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BLUES & GOSPEL
Jimmy Rogers -> Jimmy Rushing

  

JIMMY ROGERS Blind Pig 5018 Feelin' Good ● CD $15.98
Reissue of 1984 Murray Brothers recordings with Rod Piazza & others.

 
JIMMY ROGERS/ BIG MOOSE WALKER Wolf 120.861 Chicago Bound - Chicago Blues Session Vol. 15 ● CD $15.98
A nice set of Chicago blues featuring 6 songs by Rogers and 4 by Walker recorded in 1989 accompanied by John Primer/gtr, Willie Kent/ bass and Timothy Taylor/ drums. In addition, Rogers is joined by his son on guitar and Billy Branch on harp. He trots out his usual warhorses Chicago Bound and Sloppy Bound and others along with a couple less familiar titles - St Louis and Lemon Squeezer. Jimmy is in good voice and the session has a good sound. Walker is also a fine performer though his excellent piano playing is rather buried. He does good versions of Swear To Tell the Truth/ Anna Lee/ One Room Country Shack and Who's Been Foolin' You which is hilariously mistitled as Whoopin' Foolin' You. Wolf makes so many errors like this, I sometimes wonder if they do it purposely! Not an essential set but an enjoyable one. (FS)

 
ROY ROGERS Blind Pig 72687 Slidewinder ● CD $15.98
Bottleneck slide stylist goes hogwild on Robert Johnson and original tunes, 10 in all with John Lee Hooker and others.

 
ROY ROGERS Blind Pig 73589 Blues On The Range ● CD $15.98
 

 
ROY ROGERS Blind Pig 74892 Chops Not Chaps ● CD $15.98
 

 
ROY ROGERS & NORTON BUFFALO Blind Pig 5003 Travillin' Tracks ● CD $15.98
 

 
ROY ROGERS & NORTON BUFFALO Blind Pig 74491 R&B ● CD $15.98
Colorful array of acoustic tunes from blues to ballads

 
WALTER ROLAND Document DOCD 5144 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1 (1933) ● CD $15.98
23 tracks, 67 mins, essential. Walter Roland was superb performer from Alabma - a beautifully mournful singer with an expressive rolling piano style he was also an accomplished guitarist. This and the subsequent volume features all the recordings issued under his own name along with duets with and accompaniments to the obscure but fine Sonny Scott. The material on the first volume is very varied - it opens with two songs on the popular theme of the "Red Croos Store" - one with piano accompaniment and one with guitar. He does a vocal duet with Scott on the whimsical Man, Man, Man and accompanies Scott on four songs including the powerful Working Man's Moan. He turns in several driving piano instrumentals Jookit Jookit (variation on Pinetop's Boogie Woogie), Piano Stomp Hungry Man's Scuffle - the latter featuring spoken interjections by Scott and Lucille Bogan as well as tap dancing by Scott! There are a couple of guitar instrumental duets with Scott which brings to mind some of Big Bill Broonzy's earlier recordings. They both accompany Scott's vocals on guitar the tremendous Frisco Blues. Sound is generally good though a few tracks are from worn 78s. Bob Groom's notes are informative but dry. (FS)

 
WALTER ROLAND Document DOCD 5145 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 (1934-35) ● CD $15.98
22 tracks, 64 mins, essential. The second volume featuring 22 tracks recorded between July 1934 and March 1935 is not quite as varied as the first with Roland playing piano on all tracks and most of the tracks being slow to medium tempo but is still exceptional. On half the tracks he is joined by Josh White on guitar. There are some wonderful songs here including the topical Collector Man Blues and C.W.A. (actually about the "P.W.A." - Public Works Administration), the powerful Dices Blues, the raunchy Screw Worm and the graphic I'm Gonna Shave You Dry (recorded at the same session as Lucille Bogan's legendary Shave 'Em Dry) and more. It also includes the mysterious (to me anyway) O.B.D. Blues - what is singing about? V.D., B&D or a dance called the "O.B.D"? Any suggestions? Another magnificent release. (FS)

 
ROOMFUL OF BLUES Bullseye Blues 9555 Dance All Night ● CD $15.98

 
ROOMFUL OF BLUES Bullseye Blues 9566 Turn It On! Turn It Up! ● CD $15.98

 
ROOMFUL OF BLUES Varrick 018 Dressed Up To Get Messed Up ● CD $15.98
Features some great guitar by Ronnie Earl, and guest vocals by The Fabulous Thunderbird's Kim Wilson. What Happened To The Sugar In My Lemonade, Money Talks and 8 more stompers.

 
ROOMFUL OF BLUES Varrick 024 Live At Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel ● CD $15.98

 
DR. ROSS Arhoolie 371 Boogie Disease ● CD $12.98
Dr. Ross was quite a one-man band but he could definitely be called a one man wrecking crew, setting up a pile-driving syncopation on guitar, harmonica and vocals. This CD (an expanded version of Arhoolie 1065) reissues 22 of his dynamic early recordings (1951 through 1954) including unissued songs and alternate takes. On some tracks the good Doctor is accompanied by guitarist Wiley Gatlin and/or washboard player Reubin Martin but the show is Ross's all the way and includes such great performances as Boogie Disease/ Good Thing/ Country Clown/ Memphis Boogie/ Down South Blues/ Little Soldier Boy/ Going Back South/ Taylor Made/ Chicago Breakdown/ Polly Put Your Kettle On/ Industrial Avenue Boogie, etc. What is most surprising is that practically none of these titles were issued when they were originally recorded - they are all so good. Excellent sound, detailed notes by Steve LaVere and Bob Eagle, a couple of great vintage photos and full discographical details. When this Doctor is in the neighborhood you'd not eat any of those apples! ( FS/AE)
DR. ROSS: Boogie Disease/ Chicago Breakdown/ Country Clown/ Down South Blues/ Downtown Boogie/ Dr. Ross (Chicago) Break Down/ Feel So Sad/ Going Back South/ Going To The River/ Good Thing Blues/ Industrial Avenue Boogie/ Juke Box Boogie/ Little Soldier Boy/ Memphis Boogie/ Mississippi Blues/ My Bebop Gal/ Polly Put Your Kettle On/ Shake 'Em On Down/ Shake A My Hand/ Taylor Mae/ Texas Hop/ Turkey Leg Woman

 
DR. ROSS Blue Horizon 1 The Flying Eagle ● CD $18.98
Wonderful informal recordings from the good doctor featuring 12 sides recorded in a hotel room in London, England in 1965 and six recorded by Ross himself at his home in Flint, Michigan in 1966.

 
FREDDIE ROULETTE Hi Horse 4044 Back In Chicago ● CD $13.98
First album in a long time and first all blues album by this excellent and unique lap steel guitarist. Freddie is accompanied by Willie Kent's group.

 
OTIS RUSH Alligator 4797 Lost In The Blues ● CD $13.98
A smart move by the good folks at Alligator. With no new release from this great singer/ guitarist and nothing likely to be forthcoming in the near future, Alligator have taken these recordings from 1977 dusted them off, polished them up and presto - an almost new Otis Rush album. These recordings were made for the Swedish Sonet label in Sweden with the band touring with Otis - Bob Levis/ rhythm guitar, Bob Stroger/ bass and Jesse Lewis Allen/ drums plus one cut with Alan Batts on piano and organ. Coming on the heels of his masterpiece "Right Place, Wrong Time" and a couple of fine Delmark albums this one was somewhat lost in the shuffle and the fact that it was unavailable for long periods at a time didn't help. For this reissue Alligator have remixed the tapes to emphasize Otis's vocals and guitar and overdubbed Lucky Peterson on piano and organ to beef up the sound. It still does not rate among Otis's better efforts - his singing and playing are a little too restrained and the material is not particularly striking (Hold That Train/ Little Red Rooster/ You Don't Have To Go/ Baby What You Want Me To Do, etc) but even when not in top form Otis is better than most with his aching vocals and soaring liquid guitar runs. Worth a listen. (FS)

 
OTIS RUSH Blind Pig 73188 Tops - Recorded Live At The S.F. Blues Festival ● CD $15.98
Recorded in 1985, this set finds Otis doing a mixture of originals (Right Place Wrong Time, Tops, and a painfully short Keep On Loving Me Baby ) and standards like Crosscut Saw, Gambler's Blues, Feel So Bad . While it's really not a bad album, it's not very exciting either. Because of his reluctance to put together his own band and do it right, Otis continues to short-change his own talent and legendary status. The backup band is solid, but they simply aren't familiar enough with Otis and his choice of material. Vocally he is in fine form - his playing is imaginative and sometimes fiery. The thing is, if this were the debut of a new artist it might be looked at differently, but this is Otis Rush, and the name alone deserves more. (RJ)

 
OTIS RUSH Collectables 7704 Mourning In The Morning CD $12.98
Previously on Atlantic 82367. Reissue of rare Cotillion album from 1969, with Duane Allman and Jimmy Johnson joining Otis on guitars, Mark Naftalin on keyboards, and songs by the new blues elite of the time - Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites mainly along with a remake of Otis's classic My Love Will Never Die and a superb cover of B.B.'s Gambler's Blues. 11 cuts.

 
OTIS RUSH Delmark 781 All Your Love I Miss Loving - Live At The Wise Fools Pub CD $14.98
12 tracks, 68 mins, essential
A live set from 1976 featuring Otis Rush at the top of his game - need I say more? Otis was possibly the greatest of the new breed of Chicago bluesmen to emerge in the mid 50s with an intense emotion drenched vocal style and an incredible guitar technique that owes a debt to the long drawn out phrasing of Albert King but takes it to a new level. This live session was recorded at Chicago's famed Wise Fools Pub with his band of the time (Bob Levis/ guitar, Albert Gianquinto/ pno, Bob Stroger/ bass and Jesse Green/ drums). The titles are mix of Rush classics (All Your Love/ It takes Time) and blues standards (Please Love Me/ Mean Old World/ Gambler's Blues), etc. but all take on a new life in the hands of the master. As liner note writer Steve Tomashefsky points out Otis Rush  is one of a handful of Chicago bluesmen who is a great singer and a great guitarist and "When he is on - as he is here - there seems to be nothing he can't do with either instrument." I dare you to sit still during the closing instrumental Motoring Along. (FS)

 
OTIS RUSH Delmark 638 Cold Day In Hell ● CD $15.98
If you've got his Cobra recordings and his masterpiece Right Place, Wrong Time, this is the place to go next. Recorded in 1975, this album is filled with Rush's stinging guitar and impassioned vocals focusing on the topics of love and misery (as if they were different). The opener is Cut You A Loose, followed by 8:31 of the mournful You're Breaking My Heart. Anchored with the rhythm section of James and Jesse Green on bass and drums, the band more than keeps up with Otis, while Abe Locke and Chuck Smith spend their time blowing sorrow out of their saxophones. Those who already own the LP are directed to the previously unreleased Part Time Love and an alternate take of You're Breaking My Heart, which bring the running time up to a respectable 59:46. Unrelenting Chicago blues. (JC)
OTIS RUSH: All Your Love/ Cold Day In Hell/ Cut You A Loose/ Mean Old World/ Midnight Special/ Motoring Along/ Part Time Love/ Society Woman/ You're Breaking My Heart/ You're Breaking My Heart (alternate Take)

 
OTIS RUSH Delmark 643 So Many Roads ● CD $15.98
 Otis recorded live in Japan in 1975 with group led by Jimmy Johnson.

 
OTIS RUSH Genes 4131 Live And Awesome ● CD $15.98

 
OTIS RUSH Hightone HCD 8007 Right Place, Wrong Time ● CD $13.98
Arguably the best recordings of this great Chicago singer/ guitarist with the possible exception of his recordings for Cobra in the 50s. Originally recorded for Capitol in 1971 it was not released by them and was subsequently bought by Bullfrog in 1976 and then in 1986 the rights were acquired by Hightone who have issued on LP, cassette and now on compact disc. Accompanied by a superb band of San Francisco based musicians Otis turns in superb versions of original songs like the title song, Take A look Behind and the superb instrumental Easy Go. he also turns in outstanding versions of ike Turner's Tore Up, Albert King's Natural Ball, Little Milton's Lonely Man and a remarkably sensitive version of Rainy Night In Georgia. Otis singing throughout is outstanding - passionate and intense but not out of control as is sometimes the case on his 70s & 80s recordings. He is also one of the world's greatest blues guitarists and there is a lot of opportunity for his playing to shine here. Highly recommended!

 
OTIS RUSH Westside 858 Good 'Un's - The Classic Cobra Recordings, 1956-1958 ● CD $22.98
24 tracks, 75 mins, essential With the Paula label now defunct it's a real joy to see that Westside is starting to reissue recordings from the Cobra label. And what better way to start than with the finest recordings made for that label and some of the greatest of Chicago blues recordings - and sounding better than they have ever before. Otis Rush's career has had it's share of ups and down but these recordings made when he was in his early 20s show why he is held in awe by both fans and fellow musicians. He sings with a powerful and aching intensity that sends shivers down your spine and his guitar playing echoes that intensity with a searing economy of style full of his trademark riffs and licks that have been followed closely by many musicians. Most of the songs were written by Willie Dixon and some of them are pretty dopey but Otis's singing and playing take them to a new dimension though even he can't do much with the insipid Violent Love. But all the classics are here - I Can't Quit You baby/ My Love Will Never Die/ Groaning The Blues/ Three Times A Fool/ Checking On My Baby/ All Your Love and the others. If Dixon's songs are sometimes dubious his production is exemplary using such musicians as Little Walter, Walter Horton, Jackie Brenston, Red Holloway, Lafayette Leake, Louis Myers, Ike Turner, Al Duncan and others to produce a dense "wall of sound" backdrop to Otis's tortured vocals and searing guitar. The remastering here lends a clarity and definition to the backing instruments that I've not heard before. Complementing the 16 issued takes are eight well chosen alternates to help provide a more complete picture. The booklet has informative notes by Neil Slaven but no discographical info. These recordings are truly indispensable to any blues fan and even if you have the previous Paula release you might want to go with this for the superior sound. (FS)

 
JIMMY RUSHING Blue Boar 1011 The Blues I Like To Hear ● CD $12.98
24 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended. Excellent collection of sides from this outstanding jazz/blues shouter from, probably, his best period : 1937-1945. Most of the tracks are from his long tenure with the great Count Basie Orchestra plus some tracks with Johnny Otis & His Orchestra and with Jimmy Mundy & His Orch. There are fine urban blues numbers like Don't You Miss You Baby/ Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)/ Blues In The Dark/ Goin' To Chicago Blues and the all time classic Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong) with a lovely boogie solo by Basie. There are also bluesy, jazzy interpretations of popular songs like Exactly Like You/ You Can Depend On Me and I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me. The band rocks powerfully behind Rushing's blues and ballads, yet the arrangements always manage to emphasize the vocalist and his powerful delivery. Sound is excellent and there informative notes (in tiny print) and full discographical info. (FS)

 
JIMMY RUSHING Collectables 6313 Five Feet Of Soul ● CD $11.98
First CD reissue of Colpix CP 446 from 1963 with four bonus cuts. Mr Five by Five belts out 14 tracks (mostly standards) backed up by an incredible big band line-up put together for the 2 day session. Personnel include Phil Woods(as), Zoot Sims(ts), Joe Newman(t), Urbie Green(tb), Freddie Green(g) & Milt Hinton(b)! Just Because/ 'Tain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do/ Trouble In Mind/ You Always Hurt The One You Love, etc. (AE)

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