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Utica Institute Jubilee Singers -> Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

UTICA INSTITUTE JUBILEE SINGERS
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE
THE VAUGHAN BROTHERS
MAURICE JOHN VAUGHN
WALTER VINCSON
EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON

UTICA INSTITUTE JUBILEE SINGERS/ HARRODS JUBILEE SINGERS Document DOCD 5603 Complete Recordings ● CD $15.98

18 tracks from the Utica Institute Jubilee Singers from 1927-29 and 6 by Harrod's Jubilee Singers (1922)

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE Epic 47390 The Sky Is Crying ● CD $16.98

A 10-cut compilation of finished studio tracks which were, for one reason or another, not included on Stevie Ray's previous 7 albums. This is no bottom of the barrel collection; in fact I like these blues cuts better than a lot of the stuff that Epic issued originally. Covers like The Sky Is Crying/ May I Have A Talk With You/ Close To You show off Vaughan's Albert King-derived chops. His other idol, Jimi Hendrix, is eulogized at length on Little Wing, and Lonnie Mack's instrumental Wham gets a punchy, but short updating. My favorites are the snarlin' slidin' opener Boot Hill, and the razor sharp Texas shuffles Empty Arms/ So Excited, both featuring that concise high-energy soloing that could only come from the Lone Star state. A couple of tracks don't quite fit in, but the rest rank among his most satsfying blues cuts. (MB)

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE Epic 53168 In The Beginning - Live 1980 ● CD $11.98

9 tracks, 40 min., good. Way back on April 1, 1980, when Stevie Ray was just Stevie, Double Trouble was making their debut as a trio in an Austin niteclub. The show was broadcast live on local radio and a tape was made, a tape that eventually made it into the right hands and resulted in Double Trouble signing with Epic. Here is that tape. The sound quality is remarkably good, considering it was not originally intended for release, and the 9-song set consists of 3 Vaughn originals and "personalized renditions of classics" (Dixon/Rush/Wolf). Vaughn's searing, relentless guitar is very much in evidence even at this early stage, but to my ears Double Trouble is at his best here when Stevie is relatively more restrained and the band is bashing out rockin' blues like In The Open and Love Struck Baby. While Vaughn fans will have to have this document either way, those uninterested in his guitar-hero status may also find it appealing. (GDR)

THE VAUGHAN BROTHERS Epic 46225 Family Style ● CD $11.98

As the finishing touches were being put on this long-awaited brotherly collaboration, a tragic accident ended Stevie Ray Vaughan's stellar career. And so, what should have been a joyous musical celebration is now a bittersweet memorial to his talent. To give it the standard reviewer's treatment seems pretty difficult under these circumstances, but that's my job, folks. Stevie Ray and brother Jimmie (of the Fabulous Thunderbirds) obviously had a ball in the studio, swapping vocals and guitar leads on a set that unfolds like a top-flight bar band kicking up their heels on a Friday night. Needless to say, the guitar-slinging is hot as a bowl of Texas chili, perhaps due to a little sibling rivalry that coaxes the best out of both men. I love the four tough instrumentals, each with its own memorable mood and series of masterful solos. Stevie deftly handles the lead vocal on four numbers, being especially effective on the understated soul of Tick Tock, and the blues rockers Long Way From Home/ Telephone Song. He completely overshadows his brother's capable but under-confident singing, which takes center stage on the least exciting two songs here. But Jimmie's licks, always my favorite part of any T-Birds album, are terse and tasteful as ever, an effective foil to Stevie Ray's expansive style. When the grieving is over, I think we'll all be glad to have a recording like this that's so full of life. (MB)

MAURICE JOHN VAUGHN Alligator 4763 Generic Blues Album ● CD $13.98

This is a fine debut album by a young Chicago blues singer/ guitarist and tenor sax player. Some fine singing and playing by Vaughn on a selection of mostly original songs and solid accompaniments by the small group with some particularly nice keyboard work by Leo Davis. Maurice is a fine and distinctive vocalist with a tough crisp electric guitar style - 6 of the 8 songs here are originals and are good intelligent compositions. (FS)

MAURICE JOHN VAUGHN Alligator 4813 In The Shadow Of The City ● CD $13.98

12 tracks, 56 min., recommended. Don't put Vaughn into that well-peopled category of competent-but-generic Chicago bluesmen, 'cause he won't fit. He wields now a guitar, now a saxophone, sings with sincerity, writes with intelligence. The solos are always there to support the song, never the other way around, as is often the case in contemporary blues. His I Want To Be Your Spy belongs next to Jamo Thomas and Edwin Starr's surveillance classics, and Game Over, in which Vaughn points out to some unfortunate, "you done lost all your men," is 5 minutes of utter coolness. Shadow misses occasionally but not often. Inspirational Admonition: "If you're not careful, you just my get some funk on you." (JC)

JACKIE VERDELL Ace CDCH 375 Lay My Burden Down ● CD $16.98

8 tracks, 45 min., recommended. Verdell sang lead with the excellent and ill-fated gospel group, The Davis Sisters. And if Aretha Franklin didn't take a page from her book, she certainly lifted a few paragraphs. But where Aretha made the jump to the secular market with singular success, Verdell was not so fortunate. It wasn't for lack of trying or talent, though. Eventually, she made her way back to the fold to record some fine gospel sides, including these for writer/producer/arranger Joe Simon, originally compiled in 1983. Still in excellent voice, Verdell is backed by singers Emily Houston, Delia Warwick, Houston E. Whitney, Beverly Furgeson, and others. The backing band is tight and just a little funky on standards that include When The Saints Go Marching In/ Storm Is Passing Over. Nice cover of Let It Be too. (JC)

WALTER VINCSON Blues Documents 6017 Complete Recorded Works, 1928-1941 ● CD $15.98

Walter Vincson (or Vinson or Vincent or Jacobs) was a key member of the famed black string band The Mississippi Sheiks and an important musician on the Mississippi blues scene in the 20s and 30s. This disc presents recordings issued under is own name as well as accompaniments to Mary Butler and Leroy Carter (the latter might well be Vincson!). Walter had a warm vocal style and was a fine guitarist though much of his guitar playing is in the background. The one solo performance Overtime Blues has some particularly nice guitar work. Other accompaniments usually have the fiddle & guitar sound of the Sheiks while others find him in the company of rather chaotic pianist Harry Chatmon or harmonica player Robert Lee McCoy. Several tracks are from very worn 78s and are difficult listening. In all an interesting though not essential release. (FS)

EDDIE VINSON Classics 5017 The Chronological Eddie Vinson, 1945-1947 ● CD $15.98

24 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended
This is the fourth or fifth CD reissue of the 40s recordings of this distinctive blues shouter and alto saxist. What sets this apart from the previous issues is that this is the first to present a comprehensive chronological look at his career. Eddie's first recordings were as vocalist with the Cootie Williams Orchestra and are featured on Classics 827 and 981. This collection features everything recorded between December 1945 and April 1947 by Vinson and his Orchestra including titles not originally issued. It includes the original recordings of some of his most famous songs like Cherry Red/ Juice Head Baby/ Cleanhead Blues/ Kidney Stew Blues as well as lots of other fine songs and some excellent big band jazz instrumentals. Includes Mr. Cleanhead Steps Out/ Br'er Rabbitt/ I Like To Be Home Blues/ Somebody's Gotta Go/ When A Woman Loves/ Old Maid Boogie/ Bonus Pay and more. Excellent sound and too brief notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
EDDIE VINSON: Bonus Pay/ Boogie Woogie Holiday/ Br'er Rabbit/ Cherry Red Blues/ Cleanhead Blues/ Gonna Send You Back Where I Got You From/ Gonna Send You Back Where I Got You From/ I Like To Be Home Blues/ I've Been So Good/ It's A Groovy Affair/ Juice Head Baby/ Just A Dream/ Kidney Stew Blues/ King For A Day Blues/ Lazy Gal/ Luxury Tax Blues/ Mr. Cleanhead Steps Out/ Old Maid Boogie/ Railroad Porter Blues/ Somebody's Got To Go/ Three O'clock In The Morning/ Too Many Women Blues/ Too Many Women Blues/ When A Woman Loves A Man

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON Culture Press 1008 Old Maid Boogie ● CD $12.98

23 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended 23 early tracks by this excellent and distinctive blues shouter and altoist including his first sides from 1944 and '45 with the Cootie Williams Orchestra. It includes the original recordings of some of his most famous songs like Cherry Red/ Juice Head Baby/ Cleanhead Blues/ Kidney Stew Blues and the title song. Most of the cuts feature Eddie with his own orchestra on songs like Too Many Women Blues/ When A Woman Loves Her Juice/ King For A Day Blues/ Railroad Porter's Blues. Except for a few cuts the sound is excellent and there are infortive notes and discographical data. (FS)

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON Delmark 631 Kidney Stew Is Fine ● CD $11.98

Excellent late 60s set recorded in France - with T. Bone Walker/guitar, Hal Singer/ tenor, Jay McShann/piano and others

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON Original Jazz Classics 868 I Want a Little Girl ● CD $11.98

Originally on LP Pablo 2310 866. A nice relaxed, jazz flavored set. A couple of jazz instrumentals and some familiar and unfamiliar blues songs given Vinson's distinctive treatment - he is accompanied by first rate musicians like Art Hillery/ piano & organ, Cal Green/ guitar, Roy McCurdy/ drums and others.

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON Southland 29 Kidney Stew ● CD $14.98

Saxophonist/vocalist plays w. Ted Easton's Jazz Band in mid-70's

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON & JIMMY WITHERSPOON King KCD 634 Battle Of The Blues, Vol. 3 ● CD $10.98

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UTICA INSTITUTE JUBILEE SINGERS/ HARRODS JUBILEE SINGERS	Document DOCD 5603	Complete Recordings	● CD $15.98
18 tracks from the Utica Institute Jubilee Singers from 1927-29 and 6 by Harrod's Jubilee Singers (1922)

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE	Epic 47390	The Sky Is Crying	● CD $16.98
A 10-cut compilation of finished studio tracks which were, for one reason or another, not included on Stevie Ray's previous 7 albums. This is no bottom of the barrel collection; in fact I like these blues cuts better than a lot of the stuff that Epic issued originally. Covers like The Sky Is Crying/ May I Have A Talk With You/ Close To You show off Vaughan's Albert King-derived chops. His other idol, Jimi Hendrix, is eulogized at length on Little Wing, and Lonnie Mack's instrumental Wham gets a punchy, but short updating. My favorites are the snarlin' slidin' opener Boot Hill, and the razor sharp Texas shuffles Empty Arms/ So Excited, both featuring that concise high-energy soloing that could only come from the Lone Star state. A couple of tracks don't quite fit in, but the rest rank among his most satsfying blues cuts. (MB)

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE	Epic 53168	In The Beginning - Live 1980	● CD $11.98
9 tracks, 40 min., good. Way back on April 1, 1980, when Stevie Ray was just Stevie, Double Trouble was making their debut as a trio in an Austin niteclub. The show was broadcast live on local radio and a tape was made, a tape that eventually made it into the right hands and resulted in Double Trouble signing with Epic. Here is that tape. The sound quality is remarkably good, considering it was not originally intended for release, and the 9-song set consists of 3 Vaughn originals and "personalized renditions of classics" (Dixon/Rush/Wolf). Vaughn's searing, relentless guitar is very much in evidence even at this early stage, but to my ears Double Trouble is at his best here when Stevie is relatively more restrained and the band is bashing out rockin' blues like In The Open and Love Struck Baby. While Vaughn fans will have to have this document either way, those uninterested in his guitar-hero status may also find it appealing. (GDR)

THE VAUGHAN BROTHERS	Epic 46225	Family Style	● CD $11.98
As the finishing touches were being put on this long-awaited brotherly collaboration, a tragic accident ended Stevie Ray Vaughan's stellar career. And so, what should have been a joyous musical celebration is now a bittersweet memorial to his talent. To give it the standard reviewer's treatment seems pretty difficult under these circumstances, but that's my job, folks. Stevie Ray and brother Jimmie (of the Fabulous Thunderbirds) obviously had a ball in the studio, swapping vocals and guitar leads on a set that unfolds like a top-flight bar band kicking up their heels on a Friday night. Needless to say, the guitar-slinging is hot as a bowl of Texas chili, perhaps due to a little sibling rivalry that coaxes the best out of both men. I love the four tough instrumentals, each with its own memorable mood and series of masterful solos. Stevie deftly handles the lead vocal on four numbers, being especially effective on the understated soul of Tick Tock, and the blues rockers Long Way From Home/ Telephone Song. He completely overshadows his brother's capable but under-confident singing, which takes center stage on the least exciting two songs here. But Jimmie's licks, always my favorite part of any T-Birds album, are terse and tasteful as ever, an effective foil to Stevie Ray's expansive style. When the grieving is over, I think we'll all be glad to have a recording like this that's so full of life. (MB)

MAURICE JOHN VAUGHN	Alligator 4763	Generic Blues Album	● CD $13.98
This is a fine debut album by a young Chicago blues singer/ guitarist and tenor sax player. Some fine singing and playing by Vaughn on a selection of mostly original songs and solid accompaniments by the small group with some particularly nice keyboard work by Leo Davis. Maurice is a fine and distinctive vocalist with a tough crisp electric guitar style - 6 of the 8 songs here are originals and are good intelligent compositions. (FS)

MAURICE JOHN VAUGHN	Alligator 4813	In The Shadow Of The City	● CD $13.98
12 tracks, 56 min., recommended. Don't put Vaughn into that well-peopled category of competent-but-generic Chicago bluesmen, 'cause he won't fit. He wields now a guitar, now a saxophone, sings with sincerity, writes with intelligence. The solos are always there to support the song, never the other way around, as is often the case in contemporary blues. His I Want To Be Your Spy belongs next to Jamo Thomas and Edwin Starr's surveillance classics, and Game Over, in which Vaughn points out to some unfortunate, "you done lost all your men," is 5 minutes of utter coolness. Shadow misses occasionally but not often. Inspirational Admonition: "If you're not careful, you just my get some funk on you." (JC)

JACKIE VERDELL	Ace CDCH 375	Lay My Burden Down	● CD $16.98
8 tracks, 45 min., recommended. Verdell sang lead with the excellent and ill-fated gospel group, The Davis Sisters. And if Aretha Franklin didn't take a page from her book, she certainly lifted a few paragraphs. But where Aretha made the jump to the secular market with singular success, Verdell was not so fortunate. It wasn't for lack of trying or talent, though. Eventually, she made her way back to the fold to record some fine gospel sides, including these for writer/producer/arranger Joe Simon, originally compiled in 1983. Still in excellent voice, Verdell is backed by singers Emily Houston, Delia Warwick, Houston E. Whitney, Beverly Furgeson, and others. The backing band is tight and just a little funky on standards that include When The Saints Go Marching In/ Storm Is Passing Over. Nice cover of Let It Be too. (JC)

WALTER VINCSON	Blues Documents 6017	Complete Recorded Works, 1928-1941	● CD $15.98
Walter Vincson (or Vinson or Vincent or Jacobs) was a key member of the famed black string band The Mississippi Sheiks and an important musician on the Mississippi blues scene in the 20s and 30s. This disc presents recordings issued under is own name as well as accompaniments to Mary Butler and Leroy Carter (the latter might well be Vincson!). Walter had a warm vocal style and was a fine guitarist though much of his guitar playing is in the background. The one solo performance Overtime Blues has some particularly nice guitar work. Other accompaniments usually have the fiddle & guitar sound of the Sheiks while others find him in the company of rather chaotic pianist Harry Chatmon or harmonica player Robert Lee McCoy. Several tracks are from very worn 78s and are difficult listening. In all an interesting though not essential release. (FS)

EDDIE VINSON	Classics 5017	The Chronological Eddie Vinson, 1945-1947	● CD $15.98
24 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended This is the fourth or fifth CD reissue of the 40s recordings of this distinctive blues shouter and alto saxist. What sets this apart from the previous issues is that this is the first to present a comprehensive chronological look at his career. Eddie's first recordings were as vocalist with the Cootie Williams Orchestra and are featured on Classics 827 and 981. This collection features everything recorded between December 1945 and April 1947 by Vinson and his Orchestra including titles not originally issued. It includes the original recordings of some of his most famous songs like Cherry Red/ Juice Head Baby/ Cleanhead Blues/ Kidney Stew Blues as well as lots of other fine songs and some excellent big band jazz instrumentals. Includes Mr. Cleanhead Steps Out/ Br'er Rabbitt/ I Like To Be Home Blues/ Somebody's Gotta Go/ When A Woman Loves/ Old Maid Boogie/ Bonus Pay and more. Excellent sound and too brief notes by Dave Penny. (FS) EDDIE VINSON: Bonus Pay/ Boogie Woogie Holiday/ Br'er Rabbit/ Cherry Red Blues/ Cleanhead Blues/ Gonna Send You Back Where I Got You From/ Gonna Send You Back Where I Got You From/ I Like To Be Home Blues/ I've Been So Good/ It's A Groovy Affair/ Juice Head Baby/ Just A Dream/ Kidney Stew Blues/ King For A Day Blues/ Lazy Gal/ Luxury Tax Blues/ Mr. Cleanhead Steps Out/ Old Maid Boogie/ Railroad Porter Blues/ Somebody's Got To Go/ Three O'clock In The Morning/ Too Many Women Blues/ Too Many Women Blues/ When A Woman Loves A Man

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON	Culture Press 1008	Old Maid Boogie	● CD $12.98
23 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended 23 early tracks by this excellent and distinctive blues shouter and altoist including his first sides from 1944 and '45 with the Cootie Williams Orchestra. It includes the original recordings of some of his most famous songs like Cherry Red/ Juice Head Baby/ Cleanhead Blues/ Kidney Stew Blues and the title song. Most of the cuts feature Eddie with his own orchestra on songs like Too Many Women Blues/ When A Woman Loves Her Juice/ King For A Day Blues/ Railroad Porter's Blues. Except for a few cuts the sound is excellent and there are infortive notes and discographical data. (FS)

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON	Delmark 631	Kidney Stew Is Fine	● CD $11.98
Excellent late 60s set recorded in France - with T. Bone Walker/guitar, Hal Singer/ tenor, Jay McShann/piano and others

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON	Original Jazz Classics 868	I Want a Little Girl	● CD $11.98
Originally on LP Pablo 2310 866. A nice relaxed, jazz flavored set. A couple of jazz instrumentals and some familiar and unfamiliar blues songs given Vinson's distinctive treatment - he is accompanied by first rate musicians like Art Hillery/ piano & organ, Cal Green/ guitar, Roy McCurdy/ drums and others.

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON	Southland 29	Kidney Stew	● CD $14.98
Saxophonist/vocalist plays w. Ted Easton's Jazz Band in mid-70's

EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON & JIMMY WITHERSPOON	King KCD 634	Battle Of The Blues, Vol. 3	● CD $10.98