|
BLUES
& GOSPEL
Elmore James ->
The Jelly Roll Kings
| ELMORE JAMES |
Ace CDCHD 583 |
The Best Of Elmore James - The Early Years |
● CD $18.98 |
28 tracks, 80 min., essential
28 samples of some of the most exciting blues ever set to
wax, including the original Trumpet recording of Dust My Broom/ Hawaiian
Boogie/ Early In The Morning/ Sho' Nuff I Do/ Long Tall Woman/ I Believe/
Please Find My Baby/ Can't Stop Lovin, and much more. At 80 minutes,
this is one of the longest CDs here on planet earth, and Elmore James' music
puts every second to good use. Why deprive yourself any longer? (JC)
ELMORE JAMES: Baby What's Wrong/ Blues Before Sunrise/ Can't Stop Lovin'/
Dark And Dreary/ Dust My Blues/ Dust My Broom/ Early In The Morning/ Goodbye
Baby/ Hand In Hand/ Happy Home/ Hawaiian Boogie/ I Believe/ I Held My Baby
Last Night/ I Was A Fool/ Late Hours At Midnight/ Long Tall Woman/ Make A
Little Love/ Make My Dreams Come True/ Mean And Evil/ No Love In My Heart/
Please Find My Baby/ Rock My Baby Right/ Sho' Nuff I Do/ Sinful Woman/
Standing At The Crossroads/ Strange Kinda Feeling/ Sunny Land/ Wild About
You
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 5112 |
Golden Classics - Guitars In Orbit |
● CD $11.98 |
No, this isn't Elmore's rare instrumental tribute to The
Ventures, it's twelve of his best Fire/Enjoy label sides, cut in the early
60's.
ELMORE JAMES: Dust My Broom/ Every Day I Have The Blues/ Hand In Hand/ I
Believe/ I Gotta Go Now/ I Have A Right To Love My Baby/ It Hurts Me Too/
Make My Dreams Come True/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama/ Sunnyland/ Talk To Me Baby/
Twelve Year Old Boy
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 5184 |
The Complete Fire & Enjoy Sessions, Part 1 |
● CD $11.98 |
| ELMORE JAMES: Baby Please Set A Date/ Bobby's Rock/ Done Somebody Wrong/
Dust My Broom/ Early One Morning/ Fine Little Mama/ Held My Baby Last Night/
I Can't Stop Loving You/ I Need You/ I'm Worried/ Rollin' & Tumblin'/
Strange Angels
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 5185 |
The Complete Fire & Enjoy Sessions, Part 2 |
● CD $11.98 |
| ELMORE JAMES: Anna Lee/ Got To Move/ Look On Yonder Wall/ My Bleeding Heart/
My Kind Of Woman/ One Way Out/ Person To Person/ So Unkind/ Something Inside
Of Me/ Standing At The Crossroads/ Stranger Blues/ Stranger Blues (alternate
Session)
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 5186 |
The Complete Fire & Enjoy Sessions, Part 3 |
● CD $11.98 |
| ELMORE JAMES: Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ Find My
Kinda Woman/ Hand In Hand (take 1)/ I've Got A Right To Love My Baby/ It
Hurts Me Too/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama (take 1)/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama (take
2)/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama (take 3)/ My Baby's Gone/ Shake Your Moneymaker/
Sunnyland Train/ Talk To Me Baby
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 5187 |
The Complete Fire & Enjoy Sessions, Part 4 |
● CD $11.98 |
| ELMORE JAMES: Back In Mississippi (conversation)/ Black Snake Slide/ Hand In
Hand (take 4)/ I Believe/ I Gotta Go Now/ Look On Yonder Wall (wrong
Lyrics)/ Make My Dream Come True/ Pickin' The Blues/ She's Got To Go/ Twelve
Year Old Boy/ Up Jumped Elmore/ You Know You Done Me Wrong
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Collectables 8829 |
For Collectors Only - Complete Fire & Enjoy
Recordings |
● CD $34.98 |
| ELMORE JAMES: Baby Please Set A Date/ Back In Mississippi (studio
conversation)/ Bobby's Rock/ Can't Stop Loving My Baby/ Do It If You Wanna -
(with unknown vocalist)/ Done Somebody Wrong/ Dust My Broom/ Dust My Broom -
(alt. take)/ Dust My Broom - (alternate take)/ Eraly One Morning/ Everyday I
Have The Blues/ Find My Kind Of Woman - (Take 1)/ Find My Kind Of Woman -
(take 3)/ Fine Little Mama/ Going Back Home Again/ Got To Move/ Hand In Hand
- (take 1)/ Hand In Hand - (take 3)/ Hand In Hand - (take 4)/ Held My Baby
Last Night/ I Believe/ I Can't Stop Lovin' You/ I Gotta Go Now/ I Need You
Baby/ I'm Worried/ I've Got A Right To Love My Baby/ It Hurts Me Too/ Look
On Yonder Wall/ Look Up On The Wall/ Make My Dreams Come True/ Make My
Dreams Come True - (alternate take)/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama/ Mean Mistreatin'
Mama (take 1 incomplete)/ Mean Mistreatin' Mama (take 2 - alternate)/ My
Baby's Gone/ My Bleeding Heart/ My Kind Of Woman/ One Way Out/ Person To
Person/ Pickin' The Blues/ Poor Angel Child - (with Sam Myers)/ Rollin' &
Tumblin'/ Shake Your Money Maker/ She Done Moved/ She's Got To Go/ Sky Is
Crying, The/ So Unkind/ Something Inside Me/ Standing At The Crossroads/
Strange Angels/ Stranger Blues/ Stranger Blues - (alternate version)/
Sunnyland Train/ Talk To Me Baby/ Twelve Year Old Boy/ Up Jumped Elmore/ Up
Jumped Elmore - (black snake slide)/ Up Jumped Elmore - (false start)/ Woke
Up Screamin' & Cryin' - (with unknown vocalist)/ You Don't Have To Go - (with
Sam Myers)/ You Know You're Wrong - (take 1 - incomplete)/ You Know You're
Wrong - (take 2 - alternate)/ You Know You're Wrong - (take 3 - master)
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Flair 86257 |
Let's Cut It - The Best Of Elmore James |
● CD $12.98 |
A wonderful collection of 18 Flair and Modern tracks. The
sound on this CD is superb with a tough, gritty sound and lots of presence
and an almost total absence of tape hiss - which is remarkable considering
the condition of the original tapes. No real surprises here but there are a
few previously unissued alternate takes.
Plenty of great intense singing and playing from Elmore and
top-flight back up from his band. Domestic issue of Ace 192 - one of our
best selling blues titles ever! (FS)
ELMORE JAMES: Blues Before Sunrise/ Canton, Mississippi Breakdown/ Dark And
Dreary/ Dust My Blues/ Goodbye Baby/ Happy Home/ Hawaiian Boogie/ I Believe/
I Was A Fool/ Long Tall Woman/ Mean And Evil/ My Best Friend/ No Love In My
Heart/ Sho Nuff I Do/ So Mean To Me/ Standing At The Crossroads/ Sunnyland/
Wild About You Baby
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Relic 7026 |
Rollin' & Tumblin' - The Best Of Elmore
James |
● CD $13.98 |
How many ways can they recycle Elmore James's Fire
recordings? Let me count the ways .... There is no doubt in my mind that
Elmore James was one of the greatest bluesmen to ever record - a powerful
and intense singer and a masterful guitarist. His slide guitar techniques
were to inspire and influence a generation of blues guitarists though none
had the skill, sensitivity or imagination Elmore brought to the instrument.
His early death in 1963 at the age of 45 robbed the world of a major talent.
In the 4 years prior to his death he was recorded quite extensively by New
York producer Bobby Robinson for his Fire & Enjoy labels. This material has
been reissued many times on a number of different labels. So what's so
special about this reissue? Firstly it has been beautifully remastered from
the original tapes by Boston's Walter Devenne and is certainly the best
sounding of the reissues of this material and the tracks from his last few
sessions are in true stereo. Further those crafty devils at Relic have
turned up 3 previously unissued songs - all good with Go Back Home Again
being particularly fine - presumably from the same session as Look On
Yonder Wall with lovely harp by Sammy Myers. All the other best known
Elmore Fire/ Fury material is here including Rollin' & Tumblin'/ Standing
At The Crossroads/ My Bleeding Heart/ Something Inside Me/ Shake Your
Moneymaker/ Fine Little Mama/ Every Day I Have The Blues/ It Hurts Me Too,
etc. Excellent in depth notes by Dick Shurman. My only quibbles are the fact
that my personal favorite Done Somebody Wrong is not here and the
absence of discographical information is regretted. Now we need to have
Relic put out the rest of these recordings in the same quality. Possibly not
absolutely essential but certainly almost essential! (FS)
ELMORE JAMES: Anna Lee/ Baby, Please Set a Date/ Dust My Broom/ Everyday I
Have the Blues/ Find My Kind of Woman/ Fine Little Mama/ Go Back Home Again/
I Need You Baby/ It Hurts Me Too/ Look on Yonder Wall/ Mean Mistreatin'
Mama/ My Baby's Gone/ My Bleeding Heart/ One Way Out/ Rollin' and Tumblin'/
Shake Your Moneymaker/ Sky Is Crying/ Something Inside Me/ Standing at the
Crossroads/ Stranger Blues/ Sunnyland/ You Know You're Wrong
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Relic 7040 |
Dust My Broom |
● CD $13.98 |
22 tracks, 63 min., recommended. Like its companion (Relic
CD 7026), this features more great material from Bobby Robinson's Fire and
Enjoy labels, remastered from the original stereo tapes for superior sound
quality. Picking up where Part 1 leaves off with the great Done Somebody
Wrong, this disc also includes an unreleased version of Dust My Broom
as well as Look Upon The Wall/ Poor Little Angel Child/ You Know You Done
Me Wrong. What makes this a truly special reissue is that it contains
the first complete James discography published in the U.S. (along with a
reproduction of Elmore's death certificate).
(JC)
ELMORE JAMES: Bobby's Rock/ Done Somebody Wrong/ Dust My Broom/ Early One
Morning/ Got to Move/ Held My Baby Last Night/ I Can't Stop Loving You/ I
Gotta Go Now/ I'm Worried/ Look up on the Wall/ Make My Dreams Come True/
Mean Mistreatin' Mama/ My Kind of Woman/ Person to Person/ She Done Moved/
So Unkind/ Strange Angel/ Stranger Blues/ Talk to Me Baby/ Twelve Year Old
Boy/ You Know You Done Me Wrong/ SAM MYERS: Poor Little Angel Child
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Relic 7097 |
The Last Sessions |
● CD $13.98 |
21 tracks, 64 min., recommended. As the title says, these are
James' last recordings for Bobby Robinson's Fire/Enjoy label, held at A-1
Studios on Feb. 13 & 21, 1963. This disc offers one complete version of each
title James cut at those sessions, a brief in studio conversation, and more.
And while the backing musicians may not be as hot (or rehearsed) as they
were on the previous Fire/Enjoy sessions, this music still sounds great, as
a listen to It Hurts Me Too will confirm. If Elmore James ever made a
bad record, you couldn't prove it with this disc. You can't have too much
Elmore James. (JC)
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Rhino 71190 |
The Sky Is Crying: The History Of Elmore
James |
● CD $15.98 |
21 tracks, 61 min., essential. Despite the current flurry of
Elmore James discs on the market--it's impossible to have too much--this one
is still essential because it collects many of James' finest recordings
regardless of the label of origin. So the set covers releases on Trumpet,
Chess, Fire, Chief, Atlantic (w/ Joe Turner), and others from 1951-61 to
supply the original Dust My Broom/ Hawaiian Boogie/ Sho' Nuff I Do/ Sunny
Land/ Madison Blues/ The Sun Is Shining/ The Sky Is Crying,
and others
including the superb Please Find My Baby. And in doing so, the artist's
diverse talents are spotlighted. The booklet has great photos; the notes are
from "Deep Blues" author Robert Palmer. (JC)
ELMORE JAMES: 12 Year Old Boy/ Cry For Me Baby/ Done Somebody Wrong/ Dust My
Broom/ Hawaiian Boogie/ I Can't Hold Out/ I Need You/ It Hurts Me Too/ Look
On Yonder Wall/ Madison Blues/ My Best Friend/ Please Find My Baby/ Rollin
And Tumblin/ Shake Your Moneymaker/ Sho' Nuff I Do/ Sky Is Crying/ Something
Inside Me/ Standing At The Crossroads/ Sun Is Shining/ Sunny Land/ JOE
TURNER: T.V. Mama
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Document DOCD 5005 |
Complete 1931 Recordings In Chronological
Order |
● CD $14.98 |
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Document DOCD 5149 |
"Live" - Boston 1964 And Philadelphia 1966 |
● CD $14.98 |
15 tracks, 52 min., good. James, a strange man with a wide
melancholy streak, was one of the most vital of the rediscovered Delta
bluesmen. Like Robert Pete Williams, he sang in a high falsetto voice, and
answered his eerie singing with convoluted guitar fingerpicking which was
full of surprises. This selection is not much different than his Melodeon
studio records of the period, and many are remakes of his immortal 1931
recordings. But his playing and singing are strong, and the between-song
anecdotes are instructive, if that compensates for the uneven recording
quality. (MB)
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Document 5633 |
The Complete Bloomington Indiana Concert,
Vol. 1 |
● CD $14.98 |
First volume featuring a previously unissued live concert
from March 30, 1968 recorded at the University Folksong Club at Bloomington,
Indiana. The recording includes the in-between patter by Skip. Vol. 1
includes performances of God Is Real (a song I don't think he
recorded elsewhere) Look Down The Road/ Devil Got My Woman/ Hard Time
Killin' Floor Blues and others.
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Document 5634 |
The Complete Bloomington Indiana Concert,
Vol. 2 |
● CD $14.98 |
The second volume includes Illinois Blues/ Hard Headed
Woman Blues/ Drunken Spree/ Look At The People, etc.
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Genes 9901 |
She Lyin' |
● CD $14.98 |
16 tracks, 44 mins., good. This is both an interesting and a
little sad tribute to Skip James, culled from sessions he recorded in
Maryland in 1964 with the help of Richard Spottswood. Blues fans who have
experienced the hair-raising 1931 sides James recorded will find this
collection tame by comparison. Still, it's intriguing to hear how 30 years
can change a man's way of expressing the anguish of a song like Hard Time
Killing Floor. The high, soul-piercing voice is still there, but the
emotion sounds muted. Some tracks, like I'm So Glad and Devil Got
My Woman seem like completely different songs compared to the earlier
recordings. Still, the whole album is recorded in a pleasant, informal way,
as if the listener is in on a quiet but important moment in American musical
history. (DC)
SKIP JAMES: All Night Long/ Bad Whiskey/ Black Gal/ Broke & Hungry/ Catfish/
Crow Jane/ Cypress Grove Blues/ Devil Got My Woman/ Drunken Spree/ Goin'
Away To Stay/ Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues/ I'm So Glad/ Illinois Blues/
Look Down The Road/ She Lyin'/ Worried Blues
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Genes 9910 |
Skip's Piano Blues |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 40 mins, essential. The music of Skip James is so
beautiful, errie and moving that it is hard to be objective about it. He was
a unique and distinctive performer who was able to lend even the most
familiar material an original feel. These recordings, previously unissued,
from 1964 feature Skip accompanying himself on piano rather than his more
familiar guitar. His piano playing is just as beautiful and idiosyncratic as
his guitar playing with touches of ragtime and jazz but always uniquely his
own. He redoes some of the piano blues he recorded in 1931 like Little
Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die and 22-20 Blues as well as piano
versions of songs he had recorded in 1931 with guitar like Four O'Clock
Blues and Special Rider Blues as well as his own unique versions
of Black Gal/ How Long and Vicksburg Blues. He also does a
beautiful gospel song Walking The Sea, the strange Little Boy How
Old Are You and the instrumental Rock Island Blues. The
recordings were informal and it's nice to hear the interplay between Skip
and the people around him. Truly rewarding and spellbinding music and it's
hard to imagine why it was left on the shelf for 30 years! (FS)
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Vanguard VMD 79273 |
Devil Got My Woman |
● CD $13.98 |
The music of Skip James is so beautiful, errie and moving
that it is hard to be objective about it. He was a unique and distinctive
performer who was able to lend even the most familiar material an original
feel. This is a CD reissue of his second Vanguard album recorded in 1967,
two years before his death at the age of 67. It includes remakes of a few of
his 1931 Paramount recordings including the spine chilling title song and
the wonderful Little Cow, Little Calf Blues, the latter featuring
some of his amazing piano playing. There are his unique interpretations of
familiar themes is Worried Blues and Catfish Blues and some
songs recently composed by Skip including Sickbed Blues and a song
for his wife, Lorenzo Blues. Exquisite and timeless music reproduced
with crystal clarity. (FS)
SKIP JAMES: 22-20 Blues/ Careless Love/ Catfish Blues/ Devil Got My Woman/
Good Road Camp Blues/ Illinois Blues/ Little Cow, Little Calf Blues/ Look At
The People Standing At The Judgement/ Lorenzo Blues/ Mistreating Child
Blues/ Sickbed Blues/ Worried Blues
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Yazoo 2009 |
Complete Early Recordings |
● CD $14.98 |
| SKIP JAMES: 22-20 Blues/ 4 O'Clock Blues/ Be Ready
When He Comes/ Cherry Ball Blues/ Cypress Grove Blues/ Devil Got My Woman/
Drunken Spree/ Hard Luck Child/ Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues/ How Long
"Buck"/ I'm So Glad/ If You Haven't Any Hay Get On Down The Road/ Illinois
Blues/ Jesus Is A Mighty Good Leader/ Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die
Blues/ Special Rider Blues/ What Am I To Do Blues/ Yola My Blues Away
|
|
FRANK "SPRINGBACK"
JAMES & GEORGE CURRY |
Document DOCD 5289 |
Complete Recorded Works, 1934-1938 |
● CD $14.98 |
21 tracks, 63 tracks, recommended Frank "Springback" James
was a fine singer and piano player who was obviously inspired by Leroy Carr.
His first four sides are solo and most of the rest features guitar
accompaniment by Willie B. James which really accentuates the Carr
influence. Still James has some good original songs like Snake Hip Blues/
Rusty Can Blues/ Poor Coal Loader/ I'm On My Way and others. George
Curry is another fine singer and piano player listed in the company files as
"Leroy's best friend" so you can guess who influenced him. The three sides
here were never actually issued though they are very good and I particularly
like his Back In My Cell Again. (FS)
GEORGE CURRY: Back In My Cell Again/ My Last Five Dollars/ You're Forever On
My Mind/ FRANK "SPRINGBACK" JAMES: Forsaken Blues/ Frank's Lonesome Blues/
Hard Driving Mama/ Hellish Ways/ I'm On My Way/ Lonesome Love Blues/
Mistreated Blues/ New Red Cross Blues/ Poor Coal Loader/ Poor Coal Passer/
Rusty Can Blues/ See For Yourself/ Snake Hip Blues/ Springback Papa/
Stingaree Mama Blues/ Texas Heifer Blues/ Unkindness Blues/ Will My Bad Luck
Ever Change?
|
| FRANKIE
"HALF PINT" JAXON |
Document DOCD 5258 |
Complete Recordings In Chronological Order,
Vol 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 70 mins, recommended. Booklet writer Jim Prohaska
gives a excellent description of Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon in the
introduction to his liner notes. "He was outrageous, ribald, and raucous. He
was a singer, actor, producer, dancer, comic, film star, song writer, and
even a female impersonator. He made a lot of records, led a small band and a
big band, and made many radio appearances. He was 5'2" of energy, humor and
mischief". Unlike other hokum singers with their draggy delivery Frankie
threw himself into his performances with his distinctive high pitched voice,
asides and exhortations and his entertaining and funny lyrics - often of the
risque variety. His very best performances are those with Tampa Red's Hokum
Jug Band which can be found scattered throughout Document 5073, 5074, 5075
and 5076. This is the first of three volumes featuring recordings under his
own name and features 24 cuts made between May 1926 and July 1929. The
earliest sides here feature piano accompaniments by the fairly stodgy De
Lloyd Barnes or Blanche Smith Walton. Later sessions feture small groups
including some terrific sides with Banjo Ikey Robinson & His Bull Fiddle
Band and with Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band which capture some of the
energy of the Tampa Red Hokum Jug Band sides. This disc ends with the
incredibly raunchy and originally unissued Operation Blues - a duet
with Georgia Tom with Frankie acting the part of a female patient and Tom as
the Doctor. The entendres on this one are more single than double. A
delightful collection - occasional rough sound but mostly very listenable
with good notes by Prohaska. (FS)
THE COTTON TOP MOUNTAIN SANCTIFIED SINGERS: She's Coming Round The Mountain/
FRANKIE "HALF PINT" JACKSON: Can't You Wait Till You Get Home (12919)/ Can't
You Wait Till You Get Home (C-2952)/ Corinne/ Corinne Blues/ Down At
Jasper's Bar-B-Que/ Fan It (take A)/ Fan It (take B)/ Hannah Fell In Love
With My Piano/ Hit Ta Ditty Low Down/ How Can I Get It?/ I'm Gonna Dance Wit
De Guy Wot Brung Me/ I'm Gonna Steal You/ If That Don't Get It - This Sho'
Will/ It's Heated/ Jive Man Blues/ Let's Knock A Jug/ Operation Blues/ She
Got 'It'/ Willie The Weeper/ BILL JOHNSON'S LOUISIANA JUG BAND: Don't Drink
It In Here/ Get The 'L' On Down The Road/ BANJO IKEY ROBINSON'S BULL FIDDLE
BAND: My Four Reasons/ Rock Me Mama
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Document DOCD 5017 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order, Vol 1 |
● CD $14.98 |
The first of four compact dics presenting all the recordings
of this great performer. Jefferson was probably the most popular country
bluesmen of the pre-war era and his style, songs and arrangements were to
influence generations of rural performers. Lemon was a powerful singer with
an intense voice and a dazzling guitar player - he punctuated his vocal
lines with incredibly beautiful and complex guitar runs. His first session
featured two gospel songs that were originally issued under the name of
Deacon L.J. Bates but the rest of the material here is all blues and
includes some incredible performances including Got The Blues (this
was so popular that he recorded it again a few months after he first
recorded when the master wore out!)/ Dry Southern Blues/ Corinna Blues/
Jack O'Diamonds (two takes of this traditional song on which Lemon plays
some of his rarely recorded slide guitar)/ Chock House Blues/ Old
Rounders Blues/ That Black Snake Moan/ Rabbit Foot Blues etc. The 78s
these were originally released on were porrly recorded and pressed on
inferior material so sound quality is not exceptional though, in most cases,
is quite listenable. Informative, is slightly pedantic, notes by Bob Groom
(FS)
BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: All I Want Is That Pure Religion/ Bad Luck Blues/
Beggin' Back/ Black Horse Blues/ Booger Rooger Blues/ Booster Blues/ Broke
And Hungry (take 2)/ Chock House Blues/ Corinna Blues (take 2)/ Dry Southern
Blues/ Got The Blues (1053)/ Got The Blues (2471-2)/ I Want To Be Like Jesus
In My Heart/ Jack O' Diamond Blues (take 1)/ Jack O' Diamond Blues (take 2)/
Long Lonesome Blues (1054)/ Long Lonesome Blues (2472-1)/ Old Rounders
Blues/ Rabbit Foot Blues/ Shuckin' Sugar Blues (take 2)/ Stocking Feet Blues
(take 1)/ That Black Snake Moan (take 2)/ Wartime Blues
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Document DOCD 5018 |
Complete Recorded Chronological Order, Vol.
2 |
● CD $14.98 |
The second volume of this great performers recordings
features 22 songs recorded between March and October, 1937 and are
consistently outstanding. It includes three version of one of his most
popular songs Matchbox, a remake of his powerful Black Snake Moan,
the topical Rising High Water Blues (an unusual performance in that
Lemon does not play guitar but is accompanied by the very effective piano of
George Perkins), the beautiful gospel song See That My Grave Is Kept
Clean (unfortunately from a very worn 78) and more. (FS)
BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: Black Snake Dream Blues/ Black Snake Moan (80523)/
Chinch Bug Blues/ Deceitful Brownskin Blues/ Easy Rider Blues/ Gone Dead On
You Blues/ He Arose From The Dead/ Hot Dogs/ Lonesome House Blues/ Match Box
Blues (4424)/ Match Box Blues (4446)/ Match Box Blues (80524)/ One Dime
Blues/ Rambler Blues/ Right Of Way Blues/ Rising High Water Blues/ See That
My Grave's Kept Clean (20074)/ Struck Sorrow Blues/ Sunshine Special/ Teddy
Bear Blues (take 2)/ Weary Dogs Blues/ Where Shall I Be?
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Document DOCD 5019 |
Complete Recorded Works Vol. 3, 1928 |
● CD $14.98 |
The third volume in this wonderful series features 20 sides
recorded in 1928 and includes several intense songs about prison including
one of his greatest performance - the moving Prison Cell Blues with
its links to field hollers and the powerful Blind Lemon's Penitentiary
Blues the lyrics of which were picked up by a number of other singers.
It also includes re-recording of his beautiful gospel song See That My
Grave Is Kept Clean, a rare cover of another artist on Leroy Carr's
How Long How Long which includes an unknown piano player playing in the
Carr style and a couple of seasonal blues in Christmas Eve Blues and
Happy New Year Blues. Satisfactory sound and detailed microscopic notes by
Bob Groom. (FS)
BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: 'Lectric Chair Blues/ Balky Mule Blues/ Blind Lemon's
Penitentiary Blues/ Change My Luck Blues/ Christmas Eve Blues/ Competition
Bed Blues/ D B Blues/ Hangman's Blues (20816)/ Happy New Year Blues/ How
Long How Long/ Lemon's Cannon Ball Moan/ Lemon's Worried Blues/ Lock Step
Blues (20815)/ Long Lastin' Lovin'/ Low Down Mojo Blues/ Maltese Cat Blues/
Mean Jumper Blues/ Piney Woods Money Mama/ Prison Cell Blues/ Sad News
Blues/ See That My Grave ls Kept Clean (20374)
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Document DOCD 5020 |
Complete Recorded Works Vol. 4, 1929 |
● CD $14.98 |
The fourth and final volume in this series reissuing the
complete recordings of this great Texas bluesman features 24 songs recorded
between January and September, 1929. The latter just two months before his
death of uncertain causes. Lemon seems somewhat less energetic than on his
earlier recordings and his guitar playing is not as flowing. However there
are still some great performances like Peach Orchard Mama (later
recorded by Big Joe Williams), a song about homelessness that seem
chillingly timely Tin Cup Blues, the powerful Bed Springs Blues,
another variation of the traditional folk song Our Goodman called
Cat Man Blues and others. Some of the tracks here are among Lemon's
rarest and sound quality on several cuts make listening difficult. Good
notes by Bob Groom. (FS)
BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: Bakershop Blues/ Bed Springs Blues/ Big Night Blues
(21199)/ Bootin' Me 'Bout/ Cat Man Blues/ Competition Bed Blues/ Disgusted
Blues/ Dynamite Blues/ Eagle Eyed Mama/ Empty House Blues/ Fence Breakin'
Yellin' Blues/ Long Distance Moan/ Mosquito Moan/ Oil Well Blues/ Peach
Orchard Mama/ Pneumonia Blues/ Sad News Blues/ Saturday Night Spender Blues/
Southern Woman Blues/ That Black Snake Moan No. 2/ That Crawlin' Baby Blues/
The Cheaters Spell/ Tin Cup Blues/ Yo, Yo Blues
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
JSP 7706 |
The Clssic Sides Remastered |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 94 tracks essential
Brilliant, impossible to copy
singer and guitarist, Shakespeare of blues poetry, surrealist, gritty social
commentator, chaser of wild women, part time wrestler..... Blind Lemon had
quite a CV. He also left a wonderful legacy of recorded work, which has
never been better presented than on this new box set from JSP.
This is not
quite, as billed, the complete works (Document DOCD 5625 has a further three
tracks - third versions of Got The Blues and Long Lonesome Blues
and an alternate take of Corrina Blues) but is the most comprehensive
Jefferson set to date. Unlike the Charley Patton box set, which was
cluttered with tracks by other artists some of whom had no real connection
with Patton, the 94 performances here are all Blind Lemon and are presented
in strict chronological order. There is full discographical information and
JSP's packaging is attractive, with notes by Drew Kent sketching Lemon's 4
year recording career and mysterious death in 1929. What really sets this
reissue apart however is the outstanding job JSP have done in reducing the
usual torrent of clicks, pops and surface noise associated with old
Paramount 78s while retaining the balance and dynamics of the original
recordings. Comparison with the complete works on Document shows a
significant improvement on the vast majority of tracks - surface noise is
still apparent, and some sides are very worn, but listening is much more
comfortable. There is also occasionally the pleasant surprise of a lyric
which has been lost in an aural mush for decades becoming startlingly clear.
Better still, listen to the version of Matchbox Blues recorded for
OKeh when Lemon broke contract with Paramount (for one record only) and hear
one of the greatest of all blues records in superior sound. This is a
reissue that does the great man justice and deserves a place in every
collection. (DPR)
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Milestone 47022 |
Blind Lemon Jefferson |
● CD $18.98 |
Perhaps the most influential and popular country blues man
of the 20's, Jefferson recorded extensively for the Paramount label with
just his voice and guitar. This CD reissues the 2-LP Milestone collection
from 1974 minus seven songs - though the disc still lasts more than 72
minutes! The superior sound quality (it's possible to make out most of his
words now) more than makes up for the missing tunes. All selections were
transferred from 78's recorded in Chicago and Richmond, Indiana between
1926-'29; classic songs include That Black Snake Moan/ Matchbox Blues/
Easy Rider/ Rabbit Foot Blues/ Long Distance Moan/ Prison Cell Blues/ Jack
O'Diamonds/ Rising High Water Blues (many also found on Yazoo 1069). As
these sides prove, Jefferson was not only an innovative guitarist, but an
exceptional lyricist as well. Important music for any basic blues library.
(JC)
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| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
Yazoo 2057 |
The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson |
● CD $14.98 |
23 tracks, 67 mins, essential .. but This is probably the
best single compilation of the recordings of this great and influential
Texas country bluesman - both in terms of selection and sound quality.
However, if you have the previous Yazoo compilation of Blind Lemon (1069 -
King Of The Country Blues) then you already have 2/3 of the tracks here,
albeit with slightly inferior sound. There are also 10 duplications with
Catfish 101 which also has superb sound. With those caveats out of the way I
can say that this is a great opportunity to hear some of the greatest
country blues recordings. Jefferson was probably the most popular country
bluesmen of the pre-war era and his style, songs and arrangements were to
influence generations of rural performers. He was a powerful singer with an
intense voice and a dazzling guitar player - he punctuated his vocal lines
with incredibly beautiful and complex guitar runs. This compilation includes
some of his most famous and emulated songs like Match Box Blues/ Long
Lonesome Blues/ Corinna Blues/ See That My Grave Is Kept Clean/ 'Lectric
Chair Blues and more including a couple of the gospel songs he recorded
that were issued under the pseudonym Deacon L.J. Bates, his wonderful
version of Jack O'Diamonds featuring a rare example of his slide
guitar playing and a surprising, straight ahead cover of Leroy Carr's How
Long Blues complete with an unknown piano player attempting to emulate
Carr's style. Comes with 12 page booklet with detailed and informative notes
by Stephen Calt. After this you'll probably want to get the complete
recordings on Document. (FS)
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| THE JELLY ROLL KINGS |
Fat Possum 80310 |
Off Yonder Wall |
● CD $13.98 |
10 tracks, 48 mins, good New album from the semi-legendary
group featuring singer/ guitarist Big Jack Johnson, harmonica/ keyboard
player Frank Frost and drummer Sam Carr. The performances are straight ahead
juke joint blues with nothing really standing out and too many
undistinguished instrumentals. Best cut is the energetic version of Look
On Yonder Wall. Frank Frost is a good singer and harmonica player but as
far as I can tell he only plays keyboards on this set. It's not as if there
is any shortage of really good recordings by these guys. (FS)
THE JELLY ROLL KINGS: Baby Please Don't Go/ Fat Back/ Fishin' Musician/
Frank Frost Blues/ Have Mercy Baby/ I'm A Big Boy Now/ Look Over Yonder
Wall/ Sitting On Top Of The World/ So Lonesome/ That's Alright Mama
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