NEWSLETTER #144
Blues & Gospel
Vivian Vance Kelly -
> Marva Wright
| VIVIAN VANCE KELLY |
Wolf 120.812 |
Hit Me Up |
● CD $16.98 |
Debut album from the daughter of fine Chicago bluesman Vance
Kelly. Vivian is an excellent singer though her material is overly familiar
(Got My Mojo Working/ Down Home Blues/ Stand By me/ Proud Mary/ Proud
Mary, etc.). Some titles are performed acoustic and some electric and
several songs are presented twice in acoustic and electric versions.
|
| BEN BOWEN KING |
Talking Taco 153 |
Sidewalk Saints |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 46 minutes, recommended
Ben Bowen King isn't apt
to have an army of fans looking for his CD but that won't lessen the impact
the guitarist will have on listeners as soon as they hear his playing on
Sidewalk Saints, a disc laced from beginning to end with brilliant
instrumental readings of Gospel music. King's wizard-like approach on his
resonator guitar is spellbinding on Preacher's Hell Bound Train/ Satan -
Surely Your Evil Empire Will Fall Someday/ Will The Circle Be Unbroken[],
and Shall We Gather At The River and the assistance King gets from
Covita Moroney's tambourine, spoons, Coke bottles, suitcases, and bass drum
only makes this all the more satisfying. A dying tradition this music might
be but Ben Bowen King isn't going down without swinging. Riveting! (CR)
|
| JULIUS LESTER |
BGP CDBGPD 175 |
Dressed Like Freedom |
● CD $22.98 |
14 tracks, 71 min., highly recommended
Folk protest singer
from the 1960s, grounded in the blues, Lester confronted important
African-American issues (e.g., reparations for slavery, inner city poverty)
in and out of his songs. His direct approach benefitted from a
well-developed sense of humor about himself and everything else that
nonetheless rarely failed to leave marks. Politically, Lester worked for
SNCC and favored Malcolm to Martin; an idealist at heart, he grew
disillusioned with "the revolution" as it became progressively more violent.
Sometimes, listening to "protest" music can be a bit like doing
homework--you do it because it's apparently good for you. But Lester's
music, while perhaps medicinal, is no medicine, requires no spoonful of
sugar. Drawn from a pair of Vanguard LPs (Julius Lester from 1965 and
Departures from 1967), this CD is all the more welcome when one considers
Vanguard's seeming lack of a coherent reissue policy. Booklet notes include
a recent interview with Lester that makes for fascinating reading. (JC)
|
| LOUISIANA RED |
Tomato (Germany) 2696072 |
Midnight Rambler |
● CD $8.98 |
18 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
Now out of print.
Louisiana Red is a talented singer, guitarist and songwriter who had
recorded so prolifically in the 70s and 80s that it was easy to overlook
some of his better recordings like this one. This set features 18 songs
recorded in 1975 for Kent Cooper's Blue Labor label. Red was in good form on
these songs, mostly self written or written by producer Kent Cooper. He
plays acoustic guitar with some fine slide playing from time to time. Though
Red's tunes are often built around traditional blues tunes and his style is
influenced by Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters his lyrics have a distinct
and interesting personal quality to them. It includes a remake of his 1964
Glover single Too Poor To Die about being too poor to pay the
undertaker so he can't afford to die and the grim Sweet Blood Call
opens with the line "I'll Have A Hard Time Missing You, Baby/ With My Pistol
In Your Mouth"! A previous issue of this album had one more track but if you
don't already have this it's definitely worth your time. (FS)
|
| LYNWOOD SLIM |
Delta Groove 108 |
Last Call - The Mellow Sounds Of Lynwood
Slim |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 45 mins, recommended
While this disc of Richard
Duran's (otherwise known as Lynwood Slim) might be a little more on the
mellow side of things, delving into the swinging, jazz-infused side of blues
has never been anything Slim avoided - he's got a voice as smooth as silk
and its use as an instrument has been clearly evident to those aware of his
earlier work. While Pete Johnson's Wee Baby Blues, Duke Ellington's
Nothin' But The Blues, and Irving Berlin's Me, Myself & I
might indeed be more restrained than Duran's Say It (with the Chicago
Blues Angels featuring Nick Moss and his slashing guitar) or Clifton
Chenier's All Night Long, Lynwood Slim continues to wander the many
sides of the blues and its rich past with ease, success, and respect.
Support comes from a cast including Kid Ramos, Kirk Fletcher, Richard Innes
and other veterans just as talented. (CR)
|
| BARRELHOUSE BUCK
MCFARLAND |
Delmark 788 |
Alton Blues |
● CD $14.98 |
17 track, 48 mins, very highly recommended
What an absolute
delight! Barrelhouse Buck McFarland recorded a handful of superb sides in
the 20s and 30s with great piano work and distinctive raspy vocals and
phrasing. When he was rediscovered in 1961 by Bob Koester and St. Louis copy
Charlie O'Brien he was still a potent performer as this superb, previously
unissued session, shows. McFarland was from Alton, Illinois (also the
birthplace of Miles Davis), around 20 miles from St. Louis, Mo. where there
was an active group of pianists like Speckled Red, Roosevelt Sykes, Walter
Davis and others and McFarland's style, like that of Wesley Wallace and Jabo
Williams is considered an offshoot of the St. Louis style with distinctive
bass work with the left hand and a flowing right hand style. On this August,
1961 session Buck is in fine form playing versions of songs he had recorded
prewar as well a variety of other compositions with his distinctive vocals
and lovely piano work. This outstanding set also includes a five minute chat
with McFarland where he reminisces about people like Henry Brown, Peetie
Wheatstraw, Charlie Jordan and other denizens of the St. Louis blues scene.
He was only 58 at the time of these recordings and obviously had the ability
to rekindle his musical career but, sadly, he passed away eight months after
these recordings. If you like piano blues then this release is a must. (FS)
|
| THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND |
Frog 62 |
Vol. 4 |
● CD $16.98 |
25 tracks, essential
the fourth and final
volume in Frog's reissue of the complete recordings of one of the greatest
of all jug bands - The Memphis Jug Band led by singer, guitarist, harmonica
& jug player Will Shade. The first nine tracks are a real treat - nine never
before issued alternate takes from 1927 and 1928 from recently discovered
test pressings. Differences from the issued takes is frequently minor,
though in some cases, like their magnificent Beale Street Mess Around
there are substantial lyric changes and another classic Stealin' Stealin'
has an extra verse in this alternate. The remaining 16 tracks are from 3
sessions in November, 1934 and find the group somewhat more urbane than on
their earlier sides with a stronger infusion of jazz and some influences of
white country music in Charlie Pierce's fiddle playing. In spite of the
changes the music made by the group was irrepressibly infectious
particularly on mostly instrumental tracks like Jazzbo Stomp/ Gator
Wobble/ Take Your Fingers Off It and their wonderful Rukus Juice &
Chittlin'. The first three volumes (Frog 15, 16 & 18) are still
available and equally essential. (FS)
|
| JOHNNY OTIS |
Rev-Ola CRBAND 9 |
Rock Me Baby - The Mercury & Peacock Sides |
● CD $15.98 |
29 tracks, 79 mins, highly recommended
What a fine
collection of tracks from Johnny Otis' early 1950's, a period that brought
on a whole lot of hot R&B. Some of my favorite Johnny Otis recordings come
from this era. Recordings represent output for the Mercury and Peacock
record labels. Considered a bit of a down time before his big resurgence
with Capitol records and the "Johnny Otis Show" that was a hit on TV and
radio starting around 1957, there was still a lot of great stuff coming out
from him at this time, it's just that the charts and sales didn't reflect
it. Most of the vocals on this are by Johnny Otis, Mel Walker, or Junior
Ryder with the great exception of Yes Baby, a Lieber & Stoller
number, which features vocals from Johnny Ace and Big Mama Thorton, both of
whom Otis was very busy with promoting and producing as part of his tenure
as an A&R man and leader of the house band for Duke/ Peacock records. Great
throughout. (JM)
|
| LEON PINSON |
Fat Possum 1041 |
The George Mitchell Collection |
● CD $9.98 |
12 tracks, 31 mins, highly recommended
Lovely collection of
old time gospel singing and playing from Blind singer/ guitarist Leon Pinson
from Mississippi recorded by George Mitchell in 1967. Pinson worked with the
great singer/ harmonica player Elder Roma Wilson early in his career and
reunited with him when Wilson was rediscovered in the 80s. Pinson's singing
is low key and dignified but with a quiet intensity that really grabs you.
His guitar playing is fine and on several tracks he plays some very nice
slide. The songs are mostly gospel standards but Pinson gives them an
individual touch. (FS)
|
| BROTHER JOHN SELLERS |
Vanguard (UK) VMD 8005 |
Sings Blues And Folk Songs |
● CD $16.98 |
16 tracks, 48 min., very highly recommended
Reissues
Sellers' two 10" Vanguard LPs from 1954 ("Sings Blues And Folk Songs", LP VRS 8005 & "Jack Of Diamonds", LP VRS 7022). "Sings" features Sellers with a
small sympathetic jazz combo. "Jack" finds sellers accompanied only by Sonny
Terry (harmonica) and Johnny Jones (guitar). (Both albums were "supervised"
by John Hammond.) Although he toured with Mahalia Jackson and Big Bill
Broonzy, and worked for years with Alvin Ailey, Sellers star never shone as
brightly as it deserved. His style, less gritty sounding than many of his
blues contemporaries, was thought by some to be less authentic that it
needed to be--although Sellers was born in Clarksdake, MS., and raised in
Chicago, both blues meccas. One listen to this excellent and long overdue
release puts that notion to rest. An underrated performer worth (re)discovering.
Informative booklet notes with label photos and reproductions of the
original album covers (front and back). (JC)
|
| SUNNYLAND SLIM &
HIS PALS |
JSP JSPCD 7783 |
The Classic Sides, 1947-1953 |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CD set with 104 tracks featuring classic Chicago blues
by the great singer & piano player Sunnyland Slim and some of the many
people he worked with. There are 54 tracks under Slim's own name which is
most, but not all, of his recordings made between 1947 and 1955 and range
from his first sides as a Doctor Clayton imitator to urban blues with small
combos with horns to down home sides with just harmonica and guitar. He is
accompanied by musicians like Blind John Davis, Lonnie Johnson, Leroy
Foster, Alex Atkins, Robert Lockwood (who provides some truly dazzling
guitar accompaniments), Snooky Pryor, Big Crawford, J.T. Brown, Eddie
Taylor, Louis Myers and others. The rest of the set features Slim in an
accompanying role in sessions by Floyd Jones, Little Walter, The Fat man,
Johnny Shines, Robert Lockwood, Leroy Foster, J.B. lenoir, Jimmy Rogers and
St. Louis Jimmy. The cuts by Slim are on the three Classics CDs of him
(5013, 5035, 5171) which includes his Aristocrat sides (not included here)
and most of the other tracks have been reissued elsewhere though I believe
the 10 St. Louis Jimmy tracks are new to CD.
THE FAT MAN: Glad I Don't Worry No More/ You've Got To
Stop This Mess/ LEROY FOSTER: Blues Is Killin' Me/ Late Hours At Midnight/
Louella/ Pet Rabbit/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/
Big World/ Dark Road/ Floyd's Blues/ Schooldays On My Mind/ J.B. LENORE: How
Can I Leave/ How Much More/ I Have Married/ I Want My Baby/ I'll Die Tryin'/
Let's Roll/ Louise/ People Are Meddlin' In Our Affairs/ Slow Down Woman/ The
Mojo/ The Mountain/ Wanna Play A Little While/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: Dust My
Broom/ Dust My Broom/ Glory For Man/ I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole/ My Daily
Wish/ Pearly B/ JIMMY ROGERS: I'm In Love/ Ludella/ That's All Right/ JOHNNY
SHINES: Living In The White House/ Please Don't/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Chicago
Woman Blues/ Hard Work Boogie/ I Sit Up All Night/ I'm Not Satisfied/
Mother's Day/ Nervous Breakdown/ Old Age Has Got Me/ Shame On You Baby/
State Street Blues/ Trying To Change My Ways/ Your Evil Ways/ SUNNYLAND
SLIM: (Low Down) Sunnyland Train/ 5 Foot 4 Gal/ Across The Hall Blues/ Ain't
Nothing But A Child/ Back To Korea Blues/ Bad Times (Cost Of Living)/
Bassology/ Bassology/ Be Mine Alone/ Be My Baby/ Blue Baby/ Broke And
Hungry/ Brown Skin Woman/ Brown Skin Woman/ Brown Skinned Woman/ City Of New
Orleans/ Devil Is A Busy Man/ Down Home Child/ Every Time I Get To Drinking/
Farewell Little Girl/ Four Day Bounce/ Gin Drinkin' Baby/ Hard Time (When
Mother's Gone)/ Hard Times/ Hit The Road Again/ I Done You Wrong/ I Done You
Wrong/ I Want My Baby/ Illinois Central/ It's All Over Now/ I'm Just A
Lonesome Man/ I've Done You Wrong/ Jivin' Boogie/ Keep Your Hands Out Of My
Money/ Leaving Your Town (No Name Blues)/ Mary Lee/ Mud Kicking Woman/ My
Heavy Load/ Nappy Head Woman/ No Whiskey Blues/ Orphan Boy Blues/ Roll,
Tumble And Slip (I Cried)/ Sad And Lonesome/ School Days/ Shake It Baby/
Shake It Baby/ Sunnyland Special/ Sweet Lucy Blues/ That Woman/ Train Time
(4 O'Clock Blues)/ Troubles Of My Own/ Walking With The Blues/ When I Was
Young/ When I Was Young (Shake It Baby)/ Woman Trouble (Overnite)/ Worried
About My Baby/ Worried About My Baby
|
| LONZIE THOMAS |
Fat Possum 1050 |
The George Mitchell Collection |
● CD $9.98 |
14 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended
Another fine release
in the George Mitchell collection - this one features recordings from the
early 80s by blind Alabama singer/ guitarist Lonzie Thomas who was in his
early 60s at the time of these recordings. Thomas was an expressive singer
and a fine rhythmic guitarist with a repertoire strongly built around
traditional themes. Songs like Red Cross Store/ Raise A Ruckus Tonight
and Struttin' That Thing were presumably learned from records but
Lonzie gives them a very individual touch. He does a very nice version of
John henry
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16804 |
Mercury Records - The New Orleans Sessions,
1950 & 1953 |
● CD $41.98 |
47 tracks, 127 mins, highly recommended
Crack open a fresh
bottle of Hadacol (it's good for what ails ya) and wash it down with an
ice-cold Jax beer, you are about to partake in an amazing journey right into
the heart of the crescent city. Around 1950 the folks at Mercury records
made the decision to head down to New Orleans and record up some talent. Of
course when they got down there, they realized that there was plenty of
talent to go round and ended up doing 3 sessions over as many years. The
first session is from 2 nights in February, 1950; the artists recorded those
nights were: Alma Mondy, Roy (Professor Longhair) Byrd & His Blues Jumpers,
Theard Johnson, Georgie Miller & His Mid Driffs, Little Joe Gaines, Dwine
Craven, and Silvertone Singers. The second go round happened June / July of
1950, with cuts recorded by Roy (Professor Longhair) Byrd & His Blues
Jumpers and Alma Mondy. By the last session in July of 1953, The Professor
wouldn't be there, but you get Alma Mondy, Pat Valdelar, Ray Johnson and
Herbert "Woo Woo" Moore. Easily, the material that really shoots this
compilation out of the atmosphere is the Roy (Professor Longhair) Byrd
tracks. I am a big fan of Fess's and have heard recordings of him from many
sessions over the years, but I have never heard him play as well as he does
on the tracks from the 1950 sessions. Several times, I played the same track
2 or 3 times in a row, just to re-listen to the amazing playing. Wow!
Professor Longhair was certainly in his prime, surrounded by amazing
musicians; there was simply magic in the air. Some of these tracks were
originally released on 78s under the name Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers.
While Professor Longhair's performances are the top, plenty of other great
stuff abounds. Alma Mondy, an outstanding R&B singer, was once proclaimed
the next big thing in New Orleans by big deal D.J. Doctor Daddy-O and was a
regular feature on the "Doctor's Jax Beer Parties;" the Silvertone Singers
play some incredibly smooth Gospel, sure to lift the spirit; and Little Joe
Gains is an outstanding Blues shouter, whose Snuff Dipper is a real
gross out that certainly should be heard to be totally appreciated. The
closest thing to a clunker on this set would be Theard Johnson, who had a
fine, strong voice, but is much more of a crooner than a shouter. His
biggest claim to fame was being an early singer for Dave Bartholomew's group
who was replaced by Tommy Ridgley. All in all a fine set, one of the best
releases of the year so far. This is an expanded ersion of the two LP set
Bear Family 15308. (JM)
ROY BYRD & HIS BLUES JUMPERS (Professor Longhair) : Bald
Head/ Been Foolin' Around/ Between The Night And Day/ Between The Night And
Day (alt)/ Byrd's Blues/ Hadacol Bounce/ Hadacol Bounce (alt)/ Her Mind Is
Gone/ Her Mind Is Gone (alt)/ Hey Now Baby/ Longhair Stomp/ Longhair Stomp
(alt)/ Oh Well/ DWINE CRAVEN: Mercury Boogie/ New Way Of Loving/ LITTLE JOE
GAINES: She Won't Leave No More/ Snuff Dipper/ RAY JOHNSON: Boogie The
Blues/ House Of Blues/ I'll Never Let You Go/ Smilin' Blues/ THEARD JOHNSON:
I Walk In My Sleep/ Lost Love/ GEORGE MILLER & HIS MID DRIFFS: Bat-Lee
Swing/ Bat-Lee Swing (alt)/ Boogie's The Thing/ ALMA MONDY (Miss Lollypop):
A Job For A Jockey/ Baby Get Wise/ I Need You Baby/ Just As Soon As I Go
Home/ Just As Soon As I Go Home (alt)/ Love Troubles/ Love Troubles (alt)/
Miss Lollypop's Confession/ Miss Lollypop's Confession (alt)/ No Stuff For
Me/ Still My Angel Child/ Street Walkin' Daddy/ You Done Me Wrong/ HERBERT
'WOO WOO' MOORE: Five Long Letters/ Something's Wrong/ THE SILVERTONE
SINGERS: Bye And Bye/ Call On Jesus In Scret Prayer/ Rest From Labor/ What
Are They Doing In Heaven Today/ PAT VALDEVEAR: Baby, Rock Me/ Keep Your
Hands On Your Heart
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blue Label 95832 |
The Champion Records Story |
● CD $16.98 |
20 mid 50s tracks recorded for Ted Jarrett's Champion and
affiliated Calvert and Kit labels. Includes sides by Gene Allison, Larry
Birdsong, Earl Gaines, Christine Kittrell, Little Ike, Al "Murfreesboro"
Garner, Clenest Gant & Don q, Herbert Hunter and others. Quite a few of
these tracks were reissued some years ago by Ace.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dust-To-Digital 04 |
How Low Can You Go? Anthology Of The String
Bass |
● CD $55.98 |
Three CD set, 79 tracks, highly recommended
Another
delightful and imaginative package from those creative folks at
Dust-To-Digital. This is a look at the place of the string bass in American
vernacular music. Most of the music is jazz but there's also some blues,
gospel, country and one group from Martinique recorded in France. The string
bass started life as the bowed contrabass in classical groups and didn't
make it's first appearance as plucked instrument in none classical groups
until around the end of the 19th century. For the next 20 years it played
only a small role with most dance and jazz bands using brass instruments to
perform the rhythm function. The first string bassist to appear on record
was Harry Barth who performed with Ted Lewis & His Band and is featured
prominently on their 1925 recording of Milneberg Joys (included
here). The first two discs presents a historical survey of recordings
featuring the use of the bass recorded between 1925 and 1941 with sides by
Jelly-Roll Morton & His Red Hot Peppers (with bassist John Lindsay), Sam
Morgan's Jazz Band (with Sidney Brown), The Halfway House Dance Orchestra
(with Chink Martin), Jimmie Rodgers (his classic Waiting For A Train
with George MacMillan on bass), Taylor-Griggs Louisiana melody Makers (with
Aussie B. Grigg), Jack Teagarden & His Orch. (with Artie Bernstein), Eddie
South & His Orch. (with Milt Hinton), The Spirits Of Rhythm (with Wilson
meyers), Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (with Joe Ferguson) and many more.
The final disc is devoted exclusively to bassist William "Bill" Johnson who
is considered one of the most important and influential bassists of the 20s.
He is featured on 26 blues, jazz & gospel tracks from 1928 and '29 by The
Dixie Four, Midnight Rounders, Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation,
Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band and others. Sound quality throughout is superb
and set is housed in a 7 1/2"x5 1/2" box and comes with copiously
illustrated 96 page booklet with extensive notes by Dick Spottswood. (FS)
ROY ACUFF AND HIS CRAZY TENNESSEEANS: Yes Sir, That's My
Baby/ DON ALBERT AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Deep Blue Melody/ HENRY ALLEN AND HIS
ORCHESTRA: Rug Cutter Swing/ LIONEL BELASCO AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Depression-Paseo/
MART BRITT AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Goose Creek-Stomp/ MILTON BROWN AND HIS
MUSICAL BROWNIES: Brownie's Stomp/ CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Pluckin'
the Bass/ CANDY AND COCO: Bugle Call Rag/ JUNIE C. COBB AND HIS GRAINS OF
CORN: Don't Cry, Honey/ Endurance Stomp (take A)/ Shake That Jelly Roll/
COTTON TOP MOUNTAIN SANCTIFIED SINGERS: She's Coming ‘Round the Mountain/
THE CRYSTAL SPRINGS RAMBLERS: Tired Of Me/ THE DALLAS STRING BAND WITH COLEY
JONES: So Tired/ THE DIXIE FOUR: Kentucky Stomp/ Saint Louis Man/ DUKE
ELLINGTON AND HIS FAMOUS ORCHESTRA: Sepia Panorama/ FRENCHY'S STRING BAND:
Texas and Pacific Blues/ JEAN GOLDKETTE AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Dinah/ My Pretty
Girl/ SONNY GREER AND HIS MEMPHIS MEN: Beggar's Blues/ THE HALFWAY HOUSE
DANCE ORCHESTRA: I'd Like to Go Back to That Old Pal of Mine/ THE HARLEM HOT
SHOTS: Who's Sorry Now?/ FLETCHER HENDERSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Chinatown, My
Chinatown/ CHIPPIE HILL: I Ain't Gonna Do It No More/ Pratt City Blues/
WILMOTH HOUDINI: Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie and Rat/ ANDY
IONA AND HIS ISLANDERS: Ta-hu-wa-hu-wa-i (A Hawaiian War Song)/ LIL JOHNSON:
Rug Cutter's Function/ BILL JOHNSON'S LOUISIANA JUG BAND: Don't Drink It In
Here/ Get the "L" On Down the Road/ JONES AND COLLINS ASTORIA HOT EIGHT:
Duet Stomp/ THE KANSAS CITY SIX: Pagin' the Devil/ L'ORCHESTRE ANTILLAIS: En
Sens Unique S.V.P./ ED LANG AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Hot Heels/ BOBBIE LEECAN'S
NEED-MORE BAND: Wash-Board Cut Out/ TED LEWIS AND HIS BAND: Milenberg Joys/
CARL MARTIN: Good Morning, Judge/ THE MIDNIGHT ROUNDERS: Bull Fiddle Rag
(take A)/ Bull Fiddle Rag (take B)/ Shake Your Shimmy/ SAM MORGAN'S JAZZ
BAND: Bogalusa Strut/ Down by the Riverside/ JELLY-ROLL MORTON AND HIS RED
HOT PEPPERS: Black Bottom Stomp/ JELLY-ROLL MORTON’S NEW ORLEANS JAZZMEN:
Climax Rag (take 1)/ THE NEW ORLEANS FEETWARMERS: Shag/ WALTER PAGE AND HIS
ORIGINAL BLUE DEVILS: Squabblin'/ CHARLES PIERCE AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Bull
Frog Blues/ China Boy/ THE PRAIRIE RAMBLERS: Tex's Dance/ REV. D.C. RICE AND
HIS SANCTIFIED CONGREGATION: He's Got His Eyes on You/ I'm In the
Battlefield for My Lord/ I'm Pressing On/ No Night There/ "BANJO" IKEY
ROBINSON AND HIS BULL FIDDLE BAND: My Four Reasons/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Waiting
For a Train/ LUIS RUSSELL AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Panama/ Poor Li'l Me/ EDDIE
SOUTH AND HIS ORCHESTRA: My! Oh, My!/ THE SPIRITS OF RHYTHM: Dr. Watson and
Mr. Holmes/ THE STATE STREET RAMBLERS: Brown Skin Mama/ Endurance Stomp/
Some Day You'll Know/ St. Louis Nightmare/ Tell Me Cutie/ THE STATE STREET
BOYS: The Dozen/ THE STATE STREET RAMBLERS: Tuxedo Stomp/ TAMPA RED'S HOKUM
JUG BAND: Come On Mama Do That Dance/ I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone/
EVA TAYLOR AND HER BOY FRIENDS: The Stuff Is Here and It's Mellow/
TAYLOR-GRIGGS LOUISIANA MELODY MAKERS: Where the Sweet Magnolias Bloom/ JACK
TEAGARDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Chances Are/ THELMA TERRY AND HER PLAYBOYS:
Mama's Gone, Goodbye/ Voice of the Southland/ JOE TURNER AND HIS MEMPHIS
MEN: Freeze and Melt/ WASHBOARD SAM: Don't ‘low/ DICKY WELLS' SHIM SHAMMERS:
Baby Are You Satisfied/ BOB WILLS AND HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS: Liza, Pull Down
the Shades/ White Heat
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dust-To-Digital 05 |
Desperate Man Blues Soundtrack |
● CD $15.98 |
19 tracks, recommended
If you don't have a DVD player or
only want the music from the Joe Bussard documentary then this CD should fit
the bill nicely with 18 tracks of vintage blues, country and jazz plus a the
soundtrack of the Son House film clip of Death Letter Blues. Most of
these tracks are available elsewhere but the music is consistently superb
and sound is superb. Includes Jimmy Murphy, Joe Hill Louis, Uncle dave
Macon, Charley Patton, Lan hardin, Gitfiddle Jim, Clarence Ashley, The
Stripling Brothers, Billy Banks & His Orchestra, Long Cleve Reed & Papa
Harvey Hull and more. Includes booklet with commentary on the performances
by Joe. (FS)
CLARENCE ASHLEY: The Coo-Coo Bird/ BILLY BANKS AND HIS
ORCHESTRA: Bugle Call Rag/ THE CARTER FAMILY: John Hardy Was a Desperate
Little Man/ GITFIDDLE JIM: Paddlin' Madeline Blues/ LANE HARDIN: Hard Times
Blues/ SON HOUSE: Death Letter Blues/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Dark Was The
Night, Cold Was the Ground/ LONNIE JOHNSON: Death Valley Is Just Half Way to
My Home/ ROBERT JOHNSON: Cross Roads Blues/ JOE HILL LOUIS: When I'm Gone/
UNCLE DAVE MACON: Whoop 'Em Up, Cindy/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL: Statesboro
Blues/ FLOYD MING AND HIS PEP STEPPERS: Indian War Whoop/ JIMMY MURPHY: We
Live A Long Time to Get Old/ CHARLEY PATTON: It Won't Be Long/ LONG CLEVE
REED AND HARVEY HULL: Original Stack O' Lee Blues/ UNCLE BUNT STEPHENS: Sail
Away Lady/ THE STRIPLING BROTHERS: The Lost Child/ THE TENNESSEE
MESSAROUNDERS: Mandolin Blues
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Fat Possum 1051 |
Rosa Lee Hill And Friends |
● CD $9.98 |
14 tracks, 39 mins, highly recommended
Some more wonderful
field recordings from George Mitchell - this one featuring female country
blues singers recorded in Mississippi and Georgia. Highlight are five superb
tracks from Mississippi Delta blues singer Rosa Lee Hill, the daughter of
Sid Hemphill, with great vocals and lovely guitar work. Apart from Roll
And Tumble, most of her songs seem to be originals. What a shame she
wasn't recorded in greater depth. She is also featured in an acapella duet
with Jessie Mae Hemphill who also has a solo acapella gospel song on her
own. It also includes the first recordings of the fine Precious Bryant plus
sides by Lottie Kate with guitarist Jim Bunkley, Essie Mae Brooks and
catherine Porter who is accompanied by Will Shade. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Fat Possum 1053 |
The George Mitchell Collection - Lower
Chattahoochie Va |
● CD $9.98 |
15 tracks, 42 mins, highly recommended
The Lower
Chattahoochie Valley consists of 21 counties in Georgia and Alabama
bordering on the Chattahoochie River. Although the area has a rich blues
tradition there are few early recordings of blues artists from this area and
only received significant attention when george Mitchell started doing field
recordings there in the late 60s. These 15 fine recordings were mostly
recorded in the early 80s and include the excellent blues vocal and guitar
duo Albert Macon & Robert Thomas, harmonica player William Grant, singer/
guitarists Jimmy Lee Harrius, Lonzie Thomas, Precious Bryant, the remarkable
Cecil Barfield and slide player Eddie B. Hodge. There is also unaccompanied
singer Cliff Davis and hambone performer Ray favors. A splendid collection.
(FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Fat Possum 1080 |
The George Mitchell Collection - Georgia
Blues Today |
● CD $9.98 |
13 tracks, 44 mins, highly recommended
Previously issued as
an LP on Flyright this features field recordings made in Georgi between 1976
and 1979. There are four tracks by the superb and idiosyncratic Cecil
Barfield which were issued under the name of William Robertson - these are
duplicated on Fat Possum 1039 but the remaining tracks are well worth it.
There are four tracks by the superb John Lee Ziegler whose sides are
predominantly instrumental with brief vocal passages. Three of the tracks
feature some lovely slide work and most feature Rufus Jones on spoons. James
Davis is another mostly instrumental artists who plays electric guitar in a
style influenced by John Lee Hooker and is accompanied by two drummers. The
album is rounded out by the excellent Jimmy Lee Williams with two fine sides
including the splendid Hoot Your Belly And Give Your Backbone Ease -
a song that was not uncommon in the region it was recorded. Beautiful music
from beginning to end with brief but informative notes by Mitchell. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Global Village 1001 |
Virginia Traditions - Non Blues Secular
Black Music |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks, 49 mins, highly recommended
Available again.
Straight CD reissue of BRI 001 featuring field recordings of
African-American rural music that doesn't have a blues structure and
includes ballads, dance tunes, lyric song and a march. Most of the
recordings were made in the 70s along with a few made for the Library Of
Congress including two by the superb singer and banjo player Jimmie
Strothers. There are a number of other banjo players here including Irvin
Cook, "Uncle" Homer Walker (a great version of Cripple Creek), "Big
Sweet" Lewis Hairston, John Lawson and John Calloway (a fascinating version
of The Cuckoo Bird which blends into Molly & Timbrook). There
are a couple of accordion players including Isaac "Uncle Boo" Curry who does
a remarkable version of Casey Bill. There are several fine guitar
players including Marvin Foddrell, John Cephas (a superb version of John
henry), Clayton Horseley, Turner Foddrell and John Jackson with a medley of
country dance tunes. Sanford Collins performs a buckdance tune on the
harmonica and the set is rounded out by a rare example of a protest song
performed acapella in 1935 by Lemuel Jones. Superb and fascinating music and
booklet with microscopic notes. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Global Village 1003 |
Virginia Traditions - Western Piedmont Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 48 mins, very highly recommended
Available again.
Straight reissue of Blue Ridge Institute LP BRI 003 featuring some truly
lovely country blues from Virginia in the flowing Piedmont tradition. There
are two tracks from 1929 by the wonderful pre-war bluesman Luke Jordan.
There are two tracks from somewhat noisy 1953 radio station acetates by the
excellent James Lowry. The rest is all from the mid 70s and includes sides
by Clayton Horsley, John Tinsley, Marvin Foddrell, Richard Wright, Turner
Foddrell and the wonderful and the wonderful Rabbit Muse. Muse played blues
ukulele and if you think the uke is just for strumming wait 'til you hear
his lovely picking on the gorgeous Jailhouse Blues. He adds a kazoo
into the mix for the fine hokum number Rabbit Stomp. The CD ends with
a really lovely guitar duet by Herbert & William Richardson. Includes
booklet with microscopic notes. (FS)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ozit 313 |
Black Diamond Express To Hell |
● CD $25.98 |
29 tracks, 79 min., highly recommended
Hats off to Orzit
Records for issuing a various artists CD with such a diverse group of
artists--blues, jazz, comedy, country, rockabilly, gospel, the kitchen
sink--from the 1920s to the 1960s. The train theme keeps the eclecticism
from spinning out of control and provides a nifty excuse for the CD to
exist, but record companies probably care more about such unifying themes
than does the public, who'd just like some cool music. Performers include
massively talented Norfolk Jubilee Quartet (When The Train Comes Along),
Bobby Crown (One Way Ticket, 1956 rockabilly), Washboard Sam (Flying
Crow, Duke Ellington (Daybreak Express), Sonny Thompson (Late
Freight), among others. Even seemingly odd choices such as Al White's
version of the Chuck Berry classic Johnny B. Goode, a song only
tangentially about trains, at best, are interesting. Pullman Porter
by Cousin Joe Pleasant, and Orange Blossom Special by Drifting
Cowboys appear in previously unreleased forms. The booklet notes, though far
from user friendly, owing in part to cluttered graphic design, are
nonetheless a welcome source of information, even if that information is
often a pain to find. Sound quality if surprisingly good. (JC)
|
| EDDIE
"CLEANHEAD" VINSON |
Acrobat ACRCD 128 |
Cleanhead Blues |
● CD $9.98 |
24 tracks, 69 min., highly recommended
Alto sax man and
blues shouter, Vinson cut many a side for Mercury between 1945-47, the years
represented in this pleasing collection. (Vinson eventually left Mercury for
King, and an Ace release of those excellent sides is also available.) Backed
by a sharp orchestra, Vinson sings such favorites as Juice Head Baby,
Cherry Red Blues, Cleanhead Blues, Kidney Stew Blues,
Old Maid Boogie, and many more. Previously available in more
expensive import and domestic form, both now deleted, get this while it's
around. (JC)
|
| PHILLIP WALKER |
Delta Groove 115 |
Going Back Home |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 43 mins, highly recommended
After more than 50
years performing, Phillip Walker continues to deliver quality music with
expressive soulful vocals and superb, but never flashy guitar and this new
album is no exception. He is accompanied by solid group of West Coast
musicians including guitarist Rusty Zinn, drummer Richard Innes, pianist
Fred Kaplan, sax player David Woodford and others. The material is heavily
dominated by covers but are carefully chosen to avoid over familiarity along
with a few excellent new songs from producer Randy Chertoff. There are
several nods to the down home blues of his youth with his cover of Lightnin'
Hopkins Don't Think Cause You're Pretty, a couple of songs from his
mentor Lonesome Sundown and the acoustic flavored Sweet Home New Orleans
written by the harmonica player on this track Al Blake. Phillip's low key
approach means that he probably doesn't get the attention of some of the
more histrionic performers out there but he is assuredly one of the best.
(FS)
|
| SIPPIE WALLACE |
Collectables 7705 |
Sippie |
● CD $11.98 |
11 tracks, 33 mins, very good
Reissue of Atlantic 81592 from
1982 featuring recordings by this veteran blues singer accompanied by Jim Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band - a Dixieland oriented group. On a few cuts
Sippie is joined by Bonnie Raitt on second vocal or slide guitar. Although
Sippie is decidedly well past her prime she and her accompanying musicians
are having a good time and this spirit communicates to the listener.
Includes Women Be Wise/ Mighty Tight Woman/ You've Been A Good Old Wagon/
You Got To Know How/ Say It Isn't So, etc. (FS)
|
| MUDDY WATERS |
Music Avenue 250154 |
Hoochie Coochie Mannish Boy |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 71 min., recommended
Recorded live at the U.s of
Washington and Oregon in 1971 & at Newport Jazz Festival in NY in 1973. Yes,
Muddy Waters is one of the greatest bluesmen of all time. And as such,
everything he recorded is worth hearing, as is this collection of familiar
titles (Honey Bee, Hoochie Coochie, Mannish Boy,
Crawlin' Kingsnake, and two versions each of Long Distance Call
and I Got My Mojo Workin'). But nothing here stands out as
indispensably different. The "bonus track" (not on the 8-track tape release,
no doubt), which clocks in a 4:32, is an interview with the man himself. All
told, necessary for the super fan; the rest of his worshippers can go listen
to "At Newport" or the fine "Paris 1972". (JC)
|
| JOSH WHITE/ BIG
BILL BROONZY |
Empire Musikwerks 450 853-2 |
Josh White Comes A-Visitin', Big Bill
Broonzy Comes A-S |
● CD $12.98 |
16 tracks, 57 mins, recommended
Two 10" LPs originally
issued on the Period label in 1956 on one CD. The 8 Josh White tracks were
recorded in 1956 with a small combo with piano or organ, bass, drums and
vocal chorus. Apart from Evil Hearted Me there's not much blues here
but the performances are really quite entertaining. Other songs include
Bonbons, Chocolate And Chewing Gum/ She's Too Much For Me/ Come Along
Charlie, etc. The Big Bill sides are from a substantial number of sides
Bill made in France in 1951 and feature fine singing and guitar playing on
mostly familiar Broonzy songs Hey Bud Blues/ Letter To My Baby/ Make My
Getaway/ Lowland Blues, etc. Excellent sound and booklet with brief
introductory new notes and reprint of original LP notes. (FS)
|
| BIG JOE WILLIAMS |
Fat Possum 1043 |
The George Mitchell Collection |
● CD $9.98 |
10 tracks, 26 mins, recommended
The always fine Big Joe
Williams is fine on this live set recorded at the Fickle Pickle in Chicago
in 1963. Mostly familiar songs along with songs that are comprised of Big
Joe's vast repertoire of floating verses. Includes Shake Your Boogie
(mistitled here as Shake Your Williamns!)/ Sugar Mama/ Limousine
Blues/ Who's Been Foolin' You/ Sink Or Swim and more. Music is fine,
sound quality a little thin. (FS)
|
| TEDDY WILLIAMS |
Fat Possum 1054 |
The George Mitchell Collection |
● CD $9.98 |
10 tracks, 26 mins, highly recommended
Another superb
country bluesman from the George Mitchell field recordings this time
featuring 64 year old singer/ guitarist Teddy Williams recorded in Canton,
Mississippi in the Mississippi Delta in 1967. A couple of these tracks
appeared on Arhoolie many years ago but it's a real delight to hear him at
greater length. He was a fine expressive singer and a powerful, rhythmic and
fluid guitarist. His material is based around traditional themes including
versions of Catfish Blues and Black Mattie as well as more
individualistic titles. He also does a version of Hard Time Blues - a
song mostly associated with bluesmen from Bentonia like Skip James.
Williams' lyrics are different but it's the same basic song - intriguing. A
very worthwhile release. (FS)
|
| SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON |
Spectrum 544 277-2 |
The Best Of Sonny Boy Williamson |
● CD $9.98 |
20 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
Inexpensive
introduction to the music of one of the greatest Chicago bluesmen Aleck
"Rice" Miller aka Sonny Boy Williamson. Williamson was truly brilliant
harmonica player with a style very different from his contemporaries and a
dazzling technique where he would switch between vocals and harmonica riffs
without a pause! He was a powerful vocalist and a brilliant songwriter whose
themes range somewhat father afield than most blues artists, often drawing
on some totally unique and witty imagery. On the majority of his sessions he
was accomanied by a quintet of brilliant musicians - Robert Jr Lockwood and
Luther Tucker/ guitars, Otis Spann/ piano, Willie Dixon/ bass and Fred
Below/ drums - musicians who perfectly complement and follow his vocals and
harmonica. This set includes help Me/ Don't Start Me Talking/ Ninety
Nine/ Nine Below Zero/ Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide/ Decoration Day/
keep It To Yourself/ Too Young To Die/ The Goat/ fattening Frogs For Snakes
and more classics. If you are not familiar with the music of Sonny Boy you
should be and this is a good place to start. (FS)
|
| JIMMY WITHERSPOON |
JSP JSPCD 7778 |
Urban Blues Legend |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CD box set with 108 tracks recorded between 1945 and
1953 by this great blues shouter featuring all his studio recordings from
this period. A varied collection of storming jump tunes, funky blues and
soulful blues ballads with Jimmy's voice an instrument of sheer joy ranging
from a roar to a seductive but bluesy croon. His voice is beautifully
complemented by some of the finest West Coast musicians in the biznes like
Jay McShann (who gave him his first job) , Louis Speigner (a brilliant, if
little known, guitarist), Al "cake" Wichard, Bill Doggett, Buddy Tate, Tiny
Webb, Jack McVea, Jesse Sailes, Roy Milton, Camille Howard, Ben Webster,
Jackie kelso, Maxwell Davis, Chuck Norris and many more.
JIMMY WITHERSPOON: 24 Sad Hours/ Ain’t Nobody’s Buess/
Ain’t Nobody’s Business Pt 1/ Ain’t Nobody’s Business Pt 2/ Baby Baby/ Back
Door Blues/ Back Home/ Back Water Blues/ Better Love Next Time Pt 1/ Better
Love Next Time Pt 2/ Big Eyes Blues/ Big Fine Girl/ Big Heart/ Blues In
Trouble/ Cain River Blues/ Call My Baby/ Cold Blooded Boogie/ Confessing The
Blues/ Corn Whiskey/ Destruction Blues/ Doctor Blues/ Don’t Ever Move A Man
Into Your House/ Don’t Tell Me Now/ Drinkin’ Beer (Hav Ball)/ Drunk Broke
And Hungry/ Ernestine/ Failing By degrees/ Fast Woman, Slow/ Feelin’ So Sad/
Foolish Prayer/ Frogimore Blues/ Frogimore Blues Alt Take/ Funny Style Baby/
Geneva Blues/ Give My Heart Anotherr Break/ Gone With The Blues/ Hard
Workin’ Blues/ Hard-Working Man’s Blues/ Have You Ever Loved A Woman/ Hey Mr
Landlord/ Hey Mr Landlord Alt Take/ Highway To Happin/ How I Hate To See
Xmas Come Around/ How Long/ How You Gonna Act/ I Done Told You/ I Gotta Gal
Lives On The Hill/ I Love You Just The Same/ I Want A Little Girl/ In The
Evening Alt Take/ In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down/ It/ I’m Goin’
Around Circles/ I’m Just A Ladies Man/ I’m Just Wonderin, Part 1/ I’m Just
Wonderin, Part 2/ I’m Not Too Young/ Jay’s Blues Part 1/ Jay’s Blues Part 2/
Jump Children/ Just A Country Boy/ Just For You/ Long About Dawn/ Love And
Friendsh/ Love My Baby/ Lucille/ Lush Head Woman/ Miss Clawdy B/ Miss, Miss
Mistrer/ Money Eyes Woman/ Money’s Getting Cheaper/ Move Me Baby/ New
Orleans Woman/ No Rollin’ Blues/ Oh Boy/ Once There Lived A Fool/ One Fine
Gal/ Pinocchio Blues/ Practice What You Preach/ Rain, Rain, Rain/ Real Ugly
Woman/ Roll On, Katy/ Sad Life/ Same Old Blues/ Shipyard Woman Blues/
Six-Foot-Two Blues/ Skid Row Blues/ Slow Your Speed/ Spoon Calls Hootie/
Sweet Lovin’ Baby/ The Day Is Dawning/ The Last Mile/ The New Look/ The Wind
Is Blowin’/ Thelma Lee Blues/ There Ain’t NothiBetter/ Third Floor Blues/
Times Gettin’ Tougher Than Tough Alt Take/ Two Little Girls/ Voodoo Woman
Blues/ Wandering Gal Blues/ Wee Baby Blues/ When I Had My Money/ Who’s Been
Jivin’/ Would My Baby Make A Change/ You Can’t Kiss A Dream Goodnight/ Your
Red Wagon/ ke Me Back Baby
|
| MARVA WRIGHT |
Shout 31 |
Do Right Woman - The Soul Of New Orleans |
● CD $15.98 |
13 tracks, 59 min., recommended
The record label does all it
can to focus attention (why?) on the soul side of this reissue (originally
released in 1993 on Sky Ranch), including changing the track order, but
still Wright comes off as a blues belter who can squeeze out a
more-than-respectable performance on a soul ballad. And that's no slight,
just description. So while Born With The Blues and Tommy Ridgley's
Three Times seem closer to magnetic north on Wright's stylistic compass
than It's Gonna Be All Right, it's all headed in the direction of
good. Unsurprisingly, her version of Hound Dog owes more to Big Mama
Thornton than it does to the big E. The backing musicians include such top
flighters as Sonny Landreth (slide guitar), Walter "Wolfman" Washington
(drums), Tracy Griffin (trumpet), Davell Crawford (piano), Marc Adams
(piano), and others. (JC)
|
Back To New Release Index
Back
To Home Page |
