Blues & Gospel - Bulletin May/June 2010 - The Kelly Brothers  -> Jimmy Witherspoon
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BULLETIN - May/ June 2010
Blues & Gospel
The Kelly Brothers  -> Jimmy Witherspoon

 

 
 

NEW COMPACT DISCS

 
THE KELLY BROTHERS Gusto 0681 Songs From The Good Book ● CD $6.98
An unexpected release from Gusto - a great collection of black gospel quartet singing recorded for Federal between 1960 and 1962. Featuring Mississippi born brothers Robert, Curtis & Andrew Kelly with Offie Reece and T.C. Lee they perform a selection of 12 songs - mostly written by members of the group. Powerful leads, superb harmonies and solid rhythm accompaniments.

 
CHRISTINE KITTRELL Bear Family BCD 16942 Call Her Name - The Complete Recordings, 1951-1965 ● CD $21.98
31 tracks, 87 mins, highly recommended
A superb collection featuring recordings of this outstanding Nashville singer whose comparative lack of success was no reflection on her talents. She was a lovely singer with a powerful and expressive vocal style and this collection - finds her in the company of some outstanding bands and features recordings from half a dozen different labels. Although the title is "Her Complete Recordings" - six of the tracks here recorded for Republic in 1953 are actually alternate takes - the master takes are on the Bear Family's box set of Nashville blues - "Nashville Jumps" (Bear Family 15864 - $215.98). This album features her three minor hits from 1952 & '53 - the lovely Sittin' & Drinking, the hard driving Every Night In the Week and the intense I'll Help You Baby which includes a nice piece of double timing from Christine and the band. There are three outstanding tracks from 1954 with a band which includes Little Richard on piano and harmony vocals. Most of Christine's earlier sessions were cut in Nashville - in 1961' and '62 she did two sessions for Vee-Jay in Chicago with a great band including Red Holloway & Lucious Washington/ tenor sax, Lefty Bates/ guitar and Al Duncan/ drums and on a couple of cuts vocal backing by The Dells. Her final session here is from 1965 for King with two fine songs including a remake of Call His Name which she had recorded 11 years earlier with the band with Little Richard. Sound quality is superb - most tracks are being reissued from mastertapes for the first time and the 38 page booklet has extensive notes from Martin Hawkins plus rare photos and full discographical info. (FS)

 
ALEXIS KORNER'S BLUES INCORPORATED Play It Again Sam 1019 Live At The Cavern ● CD $15.98
Reissue of rare 1964 Oriole album featuring Alexis accompanied by Herbie Goins, Dave Castle, Malcolm Saul and Mike Scott. Includes six bonus songs plus interviews and announcements from a BBC radio session plus two songs from a rare single.

 
SMILEY LEWIS Bear Family BCD 16676 Rocks ● CD $24.98
36 tracks, 86 mins, essential
There are a number of Smiley Lewis compilations out there but this is easily the one to get thanks to it's extensive track listing, superior sound and extensive documentation. If you can't afford the four CD Bear Family box set (BCD 15745 - $99.98) then this is absolutely indispensible. Smiley (Overton Amos Lemon) was one of the best singers in New Orleans with a powerful expressive vocal style. His Imperial recordings were mostly produced (and written) by the great Dave Bartholomew and Smiley was accompanied by the top musicians in New Orleans including guitarists Ernest McClean & Justin Adams, pianists "Tuts" Washington & Fats Domino, saxophonists Lee Allen, Herb Hardesty and Clarence Hall, bassist Frank Fields, drummer Earl Palmer and many others including Bartholomew on trumpet on most tracks. The set has one romping upbeat number after another with occasional breaks for an intense slow blues. It includes his 1953 recording of Blue Monday which would be a giant hit for fellow Imperial artist Fats Domino a couple of years later - if anything Smiley's version is superior! The set is bookended by two versions of the storming Shame, Shame, Shame! - it opens with the version on the Imperial single and ends with the version used in the film "Baby Doll" which is 30 second longer. Sound quality is spectacular and the 40 page booklet has extensive notes by Bill Dahl, rare photos and full discographical info. (FS)
SMILEY LEWIS: Ain't Gonna Do It/ Bad Luck Blues/ Bee's Boogie/ Big Mamou/ Blue Monday/ Bumpity Bump/ Caldonia's Party/ Can't Stop Loving You/ Come On/ Dirty People/ Down The Road/ Down Yonder We Go Ballin'/ Go On Fool/ Goin' To Jump And Shout/ I Hear You Knocking/ Jailbird/ Lil Liza Jane/ Lillie Mae/ Mama Don't Like/ My Baby Was Right/ No Letter Today/ Nothing But The Blues/ One Night/ Ooh La La/ Play Girl/ Please Listen To Me/ Queen Of Hearts/ Real Gone Lover/ Rootin' And Tootin'/ Sad Life/ School Days Are Back Again/ Shame, Shame, Shame (Imperial single)/ Shame, Shame, Shame! ("Baby Doll" soundtrack)/ She's Got Me Hook, Line & Sinker/ The Bells Are Ringing/ Where Were You

 
MANCE LIPSCOMB Arhoolie 537 The Best Of Mance Lipscomb ● CD $12.98
22 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended
Mance Lipscomb from Navasota, Texas was one of the greatest musical discoveries of the 60s - a wonderful singer and guitarist with an extensive repertoire that encompassed not only blues but rags, dance tunes, pop songs, spirituals, children's songs and more. Chris Strachwitz recorded him extensively for Arhoolie in the 60s and early 70s and Mance was rarely less than superb so choosing a "Best Of" is a real challenge but this set is certainly a delight from beginning to end. The selection, chosen by Chris, features a diverse selection of material which includes some of his most requested songs like Shake, Shake Mama/ The Titanic/ Tom Moore's Blues/ Captain, Captain/ Take Me Back, Babe/ Jack O'Diamonds/ Sugar Babe and Blues In The Bottle. The CD also has the lyric transcripts embedded in a PDF that can be read on your computer. If you're not familiar with the music of this great artist this is certainly the place to start. (FS)

 
MEMPHIS SLIM Snapper Blues 021 Grinder Man Blues ● CD $9.98
20 tracks, 59 mins, recommended
20 of the earliest recordings of this popular and prolific singer and piano player. It includes five cuts from February 1940 issued as Peter Chatmon (his real name) & His Washboard Band with Washboard Sam on washboard, an unknown harmonica player and Leroy Batchelor on bass. The latter provides some hot slap bass work on a cover of the blues hit Digging My Potatoes. The remaining cuts recorded between October 1940 and December 1941 were issued under his more familiar sobriquet of Memphis Slim accompanied by the bass of Batchelor or Alfred Elkins. Most of the songs are originals including one of his early "hits" Beer Drinking Woman which he rerecorded many times throughout his career. Also included are such fine performances as Jasper's Gal/ Last Pair Of Shoes Blues/ Whiskey & Gin Blues/ Miss Ora Lee BluesGrinder Man Blues - another song he was to return to frequently. Slim's singing and piano playing are powerful and impressive and his style changed little in the ensuing years. Sound quality is excellent and booklet has informative notes and discographical information. (FS)

 
THE PASCHALL BROTHERS Smithsonian Folkways 40176 On The Right Road Now ● CD $16.98
13 tracks recorded in 2007 by this acapella gospel group from Virginia formed in 1981 who sound like a cross between the Golden Gate Quartet and The Persuasions! Includes Ease My Troublin' Mind/ Remember Me/ Final Edition/ The Lord's Prayer/ I Want To See Jesus, etc. Includes 32 page booklet with extensive notes.

 
RHYTHM WILLIE Deltacat 1002 The Greatest Harmonica Player You Never Heard Of ● CD $16.98
16 tracks, highly recommended
Willie Hood aka Rhythm Willie is a little known blues harmonica player who is very highly regarded by blues aficionados for his original style with one foot in the older styles of the 20s and the other showing the influence of jazz. He only recorded six sides under his own name in 1940 and 1950 which are included here. The rest of the tracks feature Willie as an accompanying musician. There are five tracks from 1939 by Peetie Wheatstraw with Willie and four by Lee Brown from the same year. The set is rounded out by a cut by the Earl Bostic Orchestra from 1947 with extended harmonica work by Willie. According to rumor Willie was the only harmonica player that Little Walter "feared" though their styles are very different. If you love blues harmonica then this disc is indispensible. (FS)

 
SEASICK STEVE Bronzerat 4 Dog House Music ● CD $16.98
Intriguing performer. Steve (Steven Gene Wold) is a white blues performer born in Oakland in 1941 but who has travelled and busked around the world and has a cult following in Europe and is particularly popular in England. He plays blues based music accompanying himself on acoustic and electric guitars as well as home made instruments like the three-string trance wonder and a one string diddley bow. Some songs feature drum accompaniment .

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Big Legal Mess 0224 The Pitch/ Gusman Record Story ● CD $17.98
Three CDs, 71 tracks, highly recommended
A fine collection of black gospel recorded for the independent Pitch and Gusman labels run by African-American record store owner Waymon "Gusman" Jones in the 60s and 70s in Savannah, Georgia. The pitch label was originally formed by an unknown entrepreneur in 1961 who issued a few singles before Jones acquired the label around 1967 and put out a steady stream of singles and LPs through 1978 featuring local talent from Georgia and South Carolina - some of them on his Gusman label. While few of the artists were of the caliber of the major gospel artists of the time there is a lot of fine music to be heard here. Probably the most impressive act are The White Family of Savannah featuring Rev. James White, his wife Sarah and their two children Kathleen and Lester. With intense vocals and harmonies and soulful guitar work they sound like a somewhat rawer version of The Staple Singers and are featured on 10 tracks on this set. Other artists include The Golden Stars, Southern Six, Travelingaires, True-Tone Singers (an excellent acapella group), Six Voices Of Zion and others. None of these are household names but all are worthy performers and the production lacks the slickness that was becoming prominent in the works of the more popular gospel singers. Includes excellent booklet on the history of the label by gospel expert Alan Young. A fine and inexpensive insight into an important cottage industry that is long gone. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Deltacat 1001 One String Blues Masters ● CD $16.98
Amazing collection featuring 25 examples of blues played on the one string guitar. It includes all the tracks by Eddie "One String" Jones from 1960 that were on the Takoma album reissued a while back plus the only commercial recordings featuring One-string Sam and Willie Joe Duncan. It also features field recordings of Louis Dotson, Sonny Boy Williams, Compton Jones and Napoleon Strickland plus live recordings of One-string Sam from the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1973 and a previously unissued informal session with Willie Joe Duncan from 1988.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Documents 222623 Rhythm 'N' Blues - Fine Brown Sugar ● CD $19.98
Back in print at a lower price. Another fine collection of blues and R&B from Documents - this one devoted to female vocalists. Four CDs in a book format with 100 tracks recorded between 1939 and 1954 including familiar names like LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown, Little Esther, Faye Adams, Helen Humes, Julia Lee, Big Mama Thornton, Big Maybelle, Lula Reed and others along with a whole heap of obscure artists like Myra Johnson, Albinia Jones, Erline Harris, Dorothy Ellis, Bertice Reading, Dolores Gibson, Vivian Verson, Rosemary McCoy, Honey Brown and more. Sound quality is excellent and 32 page illustrated booklet has notes on the artists and songs.
FAYE ADAMS: Anything For A Friend/ I'll Be True To You/ It Hurts Me To My Heart/ MARIA ADAMS: I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks/ MARIE ADAMS: I'm Gonna Latch On/ ANISTEEN ALLEN: Lies, Lies, Lies/ ANNISTEEN ALLEN: Baby, I'm Doing It/ Down By The River/ I've Got Big Bulgin' Eyes For/ My Baby Keeps Rollin'/ JEWEL ATKINS: 3x7=21/ LAVERN BAKER: How Can You Leave A Man Like This/ LAVERNE BAKER: Pig Latin/ LU BAKER: Here's A Little Girl/ BIG MAYBELLE: Jinny Mule/ My Country Man/ One Monkey Don't Stop No Show/ Rain Down Rain/ HADDA BROOKS: Jump Back, Honey/ HONEY BROWN: Rockin' And Jumpin'/ RUTH BROWN: 5-10-15 Hours/ He Treats Your Daughter Mean/ Hello Little Boy/ I Would If I Could/ I'll Wait For You/ Shine On/ Wild Wild Young Men/ MARGIE DAY: Sadie Green/ Stubborn As A Mule/ Take Out Your False Teeth, Daddy/ TINA DIXON: Blow Mr Be Bop/ DOROTHY ELLIS: Drill, Daddy, Drill/ DOLORES GIBSON: Call Me, Call Me, Call Me/ LIL GREEN: How Come You Do Me Like You Do/ VIVIAN GREENE: He's The Man/ LIL GREENWOOD: Granpa Can Boogie Too/ ERLINE HARIS: I Never Missed My Baby/ ERLINE HARRIS: Jump And Shout/ Long Tall Papa/ DONNA HIGHTOWER: I Ain't In The Mood/ GLADYS HILL: Please Don't Touch My Bowl/ CAMILLE HOWARD: Try Try Again/ ROSETTA HOWARD: Men Are Like Streetcars/ HELEN HUMES: Be-baba-le-ba/ FLUFFY HUNTER: Teh Walkin' Blues/ ELLA JOHNSON: Ain't Cha Got Me Where You Want M/ Till My Baby Comes Back/ MYRA JOHNSON: Silent George/ ALBINIA JONES: Hey Little Boy/ Hole In The Wall/ What's The Matter With Me/ ANNIE LAURIE: It's Been A Long Time/ My Rough And Ready Man/ Stop Talkin' And Start Walkin'/ JULIA LEE: A Parter's Lovesong To A Chamber Mai/ Gotta Gimme What'cha Got/ LITTLE ESTHER: Better Beware/ Flesh, Blood And Bones/ Lookin' For A Man/ Ring-a-ding-doo/ Sit Back Down/ The Deacon Moves In/ CHERRI LYNN: Your Money Ain't Long Enough/ MITZI MARS: I'm Glad/ MADONNA MARTIN: Rattlesnake Papa/ BIG MAYBELLE: So Good To My Baby/ ZILLA MAYS: Nightshift Blues/ Tripple Eight/ ROSEMARY MCCOY: Dippin' Is My Business/ ALMA MONDY: Baby, Get Wise/ CHUBBY NEWSOME: New Orleans Man/ BERTICE READING: I'll Never Do It Again/ BERTRICE READING: I Gotta Know/ LULA REED: I'll Upset You, Baby/ Rock Love/ Sick And Tired/ MABEL SCOTT: Baseball Boogie/ Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train/ Catch'em Young, Treat'em Rough/ Disgusted/ Good Lookin' Fella/ Googie Woogie/ That Ain't The Way To Love/ KITTY STEVENSON: Good Man/ LAURIE TATE & JOE MORRIS ORCH: Rock Me, Daddy/ SISTER ROSETTA THARPE: That's All/ BIG MAMA THORNTON: Hound Dog/ I Smell A Raat/ Rock A Bye, Baby/ They Call Me Big Mama/ TERRY TIMMONS: Got Nobody To Love/ He's The Best In The Business/ Mr Low Love/ The Same Old Thrill/ LITTLE SYLVIA VANDERPOOL: Fine Love/ Speedy Life/ SYLVIA VANDERPOOL: A Little Boy/ VIVIAN VERSON: I Want To Know/ DINAH WASHINGTON: A Slick Chick/ Short John

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Eddie's 1003 Howling On Dowling ● CD $16.98
25 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
Complementing the two volumes on Freedom this is another fine set of jump blues from Houston recorded in the early 50s. Ironically the set starts off with Fatso by Sammy Harris which is also on the first volume of Freedom - the compiler must have gotten confused as it was issued on two labels. After that it's mostly tracks appearing on CD for the first time. It includes both sides of Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's first release issued on the obscure E&W label in 1950 - Bad Luck Got My ManAll Right Baby is a storming rocker with hot sax solo. Earl Williams does a fine Regal Boogie as a tribute to the beer of the same name. Other artists include Carl Campbell, Cha Cha Hogan, Ed Wiley & His Band, Willie Johnson & His Orch., Joe Fritz, Elmore Nixon, King Tut and others. A fine and varied selection of slow blues and up tempo honkers with regular appearances from such fine local musicians as tenor saxists Ed Wiley and Joe Fritz, alto saxist Henry Hayes, pianists Willie Johnson and Elmore Nixon, guitarist Goree Carter and others. Excellent sound and four page booklet with excellent notes. (FS)
CARL CAMPBELL WITH HENRY HAYES & HIS 4 KINGS: Early Morning Blues/ Traveling On/ JOE FRITZ: Lady Bear Boogie/ They Were Right/ THE HARLEM STARS (VCL. WILLIE MAE THORNTON): All Right Baby/ Bad Luck Got My Man/ SAMMY HARRIS ORCH. (VCL. LEON WHITEHEAD): Fatso/ CHA CHA HOGAN: My Baby Loves Me/ My Walking Baby/ JOE HOUSTON'S ORCH. (VCL. JULIUS STEWART): Way Cross Mama/ HARRY 'SLICK' JOHNSON & HIS GUITAR: None Can Take Your Place/ WILLIE JOHNSON & HIS PIANO: That Boy's Boogie/ HARRY 'SLICK' JOHNSON & ORCH.: My Baby's Coming Home/ WILLIE JOHNSON & ORCH. (VCL. SLIM REESE): Shout It Out/ BUCK JONES & ORCH.: Mellow And Fine/ KING TUT: You've Been Fiddlin' Around/ PAUL MONDAY WITH BILL HARVEY ORCH.: If You Were Mine/ ELMORE NIXON: I'm Moving Out/ SLIM REESE: Got The World In A Jug/ TEDDY REYNOLDS: Too Late To Make A Change/ JULIUS STEWART: Jump Tonite/ ED WILEY & HIS AFTER HOURS BAND: Jumpin' With The Blues/ Molasses, Molasses/ ED WILEY & HIS BAND: Pack Up, Move Out/ EARL WILLIAMS: Regal Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Flash 102 Jericho Alley, Vol. 2 - Blues In Los Angeles, 1956-1965 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, 61 mins, highly recommended
Another fine collection of Los Angeles down home blues featuring sides recorded between 1956 and 1965 including several more from the Flash label (see Flash 101) along with side from other small local labels like Clara, Cash, C Note, Pioneer International and others. There are four sides by fine singer and harmonica player Ace Holder including the superb instrumental Lonesome Harmonica. The great West Coast blues harmonica player George Smith is also featured here on chromatic harp on the instrumental Miss O'Mally's Ralley hiding behind the modest pseudonym Little Walter Jr. There are more fine harmonica instrumentals from Lee Walker on two tunes - both featuring two interweaving harps - one of them by Arthur Wright who is better known as a guitarist. Singer and guitarist Louis Jackson and Louis "Frosty" Pyles are featured on four cuts - one single issued as Louis & Frosty and the other as The Vibratones. Three of their cuts are instrumentals with an interesting sound that brings to mind a bluesy Les Paul. Other artists include C.C. Griffin, Cry Baby Curtis, Blues Slim, Frank Patt and Gus Jenkins (two fine instrumentals and the blues ballad You Made Me with steel guitar accompaniment). A fine and varied set with excellent sound and notes on the artists. (FS)
BLUES SLIM: Drive Me Baby/ CRY BABY CURTIS: Did You Think I Care/ I Wanna/ C.C. GRIFFIN: I Do Believe/ Sitting Here Waiting/ ACE HOLDER: Leave My Woman Alone/ Wabba Suzy-Q/ Homeless Boy/ Lonesome Harmonica/ LOUIS JACKSON: Fran's Mood/ Tweedle Woofin' Boogie/ GUS JENKINS: Spanky/ Vine St. Shuffle/ You Made Me/ LITTLE WALTER JR. & BAND: Miss O'mally's Rally/ LOUIS & FROSTY: Lonseome And Confused/ Train Time/ FRANK PATT: I'm Your Slave/ Just A Minute Baby/ MAMIE PERRY WITH GUS JENKINS ORCH.: I'm Hurted/ My Baby Waited Too Long/ HASKALL SADDLER WITH THE MELLOWTONES ORCH.: Bald-Headed Woman/ LEE WALKER: Cold Sand/ Slipping In

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Flash 103 Jericho Alley, Vol. 3 - Blues In Los Angeles, 1956-1967 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, 61 mins, highly recommended
Another fine collection of tough Los Angeles blues recorded in the 50s and 60s. Many of the artists here are returning from previous volumes. There are five fine tracks from singer/ piano player Gus Jenkins - a talented, versatile and prolific artist who the notes rightly describe as one of the "under-sun heroes of West Coast blues." Another fine underrated talent is the excellent King Solomon who is featured on three tracks. There are two cuts from West Coast harmonica giant George Smith including the great Blowing The Blues. which not only features George's stellar harmonica work but tough, slashing guitar from Jimmy Nolen. Other harmonica players here include Ace Holder and Harmonica Slim and the set is rounded out by A.B. Moore, Little Joe Blues and C,C, Griffin. Excellent sound and booklet with informative notes on all the artists. (FS)
LITTLE JOE BLUE: Dirty Work Going On/ C.C. GRIFFIN: I Want To Be With You/ CURTIS GRIFFIN & HIS BAND: Move On/ HARMONICA KING (GEORGE SMITH) & BAND: Hot Rolls/ HARMONICA SLIM: Going Back Home/ Thought I Didn't Love You/ ACE HOLDER: Encourage Me Baby/ Happy Anniversary/ I'm In Love With You/ When You Are Around/ Sorry I Had To Leave/ The Eatingest Woman/ GUS JENKINS: Chittlins/ Don't Get Sassy/ Gonna Take Time/ You Used Me/ You'll Be The One/ A.B. MOORE: D.J.'S Corner/ I Don't Have To Cry/ GEORGE SMITH: Blowing The Blues/ KING SOLOMON: I Got To Move/ Little Dab Will Do It/ Scratch My Back/ Separation

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Gusto 2083 Traditional Black Gospel ● CD $6.98
10 tracks, highly recommended
A too short but very sweet sampling of gospel from the King label's vast catalog of black gospel. The material ranges from the mid 40s to the late 60s and includes familiar names like Swan Silvertone Singers, Wings Over Jordan Choir and Harmonizing Four along with superb lesser known performers like The Harmoneers, Might Faith Increasers, The Parker Brothers, The Kelly Brothers, The Patterson Singers, The Galatian Singers and Willa Dorsey & The Mighty Faith Increasers. Great stuff but will it take for this label to do justice to their catalog? (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Gusto 2084 Original Black Gospel, Vol. 2 ● CD $6.98
Another fine but too brief collection of black gospel drawn from the massive catalog of the King and Federal labels. The first six tracks are features sides from the early 60s by The Kelly Brothers, The Galation Singers, The Spiritual Parker Brothers (and others), then there are three classic sides from the late 40s/ early 50s from Wings Over Jordan Choir, Swan Silvertones & Spirit of Memphis and the set ends with a 1969 recording of Old Rugged Cross by Arthur Prysock. All of it is fine - I just wish there was much more!

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Gusto 2127 22 Original R&B Recordings ● CD $7.98
In the late 40s and the 50s King Records was one of the greatest blues and R&B labels with hit after hit. This 22 track collection is nothing but hits - all the tracks reached the top ten in the R&B charts - 12 of them to the coveted #1 spot. Includes Good Rockin' Tonight by Wynonie Harris, Sixty Minute Man by The Dominoes, The Twist by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Flamingo by Earl Bostic plus sides by Tiny Bradshaw, Little Willie John, Freddy King, Bull Moose Jackson, The Midnighters and more.
HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS: Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go/ The Twist/ BOYD BENNETT: Seventeen/ EARL BOSTIC: Flamingo/ TINY BRADSHAW: Well, Oh Well/ ROY BROWN & HIS MIGHTY, MIGHTY MEN: Hard Luck Blues/ THE CHARMS: Hearts Of Stone/ BILL DOGGETT: Honky Tonk/ THE DOMINOES: Have Mercy Baby/ Sixty Minute Man/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Good Rockin' Tonight/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: Guess Who/ BULL MOOSE JACKSON: I Love You, Yes I Do/ Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Fever/ FREDDY KING: Hide Away/ ANNIE LAURIE: It Hurts To Be In Love/ THE MIDNIGHTERS: Annie Had A Baby/ Work With Me Annie/ LUCKY MILLINDER: I'm Waiting Just For You/ JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON: Cuttin' In/ OTIS WILLIAMS & HIS CHARMS: Ivory Tower

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 4213 Juke Joint Blues 2 - Crazy With The Blues ● CD $22.98
Complementing the four CD set "Jook Joint Blues (JSP 7796 - $28.98) this two CD set features 54 tracks of great and rare down home blues from the mid 40s though mid 50s covering from recordings from all areas of the country - Chicago, Texas, the deep South and the Eastern states. The music is consistently superb though, unfortunately, almost all the tracks have been reissued in recent years - most notably on the Boulevard series of Down Home Blues Classics sets. There are even some tracks duplicated from other JSP albums! Artists include Lee Brown, Mr. Honey (Honeyboy Edwards), Big Chenier, Country Jim, Slim Green, Ernest McClay, Jimmy Rogers, James Tisdom, J.D. Edwards, Jimmy McCracklin, Pete McKinley, Buddy Lewis, Louis Campbell (one of the few tracks not available elsewhere), Boogie Bill Webb and others.
BIG CHENIER: Please Try To Realise/ JOHN BRIM: Bus Driver/ LEE BROWN: Horse Shoe Boogie/ Lowland Blues/ Round The World Boogie/ Ruby Moore Blues/ LEWIS CAMPBELL: A Call On The Phone/ Don't Want Anyone Hangin' Around/ LOUIS CAMPBELL: Gotta Have You Baby/ The Natural Facts/ BIG CHENIER: Let Me Hold Your Hand/ COUNTRY JIM: I'll Take You Back Baby/ Old River Blues/ KING DAVIS: Someday You'll Understand/ Waggin' Your Tail/ K.C. DOUGLAS: Lonely Boy Blues/ Mercury Boogie/ J.D. EDWARDS: Hobo/ Playboy Blues/ SLIM GREEN: Tricky Woman Blues/ CLEO HARVES: Crazy With The Blues/ HOT ROD HAPPY: Worried Blues/ SONNY BOY JOHNSON: I'm Drinkin' My Last Drink/ Swimming Pool Blues/ WILLIE LANE: Prowlin' Ground Hog/ LEFT HAND CHARLIE: Miss My Lagnion/ BUDDY LEWIS: Lonesome Bedroom Blues/ You've Got Good Business/ SIDNEY MAIDEN: Eclipse Of The Sun/ Everything Is Wrong/ JERRY MCCAIN: Bad Credit/ My Next Door Neighbor/ ERNEST MCCLAY: Night Working Woman/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: My Baby's Last Goodbye/ PETE MCKINLEY: Cryin' For My Baby/ Mean Black Snake/ MR. HONEY: Build A Cave/ Who May Your Regular Be/ SAMMY MYERS: My Love Is Here To Stay/ Sleeping In The Ground/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Jumpin' With Jarvis/ P.L. Blues/ JERRY PERKINS: P 38 Stomp/ PINEBLUFF PETE: A Woman Acts Funny/ JIMMY ROGERS: Round About Boogie/ HASKELL SADLER: Do Right Mind/ Gone For Good/ ANDREW THOMAS: Chicago Blues/ JAMES TISDOM: '51 Blues/ Model T Boogie/ Throw This Poor Dog A Bone/ BOOGIE BILL WEBB: Bad Dog/ I Ain't For It/ ROBERT LEE WESTMORELAND: Good Looking Woman Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77127 Rare West Coast Jump 'n' Jive, 1945-1954 ● CD $28.98
Fours CDs, 101 tracks, highly recommended
A great collection of urban West Coast blues and R&B. Although not all of it is rare - the tracks by Jimmy Liggins, Joe Liggins and Roy Milton have all been out before more than once there's lots of other great material that is less common or making it's first appearance on CD. The sides by Lloyd Glenn, Calvin Boze and Gene Phillips have been out before but many are not readily available and this set features the first in depth look at splendid but little known artists like Charlie "Boogie Woogie" David & His Orch., King Porter & His Orch. (featuring trumpeter Jake Porter, saxists Marshall Royal, "Bumps" Myers and Gene Porte, guitarist Gene Phillips and vocalists Alton Redd and Betty Jones), Poison Gardner & His Orch. and singer/ pianist Dick Lewis with two different groups from 1947 and 1954. Excellent music throughout with excellent sound and informative notes from Bob Fisher. (FS)
CALVIN BOZE & HIS ALL STARS: Angel City Blues/ Baby You're Tops With Me/ Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home/ If You Ever Had The Blues/ Lizzy Lou, Pt. 1/ Lizzy Lou, Pt. 2/ Look Out For Tomorrow Today/ Safronia B./ Satisfied/ Stinkin' From Drinkin'/ Waiting And Drinkin'/ Working With My Baby/ CHARLIE "BOOGIE WOOGIE" DAVIS & HIS ORCHESTRA: 17 Million $ Baby/ Ain't No Better For You/ Boogie Woogie Baby/ Crack Up/ Going To L.A./ Hey! Hey! Pretty Mama/ How I Miss Old Memphis Tenn/ I Know What It's All About/ Lonely Blues/ Old Time Blues/ Rainin' Blues/ San Quentin Bait/ Singin' And Cryin' Blues/ Song Of The Share Cropper/ The Traffic Is Terrific/ You Fine And Healthy Thing/ You Sure Gotta Lot Of Nerve/ POISON GARDNER & HIS ALL STARS: 10 O'Clock Stomp/ 33/ 52nd Street Jump/ Between Midnight And Day/ Big Leg Mama Blues/ Empire Boogie/ Eviction Blues/ Gotta Find My Baby/ Lenox Avenue Boogie/ Medium Fast Boogie/ Melody In F Boogie/ Mobile Boogie/ Rhapsody Boogie/ So Many Women/ Tornado/ Workingman's Blues/ You're My Baby Tonight/ LLOYD GLENN & HIS JOYMAKERS: Advice To A Fool/ Boogieology/ Joymaker's Boogie (Soldiers Hop)/ Midnight Boogie/ Rampart Street Jump/ Stranger/ Texas Man/ That Other Woman's Gotta Go/ DICK LEWIS & HIS HARLEM RHYTHM BOYS: Eight O'Clock Stomp/ Harlem Blues/ Hot Chocolate Boogie/ Hurrican Boogie/ Old Crow Boogie/ Shuffle Boogie/ RICHARD LEWIS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Call Me, Call Me, Call Me/ Hey, Little Boy/ Hey, Little Girl/ Richard's Bounce/ Still Drifting/ Sweet Dreams/ JIMMY LIGGINS & HIS DROPS OF JOY: Answer To Teardrop Blues/ Cadillac Boogie/ I Can't Stop It/ Teardrop Blues/ That Song Is Gone/ Troubles Goodbye/ JOE LIGGINS & HIS HONEYDRIPPERS: Blow Mr. Jackson/ I Got A Right To Cry/ Tanya/ The Honeydripper, Pt. 1/ The Honeydripper, Pt. 2/ ROY MILTON & HIS SOLID SENDERS: It Never Should Have Been This Way/ Milton's Boogie/ R.M. Blues/ Rainy Day Confession Blues, Pt. 1/ Rainy Day Confession Blues, Pt. 2/ Red Light/ GENE PHILLIPS & HIS RHYTHM ACES: Big Fat Mama/ Big Legs/ Fatso/ I Could Make You Love Me/ I Want A Little Girl/ Punkin' Head Woman/ Rock Bottom/ Stinkin' Drunk/ KING PORTER & HIS ORCHESTRA: Baby, What's The Matter With You/ Bumps Boogie/ Charlie The Boogie Man/ Chitlin' Ball/ Don't Let Fletcher Getcha/ Goin' Back To Texas/ Goodbye Doretha/ Hey Little Brownie/ Should Have Rationed Myself/ That Early Morning Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Official 50-005 RCA Downhome Blues, Vol. 1 ● CD $16.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
Another great collection from Official devoted to the RCA label and it's Groove subsidiary - this time devoted to more down home stylings recorded for the labels in the early 50s. It includes seven sides recorded for the label by Sonny Terry which are some of his hottest sides - four feature tough guitar from the great Mickey Baker. Baker is also featured behind fellow guitarist and vocalist Larry Dale on four cuts - two originally issued that appeared on a long out of print Detour LP. The originally unissued Midnight Hours is really spectacular - why it wasn't originally issued makes no sense! Baker is also featured playing in a more down home style behind the intriguing Square - a fine vocalist whose style seems very much in the pre war vein. Another great down home mystery is Cousin Leroy who is featured on two tracks with Champion Jack Dupree and Larry Dale including a great version of Catfish - it would sure be nice if someone could turn up the two unissued sides from this session. Other artists include Buddy Lucas, Rock Heart Johnson (with baritone sax and harmonica!) and The Ford Nelson Quintet. A superb collection - about two thirds new to CD. (FS)
COUSIN LEROY: Catfish/ Goin' Back Home/ LARRY DALE: Down To The Bottom/ Midnight Hours/ Please Tell Me/ You Better Heed My Warning/ ROCK HEART JOHNSON: Black Spider/ Evilest Woman In Town/ Midnight Rambler/ Rock Heart Blues/ BUDDY LUCAS: Greedy Pig/ FORD NELSON QUINTET (VCL. FRANK BROWN): Still Feelin' Sad/ Still Lookin' For A Change/ SONNY TERRY: Hoopin' And Jumpin'/ Hooray Hooray/ Hootin' Blues #2/ I'm Gonna Rock Your Wig/ Lost Jawbone/ Louise/ Ride And Roll/ Sonny Is Drinking/ SQUARE WALTON: Bad Hangover/ Fish Tail Blues/ Gimme Your Bankroll/ Pepper Head Woman

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Retroworld 6031 Snakebite 3 - Python ● CD $16.98
16 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended
Here we have a collection of classic blues performances all featuring the songwriting talents of the one and only Willie Dixon. Little Walter with My Babe and Mellow Down Easy, Willie Mabon doing Seventh Son, Howlin' Wolf - Evil, Bo Diddley - Pretty Thing plus Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulson and Willie Dixon himself round out the line-up. Half of these tracks were big hits in their day, all are fantastic; some of the best electric blues records ever and certainly the foundation that Rock 'N' Roll was built on. This would be essential if the tracks weren't easily available for the most part. As is, it's just one hell of a collection, showing off one hell of a songwriting talent. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Saga Blues 982 991-3 Voodoo Blues - Hoodoo & Magical Practices ● CD $13.98
22 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
This is one of Saga Blues' thematic compilation and although I thought that some of the previous ones weren't terribly well focused this one is a real winner. The practice of magic in African-American communities has been well documented and is generally referred to as "hoodoo" and has appeared in numerous blues lyrics and this collection presents a small selection of them featuring recordings made between 1925 and 1954. The first 11 songs refer to some of the talismans associated with hoodoo such as the mojo, black cat bone and goofer dust and includes songs like Hoodoo, Hoodoo by Sonny Boy Williamson, New Mojo Blues by Barbecue Bob, Black Cat Bone by Lightnin' Hopkins and others. The other 11 tracks features songs about the practitioners of hoodoo like Snake Doctor Blues by J.D. "Jelly Jaw" Short, Jomo Man Blues by Waymon "Sloppy" Henry, Seven Sisters Blues by J.T. "Funny Paper" Smith (an amazing two part song) and others. Sound quality is excellent and there are brief informative notes in French and English by Jean-Paul Levet. For an in depth discussion of the subject along with lyrics to over 100 relevant blues songs you should check out www.luckymojo.com where you can also buy a whole range of hoodoo paraphernalia! (FS)
BARBECUE BOB: New Mojo Blues/ DOCTOR CLAYTON: Root Doctor Blues/ ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP: Hoodoo Lady Blues/ JIMMIE GORDON: The Mojo Blues/ WAYMON "SLOPPY" HENRY: Jomo Man Blues/ SAM "LIGHTNIN’" HOPKINS: Black Cat Bone/ BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: Low Down Mojo Blue/ LIL JOHNSON: Goofer Dust Swing/ LOUIS JORDAN: Somebody Done Hoodooed the Hoodoo Man/ BOBBY LEECAN & ROBERT COOKSEY: Black Cat Bone Blues/ CHARLEY LINCOLN: Mojoe Blues/ MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: Hoodoo Lady/ MA RAINEY: Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues/ J. D. "JELLY JAW" SHORT: Snake Doctor Blues/ THE SLY FOX: Hoo-Doo Say/ J. T. "FUNNY PAPER" SMITH: Seven Sisters Blues/ JOHNNIE TEMPLE: Hoodoo Women/ CURLEY WEAVER: Two Faced Woman/ CASEY BILL WELDON: I’ve Been Tricked/ JOHN LEE "SONNY BOY" WILLIAMSON: Hoodoo Hoodoo

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Shanachie 6901 How Sweet It Was - The Sights And Sounds Of Gospel's Go ● CD $28.98
CD, 27 tracks, 77 mins / DVD, 26 tracks, 70 mins, essential
This is sure to be the gospel release of the year. This is CD/ DVD package compiled by Tony Heilbut - one of the world's leading gospel experts who wrote the groundbreaking book "The Gospel Sound." The CD features 25 great gospel recordings cut between 1941 and 1984 and featuring many tracks new to CD and 9 previously unissued. Include sides by Sister Rosetta Tharpe (two tracks - one previously unissued from 1970 with Willie Dixon, Walter Horton & Lafayette Leake!), The Fairfield Four, Morgan Babb & The Radio Four (the gorgeous My Imagaination Of Heaven - one of the group's greatest sides), Marion Williams, The Georgia Peach & Lois Russell (an incredible duet from 1947 - Lois Russell was the cousin of the great Silas Steele), Mahalia Jackson (two previously unissued sides from 1952 including the earliest known live performance of her masterpiece These Are They and it's a corker), The Dixie Hummingbirds, Brother Joe May (an unissued live gem from 1952), Inez Andrews (a ferocious live performance from 1966), Reverend Robert Ballenger, Dorothy Love Coates (a remarkable previously unissued live cut with The Original Gospel Harmonettes and Claude Jeter & The Swan Silvertones!) and more. The DVD features 27 performances from the legendary TV Gospel Time show from the early 60s and Tony has selected some of the very best performances from the show including The Consolers, The Raymond Rasberry Singers, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Sensational Nightingales, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Brother Joe May, Robert Anderson, Inez Andrews &v The Andrewettes, Professor Alex Bradford and many more - 70 minutes in all. Also comes with 32 page booklet with extensive notes and rare photos.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Shout 62 The Gospel Sound ● CD $18.98
26 tracks, recommended with reservations
A collection of black gospel covering the period 1926 through 1954 based on two double LPs issued in the 1970s that were inspired by Tony Heilbut's groundbreaking book "The Gospel Sound." The first edition of the book published in 1971 was truly a landmark - the first, in depth, study of black gospel music from the the turn of the 20th century through the 1960s and a revised edition was published in 1985 and is still available ($19.95 from Roots & Rhythm) and is indispensible to lovers of black gospel music. Unfortunately this disc narrows the focus of the book and the LPs and features only a handful of artists (Blind Willie Johnson, Golden Gate Quartet, Mahalia Jackson, Mitchell's Christian Singers and a couple of others) but why no Rev. J.M. Gates, Abyssinian Baptist Choir, Bessie Griffin, Staple Singers or other artists featured on the original sets. Make no mistake, the music is fabulous, though most of it is readily available elsewhere but I'm not sure if it really does justice to Tony's book. (FS)
THE ANGELIC GOSPEL SINGERS: One Day/ Today/ DOROTHY LOVE COATES: That's Enough/ THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS: I'll Never Forget/ ARIZONA DRANES: My Soul Is A Witness/ THE GOLDEN GATE JUBILEE QUARTET: Anyhow/ Hush Somebody's Calling My Name/ Jezebel/ Stalin Wasn't Stallin'/ Sun Didn't Shine/ BESSIE GRIFFIN: Too Close To Heaven/ MAHALIA JACKSON: God Is So Good/ Just A Little While To Stay Here/ When I Wake Up In Glory/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: God Moves On The Water/ If I Had My Way/ Let Your Light Shine On Me/ Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Rain Done Fell On Me/ MITCHELL'S CHRISTIAN SINGERS: I'm Praying Humble/ Traveling Shoes/ When The Saints Go Marching In/ Who Was John/ THE PILGRIM TRAVELERS: I Love The Lord/ I've Got A New Home/ IRA TUCKER & THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS: I'll Live Again

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Smithsonian Folkways 40198 Appalachian Blues From Smithsonian Folkways ● CD $11.98
21 tracks, highly recommended
Superb collection of country blues from the SmithSonian Folkways catalog focusing on the South Eastern states like the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia that is usually is referred to as "Piedmont Blues" though here it's called "Appalachain Blues." The music from these regions is less obviously intense than the music of Mississippi and Texas with more relaxed vocals and flowing, raggy guitar work and was more influenced by white country music (and vice versa) so not surprisingly there are a number of white artists featured here. The recordings here were made between 1944 and 1997 and many of them are making their first appearance on CD including a number from recordings made in the 1970s at the Smithsonian Festival Of American Folklife. Artists include Sticks McGhee (two songs from 1958 accompanied by the twin harmonicas of Sonny Terry and J.C. Burris including version of his big R&B - Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-Oh-Dee), Doc Watson, Bill "Colonel" Williams, J.C. Burris, Brownie McGhee, Martin, Bogan & Armstrong, Lesley Riddle (the man who Mother Maybelle Carter learned guitar from), Etta Baker (her truly sublime instrumental rendition of one Dime Blues), Josh White, Marvin & Turner Foddrell (an unexpected but very rewarding version of Ray Charles' I Got A Woman), E.C. Ball and others. Sound is superb and the 40 page booklet has extensive background information, artist bios and discussion of the songs along with a handful of photos. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Superbird 016 Rare Blues & Soul From Nashville The 1960s - Vol. 2 ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
Second volume in the series continues where the first left off, with more fantastic R&B (and some blues) from small Nashville labels Rich, Spar, and Sur-Speed. Highlights include Don't Do It and You Broke My Heart by Cornell Blakely, Try Your Luck On Me and You Win Again by Stonie Martin, Big Oak Tree and Push Away From the Table by Herbert Hunter. We need a bit more documentation on these tracks (and how about some dates?), but the music does speak for itself and needs to be heard. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS West Hill Radio Archives 6028 Really The Blues? A Blues History, 1893-1959, Vol. 1 ● CD $99.98
This looks like being one of more important blues releases of this year. The first of four nine CD sets tracing the history of the blues from 1893 through 1959 compiled and remastered by Alan Lowe who compiled the superb "Minstrel To Mojo" and "That Devilin' Tune" sets. This first volume features 234 tracks recorded between 1893 and 1929 including some of the earliest recordings of African-American music (Unique Quartet, Cousins And DeMoss, Bert Williams, Fisk University Jubilee Quartet, etc) - not strictly blues but some of the music that laid the foundations, early recordings of W.C. Handy tunes, the earliest blues recordings (Mamie Smith, Ethel Waters, Sylvester Weaver, Bessie Smith, etc), the blues as part of jazz (Kid Ory, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Benny Moten's K.C. Orchestra, Johnny Dodds, etc.), the blues influence on white urban vocalists (Sophie Tucker, Marion Harris, Annette Hanshaw, Eddie Cantor, Lee Morse, etc), the blues influence on white rural music (Blind Andy, Wade Ward, Sam McGee, Ernest Stoneman, The Allen Brothers, Roan County Ramblers, etc.) and, of course, a broad spectrum of African-American Blues and Gospel from the early through late 20s (Ma Rainey, Sippie Wallace, Leecan & Cooksey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Arizona Dranes, Henry Thomas, Luther Magby, Sara Martin, Washington Phillips, Gus Cannon, Lonnie Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Barbecue Bob, Julius Daniels, Mississippi John Hurt, Gladys Bentley, Bernice Edwards, Robert Wilkins, Blind Blake, etc.). Recordings are presented approximately chronologically and a full track listing will be found on our web site. The set also comes with a CD-ROM with over 100 pages of notes. We haven't heard this yet but Lowe is noted for the quality of his remastering so we expect it to sound very good. I've long thought it would be great for someone to tackle a project like this and now they have. At first glance I would say that there is not enough emphasis on the many female singers who recorded in the early/ mid 20s but other than that this looks like being an invaluable release.
DISC ONE: Mama's Black Baby Boy - UNIQUE QUARTET (1893)/ Keep Movin' - STANDARD QUARTET (1894)/ Poor Mourner - COUSINS AND DEMOSS (1897)/ You Been A Good Old Wagon - LEN SPENCER (1900 or 1901)/ Poor Mourner - DINWIDDIE COLORED QUARTET (11/29/02)/ Nobody - BERT WILLIAMS (5/06)/ What A Time - POLK MILLER AND HIS OLD SOUTH QUARTET (12/09)/ The Camp Meeting Jubilee - MALE QUARTET (ca. 1910)/ Poor Mourner - FISK UNIVERSITY JUBILEE QUARTET (2/10/11)/ Down Home Rag - JAMES REESE EUROPE (12/29/13)/ The Rain Song - AFRO AMERICAN FOLK SONG SINGERS (3/12/14)/ Memphis Blues (W.C. Handy) - VICTOR MILITARY BAND (7/15/14)/ Memphis Blues (W.C. Handy) - MORTON HARVEY (10/2/14)/ Blame it on the Blues - VICTOR MILITARY ORCH. (4/8/15)/ St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) - PRINCE'S BAND (12/18/15)/ N Blues - GEORGE O'CONNOR (7/18/16)/ Livery Stable Blues - ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND (2/26/17)/ Moonlight Blues - W.C. HANDY (9/24/17)/ Death Where is thy Sting? - ARTHUR COLLINS (1918)/ Beale Street Blues (W.C. Handy) - AL BERNARD (1919)/ Memphis Blues (W.C. Handy) - JAMES REESE EUROPE - 3/7/19/ Kansas City Blues - WILBUR SWEATMAN (3/22/19)/ Swanee Blues - J. MILTON DECAMP (1920)/ Lovin' Sam From Alabam - MAMIE SMITH (11/6/20)/ Frankie Blues - MAMIE SMITH (2/21/21)/ Chain Gang Blues - SAM MOORE (7/21)/ My Soul is a Witness - FLORIDA NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE QUARTET (9/22)/ DISC TWO: Society Blues - KID ORY (6/22)/ Teasin' the Frets - NICK LUCAS (1922)/ I Ain't Got Nobody - MARION HARRIS (1923)/ Midnight Blues - ETHEL WATERS (3/23)/ Aggravatin' Papa - SOPHIE TUCKER (3/23)/ New Orleans Joys - JELLY ROLL MORTON (1923)/ Guitar Blues - SYLVESTER WEAVER (4/2/23)/ London Blues - JELLY ROLL MORTON'S JAZZ ORCH. (1923)/ Waitin' for the Evening Mail - NOBLE SISSLE & EUBIE BLAKE (5/23)/ Bleeding Hearted Blues - JAMES P. JOHNSON (7/15/23)/ London Cafe Blues - KING OLIVER (10/15/23)/ The Gospel Train Am Comin' - HOMER RODHEAVER AND THE WISEMAN QUARTET (8/10/23)/ Any Woman's Blues - BESSIE SMITH (10/26/23)/ God's Gonna Set This World on Fire - KENTUCKY TRIO (11/2/23)/ If You Do What you Do - EDDIE CANTOR W/THE GEORGIANS (1/4/24)/ Hatchet Head Blues - OLD SOUTHERN JUG BAND (12/24)/ Time Ain't Gonna Make Me Stay - ED ANDREWS (3 or 4/24)/ Waffle Man's Call - JOHNNY BAYERSDORFFER (3/17/24)/ Rhapsody in Blue - PAUL WHITEMAN (6/10/24)/ I've got a Cross Eyed Papa - LEVITSCH TANZORCHESTER (7/24)/ Barrel House Blues - ROSA HENDERSON (7/24)/ Mississippi Shivers - ZEZ CONFREY AND HIS ORCH. (7/3/24)/ Kiss Me Sweet - BUTTERBEANS AND SUSIE (9/24)/ Toddlin' Blues - BIX AND HIS RHYTHM JUGGLERS (10/11/24)/ Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning - ALBERTA HUNTER (12/22/24)/ Steppin on the Blues - LOVIE AUSTIN (11/24) DISC THREE: All Night Long Blues - ROBA STANLEY AND BOB STANLEY (12/24)/ Meddlin' with the Blues - THE TWO OF SPADES (3/25/25)/ Frank Du Pree - BLIND ANDY (JENKINS) (4/13/25)/ Steel String Blues - SYLVESTER WEAVER (4/25)/ Hersal Blues - HERSAL THOMAS (6/25)/ Street Cries of New Orleans - EDNA THOMAS (1925)/ The Wagon - BEN HARNEY (9/9/25)/ A Married Man's Blues - WADE WARD (9/1/25)/ She's Cryin' for Me - THE NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS (1/23/25)/ Put Me in the Alley - NICHOLAS, JONES & ST. CYR (1925)/ All I Want is a Little Spoonful - PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON (9/25)/ Red Man Blues - PIRON'S NEW ORLEANS ORCHESTRA (3/25/25)/ South Street Blues - BENNY MOTEN'S KC ORCHESTRA (5/14/25)/ No Home Blues - LOUISE ROSS (12/16/25)/ Sugar Babe - LEE MORSE (11/11/25)/ Careless Love - BESSIE SMITH (5/27/25)/ Don't Fish in My Sea - MA RAINEY (12/26)/ I'll Be Rested - ROOSEVELT GRAVES AND HIS BROTHER (12/26)/ I Want My Life To Testify - HENDERSONVILLE DOUBLE QUARTET (1926)/ Can't Sleep Blues - THE PEBBLES (6/21/26)/ String Band Blues - KANSAS CITY BLUES STRUMMERS (7/27/26)/ Black Cat Blues - OLD PAL SMOKE SHOP FOUR (7/28/26)/ Mama's Angel Child - PAPA STOVEPIPE (11/26)/ Jack O' Diamond Blues - SIPPIE WALLACE (3/1/26)/ Memphis Shake - DIXIELAND JUGBLOWERS (12/11/26)/ Crucifixion - ARIZONA DRANES (1926)/ Royal Palm Special - LEECAN AND COOKSEY (5/24/27) DISC FOUR: Lamb's Blood Has Washed Me Clean - REV F.W. MCGEE & JUBILEE SINGERS (1926)/ I Shall Wear a Crown - ARIZONA DRANES (1926)/ High Fever - COOKIE'S GINGER SNAPS (6/2/26)/ I Want Jesus to Walk With Me - HOMER QUINCY SMITH (12/26)/ Blackville - HAZEL MEYERS (6/1/26)/ Bridwell Blues - NOLAN WELSH (6/16/26)/ Fat Meat and Greens - JELLY ROLL MORTON (1/20/26)/ Christians Fight On Your Time Ain't Long - SAM BUTLER (BO WEAVIL JACKSON) (9/26)/ Got the Blues - BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON (5/26)/ Chock House Blues - BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON (5/26)/ Birth Of the Blues - PAUL WHITEMAN (8/12/26)/ Knoxville Blues - SAM MCGEE (1926)/ My Soul is a Witness - ARIZONA DRANES (6/17/26)/ Smoke House Blues - JELLY ROLL MORTON (9/15/26)/ Boneyard Shuffle - THE RED HEADS (1926)/ Motherless Child - BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON (12/3/27)/ The Bumps - JEANETTE'S SYNCO JAZZERS (1/27)/ Tin Roof Blues - SOL HOOPI (3/7/27)/ Bamalong Blues - ANDREW AND JIM BAXTER (8/9/27)/ Hanna Won't You Open the Door - SAM AND KIRK MCGEE (1927)/ Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance - HENRY THOMAS (1927)/ James Alley Blues - RICHARD RABBIT BROWN (1927)/ Franklin Street Blues - DUMAINE'S JAZZOLA EIGHT (3/5/27)/ Fight That Thing - REB SPIKES (10/15/1927)/ Clarinet Wobble - JOHNNY DODDS (4/21/27)/ Mr. Johnson Turn Me Loose - SOUTH GEORGIA HIGHBALLERS (10/5/27)/ DISC FIVE: My Old Daddy's Got a Brand New Way to Love - LEECAN & COOKSEY (7/27)/ Honey in the Rock - BLIND MAMIE FOREHAND (1927)/ Georgia Crawl - HENRY WILLIAMS AND EDDIE ANTHONY (8/4/27)/ Blessed are the Poor - LUTHER MAGBY (1927)/ A Good Man is Hard to Find - BIX & TRAM (10/2/27)/ I Am Resolved - ERNEST STONEMAN (7/25/27)/ Curley Headed Woman - BURNETT & RUTHERFORD (11/3/27)/ Down South Blues - DOCK BOGGS (3/10/27)/ Black Snake Blues - KING OLIVER (4/27/27)/ Weary Way Blues - NATTY DOMINIQUE (10/5/27)/ Honky Tonk Train Blues - MEADE LUX LEWIS (12/27)/ The Lord is my Shepherd - BLIND CONNIE ROSEMOND (7/20/27)/ Penn Beach Blues - JOE VENUTI & EDDIE LANG (11/5/27)/ Black Hearse Blues - SARA MARTIN (8/30/27)/ Cold Penitentiary Blues - B.F. SHELTON (7/29/27)/ Shaking the Blues Away - RUTH ETTING (1927)/ The Crowing Rooster - WALTER RHODES (12/10/27)/ Creole Love Call - DUKE ELLINGTON (10/26/27)/ Gods Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares - BLIND JOE TAGGART (1927)/ Jazz Me Blues - BIX BEIDERBECKE AND HIS GANG (5/10/27)/ Royal Garden Blues - BIX BEIDERBECKE (5/10/27)/ Chattanooga Blues - ALLEN BROTHERS (11/4/27)/ New Orleans Lowdown - DUKE ELLINGTON (2/3/27)/ Barrelhouse Man - WILL EZELL (9/27)/ I Am Born to Preach the Gospel - WASHINGTON PHILLIPS (12/2/27)/ DISC SIX: Death is Only a Dream - EDWARD CLAYBORN (7/19/27)/ Neckbones and Beans - HENRY JOHNSON AND HIS BOYS (4/20/27)/ She's in the Graveyard Now - EARL MACDONALD'S ORIGINAL JUG BAND (3/30/27)/ Yellow Dog Blues - SAM COLLINS (4/5/27)/ Mamlish Blues - ED BELL (9/27)/ Starvation Blues - JESSIE STONE (4/27/27)/ Wild Man Blues - LOUIS ARMSTRONG (5/7/27)/ Can You Blame the Colored Man? - GUS CANNON (11/27)/ Mama You Don't Know How Long - LONG CLEVE REED AND THE DOWNHOME BOYS (5/27)/ A Woman Gets Tired of the Same Man All the Time - STOVEPIPE #1 (4/26/27)/ Second-Hand Blues - MARGARET JOHNSON (2/24/27)/ Awful Fix - BUDDY BOY HAWKINS (1927)/ Train 45 - GRAYSON AND WHITTER (10/27)/ Hesitation Blues - AL BERNARD (11/14/27)/ Section Gang Blues - TEXAS ALEXANDER (8/12/27)/ Lonesome Ghost Blues - LONNIE JOHNSON (8/11/1927)/ Lord I Can't Stay Away - VIOLET HARMONY SINGERS (3/29/27)/ Deep River - PAUL ROBESON (5/10/27)/ Doan Let Satan Git You - BARBOUR'S PLANTATION SINGERS (9/6/27)/ Every Time I Feel the Spirit - C. MAE FRIERSON MOORE AND THE FOUR ACES OF HARMONY (9/27)/ Man Trouble - JAYBIRD COLEMAN (8/3/27)/ Big Road Blues - TOMMY JOHNSON (1928)/ Deep River - FORBES RANDOLPH KENTUCKY JUBILEE CHOIR (7/28)/ Blues in the Bottle - PRINCE ALBERT HUNT (3/28/28)/ Stealin' - THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND (9/11/28)/ I'm Wild About My Lovin' - JIM JACKSON (8/27/28)/ DISC SEVEN: Viola Lee Blues - CANNON'S JUG STOMPERS (9/20/28)/ Take Me Back - FRANK STOKES (8/30/28)/ Three Preludes (2nd Prelude) - GEORGE GERSHWIN (6/11/28)/ I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say - BIDDLEVILLE QUINTET (10/28)/ Away Down in the Alley Blues - LONNIE JOHNSON (2/21/28)/ Going Across the Sea - H.L. BANDY (10/17/28)/ Chocolate to the Bone - BARBECUE BOB (4/13/28)/ Pinetop's Blues - PINETOP SMITH (12/29/28)/ 99 Year Blues - JULIUS DANIELS (2/19/27)/ Touch Me Light Mama - GEORGE BULLET WILLIAMS/ Mississippi Jail House Groan - RUBE LACY (1928)/ Sawmill Moan - RAMBLING THOMAS 2/28/ Johnson City Blues - CLARENCE GREEN (10/15/28)/ Wayward Girl Blues - LOTTIE KIMBROUGH (1928)/ I Must Have That Man - ANNETTE HANSHAW (7/4/28)/ Slow Motion - BENNIE MOTEN (9/6/28)/ Molly Man - MOSES MASON (1/28)/ If the Light Has Gone Out In Your Soul - ERNEST PHIPPS AND HIS HOLINESS SINGERS (10/29/28)/ Mon Cherie - BEBE CREOLE DENNIS MCGEE (1928)/ Four or Five Times - KING OLIVER (4/13/28)/ Avalon Blues - MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT (12/21/28)/ I Ain't Got Nobody - EMMETT MILLER (6/12/28)/ G Burns is Gonna Rise Again - JOHNSON-NELSON-PORKCHOP (2/17/28)/ Can't Help Lovin' that Man - HELEN MORGAN (2/14/28)/ Violin Blues - THE JOHNSON BOYS (HAYES AND PRATER) (2/15/28)/ Good Old Turnip Greens - BO CHATMAN (12/28) DISC EIGHT: Every Day of the Week Blues - PINK ANDERSON & SIMMIE DOOLEY (1928)/ Alley Rat - JIMMY BLYTHE (3/30/28)/ I'm On My Journey Home - THE DENSON QUARTET (10/20/28)/ One Way Gal - WILLIAM MOORE (1/28)/ Stack O'Lee Pt. 2 - CLIFF EDWARDS (1928)/ Worried Blues - GLADYS BENTLEY (8/8/28)/ Can't Help Lovin' that Man - HELEN MORGAN (2/14/28)/ Jungle Blues - BENNY GOODMAN'S BOYS (6/14/28)/ Old Man River - BING CROSBY (1927)/ Old Time Baptism PT 2 - R. M. MASSEY (1/28)/ Blue Piano Stomp - JOHNNY DODDS (7/15/28)/ Sunshine Special - FRENCHY'S STRING BAND (12/5/28)/ Midnight Mama - FRANCES HEREFORD (1/21/28)/ Lord Lord He Sure is Good - ELDER RICHARD BRYANT W/SANCTIFIED SINGERS (2/7/28)/ Wang Wang Blues - SAM KU'S WEST HARMONY BOYS (1928)/ Tight Like That - TAMPA RED'S HOKUM JUG BAND (11/9/28)/ A Blues Serenade - ORIGINAL MEMPHIS 5 (12/28/28)/ I Truly Understand You Love Another Man - SHORTBUCKLE ROARKE AND HIS FAMILY (11/4/28)/ I Found a New Baby - TESCHMACHER/SPANIER/SULLIVAN/KRUPA (4/28)/ Hard Hustling Blues - BERNICE EDWARDS (11/28)/ The Boy in the Boat - CHARLIE JOHNSON'S PARADISE 10 (9/19/28)/ School Girl Blues - ROSA MAE MOORE (2/3/28)/ I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - BOYD SENTER AND HIS SENTIPEDES (3/23/28)/ Ham Beats All Meat - DR. HUMPHREY BATE AND HIS POSSUM HUNTERS (3/3/28)/ In the Mornin' - JOHNSON-NELSON-PORKCHOP (2/17/28)/ The Preacher Got Drunk and Laid His Bible Down - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS (2/28) DISC NINE: Home Town Blues - ROANE COUNTY RAMBLERS (10/15/28)/ Judge Harsh Blues - FURRY LEWIS (8/28/28)/ Caution Blues - EARL HINES (12/9/28)/ Blue Harmony - CLIFFORD HAYES' LOUISVILLE STOMPERS (5/31/28)/ Cannon Ball Blues - FRANK HUTCHISON (7/9/29)/ Brown Skin Blues - DICK JUSTICE (5/20/29)/ Leake County Blues - LEAKE COUNTY REVELERS (12/10/29)/ Bathe In That Beautiful Pool - DOC WALSH (9/25/29)/ Easy Rider Blues - LEO SOILEAU (7/13/29)/ Operation Blues - FRANKIE JAXON (7/22/29)/ I'm A Mighty Tight Woman - SIPPIE WALLACE (2/7/29)/ That's No Way To Get Along - ROBERT WILKINS (9/23/29)/ Walking Blues - RAYMOND BARROW (6/7/29)/ Don't Mistreat Your Good Boyfriend - THE BUBBLING OVER FIVE(10/13/29)/ St. Louis Blues-Weary Yodelin' Blues - ROY EVANS (3/30/29)/ Fresno Blues - JOHNNIE AND ALBERT CROCKETT (8/9/29)/ Mean Low Blues - BLUES BIRDHEAD (10/13/29)/ Georgia Bound - BLIND BLAKE (1929)/ If I Call You Mama - LUKE JORDAN (11/19/29)/ Just Blues - THE MEMPHIS JAZZERS (6/29)/ Lawdy Lawdy Worried Blues - TEDDY DARBY (9/7/29)/ New York Blues - BLIND ROOSEVELT GRAVES (1929)/ Guitar Blues - EDDIE LANG & LONNIE JOHNSON (5/7/29)/ Avenue Strut - HEURVE DUERSON (8/28/29)/ Slum Gullion Stomp - COW COW DAVENPORT (6/22/29)

 
JIMMY WITHERSPOON Blues Boulevard 250244 Doctor Blues ● CD $19.98
Two CD set with 50 tracks featuring a fine cross section of this great big voiced blues shouter's recordings made between his first session in 1947 and 1959 for a variety of labels. It includes three different recordings of his theme song Ain't Nobody's Business - from 1947, 1956 and 1958 plus lots of other great songs like Cain River Blues/ MOney's getting Chaeper/ Skidrow Blues/ Frogimore Blues/ Big Fine Girl/ No Rollin' Blues/ fail;ing By Degrees/ Love And Friendship/ When The Lights Go Out/ Going Down Slow/ Wee Baby Blues and many more. Jimmy is accompanied by top blues and jazz musicians like Forest Powell, Louis Speigner, Jay McShann, Maxwell Davis, Tiny Webb, Al Wichard, Vido Musso, Jesse Sails, Jackie Kelso, Camille Howard, Jewell Grant, Willard McDaniel, Willie Dixon, Harold Ashby, gerald Wilson and many others. Sound is excellent and there are brief notes and full discographical info.

 

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