New Releases: March -> November 2011
Blues & Gospel
Jo Ann Kelly
->
Chick Willis
HARRISON KENNEDY |
Electro-Fi 3428 |
Shame The Devil |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 53 min., very highly
recommended Discovered in the early 1970s by Edward Holland,
Jr. of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame, Kennedy seems
equally adept on vocals, guitar, mandolin, banjo,
and harmonica. More surprising is his original
songs which are uniformly upbeat and offbeat.
Kennedy takes a mostly acoustic approach, and
seems more interested in driving away the blues
than being driven by them. From the album's
opening lines, "I see cats in the windows,/ I see
cops in donut shops," Kennedy announces the
suspension of power as usual in favor of a little
peace and quiet, or at least a bit of
life-affirming Blues. (JC)
|
ALBERT KING |
Stax 32765 |
The Definitive Albert King |
● CD $18.98 |
Two CDs, 34 tracks, 122 mins,
highly recommended Considering that the other two blues guitar Kings,
B.B. and Freddie have had lavish box sets devoted
to their careers it is inexplicable that the other
great King, Albert hasn't received the same
treatment. He was easily one of the biggest names
in electric blues guitar and has influenced
countless other six-stringers; Otis Rush, Robert
Cray, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to
name a few. His recordings for the Stax label are
treasured by many for their sheer power as well as
the trademark razor-sharp guitar tone that King
achieved from his Gibson Flying V, played
upside-down (left-handed). And, of course, he was
a great singer too. This two CD set starts with
his first R&B hit recorded for Bobbin in 1961 and
ends with his 1984 version of Dust My Broom
recorded for Stax's new owner Fantasy Recordings -
the rest is drawn from his extensive output for
Stax recorded between 1966 and 1975 and includes
all his classic R&B hits - Laundromat Blues/
Born Under A Bad Sign/ (I Love) Lucy/ Angel Of
Mercy/ I'll Play The Blues For You/ Breaking Up
Somebody's Home, etc. along with album cuts and
originally unissued titles. The famed Stax house
band is on board for many of the tracks, making
for truly powerhouse performances - it's only a
shame they didn't include another half a dozen
tracks which would have easily fit and they could
have left out Albert's less than stellar
renditions of Hound Dog and Honky Tonk
Woman. Still, if you don't have much by Albert
this is a great way to get a retrospective of his
most productive period. Now, can we have a box
set, please? (FS)
|
B.B. KING |
Legends 22 |
100 Hits |
● CD $19.98 |
Another of those fine low priced
sets- this one devoted to the early career of the
blues giant B.B. King. Five CDs with 100 tracks
ranging from his earliest sides for Bullet in 1949
through to his #2 R&B hit in 1960 of Sweet
Sixteen. From his early tentative recordings
through his intense early 50s sides with
shattering guitar through the smoother waxings
from the mid/ late 50s. It includes all his R&B
chart hits from that period on RPM and Kent
including Three O'Clock Blues/ Story From My
Heart And Soul/ Please LOve Me/ When My Heart
Beats LIke A Hammer/ Whole Lotta Love/ Every Day I
Have The Blues/ Ten Long Years/ Bad Luck/ Sweet
Little Angel and all the rest along with
flipsides, non hit singles and album. If you don't
have much B.B. or you want to turn someone on to
one of the greatest and most influential bluesmen
of the 20th Century this collection should fit the
bill. B.B. KING: (I'm Gonna)
Quit My Baby/ A Lonely Lover's Plea/ Army Of The
Lord/ B.B. Blues/ B.B. Boogie/ Bad Luck/ Bad Luck
Soul/ Be Careful With A Fool/ Blind Love/ Boogie
Rock/ Boogie Woogie Woman/ Bye! Bye! Bye!/ Can't
We Talk It Over?/ Come By Here/ Crying Won't Help
You/ Dark Is The Night (Part 1)/ Days Of Old/
Don't Have To Cry/ Don't Look Now, But I've Got
The Blues/ Don't You Want A Man Like Me?/ Every
Day I Have The Blues/ Everything I Do Is Wrong/
Fine Looking Woman/ Fishin' After Me/ Good Man
Gone Bad/ Gotta Find My Baby/ Hard Working Woman/
Highway Bound/ Hold That Train/ I Am/ I Need You
So Bad/ I Want To Get Married/ I Wonder/ I'm
Craxcking Up Over You/ I'm Willing To Run All The
Way/ I'm Working On The Building(I'm Gonna) Quit
My Baby/ I've Got Papers On You Baby/ It's My Own
Fault/ Jesus Gave Me Water/ Jump With You Baby/
Let's Do The Boogie/ Lonely And Blue/ Mean Old
Frisco/ Miss Martha King/ Mistreated Woman/ My Own
Fault, Darling/ Neighbourhood Affair/ Never Heard
A Man/ Old Time Religion/ On My Word Of Honour/
Partin' Time/ Please Accept My Love/ Please Help
Me/ Please Hurry Home/ Please Love Me/ Pray For
You/ Praying To The Lord/ Ruby Lee/ Save A Seat
For Me/ Shake It Up And Go/ She Don't Move Me No
More/ She's A Mean Woman/ She's Dynamite/ Shut
Your Mouth/ Sixteen Sons/ Sneaking Around/
Someday, Somewhere/ Story From My Heart And Soul/
Sugar Mama/ Sweet Chariot/ Sweet Little Angel/
Sweet Sixteen/ Sweet Thing/ Take A Swing With Me/
Talking The Blues/ Ten Long Years/ That Ain't The
Way To Do It/ The Key To My Kingdom/ The Other
Night Blues/ The Woman I Love/ Things Are Not The
Same/ Three O'Clock Blues/ Time To Say Goodbye/
Troubles, Troubles, Troubles/ Understand/ Walkin'
And Cryin'/ What Can I Do?/ When My Heart Beats
Like A Hammer/ When Your Baby Packs Up And Goes/
Whole Lotta' Love/ Why Did You Leave Me?/ Why Does
Everything Happen To Me?/ Woke Up This Morning/
Worry, Worry, Worry/ You Didn't Want Me/ You Done
Lost Your Good Thing Now/ You Know I Go For You/
You Know I Love You/ You Upset Me Baby/ You've
Been An Angel
|
ALEXIS KORNER |
Not Now 402 |
Easy Rider |
● CD $9.98 |
2 CDs, 40 tracks, 117 min., highly
recommended Despite being born in Paris, Alexis Korner became
known as the founding father of British blues. His
earliest recordings, collected here, pre-date the
British blues movement that captured the attention
and careers of the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds,
and others who would go on rewrite the rules of
rock and roll. This two-disc set, which collects
tracks recorded between 1954-1957, finds Korner
covering Leadbelly and various traditional county
blues songs, as well as turning out his own
compositions, including Roadhouse Stomp,
named after the blues club he helped make famous.
It's Korner in an acoustic setting accompanied by
honesty and a sincere love of the music that comes
right through the speakers. No substitute for your
Lightning Hopkins record collection perhaps, but a
worthwhile listen for your inner blues historian.
(JC)
|
LAZY LESTER |
Ace CDCHD 1304 |
Rides Again |
● CD $18.98 |
23 tracks , highly recommended Lazy Lester was one of the stable of Louisiana
"swamp blues" artists produced by Jay Miller for
the Excello label in the 50s and early 60s. A
distinctive vocalist with his slurred "lazy" style
he was a brilliant blues harmonica player and in
addition to his own recordings was often featured
as a session musician behind Lightnin' Slim,
Lonesome Sundown and others. After a 20 year
hiatus from music he returned to performing in the
late 1980s and recorded his first album "Lazy
Lester Rides Again" for Paul Vernon's Blue Horizon
label in 1987 which is reissued here along with
two previously unissued songs and nine alternate
takes. Unlike some recordings of U.S. bluesmen
with British bands from this period which were
sloppy or underrehersed the backing here is solid,
with members of Blues South-West, Blues'n'Trouble
and Junkyard Angels, plus the brilliant Bob Hall
on piano. In fact, the only weakness is that
Lester's voice tends to go flat on the slow tunes.
Includes excellent remakes of songs originally
recorded for Excello like Sugar Coated Love/ I
Hear You Knockin' (not the Fats Domino tune)
and The Same Thing Could Happen To You plus
some new originals, a couple of songs recorded by
other Excello artists (Lightnin' Slim's Nothin'
But The Devil and Guitar Gable's Irene).
There are two great instrumentals Lester's
Shuffle and Blowin' A Rhumba and a superb
version of St. Louis Blues which takes St.
Louis down to the Bayou! The two unissued
performances I Ain't Glad and another
instrumental Rockin' With Lester are
excellent and fit right in with the rest of the
album. The alternate takes don't add a whole lot
but are nice to have. (FS)
|
BILLY "RED" LOVE |
Bear Family BCD 17149 |
Gee ... I Wish - The Sun Years, Plus |
● CD $21.98 |
26 tracks, highly recommended Superb collection of Memphis urban blues recorded
in the Sun studios between 1951 and '54 featuring
the little known but highly talented singer and
piano player Billy "Red" Love. Billy only had
three official releases under his own name - two
on Chess and one a one sided tribute to Hart's
Bread issued by the Hart's Bread company. He is
also the vocalist on Juiced issued on Chess
as by Jackie Brenston even though Brenston doesn't
appear on it! Fortunately Love was regular visitor
to the Sun studio and this includes many
originally unissued tracks and a fair number of
alternative takes. Billy was a outstanding
vocalist equally comfortable with a boogie like
Gee I Wish or an intense slow blues like
Way After Midnight. He was accompanied by
superb Mmephis musicians like guitarists Calvin
Newborn, Pat Hare and the underrated Charles
McGowan, sax players like Charles Walker, Harvey
Simmons, Richard Sanders and more. In addition to
his solo work here he was also a session pianist
on many blues & R&B tracks cut at Sun and was the
leader of Roscoe Gordon's band for a number of
years. The 48 page booklet includes the first
extensive biography of Love's life and a detailed
discussion of his recordings along with great rare
photos and label shots. And, of course, being Bear
Family, the sound is above reproach. (FS)
|
MAGIC SAM |
Delmark 6615 |
West Side Soul |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, essential Newly remastered and repackaged edition of one of
the great blues albums of the 1960s - the first of
only two studio albums recorded by this brilliant
Chicago singer & guitarist whose death at the
early age of 32 robbed the world of a major
talent. Sam was a wonderful singer with melismatic
gospel flavor and a brilliant guitarist with a
crisp attack who could use vibrato to great
effect. On these recordings, made in 1967, he is
accompanied by a workmanlike band including Mighty
Joe Young/ gtr, Stockholm Slim/ pno, Ernest
Johnson or Mack Thompson/ bass and Odie Paine or
his son Odie Payne, III/ drums. The material
includes remakes of some of his classic Cobra
recordings, new songs and versions of songs
popularized by others including a version of
Sweet Home Chicago which breathes new life
into this old warhorse. The CD includes an
alternate take of I Don't Want No Woman
which is interesting though not markedly different
to the issued version. The opening cut - the
original song That's All I Need show that
had Sam lived he could have also become one of the
great soul singers of the era. The new remastering
is a revelation with more crispness and depth to
the instruments and more presence on Sam's
glorious vocals - even if you have the original CD
issue you're gonna need to have this new issue.
Packaged in a handsome fold out digipac with some
previously unpublished photos, the original notes
by Bob Koester and Don Lindemann and a new and
trivial appreciation by Don Wilcock. A valuable
glimpse of a truly talented performer who would
surely have scaled the heights had he lived long
enough. (FS)
|
BISHOP MANNING & THE MANNING FAMILY |
Big Legal Mess 0258 |
Converted Mind - The Early Recordings |
● CD $13.98 |
28 tracks, highly recommended Terrific collection of down home gospel from North
Carolina, mostly recorded in the mid-late 70s, by
Bishop Dready Manning with his wife Marie and his
five children. Manning was originally a hard
living blues and R&B singer who turned to religion
in 1962 after a bout of ill health and formed his
own church and now leads three churches. Manning
and family recorded quite extensively for small
Southern labels in the 70s including his own
Manning label and has continued to record on and
off since then. The tracks here are a selection of
the best of his 70s recordings along with his
first recording made in the late 60s with his wife
and two other church members as The Gospel Four.
The Bishop leads the group with powerful lead
vocals plays bluesy guitar and on some tracks some
wonderful down home harmonica including the great
harmonica instrumental The Gospel Train. A
few tracks feature leads by his wife Marie or
daughter Carolyn or son "Little" Paul. The songs
are a mixture or originals, sometimes with a
topical flavor, and versions of gospel standards.
As a young man Manning was impressed by Merle
Travis's recording of I Am A Pilgrim and
does a fine version of the song here. Some great
music with a very informative booklet by gospel
expert Alan Young. (FS)
|
MISSISSIPPI FRED MCDOWELL & OTHERS |
JSP JSPCD 4227 |
Down Home Blues, 1959 |
● CD $23.98 |
Two CD set, 46 tracks, essential When Alan Lomax conducted his field recordings in
the South in 1959 with the assistance of English
folk singer he discovered and rediscovered many
great musicians but none greater than Mississippi
Delta bluesman, Fred McDowell. In my humble opinion Fred was every bit the equal of the
legendary Mississippi blues artists who recordings
in the 20s and 30s and we can be truly grateful
that he left a substantial musical legacy behind
him when he died in 1972. Although all his 1959
have been reissued before by Rounder over several
album this is the first time that all 23 sides he
recorded are featured together in chronological
order. Although Fred recorded many of these songs
again these are particularly fine performances
with impassioned singing and devastating slide
guitar from Fred and a number of songs don't
appear elsewhere. On several cuts he is assisted
by Mile Pratcher on guitar and Fanny Davis on comb
and paper producing an eerie but very effective
sound. Here we have the first recordings of such
trademark McDowell pieces as Write Me A Few
Lines/ Shake 'Em On Down/ Good Morning Little
Schoolgirl and 61 Highway. The rest of
the this set features other artists recorded in
Mississippi and nearby Arkansas on the same trip
most notable of whom is the incredible John
Dudley - an inmate of the infamous Parchman Farm
Penitentiary. He does three songs including a
magnificent version of Poor Boy Blues with
incredible lyrical slide guitar and an intense
version of Tommy Johnson's Cool Water Blues.
There are three superb and archaic sounding tracks
from Miles and Bob Pratcher accompanying
themselves on guitar and fiddle. Lonnie Young's
great fife and drum band is featured on five cuts
and the set is rounded out with some juke joint
blues by small groups featuring singer and
harmonica player Forest City Joe, singer and
harmonica player Boy Blue and singer & guitarist
Willie Jones. A superb collection with excellent
sound and informative notes. (FS)
|
THE ORIGINAL GOLDEN STARS OF GREENWOOD, S.C/ REVEREND NORRIS
TURNER |
Gospel Friend 1506 |
South Carolina Gospel |
● CD $16.98 |
26 tracks, 76 mins, highly
recommended Superb collection of black gospel recorded between
1958 and 1979 - half the tracks are by the group
the Golden Stars Quartet featuring the fine leads
of Alphonso Devlin or Norris Turner and the
remainder features solo recordings made by Turner
with small group instrumental support and usually
a female vocal group engaging in call and response
with him. About 2/3 of the songs are original
compositions with the rest being fine renditions
of traditional gospel favorites like What A
Friend We Have In Jesus/ When They Ring The Golden
Bells and others. Turner is a powerful and
expressive vocalist and several of his songs have
a topical edge like Lord Have Mercy On The
People Of This World and Let's Get Together
With The Lord. Includes 12 page booklet with
detailed notes by Per Notini. (FS)
|
LUCKY PETERSON |
JSP JSPCD 8831 |
Every Second A Fool Is Born |
● CD $16.98 |
11 tracks, 52 min., highly
recommended Peterson apparently has Steve Washington (son of
Fats Washington) writing the material on this
album. And the songs are fine, but as usual the
reason to get this set is the nuclear powered
guitar work of Peterson, and the all too
infrequent vocal addition of Tamara Peterson, who
can turn mediocre blues into a night to remember.
She may even steal the show on the blistering
Change Your Ways, but on the unequalled
Love Me, Peterson steals it back. When he's
good, he's very good. (JC)
|
PEPPY PRINCE |
Acrobat 4352 |
Dance Time With Peppy Prince |
● CD $15.98 |
26 tracks, 73 mins, recommended A collection of West Coast jump blues, jazzy R&B
and ballads featuring the talents of drummer,
singer and bandleader Preston "Peppy" Prince
including sides with his own band as well as
tracks where he performed as sideman. Though
little known today he was an important and popular
figure on the WEst Coast scene in the 40s and 50s.
He started working in Joe Liggins band and the set
starts with a couple of live cuts from 1945 by
Liggins with Peppy doing the drumming honors
followed by two tracks from a 1947 session with
members of Liggins band featuring Peppy singing ad
the sterling sax work of Little Willie Jackson.
The rest of the tracks cover a ten year period
featuring Peppy with various bands and often in
the company of vocalist and piano player Christine
Chatman. Some of the tracks are rather bland
soporific ballads but there's also plenty of tough
blues and up tempo numbers. Many of these sides
were recorded for tiny, very obscure labels and
sound quality on a number of tracks is quite
mediocre. Compiled and annotated by the West Coast
blues and gospel expert Opal Louis Nations the
booklet includes rare photos and label shots and
full discographical info. (FS)
|
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR |
Sunny Side 3049 |
Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo |
● CD $16.98 |
14 tracks, very highly recommended Available again. A classic revisited and improved!
This album was recorded in 1974 for the French
Blue Star and it has been remixed by the album's
original producer Philippe Rault and two
previously unissued songs from the session have
been added. The remix gives added emphasis to
Fess's superb piano and the sound is brighter and
crisper. On this session, Fess was joined by a
superb rhythm section and splendid guitarist
"Gatemouth" Brown. Fess is in top form on a
selection of New Orleans classics (Junco
Partner/ Rockin' Pneumonia/ Tipitina), R&B
favorites (Mean Ol' World/ Dr. Professor
Longhair), a calypso (Rum & Coke) and
country favorite Jambalaya (with bluesy
fiddle by Gate). One of his best albums.
(FS)
|
YANK RACHELL |
Blind Pig 8012 |
Blues Mandolin Man |
● CD $9.98 |
9 tracks, recommended Reissue of 1986 Blind Pig album which was
available for a while on CD on the Random Chance
label. Yank is one of the great pioneers of blues
mandolin playing who worked on and off with Sleepy
John Estes from 1929 to 1969. Recorded when Yank
was 76 years old this was his first session with a
band and the result is very enjoyable. Yank sings
and plays electric mandolin and is accompanied by
a small electric band, including his granddaughter
Sheena on electric bass. They do a good job
accompanying him on a set of Chicago blues style
performances. Mostly versions of older songs like
My Baby's Gone/ She Changed The Lock/ Dreamy
Eyed Woman/ Black Snake and others plus the
more recent and topical Cigarette Blues.
(FS)
|
LULA REED |
Ace CDCHD 984 |
I'll Drown In My Tears - The King Anthology, 1952-1955 |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 60 mins, highly
recommended Superb collection of sides featuring the sultry,
girlish and sometimes gospel tinged vocals of Lula
Reed. It features some of her best and most
popular sides recorded for King between 1951 and
1955 - all of them accompanied by the superb band
of her husband Sonny Thompson and supervised by
one of the pioneer black record executives Henry
Glover who also wrote many of the songs here. It
includes her original recording of I'll Drown
In My Tears, later a hit for Ray Charles,
Rock Love which was a hit for the pop group
The Fontaine Sisters, the blue and moody Last
Night, the soulful unissued Living In
Misery, the gently rockin' Bump On A Log
and a fine gospel performance A Quiet Time With
Jesus - Lula started her career as a gospel
singer. Sound quality is superb and there are
notes by Billy Vera which present what little is
known about Lula who has remained elusive to
researchers. (FS)
LULA REED: A Quiet Time With
Jesus/ Bump On A Log/ Don't Make Me Love You/
Going Back To Mexico/ I'll Drown In My Tears/ I'll
Upset You Baby/ I'm Giving All My Love/ I'm Gone,
Yes I'm Gone/ Jealous Love/ Just Whisper/ Last
Night/ Let Me Be Your Love/ Let's Call It A Day/
Living In Misery/ My Story/ Rock Love/ Sick And
Tired/ Troubles On Your Mind/ Waiting To Be Loved
By You/ Watch Dog/ Why Don't You Come On Home/
Without Love (ain't It A Shame)/ Wonderful Love/
Your Key Don't Fit No More
|
RAY REED |
Dialtone 0018 |
Where The Trinity Runs Free |
● CD $15.98 |
Solid set of down home blues from
67 year old Texas singer/ guitarist Reed with
solid band including guitarist Clarence Pierce,
Austrian piano player Christian Dozzler, harmonica
player Hash Brown and others. A mix of originals
and old favorites. Includes Lady Pearl's Cut Yu
Loose/ Woke Up This Morning/ Lucy Mae Blue/ Two
Trains Running/ Bad Sad/ Wonder Why/ Maypearl
Rose, etc.
|
RHYTHM WILLIE |
Deltacat 1002 |
The Greatest Harmonica Player You Never Heard Of |
● CD $16.98 |
16 tracks, highly recommended Back in stock. Willie Hood aka Rhythm Willie is a
little known blues harmonica player who is very
highly regarded by blues aficionados for his
original style with one foot in the older styles
of the 20s and the other showing the influence of
jazz. He only recorded six sides under his own
name in 1940 and 1950 which are included here. The
rest of the tracks feature Willie as an
accompanying musician. There are five tracks from
1939 by Peetie Wheatstraw with Willie and four by
Lee Brown from the same year. The set is rounded
out by a cut by the Earl Bostic Orchestra from
1947 with extended harmonica work by Willie.
According to rumor Willie was the only harmonica
player that Little Walter "feared" though their
styles are very different. If you love blues
harmonica then this disc is indispensible. (FS)
|
BROTHER CECIL SHAW |
Acrobat 4200 |
I Want To Know |
● CD $16.98 |
18 tracks, 48 mins, essential Back in print - at least temporarily! Superb
collection of quartet gospel singing featuring the
stunning lead vocals of Texan Brother Cecil Shaw.
Though little known today he was admired by his
contemporaries - a number who covered his songs
and was the only man that Archie Brownlee refused
to follow on stage! The 18 tracks here are the sum
total of his issued recordings - 16 recorded for
Imperial in 1952 and '53 and two for his own Shaw
label in 1954. Four tracks feature him with The
Alpha Omega Singers, six with The Silverlight
Singers including the stunning Heaven's Bells
Have Called Mother Home and A Christian's
Plea. The remaining tracks are with a female
group that Shaw assembled called the Union
Spiritual Singers and feature further stunning
performances including the original recording of
Pray On My Child later recorded by The
Staple Singers, the church wrecking Have Mercy
My Father and others including a couple with an
unidentified female lead who is so good it's
scray. A early member of this group was Della
Beatrice "Bea" Howard who ended up marrying Ray
Charles after hearing him praise Shaw and his
group's singing on the radio in Houston. If you
like The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi with
Archie Brownlee or the Spirit Of Memphis with
Silas Steele this is a must purchase. Includes
informative notes, based on original research, by
gospel expert Opal Louis Nations. (FS)
|
GEORGE "HARMONICA" SMITH |
Electro-Fi 3423 |
Teardrops Are Falling - LIve In 1983 |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 56 mins, recommended Previously unissued live recording made a few
months before George's untimely death at the age
of 69. George "Harmonica" Smith was a fine singer
and magnificent harmonica player who, though
obviously influenced by Little Walter, was a true
original who himself was a big influence
particularly on the West Coast blues harmonica
player. George is in good form both vocally and
instrumentally on a selection of mostly standard
Chicago blues (Key To The HIghway/ CRazy 'Bout
You Baby/ JUke/ Goin' Down Slow, etc. as well
as some others including his own Teardrops Are
Falling which is the highlight here. He is
accompanied by Buddy Reed and The Rocket 88's who
do a good job though sometimes Reed's guitar work
is a bit overbearing. On several tracks the group
is joined by harmonica player Bullet Bill Tarsha
who takes the lead role on several tracks. Sound
quality is generally fine. Considering George's
talent and influential his recorded output is
fairly thin so this provides a valuable addition
to that output. (FS)
|
T-MODEL FORD |
Alive 115 |
Taledragger |
● CD $16.98 |
The latest from back-to-basics Mississippi bluesman T-Model Ford find him accompanied by young white band GravelRoad who add a heavy rock
element to Ford's music. Not really my cup of tea.
|
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE |
Primo 6118 |
Essential Early Recordings |
● CD $10.98 |
Two CDs, 40 tracks, highly
recommended A splendid inexpensive introduction to the music
of this great and influential gospel performer
featuring recordings made between 1938 and 1949.
Sister Rosetta was outstanding and expressive
gospel singer and guitarist whose singing and
playing had a big influence on performers both
sacred and secular. She was probably the first
crossover gospel singer who had several nationwide
R&B hits with gospel songs. Many of her earliest
sides feature her accompanied only by her
distinctive guitar work but she also spent a while
in the early 40s working with the great Lucky Millinder and recorded several secular blues songs
with them - several which are featured here and
the orchestra accompanied her on several of her
gospel performances including her great Rock
Me and That's All. Later recordings
feature her accompanied by the Sam Price and two
of her big R&B hits with the group are featured
here Strange Things Are Happening Every Day
and Up Above My Head , I Hear Music In The
Air - the latter a duet with the great Marie
Knight. If you don't have much by Sister Rosetta
this is a fine place to start with excellent
sound. (FS)
|
BIG JOE TURNER |
Bear Family BCD 17215 |
Big Joe Turner Rocks |
● CD $24.98 |
28 tracks, 71 mins, highly
recommended Big Joe Turner was a mighty big figure in the
history of Rock & Roll and Rhythm & Blues, both
figuratively and literally, tipping the scales at
over 300 pounds on average and reigning over the
scene. Possibly the best of all the R&B shouters,
Big Joe Turner had a recording career that that
spanned several decades and Bear Family does an
admirable job presenting the best of his prime
years between 1938 - 1958. From early R&B gems
like My Gal's A Jockey/ Roll 'em Pete, and
Jumpin' Tonight, to breakout blasters like
Flip, Flop & Fly/ Corrine, Corrina, and
Shake, Rattle & Roll, with all sorts of
great, lesser-known cuts as well like Crawdad
Hole,/ Adam Bit The Apple, etc. As the title
would attest to, these are his most "Rockin'"
cuts, not like Big Joe did much that didn't "Rock.
" Excellent liner notes by Bill Dahl. (JM)
BIG JOE TURNER: (We're
Gonna) Jump For Joy/ Adam Bit The Apple/ Around
The Clock Blues, Part 1/ Around The Clock Blues,
Part 2/ Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ Bump Miss
Susie/ Corrine, Corrina/ Crawdad Hole/ Feelin'
Happy/ Flip, Flop And Fly/ Hide And Seek/ Honey
Hush/ I Need A Girl/ Jumpin' Tonight (Midnight
Rocking)/ Lipstick, Powder And Paint/ Love Roller
Coaster/ Midnight Cannonball/ Morning, Noon And
Night/ My Gal's A Jockey/ Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop/
Rebecca/ Rock-A-While/ Roll 'Em Pete/ Shake,
Rattle And Roll/ T. V. Mama/ Teen Age Letter/ The
Chicken And The Hawk/ Well, All Right
|
IKE & TINA TURNER |
Blues Boulevard 250201 |
We've Always Had The Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
22 tracks, 67 min, highly
recommended Back in stock. Wonderful CD reissuing Ike & Tina's
2 Blue Thumb LPs, "Outta Season" (Blue Thumb 5) &
"The Hunter"(Blue Thumb 11), both from '69. Over
an hour of superb blues and the occasional soul
number with great singing by Tina, but also
especially incredible guitar from Ike and Albert
Collins who guests on two tracks. Hearing Tina as
a down-home blues singer is spine-chilling,
especially on such tracks as their great cover of
Albert King's The Hunter, Eddie Boyd's 5
Long Years, T-Bone Walker's Mean Old
World, & Lowell Fulson's Reconsider Baby.
She even tackles such warhorses as Rock Me
Baby & Dust My Broom & breathes new life
in them, with much help from Ike's guitar & band!
And there's even a taste of things to come with
I've Been Loving You Too Long which would
play a big part in their 70s crossover. This
material has been out several times before so you
might want to check your collection before
ordering. (GM/FS)
|
L.C. ULMER |
Hillcountry 2116 |
Blues Come Yonder |
● CD $14.98 |
11 tracks, good Raw Mississippi country blues from 79 year old
singer/ guitarist from South MIssissippi. Ulmer is
a decent singer and an adequate guitarist. He
plays acoustic and electric guitar and, on one
track, some rather erratic banjo. He is
accompanied by basic bass and rums on most cuts.
His material is strongly based on traditional
elements along with material learned from popular
blues records. A decent set of performances
without anything that really stands out. (FS)
|
JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON |
Jasmine 171 |
The Original Gangster Of LOve, 1953-1959 |
● CD $15.98 |
29 tracks, highly recommended There have been a number of reissues of early
Johnny "Guitar" Watson sides so chances are that
you have many of the tracks but this is a superbly
compiled set featuring all the issued singles
issued between 1953 and 1959. Johnny started his
musical career playing piano as a child and in
1951 at the age of 17 he joined the Chuck Higgins
combo as pianist and occasional vocalist. He was
subsequently signed by Federal in 1953 who issued
his recordings under the name Young John Watson.
The first two sessions for Federal feature Johnny
singing and playing piano with superb small bands
including a remake of Motor Head Baby
originally cut with Higgins, the fine I Got
Eyes and others. At his his February, 1954
session he unleashed his guitar skills with the
spectacular instrumental Space Guitar and
the dynamic Gettin' Drunk. He subsequently
moved to RPM with his guitar skills continually
improving and developing an immediately
recognizable clipped approach top his playing.
These sides include such all time classics as
Hot Little Mama, Too Tired and his
first R&B chart hit - a fabulous cover of Earl
King's Those Lonely, Lonely Nights. In 1957
he signed to Keen where he had two singles
released including the first version of his most
famous song Gangster Of Love and a superb
version of Mercy Dee's One Room Country
Shack along with two forgettable rock 'n' roll
songs. The set ends with one side of his 1959
single for the Class label which was also pretty
unexceptional. Sound quality is superb and there
are informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
|
JUNIOR WELLS |
Delmark 6612 |
Hoodoo Man Blues |
● CD $14.98 |
26 tracks, 63 mins, highly
recommended Another classic Delmark album remastered and
repackaged. This time the first full length album
from the great singer and harmonica player Junior
Wells accompanied by small group with his regular
musical associate Buddy Guy on guitar (listed on
the original LP as "Friendly Chap" as Delmark
thought Budddy was under contract to Chess),
bassist Jack Myers and drummer Billy Warren.
Junior is in great form on a selection of
originals and blues favorites including his superb
rendition of Sonny Boy Williamson's Hoodoo Man
Blues plus Snatch It Back And Hold It/ Good
Morning Little Schoolgirl/ In The Wee Wee Hours/
Early In The Morning/ Chitlins Con Carne, etc.
When first reissued on CD in 1993 there were three
bonus alternate takes - this edition includes
three more alternate takes, the previously
unissued song I Ain't Stranded and half a
dozen snippets of studio chatter. The new
mastering brings new life to the classic and the
booklet has the original notes, notes from a 70s
reissue and new notes by Delmark head Bob Koester.
(FS)
|
REVEREND KM WILLIAMS |
Dialtone 0022 |
When I Rise |
● CD $13.98 |
13 tracks, highly recommended Exciting collection of gospel and blues from Texas
singer/ guitarist Reverend KM Williams. Williams,
who was born in 1956 started playing music in the
1960s and was inspired by the music of a varied
selection of artists including John Lee Hooker,
Blind Willie Johnson and R.L. Burnside. Williams'
style is a bit reminiscent of the Mississippi Hill
Country blues artists with his fairly simple tunes
and repetitive distorted guitar riffs backed
mostly by just percussion accompaniment. Most of
the songs are Williams originals and many of the
gospel tunes feature vocal accompaniments from
Blue Lisa and Andrea Dawson who join Williams in
call and response mode. A few cuts feature
Williams playing some powerful slide guitar.
Bluesman Hash Brown joins in on guitar on a couple
of cuts and harmonica on a couple of others to
great effect. (FS)
|
SHARRIE WILLIAMS |
Electro-Fi 3426 |
Out Of The Dark |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 54 min., highly
recommended
Williams stands apart from the female blues belter crowd by virtue of
her ability to incorporate soul, gospel, jazz and even rock into her
blues. And not many in her shoes write their own material. Only the
title track, a well-chosen slow bit of jazz-inflected blues, lacks her
name on the songwriting credits. And don't be surprised if several of
these songs get covered by the competition. The slow and memorable Choices
and Gone Too Long dial back the energy on the
album just when it needs to catch its breath. Williams has talent to
spare, but doesn't. (JC)
|
CHICK WILLIS |
Benevolent Blues 10 |
Let The Blues Speak For Itself |
● CD $14.98 |
13 tracks, 48 min., recommended Willis shares his third Benevolent Blues release
with label mate Travis Haddix, who shares lead
vocal duties on On Your Way Fishing and
We're Going Too Boogie and has the vocal
spotlight to himself on Crush On My Next Door
Neighbor, to which Haddix adds his lead guitar.
Still, no one steals the show from Willis, who has
been around the block before and apparently
stopped at a few houses to visit his lady friends.
And when he is singing about fishing or dancing or
his neighbor or anything else, he's singing about
women and sex. You know, the blues, with and
without the rhythm. His releases, this one
included, are never earth shattering, always a
pretty good time. This album should come with a
six pack. (JC)
|
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