NEWSLETTER #147
JSP BOX SETS - BLUES & R&B
Blind Blake ->
Lead Belly
| BLIND BLAKE |
JSP 7714 |
All The Published Sides |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 110 tracks, essential
Since 1991, when Document issued a four volume series of Blind Blake
recordings, a further 10 alternate takes have been released on another six
Document CDs. This reissue brings all this material together in an
attractive box set with notes by Drew Kent under the heading "The Vanished
Bluesman". Certainly little is known about Blind Blake other than that he
originated from Florida and may have died there shortly after his last
recordings. What is beyond doubt is that he was one of the most accomplished
of the pre-war guitarists, a talented composer and an amazingly consistent
performer during his six years as a Paramount star. Blake did not have the
most expressive of singing voices, but somehow his relaxed delivery leaves
more room to appreciate his marvellous guitar. Capable of accurate
fingerpicking at lightning speed, he had a creative genius to match his
technical skills, often executing brilliant arrangements most blues
guitarists couldn't even have attempted. The variety of musical settings
here include Southern Rag and Police Dog Blues which provide a
showcase for his fingerpicking and thumb bass work, a memorable session with
clarinettist Johnny Dodds, superb accompaniments to female singers like
Leola B. Wilson, minstrel/medicine show songs, piano/guitar duets of the
highest quality and sombre, reflective blues. (If this were not enough,
anybody who can come up with a song title like Rumblin' and Ramblin' Boa
Constrictor Blues just has to be a bit special.) After their Patton and
Jefferson sets JSP know all about the challenges posed by the notorious
sound quality of Paramount 78s, and they have again worked their magic with
this set. Most of the crackles, clicks and pops in the originals have been
removed, and while some of the more worn discs are still pretty rough, sound
quality generally shows a marked improvement over the Document reissues.
This means that great performances which were quite noisy on Document such
as Detroit Bound Blues with its lovely double time passages can now
be fully enjoyed. The speed of the JSP transfers also appears to be more
accurate on tracks like Ice Man Blues. My only quibble concerns
Rope Stretchin' Blues a skilfully constructed two part blues about a
condemned man contemplating his execution, which is dismissed as "maudlin
stuff" in Mr.Kent's otherwise informative booklet notes. Certainly the
sequencing of this song doesn't help its appreciation. While presenting
tracks in strict chronological order as they are here is usually the best
way to enjoy pre-war blues, the recording chronology means that we get Part
Two, followed by Part One (alternate take) and finally the issued Part One.
I wish JSP had been brave enough to sequence the issued takes in their
proper order, but apart from this (and Mr. Kent's lapse of taste) this
reissue is an absolute delight. (DPR)
|
| BIG BILL BROONZY |
JSP JSPCD 7718 |
All the Classic Sides, 1928-1937 |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 127 tracks, highly recommended
It is not just that he was in the top rank of pre war guitarists, or that he
was a fine singer with a considerable facility as a songwriter - part of Big
Bill's genius lay in a unique ability to convey in his work the warmth of
his personality. Established as a star of the Chicago scene by the mid
1930s, he filled out his many recording sessions by adapting songs from
common stock or other people's hits, but when inspired he could produce
performances of breathtaking skill, and songs which were truly memorable and
enduring. Among many examples of his best work in this excellent box set are
driving, complex rags like Saturday Night Rub and Pig Meat Strut,
flatpicking masterpieces such as Mistreatin' Mama and How You Want
It Done, superb straight blues like Bull Cow Blues and the
stunningly effective Southern Flood Blues, and the rollicking Good
Liquor Gonna Carry Me Down. Suffice to say there is plenty here that is
hugely enjoyable - we even get a version of C.C.Rider with Big Bill
on violin! The present set ends about half way through his pre war output,
but JSP are promising two more to complete the series. Aside from the many
single disc compilations, all this material has of course been previously
reissued on Document, principally on DOCD 5050/51/52, 5126, 5127 and the
first four titles of 5128. Compared to the Document series five titles are
missing, but as these are an accompaniment to the obscure Steele Smith, two
gospel songs attributed to a Broonzy studio group and two by the State
Street Boys on which Jazz Gillum takes vocal, the JSP set is stronger
without them. In their place JSP have corrected the errors and omissions on
the Document CDs (as reflected in Document's "Too Late, Too Late Blues "
Volumes 1 and 4, DOCD 5150 and 5321) and added five extra tracks from Bill's
work with the Famous Hokum Boys. Again the set benefits as a result, as it
does from Neil Slaven's excellent notes. Detailed comparison with the
Document reissues shows a significant improvement in sound quality, with
noticeably less crackle and hiss. Having said that there is only so much
that can be done with badly worn originals without compromising the music,
and some titles are still pretty rough. Elsewhere sound is excellent, and
when comparing tracks from compilations based on better condition sides,
like Columbia's "Good Time Tonight" (Col 467247) the JSP set matches or
improves upon the sound quality. In other words, unless a load of mint
condition 78s turn up, this reissue is likely to be as good as it gets. With
the amount of Big Bill material already issued it is difficult to call this
an essential set - so let's just say it's an unmissable bargain. (DPR)
|
| BIG BILL BROONZY |
JSP JSPCD 7750 |
Volume 2 : 1937-1940 |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 101 tracks, recommended
This slice of mid period Big Bill continues his small group recordings of
uncomplicated, good time music, and takes us to within a couple of years -
40 titles - of the end of his pre-war career. These sessions were built
around Bill's engaging vocals and accomplished guitar work with key support
from a succession of talented pianists - Black Bob, Joshua Altheimer and
Blind John Davis. The rest of the musicians and particularly the trumpet and
clarinet players who feature on many sessions are something of a mixed
ability group, but the overall sound is tight and confident, and was by all
accounts very popular in its day. The original purchasers of these records
though would have bought only a fraction of them, and consequently would
have been less aware of the reworking of material - sometimes many times
over - which a chronological reissue like this so cruelly exposes. Of course
all blues singers who were extensively recorded did this, but somehow it is
made more obvious by the consistently slick treatment it gets here. That
said there are many outstanding performances in this set, and some of the
reworkings offer more wit and invention than is apparent on first hearing.
Highlights include You Do Me Any Old Way/ Trucking Little Woman/ Trouble
And Lying Woman/ Baby I Done Got Wise/ Oh Yes and Unemployment Stomp,
an upbeat tone being maintained even when dealing with themes of poverty,
violence and infidelity. Bill also had a gift for tapping his rural roots
and memories of the south, and songs like Plow Hand Blues and
Going Back To Arkansas would have resonated with many in his Chicago
audience. The weakest disc is disc 3, but even here there are classics like
Just A Dream and two strong, ingratiating performances from the 1938
Carnegie Hall "From Spirituals To Swing" concert, where Big Bill was drafted
as a replacement for the murdered Robert Johnson. Listening to the laughter
at Bill's lyrics in Done Got Wise and the warm applause you wonder
whether Mr. Johnson would have come across as well to the white audience - I
doubt it. Many of the best tracks here have of course featured in numerous
"best of " compilations including Columbia's "Good Time Tonight" (Col
467247), but I wouldn't be without some of the fine, less anthologized
tracks like Dreamy Eyed Baby. Sound on this set is generally
excellent, and like Volume 1 becomes more impressive when compared to a
sample of previous reissues - presentation is typically less noisy, clearer
and with a fuller dynamic range. This set is also much easier to listen to
than the often noisy complete works on Document. Add decent notes from Neal
Slaven, ignore the usual budget packaging and you have another winner from
JSP. (DPR)
BIG BILL BROONZY: Baby Don't You Remember/ Baby I Done Got
Wise/ Border Blues/ Come Home Early Tk 1/ Come Home Early Tk 2/ Come Home
Early Tk 3/ Come Home Early Tk 4/ Cotton Choppin' Blues/ Don't You Be No
Fool/ Don't You Lay It On Me/ Don't You Want To Ride/ Done Got Wise/ Down
And Lost In Mind/ Down In The Alley Tk 1/ Down In The Alley Tk 2/ Evil
Hearted Me/ Fightin' Little Rooster/ Flat-foot Susie With Her Flat Yes Yes/
Going Back To Arkansas/ Good Boy/ Good Time Tonight/ Got To Get Ready
Tonight/ Hattie Blues Tk 1/ Hattie Blues Tk 2/ Hattie Blues Tk 3/ Hell Ain't
But A Mile And A Quarter/ Hot Dog Mama/ I Believe I'll Go Back Home/ I Want
My Hands On It Tk 1/ I Want My Hands On It Tk 2/ I Want You By My Side/ I'll
Do Anything For You/ I'll Start Cutting On You/ I'm Still Your Sweetheart,
Baby/ I've Got To Dig You/ I.c. Blues/ It's A Low Down Dirty Shame/ It's Too
Late Now Tk 1/ It's Too Late Now Tk 2/ It's Your Time Now/ Jivin' Mr Fuller
Blues/ Just A Dream (on My Mind)/ Just A Dream No. 2/ Just Got To Hold You
Tight Tk 1/ Just Got To Hold You Tight Tk 2/ Just Wondering/ Keep On A-smilin'/
Leap Year Blues/ Let Me Be Your Winder/ Let Me Dig It/ Let's Have A Little
Fun/ Living On Easy Street/ Looking For My Baby/ Louise, Louise/ Louise,
Louise Blues Tk 1/ Louise, Louise Blues Tk 2/ Make A Date With An Angel (got
No Walking Shoes) Tk 1/ Make A Date With An Angel (got No Walking Shoes) Tk
2/ Make My Get Away/ Mary Blues/ Merry Go Round Blues/ Messed Up In Love/ My
Gal Is Gone/ My Last Goodbye To You/ My Old Lizzie/ New Shake-em On Down/
Night Time Is The Right Time No. 2/ Oh Yes/ Play Your Hand/ Please Be My So
And So/ Plow Hand Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Reamy Eyed Baby/ Ride,
Alberta, Ride/ Rider Rider Blues/ Sad Letter Blues/ Sad Pencil Blues/ She
Never/ Somebody's Got To Go/ Spreadin' Snake Blues/ Stuff They Call Money/
Sweetheart Land/ Tell Me What I Done/ That's All Right, Baby/ The Mill Man
Blues/ Too Many Drivers/ Trouble And Lying Woman/ Trucking Little Woman/
Trucking Little Woman No. 2/ Unemployment Stomp/ W.p.a. Rag/ What Is That
She Got/ When I Had Money/ Whiskey And Good Time Blues/ Why Do You Do That
To Me/ Woodie Woodie/ You Can't Sell 'em In Here/ You Can't Win/ You Do Me
Any Old Way Tk 1/ You Do Me Any Old Way Tk 2/ You Got To Hit The Right Lick
|
| BIG BILL BROONZY |
JSP JSPCD 7767 |
Volume 3: The War And Postwar Years,
1940-1951 |
● CD $28.98 |
The third volume documenting the recordings of this great
and prolific bluesman complements JSP 7718 and 7750 ($28.98 each) features
four CDs with 99 tracks recorded between June 1940 and December 1951 and
contains all his commercial recordings from this period but leaves out the
recordings made in France and England in 1951 presumably to concentrate on
the recordings made for an African-American audience where he was still a
popular performer. Big Bill is featured in the company of musicians like
Washboard Sam, Blind John Davis, Ransom Knowling, Memphis Slim, Punch
Miller, Don Byas, Big Maceo, "Sax" Mallard, Alfred Wallace, Ernest "Big"
Crawford and others.
BIG BILL BROONZY: (I'm A) Wonderin' Man/ All By Myself/
Backwater Blues/ Bad Acting Woman/ Bad Luck Man/ Bed Time Blues/ Big Bill's
Boogie/ Bill Bailey/ Blue Tail Fly/ Cell No. 13 Blues/ Conversation With The
Blues/ Crawdad/ Doing The Best I Can/ Double Trouble/ Five Feet Seven/ Get
Back/ Getting Older Every Day (Take 1)/ Getting Older Every Day (Take 2)/
Going Back To My Plow/ Green Grass Blues/ Hard Hearted Woman/ Hey Hey/ Hit
The Right Lick/ Hollerin' The Blues/ Humble Blues/ I Can Fix It/ I Can't
Write/ I Feel Like Crying/ I Feel So Good/ I Know She Will/ I Love My
Whiskey/ I Stay Blue All The Time/ I Wonder/ I Wonder What's Wrong With Me/
I'll Never Dream Again/ I'm Having So Much Trouble/ I'm Woke Up Now/ In The
Army Now/ In The Evenin'/ I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town/ John
Henry/ Just A Dream/ Just Rocking/ Keep Your Hand On Your Heart/ Keep Your
Hands Off Her/ Keep Your Hands Off Her/ Key To The Highway/ Leavin' Day/
Lonesome Road Blues/ Looking Up At Down/ Make My Get Away/ Martha Blues/
Medicine Man Blues/ Merry Go Round Blues/ Midnight Steppers/ Midnight
Steppers/ Mopper's Blues/ My Gal Is Gone/ My Little Flower/ Night Watchman
Blues/ Oh Baby/ Old Man Blues/ Partnership Woman/ Please Believe Me/
Rambling Bill/ Rockin' Chair Blues/ Roll Dem Bones/ San Antonio Blues/
Saturday Evening Blues/ Serenade Blues/ She's Gone With The Wind/ Shine On,
Shine On/ Shoo Blues/ South Bound Train/ Stop Lying Woman/ Stump Blues/
Summertime Blues/ Sweet Honey Bee/ Tell Me Baby/ Texas Tornado Blues/ That
Number Of Mine/ Tomorrow/ Trouble In Mind/ Walkin' The Lonesome Road/ Water
Coast Blues/ Wee Wee Hours/ What Can I Do/ What's Wrong With Me/ When I Been
Drinking/ When I Get To Thinkin'/ Where The Blues Began/ Why Did You Do That
To Me/ Why Should I Spend My Money/ Willie Mae Blues/ You Better Cut That
Out/ You Changed/ You Got The Best Go/ You Got To Play Your Hand/ You've
Been Mistreating Me
|
| ROY BROWN/
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW |
JSP JSPCD 7756 |
New Orleans R&B |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CD set of New Orleans blues and R&B featuring two CDs
worth of Roy Brown, one CD of Dave Bartholomew and one of Professor
Longhair.
DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Ah Cubanas/ Ain‘t Gonna Do It/ Bad
Habit/ Bum Mae/ Carnival Day/ Country Boy/ Country Boy Goes Home/ Dave‘s
Boogie Woogie/ Frantic Chick/ Girt Town Blues/ Going To Chow/ Good Jax
Boogie/ High Flying Woman/ High Society Blues/ In The Alley/ Messy Bessie/
Mr Fool/ Poppa Stoppa Theme Song/ She‘s Got Great Big Eyes/ Stardust/ Sweet
Home Blues/ That‘s How You Got Killed Before/ The Golden Rule/ Tijim/ Twins/
ROY BROWN: Answer To Big Town/ Bar Room Blues/ Beautician Blues/ Big Town/
Boogie At Midnight/ Brown Angel/ Butcher Pete - Pt. 1/ Butcher Pete - Pt. 2/
Bye Baby Bye/ Cadillac Baby/ Deep Sea Diver/ Double Crossin‘ Woman/ Dreaming
Blues/ End Of My Journey/ Good Man Blues/ Good Rockin‘ Man/ Good Rockin‘
Tonight/ Hard Luck Blues/ Hurry Hurry Baby/ I Feel That Young Man‘s Rhythm/
I‘ve Got The Last Laugh Now/ Judgement Day Blues/ Lolly Pop Mama/ Lonesome
Lover/ Long About Sundown/ Long ’bout Midnight/ Love Don‘t Love Nobody/
Midnight Lover Man/ Mighty, Mighty Man/ Miss Fanny Brown/ Miss Fanny Brown
Returns/ Money Can‘t Buy Love/ New Rebecca/ Please Don‘t Go/ Rainy Weather
Blues/ Riding High/ Rock-a-bye Baby/ Rockin‘ At Midnight/ Roy Brown‘s
Boogie/ Special Lesson No. 1/ Sweet Peach/ Teenage Jamboree/ The Blues Got
Me Again/ Too Much Loving Ain‘t Good/ Train Time Blues/ Travelin‘ Man/ Whose
Hat Is That/ Woman‘s A Wonderful Thing/ Wrong Woman Blues/ ’fore Day In The
Morning/ PROFESSOR LONGHAIR: Bald Head/ Ball The Wall/ Been Foolin‘ Around/
Between Midnight And Day/ Boyd‘s Bounce/ Bye Bye Baby/ Byrd‘s Blues/ East
St. Louis Baby/ Hadacol Bounce/ Her Mind Is Gone/ Hey Little Girl/ Hey Now
Baby/ Hey Now Baby/ In The Night/ Longhair Stomp/ Mardi Gras In New Orleans/
Mardi Gras In New Orleans/ Oh Well/ Professor Longhair Blues/ Professor
Longhair‘s Boogie/ She Ain‘t Got No Hair/ She Walks Right In/ Tipitina/ Walk
Your Blues Away/ Who‘s Been Fooling You/ Willie Mae
|
|
SLEEPY JOHN ESTES WITH YANK RACHELL & OTHERS |
JSP JSPCD 7779 |
Legendary Country Blues Artists |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 104 tracks, essential
Despite his limitations as a musician, John Estes produced some of the most
memorable pre war blues. His high, thin voice with its strained, edge of
despair quality, and the rhythms produced as band members like Jab Jones and
Yank Rachel tried to accommodate his strummed guitar, turned simple songs
like Milk Cow Blues and Whatcha Doin? into classics. Lyrically
Estes was adept at making traditional material his own, but most of his
songs were centred on his Brownsville world, encompassing social commentary
(Down South Blues) and personal experience (as in Floating Bridge).
(His fondness for beginning lines with "Now" can though become a little
wearing.) After covering Estes' pre war work disc two closes with two bonus
tracks from 1947 not issued on Document, including the autobiographical
Stone Blind. Estes' early sessions were greatly enhanced by Yank
Rachel's mandolin, as in the lovely opening to Expressman Blues, and
it is fitting that the third disc features Rachel's solo career. Yank was a
less interesting vocalist than Estes but a better musician, at his best on
tracks like the beautiful Lake Michigan Blues. (Compared to the
earlier reissue of his work on Wolf this disc omits Rachel's accompaniments
to "Jackson" Joe Williams and Elijah Jones, but these tracks are being
reissued on JSP 7797, Sonny Boy Williamson Volume 1 - due next month). The
final disc starts with Rachel's last four titles and is then dedicated to
Estes' associates "Brownsville" Son Bonds and Charlie Pickett, replicating
the tracks on Wolf WBCD 003. It is a mixed bag, the blues and uptempo party
songs separated by a gospel session with some nice jug, but there is plenty
to enjoy. Highlights include Weary Worried Blues with its soundbite
philosophy "once ain't for ever, and two times ain't but twice" accompanied
by Hammie Nixon's honking harmonica, and Charlie Pickett's tremulous Down
The Highway, which surely inspired the young Bob Dylan's song of the
same title. Sound quality of the first two discs is excellent, with at least
some of the transfers sounding like the work of the great John R T Davies.
The sound of the third and fourth discs cannot match what has gone before
but is generally still good, and a significant advance on previous reissues.
All round this set represents a worthwhile upgrade for established
collectors and a real treat for those new to the music. Neal Slaven's
comprehensive biographical notes complete a reissue which is close to
definitive. (DPR)
|
| BLIND BOY FULLER |
JSP JSPCD 7735 |
1935-1938 Remastered |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, highly recommended
It is amazing how fresh Blind Boy Fuller's work sounds after nearly seventy
years. His strong voice and cleanly picked National guitar greet you like a
firm handshake, and his combination of blues and faster pieces - rags and
hokum like What's That Smells Like Fish (blindness must have
sharpened his other senses!) provides plenty of variety. His guitar style
was influenced by Gary Davis and Blind Blake, and although more workmanlike
was still highly effective. He could also play excellent slide, as he shows
on Homesick And Lonesome Blues (inspired by his first recording trip
to New York). Fuller gathered much of his material from records, so that
each of these discs is also a quiz for blues fans to spot the sources, but
really the music is too enjoyable and Fuller's reworkings so complete as to
make such considerations irrelevant. Among many highlights are the sessions
for Decca that produced the lovely Weeping Willow, and the final
session here which ends with Blacksnakin' Jiver, unfortunately
damaged but which might almost be a Blind Blake recording. Fuller is
supported by some great washboard playing from Bull City Red while the later
sessions see the start of Sonny Terry's long recording career (on Fuller's
recommendation). The 38 remaining tracks which will complete this
chronological reissue are scheduled for release as part of an East Coast box
in 2005. JSP have done another very thorough remastering job here, and apart
from a handful of noticeably worn or damaged sides sound quality is very
good throughout. There is very little to choose between the sound here and
corresponding tracks on the best sounding single disc compilation (Columbia
CK46777) except there is slightly less background hiss on some of the JSP
transfers. Elsewhere sound is generally significantly better than on other
reissues including the complete works on Document. It is particularly
pleasing to hear previously noisy but important tracks like the
autobiographical Big House Bound in reasonable quality. Neal Slaven,
as is now customary with this series, provides detailed notes on Fuller's
life and career, noting that, although Fuller was the much more popular in
the 30s, his reputation "sheds a pale light compared with the mega-wattage
[Robert] Johnson has had thrust upon him". No matter, Fulton Allen was an
outstanding artist. Keep on truckin'. (DPR)
|
| BLIND BOY FULLER |
JSP JSPCD 7772 |
Volume 2 + Bull City Red, Cedar Creek Sheik
& Others |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, essential
Blind Boy Fuller Volume 1 (JSP 7735) was excellent: this set completes his
output and fills out a satisfying box with the work of other east coast
artists. On the opening disc it is Fuller's March 1940 sessions which stand
out - tracks like Shake It Baby and Somebody's Been Talkin'
are among his best uptempo work, while the interesting structure of the
eight bar Little Woman You're So Sweet adds further variety. Fuller
also now started to record religious material. Whatever the motivation for
the gospel sides though, it is difficult to think of him as anything other
than a bluesman. Twelve Gates To The City may be brilliantly sung,
but it is the embittered, weary opening verse of Crooked Woman Blues
which follows that stays longer in the mind. Disc B begins with Fuller's
last session and despite many fine performances like Thousand Woman Blues
and Lost Lover Blues provides a chance to play the "you can tell he
was ill" game. Neal Slaven nibbles at the subject in his very good booklet
notes, but the much quoted "my left side jump, baby, and my flesh begin to
crawl" line from Night Rambling Woman, his last recording, also
appeared on Passenger Train Woman, an earlier version of the song.
The rest of Disc B features the solo work of Bull City Red aka George
Washington, Fuller's washboard player - fair enough as a guitarist and
vocalist in the Fuller style, but whose best work was as a brilliant
accompanist to the master. Disc C is a straight reissue of the tracks on Old
Tramp OTCD OTCD-03, in the same order. Cedar Creek Sheik (who may have been
white) and Roosevelt Antrim are both limited performers: the Sheik
concentrates on novelty and hokum songs while Antrim essays three amateurish
blues which share verses and are virtually one performance. Virgil Childers
is much better, and you can imagine him as a true traveling man with his
repertoire of minstrel show songs and blues. Sonny Jones, who closes the
disc, was clearly influenced by Fuller and was a decent guitarist but a
rather uninteresting singer. The final disc is a harder edged affair. The
talented Floyd "Dipper Boy" Council usually only gets recognition nowadays
as providing inspiration in the naming of Pink Floyd, but like the Trice
brothers who also feature he knew Fuller and played in a similar style.
Council was also clearly influenced by Blind Blake, as Lookin' For My
Baby demonstrates. Frank Edwards' six titles are different - although an
east coast bluesman he had a more Chicago style sound (his two 1949 sides
not on Document DOCD 5426 are included). A nice bonus is the final four
tracks by Denis McMillon. McMillon was a skilled guitarist and strong singer
who could play nice slide as well as the infectious rhythms which propel
Paper Wooden Daddy (appearing, to the best of my knowledge, for the
first time on CD, and which may have been inspired by Fuller's I'm A
Rattlesnakin' Daddy). It is a pity that space limitations prevented the
reissue of the three alternate takes of McMillon's work. Sound quality of
the Fuller and Washington titles is generally very good, providing
worthwhile upgrades over previous reissues. Elsewhere the tracks which
appeared on Old Tramp are better presented, with some sounding clearer as
well as less noisy. Sound is also better than on the Floyd Council and Trice
brothers' tracks which appeared on Document DOCD 5168. Altogether this is a
very nice set which brings together some important performances in one neat
package. (DPR)
ROOSEVELT ANTRIM: Complaint To Make/ I Guess You’re
Satisfied/ No Use Of Worryin’/ Station Boy Blues/ BULL CITY RED: Black Woman
& Poison Blues/ Everybody Wants To Know How I Die/ Have You Decided (Which
Way To Go)/ I Feel Like Shoutin’/ I Saw The Light/ I See The Sign Of
Judgement/ I Won’t Be Dogged Around/ Jesus Touched Me/ Mississippi River/
Now I’m Talking About You/ Pick And Shovel Blues/ Richmond Blues/ Talkin’
With Jesus/ CEDAR CREEK SHEIK: Buy It From A Poultry Man/ Don’t Credit My
Stuff/ Don’t Use That Stuff/ Ford V-8/ I Believe Somebody’s Been Ridin’ My
Mule/ Jimmy Shut His Store Doors/ Mary Had A Little Lamb/ She’s Totin’
Something Good/ Watch The Fords Go By/ What A Pity/ VIRGIL CHILDERS: Dago
Blues/ Preacher And The Bear/ Red River Blues/ Somebody Stole My Jane/
Travelin’ Man/ Who’s That Knockin’ At My Door/ FLOYD "DIPPER BOY" COUNCIL:
Don’t Want No Hungry Woman/ I’m Grievin’ & I’m Worryin’/ Lookin’ For My
Baby/ Poor And Ain’t Got A Dime/ Runaway Man Blues/ Working Man Blues/ FRANK
EDWARDS: Gotta Get Together/ Love My Baby/ Sweet Man Blues/ Terraplane
Blues/ Three Women Blues/ We Got To Get Together/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Baby
Quit Your Low Down Ways Tk 1/ Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways Tk 2/ Big Leg
Woman Gets My Pay/ Black Bottom Blues/ Blue And Worried Man/ Bus Rider
Blues/ Bye Bye Baby/ Crooked Woman Blues/ Good Feeling Blues/ I Crave My
Pigmeat/ I Don’t Care How Long/ I Don’t Want No Skinny Woman/ I Want Some Of
Your Pie/ It Doesn’t Matter Baby/ I’m A Stranger Here/ Jesus Is A Holy Man/
Jivin’ Big Bill Blues/ Little Woman You’re So Sweet/ Lost Lover Blues/ Must
Have Been My Jesus/ Night Rambling Woman/ No Stranger Now/ Passenger Train
Woman/ Precious Lord/ Red’s Got The Piccolo Blues/ Shake It Baby/ Somebody’s
Been Talkin’/ Step It Up And Go/ Thousand Woman Blues/ Three Ball Blues/
Twelve Gates To The City/ When You Are Gone/ Woman You Better Wake Up/ Worn
Out Engine Blues/ You Can’t Hide From The Lord/ You Got To Have Your Dollar/
You’ve Got Something There/ LITTLE BOY FULLER (RICH TRICE): Bed Spring
Blues/ Blood Red River Blues/ Come On Baby/ Down-Hearted Man/ Lazy Bug
Blues/ Pack It Up And Go/ Shake Your Stuff/ Trembling Bed Springs/ SONNY
JONES: Dough Roller/ I’m Pretty Good At It/ Love Me With A Feeling/ Won’t
Somebody Pacify My Mind/ DENNIS MCMILLON: Goin’ Back Home/ Paper Wooden
Daddy/ Poor Little Angel Girl/ Woke Up One Morning/ WELLY TRICE: Come On In
Here Mama/ Let Her Go God Bless Her
|
| LOWELL FULSON |
JSP JSPCD 7728 |
1946-1953: The Early Recordings |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 113, tracks, 313 minutes, essential
It could be time to trade in a lot of the other vintage Lowell Fulson
recordings on your shelves to make room for this incredible 4-CD boxed set.
Covering the years 1946 to 1953, laced with 113 tracks, and great sound,
this is prime Lowell Fulson from the Big Town, Down Beat, Swingtime, and
Trilon labels and the set includes eight alternate titles. Lowell's guitar
work could often be absolutely devastating, as shown here to great effect on
Guitar Shuffle/ Jukebox Shuffle/ Cash Box Boogie/ Market Street Blues,
and more. Joining Fulson are some stellar names including Lloyd Glenn and
Billy Hadnott (who also aided T-Bone Walker - another West Coast guitar
wonder), as well as Eldridge McCarty's piano, Que Martyn's tenor sax, Earl
Brown's alto, and Lowell's brother Martin Fulson on second guitar for
sixteen tracks. From jumping small-band romps to stripped-down Texas grit
with just twin guitars, there's a wealth of great music here. The sonics on
this massive set are hands above what many will have of Lowell Fulson on
various labels, including Night Train (which sound like they were tweaked by
an engineer with severe hearing loss). there's no deficiency at all here; no
dropout, no hiss, no pops or clicks, and at almost five hours of listening
time, it's simply the finest document of Fulson's earlier years before he
went on to Aladdin, Checker, Kent, and further. In a recording career that
went on for decades, Lowell Fulson stands as a stellar figure with a pen
that managed some definitive classics, and guitar work that can rattle your
bones to the core. With complete session information and detailed liner
notes by Neil Slaven, this is absolutely stunning material, and well worth
the relatively small investment. (CR)
LOWELL FULSON: 9.30 Shuffle/ Ain't Nobody's Business/ Baby
Won't You Jump With Me/ Back Home Blues/ Best Wishes/ Between Midnight And
Day/ Black Cat Blues/ Black Widow Spider Blues/ Blue Shadows/ Blues And
Misery/ Blues With A Feelin'/ Cash Box Boogie (aka Lowell Jumps One)/
Christmas Party Shuffle/ Cold Hearted Mama/ Come Back Baby/ Country Boy/
Crying Blues/ Crying Blues (Crying Won't Make Me Stay)/ Demon Woman (= I Had
A Little Woman 7110 also = Hear Me Calling You (Angel/ Did You Ever Feel
Lucky/ Don't Be So Evil/ Don't Be So Evil (Alt)/ Don't You Hear Me Calling
You/ Double Trouble Blues/ Every Day I Have The Blues/ Fillmore Mess Around
(= Fulson's Guitar Boogie)/ Fulson Blues/ Fulson Boogie/ Fulson Boogie/
Fulson's Blues/ Good Woman Blues/ Guitar Shuffle (= The Day Is Passing On)/
Highway '99'/ Highway 99/ I Walked All Night/ I Want To See My Baby/ I Want
To See My Baby (Alt)/ I love My Baby/ I'm A Night Owl Part 1/ I'm A Night
Owl Part 2/ I've Been Mistreated/ I've Been Mistreated (Diff Song )/ Is Your
Friend Really Your Friend/ It's Hard To Believe Alt/ Jam That Boogie/ Jelly,
Jelly/ Jimmy's Blues (I've Got A Mind To Ramble)/ Juke Box Shuffle (= 9:30
Shuffle)/ Just A Poor Boy/ Lazy Woman Blues/ Let Me Love You Baby/ Let Me
Ride In Your Little Automobile/ Let's Live Right/ Let's Throw A Boogie
Woogie/ Lonesome Christmas Part 1/ Lonesome Christmas Part 2/ Low Society
Blues/ Mama Bring Your Clothes Back Home/ Market Street Blues/ Mean Old
Lonesome Song/ Mean Woman Blues/ Mean Woman Blues/ Midnight Showers Of Rain/
Miss Katie Lee Blues/ Miss Katy Lee Blues/ Miss Lillie Brown/ My Baby/ My
Baby Left Me/ My Daily Prayer/ My Gal At Eight/ My Woman Can't Be Found/
Night And Day/ Prison Bound/ Rainy Day Blues/ Rambling Blues/ Rambling
Blues/ Ride Until The Sun Goes Down/ River Blues Part 1/ River Blues Part 2/
Rock This House Alt/ Rocking After Midnight/ San Francisco Blues/ San
Francisco Blues/ Scotty's Blues/ Sinner's Prayer/ Sinner's Prayer Alt/ So
Long, So Long/ Stormin' And Rainin'/ Sweet Jenny Lee/ Tears At Sunrise/
Television Blues/ Tell Me Baby/ The Blues Come Rollin' In/ The Blues Got Me
Down/ The Blues Is Killing Me/ The Day Is Slowly Passing Alt/ The Highway Is
My Home (= Why Can't You Cry For Me)/ The Train Is Leaving/ Thinkin' Blues/
Thinkin' Blues/ Three O'Clock Blues/ Trouble Blues/ Tryin' To Find My Baby/
Trying To Find My Baby/ Upstairs/ Wee Hours In The Morning/ Western Union
Blues/ Whiskey Blues/ Why Can't You Cry For Me/ Wild About You Baby/ You're
Going To Miss Me When I'm Gone Alt/ You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Gone)/
You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
|
| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
JSP JSPCD 7703 |
Classic Early Years, 1948-1951 |
● CD $29.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, essential unless ...
A great cross section of the early years of the John Lee's career when he
was recording some of the most powerful and raw music ever recordings. If,
like me, you're a true Hooker fan you'll want to keep with the incredible
two CD sets on Body & Soul which are reissuing everything in chronological
order - three sets are already available covering up to 1950 with a fourth
volume due very shortly. If the Body & Soul series is too much Hooker for
you (heaven forbid!) this is an inexpensive way to get about half the
recordings from those critical early years. Sound quality is excellent and
each CD has informative notes by Neil Slaven (who also annotated the Body &
Soul sets). (FS)
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
JSP JSPCD 7705 |
All The Classics, 1946-1951 |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 126 tracks, essential
This set covers the first five years of Lightnin's recording career, a time
when he was at his creative peak. A variety of companies have previously
re-issued some of these sides, notably EMI ["The Complete Aladdin Sessions")
and Arhoolie ("The Gold Star Sessions Volumes 1 & 2"). All the Aladdin
tracks are here apart from four with pianist Thunder Smith where Smith took
the vocal, and all the Arhoolie/Gold Star material is included. The
remaining titles cover 1950/1 when Hopkins recorded for the Sittin' In With,
Jax and Mercury labels. By the time of his recording debut Hopkins had
nearly twenty years' experience as a performer and all the elements of his
style were firmly established. Transforming traditional blues themes into
songs uniquely his own, his world weary vocal style was perfectly balanced
by evocative, free flowing guitar phrases. Katy Mae/ Someday Baby/ Short
Haired Woman/ Picture On The Wall/ Shotgun/ Fast Mail Rambler, many
tracks here really are classics, and although his inspiration may have
faltered on some of the early 50s cuts, the overall standard is excellent.
Unfortunately these records were made for small town labels and often poorly
produced. As a result at times they tend to have a slightly flat sound and
occasionally suffer from acoustic problems. JSP have a good reputation for
their remastering but on comparing these transfers with the EMI and Arhoolie
reissues mentioned above I could detect no appreciable difference in sound
quality. The sound improves on the later titles but by this time Lightnin'
is saddled with a solitary bass player who plods along behind him and
becomes pretty irritating. Still, Hopkins is in fine voice on these later
sides, and there is much to enjoy on tracks like Give Me Central 209
or the Hooker-inspired Freight Train Blues. Altogether this is a very
worthwhile package and is supported by notes from Neil Slaven which give
fascinating insights into Lightnin's life and personality. As is often the
case with small post war labels, discographical information is vague and
unreliable, and even titles appear uncertain: at any rate there are a number
of discrepancies in the titles used here compared with earlier reissues.
Having said that it is great to have all this important music in one set at
a bargain price. JSP have again delivered the goods. (DPR)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Abilene/ Ain't It A Shame/ Airplane
Blues/ All I Got Is Gone/ Appetite Blues/ Automobile/ Automobile Blues/ Baby
Child/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Baby, You're Not Going To Make A Fool Out Of
Me/ Bad Luck And Trouble/ Bald Headed Woman/ Beggin' You To Stay/ Big Mama
Jump/ Black Cat Bone/ Bluebird Blues/ Broken Hearted Blues/ Can't Get That
Woman Off My Mind/ Changing Weather Blues/ Coffee Blues/ Come Back Baby/
Contrary Mary/ Coolin' Board Blues/ Daddy Will Be Home One Day/ Dark And
Cloudy/ Death Bells/ Dirty House/ Don't Think I'm Crazy/ Down Baby/ Down To
The River/ European Blues/ Everybody's Down On Me/ Everything Happens To Me/
Fast Life/ Fast Mail Rambler/ Feel So Bad/ Freight Train Blues/ Give Me
Central 209/ Goin' Back And Talk To Mama/ Gone With The Wind/ Good-bye
Blues/ Gotta Move/ Grievance Blues/ Grosebeck Blues/ Have To Let You Go/
Henny Penny Blues/ Honey Honey Blues/ Howling Wolf Blues/ I Just Don't Care/
I Wonder Why/ I'm Begging You/ I've Been A Bad Man/ Ida Mae/ Jackstropper
Blues/ Jail House Blues/ Katie Mae Blues/ Let Me Fly Your Kite/ Let Me Play
With Your Poodle/ Lighting Blues/ Lightnin's Boogie/ Lightnin's Boogie/
Lightnin's Gone Again/ Lonesome Home/ Long Way From Texas/ Loretta Blues/
Mad With You/ Mercy/ Miss Loretta/ Miss Me Blues/ Mistreater Blues/ Moonrise
Blues/ Morning Blues/ My California/ New Short Haired Woman/ New York
Boogie/ Nightmare Blues/ No Good Woman/ No Mail Blues/ Old Woman Blues/ One
Kind Of Flavor/ Organ Boogie/ Papa Bones Boogie/ Picture On The Wall/
Praying Ground Blues/ Racetrack Blues/ Rocky Mountain Blues/ Rollin' Blues/
Rollin' Woman Blues/ Sad News From Korea/ See See Rider/ Seems Funny Baby/
She's Almost Dead/ Shining Moon/ Short Haired Woman/ Shotgun/ So Long/
Somebody's Got To Go/ Someday Baby/ Sugar Mama/ T-Model Blues/ Tell It Like
It Is/ Tell Me Boogie/ That Mean Old Twister/ Thinkin' And Worryin'/ Tim
Moore's Farm/ Traveler's Blues/ Treat Me Kind/ Trying To Find A Friend/
Unkind Blues/ Unsuccessful Blues/ Untrue Blues/ Walking Blues/ What Can It
Be/ Whiskey Blues/ Whiskey Headed Woman/ Why Did You Get Mad At Me/ Woman
Woman/ Worried Life Blues/ You Caused My Heart To Weep/ You Don't Know/
Zologo
|
| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS &
OTHERS |
JSP JSPCD 7790 |
Lightnin' Special |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 106 tracks, highly recommended
After the essential Volume 1 (JSP 7705 - $28.98) the story continues with
Lightnin's work for Mercury, Decca, Herald, TNT and Chart between 1951-56.
Lightnin' accounts for the first two CDs here, providing a mixture of
evocative slow blues - the guitar a second voice, filling out the lyrics -
and rocking boogies full of over-amped excitement. Neal Slaven, who provides
the excellent booklet notes, highlights Lightnin's sides for TNT on the
second disc as among his best work from any period, and listening to tracks
like Late In The Evening you know he is right. On the closing tracks
of disc two drummer L.C. Williams takes over vocal duties, and sounds like
Lightnin' with a heavy cold. Hopkins provides some memorable piano for
Williams on Trying, Trying, while elsewhere it is his guitar
accompaniments that shine. The third disc opens with the first twelve
recordings by Lil' Son Jackson whose slightly soft, confiding voice and
strongly rhythmical guitar style was deservedly popular in its day. Jackson
subsequently made recordings with backing bands, but here he is alone and
the better for it. Manny Smith who follows was a less polished, but still
competent performer whose only session has a similar feel to a prison field
recording. The disc closes with three of Lightnin's first recordings with
Thunder Smith which were missing from Volume 1, and another three where
Smith was accompanied by guitarist Luther Stoneham. Smith was a good pianist
but despite Lightnin' offering some deft Scrapper Blackwell like touches as
on West Coast Blues the performances are rather spoiled by Smith's
rough, nasal vocals. I first heard the superb Western Rider Blues by
Soldier Boy Houston on an old Melodeon LP. The sleeve notes said "This seems
to be the only recording by the Texas singer.... who was killed in the
Korean war." The anonymous writer was wrong on both counts. Recent research
has filled in some details of Soldier Boy's life, and on the fourth disc we
have the whole of his great first session reissued for the first time.
Several of these sides have strongly autobiographical lyrics and it is
fascinating to have this blues cipher spring to life. In contrast to the
bouncy rhythms and light tenor voice of Mr Houston, two of the other singer
guitarists on the final disc, J.D. Edwards and Frankie Lee Sims, have a more
urban sound, J.D. in particular being a strong and expansive singer. The
most interesting though is Ernest Lewis, whose Rosa Lee with its
attenuated vocal lines and Shake 'Em On Down are among the highlights
of the set. On Little Mae Belle Lewis plays some of the guitar
figures of influential Texan Funny Papa Smith, but courts disaster when a
harmonica player joins him on No More Lovin'. This unrehearsed
/improvised quality is also a feature of a few of the band sides, but the
overall standard is very good. Many of these tracks have of course been
issued several times before, notably on the excellent box set "Down Home
Blues Classics - Texas 1946-1954" (Boulevard Vintage 1012 - $24.98) which
duplicates 31 tracks here. (A further seven tracks appear on Boulevard
Vintage 4003 - now deleted). Despite such duplications JSP's combination of
very good sound, well compiled material and a very satisfying format has
much to offer. (DPR)
J.D. EDWARDS: Cold In The Evening/ Cryin'/ Hobo/ Playboy
Blues/ West Coast Blues/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Ain't It A Shame/ Bad Things On
My Mind/ Blues For My Cookie/ Cemetery Blues/ Crazy ‘Bout My Baby/ Don't
Need No Job/ Don't Think ‘Cause You're Pretty/ Early Mornin' Boogie/ Evil
Hearted Woman/ Finally Met My Baby/ Grandma's Boogie/ Had A Gal Called Sal/
Happy New Year/ Highway Blues/ Hopkins Sky Hop/ I Love You Baby/ I'm Wild
About You Baby/ Late In The Evening/ Leavin' Blues/ Life I Used To Live/
Lightnin' Jump/ Lightnin's Boogie/ Lightnin's Special/ Lonesome In Your
Home/ Mad As I Can Be/ Merry Christmas/ Moanin' Blues/ Moving On Out Boogie/
Mussy Haired Woman/ My Baby's Gone/ My Little Kewpie Doll/ My Mama Told Me/
Nothin' But The Blues/ Please Don't Go Baby/ Policy Game/ Remember Me/ Shine
On Moon/ Sick Feeling Blues/ Sittin' Down Thinkin'/ That's Alright Baby/ The
War Is Over/ They Wonder Who I Am/ Walkin' The Streets/ What Kind Of Heart
Have You/ What's The Matter Now/ Wonder What Is Wrong With Me/ SOLDIER BOY
HOUSTON: Dallas Bebop Blues/ Going To The West Coast/ Hug Me Baby/ In The
Army Since 1941/ Lawton, Oklahoma Blues/ Lawyer Houston Blues/ Out In
California Blues/ Western Rider Blues/ 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/ Milford Blues/ No Money, No
Love/ Roberta Blues/ Talkin' Boogie/ ERNEST LEWIS: In My Girlish Days/
Little Mae Belle/ Loudella/ No More Lovin'/ Rosa Lee/ Shake ‘Em On Down/
West Coast Blues/ What Wrong Have I Done/ MANNY NICHOLS: Forgive Me/ Forgive
Me Baby/ No One To Love Me/ Tall Skinny Mama Blues/ Throw A Little Boogie/
Walkin' Blues/ Walking Talking Blues/ Worried Life/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: Cross
Country Blues/ Don't Forget Me Baby/ Home Again Blues/ Single Man Blues/
THUNDER SMITH: Big Stars Are Falling/ Can't Do Like You Used To/ Cruel
Hearted Woman/ Little Mama Boogiea/ Santa Fe Blues/ West Coast Blues/ L .C.
WILLIAMS: Boogie All The Time/ Fannie Mae/ Hole In The Wall/ So Sorry/
Strike Blues/ The Lazy J/ Trying, Trying/ You Can't Take It With You Baby/
You'll Never Miss The Water
|
| BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON |
JSP 7706 |
The Classic Sides Remastered |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 94 tracks essential
Brilliant, impossible to copy singer and guitarist, Shakespeare of blues
poetry, surrealist, gritty social commentator, chaser of wild women, part
time wrestler..... Blind Lemon had quite a CV. He also left a wonderful
legacy of recorded work, which has never been better presented than on this
new box set from JSP. This is not quite, as billed, the complete works
(Document DOCD 5625 has a further three tracks - third versions of Got
The Blues and Long Lonesome Blues and an alternate take of
Corrina Blues) but is the most comprehensive Jefferson set to date.
Unlike the Charley Patton box set, which was cluttered with tracks by other
artists some of whom had no real connection with Patton, the 94 performances
here are all Blind Lemon and are presented in strict chronological order.
There is full discographical information and JSP's packaging is attractive,
with notes by Drew Kent sketching Lemon's 4 year recording career and
mysterious death in 1929. What really sets this reissue apart however is the
outstanding job JSP have done in reducing the usual torrent of clicks, pops
and surface noise associated with old Paramount 78s while retaining the
balance and dynamics of the original recordings. Comparison with the
complete works on Document shows a significant improvement on the vast
majority of tracks - surface noise is still apparent, and some sides are
very worn, but listening is much more comfortable. There is also
occasionally the pleasant surprise of a lyric which has been lost in an
aural mush for decades becoming startlingly clear. Better still, listen to
the version of Matchbox Blues recorded for Okeh when Lemon broke
contract with Paramount (for one record only) and hear one of the greatest
of all blues records in superior sound. This is a reissue that does the
great man justice and deserves a place in every collection. (DPR)
|
| LOUIS JORDAN |
JSP 905 |
And His Tympani Five |
● CD $28.98 |
Another of those great budget priced sets from JSP - this
time devoted to the father of R&B - the great Louis Jordan and his wonderful
group The Tympani Five. This set features virtually everything he recorded
between December 1938 and December 1950 - 121 tracks in all - over 6 hours
of swinging and witty music including all his genre defining songs like A
Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird/ Knock Me A Kiss/ Five Guys Named Moe/ Is
You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby/ Ration Blues/ Salt Pork, West Virginia/
Don't let The Sun Catch You Crying/ Choo Choo Ch' Boogie/ Reet, Petite &
Gone/Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens and loads more. Includes duets
with Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and others. Each CD in
the set comes with an 8 page illustrated booklet with brief notes and
discographical info. If the lavish 8 CD box set on Bear Family is too much
for your pocket this set gives you much of the same material for a fraction
of the price.
|
| LEAD BELLY |
JSP JSPCD 7764 |
Important Recordings, 1934-1949 |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 97 tracks, recommended
JSP's box sets have helped enormously in improving the sound quality of our
pre war collections, but given the scores of Leadbelly [or Lead Belly] CDs
currently available, it is tempting to wonder why they took on this project.
Leadbelly's legacy of about seven hundred recordings certainly invites a
selective approach, and as he made many versions of his standard songs
throughout his career JSP's claim that these are the "important" recordings
(whatever that may mean) is intriguing. Disc A, covering the 1934-38 field
recordings, is excellent. The magnificent voice, the variety of songs
(including topical songs), the robust support of the 12 string sometimes
embellished with imitations of little "piano pieces", the fast spoken
exposition between verses, the sheer power of performance and personality
are all much in evidence. One marathon piece Leaving On The Morning Train
Blues is, according to JSP, new to CD, while the version of Bourgeois
Blues gives the background of racial discrimination by both blacks and
whites which prompted the song. Sound quality is very good considering the
source material and often significantly better than corresponding tracks on
the Rounder reissues. Disc B covers Leadbelly's first commercial recording
session, and opens with the first 15 songs in chronological order. The ARC
sessions were undoubtedly some of his very best work: the blues which
dominate them are outstanding, and C.C. Rider must be one of the most
exciting versions on record. Sound quality is well up to the good standard
of the Sony/Columbia releases and all the tracks on "Leadbelly" (Col 30035)
and "King Of The 12-String Guitar" (46776) are included. Disc C completes
the ARC sessions before the focus changes to folk and work songs, nine in
the company of the Golden Gate Quartet. These group performances are
surprisingly effective, although they take up quite a bit of space in the
context of the compilation. It is a pity room could not have made for the
compelling field holler Ain't Going Down To The Well No Mo'/ Go Down Old
Hannah, which preceded the first Golden Gate recordings, but after the
first session with the quartet Leadbelly remained in the studio to produce
some of his finest work. The five tracks featured here, starting with a
superb Good Morning Blues, are one of the highlights of the set. The
final disc, while again interesting and varied and like Disc C offering good
sound quality, is a more subdued affair. Some of the tracks seem lacking the
usual energy, and the ten that feature a zither player force a more muted
presentation of some songs, although Irene with zither accompaniment
works very well. Despite his extensive catalogue what little commercial
success Leadbelly had was as a live performer for white audiences, so it is
appropriate that the set ends with a concert version of Shine On Me
just a few months before his death. While we can argue about individual
selections this is another JSP box well worth having, supported by
informative notes from Neal Slaven drawn from the Charles Wolfe/Kip Lornell
biography. As a supplement, Smithsonian/Folkways "Where Did You Sleep Last
Night - Leadbelly Legacy Volume 1" (40044 - $15.98) offers superior versions
of Rock Island Line and In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down
as well as other interesting later work, with only one duplication. (DPR)
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