NEWSLETTER #133
Blues & Gospel
Roosevelt Sykes
->
Charles Wilson
| SISTER ROSETTA THARPE |
Fremeaux 1303 |
Complete, Vol. 3 : 1947-1951 |
● CD $25.98 |
Two CD set, 40 tracks, highly recommended
Third volume
devoted to the complete recordings of this great and influential gospel
singer and guitarist. Her earlier recordings have been reissued on three
CDs on Document (two currently unavailable) or two double setw on Fremeaux
(1301: 1938-1943 and 1302: 1943-1947 - $25.98 each). A few tracks overlap
with the third Document volume but much of this glorious material is
making its first appearance on CD. She is usually accompanied by the fine
Sam Price Trio or The James Roots Trio. A number of tracks feature the
fine male vocal group The Dependable Boys and some feature the female
group The Rosette Gospel Singers. There are some great duets with her good
friend Marie Knight as well as two duets with her mother Katie Bell Nubin
and she accompanies Katie Bell on two fine solo sides. The set also
includes two cuts from the "Spirituals To Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall
in 1938 where she is accompanied by pianist Albert Ammons as well as two
sides recorded in 1947 for Downbeat as Sister Katty Marie. There is not as
much of Sister Rosetta's great guitar playing as on her earlier recordings
but there are some fine solos and the singing is superb throughout. Sound
is excellent and the 24 page illustrated booklet has notes in French and
English and full discographical info. (FS)
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| BIG MAMA THORNTON |
Classics 5088 |
The Chronological Big Mama Thornton,
1950-1953 |
● CD $14.98 |
22 tracks, 59 mins, essential
An invaluable collection by
one of the last of the great female blues belters, adapting the booming
tone of the 20's big mamas to the roadhouse sound of the 50's bands. The
disc opens with her rare first single from 1950 as a member of the totally
obscure small band The Harlem Stars. We then head into her great sessions
with the Joe Scott Orchestra, Bill Harvey Orchestra and The Johnny Otis
Bands. In August 1952 she did an amazing eight song session with the Otis
band that featured one great song after another including her most famous
song Hound Dog and also includes such gems as Walking Blues
which shows just how soulful she could be on a slow blues, Nightmare/
Rockabye Baby/ I've Searched The World Over and others. Her subsequent
session produced the great I Smell A Rat as well as fine duet with
Johnny Ace on the rocking Yes, Baby. Excellent sound and
informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
|
| TERRY TIMMONS |
Classics 5092 |
The Chronological Terry Timmons, 1950-1953 |
● CD $14.98 |
Another good but obscure vocalist turned up by the
tenacious folks at Classics. Timmons was strongly influenced by Dinah
Washington and like Dinah her material encompassed jazzy pop, bootin' R&B
and blues. There are several sessions with Memphis Slim and his band
including some nice duets with him.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1009 |
Welcome To The Club |
● CD $18.98 |
Complementing Ace 717 this is a second collection of
Chicago blues and R&B from the vaults of King/ Federal Records including
sides by Willie Wright & the Sparklers (9 fine sides, mostly previously
unissued), Lee "Shot" Williams (4 tracks), Syl Johnson (6), Eddy
Clearwater (2), Jesse Anderson (2) and Danny Overbea (1).
JESSE ANDERSON: How Long Has It Been/ You'd Better Think Twice/ EDDY
CLEARWATER: I Was Gone/ Twist Like This/ SYL JOHNSON: (she's So Fine) I
Just Gotta Make Her Mine/ I Resign From Your Love/ I Wanna Know/ I've Got
To Find My Baby/ Little Sally Walker/ Well Oh Well/ DANNY OVERBEA: I'm
Tired Of Being Tossed Around/ LEE "SHOT" WILLIAMS: Don't Misuse My Love/
I'm Tore Up/ When You Move, You Lose/ You're Welcome To The Club/ WILLIE
WRIGHT & THE SPARKLERS: Bloodhound/ Gibble Gobble/ Got A Feelin'/ Hard
Times/ I Want To Love You/ I'm Gonna Leave You Baby And I'm Goin' Away To
Stay/ Slowly Losing My Mind/ Sufferin' In Mind/ What Will I Say
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
American Odeon 14002 |
Harlem Congregation Live |
● CD $14.98 |
Another fascinating musical historical document from this
new label. This one features live recordings made around 1954 at two
churches in Harlem - one on Christmas day and one on Saint Sylvester's Day
(December 31st) and was previously only available as limited edition LP in
Europe. We sermons, solo and congregational singing and a testimonial all
performed in ahighly spirited manner.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard Vintage 4001 |
The R&B Years - 1953 |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CDS, 100 tracks, highly recommended
Like the 1952 set
there is some overlap with the Indigo set devoted to 1953 (Indigo 2540) -
this time 37 duplications. Among the remaining 63 titles are tracks by
Amos Milburn, Big Maybelle, Fats Domino, Roy Brown, The Clovers, The
Dominoes, The Crows, Rufus Thomas, Percy Mayfield, Joe Houston, Jimmy
Nelson, Mitzi Mars, Jimmy Coe, Roy Milton, Bobby Mitchell, Paul Gayten,
Sonny Knight, Wynonie Harris, Oscar McLollie, Ray Charles, Willie Mabon,
Christine Kittrell, Dinah Washington, Linda Hayes, The Four Blazes,
Clarence Garlow and others. (FS)
JOHNNY ACE: The Clock/ FAYE ADAMS: I'll Be True/ Shake A Hand/ ANNISTEEN
ALLEN: Baby I'm Doin' It/ LAVERN BAKER: Soul On Fire/ HANK BALLARD & THE
ROYALS: Get It/ BIG MAYBELLE: Gabbin' Blues/ My Country Man/ Way Back
Home/ OTIS BLACKWELL: Daddy Rollin' Stone/ BOBBY BLAND: No Blow, No Show/
TINY BRADSHAW: Heavy Juice/ Soft/ CLARENCE "GATEMOUTH" BROWN: Gate Walks
The Board/ ROY BROWN: Grandpa Stole My Baby/ Hurry Hurry Baby/ RUTH BROWN:
Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean/ The Tears Keep Tumbling Down/ Wild
Wild Young Men/ RAY CHARLES: Heartbreaker/ Mess Around/ THE CLOVERS:
Crawlin'/ Good Lovin'/ JIMMY COE: After Hours Joint/ THE CROWS: Gee/
MARGIE DAY: Snatchin' It Back/ VARETTA DILLARD: Mercy Mr. Percy/ FLOYD
DIXON: Hole In The Wall/ FATS DOMINO: Going To The River/ Nobody Loves Me/
Please Don't Leave Me/ Rose Mary/ THE DOMINOES: Pedal Pushin' Papa/ You
Can't Keep A Good Man Down/ THE DRIFTERS: Money Honey/ THE DU DROPPERS: I
Found Out/ I Wanna Know/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Shake Baby Shake/ FRANKIE
ERVIN WITH JOHNNY MOORE'S BLAZERS: Dragnet Blues/ THE FIVE ROYALES: Baby
Don't Do It/ Help Me Somebody/ Too Much Lovin'/ EARL FOREST: Whoopin' And
Hollerin'/ THE FOUR BLAZES: Perfect Woman/ CLARENCE GARLOW: Route 90/ PAUL
GAYTEN: Cow Cow Blues/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Rot Gut/ Wasn't That Good/ LINDA
HAYES: Take Me Back/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Pachuko Hop/ JOE HOUSTON: Cornbread
And Cabbage/ JESSE & MARVIN: Dream Girl/ BUDDY & ELLA JOHNSON: Hittin' On
Me/ LITTLE JOHNNY JONES: Dirty By The Dozen/ LOUIS JORDAN: I Want You To
Be My Baby/ KID KING: Banana Split/ B.B. KING: Please Hurry Home/ Please
Love Me/ Woke Up This Morning/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: Every Day In The Week/
SONNY KNIGHT: But Officer!/ SMILEY LEWIS: Big Mamou/ JIMMY LIGGINS: Drunk/
JOE LIGGINS: The Big Dipper/ LITTLE ESTHER: Cherry Wine/ LITTLE RICHARD:
Ain't That Good News/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: K.C. Loving/ WILLIE
MABON: I'm Mad/ You're A Fool/ MITZI MARS: I'm Glad/ MARVIN & JOHNNY: Baby
Doll/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Lost Mind/ The River's Invitation/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN:
She Felt Too Good/ STICK MCGHEE: Whiskey, Women And Loaded Dice/ OSCAR
MCLOLLIE: The Honey Jump (Parts 1/2)/ MEMPHIS SLIM: The Come Back/ AMOS
MILBURN: Let Me Go Home, Whiskey/ One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer/ Rock
Rock Rock/ ROY MILTON: Early In The Morning/ BOBBY MITCHELL: Rack' Em
Back/ JIMMY NELSON: Meet Me With Your Black Dress On/ DANNY OVERBEA: Forty
Cups Of Coffee/ Train, Train, Train/ PIANO RED: Your Mouth Got A Hole In
It/ LLOYD PRICE: Ain't It A Shame/ THE PRISONAIRES: Just Walkin' In The
Rain/ AL SAVAGE/JOE MORRIS ORCH.: I Had A Notion/ THE SPANIELS: Baby It's
You/ RUFUS THOMAS: Bear Cat/ BIG MAMA THORNTON: Hound Dog/ THE TRENIERS:
Rockin' Is Our Bizness/ JOE TURNER: Honey Hush/ EDDIE VINSON: Person To
Person/ T-BONE WALKER: Party Girl/ DINAH WASHINGTON: TV Is The Thing This
Year/ CHUCK WILLIS: Don't Deceive Me/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: Move Me, Baby/
BILLY WRIGHT: After Awhile
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard Vintage 4002 |
The R&B Years - 1952 |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection
of some of the most popular blues, R&B and doo-wop recordings of 1952.
Only one problem is that 40 of the tracks are duplicated on Indigo 2532 -
The R&B Hits Of 1952. Still the remaining 60 tracks includes lots of gems
from the likes of Wynonie Harris, Fats Noel, T-Bone Walker, Joe Houston,
Willis Jackson, Amos Milburn, Todd Rhodes, Lloyd Glenn, The Dominoes,
Chuck Willis, Pig Meat Peterson, Melvin Smith, Louis Jordan (doing a
version of Junco Partner), The Four Blazes, Lula Reed, The Five
Royales, Roy Milton, Varetta Dillard, JImmy McCracklin, Little Caesar, Joe
Williams, Tiny Kennedy and many more. Sound quality is superb and there is
an 8 page fold out booklet with notes by Roy Bainton. (FS)
JOHNNY ACE: My Song/ MARIE ADAMS: I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks/
ARCHIBALD: Great Big Eyes/ TINY BRADSHAW: The Train Kept A Rollin'/ JACKIE
BRENSTON: Hi-Ho Baby/ CHARLES BROWN: Hard Times/ ROY BROWN: Good Rockin'
Man/ I've Got The Last Laugh Now/ RUTH BROWN: 5-10-15 Hours/ Daddy Daddy/
RAY CHARLES: Kissa Me Baby/ Midnight Hour/ THE CLOVERS: Hey, Miss Fannie/
One Mint Julep/ Ting-A-Ling/ TOMMY DEAN: Lonely Monday/ VARETTA DILLARD:
Easy, Easy Baby/ Them There Eyes/ FLOYD DIXON: Call Operator 210/ Come
Back Baby/ FATS DOMINO: Goin' Home/ How Long/ Poor Poor Me/ THE DOMINOES:
Have Mercy Baby/ I'd Be Satisfied/ That's What You Do To Me/ THE DU
DROPPERS: Can't Do Sixty No More/ H-BOMB FERGUSON: Slowly Goin' Crazy/ THE
FIVE ROYALES: You Know I Know/ JIMMY FOREST: Night Train/ THE FOUR BLAZES:
Mary Jo/ T.J. FOWLER: Back Biter/ LOWELL FULSON: Guitar Shuffle/ LLOYD
GLENN: Yancey Special/ ROSCO GORDON: Booted/ No More Doggin'/ JOHN GREER:
Got You On My Mind/ GUITAR SLIM: Feelin' Sad/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Keep On
Churnin'/ Lovin' Machine/ LYNN HOPE: Hop, Skip And Jump/ JOE HOUSTON:
Worry, Worry, Worry/ FLUFFY HUNTER: Walk Right In/ IVORY JOE HUNTER:
Rockin' Chair Boogie/ BULLMOOSE JACKSON: Nosey Joe/ WILLIS JACKSON:
Wine-O-Wine/ THE JACKSON BROTHERSS: We're Gonna Rock This Joint/ LOUIS
JORDAN: Jordan For President/ Junco Partner/ TINY KENNEDY: Strange Kind Of
Feeling/ B.B. KING: Boogie Woogie Woman/ You Know I Love You/ CHRISTINE
KITTRELL: Sittin' Here Drinkin'/ BOBBY LEWIS: Mumbles Blues/ PETE "GUITAR"
LEWIS: Louisiana Hop/ SMILEY LEWIS: The Bells Are Ringing/ JIMMY LIGGINS:
That's What Knocking Me Out/ LITTLE CAESAR: Goodbye Baby/ LITTLE ESTHER:
Aged And Mellow/ Ring-A-Ding-Doo/ BILLY LOVE: Drop Top/ WILLIE MABON: I
Don't Know/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Cry Baby/ The Big Question/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN:
My Days Are Limited/ EDNA MCGRIFF: Heavenly Farther/ BIG JAY MCNEELY:
Blow, Blow, Blow/ AMOS MILBURN: Greyhound/ Thinking And Drinking/ Trouble
In Mind/ LUCKY MILLINDER: The Right Kind Of Lovin'/ ROY MILTON: Night And
Day/ So Tired/ FATS NOEL: Ride Daddy Ride/ THE ORIOLES: Baby Please Don't
Go/ See See Rider/ JOHNNY OTIS: Sunset To Dawn/ PIG MEAT PETERSON:
Everybody Loves A Fat Man/ LLOYD PRICE: Lawdy Miss Clawdy/ Oooh-Oooh-Oooh/
THE RAVENS: Rock Me All Night Long/ LULA REED/SONNY THOMPSON: I'll Drown
In My Tears/ Let's Call It A Day/ TODD RHODES: Rocket 69/ Your Daddy's
Doggin' Around/ SHIRLEY & LEE: I'm Gone/ MELVIN SMITH: Looped/ THE
SWALLOWS: It Ain't The Meat/ WILLIE MAE THORNTON: Let Your Tear Drops
Fall/ JOE TURNER: Don't You Cry/ Sweet Sixteen/ TITUS TURNER: Got So Much
Trouble/ T-BONE WALKER: Cold, Cold Feeling/ Street Walking Woman/ DINAH
WASHINGTON: New Blow Top Blues/ JOE WILLIAMS: Every Day I Have The Blues/
LESTER WILLIAMS: Brand New Baby/ I Can't Lose With The Stuff I Use/ CHUCK
WILLIS: Loud Mouth Lucy/ My Story
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Buzzola 003 |
Like An Atom Bomb |
● CD $15.98 |
18 tracks, highly recommended
Fine, if too short,
collection of songs and tunes showing the musical fallout following the
detonation of the two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. Includes blues,
country and gospel songs. It includes one pre bomb blues from Sonny Boy
Williamson in his prescient Win The War Blues where he declares ("I
Want To Drop A Bomb And The Set The Japanese City On Fire (x2) Because
They Are So Rotten, I Just Love To See Them Die"). Includes songs
describing the event, songs pro and con the invention of nuclear power,
the use of the word "Atomic" to describe something especially exciting,
the cold war and an artist who doesn't sing about atomic energy but has an
atomic name (H-Bomb Ferguson). Includes two version of the classic
Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb - one by black gospel group The Pilgrim
Travelers and the other by white country group Lowell Blanchard & The
Valley Trio. Also includes tracks by The Buchanan Brothers, Sons Of The
Pioneers (a great version of the talking blues Old Man Atom with
the line "Peace In The World or The World In Pieces"), Hank Williams, Karl
& Harty, Spirit Of Memphis Quartet, Camille Howard, Benny Goodman
Orchestra, Lightnin' Hopkins and others. Quite a few tracks are making
their first appearance on CD though there is extensive duplication with
the long out of print LP "Atomic Cafe". Sound is superb, there are witty
and informative notes from Neil Kellas and set is very attractively
packaged in a digipack. (FS)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document DOCD 5054 |
Storefront & Streetcorner Gospel, 1927-29 |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, essential
Available again, newly remastered and
repackaged. A truly lovely selection of black gospel featuring 3 unique
performers. "Star" of this set is the incredible Washington Phillips who
recorded 16 sides in Dallas, Texas between 1927 and '29. He was a
wonderful and moving singer with a gentle, artless voice and accompanied
himself on the rare dulceola - a plucked instrument similar to a hammer
dulcimer with a haunting quality. His songs were originals, sometimes
based on biblical themes, but often exploring his own view of the world.
Truly incredible music. These tracks alone are worth the cost of the disc
but we also get the two thundering performances by Luther Magby
accompanying himself on portable organ with tambourine accompaniment - two
joyous performances. Finally we have four songs (2 takes of three of them)
by A.C. & Blind Mamie Forehand accompanying their sensitive vocals with
guitar, harmonica and etherial hand cymbals. Excellent sound and new notes
by Guido Van Rijn. (FS)
A.C. FOREHAND & BLIND MAMIE FOREHAND: Honey In The Rock/ I'm So Glad
Today, Today (take 1)/ I'm So Glad Today, Today (take 2)/ Mother's Prayer
(take 1)/ Mother's Prayer (take 2)/ Wouldn't Mind Dying If Dying Was All
(take 1)/ Wouldn't Mind Dying If Dying Was All (take 2)/ LUTHER MAGBY:
Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit/ Jesus Is Getting Us Ready For The Great
Day/ WASHINGTON PHILLIPS: A Mother's Last Word To Her Daughter/
Denomination Blues-part 1/ Denomination Blues-part 2/ I Am Born To Preach
The Gospel/ I Had A Good Father And Mother/ I've Got The Key To The
Kingdom/ Jesus Is My Friend/ Lift Him Up That's All/ Mother's Last Word To
Her Son/ Paul And Silas In Jail/ Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It
There/ The Church Needs Good Deacons/ Train Your Child/ What Are They
Doing In Heaven Today?/ You Can't Stop A Tattler - Part 1/ You Can't Stop
A Tattler - Part 2
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Indigo IGOTCD 2548 |
Roll & Tumble Blues - A History Of Slide
Guitar |
● CD $21.98 |
Three CD set with 78 tracks of slide guitar. Though
purporting to cover 75 years of slide, like some other Indigo sets, the
chronology is somewhat lopsided. The first two discs covers the period
1923 through 1942 featuring 52 great tracks from the likes of Sylvester
Weaver, Blind Willie Johnson, Bo Weavil Jackson, Bobby Grant, Ramblin'
Thomas, Hambone Willie Newbern, Charlie Patton, Son House, Washington
White, Willie Harris, King Solomon Hill, Fred McMullen, Tampa Red, The
Dixon Brothers, Kokomo Arnold, Robert Johnson, Robert Lockwood and many
more. The third disc is a bit strange as the first 17 tracks cover the
period 1942 to 1952 with artists like Muddy Waters, Gabriel Brown, John
Lee, Sister O.M. Terrell, Pinetop Slim and others and the remaining 9
tracks range from the late 50s to the 90s with Homesick James, Muddy
Waters, Fleetwood Mac, The All Stars with Jeff Beck, The Blues Band with
Dave Kelly and others. Compiled and annotated in 12 page booklet by Neil
Slaven.
THE ALL-STARS (FEATURING JEFF BECK): Steelin'/ KOKOMO ARNOLD: The Twelves/
WILLIE BAKER: Weak Minded Blues/ BARBECUE BOB: Chocolate To The Bone/
WALTER BEASLEY: Toad Frog Blues/ BLACK ACE: Black Ace/ THE BLUES BAND
(FEATURING DAVE KELLY): Rollin' & Tumblin'/ GABRIEL BROWN: I'm Gonna Take
It Easy/ CLIFF CARLISLE: Ash Can Blues/ ERIC CLAPTON & JIMMY PAGE: Freight
Loader/ SAM COLLINS: Slow Mama Slow/ DARBY & TARLTON: Slow Wicked Blues/
Sweet Sarah Blues/ JIMMIE DAVIS: Sewing Machine Blues/ THE DIXON BROTHERS:
Weave Room Blues/ FLEETWOOD MAC (FEATURING JEREMY SPENCER): Talk To Me
Baby/ NELLIE FLORENCE: Midnight Weeping Blues/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Homesick
& Lonesome Blues/ GEORGIA BROWNS: Decatur Street 81/ GITFIDDLE JIM:
Paddlin' Madeline Blues/ BOBBY GRANT: Nappy Head Blues/ PETER GREEN: Do
You Give A Damn For Me?/ WILLIE HARRIS: Never Drive A Stranger From Your
Door/ DONNA HIGHTOWER: I Ain't In The Mood/ KING SOLOMON HILL: Whoopee
Blues/ HOMESICK JAMES: My Kind Of Woman/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Jailhouse
Blues/ SON HOUSE: County Farm Blues/ My Black Mama/ FRANK HUTCHINSON: K.C.
Blues/ Worried Blues/ BO WEAVIL JACKSON: You Can't Keep No Brown/ ELMORE
JAMES: Dust My Broom/ BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: Jack O'Diamond Blues/ BLIND
WILLIE JOHNSON: Mother's Children Have A Hard Time/ ROBERT JOHNSON: Come
On In My Kitchen/ BRIAN KNIGHT & TONI VINES: Meet Me In The Bottom/
LEADBELLY: Packing Trunk Blues/ JOHN LEE: Blind's Blues/ Down At The
Depot/ FURRY LEWIS: Falling Down Blues/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: Little Boy Blue/
CHARLIE MCCOY: Last Time Blues/ ROBERT LEE MCCOY: Friar's Point Blues/
FRED MCMULLEN: DeKalb Chain Gang/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL: Mama, 'Tain't Long
Fo' Day/ BUDDY MOSS: Hard Road Blues/ HAMBONE WILLIE NEWBERN: Roll &
Tumble Blues/ ROBERT NIGHTHAWK: Sweet Black Angel/ CHARLEY PATTON: A
Spoonful Blues/ DAN PICKETT: Baby How Long/ PINETOP SLIM: Applejack
Boogie/ RILEY PUCKETT: A Darkie's Wail/ BLIND JOE REYNOLDS: Cold Woman
Blues/ BAYLESS ROSE: Frisco Blues/ ALLEN SHAW: Moanin' The Blues/ JOHNNY
SHINES: Fish Tail/ Ramblin'/ SHREVEPORT HOME WRECKERS: Fence Breakin'
Blues/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: Single Man Blues/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: So Nice And
Kind/ TAMPA RED: Things 'Bout Coming My Way/ HOUND DOG TAYLOR: My Baby's
Coming Home/ SISTER O.M. TERRELL: Swing Low, Chariot/ RAMBLIN' THOMAS: So
Lonesome/ JIM THOMPKINS: Bedside Blues/ LEMUEL TURNER: Jake Bottle Blues/
MUDDY WATERS: Country Boy/ I Be's Troubled/ You're Gonna Miss Me/ CURLEY
WEAVER: No No Blues/ SYLVESTER WEAVER: Guitar Rag/ CASEY BILL WELDON:
W.P.A. Blues/ BUKKA WHITE: Po' Boy/ WASHINGTON WHITE: The Panama Limited/
BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Wild Cow Blues/ RUTH WILLIS: Experience Blues/ OSCAR
WOODS: Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Indigo IGOTCD 2551 |
Roll 'Em Pete - 25 Years Of Piano Blues &
Boogie |
● CD $21.98 |
Three CD set with 8o sides covering the history of piano
blues from 1928 to 1953. Finally an Indigo compilation that makes
chronological sense! Among the many artists are The Mississippi Jook Band,
Jim Clarke, Mozelle Anderson & Judson Brown, Whistlin' Alex Moore,
Roosevelt Sykes, Skip James, Wesley Wallace, Raymond Barrow, Jabo
Williams, Louise Johnson, Turner Parrish, Lizzie Miles & Jelly Roll
Morton, Lee Green, Walter Roland, John Oscar, Albert Ammons, Piano Kid
Edwards, Big Maceo, Sunnyland Slim, Charles Brown, Little Willie
Littlefield, Floyd Dixon, Amos Milburn, Lloyd Glenn, Robert Boyd
(Professor Longhair), Champion Jack Dupree, Billy Love and many more.
Includes 12 page booklet with notes from compiler Neil Slaven.
MOZELLE ALDERSON & JUDSON BROWN: Tight Whoopee/ ALBERT AMMONS: Boogie
Woogie Stomp/ CHARLES AVERY: Dearborn Street Breakdown/ RAYMOND BARROW:
Walking Blues/ BIG MACEO: Chicago Breakdown/ BLACK IVORY KING: The Flying
Crow/ EDDIE BOYD: Blue Monday Blues/ ROBERT BOYD (PROFESSOR LONGHAIR):
East St. Louis Baby/ CHARLES BROWN: Johnny's Boogie/ HENRY BROWN: Stomp 'Em
Down To The Bricks/ LEE BROWN: Horse Shoe Boogie/ BOB CALL: 31 Blues/
LEROY CARR: Papa Wants To Knock A Jug/ JIM CLARKE: Fat Fanny Stomp/ COW
COW DAVENPORT: Cow Cow Blues/ WALTER DAVIS: Sweet Sixteen/ TEXAS BILL DAY:
Elm Street Blues/ JOE DEAN: I'm So Glad I'm 21 Years Old Today/ FLOYD
DIXON: Doin' The Town/ FATS DOMINO: The Fat Man/ HERVE DUERSON: Avenue
Strut/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Number Nine Blues/ PIANO KID EDWARDS: Piano
Kid Special/ WILL EZELL: Heifer Dust/ CECIL GANT: We're Gonna Rock/ BLIND
LEROY GARNETT: Chain 'Em Down/ LLOYD GLENN: Chica Boo/ ROSCO GORDON: Ouch!
Pretty Baby/ LEE GREEN: Number Forty Four Blues/ ROY HAWKINS: Wine
Drinkin' Woman/ THE HOKUM BOYS & JANE LUCAS: Hokum Stomp/ CAMILLE HOWARD:
X-Temporaneous Boogie/ HATTIE HUDSON: Doggone My Good Luck Soul/ SKIP
JAMES: If You Haven't Any Hay/ LIL JOHNSON: House Rent Scuffle/ LONNIE
JOHNSON: She Don't Know Who She Wants/ LOUISE JOHNSON: All Night Long
Blues/ PETE JOHNSON: Death Ray Boogie/ Walkin' The Boogie/ KID STORMY
WEATHER: Bread And Water Blues/ MEADE LUX LEWIS: Honky Tonk Train Blues/
JOE LIGGINS: Dripper's Boogie (part 1)/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Too
Late For Me/ CRIPPLE CLARENCE LOFTON: Strut That Thing/ BILLY LOVE:
Juiced/ LONNIE LYONS: Down In The Groovy/ IDA MAE MACK & K.D. JOHNSON:
When You Lose Your Daddy/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Bad Luck And Trouble/ WILLARD
MCDANIEL: 3 A.M. Boogie/ JAY MCSHANN: Bad Tale Boogie/ MEMPHIS SLIM:
Mistake In Life/ AMOS MILBURN: Real Gone/ LIZZIE MILES & JELLY ROLL
MORTON: I Hate A Man Like You/ THE MISSISSIPPI JOOK BAND: Hittin' The
Bottle Stomp/ LITTLE BROTHER MONTGOMERY: Vicksburg Blues/ WHISTLIN' ALEX
MOORE: Blue Bloomer Blues/ ROMEO NELSON: Head Rag Hop/ JOHN OSCAR: Whoopee
Mama Blues/ TURNER PARRISH: Trenches/ PIANO RED: Rockin' With Red/ PINETOP
& LINDBERG: Louisiana Bound/ WALTER ROLAND: Jookit Jookit/ PINETOP SMITH:
Pinetop's Blues/ CHARLIE SPAND: 45th St. Blues/ SPECKLED RED: Wilkins
Street Stomp/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Pipe Layin' Blues/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: Down
Home Child/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Fine And Brown/ Nasty But It's Clean/ CHARLEY
TAYLOR: Heavy Suitcase Blues/ MONTANA TAYLOR: Detroit Rocks/ SONNY
THOMPSON: After Sundown/ BESSIE TUCKER & K.D. JOHNSON: Better Boot That
Thing/ JOE TURNER & PETE JOHNSON: Roll 'Em Pete/ WESLEY WALLACE: No. 29/
MERCY DEE WALTON: One Room Country Shack/ PEETIE WHEATSTRAW: Shack Bully
Stomp/ ARNOLD WILEY: Arnold Wiley Rag/ JABO WILLIAMS: Fat Mama Blues/
JIMMY YANCEY: Jimmy's Rocks
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7723 |
The Paramount Masters |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, recommended
In recent times Paramount
has acquired a glamour completely at odds with the company's reputation in
the twenties. The widely reproduced Chicago Defender ads with their superb
artwork and comically naïve and patronizing copy have helped, but the
label's main appeal lies, despite its shoddy production methods, in the
variety of wonderful music it captured. Don't be mislead by the title of
this compilation though - it is not produced from master discs [if only!]
and the true "masters" of the label - Jefferson, Blind Blake, Ma Rainey
and Charlie Patton - muster only two tracks between them. Instead each of
these discs contains a mixture of often outstanding country blues from
artists such as Bo Weavil Jackson, Ed Bell and King Solomon Hill, great
piano pieces like Wesley Wallace's No.29, and contributions from
interesting female singers such as Alice Moore ["I'm black and I'm evil,
and I did not make myself"]. Partly because of Paramount's distribution
problems and a worsening economic climate few of these records were
commercially successful, but some are high points in pre war recording.
Thoroughly enjoyable in its own terms, this "best of" compilation is a
departure from the "complete recordings" approach previously adopted in
this series of box sets. The content here is also circumscribed by JSP not
wanting to duplicate the many Paramount recordings on their previous
releases. (The one Patton track is the slower alternate take of I Shall
Not Be Moved omitted from JSP 7702.) We can only assume, and hope,
that it also constrained by planned future releases. Does the omission of
Frank Stokes point to a Memphis Blues box set? Is the fact that Ramblin'
Thomas doesn't feature, except on a near inaudible accompaniment to
Bernice Edwards, an indication of a Texas box? And is it significant that
there is a second issued take of the one Ma Rainey track? Enough
daydreaming, the sound quality here is pretty good for Paramounts, and, as
might be expected, generally better than on the corresponding reissues on
Document. The degree of improvement varies however, and comparing a sample
of these tracks against the Document counterparts revealed one where the
Document transfer was clearly superior. Neil Slaven's notes for each disc
give useful background on some of the artists and the often eccentric
workings of Paramount, although it appears they were written before the
tracklisting was finalized. Still, the sequencing of tracks works very
well, and makes this introduction to some of blues' more obscure
performers consistently engaging. (DPR)
RAYMOND BARROW: Walking Blues/ LOTTIE BEAMAN: Honey Blues/ Red River
Blues/ ED BELL: Hambone Blues/ Mamlish Blues/ FREDDIE BROWN: Raised In The
Alley Blues/ HENRY BROWN: Deep Morgan Blues/ Eastern Chimes Blues/ BUMBLE
BEE SLIM: Rough Rugged Road Blues/ JOHN BYRD: Billy Goat Blues/ Old
Timbrook Blues/ LONNIE CLARK: Broke Down Engine/ Down In Tennessee/ BOGUS
BEN COVINGTON: I Heard The Voice Of A Pork Chop/ BEN CURRY: Boodle De Bum
Bum/ The New Dirty Dozen/ TEDDY DARBY: Lawdy Lawdy Worried Blues/ My Laona
Blues/ SIDE WHEEL SALLY DUFFIE: Bunker Hill Blues/ MOANIN' BERNICE
EDWARDS: Jack Of All Trades/ PIANO KID EDWARDS: Give Us Another Jug/ Piano
Kid Special/ THE FAMOUS HOKUM BOYS: Where Did You Stay Last Night/ BOBBY
GRANT: Lonesome Atlanta Blues/ Nappy Head Blues/ BLIND ROOSEVELT GRAVES:
Guitar Boogie/ New York Blues/ GEORGE HANNAH: Freakish Man Blues/ The Boy
In The Boat/ THE HARUM SCARUMS: Come On In (Ain't Nobody Here But Me)/
BUDDY BOY HAWKINS: Nuber Three Blues/ KING SOLOMON HILL: Down On My Bended
Knee/ The Gone Dead Train/ Whoopee Blues/ JACK O'DIAMONDS: Smiling Blues/
The Ducks Yas Yas/ BO WEEVIL JACKSON: Pistol Blues/ Some Scream High
Yellow/ You Can't Keep No Brown/ PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON: Gay Cattin'/ Mama,
Don't You Think I Know/ MARY JOHNSON: Barrel House Flat Blues/ Key To The
Mountain Blues/ RUBE LACY: Ham Hound Crave/ Mississippi Jail House Groan/
MEADE LUX LEWIS: Honky Tonk Train Blues/ LITTLE BROTHER MONTGOMERY:
Vicksburg Blues/ LITTLE BROTHER MONTOGOMERY: No Special Rider Blues/ ALICE
MOORE: Black And Evil Blues/ Prison Blues/ WILLIAM MOORE: Old Country
Rock/ Raggin' The Blues/ CHARLIE 'DAD' NELSON: Cotton Field Blues/ Red
River Blues/ MARSHALL OWENS: Texas Blues/ Try Me One More Time/ CHARLEY
PATTON: I Shall Not Be Moved (Alt. Tk)/ RUBY PAUL: Last Farewell Blues/
Red Letter Blues/ ALICE PEARSON: Water Bound Blues/ ROBERT PEEPLES: Fat
Greasy Baby/ Wicked Devil's Blues/ MA RAINEY: Traveling Blues/ BLIND JOE
REYNOLDS: Nehi Blues/ Ninety Nine Blues/ Outside Woman Blues/ BOB
ROBINSON: The Preacher Must Get Some Sometime/ J.D. SHORT: Lonesome Swamp
Rattlesnake/ Telephone Arguin' Blues/ CHARLIE SPAND: Back To The Woods
Blues/ Fetch Your Water/ Soon This Morning Blues/ FREDDIE SPRUELL:
Low-Down Mississippi Bottom Man/ Tom Cat Blues/ SWEET PAPA STOVEPIPE: All
Birds Look Like Chickens To Me/ Mama's Angel Child/ ROOSEVELT SYKES:
Conjur Man Blues/ Fire Detective Blues/ Three, Six And Nine/ ELVIE THOMAS:
Motherless Child Blues/ Over To My House/ EDWARD THOMPSON: Seven Sister
Blues/ Up On The Hill Blues/ HENRY TOWNSEND: Doctor, Oh Doctor/ Jack Of
Diamons Georgia Rub/ WESLEY WALLACE: Fanny Lee Blues/ No. 29/ WASHBOARD
WALTER: Narrow Face Blues/ WASHBOARD WALTER: Wasn't It Sad About Lemon/
BARREL HOUSE WELCH: Dying Pickpocket Blues/ BARRELHOUSE WELCH: Larceny
Woman Blues/ JAMES 'BOODLE IT' WIGGINS: Evil Woman Blues/ JAMES WIGGINS:
Gotta Shave 'Em Dry/ JAMES 'BOODLE IT' WIGGINS: Keep A-Knockin'/ GEECHIE
WILEY: Eagles On A Half/ Pick Poor Robin Clean/ GEORGE 'BULLET' WILLIAMS:
Frisco Leaving Birmingham/ Touch Me Light Mama/ JABO WILLIAMS: Jab Blues/
Pratt City Blues
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Memphis Archives 7008 |
Memphis Blues Caravan, Vol 1 |
● CD $12.98 |
11 tracks, 40 mins, recommended
Available again. A
splendid collection of country and juke joint blues by Memphis based blues
performers - most of whom were part of the traveling blues festival in
the early 70s called the Memphis Blues Caravan. The recordings here were
made between 1972 and 1975 - some live concerts and some informal home
recordings. The expected artists like Sleepy John Estes, Bukka White and
Furry Lewis are here and are in fine form. What makes this collection so
valuable is a chance to hear some fine performers who are not as familiar
including the magnificent singer/ guitarist Sonny Boy Nelson (Eugene
Powell) whose reluctance to record is a real shame as he is an outstanding
musician. Other gems come from singer/ piano player Big Sam Clark, the
obscure but excellent Earl Bell and others. The selections were well
recorded and the enclosed booklet has informative notes by Steve LaVere
and some good photos. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Memphis Archives 7009 |
Memphis Blues Caravan, Vol 2 |
● CD $12.98 |
11 tracks, 44 mins, recommended
Another fine set with
familiar figures like Skip James, Bukka White, Furry Lewis, and Johnny
Shines in top form. I particularly like Furry's evocation of his medicine
show act - if only there were a video of it! Of the lesser known
performers there are excellent performances by barrelhouse pianist and
singer Memphis Piano Red, singer/ guitarist Little Red Holmes, urban
bluesman Big Daddy Rucker (actually from San Diego but he does a B.B. King
song and the guitar player is from Memphis, so ...!) and outstanding
singer/ harmonica player Boy Blue who had first recorded for Alan Lomax in
1959. "Legendary" figures Joe Willie Wilkins and Charlie Booker are
interesting but not very exciting. Still, a most worthwhile set. (FS)
|
| WILLIAM WARFIELD |
Delmark 772 |
Something Within Me |
● CD $14.98 |
17 tracks, 68 minutes, excellent
Just another wonderful
addition to the Delmark catalog, although outside the straight-ahead blues
and jazz realm. Traditional New Orleans flavor abounds in Make Me A
Pallet On The Floor/ Just A Little While To Stay Here, and When The
Saints Go Marching In, while the balance consists of spiritual
material like The Old Rugged Cross/ Down By The Riverside/ Precious
Lord/ What A Friend We Have In Jesus/ His Eye Is On The Sparrow/ Amazing
Grace and more. Warfield's baritone voice was a powerful and deeply
moving tool as evidenced by these recordings dating from late 2000 and
early 2001. Backing consists of trumpet, trombone, piano, string bass,
drums, clarinet and more. Great fun! (CR)
|
| BIG JOE WILLIAMS |
Acrobat 102 |
Chicago 1963 |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
The always reliable Big Joe and his
nine-string guitar recorded live in Chicago in 1963. Joe was in fine form
(he nearly always was!) on a selection of his some of most popular songs,
his totally unique covers of songs from other artists and a couple of
songs probably made up on the spot. Includes Sugar Mama/ Nobody Wants
You When You're Down And Out/ Put On Your Nightcap Baby/ Don't Want No Big
Fat Woman/ Goin' Away, Won't Be Back Till Fall/ 44 Blues. These
recordings were previously availale on a long out of print LP on the
Stack-O-Hits label and on a deleted Pilz CD. Sound quality is a bit thin
but acceptable and set includes booklet with notes by Neil Slaven. (FS)
|
| JODY WILLIAMS |
Evidence 26130 |
You Left Me In The Dark |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
Jody's second CD
for Evidence after his nearly 40 year hiatus from music is another winner.
Perhaps not quite as strong as the first (Evidence 26120 - "Return Of A
Legend") it is still full of great original songs, fine singing and
dynamite guitar work. Jody is accompanied by a solid rhythm section and a
few tracks add some well placed horns. Robert Jr. Lockwood and Lonnie
Brooks each make a couple of guest appearances - Robert's are effective
but Brooks's are less so. Highlights are the fine minor key title song,
the sly Good Things and the groovy shuffle Young men Don't Know
with some killer fretwork from Jody but it's all good. Jody may be almost
70 but his music has the freshness of someone just getting started - may
he continue for many more years! (FS)
|
| WARNER WILLIAMS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40120 |
Blues Highway |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, very good
Singer/ guitarist Warner Williams
from Tacoma Park, Maryland recorded live on the mid 90s - often
accompanied by harmonica player Jay Summerour. Williams was in his 60s at
the time of these recordings and performs in the Piedmont style with some
excellent singing and some nice fingerpicking though his choice of
material is overly familiar (Step It Up And Go/ Digging My Potatos/ Key
To The Highway/ Good Morning Little Schoolgirl/ Worried Life Blues,
etc). He also does a couple of pop tunes and one humorous original Hey
Bartender, There's A Big Bug In My Beer. Includes 28 page booklet with
extensive notes by Nick Spitzer. (FS)
|
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