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
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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.
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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
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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
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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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