( Advanced Search )  
 

BLUES & GOSPEL
Reverend Charlie Jackson -> The Jackson Southernaires

 

REVEREND CHARLIE JACKSON Casequarter 101 God's Got It ● CD $13.98
18 tracks, 59 mins, essential
These recordings, featuring the incredible gospel singer/ guitarist Reverend Charlie Jackson from Baton Rouge, Louisiana are among the most exciting and intense gospel recordings you are ever likely to hear. In the early/ mid 70s he recorded three singles and one EP for Rev. Robert Booker's Booker label based in New Orleans and in the late 70s he recorded two singles for his own Jackson label. This CD features all but two of these sides along with tracks accompanying the gospel quartet Caravan No. 2 Of Zachary, Brother Ike Gordon and Laura Davis. Jackson is a powerful rich vocalist who often sings with such ferocity that he overloads the microphone in the studio, he accompanies his singing with a basic but incredibly energetic and effective electric guitar technique that seems to draw on the techniques of Roebuck Staples and John Lee Hooker! Most of his songs are original and personal. The rhythmic intensity he generates on songs like Fix It Jesus, God's Got It and Morning Train is awe inspiring. This disc also features his masterpiece Wrapped Up And Tangled Up In Jesus and a powerful mini sermon about Jackson's recovery from a stroke. The wonderful two part sermonette The Goodness Of God is from a Booker single though to be lost and only discovered this year. Caravan Number 2 are an excellent male/ female group who sound a bit like the Staple Singers, Brother Ike Gordon is a fine vocalist with a style not unlike that of Jackson himself and benefits from Jackson's sterling guitar work as does that of the fine Laura Davis who recorded for Jackson's own label. Sound quality is as good as could be achieved bearing in mind that the original recording conditions for the Booker sides were very primitive and the CD comes with 16 page booklet with extensive notes on Jackson by compiler Kevin Nutt plus some great photos, discographical info and a profile of the Booker label by Lynn Abbot. This is one of the great reissues of the past few years.  (FS)

   
BIG GEORGE JACKSON BLUES BAND Black & Tan 009 Big Shot ● CD $15.98
11 tracks, 50 min, recommended Tough South Side Chicago Blues from North Minneapolis! This is the 3rd CD from this band led by the harp playing "singer his style is more of a declamatory talking style, somewhere between John Lee & Muddy. There's a couple Big Walter covers, Jimmy Reed's seldom covered I Found A True Love, with the rest by the Big Man himself, with titles like The Daddy (a fine Little Walter-esque harp workout)/ Dirty Haints/ St. Paul Woman & the title track. (GM)

 
BIG GEORGE JACKSON Black & Tan 003 Beggin' Ain't For Me ● CD $13.98
Second Black & Tan album by Minneapolis singer & harmonica player.

 
BULL MOOSE JACKSON King Blues KSCD 1409 Greatest Hits ● CD $7.98
8 cuts - I Love You, Yes I Do/ Little Girl, Don't Cry/ All My Love Belongs To You/ I've Had A Hard Way To Go/ I Want A Bowlegged Woman/ Don't Ask Me Why/ I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya/ Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again.

 
BULL MOOSE JACKSON King 4114 28 Big Ones ● CD $10.98
28 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended
Great collection of mostly rockin' R&B with the occasional ballad featuring blues shouter and tenor sax wailer Benjamin Clarence "Bull Moose" Jackson recorded for KIng & Queen Records. The recordings range from his cover of Joe Liggins Honeydripper at his first Queen session in 1945 to the scorching mid tempo I Wanna Hug Ya Squeeze Ya from his last King session in 1955. All his most popular songs are here like his answer to Lucky Millinder with I Knew Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well, his number 1 ballads I Love You, Yes I Do and I Can't Go On Without You, his great R&B cover of the country hit Why Don't You Haul Off And Love and, of course, his raunchy favorites Big Ten Inch Record and Nosey Joe. Most of his sessions were held in New York with top sidemen like Sam Taylor, Sir Charles Thpompson, Panama Francis, Bill Doggett, Count Hastings, Red Prysock and others. Sound quality varies somewhat from track to track but is generally very good. A few of the tracks seem to have rather abrupt fade outs but maybe that's how the original singles were. There are very brief notes on the back cover. (FS)

 
JIM JACKSON Document DOCD 5115 Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol 2 ● CD $15.98
This MS. bluesman does a nice version of I'm Gonna Move To Louisiana, but after 3 versions in a row, listeners may wish he'd just hurry up and get there. And so it goes. Like vol. 1, this suffers from too many songs with two or more similar takes or parts. Still, with 24 selections, there's plenty of good stuff, including Long Gone/ I Ain't Gonna Turn Her Down/ Bye, Bye Policeman/ What A Time/ Ain't You Sorry Mama and Jim Jackson's Jamboree with Tampa Red, Tom Dorsey and Speckled Red. The two sides with Liza Brown and Ann Johnson are also great fun. And if you have both volumes, you have it all. Informative notes from Chris Smith. (JC)
LIZA BROWN & ANN JOHNSON: Get On Out Of Here/ Let's Get It Straight/ JIM JACKSON: Ain't You Sorry Mama? - Pt. 1/ Ain't You Sorry Mama? - Pt. 2/ Bye, Bye, Policeman/ Foot Achin' Blues/ Going 'Round The Mountain/ Hesitation Blues (Oh! Baby Must I Hesitate?)/ Hey Mama - It's Nice Like That - Pt. I/ Hey Mama - It's Nice Like That - Pt. II/ I Ain't Gonna Turn Her Down/ I'm Gonna Move To Louisiana - Pt. 1 (take 1)/ I'm Gonna Move To Louisiana - Pt. 1 (take 2)/ I'm Gonna Move To Louisiana - Pt. 2/ Jim Jackson's Jamboree - Part I/ Jim Jackson's Jamboree - Part II/ Long Gone/ Love Sick Blues/ Santa Fe Blues/ St. Louis Blues/ Traveling Man/ What A Time (take 1)/ What A Time (take 2)

 
JOHN JACKSON Alligator 4867 Front Porch Blues ● CD $15.98

 
JOHN JACKSON Arhoolie 471 Country Blues & Ditties ● CD $12.98
25 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended
It's a testimony to John's talents that this set of mostly unissued material is outtakes from the sessions that produced his first Arhoolie albums! The Virginia singer & guitarist is superb throughout with his distinctive and most engaging vocals and immaculately finger picked guitar on a selection of blues favorites (Matchbox Blues/ Brown Skin Mama/ Steamboat Whistle Screamin' & Crying, etc), old time country and folk songs (Roll On Buddy/ T.B. Blues/ Lay Down My Old Guitar, etc), gospel songs (Kneel At The Cross/ Just A Closer Walk With Thee, etc) and more. A couple of tracks show John's prowess as a banjo player - Cindy/ Going Up North. John's easy going style is not blues at it's darkest or most intense but is immensely appealing. Great stuff! (FS)
JOHN JACKSON: Brown Skin Mama/ Cindy (Banjo)/ Deep In The Bottom Blues/ Diddy Wa Diddy/ Going Up North (Banjo)/ Guitar Rag (Guitar Instrumental)/ He's In The Jailhouse Now/ I'll Step Aside/ I'm A Bad, Bad Man/ John's Guitar Boogie (Guitar Instrumental)/ Just A Closer Walk With Thee/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Kneel At The Cross/ Lay Down My Old Guitar/ Matchbox Blues/ Railroad Bill/ Red Sea Blues/ Roll On Buddy/ Screaming And Crying/ Steamboat Whistle/ T.B. Blues/ That'll Never Happen No More/ Too Tight/ Waiting For A Train/ Why I Quit Playing Guitar (Story)

 
LIL' SON JACKSON Arhoolie 409 Blues Come To Texas ● CD $12.98
20 tracks, 46 mins, recommended
Texas singer/guitarist Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson was a distinctive performer with a lovely melodic vocal style and a free flowing, rhythmic yet lyrical guitar style. He first recorded for Houston label Gold Star in 1948, moving to Imperial in 1950 for whom he recorded extensively for four years even enjoying a minor hit with his version of the standard Rock Me which he called Rockin' & Rollin'. Whe he was rediscovered by Arhoolie's Chris Strachwitz in 1960 he had not played for a number of years but his musical skills were intact as this excellent release eloquently shows. The tracks here includes versions of songs he had recorded for Gold Star or Imperial along with traditional songs Blues Come To Texas/ Turn Your Lamp Down Low/ I walked From Dallas and a few more personal items (Charley Cherry/ Johnie Mae). Most of these tracks were previously on LPs 1004 and 1006 and there are three previously unissued tracks including a not terribly succesful remake of Rockin' & Rollin' where he plays electric guitar and is accompanied by an out of sync bass player. Apart from that track this is excellent all round. (FS)
LIL' SON JACKSON: Blues Come To Texas/ Buck Dance (*)/ Cairo Blues/ Charley Cherry (Take 1)/ Charley Cherry (Take 2)/ Gambler Blues/ Groundhog Blues/ I Walked From Dallas (*)/ Johnnie Mae/ Louise Blues/ Red River Blues/ Roberta Blues/ Rock Me (*)/ Rollin' Mill Went Down/ Santa Fe Blues/ Sugar Mama/ The Girl I Love/ Ticket Agent/ Turn Your Lamp Down Low/ West Dallas Blues

 
LIL SON JACKSON Document DOCD 5681 Volume 2: 1950-1952 Restless Blues ● CD $15.98
Second of three volumes devoted to the commercial recordings of this superb Texas country blues singer/ guitarist. Many of these tracks feature Son accompanied by other musicians ranging from just string bass to full groups with bass, piano, drums and sax which occasionally get in the way but his beautiful soulful vocals are well to the fore and the songs all have a down home sensibility. Like the first volume there is a little more high end filtering than I would like but it's not too offensive and there are no digital artifacts.

 
LITTLE WILLIE JACKSON Ace CDCHD 749 Jazz Me Blues ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 65 min., highly recommended
Recorded in late 1947, what we have here is Joe Liggins' Honeydrippers (possibly with Liggins on piano) moonlighting under the leadership of Texas-born alto-tenor-soprano-baritone saxophonist and singer William E. (Little Willie) Jackson (1912-1998). All 6 of his Modern Recordings are included, along with 12 unissued titles and alternate takes. Other 'Drippers that solo include Los Angeles native, tenor saxophonist James Jackson Jr. (1924-1993) (he's pictured with Willie on the CD cover); former Les Hite guitarist and Louisiana-born Frank W. Pasley (1904-1968); and drummer and Los Angeles native, Preston T. "Peppy" Prince (1909-1985). If you're a fan of the postwar California swing blues style as recorded by Louis Jordan, Joe Liggins, Jack McVea, you'll know what to expect and will consider this set essential. The interplay between the two Jacksons alone is a marvel to hear, especially on the instrumentals like the 'Tanya' influenced Shasta, the Nat King Cole composition FST, and the originals, Jackson's Boogie, Let's Jump, Little Willie's Boogie, My Baby's Blues, and Watts Local. As for the vocals, he is often supplemented by saxophonist James Jackson, and particularly strong on standards like Black And Blue, St. Louis Blues, and I Ain't Got Nobody. (EL)
LITTLE WILLIE JACKSON: 58th St Jump/ Baby/ Black And Blue/ Don't Get Around Much Anymore/ Fst/ Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night/ I Ain't Got Nobody/ Jackson's Boogie/ Jackson's Boogie/ Let's Jump/ Little Willie's Boogie/ Muddy Water/ Muddy Water/ My Baby's Blues/ On The Sunny Side Of The Street/ Shasta/ Someday, Somehow, Somewhere/ St Louis Blues/ St Louis Blues (alt)/ The Peanut Vendor/ The Peanut Vendor/ There'll Be Some Changes Made/ Watts Local/ You Can Depend On Me

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Collectables 7633 Come On Children Let's Sing/ Great Songs Of Love & Fait ● CD $13.98
21 tracks, 73 mins, recommended
Two classic Gospel albums put together on one affordable CD. Originally released on Columbia records, "Come On Children Let's Sing" came out in 1960 and "Great Songs of Love and Faith" came out four albums later in 1964. Clearly, this was a highly popular and prolific period for this queen of gospel. While "Come On" focused on the usual Gospel themes of love of God, "Great Songs" is a little more secular with songs of love of other things such as nature and country. Even with its secular theme, one of the latter's standout tracks would have to be Artie Glenn's Crying in the Chapel. Many other highlights throughout include Brown Boy/ Keep-A-Movin'/ One Step (Toward The Lord,)/ Because/ Trees, etc. (JM)
MAHALIA JACKSON: A Christian Duty/ A Perfect Day/ Because/ Because His Name Is Jesus/ Brown Baby/ Come On Children, Let's Sing/ Crying In The Chapel/ Danny Boy/ I've Done My Work/ If We Never Neede The Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now)/ Keep A-Movin'/ My Friend/ My Task/ One Step (Toward The Lord)/ The Christian's Testimony/ The Green Leaves Of Summer/ The House I Live In (That's America To Me)/ The Rosary/ Trees/ Whither Thou Goest/ You Must Be Born Again

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Collectables 8832 For Collectors Only ● CD $21.98
Two CD set featuring 37 of Mahalia's classic Apollo recordings.
MAHALIA JACKSON: Amazing Grace/ Beautiful Tomorrow/ Closer To Me/ Come To Jesus/ Didn't It Rain/ Get Away Jordan/ God Spoke To Me/ Got Tell It On The Mountain/ Hands Of God/ He's My Light/ He's The One/ His Eye Is On The Sparrow/ How I Got Over/ I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy/ I Gave Up Everything To Follow Him/ I Put My Trust In Jesus/ I Will Move On Up A Little Higher/ I Wonder If I Will Ever Rest/ I'm Glad Salvation Is Free/ I'm On My Way To Canaan/ In The Upper Room/ It Is No Secret/ It Pays To Serve The Lord/ It's Real/ Jesus Is With Me/ Just As I Am/ Nobody Knows/ Poor Pilgrim Of Sorrow/ Prayer Changes Things/ Run All The Way/ Said He Would/ Silent Night, Holy Night/ The Lord's Prayer/ These Are They/ Up In Jerusalem/ Walk With Me/ What Then

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia CK 9727 Christmas With Mahalia ● CD $9.98
Includes Mahalia's mighty versions of Silver Bells/ Do You Hear What I Hear/ It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/ White Christmas/ O Holy Night/ The First Noel, and more.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 30744 Sings America's Favorite Hymns ● CD $9.98
2 LP set on one CD. 19 track cross section of her recordings for Columbia in the 50s and 60s - Search Me Lord/ The Old Rugged Cross/ Just A Closer Walk With Thee/ Take My Hand Precious Lord/ Were You There When They Crucified My Lord/ Didn't It Rain/ Walk Over Gods Heaven/ Rock Of Ages/ There Is A Balm In Gilead/ Elijah Rock, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 48924 Gospel, Spirituals & Hymns - Vol. 2 $24.98 ● CD $15.98
2 CD's, 36 tracks, recommended. The second Mahalia compilation has live recordings of Were You There/ There Is A Balm In Gilead/ How I Got Over/ It Don't Cost Very Much/ He's Right On Time, performances of I'm On My Way/ The Lord's Prayer from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, and many more.
MAHALIA JACKSON: A City Called Heaven/ A Rusty Old Halo/ A Satisfied Mind/ Calvary/ Come On Children, Let's Sing/ Dear Lord, Forgive/ Didn't It Rain/ Elijah Rock/ God Put A Rainbow In The Sky/ Great Gettin' Up Morning/ He's Got The Whole World In His Hands/ His Eye Is On The Sparrow/ I Found The Answer/ I Will Move On Up A Little Higher/ I'm Going To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song/ If I Can Help Somebody/ If I could Hear My Mother Pray Again/ If We Never Needed The Lord Before/ In My Home Over There/ In The Upper Room/ It Is Well With My Soul/ Jesus Met The Woman At The Well/ Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho/ Keep Your Hand On The Plow/ My God Is Real/ Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen/ Roll, Jordan, Roll/ Search Me Lord/ Take My Hand, Precious Lord/ The Christian's Testimony/ Trouble Of The World/ Walk On By Faith/ Walk Over God's Heaven/ What A Friend We Have In Jesus/ Without God I Could Do Nothing/ You Must Be Born Again

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 53629 Live At Newport ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Columbia CSA 8071 featuring Mahalia's triumphant appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival, July, 1958 - Mahalia is in good form on a selection of her favorites accompanied by piano organ & bass - An Evening Prayer/ A City Called Heaven/ Walk Over God's Heaven/ God Is Real, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 63592 Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting ● CD $11.98
The title might lead you to think that this is a live recording of Mahalia but it's actually a collection of Columbia recordings from the 50s and 60s - some studio and some live including a number previously unissued.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia CK 64675 Mahalia Sings Songs Of Christmas ● CD $11.98

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 64991 16 Most Requested Songs ● CD $12.98
Includes I Will Move On Up A Little Higher/ What A Friend We Have In Jesus/ There Is Balm In Gilead/ Walk In Jerusalem/ My God Is Real, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 65200 A Mighty Fortress ● CD $9.98
Reissue of Columbia 9659 from 1968 featuring 10 songs with accompaniment by an orchestra conducted by Marty Paich - Power In The Blood/ Good News, The Chariot's Coming/ Roll, Jordan, Roll/ I'd Rather Have Jesus/ All Is Well, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 65209 The Power & The Glory ● CD $9.98
Reissue of 1960 album featuring Mahalia backed by an orchestra & chorus directed by Percy Faith on 12 hymns - Onward Christian Soldiers/ Holy, Holy, Holy/ Just As I Am/ Lift Up Your Heads/ The Lord Is My Light/ Nearer My God To Thee, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 65594 Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns $19.98 ● CD $19.98
Same material as Columbia 47083 but in a two CD package rather than the handsome box set.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 65597 Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns - Vol. 2 $19.98 ● CD $19.98
Same tracks as Columbia 48924 but in a compact two CD format rather than the handsome box set.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 66911 The Best Of Mahalia Jackson ● CD $11.98

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 85282 Recorded Live In Europe During Her Latest Concert Tour ● CD $11.98
11 songs recorded live in Sweden in 1961 with Mildred Falls accompanying on piano - Elijah Rock/ Tell The World About This/ Down By The Riverside/ It Don't Cost Very Much/ How I Got Over and others.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Columbia 85298 Mahalia Jackson In Concert, Easter Sunday 1967 ● CD $11.98
REissue of 1967 LP with four bonus previously unissued cuts. It features Mahalia recorded live at New York's Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts accompanied by piano, organ, guitar, drums and tambourine. Includes In My Home Over There/ He Was Alone/ Thy Will Be Done/ Holding My Savior's Hand/ There Is A Balm In Gilead/ An Evening Prayer/ If I Can Help Somebody/ Elijah Rock, etc.

 
MAHALIA JACKSON Fremeaux FACD 1311 Complete Mahalia Jackson, Vol. 1 ● CD $15.98
So far the only volume in this series this features her early Decca sides plus the first of her Apollo recordings.
MAHALIA JACKSON: Amazing Grace (1)/ Amazing Grace (2)/ Dig A Little Deeper/ Even Me/ God Shall Wipe All Tears Away/ God's Gonna Separate The Wheat From The Tares/ He Knows My Heart/ I Have A Friend/ I Want To Rest/ I'm Going To Tell God/ If You See My Savior/ In My Home Over There/ In My Home Over There/ Keep Me Everyday/ Move On Up A Little Higher (pt. 1 & 2)/ Move On Up A Little Higher (pt. 1 & 2)/ Oh, My Lord/ Since The Fire Started Burning In My Soul./ There's Not A Friend Like Jesus/ Tired/ Wait Until My Changes Come/ What Could I Do

 
MAHALIA JACKSON MCA 11851 In My Home Over There ● CD $11.98
12 tracks, 35 minutes, recommended. Mahalia Jackson, "the Queen Of Gospel Music", is represented here by 12 of her Apollo recordings (1947-1954), including her masterpiece recording of Lucie Eddie Campbell's In The Upper Room, a song she would perform at nearly every performance. This is a song I never get tired of hearing, especially this version as she's accompanied by Thurman Ruth's Southern Harmonaires (a vocal group that would record secular material for Apollo as The Larks). This set also contains one of the earliest examples of her 'cross-over' potential, a cover version of the C&W southern gospel classic It Is No Secret written by Stuart Hamblen. Nine of the tracks are arranged by fellow Apollo recording artist Bobby Smith. (EL)

 
MAHALIA JACKSON MCA Special Products 20489 Amazing Grace ● CD $8.98
10 tracks, 30 min., recommended. Part of the MCA "Special Products" series, which means that this contains no liner notes, no session info, and just half an hour of music. You know, "special." Can't complain about the singing, though. The version of Amazing Grace given, while strong, is not the classic issued by Apollo in the '40s. Nevertheless, the material here is pretty stunning. When Jackson is minimally backed by piano or organ, as onDo You Know Him, the power and conviction that comes through in her delivery can bend steel and change the course of mighty rivers, or at least make ears happy. Other titles include I Believe/ If You See My Savior/ I'm Going To Tell My God/ In My Home Over There/ It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)/ Shall I Meet You Over Yonder/ Since The Fire Started/ I'm Going To Wait Until My Change Comes. (JC)

 
JACKSON SOUTHERNAIRES Malaco 4426 Power Packed ● CD $15.98
Another set of smooth compassionate stylings in the vein of The Sensational Nightingales. Produced by Frank Williams who also take most leads. This program features Milton Biggham, Jeff La Valley and the Curry Family who record for Malaco in Mass Choir format. This album's most compelling song is It's Almost Over . Laid back arrangements in traditional form, updated with the use of unobtrusive synthesizer and keyboards present soulful gospel. (OLN)

 
THE JACKSON SOUTHERNAIRES Malaco 4392 Made In Mississippi ● CD $15.98

 
THE JACKSON SOUTHERNAIRES Malaco 4402 Greatest Hits ● CD $15.98

 
THE JACKSON SOUTHERNAIRES MCA Special Products 20724 Lord You've Been Good To Me ● CD $7.98
Reissue of fine 1973 ABC/ Dunhill album by this excellent gospel group, originally from Jackson, Mississippi. It includes the beautiful 7 minute sermonette Save My Child, which I believe was the original name of the album. Soulful lead vocals by Huey Williams.

 

Back To Blues & Gospel Index

 





Roots & Rhythm
P.O. Box 837
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Toll Free Order Line : 888-ROOTS-66

© 2018 Roots & Rhythm. No part of this site may be reproduced without written permission