Blues & Gospel - Frank Frost -> Lowell Fulson

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BLUES & GOSPEL

Frank Frost -> Lowell Fulson

FRANK FROST
BLIND BOY FULLER
BLIND BOY FULLER & SONNY TERRY
JESSE FULLER
LOWELL FULSON

FRANK FROST Collectables 5921 Big Boss Man - The Very Best Of Frank Frost ● CD $11.98

This CD reissues 11 of the great tracks recorded by Frost for Phillips International in 1962 but why did they leave out Everything's Alright and Just Come On Home?
FRANK FROST: Big Boss Man/ Crawl Back/ Gonna Make You Mine/ Jack's Jump/ Jelly Roll King/ Lucky To Be Living/ Now Twist/ Pocket Full Of Shells/ So Tired Of Living By Myself/ What You Gonna Do/ You're So Kind

FRANK FROST Earwig 4914 Midnight Prowler ● CD $15.98

14 songs.

FRANK FROST Evidence 26094 Deep Blues ● CD $13.98

Reissue of 1992 Appaloosa album which available only for a short while.

FRANK FROST Westside 633 Harpin' On It ● CD $13.98

His complete Jewel recordings.
FRANK FROST: Didn't mean me no harm/ Feel good babe/ Five long years/ Got my mojo working/ Harp and soul (instrumental)/ Harpin' on it (instrumental)/ Janie on my mind/ My back scratcher/ Never leave me at home/ Pocket full of money/ Pretty baby/ Ride with your daddy tonight/ Things you do

FRANK FROST & SAM CARR Evidence 26077 Keep Yourself Together ● CD $15.98

11 tracks, 40 mins, recommended Solid collection of Southern juke joint blues from veteran singer/harmonica player Frost with his drum playing partner for more than 30 years Sam Carr. They are joined by Fred James who provides tasty guitar and occasional organ accompaniment and stand up bassist Bob Kommersmith. Most of the songs are Frost originals including a couple of remakes of songs he had previously recorded from Sam Phillips in the early 60s. The slow blues like Tired Of Living By Myself and Come On Home are particularly nice. (FS)

FRANK FROST & SAM CARR HMG 1006 The Jelly Roll Kings ● CD $14.98

12 tracks, 45 mins, recommended Tough set of down home blues from this Mississippi duo accompanied by Fred James, who also produced, on guitar and bass. Includes a remake of Frost's classic Phillips International track Jelly Roll King along with other more recent compositions by Frost like Let's Go Out Tonight/ Love I Have Is True/Sittin' On Daddy's Knee/ baby, Please, etc. (FS)

The first of six volumes presenting the complete recordings of one of the most popular and influential country bluesmen of the 30s. Between 1935 and 1940 he recorded 129 songs - this first disc presents 14 tracks cut at four sessions in July 1935 and 10 from 2 sessions in April, 1936. Fuller was a wonderful engaging singer and skilful and adept guitarist who was equally at home with the uptempo Rag, Mama, Rag or the slower more intense Walking My Troubles Away. His playing is consistently fluid with a strong ragtime flavor. One track here Homesick And Lonesome Blues features an all too rare example of his lovely slide guitar playing. Most of the tracks here are Fuller alone with his guitar - on three cuts he is joined by Blind Gary Davis on second guitar (Davis was apparently quite an influence on Fuller) and washboard player Bull City Red. There are two takes of several songs and while the alternates are not very different they are different enough to be worthy of inclusion. This set includes many Fuller classics, that were often covered by other bluesmen including I'm A Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ Ain't It A Crying Shame (recorded in the 1950 by Chicago bluesman Jimmy Rogers) / Rag, Mama, Rag/ Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind/ My Brownskin Sugar Plum/ Black And Tan/ Babe You Got To Do Better/ Truckin' My Blues Away and more. With a couple a couple of exceptions the sound is excellent and there are good notes by Ken Romanowski and full discographical information. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: (I Got A Woman Crazy For Me)/ Ain't It A Crying Shame?/ Babe You Got To Do Better/ Baby, I Don't Have To Worry/ Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind/ Big Bed Blues/ Black And Tan/ Cat Man Blues (take 1)/ Evil Hearted Woman/ Homesick And Lonesome Blues/ I'm A Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ I'm Climbin' On Top Of The Hill/ Keep Away From My Woman (take 1)/ Keep Away From My Woman (take 2)/ Log Cabin Blues (take 1)/ Log Cabin Blues (take 2)/ Looking For My Woman/ My Brownskin Sugar Plum/ Rag, Mama, Rag (take 1)/ Rag, Mama, Rag (take 2)/ She's Funny That Way/ Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing/ Truckin' My Blues Away/ Walking My Troubles Away (take 1)/ Walking My Troubles Away (take 2)

BLIND BOY FULLER Document DOCD 5092 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 (1936-1937) ● CD $14.98

The second volume features 24 more superb tracks recorded in 1936 and '37 - some with Dipper Council/ gtr and some with Bull City Red/ gtr or washboard. It includes a second version of his popular Trucking My Blues Away, the lovely When Your Gal Packs Up And Leaves, the delightlfully risqu� Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon, his own version of the popular Oh Red and more. Consistently fine with good sound and informative notes by Steve Romanowski. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: Been Your Dog/ Boots And Shoes/ Cat Man Blues (take 2)/ Death Alley/ If You Don't Give Me What I Want/ If You See My Pigmeat/ Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon/ Mama Let Me Lay It On You/ Mamie (take 1)/ Mamie (take 2)/ My Baby Don't Mean Me No Good/ My Best Gal Gonna Leave Me/ New Oh Red!/ Some Day You're Gonna Be Sorry/ Stingy Mama/ Sweet Honey Hole/ Tom Cat Blues/ Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 (take 1)/ Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 (take 2)/ Untrue Blues/ When Your Gal Packs Up And Leaves/ Why Don't My Baby Write To Me?/ Wires All Down/ You Never Can Tell

BLIND BOY FULLER Document DOCD 5093 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 3 (1937) ● CD $14.98

This disc features some of my favorite Fuller recordings. As good as his recordings are with accompaniments by Bull City Red, Sonny Terry and others I find the solo performances even more rewarding. Although not a flashy guitarist Fuller had at his command some incredibly lyrical and affecting playing. In July, 1937 Fuller briefly switched labels to Decca and these recordings include such magnificent performances as Bulldog Blues, Working Man Blues with its brief snatch of double timing on the guitar, the exquisite Weeping Willow and his lovely reworking of Careless Love - Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?. These recordings were also better recorded with greater presence and better balance between guitar and vocal. The songs he recorded after he returned to ARC were almost as good though several were not quite as good remakes of his Decca sides. Still, I have no complaints about Worried And Evil Man Blues/ Break Of Day Blues, the lively Oh Zee Zas Rag and others. Sonny Terry pops up for the last 3 songs from December, 1937 and adds some potent riffing. Sound is decent and there are brief but cogent notes by Ken Romanowski. Highly recommended. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: Ain't No Gettin' Along/ Break Of Day Blues/ Bull Dog Blues (21629)/ Bulldog Blues (62359)/ Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Careless Love/ Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?/ Looking For My Woman No. 2/ Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry/ Mojo Hidin' Woman/ New Louise Louise Blues/ Oh Zee Zas Rag/ Put You Back In The Jail/ Snake Woman Blues/ Stealing Bo-Hog/ Steel Hearted Woman/ Throw Your Yas Yas Back In Jail/ Walking And Looking Blues/ Weeping Willow/ Where My Woman Usta Lay/ Working Man Blues/ Worried And Evil Man Blues

BLIND BOY FULLER Document DOCD 5094 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 4 (1937-1938) ● CD $14.98

The fourth disc of Fuller's recordings features 22 songs recorded between December 15, 1937 and October 29, 1938. At the first session he is joined by guitarist Dipper Boy Council on four songs and the interplay between the two is lovely, particularly on the raggy Oozin' You Off My Mind and Shake That Shimmy. The session the next day was to feature to first appearance of the lovely harmonica work of Sonny Terry who was appear on many of Fuller's recordings throughout the rest of his career. There are many fine tracks here including the mournful Pistol Slapper Blues, the wonderful Funny Feeling Blues with some electrifying guitar playing, the lyrical Meat Shakin' Woman and others. A number of cuts here are from worn 78s but most of it is listenable. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: Funny Feeling Blues/ Georgia Ham Mama/ Heart Ease Blues/ Hungry Calf Blues/ I'm A Good Stem Winder/ I'm Going To Move (To The Edge Of Town)/ Jivin' Woman Blues/ Mama Let Me Lay It On You No. 2/ Mean And No Good Woman/ Meat Shakin' Woman/ Oozin' You Off My Mind/ Painful Hearted Man/ Piccolo Rag/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Shaggy Like A Bear/ Shake That Shimmy/ She's A Truckin' Little Baby/ Ten O'Clock Peeper/ Too Many Women Blues/ What's That Smells Like Fish/ You're Laughing Now/ You've Got To Move It Out

BLIND BOY FULLER Document DOCD 5095 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 5 (1938-1940) ● CD $14.98

22 tracks, 63 mins, recommended. The fifth volume features 23 songs recorded at three sessions in October 1938, July 1939 and March 1939. On many of the tracks he is accompanied by the lyrical harmonica (and occasional whoops) of Sonny Terry and the washboard of Bull City Red. These recordings includes such popular Fuller numbers as Get Your Yas Yas Out/ You've Got Something There/ I Want Some Of Your Pie and, possibly his most famous song, Step It Up And Go. Also included is Blacksnaking Jiver a song which has a strange structure different from most of his recordings and I Don't Care How Long which features Fuller's infrequent but lovely slide guitar playing. Excellent. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways (take 1)/ Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways (take 2)/ Big House Bound/ Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay/ Black Bottom Blues/ Blacksnakin' Jiver/ Flyin' Airplane Blues/ Get Your Yas Yas Out/ I Crave My Pig Meat/ I Don't Care How Long/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ I'm A Stranger Here/ It Doesn't Matter Baby/ Jitterbug Rag/ Jivin' Big Bill Blues/ Long Time Trucker/ Red's Got The Piccolo Blues/ Screaming And Crying Blues/ Step It Up And Go/ Stop Jivin' Me Mama/ Woman You Better Wake Up/ Worn Out Engine Blues/ You've Got Something There

BLIND BOY FULLER Document DOCD 5096 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 6 (1940) ● CD $14.98

23 tracks, 65 mins, recommended. Another fine selection recorded between March and June, 1940. By the time of the last session Fuller was pretty sick (he died seven months later) and his singing and playing are somewhat lacking in energy though songs like I Don't Want No Skinny Woman and a topical song about the war When You Are Gone are very fine. Earlier sessions feature such gems as Three Ball Blues and the classic Little Woman You're So Sweet. Many of the tracks feature Sonny Terry/ hca and/or Bull City Red/ wbd. Red and Terry also join in the vocals on the half dozen gospel sides here which were issued as by Brother George & His Sanctified Singers - these latter songs I find among Fuller's least interesting recordings. Although not as consistently fine as some of the earlier discs in this series there are enough excellent sides to make this another worthwhile addition to your collection. (FS)
BLIND BOY FULLER: Blue And Worried Man/ Bus Rider Blues/ Bye Bye Baby/ Crooked Woman Blues/ Good Feeling Blues/ Harmonica Stomp (Sonny Terry)/ I Don't Want No Skinny Woman/ Jesus Is A Holy Man/ Little Woman You're So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Must Have Been My Jesus/ Night Rambling Woman/ No Stranger Now/ Passenger Train Woman/ Precious Lord/ Shake It Baby/ Somebody's Been Talkin'/ Thousand Woman Blues/ Three Ball Blues/ Twelve Gates To The City/ When You Are Gone/ You Can't Hide From The Lord/ You Got To Have Your Dollar

BLIND BOY FULLER Indigo 2027 Get Your Yas Yas Out - The Essential Recordings ● CD $11.98

22 classics.
BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind/ Big House Bound/ Black and Tan/ Boots and Shoes/ Bye Bye Baby/ Get Your Yas Yas Out/ I'm a Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ I'm a Stranger Here/ Jitterbug Rag/ Little Woman You're So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Mama Let Me Lay It on You/ Piccolo Rag/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Rag Mama Rag/ Shake It Baby/ Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing/ Stealing Bo-Hog/ Step It up and Go/ Three Ball Blues/ What's That Smells Like Fish/ When Your Gal Packs up and Leaves

BLIND BOY FULLER Yazoo 1060 Truckin' My Blues Away ● CD $14.98

14 tracks, 1935/38 - some of his best songs with exceptionally good sound.
BLIND BOY FULLER: Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?/ Funny Feeling Blues/ Homesick And Lonesome Blues/ I Crave My Pigmeat/ Jivin' Woman Blues/ Mamie/ Meat Shakin' Woman/ Painful Hearted Man/ Sweet Honey Hole/ Truckin' My Blues Away/ Untrue Blues/ Walking My Troubles Away/ Weeping Willow/ You Never Can Tell

BLIND BOY FULLER & SONNY TERRY Blues Collection 158 562 Harmonica & Guitar Blues, 1937-1945 ● CD $13.98

BLIND BOY FULLER: Big House Bound/ Blowing The Blues/ Blues And Worried Man/ Bus Rider Blues/ Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Harmonica Stomp/ I Don't Care How Long/ I Don't Want No Skinny Woman/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ I'm A Stranger Here/ Mean And No Good Woman/ Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Precious Lord/ Somebody's Been Talkin'/ Stop Jivin' Me Mama/ Twelve Gates To The City/ You Got To Have Your Dollar/ SONNY TERRY: Harmonica And Washboard Breakdown/ Harmonica Blues/ New Love Blues/ Train Whistle Blues/ Fox Chase/ Shake Down Blues/ Sweet Woman/ Lonesome Train

JESSE FULLER Arhoolie 360 'Frisco Bound ● CD $12.98

Georgia born musician Jesse Fuller was a much loved musician in the Bay Area. He was one of the breed of musicians that have become known as "songsters" - in addition to blues he performed ragtime, children's songs, spirituals and jazz. Although he started to play guitar around 1910, he didn't take it too seriously until the 50s when he started recording for a number of record companies in Northern California. Unable to get a band together he became a one man band accompanying himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo and his unique home made bass instrument the footdella. The recordings on this excellent disc include some of his first recorded in 1955 for the Cavalier label, including four previously unissued and 6 recorded in 1962 for Folklyric. Although the one man band setting restricted his instrumental prowess somewhat he was a very fine guitarist and his slide guitar playing on Cincinnati Blues and a number of traditional spirituals is very fine. His eerie instrumental version of Amazing Grace brings echoes of Blind Willie Johnson's Dark Was The Night. He was also a very engaging singer and other songs include Leaving Memphis, Frisco Bound/ Hump In My Back/ Finger Twister/ Motherless Children/ Hark From The Tomb/ I'm Going To Sit Down At The Welcome Table/ Memphis Boogie/ Crazy About A Woman and others including a version of his most famous song San Francisco Bay Blues. 22 songs, 65 minutes of genuinely entertaining music. Excellent sound, good notes by Harry Oster and an affectionate remembrance by Chris Strachwitz round out an outstanding release. (FS)
JESSE FULLER: 99 Years/ Amazing Grace/ As Long As I Can Feel The Spirit/ Bill Bailey/ Cincinnati Blues/ Crazy About A Woman/ Finger Twister/ Flavor In My Cream/ Footdella Stomp/ Got A Date At Half Past Eight/ Hark From The Tomb/ Hump In My Back/ I'm Going To Sit Down At The Welcome Table/ Just A Closer Walk With Thee/ Just Like A Ship On The Deep Blue Sea/ Leaving Memphis, Frisco Bound/ Memphis Boogie/ Motherless Children/ Preacher Lowdown/ San Francisco Bay Blues/ Stranger's Blues/ Together Let Us Live

JESSE FULLER Fantasy 24707 Brother Lowdown ● CD $16.98

26 tracks, 75 min., recommended. Accompanying himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, washboard, and his home-made, foot-operated percussion instrument known as a "fotdella," the man aptly described as the last of the great black minstrels finally got his due as a recording artist during the folk music boom of the 60's. This disc reissues his two Prestige LPs, both drawn from material cut in May of 1963, when Fuller, at the age of 67, was enjoying his greatest popularity. Featured tracks include San Francisco Bay Blues/ Beale Street Blues/ Where Could I Go to But the Lord/ Old Man Mose/ Red River Blues/ You Can't Keep a Good Man Down, and the title track. As joyous a musical time capsule as you're likely to find, featuring fine sound quality and appreciative notes by Michael Goodwin. (DH)

JESSE FULLER Original Blues Classics 526 The Lone Cat ● CD $11.98

Reissue of Jesse's second Good Time Jazz album originally issued in 1958 featuring 12 blues,spirituals and good time songs by this unique one man band. Jesse accompanied himself on acoustic 12 string acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals and his unique home made six string bass which he called a fotdella. Includes Leavin' Memphis, Frisco Bound/ The Monkey & The Engineer/ Guitar Blues/ Hey, Hey/ The Way You Treat Me/ Beat It On Down The Line, etc. (FS)

JESSE FULLER Original Blues Classics 537 San Francisco Bay Blues ● CD $11.98

Classic album from 1963 - includes the best version of his theme song San Francisco Bay Blues - Jesse was a fine vocalist and one man band who accompanied himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals and his unique bass instrument - the fotdella. Jesse also does good-time material like New Midnight Special/ John Henry/ Stealin' Back To My Old Time Used To Be.

JESSE FULLER Original Blues Classics 564 Jazz, Folk Songs, Spirituals & Blues ● CD $11.98

11 tracks, 40 min., essential There must be a Jesse Fuller disc somewhere that isn't terrific, but this one certainly isn't it. In fact, this 1958 set is arguably among his best. Born in 1896, Fuller was a venerable songster even before he turned professional in 1951; nonetheless, he sounds downright youthful here. Featured numbers include Take This Hammer/ Linin' Track/ Memphis Boogie/ By and By/ Stagolee and Hesitation Blues. The title of this collection and the titles of the various featured numbers illustrate the difficulty of classifying his output, but, for me, "gentle" and "irrepressibly joyful" come pretty close to catching his spirit. Not a disc to miss. Fine stereo sound; original cover art and notes. (DH)

LOWELL FULSON Ace CDCHD 339 Tramp/ Soul ● CD $18.98

24 tracks, 75 min., recommended. CD reissue of two Kent LP's, both shining examples of Fulson's soulful California blues approach. Emphasizing stripped-down arrangements, sparse instrumentation and laid-back, funky beats, Fulson's music remained true to its Southern roots while gaining him a lot of popularity in the mid-60's. As is typical of many artists, Lowell spent a little too much time making formula re-creations of his successes (his hit Black Night appears twice, along with many loping groove clones), but his smoky voice and striking imagery keep the interest high. (MB)

LOWELL FULSON Ace CDCHD 755 The Tramp Years ● CD $18.98

24 tracks, 74 mins, recommended The first to be issued but the middle volume in a series featuring Lowell's recordings for Kent and affiliated labels in the mid/late 60s after his successful tenure at Checker. Includes six previously unissued tracks.
LOWELL FULSON: Back Door Key/ Blues 'n' Soul/ Blues Pain/ Don't Bother Me/ Everything That I Took Away/ Get Your Game Up Tight/ Goin' Home/ Hobo Meetin' (Tramp Meetin')/ I Wanna Spend Christmas With You (Part 1)/ I Wanna Spend Christmas With You (Part 2)/ I'm Sinking/ It Takes Money/ Little Girl/ Lost Lover/ Lovin' Touch/ Make A Little Love/ No Hard Feeling/ Pico/ Price For Love/ The Sweetest Thing/ The Thing/ Tramp/ Two Way Wishing/ What The Heck

LOWELL FULSON Ace CDCHD 804 Black Nights ● CD $18.98

24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended. The second compilation of Lowell's fine Kent recordings features his earliest Kent recordings from 1964 to 1967. Lowell joined Kent in 1964 after nearly ten years with Checker and a brief stint at the small Movin' label. These are shining examples of Fulson's soulful California blues approach. With his incredibly soulful voice, economical guitar work, stripped-down arrangements and laid-back, funky beats, his music epitomized urban blues at it's best while still maintaining a rural sensibility. This set includes his big R&B hit from 1965 Black Nights, his first in ten years, as well as other fine songs like Every Time It Rains/ Too Many Drivers/ Strange Feeling/ No More/ Sittin' Here Thinkin'/ Shattered Dreams/ Talkin' Woman and others. Most of the songs are written by Fulson and/or his manager Ferdinand "Fats" Washington and are quality efforts though after the success of Black Nights there were more than a few titles with a very similar sound. Great sound and informative notes by Dick Shurman. (FS)

LOWELL FULSON Ace CDCHD 831 The Final Kent Years ● CD $18.98

Lowell's last batch of recordings for the Bihari's Kent and Big Town label in the late 60s and 70s. Includes his last rare single for Kent in 1972 and three previously unissued tracks.
LOWELL FULSON: All I Want Is For You To Love Me/ Bending Like A Willow Tree/ Blue Shadows/ Confessin' The Blues/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ Funky Broadway/ Get The Cash And Let The Credit Go/ Going To Chicago/ I Am Not Worried (aka Sittin' On Top Of The World)/ I Cried Aka I Cried Like A Baby/ I Feel So Bad/ I'm A Drifter/ Let's Go Get Stoned/ Let's Talk It Over Aka Come Back Baby/ Love Her With A Feeling/ Lovemaker/ Mellow Together/ My Mind Is Trying To Leave Me/ Push Me/ The Letter/ Tomorrow/ Welcome Home/ When Things Go Wrong (aka It Hurts Me Too)/ Worried Life/ Your One Success Is On Me

LOWELL FULSON Arhoolie CD 443 My First Recordings ● CD $12.98

26 tracks, 74 mins, essential. A wonderful collection of tracks from this outstanding and versatile bluesman recorded between 1946 and 1951 for Jack Lauderdale's Swingtime and Down Beat labels and for Bob Geddins's Big Town label. 12 of the cuts are unadulterated Texas country blues with Lowell's beautiful and soulful vocals accompanied by his own acoustic guitar and that of his brother Martin and reflects of the music he grew up with in Texas and Oklahoma. The rest of the tracks find him adapting to the urban environment of the San Francisco Bay Area he now made his home recording in a more sophisticated style with small combos often featuring the superb piano of Lloyd Glenn and the alto sax of Earl Brown. The transition from country bluesmen to urban bluesman was a seamless with Lowell sounding just as good in either setting. Excellent sound and informative notes from Mark Humphrey. (FS)
LOWELL FULSON: Between Midnight And Day/ Black Widow Spider/ Blues With A Feeling/ Crying Blues (Street Walking Woman)/ Did You Ever Feel Lucky/ Don't Be So Evil/ Fulson Blues/ I Walked All Night/ I Want To See My Baby/ I'm Prison Bound/ I'm Wild About You/ Lowell Jumps One/ Miss Katy Lee Blues/ My Baby Left Me/ Rambling Blues/ River Blues, Pt. 1/ River Blues, Pt. 2/ San Francisco Blues/ Texas Blues (Lazy Woman Blues)/ The Blues Is Killing Me/ There Is A Time For Everything/ Three O'clock Blues/ Trouble Blues/ Western Union Blues/ Why Can't You Cry For Me/ You're Gonna Miss Me

LOWELL FULSON Bullseye Blues 9525 Hold On ● CD $15.98

It's great to hear Lowell still making good records after over four decades in the blues. On this new album, the tone is set right from the first cut Working Man - Fulson's honeyed vocals convey a mellow west coast feel atop the tough contrast of his rough-hewn guitar and southern funk backing. Shake, Rattle And Roll gets a "Tramp"-style rework, and Quicker The Better thrives on Lowell's patented talking blues style. I'm Just A Fool About You is a special treat for the dancers, but most of these 11 cuts will make you want to shake some. Jimmy McCracklin helps out on piano and songwriting, and Ron Levy's production is generally clean despite some intrusive horn and vocal arrangements. A very worthwhile contemporary effort. (MB)

LOWELL FULSON Bullseye Blues 9558 Them Update Blues ● CD $15.98

LOWELL FULSON: Don't Lie/ Forty-Four/ Get On Down/ L & L Special/ Lonely Man/ My Secret Love/ Not A Dime/ Sun Going Down/ Think About It/ Too Soon To Tell/ What's The Matter Baby

LOWELL FULSON Catfish KATCD 137 Black Widow Spider ● CD $13.98

25 tracks, 71 mins highly recommended Superb collection of early sides by this brilliant and versatile bluesman recorded between 1946 and '49. Most cuts feature him in trio format with a piano and bass accompaniment plus there some with larger groups and a couple of country blues tracks with his brother Martin on second guitar. There are a couple of duplications with other available Fulson reissues but not too many. Tracks include 9:30 Shuffle/ Wee Hours In The Morning/ Demon Woman/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Three O'Clock Blues/ So Long, So Long/ (Sweet) Jenny Lee/ Everyday I have The Blues/ Went To See My Baby, etc. Sound quality is excellent and there are good notes by Keith Briggs but Catfish needs to reign in their graphic designer - song titles on cover are almost unreadable! (FS)
LOWELL FULSON: 9.30 Shuffle/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Black Cut Blues/ Black Widow Spider Blues/ Blues And Misery/ Cold Hearted Mama/ Demon Woman/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ I Walked All Night/ Jenny Lee, (Sweet)/ Just A Poor Boy/ Mama Brings Your Clothes Back Home/ Mean Woman Blues/ Midnight Showers Of Rain/ My Baby/ My Baby Can't Be Found/ My Baby Left Me/ My Gal At Eight/ Rocking After Midnight/ So Long, So Long/ Thinking Blues/ Three O'Clock Blues/ Trying To Find My Baby/ Want To See My Baby/ Woo Hours In The Morning

LOWELL FULSON Fuel 2000 61082 I've Got The Blues ● CD $16.98

18 track compilation of Lowell's Jewel sides from the late 60s/early 70s. Includes several sides not originally issued.
LOWELL FULSON: Baby/ Change Of Heart/ Crying Won't Help/ Don't Leave Me/ Every Second A Fool Is Born/ Fed Up/ How Do You Want Your Man/ Hurry Home/ I Started Out Wrong/ I've Got The Blues/ Please Let Me Go/ Searchin' Out/ Stoned To The Bone/ Teach Me/ The Last One To Know/ Thug/ Too Soon/ You're Going To Miss Me

LOWELL FULSON Indigo 2022 The Ol' Blues Singer ● CD $11.98

LOWELL FULSON JSP 207 Think Twice Before You Speak ● CD $14.98

CD issue of JSP 1082 featuring this fine West Coast singer & guitarist recorded in England with Eddie C. Campbell and some British musicians. An enjoyable, if not exceptional set including Parachute Woman/ Think Twice Before You Speak/ One Room Country Shack/ Come On and others including a couple with Lowell accompanied by second guitar which tries to recapture the feel of some of his 40s recordings but doesn't really succed. ( FS

LOWELL FULSON Night Train 7011 Sinner's Prayer ● CD $14.98

20 tracks, 55 mins, recommended Born in Oklahoma in 1921, Lowell Fulson may be a notch short of contemporaries like Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf in the minds of some critics, bust as this second Fulson disc from Night Train suggests, even in his earliest recordings he was a force to be reckoned with. The impressive program here offers both the issued and an alternate version of the title track which has become a blues standard. Also includes Why Can't You Cry For Me/ Day Is Slowly Passing On/ Black Widows Spider Blues/ You're Going To Miss Me When I'm Gone/ My Baby Can't Be Found and Back Home Blues. Fine sound quality, cover graphics like the first Fulson disc in this series and solid notes by Richie Benway. (DH)
LOWELL FULSON: Back Home Blues/ Black Widow Spider Blues/ Day Is Passing On (instrumental)/ Day Is Slowly Passing On/ Fulson's Blues/ Fulson's Guitar Boogie (previously unissued)/ Good Times Back Home (instrumental)/ I Love My Baby/ Low Society (instrumental)/ Mama Bring Your Clothes Back Home (previously unreleased alternate take)/ Mean Woman Blues/ Miss Kathy Lee/ My Baby Can't Be Found/ Sinner's Prayer (alternate take)/ Sinner's Prayer (original version)/ Trying To Find My Baby/ Upstairs/ Want to See My Baby/ Why Can't You Cry for Me/ You're Going to Miss Me When I'm Gone

LOWELL FULSON Night Train 7110 Mean Old Lonesome Blues ● CD $16.98

25 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended The fourth collection on Night Train of Lowell's fine recordings cut for Jack Lauderdale's Swingtime label between 1947 and 1951. The material here is terrifically varied featuring Lowell on both acoustic and electric guitar in a variety of settings ranging from acoustic country blues to hard R&B with a big band. Whatever the setting, Lowell sounds perfectly comfortable with great soulful vocals and fine economical guitar work. Accompanying musicians include the likes of pianist Lloyd Glenn, alto saxist Earl Brown, bassist Billy Hadnott, rhythm guitarist "Tiny" Webb and others. There are several unissued tracks on this collection including the absolutely brilliant Is Your Friend Really Your Friend?. Other beauties here include Guitar Shuffle/ My Daily Prayer (a minor key burner in the same vein as his classic Sinner's Prayer)/ I Had A Little Woman/ Wee Hours Of The Morning/ Thinking Blues/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ The Day Is Slowly Passing On/ Rainy Day Blues, etc. Good sound and informative liner notes by Jim Dawson though absence of discographical data or even release numbers is unfortunate. (FS)
LOWELL FULSON: 9:30 Shuffle (inst.)/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Baby Won't You Jump With Me/ Bad Luck and Trouble/ Best Wishes/ Blues With A Feeling/ Blues and Misery/ Good-Bye, Good-Bye/ Guitar Shuffle (inst.)/ I Had A Little Woman (previously unreleased)/ I've Got A Mind To Ramble/ Is Your Friend Really Your Friend? (previously unreleases)/ It's Hard To Believe/ Jam That Boogie/ Just A Poor Boy/ Let Me Love You Baby/ Mama Bring Your Clothes back Home/ My Daily Prayer/ Rainy Day Blues/ Ride Until the Sun Goes Down/ Rocking After Midnight (different master take)/ Tears At Sunrise/ The Day Is Slowly Passing On (alt. take)/ Thinking Blues/ Wee Hours of the Morning

LOWELL FULSON Rounder 2088 It's A Good Day ● CD $14.98

1988 recordings - Lowell's first new recordings in quite a while.
LOWELL FULSON: Blues And My Guitar/ I'm Tough/ It's A Good Day/ Keep That Smile/ One More Blues/ Push On/ Slow Down Baby/ Ten More Shows/ Thanks A Lot/ Your Love For Me Is Gone

LOWELL FULSON Westside 234 I've Got The Blues (...And Then Some) ● CD $21.98

Two CD set featuring all of Lowell's Jewel recordings cut between 1969 and '71 in Dallas, Chicago, Muscle Shoals & Los Angeles. It features all of his original two Jewel albums, 45 rpms not on the LPs and several previously unissued sides.
LOWELL FULSON: Baby (unreleased)/ Bluesway/ Change of heart/ Cheating woman/ Crying won't help/ Deep in love (unreleased)/ Do you feel it/ Don't destroy me/ Don't leave me/ Every second a fool is born/ Fed up/ Henpecked/ How do you want your man/ Hurry home (unreleased)/ I started out wrong/ I've got the blues/ Lady in the rain/ Last one to know/ Letter home/ Lonesome Christmas (part 1)/ Lonesome Christmas (part 2)/ Lonesome Christmas (part 2)/ Look at you baby/ Man of motion/ Man on the run/ My baby/ Please let me go (unreleased)/ Searchin' out/ Sleeper/ Stoned to the bone/ Stop and think (unreleased)/ Take my hand (unreleased)/ Teach me/ This feeling/ Thug/ Too soon/ Trouble everywhere/ Why don't we do it in the road/ You're gonna miss me (unreleased)

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FRANK FROST	Collectables 5921	Big Boss Man - The Very Best Of Frank Frost	● CD $11.98
This CD reissues 11 of the great tracks recorded by Frost for Phillips International in 1962 but why did they leave out Everything's Alright and Just Come On Home? FRANK FROST: Big Boss Man/ Crawl Back/ Gonna Make You Mine/ Jack's Jump/ Jelly Roll King/ Lucky To Be Living/ Now Twist/ Pocket Full Of Shells/ So Tired Of Living By Myself/ What You Gonna Do/ You're So Kind

FRANK FROST	Earwig 4914	Midnight Prowler	● CD $15.98
14 songs.

FRANK FROST	Evidence 26094	Deep Blues	● CD $13.98
Reissue of 1992 Appaloosa album which available only for a short while.

FRANK FROST	Westside 633	Harpin' On It	● CD $13.98
His complete Jewel recordings. FRANK FROST: Didn't mean me no harm/ Feel good babe/ Five long years/ Got my mojo working/ Harp and soul (instrumental)/ Harpin' on it (instrumental)/ Janie on my mind/ My back scratcher/ Never leave me at home/ Pocket full of money/ Pretty baby/ Ride with your daddy tonight/ Things you do

FRANK FROST & SAM CARR	Evidence 26077	Keep Yourself Together	● CD $15.98
11 tracks, 40 mins, recommended Solid collection of Southern juke joint blues from veteran singer/harmonica player Frost with his drum playing partner for more than 30 years Sam Carr. They are joined by Fred James who provides tasty guitar and occasional organ accompaniment and stand up bassist Bob Kommersmith. Most of the songs are Frost originals including a couple of remakes of songs he had previously recorded from Sam Phillips in the early 60s. The slow blues like Tired Of Living By Myself and Come On Home are particularly nice. (FS)

FRANK FROST & SAM CARR	HMG 1006	The Jelly Roll Kings	● CD $14.98
12 tracks, 45 mins, recommended Tough set of down home blues from this Mississippi duo accompanied by Fred James, who also produced, on guitar and bass. Includes a remake of Frost's classic Phillips International track Jelly Roll King along with other more recent compositions by Frost like Let's Go Out Tonight/ Love I Have Is True/Sittin' On Daddy's Knee/ baby, Please, etc. (FS)

BLIND BOY FULLER	Document DOCD 5092	Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 (1936-1937)	● CD $14.98
The second volume features 24 more superb tracks recorded in 1936 and '37 - some with Dipper Council/ gtr and some with Bull City Red/ gtr or washboard. It includes a second version of his popular Trucking My Blues Away, the lovely When Your Gal Packs Up And Leaves, the delightlfully risqu� Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon, his own version of the popular Oh Red and more. Consistently fine with good sound and informative notes by Steve Romanowski. (FS) BLIND BOY FULLER: Been Your Dog/ Boots And Shoes/ Cat Man Blues (take 2)/ Death Alley/ If You Don't Give Me What I Want/ If You See My Pigmeat/ Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon/ Mama Let Me Lay It On You/ Mamie (take 1)/ Mamie (take 2)/ My Baby Don't Mean Me No Good/ My Best Gal Gonna Leave Me/ New Oh Red!/ Some Day You're Gonna Be Sorry/ Stingy Mama/ Sweet Honey Hole/ Tom Cat Blues/ Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 (take 1)/ Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 (take 2)/ Untrue Blues/ When Your Gal Packs Up And Leaves/ Why Don't My Baby Write To Me?/ Wires All Down/ You Never Can Tell

BLIND BOY FULLER	Document DOCD 5093	Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 3 (1937)	● CD $14.98
This disc features some of my favorite Fuller recordings. As good as his recordings are with accompaniments by Bull City Red, Sonny Terry and others I find the solo performances even more rewarding. Although not a flashy guitarist Fuller had at his command some incredibly lyrical and affecting playing. In July, 1937 Fuller briefly switched labels to Decca and these recordings include such magnificent performances as Bulldog Blues, Working Man Blues with its brief snatch of double timing on the guitar, the exquisite Weeping Willow and his lovely reworking of Careless Love - Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?. These recordings were also better recorded with greater presence and better balance between guitar and vocal. The songs he recorded after he returned to ARC were almost as good though several were not quite as good remakes of his Decca sides. Still, I have no complaints about Worried And Evil Man Blues/ Break Of Day Blues, the lively Oh Zee Zas Rag and others. Sonny Terry pops up for the last 3 songs from December, 1937 and adds some potent riffing. Sound is decent and there are brief but cogent notes by Ken Romanowski. Highly recommended. (FS) BLIND BOY FULLER: Ain't No Gettin' Along/ Break Of Day Blues/ Bull Dog Blues (21629)/ Bulldog Blues (62359)/ Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Careless Love/ Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?/ Looking For My Woman No. 2/ Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry/ Mojo Hidin' Woman/ New Louise Louise Blues/ Oh Zee Zas Rag/ Put You Back In The Jail/ Snake Woman Blues/ Stealing Bo-Hog/ Steel Hearted Woman/ Throw Your Yas Yas Back In Jail/ Walking And Looking Blues/ Weeping Willow/ Where My Woman Usta Lay/ Working Man Blues/ Worried And Evil Man Blues

BLIND BOY FULLER	Document DOCD 5094	Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 4 (1937-1938)	● CD $14.98
The fourth disc of Fuller's recordings features 22 songs recorded between December 15, 1937 and October 29, 1938. At the first session he is joined by guitarist Dipper Boy Council on four songs and the interplay between the two is lovely, particularly on the raggy Oozin' You Off My Mind and Shake That Shimmy. The session the next day was to feature to first appearance of the lovely harmonica work of Sonny Terry who was appear on many of Fuller's recordings throughout the rest of his career. There are many fine tracks here including the mournful Pistol Slapper Blues, the wonderful Funny Feeling Blues with some electrifying guitar playing, the lyrical Meat Shakin' Woman and others. A number of cuts here are from worn 78s but most of it is listenable. (FS) BLIND BOY FULLER: Funny Feeling Blues/ Georgia Ham Mama/ Heart Ease Blues/ Hungry Calf Blues/ I'm A Good Stem Winder/ I'm Going To Move (To The Edge Of Town)/ Jivin' Woman Blues/ Mama Let Me Lay It On You No. 2/ Mean And No Good Woman/ Meat Shakin' Woman/ Oozin' You Off My Mind/ Painful Hearted Man/ Piccolo Rag/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Shaggy Like A Bear/ Shake That Shimmy/ She's A Truckin' Little Baby/ Ten O'Clock Peeper/ Too Many Women Blues/ What's That Smells Like Fish/ You're Laughing Now/ You've Got To Move It Out

BLIND BOY FULLER	Document DOCD 5095	Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 5 (1938-1940)	● CD $14.98
22 tracks, 63 mins, recommended. The fifth volume features 23 songs recorded at three sessions in October 1938, July 1939 and March 1939. On many of the tracks he is accompanied by the lyrical harmonica (and occasional whoops) of Sonny Terry and the washboard of Bull City Red. These recordings includes such popular Fuller numbers as Get Your Yas Yas Out/ You've Got Something There/ I Want Some Of Your Pie and, possibly his most famous song, Step It Up And Go. Also included is Blacksnaking Jiver a song which has a strange structure different from most of his recordings and I Don't Care How Long which features Fuller's infrequent but lovely slide guitar playing. Excellent. (FS) BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways (take 1)/ Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways (take 2)/ Big House Bound/ Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay/ Black Bottom Blues/ Blacksnakin' Jiver/ Flyin' Airplane Blues/ Get Your Yas Yas Out/ I Crave My Pig Meat/ I Don't Care How Long/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ I'm A Stranger Here/ It Doesn't Matter Baby/ Jitterbug Rag/ Jivin' Big Bill Blues/ Long Time Trucker/ Red's Got The Piccolo Blues/ Screaming And Crying Blues/ Step It Up And Go/ Stop Jivin' Me Mama/ Woman You Better Wake Up/ Worn Out Engine Blues/ You've Got Something There

BLIND BOY FULLER	Document DOCD 5096	Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 6 (1940)	● CD $14.98
23 tracks, 65 mins, recommended. Another fine selection recorded between March and June, 1940. By the time of the last session Fuller was pretty sick (he died seven months later) and his singing and playing are somewhat lacking in energy though songs like I Don't Want No Skinny Woman and a topical song about the war When You Are Gone are very fine. Earlier sessions feature such gems as Three Ball Blues and the classic Little Woman You're So Sweet. Many of the tracks feature Sonny Terry/ hca and/or Bull City Red/ wbd. Red and Terry also join in the vocals on the half dozen gospel sides here which were issued as by Brother George & His Sanctified Singers - these latter songs I find among Fuller's least interesting recordings. Although not as consistently fine as some of the earlier discs in this series there are enough excellent sides to make this another worthwhile addition to your collection. (FS) BLIND BOY FULLER: Blue And Worried Man/ Bus Rider Blues/ Bye Bye Baby/ Crooked Woman Blues/ Good Feeling Blues/ Harmonica Stomp (Sonny Terry)/ I Don't Want No Skinny Woman/ Jesus Is A Holy Man/ Little Woman You're So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Must Have Been My Jesus/ Night Rambling Woman/ No Stranger Now/ Passenger Train Woman/ Precious Lord/ Shake It Baby/ Somebody's Been Talkin'/ Thousand Woman Blues/ Three Ball Blues/ Twelve Gates To The City/ When You Are Gone/ You Can't Hide From The Lord/ You Got To Have Your Dollar

BLIND BOY FULLER	Indigo 2027	Get Your Yas Yas Out - The Essential Recordings	● CD $11.98
22 classics. BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind/ Big House Bound/ Black and Tan/ Boots and Shoes/ Bye Bye Baby/ Get Your Yas Yas Out/ I'm a Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ I'm a Stranger Here/ Jitterbug Rag/ Little Woman You're So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Mama Let Me Lay It on You/ Piccolo Rag/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Rag Mama Rag/ Shake It Baby/ Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing/ Stealing Bo-Hog/ Step It up and Go/ Three Ball Blues/ What's That Smells Like Fish/ When Your Gal Packs up and Leaves

BLIND BOY FULLER	Yazoo 1060	Truckin' My Blues Away	● CD $14.98
14 tracks, 1935/38 - some of his best songs with exceptionally good sound. BLIND BOY FULLER: Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?/ Funny Feeling Blues/ Homesick And Lonesome Blues/ I Crave My Pigmeat/ Jivin' Woman Blues/ Mamie/ Meat Shakin' Woman/ Painful Hearted Man/ Sweet Honey Hole/ Truckin' My Blues Away/ Untrue Blues/ Walking My Troubles Away/ Weeping Willow/ You Never Can Tell

BLIND BOY FULLER & SONNY TERRY	Blues Collection 158 562	Harmonica & Guitar Blues, 1937-1945	● CD $13.98
BLIND BOY FULLER: Big House Bound/ Blowing The Blues/ Blues And Worried Man/ Bus Rider Blues/ Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Harmonica Stomp/ I Don't Care How Long/ I Don't Want No Skinny Woman/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ I'm A Stranger Here/ Mean And No Good Woman/ Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry/ Pistol Slapper Blues/ Precious Lord/ Somebody's Been Talkin'/ Stop Jivin' Me Mama/ Twelve Gates To The City/ You Got To Have Your Dollar/ SONNY TERRY: Harmonica And Washboard Breakdown/ Harmonica Blues/ New Love Blues/ Train Whistle Blues/ Fox Chase/ Shake Down Blues/ Sweet Woman/ Lonesome Train

JESSE FULLER	Arhoolie 360	'Frisco Bound	● CD $12.98
Georgia born musician Jesse Fuller was a much loved musician in the Bay Area. He was one of the breed of musicians that have become known as "songsters" - in addition to blues he performed ragtime, children's songs, spirituals and jazz. Although he started to play guitar around 1910, he didn't take it too seriously until the 50s when he started recording for a number of record companies in Northern California. Unable to get a band together he became a one man band accompanying himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo and his unique home made bass instrument the footdella. The recordings on this excellent disc include some of his first recorded in 1955 for the Cavalier label, including four previously unissued and 6 recorded in 1962 for Folklyric. Although the one man band setting restricted his instrumental prowess somewhat he was a very fine guitarist and his slide guitar playing on Cincinnati Blues and a number of traditional spirituals is very fine. His eerie instrumental version of Amazing Grace brings echoes of Blind Willie Johnson's Dark Was The Night. He was also a very engaging singer and other songs include Leaving Memphis, Frisco Bound/ Hump In My Back/ Finger Twister/ Motherless Children/ Hark From The Tomb/ I'm Going To Sit Down At The Welcome Table/ Memphis Boogie/ Crazy About A Woman and others including a version of his most famous song San Francisco Bay Blues. 22 songs, 65 minutes of genuinely entertaining music. Excellent sound, good notes by Harry Oster and an affectionate remembrance by Chris Strachwitz round out an outstanding release. (FS) JESSE FULLER: 99 Years/ Amazing Grace/ As Long As I Can Feel The Spirit/ Bill Bailey/ Cincinnati Blues/ Crazy About A Woman/ Finger Twister/ Flavor In My Cream/ Footdella Stomp/ Got A Date At Half Past Eight/ Hark From The Tomb/ Hump In My Back/ I'm Going To Sit Down At The Welcome Table/ Just A Closer Walk With Thee/ Just Like A Ship On The Deep Blue Sea/ Leaving Memphis, Frisco Bound/ Memphis Boogie/ Motherless Children/ Preacher Lowdown/ San Francisco Bay Blues/ Stranger's Blues/ Together Let Us Live

JESSE FULLER	Fantasy 24707	Brother Lowdown	● CD $16.98
26 tracks, 75 min., recommended. Accompanying himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, washboard, and his home-made, foot-operated percussion instrument known as a "fotdella," the man aptly described as the last of the great black minstrels finally got his due as a recording artist during the folk music boom of the 60's. This disc reissues his two Prestige LPs, both drawn from material cut in May of 1963, when Fuller, at the age of 67, was enjoying his greatest popularity. Featured tracks include San Francisco Bay Blues/ Beale Street Blues/ Where Could I Go to But the Lord/ Old Man Mose/ Red River Blues/ You Can't Keep a Good Man Down, and the title track. As joyous a musical time capsule as you're likely to find, featuring fine sound quality and appreciative notes by Michael Goodwin. (DH)

JESSE FULLER	Original Blues Classics 526	The Lone Cat	● CD $11.98
Reissue of Jesse's second Good Time Jazz album originally issued in 1958 featuring 12 blues,spirituals and good time songs by this unique one man band. Jesse accompanied himself on acoustic 12 string acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals and his unique home made six string bass which he called a fotdella. Includes Leavin' Memphis, Frisco Bound/ The Monkey & The Engineer/ Guitar Blues/ Hey, Hey/ The Way You Treat Me/ Beat It On Down The Line, etc. (FS)

JESSE FULLER	Original Blues Classics 537	San Francisco Bay Blues	● CD $11.98
Classic album from 1963 - includes the best version of his theme song San Francisco Bay Blues - Jesse was a fine vocalist and one man band who accompanied himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals and his unique bass instrument - the fotdella. Jesse also does good-time material like New Midnight Special/ John Henry/ Stealin' Back To My Old Time Used To Be.

JESSE FULLER	Original Blues Classics 564	Jazz, Folk Songs, Spirituals & Blues	● CD $11.98
11 tracks, 40 min., essential There must be a Jesse Fuller disc somewhere that isn't terrific, but this one certainly isn't it. In fact, this 1958 set is arguably among his best. Born in 1896, Fuller was a venerable songster even before he turned professional in 1951; nonetheless, he sounds downright youthful here. Featured numbers include Take This Hammer/ Linin' Track/ Memphis Boogie/ By and By/ Stagolee and Hesitation Blues. The title of this collection and the titles of the various featured numbers illustrate the difficulty of classifying his output, but, for me, "gentle" and "irrepressibly joyful" come pretty close to catching his spirit. Not a disc to miss. Fine stereo sound; original cover art and notes. (DH)

LOWELL FULSON	Ace CDCHD 339	Tramp/ Soul	● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 75 min., recommended. CD reissue of two Kent LP's, both shining examples of Fulson's soulful California blues approach. Emphasizing stripped-down arrangements, sparse instrumentation and laid-back, funky beats, Fulson's music remained true to its Southern roots while gaining him a lot of popularity in the mid-60's. As is typical of many artists, Lowell spent a little too much time making formula re-creations of his successes (his hit Black Night appears twice, along with many loping groove clones), but his smoky voice and striking imagery keep the interest high. (MB)

LOWELL FULSON	Ace CDCHD 755	The Tramp Years	● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 74 mins, recommended The first to be issued but the middle volume in a series featuring Lowell's recordings for Kent and affiliated labels in the mid/late 60s after his successful tenure at Checker. Includes six previously unissued tracks. LOWELL FULSON: Back Door Key/ Blues 'n' Soul/ Blues Pain/ Don't Bother Me/ Everything That I Took Away/ Get Your Game Up Tight/ Goin' Home/ Hobo Meetin' (Tramp Meetin')/ I Wanna Spend Christmas With You (Part 1)/ I Wanna Spend Christmas With You (Part 2)/ I'm Sinking/ It Takes Money/ Little Girl/ Lost Lover/ Lovin' Touch/ Make A Little Love/ No Hard Feeling/ Pico/ Price For Love/ The Sweetest Thing/ The Thing/ Tramp/ Two Way Wishing/ What The Heck

LOWELL FULSON	Ace CDCHD 804	Black Nights	● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended. The second compilation of Lowell's fine Kent recordings features his earliest Kent recordings from 1964 to 1967. Lowell joined Kent in 1964 after nearly ten years with Checker and a brief stint at the small Movin' label. These are shining examples of Fulson's soulful California blues approach. With his incredibly soulful voice, economical guitar work, stripped-down arrangements and laid-back, funky beats, his music epitomized urban blues at it's best while still maintaining a rural sensibility. This set includes his big R&B hit from 1965 Black Nights, his first in ten years, as well as other fine songs like Every Time It Rains/ Too Many Drivers/ Strange Feeling/ No More/ Sittin' Here Thinkin'/ Shattered Dreams/ Talkin' Woman and others. Most of the songs are written by Fulson and/or his manager Ferdinand "Fats" Washington and are quality efforts though after the success of Black Nights there were more than a few titles with a very similar sound. Great sound and informative notes by Dick Shurman. (FS)

LOWELL FULSON	Ace CDCHD 831	The Final Kent Years	● CD $18.98
Lowell's last batch of recordings for the Bihari's Kent and Big Town label in the late 60s and 70s. Includes his last rare single for Kent in 1972 and three previously unissued tracks. LOWELL FULSON: All I Want Is For You To Love Me/ Bending Like A Willow Tree/ Blue Shadows/ Confessin' The Blues/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ Funky Broadway/ Get The Cash And Let The Credit Go/ Going To Chicago/ I Am Not Worried (aka Sittin' On Top Of The World)/ I Cried Aka I Cried Like A Baby/ I Feel So Bad/ I'm A Drifter/ Let's Go Get Stoned/ Let's Talk It Over Aka Come Back Baby/ Love Her With A Feeling/ Lovemaker/ Mellow Together/ My Mind Is Trying To Leave Me/ Push Me/ The Letter/ Tomorrow/ Welcome Home/ When Things Go Wrong (aka It Hurts Me Too)/ Worried Life/ Your One Success Is On Me

LOWELL FULSON	Arhoolie CD 443	My First Recordings	● CD $12.98
26 tracks, 74 mins, essential. A wonderful collection of tracks from this outstanding and versatile bluesman recorded between 1946 and 1951 for Jack Lauderdale's Swingtime and Down Beat labels and for Bob Geddins's Big Town label. 12 of the cuts are unadulterated Texas country blues with Lowell's beautiful and soulful vocals accompanied by his own acoustic guitar and that of his brother Martin and reflects of the music he grew up with in Texas and Oklahoma. The rest of the tracks find him adapting to the urban environment of the San Francisco Bay Area he now made his home recording in a more sophisticated style with small combos often featuring the superb piano of Lloyd Glenn and the alto sax of Earl Brown. The transition from country bluesmen to urban bluesman was a seamless with Lowell sounding just as good in either setting. Excellent sound and informative notes from Mark Humphrey. (FS) LOWELL FULSON: Between Midnight And Day/ Black Widow Spider/ Blues With A Feeling/ Crying Blues (Street Walking Woman)/ Did You Ever Feel Lucky/ Don't Be So Evil/ Fulson Blues/ I Walked All Night/ I Want To See My Baby/ I'm Prison Bound/ I'm Wild About You/ Lowell Jumps One/ Miss Katy Lee Blues/ My Baby Left Me/ Rambling Blues/ River Blues, Pt. 1/ River Blues, Pt. 2/ San Francisco Blues/ Texas Blues (Lazy Woman Blues)/ The Blues Is Killing Me/ There Is A Time For Everything/ Three O'clock Blues/ Trouble Blues/ Western Union Blues/ Why Can't You Cry For Me/ You're Gonna Miss Me

LOWELL FULSON	Bullseye Blues 9525	Hold On	● CD $15.98
It's great to hear Lowell still making good records after over four decades in the blues. On this new album, the tone is set right from the first cut Working Man - Fulson's honeyed vocals convey a mellow west coast feel atop the tough contrast of his rough-hewn guitar and southern funk backing. Shake, Rattle And Roll gets a "Tramp"-style rework, and Quicker The Better thrives on Lowell's patented talking blues style. I'm Just A Fool About You is a special treat for the dancers, but most of these 11 cuts will make you want to shake some. Jimmy McCracklin helps out on piano and songwriting, and Ron Levy's production is generally clean despite some intrusive horn and vocal arrangements. A very worthwhile contemporary effort. (MB)

LOWELL FULSON	Bullseye Blues 9558	Them Update Blues	● CD $15.98
LOWELL FULSON: Don't Lie/ Forty-Four/ Get On Down/ L & L Special/ Lonely Man/ My Secret Love/ Not A Dime/ Sun Going Down/ Think About It/ Too Soon To Tell/ What's The Matter Baby

LOWELL FULSON	Catfish KATCD 137	Black Widow Spider	● CD $13.98
25 tracks, 71 mins highly recommended Superb collection of early sides by this brilliant and versatile bluesman recorded between 1946 and '49. Most cuts feature him in trio format with a piano and bass accompaniment plus there some with larger groups and a couple of country blues tracks with his brother Martin on second guitar. There are a couple of duplications with other available Fulson reissues but not too many. Tracks include 9:30 Shuffle/ Wee Hours In The Morning/ Demon Woman/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Three O'Clock Blues/ So Long, So Long/ (Sweet) Jenny Lee/ Everyday I have The Blues/ Went To See My Baby, etc. Sound quality is excellent and there are good notes by Keith Briggs but Catfish needs to reign in their graphic designer - song titles on cover are almost unreadable! (FS) LOWELL FULSON: 9.30 Shuffle/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Black Cut Blues/ Black Widow Spider Blues/ Blues And Misery/ Cold Hearted Mama/ Demon Woman/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ I Walked All Night/ Jenny Lee, (Sweet)/ Just A Poor Boy/ Mama Brings Your Clothes Back Home/ Mean Woman Blues/ Midnight Showers Of Rain/ My Baby/ My Baby Can't Be Found/ My Baby Left Me/ My Gal At Eight/ Rocking After Midnight/ So Long, So Long/ Thinking Blues/ Three O'Clock Blues/ Trying To Find My Baby/ Want To See My Baby/ Woo Hours In The Morning

LOWELL FULSON	Fuel 2000 61082	I've Got The Blues	● CD $16.98
18 track compilation of Lowell's Jewel sides from the late 60s/early 70s. Includes several sides not originally issued. LOWELL FULSON: Baby/ Change Of Heart/ Crying Won't Help/ Don't Leave Me/ Every Second A Fool Is Born/ Fed Up/ How Do You Want Your Man/ Hurry Home/ I Started Out Wrong/ I've Got The Blues/ Please Let Me Go/ Searchin' Out/ Stoned To The Bone/ Teach Me/ The Last One To Know/ Thug/ Too Soon/ You're Going To Miss Me

LOWELL FULSON	Indigo 2022	The Ol' Blues Singer	● CD $11.98

LOWELL FULSON	JSP 207	Think Twice Before You Speak	● CD $14.98
CD issue of JSP 1082 featuring this fine West Coast singer & guitarist recorded in England with Eddie C. Campbell and some British musicians. An enjoyable, if not exceptional set including Parachute Woman/ Think Twice Before You Speak/ One Room Country Shack/ Come On and others including a couple with Lowell accompanied by second guitar which tries to recapture the feel of some of his 40s recordings but doesn't really succed. ( FS