BULLETIN -
January/ February
2010
Blues & Gospel
Charlie Burse
->
Various Artists +
Books + Calendar + DVDS
|
CHICAGO BLUES AS SEEN FROM THE INSIDE: The
Photographs Of Raeburn Flerlage by Raeburn Flerlage |
● BOOK $22.95 |
Paperbound, 152 pages, highly recommended,
counts as four CDs for shipping
Available
again. Photographer Ray Flerlage has been documenting the Chicago
blues scene since the late 50s and his wonderful photos have graced
many record albums and appeared in numerous books and magazines.
This wonderful collection features some of Ray's most well known
photos as well as many not published before. Among the artists
captured by Ray lens are Big Joe Williams, Little Walter, Jimmy
Dawkins, Mike Bloomfield, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins,
Sunnyland Slim, Jazz Gillum, Furry Lewis, Howlin' Wolf, James
Cotton, Muddy Waters and many others. The photos include posed
publicity shots, live on stage shots and candid photos informal home
gatherings. There's an introduction and brief commentary on the
photos by Flerlage. (FS)
|
| HAND ME
MY TRAVELIN' SHOE SHOES
In Search Of Blind Willie McTell
by
Michael Gray |
● BOOK $26.95 |
Hardbound, 432 pages, counts as 7 cds for shipping
Previously available as a British import this is now finally
available in the USA at a much lower price. Blind Willie McTell was
one of the most gifted musical artists of his generation, with an
exquisite voice and a sublime talent for the twelve-string guitar.
As Bob Dylan wrote, "nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie
McTell"--yet his repertoire was infinity wider than that. Why, then,
did he drift in and out of the public eye, being `rediscovered' time
and again through chance meetings; and why, until now, has so little
been written about the life of this extraordinary man? In this
personal and moving odyssey into a lost world of early blues music,
a vulnerable black population and more, Michael Gray peels back the
many layers of a tragic, occasionally shocking but ultimately
uplifting story. He gives us an intimate portrait of a remarkable
man, showing how his life connects to the tumultuous sweep of
history. Getting the story is part of the story itself, and Gray's
quest for facts and details reveals that little may have changed in
the Deep South, even today. Part biography, part travelogue, part
social history, this is an atmospheric, unforgettable tale.
|
| LOUIS JORDAN |
Storyville 26031 |
Hey Everybody, It's Louis Jordan &
His Tympany Five |
● DVD $15.98 |
31 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended Louis Jordan
was one of the greatest entertainers of all time and thankfully on
top of all of his audio recordings there is also a wealth of filmed
performances of Jordan & his legendary Tympany Five available. In
the late 1940's Jordan made three low-budget features with the small
independent movie company Astor Pictures. "Beware," "Reet, Petite,
and Gone," and "Look Out Sister," aren't movies that you necessarily
need to rush out and watch in their entirety, but thankfully
Storyville Films have cut out the melodrama, comedy skits, etc. and
are providing us here with just the pure musical performances, 31 in
all that are absolutely wonderful. With different settings, the
studio, the night club, the classroom, and yes, even the cowboy
ranch, Jordan and company deliver brilliant performances of most all
of his big hits and then some, usually surrounded by a bevy of
beautiful (if nervous looking) beauties. Caldonia/ You Gotta Have
The Beat/ You Are Much Too Fat, and Early in The Morning,
showcases just what a huge and diverse talent Louis Jordan was. The
only thing that hold this back from an "essential" rating would be
the occasionally scratchy sound quality and the lack of any real
bonus material, those are but small complaints though and it should
hardly hold back any Rhythm & Blues, Jazz or Rock 'n' Roll fan from
grabbing this one pronto. (JM)
|
| R. CRUMB'S HEROES OF BLUES, JAZZ &
COUNTRY 2010 CALENDAR |
● CALENDAR $12.98 |
Now you can have R. Crumb on your wall for all of
2010. Back in the 80s R. Crumb created a series of, now highly
collectable, trading cards featuring his unique full color
illustrations of pre-war blues, jazz and old time country musicians
with biographis on the back. This new calendar includes 9"x 12"
reproductions of 12 of those cards - one for each month - four blues
(Blind Gary Davis, Papa Charlie Jackson, Mississippi John Hurt and
Bo Carter), four jazz (Lil Hardin, Roy Palmer, Freddie Keppard &
Mary Lou Williams) and four country (Eck Robertson, Ted Gossett,
Uncle Dave Macon and Jimmie & George Carter). Each month includes a
brief biography of the artist featured and selected birth and death
dates. In addition there is a set of six postcards featuring
additional illustrations from the original series.
|
|
CHARLIE BURSE &
HIS MEMPHIS MUDCATS |
Document DOCD 5687 |
Memphis Highway Stomp - Complete
Recorded Titles 1939 |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks, recommended
Entertaining collection of
sides recorded in 1939 by small group led by veteran of the Memphis JUg Band, Charly Burse. Accompanying Burses' vocals and guitar are a
group of unknown musicians features on alto sax, piano, bass and
drums with the drummer also featured on various other assorted
percussion. The music the group makes is a cross between that of a
jug band and a dance band and while there's not a lot of variety
Burse's vocals are quite enthusiastic and the alto saxist has some
good moments. These tracks were previously available on JSP 7752
(Memphis Shakedown - $28.98) but if you don't have that set this one
is worth a listen. (FS)
|
| SNOOKS EAGLIN |
Hep Cat 0530 |
Teasin' You |
● CD $12.98 |
17 tracks, highly recommended
Reissue of Black Top
1071 with three bonus tracks. Snooks was a potent bluesman in the
50's, and continued to forge ahead creatively, delighting audiences
up to the present day with eclecticism, outstanding guitar work and
just plain soul. Here we get the wiry instrumental Sleepwalk
and hot solos on Baby Please Come Home/ Travelin' Mood and
many more, soul and blues standards Teasin' You/ Black Night/
Dizzy Miss Lizzy, the New Orleans sound of When It Rains It
Pours/ Don't Take It So Hard and even gospel on Jesus Will
Fix It. 17 thoroughly enjoyable cuts. (MB/ FS)
|
| ANDREW
"JR. BOY" JONES |
Electro-Fi 3415 |
Gettin' Real |
● CD $15.98 |
New album from powerful Texas singer/ guitarist and
one time protégé of Freddie King who was also the guitarist in the
Charlie Musselwhite band for several years.
|
| EARL
KING & ROOMFUL OF BLUES |
Hep Cat 0528 |
Glazed |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, highly recommended Reissue of Black Top
1035 from 1986 with one bonus cut. On this album King, with support
from top flite Providence RI band Roomfull Of Blues has fronted a
smokin' rhythm & blues party. Includes Texas flavored blues shuffles
and some of Earl's older compositions reworked and given new life.
The communication lines between King and fellow guitarist Ronnie
Earl were exceptional and Earl shines on Three Can Play The Game
and One Step Beyond Love. Stellar production by Hammond
Scott, & scintillating organ & piano courtesy of Ron Levy. The bonus
cut Please Don't Leave Me here To Cry features a guest
appearance from Curtis Salgado. (MB/ FS)
|
| LAZY LESTER |
Retro World 6006 |
Blues Stop Knockin' |
● CD $16.98 |
19 tracks, recommended Reissue of 2001 album by this
swamp blues legend originally issued on Antones along with seven
bonus tracks drawn from his 1998 Antones album "All Over You."
Lester is in good voice and plays some fine harmonica on a selection
of songs that includes songs he originally recorded in the 50s and
60s for Excello along with songs from the repertoire of fellow
Excello artists like Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim and Lonesome Sundown
along with some other blues and R&B covers. On both sessions he is
accompanied by small bands that do a good job of recapturing the
feel of those classic EXcello sides without imitating them. The
sessions feature fine guitar work by Jimmie Vaughan or Sue Foley.
(FS)
|
| JULIA LEE |
Jasmine 3003 |
Kansas City Calling |
● CD $11.00 |
23 tracks, 68 mins, recommended Not a new release
but with most of Julia's reissues out of print except for the
expensive Bear Family box this is a fine introduction to this
entertaining and important performer. Heavy set, effervescent, and
raunchy in a knowledgeable, fun-loving way, Julia Lee is certainly
best known for the double entendre numbers and many of those are
featured here like King Size Papa/ Snatch and Grab It/ I Didn't
Like It The First Time, and My Man Stand Out - all
performed with particular verve and style. But, as this collection
shows, she also sang supper club blues, less risque novelty numbers,
and even straight pop ballads. She is accompanied by top jazz
musicians like Jay McShann, Walter Page, Dave Cavanaugh, Benny
Carter and others. Other songs include Ain't It A Crime/ Tell Me,
Daddy/ Young Girl's Blues/ You Ain't Got It Anymore/ Oh Chuck It In
A Bucket/ Wise Guys (You're A Wise Guy)/ Glory Of Love, etc.
Excellent sound and brief notes by Guy Brighter though no
discographical info. (FS)
|
| MAGIC
SLIM & THE TEARDROPS |
Wolf 120.820 |
Rough Dried Woman |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 71 mins, very highly recommended I love
the music of Magic Slim - with his gritty down to earth vocals and
and intense vibrato laden electric guitar plus rock solid
accompaniment from his brother Nick Holt on bass, John Primer on
guitar and a variety of drummers his music is pure blues from first
note to last. Although most of his material is drawn from the
repertoire of other artists the songs end up being pure Magic Slim.
This set is drawn from albums issued by Wolf in 80s and 90s along
with three previously unissued tracks recorded live in Austria
(where Slim has a big following) in 1990 and 1992. The music is
consistently superb and exciting including a couple of Slim's great
minor key blues which Slim lends an intensity few others achieve -
his original song Tell Me What Make A Woman Treat A Good Man So
Bad is a particularly good example of this. Other songs include
Rough Dried Woman/ Spider In My Stew/ Bad Spider/ Ain't It Nice/
You Can't Lose What What You Ain't Never Had/ Blues At Sunrise,
etc. If you've never heard Magic Slim before prepare to have your
socks knocked off and if you have you'll want this if you don't
already have all his Wolf albums and if you do you might want to get
it for three previously unreleased tracks which are certainly prime
Slim. (FS)
|
| KOKO TAYLOR |
Hip-O Select 13186-02 |
What It Takes: The Chess Years -
Expanded Edition |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended This is a
reissue of Chess 9328 from 1991 with five bonus tracks. Heavily
influenced by Bessie Smith and Big Maybelle, Cora "Koko" Taylor and
her extra-large voice made some cool rocking blues sides for Chess/
Checker from 1964 to 1972, and most of the best ones are in this
collection. If she sounds like she was invented by Willie Dixon,
it's only because he wrote and arranged almost all of her songs,
found the session musicians, played bass and sings on a couple of
cuts. This collection includes Wang Dang Doodle, her big 1966
hit, and lots of other good stuff too: Um Huh My Baby/ Fire/ I
Need More And More/ I Got (All You Need)/ What Came First The Egg Or
The Hen and more. She duets with Muddy Waters on I Got What
It Takes from 1972 and bonus cuts includes J.B. lenoir's Good
Advice, her own What Kind Of Man Is This and others.
Backing musicians includes a who's who of Chicago greats - Walter
Horton, Lafayette Leake, Buddy Guy, Robert Nighthawk, Gene Barge, Al
Duncan, Matt Murphy and others. Booklet includes original notes from
the 1991 release by Don Snowden, a brief tribute to Koko who died in
early 2009 from producer Andy McKaie and full discographical
details. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Delmark 804 |
Boogie Woogie Kings - Pitch A Boogie |
● CD $14.98 |
19 tracks, 53 mins, recommended A 19 track
collection of sides drawn from Paul Affeldt's Euphonic. The three
biggest names in boogie, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux
Lewis are featured here on sides recorded from radio transcriptions
in 1939 and from the same year are six sides recorded at a private
party by the great and idiosyncratic Cripple Clarence Lofton. These
have been reissued a number of times before. The remaining tracks
are, I believe, new to CD and several tracks have never been issued
before. The great St. Louis pianist Henry Brown, who recorded under
his name and behind several St. Louis artists in the late 20s and
early 30s, is featured on three sides from 1960 - two of them are
previously unissued. His performances are fine though the piano he
was playing on could have used some work. The set is rounded out by
four sides by the alawys effervescent Speckled Red - a previously
unissued version of his trademark Dirty Dozens from 1955 and
three sides from 1971 - two previously unissued. An enjoyable but
not particularly compelling collection. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5685 |
Memphis Blues, Vol. 3: 1927-1930 |
● CD $15.98 |
A beautiful collection of pre-war Memphis blues
featuring the Memphis Jug Band and various artists associated with
it. Althought the music is wonderful and the sound is fine the
release is a bit redundant as all the tracks with the exception of
the four tracks by Kaiser Clifton have been reissued on the four CD
series on the Memphis Jug Band issued by Frog (15, 16, 18, 62 -
$18.98 each). In addition to eight alternte takes by the Jug Band it
also features sides by Will Weldon, Vol Stevens, Will Shade, Hattie
Hart and Kaiser Clifton.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
EMI (France) 684 053-2 |
Black Rock 'n' Roll |
● CD $24.98 |
Three CDs, 58 tracks, recommended Fine collection of
mid and up tempo blues and R&B recorded between 1945 and 1957 and
originally issued on the Aladdin, IMperial and Capitol labels. Most
of the titles will be famniliar to collectors though there are a
number of obscurities and titles that are not currently available
elsewhere on CD. Artists include T_Bone Walker, Pigmeat Markham,
Gatemouth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Lulia Lee, Cleo Brown, John Lee
Hooker (from his great, originally unissued, sessions for Bernie
Bessman), Clavin Boze, Peppermint Harris, Archibald, Jack Parker,
Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown, Shirley
& Lee, Roy Brown and more.Fine sound and very brief notes in French.
(FS)
JO JO ADAMS: When I'm In My Tea/ ARCHIBALD: Great
Big Eyes/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Jump Children/ CALVIN BOZE & HIS ALL
STARS: Safronia B/ CHARLES BROWN: I've Been Savin' My Love For You/
Please Don't DRive Me Away/ CLEO BROWN: Cleo's Boogie/ GATEMOUTH
BROWN: Gatemouth Boogie/ ROY BROWN: Let The Four Winds Blow/ PEE WEE
CRAYTON: Blues Before Dawn/ Do Unto Others/ Hurry Hurry/ You Know
Yeah/ Your Truly/ FLOYD DIXON: Wine Wine Wine/ FATS DOMINO:
Blueberry Hill/ THE FIVE KEYS: Hucklebuck With Jimmy/ She's The
Most/ LOWELL FULSON: Chuck With The Boys/ Don't Leave Me Baby/
PEPERMINT HARRIS: I Got Loaded/ COLEMAN HAWKINS: Stuffy/ JOHN LEE
HOOKER: Crying All Night/ Out The Door I Went/ Snap Them Fingers
Boogie/ Throw MY Money Around/ HELEN HUMES: He May Be Your Man/
ILLINOIS JACQUET: Flying Home, Part 1/ LOUIS JORDAN: Messy Bessy/
JULIA LEE: King Size Papa/ JIMMY LIGGINS: I Ain't Drunk/ NELLIE
LUTCHER: Fine Brown Frame/ PIGMEAT MARKHAM: See See Rider/ BIG JAY
MCNEELY: Deacon Rides Again/ AMOS MILBURN: Down The Road A Piece/
Jitterbug Fashion Parade/ Let Me Go Home Whiskey/ Let's Have A
Party/ Let's Rock A While/ Sax Shack Boogie/ Wolf On The River/ JACK
PARKER: I Need You, I Want You/ SHIRLEY & ROLL: Let The Good Times
Roll/ GEECHIE SMITH: T Town Jump/ BIG JOE TURNER: Blues JUmp The
Rabbit/ Jumpin' Tonight (Midnight Rockin')/ Love My Baby (Little
Bitty Baby)/ Low Down Dog/ Lucille/ Roll 'Em Pete/ BIG T. TYLER:
King Kong/ T-BONE WALKER: Bye Bye Baby/ Come Back To Me Baby/ Hard
Way/ Party Girl/ Strollin' With Bone/ Teenage Baby/ Tell Me What's
The Reason
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Flash 101 |
Jericho Alley, Vol. 1 - Blues In Los
Angeles, 1955-1959 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, highly recommended The first of two CDs
featuring all the blues recordings made for the Los Angeles based
Flash label between 1955 and 1959. In spite of being a center for
slick blues a lot of L.A. small labels recorded more down home
sounds and Flas was no exception and even their urban blues had a
raw feel to them. There are three tracks by funky down dome Texas
singer & guitarist Slim Green including his great Jericho Alley
- a variation on the West Coast standard Tin Pan Alley. Six
cuts feature a down home trio from Fresno - singer/ harmonica Sidney
Maiden, singer/ guitarist Haskell Sadler and singer/ drummer B.
Brown - each of whom had one single on the label. Flash had a local
hit with the fine instrumental Tricky by prolific L.A. singer
and piano player Gus Jenkins who also accompanies his wife Mamie
jenkins on two fine sides. Another excellent female singer is the
obscure Sheryl Crowley with three songs (one originally unissued).
The set is rounded out with tracks by Sweet Pea Walker (possibly
Paul Clifton), Maurice Simmons & His Orch., Frank Patt (who recorded
the classic Bloodstains On The Wall for Specialty as
Honeyboy), Judge Davis and Paul Clifton. Over half the tracks are
appearing on Cd for the first time. Sound quality is excellent and
there are brief notes on the label and the artists. (FS)
B. BROWN & HIS MCVOUTS: Good Woman Blues/ Mambo
For Dancers/ PAUL CLIFTON: Are You Alright?/ SHERYL CROWLEY WITH
JAMES CURRY & HIS ORCH.: I'll Be Seeing You*/ Just A Night Girl/
SHERYL CROWLEY WITH LORENZO HOLDEN'S ORCH.: It Ain't To Play With!/
JUDGE DAVIS: Can't Sleep At Night/ Sawmill Section/ SLIM GREEN:
Jericho Alley/ Shake 'Em Up/ Shake 'Em Up (Alt.*)/ GUS JENKINS &
ORCH.: Remember Last Xmas/ Tricky/ MAMIE JENKINS WITH GUS JENKINS
ORCH.: Hambone/ Jump With Me Baby/ SIDNEY MAIDEN & HIS RAMBLERS:
Everything Is Wrong/ Hurry Hurry Baby/ FRANK PATT & ORCH.: Gonna
Hold On/ You Going To Pay For It Baby/ HASKELL SADLER & HIS ORCH.:
Do Right Mind/ Gone For Good/ MAURICE SIMONS & HIS ORCH.: Flashy/
SWEET PEA WALKER: Sweet Pea (Take 1*)/ Sweet Pea (Take 2*)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Freedom 1500 |
Let's Have Some Fun - The Freedom
R&B Story, Vol. 1 |
● CD $16.98 |
27 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended The first of
two CDs reissuing a goodly portion of the blues and R&B releases cut
for the Houston based Freedom label run by Solomon Kahal between
1948 and 1952. The label issued 46 singles in its blues and R&B
series along with a handful of gospel and country releases in
different series. The label had a couple of nationwide R&B hits with
the Louisian flavored Ethel Mae by L.C. Williams and the
mighty Big Joe Turner's Still In The Dark (both included
here). One of the label's most popular and prolific artists was the
outstanding singer and guitarist Goree Carter whose singing and
playing owed a debt to T-Bone Walker but was far from a copyist.
This disc features seven sides by Carter - all of them fine. This
set also includes the last recordings of legendary Texas blues
singer recorded in 1950 accompanied by pianist Buster Pickens and
guitarist Leon Benton. Other local talent that passed through
Freedom's doors including singer/ piano player LOnnie Lyons (with
Goree Carter on guitar), singer/ pianist Connie Mac Booker, The
Sammy Harris Orch. (the delightful Fatso), Clarence Samuels
and others. Most of these tracks have been out before but it's nice
to have them in a label oriented collection. Sound quality is fine
though a few tracks are obviously from worn 78s. Booklet includes a
complete listing of Fredoom's R&B series. (FS)
TEXAS ALEXANDER: Bottom's Blues/ Crossroads/ CARL
CAMPBELL: Between Midnight and Dawn/ Gettin' High/ GOREE CARTER:
Back Home Blues/ Come on Let's Boogie/ Hoy Hoy/ I'll Send You/ Rock
Awhile/ She's Just Old Fashioned/ Working With My Baby/ SAMMY HARRIS
ORCHESTRA (VOCAL LEON WHITEHEAD): Fatso/ LEROY 'COUNTRY' JOHNSON: No
One to Love Me/ LONNIE LYONS COMBO: Faraway Blues/ Flychick Bounce/
CONNIE MAC BOOKER: Loretta/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: Lost My Head/ She
Walk, She Walk (part 1)/ She Walk, She Walk (part 2)/ JESSE THOMAS:
Guess I'll Walk Alone/ Let's Have Some Fun/ BIG JOE TURNER: Adam Bit
the Apple/ Life is Like a Card Game/ Still in the Dark/ L.C.
WILLIAMS: Ethel Mae/ Jelly Roll/ Won't You Please Come Back
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Freedom 1501 |
Let's Have Some Fun - The Freedom
R&B Story, Vol. 2 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, highly recommended More fine jump blues
from Houston recorded for Freedom in 1949 and 1950. Many of the
artists here are returning from volume 1 (Joe Turner, Lonnie Lyons,
L.C. Williams, Clarence Samuels, Connie Mac Booker) and this set
also includes one track by Little Willie Littlefield - the super hot
Littlefield Boogie and one track by Carl Campbell - the fine
Ooh Wee Baby! with great piano (probably Lonnie Lyons).
Booklet has brief notes on the label and artists along with several
label shots. (FS)
CARL CAMPBELL & ORCH.: Ooh Wee Baby!/ CONNEY'S
COMBO (VCL. L.C. WILLIAMS): Gonna Change My Love/ That's Alright/
LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Littlefield Boogie/ LONNIE LYONS & HIS
ORCH.: Betrayed/ Sneaky Joe/ LONNIE LYONS & HIS PIANO: Down In The
Groovy/ Helpless/ Neat And Sweet, Part 1/ Neat And Sweet, Part 2/
CONNIE MAC BOOKER: My Baby Left Me/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: Got The
Craziest Feelin'/ I'm Gonna Leave You Baby/ Low Top Inn/ JOE TURNER
& ORCH.: Feelin' Happy/ I Want My Baby/ Jumpin' At The Jubilee/ Just
A Travelin' Man/ Midnight Is Here Again/ You'll Be Sorry/ L.C.
WILLIAMS: All Through My Dreams/ Mean And Evil Blues/ Louisiana
Boogie/ Shout Baby Shout
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Mountain Top 13 |
Mark Hummel's Chicago Blues Party
Recorded Live,1980-92 |
● CD $12.98 |
15 tracks, recommended Collection of live blues
recordings featuring West Coast harmonica player Mark Hummel with
various groups featuring some Chicago blues legends as well as some
tracks with West Coast bluesman Mississippi Johnny Waters who
performs in a Chicago blues style. Highlight of this set and the
main reason to get it are for the four excellent sides by Eddie
Taylor. Eddie is in fine form vocally and instrumentally and is
given solid sup[port by Mississippi Johnny Waters on rhythm guitar
plus bass an drums. He also accompanies Waters and takes a fine solo
on Waters' version ofd Dust My Broom. Five cuts feature the
great Jimmy Rogers but Jimmy is not at his best here - his
performances are rather lethargic. Mississippi Johnny Waters has
three other cuts which are rather pedestrian and the set finishes
with two cuts featuring Hummel singing and playing with a band with
Luther Tucker on guitar including a version of Little Walter's great
Blue And Lonesome. Tucker played on the original but here his
solo is extended to the point of tedium. In spite of all the
negatives this is worthwhile for the Eddie Taylor tracks. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Raisin Music 9961 |
Chicago Blues: A Living History (Two
CD set) |
● CD $18.98 |
2 CDs, 21 tracks, 75 min., very highly recommended A
dream team of Chicago blues talent coalescing around the idea of
demonstrating the development of Chicago blues from 1940 to the
present (or 1991, anyway). So you get Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer,
Bily Branch, and Lurrie Bell, legends all, working their way through
songs by John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson (My Little Machine),
Tampa Red (She's Love Crazy), Big Bill Broonzy (Night
Watchman Blues), Big Maceo Merriweather (Chicago Breakdown),
Muddy Waters (Feel Like Going Home), Elmore James (I
Believe), Howlin' Wolf (Moanin' At Midnight), Lowell
Fulson Three O'clock Blues), Memphis Slim (Memphis Slim
USA), Little Walter (Hate To See You Go), and that's just
the first disc! impeccable performances and a booklet full of
informative notes on every artist. A must have for fans of Chicago
blues or blues in general. Done right (although at 75 minutes this
stuff would have fit on one CD). (JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Severn 46 |
Chicago Blues Harmonica Project -
More Rare gems |
● CD $15.98 |
12 sides - 2006 recordings featuring Reginald
Cooper, Harmonica Hinds, Jeff Taylor & Russ Green, Big D, Little
Arthur Duncan and others.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Tompkins Square 2271 |
Fire In My Bones - Raw, Rare Other
Worldy Gospel |
● CD $26.98 |
Three CDs, 80 tracks, essential Fantastic collection
of rare black gospel recordings covering the period 1944 through
2007 though most of the recordings predate 1980. Most of the
performances come from rare singles along with a handful from field
recordings and folk festivals and about 75% has never been reissued
before on LP or CD. There are a few names that might be familiar
(Sister O.M. Terrell, The Radio Four, Marie Knight, etc) but the
majority of tracks are by obscure artists who only recorded a
handful of sides. Gospel is a conservative musical style and
recordings from the 70s often sound very similar to recordings from
20 years earlier. These are mostly artists who were little known
outside their local community but what they may lack in polish and
virtuosity is more than compensated by their sincerity and
intensity. There are gospel quartets, down home gospel with guitar
accompaniment, lining out hymns and more. There is so much great and
varied material here that it's hard to pick favorites but I've
always loved the rare Designer single by Joe Townsend If I Could
Not Say A Word with it's beautiful Delta style guitar
accompaniment by Johnnie Mays who sounds like he learned from
Charlie Patton. The great New Orleans singer/ guitarist Rev. Charlie
Jackosn had a CD to himself a couple of years back (still available)
but here he provides the stellar guitar accompaniment to Brother Ike
Gordon and a new name to me Reverend Billy H. Grady is featured on a
great 1965 song Holy Rock with storming guitar accompaniment.
The most recent track here is a gorgeous 2007 performances of Let
The Redeemed Say So by Rev. John Wilkins (the son of the great
Rev. Robert Wilkins) accompnying himself himself with some lovely
fingerpicked guitar. The music here is consistently raw, beautiful
and totally compelling, I love this. Booklet has brief introductory
notes and notes on each track. I hope there will be more releases
like this coming out - this is one of the best of the year. (FS)
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