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Johnny "Guitar" Watson -> Junior Wells
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JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON ALABAMA WATSON/ GUITAR NUBITT JAMES "WEE WILLIE" WAYNE KENNY "BLUES BOSS" WAYNE CARL WEATHERSBY SYLVESTER WEAVER |
GARTH WEBBER KATIE WEBSTER CASEY BILL WELDON JUNIOR WELLS |
| JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON | Ace CDCHD 621 | Hot Just Like TNT | ● CD $18.98 |
| 28 tracks, 74 min., recommended An upgrade to Aces original Johnny "Guitar" Watson CD (Ace 909 available in the US as Flair 86233) this expands the original 14 tracks to 28 featuring West Coast recordings for Modern/RPM ('55/56), Dig ('57), Keen ('57/58) and Eldo ('60) Labels. Those of you who have the 1992 P-Vine (Japanese) set (PCD 3026/27) of his Modern/RPM sides will be familiar with these master takes which differ ever so slightly from the alternate takes used on Ace 909. Included in this new CD is a previously unknown take of Don't Touch Me (I'm Gonna Hit The Highway). The rest of the set is made up of 4 Bumps Blackwell productions for Keen Records, which includes the original version of Gangster Of Love ('58); and 7 Johnny Otis produced sides, 4 taken from a 1960 unissued session where he's assisted by a vocal group & sings very much like Ray Charles. Highlights include Hot Little Mama ('55, with Maxwell Davis Orchestra), Those Lonely, Lonely Nights ('55, #10 R&B hit), Love Bandit (vocal-piano demo) and I Got A Girl ('57). (EL) JOHNNY 'GUITAR' WATSON: Ain't Gonna Hush/ Come On Baby/ Deana Baby/ Dee's Boogie/ Don't Touch Me (i'm Gonna Hit The Highway)/ Gangster Of Love/ Give A Little/ Honey/ Hot Little Mama/ I Got A Girl (that Lives Over Yonder)/ I Love To Love You/ Lonely Girl/ Love Bandit (gangster Of Love)/ Love Me Baby/ My Baby And Me/ Next Disc/ Oh Baby/ One Room Country Shack/ Ruben/ She Moves Me/ Someone Cares For Me/ Telephone Boogie/ Those Lonely, Lonely Nights/ Three Hours Past Midnight/ Too Tired/ You've Been Gone Too Long |
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| JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON | Collectables 7619 | The Best Of The Okeh Years | ● CD $13.98 |
| 20 sides recorded for Okeh in 1966 and 1967. The first 12
tracks are from sessions with his good friend Larry Williams who plays
piano and joins Johnny on several duets including the hits Mercy,
Mercy, Mercy and Nobody. The next six tracks are from the 1967
album "The Fantastic Piano And Guitar Of Johnny Watson - BAD" featuring
Johnny and a small band tackling instrumental versions of R&B favorites
like Fever/ Unchain My Heart/ Comin' Home Baby and others. The last
two tracks feature Johnny on piano and vocals accompanied by bass and
drums doing rather tame performances of Makin' Whoopee and Ain't
Misbehavin' from Johnny's album "In A Fats Bag" - his tribute to the
great Fats Waller. |
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| JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON | V.S.O.P. 117 | The Original "Gangster Of Love" - Keen Records Sessions | ● CD $15.98 |
| 22 tracks, 64 min., good If you're wondering how Watson's two Keen sessions (one in 1957, one in 1958), which yielded but 5 songs, can be sustained for 22 tracks, with a running time of 64:30, the answer is alternate takes, and plenty of them. That Watson was a musical genius, I will gladly concede, but unless you are writing a dissertation on alternate takes of blues ballads recorded for small labels in the late 1950s (and someone probably is), this release if for big-time fans only. Who else wants to hear 10 consecutive takes of Gangster Of Love? Or 5 consecutive takes of One Room Country Shack? Or 3 of Honey (even if the Turks are singing background? Or 7 straight shots of Deana Baby? The booklet features notes by Steve Propes and a couple of cool photos, if that helps. (JC) |
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| JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON | Varese 66611 | Space Guitar - The Essential Early Masters | ● CD $11.98 |
| 18 tracks, highly recommended A great collection from this important West Coast bluesman including 12 of his 1953/54 Federal recordings and six of his 1961/63 King recordings. The former, issued as by Young John Watson, are fine examples of West Coast blues with Johnny accompanied by excellent small bands. On seven of these cuts Johnny plays piano, the guitar honors taken by Wayne Bennett or Harold Grant. The remaining 5 cuts from '54 feature Johnny's distinctive staccato guitar style, including the wild instrumental Space Guitar (two takes are included). The 1961 sessions are a lot slicker with larger bands, and on one track, strings (!) but are still fine and includes such classics as Cuttin' In, Those Lonely Lonely Feelings & the great Gangster Of Love. (FS) |
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| ALABAMA WATSON/ GUITAR NUBITT | Wolf WBJ 013 | Bluestown Story Vol. 1 | ● CD $11.98 |
| 21 tracks, recommended Some time ago I was raving about a Matchbox mini LP featuring 7 tracks by the amazing country bluesman Guitar Nubbit (Alvin Hankerson) recorded in 1962 and '65 for the Boston based Bluestown label. I was bemoaning the fact that the rumored tapes of unissued songs had never surfaced. Well guess what? They surfaced. This disc features all 8 issued songs plus two previously unissued songs. The issued tracks include his masterpiece Georgia Chain Gang which is surely one of the greatest country blues recorded in the post war era. A story song full of weird almost surrealistic images ("I whistled to my shotgun/ It crawled down from the wall/ I pulled its tongue and it bellowed and barked") sung with a passion and conviction in a distinctive and unique voice which is propelled along by his energetic and percussive guitar. By comparison the rest of the songs are almost mundane but by any other standards are exceptional with great singing and guitar. The two unissued tracks Meletonia and I Feel So Relaxed are not among his better songs but are still very fine. The rest of the CD features 11 tracks by the unexceptional Alabama Watson whose four issued sides are good but the unissued material featuring alternates takes of the issued songs and versions of Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters songs are mundane indeed. The sound is good and the booklet has extensive notes by Ron Bartolucci. Unfortunately the notes are almost unreadable due to the small size of the type and the appalling proof reading with misspellings, unexpected case changes and lack of paragraphs. Still forget all that and listen to the incredible music of Guitar Nubbit. (FS) |
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| JAMES "WEE WILLIE" WAYNE | Bayou 1004 | From Texas To New Orleans | ● CD $18.98 |
| 31 tracks, 79 mins, recommended A most welcome reissue by this excellent and distinctive Texas singer and excellent songwriter who recorded quite extensively in New Orleans and is best known for the original versions of the classic songs Junco Partner & Travelin' Mood (both here). The recordings were made between 1951 and 61 - the New Orleans sides feature such great names as Lee Allen, Justin Adams and others. Also includes Bad Morning Mr. Blues/ Gypsy Blues/ I Got To Be Careful/ A two Faced Man/ Bullcorn, etc. Sound is good but it's a shame there are no notes. (FS) |
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| KENNY "BLUES BOSS" WAYNE | Electro-Fi 3371 | 88th & Jump Street | ● CD $15.98 |
| New album from this fine singer and piano player. Original
songs with solid band including guest appearances by Jeff Healey, Mel
Brown, Bob Stroger & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. |
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| KENNY "BLUES BOSS" WAYNE | Real Blues 1201 | Blues Boss Boogie | ● CD $16.98 |
| 16 tracks, 63 minutes, Highly Recommended Born in Spokane in 1944, Kenneth Wayne Spruell is a new force to contend with when it comes to piano playing bluesmen. All 16 tracks are originals (no covers here), his boogie woogie playing reminds me of Joe Liggins & Floyd Dixon. As he was raised in Los Angeles & San Francisco, this doesn't surprise me. The producers here have added variety by including 3 instruments (accompanied by the wonderful Shuggie Otis), Johnny Ferreira (saxophone), and Canada's major swing-jump group, The Twisters. Highlights include West Coast Blues (where he plays organ, along with Shuggie), True Blue (with Junior Demchuk on guitar). (EL) |
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| CARL WEATHERSBY | Evidence 26075 | Don't Lay Your Blues On Me | ● CD $15.98 |
| 10 Tracks, 54 min., recommended A long-time member--14 years!--of Billy Branch's Sons Of Blues (a.k.a. SOBs), Weathersby and his guitar have finally released their own album, a mix of blues standards (Buster Brown's Fannie Mae, Willie Dixon's Same Thing) and originals (Rock Your Town, The Things The Blues Will Make You Do). When Weathersby lets the song tell his strings what to do (Your Love Is Everything, Poverty), things are fine. But when he forces those fiery solos--and he certainly can heat up a track--they sound, well, forced. And his version of Howlin' Wolf's Killing Floor is a mistake. Still, don't be surprised if he's the next big blues thing. (JC) |
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| CARL WEATHERSBY | Evidence 26099 | Restless Feeling | ● CD $15.98 |
| Long time guitarist with Billy Branch's Sons Of The Blues,
the Chicago guitarist's father was friends with Albert King, who was a
prime influence, in vocals as well as guitar. In fact, the opening title
tune is a cover of the King tune; another cover, Allen Toussaint's We
All Wanna Boogie, was also 1st done by King. Soulful as well as
bluesy, this, his 3rd for Evidence, is mostly original tunes by Weathersby
or guitarist Rico McFarland, with some fine covers including Lightnin'
Hopkins' Glory Be, Al Green's Rhymes, even Johnny
"Guitar" Watson's A Real Mutha Fuh Ya. (GM) |
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| SYLVESTER WEAVER | Document DOCD 5113 | Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol 2 | ● CD $15.98 |
| The second volume is equally good featuring 21 recordings
made between August and November 1927 and most of the sides have better
sound. Most of the cuts feature Weaver with guitarist Walter Beasley and
the empathy between the two guitarists is stunning. There are several
instrumental duets including the masterful Bottleneck Blues where
both play slide. There are a number of exceptional songs from Weaver which
display a high level of creativity including the incredibly bizarre Tapeworm
Blues, the fascinating Devil Blues which is one the few blues songs to use the image of a "hellhound" which figures so
prominently in Robert Johnson's Hellhound On My Trail. There are a
number of accompaniments to fine singer Helen Humes including the delightful
Garlic Blues and several songs feature the vocals of
Beasley - a decent, if unexceptional, singer. Another essential release.
(FS) |
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| GARTH WEBBER | Blue Rock'It 112 | Get A Grip On The Blues | ● CD $15.98 |
| GARTH WEBBER & MARK FORD | Blue Rock'It 119 | On The Edge | ● CD $15.98 |
| KATIE WEBSTER | Alligator 4766 | The Swamp Boogie Queen | ● CD $15.98 |
| Excellent album by Louisiana's Queen of blues, boogie
and soul. Accompaniment by her band - the fine 3 piece Silent Partners she
performs a selection of blues, soul, swamp pop and boogie. The emphasis is
on a 60s soul sounds with driving versions of Johnny Taylor's Who's
Making Love, her former boss Otis Reddings Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa and Try
A Little Tenderness (the latter with a nice up tempo ending) and Joe
Tex's Hold On To What You've Got with new and witty spoken section
by Katie. She also does a fine version of the old swamp pop hit Sea Of
Love and gets in a splendid boogie workout on her own Black Satin
with a whimsical intro from Clare De Lune. Several guest musicians
appear including Robert Cray adding some trademark licks on Whose
Making Love and the splendid Memphis Horns round out the sound on a
couple of tracks. Other guests include Bonnie Raitt and Kim Wilson whose contributions
are fairly expendable. Still a most worthwhile album from a
major talent. (FS) |
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| KATIE WEBSTER | Alligator 4777 | Two-Fisted Mama! | ● CD $15.98 |
| New album with her new road band and guest appearance by The
Memphis Horns on 3 cuts. |
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| KATIE WEBSTER | Alligator 4803 | No Foolin' | ● CD $12.98 |
| KATIE WEBSTER | Arhoolie 393 | I Know That's Right - Solo And With Hot Links | ● CD $12.98 |
| 12 tracks, 72 min., recommended This expands on Arhoolie LP 1094; basically a 1985 studio collaboration with Katie and the local band Hot Links. That album got good reviews, and helped Katie get her present career on track. Its strengths are all here - the catchy rocker I Know That's Right, swamp pop of Don't Accuse Me, the blues grinders I Want You To Love Me/ Snatch It And Grab It, a boogie woogie solo and more. Unreleased additions include an ultra-soulful solo When Something Is Wrong With My Baby, a moving Jesus Loves Me, and a live cut from the Arhoolie 25th-year party. Hot Links adds solid horn charts and solo support to Katie's good time swamp-rockin' sound. (MB) KATIE WEBSTER: Don't Accuse Me/ I Know That's Right/ I Want You To Love Me/ Jesus Loves Me / Only A Look (*)/ Jimmy Jimmy/ Katie's Boogie Woogie/ Million Dollar Secret/Shake, Rattle, And Roll (*)/ Misty Blue (*)/ Snatch And Grab It/ Voodoo BlissBo Jenkins (*)/ When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (*) |
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| CASEY BILL WELDON | Document DOCD 5218 | Complete Recorded Works, 1935-38 : Vol 2 | ● CD $15.98 |
| 25 tracks, 77 min., recommended Continuing from volume 1
(Document 5217), this set begins with Casey Blues, a deep slide
guitar blues, accompanied by pianist Black Bob Hudson. The rest of the CD
contains 23 Vocalion sides, all featuring a rhythm guitarist (Big Bill
Broonzy or Tampa Red), and four examples of his playing with clarinetist
Albert Nelson. Billed as the "Hawaiian Guitar Wizard", his
playing is outstanding, especially on the 3 titles that were covered by
Washboard Sam : Back Door, The Big Boat, and his own
composition, the blues standard We Gonna Move (To The Outskirts Of
Town). Volume 3 (1937-1938) contains the rest of his Vocalion sides
and his 1938 Bluebird session. (EL) |
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| CASEY BILL WELDON | Document DOCD 5219 | Complete Recorded Works, 1935-38 : Vol 3 | ● CD $15.98 |
| CASEY BILL WELDON/ KOKOMO ARNOLD | Yazoo 1049 | Bottleneck Guitar Trendsetters Of The 1930's | ● CD $15.98 |
| The pairing of music by Weldon and Arnold works well not
simply because the two were "trendsetters," but also because of
their wildly unconventional slide guitar styles, styles that made them
more popular than, say, Robert Johnson. Weldon shines on You Just As
Well Let Her Go/ You Should't Do That(i.e., kill your cheating woman
or yourself), Back Door Blues, and the amusing Western Swing
standard Go Ahead, Buddy. But as entertaining and unusual as
Weldon's approach is, it doesn't even tread water next to the frantic
abandon of Kokomo Arnold on The Twelves (The Dirty Dozens), a song
that is not merely played, but attacked, conquered, and possessed. The
rest of his tracks, including the risque Busy Bootin'/ Feels So Good,
display his varied guitar technique - something some collections fail to
do adequately. The Stephen Calt/John Miller liner notes are informative,
to be sure, but written in the absolute key of Dull. Sound is just fine.
(Reissues Yazoo LP 1049.) Recommended. (JC) |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Delmark 612 | Hoodoo Man Blues | ● CD $11.98 |
| CD reissue of Junior Wells' first LP, with Buddy Guy. Snatch
It Back And Hold It/Good Morning Schoolgirl/You Don't Love Me Baby/title
cut, 14 in all including bonus alternate takes of Hoodoo Man Blues/Chitlin
Con Carne. Great! |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Delmark 628 | Southside Blues Jam | ● CD $11.98 |
| 8 tracks, 40 min., recommended. Straight CD reissue of the
1970 LP. It's no Hoodoo Man Blues, but it's hard to knock. After
all, not only does it have Buddy Guy playing guitar all over the place
(sometimes with Louis Myers), but Buddy even sings on Trouble Don't
Last Always. And how can you not like the last studio recording of
blues piano great Otis Spann? For his part, Jr. plays some fine harp and
sings up a storm, even if he is occasionally tempted into doing his James
Brown, Jr. impression. Includes Stop Breaking Down/ Blues For Mayor
Daley/ You Say You Love Me and more. It's over too soon. (JC) JUNIOR WELLS: Baby, Please Lend Me Your Love/ Blues For Mayor Daley/ I Could Have Had Religion/ I Just Want To Make Love To You/ I Wish I Knew What I Know Now/ Stop Breaking Down/ You Say You Love Me |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Delmark 635 | On Tap | ● CD $11.98 |
| Mid-70's studio recording, right up there with Junior's
other Delmark treasures Hoodoo Man Blues/ South Side Blues Jam.
Buddy Guy is conspicuously absent here, but guitarists Sammy Lawhorn and
Phil Guy fill the gap, along with pianist Big Moose Walker and saxman A.C.
Reed. 9 cuts, including the unissued Goin' Down Slow and Key to
The Highway/ Love Her With A Feeling/ What My Mama Told Me. (MB) JUNIOR WELLS: Goin' Down Slow./ Junior's Thing/ Key To The Highway/ So Long/ Someday Baby/ The Train I Ride/ Watch Me Move/ What My Mama Told Me/ You Gotta Love Her With A Feeling |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Delmark 640 | Blues Hit Big Town | ● CD $11.98 |
| Essential sides recorded for States in 1953 & '54 with
Junior accompanied by incredible musicians like Elmore James, Muddy
Waters, Louis Myers, Johnnie Jones, Otis Spann and others. Includes
several great tracks not originally issued. JUNIOR WELLS: Blues Hit Big Town/ Blues Hit Big Town (alternate)./ Bout The Break Of Day/ Can't Find My Baby/ Cut That Out/ Eagle Rock/ Eagle Rock (alternate)/ Hoodoo Man/ Junior's Wail/ Junior's Wail (alternate)/ Lord Lord/ Lord Lord (alternate)/ Please Throw This Poor Dog A Bone/ Please Throw This Poor Dog A Bone (alternate)/ So All Alone/ Tomorrow Night/ Ways Like An Angel |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Delmark 787 | Live At Theresa's, 1975 | ● CD $14.98 |
| The excellent Chicago singer and harmonica player recorded
live at Theresa's in 1975 with a fine band including Phil Guy on guitar on
most of the tracks plus guitarists Byther Smith and Sammy Lawhorn adding
their contributions. Junior is in good form on a selection of ten songs and
tunes including Little By Little/ Love Her With A Feeling/ Scratch My
back/ Come On In This House/ key To The Highway/ Messin' With The Kid,
etc. |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Telarc 83354 | Better Off With The Blues | ● CD $11.98 |
| JUNIOR WELLS | Vanguard VMD 73120 | It's My Life Baby | ● CD $12.98 |
| A blues classic, recorded live and in the studio with Buddy
Guy, Fred Below and more. 12 cuts. |
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| JUNIOR WELLS | Vanguard VMD 79262 | Coming At You | ● CD $12.98 |
| JUNIOR WELLS | Vanguard 79508 | Best Of The Vanguard Years | ● CD $16.98 |
| 20 track compilation featuring most of Junior's Vanguard
recordings drawn from his contribution to the classic "Chicago - The
Blues Today" series (1965) and his 1966 album which was partly live -
all featuring Buddy Guy on guitar plus two previously unissued tracks - Help
Me (A Tribute To Sonny Boy Williamson)/ Messin' With The Kid/ All Night
Long/ It's So Sad To be Lonely/ Stormy Monday Blues/ Checking On My baby/
(I Got A) Stomach Ache/ I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man/ Shotgun Blues,
etc. |
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