Blues & Gospel - Newsletter 132 -Eric Bibb -> Rod Piazza

ESCAPING THE DELTA ROBERT JOHNSON AND THE INVENTION OF THE BLUES by Elijah Wald

● CD $24.95

Hardbound, 342 pages, highly recommended. Counts as five CDs for shipping purposes. Following his acclaimed career history and biography of Josh White in "Society Blues" from 2002, the author returns for an in-depth look at Robert Johnson. It's doubtful that any serious blues aficionado would refute the simple fact that Robert, his legend, his history, and his mysteriousness have been covered ad nauseum. With that in mind, Wald went to work with a different purpose, and in turn, offers many new twists with a completely different spin that many might not have considered previously. While most will be aware of Johnson's reputation in the pre-war Delta Blues canon as a player of great skill, singer of deep passion, and writer of extraordinary capabilities, Wald went to incredible lengths to detail how Johnson might not have been the ideal definition of a "bluesman," at least, not as most would interpret or define a "bluesman." We've heard over time that Johnson was just as likely to pull off a popular song of the day by some Caucasian crooner, just as surely as he was apt to put his own spin on a Son House composition. But Wald goes deeper and ends offering a book that will start painfully slow for many yet pick up to incredible heights. While the beginning will seem plod along, it's because Wald has done great amounts of research in order to point out just how influenced black artists were by white music. Examples are long and deep, but in the end, Wald's points are brought into new light as he investigates and uncovers Johnson's music and compares it against music by white players and singers, and by many of Johnson's contemporaries; Son House, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Peetie Wheatstraw, among them. Especially interesting is the breakdown of Johnson's complete 29 song catalog, with alternative takes, and just where to find the best and closest comparable examples. While it crosses into territory that will be uncomfortable for some and unimaginable for others, Wald manages to hand in a work of great depth and passion. (CR) Special offer - get both book and CD together for $38.98.

PARAMOUNT'S RISE AND FALL by Alex van der Tuuk

● CD $45.00

Hardbound, 242 pages, counts as five CDs for shipping purposes. Exciting and important new book documenting the history of the most important "race record" company of the 1920. The small Wisconsin Chair Company, formed in 1988 decided to enter the music business and issue records in 1917, to help sell the line of phonographs they were offering, and launched the Paramount label offering popular music of the day. In 1922 they decided to enter the newly emerging "race record" market recording blues, gospel and jazz and over the next 10 years issued recordings by Charley Patton, Ma Rainey, Alberta Hunter, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, The Norfolk Jazz Quartet, Skip James, Fletcher Henderson, Son House, Ida Cox, Papa Charlie Jackson, Clarence Williams and many other legendary performer. This covers all aspects of the history of the label based on extensive research of primary source materials as well as interviews with surving artists and employees. It includes more than 100 illustrations including rare original advertising art and previously unpublished photos.

BETWEEN MIDNIGHT & DAY The Last Unpublished Blues Archive by Dick Waterman

● CD $29.95

176 pages, softbound, highly recommended. Counts as eight CDs for shipping purposes. With a career in music spanning decades, Dick Waterman's recollections are unlike most other accounts of the past forty or so years. As an insider working as a photo-journalist, booking agent, promoter, and more often than not, a friend, Waterman's short stories inside "Between Midnight And Day" are as stunning as the black and white images that grace the book's pages. While Peter Guralnick's introduction and Bonnie Raitt's preface are entertaining and enlightening, it's the incredible memories Waterman shares along with an unerring sense of description that make this as compelling as it is. The list of characters photographed will make it a must-have item among blues fans with Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Son House, Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams, Albert King, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and far too many more to list, but every bit as captivating as these pictures are Waterman's concise mental snapshots that allow the reader entrance to the time when the stories were imprinted once and forever in the author's mind. While others have attempted to explain the gentle spirit that Mississippi John Hurt possessed, the gruffness that made Big Mama Thornton what she was, or the respect that Muddy Waters commanded and was deserving of, Dick Waterman's heartfelt reminiscing is simply breathtaking. It's this ability to take the reader with him that makes Waterman as captivating a storyteller as he is a photographer, but if the thought is that this is all soft-spoken respect and admiration, the tides turn occasionally when he remembers certain off-color stories that will have the reader totally enthralled and, at times, laughing at the outcome. This isn't a blues scholar attempting to explain the music with an intellectual treatise or a muddled thesis, this is honest-to-goodness truth from the trenches by someone who has the respect and admiration of countless musicians, writers, photographers, fans, and followers of blues. "Between Midnight And Day" is as deserving of space in your collection as your most-prized 78, album, or compact disc. Superbly crafted! (CR)

DOWN IN HOUSTON		by Roger Wood (Photography by James Fraher)	● CD $34.95
346 pages, hardbound, counts as 14 CDs for shipping. Lavish new book devoted to the blues scene in Houston, Texas from the immediate post war era to the present day based on research and interviews with musicians, vlub owners, producers and more. Covers well known artists like Lightnin' Hopkins, Clifton Chenier, Johnny Copeland and Gatemouth Brown as well as the many lesser known practitioners of the art like Little Joe Washington, Big Robert Smith, Ashton Savoy, Gloria Edwards, Leo Morris and others. It is copiously illustrated with many beautiful photos taken by award winning photographer James Fraher.

CLIFTON CHENIER	Arhoolie DVD 401	The King Of Zydeco	● CD $19.98
DVD, color, 13 tracks, 55 mins, essential Wonderful collection of live performances from the once and always King Of Zydeco. Half the tracks were filmed at the 1982 San Francisco Blues Festival featuring Clifton with a fine band including brother Cleveland on washboard, son C.J. on tenor sax, guitarist Sherman Robertson and others. There are several performances from the 1977 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with his best ever band with Cleveland, tenor sax player John Hart, keyboardist Buckwheat, guitarist Paul Senegal and more. There are several tracks from Louisiana television including one show with the band all wearing crowns! Interspersed with the music are interview segments with Clifton talking about his music. The music is consistently superb and gives a taste of just how much excitement Clifton could generate in a live performance. Not to be missed. (FS)

ERIC BIBB/ RORY BLOCK/ MARIA MULDAUR	Telarc 83588	Sisters And Brothers	● CD $16.98
13 tracks, 53 minutes, excellent Combining the talents of these three has definitely proven a smart move. Each deliver soulful vocals while Bibb and Block handle the guitar chores. The small rhythm section of Mudcat Ward on upright and Per Hanson on drums with piano from Chris Burns stays out of the way adding a relaxed swing to the proceedings. There's an overall feel of spiritual connection as the title suggests and they handle everything with fine results. Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down is superb with rich background vocals and Tommy Johnson's Maggie Campbell is very nicely done. A mixture of originals and traditional titles, all finely crafted and delivered with passion but the track listing is completely out of whack and irritating. (CR)

RORY BLOCK	Telarc 83593	Last Fair Deal	● CD $16.98
14 tracks, 51 minutes, excellent It'd be a hard chore to find another woman with the level of musicianship, writing ability, passion for tradition, and inherent soul than Rory Block. Her slide guitar playing has long had many shaking their heads at her slashing licks and debt to masters like Son House, Robert Johnson and many others. There's simply no low point here with gritty to beautiful bottleneck work everywhere, and nothing but that with Block's voice is a wonderful combination. Son House's County Farm Blues, Robert Johnson's Last Fair Deal Gone Down or Traveling Riverside Blues, as well as traditional titles like Amazing Grace and Look What The Lord Has Done mix well and offer a nice variety. (CR)

R.L. BURNSIDE	Fat Possum 80365	The First Recordings	● CD $15.98
14 tracks, 38 mins, highly recommended Fabulous collection featuring most of the recordings made by this brilliant Mississippi bluesman for George Mitchell in 1968 - his first recordings featuring many of the songs that would later become staples of his repertoire. Many of these tracks have been out before on Arhoolie, Revival and Swingmaster but it's really nice to have them all together including previously unissued recordings. R.L's material draws on traditional blues, down home blues recordings from the 50s as well as a few originals. He's a powerful and expressive singer and his acoustic guitar playing is solid and his music often generates a hypnotic groove that was to endear him to his many young fans in later years. (FS)

JAMES COTTON	Acrobat 4009	Feelin' Good	● CD $12.98
19 tracks, 65 minutes, excellent Even though James Cotton is still playing some fiery harmonica and recording, it's disappointing that he's no longer able to sing with any power, if at all. Thankfully, there's a good selection of some 1960s sessions here which have stood the test of time. V-8 Ford Blues / Polly Put The Kettle On / So Glad I'm Living / Diggin' My Potatoes / Three Harp Boogie all stem from 1962/63 and are crackling stripped-down efforts with Elvin Bishop's guitar (Boogie also features Billy Boy Arnold and Paul Butterfield). Cotton's larger band Verve recordings from 1967 appear with the addition of Dealing With The Devil / You Know It Ain't Right and the set closes with The Creeper, still a standout harp shuffle, and never bettered than the version offered here. (CR)

BARBARA DANE	Dreadnaught 1604	Live At The Ash Grove: New Years Eve, 1961-62	● CD $14.98
A previously unissued live set by Barbara recorded at Los Angeles's famed Ash Grove folk club on New Years eve, 1961/62. She is accompanied by fine pianist/ cornet player Kenny Whitson and bassist Wellman Braud. Mostly traditional blues standards and blues songs associated with some of the great women of the past including Mama Yancey's Advice/ Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out/ Salty Dog/ Ain't Nobody Gonna Get None O' My Jelly Roll and others. Includes 20 page illustrated booklet with notes on the performers, the Ash Grove, the songs and more.

DRINK SMALL	Southland SCD 1	I Know My Blues Are Different - Cause I'm The One Who	● CD $13.98
Reissue of 1972 LP featuring South Carolina country bluesman Drink Small. He's a fine singer with a deep dark voice and all the material is original. Unfortunately his guitar playing makes most of this rough going since he is frequently out of tune and hits a lot of bad notes. The first track Bowlegged Woman is excellent and shows that with a bit more rehearsing this could have been an excellent album but, as it stands, I find it hard to recommend.

THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI	MCA Special Products MCAD 22047	The Best Of The Blind Boys	● CD $8.98
Back in stock. As issued in 1973, The Best Of The Blind Boys LP contained choice material - I Ain't Got Long from 1961 with shouts and sermonizing from Roscoe Robinson, Big Henry Johnson's powerful pipes on John Saw The Number/ Love Lifted Me/ Where There's A Will There's A Way and more, the late Lloyd Woodard narrates on What Is An Album, Rev. Willie Mincey tears it up on My Soul Is A Witness, and the legendary Archie Brownlee wails on two precious cuts, Certainly Lord/ Leaning On The Everlasting Arm. Necessary upsetting gospel by one of this nation's leading exponents. Great sound quality, but shameful lack of notes. (OLN)

LOWELL FULSON	Acrobat ACRD 147	Jukebox Blues, 1946-1948	● CD $10.98
18 tracks, 50 minutes, highly recommended Although only covering a few early years of Lowell Fulson's lengthy career, these 18 tracks represent a smoldering and formative period for the Oklahoma-born bluesman.Waxed for labels like Big Town, Trilon, Down Beat, and Swingtime, Fulson was a riveting guitar picker along the lines of T-Bone Walker (with a bit more of an edge) and a vocalist of decent capability. Most of the tracks are trio format with Eldridge McCarty on piano and an upright bassist, while a handful are quartets with a drummer in tow. There's an interesting element to a few cuts where Fulson's guitar clangs with furor while Rufus Russell's piano has a touch of cocktail lounge velvet. One small drawback is that mastering is a bit uneven with some songs clearly louder than others, but all in all, very worthwhile. (CR)

CECIL GANT	Indigo 2519	We're Gonna Rock - The Essential Cecil Gant	● CD $19.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended An excellent introduction to the work of this versatile and talented performer. Cecil's best known for his 1944 hit - the blues ballad I Wonder which has been covered by dozens of artists but there was a whole lot more to Gant who recorded nearly 150 titles between 1944 and 1951 including several R&B hits. He was a fine and immensely appealing vocalist and a superb piano player. There are several great boogie instrumentals here in the grand tradition of Albert Ammons or Pete Johnson (Original Cecil's Boogie/ Cecil Boogie No. 2/ Loose As A Goose/ Bullet Boogie, etc). There are more gentle blues ballads (Sooner Or Later/Another Day, Another Dollar, etc), straight blues (Lost Baby Blues/ Blues In L.A., etc), jazzy jive numbers (Hit That Jive Jack/ Loose As A Goose) and lots more. Most of the tracks are just Cecil with his piano or with a rhythm section - a couple of tracks feature the great trumpeter Wingy Manone and on Little Baby, You're Running Wild he is joined by a steel guitarist. Sound quality is generally pretty good and there is a booklet with notes by Neil Slaven and discographical information. Once you become a confirmed Gantophile you might want to check out Blue Moon's ongoing series reissuing his entire recorded output which is now up to volume 4 (Blue Moon 6022, 6023, 6029, 6039 - $13.98 each) (FS)

THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET	Body And Soul 3063812	Succes et Raretes	● CD $24.98
Two CD retrospective of recordings of this great group featuring 48 tracks recorded between 1937 and 1949 for Bluebird, Okeh, Columbia and Mercury - Golden Gate Gospel Train/ Stand In The Test Of Judgment/ Pure Religion/ God Almighty Said/ Lord, Am I Born To Die?/ What A Time/ Way Down In Egypt Land/ Daniel Saw The Stone/ God Told Nicodemus/ Anyhow/ He Never Said A Mumblin' Word/ Run On/ Bones, Bones, Bones/ Hush!/ Jesus Met The Woman At The Well/ Lord I Want To Be A Christian, etc. Includes 20 page booklet with notes in French and discographical info.

THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET	Columbia (France) 509 6222	1941-1947	● CD $10.98
20 tracks, 56 mins, recommended After five years on Okeh Records (1941-'45) The Gates signed a brief two year contract with Columbia, where (apart from fresh songs) the company issued more sides from their Okeh subsidiary days. This means that much of the material is first rate Jubilee style, close harmony with sparse accompaniment, although without so much of the brass instrument imitation favored by them (and the Mills Bros.) in the earlier RCA/ Montgomery Ward recordings. The group was then composed of Henry Owens (first tenor), Clyde Riddick (2nd tenor), Willie Johnson (bass and lead), and Orlandus Wilson (2nd bass). Unsurpassable renditions of Atom And Evil/ Wade In The Water/ Blind Barnabas/ Anyhow and others. About a dozen of these tracks were on the now deleted Columbia 47131 (Swing Down Chariot). (OLN/ FS)

BOB HALL & GEORGE GREEN	Jazz Colors 874748	Shufflin' The Boogie	● CD $10.98
10 tracks, 43 mins, recommended Two of Britain's top blues and boogie pianists join forces on a series of piano duets recorded live in 1978 accompanied by a fine small band with horns, bass and drums (Charlie Watts). Mostly classic tunes along with a couple of originals - Rocket 88/ Barrel House Boogie/ Great Western Boogie/ Swanee River Boogie/ Too Late For That Now, etc. Includes a couple of forgettable vocals but otherwise a worthwhile set. (FS)

JAMES HARMAN	Pacific Blues 2304	Lonesome Moon Trance	● CD $16.98
12 tracks, 55 minutes, highly recommended It's about time James "Ice-Pick" Harman wound up with another home for his decidedly brilliant blues offerings. What sets Harman apart from his contemporaries is his incredible wit and writing sense while covering every human condition we deal with on a daily basis. Add to that some of the best harp work around, a voice as delirious as his lyrics, and an approach that pairs a multitude of musicians with the songs that fit best, and you're bound to have some of the best blues available. This all-original dozen includes wicked assistance from Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, Kirk "Eli" Fletcher, Gene Taylor, Stephen Hodges, Steve Mugalian, and others. Now, if Pacific Blues will complete the failed promises of others and finish releasing Harman's marvelous "Extra Napkins" sessions... (CR)

SLIM HARPO	Hip-O 0583	The Excello Singles Anthology	● CD $24.98
Swamp blues at its finest. This two CD set with 44 tracks features both sides of every single issued by Slim Harpo on Excello between 1957 and 1971. Lots of classics - I'm A King Bee/ Strange Love/ Buzz Me Babe/ What A Dream/ Rainin' In My Heart/ I Need Money (Keep Your Alibis)/ We're Two Of A Kind/ Harpo's Blues/ Baby Scratch My Back/ Shake Your Hips/ Tip On In, Parts 1 & 2/ Te-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu/ I Just Can't Leave You/ Folsom Prison Blues/ The Price Is Too High/ Jody Man and lots more.

WYNONIE HARRIS	Classics 1289	1950-1952	● CD $14.98
25 tracks from this great blues shouter recorded between 1950 and 1952. About half these tracks are also on Proper BOX 20. WYNONIE HARRIS: A Love Untrue/ All Night Long/ Be Mine My Love/ Bloodshot Eyes/ Confessin' The Blues/ Good Morning Judge/ Here Comes The Night/ I Want To Love You Baby/ I'll Never Give Up/ Just Like Two Drops Of Water/ Keep On Churnin'/ Lovin' Machine/ Luscious Woman/ Man, Have I Got Troubles/ Married Woman - Stay Married/ Mr. Blues Is Comin' To Town/ My Playful Baby's Gone/ Oh Babe!/ Put It Back/ Rock Mr. Blues/ Rot-Gut/ Stormy Night Blues/ Teardrops From My Eyes/ Tremblin'/ Triflin' Woman

WYNONIE HARRIS	Collectables 2872	Good Rockin' Tonight - Very Best Of Wynonie Harris	● CD $15.98
Great 25 track collection featuring 25 of Wynonie's best and most popular King sides from the late 40s and early/mid 50s. All his King hits and more Good Rockin' Tonight/ Grandma Plays The Numbers/ I Feel That Old Age Coming On/ All She Do Is Rock/ I Like My Baby's Pudding/ Good Morning Judge/ Bloodshot Eyes/ My Playful Baby's Gone/ Bad News baby (There'll Be No Rockin' Tonight)/ Don't take That Whiskey Away From Me/ Christina/ Wine Wine Sweet Wine/ Mr. Dollar, etc. Remastered from original tapes by Little Walter Devenne and compiled and annotated by Victor Pearlin.

JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL/ HEZEKIAH & THE HOUSE ROCKERS	Black & Blue 457-2	Mississippi Blues Festival	● CD $13.98
Two unique Mississippi blues acts recorded in France in 1986 during a tour of that country in 1986 by several Mississippi blues acts. There are seven tracks by singer/ guitarist Jessie Mae Hemphill featuring her distinctive hypnotic guitar accompaniments - five solo and two with a second guitar and drums. Hezekiah & His House Rockers are a trio distinguished by the fact that one of the trio is a trombonist! Hezekiah Early is a fine singer and plays harmony, Pee Wee Whittaker is the trombonist and James Baker is a fine down home guitarist. I'm not sure that the trombone really works but some of their tracks are very appealing, particularly Roll Me Baby

JOHN LEE HOOKER	Body & Soul 2500	Complete John Lee Hooker, Vol. 5 : Detroit 1952-53	● CD $29.98
The long awaited fifth volume in this series presenting the complete recordings in chronological order of one of the greatest of all bluesman. We don't know details yet but it will be two CDs covering John Lee's recordings from early 1952 to late 1953. Solo tracks as well as tracks with Eddie Kirkland, Bernie Bessman, Johnny Hooks and others.

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS	Universe 89	Mojo Hand	● CD $16.98
15 tracks, highly recommended. A reissue of Lightnin' classic and frequently reissued Fire album from 1961 with six bonus tracks. Recorded for New York entrepreneur Bobby Robinson, "Mojo Hand" finds Lightnin' in fine form, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar with bass and drums. It includes his minor hit Mojo Hand plus other fine songs like the moving and atypical Awful Dream and a fine Have You Ever Loved A Woman featuring some of Sam's unique piano playing. Five of the bonus tracks are from the same sessions but with not such good sound and the final track is a live version of Mojo Hand from the 1965 Newport Foplk Festival. Disc comes in handsome 52.5" x 5.25" fold out cardboard package that looks like a small LP with rather generic notes. (FS)

MAHALIA JACKSON	Gallerie 458	A Portrait Of Mahalia Jackson	● CD $11.98
Budget priced collection featuring all the recordings made by the manificent Mahalia, including several alternate takes, for Decca and Apollo between May 1937 and October 1950. Includes many classic performances like God's Gonna Separate The Wheat From The Tares/ Move On Up A Little Higher, Parts 1 & 2/ Dig A Little Deeper/ Amazing Grace/ A Child Of The King/ Just Over The Hill, Parts 1 & 2 and many others. Many feature her in the company of her long time accompanist Mildred Falls on piano. Sound quality is fine and there are notes in microscopic print by Fred Dellar of Mojo magazine.

B.B. KING	Ace CDCHM 986	The Soul Of B.B. King	● CD $13.98
The fourth volume in Ace's ongoing mid-priced series based on B.B.'s original Crown LPs with bonus tracks, This was his 12th and final Crown LP - originally issued as "B.B. King" in 1963 and subsequently retitled "The Soul Of B.B. King". The original 10 track LP which included Going Home/ Youn Never Know/ Come Back Baby/ Sundown/ Boogie Rock and five more is joined by 8 bonus tracks including three unreissued Kent singles and two previously unreleased cuts. B.B. KING: A Woman Don't Care (bonus Track)/ Come Back Baby (can't We Talk It Over)/ Don't Let It Shock You (bonus Track)/ Dust My Broom (bonus Track)/ Eyesight To The Blind (bonus Track)/ Going Home/ Green And Lucky Blues (bonus Track)/ He Road I Travel Aka Hard Luck Blues (bonus Track)/ House Rocker Aka Boogie Rock/ Just A Dream (bonus Track)/ Love, Honor And Obey (bonus Track)/ Please Remember Me/ Shake Yours/ Sundown/ The Letter/ You Never Know/ You Shouldn't Have Left/ You Won't Listen

PAUL LAMB & THE KINGSNAKES	Sanctuary 81310	Harmonica Man	● CD $18.98
2 CDs, 37 tracks, 160 minutes, very good Covering better than 15 years and a wide variety of styles, Paul Lamb's early recordings with the Blues Burglars as well as the varied versions of The Kingsnakes are here. Lamb's penchant for Sonny Terry-styled harp is heard to good effect on Whoop And Holler/ Harmonica Man, and Whoopin' while he offers heavy Chicago growling on Johnny Shines' Evening Sun and Snakeskin Jump. A number of 'live' tracks are tossed in but the rhythmic stiffness of Jim Mercer and Martin Deegan is quite evident on Texas Boogie and Don't Lose Your Cool, romping guitar workouts featuring Johnny Whitehill, who does a fine (if a bit over-the-top) job of handling Albert Collins territory. Neil Slaven's liner notes are the usual top-shelf effort but session details should be separated for easier reference. (CR)

JOE LUTCHER	Classics 5075	The Chronological Joe Lutcher, 1947	● CD $14.98
20 tracks, 54 mins, recommended A fine collection of rocking jump blues featuring bandleader, alto sax player and vocalist Joe Lutcher - brother of the better known Nellie Lutcher. Lutcher led a fine swinging band which included trumpet player Kar George, tenor saxist Bill Ellis, pianist L.H. Morrow and others. The tracks are divided between instrumentals with Lutcher himself doing most of the vocals plus there are vocal contributions from William Copper and Cliff Holland. Solid unpretentious music. Joe's equally fine 1949/50 recordings for Modern are available on Ace 753 ($18.98). (FS)

JIMMY MCCRACKLIN	Ace CDCHD 993	Blues Blastin' - The Modern Recordings, Volum 2	● CD $18.98
The second volume of Jimmy's great Modern recordings features 12 songs recorded in 1954/55 including two previously unissued plus six alternate takes of songs that were on Ace 720 from his earlier sessions of 1948/49. It also includes six sides featuring some of Jimmy's musical associates - Jerry (aka Lafayette) Thomas, JOhnny Parker and Baby Pee Wee Parham.

JIMMY MCCRACKLIN	Courtney CRCD 5000	The Rockin' Man	● CD $18.98
29 track collection of sides from the 40s and early 50s. Great music though some tracks have an overly processed sound. JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Beer Tavern Girl/ Blues For The People/ Farewell/ Hear My Story/ Hello Baby/ House Rockin' Blues/ I Can't Understand Love/ I Don't Want No Woman/ I Need Your Lovin'/ I Wanna Make Love To You/ I'm Gonna Have My Fun/ I'm The One/ It's All Right/ Love For You/ Pleasin' Papa/ Rock And Rye Part 1/ Rock And Rye Part 2/ Rockin' Man/ Savoy's Jump/ She Felt Too Good/ She's Gone/ That's Life/ The Cheater/ True Blues/ We Could Make It A Go, I Know/ What's Your Phone Number/ You're The One

HOT LIPS PAGE	Blues Collection 160452	On the Blues Side, 1940-1950	● CD $11.98
20 tracks recorded between 1940 and 1950 by this fine jazz and blues trumpeter and vocalist. This sets focuses on the blues side of his repertoire featuring a number of fine blues vocal and instrumental pieces including Page as a sideman on tracks by Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson as well as accompanying blues shouter Wynonie Harris. HOT LIPS PAGE: Blues In B-flat/ Blues Jumped The Rabbit, The/ Breaks No. 2, The/ Buffalo Bill Blues/ Crazy Love/ Florida Blues/ Gimme Gimme Gimme/ I Keep Rollin' On No. 2/ Lady In Bed, The/ Miss Martinghale/ Page Mr. Trumpet No. 2/ Race Horse Mama Blues/ Rockin' At Ryan's/ Six, Seven, Eight Or Nine/ St. James Infirmary/ Sunset Blues/ That Lucky Old Sun/ They Raided The Joint/ Thirsty Mama Blues/ Uncle Sam's Blues No. 2/ Walkin' In A Daze/ You Come In Here Woman

JUNIOR PARKER	Spectrum 068 910-2	The Collection	● CD $11.98
Collection of 17 sides from this fine bluesman who is sorely underrepresented on U.S. issues. The tracks here draw on both his Duke and Mercury recordings cut between 1957 and '67. JUNIOR PARKER: Annie Get Your Yoyo/ Barefoot Rock/ Country Girl/ Cracked Up Over You/ Driving Wheel/ Five Long Years/ Hurtin' Inside/ I Can't Put My Finger On It/ If I Had Your Love/ Next Time You See Me/ Please Baby Please/ Sometimes I Wonder/ Strange Things Happening/ Sweet Home Chicago/ These Kind Of Blues/ Wish Me Well/ Yonder Wall

KING PERRY	Classics 5081	The Chronological King Perry, 1945-1949	● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 67 minutes, excellent. Culled from Melodisc, Excelsior, and the DeLuxe labels, King Perry's clarinet and saxophone at times mirror Louis Jordan with fine, often humorous lyrics mixed with jumping grooves like A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird / Voot Rock but Perry was just as apt to get torch-like when doing The Man I Love / Till The End Of My Days but his flavorful blowing could take Stardust to soaring heights. Chronologically laid out, the first ten tracks represent five Melodisc two-siders from 1945-46, a full dozen titles from Excelsior in 1947-48, and a pair for DeLuxe in 1949. Rocks In My Bed is worth admission for the barrelhouse feel and Earl Payton's fine piano. Full session details and notes by Dave Penny in the 8-page booklet. (CR)

ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS	Tone Cool 1161	Modern Master - The Best Of Rod Piazza	● CD $16.98
2 CDs, 29 tracks, 140 minutes, recommended With Rod Piazza's career going for better than thirty-five years, it's high time some of his best work was documented. Fans of the West Coast harp slinger might differ on what was included and what was not, but the set is strong throughout. From Piazza's earliest days with the Dirty Blues Band, to his side-by-side efforts with George "Harmonica" Smith in Bacon Fat, the Chicago Flying Saucer Band (which predated) the Mighty Flyers' work with Shakey Jake, Pee Wee Crayton and Jimmy Rogers, Piazza's harp and vocals are front and center, but there's plenty of fine piano, guitar, and rhythmic support. Licensing difficulties left Rod and the band's work for the Black Top label absent, and the collections spans 1968 to 2001 (not 2003), but there's plenty to like. (CR)

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