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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

 
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

 
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

 
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)

 
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)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Wolf WSE 107 Giants Of Country Blues, Vol. 1-1927-38 ● CD $11.98

 
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

 
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

 
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)

 
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

 
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

 
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

 
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

 
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)

 
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)

 
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

 
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.

 
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)

 
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

 
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

 
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

 
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)

 
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)

 
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

 
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

 
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)

 
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)

 
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.

 
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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