Blues & Gospel - Various Artists - Pre War Blues In St. Louis

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Various Artists Collections - Pre War Blues In St. Louis

VARIOUS ARTISTS Document DOCD 5181 St. Louis (1927-33) ● CD $14.98

24 tracks, 70 mins, recommended. At times, a strange and haunting collection, this is not for the faint of heart as a number of tracks are from very worn and poorly recorded 78s. Still there is some fascinating and atypical St Louis blues here. The first 10 tracks feature Henry Johnson And His Boys doing instrumentals or accompanying vocalist Jelly Roll Anderson. This group had a strange sound with Johnson on fiddle, James Johnson on piano or celeste and Henry Moon and George Thomas on guitars. One of the guitarist is thought to actually be Lonnie Johnson while the other plays some very odd and eerie slide guitar. Other performers on this set include Bert "Snake Root" Hatton, Jesse Johnson - one of the few artists here with any kind of reputation performing the bizarre two part I Wish I Had Died In Egyptland, "Spider" Carter - who sounds like three different performers on his three tracks, and more. Not particularly easy listening but careful listening will be rewarded with some fine and unusual music. Paul Garon's notes are interesting but too brief. (FS)

VARIOUS ARTISTS Document DOCD 5147 St. Louis Country Blues (1929-37) ● CD $14.98

24 tracks, 73 mins, essential. A superb collection of country blues by three St. Louis musicians recorded between 1929 and 1937. Singer/ guitarist Henry Spaulding only recorded two cuts (in 1929) and both these are here - fine wistful vocals and lovely guitar work using the string snapping technique popular with St. Louis including all three here. Henry Townsend is the most well known artist here due to his continuing visibility as a blues performer and is a magnificent performer - not only are his guitar and singing superb but his songs are excellent too. 9 of Townsend's songs feature him with own guitar only and are quintessential country blues, 2 feature fine piano accompaniments by Roosevelt Sykes including the incredibly raunchy My Sweet Candy and 4 feature a small combo with piano, 2nd guitar and harmonica by Sonny Boy Williamson. The latter though not as striking as his solo performances are brilliant in their own right. Jaydee Short who was rediscovered in the early 60s and made a few recordings before his death in 1962 is another superb performer. His two recordings from 1930 feature a rougher, more intense style, which leads one to suspect that he had only recently arrived from Mississippi. His Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake is particularly ferocious. By the time of his 1932 recordings his guitar playing was a bit more polished and melodic like that of Townsend and Spaulding but voice still had that intense edge with slight vibrato. Like Spaulding and Townsend his songs are also of interest including the very topical Hard Times which was also recorded by other St. Louis performers and in the post war era was recorded by Chicago bluesman Floyd Jones. The sound here is generally excellent and I can only regret that Keith Briggs' notes are so brief as these magnificent cuts are worthy of greater attention. Don't miss this! (FS)

VARIOUS ARTISTS Document DOCD 5182 St. Louis Girls (1927-34) ● CD $14.98

25 tracks, 70 min., recommended. Most of the cuts here, a baker's dozen (15 if you count the two by Elizabeth Washington, who may or may not have been the same woman), are by Lizzie Washington, whoever she was. With a restrained, low key delivery, she sings of prostitution, alcohol, black eyes, men and other well-trodden blues turf, on songs that include Daddy Threw Me Down Blues/ Whiskey Head Blues. One of Washington's backing musicians was Lonnie Johnson (using a pseudonym), and some cuts feature violin and celeste accompaniment, adding some necessary variety. Katherine Baker's 8 tracks feature the same line up (Henry Johnson And His Boys, by name), and her voice is more powerful than Washington's, a fact especially noticeable on Daddy Sunshine Blues. The disc ends with a pair of sides from Johnnie Strauss. (JC)

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VARIOUS ARTISTS	Document DOCD 5181	St. Louis (1927-33)	● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 70 mins, recommended. At times, a strange and haunting collection, this is not for the faint of heart as a number of tracks are from very worn and poorly recorded 78s. Still there is some fascinating and atypical St Louis blues here. The first 10 tracks feature Henry Johnson And His Boys doing instrumentals or accompanying vocalist Jelly Roll Anderson. This group had a strange sound with Johnson on fiddle, James Johnson on piano or celeste and Henry Moon and George Thomas on guitars. One of the guitarist is thought to actually be Lonnie Johnson while the other plays some very odd and eerie slide guitar. Other performers on this set include Bert "Snake Root" Hatton, Jesse Johnson - one of the few artists here with any kind of reputation performing the bizarre two part I Wish I Had Died In Egyptland, "Spider" Carter - who sounds like three different performers on his three tracks, and more. Not particularly easy listening but careful listening will be rewarded with some fine and unusual music. Paul Garon's notes are interesting but too brief. (FS)

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Document DOCD 5147	St. Louis Country Blues (1929-37)	● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 73 mins, essential. A superb collection of country blues by three St. Louis musicians recorded between 1929 and 1937. Singer/ guitarist Henry Spaulding only recorded two cuts (in 1929) and both these are here - fine wistful vocals and lovely guitar work using the string snapping technique popular with St. Louis including all three here. Henry Townsend is the most well known artist here due to his continuing visibility as a blues performer and is a magnificent performer - not only are his guitar and singing superb but his songs are excellent too. 9 of Townsend's songs feature him with own guitar only and are quintessential country blues, 2 feature fine piano accompaniments by Roosevelt Sykes including the incredibly raunchy My Sweet Candy and 4 feature a small combo with piano, 2nd guitar and harmonica by Sonny Boy Williamson. The latter though not as striking as his solo performances are brilliant in their own right. Jaydee Short who was rediscovered in the early 60s and made a few recordings before his death in 1962 is another superb performer. His two recordings from 1930 feature a rougher, more intense style, which leads one to suspect that he had only recently arrived from Mississippi. His Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake is particularly ferocious. By the time of his 1932 recordings his guitar playing was a bit more polished and melodic like that of Townsend and Spaulding but voice still had that intense edge with slight vibrato. Like Spaulding and Townsend his songs are also of interest including the very topical Hard Times which was also recorded by other St. Louis performers and in the post war era was recorded by Chicago bluesman Floyd Jones. The sound here is generally excellent and I can only regret that Keith Briggs' notes are so brief as these magnificent cuts are worthy of greater attention. Don't miss this! (FS)

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Document DOCD 5182	St. Louis Girls (1927-34)	● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 70 min., recommended. Most of the cuts here, a baker's dozen (15 if you count the two by Elizabeth Washington, who may or may not have been the same woman), are by Lizzie Washington, whoever she was. With a restrained, low key delivery, she sings of prostitution, alcohol, black eyes, men and other well-trodden blues turf, on songs that include Daddy Threw Me Down Blues/ Whiskey Head Blues. One of Washington's backing musicians was Lonnie Johnson (using a pseudonym), and some cuts feature violin and celeste accompaniment, adding some necessary variety. Katherine Baker's 8 tracks feature the same line up (Henry Johnson And His Boys, by name), and her voice is more powerful than Washington's, a fact especially noticeable on Daddy Sunshine Blues. The disc ends with a pair of sides from Johnnie Strauss. (JC)