14 tracks from this fine singer/harmonica player - 5
originally issued on 45s on the Carolyn & Sotoplay labels and the rest
recorded at his last session for Murray Brothers in 1982 - one previously
unissued.
26 tracks, 71 mins, recommended
George "Harmonica"
Smith was a fine singer and harmonica player who, though obviously
influenced by Little Walter, was true original who himself was a big
influence on a number of harmonica players, particularly on the West
Coast. In the 50s, 60s & 70s he recorded a number of prized singles
for various small Los Angeles based labels - Lapel, J&M, Sotoplay,
Carolyn and Hittin Heavy and this collection gathers most of them
together. One of the joys of a collection of material like this is the
considerable variety of material featured ranging from intense down home
blues like All Last Night and Nobody Knows to great
instrumentals like Hot Rolls, Loose Screws and a spine
chilling version of Summertime to expendable novelties like Rope
That Twist. George's singing and playing are excellent, sometimes
playing chromatic harp, to great effect and is accompanied by top L.A.
Session men like J.D. Nicholson, Pete Lewis, Jimmy Nolen, Curtis Tillman
and others. Unfortunately some of these cuts were recorded in very funky
studios and some were dubbed from worn 45s so the sound frequently leaves
something to be desired. Brief notes and discographical information is
included. (FS)
20 tracks, 59 min., recommended. Most cuts feature Ivy (Iva)
Smith's fine singing with only Davenport's bluesy/boogie-woogie-flavored
piano as accompaniment--and it's enough. The 8 Paramount sides are,
predictably, a bit noisy, and it's tough to make out the words at times,
but excellent songs such as Barrel House Mojo and My Own Man
Blues, which features Leroy Pickett on violin, make up for the aural
imperfections. Other highlights include Milkman Blues/ Got Jelly On My
Mind/ Wringin' And Twistin' Papa/ Mistreated Mamma Blues, all about
that same familiar subject. (JC)
Before Chester Burnette there was another "Howling
Wolf". Texas singer/guitarist J.T. Smith took the nickname after
recording his brilliant two part "Howling Wolf Blues" in
September, 1930. Smith was a fine singer and guitarist and a brilliant
songwriter with an original lyrical approach - he was so full of ideas
that several of his compositions were extended over both sides of a
record. His theme song has been covered by a number of singers, mostly
from Texas, since he first recorded it. This CD features 18 sides under
his own name plus two duets with Magnolia Harris and two with Desser
Foster. There were a large number of unissued titles recorded by Smith,
mostly in 1935, and we can only hope that someday they will turn up. Sound
is satisfactory and there are informataive notes by Teddy Doering - a most
worthwhile release. (FS)
Complete Record Works In Chronological
Order, Vol 1
● CD $15.98
24 tracks, 74 min., recommended In 1920 Crazy Blues
sold 75,000 copies in 4 weeks, just in Harlem. And no wonder, black
audiences hadn't had many opportunities to buy records by black artists,
for one thing. And, for another, Smith sings it at the top of her form,
her limited but pleasing voice exploiting what was already a pretty
charming song. Her band of Jazz Hounds earns its name on such,
jazz-flavored instrumentals as That Thing Called Love and
elsewhere, and Smith herself sings as jazzy as she does bluesy, though at
the time she must have sounded blue as hell. And while she's no Bessie,
cuts like Lovin' Sam From Alabam and Jazzbo Ball delight.
Besides, who doesn't want to own the first commercially recorded blues
song? (First of 4 volumes.) Expect less than perfect sound quality. (JC)
24 tracks, 73 min., very good Little is known about these
two country blues guitarists. David Evans proposes that Spark Plug Smith
was maybe just a crooner, performing in a simple direct manner with
rudimentary guitar playing. A listen to You Put That Thing On Me, In
A Shanty In Old Shanty Town, and Mama's Doughnut will convince
you of this. As for Tallahasee Tight/ Louis Washington, here we have a
limited performer, at least as illustrated by his recordings. He was
possibly a street singer, performing 5 spirituals and 9 blues songs,
including a version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's Black Snake Blues.
(EL)
25 tracks, 78 min., recommended Trixie Smith (1895-1943),
"The Southern Nightingale", was one of two most successful
artists who recorded for the black-owned Black Swan label (the other was
Ethel Waters). The titles she recorded during this time is quite
impressive, including the original versions of Trixie's Blues
(covered by Lizzie Miles), Pensacola Blues
(covered by Edith Wilson),
I'm Through With You (covered by Esther Bigeou, Josie Harley), I'm Gonna
Get You (covered by Mamie Smith), and the wonderful My Man Rocks Me (With
One Steady Roll). Once on Paramount Records, her success continued with
again original songs like Freight Train Blues, Don't Shake It No More and
Ride Jockey Ride. Given her popularity, resulting in the deplorable state
of her early 78s, the remastering for this CD is quite acceptable. (EL)
23 tracks, 68 min., recommended This, the 2nd and last
volume of Trixie Smith's complete recordings, features her famous
Paramount Recordings with Louis Armstrong (The World's Jazz Crazy And
So Am I, Railroad Blues, Mining Camp Blues), Fletcher
Henderson (Everybody's Doing That Charleston Now, He Likes It
Slow) and Jimmy Blythe (Messin' Around). All these titles were
first recorded by Trixie Smith which says something about her credentials,
and given the calibre of the accompaniment, they hold up well today. Messin'
Around I find particularly strong featuring Johnny Dodds and Freddie
Keppard who would cover this title some 3 months later (with Papa Charlie
Jackson on vocals). The CD ends with her 1938 Decca recordings with
Charlie Shavers & Sidney Bechet, made up mostly of excellent
re-recordings of her early Paramount hits, along with two new titles (Jack
I'm Mellow, My Unusual Man). Her very last recording was a 1939
one-off of Ivy Smith's No Good Man (with Henry Allen and Barney
Bigard). (EL)
25 tracks, 70mins, essential
In August, 1960 Chicago singer
& guitarist Otis "Smokey" Smothers entered the Cincinatti studios of King
Records and in the company of guitarists Freddy King & Fred Jordan, drummer
Phillip Paul and producer Sonny Thompson produced possibly the finest
Chicago down home blues session of the 60s. Twelve songs were recorded in a
relatively short period of time and each one is a minor masterpiece -
Smokey's voice has a lazy Jimmy Reed quality, the songs are excellent and
varied and the instrumental work is simply sublime. Freddy King had started
his career being influenced by guitarists like Jimmy Rogers and Eddie Taylor
and his playing here owes a debt to those musicians but also has elements of
the more energetic style that he was developing. His solo work is
astounding, varying from track to track to suit the mood of the song and the
interplay with the guitar work of rhythm guitarist Fred Jordan (who is he?)
brings to mind some of the duo guitar work on Muddy's 50s recordings. Tracks
from this session were released on a series of singles on Federal and in
1962 on a King LP whose rarity is legendary. For this release Ace have gone
back to the original master tapes meaning they were able to leave out the
unnecessary dubbed on bass and present the original full length takes - some
were edited when originally released. There are four tracks from another
King session in 1962 with a different line up including fine harpist Louis
"Little" Boyd - fine Chicago blues but missing the magic of that earlier
session. Finally there are nine alternate takes from the 1960 sessions which
are fine and interesting but clearly inferior to the issued takes. If you
have any interest in down home Chicago blues you must have this! (FS)
10 tracks, 33 min., recommended There must have been a
shortage of photos in the MCA production department when this budget disc
was being prepared for issue. Somehow they managed to put a photo of the
Sam Cooke Soul Stirrers from the mid 50's on the cover of a reissue of
this group's mid- to late 60's Checker label material. Having gotten that
off of my chest, let me admit that the music here isn't bad at all. But
the sound is definitely mid-60's. Among the featured numbers are Amen/
Don't Move That Mountain/ Blowin' in the Wind/ Amazing Grace, and Crying
in the Chapel. Otherwise, the stereo sound quality is fine, and there
are no notes at all. (DH)
The importance of the Rebert Harris led Soul Stirrers can
hardly be overstated. Harris is widely credited with having pioneered the
stylistic innovations that gave birth to the hard gospel sound of the 50's
and to the soulful vocalizing of his protege, Sam Cooke, who took over
this group's lead singing duties when Harris left. Highlights include By
And By, the previously unissued Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb, Everybody
Out to Love Their Soul, How Long, The Lord is My Shepherd,
and I Have A Right To The Tree Of Life. There are 26 cuts in all,
15 previously unissued. Good cover art, fine sound quality given the 1950
recording dates, and excellent notes by Ray Funk.. (DH)
25 tracks, 67 min., essential. Sam Cooke was one of the most
original and influential vocal stylists of all time. Hear him in all his
glory (1951-55) without edits or overdubs; his peerless soaring mellismas
are a joy. Catch also the anguished spiritual tones of the great Paul
Foster Sr. as he alternates sparingly with Cooke. The first eight cuts are
pure unadulterated acappella. Includes the "long" version (one
of 3 different unissued renderings) of All Right Now sung blazingly
by gospel's hardest lead, Rev. "June" Julius Cheeks. A once in a
lifetime treat. (OLN)
24 tracks, 62 min., recommended. Due to large sales
potential and the widely popular lead vocal stylings of Sam Cooke, and
later Johnnie Taylor, the highly charged and sometimes awesome work of
Paul Foster, Sr., longtime Soul Stirrers' stalwart was so often left in
the can. Now, for the first time, Foster's finest efforts can be heard in
proper perspective. He either solos or acts as foil against Johnnie
Taylor's spellbinding melismatic acrobatics. Johnnie Taylor brought soul
and grace to the group, with breathtaking renderings of The Love Of
God/ Out On A Hill. Foster offered a deep spiritual quality best
reflected on Golden Bells and the beautiful title cut. A perfect
balance of beauty and grandeur, and not to be passed up. Gospel Gold circa
1953-59. (OLN)
20 tracks, 46 minutes, very good. Fine modern uptown blues
from Ernest Baker, who started out making singles in the 60s beginning
with the legendary Old Town label, moved to L.A. where he's a supervisor for
Sheriff's Dept, & was rediscovered after spending years in the
Crenshaw Christian Center gospel choir! Backed up by able-bodied L.A.
session stalwarts, this set of mostly up-tempo blues, complete with horn
section, really satisfies. The set is mostly covers, though guitarist
Jimmy Rip from Mick Jagger's solo band contributes an unrecorded
Jagger/Rip tune Better Days, plus Jr. Parker's In The Dark,
Harold Burrage's Cryin' For My Baby, Charlie Musselwhite's Long
As I have You, etc (GM)
Complete Paramounts In Chronological Order,
1929-31
● CD $15.98
Spand was a very talented Detroit pianist/ singer who
probably came from Georgia, where he teamed up with Blind Blake. Blake's
ragtimey guitar is an excellent complement to Spand's style, as heard on
some of the earlier cuts here, including Spand's first effort Soon This
Morning Blues and the amusing Hastings St.. The booklet author
speculates that the guitar on Good Gal/ Ain't Gonna Stand For That
is by Josh White. Most of the time, though, it's just Charlie and his
piano facing hard times and harder women. Everything he recorded for
Paramount is given chronologically - 25 sides in all - including the
unissued Breakdown and an unreleased take of Got To Have My
Sweetbread. Sound quality is usually adequate. (JC)
14 tracks, 50 min., highly recommended. Newly mastered using
the Wilson Audio Custom Tube Mastering facility. These tracks, pulled from
3 Storyville LP's, represent Spann's complete Copenhagen session from
1963. Muddy Waters' long-time pianist favors slow, understated blues when
performing solo, as it is here on all but one cut. And whether he's
singing about his health (T.B. Blues/ Goin' Down Slow), or the
ubiquitous blues pastry (Jelly Roll Baker), the results are
beautiful and haunting. Guitarist Lonnie Johnson adds his six strings to Trouble
In Mind. A most worthy addition to any blues collection. The new
mastering gives added warmth and clarity to these fine recordings. New
notes by John Koenig. (JC)
15 tracks, 43 min., recommended. This reissue of Testament LP
2211 (with one additional cut) shows off Spann's immense talent in a
variety of settings. Seven tracks have him alone at his piano, one (Vicksburg
Blues) matches him with drummer Robert Whitehead, and most of the rest
feature Spann on piano or organ with other members of Muddy Waters' Band,
including the great James Cotton an harp. On the instrumental extra cut,
Spann is joined by Johnny Shines on guitar, Big Walter Horton on harp.
About the only rub is the occasionally diluted sound quality, but that is
a minor complaint in the face of such fine blues. (JC)
16 tracks, 71 mins, recommended. Otis Spann was so good and
died so young (in 1970 at the age of 40) that any chance to hear
previously unissued recordings by him is to be treasured even if the sound
on some of the material here is unexceptional. This is the first album in
a series of reissues from the late Pete Welding's archive of previously
unissued recordings. 12 of the cuts find Otis recorded live with his
former boss Muddy Waters. There are five from a 1968 tribute concert to
Martin Luther King with Muddy on acoustic guitar and an acoustic bass.
Sound balance on these is not very good but there is beautiful singing and
playing by Spann particularly on Tribute To Martin Luther King.
There are seven cuts with the full Waters band with much better sound -
Spann takes two vocals including a splendid version of the West Coast
favorite Tin Pan Alley and Muddy does four excellent vocals and
plays some fine slide on Can't Lose What You Never Had. There are
two superb solo performances by Spann from around 1965 and a couple of
accompaniments to Johnny Young and Slim Willis. A varied and entertaining
collection though probably not the first Spann album to get. (FS)
OTIS SPANN: Blind Man/ Blues Is A Botheration/ Cryin' Time/ Green Flowers/
Home To Mississippi/ Mule Kicking In My Stall/ Some Day/ The New Boogaloo/
Twisted Snake/ You Said You'd Be On Time
18 tracks, 64 mins, recommended. The album title is a little
misleading since this is everything Otis recorded for Vanguard and in
between the two sessions here he recorded for several other labels. With
the hyperbole out of the way let's get to the music. The first five tracks
are from 1965 and were originally issued on the "Chicago - The Blues
Today". Accompanied only by drummer S.P. Leary his piano playing is
truly stunning - unfortunately he seems to be suffering from a bad cold
and his two vocals sound very hoarse. There are 13 sides from a 1969
session with a band (3 of them previously unissued). Spann is wonderful
but the band is only average and Barry Melton's guitar playing is too
busy. The three unissued tracks are unexceptional - a fairly generic
instrumental jam and a couple of gospel songs with the vocals dominated by
Otis's wife Lucille. (FS)
24 tracks, 77 mins, essential. Utterly superb collection
featuring all the recordings of twin brothers Marion (Milton) Sparks and
Aaron "Pinetop" Sparks. Thought to be from Mississippi they
settled in St. Louis in 1920. As you might guess from his nickname Aaron
was a piano player - and what a player - he had a beautiful rolling style
and was a master of the mid tempo boogie bringing to mind the playing of
Jimmy Yancey. His playing was imaginative and inventive - full of subtle
nuances. He was also a superb vocalist with a warm mellow style though he
only sings on four songs. He accompanies brother Milton on nine excellent
songs and accompanies relatively undistinguished singers Elizabeth
Washington, Tecumsa McDowell and Dorothea Trowbridge. Milton recorded two
fine sides with a small group including Peetie Whaetstraw, fiddler Bill
Lowery and an unknown clarinet and guitar player. The set is rounded out
with two cuts where he is accompanied by pianist Walter Davis and
guitarist Henry Townsend. This disc includes two interesting early
versions of the blues standard Everyday I Have The Blues - one by
Elizabeth Washington from 1933 called Whiskey Blues and one from
1935 by Pinetop. Though most of the lyrics are different to the familiar
one, credited to memphis Slim, there is no doubt that the germ of the song
is there. With a couple of exceptions the sound is excellent and there are
fine notes from Mike Rowe. (FS)
24 tracks, 73 min., recommended The 3 North Carolina gospel
quartets here hail from Spartanburg (Spartanburg Famous Four, Gospel Light
Jubilee Singers) or thereabouts (Shelby Gospel Four)--Shelby is 40 miles
away. The local "Spartanburg sound," influenced as it was by The
Heavenly Gospel Singers, is evident throughout; each group, for example,
is propelled by rock solid bass singers. All 3 exist on wax thanks to one
studio session each, although the absence of future sessions can perhaps
be explained not by a decline of quality but by a changing musical front.
Most quartets, even well-established ones, did not survive the changes
that grew up around WWII, and if they did, they usually didn't record
again. In any case, the cuts here, of uniformly fine quality, represent
some of the best quartet singing from an area famous for the art. (JC)
18 tracks, 61 min., recommended Barrelhouse piano player
Rufus 'Speckled Red' Perryman, best known for his recordings of The
Dirty Dozens and The Right String But The Wrong Yo Yo already
had one career behind him when the world "rediscovered" him in
1954. Red cut these tracks between 1955-57 and they became Delmark
Records' first release. This CD reissue offers 8 additional cuts not
previously available, among them The Dirtier Dozens and The
Dirtiest Dozens, which are catalogs of vulgarity, and definitely in
the running for raunchiest blues recordings of all time. (JC)