LATEST ADDITIONS  09/21/2015

CALENDAR
CLASSIC BLUES ARTWORK FROM THE 1920s - 2016 Calendar

DVD
FREDDY KING
VARIOUS ARTISTS

COMPACT DISCS
CLARENCE ASHLEY/ EMRY ARTHUR & OTHERS

BO DIDDLEY
GEORGIA TOM DORSEY & BIG BILL BROONZY
DICK GAUGHAN
CHARLIE GRACIE
WYNONIE HARRIS
HOMER & JETHRO
JOHN LEE HOOKER
HOWLIN' WOLF
FRANK HUTCHISON/ KELLY HARRELL & MORE
 

JOHNNY JONES & CHARLES WALKER
STEVE JORDAN
BEN E. KING
FRED MCDOWELL
MEMPHIS HORNS
MEMPHIS MINNIE
RED NORVO
THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW
DAN W. QUINN
MARVIN RAINWATER
OLA BELLE REED & OTHERS
BILLY LEE RILEY
J.B. SMITH
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE
HENRY TOWNSEND
VARIOUS ARTISTS
CINDY WALKER
DOC WATSON
JOHNNY YOUNG


IMPORTANT NOTE: We currently do not have a shopping cart. The company who handled our cart has gone out of business. However we are still handling orders and are keeping our web site up to date with new releases. You may place your orders by email (roots@toast.net), phone (toll free in USA 1-888-ROOTS-66, Elsewhere: 510-965-9503) or by mail P.O. Box 837, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA

 
Since our Second Time Around listings are so popular this list includes some great releases which have been out for a while but you may have missed them the first time we listed them.To avoid you getting possible duplicates we have added  asterisks (**) after these particular titles. We have also included some choice sale items.

CALENDAR

 
CLASSIC BLUES ARTWORK FROM THE 1920s - 2016 Calendar Blues Images 216 ● CALENDAR $18.98
32 page calendar + 24 track CD, essential and then some
It's here - an extra special version of John Tefteller's annual blues calendar. So what's so special? John has been working with a group of filmmakers to produce a series called "American Epic" to show on PBS and the BBC in early 2016 which will explore the recording of rural music in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. During work on the series the producers devised a whole new method of transferring and remastering old 78s that extracts the maximum amount of music with the minimum of noise and that technique (currently secret) has been used for the recordings on the CD accompanying the calendar and the result is astonishing. Apart from the almost total absence of noise the music has a vibrancy and presence that makes many of the tracks sound like the artists went into the studios yesterday. It's like a curtain has been lifted from in front of the music.
As always John delves into his phenomenal collection of blues graphics and rare 78s to present another sensational calendar and CD. This calendar (the twelfth) features reproductions of original artwork for advertisements printed in African-American newspapers in the late 20s and early 30s along with some incredibly rare photos. This calendar features 12"x12" ads for records by artists like Jim Jackson, Barbecue Bob, Ruth Willis & Curley Weaver, Blind Lemon Jefferson and more. It also includes beautiful large reproductions of rare and, in some cases, previously unpublished, photos of artists like Charlie Kyle, Papa Charlie McCoy and Ma Rainey. The calendar also includes small reproductions of another 23 ads, sample song lyrics, brief biographies and birth and death dates for many blues artists.
The accompanying 20 track CD featuring all the records advertised in the full sized ads or by the artists in the photos plus 8 bonus tracks. As mentioned above, the sound quality is streets better than any previous reissues - you can finally hear just how rich Blind Lemon Jefferson's voice is on the new remastering of 'Lectric Chair Blues and See That My Grave Is Kept. But pride of place goes to the only known copy in the world of Jaydee Short's Tar Road Blues and Flaggin' It To Georgia on Pramount which John unearthed about 18 months ago. The record was in very bad shape indeed and even with the new techniques it wasn't possible to get a completely clean sound but it is certainly listenable and is Mississippi Delta Blues of the highest order. Almost as exciting is the incredibly rare Hattie Hyde record on Victor (probably Hattie Hart accompanied by members of the Memphis Jug Band) that has never been reissued before.
Also included are full color inserts to enable you to make your own Classic Blues Artwork CD with a jewel case (jewel case not included).
Since these would make such a great gift, if you buy five or more calendars you can get them for $16.98 each!
Calendar/ CD set counts as four CDs for shipping purposes. (FS)
Note: All previously released calendars are available since the artwork never dates and the CDs are also available separately for $8.98 each.
BARBECUE BOB: Atlanta Moan/ BLACK BILLY SUNDAY: The High Cost Of Sin/ Will You Spend Eternity In Hell/ BLIND BLAKE: Wabash Rag/ JED DAVENPORT AND HIS BEALE STREET JUG BAND: Beale Street Breakdown/ HATTIE HYDE: Special Question Blues/ T & N O Blues/ JIM JACKSON: My Monday Blues/ BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean/ ’Lectric Chair Blues/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: When The War Was On/ CHARLIE KYLE: No Baby/ Walking Blues/ PAPA CHARLIE MCCOY: Boogie Woogie/ Country Guy Blues/ MA RAINEY: Georgia Cake Walk/ JAYDEE SHORT: Flaggin’ It To Georgia/ Tar Road Blues/ SPARK PLUG SMITH: Vampire Women/ CURLY WEAVER AND RUTH WILLIS: Some Cold Rainy Day

 

DVD

 
FREDDY KING Vestapol DVD 13014 The !!!! Beat** ● DVD $23.98
60 min., essential
14 tunes from Dallas, Texas' 1966 late night black TV show, The!!!! Beat. King, now recognized as a guitar demi-god, straddled the Blues/R&B line and his country swing-tinged, soulful licks influenced rockers from Eric Clapton to Jerry Garcia. Hosted by Hoss Allen, "The!!!! Beat" boasted a house band fronted by Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and featured a mod set with go-go dancers. Absolutely incredible! One neat aspect of this video is that it gives a glimpse of the then-burgeoning rock scene's influence on Southwestern black musical culture. King absolutely rocks out on both versions of Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Clapton's version on "Layla" pales in comparison)/ San-Ho-Zay/I'm Tore Down / Hide Away/ She Put The Whammy On Me. Three additional cuts from a 1973 concert in Sweden include an exciting Blues Band Shuffle, a Hide-Away reprise and major shirt lapels. Excellent sound. A groovy gas! (PL)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Vestapol DVD 13037 Legends Of Country Blues Guitar, Vol. 3** ● DVD $23.98
18 performances, b&w/ color, 60 mins, highly recommended
A beautiful collection of country blues film clips most of which have never been shown publicly including a number of "outtakes" from sessions filmed at the University Of Washington between 1968 and 1970. If you think "outtakes" means inferior performances, think again, these are beauties including four songs by Furry Lewis at the height of his powers, two by John Jackson displaying some dazzling fingerpicking, one eerie gospel song with slide guitar by Robert Pete Williams and two delightful performances by Jesse Fuller accompanying himself on electric 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbals and home made bass which he called the fotdella. The tape also includes what I believe is the only film footage of Pink Anderson doing three fine songs in the Piedmont style, one wonderful song by George & Ethel McCoy with incredibly mournful vocals and lovely twin guitar work and a beautiful performance of Oh Glory How Happy I Am by Rev Gary Davis from a Pete Seeger TV show. The tape is rounded out with three performances from 1962 and '67 by Josh White which are interesting but their slickness stand outs in contrast to the earthiness of the other performers. Includes booklet with notes by Mark Humphrey. (FS)

 

COMPACT DISCS

 
CLARENCE ASHLEY/ EMRY ARTHUR & OTHERS JSP JSPCD 77186 Country Music Pioneers - Selected Sides: 1927-1933 ● CD $28.98
Four CDs, 97 tracks, essential
One of the best collections of old time country music I've heard in quite a while. Clarence Ashley from Tennessee is featured on 44 songs and was one of the greatest of the early country performers - a superb singer, banjo player and guitarist - he had a fabulous collection of songs. He made some of the earliest and best recordings of such traditional favorites as The Coo Coo Bird/ The House Carpenter/ Little Sadie/ Naomi Wise and others. He did some great blues like Bay Rum Blues/ Drunk Man Blues and others, often accompanied by his regular accompanist Gwen Foster on harmonica and together they sound a bit like one of the Memphis jug bands. On several tracks Ashley and Foster are joined by fiddler Clarence as The Blue Ridge Entertainers or by banjoist Dock Walsh as The Carolina Tar Heels. Every track by Ashley is a gem! Kentuck singer/ guitarist is not quite as compelling as Ashley but is a superb performer in his own right and is the first artist to record the very popular I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow in 1928. That version, along with a 1931 remake are included here. The song was so popular that he reused the tune for the sad The Broken Wedding. He was also the first to record two other songs that have become country standards - The Little Black Train Is Coming with Arthur playing both guitar and harmonica and Reuben Oh Reuben. He does a great version of the "Frankie & Johnny" story in the two part Frankie Baker, some fine blues (Nobody's Business/ Empty Pocket Blues) and more. If you missed out the 1997 Revenant CD of VIrginia singer and banjo player Dock Boggs here's another chance to get the pre-war recordings of of one of the greatest and most unique old time country performers of the era. In addition to the influence of rural white music Boggs was also influenced by black blues and his music draws on elements on both. His intense vocals and powerful banjo give his music a unique dark and haunting quality that brings to mind the music of Skip James - not stylistically but rather in the emotional impact it has on the listener. His material includes incredible original songs like Country Blues and Sugar Baby as well as unique takes on familiar old timey songs like Danville Girl and Pretty Polly. This great set is rounded out with six tracks from the superb string band Dykes Magic City Trio led by the incredible fiddler John Dykes with Myrtle Vermillion on autoharp and G.H. Mahaffey. In addition to four large instrumental workouts they also two superb gospel songs with vocals by Dykes and Mahanney including a wonderful rendition of Far Behind The Blue Sky which is usually known as Do Lord, Remember Me. A wonderful set. (FS)
EMERY ARTHUR: A Railroad Lover For Me/ Blood Stained Dress/ Don't Get Married/ Down In Tennessee Valley/ Empty Pocket Blues/ Frankie Baker – Part 1/ Frankie Baker – Part 2/ Going Around The World/ Goodbye My Lover, Goodbye/ Heave Ho - The Anchor/ I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow/ I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow/ I'm Always Thinking Of You/ I'm Always Thinking Of You/ Jennie My Own True Love/ Let That Liar Alone/ Look Out For The Window/ Mother's In Heaven Tonight/ My Own True Lover/ Nobody's Business/ Ramblin' Hobo Blues/ Reuben Oh Reuben/ Six Months In Jail Ain't Long/ Sunshine And Shadows/ The Blind Boy/ The Bootlegger's Lullaby/ The Broken Wedding/ The Broken Wedding/ The Day I Left Home/ The Little Black Train Is Coming/ Train Whistle Blues/ Where The Silvery Colorado Wends Its Way/ CLARENCE ASHLEY: Ain't No Use To High Hat Me/ Baby All Night Long/ Bay Rum Blues/ Can't You Remember When Your Heart Was Mine/ Careless Love/ Cincinnati Breakdown/ Corrina, Corrina/ Dark Holler Blues/ Drunk Man Blues/ Fiddler's Contest/ Frankie Silvers/ Go Way And Let Me Sleep/ Goodnight Waltz/ Greenback Dollar/ Haunted Road Blues/ Honeysuckle Rag/ I'll Be Washed/ Lay Down Baby Take Your Rest/ Little Sadie/ My North Carolina Home/ My Sweet Farm Girl/ Naomi Wise/ Old John Hardy/ One Dark And Stormy Night/ Over At Tom's House/ Peg And Awl/ Penitentiary Bound/ Rising Sun Blues/ Rude And Rambling Man/ Sadie Ray/ Short Life Of Trouble/ Sideline Blues/ Somebody's Tall And Handsome/ The Coo Coo Bird/ The Hills Of Tennessee/ The House Carpenter/ The Old Arm Chair/ The Old Grey Goose/ The Train's Done Left Me/ There's A Man Going Round Taking Names/ Three Men Went A Huntin'/ Times Ain't Like They Used To Be/ Washington And Lee Swing/ You Are A Little Too Small/ DOCK BOGGS: Country Blues/ Danville Girl/ Down South Blues/ False Hearted Lover's Blues/ Hard Luck Blues/ Lost Love Blues/ Lost Love Blues/ New Prisoner's Song/ Old Rub Alcohol Blues/ Old Rub Alcohol Blues/ Pretty Polly/ Sammie, Where Have You Been So Long/ Sugar Baby/ Will Sweethearts Know Each Other There/ Will Sweethearts Know Each Other There/ DYKES MAGIC CITY TRIO: Cotton Eyed Joe/ Far Beyond The Blue Sky/ Golden Slippers/ Shortening Bread/ Tennessee Girls/ Twilight Is Stealing

 
BO DIDDLEY Hoodoo 263437 Bo Diddley & Company/ Bo Diddley's A Twister ... Plus ● CD $13.98
30 tracks, 79 mins, essential
Unlike so many of his contemporaries, Bo Diddley didn't flame out after his first few years of success; instead, he kept putting out consistently great albums throughout the 1960s. This compiles two of those albums, "Bo Diddley's A Twister" and "Bo Diddley & Company," both from 1962 and released on Checker records. "Bo Diddley & Company" is the first album to feature the great Norma-Jean Wofford, aka "The Duchess," a fantastic performer who would accompany Bo live and on record for the next few years. "Bo Diddley's A Twister" is a cash in on the Twist craze, but only features one Twist song - "The Twister," recorded two years earlier-otherwise it's just classic Bo Diddley for you to Twist to if you are so inclined. There are many highlights from both albums, some of my favorites include: Diana/ Bo's A Lumber Jack/ Put The Shoes On Willie/ Doin' The Jaguar, and of course Who Do You Love/ Road Runner/ Hey, Bo Diddley, and Hush Your Mouth, Diddley classics all. CD also includes four bonus tracks recorded in the same period: Oh Yeah (aka Oh Yes)/ I'm Hungry/ Watusi Bounce, and All Together. All this is lovingly assembled with entertaining liner notes that even include a feature on Bo Diddley's guitar tuning technique. (JM)

 
GEORGIA TOM DORSEY & BIG BILL BROONZY JSP JSPCD 4238 The Famous Hokum Boys ● CD $24.98
Two CDs, 52 tracks, good
This set presents a collection of hokum - mostly performed by Big Bill Broonzy and Georgia Tom Dorsey with occasional other musicians and vocalists. In spite of the title, the first eight tracks are actually straight blues from Georgia Tom accompanied by Scrapper Blackwell and are among the best of the tracks here. Hokum originated in the minstrel shows and tends to be more light hearted than straight blues - often with a risque flavor. Unfortunately the lack of variation in tempos and keys and the often forced double entendres can make for fairly tedious listening. This is made worse by the fact that there are a fair number of tracks that are from very worn 78s and these are pretty much unlistenable. If it were Charlie Patton or Skip James it would be worth the effort to try and hear the music buried in the noise but not the Hokum Boys - the music really doesn't justify the effort. If you really like hokum then this might be worthwhile for the tracks that have decent sound but I can't imagine anyone else getting too much pleasure from this release. (FS)
THE FAMOUS HOKUM BOYS: Ain't Going There No More/ Barrel House Rag/ Been Mistreated Blues/ Black Cat Rag/ Bow Leg Baby/ Come On In/ Come On Mama/ Court House Blues/ Dark Hour Blues/ Do That Thing/ Don't Leave Me Blues/ Don't Mean To Mistreat You/ Eagle Riding Papa/ Fish House Blues/ Gee, But It's Hard/ Guitar Rag/ Hip Shakin' Strut/ Hokum Stomp/ I Got The Blues For My Baby/ Levee Bound Blues/ Mama's Leaving Town/ Maybe It's The Blues/ Meanest Kind Of Blues/ Mississippi Bottom Blues/ Mountain Girl Blues/ My Texas Blues/ Nancy Jane/ Nancy Jane Tk 2/ Papa's Getting Hot/ Pat That Bread/ Pig Meat Blues/ Pig Meat Strut/ Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat/ Rollin' Mill/ Saturday Night Rub/ Second Hand Love/ Second-Hand Woman Blues/ Six Shooter Blues/ Six Shooter Blues/ Somebody's Been Using That Thing/ State Street Woman/ Tadpole Blues/ Terrible Operation Blues/ That Stuff I Got/ That's The Way She Likes It/ The Western Blues/ Then My Gal's In Town/ What You Call That/ What's That I Smell/ You Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff/ You Do It/ You Got Me In This Mess

 
DICK GAUGHAN Topic TSCD 384 Gaughan** ● CD $14.98
15 tracks, essential
In the 70s and early 80s nobody on the British Isles folk scene was better than Dick Gaughan with his rich smokey baritone voice and dazzling guitar technique. A change of direction in the 80s resulted in music that was less consistently compelling than his earlier work. This compact disc reissues his 1978 album "Gaughan" with the addition of four instrumental sets from his groundbreaking all instrumental album "Coppers And Brass" and two from his guest appearance on the High Level Ranters mining songs album "Bonnie Pit Laddie. This disc is superb in every respect and shows Dick's willingness to experiment with the recording process - occasionally multi-tracking his guitar and, on the powerful Dominic Behan song Crooked Jack, playing some spine chilling electric guitar. His version of the long ballad Willie Of Winsbury is lovely with some exquisite finger picked guitar and is one of his all time gratest performances. His version ofThe Recruited Collier is very moving as is The Augengeich Disaster, the latter with lovely concertina by Alistair Anderson. Gaughan may not have been the first to play traditional Scots and Irish tunes on guitar but he was certainly one of the best - the slurs and slides of the tunes are transformed into rolls and triplets which trip off thumb and flatpick in an exhilarating cascade of coruscating notes. The playing never sacrifices technique for feeling. Essential! (FS)

 
CHARLIE GRACIE Jasmine 804 Rockin' And Rollin' - A Singles Collection .. Plus ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
I have a great fondness for the music of Philadelphian Charlie Gracie as he was one of the first rock 'n' roll artists to tour England in 1957 on the strength of his big hits Butterfly and Fabulous. We enjoyed these pop flavored titles but were in for a big surprise when he stepped out on stage carrying a guitar that looked almost as big as the diminutive Charlie and let loose with the hottest guitar playing I had ever heard. This great collection features both sides of every single he recorded between 1951 and 1962 along with bonus live cuts and originally unissued titles. His recording career begins in 1951 when he started recording for Philadeplhia's small Cadillac label. At the age of 15 he was already an excellent singer and a remarkable guitarist and the six sides he recorded for Cadillac are a fine mix of pop, swing and jump blues - one of his songs Rockin' and Rollin' predates common use of that term by four years. In 1953 and '54 he recorded four sides for 20th Century which are straight ahead rock 'n' roll with tough vocals and dynamite guitar and, if they had clicked, would surely have ensured Charlie more credit in the history books than he gets. When he signed for Cameo in 1956 he was given more pop flavored arrangements and had a big hit with his first release Butterfly . The sequel Fabulous. was another catchy song and has a brief guitar solo by Charlie - and he really works out on the flip Just Lookin'. His next Cameo release, a version of the country standard I Love You So Much It Hurts was his last hit. He left Cameo in 1958 following a royalty dispute and over the next four years made a selection of fine and catchy sides for Coral, Roulette, Felsted and President - all featured on this collection. There are six bonus live cuts including a fine version of Rock The Joint from a 1952 TV show with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, four great live songs from a 1957 British TV show where he gets to show his amazing guitar technique and Cool Baby from the movie "Disc Jockey Jamboree." Finally there is an originally unissued 20th Century songs and various outtakes from Cameo sessions including acoustic demos of Butterfly and Ninety Nine Ways - both with significantly different lyrics. Sound is excellent and there are informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
CHARLIE GRACIE: All Over Town/ Angel Of Love/ Because I Love You/ Boogie Boogie Blues/ Butterfly/ Butterfly (Demo)/ Cool Baby/ Cool Baby (Alternate Take)/ Cool Baby (Live)/ Count To Three/ Crazy Girl/ Doodle Bug/ Dressin' Up/ Fabulous/ Fabulous (Live)/ Frankie And Johnny (Originally Unissued)/ Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter/ Guitar Boogie (Live)/ Head Home Honey/ Heart Like A Rock/ Honey Honey/ Hurry Up Buttercup/ I Looked For You/ I Love You So Much It Hurts (Live)/ I'm A Fool That's Why/ Just Like Us/ Just Lookin'/ Love Bird/ Love You So Much It Hurts/ Makin' Whoopee/ My Baby Loves Me/ Night And Day Usa/ Ninety Nine Ways/ Ninety Nine Ways (Demo)/ Oh Well A/ Plaything (Originally Unissued)/ Pretty Baby/ Rock The Joint (Live)/ Rockin' And Rollin'/ Say What You Mean/ Scenery/ Sorry For You/ T'ain't No Sin In Rhythm/ The Race/ Tryin'/ Tutti Frutti (Live)/ W-Wow/ Wanderin' Eyes/ Wanderin' Eyes (Alternate Take)/ Wildwood Boogie

 
WYNONIE HARRIS Rev-Ola CRBAND 19 Rock, Mr Blues - The King & Atco Recordings, 1949-1956 ● CD $15.98 $11.98
30 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
Great collection of sides from this great Omaha born blues shouter that were released in the 50s including all his hits from 1950 to 1952 - Sittin' On It All The Time/ I Like My Baby's Pudding Good Morning Judge/ Oh Babe/ Bloodshot Eyes and his last R&B hit from 1952 Lovin' Machine. The hits may have dried up by '52 but Wynonie continued to cut exciting recordings like his version of Brownie McGhee's Christina with it's loping New Orleans feel, the hard driving Quiet Whiskey , the automotive tribute Fishtail Blues and others. The latter sides don't have quite the ferocity of the early sides but are very worthwhile. Although most of these tracks have been reissued before there are a number of tracks not readily available including his obscure Atco coupling from 1956. Throughout Wynonie is accompanied by the cream of session musicians like Sonny Thompson, "Buddy" Tate, Jimmy Shirley, Big John Greer, Bill Graham, Todd Rhodes, "Count" Hastings, Mickey Baker, Rufus Gore and others. (FS)
WYNONIE HARRIS: Bloodshot Eyes/ Christina/ Confessin' The Blues/ Deacon Don't Like It/ Destination Love/ Down Boy Down/ Drinking Blues/ Fishtail Blues/ Git With The Grits/ Good Morning Judge/ I Don't Know Where To Go/ I Get A Thrill/ I Like My Baby's Pudding/ Just Like Two Drops Of Water/ Keep A Talkin'/ Keep On Churnin' (Till The Butter Comes)/ Love Untrue/ Lovin' Machine/ Mama Your Daughter Done Lied On Me/ Man's Best Friend/ Mr Blues Is Coming To Town/ Mr Dollar/ My Playful Baby's Gone/ Please Louise/ Quiet Whiskey/ Rock Mr Blues/ Sittin' On It All The Time/ Tell A Whale Of A Tale/ Triflin' Woman/ Wasn't That Good

 
HOMER & JETHRO B.A.C.M. 497 Vol. 4 ● CD $14.98
28 tracks, strongly recommended
The fourth collection of country humor and parody from this talented duo - this one features tracks issued on LPs between 1961 and '63. Although lots of country humor from this era sounds very dated some of this is very clever and funny though, probably, best heard in small doses. Includes Ol Paint/ El Paso/ Down In The Alley/ Among My Souveniers/ Sweet Violets (a cleaner than usual version of this risque ditty)/Please Help Me A Falling/ Will You Love Me When/ I'm A Old Cow Hand/ Music Goes Round and Round, etc. (FS)
HOMER & JETHO: Among My Souvenirs/ Come Here Little Wifey/ Dipsy Doodle/ Down In The Alley/ El Paso/ Freda On The Freeway/ Friendship/ Hold Tight, Hold Tight/ How Come There's No Dog Day/ Hut Sut Song/ I Love Your Pizza/ I'm An Old Cow Hand/ I've Got No Use For The Women/ In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree/ Joe Bean/ Music Goes Round And Round/ Oh Give Me A Home/ Oh Top Forty/ Ol Paint/ Please Help Me I'm Falling/ Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes/ She Was Bitten On The Udder By An Adder/ Streets Of Weehawken/ Sweet Violets/ Tattooed Lady/ Whoopee Ti Yi Yo/ Will You Love Me When/ Your Feets Too Big

 
JOHN LEE HOOKER Ace CDCHD 315 Legendary Modern Recordings 1948-54** ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 71 min., essential
The stomping foot, the unique guitar figures, and the plaintive moan all come together to transport listeners to an hypnotic blues trance, to a doomed world of betrayal and bad luck. Have hope but don't expect it to do any good. These are the first and fiercest Hooker recordings, cut for Modern Records in the late 1940s/early '50s. Boogie Chillen/ Hobo Blues/ Hoogie Boogie/ Crawling Kingsnake, and others put Hooker on the musical map fast, selling millions of copies to a boogie-starved public. Recording techniques that show Hooker in his best light are experimented with, as, from one session to the next, his foot is miked, his vocals are layered, his guitar is overdubbed, Eddie Kirkland's guitar is added. Excellent track selection, informative booklet notes, indispensible blues. (JC)
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Bad Boy/ Boogie Chillen/ Crawlin' King Snake/ Down Child/ Drifting From Door To Door/ Gotta Boogie/ Hobo Blues (Long Long Way From Home)/ Hoogie Boogie/ Howlin' Wolf/ I'm In The Mood/ Jump Me One More Time/ Let Your Daddy Ride/ Need Somebody/ Playin' The Races/ Please Take Me Back/ Queen Bee/ Rock House Boogie/ Sally Mae/ Tease Me Baby/ Too Much Boogie/ Turn Over A New Leaf/ Wednesday Evening/ Weeping Willow Boogie/ Women In My Life

 
HOWLIN' WOLF Rockbeat 3312 Killing Floor - Live 1964 & 1973 ● CD $19.98
Two CDs, 20 tracks, recommended
Howlin' Wolf was such a great artist it's a shame that he hasn't been better served with live recordings and this set, while not bad, is no exception. Disc one features a live show recorded in Germany in 1964 during one of the American Folk Blues Festival tours and has been reissued before several times. Wolf is accompanied by the great Hubert Sumlin on guitar with Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon and Clifton James providing support. Wolf does fine, though not particularly inspired, performances of songs like Love Me/ Dust My Broom/ All My Life/ Forty Four Blues and others. Sound quality is adequate but not great. The second disc is from August, 1973 recorded at Ebbet's Field Club in Denver. This was shortly after Wolf's recovery from a near fatal car accident. Wolf does only four songs - the rest of the disc featuring instrumentals or vocals by members of the band which included Hubert Sumlin/ gtr, Eddie Shaw/ sax, S.P. Leary/drums, Andrew McMahon/ bass and Detroit Jr./ pno. Wolf sings familiar songs Little Red Rooster/ Going Down Slow/ Killing Floor & Shake For Me. His performances are good though he sounds pretty weak The band is excellent with great guitar from Sumlin and hot sax by Shaw but the songs by the band members are pretty bland. (FS)

 
FRANK HUTCHISON/ KELLY HARRELL & MORE JSP JSPCD 7743 Worried Blues** ● CD $28.98
4 CDS, 99 tracks, highly recommended Another wonderful collection of old time country music from JSP featuring artists based in Virginia. The first disc and part of the second features the complete recordings of the brilliat singer/ guitarist and harmonica player Frank Hutchison. Hutchison was a great singer and a superb guitarist recorded between 1926 and 1929 with a varied repertoire ranging from blues with slide guitar to old time ballads to an instrumental version of It's Long Way To Tipperary. The rest of disc 2 and all of disc 3 features the complete recordings of Kelly Harrell who played no instruments but was a fine and engaging singer who concentrated on traditional style ballads including a number that have become old time standards. Some of his accompaniments are rather "square" but other feature fine old time musicians. His recording of The Cuckoo Is A Fine Bird is a real gem complete with cuckoo sound effects. The fourth disc includes two fine string bands. There 12 tracks by the Tenneva Ramblers (The Grant Brothers) from the Tennessee/ Virginia border region recorded in 1927/28. For a while the group backed Jimmie Rodgers but, unlike Rodgers, nothing more was heard from them after these sessions. The Blue Ridge Highballers, led by fiddler Charley La Parde, are featured on 12 fine songs and tunes. Sound quality varies but is generally excellent and there are informative notes by Pat Harrison. (FS)
THE BLUE RIDGE HIGHBALLERS: Darling Child/ Darneo/ Flop Eared Mule/ Fourteen Days In Georgia/ Going Down To Lynchburg Town/ Green Mountain Polka/ Round Town Girls/ Sandy River Belle/ Skidd More/ Soldier‘s Joy/ Under The Double Eagle/ Wish To The Lord I Had Never Been Born/ KELLY HARRELL: All My Sins Are Taken Away/ Be At Home Soon Tonight, My Dear Boy/ Beneath The Weeping Willow Tree/ Blue Eyed Ella/ Bright Sherman Valley/ Broken Engagement/ Butcher‘s Boy/ Butcher‘s Boy/ Bye And Bye You Will Soon Forget Me/ Cave Love Has Gained The Day/ Charles Giteau/ Charley, He‘s A Good Old Man/ Hand Me Down My Walking/ Henry Clay Beattie/ I Have No Loving Mother Now/ I Heard Somebody Call My Name/ I Love My Sweetheart The Best/ I Want A Nice Little Fellow/ I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago/ I Was Born In Pennsylvania/ I Wish I Was A Single Girl Again/ I Wish I Was A Single Girl Again/ In The Shadow Of The Pine/ I‘m Going Back To North Carolina/ I‘m Nobody‘s Darling On Earth/ My Horses Ain‘t Hungry/ My Name Is John Jo Hannah/ New River Train/ New River Train/ O! Molly Dear Go Ask Your Mother/ Oh, My Pretty Monkey/ Peg And Awl/ Rovin‘ Gambler/ Rovin‘ Gambler/ Row Us Over The Tide/ Seven Long Years I‘ve Been Married/ She Has Gone And Left Me/ She Just Kept Kissing On/ The Cuckoo She‘s A Fine Bird/ The Dying Hobo/ The Henpecked Man/ The Wreck On The Southern Old 97/ Wild Bill Jones/ FRANK HUTCHISON: Alabama Girl, Ain‘t You Comin‘ Out Tonight?/ All Night Long/ Back In My Home Town/ C&o Excursion/ Cannonball Blues/ Coney Isle/ Cumberland Gap/ Hell Bound Train/ Hutchison‘s Rag/ Johnny And Jane:1/ Johnny And Jane:2/ K C. Blues/ Lightning Express/ Logan County Blues/ Long Way To Tipperary/ Old Rachel/ Railroad Bill/ Stackalee (instrumental Version)/ Stackalee (vocal Version)/ The Boston Burglar/ The Burglar Man/ The Chevrolet Six/ The Deal/ The Last Scene Of The Titanic/ The Miner‘s Blues/ The West Virginia Rag/ The Wild Horse/ Train That Carried The Girl From Town/ Train That Carried The Girl From Town/ Wild Hogs In The Red Brush/ Worried Blues/ Worried Blues/ THE TENNEVA RAMBLERS: Darling Where Have You Been So Long/ Goodbye My Honey I‘m Gone/ If I Die A Railroad Man/ I‘m Goin‘ To Georgia/ Johnson Boy/ Miss Lisa, Poor Girl/ Seven Long Years In Prison/ Sweet Heaven When I Die/ Tell It To Me/ The Curtains Of Night/ The Longest Train I Ever Saw/ When A Man Is Married

 
JOHNNY JONES & CHARLES WALKER Crosscut 11066 In The House** ● CD $22.98
12 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
Some superb contemporary blues featuring the reunion of two old friends who first worked together in Nashville in the late 50s. Walker is a fine singer who achieved a following in Europe in the 80s and made a number of albums. Jones is not as well known, but he should be, he is an excellent singer and one of the finest guitar players in the business with an expressive lyrical style that effortlessly combines fluidity and grittiness. His playing is endlessly inventive but always tasteful - perhaps not too surprising for a man who was Bobby Bland's guitarist for many years. The material is a mix of blues, R&B and soul and includes new material and carefully chosen covers. The duo are given excellent accompaniment by a solid band led by producer Fred James. The set was recorded live at the Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland but the sound has all the fullness of a studio recordings. (FS)

 
STEVE JORDAN Arhoolie 319 The Many Sounds Of Estaban "Steve" Jordan** ● CD $13.98
20 tracks, highly recommended
Lively Norteno music from one of Tex-Mex's most potent performers, Steve Jordan from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Long recognized as an exciting innovator on the accordion, this disc covers 2 aspects of his career, by reissuing his excellent 1970 LP for RyN, and later, Arhoolie, El Corrido De Jhonny Pachuco, with his phase shifted accordion punching out polkas like the catchy Los Coronelas & El Rancho Grande, as well as country tunes like Together Again. And, issued for the first time ever, are 9 tunes recorded in classic conjunto fashion for Discos Aguila in 1963, featuring fabulous duets with Steve and his then wife, Virginia Martinez. With her emotional, crying voice blending perfectly with his, urged on by his inventive squeeze-box, they make, shall we say, beautiful music together. (JMC)

 
BEN E. KING Real Gone 381 Complete Atco/ Atlantic Singles Vol. 1:1960-1966 ● CD $34.98
2 CD, 50 tracks, very highly recommended
As the one of the lead singers of the Drifters (they had several during their heyday), Ben E. King's soaring pipes helped make There Goes My Baby and Save the Last Dance For Me two enduring classics of the rock 'n' roll era. With a voice like that, it was inevitable that King would strike out on his own (although being unhappy as a Drifter might also had something to do with it), and he struck gold almost out of the gate with two other enduring R&B classics, Spanish Harlem and Stand By Me. This collection contains all of the singles, A and B sides, that King recorded for Atco/ Atlantic during the early to mid 60's; disc one covering 1960 to 1963, while disc two features songs from 1963 to 1966. The songs from this era showcase Ben's remarkable vocal prowess and his ability to handle everything from a Latin beat (Souvenir of Mexico) to more bluesy material (Young Boy Blues and Here Comes the Night), which resulted in some towering performances on Don't Play That Song (You Lied) and I (Who Have Nothing) to name but two. Anyone who wants a top shelf collection of Ben E. King at his greatest, need not look any further than this CD. (GMC)

 
FRED MCDOWELL Retroworld 6187 Amazing Grace/ My Home Is On The Delta ● CD $19.98 $13.98
Two CDs, 33 tracks, essential
This import reissues two CDs that were issued on the Testament label. "Amazing Grace" is still available but "My Home" is not so if you are missing either of these albums in your collection this is absolutely indispensible. Fred was, in my opinion, the greatest country bluesman to be brought to light by the blues revival of the 1960s and every bit the equal of the great bluesmen of the 1920s and 30s. A stunning singer with an intense emotional presence and a magnificent guitarist - frequently using a slide. "Home" recorded in 1963 and '64 is a collection of blues and spirituals - the latter sung with his wife Annie Mae. "Grace" is all gospel material recorded in 1966 by members of Fred's church in Como, Mississippi featuring Fred and other singers with Fred's guitar providing a backbone to the recordings. Package includes original insightful album notes by Pete Welding who produced these recordings. (FS)

 
MEMPHIS HORNS DBK Works 516 Memphis Horns** ● CD $16.98
11 tracks, 30 min., highly recommended
Andrew Love (tenor, alto & baritone saxes & flute) and Wayne Jackson (trumpet, flugelhorn & trombone)--the constants in an otherwise changing aggregation--made names for themselves at Stax playing on records by Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and Otis Redding, to name a select few. Later they added their sound to Willie Mitchell's Hi Records releases, including most of Al Green's best stuff. As session musicians no one could match their sound and consequently they've worked on thousands of soul records. On this album, originally released in 1970 an Atlantic's Cotillion label, they work on their own. They cover familiar territory, including I Can't Turn You Loose, Soul Man, Sad Song, and Cry Like A Baby, as well as some originals. Jackson speculates that Atlantic allowed them to make their own album as "almost a 'thank you, guys' record." To be sure, it didn't sell well, but as instrumental soul goes, it's pretty fine work. (JC)

 
MEMPHIS MINNIE JSP JSPCD 7741 Queen Of The Delta Blues, Volume 2 : 1937-1953** ● CD $28.98
5 CDs, 121 tracks, essential
Memphis Minnie Volume 1 (JSP 7716 - $28.98) was one of the best reissues of 2004, and this second set, covering the rest of the great singer guitarist's career, provides plenty more to enjoy. Compared to corresponding reissues on Wolf, JSP have restricted the sometimes numerous alternate takes of Minnie's later recordings, which makes the set a good deal easier to listen to. A less understandable omission is the exclusion of four songs she recorded for Chess in 1952 (they were reissued on Wolf WBCD -010). Sides where Minnie is supporting husband Ernest Lawlars (Little Son Joe) are included. The first disc picks up the story in 1937, by which time Minnie was recording with small groups which included talented pianist Blind John Davis. With titles like Keep On Sailing/ Keep On Eating and Keep On Walking, there is something of a production line feel to these early sides (although the first is a droll reworking of Bumble Bee Slim's Sail On, Sail On Blues), but they are lifted out of the ordinary by Minnie's fine singing and forceful personality, and nice touches like Charlie McCoy's mandolin. The next four sessions which make up disc two are among the high points of Minnie's career. Tracks like Nothing In Rambling/ Ma Rainey/ In My Girlish Days and of course Me and My Chauffeur Blues are rightly regarded as classics, but the overall standard is superb. Call The Fire Wagon is a delightful echo of her early guitar style, while the evocative Lonesome Shack Blues highlights Minnie's gift for projecting a fantasy - in this case having a shack to escape to from an abusive relationship. Disc three, which opens with Minnie's last pre war session, starts promisingly with I'm Not A Bad Girl, and includes Looking The World Over, a song she reputedly sung to win one of her famous blues contests against Big Bill. The rest of this disc and the first session on disc four though represent a difficult transitional period. After a three year break from recording Minnie was trying to update her sound but the results were disappointing, with some mediocre material, an unbalanced sound on some sessions and Minnie's voice (a shade heavier and sounding almost like her husband's) straining against electric guitars or being worn out by repeated takes. Thankfully by her last 1946 session she is singing and playing much better, and new songs like Daybreak Blues from the following year represent an emphatic return to form. The final disc may give a flavour of Minnie's nightclub act, a mixture of popular songs and blues. The popular songs are not really suited to her style or personality, but the Chicago style blues are often very good, even if Sweet Man and Kidman Blues look back to Bumble Bee and Mr.Tango from 1930. World Of Trouble is also Minnie in top form, only the overcooked Night Watchman Blues jarring a little. The set ends with Little Son Joe, whose best moment was Black Rat Swing, trying to sound like Robert Nighthawk: a sign of the times. Minnie's last two private recordings from 1959 have never been found. Sound quality is generally very good with only a handful of tracks having any appreciable noise and even here listening is always comfortable. Compared to previous reissues sound is as good as on compilations from Columbia, Indigo and Charly, and the noisier tracks are better presented than on Blues Document. Neal Slaven again delivers some nicely judged and informative notes, having space to discuss the music as well as providing biography. Although Volume 2 is a little more uneven than its predecessor, it still contains a lot of wonderful, timeless performances. Listen to Volume 1 as well and you just might suspect that in her time Memphis Minnie made more outstanding records than any other blues singer. (DPR)
LITTLE SON JOE: A Little Too Late/ A.b.c. Blues/ Black Rat Swing/ Bone Yard Blues/ Diggin' My Potatoes/ Ethel Bea/ I'd Write A Letter/ Just Had To Holler/ Key To The World/ My Black Buffalo/ Tuff Luck Blues/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: (i Hope) Luck Will Change Some Day (take 2)/ (i Hope) Luck Will Change Some Day (take 3)/ (oh) Believe Me/ As Long As I Can See You Smile/ Bad Outside Friends/ Black Widow Stinger/ Blues Everywhere/ Boy Friend Blues/ Call The Fire Wagon/ Can't Afford To Lose My Man/ Daybreak Blues (blue Monday Blues) (take 3)/ Daybreak Blues (take 2)/ Don't Lead My Baby Wrong/ Don't Turn The Card/ Down By The Riverside/ Down Home Girl/ Down In The Alley (take 1)/ Down In The Alley (take 2)/ Fashion Plate Daddy/ Finger Print Blues/ Fish Man Blues (take 2)/ Fish Man Blues (take 3)/ Good Biscuits/ Good Soppin' (take 3)/ Got To Leave You (no. 1) (take 1)/ Got To Leave You (no. 1) (take 4)/ Got To Leave You (no. 2) (take 1)/ Got To Leave You (no. 2) (take 2)/ Has Anyone Seen My Man/ Hold Me Blues (no. 2)/ Hold Me Blues (take 1)/ Hold Me Blues (take 2)/ Hold Me Blues (take 3)/ Hold Me Blues (take 4)/ I Am Sailin'/ I Got To Make A Change Blues/ I Hate To See The Sun Go Down/ I'd Rather See Him Dead/ I'm Going Don't You Know/ I'm Not A Bad Girl/ I'm So Glad/ I've Been Treated Wrong/ In Love Again/ In My Girlish Days/ It Was You Baby/ It's Hard To Please My Man/ Jump Little Rabbit/ Keep On Eating/ Keep On Sailing/ Keep On Walking/ Keep Your Big Mouth Closed/ Kidman Blues (take 1)/ Kidman Blues (take 2)/ Killer Diller (take 1)/ Killer Diller Blues (no. 2)/ Killer Diller From The South (take 4)/ Kissing In The Dark/ Lean Meat Won't Fry (take 1)/ Lean Meat Won't Fry (take 3)/ Lonesome Shack Blues/ Looking The World Over/ Love Come And Go/ Low Down Man Blues/ Ma Rainey/ Me An My Chauffeur Blues/ Mean Mistreater Blues/ Million Dollar Blues/ Moaning Blues (no. 1) (take 1)/ Moaning Blues (no. 1) (take 3)/ Moaning Blues (no. 1) (take 4)/ Moaning Blues (no. 2)/ My Baby Don't Want Me No More (take 1)/ My Baby Don't Want Me No More (take 2/ My Gage Is Going Up/ My Man Is Gone Again (take 1)/ My Man Is Gone Again (take 3)/ New Caught Me Wrong Again/ Night Watchman Blues/ Night Watchman Blues/ Nothing In Rambling/ Pig Meat On The Line/ Please Don't Stop Him/ Please Set A Date/ Poor And Wandering Woman Blues/ Remember Me Blues/ Running And Dodging Blues (take 1)/ Running And Dodging Blues (take 2)/ Shout The Boogie (take 3)/ Shout The Boogie (take 4)/ Stop Lying On Me/ Sweet Man/ Tears On My Pillow/ The Man I Love (take 3)/ The Man I Love (take 4)/ The Man I Love (take 5)/ This Is Your Last Chance/ Three Times Seven Blues/ Tonight I Smile With You/ True Love/ Walking And Crying Blues/ Wants Cake When I'm Hungry/ Western Union/ What A Night/ When My Man Comes Home/ When You Love Me/ Why Did I Make You Cry/ World Of Trouble/ Worried Baby Blues/ You Got To Get Out Of Here/ You Need A Friend

 
RED NORVO Fabulous 2051 The Red Norvo Collection ● CD $9.98
Two CDs, 40 tracks, highly recommended
Another excellent jazz retrospective from Fabulous - this one devoted to Kenneth Norvill aka Red Norvo aka "Mr. Swing" - the artist who popularized the use of the xylophone in jazz - eventually switching to the more sophisticated vibraphone. Norvo started his career with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in the 1920 eventually striking out on his own and recording his first session with his own band in 1933. The modernistic sound of those first recordings so shocked Brunswick producer Jack Kapp that he dropped the group. The recordings mostly features Red with his own bands along with sessions with the Teddy Wilson Quartet, various Benny Goodman groups, The Slam Stewart Quintet and others groups. Early recordings featured him with Jimmy Dorsey, Dick McDonough, Artie Shaw, Eddie Sauter, Hank D'Amico, Teddy Wilson, Charlie Shavers and others. Norvo was always moving with the times and a 1945 session finds Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker playing in his group. Later sessions find him with Johnny Guarnieri, Jimmy Giuffre, Tal Farlow, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Raney, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jimmy Wyble and many others. Though this set ends in 1960 he continued performing and recording, though less frequently, through 1989 and he died in 1999 at the age of 91. Sound quality is generally excellent and the 16 page booklet has informative notes by Paul Watts and full discographical details. (FS)

 
THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW Ace CDCHM 299 Good Lovin' Blues** ● CD $13.98
13 tracks, strongly recommended
Originally issued in 1990 and now available in Ace's lower priced series. On this album Johnny front a solid band which includes son Shuggie on guitar, bass and organ, son Nicky on drums, veteran horn men Clifford Solomon, John Ewing and others and the sound they produce is beefy and unpretentious. Besides his own vocals there are 3 new vocalists including the brilliant Ramona a truly outstanding vocalist who brings to mind Ann Peebles or Candi Staton in their prime. Also includes the fine La Dee Streeter and the excellent Jackie Payne. The material is mostly blues and hard driving R&B with the occasional soul ballad. Most of the material is Otis originals along with a few old favorites like Open House At My House and Rock Me Baby. Solid and exciting music from one the true rhythm and blues greats. (FS)

 
DAN W. QUINN Archeophone 5505 The King Of Comic Singers, 1894-1917 ● CD $14.98
The latest remarkable set from Archeophone is devoted to one of the most popular vocalists of the late 19th and early 20th century. It features 30 tracks taken from rare cylinders and discs revealing the pep and clarity he brought to his performances. It features the up-to-date comic songs he was best known for, along with sentimental ballads and ragtime songs. it includes the first recordings of several songs that have become standards including A Hot Time In The Old Town (1896) and Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home (1902). The 52 page booklet features extensive information about Quinn and his career based on original research along with loads of photos, label shots, sheet music and other memorabilia.

 
MARVIN RAINWATER Jasmine 3662 A Whole Lotta Marvin ● CD $14.98
34 tracks, 78 mins, strongly recommended
Enjoyable collection of sides recorded between 1955 and 1962 by this fine, part Cherokee, singer from Kansas. Rainwater had a distinctive baritone voice and was equally adept at honky tonk country as well as more upbeat rocking sides. He only had a few country hits in the USA - most notably with his original songs Gonna Find Me A Bluebird and So You Think You've Got Troubles - both of which have become country standards. In 1958 he had a minor hit in the USA with the rocking Whole Lotta Woman which was a minor hit in the USA but zipped to the top of the U.K. charts resulting in tour there where he gained many loyal fans. This selection features the above songs along with a varied selection of other material - many written by Rainwater himself including the hiccupy rockabilly song Mr. Blues, the soulful My Brand Of Blues, the catchy Baby, Don't Go and others. He also does a fine rocking update of Hank Williams' Moanin' The Blues. There are a couple of duets with pop singer Connie Francis which aren't too effective but his duets with sister Patty are better.
MARVIN RAINWATER: (Don't Be) Late For Love/ (There's A) Honky Tonk In Your Heart/ (There's Always) A Need For Love/ Baby, Don't Go/ Boo Hoo/ Can I Count On Your Love (With Patty Rainwater)/ Crazy Love (With Patty Rainwater)/ Dance Me Daddy/ Down In The Cellar/ Gamblin' Man/ Get Off The Stool/ Gonna Find Me A Bluebird/ Half Breed/ Hard Luck Blues/ I Can't Forget/ I Dig You Baby/ Love Me Baby (Like There's No Tomorrow)/ Lucky Star/ Moanin' The Blues/ Mr Blues/ My Brand Of Blues/ Nothin' Needs Nothin' (Like I Need You)/ So You Think You've Got Troubles/ Tennessee Houn' Dog Yodel/ That's The Way I Feel/ The Last Time/ The Majesty Of Love (With Connie Francis)/ The Pale Faced Indian/ The Valley Of The Moon/ Tough Top Cat/ Two Fools In Love (With Patty Rainwater)/ Whole Lotta Woman/ Why Did You Have To Go And Leave Me (Lonesome Blues)/ You, My Darlin' You (With Connie Francis)

 
OLA BELLE REED & OTHERS Dust-To-Digital 040 Ola Belle Reed & Southern Mountain Music ● CD $39.98
Just arrived. Two CD set with 58 tracks along with 256 page clothbound book. The first in depth look at the life and music of this superb North Carolina performer. The first disc presents 24 previously unissued songs recorded by Ola Belle and her family in the 1960s and the second features 34 songs recorded in 2009 by musicians continuing Ola Belle's tradition including family descendents. This set highlights Ola Belle's deep repertoire - folk ballads, minstrel songs, country standards, and originals. The book by folklorists Henry Glassie and Cliff Garner provides a biography of Ola Belle's life, music and influence along with a discussion of every track on the CDs.
DISK 1: ALEX CAMPBELL, OLA BELLE REED AND BURL KILBY: Bringing in the Georgia Mail/ OLA BELLE REED AND BURL KILBY: Black Jack Davy/ I've Always Been a Rambler/ Kitty Wells/ The Miller's Will/ The Worried Man Blues/ OLA BELLE REED AND JOHN MILLER: Amazing Grace/ OLA BELLE REED: Absalom My Son, My Son/ All the Dark Places/ The Worried Man Blues/ Train 45/ Uncloudy Day/ Undone in Sorrow/ OLA BELLE REED, ALEX CAMPBELL AND JOHN MILLER: John Hardy/ My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountain/ OLA BELLE REED, BURL KILBY AND JOHN MILLER: I'm Going Through/ I've Endured (Take 1)/ I've Endured (Take 2)/ Single Girl/ Six Feet of Earth/ The Ranger's Command/ You Led Me to the Wrong/ OLA BELLE REED, JOHN MILLER AND BURL KILBY: Big Kid's Barroom/ The Orphan Girl DISK 2: BURL KILBY: Cumberland Gap/ High on a Mountain/ Sally Goodin/ Turkey in the Straw/ The Buzzard and the Monkey/ The Pussycat and the Bulldog/ DANNY PAISLEY, RYAN PAISLEY, T.J. LUNDY: I'm Longing for a Love I'll Never Know/ My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains/ The Old Swinging Bridge/ New River Train/ DAVE REED: 1,000 Light Years Away/ John Hardy/ John Hardy-John Henry/ Plucking the Strings/ Preacher and the Bear/ Simple Man/ DEBUSK-WEAVER FAMILY WITH DAVE REED: Six Hours on the Cross/ DEBUSK-WEAVER FAMILY WITH HUGH CAMPBELL: I Feel Like Traveling On/ Leave It There/ HUGH CAMPBELL: Boxes Full of Memories/ Father, Listen/ Fiddle on the Wall/ Footprints Left Below/ Story of Tom Moore, the Gravedigger/ Undone in Sorrow/ HUGH CAMPBELL & DAVE REED: The Butcher Boy/ RYAN PAISLEY, T.J. LUNDY, DANNY PAISLEY: Salt Creek/ Cherokee Shuffle/ Ryestraw/ Rachel/ ZANE AND HUGH CAMPBELL: Stolen Love/ ZANE AND HUGH CAMPBELL, DAVE REED, THE DEBUSK-WEAVER FAMILY: Over in the Gloryland/ ZANE CAMPBELL: Cherokee Eyes/ Family Graveyard

 
BILLY LEE RILEY Hoodoo 286973 Rock With Me Baby ● CD $13.98
26 tracks, 58 mins, highly recommended
Arkansas singer Billy Lee Riley was one of the finest artists to emerge from Sam Phillips' Sun studios in the 50s and his lack of success was not due to lack of talent as this excellent CD demonstrates. He was an outstanding singer with a natural affinity for the blues, a fine guitarist and harmonica player and a good songwriter. It includes some of his most memorable rockers such as Rock With Me Baby/ Flying Saucer Rock & Roll/ Red Hot and Pearly Lee where he is accompanied by such terrific Sun session men as Roland Janes, Martin Willis, Brad Suggs and J.M. Van Eaton. Like many Sun artists only a handful of singles were released by Billy Lee but there was plenty of great sides left in the vaults. The unissued material includes excellent covers of blues and R&B favorites like Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash/ Betty & Dupree/ Saturday Night Fish Fry and others including the particularly fine When A Gets The Blues. And there are lots more goodies. As usual Hoodoo's production standards are high with superb sound, appealing packaging and detailed notes. If you don't have any of Billy Lee's great Sun sides this is a good way to hear them. (FS)
BILLY LEE RILEY: Baby, Please Don't Go/ Betty And Dupree/ Billy's Blues/ College Man/ Come Back Baby (One More Time)/ Dark Muddy Bottom/ Down By The Riverside/ Flyin' Saucers Rock ‘n' Roll/ Folsom Prison Blues/ Got The Water Boiling/ I Want You Baby/ Let's Talk About Us/ No Name Girl/ Open The Door Richard/ Pearly Lee/ Red Hot/ Rock With Me Baby/ Saturday Night Fish Fry/ Searchin'/ Swanee River Rock/ Sweet William/ That's Right/ Trouble Bound/ When A Man Gets The Blues/ Wouldn't You Know/ Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash

 
J.B. SMITH Dust-To-Digital 041 No More Good Time In The World For Me ● CD $18.98
Just arrived. In 1965 and 1966 Bruce Jackson visited Ramsey State Farm in Rosharon, Texas, where he recorded the remarkable epic songs of Johnnie B. Smith, a prisoner-composer doing a 45-year term for the murder of his wife. Three of the recordings included on this two-disc set appeared on "Ever Since I Have Been A Man Full Grown," an LP produced by John Fahey's Takoma Records in 1965. The other 15 -- traditional work songs and J.B.'s original pieces -- are issued for the first time. Unlike most recorded work songs featuring a work gang these are performed solo acapella. Folklorist Bruce Jackson was among the last to record work songs. It includes a 36-page booklet containing liner notes by Nathan Salsburg (curator of the Alan Lomax Archive), full lyric transcriptions, and never-before-published photographs of Smith.
J.B. SMITH: At the Cross/ Drinking That Wine/ Drop 'em Down Together/ Ever Since I Been a Man Full Grown/ Go Ahead/ I Got Too Much Times for the Crime I Done/ I Heard the Reports of a Pistol/ No More Good Time in the World for Me/ No Payday Here/ On Composition (Spoken)/ On Getting Out (Spoken)/ Poor Boy, Number Two/ Sure Make a Man Feel Bad/ The Major Special/ They Can't Do That (Toast)/ Tried By Fire/ Watching My Timber/ Woman Trouble

 
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD Real Gone 383 Come For A Dream: The U.K. Sessions, 1970-1971 ● CD $15.98
17 tracks, highly recommended (for fans), recommended (for everyone else)
Dusty Springfield was the greatest female blue-eyed soul singer of the rock and roll era, no one need look further than the legendary album "Dusty in Memphis" (1969 - available on Atlantic 8214 - $6.98) for proof. She cut the latter LP for Atlantic, which had become her American label after her U.S. contract with Phillips Records had expired in 1968. Since she was still contracted to Phillips in the U.K., her agent negotiated a deal in both Atlantic and Phillips could choose to release any recordings Dusty cut in either country. So, although Phillips did end up issuing some of her Atlantic sides for the European market, Atlantic did not return the favor opting to only release tracks cut Stateside. As a result, many of the singer's U.K. tracks made during the years of 1968 to 1971 remained unknown to U.S. listeners to until later compilations and reissues during the CD era. Which brings us to this particular CD: the songs contained here, originally recorded during 1970 and 1971, were intended for the album "See All Her Faces" - released by Phillips in the U.K. in November 1972 - but only nine of these songs made the cut and the rest-save a non-album single-sat in the vaults until now. And so, here, for the first time, is the album that should-have-been. So, was it worth the wait? Well, any Dusty Springfield sung song is worth listening to and certainly the material-including songs by Leon Russell, Jimmy Webb, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the Rascals, and Spike Milligan (!) - is first rate. And although there are some very lovely performances on What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?/ See All Her Faces/ Let Me Down Easy, and I Start Counting, the magic and feel of the Atlantic albums are missing - there's nothing here as gobsmackingly awesome as No Easy Way Down or Brand New Me (although Let Me Down Easy comes closest). Still, fans of Dusty (me included) need to own this album if only to read the story of why much of the material sat on the shelf for two decades. (GMC)

 
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE Airline 57834 Every Time I Feel The Spirit ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 34 tracks, highly recommended
A fine collection of live recordings by this outstanding gospel singer and stellar guitarist though dates and locations of some recordings are unidentified or misidentified. The first six sides are from 1943 recordings made for the Armed Forced Radio Service - three with the Lucky MIllinder Band and three with Louis Jordan's Tympany Five and features powerful vocals from Rosetta along with some incendiary guitar work. There's a great live performance of Didn't It Rain recorded at Harlems' famed Apollo Theater around 1952 and a track from her 1958 visit to England with Chris Barber's. Most of the rest of the first disc are (I'm pretty sure) from 1964 appearances in England and France with members of the American Folk Blues Festival (Otis Spann, Ransom Knowling and Willie Smith) - these are fine sides though Rosetta doesn't play much guitar. Most of the second disc is from 1966 solo recordings made in France - her voice was still strong and although most of her guitar work is limited to strumming she does throw out the occasional hot lick. A few tracks appear to be from a 1964 live concert in France where she is accompanied by members of The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band and features some effective heavy tremolo on her guitar. A thougharly enjoyable set. I think that all the material has been on CD before but scattered over a number of CDs and if you don't have them these performances are well worth having. (FS)

 
HENRY TOWNSEND Wolf 120.496 Original St. Louis Blues Live ● CD $16.98
17 tracks, strongly recommended
Mississippi born but St. Louis based Henry Townsend was one of the great rediscoveries of the 1960s. A superb and introspective singer and a distinctive guitarist he had lost little of his abilities evident on 1920s and 30s recordings. Although he was featured on guitar on all his early recordings Henry also was a superb piano player whose playing was in the vein of his contemporaries Walter Davis and Roosevelt Sykes. This set was recorded live in Austria in 1980 and find Henry in fine form playing both guitar and piano and singing a varied selection of songs including remakes of his early songs, St. Louis blues favorites and newer songs based on traditional themes. On Why We Love Each Other he duets with his wife Vernell who does a superb version of Going Down Slow with lovely guitar work by Henry. The only drawbacks are the echoey live sound and the occasional feeble attempts by the audience to clap along. Otherwise, a very worthwhile set from a superb artist who continued to perform for another 20 years until he was in his 90s! (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 352 Texas Blues : Bill Quinn's Gold Star Recordings** ● CD $13.98
27 tracks, essential
Superb country blues performances recorded for Bill Quinn's Gold Star label between 1947 and '51. Gold Star was one of a handful of post war labels that continued to record rural blues stylings and being based in Houston he had access to some of the finest Texas blues performers. Quinn's most famous discovery was Lightnin' Hopkins whose Gold Star recordings have been reissued on Arhoolie 330 and 337 ($13.98 each). One this set Hopkins is featured as an accompanist to his friend L.C. Williams and these tracks feature some of Lightnin's very finest instrumental work - not having to concentrate on his own singing and playing gives him more freedom to improvise. On Williams' Trying, Trying Lightnin' plays some fine barrelhouse piano. Another major talent on this collection is the brilliant singer and guitarist Lil' Son Jackson - a distinctive performer with a lovely melodic vocal style and a free flowing rhythmic yet lyrical guitar style which, at times, almost sounds like two guitars. On the piano side are the brilliant Thunder Smith, Lee Hunter (Ivory Joe's brother) and Leroy Ervin. The set is rounded out by singer/ guitarist Buddy Chiles, Andy Thomas (with fine guitarist Luther Stoneham) and Perry Cain - a relatively undistinguished vocalist but with great piano by Buster Pickens. Sound is generally excellent, the packaging is attractive and booklet features informative notes by Chris Strachwitz and some nice photos. Truly essential! (FS)
PERRY CAIN: All The Way From Texas/ BUDDY CHILES: Jet Black Woman/ LEROY ERVIN: Blue, Black, And Evil/ Rock Island Blues/ LEE HUNTER: Back To Santa Fe/ LIL' SON JACKSON: Bad Whiskey Bad Women/ Cairo Blues/ Evil Blues/ Freedom Train Blues/ Gambling Blues/ Gone With The Wind/ Ground Hog Blues/ Homeless Blues/ No Money No Love/ Roberta Blues/ ANDY THOMAS: Angel Child/ L. C. WILLIAMS: Black Woman/ Boogie All The Time/ Hole In The Wall/ I Won't Be Here Long/ Strike Blues/ Trying Trying/ You Can't Take It With You Baby/ You Never Miss The Water

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 416 Cajun Fais Do-Do** ● CD $13.98
32 tracks, 76 minutes, highly recommended
These 1966 recordings by Chris Strachwitz play tribute to Revon Reed, a Mamou Louisiania schoolteacher whose Saturday morning radio shows served as a gathering place for local musicians and a source of authentic Cajun music for residents and visitors alike. 14 of the tracks feature Cajun legends Nathan Abshire and the Balfa Brothers. While Abshire was recording in a more modern style at this time, here he plays waltzes, breakdowns and two steps in a traditional grouping. He was highly satisfied with the results and called it the best music he ever put on record! Cyp and Adam Landreneau contribute 6 high spirited tunes aided by Jerry Devillier and Isom Fontenot on triangle and harmonica. Fortenot, in his 70's at the time, returns later with some great solo harmonica work. The Breux Brothers, active musicians since the 1930's, close the disk with 4 tunes. These performances must be heard to be believed! The singing is totally uninhibited, raw and unrestrained and, like all the performers on this fine collection, it's clear that they are having the time off their life! Highly recommended. (DP)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 498 Classic Old Time Music On Victor Vol. 2 ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
A superb collection of old time country music recorded for Victor between 1928 and 1930. The emphasis is on string bands including Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers from Arkansas, The White Mountain Orchestra from New Mexico, the intriguing Big Chief Henry's Indian String Band from Mississippi and the jazzy, bluesy Jack Cawley's Oklahoma Ridge Runners. Most of the string band sides are instrumental though there are a couple of vocals and one track by Big Chief Henry's group features some effective Indian chanting. On the vocal side we have the wonderful singer and guitarist Dave McCarn - a cotton mill worker from North Carolina with a couple of superb songs and from Georgia we have another outstanding performer Lester Smallwood who sings and accompanies himself on banjo and rack mounted harmonica on two superb songs. There are also four songs from Billie Maxwell - the daughter of E.C. Maxwell, leader of The White Mountain Orchestra and the first woman to record cowboy songs. In spite of that distinction, her flat, tuneless vocals are not very pleasurable. Except for a couple of cuts the sound quality is excellent and there are brief notes from Brian Golbey. (FS)
BIG CHIEF HENRY’S INDIAN STRING BAND: Bluebird Waltz/ Cherokee Rag/ Chocktaw Waltz/ On The Banks Of The Kaney/ The Indian Tom Tom/ The Indians Dream/ JACK CAWLEY’S OKLAHOMA RIDGE RUNNERS: Blue Devil Rag/ Fort Worth Rag/ Guitar Duet Blues/ My Cute Gal Sal/ The Vine Covered Cottage/ BILLIE MAXWELL: Haunted Hunter/ The Arizona Girl I Left Behind Me/ The Cowboy's Wife/ Where Your Sweetheart Waits For You Jack/ DAVE MCCARN: Bashful Bachelor/ Hobo Life/ LESTER SMALLWOOD: Cotton Mill Girl/ I'm Satisfied/ DR. SMITH’S CHAMPION HOSS HAIR PULLERS: Just Give Me The Leavings/ THE WHITE MOUNTAIN ORCHESTRA: Escudilla Waltz/ Gooson/ Leather Britches/ Maxwell's Old Rye Waltz

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17364 Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels, Vol. 4: 1971 ● CD $29.98
The story of country rock continues with this two CD set with 39 tracks looking at 1971. Another fine and varied selection including the first British bands to play country rock - Head, Hands & Feet and Cochise. It also includes tracks from Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, Gene Clark, Johnny Cash, Michael Nesmith & The First National Band, John Prine, Cowboy, Freddy Fender and many more. Includes 80 page booklet with in depth discussion of every track, full discographical details and a slew of photos.
HOYT AXTON: Never Been To Spain/ THE BAND: When I Paint My Masterpiece/ BRAVE BELT: Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes/ J.J. CALE: Crazy Mama/ JOHNNY CASH: Singing In Viet Nam Talking Blues/ GENE CLARK: For A Spanish Guitar/ White Light/ COCHISE: Lost Hearts/ COMMANDER CODY & HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN: Hot Ron Lincoln/ Lost In The Ozone/ Seeds And Stems Again/ RY COODER: Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All/ COWBOY: Please Be With Me/ DELANEY & BONNIE AND FRIENDS: Never Ending Song Of Love/ THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Colorado/ Hand To Mouth/ ALEX HARVEY: Delta Dawn/ Tulsa Turnaround/ HEAD, HANDS AND FEET: Country Boy/ MORDICAI JONES: All Because Of A Woman/ DOUG KERSHAW: Who Needs That Kind Of Friend/ KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Good Christian Soldier/ The Pilgrim Chapter 33/ LITTLE FEAT: Willin'/ LONNIE MACK: Asphalt O Utlaw Hero/ Three Angels/ RICK NELSON: This Train/ MICHAEL NESMITH & THE FIRST NATIONAL BAND: Grand Ennui/ Tumbling Tumbleweeds/ NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE: Glendale Train/ Henry/ MICKEY NEWBURY: The Future's Not What It Used To Be/ POCO: Bad Weather/ JOHN PRINE: Angel From Montgomery/ Paradise/ SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET: Wasted Days, Wasted Nights (Aka Wasted Days And Wasted Nights)/ TWIN ENGINE: My Life Gets Better Every Day/ LINK WRAY: Fire And Brimstone/ La De Da

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS BGP CDPGPD 186 Golden State Funk** ● CD $18.98
20 tracks, 62 min., very highly recommended
Mining the metaphoric vaults of Golden State Recorders for its late 1960s-early 1970s output, this collection stands out from the recent flood of regional funk compilations by virtue of the fact that it's so damn good. The subtitle is "Impossibly Rare Funk From The Bay Area." Half the tracks are previously unissued and thus impossibly rare. Of the other half, most are indeed extremely tough to find 45s. One such is the true funk classic Are You Together For The New Day? by The Love Experience, reason enough to pick this up. Not only does the song work up a powerful sweat, but how many funk classics use the word "altruist" ? Sadly, that's the only Love Experience cut, a pair of previously unreleased songs by the obscure 87th Off Broadway do much to relieve the pain, as does the frenzied instrumental House Party by Wally Cox & The Natives. Other little-known wonders include Jeanette Jones' I'm Glad I Got Over You & You'd Be Good For Me, a couple from Spooky & The Cosmic Flowers (including one fittingly short number where Spooky sings the praises of the mini skirt), an instrumental from Marvin Holmes & The Uptights, and more. Ramona King's Super Chicken , which employs the phrase "toe lickin' good" manages to be funky and funny, no small trick. And what Bay Area funk compilation would be complete without a song about Vida Blue? The one here comes courtesy of Jimmy Bee. (JC)
87TH OFF BROADWAY: Can't Get Enough/ Why/ JIMMY BEE: Vida Blue Part 1/ WALLY COX & THE NATIVES: House Party/ Zu Zu/ MEL DAVIS: Just Another Smile/ RUBY DELICIOUS: Rock Steady/ MARVIN HOLMES & THE UPTIGHTS: Sweet Talk/ JEANETTE JONES: I'm Glad I Got Over You/ You'd Be Good For Me/ RAMONA KING: Super Chicken/ THE LOVE EXPERIENCE: Are You Together For The New Day?/ THE SAN FRANCISCO TKOS: Acilady/ Devil's Got Your Mind/ Herm/ ALONZO SMITH: Love Machine/ SNOOKY & THE COSMIC FLOWERS: Hearing Things/ Mini Skirts/ THE WINDJAMMERS: Poor Sad Child Parts 1 & 2/ JULIO ZAVALLA: I've Gotta Groove

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Big Beat CDWIKD 159 "GS I Love You" - Japanese Garage Bands Of The 1960s** ● CD $18.98
28 tracks, 76 minutes, highly recommended
The beat boom hit Japan a little later than the rest of the world, so that by the mid 60s there was still a lot of bands sounding like early 60s Beatles, but with the current technology, they were doing it with wild fuzz guitar! Known as "Group Sound", the 3 biggest influences of GS were Mersey beat, country, & surf music (especially the Ventures), with mixtures of all 3 heard here! The bands here are Japanese garage bands who recorded for the Japanese indie labels Crown & Teichiku. There's plenty of covers of western rock tunes ranging from The Swing West doing Fire by Arthur Brown to The Burns' fuzz laden version of I Saw Her Standing There, though my faves are The Out Cast which does Everything's Alright & Long Tall Sally. There's plenty of surf instrumentals, The Spiders, Wipe Out, Dynamite, & even a few Japanese language tunes that have titles sung in English. Complete discographical info incl band photos from the 1st in a series promising to explore garage bands from around the world. (GM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Boulevard Vintage 1032 Down Home Blues Classics, Chicago 1946-1954 ● CD $21.98
4 CDs, 100 tracks, approx 4 hours 40 mins, essential
Back in print with a new number and new packaging but the same great music and notes and at a lower price!. A simply fantastic collection of down home Chicago blues from the music's golden age. Although there is some overlap with JSP 7744 (now deleted) this is a perfect complement since the JSP set concentrated on how the entrenched Chicago bluesmen adapted to the new musical and social climate in Chicago due to the influx of many of thousands of African-Americans from the South - this one features mostly newcomers to Chicago whose music was steeped in the traditions of the South. Although most of this has been out on CD before the selection has been carefully chosen to feature some of the very finest recordings from this period and includes the complete 50s recordings of several performers who became stalwarts of the blues scene in later years like J.B. Hutto, Johnny Young and Homesick James. There are also magnificent performances from John Brim, Floyd Jones, Little Willie Foster, Johnny Jones, Robert Lockwood, Johnny Shines, Big Boy Spires and others. As icing on the cake this set includes the recently discovered first recording of Jimmy Rogers Round About Boogie from 1948 which was issued under Memphis Slim's name and features Jimmy singing and playing harmonica! It also features the never before reissued recordings of fine vocalist Essie Sykes with Roosevelt Sykes on piano and Robert Nighthawk on guitar. This set includes recordings that were the Holy Grail for postwar blues collectors in the 60s. Sound is excellent and the booklet has informed notes by Paul "Sailor" Vernon and discographical info. (FS)
GRACE BRIM: Going Down The Line/ Leaving Daddy Blues/ JOHN BRIM: Dark Clouds/ Gary Stomp/ Lonesome Man Blues/ Rattlesnake/ Tough Times/ LEE BROWN: Bobby Town Boogie/ My Little Girl Blues/ New Little Girl (1)/ New Little Girl (2)/ JIMMY EAGER: Please Mr Doctor/ Should Have Loved Her More/ BABY FACE LEROY FOSTER: Louella/ Pet Rabbit/ LITTLE WILLIE FOSTER: Falling Rain Blues/ Four Day Jump/ ROCKY FULLER: Come On Baby Now/ TONY HOLLINS: Fishing Blues/ I'll Get a Break/ Wine-O-Woman/ HOMESICK JAMES: Farmer's Blues/ Homesick/ Lonesome Ole Train/ The Woman I Love/ J.B. HUTTO & HIS HAWKS: Combination Boogie/ Dim Lights/ Loving You/ Now She's Gone/ Pet Cream Man/ Things Are So Slow/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/ Big World/ Dark Road/ Early Morning/ Floyd's Blue/ On The Road Again/ Schooldays On My Mind/ Skinny Mama/ You Can't Live Long/ LITTLE JOHNNY JONES: Big Town Playboy/ Shelby County Blues/ ALBERT KING: Bad Luck Blues/ Be On Your Merry Way/ J.B. LENOIR: Carrie Lee/ Deep In Debt/ Korea Blues/ My Baby Told Me/ LITTLE WALTER: Don't Have To Hunt No More/ Tonight With A Fool/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: (I'm Gonna) Dig Myself A Hole/ Dust My Broom/ LAZY BILL LUCAS: I Had A Dream/ She Got Me Walkin'/ WILLIE NIX: All By Myself/ Just Can't Stay/ Nervous Wreck/ No More Love/ MORRIS PEJOE: Can't Get Along/ Gonna Buy Me A Telephone/ It'll Plumb Get It/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Crosstown Blues/ I Want You For Myself/ JIMMY REED: I Found My Baby/ Jimmy's Boogie/ Roll And Rhumba/ JIMMY ROGERS: Act Like You Love Me/ Left Me With A Broken Heart/ Out On The Road/ Round About Boogie/ JOHNNY SHINES: Joliet Blues/ So Glad I Found You/ BIG BOY SPIRES: About To Lose My Mind/ Murmur Low/ One Of These Days/ Which One Do I Love/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: Back To Korea/ Devil Is A Busy Man/ Going Back To Memphis/ It's All Over Now/ ESSIE SYKES: Easy Walkin' Papa/ Please Don't Say Goodbye/ TAMPA RED: Big Stars Falling/ Green And Lucky Blues/ I Won't Let Her Do It/ So Crazy About You Baby/ So Much Trouble/ MUDDY WATERS: Baby Please Don't Go/ Blow Wind Blow/ Mad Love/ Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man/ JUNIOR WELLS: Bout The Break Of Day/ Eagle Rock/ Hoodoo Man/ Juniors Wail/ Lawdy Lawdy/ JOHNNY WILLIAMS: Worried Man Blues/.JOHNNY YOUNG: Let Me Ride Your Mule/ Money Taking Woman/ My Baby Walked Out On Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 043 Folksongs Of Another America - Field Recordings From The Upper MIdwest, 1937-1946 ● CD $59.98
Just arrived. Once again, the adventurous Dust-To-Digital label breaks new ground with this remarkable collection of field recordings made in the frequently overlooked states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin made between 1937 and 1946. This box set includes five CDs with 174 tracks with tunes and songs in more than 25 languages, made by immigrant, Native American, rural, and working class performers including African-American, Austrian, Cornish, Czech, Dutch, French-Canadian, Ho-Chunk, Lithuanian, Italian, Norwegian, Oneida, Scots-Gaelic, Serbian and many other nationalities. The recordings were made by folklorists Sidney Robertson, Alan Lomax, and Helene Stratman-Thomas. The set includes a DVD with the documentary film The Most Fertile Source: Alan Lomax Goes North, with never-before-seen footage shot in Michigan in 1938. It combines digitally restored silent color film footage, related field recordings, voice-over readings from Lomax's correspondence and field notes, and onscreen text to create an audiovisual narrative featuring the performers and scenes that captivated Alan Lomax during his 1938 Upper Midwestern foray. The accompanying 456-page hardcover book includes extensive liner notes, lyric transcriptions, and translations by James P. Leary, co-founder of the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 030 Let Me Tell You About The Blues - New York ● CD $22.98 $16.98
3 CDs, 75 tracks, 3 hours, 37 min., very highly recommended
The third in the "Let Me Tell You" series features New York City, where blues recording began with Mamie Smith. The booklet notes are by noted blues scholar Neil Slaven, but they are rather limited, considering the vast number of recordings and artists represented. But there's no fussing over the music. The set moves chronologically from 1923-1957 and includes tracks by Bessie Smith, Ma Raney, Lonnie Johnson, Victoria Spivey, Helen Humes, Kansas Joe McCoy, Tampa Red, Charley Patton, Lead belly, Leroy Carr, Josh White, Roosevelt Sykes, Rozetta Howard, Guitar Slim, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, Curley Weaver, Little Esther, Big Maybelle, Champion Jack Dupree, and a ton more. The compilers do not hold back on the material either, selecting an outstanding performance for each artist. For example, Screamin' Jay Hawkins is represented by the I Put A Spell On You, a mad piece of demented joy, and Chuck Willis sings the oft-covered classic I Feel So Bad, and on and on. And yet it's not just the same old blues songs that show up every where. Lesser known gems abound, including the outrageous Take Out Your False Teeth Daddy by Margie Day and the extremely amusing and lyrically creative The Last Meal by Hurricane Harry, which features the unusual dietary requests of a prisoner on death row. Overall the sound, like the material itself, is excellent. An instant blues library for beginners or a carefully chosen various artists treat for those whose collections run deeper. (JC)
TEXAS ALEXANDER: Work Ox Blues/ BARBECUE BOB: Mississippi Heavy Water Blues/ DUKE BAYOU & HIS MYSTIC SIX: Rub A Little Boogie/ BIG CONNIE: Mumbles Blues/ BIG MAYBELLE: One Monkey Don t Stop No Show/ LUCILLE BOGAN: Groceries On The Shelf/ BIG BILL BROONZY: How You Want It Done/ GABRIEL BROWN: You Aint No Good/ BULL CITY RED: I Saw The Light/ SAM BUTLER: Jefferson County Blues/ BOB CAMPBELL: Starvation Farm Blues/ LEROY CARR: Barrel House Woman/ BO CHATMAN: My Pencil Won t Write No More/ SAM COLLINS: Slow Mama Slow/ COUNTRY PAUL: Side Walk Boogie/ COUSIN LEROY: Waitin At The Station/ LARRY DALE: Midnight Hours/ LEROY DALLAS: Your Sweet Mans Blues/ MARGIE DAY: Take Out Your False Teeth Daddy/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Just Like A Woman/ AMOS EASTON: B & O Blues/ SLEEPY JOHN ESTES: Hobo Jungle Blues/ THE FAMOUS HOKUM BOYS: Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat/ H-BOMB FERGUSON: Preachin The Blues/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Shake It, Baby/ LITTLE BOY FULLER: Bed Springs Blues/ BOB GADDY: I Believe You Got A Sidekick/ BOY GREEN: Play My Jukebox/ GUITAR SLIM & JELLY BELLY: No More Hard Times/ LITTLE BOBBY HARRIS: Love, Love, Love/ HATTIE HART: I Let My Daddy Do That/ SCREAMIN JAY HAWKINS: I Put A Spell On You/ ROSETTA HOWARD: If Youre A Viper/ HELEN HUMES: Cross-Eyed Blues/ HURRICANE HARRY: The Last Meal/ MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT: Candy Man Blues/ LONNIE JOHNSON: To Do This You Got To Know How/ PETE JOHNSON: Roll Em Pete/ GRANT JONES: They Call Me Mr Blues/ JACK KELLY: President Blues/ TINY KENNEDY: Country Boy/ HANK KILROY: Harlem Women/ LEADBELLY: Packin Trunk Blues/ BOBBY LEECAN: Need More Blues/ LITTLE ESTHER: Sit Back Down/ KANSAS JOE MCCOY: When The Levee Breaks/ BROWNIE MCGHEE: Im A Black Womans Man/ Im Gonna Move Cross The River/ STICK MCGHEE: Drank Up All The Wine Last Night/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL: Warm It Up To Me/ SAM MONTGOMERY: Mercy Mercy Blues/ JOHNNY MOORES THREE BLAZERS: How Blue Can You Get/ BUDDY MOSS: Hard Road Blues/ MR. BEAR & THE BEARCATS: Im Gonna Keep My Good Eye On You/ CHARLEY PATTON: High Sheriff Blues/ CHARLIE PICKETT: Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon/ MA RAINEY: Countin The Blues/ WALTER ROLAND: Penniless Blues/ OLLIE SHEPARD: Throw This Dog A Bone/ JELLY JAW SHORT: Snake Doctor Blues/ BESSIE SMITH: Beale Street Mama/ VICTORIA SPIVEY: Dope Head Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Driving Wheel/ TAMPA RED & GEORGIA TOM: Dead Cats On The Line/ DANNY RUN JOE TAYLOR: Coffee Daddy Blues/ SONNY TERRY: Custard Pie Blues/ Ride And Roll/ SQUARE WALTON: Pepper Head Woman/ CURLEY WEAVER: No No Blues/ Some Rainy Day/ SYLVESTER WEAVER: Guitar Blues/ PEETIE WHEATSTRAW: Coon Can Shorty/ JOSH WHITE: Black Man/ CHUCK WILLIS: I Feel So Bad/ RALPH WILLIS: Christmas Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 147 Cadillac Cuties And Hot Rod Heroes ● CD $18.98 $12.98
Subtitled "50 Hi-Octane Cuts From The Golden Age Of The Automobile" this double set from Fantastic Voyage dips into rock 'n' roll's hotwired legacy of automobile anthems and highway love serenades. Since the birth of rock 'n' roll, the car has occupied a special place in teenage rampage and backseat romance, rock 'n' roll music essential as both soundtrack pumping out of the radio or celebration of heaven on wheels. Over two discs, revving up engines and screeching brakes introduce 50 road-worthy classics, including lesser-heard gems rarely encountered on CD (if at all) by names such as the Storey Sisters, Don Pearly, Burt Keyes, Eddie Ringo, Dave `Diddle' Day, Rocky Davis plus a fleet of over-the-limit roadrunners such as Slick Slavin's Speed Crazy, Chuck Higgins' Motor Head Baby and Mike Fern's Brake Jake (not forgetting Johnny Tyler's immortal Devil's Hot Rod). This tyre-shredding set also shows how automobile association also brought out the beast in well-known protagonists such as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins, Roy Brown, Eddie Cochran, Howlin' Wolf, Merrill Moore, the Del-Vikings, Vince Taylor (in his Brand New Cadillac), plus a brace of revved-up instrumentals like the Duals' Stick Shift.
THE AQUATONES: Wanted (A Solid Gold Cadillac)/ CHUCK BERRY: Jaguar And Thunderbird/ You Can't Catch Me/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Rocket '88'/ ROY BROWN: Cadillac Baby/ WILLIE BROWN: Cadillac Boogie/ RAY BURDEN: Hot-Rodder's Dream/ JIMMY CARROLL: Big Green Car/ EDDIE COCHRAN: Drive In Show/ THE COLLEGIANS: Let's Go For A Ride/ CONNY AND THE BELLHOPS: Shot Rod/ PAT DAVIS: Spinner Hub Caps/ ROCKY DAVIS: Hot Rod Baby/ DAVE "DIDDLE" DAY: Motorcycle Mike/ THE DEL-VIKINGS: Flat Tire/ THE DELICATES: Black And White Thunderbird/ RICHIE DERAN: Girl And A Hot Rod/ BO DIDDLEY: Road Runner/ PESO DOLLAR: Sixteen Miles/ THE DUALS: Stick Shift/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: Every Woman I Know (Crazy 'Bout Automobiles)/ MIKE FERN: Brake Jake/ JIM FLAHERTY'S CARAVAN: This Old Bomb Of Mine/ VERNON GREEN AND THE MEDALLIONS: 59 Volvo/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Motor Head Baby/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Mr Highway Man/ JAN AND ARNIE: Gas Money/ BURT KEYES: Stop Jivin' Start Drivin'/ BAKER KNIGHT: Bring My Cadillac Back/ BOB LUMAN: Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache/ SAMMY MASTERS: Pink Cadillac/ THE MEDALLIONS: Buick 59/ CHUCK MILLER: Bright Red Convertible/ MERRILL MOORE: Hard Top Race/ BILL PARSONS: Hot Rod Volkswagen/ DON PEARLY: Drag Race/ CARL PERKINS: Pop, Let Me Have The Car/ EDDIE RINGO: Full Racing Cam/ JOHNNY ROANE: Drag Strip Baby/ CHARLIE RYAN: Hot Rod Lincoln/ THE SAVOYS: Slappin' Rods And Leaky Oil/ BILL SHERRELL: Cadillac Baby/ SLICK SLAVIN: Speed Crazy/ LEON SMITH: Little Forty Ford/ THE STOREY SISTERS: Bad Motorcycle/ VINCE TAYLOR AND HIS PLAYBOYS: Brand New Cadillac/ JOHNNY TYLER: Devil's Hot Rod/ GENE VINCENT AND HIS BLUE CAPS: Pink Thunderbird/ Why Don't You People Learn How To Drive/ JERRY WOODARD: Speedway Rock

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 4229 Boogie Woogie Gals ● CD $23.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection of boogie woogie vocals and instrumentals featuring female performers. The tracks were recorded between 1942 and 1956 and at least half the tracks have never been on CD before. What may come as a surprise is the number of these performers who accompany themselves on piano - Cleo Brown and Hadda Brooks may be familiar to many but this set features hot boogie piano playing from performers like Viola Watkins, Madonna Martin, Sarah (Fat Woman) Dean, Vivian Greene, Betty Hall Jones, Mata Ray and others. There's even a track from Trinidadian born but England based pianist Winifred Atwell and her track Cross Hands Boogie is a corker! Other tracks feature female vocalists accompanied by groups ranging from trios to big bands including Gladys Bentley, Bertice Reading (the great Beantown Boogie with the Leroy Kirkland Orch. including hot guitar by Mickey Baker), Big Mama Thornton, Annisteen Allen, Mildred Anderson (accompanied by The Albert Ammons Combo), Tina Dixon and others. Sound quality is generally fine though a few tracks show evidence of too much digital noise reduction and a few are from rough originals. Compiler Opal Louis Nations gives us as much information as he can about the performer in the less than generous space allowed him by JSP. It's a real shame that JSP hasn't realized that including more information in their notes is not only helpful for the listener but would help their prestige. Still, this is a very worthwhile set. (FS)
ANNISTEEN ALLEN WITH THE LUCKY MILLINDER ORCH.: Bongo Boogie/ MILDRED ANDERSON WITH THE ALBERT AMMONS COMBO: Doin' The Boogie Woogie/ LIL ARMSTRONG & HER CHICAGO BOYS: Joogie Boogie/ WINIFRED ATWELL: Cross Hands Boogie/ JEANETTE BAKER WITH THE GOOGIE RENE COMBO: Rock-A-Boogie/ WINI BEATY WITH THE SLIM GAILLARD TRIO: Early Morning Boogie/ GLADYS BENTLEY & QUINTETTE: Boogie ‘N My Woogie/ HADDA BROOK: Brooks' Boogie/ Stompin' The Boogie/ CLEO BROWN: Roll It Boogie/ Cleo's Boogie/ CATHY COOPER WITH DEVONIA WILLIAMS & THE JOHNN: Alimony boogie/ MARTHA DAVIS WITH THE ART BLAKEY TRIO: Player Piano Boogie/ EUNICE DAVIS WITH THE FREDDIE MITCHELL ORCHESTR: Rock Little Daddy/ SARAH (FAT WOMAN) DEAN WITH THE FREDDIE MITCHELL ORCH.: I Got Your Boogie/ MARY DEPINA & MARTHA POTTS WITH MONTE EASTER’: Boogie Woogie Man/ TINA DIXON WITH THE GENE NERO SEXTET: Parrot Bar Boogie/ DOROTHY DONEGAN: Schubert's Boogie/ THELMA GRACIE WITH THE FREDDIE SLACK ORCH.: Cow Cow Boogie/ VIVIAN GREENE WITH THE NICK ESPOSITO TRIO: Red Light/ VIOLET HALL: He's An Ivory Beating Baby (On The Baby Grand)/ CAMILLE HOWARD WITH THE ROY MILTON DUO: The Boogie And The Blues/ HELEN HUMES WITH SNOOKY YOUNG ORCHESTRA: Central Avenue Boogie/ MERLINE JOHNSON: Want To Boogie Some More/ BETTY HALL JONES WITH HER RHYTHM: Learn To Boogie/ NORA LEE KING: Cannon Ball/ HONEY LEE WITH THE RED CALLENDER TRIO: Piney's Boogie Woogie/ NELLIE LUTCHER WITH IRVING ASHBY TRIO: Lake Charles Boogie/ MADONNA MARTIN: Madonna's Boogie/ EDNA MCRANEY: Edna's Boogie/ ELLA MAE MORSE WITH DON RAYE & THE FREDDIE SLACK: The House Of Blue Light/ GLADYS PALMER WITH SONNY THOMPSON & THE SHARPS: Palmer's Boogie/ LIL PALMORE WITH HER CALDONIA BOYS: Lil's Caldonia Boogie/ MATA RAY & THE SEPIA TONES: Boogie #1/ BERTICE READING WITH LEROY KIRKLAND’S ORCHESTRA: Beantown Boogie/ HAZEL SCOTT: A Rainy Night In G/ MARYLIN SCOTT WITH JOHNNY OTIS ORCH.: Beer Bottle Boogie/ GINGER SMOCK WITH THE JACKSON BROTHERS: Ginger's Boogie/ FRANTIC FAYE THOMAS: Faye's Boogie/ I'm In Town/ BIG MAMA THORNTON WITH THE JOE SCOTT ORCH.: Mischievous Boogie/ UNKNOWN: I Wonder Who's Boogeying My Woogie Now/ BETTY JEAN WASHINGTON WITH THE MAXWELL DAVIS ORCHES: Elevator Boogie (Live)/ VIOLA WATKINS & THE BIRMINGHAM BOOGIE BOYS: Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Night/ PAULA WATSON: Paula's Nightmare/ GEORGIA WHITE: Territory Blues/ MARY LOU WILLIAMS & HER TRIO: Hesitation Boogie/ MARY LOU WILLIAMS WITH ANDY KIRK & HIS CLOUDS OF: Boogie Woogie Cocktail/ DEVONIA WILLIAMS WITH THE CALIFORNIA PLAYBOYS: Dee's Boogie/ ANNA MAE WINBURN & THE INTERNATIONAL SWEETHEARTS: Central Avenue Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77174 Texas Blues ● CD $28.98
4 CDs, 100 tracks, highly recommended
 Reissue of the out of print JSP 7730. Troublesome groundhogs, infidelity with cabbages and the desirability of having your tongue sucked cherry red are among the weighty issues arising from JSP's latest compilation. This survey of Texas singer guitarists is also a mini history, beginning with older songsters Coley Jones and Henry Thomas. Thomas' last recordings were made in 1929, but his repertoire of ballads, dance pieces, old song medleys and primitive blues are a world away from the blues styles of the 30s, as represented here in the assertive slide guitar of Oscar Woods and Black Ace. En route between these extremes we have the complete solo recordings of Ramblin' Thomas, whose Paramount recordings vividly capture his tough, itinerant lifestyle and are supported by beautifully judged accompaniments and some delicate slide, and Little Hat Jones. Little Hat had a strong voice but his distinctive guitar style with its tempo changes, faltering endings and eccentric instrumental breaks combine to give his work an enormously attractive fragility. The other singers here are no makeweights either, and performances like Willie Reed's Leavin' Home are simply magnificent. The remastering of this set is generally very good. The exception is the Henry Thomas titles where the sound, although good, does not reflect the dynamics of the music as well as the Document or Yazoo reissues. There are also a couple of minor frustrations with this set. Firstly, JSP's decision to include some of the field recordings of Pete Harris and Smith Casey means that the format of these discs is rather odd. Ramblin' Thomas and his brother Jesse for example appear on different discs, as do Black Ace and his mentor Oscar Woods. Harris and Casey are fine performers, but the set could have been more logically and satisfactorily ordered without their tracks. (Their full recordings are available on the very good "Texas Field Recordings", Document DOCD 5231.) Second, to add to the confusion, Neal Slaven's notes were obviously written before the tracklisting was finalized, and there are a couple of glitches in the presentation of the notes themselves. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that this set [like some of the others in this series] could have benefited from a little more time in production, but as usual with JSP the pluses massively outweigh the minuses. (DPR)
BLACK ACE: Black Ace/ Christmas Time Blues/ Lowing Heifer/ Trifling Woman/ Whiskey And Women/ You Gonna Need My Help Someday/ SMITH CASEY: East Texas Rag/ Hesitating Blues/ Jack O' Diamonds/ Mournful Blues/ Santa Fe Blues/ Shorty George/ Two White Horses Standing In Line/ PETE HARRIS: Blind Lemon's Song/ Carrie/ Is You Mad At Me/ Jack O' Diamonds/ COLEY JONES: Army Mule In No Man's Land/ Drunkard's Special/ The Elder's He's My Man/ Traveling Man/ LITTLE HAT JONES: Bye Bye Baby Blues/ Cherry Street Blues/ Corpus Blues/ Cross The Water Blues/ Hurry Blues/ Kentucky Blues/ Little Hat Blues/ New Two Sixteen Blues/ Rolled From Side To Side Blues/ Two String Blues/ WILLIE REED: All Worn Out And Dry Blues/ Dreaming Blues/ Goin' Back To My Baby/ Leavin' Home/ Some Low Down Groundhog Blues/ Texas Blues/ HENRY THOMAS: Arkansas/ Bob McKinney/ Bull Doze Blues/ Charmin' Betsy/ Cottonfield Blues/ Don't Ease On Me/ Don't Leave Me Here/ Fishing Blues/ Honey, Won't You Allow Me One More Chance/ John Henry/ Jonah In The Wilderness/ Lovin' Babe/ Old Country Stomp/ Railroadin' Some/ Red River Blues/ Run, Mollie, Run/ Shanty Blues/ Texas Easy Street/ Texas Worried Blues/ The Fox And The Hounds/ The Little Red Caboose/ When The Train Comes Along/ Woodhouse Blues/ JESSE "BABYFACE" THOMAS: Blue Goose Blues/ Down In Texas Blues/ My Heart's A Rolling Stone/ No Good Woman Blues/ RAMBLIN' THOMAS: Back Gnawing Blues/ Good Time Blues/ Ground Hog Blues/ Ground Hog Blues No. 2/ Hard Dallas Blues/ Hard Dallas Blues (Take 4)/ Hard To Rule Woman Blues/ Jig Head Blues/ Little Old Mama Blues/ Lock And Key Blues/ New Way Of Living Blues/ No Baby Blues/ No Job Blues/ Poor Boy Blues/ Ramblin' Man/ Ramblin' Mind Blues/ Sawmill Moan/ Shake It Gal/ So Lonesome/ OSCAR WOODS: Baton Rouge Rag/ Boll Weevil Blues/ Come On Over To My House Baby/ Don't Sell It/ Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away)/ Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away)/ Evil Hearted Woman Blues/ Fence Breakin' Blues/ Home Wreckin' Blues/ Jam Session Blues/ Lone Wolf Blues/ Look Here Baby, One Thing I Got To Say/ Low Life Blues/ Muscat Hill Blues/ Sometimes I Get To Thinkin' (Take 1)/ Sometimes I Get To Thinkin' (Take 2)/ Token Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kent CDKEND 435 Ian Levine's Solid Stax Sensations ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
In 1974, Ian Levine, one of the top DJs in Britain's Northern Soul scene, compiled one of the very first Northern Soul compilations, "Solid Soul Sensations." This original set consisted of tracks exclusively from the Scepter/Wand catalogs; a second volume was planned in 1975 - with tracks from the Roulette catalog-but unfortunately never happened. Now, forty years later, the true Volume Two has finally surfaced; Levine has chosen twenty-five tasty tunes exclusively from the Stax/Volt catalog. Although only one of the tracks is previously unreleased - Sylvia & the Blues Jays' sassy Put Me in the Mood - the joy of hearing these songs is not diminished by their previous availability. The quality of the material here is staggering, indicating what a discerning ear Levine has: a couple of sweet soul ballads from The Rance Allen Group (Ain't No Need of Crying and Gonna Make it Alright); some lovely turns from the ladies (Joni Wilson, Roz Ryan, Margie Joseph, and Barbara Lewis); and some lesser known turns from William Bell ("The Man in the Street"), The T.S.U. Toronadoes (I Still Love You), The Dramatics (Your Love Was Strange), Major Lance (Since I Lost My Baby's Love), and David Porter (If I Give it Up, I Want it Back). With a booklet sporting spiffy liner notes from Levine-giving background on the artists and his reasons for picking the songs-this is a first rate compilation, not just of Northern Soul but of seldom heard gems from a great Soul catalog. (GMC)
RANCE ALLEN: Aint No Need Of Crying/ Gonna Make It Alright/ I Know A Man Who/ WILLIAM BELL: The Man In The Street/ CHARLENE AND THE SOUL SERENADERS: Can You Win/ THE CHEQUES: Cool My Desire/ THE DRAMATICS: Your Love Was Strange/ ILANA: Where Would You Be Today/ MARGIE JOSEPH: One More Chance/ COLLETTE KELLY: City Of Fools/ BARBARA LEWIS: The Stars/ MAJOR LANCE: Since I Lost My Baby's Love/ REGGIE MILNER: Habit Forming Love/ THE NEWCOMERS: The Whole World's A Picture Show/ DAVID PORTER: If I Give It Up, I Want It Back/ PROUD AS PUNCH: If You Look Into My Eyes/ ROZ RYAN: You're My Only Temptation/ THE STINGERS: I Refuse To Be Lonely/ SYLVIA & THE BLUE JAYS: Put Me In The Mood/ ANNETTE THOMAS: Hang On/ PAUL THOMPSON: Special Kind Of Woman/ THE TSU TORONADOES: I Still Love You/ BOBBY WHITLOCK: And I Love You/ JOHN GARY WILLIAMS: (I Believe) The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy/ JONI WILSON: (Let Hurt Put You In The) Loser's Seat

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Studio One 2012 The Sound Of Young Jamaica - 50 Top Studio One Hits ● CD $24.98
Two CD set of mento, ska, rocksteady and reggae featuring 50 tracks recorded between 1962 and 1984 at the legendary Studio One studios run by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd - one of the pioneers in recording Jamaican music. Includes a mix of classic and rare sides from artists like King Stewart & Owen Grey, Clue J and His Blues Blasters, The Maytals, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Prince Garthie, Alton Ellis, and many more. Sound quality is superb and the booklet has notes on Dodd and the history of the studio but no details on the recordings here.
"SOUND OF YOUNG JAMAICA" RADIO SHOW JULY 18TH, 1970 WITH WINSTON WILLIAMS, JBC/ THE ABBYSSINIANS: Declaration Of Rights/ AUBREY ADAMS & RICO RODRIQUEZ: Stew Peas And Cornflakes/ HORACE ANDY: Skylarking (Alternate Version)/ BOB ANDY AND THE WAILERS: I've Got To Go Back Home/ THEOPHILUS BECKFORD: Easy Snapping/ KEN BOOTHE: When I Fall In Love/ DENNIS BROWN: Created By The Father/ BURNING SPEAR: Door Peep/ THE CABLES: What Kind Of World/ CARLTON & THE SHOES: Love Me Forever/ CHUCK AND DOBBY WITH AUBREY ADAMS: Du Do Wap/ CLUE J AND HIS BLUES BLASTERS: Salt Lane Shuffle/ CLEMENT DODD: Interview With/ DON DRUMMOND AND ROLAND ALPHONSO: Heaven & Earth/ ALTON ELLIS: I'm Just A Guy/ Jamaicia/ ERNEST AND JACKIE: West Of The Sun/ PRINCE GARTHIE: Moodie Groovie/ THE GAYLADS: Lady With A Red Dress/ CLIFTON GIBBS & THE SELECTED FEW: Brinmstone And Fire/ THE GLADIATORS: Roots Natty/ MARCIA GRIFFITHS: Melody Life/ THE HEPTONES: Fatty Fatty/ JOSEPH "CULTURE" HILL: Behold The Land/ CAREY JOHNSON AND THE SOUL VENDORS: Rockfort Rock (Aka Psychedelic Rock)/ K VIBES: Frenemies/ LARRY AND ALVIN: Nanny Goat/ LONE RANGER: Love Bump/ LORD CREATOR: Independent Jamaica/ THE MAYTALS: I'll Never Grow Old/ FREDDIE MCGREGOR: Bobby Bobylon/ FREDDIE MCKAY: Picture On The Wall (Alternate Mix)/ MICHIGAN & SMILEY: Nice Up The Dance (Original Single Version)/ SUGAR MINOTT: No One/ Oh Mr. CD (Original Single Version)/ JACKIE OPEL: Cry Me A River/ JOHNNY OSBOURNE: Sing Jah Stylee/ THE PARAGONS: My Satisfaction/ DAWN PENN: You Don't Love Me (No, No No)/ DUDLEY SIBLEY & THE SOUL AGENTS: Love In Our Nation/ THE SKATALITES: Fidel Castro/ SLIM SMITH: Rougher Yet/ KING STITT AND OWEN GREY: On The Beach/ SUGAR MASSIVE: Confidence Conviction/ THE WAILERS: One Love/ Simmer Down/ THE WAILING SOULS: Back Out (Alternate Mix)/ GLEN WASHINGTON: Wages Of Sin/ WILLIE WILLIAMS: Armageddon Time (Original Single Version)/ DELROY WILSON: True Believer In Love

 
CINDY WALKER B.A.C.M. 496 Vol. 2 - Trail Drivin' ● CD $14.98
Complementing BACM 159 this is the second collection devoted to Cindy Walker who is best known as a songwriter having composed a number of country and pop hits in the 1940s and 50s. Walker was a pleasing singer though not particularly country sounding and she is accompanied on these 26 transcriptions by small pop flavored groups with occasional fiddle and steel guitar. Songs are presumably all Walker originals though it doesn't include any of her most well known tunes. Tracks include Another Night To Cry/ Everybody Knew It But Me/ Hubbin' It/ Ridin' On Down/ Lay Your Hand In Mine, etc.
CINDY WALKER: Another Night To Cry/ Blue Kimono Blues/ Careless Sweetheart/ Everybody Knew It But Me/ He Knows All The Answers/ Homesick/ Hubbin' It/ I Can't Believe A Word You Say/ I Don't Trust The Men/ I Love Everything About You/ Lay Your Hand In Mine/ Lonesome Gal/ Miss Molly/ Night On The Trail/ Nobody's Waiting For Me/ Oh Darlin'/ Old Wrangler/ Put Your Arms Around Me/ Ridin' On Down/ Song Of The Cowboy/ Ti Yi Yipee Ay/ Toodleumbo/ Trail Drivin'/ Trail The Sun Travels Down/ Travelin' In My Shoes/ You Got My Heart Doing A Tap Dance

 
DOC WATSON Vanguard 155/158 The Vanguard Years** ● CD $53.98
4 CDs, 64 tracks, 2 hrs 55 min, essential
From the time of his introduction into the wide world of folk music by Ralph Rinzler, Doc Watson, a blind musician from the the Blue Ridge Mountain community of Deep Gap, North Carolina, has bestrode the folk music world like the multi-talented colossus he is, leaving his mark on acoustic vernacular music as few people have. The bulk of this collection is drawn from the seven albums Doc made for Vanguard between the years of 1964 and 1971, along with live performances from The Newport Folk Festivals of 1963 and 64. Doc has played a wide variety of music in his career, from the Elizabethan ballads and their Appalachian variants and spirituals of his youth to early country music learned from records by such artists as the Monroes, Delmores and The Carter Family to the guitar blues and rags of the great black guitar players from the southeast to square dance fiddle tunes he picked out on his guitar to the honkytonk and even rockabilly that was popular just prior to his "discovery" by folk revivalists. Doc was and is an incredible guitarist; a fine fingerpicker and one of the best and most influential flatpickers in traditional music. In addition, he is a fine old time banjo player, a good traditional country mandolin player, an autoharpist (check out Grandfather's Clock on Disc One), a wonderful a cappella singer in the shape note tradition, an excellent country harmonica player, and a singer of great taste and sensitivity who possesses a warm full baritone voice. This collection showcases much of the the breadth of Doc's skill and versatility, featuring him in any number of musical settings, from three live guitar duets with young disciple Clarence White, several duets with son Merle, three selections with a wonderful old time country band that includes Frank Price and Clint Howard, a duet with Don Stover, another with his father in law, the magnificent old time fiddler Gaither Carlton, a solo fingerpicked version of Mississippi John Hurt's Spike Driver Blues, and many more. The fourth disc in the collection consists of 17 previously unreleased live performances of duets with Doc, the first six featuring his idol, Merle Travis, recorded at Winfield, Kansas, the final 11 featuring Doc's son and Merle Travis' namesake, Merle Watson, a prodigiously talented picker in his own right, in a series of guitar duets with his dad. Doc can and does play just about every kind of music he hears, including Tom Paxton and Townes Van Zandt compositions, and his latest Sugar Hill album returns him to the country boogie and rockabilly he was playing before his "discovery", This collection, however, is invaluable for its' representation of a time when Doc's talent and versatility were at their zenith. Informative notes by reissue producer Mary Katherine Aldin. (RP)
DOC WATSON: A-roving On A Winter's Night/ Alabama Bound/ Arrangement Blues/ Banks Of The Ohio/ Beaumont Rag/ Black Mountain Rag/ Blow Your Whistle Freight Train/ Blue Railroad Train/ Brown's Ferry Blues/ Bye Bye Bluebells/ Cannonball Rag/ Childhood Play/ Corrina, Corrina/ Country Blues/ Deep River Blues/ Dill Pickle Rag/ Doc's Guitar/ Down In The Valley To Pray/ Dream Of The Miner's Child/ Farewell Blues/ Footprints In The Snow/ Grandfather's Clock/ Hick's Farewell/ I Am A Pilgrim/ I Got A Pig At Home In The Pen/ I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes/ Intoxicated Rat/ Kinfolks In Carolina/ Little Sadie/ Memphis Blues/ Muskrat/ My Rough And Rowdy Ways/ New River Train/ Old Camp Meeting Time/ Omie Wise/ Otto Wood The Bandit/ Rambling Hobo/ Rank Stranger/ Reuben's Train/ Rising Sun Blues/ Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms/ Roll On Buddy/ Salt Creek/bill Cheatham/ San Antonio Rose/ Southbound/ Spike Driver Blues/ Streamline Cannonball/ Talk About Suffering/ Tennessee Stud/ The Coo Coo/ The Cuckoo/ The F.f.v./ The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band/ The Lawson Family Murder/ There's More Pretty Girls Than One/ Train That Carried My Girl From Town/ Wabash Cannonball/ Way Downtown/ What Does The Deep Sea Say/ Windy And Warm

 
JOHNNY YOUNG Arhoolie 325 Chicago Blues** ● CD $13.98
20 tracks, strongly recommended
Some fine Chicago blues featuring the warm vocals, mandolin and guitar of Johnny Young drawn from his two Arhoolie albums 1029 & 1037. The first session, from 1965, is particularly fine with Young joined by Otis Spann, James Cotton, James Lee Morris, S.P. Leary capturing the spirit of traditional Chicago blues at its best. The second session, from 1967 with Walter Horton, is more modern sounding with Jimmy Dawkins on lead guitar, but it never starys too far from the traditional style. (FS)
JOHNNY YOUNG: Come Early In The Morning/ Cross-Cut Saw/ Don't You Lie To Me/ Drinking Straight Whiskey/ Hot Dog!/ I'm Doing All Right/ I'm Having A Ball/ Keep On Drinking/ Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business/ Moaning And Groaning/ My Trainfare Out Of Town/ On The Road Again/ Ring Around My Heart/ Slam Hammer/ Sometimes I Cry/ Stealin'/ Stockyard Blues/ Strange Girl/ Walter's Boogie/ Wild, Wild Woman

 

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