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NEWSLETTER #144
Second Time Around
 The Beaumarks -> Young Tradition
 

  

 

DVD
 

CLIFTON CHENIER Arhoolie DVD 401 The King Of Zydeco ● DVD $19.98
DVD, color, 13 tracks, 55 mins, essential
Wonderful collection of live performances from the once and always King Of Zydeco. Half the tracks were filmed at the 1982 San Francisco Blues Festival featuring Clifton with a fine band including brother Cleveland on washboard, son C.J. on tenor sax, guitarist Sherman Robertson and others. There are several performances from the 1977 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with his best ever band with Cleveland, tenor sax player John Hart, keyboardist Buckwheat, guitarist Paul Senegal and more. There are several tracks from Louisiana television including one show with the band all wearing crowns! Interspersed with the music are interview segments with Clifton talking about his music. The music is consistently superb and gives a taste of just how much excitement Clifton could generate in a live performance. Not to be missed. (FS)
LAWRENCE "BLACK" ARDOIN: Cofair/ CLIFTON CHENIER: Black Gal./ Caledonia/ Calinda/ Cher Catin (dean Girl)/ Clifton's Zydeco/ I'm A Hog For You/ I'm The Zydeco Man/ It's Christmas Time/ J'aime Pain De Mais (i Love Cornbread)/ Let The Good Times Roll/ Louisiana Two Step/ Party Down/ Tu Le Ton Son Ton (every Now And Then)/ DEWEY CORLEY: Fishing In The Dark/ Tri-state Bus (*)/ PECK CURTIS: The Death Of Sonny Boy Williamson/ DO-BOY DIAMOND: Going Away Blues/ Hard Time Blues (*)/ Long Haired Doney/ The Shaggy Hound (*)/ ROBERT DIGGS: Dangerous Slim (*)/ Drink, Drink, Drink/ Mississippi Goin' To Be My Home (*)/ ROSA LEE HILL: Pork & Beans/ WALTER MILLER: Stuttgart, Arkansas/ Vicksburg Blues (*)/ ROBERT NIGHTHAWK: Blues Before Midnight (*)/ Clifton Chenier[tab]i'm On A Wonder/ Nighthawk Boogie (*)/ Preston Frank's Swallow Band[tab]'tant Ne-ne/ You Call Yourself A Cadillac (*) (carey Robert/ NAPOLEON STRICKLAND & THE COMO DRUM BAND: Como Breakdown (*)/ Oh Baby/ TOM TURNER: Gonna Bring Her Right Back Home/ TEDDY WILLIAMS: Catfish Blues (*)/ Down Home Blues/ JOHNNY WOODS & FRED MCDOWELL: My Jack Don't Need No Water (*)/ Three O'clock In The Morning

 
EDDIE COCHRAN Bear Family DVD 20002 At Town Hall Party ● DVD $31.98
Black & white, 8 songs, 30 mins, highly recommended
Thanks to companies like Bear Family we are now able to hear some more great and long forgotton moments in rock 'n roll history. This set features rock 'n' roll pioneer Eddie Cochran live on the legendary Southern California based TV show "Town Hall Party" in February 1959. Best known as an outlet for country performers the show, on the air from 1953 and 1960, also featured many great rock 'n' roll and rockabilly performers. Fortunately kinescopes of a number of the original shows are preserved at the Country Music Foundation which is the source of these priceless recording. Eddie is accompanied by the excellent Dick D'Agostin & The Swingers. He does eight songs including his most recent hit C'Mon Everybody (twice!), Summertime Blues and several covers including great versions of Fats Domino's Don't Blame It On Me and Chuck Berry's School Days both of which he had not recorded elsewhere. Lots of great singing and guitar playing from Eddie. There is also and interesting interview of Eddie by Johnny Bond which is several cuts above most interviews of rock 'n roll performers. (FS)
EDDIE COCHRAN: Be Honest With Me/ C'mon Everybody (1)/ C'mon Everybody (2)/ Don't Blame It On Me/ Have I Told You Lately That I Love You/ Money Honey/ Night Walk (instrumental By The Band)/ School Days/ Summertime Blues

 
SAM COOKE Abkco DVD 1004 Legend ● DVD $24.98
70 mins + 120 mins bonus, color & black & white, highly recommended
Excellent biography of one of the great vocalists of the 50s and 60s. Narrated by actor Jeffrey Wright it traces the history of this brilliantly talented performers from his early years as a fledgling gospel singer, his tenure as a lead singer for one of the greatest of all gospel groups The Soul Stirrers and his move into secular music, first for small labels and then to RCA, his work as a songwriter and producer and his tragic and untimely death. It features some great vintage footage of Sam performing on various TV shows along with interviews with his brothers and sister and friends and musical associates like Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Lloyd Price, The Magnificent Montague and others. As bonus the DVD includes an additional two hours of interviews which help fill out the story. The documentary was written by Sam Cooke biographer Peter Guralnick. (FS)

 
TOM DOWD Palm Pictures 3077 Tom Dowd And The Language Of Music ● DVD $24.98
90 mins, color, highly recommended
Tom Dowd lived an extraordinary life, spending his teenage years as a chemistry whiz who became a part of the Manhattan Project at age 16, then turning to record engineering when national security prevented him from using what he'd learned after the war. Nuclear warfare's loss is always humanity's gain, but nevermoreso than with him. Dowd engineered scores of important records, most of them for Atlantic Records, pioneered everything from stereo to eight track and worked with Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Aretha Franklin, the Rascals, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. The scene here of his reunion with Ray Charles is extraordinarily powerful, but so's the one where he remixes Layla, and the sequences where he works with an unknown new band spell out his total commitment to mastering the language of music. You could call this film hagiographic I guess, but all I know is that, over the better part of four decades, I've never met anyone who disliked Tom Dowd or who didn't marvel at his utter enthusiasm for music and musicians. Capturing that spirit and energy is the film's real subject. (DM)

 
MEMPHIS SLIM & SONNY BOY WILLI Hip-O DVD 03135 AMSON: Live In Europe ● DVD $18.98
Black & White, 60 minutes, essential
As with their previous DVD releases, Experience Hendrix and Hip-O have again maintained their high standards. Ten of these performances were done in Brussels in 1963 for a television show with a backdrop 'staged' to resemble a nightclub. Memphis Slim is backed by Matt Murphy's riveting guitar and the rock steady drumming of Bill Stepney and is superb doing The Blues Is Everywhere/ All By Myself and Wish Me Well, among others. From the same taping, Sonny Boy Williamson offers I'm A Lonely Man/ Keep It To Yourself/ Your Funeral And My Trial, and a gripping solo rendition of Bye Bye Bird. Slim also contributes Rockin' The House and I'll Just Keep Singing The Blues from 1962 and '63 from AFBF performances (although not issued previously). Sonny Boy also hands in Who's Gonna Take Care Of You/ It's Raining Outdoors, and JFK Blues (from a Swedish short film), and while he is remarkable, he was saddled with two less than capable sidemen. Bonus footage includes Mae Mercer's Careless Love plus Otis Spann from Newport in 1960 doing Boogie Woogie Blues/ Slow Sweet Blues, and St. Louis Blues - supported by James Cotton, Pat Hare, Andrew Stephenson, and Francis Clay. While the quality of Spann's footage is less than pristine, the piano genius is in brilliant form. Essential viewing for all blues aficionados. (CR)

 
VARIOUS Shout Factory DVD 30179 Deep Blues ● DVD $14.98
DVD, approximately 90 minutes, highly recommended
Amazingly, a dozen years have passed since this originally appeared on video, and in that time we have witnessed the passing of many who took part in the film; Booker T. Laury, Wade Walton, Frank Frost, Lonnie Pitchford, Booba Barnes and others, including host, respected musicologist, and guide Robert Palmer. Executive producer Dave Stewart (better recognized as guitarist and counterpart to Annie Lennox in the Eurythmics) joined Palmer for a compelling look at part of Mississippi's blues scene by visiting performers R.L. Burnside, Jack Owens, Bud Spires, Junior Kimbrough, and more. Kimbrough delivers a tough and trance-like All Night Long at his own juke joint, R.L. Burnside at home doing Long Haired Doney and Jumper On The Line, and Big Jack Johnson rolling through Catfish Blues and the overly long Daddy When Is Momma Coming Home. Palmer also visited Beale Street in Memphis, Lonnie Pitchford playing diddley bow and slide guitar, and Jessie Mae Hemphill. Bonus footage not in the original version consists of another performance by Lonnie Pitchford as well an interview, R.L. Burnside and Dave Stewart in a juke joint jam session, and additional coverage of Memphis pianist Laury. There is also some bonus audio of the Jelly Roll Kings, Barnes, Kimbrough, Burnside, and Pitchford. When originally issued, it stood as remarkable film by director Robert Mugge documenting a living, breathing tradition of blues. Today, it stands as a time capsule and stark reminder of just how mortal and fleeting that tradition has become. (CR)

 
VARIOUS Vestapol DVD 13049 Devil Got My Woman - Blues At Newport ● DVD $23.98
14 songs, 60 mins, essential
Now on DVD. God almighty - talk about a supersession! At the 1966 Newport Folk Festival Alan Lomax recreated a Southern juke joint at the rooming house where several of the musicians were staying and invited some of the bluesmen who were at that years festival perform. The result is a series of loose, informal performances that what they occasionally lack in technical prowess is more than compensated by the atmosphere. We get to see some of the only footage available of the unique Skip James performing three songs including his most famous Devil Got My Woman. Bukka White shows that country blues was not just for listening and a number of people get up and dance to his irresistible rhythms including a tipsy Son House who later on goads Howling Wolf while he is getting ready to perform his three songs with his band. Son's own performance is a typically ferocious and moving Forever On My Mind and the video includes three fine performances by the less well known but excellent spiritual singer Rev. Pearly Brown. The camera roves around among the performers and their friends and capture the spirit of the occasion as a rare piece of "cinema verite" and the closest most of will ever come to the juke joint experience. Buy two copies - one for yourself and one as a present to someone who loves the blues - they'll thank you for it. Truly priceless! (FS)

 
GENE VINCENT Bear Family DVD 20003 At Town Hall Party ● DVD $31.98
14 tracks, black & white, highly recommended
Gene is featured on three shows - from October, 1958 with The Bluecaps and from July and November, 1959 with Town Hall Party musicians. The first show includes the expected Be-Bop-A-Lula plus High Blood Pressure/ Dance To The Bop and others including two not recorded elsewhere - Hank Williams' You Win Again and Jerry Butler & The Impressions' For Your Precious Love and Gene does a splendid job on them reminding us what a superb and versatile singer he was. The Bluecaps are also in great form with some hot guitar from Johnny Meeks. The Town Hall musicians do a decent job accompanying Gene on Rocky Road Blues/ Be-Bop-A-Lula/ Over The Rainbow/ She She Little Sheila and others. (FS)
GENE VINCENT: Be-bop-a-lula (1)/ Be-bop-a-lula (2)/ Dance To The Bop/ For Your Precious Love/ High Blood Pressure/ High School Confidential/ Over The Rainbow (1)/ Over The Rainbow (2)/ Pretty Pearly/ Rip It Up/ Rocky Road Blues/ Roll Over Beethoven/ She She Little Sheila/ You Win Again

 

COMPACT DISCS
 
THE BEAU-MARKS Unidisc 2023 The Best Of The Beau-Marks ● CD $13.98
The Beau-Marks were a popular 4 piece group out of Montreal, Canada in the early 60's best known for their hit Clap Your Hands which is featured here with rather muddy sound. This CD collects 18 of their ballads and rockers. Singer and piano player Joey Frechette has a pleasant pop voice but doesn't add too much excitement to the uptempo numbers. No worry though, because lead guitarist Ray Hutchinson and crew carry the load on rockers like Little Miss Twist/ Rock And Roll Has Got A Beat/ Rockin' Blues/ 'Cause We're In Love and others. (AE/FS)

 
JOHNNY & DORSEY BURNETTE Hydra 27110 Rock & Roll Tonight ● CD $21.98
Amazing collection of rare and unissued sides from these talented brothers covering the period from 1956 up to shortly before Johnny's death in 1964. Nearly all the tracks feature the two of them - some with Johnny on lead vocals, some with Dorsey on lead. Included are the Rock & Roll Trio's live performance on the Alan Freed Show in 1956, their obscure Abbot sides from 1957 (a mix of rock 'n roll, pop & country), a fine previously unissued demo recorded for Sun in 1957 by The Rock & Roll Trio, their single issued on Hanover in 1957 as The Kids From Texas, Dorsey's hot Cee-Jam single from 1957, their 1959 instrumental session for Infinity issued as by The Texans, a previously unissued demo session recorded in Los Angeles in 1959, a limited edition acetate issued as a promotion for a friends party, a 1961 instrumental single for Gothic, a previously unissued live version of Bony Moronie performed in England by Johnny and later singles issued on Reprise, Sahara & Magic Lamp. Set comes with 32 page booklet with extensive notes, photos and other memorabilia and full discographical info.

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

 
LEROY CARR Columbia 86989 Whiskey Is My Habit, Good Women Is All Crave ● CD $24.98
Two CDS, 40 tracks, highly recommended
Between 1928 and his untimely death in 1935 singer/piano player Leroy Carr and his guitar playing partner Scrapper Blackwell produced some of the finest and most influential blues recordings of the era. Carr's beautiful melancholic vocals and low key, but very effective piano work was perfectly complemented by Blackwell's wonderful acerbic guitar style. This collection features some of his most memorable and most covered songs as well as lesser known titles including novelty songs and even the odd pop ballad. Among the titles here are How Long, How Long Blues/ Prison Bound Blues/ Sloppy Drunk Blues/ Midnight Hour Blues/ Mean Mistreater Mama/ Hurry Down Sunshine/Blues Before Sunrise/ Motherless Child/ Barrelhouse Woman/ I Believe I'll Make A Change/ Bobo Stomp/ Hard Hearted Papa/ Evil Hearted Woman/ Hustler's Blues/ You Got Me Grieving/ Suicide Blues and many others. Sound quality is superb, frequently using original metal parts and set comes with 12 page illustrated booklet with discographical information and brief notes by Tom Piazza. But why only 40 tracks? They could easily have given us 10 more - Carr deserves no less! (FS)
LEROY CARR: Barrelhouse Woman/ Big Four Blues/ Black Wagon Blues/ Blues Before Sunrise/ Bobo Stomp/ Bread Baker/ Church House Blues/ Corn Licker Blues/ Don't Start No Stuff/ Eleven Twenty-nine Blues/ Evil Hearted Woman/ Gambler's Blues/ Good Woman Blues/ Hard Hearted Papa/ How Long-how Long Blues/ Hurry Down Sunshine/ Hustler's Blues/ I Ain't Got No Money Now/ I Believe I'll Make A Change/ It's Too Short/ Mean Mistreater Mama/ Midnight Hour Blues/ Motherless Child/ Muddy Water/ My Good For Nothin' Gal/ My Woman's Gone Wrong/ Papa's On The House Top/ Prison Bound Blues/ Shady Lane Blues/ Shinin' Pistol/ Six Cold Feet In The Ground/ Sloppy Drunk Blues/ Southbound Blues/ Straight Alky Blues, Pt. 1/ Straight Alky Blues, Pt. 2/ Suicide Blues/ Take A Walk Around The Corner/ Tight Times Blues/ You Got Me Grieving/ You Left Me Crying

 
THE CATS & THE FIDDLE Dee-Jay Jamboree 55101 Killin' Jive - Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 ● CD $18.98
First of two volumes presenting the complete recordings of this fine and important group who specialised in the jive vocal style with the occasional close harmony ballad and featured the distinctive instrumental sound of tenor guitar, two tipples and string bass. This volume, covering 1939 and '40 has 26 songs and includes their most famous one I Miss You So which has been covered by dozens of groups and solo vocalists as well as Gang Busters/ Nuts To You? Mister Rhythm Man/ That's On Jack, That's On/ Left With The Thought Of You/ Swing The Scales/ That's All I Mean To You/ Till The Day I Die/ Killer Diller Man From The South.

 
RAY CHARLES Atlantic (Germany) 73524 The Genius Sings The Blues ● CD $11.98
12 tracks, 34 mins, essential
Straight reissue of Atlantic 8052 from 1961 in a handsome digipack format including insert with original liner notes. Only a few of the tracks are straight 12 bar blues but it's all full of blues spirit and suffused with Ray's incredible gospel soul. Every track is a gem including the fantastic The Right Time with great complementary vocal work from the Raelettes, his wonderful hard driving treatment of Hank Snow's country classic I'm Moving On, the incredibly intense I Believe To My Soul, a beautiful solo vocal & piano treatment of Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues (renamed Some Day Baby with Ray listed as composer) but it's all wonderful. Magnificent from start to finish. (FS)

 
RAY CHARLES Atlantic (Germany) 73525 Hallelujah I Love Her So ● CD $11.98
14 tracks, 43 mins, essential
Another straight reissue of one of Ray's classic Atlantic albums - this time Atlantic 8006 from 1962. Fourteen tracks - every one of them a gem mostly drawn from his earlier Atlantic sessions (1953 - 1955) and including a number of his early hits including #1s I've Got A Woman and Drown In My Own Tears. Four tracks are from a May 1953 session with a great band of studio musicians featuring Sam Taylor on tenor and Mickey Baker on guitar which include two of my all time favorites - a great version of Lowell Fulson's Sinner's Paryer and the slow blues Losing Hand with truly sublime guitar by Baker. The other sessions are with Ray's own larger Orchestra. If you don't already ahve these tracks they are a must have. (FS)

 
SYLVESTER COTTON/ ANDREW DUNHAM Ace CDCHD 869 Detroit Downhome Recordings, 1948-1949 ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Terrific collection of down home blues recorded in Detroit in 1948 and 1949 for entrepreneur Bernie Bessman who was responsible for recording John Lee Hooker's first hits. Most of these tracks were not originally issued on 78 rpm - some were subsequently issued on LPs on Kent and Krazy Kat and a number are making their first appearance ever. Both artists are biographical mysteries. Cotton was a fine singer, a limited but effective guitarist playing a steel bodied guitar and a truly brilliant lyricist. Cotton's songs were probably improvised on the spot and seem to deal with his own personal experiences culminating in the brilliant I Tried where he talks about his feelings about making a recording. Other remarkable songs include Three Cent Stamp Blues/ Ugly Woman Blues/ Big Chested Mama Blues/ Sak-Relation Blues/ Waitin' Blues and more. The five tracks by Dunham are also pretty remarkable - he was a fine singer and played some very anarchic and almost dissonant sounding guitar - his bizarre one chord reworking of Kansas City Blues called She Don't Walk could almost considered to be "punk blues". More of Dunham's work will be appearing on a future Ace release - something well worth waiting for! Sound qualiy is excellent and booklet has informative notes by Chris Smith. (FS)

 
DION Collectables 2797 New Masters ● CD $14.98
18 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended
Terrific 2003 album from from one of New York's finest singers finds him to still be in great voice - he sings with as much energy and soul as he did almost 50 years ago. He is accompanied by solid band which strikes a perfect balance between the simplicity of the past yet sounding up to date. The opening track is a new original from Dion Behind Susan's Eyes, dedicated to his wife, and is possibly the highlight here with fine lyrics and a catchy melody line that brings to mind his earlier recordings. The next 16 tracks are either remakes of some of his early hits (Ruby Baby/ Teenager In Love/ Where Or When/ Donna The Prima Donna, etc) or covers of rock 'n' roll and R&B hits (Blue Suede Shoes/ Stand By Me/ Runaway/ Blue Monday, etc) and all sound really fine and not at all dated. The closing song Heal This Land is another new composition - this time commenting on the aftermath of Sept 11 in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. This CD is a real gem. (FS)

 
CLARENCE GARLOW La Cienega 701 Clarence Garlow ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended
A most welcome compilation featuring 24 tracks by this fine Louisiana bluesman recorded between 1949 and 1962. Clarence is best known for being the originator of the song Bon Ton Roulet which is featured here in several different variants. He was a fine vocalist with a dark expressive voice and a sensational guitarist whose playing ranged from a relaxed T-Bone Walker/ Pee Wee Crayton style to a a hard edged distorted style. Arrangements are varied ranging from a down home Excello feel with harmonica to hot little bands with horns. A Louisiana feel permeates almost everything here so it's a shame that they didn't include Clarence's zydeco single where he plays accordion! Still, there's enough good stuff out there to put another Garlow CD.It's all good with fine sound and brief discographical info but no notes. (FS)

 
THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS Acrobat ACRCD 209 Blues With A Beat ● CD $10.98
23 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended
Terrific collection of jumping R&B and blues recorded in the early 50s by this outstanding combo from the Washington D.C. area. This Buddy Johnson/ Louis Jordan inspired outfit fronted two superb vocalists, Margie Day (heard here singing her classic version of Little Red Rooster and her lowdown I'm Gonna Jump In the River) and Tommy Brown who is thought to have reinvented the crying blues on Weepin' & Cryin'. The album includes several dynamite instrumentals that'll rock your socks off! Excellent sound and informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS: Ace In The Hole/ Blues All Alone/ Blues With A Beat/ Comin'home/ Double Faced Deacon/ Griff's Boogie/ Hot Pepper/ House Near The Railroad Track/ I Wanna Go Back/ I'll Get A Deal/ I'm Gonna Jump In The River/ It'd Surprise You/ Little Red Rooster/ One Steady Baby/ Pretty Baby/ Sadie Green/ Shuffle Bug/ Stormy Night/ Stubborn As A Mule/ The Clock Song (let Your Pendulum Swing)/ The Teaser/ Tra La La/ Weepin' And Cryin'

 
LIONEL HAMPTON Acrobat 4012 Jukebox Hits, 1943-1950 ● CD $12.98
20 tracks, 65 min, essential
This survey covers tracks by the great Hamp orch that landed in the new Black charts - The Harlem Hit Parade & Hot R&B charts, along with a few that were regional hits. Starting off with what is often called the 1st Rock'n'Roll record, the '42 Decca version of Flyin' Home with Illinois Jacquet on blazing tenor, then followed by RCA Bluebird's re-release (& much more sedate) of the original '40 version with swing vet Jerry Jerome on tenor. After a one-off of Evil Gal Blues (which introduced Dinah Washington & Arnett Cobb to the world) done for Keynote during the recording ban, Hamp was solidly back on Decca with many of his hits being covers of R&B tunes including Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee/ Chicken Shack/ The Hucklebuck/ Blow Top Blues & Everybody's Somebody's Fool, with such greats as Milt Buckner, Al Grey, Gene Morris, even Albert Ammons briefly on piano, & vocals by Hamp, Betty "Bebop" Carter, Little Jimmy Scott & The Hamptones. (GM)

 
SLIM HARPO Hip-O 0583 The Excello Singles Anthology ● CD $24.98
2 discs, 44 tracks, essential
Exactly what it says - both A & B sides of Slim's 22 singles released on Excello, initially recorded at Jay Miller's legendary studio in Crowley LA & sold to Ernie Young (of the equally legendary Ernie's Record Mart) in Nashville for Excello. Later tunes were cut directly for Excello in Nashville. With a lazy backing rhythm, Slim had hits in a great swamp pop vein (I'm A King Bee/ Rainin' In My Heart) & later with spoken lyrics (the classic Baby Scratch My Back). All the singles are here, including all the attempts to cash in on "King Bee" - Buzzin'/ Buzz Me Baby and Little Queen Bee. There's also later hits - Tip On In Pts 1 & 2/ Ti-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu, & tunes that became better known when covered by rock bands( mostly British) including I Got Love If You Want It (The Kinks) and Shake Your Hips (Rolling Stones). Full recording info & detailed liner notes by John Broven. (GM)

 
ROSCOE HOLCOMB Smithsonian Folkways 40144 An Untamed Sense Of Control ● CD $15.98
26 tracks, 74 mins, essential
Roscoe Holcomb is a wonder! One of the greatest of all traditional singers his incredible high and intense voice never fails to send shivers down my spine. He was also a magnificent musician on the guitar and banjo and, as this collection shows, he was also adept on fiddle and harmonica. This second collection of his recordings (his first on Smithsonian Folkways 40104 is also essential) is mostly drawn from his three Folkways albums issued between 1961 and 1972 but also includes some unissued tracks including several from a 1973 live concert. Roscoe's repertoire embraced old time songs, traditional ballads, blues, Baptist hymns, popular songs and more - all performed with Roscoe's "untamed sense of control" as Bob Dylan so aptly put it. Songs and tunes include Swanno Mountain/ Graveyard Blues/ Born And Raised In Covington (an incredible unaccompanied vocal) Barbara Allen Blues (an harmonica instrumental)/Rock Island Prison/ Combs Hotel Burned Down/ The Hills Of Mexico/ Mississippi Heavy Water Blues/ Train That Carried My Girl From Town/ Milk Cow Blues (a blues banjo instrumental!)/ Darling Corey/Sitting On Top Of The World/ Foggy Mountain Top/ Fair Miss In The Garden and more. 24 page booklet has beautiful photos and extensive and insightful notes from Roscoe's discoverer John Cohen whose life was changed by Roscoe and his music - it might very well ahve the same effect on you. (FS)

 
HOMER & JETHRO B.A.C.M. 061 Unhappy Day ● CD $13.98
The second volume on BACM by this popular duo features 24 tracks from the late 40s and early 50s and is almost exclusively devoted to their parodies of popular and country favorites of the day along with a couple of original novelty songs. Includes Baby It's Cold Outside/ Pore Ol' Koo Liger/ Tennessee Border #2/ Unhappy Day/ You Tell her, I Stutter/ I'm Movin' On #2/ I'm Gettin' Older Every Day/ A Screwball's Love Song/ Oh Babe/ Disc Jockey's Nightmae. Some of it is clever and some just dumb but if you like this sort of thing then you might enjoy it. I find that a little goes a long way.
HOMER & JETHRO: A Screwball‘s Love Song/ Alabama Jubilee/ Baby It‘s Cold Outside/ Disc Jockey‘s Nightmare/ Does Your Spearmint Lose Its Flavour/ Gambler‘s Git Box/ I‘m Gettin‘ Older Every Day/ I‘m Moving On No. 2/ I‘m Walking Behind You-all/ Little Ole Kiss Of Fire/ Mexican Joe/ Oh Babe/ Pizen Pete/ Pore Ol‘ Koo Liger/ Put That Knife Away Nellie/ Settin‘ The Woods On Fire No. 2/ Slow Poke No. 2/ So Long It‘s Been Good To Know You No. 2/ Sound Off No. 2 (duckworth Chant)/ Tennessee Border No. 2/ Too Young/ Unhappy Day/ When It‘s Tooth Pickin‘ Time In False Teeth Valley/ You Tell Her, I Stutter

 
BILL MONROE Bear Family BCD 16399 Blue Moon Of Kentucky, 1936-1949 ● CD $189.98
6 CDs, 176 tracks, essential
Despite what compilers of nearly every post- "O Brother" reissue want you to believe, bluegrass music starts here - or at least it does on Disc Three. This long-awaited six-CD set gathers all of Bill Monroe's 1936-1949 sides, starting with the Monroe Brothers' sixty Bluebirds, continuing into his 1940-41 Bluebird sessions before moving into the groundbreaking Columbias. On the celebrated Monroe Brothers Bluebirds, Bill's vocals are high, moaning and clearly secondary to his older brother Charlie's leads. At the outset Monroe mostly plays mandolin with a rapid tremolo, but on the 1937 track Sinner You Better Get Ready elements of his trademark, bluesy style begin to emerge. Muleskinner Blues, the initial song cut at the Blue Grass Boys' first session, debuted Monroe's distinctive lead vocals and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries. The February 1945 Columbias show further development; Dave "Stringbean" Akeman plays a two-finger banjo style and most important, fiddler Chubby Wise contributes long, smooth bow strokes. Tempos are less manic, but Monroe's pulsating rhythm fuels the band - even on slow and mid-tempo songs like Rocky Road Blues, Kentucky Waltz, Goodbye Old Pal and Footprints in the Snow. This collection includes a previously unknown, uncataloged track from that session, I'll Have a New Life, plus ten alternate takes. By years' end, lead singer/guitarist Lester Flatt, then Carolina banjo stylist Earl Scruggs joined, modifying their styles to accommodate Monroe's sense of rhythm. With fiddler Wise and bassist Howard Watts playing all over their fingerboards, the 1946-48 Blue Grass Boys defined bluegrass music. It recorded 28 masters for Columbia - all appear here along with 22 alternate takes and 12 fascinating false starts, transferred from the first-generation 16" lacquers. Virtually all these songs became standards: Blue Moon of Kentucky, Why Did You Wander, Toy Heart, Summertime Is Past and Gone, Will You Be Loving Another Man, It's Mighty Dark to Travel, I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky, I Hear a Sweet Voice Calling, Little Cabin Home on the Hill, Molly and Tenbrooks, When You Are Lonely, Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong, My Rose of Old Kentucky, and more. The eight gospel "Blue Grass Quartet" sides long defined perfection; all but one also appear here in alternate versions. In 1948 the irreplaceable Flatt and Scruggs left to form their own band. As Monroe scrambled to find replacements, Columbia signed the sound-alike Stanley Brothers. Angered by his label's actions, Monroe wrapped up his Columbia obligations in October 1949, helming a truly remarkable band with Wise, Mac Wiseman and another innovative banjo picker, Rudy Lyle. The band cut two classics, Can't You Hear Me Calling and Traveling This Lonesome Road. This set includes all four masters from that session, plus eight alternate takes and two false starts. A hardcover book includes in-depth notes by Charles Wolfe, a new discography by Neil Rosenberg and extensive photos, many previously unpublished. Sure, you'll find cheaper releases of most of this material, but remember, this is music you'll treasure for the rest of your life. Sometimes it's worth springing the money for a Godiva chocolate over a Hershey bar. (DS)

 
JIMMY "T-99" NELSON Ace CDCHD 976 Cry Hard Luck - The RPM And Kent Recordings, 1951-1961 ● CD $18.98
23 tracks, 63 mins, highly recommended
Fine collection of sides recorded for RPM by Texas blues shouter Nelson, some with his regular band The Peter Rabbit Trio and others with various studio line ups. It includes his one minor hit - the classic T-99 - along with other fine tracks like Cry Hard Luck/ Meet Me With Your Black Dress On/ Raindrop Blues/ Bad Habit Blues/ Sweetest Little Girl/ Fine Little Honey Dripper , etc. A number of tracks were never issued on 78 rpm and were first issued on Ace LPs in the 1980s and a couple have never been issued before. As usual for Ace the sound quality is superb and the 12 page booklet has iinformative notes by Tony Rounce plus vintage photos and label shots. (FS)

 
THE ORIOLES Acrobat 5000 1947-1955 ● CD $13.98
2 CDs, 52 tracks, essential
As the 4 LP Murray Hill box is long out of print and you may not want to spring for the six CD Bear Family box, this is the way to go to get some great Orioles in your collection. Featuring the great lead of Sonny Til, this set has all the hit singles as well as some rare vault tracks that only came out on the above box sets. The Orioles were one of the founding fathers of doo-wop & did something rare in that genre - covered blues! Includes their versions of Baby Please Don't Go/ CC Rider & Irene Goodnight, as well as such gems as It's Too Soon To Know/ What Are You Doing New Years Eve/ Barfly & of course Crying In The Chapel. Liner notes limited to a brief bio of the band & letting you know the personnel & year each song came out. (GM)
THE ORIOLES: (it's Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas/ A Kiss And A Rose/ A Scandal/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Bad Little Girl/ Barbra Lee/ Barfly/ Blame It On Yourself/ Crying In The Chapel/ Deacon Jones/ Don't Cry Baby/ Don't Go To Strangers/ Don't Stop/ Every Dog-gone Time/ Fair Exchange/ For All We Know/ Forgive And Forget/ Getting' Tired ,tired ,tired/ Goodnight Irene/ Happy Go Lucky Local Blues/ Hold Me ! Squeeze Me!/ Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me/ How Blind Can You Be/ I Challenge Your Kiss/ I Cover The Waterfront/ I Cross My Fingers/ I May Be Wrong/ I Miss You So/ I Need You Baby/ I Need You So/ I Only Have Eyes For You/ I'd Rather Have You Under The Moon/ If It's To Be/ In The Chapel In The Moonlight/ In The Mission Of St. Augustine/ It Ain't Gonna Be Like That/ It's Too Soon To Know/ My Baby's Gonna Get It/ My Loved One/ No Other Love/ Once In Awhile/ Pretty Pretty Rain/ Secret Love/ See See Rider/ Tell Me So/ The Night Has Come/ The Robe Of Calvary/ Waiting/ Walking By The River/ What Are You Doing New Years Eve/ Why Did You Go/ Would I Love You(love You,love You)

 
DEWEY PHILLIPS Memphis Archives 7016 Red Hot & Blue - Live Radio Broadcasts From 1952-1964 ● CD $12.98
59 mins, highly recommended
Available again. Reissue of Zu Zazz 2012 with additional material. Absolutely hilarious madness from the Memphis DJ who, according to Sun's Sam Phillips "... was responsible for Elvis.". His "red Hot & Blue" show on WHBQ was the happening thing in 50s Memphis blending R&B, blues, country, gospel and pop music into a mixture seldom heard before or since. What really makes this a treat are the many, many advertisements, station IDs, plugs and general nonesense interspersed throughout the programs, all delivered in Dewey's unique downhome, breathless, manic style. he talks a mile a minute, all the while doing his homespun chracter impersonations when he's not making mincemeat out of his sponsors commercials when he tries to read a page in 2 seconds! (AE)
 
LLOYD PRICE Classics 5100 The Chronological Lloyd Price 1952-1953 ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 63 minutes, essential
Most people know Lloyd Price from his great hit singles of the late `50s and early `60s, but not as many know the wild Lloyd Price - R&B shouter extraordinaire and his amazing run of singles on Specialty in the early `50s, his pre-draft years. With the exception of Lawdy Mis Clawdy, you'll never hear any of these tracks on even the best oldies stations. Thankfully, Classics has put together 25 winners here-well, actually 24 solid winners and Barnyard Rock, his first track, which is just a bit too goofy for me. Price had the pedigree of being discovered by Dave Bartholomew with accordingly Fats Domino tinkling the ivories on 5 of the early tracks on this and Huey "Piano" Smith and other Crescent City luminaries throughout the sessions. I am proud to place my first "Essential" rating next to this gem. Liner notes and detailed recording info provided of the continued quality associated with these Classics releases. (JM)
LLOYD PRICE: Ain't It a Shame/ Baby Don't Turn Your Back on Me/ Barnyard Rock/ Carry Me Home/ Chee Koo Baby/ I'm Too Young/ If Crying Was Murder/ Jimmie Lee/ Laurelle/ Lawdy Miss Clawdy/ Lloyd's Lament (Old Echo Song)/ Lord, Lord, Amen!/ Mailman Blues/ Mailman Boogie/ Oo-Ee Baby/ Oooh-Oooh-Oooh/ Operator/ Restless Heart/ So Long/ Tell Me, Pretty Baby/ They Say/ Too Late for Tears/ Walkin' the Track/ What's the Matter Now/ Where You At

 
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS B.A.C.M. 078 Western Harmony & Hot Swing, Vol. 1 ● CD $13.98
32 tracks, highly recommended
The Sons of the Pioneers wasn't the first cowboy harmony ensemble, but was unquestionably the best. While some prefer the original group with Len Slye, many consider the 1937-1942 lineup of Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman, Hugh and Karr Farr, and Pat Brady to be the definitive Pioneers. Although it recorded for Decca in 1941-42, this group's reputation largely rests upon 200+ titles preserved on 18 NBC Orthacoustic radio transcriptions ex-member Slye produced under his new stage name, Roy Rogers. These 1940 ETs capture the diversity of the band's repertoire and abilities: buoyant contemporary cowboy songs (many penned by Nolan), minstrel-era tunes, sentimental ballads, sacred numbers, traditional fiddle tunes and hot swing instrumentals. At times their vocal arrangements are reminiscent of the Boswell Sisters. Though some Orthas later appeared on LP, relatively few titles migrated to compact disc. This collection and its companion volume feature a balanced cross-section of the Pioneers' 1940 repertoire, with 28 songs and four Farr Brothers instrumentals. The compilers wisely chose lesser-known material over the Pioneers' signature songs, which are available elsewhere. As with other B.A.C.M. issues, the sound quality varies but is generally good. Both volumes include Kevin Coffey's thumbnail sketch of this remarkable band. (DS)
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: A Cowboy's Prayer/ Blue Mountain Sweetheart/ Boggy Road To Texas (Instr.)/ Bon Ton Schottische (Instr.)/ Cielito Lindo/ Cody Of The Pony Express/ Come And Get It/ Cottage In The Clouds/ Curly Joe From Idaho/ Get Along Pinto Pony/ Great Big Taters In The Sandy Land (Instr.)/ I Belong To The Range/ Lone Buckaroo/ Moonlight On The Trail/ No Good Son Of A Gun/ On The Rhythm Range/ Ridin' On The Sunshine Trail/ Ridin' The Range With You/ Riding The Rocky Range/ Rise And Shine/ Rocky Road In The Rockies/ Sally Goodin' (Instr.)/ She's The Lily Of Hillbilly Valley/ Sunset On The Trail/ The Quilting Party/ We Sat Beneath The Maple On The Hill/ What Wonderful Joy/ What You Gonna Say To Peter/ When A Cowboy Starts To Courtin'/ When The Prairie Sun Says Good Morning/ Where The Rio Rolls Along/ Wonder Valley

 
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS B.A.C.M. 079 Western Harmony & Hot Swing, Vol. 2 ● CD $13.98
32 tracks, highly recommended
The companion volume to the above, this collection devotes nearly a third of its tracks to instrumentals spotlighting the Farr Brothers' amazing virtuosity. Though fiddler Hugh Farr has often been compared to jazz violinist Joe Venuti, he was actually a more fluid, swinging player - and could handle Texas fiddle standards as well. His younger brother Karl was a deft soloist and rhythm guitarist who switched from acoustic and electric as needed. As with the previous volume, this set contains great solos and harmony singing from Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman and the Farrs, plus comic numbers from bassist Pat Brady. (DS)
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS: Blue Eyed Little Nell of Narraganset Bay/ Blue For You/ Climbing Up The Golden Stairs/ Close To Heaven/ Comin' Through The Korn (Instr.)/ Crawdad Hole/ Don't You Wish You Had Someone (Instr.)/ Dreamy Reverie (Instr.)/ Farr Into The Night/ Frankie And Johnnie (Instr.)/ Hill Country/ Hoppin' High (Instr.)/ I Ain't A-Worryin'/ I Love The Prairie Country/ Jim Jam Jiggin' (Instr.)/ Li'l Liza Jane/ Moonlight Melody/ More Fried Chicken, Uncle Joe? (Instr.)/ Shadows Of The Wildwood/ Silver Threads Among The Gold/ Someone Like You (Instr.)/ Sweet And Low/ The Capital Ship/ The Gypsy's Warning/ They Drew My Number/ Tom And Jerry (Instr.)/ Under The Willow She's Sleeping/ When They Ring Those Golden Bells/ When We Get Old And Grey/ Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight/ Whistle And Wait For Katy/ You Don't Love Me But I'll Always Care

 
WILD JIMMY SPRUILL Night Train 7150 Scratch 'n Twist ● CD $15.98
20 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
Firstly, the bad news - this disc is too short - they should have put half a dozen more tracks on it. Also, the lack of discographical info is shameful. Now the good news - this disc features some of the hottest and wildest blues guitar recorded in the 50s and early 60s. Jimmy Spruill was a staple of many New York blues and R&B sessions in the 50s and 60s (he claims over 3,000!), mostly confined to the rhythm section, but when he took a solo - watch out! His high pitched intense fretwork is a little like Ike Turner at his wildest but without the whammy bar though his playing is far from one dimensional as this collection admirably shows. His best known performance is his stunning solo on Wilbert Harrison's hit Kansas City. Half the tracks here feature him lending his guitar expertise to songs by Little Danny, Walkin' Willie & His Orchestra, June Bateman and others. The rest of the set is all instrumental and includes some stunning performances including my all time favorite Hard Grind - a simple tune that Jimmy turns into a masterpiece with his endlessly inventive licks. Other fine instrumental tracks include Memphis/ Kansas City March/ Cut & Dried/ Scratch 'n' Twist

 
STEELEYE SPAN Park 70 They Call Her Babylon ● CD $14.98
11 tracks, recommended
After a brief hiatus Maddy Prior is back with Steeleye (hooray!). Guitarist Bob Johnson has left and has been replaced by Ken Nicol who was formerly with The Albion Band and proves to be a very good replacement giving the group a slightly different but very effective sound. They are joined by ace fiddler Peter Knight, Maddy's husband Rick Kemp on vocal and bass and Liam Genocky on drums. After 35 years the band still sounds fresh and exciting and Maddy's vocals are a real joy. The songs substantially revamped versions of traditional material, often with new tunes and changed lyrics including the very grisly Child Owlet. (FS)

 
THE SWAN SILVERTONES Charly SNAPCD 188 Move Up ● CD $13.98
28 tracks, 78 mins, essential
A beautiful collection of tracks recorded for Vee-Jay by this superb group, covering the period from their first Vee-Jay session in 1956 through their last in 1964. Their Vee-Jay recordings features leads by the magnificent high ethereal tenor (and sometimes falsetto) Claude Jeter or the powerful baritone of Paul Owens, Dewey Young or Louis Johnson. Jeter and his sweet falsetto have had more than a little influence on countless soul acts, Al Green and The Temptations among them. It is difficult to overstate his importance to both soul and gospel. The material ranged from the classic harmony quartet style of Sinner Man to the more intense style that influenced soul music. This set features one magnificent performance after another ending with their utterly sublime rendition of The Lord's Prayer - if this doesn't send a chill down your spine you might want to see a chiropractor! (FS)
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: A Lady Called Mother/ At The Cross/ Bible Days/ Breathe On Me/ Come To Jesus/ Going On With Jesus/ Great Day In December/ He Saved My Soul/ I Thank You Lord/ I'll Be Satisfied/ Jesus Is Alright With Me/ Jesus Remembers/ Leave Your Burden There/ Love Lifted Me/ Move Somewhere/ Move Up/ Nobody But You/ Oh Mary, Don't You Weep/ Savior Pass Me Not, Parts 1 & 2/ Singin' In My Soul/ Sinking Sand/ Sinner Man/ The Lord Is Coming/ The Lord’s Prayer/ Trouble