|
NEWSLETTER #129
Blues & Gospel
Various Artists
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
32-20 3 |
Rags, Breakdowns, Stomps & Blues - Vintage
Mandolin Music |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended Fabulous collection
of rural music recordings made between 1927 and 1946 featuring the
distinctive sound of the mandolin. Most of the recordings are of
African-American artists doing blues and gospel along with a few white
country performers. A few tracks are very familiar like Louie Bluie's
State Street Rag or the Dallas String Band's Dallas Rag but there
are lots of lesser known but brilliant performances here from Phebel Wright
(a brilliant bluegrass mandolinist), The Blue Boys (blues musicians Matthew
Prater & Nap Hayes who were issued in the Okeh hillbilly series!), John
Estes (with the great "Yank" Rachel), Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers,
Mississippi Mud Steppers (Charlie McCoy & Bo Carter), The Two Poor Boys
(Arthur McClain & Joe Evans with a gorgeous version of Two White Horses
In A Line), King David's Jug Band (with "Dude" on mandolin and Sam Jones
on stovepipe!), The Carolina Peanut Boys, Paul Warmack & His Gully Jumpers
and others. Every track is a delight and the excellent sound quality makes
for a superb listening experience. 12 page booklet includes informed notes
by Dr. Richard Cherry, rare photos and full discographical info. (FS)
THE BLUE BOYS: Easy Winner/ BLUE RIDGE RAMBLERS: Jug Rag./ ISHMAN BRACEY:
Brown Mama Blues/ CAROLINA PEANUT BOYS: You Got Me Rollin'/ You May Leave,
But This Will Bring You Back/ DALLAS STRING BAND: Dallas Rag/ Hokum Blues/
ARIZONA DRANES & CHOIR: I Shall Wear A Crown/ JOHN ESTES: Milk Cow Blues/
Watcha Doin'/ JOHNSON BOYS: Prater Blues/ KING DAVID'S JUG BAND: Rising Sun
Blues/ LOUIE BLUIE: State Street Rag/ ARTHUR MCCLAIN & JOE EVANS: Old Hen
Cackle/ AL MILLER & HIS MARKET STREET BOYS: Somebody's Been Using That
Thing/ MISSISSIPPI MUD STEPPERS: Jackson Stomp/ NASHVILLE WASHBOARD BAND:
Arkansas Traveller/ Going Away To Make It Lonesome/ SCOTTDALE STRING BAND:
Japanese Breakdown/ GID TANNER & HIS SKILLET LICKERS: Flop Eared Mule/
Hawkins' Rag/ THE TWO POOR BOYS: Two White Horses In A Line/ PAUL WARMACK &
HIS GULLY JUMPERS: The Little Red Caboose Behind The Train/ PHEBAL WRIGHT:
Lint Head Stomp
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Big Town 100 |
The Best Of Big Town |
● CD $18.98 |
Great collection of blues, R&B and doo-wop from Big Town
Records - one of the many label run by Bay Area entrepreneur extraordinary
Bob Geddins. Although the label was first formed in the 40s most of the
tracks here are from the 50s and includes artists like The Thrillers, Jimmy
Wilson, The Original Four Aces, Little Caesar, Frank Motley, Joe Hill Louis,
Angel Face, King Solomon's Trio, James Reed, Al Harrison, Que Martin, Fats
Gaines, Willie B. Huff amd The Ontarios
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Electro-Fi 3378 |
Midnite Blues Party, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
Second collection of rare blues and R&B from the collection
of Canadian collector Eddy B. The first volume featured tracks from the 50s
and 60s while this one concentrates on urban blues 78s from the late 40s and
early 50s. As far as I can tell none these tracks have been on CD before.Excellent sound quality but no notes.
HERBERT BEARD WITH BOB CARTER'S ORCHESTRA: Gal! You Need A Whippin'/
CLIFFORD BLIVENS WITH EDGAR HAYES AND HIS STARDUS: Achin' Heart Boogie/
GAYLE BROWN: Gone Are The Days/ WINI BROWN: He's My Daddy/ THE BOB CARTER
TRIO: Bonus Blues/ JACK COOLEY: 50 Dyna-Flow/ JOE DYSON AND ORCHESTRA:
Merc-o-matic Boogie/ GEORGE GREEN WITH JIMMY BINKLEY AND HIS JAZZ QU:
Unknown/ MORRIS LANE AND HIS BAND: After Hours Bounce/ BILLY LANGFORD WITH
HIS COMBO: Be-bop On The Boogie/ LILLIE MAE AND THE HOUSE ROCKERS: Lovin'
Man Blues/ LITTLE LEO: What's It All About?/ MIKE MCKENDRICK'S 'THREE
CHEERS': Lonesome Baby Blues/ OLD MAN MOSE: Kipp's Blues/ GENE PHILLIPS: Big
Bug Boogie/ BOBBY PRINCE AND AL SMITH'S ORCHESTRA: Tell Me Why, Why, Why/
BILL SAMUELS TRIO: New Jockey Blues/ SISTER ROCK-A-AWAY WITH I.H. SMALLEY
AND: Young Women's Advice/ JACK SURRELL: Detroit Boogie/ BUDDY TATE: Good
Morning Judge/ JOHN TAYLOR AND ORCHESTRA: Alberta/ SLIM TINSLEY AND HIS
BAND: 606 Blues/ PAULA WATSON: Pretty Papa Blues/ BOBBY WEBB AND THE JETS:
Feel The Same/ GEROGE WILLIAMS: A Woman Gets Tired Of One Man All The Time/
CHOCOLATE WILLIAMS AND HIS CHOCOLATEERS: Good Story Blues/ HORSE COLLAR
WILLIAMS AND HIS ORCHESTRA: You Ain't Nothin Daddy/ GEORGE ZIMMERMAN AND THE
THRILLS: Ain't Got The Money To Pay For This Drink
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
El Segundo 1004 |
West Coast Down Home Harmonica |
● CD $16.98 |
25 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
Another fine
collection from El Segundo - this time devoted to blues harmonica recordings
by West Coast based musicians - mostly from the 50s and 60s with one by
Johnny Dyer from 1979. There are seven tracks by the king of West Coast
blues harmonica - the great George "Harmonica" Smith - these are
among his
most obscure recordings - some I believe issued under other artists name
though featuring lots of George's stellar harp playing. I particularly like
the intense Blues Is My Roots from 1967 and
Blues For Reverend
King
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Indigo 2533 |
Down At The Crossroads - The Robert Johnson
Connection |
● CD $19.98 |
A three CD set with 76 tracks revolving around the legend
that is Robert Johnson. The first disc features 25 tracks featuring songs
and artists that may have influenced the great man - Hambone Willie Newbern,
Skip James Son House, Lonnie Johnson, Charley Patton, Ramblin' Thomas, Ma
Rainey, Henry Thomas, Carl Rafferty, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Casey Bille
Weldon and others. The second disc features one take of each of Robert's 29
great songs and the third disc features 22 songs by artists influenced by
Johnson or doing Johnson songs which range from the sublime to the .. er..
other end of the spectrum including Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy McCracklin,
Little Walter, Baby Face Leroy Trio, Elmore James. The Kinks, John Renbourn,
Tony McPhee, Foghat, Homesick James, Jack Bruce and others. Handsomely
packaged with a 16 page booklet with notes by Neil Slaven.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Old Hat 1004 |
Down In The Basement - Joe Bussard's
Treasure Trove |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 73 mins, essential
Fabulous collection of rare
78s from the 20s and 30s drawn from the collection of one of the most
diligent and knowledgeable collectors in the country Joe Bussard. The 24
tracks here encompass blues, old time country, jazz and one Cajun title.
Many of these tracks have been reissued before but the combination of
excellent quality 78s and a superb remastering job by Christopher King makes
them sound better than ever. Artists include The Stripling Brothers, Luis
Russell & His Orchestra, Weems String Band, A.A. Gray & Seven Foot Dilly,
Charley Jordan, The Sweet Brothers & Ernest Stoneman, Bessie Brown, Soileau
and Robin, Uncle Dave Macon, Fields Ward & The Grayson County
Railsplitters,
The Down Home Boys, Gitfiddle Jim and others. Includes incredible 72 page
booklet with pictures of all the 78s, pictures of some of the artists,
pictures of Joe and Joe's cat! It features notes and discographical details
on all the tracks as well as anecdotes by Joe about how he acquired the
records and lots of other interesting stories. A bit of an ego trip but
loads of fun and the music is unbeatable! (FS)
GENE AUTRY: Atlanta Bound/ BIG BILL: How You Want It
Done?/ BLIND BLAKE AND CHARLIE SPAND: Hastings Street/ BLIND GARY: You Got
To Go Down/ BESSIE BROWN: Song From A Cotton Field/ BILL BROWN AND HIS
BROWNIES: Hot Lips/ JAMES COLE'S WASHBOARD FOUR: Runnin' Wild/ COLEMAN &
HARPER: Old Hen Cackle/ THE CORLEY FAMILY: Give The World A Smile/ THE DIXON
BROTHERS: The School House Fire/ GITFIDDLE JIM: Paddlin' Blues/ A.A. GRAY
AND SEVEN-FOOT DILLY: The Old Ark's A'Moving/ THE GRINNELL GIGGERS: Plow Boy
Hop/ BILL JOHNSON'S LOUISIANA JUG BAND: Get The "L" On Down The Road/
CHARLEY JORDAN: Keep It Clean/ UNCLE DAVE MACON: Uncle Dave's Beloved Solo/
LONG CLEVE REED AND LITTLE HARVEY HULL (DOWN HOME B: Original Stack O'Lee
Blues/ LUIS RUSSELL & HIS ORCHESTRA: The (New) Call Of The Freaks/ SOILEAU
AND ROBIN: Easy Rider Blues/ THE STRIPLING BROTHERS: The Lost Child/ THE
SWEET BROTHERS & ERNEST STONEMAN: I Got A Bulldog/ FIELDS WARD & THE GRAYSON
COUNTY RAILSPLITTERS: Ain't That Trouble In Mind/ THE WEEMS STRING BAND:
Greenback Dollar/ FESS WILLIAMS AND HIS ROYAL FLUSH ORCHESTRA: Hot Town
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
P-Vine PCD 24075 |
Chicago Blues Harp Blowers! Cobra/Artistic/ABCO/JOB
Records |
● CD $21.98 |
21 tracks of harmonica blues from Cobra, Artistic, Abco &
J.O.B. - Louis Myers (2 tracks), Baby Face Leroy with Snooky Pryor (2
tracks), Sonny Boy Williamson (2 tracks), Charles Clark with Sonny Boy
Williamson (2 tracks), Little Willie Foster (2 tracks), John Lee Henley (2
tracks), Big Walter Horton (4 tracks including several alternates), Arbee
Stidham with Walter Horton (1 track), Sunnyland Slim with Walter Horton (3
tracks including an alternate), Willie Mabon (1 track).
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
P-Vine PCD 24076 |
Chicago Blues Piano Hitters! Cobra/JOB
Recordings 1950s |
● CD $21.98 |
Great collection of piano blues - mostly from the J.O.B. &
Cobra catalogs. 20 tracks featuring Sunnyland Slim (5 tracks), Little Johnny
Jones (2 tracks from Flair), Eddie Boyd (5 tracks), Little Brother
Montgomery (2 tracks), Memphis Slim (4 tracks) and Detroit Jr. (2 tracks).
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 318 |
Stompin', Vol. 18 |
● CD $15.98 |
The latest in this great series of up tempo blues and R&B is
devoted to mostly down home and country blues and includes some fine and
incredibly obscure recordings from the likes of Jimmie Newsome, Lick Slick &
Slide, The Bees, Robert Jefferson, Otis Hinton, J&J Deuces, The Wild Child, Emright and Mattie and others slightly more familiar like Pee Wee Hughes,
James Walton, Mule Thomas (aka Jesse Thomas), Tommy Brown, etc. Some tracks
have been reissued on CD before but quite a few are making their first
appearance on CD.
THE BEES: Tough Enough/ BIG BILL & HIS GUITAR: Little City Woman/ TOMMY
BROWN: Southern Women/ EMRIGHT & MATTIE: That Minute There With You/ FRANK
FLOYD: Rock A Little Baby/ HARMONICA "BLUES KING" HARRIS: I Need You Pretty
Baby For My Own/ CLEDUS HARRISON: Don't Run/ OTIS HINTON: Walking Downhill/
PEE WEE HUGHES: I'm A Country Boy/ J&J DEUCES: Sweet Woman Blues/ ROBERT
JEFFERSON: I Got My Equalizer/ LAZY SLIM JIM: Wine Head Baby/ LICK, SLICK &
SLIDE: I Got Drunk/ GUITAR TOMMY MOORE: I Ain't Botherin' Nobody/ Your Car
Machine/ MR. RAIN: Who Dat?/ JIMMIE NEWSOME: Do That Thing/ I'm Afraid I
Love You/ Long Gone Lonesome Blues/ My Little Child/ ALONZO SCALES: My Baby
Likes To Shuffle/ ALVIN SMITH: On My Way/ MULE THOMAS: Blow My Baby Back
Home/ JAMES WALTON: Miss Jesse James/ THE WILD CHICK: Down In The Chile'
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 319 |
Stompin', Vol. 19 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
Previously issued as
Tapper 2 "Country Blues Obscurities" this new Stompin' reissue has better
sound and superior packaging with label shots and notes on all the songs. A
terrific collection of rare down home blues cuts, mostly from the 50s. Most
are making their first appearance on CD and a few have never been reissued
before. I don't think I would call this "country blues" since most of it
features small blues bands but whatever way you cut it the music is
fabulous. Among the many treasures are L.C. Green's fantastic When The
Sun Is Shining which alone is worth the price of the CD and would cost
you many times the price of this CD to buy the original 78. There is one
side of Freddy King's first single from 1956 where he sounds very different
to the artist we're used to with Robert Lockwood doing the guitar honors.
There are two wonderful tracks by Joe Hill Louis, one issued as by Little
Joe; Eddie Burns echoes Sonny Boy #1 on his Hello Jessie Lee and the
music of Buddy Lewis (aka Ernest Lewis) updates the sound of Texas bluesman
J.T. "Funny Papa" Smith. But it's all good and among the other fine artists
here are Little Sam Davis, Harmonica "Blues King" Harris, J&J Deuces (who
are these guys?), Albert & Charles (a weird slide guitar instrumental
appropriately titles Weird), Sonny Boy Williams, Bud Harper
(originally issued as by Jesse Belvin!), Juke Boy Barner, Jesse Pipkin, The
Richard Brothers (their salutory and hilarious Drunk Drivers Coming)
and more. (FS)
ALBERT & CHARLES: Weird/ JUKE BOY BARNER: Rock With Me Baby/ JESSE BELVIN
(BUD HARPER): Going Away Baby/ EDDIE BURNS: Hello Miss Jessie Lee/ LEROY
DALLAS & HIS GUITAR: Jump Little Children Jump/ LITTLE SAM DAVIS: Goin' To
New Orleans/ EMRIGHT: One Of These Days/ L.C. GREEN: The Sun Was Shining/
HARMONICA "BLUES KING" HARRIS: Blues King Mango/ HARVEL HILL JR.: She Fool
Me/ J&J DEUCES: Little Woman Blues/ CLIFFORD KING: Wamt To Jump With You
Baby/ FREDDY KING: That's What You Think/ JOHN LEE: Alabama Boogie/ BUDDY
LEWIS: You've Got Good Business/ LITTLE JOE: Keep Your Arms Around Me/ JOE
HILL LOUIS: Joe's Jump/ JESSE PIPKIN & BAND: Work With It/ THE RICHARD
BROS.: Drunk At The Depot/ HENRY SMITH: Good Rocking Mama/ JOE WILLIAMS:
Stack O' Dollars/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMS: Alice Mae Blues/ Another Half A Pint
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 320 |
Stompin', Vol. 20 |
● CD $15.98 |
Another fine 22 track collection of blues and R&B rarities
ranging from the early 50s to early 60s.Usual quality production.
JIMMY ANTHONY: 'Fore Day In The Morning/ BABY DEE: Don't Live Like That No
More/ DEAN BARLOW: Don't Leave Me Baby/ SONNY BROOKS: Champ Ale/ THE COCAS:
Flip Your Daddy/ FLOYD DIXON: Don't Leave Me Baby/ STICKS EVANS WITH ALVIN
CLARK: Go-Go-Go-Blow/ CHESTER GUYDON: You Gotta Help Me Some/ LES HARRIS:
Nobody Else But You/ GERALD HUNTER & QUINTONES: Geralds Boogie/ MARI JONES:
Riba Daba Doo/ KITTY KAYE & THE CATS: Fishtruck Boogie/ RICHARD LEWIS: Still
Drifting/ PIG MEAT MARKHAM: Let's Have Some Heat/ STICKS MCGHEE: Oh What A
Face/ FREDDIE MITCHELL: Preachin'/ LARRY PURNELL: Hot Nuts/ PEARL REEVES &
CONCORDS: You Can't Stay Here/ RIFF RUFFIN: Money For My Honey/ TABBY & HIS
MELLOW, MELLOW MEN: Church Members Ball/ PAUL TATE: How Can I Love You/ ED
TOWNSEND: Come On And Walk With Me
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 321 |
Stompin', Vol. 21 |
● CD $15.98 |
This volume features 23 tracks from the late 50s and early
60s - mostly R&B with hints of soul.
FABULOUS LITTLE JOE ARLEE CARRUTHERS: Down In New Orleans/ Hot Wire Baby/
CLIFF CHAMBERS: Don't Talk Back/ DON & DEWEY: Kill Me/ THE EGYPTIANS:
Flipping Their Top/ That's Alright/ PHIL FLOWERS: The Dances/ AL GARRIS:
That's All/ JIMMY GOOD: Watch Dog/ LENNY JOHNSON: Walk Ginny Walk/
LIL'(PREACHER) ROY: Won'tcha Be My Girl/ LITTLE MUMMY: Oh Baby Please/ Where
You At Jack/ SKIP MANNING: Ham 'N' Eggs/ PIANO SLIM: Whamy In The Gizzmo/
THE PREMIERS: Run Along Baby/ JOHNNY STEWART: A Whole Lot Of Lovin'/ SAMMY
TAYLOR: Switchin' In The Kitchen/ FLASH TERRY: On My Way Back Home/ KID
GUITAR THOMPSON: My Baby Done Me Wrong/ BILL WATTS: Let's Go Steady/ JOHNNY
(THE TWIST) WILLIAMS: Teach Me How/ DUANE YATES: Hold It
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 2065 |
Down On The Levee-The Piano Blues Of St.
Louis, Vol. 2 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks of superb piano blues from the vital St. Louis
scene featuring Henry Brown, Pinetop & Lindberg, Blind Squire Turner,
Doretha Trowbridge, Specks Pertum, Wesley Wallace, Stump Johnson, Pinetop
and others from the collection of Francis Wilford-Smith.
|
Back To New Release Index
|
