NEWSLETTER #137
Blues & Gospel
B.B. King
->
Sonny Boy Williamson
| NOTE: Shortly
after sending Newsletter #137 to the printer we learned the sad news of
the sudden death of the producer of the Big Q label, Quentin Migliori. As
a result all titles on this label, including those listed in #137 are
unavailable. It is possible that someone else will continue the label at
some later date and, if so, we will announce it in a future newsletter.
Our thoughts go out to Quentin's family at this difficult time.
|
| B.B. KING |
Ace CDCHM 1041 |
Singin' The Blues |
● CD $12.98 |
The eighth volume in Ace's ongoing mid-priced series based on
B.B.'s original Crown LPs with bonus tracks. This one reissues the first
Crown LP 5020 originally released in 1957 which includes some of B.B.'s
greatest early hits like Three O'Clock Blues/ Please Love Me/ You Upset
Me Baby/ Sweet Little Angel and others. There are eight bonus tracks
including unissued songs and alternate takes.
B.B. KING: 3 O‘clock Blues/ Bad Luck/ Blind Love/ Crying
Won‘t Help You/ Dark Is The Night Pt 1 (aka The Blues Has Got Me (alt))/ Did
You Ever Love A Woman/ Every Day I Have The Blues/ I Stay In The Mood (alt)/
I‘m Cracking Up Over You (alt)/ Jump With You Baby/ Lonely And Blue/ Please
Love Me/ Ruby Lee/ Sweet Little Angel/ Ten Long Years/ When My Heart Beats
Like A Hammer (aka Million Years Blues (alt))/ Whole Lotta Meat (alt)/ Woke
Up This Morning/ You Know I Love You/ You Upset Me Baby
|
| THE LEE BOYS |
Arhoolie 516 |
Say Yes |
● CD $12.98 |
Exciting new gospel album featuring the distinctive "sacred
steel" sound featuring three brothers (Alvin, Keith & Derrick Lee) and their
nephews including the dynamic Roosevelt Collier on pedal steel guitar.
|
| PERCY MAYFIELD |
Acrobat 4044 |
Live In San Francisco |
● CD $13.98 |
5 tracks, 29 minutes, very good
Although a disappointingly
short set from the remarkable blues poet, Percy Mayfield still had strong
moments late in his life. Recorded sometime in the early '80s (as with other
recent live offerings on Acrobat - it's short on details) Mayfield hands in
decent readings of Cried Last Night/ Baby Please/ Two Years Of Torture/
Strange Things Happening, and Please Send Me Someone To Love
while Charles Houff hands in the vocals on a strong Three O' Clock In The
Morning. Pee Wee Crayton (listed as Clayton) and Ron Thompson tackle
guitar duties with Mark Naftalin on piano. A sonic masterpiece it's not but
it has some strong points. (CR)
|
| ROY MILTON |
Black & Blue 459-2 |
Instant Groove |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 59 mins, recommended
The West Coast blues legend
recorded in France in 1977 with a fine small group including pianist Ram
Ramirez, teno saxist George Kelly and guitarists Billy Butler & Roy Gaines.
This is a reissue of Black & Blue 33.114 from 1978 with five bonus unissued
tracks and alternate takes. Though not the singer he was, Roy still sounds
good on a selection of his old hits and other songs and, although it would
have been nice to have a few more horns, the combo does and excellent job
with some particularly nice guitar work from the two guitarists. (FS)
|
| ROBERT NIGHTHAWK |
Document 32-20 6 |
Prowling With The Nighthawk |
● CD $16.98 |
26 track collection of this brilliant and influential
bluesman (Robert McCollum) including 14 of the sides recorded between 1937
and 1940 where he used the names Robert Lee McCoy, Rambling Bob and Peetie's
Boy and 12 recorded between 1948 and 1952 when he had adopted the moniker
Robert Nighthawk which he was to use the rest of his life. Includes Touch
Luck/ Lonesome World/ Sweet Pepper Mama/ G-Man/ Kansas City Blues/ Black
Angel Blues/ Maggie Campbell/ Feel So Bad/ Take It Easy Baby/ Annie Lee
Blues, etc. Includes 12 page booklet with extensive notes by Jeff Harris
and full discographical information.
|
| ALEX SCHULTZ |
Severn 032 |
Think About It |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 53 minutes, highly recommended
A consummate blues
guitarist whose playing speaks volumes with touches of Billy Butler, Guitar
Slim, T-Bone Walker and many other greats, Alex Schultz has carved out an
impressive style of his own. Vocalists on this outing include Finis Tasby in
top-shelf style on I Done Got Over It/ Think/ Walkin' And Talkin' and
I Love The Woman, Lynwood Slim for No Use Knocking/ I Don't Want
Your Money, Honey, and the searing Be Good, Be Gone, plus Tad
Robinson for Let's Start Over Again/ Act Right, and Who Will The
Next Fool Be. Schultz peppers the selections with brilliant guitar work,
and on his three instrumentals; Big Time/ Lexington Express, and
Rhumba & Orange, he recalls the Kent days of B.B. King without being a
slavish imitator. Larry Taylor, Bill Stuve, Carl Sonny Leyland, The Royal
Crown Horns, and others guest. Superb new blues! (CR)
|
| MEM SHANNON |
Northern Blues 029 |
I'm From Phunkville |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 70 minutes, excellent
With twelve of the thirteen
tracks being Shannon originals, "I'm From Phunkville" stands out as a highly
personal work for the artist and a musically rewarding set for the listener.
Laced with smoldering grooves that run the gamut from straight blues (Sweet
Potato) to New Orleans second-line funk (Swing Tiger Swing),
Mem's voice makes definite impact on The Reason/ Perfect World/ Battle
Ground/ No Religion, and more. Phunkville, a ten-minute workout,
offers plenty of room for keyboard and guitar. Mem's playing has always been
highly creative, and his acoustic work is shown to great effect on the
stunning Lights Of Caracas (I Didn't Know). (CR)
|
| JOHNNY SHINES |
Document 32-20 7 |
Live In Europe, 1975 |
● CD $16.98 |
21 tracks, 75 mins, very good
The great Chicago bluesman
recorded live in Vienna, Austria in 1975. Johnny is in good form though not
as compelling as he can be though I'm sure he would sound better if the
sound quality weren't so mediocre. The recording is very muffled and with
very little dynamic range. It's a shame as he does a number of songs that I
don't think available elsewhere like Rock Me Mama/ Got My Mojo Working/
How Long and St. Louis Blues and does a particularly fine version
of 32-20 Blues that only uses the Robert JOhnson version as a
starting point with Johnny making it uniquely his own. Booklet has extensive
notes by Bob Groom and some great photos. (FS)
|
| SUGAR RAY & THE
BLUETONES |
Severn 033 |
Hands Across The Table |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 49 minutes, highly recommended
Sugar Ray Norcia's
exceptional voice, top-shelf harp, and heartfelt songwriting skills are all
front and center once again. Following the departure of guitarist Monster
Mike Welch (who appeared on the band's Severn disc in 2003), Paul Size
(ex-Red Devils) steps in with veterans Mudcat Ward, Neil Gouvin, and Anthony
Geraci for a highly rewarding set of blues. Vintage Excello and classic
Chicago sounds loom large for I Done Got Wise/ Livin' A Lie/ Cloud Cover/
(I'm Gonna Break Into) Folsom Prison/ I Won't Leave Home No More, and
others, plus they tap into some rolling swing for River Stay Away From My
Door, and a particularly moody West Coast vein on Dark Clouds Calling
with Size showing his formidable skills to great effect. Blues as good as it
gets! (CR)
|
| HUBERT SUMLIN |
Tone-Cool 51609 |
About Them Shoes |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 55 minutes, recommended
While many all-star
aggregations fall short of their intended target, a great cast gathers for
what can be looked at as a tribute to Muddy Waters (12 cuts were longtime
McKinley Morganfield gems). The core band consists of Bob Margolin, David
Maxwell, Mudcat Ward, Paul Oscher, and two rotating drummers, with guests
including Eric Clapton, James Cotton, Keith Richards, David Johansen and
others. I'm Ready/ Still A Fool/ Long Distance Call/ The Same Thing/
Don't Go No Farther/ Walkin' Thru The Park and much more. Hubert stamps
his trademark guitar onto each track, and the band offers the necessary
tough support. No lengthy guitar heroics, no extended harmonica flights, and
thankfully, no vocal excesses which often belabor recordings of this sort.
Hubert hasn't sounded this focused, forceful, or blistering in a good while.
(CR)
|
| SUNNYLAND SLIM
WITH BIG TIME SARAH |
Arcola 1006 |
ARAH: Long Tall Daddy |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 52 minutes, highly recommended
Recorded nearly
thirty years ago (May of 1976) in Seattle, Washington, blues piano's elder
statesman (who was 70 at the time) laid down a terrific set of solo blues
including many highlights. Earlier gems like Going Back To Memphis
and The Devil Is A Busy Man get solid readings and he tears through
Dust My Broom/ Prison Bound Blues/ The Dirty Dozens/ Roll And Tumble
Blues with gusto. Big Time Sarah, Slim's 23-year old girlfriend at the
time, appears on Long Tall Daddy and Got To See My Baby, and
between songs, Sunnyland discusses some of the songs and their origins. A
truly worthwhile disc with lengthy and detailed liner notes by Bill Berry.
(CR)
|
| THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Acrobat ADDCD 3004 |
1946-1951 |
● CD $13.98 |
Two CDs, 45 tracks, essential
Two CDs for the price of one
but easily worth twice the price. This features all the pre-Specialty
recordings of one of the greatest of all post war gospel groups. Originally
formed as the Four Harmony Kings by the superb high tenor Claude Jeter in
1938 the group had changed it's name The Swan Silvertone Singers by the time
they recorded their first session in July 1946 where Jeter was joined by
baritones Solomon Womack (uncle of Bobby Womack) and John Myles with bass
singer William Johnson. This first session of eight songs is in the
traditional jubilee style pioneered by The Golden Gate Quartet but by the
second session they adopted a looser and harder gospel style with Jeter and
Womack trading off leads and by their June, 1950 session they ascend into
the stratosphere with the addition of the ferocious baritone Rev. Percell
Perkins (formerly with the Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi) whose declamatory
preaching style puts him in the same league as the great Silas Steele. This
is post war gospel at its very finest with excellent sound and informed
notes by Opal Louis Nations in the 12 page booklet as well
as full
discographical info. A must! (FS)
|
| BIG JOE TURNER |
Collectables 6886 |
Is Here/ Rides Again |
● CD $13.98 |
22 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
Two fine Atlantic
albums from 1959 and 1960 on one CD. "Big Joe Is here" is a collection of 12
great blues and R&B sides recorded between 1951 and '57 and previously
issued on singles including the hits The Chill Is On/ Don't You Cry
and the mellow Rock-A-While as well as other great sides like Wee
Baby Blues (with Ray Charles on piano)/ Baby I Still Want You/ Ti-Ri-Lee
(with Johnny Jones & Elmore James)/ Bump Miss SusiePennies
From Heaven
from '56 with a rhythm section including Walter Page, Freddie Green & Pete
Johnson along with Lawrence Brown, Pete Brown & Seldon Powell! Booklet
includes original artwork and notes. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16706 |
Blowin' The Fuse - 1951 - 28 Classics That
Rocked The Jukebox |
● CD $24.98 |
The latets batch in this superb, if flawed, series of
reissues of blues and R&B features 28 blues and R&B winners from 1951
including Amos Milburn, Piano Red, Johnny Otis, Lucky Millinder, The
Dominoes, Lloyd Glenn, "Peppermint" Harris, Wynonie Harris, John Lee Hooker,
Howlin' Wolf and more.
EARL BOSTIC: Flamingo/ TINY BRADSHAW: Walkin' The Chalk
Line/ JACKIE BRENSTON AND HIS DELTA CATS: Rocket '88'/ CHARLES BROWN: Black
Night/ THE CLOVERS: Fool, Fool, Fool/ MARGIE DAY: Little Red Rooster/ FLOYD
DIXON: Telephone Blues/ THE DOMINOES: Sixty Minute Man/ THE FIVE KEYS: The
Glory Of Love/ THE FOUR BUDDIES: Will Wait/ LLOYD GLENN: Chica Boo/
PEPPERMINT HARRIS: I Got Loaded/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Bloodshot Eyes/ JOHNNY
HODGES: Castle Rock/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: I'm In The Mood/ HOWLIN' WOLF: How
Many More Years/ THE JOHNNY OTIS ORCHESTRA: Rockin' Blues/ LOUIS JORDAN:
Lemonade/ THE LARKS: Eyesight To The Blind/ JOE LIGGINS: Little Joe's
Boogie/ AMOS MILBURN: Bad, Bad Whiskey/ LUCKY MILLINDER & ANNISTEEN ALLEN &
JOHN CAROL: I'm Waiting Just For You/ JIMMIE NELSON: 'T' 99 Blues/ PIANO
RED: Rockin' With Red/ THE TRENIERS: Go! Go! Go!/ JOE TURNER: Chains Of
Love/ MUDDY WATERS: Long Distance Call/ JAMES WAYNE: Tend To Your Business
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16707 |
Blowin' The Fuse - 1952 - 29 Classics That
Rocked The Jukebox |
● CD $24.98 |
This volume includes Big Joe Turner, John Greer, Elmore
James, Dinah Washington, Fats Domino, Jimmy Forrest, Roy Milton, The Four
Blazes, Varetta Dillard, Willie Mabon, etc.
JOHNNY ACE: My Song/ MARIE ADAMS: I'm Gonna Play The Honky
Tonks/ TINY BRADSHAW: The Train Kept A-Rollin'/ CHARLES BROWN: Hard Times/
RUTH BROWN: 5-10-15 Hours/ THE CLOVERS: One Mint Julep/ VARETTA DILLARD:
Easy, Easy Baby/ FATS DOMINO: Goin' Home/ THE DOMINOES: Have Mercy Baby/
JIMMY FORREST: Night Train/ THE FOUR BLAZES: Mary Jo/ ROSCOE GORDON: Booted/
JOHN GREER: Got You On My Mind/ THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS' ORCHESTRA: Weepin' And
Cryin'/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Lovin' Machine/ ELMORE JAMES: Dust My Broom/ B. B.
KING: 3 O'Clock Blues/ SMILEY LEWIS: The Bells Are Ringing/ LITTLE CAESAR:
Goodbye Baby/ LITTLE WALTER: Juke/ WILLIE MABON: I Don't Know/ ROY MILTON:
So Tired/ THE ORIOLES: Baby, Please Don't Go/ LLOYD PRICE: Lawdy Miss
Clawdy/ THE RAVENS: Rock Me All Night Long/ THE SWALLOWS: It Ain't The Meat/
BIG JOE TURNER: The Chill Is On/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Wheel Of Fortune/ LESTER
WILLIAMS: I Can't Lose With The Stuff I Use
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16708 |
Blowin' The Fuse - 1953 - 29 Classics That
Rocked The Jukebox |
● CD $24.98 |
Includes Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle, Willie Mae "Big Mama"
Thornton, B.B. King, Willie Mabon, Johnny Ace, The Orioles, The Clovers,
Amos Milburn, etc.
JOHNNY ACE: The Clock/ FAYE ADAMS: Shake A Hand/ BIG
MAYBELLE: Gabbin' Blues/ TINY BRADSHAW: Soft/ RUTH BROWN: (Mama) He Treats
Your Daughter Mean/ RAY CHARLES: Mess Around/ THE CLOVERS: Good Lovin'/ FATS
DOMINO: Please Don't Leave Me/ THE DU DROPPERS: I Wanna Know/ THE FIVE
ROYALES: Baby Don't Do It/ EARL FOREST: Whoopin' And Hollerin'/ THE FOUR
TUNES: Marie/ BULL MOOSE JACKSON: Big Ten-Inch Record/ JESSE AND MARVIN:
Dream Girl/ BUDDY & ELLA JOHNSON: Hittin' On Me/ B.B. KING: Please Love Me/
JIMMY LIGGINS: Drunk/ LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES: Feelin' Good/ LITTLE
WALTER: Blues With A Feeling/ WILLIE MABON: I'm Mad/ CLYDE MCPHATTER AND THE
DRIFTERS: Money Honey/ AMOS MILBURN: One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer/ JOE
MORRIS: I Had A Notion/ THE ORIOLES: Crying In The Chapel/ THE ROYALS: Get
It/ SHIRLEY AND LEE: I'm Gone/ WILLIE MAE "BIG MAMA" THORNTON: Hound Dog/
JOE TURNER: Honey Hush/ DINAH WASHINGTON: T.V. Is The Thing (This Year)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16709 |
Blowin' The Fuse - 1954 - 29 Classics That
Rocked The Jukebox |
● CD $24.98 |
Includes The Crows, Faye Adams, The Five Royales, The
Clovers, Cozy Eggleston, Muddy waters, Big Joe Turner, The Drifters, Dave
Bartholomew, The Charms, etc.
JOHNNY ACE: Saving My Love For You/ FAYE ADAMS: I'll be
true/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Jump Children/ RUTH BROWN: Oh What A Dream/ THE
CADILLACS: Gloria/ RAY CHARLES: It Should Have Been Me/ THE CHARMS: Hearts
Of Stone/ THE CHORDS: Sh-Boom/ THE CLOVERS: Lovey Dovey/ SUGAR BOY CRAWFORD:
Jock-A-Mo/ THE CROWS: Gee/ THE DRIFTERS FEATURING CLYDE MCPHATTER: Honey
Love/ COZY EGGLESTON: Big Heavy (Blue Lights Boogie)/ THE FIVE ROYALES: I
Do/ GUITAR SLIM: The Things That I Used To Do/ SHIRLEY GUNTER & THE QUEENS:
Oop Shoop/ THE HARP-TONES: A Sunday Kind Of Love/ JOE HOUSTON: All Night
Long/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Evil Is Goin' On/ BUDDY & ELLA JOHNSON: I'm Just Your
Fool/ B.B. KING: You Upset Me Baby/ LITTLE WALTER AND HIS JUKES: You're So
Fine/ THE MIDNIGHTERS: Work With Me Annie/ THE ROBINS: Riot In Cell Block
#9/ THE SPANIELS: Goodnite Sweetheart, Goodnite/ THE SPIDERS: I Didn't Want
To Do It/ BIG JOE TURNER: Shake, Rattle and Roll/ MUDDY WATERS: I Just Want
To Make Love To You/ CHUCK WILLIS: I Feel So Bad
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16710 |
Blowin' The Fuse - 1955 - 29 Classics That
Rocked The Jukebox |
● CD $24.98 |
The final colume in this series features LaVern Baker, Jimmy
Reed, Ray Charles, Little Walter, The Nutmegs, The Jacks, Shirley & Lee, The
El Dorados, The Turbans, The Robins, etc.
JOHNNY ACE: Pledging My Love/ LAVERN BAKER: Tweedlee Dee/
CHUCK BERRY: Maybellene/ LOUIS BROOKS: It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)/
NAPPY BROWN: Don't Be Angry/ RAY CHARLES: I Got A Woman/ BO DIDDLEY: Bo
Diddley/ FATS DOMINO: Ain't It A Shame/ THE EL DORADOS: At My Front Door
(Crazy Little Mama)/ LOWELL FULSON: Reconsider Baby/ GENE AND EUNICE: Ko Ko
Mo/ THE JACKS: Why Don’t You Write Me?/ ETTA JAMES: The Wall Flower (aka
Roll with Me Henry)/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: All Around The World/ SMILEY LEWIS:
I Hear You Knocking/ LITTLE RICHARD: Tutti Frutti/ LITTLE WALTER AND HIS
JUKES: My Babe/ CLYDE MCPHATTER AND THE DRIFTERS: What'cha Gonna Do/ JAY
MCSHANN'S ORCHESTRA: Hands Off/ THE MOONGLOWS: Sincerely/ THE NUTMEGS: Story
Untold/ THE PENGUINS: Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)/ THE PLATTERS: Only
You/ JIMMY REED: You Don't Have To Go/ THE ROBINS: Smokey Joe’s Café/
SHIRLEY & LEE: Feel So Good/ THE TURBANS: When You Dance/ BIG JOE TURNER:
Flip, Flop and Fly/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Don’t Start Me To Talkin’
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blue Note (Europe) 799 099-2 |
Blue Boogie |
● CD $11.98 |
Fine collection of boogie woogie, piano blues and stride
piano recorded for Blue Note in the 30s and 40s - Albert Ammons, Meade Lux
Lewis, Pete Johnson, James P. Johnson, Sammy Benskin, Art Hodes, Earl Hines
and Art Tatum.
ALBERT AMMON3: Bass Goin' Crazy/ ALBERT AMMONS: Boogie
Woogie Blues/ Boogie Woogie Stomp/ Chicago In Mind/ Twos And Fews/ SAMMY
BENSKIN: The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise/ EARL HINES: The Father's
Gateway/ ART HODES: Funny Feathers/ Jug Head Boogie/ PETE JOHNSON:
Barrelhouse Stomp/ Vine Street Blues/ MEADE "LUX" LEWIS: Bass On Top/ Honky
Tonk Blues/ The Blues Part 1/ Variations On A Theme Part 1: 19 Ways Of
Playing A Chorus/ ART TATUM: Aunt Hagar's Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Delmark 780 |
This Is Blues Harmonica, Vol. 2 |
● CD $14.98 |
16 tracks, 61 minutes, recommended
Delmark's second harp
compilation (the first being DE-746) again proves the small instrument a
powerful one. Chicago heavyweights dominate - Junior Wells' Tomorrow
Night, Big Walter's Back Home To Mama, Shakey Jake's That
Ain't It (with sizzling Magic Sam guitar), Alfred "Blues King" Harris'
Miss Ida, Louis Myers' That's Alright, and Big Wheeler's
Chicago Winter Weather Blues. The blessing is these are all alternate
takes. Other tone powerhouses are Carey Bell for Blues Rhumba, Mad
Dog Lester Davenport on West Side Blues, Little Sam Davis' Devil's
Trail, and Eddie Burns' Hastings Street Special - amplified gems
all. Walto Pace's Fox Chase/ Lost John and Hammie Nixon's Love
Grows In Your Heart show the acoustic side of the instrument to be just
as satisfying. Others include Mark Hummel, Little Walter, Little Mac
Simmons, and Tad Robinson. (CR)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document 9002 |
Document Shortcuts, Vol. 2 - If You Take Me
Back |
● CD $10.98 |
Another fine sampler drawn from Document's extensive catalog
of blues, gospel, old time country and jazz reissues. Most of the tracks are
black blues or gospel with an occasional old time country or jazz track. It
includes both familiar and obscure artists and tracks have been well chosen
so that even the familiar artists are often represented by unfamiliar
titles. 21 tracks including Bukka White, Skip James, Jimmy peters And Ring
Dance Singers, Rev. Lonnie Farris & The Gospel Flames, Muddy Waters,
Fiddlin' John Carson, Johnny Dunn & His Band, The Harmony Four, Big Joe
(McCoy) & His Washboard Band, Bumble Bee Slim, Blind John Davis and others.
Brief introductory notes and full discographical info including information
on which Document titles the tracks are drawn from. It should be noted that
a number of the CDS listed are not currently available.
ELDER CHARLES BECK: Rock And Roll Sermon - Part 1/ TEDDY
BUNN: King Porter Stomp/ GEORGE DAVIS: Flesh Crawling Blues/ HATTIE ELLIS &
"COWBOY" JACK RAMSEY: Desert Blues/ PERLINE ELLISON: Razor Totin` Mama/
GRAYSON & WITTER: Little Maggie With A Dram Glass In Her Hand/ HALL JOHNSON
CHOIR: Lord, I Can Ride/ HIGHTOWER'S NIGHT HAWKS: Boar Hogs Blues/ LIGHTNIN'
HOPKINS: Walkin` The Streets/ SON HOUSE: Mister Suzie-q/ ELDER A. JOHNSON:
God Don`t Like It/ JUNIOR FOUR QUARTET: I`m On My Way/ KIRK & SAM MCGEE:
Brown`s Ferry Blues/ MEMPHIS JUG BAND: I Can Beat You Plenty/ LITTLE BROTHER
MONTGOMERY: Vicksburg Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Hot Boogie (too Hot To
Handle)/ JESSE (BABYFACE) THOMAS: Another Fool Like Me/ THREE STRIPPED
GEARS: Black Bottom Strut/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Wild Cow Moan/ RALPH WILLIS &
BROWNIE MCGHEE: Sportin` Life`
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Document 9003 |
Document Shortcuts, Vol. 3 - My Babe |
● CD $10.98 |
Another fine collection of 20 cuts from previously issued
Document CDs. Includes Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Sonny Boy Williamson, One
String Sam (amazing Detroit musician covering Little Walter's My Babe
accompanying himself on one string slide guitar and it was a commercial
release not a field recording!), Williamson Brothers & Curry, Doctor
Clayton, The Harlem Hamfats, Andrew "Smokey" Hogg (one of his pre war
recordings singing very much like Peetie Wheatstraw), Ramblin' THomas,
Herschel Brown (fine white "talking blues"), Ida Cox & her All Star Band,
Shoe Shine Johnny (Johnny Shines) and others.
BARBECUE BOB: Jambooger Blues/ BIG BILL BROONZY: How You
Want It Done?/ HERSCHEL BROWN: New Talking Blues/ DOCTOR CLAYTON: Black
Snake Blues/ IDA COX & HER ALL STAR BAND: Hard Times Blues/ ARTHUR "BIG BOY"
CRUDUP: Where Did You Stay Last Night?/ THE FOUR BLAZES: Chicago Blues/ THE
HARLEM HAMFATS: Hamfat Swing/ ANDREW "SMOKEY" HOGG: Kind Hearted Blues/
PROFESSOR HULL'S ANTHEMS OF JOY: Everybody Talkin' 'bout Heaven Ain't Goin'
There/ JAZZBO TOMMY & HIS LOWLANDERS: Blaze Face Cow/ THE MEMPHIS
NIGHTHAWKS: Wild Man Stomp/ THE NORFOLK JAZZ QUARTET: Stand By The Bedside
Of A Neighbor/ ONE STRING SAM: My Baby Ooo/ MARYLIN SCOTT: I Got What My
Daddy Likes/ JOHNNY SHINES: So Glad I Found You/ SONNY TERRY: Harmonica &
Washboard Breakdown/ RAMBLIN' THOMAS: Ground Hog Blues/ SONNY BOY WILLAMSON:
Mellow Chick Swing/ THE WILLIAMSON BROTHERS & CURRY: Gonna Die With My
Hammer In My Hand
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Eddie's 1001 |
Boogie Woogie Playgirl |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended
Excellent collection
of obscure Texas jump blues and boogie most of it making it's first
appearance on CD, Tracks are mostly drawn from small Texas labels like Folk
Star, Freedom, Eddie's, Selective, GruVtone and others as well as more
prominent entities like Peacock, Sittin' In With and Savoy. Artists include
Willie Holiday, Teddy Reynolds, James Freeman, Henry Hayes Orch., Fatso
Bently (actually pre war blues singer Gladys Bently who I don't think is
actually from Texas but fits right here), Joe Houston & His Orch., Elmore
Nixon, Madonna Martin, Little Willie Littlefield (doing the fine title songs
which, in spite of the title, is actually a slow blues), Buck Jones and Orch
and others. Sound quality is fine and the four page booklet gives brief
notes on all the performers. A nice complement to the three CD series of
Texas urban blues on Acrobat (4003, 4004 & 4005 - $13.98 each). (FS)
FATSO BENTLY: Fourth Of July Boogie/ June-teenth Jamboree/
JAMES FREEMAN: Her Lover Man/ You're Gonna Need Me/ HENRY HAYES & BAND:
Bowlegged Angeline/ THE HENRY HAYES ORCH: Forgive Me Baby/ Over Here, Pretty
Baby/ WILLIE HOLIDAY: I've Played This Town/ My Woman Put Me Down/ JOE
HOUSTON: Come Back Baby/ Cornbread & Cabbage Greens/ THE JOE HOUSTON TRIO &
ORCH: Your Little Girl Is Gone/ DAVID LEE JOHNSON & ALFRED S. LEVY: Hemlock
Blues/ BUCK JONES & ORCH: I've Tried So Hard To Please You/ LITTLE WILLIE
LITTLEFIELD: Boogie Woogie Play Girl/ Little Willie's Boogie/ My Best
Wishes/ MADONNA MARTIN: I Ain't The Same Old Fool/ Rattlesnakin' Papa/
ELMORE NIXON: Shout And Rock/ TEDDY "CRY, CRY BABY" REYNOLDS: Summer's On
Its Way/ Why, Baby, Why?/ HUBERT ROBINSON: Got The Boogie Woogie Blues/
CLARENCE SAMUELS & ORCH: Low Top Inn
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Henry Stone Music 25002 |
Blues From The 50s |
● CD $11.98 |
21 tracks, 55 mins, highly recommended
Previously available
as Hot Productions 5502 to which crafty old Henry has added a poorly
remastered version of his 1951 recording of Ray Charles' St. Pete Florida
Blues. This is a fine collection of down home blues cuts recorded in the
50s for Henry's Rockin', Chart and Marlin labels. t includes four fine sides
from 1953 by singer/ harmonica player Little Sam Davis, who returned to
recording a few years ago. He is accompanied by Earl Hooker on guitar and a
drummer. All six sides recorded by Hooker (with Davis on harp on a couple)
are featured here, four of them previously unissued - don't get too excited
though - with the exception of the opener Alley Corn the unissued
sides are pretty mediocre. There are four sides by the great one-man-band
Joe Hill Louis, which were originally issued under the pseudonyms of Johnny
lewis and Leslie Lewis. The set also includes Lightnin' Hopkins' wonderful
Chart single, a great unissued take of Alley Blues by Jimmy Wilson, a
track by Willie Baker and Eddie Hope's classic A Fool No More/ Lost Child.
Includes brief notes by Henry on the artists. This is the real stuff! (FS)
WILLIE BAKER: Goin' Back Home Today/ RAY CHARLES: St. Pete
Florida Blues/ LITTLE SAM DAVIS: 1958 Blues/ Goin' Home To Mother/ Goin' To
New Orleans/ She's So Good To Me/ EARL HOOKER: After Hours/ Alley Corn/
Jammin'/ On The Hook/ Ride Hooker Ride/ Sweet Angel/ EDDIE HOPE & THE
MANNISH BOYS: A Fool No More/ Lost Child/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Mussy Haired
Woman/ Walkin' The Streets/ JOHNNY LEWIS: Jealous Man/ She's Taking All My
Money/ LESLIE LOUIS: Don't Do It Again/ Ridin' Home/ JIMMY WILSON: Alley
Blues
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7744 |
Chicago Is Just That Way: 1938-1954 |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 112 tracks, over 5 hours, recommended
Splendid
collection of Chicago blues which focuses on the transition from the older
styles to the sound which we associate with the golden age of Chicago blues
in the early 50s. It shows that the transition was not exclusively the
province of the new arrivals from the South but also the older performers
adapting to the increasing urbanization of their local audience. The first
disc is exclusively devoted to Tampa Red whose songs and guitar style were
an influence on many up and coming artists - we hear him in the late 40s and
early 50s in the company of the brilliant piano player Johnny Jones and
drummer Odie Payne (who both went on to work with Elmore James) and bassist
Ransom Knowling. His performances are as exciting and vital as any of the
young bucks and his last couple of RCA sessions in 1953 find him in the
company of up and coming harmonica stars Sonny Boy Williamson and Walter
Horton. The other three discs provide a mix of older and younger performers
and although much of it has been out before it's nice to hear the music in
this context and there are a number of tracks that are making their first
appearance on CD. Artists include Big Maceo, Johnny Shines (his fabulous
originally unissued Columbia recordings), Jazz Gillum, Muddy Waters (his
unissued Columbia sides and his first commercial recording issued under the
name of James "Sweet Lucy" Carter), Big Boy Crudup, Floyd Jones, Johnny
Williams, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Roosevelt Sykes, Snooky & Moody,
Lillie Mae & The House Rockers, Little Walter, Eddie Boyd (doing the
collection's theme song), Jimmy Rogers (his originally unissued version of
That's All Right), Snooky Pryor, Baby Face Leroy Foster, Tony Hollins,
Robert Lockwood and others. Sound quality is generally fine though a few
tracks exhibit excessive digital noise reduction. Includes informative notes
by Neil Slaven putting it all into perspective. (FS)
BIG MACEO: Big City Blues/ Do You Remember/ Just Tell Me
Baby/ Kidman Blues/ One Sunday Morning/ EDDIE BOYD: Blue Monday Blues/
Chicago Is Just That Way/ BIG BILL BROONZY: I Love My Whiskey/ Leavin' Day/
Southbound Train/ Water Coast Blues/ LEE BROWN: Horse Shoe Boogie/ Lowland
Blues/ Round The World Boogie/ Ruby Moore Blues/ ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP:
Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/ That's All Right/ BABY FACE LEROY FOSTER: Boll
Weevil/ Red Headed Woman/ Rollin' And Tumblin' 1/ Rollin' And Tumblin' 2/
JAZZ GILLUM: A Lie Is Dangerous/ Look What You Are Today/ Roll Dem Bones/
The Blues What Am/ JIMMIE GORDON: Jumping At The Club Blue Flame/ My Woman's
A Pearl Diver/ TONY HOLLINS: Crawlin' King Snake/ Wine-O-Woman/ FLOYD JONES:
Hard Times/ Keep What You Got/ School Days/ Stockyard Blues/ LILLIE MAE &
THE HOUSE ROCKERS: Lovin' Man Blues/ LITTLE WALTER: Bad Acting Woman/ Blue
Baby/ I Want My Baby/ Just Keep Loving Her/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: (I'm Gonna) Dig
Myself A Hole/ Dust My Broom/ WILLIE MABON: Boogie Man/ It Keeps Rainin'/
MEMPHIS MINNIE: Kidman Blues/ Why Did I Make You Cry/ MEMPHIS SLIM: (Now I)
Got The Blues/ Don't Ration My Love/ Grinder Man Blues/ Mistake In Life/
JIMMY ROGERS: I'm In Love/ Little Store Blues/ Ludella/ That's All Right/
JOHNNY SHINES: Delta Pine Blues/ Evil Hearted Woman Blues/ Ride, Ride Mama/
Tennessee Woman Blues/ SNOOKY & MOODY: Boogie/ Telephone Blues/ ST. LOUIS
JIMMY: Coming Up Fast/ Going Down Slow/ I Ain't Done Nothing Wrong/ One
Doggone Reason/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: 5 Foot 4 Gal/ Brown Skin Woman/ I've Done
You Wrong/ Jivin' Boogie/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Candy Man Blues/ Lowland Blues/
Savoy Boogie/ Why Should I Cry/ TAMPA RED: 1950 Blues/ Big Stars Falling
Blues/ Boogie Woogie Woman/ But I Forgive You/ Don't Blame Shorty For That/
Early In The Morning/ Evalena/ Got A Mind To Leave This Town/ Green And
Lucky Blues/ I Should Have Loved Her More/ I Won't Let Her Do It/ I'll Never
Let You Go/ I'm Gonna Put You Down/ If She Don't Come Back/ It's A Brand New
Boogie/ It's Good Like That/ Love Her With A Feelin'/ New Deal Blues/ Please
Mr Doctor/ Pretty Baby Blues/ Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is/ Rambler's
Blues/ She's Dynamite/ So Crazy About You Baby/ Sweet Little Angel/ That's
Her Own Business/ Too Late Too Long/ When Things Go Wrong With You/ SIPPIE
WALLACE: Bedroom Blues/ Buzz Me/ MUDDY WATERS: Burying Ground Blues/ Hard
Day Blues/ Jitterbug Blues/ Mean Red Spider/ JOHNNY WILLIAMS: Worried Man
Blues/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Better Cut That Out/ Bring Another Half A Pint/
JOHNNY YOUNG: Money Taking Woman/ MAN YOUNG: Let Me Ride Your Mule/ My Baby
Walked Out
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rounder 1830 |
Deep River Of Song - Louisiana - Catch That
Train & Testify |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 69 mins, essential Not listed when it first came
out. Another fantastic collection of recordings the Alan Lomax collection.
It includes a couple of familiar names - Leadbelly (including a particularly
moving version of GoodnIght Irene recorded at Angola in 1934) and
Jelly Roll Morton (talking, singing, playing and bragging). The rest of the
artists are obscure but includes some amazing ring shouts including the
French Creole form known as "jure" plus blues, primitive zydeco and work
songs. Sound quality from worn acetates is outstanding and the 40 page
booklet has extensive notes by John Cowley plus lyric transcripts and
translations of the French songs. Another glorious addition to this great
series. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 322 |
Stompin', Vol. 22 |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended
Stompin' are back with another
two great albums of up tempo blues and R&B - this one featuring sides from
the late 40s and the 50s. More than half the tracks here have been out
before on CD but sound and overall production here is superior with handsome
eight page foldout booklet with notes on all the performances and full color
label shots of all the titles. Includes Billy Fair and Orch., Big Sheba (the
great Soft Soapin' Mama), Willie Hunter, Roosevlt Wardell (early
blues side from renowned jazz pianist), James B. Berry & Monroe Tucker's
Orch., Sammy Cotton, Dorothy Ellis, Paul Bascomb, Sticks McGhee, Jimmy
Butler, Rubberlegs Williams, Sherman Brooks & The Blue Tones, etc.
PAUL BASCOMB: Don't Put My Bizness In The Street/ Pink
Cadillac/ GIL BERNAL: Keep Those Wonderin' Eyes Off My Baby/ JAMES B. BERRY
& MONROE TUCKERS ORCH: Long Note/ BIG SHEBA: Alphabet Blues/ Soft Soapin'
Mama/ SHERMAN BROOKS & THE BLUE TONES: Cool Daddy Blues/ JIMMY BUTLER: Trim
Your Tree/ SAMMY COTTON: I An't Gonna Worry My Life Anymore/ Back Bitin'/
NELDA DUPUY: Riding With The Blues/ DOROTHY ELLIS: Drill Daddy Drill/ BILLY
FAIR: Boogie In The Morning/ I'll Be True To You/ WILLIE HUNTER: I'm In Love
With You Baby/ Willie's Blues/ PATTI JEROME: No Mama, No Papa/ PRO MC CLAM:
Boot Um/ BROWNIE MC GHEE: All Night Party/ STICKS MC GHEE: You Gotta Have
Something On The Ball/ BOB MITCHELL: Standing On The Corner/ CHARLES RENE:
I've Got The Blues/ ROOSEVELT WARDELL: She Drinks Too Much Wine/ RUBBERLEGS
WILLIAMS: Goin' Back To Washington Corner 7th and "T"/ TASSO ZACHARY AND HIS
ORCH: Louisville, KY
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stompin' 323 |
Stompin', Vol. 23 |
● CD $15.98 |
22 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended
Only 22 tracks on
this one but just about every one rocks like crazy. Material ranges from the
mid 50s to late 60s and includes Joe Boots & His Band, Prince Love & His
Royal Stewart (possibly a Sly Stone pseudonym on the great topical Don't
Want No More), Slim Cole, Jimmy Raye, Ben Hughes, Harvey & Doc (the
totally crazed Oh, Baby!!), Sherman Williams & His Band, Tommy
Lomonte, Big Red McHouston (actually Mickey Baker on the great I'm Tired),
Citations 7, Shirley Ann Lee, Slim Saunders and more. (FS)
JOE BOOTS & HIS BAND: Rock 'N' Roll Jungle Girl/ Well
Alright/ THE CITATIONS 7: Justine/ SLIM COLE: They Call Me Slim Cole/ THE
FABULOUS SILVER TONES: Dimples/ EVELYN FREEMAN: Didn't It Rain/ HARVEY &
DOC: Oh, Baby!!/ BEN HUGHES: Sack/ SHIRLEY ANN LEE: How Can I Lose/ TOMMY
LOMONTE: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah/ BIG RED MC HOUSTON: I'm Tired/ MR. BLUES & JOHNNY
BIRD ORCH: The Last Laugh Will Be On You/ ELROY PEACE & BOW RIBBONS: Quick
Like/ PRINCE LOVE & HIS ROYAL KNIGHTS: Don't Want No War/ JIMMY RAYE: Hey
Let's Dance/ SLIM SAUNDERS: Get Away/ Let's Have Some Fun/ THE SILVERTONES:
Midnight Thunder/ SONNY'S NU KAT ORCHESTRA: She Is Mine/ SHERMAN WILLIAMS &
HIS BAND: I Lost My Baby/ GEORGE YOUNG: Buggin' Baby/ Shaking Shelley
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yazoo 3002 |
The Best There Ever Was - Legendary Early
Blues Perform |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks, 62 mins, essential
A who's who of the finest
early rural blues guitarists from the 1920s and '30s and a sampler of the
wonderful Yazoo catalog, this collection makes the perfect place to start a
blues roots discovery. This set offers 20 of the greatest performing their
finest, including Tommy Johnson's classic Big Road Blues, Skip James'
unearthly Cypress Grove, Blind Lemon Jefferson's Prison Cell Blues,
Charlie Patton'sIt Won't Be Long, Frank Stokes' What's The Matter
Blues, Blind Willie McTell's Mama Tain't Long Fo' Day (featuring
some remarkable slide guitar) and others. The ladies are represented by
Memphis Minnie performing Outdoor Blues and Geeshie Wiley singing the
memorable Last Kind Word Blues. Excellent photos (especially of Skip
James) and informative booklet notes. Sound quality on these old recordings
is as good or better as anyone is likely to hear. For those who don't know
what they're missing. (JC)
|
| CLARA WARD &
THE WARD SINGERS |
Liquid 8 12134 |
When The Gates SWing Open |
● CD $7.98 |
12 tracks, 34 mins, essential
In spite of the lack of any
notes and the mistitling (the group was actually called the Clara Ward
Specials when these recordings were made) this is a fabulous collection of
sides by made by Clara with the Specials (Lil Davis, Frances Steadman,
Frances, Thelma Jackson) for Gotham between 1950 and 1954. Clara and her
groups advocated the toe-tapping, tambourine-bashing, church-wrecking,
born-again brand of gospel and there are lots of exciting performances here
including How I Got Over/ Faith Moves Mountains/ One Way Street/ On That
Great Judgment Morning/ God Moves In A Mysterious and others. Guide
Me O Though Great Jehova and There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood
are real spine chillers featuring Clara solo with just organ accompaniment.
Joining Clara and the Specials are a great instrumental group usually
including piano, organ and drums and one track has some soaring steel
guitar. Glorious stuff at a bargain price. (FS)
|
| MUDDY WATERS |
Acrobat 4045 |
Screamin And Cryin' - Live In Warsaw, 1976 |
● CD $13.98 |
16 tracks, 79 minutes, good - with reservations
There's a
glut of 'live' Muddy Waters available and this is no recently-unearthed
rarity as it's been previously issued on a handful of bootleg labels. This
is strong Muddy Waters as we came to know him in his Blue Sky years - joined
by Bob Margolin, Jerry Portnoy, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Pinetop
Perkins, Calvin Jones and Willie Smith - but the deficiencies in sound are
often a stronger point than the solid music. Mastering is pretty much
non-existent with random peaks and valleys in levels and distortion ruins
Pinetop's piano (along with Muddy's voice on occasion). If you're looking
for late-period efforts from Chicago's blues king, grab the recent reissues
from Sony - "Hard Again", "I'm Ready", "King Bee" and "Muddy "Mississippi"
Waters Live" - all with bonus tracks and far more sound purchases than this
sonic abomination. (CR)
|
| KENNY "BLUE
BOSS" WAYNE |
Electro-Fi 3388 |
Let It Loose |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 47 minutes, excellent
If you're familiar with the
Blues Boss, this is another winner that's bound to please. If you're not yet
schooled in Wayne's approach, "Let It Loose" is a fine place to begin. He
blazes through smoking boogie woogie (Blackberry Wine), touches on
Louis Jordan-inspired humor (Joogie To The Boogie), mines the
soul/R&B genre (Wishing Well), and plows through storming blues, from
shuffles (I Never Will Forgive You and Mean Streak) to slow
grinders (Don't Rush To Judge Me) and does it all exceptionally well.
He also pays tribute to Amos Milburn on Blue and Lonesome/ Let Me Go Home
Whiskey and Bewildered. The small band behind him (varying
sidemen) offers muscular support throughout. (CR)
|
| JOSH WHITE |
ASV CDAJA 5551 |
Wanderings |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 78 minutes, excellent
Josh White has taken a
beating from certain circles over the years due to his transformation from a
highly worthwhile Pre-war blues artist to the folksy cafe crowd-pleaser he
would become in later periods. Regardless of your leanings and reservations,
these sessions (recorded between 1945 and 1951) show him as a brilliant,
soulful, and talented musician. From the catalogs of Blue Note, Asch, Decca,
V-Disc, Apollo and other labels, White traverses torch songs, folk ballads,
and muscular blues with ease. Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Sidney Bechet
show up and a small rhythm section appears on the final nine tracks. With
more than half of this lengthy disc made up of tense blues, the occasional
low points are easily overshadowed. (CR)
|
| SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON |
BGO BGOCD 603 |
Down And Out Blues/ In Memorium |
● CD $17.98 |
24 tracks, essential (if you don't already have them) 24
tracks by one of the greatest of Chicago bluesmen recorded for Checker
between 1955 and 1965. The first 12 tracks were issued on the 1959 LP "Down
& Out Blues" and the latter 12 were on 1964's "Real Folk Blues" which was
issued in the U.K. shortly after his death as "In Memorium" (sic). If you
don't already have these great sides this is a must featuring Sonny Boy's
great vocals and harmonica on his wonderfully inventive songs like Don't
Start Me To Talkin'/ The Key (To You Door)/ Fattening Frogs For Snakes/ 99/
One Way Out/ Checkin' Up On My baby/ Bring It On Home/ Dissatisfied/ Too Old
To Think and more accompanied by the likes of Otis Spann, Jimmy Rogers,
Robert Lockwood Jr., Willie Dixon, Fred Below, Luther Tucker and others.
Superb sound and booklet includes original LP notes plus new notes by Tony
Russell. (FS)
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