BLUES & GOSPEL
Frank Frost -> Lowell Fulson
FRANK FROST BLIND BOY FULLER BLIND BOY FULLER & SONNY TERRY |
JESSE FULLER JOHNNY 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 $17.98 |
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 risqué 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 | JSP JSPCD 7772 | Volume 2 + Bull City Red, Cedar Creek Sheik & Others | ● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, essential Blind Boy Fuller Volume 1 (JSP
7735) was excellent: this set completes his output and fills out a
satisfying box with the work of other east coast artists. On the opening
disc it is Fuller's March 1940 sessions which stand out - tracks like
Shake It Baby and Somebody's Been Talkin' are among his best
uptempo work, while the interesting structure of the eight bar Little
Woman You're So Sweet adds further variety. Fuller also now started to
record religious material. Whatever the motivation for the gospel sides
though, it is difficult to think of him as anything other than a bluesman.
Twelve Gates To The City may be brilliantly sung, but it is the
embittered, weary opening verse of Crooked Woman Blues which follows
that stays longer in the mind. Disc B begins with Fuller's last session and despite many fine performances like Thousand Woman Blues and Lost Lover Blues provides a chance to play the "you can tell he was ill" game. Neal Slaven nibbles at the subject in his very good booklet notes, but the much quoted "my left side jump, baby, and my flesh begin to crawl" line from Night Rambling Woman, his last recording, also appeared on Passenger Train Woman, an earlier version of the song. The rest of Disc B features the solo work of Bull City Red aka George Washington, Fuller's washboard player - fair enough as a guitarist and vocalist in the Fuller style, but whose best work was as a brilliant accompanist to the master. Disc C is a straight reissue of the tracks on Old Tramp OTCD OTCD-03, in the same order. Cedar Creek Sheik (who may have been white) and Roosevelt Antrim are both limited performers: the Sheik concentrates on novelty and hokum songs while Antrim essays three amateurish blues which share verses and are virtually one performance. Virgil Childers is much better, and you can imagine him as a true traveling man with his repertoire of minstrel show songs and blues. Sonny Jones, who closes the disc, was clearly influenced by Fuller and was a decent guitarist but a rather uninteresting singer. The final disc is a harder edged affair. The talented Floyd "Dipper Boy" Council usually only gets recognition nowadays as providing inspiration in the naming of Pink Floyd, but like the Trice brothers who also feature he knew Fuller and played in a similar style. Council was also clearly influenced by Blind Blake, as Lookin' For My Baby demonstrates. Frank Edwards' six titles are different - although an east coast bluesman he had a more Chicago style sound (his two 1949 sides not on Document DOCD 5426 are included). A nice bonus is the final four tracks by Denis McMillon. McMillon was a skilled guitarist and strong singer who could play nice slide as well as the infectious rhythms which propel Paper Wooden Daddy (appearing, to the best of my knowledge, for the first time on CD, and which may have been inspired by Fuller's I'm A Rattlesnakin' Daddy). It is a pity that space limitations prevented the reissue of the three alternate takes of McMillon's work. Sound quality of the Fuller and Washington titles is generally very good, providing worthwhile upgrades over previous reissues. Elsewhere the tracks which appeared on Old Tramp are better presented, with some sounding clearer as well as less noisy. Sound is also better than on the Floyd Council and Trice brothers' tracks which appeared on Document DOCD 5168. Altogether this is a very nice set which brings together some important performances in one neat package. (DPR) ROOSEVELT ANTRIM: Complaint To Make/ I Guess Youre Satisfied/ No Use Of Worryin/ Station Boy Blues/ BULL CITY RED: Black Woman & Poison Blues/ Everybody Wants To Know How I Die/ Have You Decided (Which Way To Go)/ I Feel Like Shoutin/ I Saw The Light/ I See The Sign Of Judgment/ I Wont Be Dogged Around/ Jesus Touched Me/ Mississippi River/ Now Im Talking About You/ Pick And Shovel Blues/ Richmond Blues/ Talkin With Jesus/ CEDAR CREEK SHEIK: Buy It From A Poultry Man/ Dont Credit My Stuff/ Dont Use That Stuff/ Ford V-8/ I Believe Somebodys Been Ridin My Mule/ Jimmy Shut His Store Doors/ Mary Had A Little Lamb/ Shes Totin Something Good/ Watch The Fords Go By/ What A Pity/ VIRGIL CHILDERS: Dago Blues/ Preacher And The Bear/ Red River Blues/ Somebody Stole My Jane/ Travelin Man/ Whos That Knockin At My Door/ FLOYD "DIPPER BOY" COUNCIL: Dont Want No Hungry Woman/ Im Grievin & Im Worryin/ Lookin For My Baby/ Poor And Aint Got A Dime/ Runaway Man Blues/ Working Man Blues/ FRANK EDWARDS: Gotta Get Together/ Love My Baby/ Sweet Man Blues/ Terraplane Blues/ Three Women Blues/ We Got To Get Together/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways Tk 1/ Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways Tk 2/ Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay/ Black Bottom Blues/ Blue And Worried Man/ Bus Rider Blues/ Bye Bye Baby/ Crooked Woman Blues/ Good Feeling Blues/ I Crave My Pigmeat/ I Dont Care How Long/ I Dont Want No Skinny Woman/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ It Doesnt Matter Baby/ Im A Stranger Here/ Jesus Is A Holy Man/ Jivin Big Bill Blues/ Little Woman Youre So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Must Have Been My Jesus/ Night Rambling Woman/ No Stranger Now/ Passenger Train Woman/ Precious Lord/ Reds Got The Piccolo Blues/ Shake It Baby/ Somebodys Been Talkin/ Step It Up And Go/ Thousand Woman Blues/ Three Ball Blues/ Twelve Gates To The City/ When You Are Gone/ Woman You Better Wake Up/ Worn Out Engine Blues/ You Cant Hide From The Lord/ You Got To Have Your Dollar/ Youve Got Something There/ LITTLE BOY FULLER (RICH TRICE): Bed Spring Blues/ Blood Red River Blues/ Come On Baby/ Down-Hearted Man/ Lazy Bug Blues/ Pack It Up And Go/ Shake Your Stuff/ Trembling Bed Springs/ SONNY JONES: Dough Roller/ Im Pretty Good At It/ Love Me With A Feeling/ Wont Somebody Pacify My Mind/ DENNIS MCMILLON: Goin Back Home/ Paper Wooden Daddy/ Poor Little Angel Girl/ Woke Up One Morning/ WELLY TRICE: Come On In Here Mama/ Let Her Go God Bless Her |
BLIND BOY FULLER | Yazoo 1060 | Truckin' My Blues Away | ● CD $15.98 |
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 | Fledg'ling 3074 | Move On Down The Line | ● CD $18.98 |
12 tracks, essential 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 fotdella. This CD reissues Topic LP 134 issued in 1965 plus one additional track that wouldn't fit on the LP. This is a particularly welcome reissue as it features the first CD reissue of Jesse's earliest recordings cut for Marvin & Irwin Goldsmith in El Cerrito (!) in 1954 and originally issued on an obscure LP on the World Song label. Six songs were cut including a superb version of John Henry with slide guitar and the first, and possibly best, recording of the song that will forever be associated with him San Francisco Bay Blues. The other six songs are from a 1965 session recorded for Topic in England with Jesse in fine form on songs like Move On Down The Line/ Stealing/ Animal Fair and a particular fine version of Stackolee. Sound quality is fine and booklet includes original LP notes by Joe Boyd plus new notes by Val Wilmer. Jesse is always a joy to listen to and a chance to listen to his earliest recordings is a particular joy! (FS) |
JOHNNY FULLER | Official 3278 | West Coast R&B And Blues Legend, Vol. 1 | ● CD $17.98 |
22 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended First of two albums presenting pretty much the complete 50s and 60s recordings of this superb, Mississippi born, West Coast bluesman. This first set features his earlier sides from 1954 and '55 and features some of the funkiest most low down blues you are likely to hear anywhere. Johnny's voice is deep, dark and mournful and his guitar playing is truly dark and dirty and these early songs are often based around traditional themes. The tempo is mostly slow and Johnny is accompanied by a solid rhythm section and a number of the tracks feature fine harmonica work by Walter Robertson. Among the songs is a terrific version of West Coast standard Tin Pan Alley called Roughest Place In Town which features some of Johnny's finest guitar work and some lovely piano from George Hurst. Johnny gradually moved away from these more down home stylings towards the urban style espoused by Charles Brown and company and a few tracks feature Johnny doing some crooning on songs like Johnny Ace's Last Letter and Cruel, Cruel World. They are still very worthwhile though. (FS) |
JOHNNY FULLER | Official 3279 | West Coast R&B And Blues Legend, Vol. 2 | ● CD $16.98 |
23 tracks, recommended This second volume covers the period 1955 through 1962 and features Johnny tackling a range of different style - some more interesting than others. We still have the occasional down home song (Mercy, Mercy/ Weeping And Moaning/ Strange Land) but we also have some maudlin ballads (My Heart Is Bleeding/ Whispering Wind, etc), some black rock 'n' roll (Sister Jenny/ Stop, Look & Listen/ First Stage Of The Blues, etc) and more including the novelty song Haunted House which was later a hit for Gene Simmons and the wonderfully infectious You Got Me Whistling. Though not as consistent as volume one there is still a lot of fine and worthwhile stuff here. (FS) |
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 | Classics 5071 | The Chronological Lowell Fulson, 1946-1948 | ● CD $14.98 |
24 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended A wonderful collection of sides from 1947 and early 1948 by this brilliant West Coast bluesman. Unlike the first volume there are quite a few tracks here making their first appearance on CD. The first four tracks are beautiful country blues performances with Lowell and his acoustic guitar accompanied by his brother Martin. The rest of the tracks feature Lowell's rural style giving way to a more urbane style featuring with small combos with piano, bass, drums and occasional sax though the feel is still down home. There are 10 rare tracks recorded by Lowell's discoverer Bob Geddins and licensed to the Trilon label and a one off double sider recorded for Scotty's Radio. The last eight tracks were recorded for Jack Lauderdale's Down Beat label where Lowell was to remain for the next five years and where he racked up a number of hits in the R&B charts. Sound quality is excellent but it's too bad that the notes are pretty much a rehash of those on the first volume. (FS) |
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 |
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