Geoff & Ronnie, guests include Maria Muldaur and a 5 piece Howard Johnson-led horn section with old Blues Band mates Gene Dinwiddie & David Sanborn (GM)

PAUL BUTTERFIELD	Rhino 70878	It All Comes Back	● CD $11.98
Reissue of Bearsville 2170 from 1974. After a promising start with a blazing version of Smokey Hogg's Too Many Drivers , it goes downhill rather quickly. The overdone blues standards are replaced by new material written by Butter, Barron & Bobby Charles, with lots of not really successful funk and New Orleans R&B experiments, the best being the Barron-Dr. John-penned Louisiana Flood . Most songs, especially the ones with vocal chorus, sound real dated. Also includes a bad version of Mose Allison's If You Live (GM)