BLUES & GOSPEL
Papa Lightfoot ->
Little Milton
| PAPA LIGHTFOOT/
SAMMY MYERS |
Official 5254 |
Blues Harmonica Wizards |
● CD $17.98 |
22 fine harmonica blues tracks from the 50s/early 60s
featuring 16 cuts by Alexander "Papa" Lightfoot including accompaniments to
Jack Dupree, Donald "Silver" Cooks and Edgar Blanchard and 5 from Myers. One
track "Rhythm With Me" by Myers is actually "Steady" by Jerry McCain!
Package is rather carelessly put together and sound is not always up to par
but there's some great music.
EDGAR BLANCHARD (WITH PAPA LIGHTFOOT): Creole Gal Blues/
She'll Be Mine After Awhile/ DONALD "SILVER" COOKS (WITH PAPA LIGHTFOOT):
Coming Back Home/ Mr. Ticket Agent/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE (WITH PAPA
LIGHTFOOT): Rub A Little Boogie/ ELMORE JAMES (WITH SAM MYERS): Look On
Yonders Wall/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Blue Lights/ Jump The Boogie/ Jumpin With
Jarvis/ Mean Ole Train/ Mean Ole Train #2/ Mean Ole Train #3/ Pl Blues/ When
The Saints Go Marching In/ Wild Fire/ Wine, Women & Whiskey/ JERRY MCCAIN:
Steady/ SAM MYERS: My Love Is Here To Stay/ Poor Little Angel Child/ Sad Sad
Lonesome Day/ Sleeping In The Ground/ You Don't Have To Go
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM |
Ace CDCHD 517 |
Rooster Blues/ Bell Ringer |
● CD $18.98 |
Classic Louisiana down home blues.
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Baby Please Come Back/ Bed Bug Blues/
Don't Start Me Talking/ Feelin' Awful Blue/ G I Slim/ Have Mercy On Me Baby/
Hoo Doo Blues/ I'm Leavin' You Baby/ If You Ever Need Me/ It's Mighty Crazy/
Lightnin's Troubles/ Long Leanie Mama/ Love Is Just A Gamble/ Love Me Mama/
Mean Ole Lonesome Train/ My Starter Won't Work/ Rooster Blues/ She's My
Crazy Little Baby/ Somebody Knockin'/ Sweet Little Woman/ Tom Cat Blues/
Wintertime Blues/ You Give Me The Blues/ You Move Me Baby
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM/
WHISPERING SMITH |
Ace CDCHD 578 |
High & Low Down/ Over Easy |
● CD $18.98 |
Two original Excello albums
on one CD.
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Bad Luck Blues/ Can't Hold Out Much
Longer/ G I Blues/ Good Morning Heartaches/ Hoodoo Blues/ My Babe/ Oh Baby/
Rooster Blues/ That's All Right/ Things I Used To Do/ WHISPERING SMITH:
Everybody Needs Love/ I Don't Want No Woman/ I Know I've Got A Sure Thing/ I
Know You Don't Love Me/ It's All Over/ Married Man/ Mojo Hand/ Rock Me Baby/
The Way You Treat Me/ What In The World's Come Over You/ Why Am I Treated So
Bad?/ You Want To Do It Again
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM |
Ace CDCHD 587 |
It's Mighty Crazy |
● CD $18.98 |
Great collection of early
sides by this superb down home bluesman.
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Bad Luck/ Bad Luck And Trouble/ Bed Bug
Blues/ Farming Blues/ Goin' Home/ Have Your Way/ Hoo Doo Blues/ I Can't Be
Succesful/ I Can't Understand/ I'm A Rollin' Stone/ I'm Grown/ I'm Him/ It's
Mighty Crazy/ Just Made Twenty-one/ Lightnin's Blues/ Love Me Mama/ Mean Ole
Lonesome Train/ Rock Me Mama/ Rocky Mountain Blues/ Sugar Plum/ Tom Cat
Blues/ West Texas/ What Evil Have I Done/ Wonderin' And Goin'
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM |
Ace CDCHD 616 |
Nothin' But The Devil |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
This features 24 tracks recorded between 1958 and 1961
featuring the dark vocals and low down guitar of one of the most down home
of down home bluesmen. He is accompanied on all tracks by the brilliant
harmonica player Lazy Lester and sundry other musicians. This disc features
a number of unissued tracks and alternate takes including a wonderful
reworking of Muddy's "Still A Fool" as "I Gonna Leave" and an unexpected
version of the blues ballad "Drifting Blues" which bears very little
resemblance to the Charles Brown original! Lots of other great tracks like
"Long Leanie Mama/ It's Mighty Crazy/ I'm Leavin' You Baby/ Sweet Little
Woman/ I Gonna Leave/ G.I. Slim/ Too Close Blues", etc. Usual superb sound from Ace and
informative, if somewhat pedantic, notes by Dave Sax. (FS)
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Blues At Night/ Cool Down Baby/ Death
Valley Blues/ Drifting Blues/ Feelin' Awful Blue/ G I Slim/ Goin' Away
Blues/ Greyhound Blues/ Hello Mary Lee/ I Don't Know/ I Gonna Leave/ I'm
Leavin' You Baby/ I'm Tired Waitin' Baby/ Just A Lonely Stranger/ Lightnin's
Troubles/ Long Leanie Mama/ My Little Angel Child/ My Starter Won't Work/
Nothin' But The Devil/ Rooster Blues/ Rub-A-Dub/ Somebody Knockin'/ Sweet
Little Woman/ Too Close Blues
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM |
Ace CDCHD 674 |
Winter Time Blues |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks from this swamp
bluesman recorded for Excello between 1962 and 1965 - 6 previously unissued.
In the latter part of Slim's career producer Jay Miller experimented with
various approach to make Slims very down sound more commercial and the
result is sometimes uncomfortable. Nevertheless there are some truly superb
performances here where Slim and the band are unencumbered by unnecessarry
arrangements - "Mind Your Own Business/ Winter Time Blues/ You're Old Enough
To Understand", etc.(FS)
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: A Stranger In Town/ Baby Please Come Back
(alt Take)/ Bad Luck Blues/ Bad Luck Is Falling/ Can't Life This Life No
More/ Darlin' You're The One/ Don't Mistreat Me Baby/ Don't Start Me Talkin'
(alt Take)/ I Been A Fool For You Darlin'/ I Can Hear My Baby Calling/ I
Hate To See You Leave/ I'm Evil/ I'm Warning You Baby/ If You Ever Need Me/
Lonely Stranger Aka Rocky Mountain Blues/ Lonesome Cabin Blues/ Mind Your
Own Business/ Sittin' And Thinkin'/ The Strangest Feelin'/ Winter Time
Blues/ You Give Me The Blues/ You Know You're So Fine/ You Move Me Baby/
You're Old Enough To Understand
|
| LIGHTNIN' SLIM |
Hip-O 12010 |
The Best Of Lightnin' Slim |
● CD $11.98 |
16 tracks, 42 min., highly
recommended
If Lightnin' Slim
(real name Otis V. Hicks 1913-1974) is new to you, well you're in for a real
treat. This collection will convince you that he was -without a doubt - one
of the greatest swamp blues singers, if not the best. The accompaniment is
simple and direct. Harmonica ace Lazy Lester is on all tracks except "Mind
Your Own Business". Highlights include "It's Mighty Crazy" ('57), "Rooster
Blues" ('59), "Winter Time Blues" ('61), and an all-time favorite, "You're
Old Enough To Understand". (EL)
LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Bad Luck And Trouble/ Cool Down Baby/ Have
Your Way/ Hello Mary Lee/ Hoo Doo Blues/ I'm A Rollin' Stone/ I'm Evil/ I'm
Tired Waitin' Baby/ It's Mighty Crazy/ Love Me Mama/ Mind Your Own Business/
Nothin' But The Devil/ Rooster Blues/ Somebody Knockin'/ Winter Time Blues/
You're Old Enough To Understand
|
| LIL' BRIAN &
ZYDECO TRAVELERS |
Rounder 2136 |
Fresh |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, highly recommended
Fresh is right! This hot new
band is composed of members barely out of high school, but they play like
old pros. Might have something to do with the fact that Brian Terry, the
leader of the group, has been playing in zydeco groups since he was 14. The
Zydeco Travelers update their sound with a touch of rap, occasional use of
voice box guitar, and a whole lot of rhythm and blues, but never sound
contrived or crass. As they ably demonstrate on the more traditional zydeco
numbers on the album they are the real thing. There's a youthful energy and
tightness to this music that owes much to the tight, fresh arrangements,
Brian's smooth singing, and his skillful accordion playing. Much credit also
goes to EJ Jackson's snapping and popping bass which never stops
percolating. Numbers alternate between great covers of rhythm and blues
tunes like "Trying to Slip Away" (a standout) and Hooked, Hogtied, and
Collared" and Terry originals like "Snap Bean" and "Oh Mama". I'd love to
see these guys live! Zydeco purists may not entirely approve, but this gets
my vote as best Zydeco recording of 96 so far. (DP)
|
| LIL' ED & THE
BLUES IMPERIALS |
Alligator 4749 |
Roughhousin' |
● CD $15.98 |
The songs here are mostly originals by Ed along with a few
old favorites (Percy Mayfield's "You Don't Exist Any More", a driving boogie
version of "Mean Old Frisco" and a wild version of "Walking The Dog").
|
| LIL' ED & THE
BLUES IMPERIALS |
Alligator 4808 |
What You See Is What You Get |
● CD $12.98 |
Lil' Ed's third Alligator offering is as disappointing as
his second. His first album "Roughhousin'" showed much promise but "What You
See..." fails to hit an infectious, raunchy groove. "Find My Baby" gets
close, but the broomduster figures have become a little overdone. It's back
to the drawing board for this band - their set offers few decisive hooks and
the musical atmospheres are rather blurred. (TR)
LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS: Bluesmobile/ Find My Baby/
Life Is Like Gambling/ Living For Today/ Long, Long Way From Home/ Older
Woman/ Out Of The House/ Packin Up/ Please Help/ Toothache/ Travellin' Life/
Upset Man/ What Am I Gonna Do?/ What You See Is What You Get
|
| LIL' ED & THE
BLUES IMPERIALS |
Alligator 4886 |
Heads Up |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 52 minutes, recommended
With the lack of
respectful blues guitarists who can tear it up with a slide, Lil' Ed
Williams seems poised to move beyond his journeyman status and take over the
driver's seat. While his playing is always on edge, sounding ready to careen
off track any second, he manages to finish phrases perfectly each time,
defying logic. With plenty of slow burners, including The Creeper, a
Muddy-styled effort, to the brooding "Four Leaf Clover" and "Black Night",
Williams sounds harrowing, but raises the roof on crashing takes like "Ed
Heads' Boogie" and the infectious "Empty House Tour". He's forceful on "Lil'
Ed's Home Cookin'" and stylish for "Natural Man", and sounds remarkably like
his uncle, J.B. Hutto, on "My Mind Is Gone". Plain and simple, Lil' Ed & The
Blues Imperials know how to have fun, and they throw another party on "Heads
Up". (CR)
|
| CHARLEY
LINCOLN & WILLIE BAKER |
Blues Documents BDCD 6027 |
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological
Order |
● CD $15.98 |
Excellent Georgia 12-string blues from Charley Lincoln (the
elder brother of Barbecue Bob Hicks), and Willie Baker, about whom nearly
nothing is known. Lincoln's 12 sides are not quite his entire catalog, since
he recorded 4 duets with his brother (on DOCD 5046 & 5048), but they do
constitute all his solo performances including "Ugly Papa/ Depot Blues/
Jealous Hearted Blues/ Mama Don't Rush Me/ Hard Luck Blues" and the rather
unsubtle "Doodle Hole Blues". He moans about hard times too well not to have
had intimate knowledge of misery. Baker, on the other hand, is a more
spirited but no less convincing purveyor of the blues, as his versions of
"No No Blues/ Crooked Woman Blues/ Rag Baby" demonstrate. The 9 tracks here
from 1929 are his complete works. Sound is generally quite good. (JC)
|
| HIP LINKCHAIN |
Evidence 26038 |
Airbusters |
● CD $12.98 |
14 tracks, 49 minds, recommended
Originally issued on the
Dutch Black Magic label in 1987 this is a fine selection of no nonsense,
stripped down blues by this veteran Chicago singer/ guitarist who died in
1989. Hip was a forceful singer and a dynamic and expressive, though not
flashy, guitarist. He is accompanied by a couple of different bands on these
recordings cut between 1984 and '87. The material is mostly originals though
you will hear echoes of songs from various Chicago blues giants. The few
covers include excellent versions of B.B. King's "Gambler's Blues" and Alan
Orange's "Strain On My Heart". Informative notes by Beverly Zildin. (FS)
|
| HIP LINKCHAIN |
Teardrop 1006 |
Change My Blues |
● CD $14.98 |
10 tracks, 44 mins, very good
Hip Linkchain was a fine
Chicago singer and guitarist who recorded relatively infrequently. This is a
reissue of his first full length album recorded in 1981 with Pinetop perkins/
piano, Rich Kirch/ guitar, Right Hand Frank/ bass and Fred Grady/ drums. The
songs are half originals and half covers and Hip and the band do a nice job.
The main drawback of this album is the mediocre sound - the overall sound is
muddy and the balance isn't good - with contemporary mastering technques it
would have been possible to brighten and enrich the sound. The package is a
straight reissue of the original LP with no additional information - not
even the fact that Hip died in 1989. (FS)
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 001 |
Texas Blues Guitar |
● CD $12.98 |
15 tracks, 40 min., recommended
This Texas singer/songwriter
was recorded extensively in the '60s by Chris Strachwitz's Arhoolie label,
and this release is intended to be listened to while perusing the
instructional book "Mance Lipscomb: Texas Blues Guitar Solos", which
contains transcriptions of all of the songs here -- all but 3 of which come
form the excellent album
Texas Songster Vol. 1". Presumably, at some point a guitar would also
come in handy. Without the book, the music is still amazing, though the
Songster series offer more tunes per penny. Cuts include "Big Boss Man/
Knockin' Down Windows/ Freddie/ Ain't It Hard/ Mama Don't Allow/ Motherless
Children/ So Different Blues", and more. (JC)
MANCE LIPSCOMB: 'Bout A Spoonful/ Ain't It Hard/ Big Boss
Man/ Freddie/ Knockin' Down Windows/ Mama Don't Allow/ Mama, Let Me Lay It
On You/ Motherless Children/ Rag In G/ Shake, Shake Mama/ So Different
Blues/ Sugar Babe/ Take Me Back/ Willie Poor Boy/ You Got To Reap What You
Sow
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 306 |
Texas Songster |
● CD $12.98 |
|
MANCE LIPSCOMB: 'Bout A Spoonful/ Ain't It Hard/ Baby
Please Don't Go/ Big Boss Man/ Blues in G/ Ella Speed/ Freddie/ Going Down
Slow/ Jack O' Diamonds/ Knock Down Windows/ Mama Don't Allow/ Mama, Don't
Dog Me/ Motherless Children/ Nobody's Fault But Mine/ One Thin Dime/ Rag in
G/ Shake, Shake, Mama/ Sugar Babe (It's All Over Now)/ Take Me Back Babe/
Tell Me Where You Stayed Last Night/ Willie Poor Boy/ You Gonna Quit Me
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 398 |
You Got To Reap What You Sow - Texas
Songster Vol. 2 |
● CD $12.98 |
24 tracks, 78 mins, essential
Mance Lipscomb was one of the
greatest musical discoveries of the 60s - a wonderful singer and guitarist
with an extensive repertoire that encompassed not only blues but rags, dance
tunes, pop songs, spirituals, childrens songs and more. This wonderful
collection of 24 songs was all recorded in one afternoon in May 1964 - most
in one take! The material is varied including old blues favorites ("Come
Back Baby/ Bumble Bee"), regionally popular blues ("Charlie James/ Hattie
Green", the powerful "Tom Moore Blues" about a Washington county land owner
and the exquisite "Willie Poor Boy"), popular and jazz songs ("Long Way To
Tipperary / You Rascal You") which become completely new songs in Mance's
hands, instrumental pieces ("Spanish Flang Dang/ Boogie In "A"") and more. A
couple of tracks feature some lovely slide guitar including a version of the
topical ballad "The Titanic" and "Joe Turner Killed A Man". He also sings a
surprising unaccompanied version of the Anglo-American traditional ballad
"Lord Thomas". There are a lot more musical treasures featured here. Sound
quality is superb and there are fine notes by Chris Strachwitz who
discovered Mance and recorded the selection here. (FS)
MANCE LIPSCOMB: Boogie In A/ Bumble Bee/ Charlie James/
Cocaine Done Killed My Baby/ Come Back Baby/ Hattie Green/ I Looked Down The
Road And I Wondered/ If I Miss The Train/ Joe Turner Killed A Man/ Long Way
To Tipperary/ Lord Thomas/ Mama, Don't Dog Me/ Missouri Waltz/ Police
Station Blues/ Sentimental Blues/ Silver City/ So Different Blues/ Spanish
Flang Dang/ Tall Angel At The Bar/ The Titanic/ Tom Moore Blues/ Willie Poor
Boy/ You Got To Reap What You Sow/ You Rascal You
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 465 |
Captain, Captain - Texas Sonsgter, Vol. 3 |
● CD $12.98 |
9 tracks from 1966, previously issued on Arhoolie 1033 plus
6 unissued cuts from that session and 11 previously unissued cuts from his
first Arhoolie session in August, 1960. Wonderful sides from a great
performer.
MANCE LIPSCOMB: Ain't You Sorry/ Angel Child 15.Black Rat/
Captain, Captain!/ Easy Rider Blues/ Farewell Blues/ Foggy Bottom Blues/
Frankie And Albert/ Goin' Up North To See My Pony Run/ Going Back To
Georgia/ Heel And Toe Polka/ I Want To Do Something For You/ Long Tall Girl
Got Stuck On Me/ Mance's Talking Blues/ Me And My Baby/ Mr. Tom's Rag
(Guitar Solo)/ Night Time Is The Right Time/ Rag In "A" (Guitar Solo)/ Santa
Fe Blues/ Segregation Done Past (Story No Guitar)/ Sentimental Peice In "G"
(Guitar Solo)/ Shorty George/ Tom Moore's Farm/ Why Did You Leave Me?
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 482 |
Live! At The Cabale |
● CD $12.98 |
21 tracks, mins, recommended
A wonderful collection of live
recordings by the great bluesman and songster. 19 were recorded live at The Cabale in Berkeley in 1964 and the remaining two were recorded in Sacramento
in 1972. Only 3 of these tracks have been issued previously and producer
Chris Strachwitz has tried to mostly pick songs Mance had not recorded
elsewhere. In addition to all the great singing and guitar playing there is
a wonderful 12 minute segment of spoken reminiscences interspersed with
fragments of song giving a valuable insight into Mance's life. Songs include
"Baby Don't You Lay It On Me/ You Gonna Miss Me/ Trouble In Mind/ Mance's
Short Haired Woman/ Shine On Harvest Moon/ Key To The Highway/ Wonder Where
My Easy Rider Done Gone/ Early Days Back Home/ I Wonder Why/ You Gonna Quit
Me Baby/ Mother Had A Sick Child", etc. (FS)
MANCE LIPSCOMB: Baby Don't You Lay It On Me/ Cocaine Done
Killed My Baby/ Early Days Back Home (Talking)/ I Wonder Why/ It Ain't Gonna
Rain No More/ Keep On Truckin'/ Key To The Highway/ Late Night Blues &
Boogie Woogie/ Mance¼s Short Haired Woman/ Meet Me In The Bottom/ Mother Had
A Sick Child/ Rock Me Mama/ Run Sinner, Run/ Shine On Harvest Moon/ Tom
Moore Blues/ Tra-La-Ra-La Doodle All Day/ Trouble In Mind/ When The Saints
Go Marching In/ Wonder Where My Easy Rider Done Gone/ You Gonna Miss Me/ You
Gonna Quit Me Baby
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Arhoolie 9026 |
Vol. 5 - Pure Texas Country Blues |
● CD $9.98 |
18 tracks, highly recommended
Mance Lipscomb from Navasota,
Texas was one of the great musical discoveries of the 60s - a wonderful and
engaging singer and magnificent guitarist whose repertoire encompassed a
wide range of material of which blues was only a part (a very important part
nevertheless). Chris Strachwitz recorded him extensively for Arhoolie in the
60s and early 70s and Mance was rarely les than superb. On the selection
here the emphasis is on Mance as bluesman performing original songs,
traditional songs and covering blues standards but what emerges is pure
Mance. These recordings were made between 1968 and 1973 and previously
appeared on two LPs - Arhoolie 1049 and 1069. A few of the cuts have second
guitar and on two cuts he is accompanied by his grandson Frank on bass and
drummer Wayne Davis. Even if you have the first four Mance CDs on Arhoolie
you're sure to want this one - it's a beauty. (FS)
|
| MANCE LIPSCOMB |
Vestapol 13011 |
In Concert |
● DVD $22.98 |
DVD The great Texas songster in a live performances recorded for
TV station KLRU in 1969. 16 songs including "So Different Blues/ Going Down
Slow/ Alcohol Blues/ Silver City/ Key To The Highway/ Mama Don't Allow/
Baby, You Don't Have To Go/ Motherless Children" and more. 58 minutes in
color.
|
| VIRGINIA LISTON |
Document DOCD 5446 |
Vol. 1 : 1923-1924 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 65 min., good/recommended
Virginia Liston was a
good vaudeville blues singer but by no means a great one. And while many of
these sides go plodding along, thanks in part to accompanying pianist
Clarence Williams, who plays much of the time in the manner of a poorly
manufactured robot, Liston sings some sparks into most of the tracks,
including "House Rent Stomp" and "I Don't Love Nobody". The two sides of
dialogue ("You Can Have It I Don't Want It" and "Just Take One Long Last
Lingering Look") with Sam Gray, her husband at the time, amuse mildly.
Booklet notes indicate that Louis Armstrong, Buddy Christian, and Sidney
Bechet appear as part of Clarence Williams Blue Five on a track or 2, though
they don't kick up enough of a fuss to make much difference. A solid set,
though Vol. 2 offers Liston's more interesting work. (JC)
VIRGINIA LISTON: 'tain't A Doggone Thing But The Blues/
Bed Time Blues/ Bill Draw/ Don't Agitate Me Blues/ Early In The Morning/
Give It To Me Good/ Happy Shout/ House Rent Stomp/ I Don't Love Nobody/ I
Never Knew What The Blues Were (until You Went Away)/ Jail House Blues/ Just
Take One Long Last Lingering Look/ Mississippi Blues/ Monkey Jungle Blues/
Pineland Blues/ Sally Long Blues/ San Francisco Blues/ Shreveport Blues/
Weeping Willow Blues/ You Can Have It (i Don't Want It)/ You Don't Know My
Mind Blues/ You Got The Right Key, But The Wrong Keyhole/ You Thought I Was
Blind But Now I See
|
| VIRGINIA LISTON |
Document DOCD 5447 |
Vol. 2 : 1926-1926/ LAVINIA TURNER |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 67 min., recommended
Volume 2 contains Liston's
finest sides ("Rolls Royce Papa", "Titanic Blues", "Evil Minded Blues"), the
presence of which lessens considerably the pain of listening to her worst
sides, the wretched "I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)", "Black
Sheep Blues" and "I'm Sick Of Fattening Frogs For Snakes", all featuring
Clarence Williams' insipid reed organ accompaniment that is approximately as
exciting as filling out tax forms while waiting in line at the DMV. Also
included here are all discovered titles by the fine vaudeville singer
Lavinia Turner, who sounds pretty darn good for 1921-22. The tracks
featuring James P. Johnson on piano are a treat, and so are the other ones.
(JC)
VIRGINIA LISTON: Any Day The Sun Don't Shine/ Black Sheep
Blues/ Evil Minded Blues/ I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle/ I Ain't Got
Nobody/ I'm Gonna Get Me A Man That's All/ I'm Sick Of Fattening Frogs For
Snakes/ Make Me A Pallet/ Night Latch Key Blue/ Papa De Da Da/ Rolls Royce
Papa/ Titanic Blues/ You Can Dip Your Bread In My Gravy, But You Can't Have
None Of My Chops/ LAVINIA TURNER: A-wearin' Away The Blues/ Can't Get Lovin'
Blues/ Don't Cut Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face/ He Took It Away From Me/
How Can I Be Your 'sweet Mamma' When You Are 'daddy' To Somebody Else?/ How
Many Times?/ If I Were Your Daddy (and You Were A Mamma To Me)/ Sweet Man O'
Mine/ Watch Me Go/ You Never Miss A Good Thing Till It's Gone
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4753 |
All The Way Crazy |
● CD $15.98 |
First album by local jump blues band, heroes of the local
'battle of the harmonica.' Led by Little Charlie Baty on guitar & frontman
with Rick Estrin on vocals, harp & shiny suit, this LP has the one thing the
band lacks in person - restraint. Live, Charlie tries to play the entire
history of blues, jazz & rockabilly guitar on every solo, here he just plays
what the song needs. Songs are on the humorous side, some nice originals
like "T.V. Crazy/ Short Skirts/ Poor Tarzan" & great choice of covers inc.
Five Royales's - "Right Around The Corner" & Boo-ga-loo's "Clothes Line"
(GM)
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4776 |
The Big Break |
● CD $15.98 |
Hardworking blues band recorded in scenic Richmond,
California. "The Big Break/ Don't Do That/ Dump That Chump/ Jump Start/ Some
Nerve/ Lottery" , etc.
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4794 |
Captured Live |
● CD $15.98 |
Few of the countless blues bar bands that pass through the
Bay Area have a more rabid following than Sacramento's Little Charly & The
Nightcats. And for good reason - Rick Estrin is a good Chicago-style harp
player and a charismatic frontman (although his vocals are an acquired
taste), and Charlie Baty is nothing short of a guitar sensation, fusing down
home blues playing and flashy rockabilly chops with the most amazing
be-bop/jump blues solos I've heard in years. Their previous three releases
on Alligator have gotten less than rave reviews in these pages 'cause they
can't quite turn it on in the studio they way they do on the bandstand. So
at last this is the one I've been waiting for, with lots of juicy guitar -
check out the lengthy solos on Buddy Guy's "10 Years Ago", the churning
original slow blues "Rain", and the showstoppers "Run Me Down/ Wildcattin'",
a jump instrumental that just makes me want to throw my guitar off a cliff
and give up. Of course, there are a couple of throwaways, but the majority
of these 10 cuts surpass anything the band has committed to vinyl (or
plastic) so far. (MB)
LITTLE CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS: Crawling Kingsnake/ Dump
That Chump/ Eyes Like a Cat/ Rain/ Run Me Down/ Smart Like Einstein/ Ten
Years Ago/ Thinking With The Wrong Head/ Tomorrow Night/ Wildcattin'
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4812 |
Night Vision |
● CD $15.98 |
|
LITTLE CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS: Backfire/ Buzzsaw/
Califonia On My Mind/ Can't Keep It Up/ Crying Won't Help You/ Dog Eat Dog/
Grow Up, Baby/ I Dare You Baby/ I'll Never Do That No More/ My Next Ex-Wife/
Pressing On/ Sure Seems Strange/ You Win
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4829 |
Straight Up |
● CD $15.98 |
|
LITTLE CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS: Gerontology/ Hey Gold
Digger/ Homicide/ I Can't Speak No Spanish (No Hablo Espanol)/ I Could Deal
With It/ I'm Just Lucky That Way/ Is That It?/ Me and My Big Mouth/ My Way
or the Highway/ On the Loose/ Playboy Blues/ Too Close Together/ Turn My
Back on You/ You Gonna Lie
|
| LITTLE
CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS |
Alligator 4902 |
Nine Lives |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, excellent
While the rhythm section has been
somewhat like a revolving door over the years, Little Charlie Baty and Rick
Estrin have been joined at the hip for what seems a lifetime. From slow,
minor key blues ("Circling The Drain") with guitar well to the fore, to
jumping chromatic harp ("Handle With Care"), and solid Latin grooves ("Got
To Have A Job"), The Nightcats once again deliver a strong disc that touches
all the blues bases. Estrin's vocal affectations can often be more of an
acquired taste, but as a songwriter, his wittiness and sense of humor are
almost always striking. Rusty Zinn and a handful of others (including horns)
make appearances rounding out "Nine Lives". (CR)
|
| LITTLE ESTHER |
Classics 5066 |
The Chronological Little Esther, 1951-1952 |
● CD $14.98 |
20 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended
Although Little
Esther had recorded previously and had hits as a member of the Johnny Otis
Orchestra this CD presents the first recordings issued under her own name
though she is still featured with the fabulous Otis Orchestra with stellar
musicians like guitarist Pete Lewis, tenor saxist Lorenzo Holden, trombonist
George Washington, pianist Devonia Williams and others. This wonderful
collections includes two great sides with vocal accompaniment by Clyde
McPhatter & The Dominoes, a duet with Mel Walker on "Ring-a-ding-doo", a
beautiful rendition of the standard "Summertime" with some bluesy harmonica
(presumably Pete Lewis) doing a call and response with the sax, the fabulous
mid-tempo "Ramblin' Blues" with its choice Ben Webster tenor break, the
atmospheric "Storm" with thunder and rain sound effects, plus other
scorchers. Whether singing a smoochy ballad, a hot jumper or a soulful blues
Esther always sounded great. (FS/OLN)
LITTLE ESTHER: Aged And Mellow/ Better Beware/ Bring My
Lovin' Back To Me/ Cryin' And Singin' The Blues/ Don't Make A Fool Out Of
Me/ Heart To Heart/ Hold Me/ I Paid My Dues/ I'll Be There/ I'm A Bad Bad
Girl/ Looking For A Man/ Other Lips, Other Arms/ Ramblin' Blues/
Ring-a-ding-doo/ Somebody New/ Summertime/ Tell Him That I Need Him So/ The
Crying Blues/ The Deacon Moves In/ The Storm
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| LITTLE ESTHER |
Classics 5147 |
The Chronological Little Esther, 1951-1953 |
● CD $14.98 |
The second volume of Little Esther's recordings features the
remainder of her Federal recordings along with the six rare sides recorded
for Decca in 1953 including "Stop Crying" - a recording coveted by vocal
group collectors for its backing by an unknown vocal group.
LITTLE ESTHER: A No Good Man/ Blood And Bones/ Cherry
Wine/ Down/ Hollerin‘ And Screamin‘/ Hound Dog/ If You Want Me/ Last Laugh
Blues/ Love Oh Love/ Mainliner/ Ooh Midnight/ Please Don‘t Send Me/ Saturday
Night Daddy/ Stop Cryin‘/ Street Lights/ Sweet Lips/ Talkin‘ All Out My
Head/ The Lamps Down Low/ You Took My Love Too Fast
|
| LITTLE ESTHER |
Collectables 2896 |
The Best Of Little Esther |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended, but..
This is a fabulous
collection featuring 25 of the 32 sides Litlle Esther Phillips recorded for
Federal in 1951 and 1952. The only drawback is that Classics is reissuing
the complete early recordings in chronological order and so all the cuts
here plus more are available on Classics 5066 and 5147 ($14.98 each). On the
other hand this has superior packaging and most of it is sourced from master
tapes wheras the Classics are from 78s. Either way you'll get some great
blues and R&B with Esther backed by John Otis and his gang including duets
with Clyde McPhatter & The Dominoes, Bobby Nunn and Little Willie
Littlefield. (FS)
LITTLE ESTHER PHILLIPS: Aged And Mellow/ Better Beware/
Bring My Lovin' Back To Me/ Cherry Wine/ Cryin' And Singin' The Blues/ Flesh
Blood And Bones/ Heart To Heart/ Hollerin' And Screamin'/ Hound Dog/ I Paid
My Dues/ I'll Be There/ I'm A Bad, Bad Girl/ Last Laugh Blues/ Lookin' For A
Man (to Satisfy My Soul)/ Love Oh Love/ Mainliner/ Ramblin' Blues/
Ring-a-ding-doo/ Saturday Night Daddy/ Somebody New/ Tell Him That I Need
Him So/ The Crying Blues/ The Deacon Moves In/ Turn The Lamps Down Low/ You
Took My Love Too Fast
|
| LITTLE MIKE &
THE TORNADOES |
Blind Pig 73990 |
Heart Attack |
● CD $18.98 |
After years of recording tracks with Paul Butterfield,
Ronnie Earl, Big Daddy Kinsey and Hubert Sumlin, plus backing Pinetop
Perkins on the road and in the studio, New York's Little Mike & The
Tornadoes step out on their own. All the aforementioned guests are included
on these 13 numbers, which feature some tough Chicago blues stylings, good
harp and guitar, but unexceptional vocals. (MB)
LITTLE MIKE & THE TORNADOES: Blind Love and Whiskey/
Christmas Song/ D.O.A./ Don't Like to Get in Trouble/ Good Gal/ Heart
Attack/ IDA B/ Me and the Blues/ Never Missed A Woman/ Nothin' But the
Blues/ One Woman Man/ Resey's Rock/ Try My Love
|
| LITTLE MIKE &
THE TORNADOES |
Blind Pig 74992 |
Pay Day |
● CD $18.98 |
12 tracks, 42 min., good. Little Mike (Markowitz) writes his
own stuff, usually about money and women and wherever the twain shall meet.
And it's pretty good, too. His harmonica work is tough and invigorating, his
singing limited but pleasant. And he even does a song about an answering
machine. The Tornadoes are a rock sturdy rhythm section of drums, bass and
guitarist John Edelmann, who is at least as good on his ax as Mike is on
his. They're not likely to give you any new insights, but they deliver what
they promise. Roots. (JC)
LITTLE MIKE & THE TORNADOES: 85 Miles An Hour/ Been A Fool
Too Long/ Care of the Blues/ I Should Have Known Better/ Message Machine/
Money/ PayDay/ Shane's Stomp/ Stick With Me/ Taylor Made/ Walkin' The Floor/
What About Love
|
| LITTLE MILTON |
Chess CHD 9386 |
Greatest Hits |
● CD $9.98 |
16 great Checker sides
LITTLE MILTON: Baby, I Love You/ Blind Man/ Grits Ain't
Groceries/ I Feel So Bad/ I Play Dirty/ If Walls Could Talk/ Just A Little
Bit/ Let Me Down Easy/ Let's Get Together/ Man Loves Two (man's Temptation)/
More And More/ Poor Man's Song/ So Mean To Me/ We Got The Winning Hand/
We're Gonna Make It/ Who's Cheating Who?
|
| LITTLE MILTON |
Collectables 5434 |
Friend Of Mine |
● CD $13.98 |
Nine sides recorded for Henry Stone's Glades label in late
70s.
LITTLE MILTON: Baby It Ain't No Way/ Bring It On Back/
Don't Turn Away/ Friend Of Mine/ I'm In Love With My Best Friend's Wife/
It's All Bad News/ Missing My Love/ Sundown/ You're Gonna Make Me Cry
|
| LITTLE MILTON |
Collectables 5435 |
Me For You You For Me |
● CD $13.98 |
Eight more sides recorded for Glades.
LITTLE MILTON: 4:59 A.m./ Angel Of Mercy/ Just One Step/
Loving You/ Me For You/ My Thing Is You/ Somebody Done Changed/ Sugar
Dumpling
|
| LITTLE MILTON |
Delmark 681 |
Live At Westville Prison |
● CD $14.98 |
8 tracks, 60 mins, very good
An hour of vintage Milton as
his bluesy/soulful best, 2 sets recorded at the Westville Correctional
Center in Westville, IN on Jan 14, '83. Milton is heard on 2 sets with a
stripped down version of his band (Ricky Earl -g, Lucky Peterson - keys,
Frank McClure - b, Tony Brown - d) for a segregated prison audience. The 1st
part is done for the men, including a wonderful 10 minute version of O.V.Wright's courtroom drama"8 Men 4 Women", & a long cheating medley
including "Part Time Love" & "I Got To Love Somebody's Baby". Then comes the
even more soulful set done for the ladies in the prison, starting with an
incredible reading of The Spiders's "Bad Luck" & ending with a long "That's
How Strong My Love Is". (GM)
LITTLE MILTON: Bad Luck/ Eight Men, Four Women/ Friend Of
Mine/ How Could You Do It To Me/part Time Love/somebody's Sleeping/ I'd
Rather Drink Muddy Water/ Loving You (is The Best Thing That Happened To
Me)/ That's How Strong My Love Is./ You're The One
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