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NEWSLETTER #146
Blues & Gospel
Ma Rainey - > Johnny Young

 

 

 
MA RAINEY JSP JSPCD 7793 Mother Of The Blues ● CD $28.98
5 CDs, 111 tracks, essential
An independent minded woman, brilliantly fashioning her own material from a mixture of folk, vaudeville and blues sources, blessed with a magnificent voice and supported by musicians of the quality of Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds and Coleman Hawkins, Ma Rainey had no equivalent and arguably no equal among the so called "classic" blues singers. This JSP box features the complete works as issued by Document, including take two of Traveling Blues which appeared on their "Too Late, Too Late Volume 2" (DOCD 5126). Generally though for an artist of such stature Ma has had rather a thin time of it from CD reissue companies, probably because of the difficulty of remastering her Paramount recordings. About half were made in the acoustic era (i.e. pre 1926), and all were subject to Paramount's usual poor quality pressings. To make matters worse, the popularity of the discs was such that today even best available copies are often in very worn condition. The task of improving on the sound of the Document reissues is not therefore an easy one.
Comparing the Document discs with this new set shows that on the first three JSP discs, and on disc five, the character of the transfers is essentially the same, with little difference in the sound of the better condition tracks beyond a tidying up of occasional clicks etc by JSP. Compared to the more noisy Document transfers however, JSP have usually managed some worthwhile noise reduction which may not always be obvious on casual listening, but which helps to highlight the vocals. Tracks benefiting from this treatment include Bo-Weavil Blues/ Last Minute Blues/ Shave 'Em Dry Blues/ Cell Bound Blues/ Levee Camp Moan/ Slave To The Blues/ Titanic Man Blues and Screech Owl Blues. It is on the fourth JSP disc though that the improvement is most marked. Even with on occasion a fair amount of background hiss, the JSP sound is clearer, especially on tracks like Gone Daddy Blues/ Misery Blues/ Dead Drunk Blues and Slow Driving Moan, where the Document versions sound muffled. All of which means JSP have achieved a significant improvement in presenting these treasures and chalked up one of their most important reissues to date. Max Haymes' booklet notes give some background but read like the product of desk research and fail to engage with the music - a minus point but minor consideration when the music speaks so eloquently for itself. A great set, and good value too. (DPR)
MA RAINEY: Bad Luck Blues/ Barrel House Blues/ Big Feeling Blues/ Black Dust Blues/ Black Eye Blues/ Black Eye Blues/ Blame It On The Blues/ Bo-weavil Blues/ Bo-weavil Blues/ Daddy Goodbye Blues/ Don't Fish In My Sea/ Dream Blues/ Farewell Daddy Blues/ Grievin' Hearted Blues/ Honey Where You Been So Long/ Last Minute Blues/ Leaving This Morning/ Little Low Mama Blues/ Lost Wondering Blues/ Lucky Rock Blues/ Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues/ Ma Rainey's Mystery Record/ Moonshine Blues/ Morning Hour Blues/ Mountain Jack Blues/ Mountain Jack Blues/ Runaway Blues/ Screech Owl Blues/ Shave 'em Dry Blues/ Sleep Talking Blues/ Sleep Talking Blues/ Southern Blues/ Sweet Rough Man/ Those All Night Long Blues/ Those All Night Long Blues/ Those Dogs Of Mine/ Tough Luck Blues/ Trust No Man/ Walking Blues/ Army Camp Harmony Blues/ Army Camp Harmony Blues/ Bessemer Bound Blues/ Bessemer Bound Blues/ Big Boy Blues/ Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues/ Blues Oh Blues/ Blues The World Forgot/ Blues The World Forgot/ Booze And Blues/ Broken Hearted Blues/ Broken Soul Blues/ Cell Bound Blues/ Chain Gang Blues/ Countin' The Blues/ Countin' The Blues/ Damper Down Blues/ Dead Drunk Blues/ Deep Moaning Blues/ Deep Moaning Blues/ Down In The Basement/ Explaining The Blues/ Explaining The Blues/ Four Day Honorary Scat/ Four Day Honorary Scat/ Georgia Cake Walk/ Gone Daddy Blues/ Goodbye Daddy Blues/ Hear Me Talking To You/ Hustlin' Blues/ Jealous Hearted Blues/ Jealousy Blues/ Jelly Bean Blues/ Lawd Send Me A Man Blues/ Levee Camp Moan/ Log Camp Blues/ Louisiana Hoo-doo Blues/ Ma Rainey's Black Bottom/ Memphis Bound Blues/ Misery Blues/ Moonshine Blues/ New Bo Weavil Blues/ Night Time Blues/ Night Time Blues/ Oh My Babe Blues/ Oh Papa Blues/ Prove It To Me Blues/ Rough And Tumble Blues/ See See Rider Blues/ See See Rider Blues/ Seeking Blues/ Seeking Blues/ Sissy Blues/ Slave To The Blues/ Slow Driving Moan/ Soon This Morning/ South Bound Blues/ Stack O'lee Blues/ Stormy Sea Blues/ Titanic Man Blues/ Titanic Man Blues/ Toad Frog Blues/ Traveling Blues/ Traveling Blues/ Victim Of The Blues/ Weeping Woman Blues/ Wring And Twisting Blues/ Ya Da Do/ Ya Da Do/ Yonder Comes The Blues/ Hellish Rag/ Ice Bag Papa

 
SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON Rev-Ola CRBAND 023 Go Boy Go! 1949-1952 ● CD $15.98
Frankie 'Sugar Chile' Robinson was a child prodigy who began playing the piano at an early age; born in 1940, by 1945 he was performing before President Harry Truman and sitting in with Lionel Hampton's band. He began cutting records for Capitol in 1949 at the age of 9 and this includes all his commercial recordings including his hits Numbers Boogie and Caldonia along with four tracks from rare film soundtracks.

 
THE SPIRITUALAIRES OF URTSBORO, AL Casequarter 103 Singing Songs Of Praise ● CD $14.98
12 tracks, 43 min., recommended The Spiritualaires have been together in one form or another for roughly 60 years and this is their first album. Guitarist Curtis Harris joined in 1958 shortly after the group changed their names from Christ's Gospel Singers to their current moniker and still drives the Spiritualaires mournful, bluesy a capella sound as the only instrumentalist. Alabama has a long tradition of local gospel groups with Sunday morning radio shows and the Spiritualaires are among the last to maintain that tradition. In fact, four of the tracks here were recorded at WBIL in Tuskege, complete with program announcements and local commercials. High points on the album include a cover of the Swan Silvertones arrangement of The Lord's Prayer, the bluesy Trouble and the originalSome Folks Say, a country song and a favorite among the group's local fan base. Amateur a capella gospel with a sensibility born in the late 1940s and a sound that stays close to home. (JC)

 
THE STAPLE SINGERS Shout Factory 31064 The Best Of The Vee-Jay Years ● CD $14.98
17 tracks, 53 mins, essential
While most people--myself included--recall the Staples Singers run as a pop/ R&B group during the early to mid 70's, the fact of the matter is that they began as a gospel group in the 50's. This entry into Shout Factory's Vee-Jay Records series (which includes "Best Of" compilations by the Dells and Jerry Butler) features singles and LP tracks released between 1956 and 1961. As Vee Jay was the one of first labels the group recorded for, these are among their earliest recordings, made while Mavis Staples was still a teenager; her command of the lead vocals, even at this stage, is astounding, while Pops Staples' minimalist guitar style is the perfect accompaniment for the rousing harmonies. All of the Vee Jay hits are here: Uncloudy Day/ Help Me Jesus/ Will the Circle Be Unbroken, and This May Be the Last Time, all pristinely re-mastered and annotated. Another fine collection from Shout Factory, and a good inexpensive way to get some very essential and uplifting music. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1165 R&B On Lakewood Boulevard ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of Los Angeles blues, R&B and doo-wop recorded for Bill Wenzel's Downey and associated labels. 12 of these tracks duplicate HMG 5501 which was issued some years ago and is now deleted. There are five fine tracks (three originally unissued) by T-Bone Walker's nephew R.S. Rankin which were issued under the name of T-Bone Walker Jr. including the splendid minor key blues Midnight Bells Are Ringing along with a previously unissued alternate called Love Bells Ringing. There are three fine examples of New Orleans R&B from Jesse Hill who made Los Angeles his home in L.A. for a while in the 60s - he is joined by other New Orleans ex-patriats like Alvin Robinson, Lee Allen, Dr. John and others. Singer/ harmonica player Ace Holder is a decent performer and is featured on six songs (two of them originally unissued) and there are also tracks by Paul Clifton (good R&B), Little Johnny Taylor (two early originally unissued sides with Johnny singing in a very high almost falsetto style), Chuck Higgins, Boyce Cunningham and doo-wop group The Debonaires. If you already have the HMG release you probably have the best of the tracks here but, if not, this is a very worth while if not indispensable release and booklet notes are much more extensive than the HMG release. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Blue Moon 6055 Kansas City Jumps ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 70 min., highly recommended
The 9 tracks from Earl Jackson And His Orchestra from 1949 recorded for the Supreme label include a trio of unreleased efforts, which should please fans. And the three cuts (Early In The Morning, Bombo B. Bailey, On The Sunny Side Of The Street) from the versatile Ella Mae Morse (drawn from two 1947 Capital outings) do not fail to charm. But the baker's dozen of Myra Taylor tracks (her complete recordings for the period) cut between 1940-47 for Mercury and Bluebird are the reason to pick this up. Despite some occasional surface noise, the crystal-pure, silver-smooth voice of Taylor recalls Ella Fitzgerald as it swings its way through Take It Easy Greasy, The Spider And The Fly, I Don't Want To Set The World On FIre, My Pop Gave Me A Nickel,Dig It, and others. The small combo setting suits Taylor perfectly. Too bad she didn't record more. (JC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Blue Label 49762 Bullet Records Blues ● CD $16.98
25 tracks, recommended
Superb sides recorded for Jim Bulleit's Bullet label between 1946 and 1951. Interestingly several of the artists had their greatest commercial success in the 1930s and early 40s but turn in superb performances here - St. Louis Jimmy (with Roosevelt Sykes on piano), Roosevelt Sykes, Walter Davis and Big Joe Williams. Heralding the future, Bullet also issued the first recordings of the man who was to help create a whole new style of blues - B.B. King and this features two of the four sides he recorded for that label. Other artists featured include Smoky Hogg, Rudy Greene, Little Eddie (Eddie Lang) and obscure harmonica player and vocalist J.D. Horton. Consistently fine performances though most have been out on CD before there are a number making their first appearance in digital format. I would have given this a higher rating but some of the tracks show excessive use of digital noise reduction which is particularly noticeable on the St. Louis Jimmy tracks which I don't believe are available elsewhere. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Blue Label 49982 Bullet Records - Rhythm & Blues ● CD $16.98
A second fine collection of blues and R&B from the Bullet label recorded in the late 40s and early 50s. Most of it has been out before but this definitely a worthwhile collection for those that don't have the other releases - a number of these tracks are only available elsewhere on the Bear Family box - "A Shot In The Dark". It includes sides by Wynonie Harris, Max Bailey, Sherman Williams, Tuff Green, Red Calhoun, Bobby Plater Orchestra, Tucker Coles, Dusty Brooks, Doc Wiley and The Five Bars - 25 cuts in all.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard 1015 Down Home Blues Classics - Memphis & The South, 1949-54 ● CD $19.98
Two CDs, 54 tracks, essential
Another fabulous collection of down home blues in this great series from Boulevard. This one concentrating on musicians from the "deep south" - Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama along with musicians from central hubs in Nashville and Memphis. Among the more familiar names here are Big Joe Williams with his incredibly rare and superb 1949 coupling for Bullet and 1945 side for Chicago. Big Joe had been recording since 1935 and his style remined unchanged throughout his lengthy recording career. There are four sides by the great one man band Joe Hill Louis - his Sun and Modern sides have been reissued previously but this features his earliest sides recorded in 1949 for, surprisingly enough, Columbia. Another surprise comes from another major label MGM with a previously unknown coupling from superb Nashville singer/ guitarist Louis Campbell. This set also features the pre Excello recordings of the great Louisiana country bluesman - six songs from three different sessions with three different harmonica players including the very fine Schoolboy Cleve who is featured on two tracks of his own with Slim providing the suitably funky guitar accompaniment. And then there's the four incredible tracks by Alabama singer/ guitarist John Lee - certainly one of the greatest country bluesmen to record in the post war era. Other artists include Jerry McCain, Little Sam Davis, James Bledose (recording as Country Jim and Hot Rod Happy), Willie Nix, Tommy Lee (his truly sublime Packin' Up My Blues) and others. Like others in this series this features consistently great music from beginning to end with excellent sound plus informative notes by Paul Vernon and discographical details. (FS)
LOUIS CAMPBELL: A Call On The Phone/ Don’t Want Anyone Hanging Round/ SCHOOLBOY CLEVE: She’s Gone/ Strange Letter Blues/ COUNTRY JAM: Phillipine Blues/ COUNTRY JIM: I’ll Take You Back/ Old River Blues/ Sad And Lonely/ PERCY LEE CRUDUP: Open Your Book/ Tears In My Eyes/ LITTLE SAM DAVIS: 1958 Blues/ Going Home To Mother/ She’s So Good To Me/ J.D. HORTON: Why Don’t You Let Me Be/ HOT ROD HAPPY: Worried Blues/ LUTHER HUFF: Bulldog Blues/ Dirty Disposition/ Rosalee/ LOST JOHN HUNTER: YM & V Blues/ JOHN LEE: Alabama Boogie/ Baby’s Blues/ Blind’s Blues/ Down At The Depot/ TOMMY LEE: Packin’ Up My Blues/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Jumpin’ With Jarvis/ P.L.Blues `/ Wine, Whiskey & Women/ LIGHTNING SLIM: Bad Luck/ Bugger Bugger Boy/ Ethel Mae/ I Can’t Live Happy/ New Orleans Bound/ Rock Me Mama/ JOE HILL LOUIS: A Jumpin’ And A Shufflin’/ Don’t Trust Your Best Friend/ Joe’s Jump/ Railroad Blues/ WILLIE LOVE: 21 Minutes To 9/ Nelson St. Blues/ Shady Lone Blues/ V8 Ford Blues/ JERRY MCCAIN: East Of The Sun/ Love To Make Up/ Stay Out of Automobiles/ Wine O Wine/ WILLIE NIX: Just One Mistake/ Truckin’ Little Woman/ DOCTOR ROSS: Country Clown/ DR. ROSS: Dr.Ross Boogie/ BOOGIE BILL WEBB: Bad Dog/ I Ain’t For It/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: His Spirit Lives On/ Married Woman Blues/ She’s A Driving Woman

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard 1016 The R&B Years, 1956 Volume 1 ● CD $19.98
The first of two double CD sets documenting some of the most popular blues and R&B songs of 1956 along with fine titles that didn't make it into the R&B charts.
BILLY BOY ARNOLD: I Ain't Got You/ CHUCK BERRY: No Money Down/ Roll Over Beethoven/ BIG MAYBELLE: Candy/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Pleadin' For Love/ BILLY BLAND: Chicken Hop/ THE BOOGIE RAMBLERS: Cindy Lou/ JAMES BROWN: Please Please Please/ RUTH BROWN: Sweet Baby Of Mine/ JOE BUCKNER & TOMMY DEAN: One More Mile/ CHARLES 'CHUCK' CALHOUN: My Pigeon's Gone/ BOBBY CHARLES: Time Will Tell/ RAY CHARLES: Drown In My Own Tears/ Hallelujah I Love Her So/ THE CLOVERS: Devil Or Angel/ THE COASTERS: Down In Mexico/ ANN COLE: Easy Easy Baby/ FATS DOMINO: I'm In Love Again/ THE DRIFTERS: Ruby Baby/ WILLIE EGANS: I Can't Understand It/ ERNIE FREEMAN: Jivin' Around/ BILLY GAYLES: I'm Tore Up/ PAUL GAYTEN: You Better Believe It/ 'BIG' MIKE GORDON: Walkin' Slippin' And Slidin'/ ERVIN GROVES: You Can't Beat The Horses/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Smokestack Lightning/ THE JAYHAWKS: Stranded In The Jungle/ 'LITTLE' WILLIE JOHN: Fever/ CHRIS KENNER: Grandma's House/ B.B. KING: Crying Won't Help You/ Did You Ever Love A Woman/ BOBBY LEWIS: Mumbles Blues/ SMILEY LEWIS: One Night/ LITTLE RICHARD: Directly From My Heart To You/ Long Tall Sally/ Rip It Up/ Slippin' And Slidin'/ FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS: Why Do Fools Fall In Love/ WILLIE MABON: Knock On Wood/ CLYDE MCPHATTER: Seven Days/ Treasure Of Love/ JIMMY REED: Ain't That Loving You Baby/ SHIRLEY & LEE: Let The Good Times Roll/ EFFIE SMITH: Champagne Mind/ EDDIE TAYLOR: Big Town Playboy/ THE TEEN QUEENS: Eddie My Love/ JOE TURNER: Corrine Corrina/ MUDDY WATERS: 40 Days/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: No Nights By Myself/ CHUCK WILLIS: It's Too Late

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard 1017 Down Home Blues Classics - New York & The Eastern State ● CD $19.98
Another fabulous collection of post down home blues from Boulevard - this time featuring recordings from New York and the East Coast states made between 1943 and 1953. About half the tracks are solo vocal and guitar while the rest are with small down home groups. A number of the artists first recorded in the 20s and 30s (Brownie McGhee, Curley Weaver and Blind Willie McTell) with very little change in style and other artists show a stylistic indebtedness to the early era. Most of these tracks have been out before but it's great have these all in one place with intelligent notes by Paul Garon linking them.
ALEC 'GUITAR SLIM' SEWARD & LOUIS 'JELLY BELLY' HAYES: Crooked Wife/ Good Boy/ In Love Blues/ Me And My Baby/ GABRIEL BROWN: Cold Love/ Stick With Me/ CAROLINA SLIM: One More Drink/ Side Walk Boogie/ LEROY DALLAS: Good Morning Blues/ I'm Down Now But I Won't Be Down Always/ I'm Going Away/ Jump Little Children/ JACK DUPREE: Drunk Again/ Highway Blues (Walking Down The Highway)/ Number Nine Blues/ Shim Sham Shimmy/ Stumbling Block Blues/ BIG BOY ELLIS: Dices Dices/ BOY GREEN: A And B Blues/ Play My Jukebox/ HANK KILROY: Harlem Women/ JULIUS KING: I Want A Slice Of Your Pudding/ If You See My Lover/ Mississippi Boogie/ One O'Clock Boogie/ LITTLE DAVID: You're Gonna Weep And Moan/ BROWNIE MCGHEE: Bottom Blues/ Confusin' Blues/ Greyhound Bus/ Knockabout Blues (Coralonia Blues)/ Tell Me Baby/ That's The Stuff (Watch Out)/ DENNIS MCMILLON: Goin' Back Home/ Paper Wooden Daddy/ Woke Up One Morning/ 'BLIND' WILLIE MCTELL: Kill It Kid/ Love Changing Blues/ Talkin' To You Mama/ DAN PICKETT: Ride To A Funeral In A V-8/ You Got To Do Better/ DOUG QUATTLEBAUM: Don't Be Funny Baby/ MARILYN SCOTT: Let's Do The Boogie Woogie/ SKOODLE-DUM-DOO & SHEFFIELD: West Kinney Street Blues/ CAROLINA SLIM: Georgia Woman/ SQUARE WALTON: Bad Hangover/ CURLEY WEAVER: My Baby's Gone/ Some Rainy Day/ Trixie/ ROBERT LEE WESTMORELAND: Good Looking Woman/ Hello Central Please Give Me 209/ RALPH WILLIS: Church Bell Blues/ Goodbye Blues/ Lazy Woman Blues/ Tell Me Pretty Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Collectables 6925 Three Shades Of Blues ● CD $12.98
Reissue of Biograph BCD 107. A beautiful collection of country blues by 3 of the greatest country blues performers. There are 5 tracks by Bukka White recorded in 1974 and originally issued on Biograph 12049. Bukka was in great form with powerful, raspy vocals and slashing slide guitar playing on his steel bodied National guitar. In complete contrast are 3 performances by fellow Mississippian Skip James from 1964 (originally on Biograph 12016). Unlike Bukka's ferocious approach Skip's is a more gentle melodic approach with lovely flowing guitar and his distinctive high vocals on versions of 3 songs he had originally recorded in 1931. I could listen to Skip all day! A third contrast is provided by Georgia singer and 12 string guitarist Blind Willie McTell with 6 songs recorded for Regal in 1949 with Curley Weaver on second guitar (and vocal on one track). Willie was in tremendous form on these recordings and the interplay between the guitars is stunning. All tracks have been remastered from original master tapes and sound is exceptionally fine. Booklet includes excellent notes by Pete Lowry that were on original CD. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dialtone 017 Texas Northside Kings ● CD $14.98
14 track collection featuring some of the new young Texas blues performers in the lead with veteran Texas bluesmen holding down the rhythm section. Includes Johnny Moeller, Mike Keller, Eve Monsees and others.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 08 Art Of Field Recording, Vol. 1 : 50 Years Of Traditiona ● CD $64.98
Four CD set, 110 tracks, essential
Fabulous collection of field recordings collected by folk musician, painter and art professor Art Rosenbaum over the past 50 years. Art has travelled extensively in the Eastern and South Eastern and a number of his recordings have been reissued on LP and CD but this is the first in-depth collection of the music he has collected. Originally planned as a single five CD set, the volume of outstanding material unearthed has resulted in the project being expanded to two four CD sets with the second volume due next year. This is a real treasure trove and a full description of its varied contents would take up way too much space. The first disc is a broad survey and includes Art's first recording from 1956 of Mexican Epifanio Sanchez and his group to a recording made in 2006 of 93 year old gospel singer Sister Fleeta Mitchell who went to school with Blind Willie McTell at the Georgia School For The Blind in Macon. A great variety of music is featured including blues, fiddle tunes, unaccompanied ballads, work songs, Sacred Harp singing and more. Disc two is devoted to religious music both black and white ranging from solo unaccompanied vocals to a black gospel quartet to sacred harp and much more. The third disc is devoted to blues and this includes a number of artists who may be familiar to diehard blues fans like Neal Patman, Guitar Pete Franklin, Tank Rachel and Scrapper Blackwell along with the fabulous Cecil Barfield doing the only bottleneck tune I've heard by him. This disc is mostly black performers but also includes a number of white rural performers performing in blues style. The fourth volume is devoted to instrumental and dance music and covers a wide spectrum including some interesting juxtapositions of different artists doing the same tune. Only a handful of the performers here have recorded elsewhere so this is a particularly valuable collection. The set comes with a 96 page book with track by track notes by Rosenbaum along with dozens of artist photos along with Art's own evocative paintings. Each disc comes in a cardboard sleeve with a full color rendition of one of his paintings and another painting adorns the front cover. An absolutely indispensable addition to any collection of American vernacular music. (FS)
J. T. ADAMS: Red River Blues/ CECIL BARFIELD: Georgia Bottleneck Blues/ BRADY "DOC" AND LUCY BARNES: Free Go Lily/ Teach Me, Master/ BRADY "DOC" BARNES AND LUCY BARNES: Walk with Me/ JACK BEAN: Song of Fifty Cents/ BROOKS BERRY AND SCRAPPER BLACKWELL: Brooks' Blues/ SCRAPPER BLACKWELL: "A" Blues/ EDDIE BOWLES: Bowles' Blues/ BUFORD BOYD: Don't Let Your Deal Go Down/ Deep Ellum Blues/ NAOMI BRADFORD AND MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH: My Number Will Be Changed/ KIRK BRANDENBERGER AND ART ROSENBAUM: Whistler's Waltz/ ROSS BROWN: Coal Creek March/ W. GUY BRUCE: Shady Grove/ Shout, Lulu/ Sally Ann/ MABEL CAWTHORN: Tom Watson Tune/ GEORGE CHILDERS: Nobody's Business/ Turkey in the Straw/ IDA CRAIG: Sit Down, Servant/ JAMES EASLEY, GUITAR PETE FRANKLIN AND RAYMOND: Big Leg Women/ LAETHE ELLER: What You Gonna Name that Pretty Baby?/ LAWRENCE ELLER & VAUGHN ELLER: Fly Around My Blue-Eyed Gal/ LAWRENCE ELLER AND VAUGHN ELLER: Down the Road/ LAWRENCE ELLER, VAUGHN ELLER AND ROSS BROWN: Lonesome Valley/ LYMAN ENLOE AND BOB BLACK: Fourteen Days in Georgia/ BEN ENTREKIN, UNCLE JOHN PATTERSON AND JAMES: Flat Foot Charlie/ GEORGIA JEAN EVERSOLE: Scarlet Purple Robe/ REV. HOWARD FINSTER: Five to My Five/ Medley/ GUITAR PETE FRANKLIN: Guitar Pete's Blues/ How Long Blues/ OLLIE GILBERT: Who Killed Poor Robin?/ GOLDEN RIVER GRASS: Going Down the Road Feeling Bad/ THE GOSPEL SUPREMES: Do, Lord, Remember Me/ REV. WILLIE GRESHAM AND GROUP: Guide Me, Thou Great Jehovah/ REV. WILLIE GRESHAM AND MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH: Hush and Listen"/ SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Maggie Campbell Blues/ River Line Blues/ BERT HARE: I'm Dying, Mother/ ALBERT HASH: Omie Wise/ Train 45/ MARY HEEKIN: Lord Randolph [Child 12]/ DALLAS HENDERSON: Lost Indian/ LUCILLE HOLLOWAY AND BASERS: Wade the Water to My Knees/ CLESTER HOUNCHELL: Sally, Won't You Have Me, Do Gal Do/ Walk, Little Julie/ BUELL KAZEE: Big Foot Feller/ MARGARET KIMMETT: Frankie and Johnnie [Laws 13]-Twenty Froggies Go to School/ DWIGHT "RED" LAMB: Fynne's Polka/ FROSTY LAMB AND BUZZ FOUNTAIN: Beaumont Rag/ BONNIE LOGGINS & MARY LOMAX: In the Silence of the Midnight/ MARY LOMAX: Lord Daniel [Child 81]/ The Drowsy Sleeper [Laws M4]/ COY MARTIN: Fox Chase/ FIDEL MARTIN: Cup of Faith-Beaudoin Quadrille/ LAWRENCE MCKIVER AND THE MCINTOSH COUNTY SHOUTERS: Jubilee/ BOBBY MCMILLON: Darby's Ram/ SMOKEY JOE MILLER & NEWMAN YOUNG: Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies/ SISTER FLEETA MITCHELL AND REV. WILLIE MAE EBERHART: Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down/ SISTER FLEETA MITCHELL, REV. NATHANIEL MITCHELL AND LU: I Am on the Battlefield for My Lord/ Let Me Fly/ RICHARD AND ELULA MOSS: Idumea/ EARL MURPHY AND BILL ASHLEY: Cowboy Waltz/ THE MYERS SISTERS: Little Red Rooster/ OLD THRESHERS' FIFE AND DRUM BAND: Irish Washerwoman/ Yankee Doodle/ NATHAN PALMER: Blow, Gabriel/ NEAL PATMAN: Fox Chase/ Mama Whoopin' the Blues/ The Mogul/ Key to the Highway/ UNCLE JOHN PATTERSON: Shout, Lulu/ THE PHILLIPS WONDERS: Hambone/ Walking Along the Heavenly Road / I Am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow/ JAMES "YANK" RACHEL AND SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Mandolin Stomp/ JAMES 'YANK" RACHEL AND SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Peach Orchard Mama/ JOE K. RAKESTRAW AND ART ROSENBAUM: Leaving Here, Don't Know Where I'm Going/ SHORTY RALPH REYNOLDS: Darlin' Corey/ RAY RHODES: Fred Adams/ LOUIS RIENDEAU AND LARRY RIENDEAU: Arkansas Traveler/ DR. DAVID ROSENBAUM: One Saturday Night When I Come Home [Child 274]/ LEONA RUTH: Over Yonder Where Jesus Is/ SACRED HARP SINGING GROUP: Assurance/ Eternal Day/ EPIFANIO SANCHEZ AND GROUP: Carabina Treinta-Treinta (30-30 Rifle)/ CLIFF SHEATS: Got the Blues So Bad/ RALPH SHECKEL: Tony Gave a Picnic/ THE SILVER LIGHT GOSPEL SINGERS: Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round/ HARVIE SIMS: I Cried All Night Long/ DELBERT SPRAY AND ART ROSENBAUM: Quit Kicking My Dog Around/ JAKE STAGGERS: Going Down the Road Feeling Bad/ Shout, Lulu/ PETE STEELE: Coal Creek March/ JOHN W. SUMMERS: Brickyard Joe/ Jig Medley/ Stony Point/ GORDON TANNER & SMOKEY JOE MILLER: Billy in the Low Ground/ GORDON TANNER, PHIL TANNER, ART ROSENBAUM AND L: Arkansas Traveler/ GORDON TANNER, SMOKEY JOE MILLER AND UNCLE JOHN: Carroll County Blues/ Medley/ HENRY GRADY TERRELL: Old John Henry Died on the Mountain/ MAUDE THACKER: She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain/ TICKANETLEY PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH: An Address to All/ THE TICKANETLEY PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH: Lenox/ NEWT TOLMAN: Pigtown Fling/ DEACON TOMMY TOOKES AND CONGREGATION: The Lord Is Risen/ ARTHUR VANDEVEER: A Melancholy Sound/ HARRY "PAPPY" WELLS: Jenny Nettles

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 7796 Jook Joint Blues - Good Time Rhythm & Blues, 1943-1956 ● CD $28.98
Four CD with 112 tracks of great and rare down home blues - most from the early 50s. It's all been out before but it's great to have all these superb sides in one place.
LITTLE MILTON ANDERSON: Blow It Down/ Jackson Juke/ Little Milton's Boogie/ Mistreated Baby Blues/ GOOD ROCKIN' BEASLEY: Happy Go Lucky/ THE BLUES ROCKERS: Calling All Cows/ Johnny Mae/ SCHOOLBOY CLEVE: I'm Him/ She's Gone/ Strange Letter Blues/ LITTLE WILLIE COTTON: A Dream/ COUNTRY JIM: One Thing My Baby Likes/ Philippine Blues/ LITTLE SAM DAVIS: 1958 Blues/ Goin' Home To Mother/ Goin' To New Orleans/ She's So Good To Me/ K.C. DOUGLAS: K.C. Boogie/ Lonely Blues/ FRANK EDWARDS: Gotta Get Together/ Love My Baby/ GUITAR GABLE: Congo Mombo/ CLIFFORD GIBSON: Let Me Be Your Handy Man/ Sneaky Groundhog/ GOOD ROCKIN' SAM: Don't Let Your Daddy Slow Walk You Down/ Now Listen Baby/ R. GREEN & TURNER: Alla Blues/ Central Avenue Blues/ ARTHUR GUNTER: She's Mine All Mine/ You Are Doing Me Wrong/ HARVEY HILL JR.: She Fool Me/ SONNY BOY HOLMES: I Got Them Blues/ T.N.T. Woman/ The $64 Question/ Walkin' And Cryin' Blues/ WRIGHT HOLMES: Good Road Blues/ HONEYBOY: Bloodstains On the Wall/ EARL HOOKER: Alley Corn/ On the Hook/ Ride Hooker Ride/ Sweet Angel/ EDDIE HOPE & THE MANNISH BOYS: A Fool No More/ Lost Child/ PEE WEE HUGHES: Country Boy/ Santa Fe Blues/ Sugar Mama/ LOST JOHN HUNTER: Cool Down Mama/ Schoolboy/ LOUIS JACKSON: L.J. Boogie/ RED JOHNSON: Mama Does the Boogie/ KING DAVIS: Someday You'll Understand/ L.B. LAWSON: Got My Call Card/ Scott's Boogie/ LAZY LESTER: I'm Gonna Leave You Baby/ Lester's Stomp/ LAZY SLIM JIM: Wine Head Baby/ JOHN LEE: Alabama Boogie/ Baby Blues/ Blinds Blues/ Down At the Depot/ JOHNNY LEWIS: Jealous Man/ She's Taking All My Money/ LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Bad Luck/ Bugger Bugger Boy/ Ethel May/ I Can't Be Successful/ I Can't Live Happy/ Lightnin' Blues/ New Orleans Bound/ Rock Me Mama/ LITTLE AL: Little Lean Woman/ Tiger Man/ LONESOME SUNDOWN: Leave My Money Alone/ Lost Without Love/ JOE HILL LOUIS: Hydramatic Woman/ COY 'HOT SHOT' LOVE: Harpin' On It/ Wolf Call Boogie/ JERRY MCCAIN: Courtin' In a Cadillac/ That's What They Want/ Things Ain't Right/ You Don't Love Me No More/ ERNEST MCCLAY: Big Time Woman/ DENNIS MCMILLON: Paper Wooden Daddy/ MERCY DEE: Dark Muddy Bottom/ Evil And Hanky/ My Woman Knows the Score/ One Room Country Shack/ ALEX MOORE: If I Lose You Woman/ Lillie Mae Boogie/ Neglected Woman/ OLE SONNY BOY: You Better Change/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Jump the Boogie/ Mean Old Train/ Wine, Women, Whiskey/ JERRY PERKINS: Katherine Blues/ Knocking the Boogie/ WILD BILL PHILLIPS: Pebble In My Shoe/ PINEBLUFF PETE: No.4 Boogie/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: Chicken Hearted Woman/ ALEC SEWARD: Rub a Little Boogie/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: Don't Take It Out On Me/ Lucy Mae Blues/ SKOOLE-DUM-DOO & SHEFFIELD: West Kinney Street Blues/ ALVIN SMITH: On My Way/ TARHEEL SLIM: Too Much Competition/ JESSE THOMAS: Another Fool Like Me/ LAFAYETTE THOMAS: Deep South Guitar Blues/ Weekend Blues/ TOMMY LEE THOMPSON: Highway 80 Blues/ Packin' Up My Blues/ BIG SON TILLIS: When I Come In This House Woman/ JAMES TISDOM: Winehead Swing

 
T-BONE WALKER Half Moon 038 Stormy Monday Blues - The Essential Collection ● CD $11.98
19 tracks, highly recommended
Fine collection of sides by the great T-Bone Walker featuring most of the sides he recorded for Bluesway in 1967 and 1968. Although he wasn't in the best of health at the time his singing and playing were still superb and he is accompanied by an excellent band which included Lloyd Glenn on piano, Mel Brown on rhythm & occasional lead guitar and a strong horn section. Most of the songs are remakes of his classic 40s and 50s sides but the arrangemnents (sometimes with a funk flavor) gives them a new lease of life. INcludes Stormy MOnday Blues/ Every Night I Have To CRy/ Cold Hearted Woman/ I Gotta Break Away/ I'm Still In Love With You/ Goin' To Funky Town/ Jealous Woman/ Party Girl/ Little Girl, Don't You Know, etc.

 
WATERMELON SLIM & THE WORKERS Northern Blues 038 The Wheel Man ● CD $15.98
14 tracks, 48 minutes, recommended
There's a reason Watermelon Slim (real name William Homans) has been collecting blues nominations  - although without a win to his credit yet - he's simply got it goin' on. His slide guitar is pure and unaffected, his harp work stands well on its own and his voice has the right touch of  smoke and grease.  As a songwriter the guy is simply brilliant. For those with his self-titled 2006 debut on  Northern Blues (which is also heartily recommended), the backing unit is fleshed out with  another guitar  while Dave Maxwell and Magic Slim appear as special guests. A driving set of mostly original tracks with Slim Harpo's Got Love If You Want It and Furry Lewis' Judge Harsh Blues for good measure, Slim and the Workers get it right with a mix of shuffles, slow blues and  rockin' dirt sure to please the wide tastes of a varied blues demographic. This isn't modern, polite or over-produced  - it's in-your-face with plenty of grime and grit. (CR)

 
MUDDY WATERS, JOHNNY WINTER & JAMES Legacy 707283 COTTON: Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down ● CD $13.98
Previously unissued live recordings from 1977 made during tour to support issue of Muddy's "Hard Aagain" album. The trio are supported by Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Charles Calmese on an 11 track selection including Can't Be Satisfied/ Dealin' With The Devil/ I Done Got Over It/ Mama Talk To Your Daughter/ Trouble No More, etc.

 
BIG JOE WILLIAMS Wolf 120.916 Shake Your Boogie ● CD $15.98
13 tracks, 34 mins, highly recommended
CD issue of Wolf 120.918 with considerably improved sound. The great Mississippi country bluesman and unique 9-string guitarist recorded live in Jackson, Mississppi in 1974. Big Joe is in his usual great form and performs a particularly energetic selection of mostly familiar items from his repertoire along with a few less common items. Includes The Death Of Dr. Martin Luther King/ Sloppy DRunk/ Annie Mae/ Rusty Can Blues/ baby, Please Don't Go/ Bull Cow Blues, etc. The original LP release was almost unlistenable and while this CD won't win any audio awards it's quite listenable and, if like me, you can never have too much Big Joe, then it's worthy addition to your collection. (FS)

 
SHARRIE WILLIAMS & THE WISEGUYS Crosscut 11093 Live At The Bay-Car Blues Festival ● CD $16.98
9 tracks,  69 minutes, excellent
She's got a voice as big as the stages she appears on (in Europe and the U.S.), and her band, The Wiseguys kick the music into high gear for Sharrie Williams to let it all out. With nothing more than guitar, keyboards, bass and drums for support, the energy rises early  for Tell Mama and the dynamics for  I'll Take You There  are fine. A  solid mix of hard-edged rocking blues, some gospel, soul and R&B, and fine slow blues (How Much Can A Woman Take is excellent), Sharrie & The Wiseguys put on a  electric show at the Bay-Car Blues Fest near Dunkerque, France.  The fine folks at Crosscut give Williams a notable follow-up to 2004's Hard Drivin' Woman. If blues-rock is your bag this will prove a nice addition to the shelves. Includes one bonus track  not on  the DVD.(CR)

 
JOHNNY YOUNG Columbia/ Blue Horizon 707 915-2 The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions ● CD $18.98
16 tracks, highly recommended
Another welcome addition to this fine series features the superb Chicago singer, mandolin player and guitarist recorded in 1969 with a small group including Otis Spann/ piano, Paul Oscher/ hca, Sammy Lawhorn/ bass & rhythm guitar and S.P. Leary/ drums. Young was an excellent singer with rich expressive voice and one of a handful of blues mandolin players which is featured to great effect on many of the cuts here. Most of the songs are originals though strongly based on traditional elements. Arrangements are a bit ragged, indicative of too little rehearsal, but it's always a joy to hear Otis Spann on piano and Oscher does a nice job though occasionally his playing is a bit too brash. Since this is entitled "The Complete Blue Horzion' means we get a bunch of unnecesary false starts and alternate takes but we do get two unissued titles - a version of the old favorite Stealin' and the lively, if rather chaotic instrumental Johnny's Mess Around. A most enjoyable set of Chicago blues. (FS)

 

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