NEWSLETTER #145
Second Time Around
Blues & Gospel - Part 3 - Various Artists
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 710 |
Harp Blues |
● CD $18.98 |
25 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
A great collection
of mostly amplified harmonica blues. Not too many surprises just one
classic after another including such gems as Jimmy & Walter's Easy
(surely one of the greatest blues harmonica instrumentals of all time!),
the ferocious Wine, Women, Whiskey by Papa Lightfoot, Jerry
McCain's wonderful Steady, Jimmy Rogers does Walkin' By Myself
with a searing harmonica solo from Walter Horton, Sleeping In The
Ground by Sammy Myers, Roller Coaster from Little Walter and
lots more from Doctor Ross, both Sony Boy Williamsons, Jimmy Reed, Junior
Parker and more including a couple of obscure but fine cuts from Shy Guy
Douglas. Being an Ace release I don't need to tell you that the sound is
unbeatable and the 12 page booklet has informative notes by Paul Jones.
(FS)
BILLY BOY ARNOLD: I Ain't Got You/ CHICAGO SUNNY BOY
(JOE HILL LOUIS): Western Union Man/ JAMES COTTON: Rocket 88/ COUSIN
LEROY: Up The River/ SHY GUY DOUGLAS: Monkey Doin' Woman/ What's This I
Hear?/ LITTLE WILLIE FOSTER: Little Girl/ FRANK FROST: Ride With Your
Daddy Tonight/ EDDIE HOPE & MANISH BOYS: A Fool No More/ SHAKEY HORTON:
Need My Baby/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Howlin' Wolf Boogie/ JIMMY & WALTER: Easy/
PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Wine Women, Whiskey/ LITTLE WALTER: Roller Coaster/ JERRY
MCCAIN: Steady/ SAMMY MYERS: Sleeping In The Ground/ LITTLE JUNIOR PARKER:
Sweet Home Chicago/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Boogie Twist/ JIMMY REED: Found Love/
JIMMY ROGERS WITH BIG WALTER: Walking By Myself/ DOCTOR ROSS: Chicago
Breakdown/ GEORGE SMITH: West Helena Blues/ JUNIOR WELLS: All Night Long
(Rock Me Baby)/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Bring Another Half Pint/ Ninety Nine
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCH2 1090 |
The Complete Meteor Blues, R&B And Gospel
Recordings |
● CD $26.98 |
Two CD set with 54 tracks featuring every blues, R&B and
gospel release cut for Lester Bihari's Memphis based Meteor label between
1952 and 1957 presented in chronological order. Although blues collectors
will be familiar with the sides by Elmore James, Chicago Sunny Boy (Joe
Hill Louis), Fenton Robinson and some others, there are a number tracks
making their first appearance on CD including obscure sides by Carl "Mr.
Broadway" Green, veteran tenor saxist Buster Smith, Jimmy Wright, Al
Smith's Progressive Jazz, gospel group The Angel Voices, doo-wop group The
Del Rios featuring a lead by a young William Bell and others. Remastered
wherever possible from original master tapes there is a 28 page booklet
with extensive notes by Dave Sax and lots of label shots and artist
photos. This complements Ace CDCH2 885 (two CD set $26.98) which features
all the Meteor hillbilly and rockabilly recordings.
WOODROW ADAMS with BOOGIE BLUES BLASTERS: Baby You Just
Don’t Know/ Wine Head Woman/ JAMES ANDERSON with THE ANDERSON HARMONEERS:
Let My Last Days Be My Best/ Something Within Me/ THE ANGEL VOICES: Tell
The Angels/ Walkin’ & Talkin’ With Jesus/ LEO BAXTER & ORCHESTRA: Can I
Depend On You?/ Heartaches/ SUNNY BLAIR: Please Send My Baby Back (aka
Step Back Baby)/ Gonna Let You Go/ BEP BROWN ORCHESTRA: Kickin’ The Blues
Around (aka Flaming Blues)/ Round House Boogie (aka Sax Symphonic Boogie)/
J.T. (BIG BOY) BROWN with ELMO JAMES BROOM DUSTERS: Dumb Woman Blues/
CHICAGO SUNNY BOY: Jack Pot (aka At The Woodchopper’s Ball)/ Love You
Baby/ On The Floor/ Western Union Man/ THE DEL RIOS with THE BEARCATS:
Alone On A Rainy Nite/ Lizzie/ EARL (WHOOPIN’ & HOLLERIN’) FOREST: I Can’t
Forgive You/ I Wronged A Woman/ CARL GREEN AND ORCHESTRA: Boogie Freight/
CARL (MR BROADWAY) GREEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Four Years Seven Days/ CARL
GREEN AND ORCHESTRA: Horizon/ CARL (MR BROADWAY) GREEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA:
My Best Friend/ SMOKEY HOGG: Dark Clouds/ I Declare/ ELMORE JAMES: Baby,
What’s Wrong/ I Believe/ Sinful Women/ Hawaiian Boogie/ Lost Woman Blues
(aka Please Find My Baby)/ LITTLE MILTON with THE PLAYMATES OF RHYT: Let
My Baby Be/ Let’s Boogie Baby/ Love At First Sight/ WALTER MILLER with THE
BARONS: My Last Mile/ Standing On The Highway/ FENTON ROBINSON with THE
DUKES: Crying Out Loud/ Tennessee Woman/ BUSTER SMITH & ORCHESTRA: Crying
In The Chapel/ Leapin’ In Chicago/ AL SMITH’S PROGRESSIVE JAZZ: Beale
Street Stomp (aka Chop Chop Boogie)/ Slidin’ Home (aka Hot Rod Special)/
MINNIE THOMAS with SLIM WATERS’ LAGOONS: I Know What You Need/ What Can
The Matter Be?/ RUFUS “BEARCAT” THOMAS with THE BEARCATS: I’m Steady
Holdin’ On/ The Easy Livin’ Plan/ JIMMY WRIGHT & ORCHESTRA: I’m In the
Mood To Be Loved/ Slow Down Daddy/ JIMMY WRIGHT AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Porkey
Pine/ Scotch Mist
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1115 |
Blues For Dootsie |
● CD $18.98 |
30 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection of
mostly jump blues produced by legendary Los Angeles entrepreneur Dootsie
Williams between 1949 and 1958. The first 16 tracks were made between 1949
and 1951 for Willims' first label Blue and features hard to find
recordings by Johnny Taylor (a versatile blues singer - not one of the
later Johnny Taylors!), Bobby Nunn (later or Robins and Coasters fame),
Dootsie Williams & His Rhythm Kings (with vocals by Big Joe Turner), Bumps
Myers & His Frantic Five, Violet Hall (fine boogie woogie piano player and
vocalist) and Cleo Brown (another singer and boogie woogie piano player).
The rest of the recordings were issued on Dootone(later Dooto) and
Authentic and includes some of the label's only down home sides with four
tracks (two previously unissued) by singer/ guitarist Stormy Herman with
harmonica from Ozie Saxton of Dixie Blues Boys fame (see Ace 1003).
Dootsie reissued a previously unissued Big Joe Turner sides from his Blue
session after Joe started having success with Atlantic and there are
sides by Pete Johnson & His All Stars (with vocals by Big Duke Henderson),
Rosie Mae Jones & her Combo, Fats Gaines and others. An excellent and
varied collection with superb sound from original acetates and tapes
wherever possible and detailed 16 page booklet by L.A. researcher Jim
Dawson which includes an interview with Dootsie and rare photos and label
shots. (FS)
CLEO BROWN: Baby, Let's Make Some Love/ Blues Boogie/
Roll It Boogie/ The Hole In The Wall/ FATS GAINES: Katy Lee/ You're With
Me, Baby/ My Man Is Gone/ VIOLET HALL: He's An Ivory Beating Baby (On The
Baby Grand)/ You'd Better Come Home Baby/ STORMY HERMAN: Cadillac Fever/
Rent Day/ Bad Luck/ Jitterbug/ PETE JOHNSON & HIS ALL STARS (VOCAL BY BIG
DU: Hard Luck Women & Strife/ BETTY HALL JONES: Richmond Blues/ RESSIE MAE
JONES & HER COMBO: Automatic Daddy/ PAUL MONDAY: Are You Ready To Go
Steady/ My Mistake/ BUMPS MYERS & HIS FRANTIC FIVE (VOCAL BY BOBBY: I'm
Clappin' And Shoutin'/ I'm Tellin' You Baby/ BOBBY NUNN: Anticipating
Blues/ Bring Your Lovin' Back To Me/ I Got A Country Gal/ JOHNNY TAYLOR &
HIS ORCHESTRA: Back Alley Blues/ Mr. Monkey Man/ JOHNNY TAYLOR & HIS
MELLOW 5: Rocky Mountain Blues/ West Coast Baby/ JOE TURNER: I Love Ya, I
Love Ya, I Love Ya (Low Down Dog)/ DOOTSIE WILLIAMS & RHYTHM KINGS WITH
JOE TURNER: Everybody's Jumpin' Tonight/ Gamblin' Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Arhoolie 352 |
Texas Blues : Bill Quinn's Gold Star
Recordings |
● CD $12.98 |
27 superb country blues performances recorded for Bill
Quinn's Gold Star label between 1947 and '51. Gold Star was one of a
handful of post war labels that continued to record rural blues stylings
and being based in Houston he had access to some of the finest Texas blues
performers. Quinn's most famous discovery was Lightnin' Hopkins whose Gold
Star recordings have been reissued on Arhoolie 330 and 337 ($12.98 each).
Hopkins is featured as an accompanist to his friend L.C. Williams and
these tracks feature some of Lightnin's very finest instrumental work -
not having to concentrate on his own singing and playing gives him more
freedom to improvise. On Williams' Trying, Trying Lightnin' plays
some fine barrelhouse piano. Another major talent on this collection is
the brilliant singer and guitarist - a distinctive performer with a lovely
melodic vocal style and a free flowing rhythmic yet lyrical guitar style
which, at times, almost sounds like two guitars. One the piano side are
the brilliant Thunder Smith, Lee Hunter (Ivory Joe's brother) and Leroy
Ervin. The set is rounded out by singer/ guitarist Buddy Chiles, Andy
Thomas (with fine guitarist Luther Stoneham) and Perry Cain - a relatively
undistinguished vocalist but with great piano by Buster Pickens. Sound is
generally excellent, the packaging is attractive and booklet features
informative notes by Chris Strachwitz and some nice photos. Truly
essential! (FS)
PERRY CAIN: All The Way From Texas/ BUDDY CHILES: Jet
Black Woman/ LEROY ERVIN: Blue, Black, And Evil/ Rock Island Blues/ LEE
HUNTER: Back To Santa Fe/ LIL' SON JACKSON: Bad Whiskey Bad Women/ Cairo
Blues/ Evil Blues/ Freedom Train Blues/ Gambling Blues/ Gone With The
Wind/ Ground Hog Blues/ Homeless Blues/ No Money No Love/ Roberta Blues/
ANDY THOMAS: Angel Child/ L. C. WILLIAMS: Black Woman/ Boogie All The
Time/ Hole In The Wall/ I Won't Be Here Long/ Strike Blues/ Trying Trying/
You Can't Take It With You Baby/ You Never Miss The Water
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Arhoolie 419 |
Angola Prisoner's Blues |
● CD $12.98 |
20 tracks, 79 mins, essential
When folklorist Harry Oster
visited the infamous state penitentiary at Angola, Louisiana in 1959 he
found a small group of older musicians performing traditional blues and
spirituals. Foremost among these was the incredible Robert Pete Williams
who, following his release in 1960, went on to great acclaim on the blues
circuit and performed and recorded regularly up to his death in 1980.
Oster released some of his prison recordings on a Folklyric album which
was later reissued by Arhoolie - this CD issues seven of the tracks from
that album and adds thirteen tracks never issued before. The three tracks
left off the album are Robert Pete Williams cuts that are on Arhoolie 394.
The three Williams cuts here include one of his greatest performances
Prisoners Talking Blues where he speaks about his feelings to the
background of a gently strummed 12 string guitar - the effect is hypnotic
and incredibly moving. There are other fine artists here including the
powerful singer and 12 string guitarist Matthew "Hogman" Maxey, the
introspective singer and fine guitarist Robert "Guitar" Welch and others.
There are also three unaccomapnied and emotional affecting songs by three
women prisoners - Odea Matthews, Clara Matthews and Thelma Mae Jospel.
This beautiful release features a booklet with the original notes by
Oster. Part of the royalties from this CD will go to the Inmate WElfare
Fund at Angola which is responsible for recreation and providing musical
instruments. (FS)
A CAPELLA WORK CREW: I'm Lonesome Blues/ BUTTERBEANS:
Hello, Sue/ ROOSEVELT CHARLES: Have You Ever Heard A Church Bell Tone/
Strike At Camp I/ THELMA MAE JOSEPH: I'm Still In Love With You/ ODEA
MATTHEWS: The Moon Is Rising/ HOGMAN MAXEY: Black Night Is Falling/ Fast
Life Woman/ Stagolee/ Worried Blues/ VOCAL GROUP: I Miss You So/ OTIS
WEBSTER: Careless Love/ GUITAR WELCH: 61 Highway/ Electric Chair Blues/
Josephine/ Some Got Six Months/ ROBERT PETE WILLIAMS: Angola Bound/ I'm
Gonna Leave You, Mama/ Prisoner's Talking Blues/ CLARA YOUNG: Soldier's
Plea
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Arhoolie 9036 |
Angola Prison Spirituals |
● CD $9.98 |
22 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
More great field
recordings made by folkorist Harry Oster at Louisiana State Penitentiary
at Angola in the late 50s. The first 13 tracks were issued on LP Folklyric
A-6 and the last nine are previously unissued. There are five tracks by
the incredible Robert Pete Williams including the previously unissued
When I Lay My Burden Down - he also accompanies vocalists Andy Mosley
and Tom Dutson. Mosley is also featured on two sides accompanied by
guitarist Hogman Maxey. There are two fine gospel quartets - both named
the Angola Quartet - one is and older style quartet and is featured on two
songs and the other is strongly influenced by the early 50s stylings of
The Soul Stirrers. There's a powerful sermon with congregation by Rev.
Benjamin Osborn and an unknown group of singers do the previously unissued
Rise And Fly which is one of the highlights here - performed in
work song style with gospel like harmonies it's a truly exciting
performance. There are also three unissued tracks by the rather formal
sounding Angola Choir. Booklet reproduces Oster's original liner notes
with updates from Chris Strachwitz. (FS)
ANGOLA CHOIR (MURRAY TED MACON, DIRECTOR: Each Day
(life's Evening Sun)/ I Take Jesus (do Lord, Remember Me)/ Steal Away To
Jesus/ ANGOLA QUARTET (SIX) FROM CAMP A: Be With Me Jesus/ ANGOLA QUARTET:
Brother Norah/ I'm Stranded On The Banks Of Ole Jordan/ See How They Done
My Lord/ ANGOLA VOCAL GROUP: Rise And Fly/ ROOSEVELT CHARLES: Let My
People Go/ TOM DUTSON: Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade/ Little School
Song/ ANDY MOSELY: Brother Mosely Crossed The Water/ I Know I Got
Religion/ I'm On My Way/ Jesus/ REV. BENJAMIN E. OSBORNE: The Old Ship Of
Zion/ ROBERT "GUITAR" WELCH: What Shall I Do/ ROBERT PETE WILLIAMS: Church
On Fire With The Word Of God/ Dyin' Soul/ I'm Goin' Back With Him When He
Comes/ So Much Is Happenin' In The News/ When I Lay My Burden Down
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard 1005 |
The R&B Years - 1951 |
● CD $24.98 |
The 1951 disc is another winner - four CD with 100 tracks
of classic blues and R&B in excellent sound and with informative booklet
ANNISTEEN ALLEN: I'm Waiting Just For You/ EARL BOSTIC:
Flamingo/ CALVIN BOZE: Slippin' And Slidin'/ TINY BRADSHAW: Two Dry Bones
On A Pantry Shelf/ Walking The Chalk Line/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Rocket 88/
CHARLES BROWN: Black Night/ Seven Long Days/ CLARENCE "GATEMOUTH" BROWN:
Justice Blues/ ROY BROWN: Bar Room Blues/ Big Town/ Wrong Woman Blues/
RUTH BROWN: I Know/ I'll Wait For you/ Shine On/ THE CARDINALS: Shouldn't
I Know/ RAY CHARLES: Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand/ THE CLOVERS: Don't You
Know I Love You/ Fool, Fool, Fool/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: Poppa Stoppa/ When It
Rains, It Pours/ EUNICE DAVIS: Rock Little Daddy/ MARGIE DAY & THE GRIFFIN
BROTHERS: Little Red Rooster/ Sadie Green/ FLOYD DIXON: Telephone Blues/
THE DOMINES: Sixty Minute Man/ FATS DOMINO: Don't Lie To Me/ Rockin'
Chair/ Tired of Crying/ THE DOMINOS: Do Something For Me/ ELLA FITZGERALD:
Smooth Sailing/ THE FIVE KEYS: The Glory Of Love/ CECIL GANT: Rock Little
Baby/ LLOYD GLENN: Chica Boo/ JOHN GODFREY: Hey Little Girl/ ROSCO GORDON:
Saddled The Cow and Milked The Horse/ THE GRIFFIN BROTHERS WITH TOMMY
BROWN: Tra La La/ Weepin' And Cryin'/ TINY GRIMES: Riverside Jump/
PEPPERMINT HARRIS: I Got Loaded/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Bloodshot Eyes/ Tremblin'/
WYONIE HARRIS: Man, Have I Got Troubles/ ROY HAWKINS: The Thrill Is Gone/
JOHNNY HODGES: Castle Rock/ JOE HOUSTON: Blow, Joe, Blow/ CAMILLE HOWARD:
Money Blues/ BUDDY & ELLA JOHNSON: No More Love/ GRANT JONES: I'd Rather
Drink Muddy Water/ LOUIS JORDAN: Tear Drops From My Eyes/ Weak Minded
Blues/ B.B. KING: Don't You Want A Man Like Me/ Three O'Clock Blues/ THE
LARKS: Eyesight To The Blind/ Little Side Car/ SMILEY LEWIS: My Baby Was
Right/ JOE LIGGINS: Frankie Lee/ Little Joe's Boogie/ LITTLE ESTHER & THE
DOMINOES: The Deacon Moves In/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD & LITTLE LORA
WIGGINS: I've Been Lost/ BILLY LOVE: Juiced/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Lost Love/
Prayin' For Your Return/ Strange Things Happening/ What A Fool I Was/
JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Looking For A Woman/ STICK MCGHEE: One Monkey Don't Stop
No Show/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: All That Wine Is Gone/ MEMPHIS SLIM & TERRY
TIMMONS: I'm Crying/ AMOS MILBURN: Let's Rock A While/ Tears, Tears,
Tears/ LUCKY MILLINDER ORCH.: Chew Tobacco Rag/ ROY MILTON: Best Wishes/ I
Have News For You/ It's Later Than You Think/ T-Town Twist/ JIMMY "T-99"
NELSON: T-99 Blues/ JOHNNY OTIS ORCH.: Mambo Boogie/ JOHNNY OTIS WITH MEL
WALKER: All Night Long/ Gee Baby/ PIANO RED: Hey, Good Lookin'/ The Wrong
Yo Yo/ THE RAY-O-VACS: Take Me Back To My Boots and Saddle/ MABEL SCOTT:
Boogie Woogie Choo Choo/ CHARLIE SINGLETON: Elephant Rock/ TAB SMITH:
Because Of You/ THE SWALLOWS: Will You Be Mine/ THE TRENIERS: Go! Go! Go!/
JOE TURNER: Chains Of Love/ The Chill Is On/ EDDIE VINSON: Featherbed
Mama/ T-BONE WALKER: Welcome Blues/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Cold, Cold Heart/
JAMES WAYNE: Tend To Your Business/ COOTIE WILLIAMS: The Shot Gun Boogie/
CHUCK WILLIS: I Tried/ Let's Jump Tonight/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: I Gotta Gal
Lives Upon A Hill/ BILLY WRIGHT: Keep Your Hand On Your Heart/ Stacked
Deck
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard Vintage 1008 |
The R&B Years - 1948 |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CDS, 100 tracks, highly recommended Another in this fine
series features 100 blues, R&B, jazz and vocal group titles popular with
the African-American audience in 1948. Although most of tracks are
available elsewhere many are not available on similarly themed
compilations. Sound quality is generally excellent and the eight page
booklet has informative notes by Roy Bainton.
MARION ABERNATHY: Little John Blues/ NELSON ALEXANDER:
Rock That Voot/ ALBERT AMMONS: Tuxedo Boogie/ TOM ARCHIA: Downfall Blues/
BLUE LU BARKER: A Little Bird Told Me/ BUSTER BENNETT: Three Different
Woman/ CLYDE BERNHARDT: I'm Crazy Bout That Boogie/ BIG THREE TRIO: You
Sure Look Good To Me/ EARL BOSTIC: Disc Jockey's Nightmare/ HADDA BROOKS:
Variety Bounce/ CHARLES BROWN: Don't Get Salty, Sugar/ ROY BROWN: Mighty,
Mighty Man/ Whose Hat Is That?/ THE CHICAGO ALL STARS: Are You Getting
Married, Brother?/ ARNETT COBB ORCH.: Flower Garden Blues/ PEE WEE
CRAYTON: Blues After Hours/ Texas Hop/ EDDIE "LOCKJAW" DAVIS: Leapin' On
Lenox/ MARTHA DAVIS: Honey, Honey, Honey/ TINA DIXON: Parrot Bar Boogie/
LOWELL FULSON: Let's Throw A Boogie Woogie/ CECIL GANT: Another Day,
Another Dollar/ Hogan's Alley/ PAUL GAYTEN: Hey Little Girl/ LLOYD GLENN:
Rampart St. Jump/ TINY GRIMES: Boogie Woogie Barbecue/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Red
Top/ Gone Again/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Good Rockin' Tonight/ Lollipop Mama/
CAMILLE HOWARD: You Don't Love Me/ ROSETTA HOWARD: Ebony Rhapsody/ HELEN
HUMES: Jumpin' On Sugar Hill/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: Pretty Mama Blues/ BULL
MOOSE JACKSON: Fare Thee Well, Deacon Jones, Fare The Well/ I Want A
Bowleged Woman/ Sneaky Pete/ LITTLE WILLIE JACKSON: Jackson's Boogie/
BUDDY JOHNSON: You Better Change Your Ways/ LONNIE JOHNSON: Tomorrow
Night/ ALBENNIE JONES: Give It Up Daddy Blues/ LOUIS JORDAN: All For The
Love Of Lil/ Barnyard Boogie/ Don't Burn The Candle At Both Ends/ Pettin'
And Pokin'/ Pinetop's Boogie Woogie/ Reet, Petite And Gone/ JULIA LEE:
King Size Papa/ BABY FACE LEWIS: Grandma and Grandpa/ JIMMY LIGGINS:
Cadillac Boogie/ JOE LIGGINS: Drippers Boogie/ Spook's Holiday/ LITTLE
MISS CORNSHUCKS: Cornshuck's Blues/ JOE LUTCHER: Hit The Block/ NELLIE
LUTCHER: Come and Get It, Honey/ Fine Brown Frame/ JAY MCSHANN/ MAXINE
REED: M.R. Boogie/ JACK MCVEA/RABON TARRANT: Inflation Blues/ MEMPHIS
SLIM: Midnight Jump/ AMOS MILBURN: Bewildered/ Chicken Shack Boogie/ Pool
Playing Blues/ ROY MILTON: Everything I Do Is Wrong/ Hop, Skip And Jump/
Keep A Dollar In Your Pocket/ BILL MOORE: We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna
Roll/ GATEMOUTH MOORE: Hey, Mr Gatemouth/ JOHNNY MOORE'S THREE BLAZERS:
More Than You Know/ JOE MORRIS: Lowe Groovin'/ GENE PHILLIPS: Flying Home/
Hey Now/ JESSE PRICE: Frettin' For Some Pettin'/ THE RAVENS: Send For Me
If You Need Me/ Write Me A Letter/ TODD RHODES: Sportree's Jump/ MABEL
SCOTT: Elevator Boogie/ HAL SINGER: Corn Bread/ MABEL SMITH: Too Tight
Mama/ JESS STONE: I Came Home Unexpectedly/ JOE SWIFT: What's Your Name/
ROOSEVELT SYKES: Boogie Honky Tonk/ SONNY THOMPSON: Creeping (Late
Freight)/ Long Gone Part 1/ Long Gone Part 2/ THE TRENIER TWINS: Ain't She
Mean?/ JOE TURNER: Whistle Stop Blues/ EDDIE VINSON: Alimony Blues/ Oil
Man Blues/ T-BONE WALKER: Call It Stormy Monday/ Long Skirt Baby Blues/
T-Bone Jumps Again/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Am I Asking Too Much/ West Side
Baby/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD: P.I. Blues/ PAUL WILLIAMS: Thirty-Five
Thirty/ Waxey Maxie/ SHERMAN WILLIAMS: Baby Please Don't Go/ COOTIE
WILLIAMS ORCH.: You Talk A Little Trash/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: Geneva Blues/
Money's Getting Cheaper/ JIM WYNN: Fat Meat
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Boulevard Vintage 1013 |
The R&B Years 1947 |
● CD $24.98 |
A particularly welcome entry in this series as recordings
from 1947 haven't been explored in much depth in other thematic
anthologies and this includes some hard to find sides as well as some
tracks that have not appeared on CD before. It includes some of the R&B
hits from 1947 as well as lots of obscure sides. 100 tracks in all.
MARION ABERNATHY: You Ain't Got Nothing For Me/ JO JO
ADAMS WITH TOM ARCHIA: Drinkin' Blues/ ANNISTEEN ALLEN WITH LUCKY
MILLINDER: Let It Roll/ ALBERT AMMONS: Swanee River Boogie/ TOM ARCHIA:
Fishin' Pole/ BABY DEE WITH BILL CAMPBELL: Look What Baby's Got For You/
BUDDY BANKS: Banks' Boogie/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: She's Got Great Big Eyes/
COUNT BASIE ORCH. WITH TAPS MILLER: I Ain't Mad At You/ BUSTER BENNETT:
Signifying Woman/ CLYDE BERNHARDT: Is It's Any News To You/ THE BIG THREE
TRIO: Money Tree Blues/ FIVE BLAZERS: Chicago Boogie/ TINY BRADSHAW: Take
The Hands Off The Clock/ HADDA BROOKS: That's My Desire/ CLARENCE
"GATEMOUTH" BROWN: Gatemouth Boogie/ ROY BROWN: Good Rockin' Tonight/
Special Lesson No.1/ WALTER BROWN: Gonna Open Up A Business/ CHARLES BROWN
WITH JOHNNY MOORE'S BLAZERS: Changeable Woman Blues/ Merry Christmas Baby/
New Orleans Blues/ CHRISTINE CHATMAN: The Boogie Woogie Girl/ THE CHICAGO
ALL STARS: Green Light/ COUSIN JOE: Box Car Shorty and Peter Blue/ BILL
CROSBY: Hip Chick Blues/ DICK DAVIS: Memphis Train/ REDD FOXX: Shame On
You/ LOWELL FULSON: Jelly Jelly/ CECIL GANT: Boozie Boogie/ PAUL GAYTEN:
Your Hands Ain't Clean/ JIMMIE GORDON: Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame/ LIL
GREEN: I Want A Good Man Bad/ RUDY GREENE: Buzzard Pie/ TINY GRIMES:
Tiny's Boogie Woogie/ JIMMY GRISSOM WITH THE BLENDERS: Big Fine Baby/
WYNONIE HARRIS: Mr Blues Jumped A Rabbit/ Young And Wild/ ERSKINE HAWKINS:
Hawk's Boogie/ DUKE HENDERSON: 18th and Vine Street Boogie/ CAMILLE
HOWARD: Thrill Me/ Camille's Boogie/ HELEN HUMES: Jet Propelled Papa/
IVORY JOE HUNTER: High Cost Low Pay Blues/ JUMP JACKSON WITH BENNY KELLY:
Hey Pretty Mama/ ILLINOIS JACQUET: Blow Illinois Blow/ BUDDY JOHNSON: Hey
Sweet Potato/ ALBENNIE JONES: Papa Tree Top Blues/ LUKE JONES: She's My
Baby/ LOUIS JORDAN: Boogie Woogie Blues Plate/ Early In The Morning/ I
Know What You're Puttin' Down/ Jack You're Dead/ Look Out/ Texas &
Pacific/ JULIE LEE: Opportunity Knocks/ DICK LEWIS: Tornado/ JOE LIGGINS:
Blow Mr Jackson/ JOE LUTCHER: Blues For Sale/ Rockin' Boogie/ NELLIE
LUTCHER: He's A Real Gone Guy/ Hurry On Down/ JAY MCSHANN WITH JIMMY
WITHERSPOON: Bar Fly Blues/ JACK MCVEA: Open The Door Richard!/ Two Timin'
Baby/ MEMPHIS JIMMY: Jimmy's Jump/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Life Is Like That/
Rockin' The House/ AMOS MILBURN: Down The Road Apiece/ Money Hustlin'
Woman/ ROY MILTON: Red Light/ True Blues/ GATEMOUTH MOORE: Love Doctor
Blues/ HOT LIPS PAGE: Walking In A Daze/ KING PERRY: Kilroy Was Here/ GENE
PHILLIPS: Big Fat Mama/ Rock Bottom/ KING PORTER: Bump's Boogie/ JESSE
PRICE: You Can't Take It With You/ THE RAVEN: Ol' Man River/ TODD RHODES:
Bell Boy Boogie/ JIMMY RUSHING: Good Morning Blues/ CLARENCE SAMUELS:
Boogie Woogie Blues/ FLOYD SMITH: Floyd's Guitar Blues/ GEECHIE SMITH: And
I Wants To Thank Ya'/ JESSE STONE: An Ace In The Hole/ JOE SWIFT WITH
JOHNNY OTIS ORCH.: Good Boogie Googie/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Bobby Sox Blues/
RABON TARRANT: Blues With A Feeling/ THE TRENIER TWINS: Hey Sister Lucy!/
JOE TURNER: Miss Brown Blues/ EDDIE VINSON: Bonus Pay/ Kidney Stew Blues/
Old Maid Boogie/ T-BONE WALKER: Hard Pain Blues/ I Know Your Wig Is Gone/
DINAH WASHINGTON WITH LIONEL HAMPTON: Blow Top Blues/ CROWN PRINCE
WATERFORD: Undercover Blues/ PAUL WILLIAMS: Hastings Street Bounce/
SHERMAN WILLIAMS: Baby, Don't You Want To Go
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Boulevard Vintage 1014 |
Down Home Blues Classics, Chicago
1946-1954 |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, approx 4 hours 40 mins, essential
Simply fantastic collection of down home Chicago from the music's golden
age. Although there is some overlap with JSP 7744 this is perfect
complement since the JSP set concentrated on how the entrenched Chicago
bluesmen adapted to the new musical and social climate in Chicago due to
the influx of many of thousands of African-Americans from the South - this
one features mostly newcomers to Chicago whose music was steeped in the
traditions of the South. Although most of this has been out on CD before
the selection has been carefully chosen to feature some of the very finest
recordings from this period and includes the complete 50s recordings of
several performers who became stalwarts of the blues scene in later years
like J.B. Hutton, Johnny Young and Homesick James. There are also
magnificent performances from John Brim, Floyd Jones, Little Willie
Foster, Johnny Jones, Robert Lockwood, Johnny Shines, Big Boy Spires and
others. As icing on the cake this set includes the recently discovered
first recording of Jimmy Rogers Round About Boogie from 1948 which
was issued under Memphis Slim's name and features Jimmy singing and
playing harmonica! It also features the never before reissued recordings
of fine vocalist Essie Sykes with Roosevelt Sykes on piano and Robert
Nighthawk on guitar. This set includes recordings that were the Holy Grail
for postwar blues collectors in the 60s. Sound is excellent and the 8 page
foldout booklet has informed notes by Paul "Sailor" Vernon and
discographical info. (FS)
GRACE BRIM: Going Down The Line/ Leaving Daddy Blues/
JOHN BRIM: Dark Clouds/ Gary Stomp/ Lonesome Man Blues/ Rattlesnake/ Tough
Times/ LEE BROWN: Bobby Town Boogie/ My Little Girl Blues/ New Little Girl
(1)/ New Little Girl (2)/ JIMMY EAGER: Please Mr Doctor/ Should Have Loved
Her More/ BABY FACE LEROY FOSTER: Louella/ Pet Rabbit/ LITTLE WILLIE
FOSTER: Falling Rain Blues/ Four Day Jump/ ROCKY FULLER: Come On Baby Now/
TONY HOLLINS: Fishing Blues/ I'll Get a Break/ Wine-O-Woman/ HOMESICK
JAMES: Farmer's Blues/ Homesick/ Lonesome Ole Train/ The Woman I Love/ J.B.
HUTTO & HIS HAWKS: Combination Boogie/ Dim Lights/ Loving You/ Now She's
Gone/ Pet Cream Man/ Things Are So Slow/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/
Any Old Lonesome Day/ Big World/ Dark Road/ Early Morning/ Floyd's Blue/
On The Road Again/ Schooldays On My Mind/ Skinny Mama/ You Can't Live
Long/ LITTLE JOHNNY JONES: Big Town Playboy/ Shelby County Blues/ ALBERT
KING: Bad Luck Blues/ Be On Your Merry Way/ J.B. LENOIR: Carrie Lee/ Deep
In Debt/ Korea Blues/ My Baby Told Me/ LITTLE WALTER: Don't Have To Hunt
No More/ Tonight With A Fool/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: (I'm Gonna) Dig Myself A
Hole/ Dust My Broom/ LAZY BILL LUCAS: I Had A Dream/ She Got Me Walkin'/
WILLIE NIX: All By Myself/ Just Can't Stay/ Nervous Wreck/ No More Love/
MORRIS PEJOE: Can't Get Along/ Gonna Buy Me A Telephone/ It'll Plumb Get
It/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Crosstown Blues/ I Want You For Myself/ JIMMY REED: I
Found My Baby/ Jimmy's Boogie/ Roll And Rhumba/ JIMMY ROGERS: Act Like You
Love Me/ Left Me With A Broken Heart/ Out On The Road/ Round About Boogie/
JOHNNY SHINES: Joliet Blues/ So Glad I Found You/ BIG BOY SPIRES: About To
Lose My Mind/ Murmur Low/ One Of These Days/ Which One Do I Love/
SUNNYLAND SLIM: Back To Korea/ Devil Is A Busy Man/ Going Back To Memphis/
It's All Over Now/ ESSIE SYKES: Easy Walkin' Papa/ Please Don't Say
Goodbye/ TAMPA RED: Big Stars Falling/ Green And Lucky Blues/ I Won't Let
Her Do It/ So Crazy About You Baby/ So Much Trouble/ MUDDY WATERS: Baby
Please Don't Go/ Blow Wind Blow/ Mad Love/ Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man/
JUNIOR WELLS: Bout The Break Of Day/ Eagle Rock/ Hoodoo Man/ Juniors Wail/
Lawdy Lawdy/ JOHNNY WILLIAMS: Worried Man Blues/.JOHNNY YOUNG: Let Me Ride
Your Mule/ Money Taking Woman/ My Baby Walked Out On Me
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Boulevard Vintage 4002 |
The R&B Years - 1952 |
● CD $24.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection of some of the most popular blues, R&B and doo-wop
recordings of 1952. Sound quality is superb and there is
an 8 page fold out booklet with notes by Roy Bainton. (FS)
JOHNNY ACE: My Song/ MARIE ADAMS: I'm Gonna Play The
Honky Tonks/ ARCHIBALD: Great Big Eyes/ TINY BRADSHAW: The Train Kept A
Rollin'/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Hi-Ho Baby/ CHARLES BROWN: Hard Times/ ROY
BROWN: Good Rockin' Man/ I've Got The Last Laugh Now/ RUTH BROWN: 5-10-15
Hours/ Daddy Daddy/ RAY CHARLES: Kissa Me Baby/ Midnight Hour/ THE
CLOVERS: Hey, Miss Fannie/ One Mint Julep/ Ting-A-Ling/ TOMMY DEAN: Lonely
Monday/ VARETTA DILLARD: Easy, Easy Baby/ Them There Eyes/ FLOYD DIXON:
Call Operator 210/ Come Back Baby/ FATS DOMINO: Goin' Home/ How Long/ Poor
Poor Me/ THE DOMINOES: Have Mercy Baby/ I'd Be Satisfied/ That's What You
Do To Me/ THE DU DROPPERS: Can't Do Sixty No More/ H-BOMB FERGUSON: Slowly
Goin' Crazy/ THE FIVE ROYALES: You Know I Know/ JIMMY FOREST: Night Train/
THE FOUR BLAZES: Mary Jo/ T.J. FOWLER: Back Biter/ LOWELL FULSON: Guitar
Shuffle/ LLOYD GLENN: Yancey Special/ ROSCO GORDON: Booted/ No More Doggin'/
JOHN GREER: Got You On My Mind/ GUITAR SLIM: Feelin' Sad/ WYNONIE HARRIS:
Keep On Churnin'/ Lovin' Machine/ LYNN HOPE: Hop, Skip And Jump/ JOE
HOUSTON: Worry, Worry, Worry/ FLUFFY HUNTER: Walk Right In/ IVORY JOE
HUNTER: Rockin' Chair Boogie/ BULLMOOSE JACKSON: Nosey Joe/ WILLIS
JACKSON: Wine-O-Wine/ THE JACKSON BROTHERSS: We're Gonna Rock This Joint/
LOUIS JORDAN: Jordan For President/ Junco Partner/ TINY KENNEDY: Strange
Kind Of Feeling/ B.B. KING: Boogie Woogie Woman/ You Know I Love You/
CHRISTINE KITTRELL: Sittin' Here Drinkin'/ BOBBY LEWIS: Mumbles Blues/
PETE "GUITAR" LEWIS: Louisiana Hop/ SMILEY LEWIS: The Bells Are Ringing/
JIMMY LIGGINS: That's What Knocking Me Out/ LITTLE CAESAR: Goodbye Baby/
LITTLE ESTHER: Aged And Mellow/ Ring-A-Ding-Doo/ BILLY LOVE: Drop Top/
WILLIE MABON: I Don't Know/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Cry Baby/ The Big Question/
JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: My Days Are Limited/ EDNA MCGRIFF: Heavenly Farther/ BIG
JAY MCNEELY: Blow, Blow, Blow/ AMOS MILBURN: Greyhound/ Thinking And
Drinking/ Trouble In Mind/ LUCKY MILLINDER: The Right Kind Of Lovin'/ ROY
MILTON: Night And Day/ So Tired/ FATS NOEL: Ride Daddy Ride/ THE ORIOLES:
Baby Please Don't Go/ See See Rider/ JOHNNY OTIS: Sunset To Dawn/ PIG MEAT
PETERSON: Everybody Loves A Fat Man/ LLOYD PRICE: Lawdy Miss Clawdy/
Oooh-Oooh-Oooh/ THE RAVENS: Rock Me All Night Long/ LULA REED/SONNY
THOMPSON: I'll Drown In My Tears/ Let's Call It A Day/ TODD RHODES: Rocket
69/ Your Daddy's Doggin' Around/ SHIRLEY & LEE: I'm Gone/ MELVIN SMITH:
Looped/ THE SWALLOWS: It Ain't The Meat/ WILLIE MAE THORNTON: Let Your
Tear Drops Fall/ JOE TURNER: Don't You Cry/ Sweet Sixteen/ TITUS TURNER:
Got So Much Trouble/ T-BONE WALKER: Cold, Cold Feeling/ Street Walking
Woman/ DINAH WASHINGTON: New Blow Top Blues/ JOE WILLIAMS: Every Day I
Have The Blues/ LESTER WILLIAMS: Brand New Baby/ I Can't Lose With The
Stuff I Use/ CHUCK WILLIS: Loud Mouth Lucy/ My Story
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Buzzola 003 |
Like An Atom Bomb |
● CD $16.98 |
18 tracks, highly recommended
Fine, if too short,
collection of songs and tunes showing the musical fallout following the
detonation of the two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. Includes blues,
country and gospel songs. It includes one pre bomb blues from Sonny Boy
Williamson in his prescient Win The War Blues where he declares ("I
Want To Drop A Bomb And The Set The Japanese City On Fire (x2) Because
They Are So Rotten, I Just Love To See Them Die"). Includes songs
describing the event, songs pro and con the invention of nuclear power,
the use of the word "Atomic" to describe something especially exciting,
the cold war and an artist who doesn't sing about atomic energy but has an
atomic name (H-Bomb Ferguson). Includes two version of the classic
Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb - one by black gospel group The Pilgrim
Travelers and the other by white country group Lowell Blanchard & The
Valley Trio. Also includes tracks by The Buchanan Brothers, Sons Of The
Pioneers (a great version of the talking blues Old Man Atom with
the line "Peace In The World or The World In Pieces"), Hank Williams, Karl
& Harty, Spirit Of Memphis Quartet, Camille Howard, Benny Goodman
Orchestra, Lightnin' Hopkins and others. Quite a few tracks are making
their first appearance on CD though there is extensive duplication with
the long out of print LP "Atomic Cafe". Sound is superb, there are witty
and informative notes from Neil Kellas and set is very attractively
packaged in a digipack. (FS)
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Delmark 626 |
Blues Piano Orgy |
● CD $14.98 |
19 tracks, 61 min., highly recommended
This welcomed
update to the 1972 Delmark album contains 7 extra tracks by Roosevelt
Sykes (1), Sunnyland Slim (2), Memphis Slim (2) and Curtis Jones (2), all
unissued except for the United recording of Five O'Clock Blues
(Memphis Slim,'52). Highlights include Three-In-One Blues (Otis
Spann,'69), Blues Hurt My Tongue To Talk (Speckled Red,'56),
(New Year's) Resolution Blues (Roosevelt Sykes, with vocals by St.
Louis Jimmy,'63) and all 4 of the 1947 Little Brother Montgomery sides,
originally meant to be issued on Disc Records. (EL)
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Document DOCD 5147 |
St. Louis Country Blues (1929-37) |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 73 mins, essential
A superb collection of
country blues by three St. Louis musicians recorded between 1929 and 1937.
Singer/ guitarist Henry Spaulding only recorded two cuts (in 1929) and
both these are here - fine wistful vocals and lovely guitar work using the
string snapping technique popular with St. Louis including all three here.
Henry Townsend is the most well known artist here due to his continuing
visibility as a blues performer and is a magnificent performer - not only
are his guitar and singing superb but his songs are excellent too. 9 of
Townsend's songs feature him with own guitar only and are quintessential
country blues, 2 feature fine piano accompaniments by Roosevelt Sykes
including the incredibly raunchy My Sweet Candy and 4 feature a
small combo with piano, 2nd guitar and harmonica by Sonny Boy Williamson.
The latter though not as striking as his solo performances are brilliant
in their own right. Jaydee Short who was rediscovered in the early 60s and
made a few recordings before his death in 1962 is another superb
performer. His two recordings from 1930 feature a rougher, more intense
style, which leads one to suspect that he had only recently arrived from
Mississippi. His Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake is particularly
ferocious. By the time of his 1932 recordings his guitar playing was a bit
more polished and melodic like that of Townsend and Spaulding but voice
still had that intense edge with slight vibrato. Like Spaulding and
Townsend his songs are also of interest including the very topical Hard
Times which was also recorded by other St. Louis performers and in the
post war era was recorded by Chicago bluesman Floyd Jones. The sound here
is generally excellent and I can only regret that Keith Briggs' notes are
so brief as these magnificent cuts are worthy of greater attention. Don't
miss this! (FS)
J.D. SHORT: Back Door Blues/ Barefoot Blues/ Grand Daddy
Blues/ It's Hard Time/ Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake/ Snake Doctor Blues/
Telephone Arguin' Blues/ HENRY SPAULDING: Biddle Street Blues/ Cairo
Blues/ HENRY TOWNSEND: A Ramblin' Mind/ All I've Got's Gone/ Don't Love
That Woman/ Henry's Worry Blues/ Long Ago Blues/ Lose Your Man/ Mistreated
Blues/ My Sweet Candy/ No Home Blues/ Now I Stay Away/ Poor Man Blues/
She's Got A Mean Disposition/ She's Got What I Want/ Sick With The Blues/
Take A Chance
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Document DOCD 5312 |
Negro Religious Field Recordings |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 69 mins, essential
This collection of field
recordings made for the Library Of Congress in Louisiana, Mississippi &
Tennessee in 1934, 1941 and 1942 features some truly stunning music. It
opens with three tracks by a trio of singers led by Austin Coleman
recorded in Louisiana that must rank among the most ferocious examples of
African-American music on recorded featuring guttaral chanting and
insistent hand clapping and stamping giving them a strong African feel.
The Church Of God In Christ recorded at the Moorehead Plantation in Lula,
Mississippi is a wonderful example of snactified gospel singing. There is
a wonderful duet on I'm Going Home On the Morning by Rev E.M Martin
and Pearline Johns - the intertwining of the two voices is truly
affecting. The Silent Grove Baptist Church Congregation is presented in
various settings - two different and outstanding quartets The Four Star
Quartet and Union Jubilee Quartet whose powerful stylings point to the
hard gospel style to gain favor. Also from the same congregation is the
magnificent solo singer Bozie Sturdivant who is accompanied by the gentle
chanting of the congregation. Turner Junior Johnson is an interesting
performer accompanying himself with harmonica on four songs but his tracks
are among the weakest here. All, in all, a truly magnificent set. (FS)
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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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El Cerrito 1005 |
Don't Freeze On Me - Independent Women's
Blues |
● CD $16.98 |
25 tracks, 65 minutes, essential
Fabulous collection of
sides from the 60s featuring some of the best female blues singers of the
era. The emphasis is on West Coast artists and this set includes five
tracks by the Queen of West Coast blues Big Mama Thornton recorded for
small West Coast labels. It includes a sequel to her hit Hound Dog
called Tomcat, the fabulous Mercy with hot guitar and the
fine You Did Me Wrong with Mama playing harmonica. Several of the
West Coast gals are accompanied by Johnny Heartsman and his band with
Heartsman playing great and distinctive guitar - these include Ella Thomas
(a sensational singer with four great songs), Delilah (including a great
cover of Rock Me Baby) and Camille La Vah (a beautiful cover of the
soul classic Steal Away). Also from out West are Dell Graham, Mary
Ann Miles (duetting with Ray Agee), Al & Nettie, Marie Adams and Sugar Pie
DeSanto (including her wonderful Use What You Got). From New York
we have Betty James and her terrific double sider I'm A Little Mixed Up
and Help Me To Find with probably Tarheel Slim on guitar. There's
also Oliver Brown (from Detroit), Blanche Thomas (from New Orleans) and
Jessie Mae doing the title song. Excellent sound and brief notes. (FS)
MARIE ADAMS: Old Feeling (that Same Old Feeling)/ AL &
NETTIE WITH JIMMY MCCRACKLIN BAND: Now You Know/ OLIVE BROWN: Roll Like A
Big Wheel/ DELILAH: Packin' Up/ I'll Rock You Baby/ Worried Feeling/ SUGAR
PIE DESANTO: Going Back Where I Belong (veltone 108)/ Strange Feeling/ Use
What You Got/ DELL GRAHAM & THE QUE MARTIN BAND: Work With It/ BETTY
JAMES: Help Me To Find My Love/ I'm A Little Mixed Up/ JESSIE MAE: Don't
Freeze On Me/ CAMILLE LA VAH: Let's Steal Away/ MARY ANN MILES & RAY AGEE:
Baby's Coming Home/ BLANCHE THOMAS: You Ain't So Such A Much/ ELLA THOMAS
& THE JOHNNY HEARTSMAN BAND: Ain't That The Truth/ I'm Your Part Time
Love/ Introducing A Fool/ Understanding/ BIG MAMA THORNTON: Big Mama's
Coming/ Don't Do Me This Way/ Mercy/ Tomcat/ You Did Me Wrong
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Evidence 26100 |
American Folk Blues Festival, 1962-1965 |
● CD $58.98 |
76 tracks, 4 hours, 35 min., essential
The Annual American
Folk Blues Festival (AFBF) tours (1962-1971) were the first efforts to
introduce a cross section of engaging blues performers to European
audiences. A balance was kept between singers, guitarists, pianists and
country/ Chicago blues. Most of the artists during the 1962-1965 tours
were Chicago-based (chiefly because Willie Dixon acted as the main talent
scout for the festival organizers) and included John Henry Barbee, Eddie
Boyd, Sleepy John Estes & Hammie Nixon, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker,
Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Walter Horton, Howlin' Wolf, Lonnie Johnson, J. B.
Lenoir, Fred McDowell, Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters, Matt "Guitar" Murphy,
Lonesome Jimmy Lee Robinson, Doctor Ross, Shakey Jake, Otis Spann, Hubert
Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Victoria Spivey, Roosevelt Sykes, Sonny Terry &
Brownie McGhee, Big Mama Thornton, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Williams and
last but not least, the amazing Sonny Boy (Rice Miller) Williamson. All
performers were in full control of their musical wits. Highlights include
a Muddy Waters set where he plays acoustic guitar, including 2 solo
country blues tracks, My Captain and Catfish Blues. Sonny
Boy Williamson is in top form, joining Otis Spann on Goin' Down Slow,
and his original I'm Trying To Make London My Home (with Hubert
Sumlin on acoustic guitar) is a must hear. Other highlights include Sleepy
John Estes (Your Best Friend's Gone with Hammie Nixon on harmonica), Buddy
Guy (First Time I Met The Blues), John Lee Hooker (Night Time Is The Right
Time with T-Bone Walker on piano), Lightnin' Hopkins (Ain't It A Pity), J.
B. Lenoir (If I Get Lucky), and Big Joe Williams (I Have No Friends). All
professionally recorded in Germany (no audience-type recording here), what
you have here is a true bonanza : four & one-half hours presented
chronologically by 30 first generation blues artists. The enclosed booklet
includes an excellent 20 page essay by Bill Dahl. (EL)
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Famous Groove 973000 |
Soulful Gospel - Vocal Groups, Vol. 2 |
● CD $17.98 |
24 tracks, 75 mins, recommended
Excellent collection of
tough gospel sounds from the 60s and early 70s. As the 50s waned the
discreet instrumental accompaniments gave way to full accompaniments with
guitar, bass, drums and, sometimes, organ and the vocals became more
intense and, at times, almost hysterical. Plenty of fine music though from
The Hightower Brothers, the exceptional Spiritual Five (with Wilson
Pickett!), The Bullock Brothers, The Swindell Brothers, Royal Silvertones,
Oakland Silvertones, Sensational Skylarks Of Detroit, Mighty Wings Of Zion
and others. Lots of fine and moving performances. (FS)
THE BROOKLYN SKYWAVES: Oh Lord/ THE BULLOCK BROTHERS:
Let Jeasus Lead You/ Telephone To Glory/ THE GOLDTONES: Won't It Be
Wonderful/ THE HIGHTOWER BROTHERS: Come By Here/ Good Time In Heaven/
Nobody's Fault But Mine/ THE MIGHTY WINGS OF ZION: Please Sir Jesus/ You
Don't Know How The Lord Has Blessed Me/ THE OAKLAND SILVERTONES: Blessed
Quietness/ THE PEARLY GATES: Blessed/ God's Love/ THE ROYAL SILVERTONES:
Build Me A Cabin/ Savior Don't Pass Me By/ THE ROYAL TRAVELERS: Jesus
Called My Name/ Standing In The Need Of Prayer/ THE SENSATIONAL SKYLARDS
OF DETROIT: A Little More Grace/ THE SENSATIONAL SKYLARKS OF DETROIT: A
Sinner's Prayer/ THE SPIRITUAL FIVE (FEAT. WILSON PICKETT): Call Him Up/
Christ Blood/ THE SWINDELL BROTHERS: I Started In Heaven/ There's Nothing
Between/ THE WOLRD WONDERS: Don't Give Up/ THE WORLD WONDERS: Two Wings
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7719 |
Big Joe Williams & The Stars Of
Mississippi Blues |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 126 tracks, highly recommended
Charlie Patton may
have died in 1934, but the six hours of often intense blues here show his
spirit remained very much alive. Big Joe, whose 1935-51 work accounts for
the first two discs, incorporated some of Patton's guitar style in his
bass slapping and high treble notes, but his insistent rhythms were all
his own. The unrestrained music of his 1935 sessions includes some of
Joe's best work, although his vocals sound a little tight. His third
session two years later sees Joe's voice more open and relaxed, and the
start of a long association with the brilliant Sonny Boy (John Lee)
Williamson. There are several versions of Joe's signature piece Baby
Please Don't Go, autobiographical material like Mean Step Father
Blues and adaptations from Patton, Jefferson, Estes and other
luminaries. Nearly all this material was previously reissued on Blues
Documents 6003/4, but the generally very good sound quality of those discs
has been improved upon here, and an alternate take omitted from BDCD6004
is included. Six additional tracks from 1951 find Joe continuing to move
closer to mainstream Chicago blues.
For the third disc, crank up the
volume and enjoy the powerful, impassioned vocals and emphatic guitar
style of Tommy McClennan. Tommy's limitations as a guitarist only add to
the tension of his performances, and he manages the trick (he only had
one, but it's a good one) of being exciting and amusing at the same time.
Patton had a reputation for clowning during his live performances and on
this disc McClennan delivers virtually a live performance in the studio,
with self mocking injunctions to "play it right", teasing pauses before
returning to his trademark rhythms and occasional laughter at the end of
songs. The original engineers did a great job on these recordings and the
remastering here matches the gold standard set by RCA's McClennan reissue
(67430 - now deleted) Disc four continues Mr McClennan's assault, and
includes an alternate take of Bluebird Blues omitted from the RCA
compilation. On his last recording, Boogie Woogie Woman, he is
joined by playing partner Robert Petway who had a similar (if less
frenetic) style and who was a better guitarist. Petway's complete works
take up the rest of this disc and the start of disc five - he is mainly
remembered for his composition Catfish Blues, his first recording, which
became a blues standard. His work has previously been reissued on Document
(DOCD 5671) and Wolf (WBCD 005) but the sound quality here is better. Next
up on the final disc is Dave "Honeyboy" Edwards, lighter voiced and the
most accomplished guitarist on this set. Twelve of Edwards' 1942 Library
of Congress recordings are here, in much less blurry sound than the five
previously released on Travelin' Man TM CD 07. The highlight is Water
Coast Blues, a near six minute performance which "virtually summarized
what Delta musicianship of the decade had to offer." Honeyboy knew
Williams, McClennan and Petway and his recollections form the main source
for Neil Slaven's excellent booklet notes, but little is known about
Willie "Poor Boy" Lofton, another interesting performer who concludes this
set. One of his most memorable efforts is Jake Leg Blues, a worthy
contribution to the group of songs dealing with the evils of 1930s Jamaica
Ginger. Sound is less noisy than on the Document reissue of Lofton's work
(DOCD 5158), if a little restrained. All round an excellent set, very well
presented. (DPR)
DAVID EDWARDS: Army Blues/ Hellatakin' Blues/ Just A
Spoonful/ Roamin' And Ramblin' Blues/ Spread My Raincoat Down/ Stagolee/
Tear It Down Rag/ Water Coast Blues/ Wind Howlin' Blues/ Worried Life
Blues/ You Got To Roll/ You Got To Roll (levee Camp Song)/ WILLIE LOFTON:
Beer Garden Blues/ Dark Road Blues/ Dirty Mistreater/ It's Killin' Me/
Jake Leg Blues/ My Mean Baby Blues/ Poor Boy Blues/ Rainy Day Blues/ TOMMY
MCCLENNAN: . It's Hard To Be Lonesome/ Baby Don't You Want To Go/ Baby,
Please Don't Tell On Me/ Black Minnie/ Blue As I Can Be/ Bluebird Blues/
Bluebird Blues (take 2)/ Blues Trip Me This Morning/ Boogie Woogie Woman/
Bottle It Up And Go/ Brown Skin Girl/ Classy Mae Blues/ Cotton Patch
Blues/ Cross Cut Saw Blues (take 1)/ Cross Cut Saw Blues (take 2)/ Deep
Blue Sea Blues/ Des'e My Blues/ Down To Skin And Bones Blues/ Drop Down
Mama/ Elsie Blues/ I Love My Baby/ I'm A Guitar King/ I'm Going Don't You
Know/ It's A Crying Pity/ Katy Mae Blues/ Love With A Feeling/ Mozelle
Blues/ Mr. So And So Blues/ My Baby's Doggin' Me/ My Baby's Gone/ My
Little Girl/ New "shake 'em On Down"/ New Highway 51/ New Sugar Mama/ Roll
Me, Baby/ Shake It Up And Go/ She's A Good Looking Mama/ She's Just Good
Huggin' Size/ Travelin' Highway Man/ Whiskey Head Man/ Whiskey Head Woman/
You Can Mistreat Me Here/ You Can't Read My Mind/ ROBERT PETWAY: Bertha
Lee Blues/ Catfish Blues/ Cotton Pickin' Blues/ Don't Go Down Baby/ Hollow
Log Blues/ In The Evening/ Left My Baby Crying/ Let Me Be Your Boss/ My
Baby Left Me/ My Little Girl/ Ride 'em On Down/ Rockin' Chair Blues/
Sleepy Woman Blues/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: 49 Highway Blues/ Baby Please Don't
Go/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Baby Please Don't Go (alternate Take)/ Bad And
Weakhearted Blues/ Bad Heart Blues/ Banta Rooster Blues/ Break 'em On
Down/ Brother James/ Crawlin' King Snake/ Delta Blues/ Don't You Leave Me
Here/ Drop Down Blues/ Highway 49/ His Spirit Lives On/ House Lady Blues/
I Know You Gonna Miss Me/ I Won't Be In Hard Luck No More/ I'm A Highway
Man/ I'm Getting Wild About Her/ Jivin' Woman/ King Biscuit Stomp/ Little
Leg Woman/ Mama Don't Allow Me/ Mean Stepfather Blues/ Meet Me Around The
Corner/ Mellow Apples/ My Grey Pony/ North Wind Blues/ Overhauling Blues/
P Vine Blues/ Peach Orchard Mama/ Please Don't Go/ Providence Help The
Poor People/ Rootin' Ground Hog/ She Left Me A Mule/ She's A Married
Woman/ Somebody's Been Borrowing That Stuff/ Somebody's Been Worryin'/
Someday Baby/ Stack Of Dollars/ Stack Of Dollars/ Stepfather Blues/ Throw
A Boogie Woogie/ Vitamin A/ Wanita/ Whistling Pines/ Wild Cow Blues/ Wild
Cow Moan/ Worried Man Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7725 |
Masters Of Memphis Blues |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 101 tracks, essential
A compilation which features
the musical talents of a plumber's assistant, a blacksmith, a one legged
road sweeper and a midget is always likely to be distinctive, but this is
special. JSP have already issued the complete recordings of Gus Cannon's
Jug Stompers in superb sound (JSP 3406), and now offer a companion set
which includes Gus' first recordings as Banjo Joe. When you add the
complete pre war recordings of Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes and Robert
Wilkins, some rough, tough urban blues from Little Buddy Doyle and a
classic of slide guitar from Allen Shaw, you have a combination that is
hard to beat. (All Stokes' Victor recordings are here, including the
recently discovered I'm Going Away Blues and Old Sometime Blues
previously issued on DOCD 5411 in Document's "Too Late, Too Late" series.)
Of the Memphis masters Furry Lewis' blues, like most performers, were
built around a few core musical ideas which he varied by changing tunings,
using slide on tracks like Cannon Ball Blues or, as on I Will
Turn Your Money Green, complex picking patterns. His lyrics were
interesting too, the blues often featuring a tongue in cheek tough guy
humour, but some of his best efforts were inspired reworkings of old
ballads like Billy Lyons And Stack O'Lee and Kassie Jones.
By contrast Robert Wilkins produced finely honed, immaculately performed
blues which experimented more with the melodies and format of songs rather
than their musical accompaniment. His tales of separation, loss and
trouble with the law were sometimes set to incongruously jaunty tunes so
that, as with Frank Stokes, exposure can leave the brain permanently
rewired. It can be difficult for example to hear the pop standard Ain't
Nobody's Business If I Do without thinking of the Stokes' version: a
different, older song but one which in Frank's hands wipes the floor with
the Tin Pan Alley upstart. Essentially though Frank Stokes' music with its
ragtime elements was music to dance to, built around his outstanding
guitar duets with Dan Sane. His last session with violinist Will Batts was
different, yet still produced classic performances like Right Now Blues,
a simple but very effective song, beautifully sung by Stokes, which
reflects on a difficult relationship with ambivalent emotions, part
assertive, part pleading. There are no such subtleties on Gus Cannon's
first recordings, which draw on his medicine show background and virtuoso
banjo playing. His memorable version of Poor Boy, with Gus playing
slide on his five string banjo, is another highlight. Sound quality is
very good, and despite the fact that there is still noticeable background
noise on many tracks these complete works have never sounded better. All
reveal JSP's genius for "de-clicking" which makes any residual noise much
more tolerable. Neal Slaven's nicely organized, informative notes
concentrate on biographical details and memories of Beale Street in its
heyday, and there are some good photos too. With historically important
songs, great performances, exemplary sound and presentation this set
really has everything, including Mr Lewis' own brand of humour. So mama
get your hatchet, kill the fly on your baby's head, and enjoy one of the
best reissues of this excellent series. (DPR)
BANJO JOE (GUS CANNON): Can You Blame The Colored Man/
Jazz Gypsy Blues/ Jonestown Blues/ Madison Street Rag/ My Money Never Runs
Out/ Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home/ THE BEALE STREET SHEIKS (STOKES &
SANE): Ain't Goin' To Do Like I Used To Do/ Beale Town Bound/ Blues In
'd'/ Chicken You Can Roost Behind The Moon/ Fillin' In Blues-part 1/
Fillin' In Blues-part 2/ Half Cup Of Tea/ Hunting Blues/ It's A Good
Thing/ It's A Good Thing/ Jazzin' The Blues/ Jumpin' On The Hill/ Last Go
Round/ Mr Crump Don't Like It/ Rockin' On The Hills Blues/ Sweet To Mama/
Wasn't That Doggin' Me/ You Shall/ You Shall/ LITTLE BUDDY DOYLE: Bad In
Mind Blues/ Grief Will Kill You/ Hard Scuffin' Blues/ Lost Baby Blues/
Renewed Love Blues/ She's Got Good Dry Goods/ Slick Capers Blues/ Sweet
Man Blues/ Three-sixty-nine Blues/ FURRY LEWIS: Big Chief Blues/ Billy
Lyons And Stack O'lee/ Black Gypsy Blues/ Cannon Ball Blues/ Creeper's
Blues/ Dry Land Blues/ Everybody's Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Furry's
Blues/ Good Looking Girl Blues/ I Will Turn My Money Green (take 1)/ I
Will Turn My Money Green (take 2)/ Jelly Roll/ John Henry (the Steel
Driving Man) (take 1)/ John Henry (the Steel Driving Man) (take 2)/ Judge
Harsh Blues (take 1)/ Judge Harsh Blues (take 2)/ Kassie Jones, Part 2/
Mean Old Bedbug Blues/ Mistreatin' Mama/ Mr Furry's Blues/ Rock Island
Blues/ Sweet Papa Moan/ Why Don't You Come Home Blues/ FURRY LEWSI: Kassie
Jones, Part 1/ ALLEN SHAW: I Couldn't Help It/ Moanin' The Blues/ FRANK
STOKES: 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 1/ 'tain't Nobody's
Business If I Do-part 2 (take 1)/ 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 2
(take 2)/ Bedtime Blues/ Bunker Hill Blues/ Downtown Blues (take 1)/
Downtown Blues (take 2)/ Frank Stokes' Dream/ How Long/ I Got Mine/ I'm
Going Away Blues/ It Won't Be Long (take 1)/ It Won't Be Long (take 2)/
Memphis Rounders Blues/ Mistreatin' Blues/ Nehi Mamma Blues/ Old Sometime
Blues/ Right Now Blues/ Shiney Town Blues/ South Memphis Blues/ Stomp That
Thing/ Take Me Back/ What's The Matter Blues/ ROBERT WILKINS: Alabama
Blues/ Black Rat Blues/ Dirty Deal Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Get Away
Blues/ I Do Blues/ I'll Go With Her Blues/ Jail House Blues/ Long Train
Blues/ Losin' Out Blues/ Nashville Stonewall Blues/ New Stock Yard Blues/
Old Jim Canaan's/ Police Sergeant Blues/ Rolling Stone, Part 1/ Rolling
Stone, Part 2/ That's No Way To Get Along
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7737 |
Blind Willie Johnson & The Guitar
Evangelists |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 96 tracks, highly recommended
It is over ten years
since the issue of The Complete Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia 52835 -
$19.98). For this chronological reissue of the work of the greatest of all
pre war gospel artists JSP have adopted a different format, breaking up
Blind Willie's sessions with sessions by some of his contemporaries, in
the final disc adding performances which show his influence on the post
war gospel scene. It is a format which works very well, even while it
illustrates the gulf which separates the other practitioners from Mr
Johnson. These are complete recordings except in the case of A.C and Mamie
Forehand and Reverend Edward W Clayborn, where because of space
limitations alternate takes previously issued on Document are omitted.
Clayborn, dubbed The Guitar Evangelist, opens the set, and he is an
effective performer, although his fondness for a two beat rhythm on the
bass strings can become a bit tedious. Elsewhere the single session of
husband and wife A.C and Mamie Forehand has a sedate charm, Blind Willie
Harris who opens the third disc is almost certainly Richard "Rabbit" Brown
in religious mode, and the final disc offers some fun in the form of the
Reverends Utah Smith and Anderson Johnson. Utah Smith, who has something
of Blind Willie's vocal power, is a showman, hurling notes from his
heavily amplified guitar. Reverend Johnson, until sadly tamed by an A&R
man, is also willing to test the sonic boundaries as his first version of
God Don't Like It demonstrates. Their material draws on pre war
sources and this sense of continuity gives the compilation a satisfying
cohesiveness. There is though only one star, one utterly compelling
performer. Blind Willie's magnificent first session which closes disc one
combines the power of tracks like I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole
and If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down with the meditative
slide masterpiece Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground, later
to become the become the stuff of soundtracks and the "Sounds Of The
Earth" discs carried by the Voyager satellites. This pattern - a class act
blowing away all that has gone before - repeats itself on the subsequent
discs. Discographical information is limited to a list of recording dates,
and as is often the case with this series there is a disconnection between
the notes for each CD and the artists on it. The notes themselves, by
Keith Briggs, are also hampered by the fact that very little is known
about most of these performers. Sound quality is very good throughout,
allowing for the usual acoustic vagaries of some of the post war
recordings. The only tracks with significant noise are those by A.C and
Mamie Forehand, where sound is very similar to that on the remastered
version of Document DOCD 5054. The most important comparison though is
with the Blind Willie reissue on Columbia, and here JSP is the clear
winner. The hiss on the Columbia transfers is significantly reduced, the
vocal attack seems even stronger and the guitar is beautifully presented,
a credit to the original recording engineers as well as an excellent
remastering job. There may still be a couple of copies of Dark Was The
Night in interstellar space, but I bet they don't sound this good. (DPR)
REV. EDWARD W. CLAYBORN: A Letter From Father/ Bye and
Bye When The Morning Comes/ Come And Go With Me To My Father's House/
Death Is Only A Dream/ Everybody Ought To Treat Their Mother Right/ God's
Riding Through The Land/ I Have A Home In The Sky/ I Heard The Angels
Singing/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ If My Saviour Holds My Hand I Will Go/ In
Time Of Trouble Jesus Will Never Say Goodbye/ Jesus Is Sweeter Than Honey
In The Comb/ Jesus Went On Man's Bond/ Jesus Will Make It Alright/ Just
Beyond The Jordan River/ Let Jesus Lead You/ Let that Lie Alone/ Men Don't
Forget Your Wives For Sweethearts/ O Lord I'm In Your Care/ The Gospel
Train Is Coming/ The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas/ Then We'll Need
That True Religion/ There'll Be Glory/ This Time Another Year You May Be
Gone/ When I Lay My Burden Down/ Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet
Sounds?/ With My Saviour I Shall Be/ You Never Will Know Who Is Your
Friend/ Your Enemy Cannot Harm You/ Your True Friends/ DENNIS CRUMPTON &
ROBERT SUMMERS: Everybody Ought To Pray Some Time/ Go I'll Send Thee/ A.C.
& BLIND MAMIE FOREHAND: Honey In The Rock/ I'm So Glad Today/ Mothers
Prayer/ Wouldn't Mind Dying If Dying Was All/ BLIND WILLIE HARRIS: Does
Jesus Care?/ Where He Leads Me I Will Follow/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Bye
And Bye I'm Goin' To See The King/ Can't Nobody Hide From God/ Church, I'm
Fully Saved Today/ Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground/ Everybody
Ought To Treat A Stranger Right/ Go With Me To The Land/ God Don't Never
Change/ God Moves On The Water/ I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole/ I'm
Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge/ If I Had My Way I'd Tear This Building
Down/ If It Had Not Been For Jesus/ It's Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Jesus Is
Coming Soon/ Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed/ John The Revelator/ Keep Your
Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Let Your Light Shine On Me/ Lord, I Just Can't
Keep From Crying/ Mother's Children Have A Hard Time/ Praise God I'm
Satisfied/ Sweeter As The Years Roll By/ Take Your Burden To The Lord And
Leave It There/ Take Your Stand/ The Rain Don't Fall On Me/ The Soul Of A
Man/ Trouble Will Soon Be Over/ When The War Was On/ You'll Need Somebody
On Your Bond/ You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond/ REV. A. JOHNSON:
Death In The Morning/ Do You Call That Religion?/ God Don't Like It/ God
Don't Like It (alt.)/ I Don't Know How To Get Along Without The Lord/ I'm
Gonna Do My Best/ If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again/ Jesus Loves Us
All/ Let That Liar Pass On By/ Lord Will Make A Way/ Run Children Run/ The
Lord Will Make A Way Somehow/ LONNIE MCINTORSH: Arise And Shine/ How Much
I Owe/ Sleep On Mother Sleep On/ The Lion And The Tribes Of Judah/ BLIND
BENNY PARIS: Hide Me In The Blood Of Jesus/ I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use
Me/ REV. UTAH SMITH: Glory To Jesus, I'm Free/ God's Mighty Hand/ I Got
Two Wings/ I Want Two Wings/ Take A Trip/ Two Wings/ REV. I. B. WARE WITH
WIFE & SON: I Wouldn't Mind Dying (But I Gotta Go By Myself)/ You Better
Quit Drinking Shine/ WILLIE MAE WILLIAMS: Don't Want To Go There/ Where
The Sun Never Goes Down
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
King KBSC 7002 |
King R&B Box Set |
● CD $46.98 |
4 discs, 88 tracks, 4 hrs. +, highly recommended
One of
the 50's most important and most neglected labels finally gets a digital
boxed set that attempts an overview of its rhythm & blues productions -
not an easy task given the prodigious nature of the company's output. And,
surprise, surprise, it's actually produced by King Records, U.S.A., not an
import label. It's pretty well done too. Volume One opens with I Know
Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well by Bull Moose Jackson, and then
moves on to Bye Bye Baby Blues by the Ravens, Tomorrow Night
by Lonnie Johnson, Good Rockin' Tonight by Wynonie Harris, Long
About Midnight by Roy Brown, Guess Who by Ivory Joe Hunter, and
Sixty Minute Man by the Dominoes. Volume Two includes The Train
Kept A'Rollin' by Tiny Bradshaw, It Ain't the Meat by the
Swallows, My Ding-a-Ling by Dave Bartholomew, Moon Rise by
the Royals, Big Ten Inch Record by Bull Moose Jackson, Nervous
Man Nervous by Big Jay McNeely, Work with Me Annie by the
Midnighters, Hearts of Stone by the Charms, and Rock Love by
Lula Reed. Volume Three features All Around the World and Fever
by Little Willie John, Honky Tonk (Parts 1 and 2) by Bill Doggett,
It Hurts to Be in Love by Annie Laurie, Think and
Dedicated to the One I Love by the Five Royales, The T | |
