Blues & Gospel - Bulletin May/June 2009 - Cleo Brown -> Sonny Boy Williamson
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BULLETIN - May/ June 2009
Blues & Gospel
 Cleo Brown -> Sonny Boy Williamson + Book
 

 

BOOKS
 

W.C. HANDY - The Life And Times Of The Man Who Made The Blues by David Robertson ● BOOK $27.95
Hardbound, 286 pages, counts as 5 CDs for shipping
This is the first major biography in decades of the man who gave us such iconic songs as "St. Louis Blues", "The Memphis Blues", and "Beale Street Blues", and who was responsible, more than any other musician, for bringing the blues into the American mainstream. David Robertson charts W.C. Handy's rise from a rural Alabama childhood in the last decades of the nineteenth century to become one of the most celebrated songwriters of the early twentieth. Robertson weaves a rich tapestry of the worlds Handy inhabited: the post-Reconstruction South; the minstrel shows in all their racial ambiguity; the mysterious, forbidding Mississippi Delta; Memphis, with its jumping music scene; and New York's Tin Pan Alley. At once a testament to the power of song and a chronicle of race and black music in America, W.C. Handy's life story is in many ways the story of the birth of America's indigenous culture-and a riveting must-read for anyone interested in the history of American music.

   

NEW COMPACT DISCS
 
CLEO BROWN Document JPCD 1532 Complete Recorded Works, March 1935 - June 1935 ● CD $15.98
19 tracks, recommended
Cleo was one of the first female Chicago boogie woogie singers/ pianists whose off color cabaret type stylings forged the way for Nellie Lutcher, Julia Lee and Martha Davis. Backed by small combos whose notable members included drummers Gene Krupa or Tubby Hall, guitarist Perry Botkin and others. Cleo's sly, sometimes coy, warblings set against strong bluesy piano solos made her one of the great boogie gals of the 30's, at times she comes off as a female Fats Waller. Includes her version of Pinetop Smith's classic Boogie Woogie plus (Lookie, Lookie, Lookie) Here Comes Cookie/ The Stuff Is Here And It's Mellow/ Pelican Stomp/ Give A Broken Heart A Break, etc. Theere have been previous Brown reissues on Classics and President but this is the first to feature all the extant alternate takes (8 in all).
 
SLEEPY JOHN ESTES Snapper Blues 028 Someday Baby Blues ● CD $9.98
25 tracks, 71 mins, essential, if you don't already have them
Despite his technical limitations as a musician, John Estes produced some of the most memorable pre war blues. His high, thin voice with its strained, edge of despair quality, and the rhythms produced as band members like Jab Jones and Yank Rachel tried to accommodate his strummed guitar, turned simple songs like Milk Cow Blues and Whatcha Doin? into classics. Lyrically Estes was adept at making traditional material his own, but most of his songs were centered on his Brownsville world, encompassing social commentary (Working Man Blues) and personal experience as in Floating Bridge and Lawyer Clark - a very impressive lawyer who could prove "that water runs upstream." In addition to including some of the best of his 20s and 30s recordings including his much covered Someday Baby Blues and Drop Down Mama it also includes two originally unissued songs from 1948 including the about half the tracks here duplicate Yazoo 2004. Excellent sound, informative notes and full discographical make for another fine entry in this series. (DPR/ FS)

 
KIRK FLETCHER JSP JSPCD 8820 I'm Here And Gone ● CD $16.98
15 tracks, almost highly recommended
Over the past decade Kirk Fletcher has become one of the most sought after blues guitarists on the West Coast. His style, though modern, is strongly rooted in traditional style with none of the rock excesses or overly flashy playing of some of his contemporaries. This CD reissues his first album from 1999 and adds as bonus tracks the four songs from his demo session. Not being a vocalist himself the vocals are taken here by Jackie Payne, John Marx or Roosevelt Caldwell. Of the three, Caldwell, who is featured on the demo recordings, is the most impressive. Payne strains a little too hard though when he ratchets things back like on the lovely minor key Silver Spoon the result is superb. Marx's singing is generally rather uninspired. Still with Fletcher's superb playing and fine band work this is a most worthwhile release. (FS)

 
BLIND BOY FULLER Snapper Blues 039 Get Your Yas Yas Out ● CD $9.98
22 tracks, highly recommended
An excellent budget priced collection by one of the finest, most popular and most influential of the Piedmont musicians. Fuller, from North Carolina was a warm and expressive singer and a lyrical flowing raggy guitarist. The recordings here range over his entire career from the raggy and risque I'm Rattlesnakin' Daddy from his first session in July, 1935 to the solemn intensity of When You Are Gone from his last session in June 1940 - just half a year before his untimely death of blood poisoning at the age of 34. Fuller is featured in a variety of setting including solo sides (including my all time favorite Fuller performance, the sublime Weeping Willow Blues), tracks with Gary Davis on second guitar and tracks with Sonny Terry/ hca and/or Oh Red/ washboard. It also includes the great Homesick And Lonesome which is the only recording featuring his fine slide guitar playing. Other tracks include Catman Blues/ Lost Love Blues/ Shake It Baby/ Boots And Shoes/ I Want Some Of Your Pie/ Step It Up And Go/ Trucking My Blues Away and more. Excellent sound and informative notes by Keith Briggs. If you enjoy this you might want to get all of his Fuller's recordings which are available on on two JSP box sets - JSP 7735 ($28.98) and JSP 7772 ($28.98). (FS)
 
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS Fuel 2000 61757 Blues From Dowling Street ● CD $14.98
Two CDs, 30 tracks, recommended
Fuel 2000 continues to recycle the Lightnin' Hopkins Jewel catalog. This two CD set includes two previously available Fuel CDs which feature two of Lightnin's albums recorded for Stan Lewis's Jewel label in the late 60s "Blue Lightnin'" and "Electric Show And Dance" along with a number of tracks from his other albums plus tracks not originally issued. Tracks range from solo sides with guitar to small groups with the fine piano of Elmore Nixon as well as a session with a larger group including with harmonica, organ and Eddie Hinton on guitar. Two of the tracks - Last Affair and Lonesome Dog Blues are RPM sides from 1951 that somehow ended up in the Jewel vaults. Lightnin', as always, was fine but the accompaniments are not always that sympathetic. If you're tired of shelling out for the same material you might consider P-Vine 5627/8 "Blue Lightnin' - The Complete Jewel Sessions" ($41.98) a two CD set with 43 tracks including almost all the Jewel recordings issued and unissued. (FS)
 
JO ANN KELLY Hatman 2023 Do It & More ● CD $18.98
16 tracks, 53 mins, very highly recommended
Although I am not a big fan of white blues performers, I am unabashed fan of the music of English blues interpreter Jo Ann Kelly. Part of it is nostalgia as she is one of the first people I saw performing in English clubs in the 60s but I really think that she has a natural blues quality to her singing which avoids the strangulated quality of many white blues performers. This CD reissues her 1976 Red Rag album "Do It" and adds three bonus cuts from her 1988 album "Open." "Do It", I think, was Jo Ann's best album - she was in truly fine voice and is given particularly sympathtic accompaniments - in addition to her own fine six and 12 string guitar playing she is joined on many of the cuts by Pete Emery on guitars or mandolin and, on some cuts, John Pilgrim on washboard and Mike Piggott on violin. Jo Ann adored Memphis Minnie and she does particularly fine versions of three of Minnie's songs Where Is My Good Man/ Me And My Chauffeur and Nothin' In Ramblin - on the latter when she sings "I Was Born In Louisiana/ Raised In Algiers" you can almost believe it. She also does Mr. Memphis Minnie's (Kansas Joe) Black Rat Swing, John Lee Hooker's arrangement of Come Back Baby, Swing Down Sweet Chariot in the style of the Staple Singers, Muddy's I Can't Be Satisfied and others. Unusually for Jo Ann she does a couple of non blues songs and they are very fine - her own love ballad A Little More Time and Jesse Winchester's moving Do It. Had she wanted to, Jo Ann could have joined any number of name blues bands but preferred performing in more initimate settings with and for friends. The booklet includes touching notes by Emery who was her partner and accompanying musician from 1974 until her tragically early death of a brain tumor in 1988. More than 20 years after her death her music retains a rare quality, integrity and believability. (FS)

 
TROYCE KEY, J.J. MALONE & THE RHYTHM ROCKERS Broadside STERN 3 Younger Than Yesterday .. plus ● CD $15.98
19 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
Fine reissue featuring all of the second album by west coast blues group Troyce Key, J.J. Malone & The Rhythm Rockers issued on the Red Lightnin' label in 1982 and most of the tracks from the first issued in 1980. Singer/ guitarist Key from Louisiana was a young white man who absorbed a host of influences in his youth but eventually turned his attention to blues and in 1958 recorded three singles for Warner Brothers - one of them featuring Eddie Cochran on guitar. In the early 60s he teamed up with Alabama born singer/ guitarist/ pianist J.J. Malone and they formed the band The Rhythm Rockers eventually moving from L.A. to the San Francisco Bay Area and finally cutting their two albums together. Both are excellent singers and some songs are performed solo while others are performed as duets. Their material is a mix of originals and nicely chosen covers of blues and R&B standards. They are accompanied by an excellent band with fine horn work to complement the duos own superb instrumental work though harmonica player Paul Green is a bit too forceful for my liking. There is a great sense of fun in these recordings with some nice repartee between the two. It's nice to finally have these excellent sides available on CD. (FS)

 
LOUISIANA RED RUF 1149 Back To Black Bayou ● CD $15.98
12 tracks, highly recommended
New album from the prolific but always worthwhile Louisiana Red. On this album Red revisits some of his favorite songs from throughout his lengthy career - some dating back to his classic 1962 Roulette session. Red is in fine form with strong vocals and excellent guitar work including some excellent slide work. Nearly all the songs are original by Red - some of them with a topical edge. He is accompanied by the solid down home band Little Victor & His Juke Joint led by guitarist and harmonica player Little Victor. Various guest musicians are included including harmonica players Kim Wilson & Bob Corritore, Dave Maxwell and Reider Forsberg. Occasionally the band threatens to overwhelm Red but, for the most part, they complement his singing and playing very well. Songs include I'm Louisiana Red/ Crime In Motion/ Sweet Leg Girl/ Too Poor To Die/ You Done Quit Me/ Roamin' Stranger, etc. (FS)

 
FRED & ANNIE MAE MCDOWELL Testament TCD 5019 My Home Is In The Delta ● CD $11.98
17 tracks, 54 min., essential
Back in print. Discovered in 1959 and imitated since, Mississippi Fred McDowell became well known for his aggressive, rough-hewn slide work and for having a voice that was the aural equivalent of burlap ticking. And while this was not a style he invented, to be sure, it was one he perfected. On this reissue of Testament LP 2208, his playing is as rhythmic and hypnotic as his vocals are expressive. The first half of the album finds him working solo on blues jewels like Waiting For My Baby/I'm In Jail Again/Diving Duck Blues, while the last matches him with his wife--herself a fine singer--on a handful of gospels. No fewer than 4 previously unreleased tracks have been included. All in all, one of the best country blues reissues this year. (JC)
MISSISSIPPI FRED MCDOWELL: Amazing Grace/ Big Road Blues/ Diving Duck Blues/ Down On Dankin's Farm/ Get Right, Church/ Going Down South, Carry My Whip/ I'm In Jail Again/ Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Six White Horses/ The Girl I'm Loving/ The Lord Will Make A Way/ The Sun Rose This Morning/ Waiting For My Baby/ When I Lay My Burden Down/ When The Saints Go Marching In/ Where Could I Go

 
ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS Hepcat 2744 Blues In The Dark ● CD $12.98
15 tracks, highly recommended
Reissue of Black Top 1062 from 1991 with three bonus cuts. Rod Piazza is one cool cat out in front, never straining to impress us with his laid-back singing, and solid in there on the harp, with noticeable Little Walter stylings. I would have to say that guitarist Alex Schultz (also of the William Clarke band) is the real star soloist here, the fourth link in a chain of wiry melodic lead playing that began with T-Bone Walker, and was passed along to Pee Wee Crayton and Johnny Guitar Watson, who made it part of the L.A. blues sound. The band acknowledges their roots on Watson's Too Tired, Little Walter's The Toddle/ Too Late, Brother, and local blues guru George "Harmonica" Smith's California Blues, plus a handful of originals. (MB)

 
JOHNNY SHINES Testament TCD 5022 Standing At The Crossroads ● CD $11.98
16 cuts, 54 mins, essential
Back in print. Maybe Johnny Shines could do everything. One of the best-recorded of the "rediscovered" bluesmen of the '60s, the Tenneseean-turned-Chicagoer could pull out brutal electric blues not unlike Muddy Waters and Elmore James, often sounding like he was mixing Howlin' Wolf's intensity with the wordless moans of innumerable forgotten Delta bluesmen. "Standing at the Crossroads" returns him to his southern roots; its taut, diverse acoustic recordings are so pure and timeless that they remind you that he wasn't merely a disciple of Robert Johnson, he was also a contemporary. Five of these thrilling cuts appear here for the first time, a pair of them alternate takes. (JG)
 
BIG JOE TURNER Atlantic (UK) 122748 The Definitive Blues Collection ● CD $16.98
Two CD set featuring 30 classic Atlantic sides recorded between 1951 and 1959 - Chains Of Love/ Sweet Sixteen/ Baby, I Still Want You/ Honey Hush/ Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop/ Shake, Rattle And Roll/ Hide And Seek/ Corrine Corrina/ Rock A While/ Love Roller Coaster/ Tomorrow Night, etc.
 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard 1020 The R&B Years, 1946 - Volume One ● CD $19.98
Two CD set with 50 tracks. Another great collection of blues and R&B from the good folks at Boulevard - this time featuring releases from 1946. Like previous volumes this mixes big hits like Wynonie's Blues by Wynonie Harris, Drifting Blues by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers and Reconversion Blues by Louis Jordan along with fine more obscure cuts like My Business Is C.O.D. by Estelle Edson, Boogie Woogie Time Down South by Lillette Thomas and The G Man Got The T Man by Cee Pee Johnson. Also includede are Gatemouth Moore, Jimmy Witherspoon, Hot Lips Page, Jesse Price, Cluyde Bernhardt, Charles Gray, Helen Humes, Roy Milton, Annisteen Allen, Red Callender, Hadda Brooks and many more. Excellent sound and informative notes round out a splendid package.
ANNISTEEN ALLEN: I Want A Man (Who's Gonna Do Right)/ There's Good Blues Tonight/ ALBERT AMMONS AND MILDRED ANDERSON: Doin' The Boogie Woogie/ WINI BEATTY: That Ain't Right, Baby/ CLYDE BERNHARDT: Lost Weekend Blues/ HADDA BROOKS: Society Boogie/ RED CALLENDER: Red Boogie/ NAT KING COLE: Get Your Kicks On Route 66/ COUSIN JOE: Just Another Woman/ THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: Just A-Sittin' And A Rockin'/ MARY DEPINA: Boogie Woogie Man/ ESTELLE EDSON WITH JACK MCVEA ORCH.: My Business Is C.O.D./ SLIM GAILLARD ORCH: Dizzy Boogie/ CECIL GANT: Hit That Jive Jack/ Nashville Jumps/ CHARLES GRAY: Crazy Woman Blues/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop/ ACE HARRIS: I'll Show You How It's Done/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Playful Baby/ Wynonie's Blues/ FRANK HAYWOOD: You Gotta Give It Up/ HELEN HUMES: Central Avenue Boogie/ Pleasing Man Blues/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: Boogin' In The Basement/ BULL MOOSE JACKSON: I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well/ ILLINOIS JACQUET: Jumpin' Jacquet/ CEE PEE JOHNSON: The G Man Got The T Man/ MARVIN JOHNSON: Safronia Bee/ PETE JOHNSON: Atomic Boogie/ LOUIS JORDAN: Beware/ Buzz Me/ Reconversion Blues/ BETTY MAYS WITH TAB SMITH ORCH.: Fat Mouth Blues/ JACK MCVEA: House Party Boogie/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Grinder Man Blues/ LUCKY MILLINDER: Shorty's Got To Go/ ROY MILTON: R M Blues/ GATEMOUTH MOORE: Did You Ever Love A Woman?/ I Ain't Mad At You, Pretty Baby/ JOHNNY MOORE’S BLAZERS WITH CHARLES BROWN: Drifting Blues/ Race Track Blues/ HOT LIPS PAGE: They Raided The Joint/ CHARLIE PARKER: Now's The Time/ JESSE PRICE: You Satisfy/ THE RAVENS: Bye Bye Baby Blues/ LILLETTE THOMAS: Boogie Woogie Time Down South/ EDDIE VINSON WITH COOTIE WILLIAMS ORCH.: Juice Head Baby/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Mellow Mama Blues/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD: Merry Go Round Blues/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON WITH JAY MCSHANN ORCH.: Confessin' The Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard 1026 The R&B Years, 1946 - Volume Two ● CD $19.98
50 more fine sides from 1946 from Julia Lee, Jo Jo Adams, Joe Turner, Dinah Washington, Luke Jones, Avery Parrish, Buddy JOhnson, Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, Joe Liggins, Jay McShann Orch., Jimmy Witherspoon, Saunders King, Jim Wynn, Roy Milton, Johnny Crawford and lots more.
MARION ABERNATHY: Goin' For The Okey-Doke/ JO JO ADAMS: When I'm In My Tea/ BLUE LU BARKER: Don't You Feel My Leg/ DUD BASCOMB: Late Hour Rock/ BUSTER BENNETT: Don't Jive Me Baby/ THE BIG THREE TRIO: Signifyin' Monkey/ WALTER BROWN: Fine Brown Baby/ RED CALHOUN: Here Comes The Man With The Gin/ CAB CALLOWAY: Hey Now, Hey Now/ JOHNNY CRAWFORD: Texas Woman/ MARTHA DAVIS: Lovin' Blues/ NUMA LEE DAVIS WITH RUSSELL JACQUET: Wake Up Old Maid/ BILLY ECKSTINE: Tell Me Pretty Baby/ REDD FOXX: Lucky Guy/ JIMMIE GORDON: Rock That Boogie/ TINY GRIMES: Romance Without Finance/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Ridin' On The L&N/ HENRY HAYES: Hayes' Boogie/ DUKE HENDERSON: Lottery Blues/ IVORY JOE HUNTER & AURELIA: Are You Hep?/ BUDDY JOHNSON: Walk Em/ LUKE JONES: Shufflin' Boogie/ LOUIS JORDAN: Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens/ Ain't That Just Like A Woman/ Choo Choo Ch'Boogie/ Let The Good Times Roll/ SAUNDERS KING: Lazy Woman Blues/ S.K. Jumps/ Swingin'/ JULIA LEE: Gotta Gimme What'cha Got/ JOE LIGGINS: Drippers Boogie Pt. 1/ Drippers Boogie Pt. 2/ Tanya/ JAY MCSHANN ORCH.: Bucktown Boogie/ JACK MCVEA: Bulgin' Eyes/ BOB MERRELL WITH COOTIE WILLIAMS ORCH.: Wrong Neighborhood/ AMOS MILBURN: Amos' Blues/ My Baby's Boogyin'/ ROY MILTON: Milton's Boogie/ AVERY PARRISH: After Hours/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Sunny Road/ RABON TARRANT WITH JACK MCVEA: Hey, Hey Baby/ MYRA TAYLOR: Tell Your Best Friend Nothin'/ JOE TURNER: Mad Blues/ My Gal's A Jockey/ T-BONE WALKER: Come Back To Me Baby/ I'm Gonna Find My Baby/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Rich Man Blues/ LAUREL WATSON: Kangaroo Blues/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON WITH JAY MCSHANN ORCH.: Voodoo Woman Blues/ JIM WYNN: Wynn's Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Broadside STERN 1 When Girls Do It ● CD $15.98
28 tracks, 77 mins, almost highly recommended
This CD is a reissue of a two LP set issued by the Red Lightnin' label in 1971 featuring, what were then, rare blues singles from the 50s and 60s. Since then quite a few of the tracks have become fairly common on blues reissues (Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Memphis Slim, etc) but about half the tracks here are appearing on CD for the first time including the title song by Bobby "Guitar" Bennett - a fine stop time number and Bobby lives up to his name with a scorching guitar solo. We have the first record from Chicago blues giant Magic - Love Me Baby recorded for the tiny Ja-Wes label with great vocals and lovely tremolo guitar work. Sam Baker does a fine version of B.B.'s Sweet Little Angel with tough guitar (possibly Jimi Hendrix!), there are two fine sides from 1968 by Los Angeles bluesman T.V. Slim featuring some nice blues violin including his great Don't Knock The Blues. Other tracks new to CD includes sides by Little Oscar Stricklin, Drifting Charles, Donnie Jacobs, Danny Boy and Clear Waters (Eddie Cleawater). The music is consistently fine and the reason for my "almost" is that the sound could be better. Rather than remastering from the original singles Broadside have used the original tape used to generate the LP masters and distortion is evident on a number of tracks which probably wasn't as noticeable on an Lp pressing - not that any tracks are unlistenable. It's also a shame that they didn't update the discographical data. But, aprt from those quibbles this is a spendid set. (FS)
SAM BAKER: Sweet Little Angel/ BOBBY "GUITAR" BENNETT: When Girls Do It/ CLEAR WATERS: Boogie Woogie Baby/ Hilly Billy Blues/ DANNY BOY: Kokomo Me Baby/ Wild Woman/ DRIFTING CHARLES: Drifting Cloud/ Evil Hearted Woman/ BUDDY GUY: Hard But It's Fair/ HARMONICA FATS: How Low Is Low/ DONNIE JACOBS: Street Walkin' Woman/ MAGIC SLIM: Love Me Baby/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Fare Well/ Take A Chance/ MEMPHIS SLIM AND HIS HOUSE ROCKERS: Blue And Lonesome/ MR. BO: I Ain't Gonna Suffer/ If Trouble Was Money/ MAGIC SAM: My Love Is Your Love/ LITTLE OSCAR STRICKLIN: Suicide Blues/ TENDER SLIM: Don't Cut Out On Me/ I'm Checkin' Up/ IKE TURNER'S KINGS OF RHYTHM: Down And Out/ TV SLIM: Don't Knock The Blues/ My Heart's Full Of Pain/ JUNIOR WELLS: I'm A Stranger/ Things I Do For You/ SUGAR BOY WILLIAMS: Five Long Years/ Little Girl

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS GVC 2024 Boogieology - The Boogie Woogie Masters ● CD $18.98
2 CDs, 52 tracks, highly recommended
Great collection devoted to the boogie woogie sound. Disc one primarily features piano boogie - mostly instrumental with the occasional vocal. It includes seminal blues oriented recordings from Pinetop Smith, Romeo Nelson, Montana Taylor, Meade Lux Lewis and others and then moves to the boogie "craze" of the and giants of the field like Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons and Jimmy Yancey as well as featuring some more oriented offerings from Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, Errol Garner and Gene Ammons. In the 40s the boogie style became incorporated into rhythm & blues and the second features mostly R&B bands and most of the cuts hit the R&B chats and includes sides by Lionel Hampton, Archibald, Freddie Mitchell Orch., Roy Milton's Solid Senders, Erskine Hawkins Orch., Johnny Otis Orch. and more. A great cross section of an important musical form with excellent sound and informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
GENE AMMONS & HIS BAND: Ammons Boogie/ ALBERT AMMONS & HIS RHYTHM KINGS: Swanee River Boogie/ MILDRED ANDERSON WITH ALBERT AMMONS' RHYTHM KING: Doin' The Boogie Woogie/ ARCHIBALD: Stack-A-Lee (Part 2)/ COUNT BASIE ORCH.: Red Bank Boogie/ BIG MACEO & TAMPA RED: Chicago Breakdown/ THE BOOGIE WOOGIE BOYS (LEWIS, JOHNSON & AMM: Boogie Woogie Prayer (Part 1)/ Boogie Woogie Prayer (Part 2)/ THE BOOGIE WOOGIE TRIO (LEWIS, JOHNSON & AMM: Jumpin' Blues (live at Carnegie Hall 1938)/ HADDA BROOKS: Swingin' The Boogie/ CLEO BROWN: Boogie Woogie/ COW COW DAVENPORT: Cow Cow Blues/ THE FIVE RED CAPS: Boogie Woogie Ball/ CECIL GANT: Cecil Boogie/ ERROL GARNER TRIO: Twistin' The Cats's Tail/ HARRY "THE HIPSTER" GIBSON: Riot In Boogie/ LLOYD GLENN & HIS JOYMAKERS: Boogiology/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Hamp's Boogie Woogie/ Beulah's Boogie/ ERSKINE HAWKINS ORCH.: Hawk's Boogie/ CAMILLE HOWARD TRIO: X-Temporaneous Boogie/ PETE JOHNSON & ALBERT AMMONS: Boogie Woogie Man/ BUDDY JOHNSON & HIS BAND: Boogie Woogie's Mother-In-Law/ PETE JOHNSON'S ALL STARS: 1946 Stomp/ LOUIS JORDAN & HIS TYMPANY FIVE: Boogie Woogie Blue Plate/ Pinetop's Boogie Woogie/ MEADE LUX LEWIS: Honky Tonk Train Blues/ JOE LIGGINS & HIS HONEYDRIPPERS: Roll 'Em/ LITTLE ESTHER & MEL WALKER WITH JOHNNY O: Cupid's Boogie/ CRIPPLE CLARENCE LOFTON: Strut That Thing!/ NELLIE LUTCHER & HER RHYTHM: Lake Charles' Boogie/ CHUCK MILLER: House Of Blue Lights/ ROY MILTON'S SOLID SENDERS: Milton's Boogie/ FREDDIE MITCHELL ORCH.: Doby's Boogie/ ROMEO NELSON: Head Rag Hop/ JOHNNY OTIS ORCH.: Goomp Blues/ CECIL PAYNE ORCH.: Blockbuster Boogie/ PIANO RED: Red's Boogie/ SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON: Numbers Boogie/ MABEL SCOTT: Boogie Woogie Santa Claus/ FREDDIE SLACK WITH WILL BRADLEY TRIO: Down The Road A Piece/ PINETOP SMITH: Pinetop's Blues/ WILLIE LONG TIME SMITH: I Love You Baby Boogie/ MONTANA TAYLOR: Detroit Rocks/ SONNY THOMPSON & EDDIE CHAMBLEE: Late Freight/ SONNY THOMPSON WITH DICK DAVIS ORCHESTRA: Screamin' Boogie/ JOE TURNER & PETE JOHNSON: Low Down Dog (live at Carnegie Hall 1938)/ Roll 'Em Pete/ JOE TURNER WITH VAN PIANO MAN WALLS: Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ EDDIE VINSON ORCH.: Old Maid Boogie/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON WITH BLIND JOHN DAVIS: Shake The Boogie/ JIMMY YANCEY: Yancey Special

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS GVC 2025 Let's Get The Party Rockin' ● CD $18.98
Two CD set with 36 tracks featuring sides recorded for Brunswick's 84000 R&B series in 1953. A mix of urban blues, R&B and doo-wop featuring sides by Mabel Scott, The Five Bills, Gayle Brown (a male singer), Sarah McLawler, Vickie Nelson, james Allen, Erskine Hawkins with Ace Harris, Sonny Parker, Myrtle Jackson, Zilla Mays & The Blues Caravan and others.
JAMES ALLEN: Strange Romance/ The Only One I'll Ever Love/ GEORGIE AULD & SARAH MCLAWLER: Let's Get The Party Rockin'/ Red Light/ The Blue Room/ Tippin' In/ GAYLE BROWN: Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'/ Gee Baby/ Gone Are The Days/ Lonely Boy Blues/ THE FIVE BILLS: Can't Wait For Tomorrow/ Til' I Waltz Again With You/ Till Dawn And Tomorrow/ Waiting, Wanting/ ERSKINE HAWKINS-ACE HARRIS: At Your Beck And Call/ Please Don't Put Me Down/ MYRTLE JACKSON: I'm Watching And Waiting/ Let God Abide/ ZILLA MAYS AND THE BLUES CARAVAN: Night Shift Blues/ Why Do You Cry/ SARAH MCLAWLER: Blues For Rex/ Foolin' Myself/ I'm Tired Cryin' Over You/ Your Fool Again/ FREDDIE MITCHELL: Chuirico/ Coquette/ Freddie's Boogie/ I'm Going Home/ Roses Of Picardy/ Slowboat/ VICKIE NELSON: I've Got To Keep Movin' (All The Time)/ My Poor Life Blues/ SONNY PARKER: I'm Hungry/ Jealous Blues/ MABEL SCOTT: Take My Love/ Wailin' Daddy

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Numero 026 Local Customs: Downriver Revival ● CD $19.98
CD/ DVD: CD - 24 tracks, 67 mins/ DVD - Approximately 200 tracks, highly recommended
The gang at Numero returns in their never ending quest to find obscure American R&B treasures; this time they bring us the productions of Felton Williams, who recorded the talented folks of Ecorse, MI (downriver from Detroit, hence the CD's title) between 1967 and 1981. These tracks were originally issued on the Solid Rock, Compose, and Revival labels, and this compilation presents 24 Williams gems - 8 of them previously unreleased, covering mostly gospel (the best exponents being Shirley Ann Lee, and Calvin Cooke), but also touching on primitive jazz funk (Bobby Cook & the Explosions, Organics), vocal group soul (Combinations), and even a foray into garage rock courtesy of Young Generation . And for the first time anywhere (or at least in our recollection) the set includes a DVD archive of 200 sound recordings from Williams' vaults-ie a virtual library of Williams' creations. Here there's everything from a home-produced radio show for Shirley Ann Lee, alternative versions of songs on the CD, many additional artists and even a steel guitar tutorial. This is a really remarkable accomplishment and an invaluable insight into the working of an independent record operation. The DVD also includes a30 minute video documentary of the making of this CD. Numero's collections rarely fail to entertain, and this one is no exception. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Saga Blues 982 077-5 Cherokee Boogie - Indians & The Blues ● CD $13.98
Here is another of Saga's "theme" compilations, this time spotlighting the Native American influence on the Blues: by geographic location, blues artists with Indian blood (both of which comprise the first half of the disc), and blues lyrics that focus on the Indian experience and influence. Most of the tracks date from the 20's and 30's, with heavy-hitters like T-Bone Walker, Big Bill Broonzy, Tampa Red, Memphis Minnie, Champion Jack Dupree, Bullmoose Jackson, Lowell Fulson, and Blind Lemon Jefferson making major contributions. Another fascinating addition to Saga's ongoing chronicle of American music in all its diversity.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Storyville 8604 The Blues Box ● CD $74.98
Seven CDs + DVD, 153 tracks + 23 tracks, recommended Fine box set documenting some of the blues recordings made for the famed Danish jazz and blues label Storyville. During the 60s and 70s the label issued a string of important blues LPs - some material licensed from U.S. labels and others recorded in Denmark by visiting blues musicians. The CDs feature music recorded by Storyville between 1956 and 1977 - mostly in the studio and some live. Artists include Lonnie Johnson (13 tracks from 1963 with Otis Spann on piano), Otis Spann (8 tracks, mostly solo, from 1963), Speckled Red (13 tracks from 1960), Sunnyland Slim (8 tracks from 1964), Roosevelt Sykes (9 tracks from 1966), Sippie Wallace (8 tracks from 1966 accompanied by Roosevelt Sykes or Little Brother Montgomery), Little Brother Montgomery (5 from 1972), Big Joe Williams (10 tracks from 1963), Sleepy John Estes (seven from 1967 live concert with Hammie Nixon on harmonica or jug), Robert Pete Williams (7 tracks from 1972 - some with Big Joe Williams on kazoo!), Big Bill Broonzy (15 tracks from live shows in 1956), John Henry Barbee (six tracks from 1964), Memphis Slim (11 tracks from 1960 with Danish musicians on drum and bass), Champion Jack Dupree (7 tracks recorded between 1960 and 1964), Eddie Boyd ( 3 tracks from 1968), Jay McShann (3 from 1977), Sonny Boy Williamson (9 tracks from 1963 - solo or with Memphis Slim and/or Matt Murphy) and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (9 tracks from 1971). The DVD includes 3 songs by Sonny Boy Williamson from 1963 with Swedish musicians which has been reissued a number of times, three by Champion Jack Dupree from 1986 and a film featuring performances from the 80s by Robert Lockwood Jr, James Booker, Henry Gray, Boogie Bill Webb and Cousin Joe. The quality of the music varies from superb to not so good. I would have preferred more Otis Spann and less Lonnie Johnson whose songs are a little too samey and Big Joe Williams' kazoo playing on some of the Robert Pete sides rather detract from otherwise superb performances. The 40 page booklet has informative notes by Chris Albertson on the artists and the recordings but nothing about the history of the Storyville label which is a shame as the label's contributions are substantial. In all I would say that if you don't already have many of these recordings on previous CD reissues this is a very worthwhile purchase - otherwise, you might want to give it some thought. (FS)
 
SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON Snapper Blues 027 Good Morning Little Schoolgirl ● CD $9.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Another fine introduction to one of the early blues giants from Snapper Blues - this time it's the great and incredibly influentail singer and harmonica playe John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Tracks here range from Good Morning, Little School Girl recorded at his first session in 1937 to Bring Another Half Pint (better known as Sloppy Drunk) from his last session in 1937. We can see the transition in Sonny Boy's style from the country blues style of his early sides with acoustic accompaniments on guitar and mandolin to the more urban feel of his later style with piano, drums and occasional electric guitar. Accompanying musicians include Robert Lee McCoy, Yank Rachell, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind John Davis, Big Maceo, Judge Riley and others. Excellent sound, informative notes and full discographical information is included. (FS)
 

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