BLUES
& GOSPEL
Various
Artists Collections - Pre War Country Blues, Miscellaneous
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2015 |
Before The Blues, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
ANDREW AND JIM BAXTER: Bamalong Blues/ THE CINCINNATI JUG BAND: Newport
Blues/ SAM COLLINS: Lonesome Road Blues/ TEDDY DARBY: Lawdy Lawdy Worried
Blues/ THE DENSON QUARTET: Christian Soldier/ DICK DEVALL: Tom Sherman's
Barroom/ EVANS & MCCLAIN: Two White Horses In A Line/ REV. J.M. GATES
& CONGREGATION: Dying Mother And Her Child/ PAPA HARVEY HULL: France
Blues/ MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT: Stack O'Lee Blues/ LITTLE HAT JONES: Bye Bye
Baby Blues/ BUELL KAZEE: John Hardy/ LOTTIE KIMBROUGH: Wayward Girl Blues/
RUBE LACY: Mississippi Jail House Groan/ THE MISSISSIPPI MUD STEPPERS:
Jackson Stomp/ BAYLESS ROSE: Jamestown Exhibition/ SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
CHOIR: On Jordan's Stormy Banks We Stand/ B.F. SHELTON: Pretty Polly/
TAYLOR'S KENTUCKY BOYS: Forked Deer/ HENRY THOMAS: Run Mollie Run/ WILLIE
WALKER: Dupree Blues/ WEAVER & BEASLEY: Soft Steel Piston/ ROBERT
WILKINS: I'll Go With Her Blues
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2016 |
Before The Blues, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
EMRY ARTHUR: Reuben Oh Reuben/ THE BLUE BOYS: Memphis Stomp/ THE DALLAS
STRING BAND: Dallas Rag/ REV. GOLDEN P. HARRIS: I'll Lead A Christian
Life/ PEG LEG HOWELL: Skin Game Blues/ HATTIE HUDSON: Doggone My Good Luck
Soul/ LULU JACKSON: You're Going To Leave The Old Home Jim!/ BLIND LEMON
JEFFERSON: Jack O'Diamond Blues/ FRANK JENKINS: Roving Cowboy/ BLIND
WILLIE JOHNSON: It's Nobody's Fault But Mine/ LOUISE JOHNSON: On The Wall/
CHARLEY JORDAN: Just A Spoonful/ TOMMY MCCLENNAN: Deep Blue Sea Blues/ THE
MEMPHIS JUG BAND: K.C. Moan/ CHARLEY PATTON: Mississippi Bo Weavil Blues/
ECK ROBERTSON: There's A Brown Skin Girl Down The Road Somewhere/ ROLAND
& SCOTT: Guitar Stomp/ THE SOUTH STREET TRIO: Cold Morning Shout South
Street Trio/ FRANK STOKES: How Long/ BLIND JOE TAGGART: Been Listening All
The Day/ THE TENNESSEE CHOCOLATE DROPS: Vine Street Drag/ MINNIE WALLACE:
The Old Folks Started It/ GEESHIE WILEY: Last Kind Words Blues
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2017 |
Before The Blues, Vol. 3 |
● CD $15.98 |
TEXAS ALEXANDER: Levee Camp Moan Blues/ CLARENCE ASHLEY: House Carpenter/
BARBECUE BOB: Black Skunk Blues/ THE BIDDLEVILLE QUINTETTE: Coming To
Christ/ BLIND BLAKE: Champaign Charlie Is My Name/ THE BLUE BOYS: Easy
Winner/ CANNON'S JUG STOMPERS: Feather Bed/ BUSTER CARTER & PRESTON
YOUNG: A Lazy Farmer Boy/ COW COW DAVENPORT: Alabama Strut/ EVANS &
MCCLAIN: John Henry Blues/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Thousand Woman Blues/ BOBBY
GRANT: Nappy Head Blues/ JOHN HAMMOND: Little Birdie/ MISSISSIPPI JOHN
HURT: Spike Driver's Blues/ COLEY JONES: Drunkard's Special/ LUKE JORDAN:
Pick Poor Robin Clean/ FURRY LEWIS: Kassie Jones, part 1/ MOSES MASON:
Molly Man/ LIL MCCLINTOCK: Furniture Man/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: Frisco Town/
FRANK STOKES: Chicken You Can Roost Behind The Moon/ TAYLOR'S KENTUCKY
BOYS: Sourwood Mountain/ HENRY THOMAS: Fox And The Hounds
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5169 |
Country Blues Collector's Items (1924-28) |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, 74 min., recommended. The cover boasts that this
CD features the complete recorded works of Ed Andrews, Lewis Black, Kid
Brown, Sammy Brown, Emery Glen, Johnny Head, T.C. Johnson, "Blue
Coat" Tom Nelson, "Mooch" Richardson, and somebody named
Porkchop. If you note that none of these names are regularly invoked by
fans, you're getting the idea. Recorded between 1924 and 1928, these
rarities are a hodgepodge of blues, rag, and songster styles. None are
immediate knockouts, but the cumulative effect of hearing these forgotten
performers 60-odd years after the fact is the feeling that the breadth of
pre-war blues, especially the Memphis variety espoused by Richardson (with
Lonnie Johnson) is a long way from being exhausted. All these performers
are mysteries; all these performances are spooky in one way or another.
Sound quality is adequate. (JG)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5426 |
Country Blues Collector's Items, 1930-1941 |
● CD $15.98 |
21 tracks, 66 min., very good Tommy Griffin, one of three
artists on this CD, first recorded during February 1930, and if you
believe that matrix numbers are assigned at the time of recording, his 4
Vocalion sides were recorded just after Memphis Minnie and before pianist
Bozo Nickerson. Griffin then recorded 12 titles (of which 9 are included)
in October 1936 with pianist Ernest Johnson and guitarist Walter Vincson
(of The Mississippi Sheiks), solos being handled mostly by Vincson. Next
up is One Arm Slim (aka Lovell Alexander) represented by 4 tracks, sung in
the Peetie Wheatstraw style, with pianist Black Bob Hudson. Bootin'
That Thing (unissued) is a highlight of his recordings. As I write
this review, an alternate take of his Crap Shootin' Blues has just
been issued on Document 5461 : Too late, Too Late V. 6. Finally, we have
Frank Edwards' four 1941 OKeh Recordings, all worth having as his
guitar/harmonica playing (especially on We Got To Get Together) is
quite infectious. Edwards was rediscovered in the early 1970s, recording
for Trix and Flyright Records. Excellent notes by Tony Russell. (EL)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Wolf WSE 107 |
Giants Of Country Blues, Vol. 1-1927-38 |
● CD $11.98 |
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2036 |
Hard Times Come Again No More, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended. It really seems that
adversity often leads to the most creative artistic statements and this
magnificent collection of African-American blues and white country songs
about hard times is proof of that contention. Although the nationwide
depression of the early 30s is at the centre of these recordings, for the
inhabitants of rural areas, hardships have always been a way of life and
the musicians here frequently view the crash of 1929 with a wry sense of
humor. The recordings here span the period from 1924 to 1937. Every track
is a powerful, moving statement including Blind Alfred Reed's great How
Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live, Lane Hardin's Hard Time
Blues, Kelly Harrell's My Name Is John Johanna and more from
Alec Johnson, Uncle Dave Macon, Elder Curry & His Congregation and
others. Superb sound and informative notes by Charles Wolfe and Don Kent
(FS)
BARBECUE BOB: We Sure Got Hard Times/ THE BENTLEY BOYS: Down On Penny's
Farm/ SCRAPPER BLACKWELL: Down And Out Blues/ SAMANTHA BUMGARNER: Georgia
Blues/ FIDDLIN' JOHN CARSON: Dixie Boll Weavil/ THE COFER BROTHERS:
Georgia Hobo/ EDWARD L. CRAIN: Starving To Death On A Government Claim/
ELDER CURRY & HIS CONGREGATION: Hard Times/ THE GRAHAM BROTHERS:
Weaver's Life/ LANE HARDIN: Hard Time Blues/ KELLY HARRELL: My Name Is
John Johanna/ MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT: Blue Harvest Blues/ BLIND LEMON
JEFFERSON: One Dime blues/ ALEC JOHNSON: Miss Meal Cramp Blues/ UNCLE DAVE
MACON: All In Down And Out/ DAVE MCCARN: Serves 'Em Fine/ CHUBBY PARKER:
See The Black Clouds/ BLIND ALFRED REED: How Can A Poor Man Stand Such
Times And Live/ RUTHERFORD & FOSTER: Richmond Blues/ J.D. SHORT: It's
Hard Time/ SLIM SMITH: Bread Line Blues/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN: All I Got's
Gone
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2037 |
Hard Times Come Again No More, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended More powerful songs
of crop failures, the depression, joblessness and other circumstances of
hardship.
JULES ALLEN: Little Old Sod Blues/ THE ALLEN BROTHERS: Price Of Cotton
Blues/ BARBECUE BOB: Bad Time Blues/ BLIND BLAKE: The Northern Starvers
Are Returning Home/ THE CAROLINA TARHEELS: Got The Farm Land Blues/ BO
CARTER/ WALTER VINSON: Times Is Tight Like That/ THE COFER BROTHERS: Keno
The Rent Man/ SLEEPY JOHN ESTES: No One's Hard Up But Me/ FISHER HENDLEY:
Weave Room blues/ PEG LEG HOWELL/JIM HILL: Away From Home/ EARL JOHNSON
& HIS DIXIE ENTERTAINERS: I'm Satisfied/ CHARLEY JORDON: Starvation
Blues/ THE LEE BROTHERS: No Dough blues/ W.A. LINDSEY/ALVIN CONDER: Boll
Weavil/ UNCLE DAVE MACON/ SAM MCGEE: Wreck Of The Tennessee Gravey Train/
DAVE MCCARN: Cotton Mill Colic/ CHARLIE MCCOY/BOB CARTER: Them Good Old
Times Are Coming Back Again/ THE MCGEE BROTHERS: The Tramp/ CLAYTON
MCMICHEN/RILEY PUCKETT: The Arkansas Sheik/ THE RED BRUSH ROWDIES: Cotton
Mill Blues/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN: Broke Down Section Hand/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS:
Providence Help The Poor People
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Travelin' Man 09 |
I Can Eagle Rock - Juke Joint Blues From
Alabama & Louisiana |
● CD $16.98 |
22 tracks, 75 mins, recommended Excellent collection of
field recordings made for the Library Of Congress in 1940 and '41 in
Alabama and Louisiana some of which previously appeared on the LP
Flyright-Matchbox 260 (
Jerry's Saloon Blues). There are five cuts by the utterly superb singer
and slide guitarist from Shreveport Oscar Woods - the only artist here to
have recorded commercially (for Decca in 1936 and Vocalion in '37 and
'38). Woods frequently performed with singer/ guitarist Joe Harris and
singer/ mandolin player Kid West who are featured together here on four
fine cuts. From Mooringsport, La. we have a number of cuts by the
excellent Noah Moore, a relative of Leabelly whose performances are very
varied and include two lengthy introspective pieces Oil City Blues
and Lowdown Weary Blues as well as a delightful version of the old
favorite Mr. Crump Don't Like It. There are seven cuts by Alabama
singer/ guitarist, none ever issued on LP or CD. Bell is an excellent
singer and propulsive guitar player though his playing is sometimes a bit
erratic. A couple of songs feature some nice slide guitar. The set is
rounded out by a delightful version of Red Cross Blues by the
Washboard Trio from Gees Bend, Alabama with guitar, kazoo and washboard.
Sound quality is generally very good and there are informed notes from
John Cowley. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2026 |
I Can't Be Satisfied: Early Women Blues
Singers Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 70 min., recommended Subtitled "Early
American Blues Singers - Country," this fine collection of 1920's
blues sides is entirely by women singers who at least for the duration of
the recording here were performing in a style which can reasonably be
regarded as rural rather than urban in nature. A subtle distinction, at
times, I would think. Be that as it may, the music here features mostly
guitar and jug band accompaniment. Selections include Lonesome Day
Blues by Ruby Glaze, Black Hand Blues by Hattie Hudson, Outdoor
Blues by Memphis Minnie, School Girl Blues by Rosie Mae Moore, My
Back to the Wall by Irene Scruggs, Penitentiary by Bessie
Tucker, Pick Poor Robin Clean by Geeshie Wiley, and Be My Kid
Blues by Elizabeth Johnson. Good stuff to be sure, with Yazoo's usual
informative notes and impressive sound quality. (DH)
JENNIE CLAYTON WITH MEMPHIS JUG BAND: State Of Tennessee Blues/ MATTIE
DELANEY: Down The Big Road Blues/ PEARL DICKSON: Twelve Pound Daddy/ RUBY
GLAZE: Lonesome Day Blues/ MAE GLOVER: Givin' Nobody None/ I Ain't Givin'
Nobody None/ Shake It Daddy/ HATTIE HART WITH MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Papa's Got
Your Bath Water On/ BERTHA HENDERSON: That Lonesome Rave/ HATTIE HUDSON:
Black Hand Blues/ ELIZABETH JOHNSON: Be My Kid Blues/ LOTTIE KIMBROUGH:
Goin' Away Blues/ Rolling Log Blues/ BERTHA LEE: Mind Reader Blues/ Yellow
Bee/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: Outdoor Blues/ LILLIAN MILLER: Dead Drunk Blues/
ROSIE MAE MOORE: School Girl Blues/ IRENE SCRUGGS: My Back To The Wall/
The Voice Of The Blues/ BESSIE TUCKER: Penitentiary/ LIZZIE WASHINGTON: My
Low Down Brown/ GEESHIE WILEY: Eagles On A Half/ Pick Poor Robin Clean
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2027 |
I Can't Be Satisfied: Early Women Blues
Singers Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 68 min., recommended Volume two's subtitle is
"Early American Blues Singers - Town." It's a collection
designed to showcase 1920's female blues numbers more in the
urban/vaudeville mold, and the numbers here feature jazz band - clarinet,
cornet, and piano - accompaniment. Sippie Wallace has three numbers on the
program: Section Hand Blues, Parlor Social DeLuxe, and Trouble
Everywhere I Roam. Ma Rainey performs Traveling Blues and Walking
Blues. And Sara Martin sings Forget Me Not Blues, He's Never
Gonna Throw Me Down, and Mistreating Man Blues. Other
performers include Victoria Spivey, Martha Copeland, Edith Johnson,
Katherine Baker, Ivy Smith, and Hattie Burleson. More wonderful, down and
dirty music, with artist-by-artist notes and sound quality as good as that
on Volume one. (DH)
KATHERINE BAKER: I Helped You, Sick Man, When You Were Down And Out/
LUCILLE BOGAN: Pay Roll Blues/ ALBERTA BROWN: How Long/ HATTIE BURLESON:
Bye Bye Baby/ Jim Nappy/ MARTHA COPELAND: Everybody Does It Now/ MADLYN
DAVIS: Winter Blues/ BERTHA "CHIPPIE" HILL: Do Dirty Blues/
Trouble In Mind/ EDITH JOHNSON: Good Chib Blues/ MARGARET JOHNSON: Dead
Drunk Blues/ SARA MARTIN: Forget Me Not Blues/ He's Never Gonna Throw Me
Down/ Mistreating Man Blues/ MA RAINEY: Traveling Blues/ Walking Blues/
CLARA SMITH: Strugglin' Woman's Blues/ IVY SMITH: My Own Man Blues/
VICTORIA SPIVEY: Blood Hound Blues/ Dirty T.B. Blues/ SIPPIE WALLACE:
Parlor Social De Luxe/ Section Hand Blues/ Trouble Everywhere I Roam
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2039 |
My Rough & Rowdy Ways, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended Wonderful collection
of recordings on the subject of outlaws, gamblers, drinkers, drug users
and womanizers from rural black and white performers. Includes Tell It
To Me by The Grant Brothers, Bad Luck Dice by Clifford Gibson, Frankie
by Dykes Magic City Trio, Got That Jake Leg Too by The Ray
Brothers, Kentucky Blues by Little Hat Jones, Prisoner's Dream
by The Allen Brothers plus cuts from Will Shade, Ernest Stoneman &
Kahle Brewer, Cleve Chaffin, Haywood County Ramblers, Peg Leg Howell and
others. The music is consistently fine, sound quality is superb and there
is a 16 page booklet with detailed notes (booklet is same in both
volumes). (FS)
THE ALLEN BROTHERS: Prisoner's Dream/ CLARENCE ASHLEY: Little Sadie/
BAREFOOT BILL: My Crime Blues/ DOCK BOGGS: Country Blues/ CANNON'S JUG
STOMPERS: Viola Lee Blues/ CLEVE CHAFFIN & THE MCCLUNG BROTHERS: Rock
House Gamblers/ DYKES MAGIC CITY TRIO: Frankie/ THE FRUIT JAR GUZZLERS:
Stack-O-Lee/ CLIFFORD GIBSON: Bad Luck Dice/ THE GRANT BROTHERS: Tell It
To Me/ THE HAYWOOD COUNTY RAMBLERS: All Bound Down/ PEG LEG HOWELL: Low
Down Rounder Blues/ TOMMY JOHNSON: Canned Heat Blues/ LITTLE HAT JONES:
Kentucky Blues/ UNCLE DAVE MACON & SAM MCGEE: Way Down The Old Plank
Road/ KEN MAYNARD: Jesse James/ THE RAY BROTHERS: Got The Jake Leg Too/
JILSON SETTERS: Way Up On Clinch Mountain/ WILL SHADE: Better Leave That
Stuff Alone/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN & KAHLE BREWER: The Fate Of
Talmedge Osborn/ THE SWEET BROTHERS & ERNEST STONEMAN: John Hardy/
WILLIE WALKER: Dupree Blues/ WATTS & WILSON: Chain Gang Special
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2040 |
My Rough & Rowdy Ways, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended More tracks including
Cocaine by Dick Justice (a cover of the Luke Jordan version!), Frankie
by Mississippi John Hurt, That Bad Man Stackalee by David Miller, Skin
game Blues by Peg Leg Howell, Ain't Nobody's Business by Earl
Johnson and his Dixie Entertainers, Late Last Night When Willie Came
Home by Uncle Dave Macon & Sam McGee (a blues ballad with great
guitar), Dice's Blues by Bob Campbell, Louisville Burglar by
The Hickory Nuts, Wild Bill Jones by Eva Davis - one of the first
women country singers to record, and more from Vernon Dalhart, Emry
Arthur, George Reneau, Bill Broonzy and others. (FS)
EMERY ARTHUR: Ethan Lang/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Good Liquor Gonna Carry Me
Down/ BOB CAMPBELL: Dice's Blues/ THE CAROLINA BUDDIES: Otto Wood The
Bandit/ BILL COX: My Rough & Rowdy Ways/ VERNON DALHART: Billy The
Kid/ EVA DAVIS: Wild Bill Jones/ GARLAND JUBILEE SINGERS: This Train/ THE
GEORGIA CRACKERS: Georgia Black Bottom/ LEE GREEN: Bad Man Napper/ THE
HALL BROTHERS: The Wrong Road/ THE HICKORY NUTS: Louisville Burglar/ PEG
LEG HOWELL: Skin Game Blues/ MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT: Frankie/ EARL JOHNSON
& HIS DIXIE ENTERTAINERS: Ain't Nobody's Business/ DICK JUSTICE:
Cocaine/ UNCLE DAVE MACON: Railroadin' & Gamblin'/ Late Last Night
When Willie Come Home/ DAVID MILLER: That Bad Man Stackolee/ GEORGE RENEAU:
Jesse James/ SLOPPY HENRY: Canned Heat Blues/ ROBERT WILKINS: Old Jim
Canan's/ HASKELL WOLFENBARGER: Sailing Out On The Ocean
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5170 |
Rare Country Blues (1928-37) |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, 76 mins, recommended. A diverse collection of
obscure performers. It opens with two excellent tracks by Virginia singer
and 12 string guitarist Seth Richard from 1928. Richard resurfaced briefly
in the 40s as half of the duo Skoodle Dum Doo & Sheffield. The mysterious
Freezone had only one side issued Indian Squaw Blues but
what a fine performer he is - dynamic singing and powerful and rhythmic
guitar which suggests he is probably from Misissippi. Willie Haris is also
probably from Mississippi with a style not unlike Bo Carter and his four
tracks are varied. West Side Blues is mostly an instrumental
workout by pianist Charles Avery with exhortations by a female vocalist. What
Makes A Tomcat Blue is more of a hokum song while the other two are
straight blues with nice slide guitar on Never Drive A Stranger From
Your Door. Singer/ piano player Leola Manning, from Knoxville,
Tennessee, is a performer who deserves more attention. Not only was she an
excellent singer but she had some excellent songs including the two very
fascinating topical songs. The Arcade Building Moan is about the
burning down of an important commercial building in Knoxville a few days
before and the amazing Satan Is Busy In Knoxville which appears to
be about a serial killer loose in Knoxville! Jazzbo Tommy Settlers is an
interesting performer in small doses - he is a rare example of a kazoo virtuoso
- not only playing the instrument but singing through it. Although
the sound does get a bit tedious he is a good singer and does have some
interesting songs. The only low point on this disc are four tracks by
Charlie Kyle - an excruciatingly dull singer and guitar player. Sound is
generally very good. Notes by Keith Briggs are perfunctory. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5641 |
Rare Country Blues, Vol. 2 : 1929-1943 |
● CD $15.98 |
26 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended A splendid collection
of country blues and hokum. The first 9 sides feature vocals by singer/
washboard player Washboard Walter or singer/ guitarist John Byrd. Byrd was
a very fine guitarist who is thought to be the only Mississippi bluesman
recorded playing 12 string guitar. It includes two gospel recordings which
probably also the feature the vocals of Mae Glover. It includes Byrd's
magnificent Old Timbrook Blues and the fascinating tribute to Blind
Lemon Jefferson Wasn't It Sad About Lemon. There are 9 tracks
featuring singer/ washboard player Walter Taylor (who may be Washboard
Walter) with kazoo, guitar (John Byrd) and occasional banjo or mandolin.
These are mostly hokum songs like Thirty Eight & Plus/ Deal Rag/
You Rascal You but also includes the lovely blues Coal Camp ues.
There are four fine sides by totally obscure singer/ guitarist Bob
Campbell including the powerful and beautiful Starvation Farm Blues.
The set ends up with four sides from 1943 by excellent guitar/ harmonica
duo Skoodle Dum Doo & Sheffield. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5642 |
Rare Country Blues, Vol. 3 : 1928-1936 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks featuring the complete recordings of Kid Cole, The
Cincinatti Jug Band, Bob Coleman, Walter Coleman, Billy Bird and Too Tight
Henry
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5643 |
Rare Country Blues, Vol. 4 : 1929-1953 |
● CD $15.98 |
This volume includes Papa Egg Shell, Troy Ferguson, Pere
Dickson, Archie Lewis, Willie B. James, Frank Tannehill and Robert Lee
Westmoreland.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Travelin' Man 08 |
Red River Blues |
● CD $16.98 |
22 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended. More beautiful field
recordings from the Library of Congress made between 1934 and 1943 in
Georgia, N. Carolina, Florida and Virginia and previously available on
Flyright 258 and 259. Of the artists here, Buster Brown and Gabriel Brown
went on to record commercially in New York - Gabriel in the 40s and Buster
in the 50s and 60s and it's fascinating to hear them in their early days.
The other artists are all biographical mysteries but there are some
excptional performances here - many of them originals. Among the
highlights are the wonderful deep voiced singer Jimmie Strothers
accompanying himself on guitar on the 6 minute long Goin' To Richard,
the dazzling slide guitar of Alison Mathis on Mama You're Goin' To QUit
Me, the beautiful instrumental Poor Joe Breakdown by Robert
Davis but it's all good. Other artists include Blind Joe, Reese Crenshaw,
Booker T. Sapps, Willy Flowers, James Sneed's Washboard Band and others.
Occasionally sound is a bit rough due to the condition of the original
acetates but not enough to distract from the quality of the music. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2018 |
Roots Of Rap |
● CD $15.98 |
THE ALLEN BROTHERS: Bow Wow Blues/ BEALE STREET SHEIKS: It's A Good Thing/
BUTTERBEANS & SUSIE: Tain't None O' Your Business/ LEROY CARR: Papa's
On The House Top/ REV. EDWARD CLAYBORN: Let That Liar Alone/ JIMMIE DAVIS:
She's A Hum Dinger/ SEVEN FOOT DILLY & HIS DILL PICKLES: Pickin' Off
Peanuts/ THE DIXIELAND JUG BLOWERS: When I Stop Running I Was At Home/
LONNIE GLOSSON: Arkansas Hard Luck Blues/ RED HENDERSON: Automobile Ride
Through Alabama/ FRANKIE HUTCHINSON: Back In My Home Town/ FRANKIE
"HALF-PINT" JAXON: Jive Man Blues/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: If I
Had My Way I'd Tear This Building Down/ LUKE JORDAN: Cocaine Blues/ KANSAS
CITY KITTY & GEORGIA TOM: How Can You Have The Blues/ BLIND WILLIE
MCTELL: Atlanta Strut/ THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Whitewash Station/ MEMPHIS
MINNIE: Frankie Jean/ PINE TOP SMITH: Nobody Knows You When You're Down
and Out/ SPECKLED RED: The Dirty Dozen No. 2/ T.C.I. SECTION CREW: Track
Linin/ HENRY THOMAS: Jonah In The Wilderness/ WILLIE WALKER: South
Carolina Rag
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2030 |
Rose Grew Round The Briar, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
First of two albums featuring recordings from the 20s and
30s devoted to love songs. It draws from white and African-American
traditions.
CLARENCE ASHLEY: Dark Holler Blues/ DOCK BOGGS: False Hearted Lover Blues/
CANNON'S JUG STOMPERS: Going to Germany/ LEROY CARR: Don't Say Goodbye/
UNCLE ECK DUNFORD & HATTIE STONEMAN: What Will I Do For My Money's All
Gone/ CLIFFORD GIBSON: Brooklyn Blues/ GRAYSON AND WHITTER: Little Maggie
With a Dram Glass in Her Hand/ HENDLEY-WHITTER-SMALL: A Pretty Gal's Love/
KING SOLOMON HILL: Down on my Bended Knee/ ALMOTH HODGES: The Hobo From
The T&P Line (pt2)/ BUELL KAZEE: A Short Life of Trouble/ THE KENTUCKY
THOROBREDS: Shady Grove/ LOTTIE KIMBROUGH: Lost Lover Blues/ BRADLEY
KINCAID: Barbara Allen/ BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD: Lulu Wall/ LEWIS MCDANIELS
& WALTER SMITH: I Went to See My Sweetheart/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL:
Drive Away Blues/ THE MORRIS FAMILY: Dark Eyes/ THE RED FOX CHASERS:
Stolen Love/ ALFRED REED & ORVILLE: The Old Fashioned Cottage/
SHORTBUCKLE ROARK & FAMILY: I Truly Understand that You Love Another
Man/ GEORGE TOREY: Lonesome Man Blues/ ROBERT WILKINS: I Do Blues
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2031 |
Rose Grew Round The Briar, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
Another 23 sides
KATHERINE BAKER: My Man Left Me/ WILL BATTS: Cheatin' Woman/ THE BLUE
RIDGE MOUNTAIN SINGERS: I'll Remember You Love in My Prayers/ DOCK BOGGS:
Lost Love Blues/ WARREN CAPPLINGER'S: Saro/ WILF CARTER: You Are My
Sunshine/ TEDDY DARBY: Built Right on the Ground/ RUTH DAY: Experience
Blues/ CLIFFORD GIBSON: Old Time Rider/ GRAYSON AND WHITTER: Handsome
Molly/ ROY HARVEY & NORTH CAROLINA: George Collins/ FRANK JENKINS
& THE PILOT MOUNTAINEERS: Once I Loved a Railroad Flagman/ LONNIE
JOHNSON: Baby Will You Please Come Home/ KARL & HARTY: Tombigbee River
Farewell/ LOUIS LASKY: Teasin' Brown Blues/ WADE MAINER: Look On and Cry/
LARRY MCDANIELS & WALTER SMITH: It's Hard to Leave You Sweet Love/
CLAYTON MCMICHEN: Grave in the Pines/ THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Tired of you
Driving Me/ THE MURPHY BROTHERS HARP BAND: Little Bunch of Roses/ THE RED
FOX CHASERS: Little Sweetheart Pal of Mine/ ALFRED REED & ORVILLE:
You'll Miss Me/ EPHRAIM WOODY & THE HENPECKED HUSBANDS: Last Gold
Dollar
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5167 |
String Bands (1926-29) |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, 72 mins., good
Where was this collection when I
was copping licks off Jim Kweskin? Here's a generous helping of original
78 sides by the K.C. Blues Strummers, Old Pal Smoke Shop Four, Taylor's
Kentucky Boys, the Alabama Sheiks, and more from 1926-1931 (yeah, the CD
title's a little off). It's all amusing, toe-tapping, and deeply
emotional. Now I know where Geoff Muldaur found his inspiration for his
singing style it had to be the unnamed singer with the K.C. Blues
Strummers. Awesome. Some of the collection is black blues, some white
'hillbilly' bands, and four rare sides on which black fiddler Jim Booker
is backed by a white band. Plenty of plaintive, sinewy fiddle on songs
rough and raw as moonshine. Grab a jug and play along. (DC)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Black Swan 23 |
Suitcase Full Of Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
21 tracks, 55 mins, recommended
21 classic country blues
from the Paramount label taking as their theme the subject of travel. If
you have many Document and/or Yazoo releases you probably have everything
here, still it's nice to hear them in a thematic context. Includes such
gems as The Gone Dead Train by King Solomon, Ramblin' Man by
Ramblin' Thomas, Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home by Gus Cannon, Pea
Vine Blues by Charlie Patton, Up The Way Bound by Papa Charlie
Jackson, Slidin' Delta by Tommy Johnson and more from Willie Brown,
Buddy Boy Hawkins, Skip James, Ed Bell, Lottie Kimbrough and others.
Adequate sound and entertaining, if somewhat romanticized, notes by John
Tottenham. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2028 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
First of two volumes featuring a wide range of rural music -
black and white - mostly from the 20s.
FRANK BLEVINS & HIS TAR HEEL RATTLERS: Fly Around My Pretty Little
Miss/ RICHARD "RABBIT" BROWN: Sinking of the Titanic/ BOB
CAMPBELL: Shotgun Blues/ THE CARSON BROTHERS & SPRINKLE: The Old
Miller's Will/ DYKES MAGIC CITY TRIO: Tennessee Girls/ THE FOUR WANDERERS:
The Fault's In Me/ A.A. GRAY & SEVEN FOOT DILLY: Streak of Lean,
Streak of Fat/ GRAYSON AND WHITTER: Old Jimmie Suttton/ THE HAPPY
HAYSEEDS: The Tail of Haley's Comet/ BUDDY BOY HAWKINS: Voice Throwin'
Blues/ WINSTON HOLMES & CHARLIE TURNER: Skinner/ PRINCE ALBERT HUNT:
Blues in a Bottle/ CHARLIE JORDAN: Dollar Bill Blues/ BUELL KAZEE: The
Dying Soldier/ LOUIS LASKY: How You Want Your Rollin' Done/ BASCOM LAMAR
LUNSFORD: Lost John Dean/ KEN MAYNARD: Fannie Moore/ THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND:
On The Road Again/ J.P. NESTOR & NORMAN EDWARDS: Train on the Island/
THE NUGRAPE TWINS: I Got Your Ice Cold Nugrape/ THE OAKS FAMILY: Wake Up
You Drowsy Sleeper/ THE SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS: How to Make Love/
WILMER WATTS & THE LONELY EAGLES: Been on the Job Too Long
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2029 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
25 more fine and varied sides
TOMMY BRADLEY: Four Day Blues/ RICHARD "RABBIT" BROWN: James
Alley Blues/ CANNON'S JUG STOMPERS: The Rooster's Crowing Blues/ FIDDLIN'
JOHN CARSON & HIS VIRGINIA REELERS: Swanee River/ THE GEORGIA
CRACKERS: Riley the Furniture Man/ A.A. GRAY & SEVEN FOOT DILLY:
Tallapoosa Bound/ SID HARKREADER & GRADEY MOORE: Old Joe/ EARL JOHNSON
& HIS DIXIE ENTERTAINERS: John Henry Blues/ BOBBY LEEGAN & HIS
NEED MORE BAND: Washboard Cut Out/ LOUIE BLUE: State Street Rag/ EMMETT
LUNDY & ERNEST STONEMAN: Piney Woods Girl/ UNCLE DAVE MACON & HIS
FRUIT JAR DRINKERS: Sail Away Ladies/ THE MASSEY FAMILY: Brown Skin Girl
Down the Lane/ JOE MCCOY: You Know You Done Me Wrong/ BLIND ALFRED REED:
Beware/ REV. D.C. RICE: Lord Keep Me with a Mind/ ALLEN SHAW: Moanin' the
Blues/ THE SHELOR FAMILY: Billy Grimes the Rover/ THE SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT
ENTERTAINERS: Then I'll Move to Town/ ERNEST V. STONEMAN & KAHLE
BREWER: Lonesome Road Blues/ HENRY THOMAS: Bob McKinney/ THE TWEEDY
BROTHERS: Sugar in the Ground/ WILMER WATTS & THE LONELY EAGLES:
Knocking Down Casey Jones
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2047 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 3 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks,70 mins, highly recommended Fantastic collection
of early rural music featuring recordings from the 20s and early 30s
drawing on the black and white traditions. Although all the blues tracks
are available elsewhere (mostly Document, of course) the sound quality
here on such rare and magnificent performances like Jelly Jaw Short's Snake
Doctor Blues, Charlie Patton's Mean Black Cat and Skip James'
monumental I'm So Glad is stunning - they have never sounded
better. There are other great blues and black gospel performances from
Blind Willie Johnson, Son House, the spooky sounding Jelly Roll Anderson
and others. Few of the country performances are available elsewhere and
among the highlights are Frank Hutchison's Worried Blues, The
Carlisle Brothers and the provocative Sal's Got A Meatskin, the
beautiful Sleepy Desert from Wilmer watts & His Lonely Eagles
with some lovely slide guitar, glorious sacred Harp singing from the Fa
Sol La Singers on I'll Stay On The Right Road Now plus tracks from
Ashley's Melody Men, The East Texas Serenaders, Luke Highnight & His
Ozark Strutters and more. (FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2048 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 4 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended Another magnificent
collection of rural music from the 20s. Among the highlights in a
collection full of highlights is the intriguing ballad Lowe Bonnie
by South Carolina slide guitarist Jimmie Tarlton, the twin guitar work of
South Carolina bluesmen Pink Anderson and Simmie Dooley and the very
different twin guitar work of Hi Henry Brown and Charley Jordan on Brown's
Preacher Blues, Cliff Carlisle wonderful Tom Cat's, Tommy
Johnson's magnificent and originally unissued Walking Shoes (aka Morning
Prayer), the Georgia Yellow Hammers delightful Kiss Me Quick,
Fiddling John Carson's eerie and beautiful Bachelor's Hall plus
more from William Harris, The Dixon Brothers, Sweet Brothers, Cajun
musician Angelas Le Jeune, The Stripling Brothers, james Cole & His
Washboard Band, The Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers (an unexpected
gospel performance from Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon), Skip James
and others. Superb sound and brief notes from Charles Wolfe and Don kent.
(FS)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2063 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 5 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 69 mins, essential
Another fantastic collection
of rural blues and country music from the 20s and 30s. There are some
fabulous blues rarities here including one side of the great Blind Joe
Reynolds 78 that only turned up recently (Cold Woman Blues - the
same side that was issued on the Revenant Charlie Patton box), a
previously unknown track by Ben Covington that's a real beauty and a great
track by an unknown performer recorded on the same day as a Blind Lemon
Jefferson session - whoever he is he's very fine indeed. As if that isn't
enough the booklet has previously unpublished pictures from the 30s of
Skip James and Buddy Boy Hawkins! I'm not as familiar with the country
artists here but there are some beautiful performances from Sam McGee,
Weems String Band, The Garland Brothers & Grinstead (lovely old time
gospel), J.P. Nestor & Norman Edmonds, The Grayson County
Railsplitters, The Murphy Brothers Harp Band, Wyzee, Tucker & Lecroy
and others. And there's more blues from Skip James, Buddy Boy Hawkins,
Charley Patton and more. Sound quality is superb and the 16 page booklet
has excellent, if occasionally patronizing, notes by Rich Nevins.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2064 |
Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 6 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
More wonderful stuff
including the other side of the Blind Joe Reynolds 78 - Ninety Nine
Blues plus more great blues from Tenderfoot Edwards (aka Edward
Thompson), Mississippi Moaner, Skip James, Charley Patton, Louie Lasky and
Eli Framer. On the country side we have Eck Robertson's pioneer recording
of Sally Gooden reissued for the first time the correct speed plus
sides by Birkhead & Lane, Parker & Dodd, Virginia Mountain
Boomers, Jess Johnston & Byrd Moore, Red Headed Fiddlers, The Swamp
Rooters, Turney Brothers and others. (FS)
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