|
NEWSLETTER #130
Blues & Gospel
Jesse Allen
->
Louisiana Red
| LITTLE
WALKIN' WILLIE/ JESSE ALLEN |
Official 5680 |
Little Walkin' Willie Meets Jesse Allen |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended Great collection of
blues and R&B. Little Walkin Willie is an obscure but excellent tenor
saxophone player who worked with Washington D.C. based band Frank Motley &
His Motley Crew. He storms his way through six hot instrumentals with a
tough band and vocal interjections. But the real star here is Jesse Allen
who is featured on 20 tracks recorded between 1951 and '59 for various
label. Allen, from New Orleans, was an excellent singer and a stunning
guitarist and although he doesn't get to show his guitar chops on every
track when he does let loose - beware! You might want to have a fire
extinguisher when he lets loose the Guitar Slim flavored After Awhile.
There are lots of great tracks here - often featuring top New Orleans
sidemen like Lee Allen, Red Tyler, Earl Palmer, James Booker and others.
It's too bad Allen disappeared off the scene in the 60s - he was a real
talent. (FS)
|
| HADDA BROOKS |
Ace CDCHM 889 |
Swingin' The Boogie |
● CD $12.98 |
Another in Ace's budget 10" series this one features 18
tracks by versatile musician recorded for Modern between 1945 and 1950. This
disc is devoted to fine instrumental work - most of it boogie woogie along
with some more straight blues and jazzy numbers. She is mostly accompanied
by just a rhythm section though some tracks feature a larger group. The set
includes five previously unissued tunes or alternate takes. Includes
Swingin' The Boogie/ Lazy Boogie/ Boogie Celeste/ Nightmare Boogie/ Ridin'
The Boogie/ Just A Little Bluesie/ St Louis Blues Boogie/ Boogie Dance/ Chop
Chop, etc. Excellent sound and detailed notes by Tony Rounce.
HADDA BROOKS: Blue Mood/ Bluesin' On Central (radio KRE
Aircheck 1946)/ Bluesin' The Boogie/ Boogie Celeste/ Boogie Dance/ Bully
Wully Boogie/ Bully Wully Stomp Aka Stompin' The Boogie/ Chop Chop Boogie/
Eight-ten Boogie/ Hip Shakin' Boogie/ Just A Little Bluesie/ Lazy Boogie/
Nightmare Boogie/ Rehearsin' The Boogie/ Ridin' The Boogie/ St Louis Blues
Boogie/ Swingin' The Boogie/ Teenage Boogie
|
| BIG BILL BROONZY |
Jasmine 3011/2 |
On Tour In Britain, 1952 |
● CD $17.98 |
2 CDs, 47 tracks, 124 minutes, recommended
Approximately 30 minutes of this fine 2-CD set consists of Big Bill Broonzy
talking to his audience, but the performance level remains fairly high
throughout. Disc one was recorded at Usher Hall in Edinburgh in February of
1952 and although Broonzy is in strong and stable form, the preponderance of
slow material may be a bit distracting. A stunning House Rent Stomp
and tough as nails
Plough Hand Blues are the standouts. Disc two was recorded at Hove
Town Hall near Brighton almost ten months later in December and finds
Broonzy in riveting fashion delivering a set of folk and blues songs.
John Henry/ Midnight Special/ Back Water Blues/ Willie Mae and others
are brilliant. Careless Love and I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf
Clover find Broonzy accompanied by the Christie Brothers Stompers, a
small jazz outfit with trombone, trumpet, clarinet and a rhythm section.
Broonzy's lengthy conversations with his audience are of particular interest
as are the informative liner notes. (CR)
|
| KENNY BROWN |
Fat Possum 80344 |
Stingray |
● CD $14.98 |
11 tracks, 39 min, recommended
Making his name as 2nd guitarist with RL Burnside, this is only the 2nd time
in 6 years that Kenny's been front & center. A little similar to The North
Mississippi All-Stars (drummer Cedric Burnside has also played with NMAS)
they even share a tune, RL's Shake 'Em On Down. Also as with NMAS
this is mostly a trio set, with Takeeshi Imura on bass, plus some with just
Kenny & guitar & a few with sax and/or organ, includes a few RL originals
with re-workings of traditional blues - Cocaine Bill/ Miss Maybelle/
Lonesome Katy Blues, etc. (GM)
|
| GOREE CARTER/
LESTER WILLIAMS |
Blue Moon 6036 |
Complete, Vol. 2/ The Remaining Lester
Williams |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks featuring two fine Texas singers & guitarist. The
first seven tracks completes the reissue of all the recordings of Goree
Carter following on from Blue Moon 6027 and the remaining tracks feature all
the recordings of Lester Williams not on Specialty 7037.
|
| EDDIE CLEARWATER |
Bullseye Blues 9640 |
Rock 'n' Roll City |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 44 minutes, excellent. Pairing Eddy "The Chief"
Clearwater up with Los Straitjackets proves a strong measure for the
guitarist who's always kept one foot planted in vintage rock 'n' roll
territory. He's never strayed far from his blues and Chuck Berry leanings,
and he's definitely enjoying himself here with a romping set of smoldering
music. You're Humbuggin' Me/ Ding Dong Daddy, and Let The Four
Winds Blow get solid readings while Clearwater's originals are
particularly high-spirited. He reprises his own Hillbilly Blues and
sounds just as young as when he first recorded in 1958. The masked band does
a stellar job backing Eddy up on a project that's been long-awaited. Special
mention to Los Straitjackets' Eddie Angel for contributing his own
Lonesome Town as well as superb guitar throughout. Monkey Paw
gets top honors as a manic surfabilly instrumental.
(CR)
|
| JAMES COTTON |
Universe 77 |
Live And On The Move |
● CD $16.98 |
Cotton's 1975 Buddah double LP has been reissued on CD
several times before and now makes it's appearance on this Italian label. As
you would expect, this 1975 live set offers plenty of high energy harmonica
blues. Includes Cotton Boogie/ All Walks Of Life/ Flip, Flop & Fly/
Rocket 88/ I Don't Know/ Boogie Thing/ You Don't Have To Go/ Fannie Mae/
Teeny Weenie Bit/ How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong, etc. Solid singing and
playing from James and his band including Matt Murphy on guitar.. (FS)
|
| REV. GARY DAVIS |
Shout Factory 30257 |
Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Rev.
Gary Davis |
● CD $13.98 |
This disc was compiled by some guy named Frank Scott so you
know it's got to be good! But seriously folks, I have tried to present a
balanced cross section of records by this great and important artists
ranging from his earliest recordings in the 30s to his recordings for
Bluesville, Adelphi, Folk Lyric and Biograph in the 50s, 60s and early 70s
touching on most of most well known songs. Includes Samson & Delilah/
Cross & Evil Woman Blues/ Lord I Wish I Could See/ Out On The Ocean sailing/
Candy Man/ I Belong To The Band, Hallelujah/ Crucifixon/ Cocaine Blues
and more. Includes notes by Ed Ward.
|
| WALTER DAVIS |
Fabulous 204 |
Don't You Want To Go? |
● CD $7.98 |
17 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended
Superb, budget priced, introduction to the recordings of this wonderful
performer featuring 17 tracks ranging from his first session in June, 1930
to his last in July, 1952. Davis is one of my favorite performers with his
wonderful lugubrious vocal style and sensitive piano accompaniments. On his
earliest sides he was accompanied on piano by the great Roosevelt Sykes but
soon took over the piano role himself. He is featured solo and with guitar
accompaniments from Henry Townsend or Big Joe Williams and his last session
features John Moore on tenor sax. Davis was a great songwriter and quite a
few of his songs were picked up by later generations of bluesmen. Unlike
previous releases on the Fabulous label, the sound quality here is superb
and there are brief notes by Neil Slaven who doesn't have as high an opinion
of Davis as I do.(FS)
WALTER DAVIS: Ashes In My Whiskey/ Don't You Want To Go/
Howling Wind Blues/ L & N Blues/ Let Me In Your Saddle/ M & O Blues/ Minute
Man Pt1/ Minute Man Pt2/ Moonlight Is My Spread/ New Come Back Baby/ Root
Man Blues/ Sweet Sixteen/ Tears Came Rollin' Down/ That Stuff You Sell Ain't
No Good/ The Only Woman/ Think You Need A Shot/ What Your Troubles May Be
|
| THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS |
Gospel Friend 1503 |
Jesus Has Traveled This Road Before |
● CD $14.98 |
Fabulous collection by this great and long lived gospel
group featuring 25 sides recorded between 1939 and 1952. There's a lot of
duplication with Document 5491 and P-Vine 5818 but sound quality here is
better, price is cheaper and it includes half a dozen of their fantastic
early 50s sides that are alone worth the price. It also includes a 12 page
booklet with extensive notes by `Birds biographer Jerry Zolten and Per
Notini.
|
| RONNIE EARL |
Stony Plain 1289 |
I Feel Like Goin' On |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 75 minutes, essential
Capturing the full scope of passion and intensity within the confines of a
studio isn't easy, and it's tougher when an artist decides to go almost
all-instrumental, but from the searing opener, Hey Jose, Ronnie Earl
proves he's running again with all eight cylinders wide open. Blues For
Otis Rush is a grinding eight-and-a-half minute slow roll, there's a nod
to Little Johnny Lee, a rustling Wolf Dance and Howlin' For
My Darlin' - both recalling Chester Burnett. The only vocal appears on
Mary Don't You Weep with the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers, while Blues
For The Homeless is more than eleven minutes of stellar guitar going
from whispers to full-throttle dynamics. There's a tip of the hat to Big
Walter Horton, Hank Marr, and more. When blues is delivered by a true
master, it's bound to be enjoyable, but when it's played by one of the most
expressive guitarists around, it becomes much more. A true modern
masterpiece. (CR)
|
| LOWELL FULSON |
Sanctuary 81252 |
The Ol' Blues Singer |
● CD $10.98 |
10 tracks, 33 minutes, fair
Lowell Fulson's career changed dramatically from his earliest waxings of
stripped-down Texas Blues to orchestrated jump in the late 1940s to his
decidedly modernized approach with soul horn charts, Hammond organ, backing
vocals, and funky styling of the 1970s. Possessed of a voice as smooth as it
was strong and an always rewarding guitar style, the ridiculously short
playing time on this set offers too little of both. Blues at its best is
timeless but the instrumentation, arrangements, guitar gadgets, and grooves
firmly date Fulson as an archaeological oddity. The budget pricing of this
series proves a blessing on "The Ol' Blues Singer." There's much more
available from this artist that will find you listening in awe. (CR)
|
| ANSON
FUNDERBURGH & THE ROCKETS |
Bullseye 9619 |
Which Way Is Texas? |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 44 minutes, recommended
The award-winning Lone Star guitarist delivers another set of
hard-driving blues with Sam Myers at his side. Seven of the tracks were
penned with the help of Anson, making for a very personal recording, and to
drive that point home, Funderburgh steps forward to deliver two startling
vocals; One Woman I Need, a moody grinder, while Toss And Turn
is a funky, mid-tempo shuffle. Both border on country due to Anson's heavy
drawl, but his singing is soulful and effective. Myers is in fine form on
ten of the disc's tracks, but his rich harp turns up only on Tryin' To
Get Back On My Feet, a somewhat uninspired Hoodoo Party, plus the
final pair, I Need To Know, and Crutch And Cane. There's also
a fine reading of
Rambling Woman, complete with some ripping slide. Horns stand in for
about half of the CD, filling things out nicely. (CR)
|
| CECIL GANT |
Blue Moon 6035 |
The Complete - Volume 4 : 1946-1949 |
● CD $15.98 |
The fourth volume in this excellent series features 28
tracks recorded for Bullet between 1946 and 1949 and features Cecil's
typical mix of hot boogies, delicate ballads, hard blues and up tempo Fats
Wallerish sides. It includes a remake of his most famous song I Wonder
featuring Cecil playing a celeste. It also includes the great Cecil's Jam
Session. Most tracks feature a rhythm section and a couple of the tracks
feature some tasy tenor sax from Charles Grant.
|
| THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS |
Acrobat ACRCD 209 |
Blues With A Beat |
● CD $10.98 |
23 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended
Terrific collection of jumping R&B and blues recorded in the early 50s by
this outstanding combo from the Washington D.C. area. This Buddy Johnson/
Louis Jordan inspired outfit fronted two superb vocalists, Margie Day (heard
here singing her classic version of Little Red Rooster and her
lowdown I'm Gonna Jump In the River) and Tommy Brown who is thought
to have reinvented the crying blues on
Weepin' & Cryin'. The album includes several dynamite instrumentals
that'll rock your socks off! Excellent sound and informative notes by Dave
Penny. (FS)
THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS: Ace In The Hole/ Blues All Alone/
Blues With A Beat/ Comin'home/ Double Faced Deacon/ Griff's Boogie/ Hot
Pepper/ House Near The Railroad Track/ I Wanna Go Back/ I'll Get A Deal/ I'm
Gonna Jump In The River/ It'd Surprise You/ Little Red Rooster/ One Steady
Baby/ Pretty Baby/ Sadie Green/ Shuffle Bug/ Stormy Night/ Stubborn As A
Mule/ The Clock Song (let Your Pendulum Swing)/ The Teaser/ Tra La La/
Weepin' And Cryin'
|
| BUDDY GUY |
Silvertone 41843 |
Blues Singer |
● CD $17.98 |
12 tracks, 49 minutes, good
It's possible that Buddy Guy wants to be more of a chameleon like Eric
Clapton, or maybe it's that Buddy doesn't quite know what he wants anymore.
One thing is certain, he's not the Buddy Guy we knew before. Doing
Mississippi Hill Country blues on "Sweet Tea" proved to be less than his
best, and with Blues Singer he strips back for an acoustic set that could
get tedious after a few spins even though B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and James
Mathus guest. Guy's version of Hard Time Killing Floor is a fine
effort with some excellent singing, but Can't See Baby/ Louise McGhee/
Black Cat Blues and Bad Life Blues don't go far. I Love The
Life I Live gets a good reading with Guy tipping his hat to Muddy Waters
but John Lee Hooker's Sally Mae just sits there. This surely isn't
Buddy's worst, but it's not even close to his heroic West Side efforts of
tha late 1950s. (CR)
|
| HARMONICA SHAH BLUES
BAND |
Electro-Fi 3377 |
Tell It To your Landlord |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 67 minutes, recommended
With blues more acceptable today, we've grown used to far too many
over-produced, antiseptic projects. This, on the other hand, is as raw as it
comes. Slow And Easy is a romping uptown shuffle with an abundance of
grease and Shah's harp and vocals are in the alley here and throughout the
rest of the set. He's particularly strong on Welfare Shoes Blues/ I Heard
You Was At The Casino, and Crying Michigan Tears, while the title
track is a funked-up instrumental slammer with exceptional blowing. Howard
Glazer's guitar work is solid from start to finish. If you prefer your blues
with any production values at all, you'd do well to steer clear of this, but
if you like it lowdown, stumbling, and dragging in the gutter, this will
become a gem in your collection. The standout is the closer, Someday
with its on-target lyrics, devil-may-care approach, and crackling
simplicity. (CR)
|
| JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL |
Hightone 8156 |
Shake It Baby |
● CD $11.98 |
12 tracks recorded between 1979 and 1988 by this fine and
unique Mississippi blueswoman. 9 tracks are drawn from her previously issued
HMG/ High Water albums and three tracks are
previously unissued.
|
| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Virgin 82741 |
Blues Kingpins |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 52 minutes, recommended
John Lee Hooker has been no stranger to the CD reissue market, literally
having a few hundred (domestic and import) titles devoted to him and his
highly rhythmic blues style, but there are a number of nice surprises here.
While Hooker was never recognized as a polished guitarist, his stark,
Delta-rooted, off-kilter approach took him around the world, starting with
his first recording success, Boogie Chillen in the late 1940s, and
continued for decades.
Sally Mae/ Hobo Blues/ Crawling Kingsnake Blues/ Weepin' Willow Boogie/
Howlin' Wolf stand alongside harder to find cuts like Love Money
Can't Buy/ Hug And Squeeze/ The Syndicator the crushing I'm Ready and
more. The recordings here are drawn from his extensive Modern repertoire
recorded between 1948 and 1954. For someone who recorded so frequently,
Hooker's material was almost always of a very high standard. (CR)
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Anybody Seen My Baby/ Boogie Chillen/
Crawling Kingsnake Blues/ Hobo Blues/ Hoogie Boogie/ How Can You Do It/
Howlin' Wolf/ Hug And Squeeze/ I Got My Eyes On You/ I Tried Hard/ I'm In
The Mood/ I'm Ready/ It's Been A Long Time Baby/ Love Money Can't Buy/ Queen
Bee/ Sally May/ The Syndicator/ Weeping Willow Boogie
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Virgin 82740 |
Blues Kingpins |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 48 minutes, recommended
Lightnin' Hopkins, like John Lee Hooker, was another prolific recording
artist who recorded for an amazing list of labels. The eighteen tracks
selected here cover a few of Lightnin's earlier years when he was working
for Aladdin and RPM and were recorded between 1946 and 1950. Some fine
acoustic material with Thunder Smith (Hopkins' nickname stemmed from his
teaming up with Smith for the Thunder and Lightnin' duo) including Katie
Mae/ Feel So Bad/ Rocky Mountain Blues stands with searing electric
workouts like Lightnin's Boogie and the storming Jake Head Boogie
loaded with crumbling and distorted guitar licks. For those unfamiliar with
Hopkins' and how important an influence he was, this is a primer course in
Texas blues guitar. (CR)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Another Fool In Town/ Bad Luck And
Trouble/ Black Cat/ Fast-Mail Rambler/ Feel So Bad/ Jake Head Boogie/ Katie
Mae Blues/ Last Affair/ Let Me Play With Your Poodle/ Lightnin's Boogie/
Lonesome Dog Blues/ Rocky Mountain Blues (I Can't Stay Here In Your Town)/
Santa Fe/ Short Haired Woman/ Shotgun Blues/ Sugar Mama (Sugar On My Mind)/
Tim Moore's Farm/ Woman Woman (Change Your Way)
|
| SON HOUSE |
Biograph 30170 |
Delta Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
15 tracks, 58 mins, highly recommended
These recordings are truly magnificent. Eddie "Son" House was one of the
greatest Mississippi Delta bluesmen - a ferocious singer and a stirring
slide guitarist. He was at his prime when these recordings were collected by
Alan Lomax in 1941 and 1942 for the Library Of Congress. Four of the tracks
are with a wonderful string band featuring Willie Brown/ gtr, Fiddlin' Joe
Martin/ mandolin & Leroy Williams/ harmonica who urge Son along with joyous
shouts and additional vocalizing. The other 10 are just Son alone with his
steel bodied National guitar. These tracks are available in slightly
inferior sound on Travelin' 02 which includes four additional tracks.
(FS)
|
| SON HOUSE |
Shout Factory 30251 |
Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Son
House |
● CD $13.98 |
16 track retrospective including My Black Mama, Part One/
Dry Spell Blues/ Levee Camp Blues/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Special Rider Blues/
American Defence/ Walkin' Blues/ Empire State Express, etc.
|
| REVEREND CHARLIE
JACKSON |
Casequarter 101 |
God's Got It |
● CD $13.98 |
18 tracks, 59 mins, essential
These recordings, featuring the incredible gospel singer/ guitarist Reverend
Charlie Jackson from Baton Rouge, Louisiana are among the most exciting and
intense gospel recordings you are ever likely to hear. In the early/ mid 70s
he recorded three singles and one EP for Rev. Robert Booker's Booker label
based in New Orleans and in the late 70s he recorded two singles for his own
Jackson label. This CD features all but two of these sides along with tracks
accompanying the gospel quartet Caravan No. 2 Of Zachary, Brother Ike Gordon
and Laura Davis. Jackson is a powerful rich vocalist who often sings with
such ferocity that he overloads the microphone in the studio, he accompanies
his singing with a basic but incredibly energetic and effective electric
guitar technique that seems to draw on the techniques of Roebuck Staples and
John Lee Hooker! Most of his songs are original and personal. The rhythmic
intensity he generates on songs like Fix It Jesus, God's Got It
and Morning Train is awe inspiring. This disc also features his
masterpiece Wrapped Up And Tangled Up In Jesus and a powerful mini
sermon about Jackson's recovery from a stroke. The wonderful two part
sermonette The Goodness Of God is from a Booker single though to be
lost and only discovered this year. Caravan Number 2 are an excellent male/
female group who sound a bit like the Staple Singers, Brother Ike Gordon is
a fine vocalist with a style not unlike that of Jackson himself and benefits
from Jackson's sterling guitar work as does that of the fine Laura Davis who
recorded for Jackson's own label. Sound quality is as good as could be
achieved bearing in mind that the original recording conditions for the
Booker sides were very primitive and the CD comes with 16 page booklet with
extensive notes on Jackson by compiler Kevin Nutt plus some great photos,
discographical info and a profile of the Booker label by Lynn Abbot. This is
one of the great reissues of the past few years. (FS)
|
| ELMORE JAMES |
Virgin 82738 |
Blues Kingpins |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 50 minutes, recommended
Sometimes quite mistakenly regarded as a one-lick-wonder with slide in hand,
Elmore James was far more accomplished than that unfair description, and the
proof resides in this budget-priced collection. James took Robert Johnson's
bottleneck style, amplified it to crunching levels, and took Dust My
Broom and blues slide guitar to lofty new heights. Rock My Baby
Right/ Baby What's Wrong/ Sinful Woman/ Dark And Dreary show Elmore's
skills playing standard guitar, and these are smartly interspersed with
plenty of slide showcases like Lost Woman Blues/ Hawaiian Boogie/
Standing At The Crossroads and more. This draws from his recordings made
for Flair and Meteor between 1952 and 1955. While all of this has seen
stateside issue previously, it is a wonderful primer for those new to
Elmore's scorching guitar and passionate vocals. (CR)
ELMORE JAMES: Baby What's Wrong/ Blues Before Sunrise/
Can't Stop Lovin'/ Dark And Dreary/ Dust My Blues/ Good Bye/ Happy Home/
Hawaiian Boogie/ I Believe/ I Was A Fool/ Lost Woman Blues/ Make My Dreams
Come True/ No Love In My Heart/ Rock My Baby Right/ Sinful Women/ Standing
At The Crossroads/ Sunny Land/ The Way You Treat Me
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Biograph 30169 |
Hard Time Killing Floor Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
12 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended
Reissue of Biograph 122. It's hard to be objective about the music of Skip
James - his singing and guitar playing are so stark, unique and haunting
that just about everything he does sends a shiver down my spine. These are
the first studio recordings James made after his rediscovery in 1964 when
Bill Barth, Henry Vestine and John Fahey found him in a hospital in Tunica.
MS. The 12 tracks here of the high-voiced James and his acoustic guitar,
while not quite as good as his brilliant later Vanguard albums, are still
superb featuring remakes of some of his classic Paramount recordings along
with several new songs. His Sick Bed Blues/ Washington D.C. Hospital
Center Blues, written about his struggles with cancer, are downright
chilling. A fine reworking of his classic Devil Got My Woman is here
too, as are
Hardtime Killing Floor Blues/ Illinois Blues/ Catfish Blues/ All Night Long/
Cherry Ball Blues and more. Excellent sound and informative notes from
Brett Bonner of Living Blues magazine. (JC)
|
| SKIP JAMES |
Shout Factory 30245 |
Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Skip
James |
● CD $13.98 |
16 track retrospective - 22-20 Blues/ Special Rider
Blues/ How Long Blues/ Sick Bed Blues/ Hard Time Killing Floor Blues/
Illinois Blues/ Cherry Ball Blues/ Everybody's Leaving Here, etc.
|
| B.B. KING |
Ace CDCHM 897 |
King Of The Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
The third budget priced reissue of B.B.'s Crown LPs features
his sixth Crown album which featured 10 tracks from the late 50s. The ten
bonus tracks are drawn from Kent singles issued in the 60s - many of them
after B.B. moved from RPM to ABC.
B.B. KING: 3 O'clock Blues/ Feel Like A Million/ Going
Down Slow/ Good Man Gone Bad/ Growing Old/ I Can't Lose (aka I Can't Lose
With The Stuff I Use)/ I'll Survive/ I'm King/ I've Got A Right To Love My
Baby/ If I Lost You/ Long Nights (the Feeling They Call The Blues)/ Partin'
Time/ Tell Me Baby/ That's How Much You Mean To Me/ Things Are Not The Same/
What Way To Go/ When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer (aka Million Years Blues)/
Whole Lot Of Lovin' Aka Whole Lotta' Love/ Worried Life/ You're On The Top
|
| B.B. KING |
Virgin 82712 |
Blues Kingpins |
● CD $11.98 |
18 tracks, 56 minutes, recommended
Unquestionably one of
the most influential performers in the history of blues, B.B. King's
recording career has spanned an astounding seven decades. His trailblazing
guitar style may have followed in the footsteps of T-Bone Walker and many
others, but King upped the ante with unique vibrato and thundering leads,
all of which are front and center over the course of this disc. The tracks
here, recorded for RPM and Kent between 1951 and 1964 were all R&B hits,
including some chart toppers. He offers some broomdusting licks for
Please Love Me, runs between a rumba and shuffle for Woke Up This
Morning, and storms through the hard-to-find Please Hurry Home.
With You Upset Me Baby/ Whole Lotta Love/ Sweet Sixteen/ Got A Right To
Love My Baby and a crumbling solo in Ten Long Years (one of the
ultimate examples of B.B.'s playing), the stakes are high throughout. (CR)
B.B. KING: Bad Luck/ Every Day I Have The Blues/ Got A
Right To Love My Baby/ Please Accept My Love/ Please Hurry Home/ Please Love
Me/ Rock My Baby/ Sweet Little Angel/ Sweet Sixteen/ Ten Long Years/ Three
O'Clock Blues/ Troubles, Troubles, Troubles/ When My Heart Beats Like A
Hammer/ Whole Lotta Love/ Woke Up This Morning/ You Know I Love You/ You
Upset Me Baby
|
| SAUNDERS KING |
Classics 5064 |
The Chronological Saunders King, 1942-1948 |
● CD $14.98 |
The first in a series documenting the recordings of this
fine and influential West Coast singer and guitarist. Includes his original
1942 recording of the much covered SK Blues (Parts 1 & 2) plus Big
Fat Butterfly/ What's The Story Morning Glory/ After Hours/ SK Jumps (Parts
1 & 2)/ I've Had My Moments/ Stay Gone Blues, etc.
SAUNDERS KING: After Hours/ Ambling With Herb/ Big Fat
Butterfly/ I'd Climb The Highest Mountain/ I'll Know Just What To Do/ I've
Had My Moments/ Jive At Eleven Five/ Lazy Woman Blues/ Lonesome Pillow
Blues, Part 1/ Lonesome Pillow Blues, Part 2/ Sk Blues - Part 1 (new Sk
Blues, Part 1)/ Sk Blues - Part 2 (new Sk Blues, Part 2)/ Sk Jumps, Part 1/
Sk Jumps, Part 2/ Stay Gone Blues/ Summertime/ Swingin'/ Swinging Door
Groove (sk Groove)/ The Atom Leaps/ What A Life/ What's Your Story, Morning
Glory/ Why Was I Born?/ Write Me A Letter Blues
|
| SAM LAY |
Random Chance 8 |
I Get Evil |
● CD $14.98 |
10 tracks, 43 minutes, very good
Sam Lay got his nickname,
the Shufflemaster, from his ability to lay down a driving and relentless
backbeat. That ability is shown to good effect in his latest offering which
follows work on Appaloosa, Evidence, and Telarc. Lay has a fine band in tow
for Jimmy Reed's You're So Fine, with good harp from Fingers Taylor
while Fred James dishes out fine guitar on Lowell Fulson's Black Night
and Albert King's I Get Evil. Muddy Waters' Mean Disposition
gets a nice reading and Jay McShann's Hands Off rides along the
familiar mojo groove. The true gems here show Sam Lay on guitar, playing
convincingly in a country blues style for Rock Me Baby/ Boogie Chillen,
and Muddy's Still A Fool. Lay's own slow and deliberate instrumental,
Sam's Big Boy, is just as satisfying. This revelation itself makes
the disc worth its admission price. (CR)
|
| J.B. LENOIR |
JSP JSPCD 2154 |
One Of These Mornings |
● CD $16.98 |
16 tracks, 49 mins, recommended
Reissue of LP JSP 1105 with five bonus cuts. This is a fascinating album of
previously unissued recordings. The first seven tracks are from a demo tape
made by Willie Dixon in 1962 and features Willie and J.B. chatting and
singing songs. J.B. accompanies himself on acoustic guitar and includes a
few old songs that he hadn't recorded elsewhere. The music is enjoyable and
the repartee between J.B. and Dixon is delightful. Most of the remaining
nine tracks are from a live concert with J.B. and his acoustic guitar (plus
occasional drums from Fred Below) and include some of his more intensely
personal and political songs - Alabama Blues/ The Whale/ Remove The Rope,
etc. The last three tracks seem to be from a different source and are of
lower quality than the rest but are worthwhile performances. (FS)
|
| FURRY LEWIS |
Fat Possum 80374 |
Good Morning Judge |
● CD $15.98 |
10 tracks, 42 minutes, highly recommended
Originally
recorded by George Mitchell in Memphis, Furry cut Don't You Come Home
Blues and Furry Lewis Rag in 1962, while the remaining eight
tracks were done in 1967. Considering he was near and beyond 70 when these
were done, his spirit and performing capabilities are alarming with stunning
guitar playing and full, passionate vocals. He offers great slide on the
title track, romping rhythmic sense on Worried Blues, and decades-old
bass string snaps on Blues Around My BedFurry
Lewis Rag
(with washtub bass by Dewey Corley - though not credited). His
interpretation of Roll And Tumble Blues is a standout, and more than
a few steps from the time-tested version most of us are used to. Sound
quality is excellent throughout.(CR)
|
| FURRY LEWIS |
Shout Factory 30248 |
Heroes Of The Blues - The Very Best Of Furry
Lewis |
● CD $13.98 |
16 track collection of the great Memphis country bluesman
includes three of his classic Victor sides from 1928 along with 13 tracks
recorded in the 60s for Adelphi (with Lee Baker Jr. on backup guitar),
Biograph and Bluesville. Includes Furry's Blues/ Judge Harsh Blues/
Natural Born Eastman/ If You Follow Me Babe/ Why Don't You Come Home Blues/
St. Louis Blues/ Long Tall Gal Blues/ Shake 'Em On Down/ Bbay You Don't Want
Me, etc.
|
| JOE LIGGINS |
Classics 5063 |
The Chronological Joe Liggins, 1946-1948 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended.
Following on from Classics 5020 this presents another 24 tracks from this
great West Coast R&B pioneer. Joe's soulful and engaging vocals and piano
are joined by the great Little Willie Jackson on alto and baritone sax,
James Jackson on tenor, Red Callender on bass and others. Includes the hits
Blow Mr. Jackson/ Sweet Georgia Brown and Dripper's Blues as well
as other fine tracks like Some Of These Days/ Walkin'/ Down Home Blues/
Think Of Me/ Sugar/ Life Don't Mean A Thing To Me/ Apple Of My Eye/ Spooks
Holiday/ Ruth/ Loosiana/ He Knows How To Knock Me Out, etc. (FS)
JOE LIGGINS: Apple Of My Eye/ Blow Mr. Jackson/ Down Home
Blues/ Dripper's Blues/ Groovy Groove/ He Knows How To Knock Me Out/ How
Come/ Life Don't Mean A Thing To Me/ Little Willie/ Ruth/ Siboney/ Some Of
These Days/ Spooks Holiday/ Sugar/ Sweet And Lovely/ Sweet Georgia Brown/
Ten Toes/ The Blues/ The Darktown Strutters' Ball/ Think Of Me/ Walkin'/
Worried/ Loosiana/ You'll Miss Me Sure's You're Born
|
| LOUISIANA RED |
Earwig 4947 |
Driftin' |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 60 minutes, excellent
Louisiana Red has never
been your average bluesman. While many write from personal experiences,
there are few that can match the stark brutality of Iverson Minter. The
opening title cut is a riveting Westside Chicago groove with brittle guitar
from Brian Bisesi and tough harp, then Red settles into a barebones Delta
feel for Hard, Hard Time with fine bottleneck. The vocals in Keep
Your Hands On The Plow are spine-chilling while Getting Weaker Day By
Day doesn't sound too far from Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf's best
sides. Chankity Chank Chank might sound a bit trivial with its odd
title, but the thundering backbeat and funky delivery mark it as a keeper.
With support from Allan Batts, Willie Kent, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and
others, there's plenty of electricity and solid playing. (CR)
|
Back To New Release Index
Roots & Rhythm
P.O. Box 837
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Toll Free Order Line : 888-ROOTS-66, Fax : 510-526-9001
© 2008 Roots & Rhythm. No part of this site may be reproduced without written permission
|
