NEWSLETTER #147
JSP BOX SETS - BLUES & R&B
Various Artists - 1
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP 7702 |
Charley Patton & Associates - Complete
Recordings |
● CD $28.98 |
5CDs, 92 tracks, 285 minutes, highly
recommended
The importance of Charley Patton seems to have crested with three box
sets in the last two years. Catfish entered in early 2001 with their well
done, yet inexpensive, 3-disc set and Revenant finished out the year with an
elaborate and costly 7-CD masterpiece. JSP hands in yet another Patton box,
this time five CD's with close to five hours of playing time.
Chronologically laid out, disc one contains Patton's fourteen tracks as well
as four from Buddy Boy Hawkins dating to the June, 1929, session in
Richmond. Disc two gathers sixteen of the sides Charley delivered in October
of 1929 in Grafton, Wisconsin, along with Edith North Johnson's four piano
offerings, while the third disc in the set also stems from the same session;
Patton's even dozen are coupled with four from Henry 'Son' Sims. Disc four
compiles the stunning sixteen tracks from the June, 1930 date, where Patton
brought along Son House, Willie Brown, and Louise Johnson. House is
spellbinding for three two-part masterpieces; My Black Mama/ Preachin'
The Blues, and Dry Spell Blues, while the test of Walkin'
Blues sounds absolutely better than ever. Brown's pairing of Future
Blues and M&O Blues is breathtaking as well, and Louise Johnson's
five show a driving pianist not afraid to get in the alley with the two-part
All Night Long. The fifth CD has a few additional Patton cuts from
the same date plus Wheeler Ford's powerful vocals fronting the Delta Big
Four in May, while the balance is made up of Charley's final sessions. He
traveled to New York in late January of 1934, and over three days, he and
Bertha Lee delivered a dozen sides. While there's not a lot of gloss and
shine to the JSP box, it does offer incredible value. With much more
included compared to the Catfish box, JSP comes out far ahead. Granted, it
doesn't measure up to Revenant's expensive polish, and although it is a
little less designed than what Catfish offers, by comparing all three sets,
"Charley Patton: Complete Recordings 1929 - 1934" wins in the bargain
sweepstakes. Sound quality on all three is far better than what many Patton
devotees have ever heard, but mastering by 'The Masked Marvel' on the JSP
set does sound better in many spots over the other two contenders. (CR)
WILLIE BROWN: Future Blues/ M and O Blues/ THE DELTA BIG
FOUR: God Won't Forsake His Own/ I Know My Time Ain't Long/ I'll Be Here/
Jesus Got His Arms Around Me/ Moaner Let's Go Down in the Valley/ Watch and
Pray/ We All Gonna Face the Rising Sun/ Where Was Eve Sleeping?/ WALTER
"BUDDY BOY" HAWKINS: A Rag Blues/ How Come Mama Blues/ Snatch It and Grab
It/ Voice Throwin' Blues/ SON HOUSE: Dry Spell Blues, Pt. 1/ Dry Spell
Blues, Pt. 2/ My Black Mama, Pt. 1/ My Black Mama: Pt. 2/ Preachin' the
Blues: Pt. 1/ Preachin' the Blues: Pt. 2/ Walkin' Blues/ EDITH NORTH
JOHNSON: Honey Dripper Blues No.2/ Nickel's Worth of Liver Blues No. 2/
That's My Man/ LOUISE JOHNSON: All Night Long Blues (Take 1)/ All Night Long
Blues (Take 2)/ By the Moon and Stars/ Long Ways from Home/ On the Wall/
BERTHA LEE: Mind Reader Blues/ Oh Death/ Troubled 'Bout My Mother/ Yellow
Bee/ CHARLEY PATTON: 34 Blues/ A Spoonful Blues/ Banty Rooster Blues/ Bird
Nest Bound/ Circle Round the Moon/ Devil Sent the Rain Blues/ Down the Dirt
Road Blues/ Dry Well Blues/ Elder Green Blues (Take 2)/ Elder Green Blues
(Take 2)/ Frankie and Albert/ Going to Move to Alabama/ Green River Blues/
Hammer Blues (Take 1)/ Hammer Blues (Take 2)/ Hang It on the Wall/ Heart
Like Railroad Steel/ High Sheriff Blues/ High Water Everywhere, Pt. 1/ High
Water Everywhere, Pt. 2/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ I'm
Goin' Home/ It Won't Be Long/ Jersey Bull Blues/ Jesus Is A-Dying (Bed
Maker)/ Jim Lee: Pt. 1/ Jim Lee: Pt. 2/ Joe Kirby/ Lord, I'm Discouraged/
Love My Stuff/ Magnolia Blues/ Mean Black Cat Blues/ Mean Black Moan/
Mississippi Boll Weevil Blues/ Moon Going Down/ Pea Vine Blues/ Pony Blues/
Poor Me/ Prayer of Death, Pt. 1/ Prayer of Death, Pt. 2/ Rattlesnake Blues/
Revenue Man Blues/ Runnin' Wild Blues/ Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues/
Shake It and Break It (But Don't Let It Fall, Mama)/ Some Happy Day/ Some
Summer Day/ Some of These Days I'll Be Gone/ Some of These Days I'll Be Gone
(Take 2)/ Stone Pony Blues/ Tom Rushen Blues/ When Your Way Gets Dark/
You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die/ HENRY "SON" SIMS: Be True, Be True
Blues/ Come Back Corrina/ Farrell Blues/ Tell Me Man Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7715 |
Legends Of Country Blues |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 104 tracks, essential
What a line up! Disc A - Skip James in 1931, recording blues so unique they
might have come from a parallel universe, followed by the blistering
intensity of Son House's Paramount session. Disc B - the historic Son House
Library of Congress recordings. Disc C - Bukka White singing Shake 'Em On
Down with the police waiting to arrest him, later drawing on his prison
experiences and producing "the last great country blues session" with
Washboard Sam. Disc D - Tommy Johnson, a man who probably never asked for a
cool drink of water in his life, at least not if Sterno cooking fuel was
available, but who nevertheless produced beautiful, evocative blues,
unerringly sung and with brilliantly conceived and executed guitar parts.
Disc E - Ishmon Bracey, Johnson's playing partner and a fine singer who was
capable of producing effective and memorable blues in his own right. All of
this material has of course already been issued on CD, some of it on several
labels, which makes JSP's claim that the sound has been "remastered for
unprecedented listening quality" worth examining. Starting the comparison
with the Skip James, Son House, Tommy Johnson and Ishmon Bracey reissues on
Document, the recordings here have fewer clicks and pops, and a lower level
of residual surface noise. Compared to the fuller sounding (but noisier)
Yazoo reissues of Skip James, JSP still emerge well ahead on points. In fact
the quality of their remastering on sides like James' Devil Got My Woman
or Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues is so good it is difficult to
believe you are listening to Paramount recordings. The Son House Library of
Congress recordings have a similar sound to the version on Travelin' Man CD
02, but the intrusive crackling on those transfers has been removed. When it
comes to the Bukka White disc however, JSP's claim is harder to sustain. The
studio sessions have decent enough sound, if lacking the crispness of the
long deleted Catfish set, but there must have been a problem in sourcing the
two field recordings Sic 'Em Dogs On and Po' Boy. The sound on
these tracks is poor, whereas a good condition copy of the 78 was available
to Catfish, and to Document when preparing Mississippi Blues and Gospel (DOCD
5320). (Document have subsequently issued all the Bukka White sides on DOCD
5679.) Despite the problem with these two sides, JSP have done another great
service in producing a set of this quality. In this series they are trying
to extend the market for some wonderful music, and if this shows in some of
the packaging and booklet notes as it does here we should not be too
critical. (At least full discographical information is included, which is
more than some reissue companies are able to manage.) If you already have
this material, this set offers four CDs of sound quality upgrades at a
bargain price - if you haven't, treat yourself to some of the most inspired
and moving blues ever recorded. (DPR)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7719 |
Big Joe Williams & The Stars Of Mississippi
Blues |
● CD $28.98 |
5 CDs, 126 tracks, highly recommended
Charlie Patton may have died in 1934, but the six hours of often intense
blues here show his spirit remained very much alive. Big Joe, whose 1935-51
work accounts for the first two discs, incorporated some of Patton's guitar
style in his bass slapping and high treble notes, but his insistent rhythms
were all his own. The unrestrained music of his 1935 sessions includes some
of Joe's best work, although his vocals sound a little tight. His third
session two years later sees Joe's voice more open and relaxed, and the
start of a long association with the brilliant Sonny Boy (John Lee)
Williamson. There are several versions of Joe's signature piece Baby
Please Don't Go, autobiographical material like Mean Step Father
Blues and adaptations from Patton, Jefferson, Estes and other
luminaries. Nearly all this material was previously reissued on Blues
Documents 6003/4, but the generally very good sound quality of those discs
has been improved upon here, and an alternate take omitted from BDCD6004 is
included. Six additional tracks from 1951 find Joe continuing to move closer
to mainstream Chicago blues. For the third disc, crank up the volume and
enjoy the powerful, impassioned vocals and emphatic guitar style of Tommy
McClennan. Tommy's limitations as a guitarist only add to the tension of his
performances, and he manages the trick (he only had one, but it's a good
one) of being exciting and amusing at the same time. Patton had a reputation
for clowning during his live performances and on this disc McClennan
delivers virtually a live performance in the studio, with self mocking
injunctions to "play it right", teasing pauses before returning to his
trademark rhythms and occasional laughter at the end of songs. The original
engineers did a great job on these recordings and the remastering here
matches the gold standard set by RCA's McClennan reissue (67430 - now
deleted) Disc four continues Mr McClennan's assault, and includes an
alternate take of Bluebird Blues omitted from the RCA compilation. On
his last recording, Boogie Woogie Woman, he is joined by playing
partner Robert Petway who had a similar (if less frenetic) style and who was
a better guitarist. Petway's complete works take up the rest of this disc
and the start of disc five - he is mainly remembered for his composition
Catfish Blues, his first recording, which became a blues standard. His work
has previously been reissued on Document (DOCD 5671) and Wolf (WBCD 005) but
the sound quality here is better. Next up on the final disc is Dave
"Honeyboy" Edwards, lighter voiced and the most accomplished guitarist on
this set. Twelve of Edwards' 1942 Library of Congress recordings are here,
in much less blurry sound than the five previously released on Travelin' Man
TM CD 07. The highlight is Water Coast Blues, a near six minute
performance which "virtually summarized what Delta musicianship of the
decade had to offer." Honeyboy knew Williams, McClennan and Petway and his
recollections form the main source for Neil Slaven's excellent booklet
notes, but little is known about Willie "Poor Boy" Lofton, another
interesting performer who concludes this set. One of his most memorable
efforts is Jake Leg Blues, a worthy contribution to the group of
songs dealing with the evils of 1930s Jamaica Ginger. Sound is less noisy
than on the Document reissue of Lofton's work (DOCD 5158), if a little
restrained. All round an excellent set, very well presented. (DPR)
DAVID EDWARDS: Army Blues/ Hellatakin' Blues/ Just A
Spoonful/ Roamin' And Ramblin' Blues/ Spread My Raincoat Down/ Stagolee/
Tear It Down Rag/ Water Coast Blues/ Wind Howlin' Blues/ Worried Life Blues/
You Got To Roll/ You Got To Roll (levee Camp Song)/ WILLIE LOFTON: Beer
Garden Blues/ Dark Road Blues/ Dirty Mistreater/ It's Killin' Me/ Jake Leg
Blues/ My Mean Baby Blues/ Poor Boy Blues/ Rainy Day Blues/ TOMMY MCCLENNAN:
. It's Hard To Be Lonesome/ Baby Don't You Want To Go/ Baby, Please Don't
Tell On Me/ Black Minnie/ Blue As I Can Be/ Bluebird Blues/ Bluebird Blues
(take 2)/ Blues Trip Me This Morning/ Boogie Woogie Woman/ Bottle It Up And
Go/ Brown Skin Girl/ Classy Mae Blues/ Cotton Patch Blues/ Cross Cut Saw
Blues (take 1)/ Cross Cut Saw Blues (take 2)/ Deep Blue Sea Blues/ Des'e My
Blues/ Down To Skin And Bones Blues/ Drop Down Mama/ Elsie Blues/ I Love My
Baby/ I'm A Guitar King/ I'm Going Don't You Know/ It's A Crying Pity/ Katy
Mae Blues/ Love With A Feeling/ Mozelle Blues/ Mr. So And So Blues/ My
Baby's Doggin' Me/ My Baby's Gone/ My Little Girl/ New "shake 'em On Down"/
New Highway 51/ New Sugar Mama/ Roll Me, Baby/ Shake It Up And Go/ She's A
Good Looking Mama/ She's Just Good Huggin' Size/ Travelin' Highway Man/
Whiskey Head Man/ Whiskey Head Woman/ You Can Mistreat Me Here/ You Can't
Read My Mind/ ROBERT PETWAY: Bertha Lee Blues/ Catfish Blues/ Cotton Pickin'
Blues/ Don't Go Down Baby/ Hollow Log Blues/ In The Evening/ Left My Baby
Crying/ Let Me Be Your Boss/ My Baby Left Me/ My Little Girl/ Ride 'em On
Down/ Rockin' Chair Blues/ Sleepy Woman Blues/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: 49 Highway
Blues/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Baby Please Don't Go
(alternate Take)/ Bad And Weakhearted Blues/ Bad Heart Blues/ Banta Rooster
Blues/ Break 'em On Down/ Brother James/ Crawlin' King Snake/ Delta Blues/
Don't You Leave Me Here/ Drop Down Blues/ Highway 49/ His Spirit Lives On/
House Lady Blues/ I Know You Gonna Miss Me/ I Won't Be In Hard Luck No More/
I'm A Highway Man/ I'm Getting Wild About Her/ Jivin' Woman/ King Biscuit
Stomp/ Little Leg Woman/ Mama Don't Allow Me/ Mean Stepfather Blues/ Meet Me
Around The Corner/ Mellow Apples/ My Grey Pony/ North Wind Blues/
Overhauling Blues/ P Vine Blues/ Peach Orchard Mama/ Please Don't Go/
Providence Help The Poor People/ Rootin' Ground Hog/ She Left Me A Mule/
She's A Married Woman/ Somebody's Been Borrowing That Stuff/ Somebody's Been
Worryin'/ Someday Baby/ Stack Of Dollars/ Stack Of Dollars/ Stepfather
Blues/ Throw A Boogie Woogie/ Vitamin A/ Wanita/ Whistling Pines/ Wild Cow
Blues/ Wild Cow Moan/ Worried Man Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7723 |
The Paramount Masters |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 100 tracks, recommended
In recent times Paramount has acquired a glamour completely at odds with the
company's reputation in the twenties. The widely reproduced Chicago Defender
ads with their superb artwork and comically naïve and patronizing copy have
helped, but the label's main appeal lies, despite its shoddy production
methods, in the variety of wonderful music it captured. Don't be mislead by
the title of this compilation though - it is not produced from master discs
[if only!] and the true "masters" of the label - Jefferson, Blind Blake, Ma
Rainey and Charlie Patton - muster only two tracks between them. Instead
each of these discs contains a mixture of often outstanding country blues
from artists such as Bo Weavil Jackson, Ed Bell and King Solomon Hill, great
piano pieces like Wesley Wallace's No.29, and contributions from interesting
female singers such as Alice Moore ["I'm black and I'm evil, and I did not
make myself"]. Partly because of Paramount's distribution problems and a
worsening economic climate few of these records were commercially
successful, but some are high points in pre war recording. Thoroughly
enjoyable in its own terms, this "best of" compilation is a departure from
the "complete recordings" approach previously adopted in this series of box
sets. The content here is also circumscribed by JSP not wanting to duplicate
the many Paramount recordings on their previous releases. (The one Patton
track is the slower alternate take of I Shall Not Be Moved omitted
from JSP 7702.) We can only assume, and hope, that it also constrained by
planned future releases. Does the omission of Frank Stokes point to a
Memphis Blues box set? Is the fact that Ramblin' Thomas doesn't feature,
except on a near inaudible accompaniment to Bernice Edwards, an indication
of a Texas box? And is it significant that there is a second issued take of
the one Ma Rainey track? Enough daydreaming, the sound quality here is
pretty good for Paramounts, and, as might be expected, generally better than
on the corresponding reissues on Document. The degree of improvement varies
however, and comparing a sample of these tracks against the Document
counterparts revealed one where the Document transfer was clearly superior.
Neil Slaven's notes for each disc give useful background on some of the
artists and the often eccentric workings of Paramount, although it appears
they were written before the tracklisting was finalized. Still, the
sequencing of tracks works very well, and makes this introduction to some of
blues' more obscure performers consistently engaging. (DPR)
RAYMOND BARROW: Walking Blues/ LOTTIE BEAMAN: Honey Blues/
Red River Blues/ ED BELL: Hambone Blues/ Mamlish Blues/ FREDDIE BROWN:
Raised In The Alley Blues/ HENRY BROWN: Deep Morgan Blues/ Eastern Chimes
Blues/ BUMBLE BEE SLIM: Rough Rugged Road Blues/ JOHN BYRD: Billy Goat
Blues/ Old Timbrook Blues/ LONNIE CLARK: Broke Down Engine/ Down In
Tennessee/ BOGUS BEN COVINGTON: I Heard The Voice Of A Pork Chop/ BEN CURRY:
Boodle De Bum Bum/ The New Dirty Dozen/ TEDDY DARBY: Lawdy Lawdy Worried
Blues/ My Laona Blues/ SIDE WHEEL SALLY DUFFIE: Bunker Hill Blues/ MOANIN'
BERNICE EDWARDS: Jack Of All Trades/ PIANO KID EDWARDS: Give Us Another Jug/
Piano Kid Special/ THE FAMOUS HOKUM BOYS: Where Did You Stay Last Night/
BOBBY GRANT: Lonesome Atlanta Blues/ Nappy Head Blues/ BLIND ROOSEVELT
GRAVES: Guitar Boogie/ New York Blues/ GEORGE HANNAH: Freakish Man Blues/
The Boy In The Boat/ THE HARUM SCARUMS: Come On In (Ain't Nobody Here But
Me)/ BUDDY BOY HAWKINS: Nuber Three Blues/ KING SOLOMON HILL: Down On My
Bended Knee/ The Gone Dead Train/ Whoopee Blues/ JACK O'DIAMONDS: Smiling
Blues/ The Ducks Yas Yas/ BO WEEVIL JACKSON: Pistol Blues/ Some Scream High
Yellow/ You Can't Keep No Brown/ PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON: Gay Cattin'/ Mama,
Don't You Think I Know/ MARY JOHNSON: Barrel House Flat Blues/ Key To The
Mountain Blues/ RUBE LACY: Ham Hound Crave/ Mississippi Jail House Groan/
MEADE LUX LEWIS: Honky Tonk Train Blues/ LITTLE BROTHER MONTGOMERY:
Vicksburg Blues/ LITTLE BROTHER MONTOGOMERY: No Special Rider Blues/ ALICE
MOORE: Black And Evil Blues/ Prison Blues/ WILLIAM MOORE: Old Country Rock/
Raggin' The Blues/ CHARLIE 'DAD' NELSON: Cotton Field Blues/ Red River
Blues/ MARSHALL OWENS: Texas Blues/ Try Me One More Time/ CHARLEY PATTON: I
Shall Not Be Moved (Alt. Tk)/ RUBY PAUL: Last Farewell Blues/ Red Letter
Blues/ ALICE PEARSON: Water Bound Blues/ ROBERT PEEPLES: Fat Greasy Baby/
Wicked Devil's Blues/ MA RAINEY: Traveling Blues/ BLIND JOE REYNOLDS: Nehi
Blues/ Ninety Nine Blues/ Outside Woman Blues/ BOB ROBINSON: The Preacher
Must Get Some Sometime/ J.D. SHORT: Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake/ Telephone
Arguin' Blues/ CHARLIE SPAND: Back To The Woods Blues/ Fetch Your Water/
Soon This Morning Blues/ FREDDIE SPRUELL: Low-Down Mississippi Bottom Man/
Tom Cat Blues/ SWEET PAPA STOVEPIPE: All Birds Look Like Chickens To Me/
Mama's Angel Child/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Conjur Man Blues/ Fire Detective Blues/
Three, Six And Nine/ ELVIE THOMAS: Motherless Child Blues/ Over To My House/
EDWARD THOMPSON: Seven Sister Blues/ Up On The Hill Blues/ HENRY TOWNSEND:
Doctor, Oh Doctor/ Jack Of Diamons Georgia Rub/ WESLEY WALLACE: Fanny Lee
Blues/ No. 29/ WASHBOARD WALTER: Narrow Face Blues/ WASHBOARD WALTER: Wasn't
It Sad About Lemon/ BARREL HOUSE WELCH: Dying Pickpocket Blues/ BARRELHOUSE
WELCH: Larceny Woman Blues/ JAMES 'BOODLE IT' WIGGINS: Evil Woman Blues/
JAMES WIGGINS: Gotta Shave 'Em Dry/ JAMES 'BOODLE IT' WIGGINS: Keep
A-Knockin'/ GEECHIE WILEY: Eagles On A Half/ Pick Poor Robin Clean/ GEORGE
'BULLET' WILLIAMS: Frisco Leaving Birmingham/ Touch Me Light Mama/ JABO
WILLIAMS: Jab Blues/ Pratt City Blues
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7725 |
Masters Of Memphis Blues |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 101 tracks, essential
A compilation which features the musical talents of a plumber's assistant, a
blacksmith, a one legged road sweeper and a midget is always likely to be
distinctive, but this is special. JSP have already issued the complete
recordings of Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers in superb sound (JSP 3406), and now
offer a companion set which includes Gus' first recordings as Banjo Joe.
When you add the complete pre war recordings of Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes
and Robert Wilkins, some rough, tough urban blues from Little Buddy Doyle
and a classic of slide guitar from Allen Shaw, you have a combination that
is hard to beat. (All Stokes' Victor recordings are here, including the
recently discovered I'm Going Away Blues and Old Sometime Blues
previously issued on DOCD 5411 in Document's "Too Late, Too Late" series.)
Of the Memphis masters Furry Lewis' blues, like most performers, were built
around a few core musical ideas which he varied by changing tunings, using
slide on tracks like Cannon Ball Blues or, as on I Will Turn Your
Money Green, complex picking patterns. His lyrics were interesting too,
the blues often featuring a tongue in cheek tough guy humour, but some of
his best efforts were inspired reworkings of old ballads like Billy Lyons
And Stack O'Lee and Kassie Jones. By contrast Robert Wilkins
produced finely honed, immaculately performed blues which experimented more
with the melodies and format of songs rather than their musical
accompaniment. His tales of separation, loss and trouble with the law were
sometimes set to incongruously jaunty tunes so that, as with Frank Stokes,
exposure can leave the brain permanently rewired. It can be difficult for
example to hear the pop standard Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
without thinking of the Stokes' version: a different, older song but one
which in Frank's hands wipes the floor with the Tin Pan Alley upstart.
Essentially though Frank Stokes' music with its ragtime elements was music
to dance to, built around his outstanding guitar duets with Dan Sane. His
last session with violinist Will Batts was different, yet still produced
classic performances like Right Now Blues, a simple but very
effective song, beautifully sung by Stokes, which reflects on a difficult
relationship with ambivalent emotions, part assertive, part pleading. There
are no such subtleties on Gus Cannon's first recordings, which draw on his
medicine show background and virtuoso banjo playing. His memorable version
of Poor Boy, with Gus playing slide on his five string banjo, is
another highlight. Sound quality is very good, and despite the fact that
there is still noticeable background noise on many tracks these complete
works have never sounded better. All reveal JSP's genius for "de-clicking"
which makes any residual noise much more tolerable. Neal Slaven's nicely
organized, informative notes concentrate on biographical details and
memories of Beale Street in its heyday, and there are some good photos too.
With historically important songs, great performances, exemplary sound and
presentation this set really has everything, including Mr Lewis' own brand
of humour. So mama get your hatchet, kill the fly on your baby's head, and
enjoy one of the best reissues of this excellent series. (DPR)
BANJO JOE (GUS CANNON): Can You Blame The Colored Man/
Jazz Gypsy Blues/ Jonestown Blues/ Madison Street Rag/ My Money Never Runs
Out/ Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home/ THE BEALE STREET SHEIKS (STOKES & SANE):
Ain't Goin' To Do Like I Used To Do/ Beale Town Bound/ Blues In 'd'/ Chicken
You Can Roost Behind The Moon/ Fillin' In Blues-part 1/ Fillin' In
Blues-part 2/ Half Cup Of Tea/ Hunting Blues/ It's A Good Thing/ It's A Good
Thing/ Jazzin' The Blues/ Jumpin' On The Hill/ Last Go Round/ Mr Crump Don't
Like It/ Rockin' On The Hills Blues/ Sweet To Mama/ Wasn't That Doggin' Me/
You Shall/ You Shall/ LITTLE BUDDY DOYLE: Bad In Mind Blues/ Grief Will Kill
You/ Hard Scuffin' Blues/ Lost Baby Blues/ Renewed Love Blues/ She's Got
Good Dry Goods/ Slick Capers Blues/ Sweet Man Blues/ Three-sixty-nine Blues/
FURRY LEWIS: Big Chief Blues/ Billy Lyons And Stack O'lee/ Black Gypsy
Blues/ Cannon Ball Blues/ Creeper's Blues/ Dry Land Blues/ Everybody's
Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Furry's Blues/ Good Looking Girl Blues/ I Will
Turn My Money Green (take 1)/ I Will Turn My Money Green (take 2)/ Jelly
Roll/ John Henry (the Steel Driving Man) (take 1)/ John Henry (the Steel
Driving Man) (take 2)/ Judge Harsh Blues (take 1)/ Judge Harsh Blues (take
2)/ Kassie Jones, Part 2/ Mean Old Bedbug Blues/ Mistreatin' Mama/ Mr
Furry's Blues/ Rock Island Blues/ Sweet Papa Moan/ Why Don't You Come Home
Blues/ FURRY LEWSI: Kassie Jones, Part 1/ ALLEN SHAW: I Couldn't Help It/
Moanin' The Blues/ FRANK STOKES: 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 1/ 'tain't
Nobody's Business If I Do-part 2 (take 1)/ 'tain't Nobody's Business If I
Do-part 2 (take 2)/ Bedtime Blues/ Bunker Hill Blues/ Downtown Blues (take
1)/ Downtown Blues (take 2)/ Frank Stokes' Dream/ How Long/ I Got Mine/ I'm
Going Away Blues/ It Won't Be Long (take 1)/ It Won't Be Long (take 2)/
Memphis Rounders Blues/ Mistreatin' Blues/ Nehi Mamma Blues/ Old Sometime
Blues/ Right Now Blues/ Shiney Town Blues/ South Memphis Blues/ Stomp That
Thing/ Take Me Back/ What's The Matter Blues/ ROBERT WILKINS: Alabama Blues/
Black Rat Blues/ Dirty Deal Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Get Away Blues/ I Do
Blues/ I'll Go With Her Blues/ Jail House Blues/ Long Train Blues/ Losin'
Out Blues/ Nashville Stonewall Blues/ New Stock Yard Blues/ Old Jim
Canaan's/ Police Sergeant Blues/ Rolling Stone, Part 1/ Rolling Stone, Part
2/ That's No Way To Get Along
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7733 |
Spreading The Word - Early Gospel Recordings |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 105 tracks
It's hard to know how to rate this compilation. The fact that it includes
the complete works of Washington Phillips in arguably the best sound to date
should make it an essential purchase, but in other respects this set is
disappointing. The first disc, featuring Arizona Dranes, a dynamic performer
and pianist in the Texas barrelhouse style (a feature of this music is its
use of secular styles and instruments) is very good. Her instrumental skills
are particularly well displayed on two related piano solos, Crucifixion
and Sweet Heaven Is My Home, while elsewhere her emphatic vocals and
precise diction are well suited to her material. Sister Mary Nelson and her
classic The Royal Telephone follow, while the simple but very
engaging offerings of the Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers have some nice jug
band support, possibly from Memphis Jug Band personnel. Disc two starts with
the transcendent Mr Phillips, and sixteen of the most important of all
gospel recordings. Phillips' expressive voice with its conversational tone
is accompanied by his dolceola, a zither like instrument and the only one
ever to be recorded. His songs, which include many of his own compositions,
are simple, direct and beautifully executed. Unusually he was prepared to be
critical of the Church, as in Denomination Blues and The Church
Needs Good Deacons, both a far cry from the leery innuendo favoured by
blues singers. The other key player in this set follows, in what judging by
her voice must have been the substantial form of Bessie Johnson. Ms
Johnson's deep, powerful vocals were surely a formidable presence at church
meetings and she was capable of high volume, although when she starts
bellowing it helps if you know the words. Nevertheless the session with her
sanctified singers is effective, particularly on tracks like He Got
Better Things For You. So far so good, but the third disc is really
tough going. It opens with The Master Came And Called Me and Saul,
A Wicked Man by Elder Richard Bryant, and probably the only way to
endure such stuff is to regard these sides as parodies of gospel recordings
' incoherent, raucous and overexcited, amen. Things improve a little
subsequently, but a reliance on the sermon and singing format gets
increasingly wearing. Variety might have been improved by including the
likes of Mother McCollum or A.C Forehand, whose recordings could have
featured without compromising the complete works format. As it is Luther
Magby's two tracks with the pleasing sound of a pumping harmonium provide
welcome relief, including a complete Jesus Is Getting Us Ready For The
Great Day (the recently remastered Washington Phillips reissue on
Document (DOCD 5054) omits the last eighteen seconds of this track). The
final disc is better, if not memorable: the McIntorsh and Edwards tracks
feature Bessie Johnson again, but as on the third disc there are some rather
incongruous tracks from 1950, which feel as though they have wandered in
from another compilation. Sound quality is very good throughout, and offers
an upgrade for DOCD 5186 (Arizona Dranes), but perhaps the most important
sound comparison is of the Washington Phillips' titles. The sound on the
recently remastered version of Phillips' work on DOCD 5054 was very good,
but these transfers have fewer clicks and crackles, and the slight
electrical hum on the Document reissue is absent. The Document version
benefits from being a little more open, but most people will probably prefer
the presentation here. (DPR)
REV. JOHN BLAKEY: Jesus Was Here On Business/ King Of
Kings/ The Devil Is Loose In The World/ Warming By The Devil's Fire/ ELDER
RICHARD BRYANT: A Lie Was Told But God Know'd It/ A Wild Man In Town/ Come
Over Here/ Everybody Was There/ He Shut The Lion's Mouth/ How Much I Owe For
Love Devine/ Lord, He Sure Is Good To Me/ Saul, A Wicked Man/ The Master
Came And Called Me/ Watch Ye Therefore, You Know Not The Day/ ARIZONA
DRANES: Bye And Bye We're Going To See The King/ Crucifixion/ Don't You Want
To Go?/ God's Got A Crown/ He Is My Story/ I Shall Wear A Crown/ I'll Go
Where You Want Me To Go/ I'm Glad My Lord Saved Me With/ I'm Going Home On
The Morning Train/ In That Day/ It's All Right Now/ John Said He Saw A
Number/ Just Look/ Lambs Blood Has Washed Me Clean/ My Soul Is A Witness For
The Lord/ Sweet Heaven Is My Home/ GOLDIA HAYNES: I'm Going To Hold On/
Lord, How Long?/ The Great Judgement Day/ The Truth In The Gospel/ There's A
Hand Leading Me/ Traveling/ LAURA HENTON: He's Coming Soon/ Heavenly
Sunshine/ I Can Tell The World About This/ Lord, I Just Can't Keep From
Crying Sometimes/ Lord, You've Sure Been Good To Me/ Plenty Good Room In My
Father's Kingdom/ JESSIE M. HILL: Earth Is No Resting Place/ God Rode In The
Windstorm/ I'm Going To Lift Up A Standard For My King/ Sunshine In The
Shadows/ The Crucifixion Of Christ/ This World Is Not My Home/ THE HOLY
GHOST SANCTIFIED SINGERS: Jesus Throwed Up A Highway For Me/ Sinner, I'd
Make A Change/ Thou Carest Lord For Me/ BESSIE JOHNSON: He Got Better Things
For You/ Key To The Kingdom/ No Room At The Hotel/ One Day/ The Great
Reaping Day/ The Whole World In His Hand/ PROF. JOHNSON & HIS GOSPEL
SINGERS: Angels/ Give Me That Old Time Religion/ Standing In The Safety
Zone/ Where Shall I Be/ REV. JOE LENLEY: Let Us Therefore Come/ Lord Who
Shall Abide In Thy Tabernacle/ THE LOUISVILLE SANCTIFIED SINGERS: God Give
Me A Light/ So Glad I'm Here/ LUTHER MAGBY: Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit/
Jesus Is Getting Us Ready For The Great Day/ MCINTORSH & EDWARDS: 1927
Flood/ Behold! A King Shall Rise/ Since I Laid My Burden Down/ Take A Stand/
The Latter Rain Is Fall/ What Kind Of Man Jesus Is/ THE MEMPHIS SANCTIFIED
SINGERS: He's Got The Whole World In His Hands/ I'll Meet You At The
Station/ REV. "SHY" MOORE: Christ, The Teacher/ The Solemn Warning/ SISTER
MARY NELSON: Isaiah/ Judgement/ The Royal Telephone/ The Seal Of God/ When I
Get Inside The Gate/ LOTTIE PEAVY: Nobody's Fault But Mine/ When I Move To
The Sky/ WASHINGTON PHILLIPS: A Mother's Last Words To Her Daughter/
Denomination Blues:1/ Denomination Blues:2/ I Am Born To Preach The Gospel/
I Had A Good Father And Mother/ I've Got The Key To The Kingdom/ Jesus Is My
Friend/ Lift Him Up/ Mother's Last Words To Her Son/ Paul And Silas In Jail/
Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There/ The Church Need Good
Deacons/ Train Your Child/ What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?/ You Can't
Stop A Tattler, Part 1/ You Can't Stop A Tattler, Part 2/ THE SOUTHERN
SANCTIFIED SINGERS: Soon We'll Gather At The River/ Where He Leads Me I Will
Follow/ THE TEXAS JUBILEE SINGERS: Coming Soon/ He's The Lily Of The Valley
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7736 |
Detroit Blues : Blues From The Motor City |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 96 tracks, essential
Fabulous collection featuring 96 superb blues performances recorded in the
Motor City between 1938 and 1954. The first disc is pure country blues being
the only field recordings made in Detroit and featuring Arkansas bluesmen
Calvin Frazier and Sampson Pittman - two superb country blues artists who
accompany each other. Both are outstanding - Frazier spent some time working
with Robert Johnson and Johnson's influence can be heard on several of his
cuts - most notably his reworking of Johnson's Kind Hearted Woman as
She's A Double-Crossin' Woman. Frazier continued his musical career
but these are the only recordings of Pittman a brilliant performer whose
songs are frequently topical in nature and include the wonderful two part
Brother Low-Down And Sister Do-Dad where he evokes a church meeting in
music and song. He was also a fine guitarist and plays some lovely slide on
a number of the tracks. The second disc is devoted to Detroit's favorite son
John Lee Hooker featuring 25 tracks from 1952 and 1953 - nothing that hasn't
been out before but some fine sides including the powerful sides recorded
for Henry Stone in July, 1953. Many of the cuts feature him in the company
of second guitarist Eddie Kirkland and others feature him with a small group
including some bizarre cuts where producer Bernie Bessman played organ and,
in one case, xylophone. The third disc features the complete recordings of
the splendid Baby Boy Warren - an outstanding vocalist and songwriter and a
fine guitarist who is accompanied by various small groups on his 19
performances here including one session with Sonny Boy Williamson providing
some dazzling harp work. The rest of the third disc features the earliest
recordings of Eddie Kirkland who was still active until recently - two of
the cuts feature him with John Lee Hooker on second guitar and duet vocal on
It's Time For Lovin' To Be Done. The remaining 8 tracks are from 1953
with Kirkland's powerful vocals and tough guitar accompanied by the drumming
of Ray Brown. The fourth disc is a pot pourri of different artists - many of
them recording for maverick Detroit producer Joe Von Battle. Singer and
harmonica player Eddie Burns is featured on four fine tracks of his own from
1948 and 1952 and accompanies Henry Smith on his two tracks. There is one
side from the brilliant L.C. Green (when is someone going to reissue all his
recordings?) and one by Sam Kelly. The next six tracks features the twin
harmonicas of Robert Richard and Walter Mitchell - a pretty chaotic but
exciting sound with both of them featured on vocals and one track featuring
a vocal by Joe Von Battle himself. Louisiana Red is featured under the
pseudonym Playboy Fuller on two cuts including his amazing challenge to
Muddy Waters Gonna Play My Guitar with great Waters style guitar
("I'm Gonna Play My Guitar Muddy Waters/ Until All Your Women Gone"!) This
disc also includes Big Maceo's last recordings from 1950 with John Brim on
guitar as well as joining Brim accompanying Brim's wife Grace on two tracks.
The CD ends with Detroit Count's fascinating two parter Hastings Street
Opera giving us a tour of Detroit's main African-American drag -
concentrating on the many bars on that street. Sound quality is generally
fine and there are informative notes by Neil Slaven. An invaluable
collection. (FS)
BIG MACEO: Eloise, Don't Play Me For A Fool/ Have You
Heard About It/ Leavin' Blues/ Strange To Me Blues/ Without You My Life
Don't Mean A Thing/ Worried Life Blues No. 2/ JOHN BRIM COMBO: Mean Man
Blues/ Strange Man/ EDDIE BURNS: Dealing With The Devil/ Hello Miss Jessie
Lee/ Notoriety Woman/ Papa's Boogie/ DETROIT COUNT: Hastings Street Opera
Pt. 1/ Hastings Street Opera Pt. 2/ CALVIN FRAZIER: Blues/ Boogie-woogie/
Highway 51 Blues/ I'm In The Highway Man/ Interview 1/ Interview 2/ Lilly
Mae (version 1)/ Lilly Mae (version 2)/ She's A Double-crossin' Woman/ The
Dirty Dozens/ This Old World's In A Tangle/ This Old World's In A Tangle
(fragment)/ Welfare Blues/ PLAYBOY FULLER: Gonna Play My Guitar/ Sugar Cane
Highway/ L.C. GREEN: Going Down To The River/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Bluebird
Blues/ Boogie Rambler/ Cold Chills (all Over Me)/ Cool Little Car/ Guitar
Lovin' Man/ I Got Eyes For You/ I Tried Hard/ It Hurts Me So/ It's Been A
Long Time Baby/ It's Stormin' And Rainin'/ Key To The Highway/ Let's Talk It
Over/ Lookin' For A Woman/ Love Money Can't Buy/ My Baby Don't Love Me/ Need
Somebody/ No More Doggin'/ Please Take Me Back/ Pouring Down Rain/ Real,
Real Gone/ Ride 'til I Die/ Rock House Boogie/ Rock Me Mama/ Stuttering
Blues/ Too Much Boogie/ SAM KELLY: Ramblin' Around Blues/ EDDIE KIRKLAND:
It's Time For Lovin' To Be Done/ Mistreated Woman/ No Shoes/ No Shoes Alt/
Please Don't Think I'm Nosey/ That's All Right/ Time For My Lovin' To Be
Done/ WALTER MITCHELL: Pet Milk Blues/ Stop Messing Around/ SAMPSON PITMMAN:
Brother Low-down And Sister Do-dad (alt)/ SAMPSON PITTMAN: Brother Low-down
And Sister Do-dad/ Cotton Farmer Blues/ Highway 61 Blues/ I Been Down In The
Circle Before/ Interview 1/ Interview 2/ Interview 3/ Interview 4/ Joe
Louis/ John Henry/ Levee Camp Story/ Welfare Blues/ ROBERT RICHARD: Cadillac
Woman/ Root Hog/ Wig Wearing Woman/ HENRY SMITH: Good Rockin' Mama/ Lonesome
Blues/ JOE VON BATTLE: Looking For My Woman/ BABY BOY WARREN: Baby Boy
Blues/ Bad Lover Blues/ Chicken/ Chuck-a-luck/ Don't Want No Skinny Woman/
Forgive Me Darling/ Hello Stranger/ I Got Lucky/ Let's Renew Our Love/
Lonesome Cabin Blues/ Mattie Mae/ My Special Friend Blues/ Nervy Woman
Blues/ Please Don't Think I'm Nosey/ Sanafee (not Welcome Anymore)/ Santa
Fe/ Somebody Put Bad Luck On Me/ Stop Breakin' Down/ Taxi Driver
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7737 |
Blind Willie Johnson & The Guitar
Evangelists |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 96 tracks, highly recommended
It is over ten years since the issue of "The
Complete Blind Willie Johnson" (Columbia 52835 -
$19.98). For this chronological reissue of the work of the greatest of all
pre war gospel artists JSP have adopted a different format, breaking up
Blind Willie's sessions with sessions by some of his contemporaries, in the
final disc adding performances which show his influence on the post war
gospel scene. It is a format which works very well, even while it
illustrates the gulf which separates the other practitioners from Mr
Johnson. These are complete recordings except in the case of A.C and Mamie
Forehand and Reverend Edward W Clayborn, where because of space limitations
alternate takes previously issued on Document are omitted. Clayborn, dubbed
The Guitar Evangelist, opens the set, and he is an effective performer,
although his fondness for a two beat rhythm on the bass strings can become a
bit tedious. Elsewhere the single session of husband and wife A.C and Mamie
Forehand has a sedate charm, Blind Willie Harris who opens the third disc is
almost certainly Richard "Rabbit" Brown in religious mode, and the final
disc offers some fun in the form of the Reverends Utah Smith and Anderson
Johnson. Utah Smith, who has something of Blind Willie's vocal power, is a
showman, hurling notes from his heavily amplified guitar. Reverend Johnson,
until sadly tamed by an A&R man, is also willing to test the sonic
boundaries as his first version of God Don't Like It demonstrates.
Their material draws on pre war sources and this sense of continuity gives
the compilation a satisfying cohesiveness. There is though only one star,
one utterly compelling performer. Blind Willie's magnificent first session
which closes disc one combines the power of tracks like I Know His Blood
Can Make Me Whole and If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down
with the meditative slide masterpiece Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The
Ground, later to become the become the stuff of soundtracks and the
"Sounds Of The Earth" discs carried by the Voyager satellites. This pattern
- a class act blowing away all that has gone before - repeats itself on the
subsequent discs. Discographical information is limited to a list of
recording dates, and as is often the case with this series there is a
disconnection between the notes for each CD and the artists on it. The notes
themselves, by Keith Briggs, are also hampered by the fact that very little
is known about most of these performers. Sound quality is very good
throughout, allowing for the usual acoustic vagaries of some of the post war
recordings. The only tracks with significant noise are those by A.C and
Mamie Forehand, where sound is very similar to that on the remastered
version of Document DOCD 5054. The most important comparison though is with
the Blind Willie reissue on Columbia, and here JSP is the clear winner. The
hiss on the Columbia transfers is significantly reduced, the vocal attack
seems even stronger and the guitar is beautifully presented, a credit to the
original recording engineers as well as an excellent remastering job. There
may still be a couple of copies of Dark Was The Night in interstellar
space, but I bet they don't sound this good. (DPR)
REV. EDWARD W. CLAYBORN: A Letter From Father/ Bye and Bye
When The Morning Comes/ Come And Go With Me To My Father's House/ Death Is
Only A Dream/ Everybody Ought To Treat Their Mother Right/ God's Riding
Through The Land/ I Have A Home In The Sky/ I Heard The Angels Singing/ I
Shall Not Be Moved/ If My Saviour Holds My Hand I Will Go/ In Time Of
Trouble Jesus Will Never Say Goodbye/ Jesus Is Sweeter Than Honey In The
Comb/ Jesus Went On Man's Bond/ Jesus Will Make It Alright/ Just Beyond The
Jordan River/ Let Jesus Lead You/ Let that Lie Alone/ Men Don't Forget Your
Wives For Sweethearts/ O Lord I'm In Your Care/ The Gospel Train Is Coming/
The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas/ Then We'll Need That True Religion/
There'll Be Glory/ This Time Another Year You May Be Gone/ When I Lay My
Burden Down/ Where Shall I Be When The First Trumpet Sounds?/ With My
Saviour I Shall Be/ You Never Will Know Who Is Your Friend/ Your Enemy
Cannot Harm You/ Your True Friends/ DENNIS CRUMPTON & ROBERT SUMMERS:
Everybody Ought To Pray Some Time/ Go I'll Send Thee/ A.C. & BLIND MAMIE
FOREHAND: Honey In The Rock/ I'm So Glad Today/ Mothers Prayer/ Wouldn't
Mind Dying If Dying Was All/ BLIND WILLIE HARRIS: Does Jesus Care?/ Where He
Leads Me I Will Follow/ BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Bye And Bye I'm Goin' To See
The King/ Can't Nobody Hide From God/ Church, I'm Fully Saved Today/ Dark
Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground/ Everybody Ought To Treat A Stranger
Right/ Go With Me To The Land/ God Don't Never Change/ God Moves On The
Water/ I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole/ I'm Gonna Run To The City Of
Refuge/ If I Had My Way I'd Tear This Building Down/ If It Had Not Been For
Jesus/ It's Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Jesus Is Coming Soon/ Jesus Make Up My
Dying Bed/ John The Revelator/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Let Your
Light Shine On Me/ Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying/ Mother's Children
Have A Hard Time/ Praise God I'm Satisfied/ Sweeter As The Years Roll By/
Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There/ Take Your Stand/ The Rain
Don't Fall On Me/ The Soul Of A Man/ Trouble Will Soon Be Over/ When The War
Was On/ You'll Need Somebody On Your Bond/ You're Gonna Need Somebody On
Your Bond/ REV. A. JOHNSON: Death In The Morning/ Do You Call That
Religion?/ God Don't Like It/ God Don't Like It (alt.)/ I Don't Know How To
Get Along Without The Lord/ I'm Gonna Do My Best/ If I Could Hear My Mother
Pray Again/ Jesus Loves Us All/ Let That Liar Pass On By/ Lord Will Make A
Way/ Run Children Run/ The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow/ LONNIE MCINTORSH:
Arise And Shine/ How Much I Owe/ Sleep On Mother Sleep On/ The Lion And The
Tribes Of Judah/ BLIND BENNY PARIS: Hide Me In The Blood Of Jesus/ I'm Gonna
Live So God Can Use Me/ REV. UTAH SMITH: Glory To Jesus, I'm Free/ God's
Mighty Hand/ I Got Two Wings/ I Want Two Wings/ Take A Trip/ Two Wings/ REV.
I. B. WARE WITH WIFE & SON: I Wouldn't Mind Dying (But I Gotta Go By
Myself)/ You Better Quit Drinking Shine/ WILLIE MAE WILLIAMS: Don't Want To
Go There/ Where The Sun Never Goes Down
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7744 |
Chicago Is Just That Way: 1938-1954 |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 112 tracks, over 5 hours, recommended
Splendid collection of Chicago blues which focuses on the transition from
the older styles to the sound which we associate with the golden age of
Chicago blues in the early 50s. It shows that the transition was not
exclusively the province of the new arrivals from the South but also the
older performers adapting to the increasing urbanization of their local
audience. The first disc is exclusively devoted to Tampa Red whose songs and
guitar style were an influence on many up and coming artists - we hear him
in the late 40s and early 50s in the company of the brilliant piano player
Johnny Jones and drummer Odie Payne (who both went on to work with Elmore
James) and bassist Ransom Knowling. His performances are as exciting and
vital as any of the young bucks and his last couple of RCA sessions in 1953
find him in the company of up and coming harmonica stars Sonny Boy
Williamson and Walter Horton. The other three discs provide a mix of older
and younger performers and although much of it has been out before it's nice
to hear the music in this context and there are a number of tracks that are
making their first appearance on CD. Artists include Big Maceo, Johnny
Shines (his fabulous originally unissued Columbia recordings), Jazz Gillum,
Muddy Waters (his unissued Columbia sides and his first commercial recording
issued under the name of James "Sweet Lucy" Carter), Big Boy Crudup, Floyd
Jones, Johnny Williams, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Roosevelt Sykes,
Snooky & Moody, Lillie Mae & The House Rockers, Little Walter, Eddie Boyd
(doing the collection's theme song), Jimmy Rogers (his originally unissued
version of That's All Right), Snooky Pryor, Baby Face Leroy Foster,
Tony Hollins, Robert Lockwood and others. Sound quality is generally fine
though a few tracks exhibit excessive digital noise reduction. Includes
informative notes by Neil Slaven putting it all into perspective. (FS)
BIG MACEO: Big City Blues/ Do You Remember/ Just Tell Me
Baby/ Kidman Blues/ One Sunday Morning/ EDDIE BOYD: Blue Monday Blues/
Chicago Is Just That Way/ BIG BILL BROONZY: I Love My Whiskey/ Leavin' Day/
Southbound Train/ Water Coast Blues/ LEE BROWN: Horse Shoe Boogie/ Lowland
Blues/ Round The World Boogie/ Ruby Moore Blues/ ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP:
Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/ That's All Right/ BABY FACE LEROY FOSTER: Boll
Weevil/ Red Headed Woman/ Rollin' And Tumblin' 1/ Rollin' And Tumblin' 2/
JAZZ GILLUM: A Lie Is Dangerous/ Look What You Are Today/ Roll Dem Bones/
The Blues What Am/ JIMMIE GORDON: Jumping At The Club Blue Flame/ My Woman's
A Pearl Diver/ TONY HOLLINS: Crawlin' King Snake/ Wine-O-Woman/ FLOYD JONES:
Hard Times/ Keep What You Got/ School Days/ Stockyard Blues/ LILLIE MAE &
THE HOUSE ROCKERS: Lovin' Man Blues/ LITTLE WALTER: Bad Acting Woman/ Blue
Baby/ I Want My Baby/ Just Keep Loving Her/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: (I'm Gonna) Dig
Myself A Hole/ Dust My Broom/ WILLIE MABON: Boogie Man/ It Keeps Rainin'/
MEMPHIS MINNIE: Kidman Blues/ Why Did I Make You Cry/ MEMPHIS SLIM: (Now I)
Got The Blues/ Don't Ration My Love/ Grinder Man Blues/ Mistake In Life/
JIMMY ROGERS: I'm In Love/ Little Store Blues/ Ludella/ That's All Right/
JOHNNY SHINES: Delta Pine Blues/ Evil Hearted Woman Blues/ Ride, Ride Mama/
Tennessee Woman Blues/ SNOOKY & MOODY: Boogie/ Telephone Blues/ ST. LOUIS
JIMMY: Coming Up Fast/ Going Down Slow/ I Ain't Done Nothing Wrong/ One
Doggone Reason/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: 5 Foot 4 Gal/ Brown Skin Woman/ I've Done
You Wrong/ Jivin' Boogie/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Candy Man Blues/ Lowland Blues/
Savoy Boogie/ Why Should I Cry/ TAMPA RED: 1950 Blues/ Big Stars Falling
Blues/ Boogie Woogie Woman/ But I Forgive You/ Don't Blame Shorty For That/
Early In The Morning/ Evalena/ Got A Mind To Leave This Town/ Green And
Lucky Blues/ I Should Have Loved Her More/ I Won't Let Her Do It/ I'll Never
Let You Go/ I'm Gonna Put You Down/ If She Don't Come Back/ It's A Brand New
Boogie/ It's Good Like That/ Love Her With A Feelin'/ New Deal Blues/ Please
Mr Doctor/ Pretty Baby Blues/ Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is/ Rambler's
Blues/ She's Dynamite/ So Crazy About You Baby/ Sweet Little Angel/ That's
Her Own Business/ Too Late Too Long/ When Things Go Wrong With You/ SIPPIE
WALLACE: Bedroom Blues/ Buzz Me/ MUDDY WATERS: Burying Ground Blues/ Hard
Day Blues/ Jitterbug Blues/ Mean Red Spider/ JOHNNY WILLIAMS: Worried Man
Blues/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Better Cut That Out/ Bring Another Half A Pint/
JOHNNY YOUNG: Money Taking Woman/ MAN YOUNG: Let Me Ride Your Mule/ My Baby
Walked Out
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7747 |
Hey! Piano Man: Selected Boogie Woogie Sides
Remastered |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 88 tracks. 305 minutes, highly recommended
"Hey!
Piano Man" centers its attentions on barrelhouse stylists Albert Ammons,
Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, and Jimmy Yancey over four discs logging in
an impressive five-plus hours of music. The Chicago barrelhouse, or rent
party school, of boogie woogie piano hails back to the years when the
instrument was considered a tool of the trade in St. Louis, Chicago, and
other locales. Apartment dwellers would offer food, drink, and a full night
of entertainment for a small fee, and when daylight broke the following day,
those hiring the piano grinders would hopefully have made enough money to
cover their monthly rent bill. Disc one delivers 25 sides of solo piano
prowess by Jimmy Yancey; seventeen from April of 1939, six from October
of the same year, and two titles dating to February of 1940. A Chicago
native, born in 1898, Yancey found fame and increasing popularity on the
rent party circuit in the Windy City from the 1920s on although music wasn't
his main source of income. A twenty-five year career as a groundskeeper for
the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park remained his regular job, and though
highly skilled, his recording career didn't begin until 1939 with his death
coming in 1951. Yancey shows an endless flow of creativity while varying his
tempos and themes from the rumbling Rollin' The Stone and La Salle
Street Breakdown, with incredible left hand bass figures and delicate
upper register work, to the slow and seemingly effortless Bear Trap
Blues/ Jimmy's Stuff, or Lean Bacon. There's plenty more in the
form of Yancey Stomp/ The Fives/ Tell 'Em About Me/ Big Bear Train,
and State Street Special plus another fifteen titles.
Disc two goes
to Meade Lux Lewis spanning a half-dozen dates recorded between November of
1935 and February of 1939. Chicago-born in 1905, Lewis was heavily
influenced by Pinetop Smith and Jimmy Yancey and began recording in 1927
with his Honky Tonk Train Blues becoming his signature piece
following its issue two years later (in 1929) by Paramount. He made his
living for a time as a cab driver but was another highly creative player who
hammered out driving grooves with his left hand while his right offered
stunning high points. Lewis' Honky Tonk Train Blues (a close relative
of Pinetop's Boogie Woogie from Smith) is here in two forms, one from
late 1935 with the other coming a year-and-a-half later in March of 1937.
Both are wonderful barrelhouse examples but Meade wasn't afraid to step into
rarely charted territory as Celeste Blues/ I'm In The Mood For Love
and Mr. Freddie Blues amply display his command on a smaller cousin
of the piano. His stone-solid chops are shown in great detail through the
five separate and remarkable parts of The Blues, recorded in January
of 1939, and Lewis pulls out all the stops on Twos And Fews plus a
thrilling Nagasaki played at breakneck speed.
Disc three's focus is
on Pete Johnson who was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1904, and became
widely recognized through his association with vocalist Big Joe Turner.
Their appearance at Carnegie Hall for John Hammond's Spirituals To Swing
concert helped respark interest in boogie woogie piano. Of the 22 tracks
featuring Johnson, all were recorded between December of 1938 and December
of the next year. While Boo Hoo and Home James were issued as
by Harry James And The Boogie Woogie Trio and feature the stellar trumpet of
James, the underpinning from Johnson's piano (with bass and drum
accompaniment) delivers a bigger kick. Sadly, Johnson's signature Roll 'Em
Pete is missing but there's plenty to delve into on 19 solo tracks plus
a small handful where Johnson is ably backed with Abe Bolar's string bass
and guitar from Ulysses Livingston. Pete's Blues/ Shuffle Boogie/ Let 'Em
Jump and Climbin' And Screamin' all show his skillfully figured
right hand playing over driving basses, and Roll 'Em, from 1938, is a
very close relative of the piece he was most noted for. Highlighted on disc
four is Albert Ammons, another Chicago native (born in 1907) who was a close
friend and counterpart of the other stylists here. Like his friend Meade Lux
Lewis, he drove a cab, and the pair even shared a Chicago apartment with
Pinetop Smith for a time. These 20 tracks, recorded over a handful of studio
dates between February of 1936 and April of 1939 are equally split with half
showing his work in larger bands, including those of trumpeter Harry James
and trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, while the balance is devoted to his highly
entertaining solo efforts. Chicago In Mind, another close relative of
Pinetop's Boogie Woogie, shows Ammons as one more player with a
driving left hand with the right putting forth flourishes of brilliance, and
his Boogie Woogie Stomp along with Suitcase Blues show his
proficiency for excellence. Bass Goin' Crazy and Changes In Boogie
Woogie cement his placement as another integral piano figure of more
than a half-century ago. Complete session details are included along with
liner notes from Keith Briggs that lightly cover the four artists featured.
Most of the 88 sides have solid sound quality but there are a few that seem
to be well beyond cleaning of the hiss and pops from badly damaged source
material. The five hours of listening time is completely enjoyable for the
most part, and with JSP's budget pricing, there may not be a better or more
affordable way to introduce yourself to these greats from the past, or to
fill the gaps in your boogie woogie collection. (CR)
ALBERT AMMONS: Backwater Blues/ Bass Goin' Crazy/ Boogie
Woogie Blues/ Boogie Woogie Stomp/ Change In Boogie Woogie/ Chicago In Mind/
Easy Rider Blues/ Shout For Joy/ Suitcase Blues/ Untitled Ammons Original/
Boogie Woogie/ Early Mornin' Blues/ Mile-Or-Mo Bird Rag/ Nagasaki/ J.C.
HIGGINBOTHAM QUINTET: Weary Land Blues/ HARRY JAMES AND THE BOOGIE WOOGIE
TRIO: Boo Woo/ Home James/ Jesse/ Woo Woo/ PETE JOHNSON: B&O Blues/ Boogie
Woogie/ Buss Robinson Blues/ Buss Robinson Blues/ Climbin' And Screamin'/
Dying Mother Blues/ Fo' O'Clock Blues/ How Long How Long/ Let 'Em Jump/ Lone
Star Blues/ Pete's Blues/ Pete's Blues No. 2/ Roll 'Em/ Shuffle Boogie/
Barrelhouse Breakdown/ Holler Stomp/ Kansas City Farewell/ Some Day Blues/
Vine Street Bustle/ You Don't Know My Mind/ MEADE LUX LEWIS: Bear Cat Crawl/
Blues De 'Lux'/ Celeste Blues/ Deep Fives/ Honky Tonk Train Blues/ Honky
Tonk Train Blues/ I'm In The Mood For Love/ Melancholy Blues/ Messin'
Around/ Mr. Freddie Blues/ Nagasaki/ Solitude Blues/ The Blues Part 1/ The
Blues Part 2/ The Blues Part 3/ The Blues Part 4/ The Blues Part 5/ Twos And
Fews/ Untitled Original/ Whistlin' Blues/ Yancey Special/ PORT OF HARLEM
JAZZMEN: Mighty Blues/ Port Of Harlem Blues/ Rocking The Blues/ JIMMY
YANCEY: Bear Trap Blues/ Beezum Blues/ Big Bear Train/ Five O'Clock Bluesl/
How Long Blues/ How Long Blues No. 2/ Janie's Joys/ Jimmy's Stuff/ La Salle
Street Breakdown/ Lean Bacon/ Lucille's Lament/ Old Quaker Blues/ P.L.K.
Special/ Rollin' The Stone/ Slow And Easy/ South Side Stuff/ State Street
Special/ Steady Rock Blues/ Tell 'Em About Me/ The Fives/ The Mellow Blues/
Two O'Clock Blues/ Yancey Limited/ Yancey Stomp/ Yancey Stomp
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7748 |
Ham Hocks And Cornbread: The Pounding
Pulsating Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CDs, 118 tracks, approx 5 hours, highly recommended
If
you like hot blues and R&B with lots of honking saxes, tough blues shouting
and energetic piano pounding then this will be the set for you featuring
fine sides from the 40s and early 50s. Although many of the tracks have been
out before there are lots of tracks that are not currently readily available
or are only on single artist discs and a few tracks making their first
appearance on CD. Among the many artists included are Little Willie
Littlefield, Big Bob Dougherty, Andrew Tibbs ( how can you not love a song
called Drinking Ink Splink?), Billie McAllister, Clifford Bivens,
Marbin Phillips, Big Jim Wynn, Joe Morris, The Jackson Brothers, Jimmy
Witherspoon, King Carl (Davis), Pinocchio James, Cousin Joe, Little Eddie,
Jimmy Crawford, Mr. Swing (Rufus Thomas), Percy Mayfield, Smiling Smokey
Lynn, Big Al Sears, Calvin Boze, Felix Gross, Sonny Parker, James Von
Streeter, Grant "Mr. Blues" Jones, B.B. King, Tommy Ridgley, J.T. Brown,
Robert Tucker, Herman Manzy, Lester Williams and many more. Excellent sound,
informative notes by Neil Slaven and discographical info. (FS)
JO-JO ADAMS: Don't Give It Away/ BUDDY BANKS: Banks
Boogie/ CLIFFORD BIVENS: Achin' Heart Boogie/ ZUZU BOLLIN: Why Don't You Eat
Where You Slept Last Night/ CALVIN BOZE: Safronia B/ TINY BRADSHAW: Walk
That Mess/ J.T. BROWN: Walkin' Home/ PINEY BROWN: That's Right Baby/ ROY
BROWN: Mighty Mighty Man/ TOMMY BROWN: V-8 Baby/ WALTER BROWN: Stop Light/
CARL CAMPBELL: Ooh Wee Baby/ IKE CARPENTER ORCH: Pachuko Hop/ GOREE CARTER:
I'll Send You/ I'm Your Boogie Man/ EDDIE CHAMBLEE: Walkin' Home/ TUCKER
COLES: House Rockers Jamboree/ JACK COOLEY: Dyna-Flow/ COUSIN JOE: Hole In
The Ground/ JIMMY CRAWFORD WITH FRANK MOTLEY: Heavy Weight Baby/ FRANK
CULLEY: Floorshow/ DICK DAVIS: Screamin' Boogie/ MAXWELL DAVIS: Royal
Boogie/ FLOYD DIXON: That'll Get It/ BIG BOB DOUGHERTY: Big Bob's Boogie/
TOMMY DOUGLAS: Douglas Boogie/ JOE DYSON ORCHESTRA: Merc-O-Matic Boogie/
H-BOMB FERGUSON: Bookie's Blues/ JIMMY FORREST: Night Train/ T.J. FOWLER:
Red Hot Blues/ ROSCO GORDON: T-Model Boogie/ STOMP GORDON: Damp Rag/ RUDY
GREENE: Buzzard Pie/ BIG JOHN GREER: Rockin' With Big John/ FELIX GROSS:
Walkin' The Floor/ RENE HALL SEXTETTE: Blue Creek Hop/ BERNIE HARDISON: Love
Me Baby/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: The Blues Pick Om Me/ WYNONIE HARRIS: She's Gone
With The Wind/ ROY HAWKINS: On My Way/ DUKE HENDERSON: Lucy Brown/ JOHNNY
HODGES: Castle Rock/ JOE HOUSTON: Cornbread And Cabbage Greens/ BULL MOOSE
JACKSON: Moose On The Loose/ EARL JACKSON: Jackson's Blues/ FRED JACKSON:
Buck Fever/ LITTLE WILLIE JACKSON: Jackson's Boogie/ THE JACKSON BROTHERS:
Theres No Other Way/ PINOCCHIO JAMES: Your Mouth Got A Hole In It/ PLAS
JOHNSON: Worrying Blues/ GRANT "MR BLUES" JONES: For You My Love/ B.B. KING:
Take A Swing With Me/ KING PERRY: Keep A Dollar In Your Pocket/ FREDDIE
KOHLMAN: Easy Rockin'/ MORRIS LANE: Down The Lane/ LITTLE EDDIE: My Baby
Left Me/ LITTLE MAXIE: My Baby's Blues/ LITTLE RICHARD: Get Rich Quick/
LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Happy Pay Day/ JOE LUTCHER: Rockin' Boogie/
SMILING SMOKEY LYNN: Run, Mister Rabbit, Run/ EDDIE MACK: How About That/
HERMAN MANZY: I'm Your Rockin' Man/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Baby You're Still A
Square/ BILLIE MCALLISTER: I Go For That/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: What's Your
Phone Number/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: Insect Ball/ JACK MCVEA: Inflation Blues/
SYLVESTER MIKE: Rubber Leg Woman/ ROY MILTON: Baby, Don't You Know/ FREDDIE
MITCHELL: Fish Market Boogie/ Moondog Boogie/ GATEMOUTH MOORE: Did You Ever
Love A Woman/ WILD BILL MOORE: Hey Spo-Dee-O-Dee/ WILL BILL MOORE: Swingin'
For Pappy/ JOE MORRIS: Weasel Walk/ MR SWING (RUFUS THOMAS): Gonna Bring My
Baby Back/ JIMMY NELSON: Right Around The Corner/ ELMORE NIXON: Forgive Me
Baby/ FATS NOEL: Rocket Flight/ JOHNNY OTIS: Barrelhouse Stomp/ SONNY
PARKER: She Sets My Soul On Fire/ CECIL PAYNE: Ham Hocks/ GENE PHILLIPS:
Flying Home/ MARVIN PHILLIPS: Wine Woogie/ RED PRYSOCK: Red's Blues/ The
Hammer/ TODD RHODES: Page Boy Shuffle/ TOMMY RIDGLEY: Come Home Baby/ HUBERT
ROBINSON: High Class Woman/ JIMMY RUSHING: Hi-ho Sylvester/ BIG AL SERS:
Marshall Plan/ HAL SINGER: Cornbread/ Rock Around The Clock/ CHARLIE
SINGLETON: Blow Mr Singleton/ JIMMY SMITH: Cheatin' Woman/ LLOYD "FAT-MAN"
SMITH: Giddy-Up Giddy-Up/ ARBEE STIDHAM: Stidham Jumps/ KID TANNER: Wino/
RABON TARRANT: Blues With A Feeling/ SONNY THOMPSON: The Fish Part 2/ ANDREW
TIBBS: Drinking Ink Splink/ HAROLD TINSLEY: Fan Your Fanny Blues/ ROBERT
TUCKER: It Sure Cost Money To Live/ JOE TURNER: Wine-O-Baby/ DAVID VAN DYKE:
Dyke Takes A Hike/ EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON: I'm Gonna Wind Your Clock/
JAMES VON STREETER: Chit'lins/ Landslide/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD: Time To
Blow/ L.C. WILLIAMS: Louisana Boogie/ LESTER WILLIAMS: I Can't Lose With The
Stuff I Use/ PAUL WILLIAMS: 35-30/ Boogie Mr Williams/ SHERMAN WILLIAMS: I'm
Lucky With My Brown Gal/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: Take Me Back Baby/ BIG JIM WYNN:
Blow Wynn Blow
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7752 |
Memphis Shakedown - More Jug Band Classics |
● CD $28.98 |
4 CDs, 99 tracks, essential
JSP 7745 featured the 1927-30
recordings of the Memphis Jug Band: this companion compilation is essential
because it contains, at last, their later recordings in decent sound
quality. Elsewhere the set is wide ranging but uneven, with only about half
the tracks actually featuring a jug. Disc A offers the complete works of
Jack Kelly including the alternate take of Ko-Ko-Mo Blues issued on
Document's "Too Late, Too Late Blues Volume 6" (DOCD 5461). Unlike other jug
bands Kelly concentrated on blues, and had support from guitarist Dan Sane
and violinist Will Batts, both of whom recorded with Frank Stokes. Kelly
himself was a fine singer, but the reputation of these sides has probably
suffered from the fact that most of the blues are based around the tune and
arrangement of Highway No. 61 Blues, the group's best seller and signature
piece. Get past the similarities however and there are variations, as well
as a few uptempo pieces, while Batts' violin with its sustained vibrato is
distinctive and enjoyable. The second disc, featuring the Memphis Jug Band,
starts with their 1932 session as the Picaninny Jug Band which sounds thin
compared with their other recordings, probably because of budget label
production values. Fortunately things improved considerably two years later.
While their material hadn't changed much - tracks like She Done Sold It
Out could have come from their Victor days - elsewhere Charlie Pierce's
energetic fiddling brought a new dimension to their sound. He was much in
evidence on Tear It Down, which showed the band had lost none of its gift
for flirting with chaos. Highlights include the joyous Jazzbo Stomp
and Jug Band Quartette, the latter a celebration of jug band music
and a perfect finale. The closing tracks by Kaiser Clifton are superfluous.
Disc C starts with the solo career of Noah Lewis, key member of Gus Cannon's
Jug Stompers, and features some wonderfully evocative harmonica including
the train piece Chickasaw Special and an accompaniment to the
magnificently named and magnificent Mrs Van Zula Carter Hunt on Selling
The Jelly. By comparison Jed Davenport's harmonica on the following
sides sounds like a novelty instrument, for all the energy and imagination
in his blues interpretations. (Two Davenport accompaniments to Joe Williams
on Blues Documents BDCD 6028 are omitted, but curiously two MJB
accompaniments to Memphis Minnie already issued on previous box sets are
repeated here.) Finally The Delta Boys offer some lighthearted, kazoo
riddled efforts - fair enough but not exactly the best work of John Estes
and Son Bonds. The final disc features Charlie Burse (from MJB) and his
Memphis Mudcats, and gives a flavour of the music which followed the jug
bands (the three titles issued on Too Late, Too Late Volume 6 are included).
In place of the jug were alto sax, bass and piano, and an end product which
was pretty dull dance music - although an energetic percussionist with ideas
of his own did his best to liven things up. Neal Slaven, who as usual
provides the booklet notes, seems surprisingly keen on this stuff, having
been dismissive of Jack Kelly's "less than spectacular career"! Relief comes
with the bombastic hokum of Minnie Wallace, another MJB associate, and the
likes of her Field Mouse Stomp end the compilation on a positive
note. Sound quality, apart from the Picaninny Jug Band sides, is generally
very good, all these recordings sounding better and significantly less noisy
than their Document /Blues Document /Old Tramp counterparts. JSP seem
determined to play havoc with our record collections, but this is one series
that is difficult to ignore. (DPR)
THE BEALE STREET ROUNDERS: I'm Sittin' On Top Of The
World/ Talkin' 'bout Yo-yo/ CHARLIE BURSE & HIS MEMPHIS MUDCATS: Ain't Gonna
Be No Doggone Afterwhile/ Baby, You Win/ Beale Street Holiday/ Brand New Day
Blues/ Dawn Of Day Blues/ Goldie May/ Good Potatoes On The Hill/ Hell's
Highway/ I'm In Buddy's Wagon/ It Makes No Difference Now/ It's Against The
Rule/ Magic Spell Blues/ Memphis Highway Stomp/ Oil It Up And Go/ Radio
Blues/ Scared To Death/ Too Much Beef/ Weed Smoking Mama/ What's The Matter
With The Well/ You Better Watch Out/ KAISER CLIFTON: Cash Money Blues/ Forth
Worth & Denver Blues/ She'll Be Back Someday/ Teach Me Right From Wrong/ JED
DAVENPORT: Beale Street Breakdown/ Cow Cow Blues/ How Long How Long Blues/
Jug Blues/ Piccolo Blues/ Save Me Some/ The Dirty Dozen/ You Ought To Move
Out Of Town/ THE DELTA BOYS: Black Gal Swing/ Don't You Want To Know/ Every
Time My Heart Beats/ Get Up And Go/ When The Saints Go Marching In/ You
Shouldn't Do That/ JACK KELLY & HIS SOUTH MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Believe I'll Go
Back Home/ Betty Sue Blues/ Cadillac Baby/ Cheatin' Woman/ Cold Iron Bed/
Country Woman/ Diamond Buyer Blues/ Doctor Medicine/ Flower Blues/ Heck Bone
Blues/ High Behind Blues/ Highway No. 61 Blues/ Highway No. 61 Blues/
Highway No. 61 Blues No. 2/ Joe Louis Special/ Ko-ko-mo Blues (take 1)/
Ko-ko-mo Blues (take 2)/ Lightnin' Blues/ Men Fooler Blues/ Policy Rag/
President Blues/ R.f.c. Blues/ Red Ripe Tomatoes/ World Wandering Blues/ You
Done Believe It/ NOAH LEWIS: Chickasaw Special/ Devil Inthe Woodpile/ Like I
Want To Be/ Bad Luck's My Buddy/ New Minglewood Blues/ Selling The Jelly/
Ticket Agent Blues/ THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Boodie Bum Bum/ Bottle It Up And
Go/ Fishin; In The Dark/ Gator Wobble/ Insane Crazy Blues/ Jazzbo Stomp/ Jug
Band Quartette/ Little Green Slippers/ Mary Ann Cut Off/ Memphis Shakedown/
My Business Ain't Right/ My Love Is Cold/ Rukus Juice And Chittlin'/ She
Done Sold It Out/ Take Your Finger Off It/ Tear It Down, Bed Slats And All/
MEMPHIS MINNIE: Bumble Bee Blues/ Meningitis Blues/ THE PICANINNY JUG BAND:
Bottle It Up And Go/ Come Along Little Children/ I Got Good Taters/ Tappin'
That Thing/ You Gotta Have That Thing/ MINNIE WALLACE & HE NIGHT HAWKS:
Field Mouse Stomp/ Let's All Do That Thing/ Pick 'em Up And Put 'em Down/
The Cockeyed World
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
JSP JSPCD 7753 |
Shake That Thing! East Coast Blues,
1935-1953 |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CDs, 105 tracks, essential
The complete recordings of
three fine, individual but obscure East Coast country bluesman. There are 41
tracks by Gabriel Brown, a brilliant and original singer/ guitarist from
Florida who came up with some unique lyrics. It includes 10 tracks recorded
for the Library Of Congresss in Florida in 1935 which is mostly traditional
material - often featuring slide. The remaining tracks were recorded for New
York entrepreneur Joe Davis between 1942 and 1952 and includes quite a few
titles that were not originally issued. There are 19 tracks recorded for
Gotham in 1949 by the utterly magnificent Dan Pickett whose background is a
total mystery. Although quite a few of Pickett's songs were drawn from the
repertoire of other bluesman his expressive vocals and stunning guitar
(often using slide) turned them into individualistic gems. The set is
rounded out with 46 tracks by Ralph Willis - another biographical mystery
who is thought to be from Alabama and later moved North Carolina where he
met up with Buddy Moss, Blind Boy Fuller and Sonny & Brownie and his music
shows their influences. There are a dozen gorgeous solo sides by him
revealing him to be a superb guitarist. The remaining tracks feature his
with small groups - sometimes just bass or washboard, other times with
guitar, bass & drums - the other guitarist usually being Brownie McGhee and
on one sessions they are joined by Sonny Terry. Sound is excellent and there
are informative notes from Neil Slaven. A beautiful collection of country
blues. (FS)
GABRIEL BROWN: A Dream Of Mine/ Baby, Boy, Baby/ Bad Love/
Black Jack Blues/ Blues/ Careless Love/ Cold Love/ Cold Mama/ Doing My Best/
Don't Worry About It/ Down In The Bottom/ Education Blues/ Going My Way/
Good-Time Papa/ Got No Money Blues/ Hold Me Baby/ I Am Just Hard Luck/ I Am
Playing The Game/ I Get Evil When My Love Comes Down/ I Had My Hands On It/
I'm Gonna Take It Easy/ I'm Just Crazy/ I've Done Stopped Gamblin'/ I've Got
To Stop Drinkin'/ It's Getting Soft/ It's Time To Move/ John Henry
(Instrumental)/ John Henry (Vocal)/ Mean Old Blues/ Motherless Child/ Nobody
Loves Me Like My Little Girl/ Not Now, I'll Tell You When/ Po' Boy, Long Way
From Home/ Stick With Me/ Talking In Sebastopol/ That's Alright/ The Jinx Is
On Me/ Tone The Bell Easy/ You Ain't No Good/ You Have To Be Different/
Youngster's Blues/ DAN PICKETT: 99 1/2 Won't Do/ Baby Don't You Want To Go/
Baby How Long/ Chicago Blues/ Decoration Day/ Drivin' That Thing/ Drivin'
That Thing (Alt)/ Early One Morning/ I Can Shake It/ Laughing Blues/
Laughing Rag/ Lemon Man/ Number Writer/ Number Writer Take 1/ Ride To A
Funeral In A V-8/ Something's Gone Wrong/ That's Grieving Me/ You Got To Do
Better/ RALPH WILLIS: Amen/ Amen Blues/ Bed Tick Blues/ Black And Tan/
Blues, Blues, Blues/ Boar Hog Blues/ Christmas Blues/ Church Bell Blues/
Church Bells/ Cold Chills/ Cold Chills/ Comb Your Kitty Kat/ Cool That
Thing/ Do Right/ Door Bell Blues/ Eloise/ Everyday I Weep And Moan/ Goin' To
Chattanooga/ Goin' To Viriginia/ Gonna Hop On Down The Line/ Goodbye Blues/
Hoodoo Man/ I Got A Letter, Too Late To Scream And Shout/ I Will Never Love
Again/ I'm Gonna Rock/ I've Been A Fool/ Income Tax Blues/ Just A Note/ Lazy
Woman Blues/ Mama, Mama Blues/ Neighborhood Blues/ New Goin' Down Slow/ Old
Home Blues/ Salty Dog/ Shake That Thing/ So Many Days/ Somebody Is Got To
Go/ Sportin' Life/ Steel Mill Blues/ Tell Me Pretty Baby/ Tell Me Pretty
Baby/ That Gal's No Good/ Trouble Don't Last/ Why'd You Do It/ Worried Blues
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