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BARGAIN BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Blues & Gospel
Various Artists (Sorted
By Label) - 1
| VARIOUS ARTISTS | ABM 1064 | Chicago Down Home Blues | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended The music on here is truly incredible and essential stuff but the thin, muffled quality is a real disappointment. Here we have the birth of the modern Chicago blues sound featuring recordings made between 1947 and 1951 by Snooky Pryor, Othum Brown, Johnny Young, Johnny Williams, Sunnyland Slim (including the incredibly rare and wonderful Korea Blues accompanied by Snooky Prior and Baby Face Leroy!), Floyd Jones, St. Louis Jimmy, Little Walter, the mysterious Bluesboy Bill and his lovely version of Take A Little Walk With Me called Come On Babe, Grace Brim and John Brim. Many of these artists also appear here as sidemen along with Roosevlt Sykes and Muddy Waters. The 8 page booklet includes informative notes by Chicago blues expert Mike Rowe. If the sound quality had been better this would have probably been THE blues reissue of the past five years. Still it's a nice way to get some classic Chicago blues without having to lay out the $10,000 or so that the original 78s would set you back! (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 3009 | Big Town Playboys, Chicago Blues 1949-1954 | ● CD |
| Two CD set with 50 classic tracks of Chicago blues
recorded between 1949 and 1954 - essentially the "Golden Age" of Chicago
blues. If you're a blues fan then chances are you have everything here
but this is certainly a great introduction featuring all the best known
artists along with a few lesser known ones - Robert Nighthawk, St. Louis
Jimmy, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Eddie Boyd,
Howlin' Wolf, Homesick james, Little Walter, Willie Mabon, Jimmy Reed,
Johnny Shines, Elmore James, Big Boy Spires, J.B. Hutto, J.B. Lenoir and
many more. Tracks are presented in chronological order and sound is fine
and set comes with 16 page booklet with notes on all the artists. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 3058 | Livin' That Wild Life-Herald/ Ember Blues Masters, Vol. | ● CD |
| Two CDs, 55 tracks, essential Al Silver's Herald and Ember labels started in 1952 and is best known for its doowop and R&B releases but it also issued some fabulous blues recordings and this is the first of two CD exploring those. The earliest sides were licensed from outside sources including a number of Chicago blues sides. The four tracks by Little Walter have been reissued many times before but are always a joy to hear. Less familiar are the splendid tracks by Eddie Boyd and St. Louis Jimmy - the latter featuring great piano by Roosevelt Sykes and guitar by Robert Lockwood. Most of the rest of the artists are New York based highlighted by the extended look at the recordings of the outstanding and mysterious Cousin Leroy (Rozier) including six originally unissued sides that first appeared on a low quality bootleg some years ago. Leroy was a terrific and powerful singer and is accompanied by small groups which included Jack Dupree on piano, the great Larry Dale on guitar and, Sonny Terry playing some dynamite electric harp. Based on his style and choice of material I would guess that he's from Mississippi. His Crossroads is a masterpiece - using the tune and some of the lyrics of the traditional Catfish it has an opening verse that has one of the best evocations of the crossroads myth " I Walked Down By The Crossroads Just To Learn How Play My Guitar Well A Man Walked Up Son Let Me Tune It That Was The Devil That Was The Devil" and it features a wonderful tremolo laden guitar solo overladen with hot harp (is it really Sonny Terry?!). There is also a completely different alternate of this song which sounds like a rehearsal and is titled Rollin' Stone. Other great songs by him include Highway 41/ Stringbeans (two takes of an unissued song)/ Woke Up With The Blues/ Sail On/ Voodoo/ I'm Lonesome/ Catfish and others. Equally obscure and almost as good is Leon Williams (issued as Sugar Boy Williams) - a fabulous singer and guitar player with two superb songs - one an imaginative reworking of Eddie Boyd's Five Long Years. Talking about guitar - the great Mickey Baker appears as sideman on half a dozen cuts (Dickie Thompson, Johnny Frank {Brother John Sellers} and Larry Dale) and one of the two cuts by Tender Slim (Joe Richardson) features the distinctive guitar work of Wild Jimmy Spruill. Other artists include Mr. Stringbean, Pork Chops, Big Boy Kornegay, Sticks McGhee, the superb singer & guitarist Rudy Greene and others. There are also a handful of gospel sides including four very tough quartette sides by The National Clouds Of Joy. Great music, excellent sound, informative notes by Bob Fisher and full discographical details. Don't miss it! (FS) EDDIE BOYD: I'm Going Downtown/ Lonesome For My Baby/ COUSIN LEROY: Crossroads/ Highway 41/ I'm Lonesome/ Rollin' Stone/ Sail On/ String Beans/ String Beans (alternate Take)/ Up The River/ Voo Doo/ Waitin' At The Station/ Will A Matchbox Hold My Clothes/ Woke Up With The Blues/ LARRY DALE: Feelin' Alright/ No Tellin' What I'll Do/ JOHNNY FRANK: Lil' Lover/ Oh Darlin'/ RUDY GREENE: Juicy Fruit/ Lonesome/ Wild Life/ You're The One For Me/ THE HARRIS GOSPEL SINGERS: Lord I'm In Your Care/ The Old Account/ BIG BOB KORNEGAY: Stay With Me Baby/ The Man In The Phone Booth (hello Baby)/ LITTLE WALTER: Boll Weevil/ I Just Keep Lovin' Her/ Rollin' And Tumblin'/ Take A Walk With Me (muskadine Blues)/ STICKS MCGHEE: Money Fever/ Sleep In Job/ MR. STRINGBEAN: Pass The Juice Miss Lucy/ Who's Gonna Cry For Me/ THE NATIONAL CLOUDS OF JOY: Comin' Home/ How Much More Can I Bear/ Jesus Make Me Feel Alright/ Somebody Touched Me/ FATS NOEL: Duck Soup/ High Tide/ Wish You Were Here/ You Belong To Me/ PORKCHOPS: Everything's Cool/ I Wanna See My Lovin' Baby/ SONNY & JAYCEE: Mr Froggie/ You Keep Doggin' Me/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Good Luck Blues/ Hard Luck Boogie/ Your Evil Ways/ TENDER SLIM: Don't Cut Out On Me/ I'm Checking Up/ DICKIE THOMPSON: I'm Innocent/ Thirteen Women And One Man/ SUGAR BOY WILLIAMS: Five Long Years (part 2)/ Little Girl |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4003 | Texas Blues, Vol. 1 - Houston Hotshots | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended First of three CDs featuring urban Texas blues recordings from the late 40s and early 50s. This volume is devoted to some of the early recordings made for Don Robey's Peacock label between 1949 and 1951. It includes two tracks by Memphis Slim and his band that isn't Texas blues but is a fine pair of sides and was recorded in Houston. This set features Clarence "Gatemouth" first two Peacock sides - the superb Didn't Reach My Goal and My Time Is Expensive. There are two cuts from the splendid singer/ piano player Lavada Durst (aka Dr. hepcat) including the wonderful Hattie Green. Four cuts feature the down home group the Gondoliers which included guitarist Edgar Blanchard, Tommy Ridgely on piano, harmonica player Papa Lightfoot and drummer Silver Cooks - two have vocals by Cooks and two by Blanchard. Singer/ pianist Elmore Nixon is featured on two tracks and the set also features tracks by R.B. Thibadeaux, Paul Monday, Joe "Papoose" Fritz and the outstanding Bettye Jean Washington. I believe that most of these tracks are making their first apearance on CD. Sound quality is excellent, there are brief notes and full discographical information. (FS) EDGAR BLANCHARD AND THE GONDOLIERS: Creole Gal Blues/ She'll Be Mine After A While/ CLARENCE "GATEMOUTH" BROWN: Didn't Reach My Goal/ My Time Is Expensive/ SILVER COOKS AND THE GONDOLIERS: Coming Back Home/ Mr.ticket Agent/ LAVARDA DURST: Hattie Green/ I Cried/ JOE "PAPOOSE" FRITZ AND HIS ORCHESTRA: I'm Not Suspicious,but/ Summer's Coming On/ MEMPHIS SLIM AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Mean Little Woman/ The Girl I Love/ PAUL MONDAY: Irene's Boogie/ Tired Of This Life I'm Living/ ELMORE NIXON: A Hepcats Advice/ Alabama Blues/ R.B. THIBADEAUX: New Kind Of Loving/ R.b.boogie/ BETTYE JEAN WASHINGTON: Bettye Jean Blues/ Why Oh Why Did You Let Me Go |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4004 | Texas Blues, Vol. 2 - Rock Awhile | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended Another winner this features 20 more examples of small band Texas blues recorded for various labels in 1949 and 1950. There are five cuts by brilliant singer and guitarist Goree Carter whose complete recordings can be found on Blue Moon 6027 and 6036 ($13.98 each). Carter also is featured as accompanist on half a dozen other sides include three by the little known but superb singer/ piano player Lonnie Lyons - Lonnie's piano playing is strongly reminiscent of the great Amos Milburn and his excellent Sneaky Joe is a reworking of Milburn's Chicken Shack Boogie. Lyons excellent piano work appears on Carter's sides as well as those of Carl Campbell (a hot boogie solo on OO Wee Baby)) and L.C. Williams. Also featured are Joe Houston (from his first recording session), Fatman Smith, Memphis Slim (again!), Peppermint Harris, Smilin' Smokey Lynn and Elmore Nixon. (FS) CARL CAMPBELL: Getting' High/ Oo Wee Baby/ GOREE CARTER: Come On Let's Boogie/ Tell Me Is There Still A Chance/ Hoy Hoy/ My Love Coming Down/ Rock Awhile/ JOE "PAPOOSE" FRITZ: Make Her See Things My Way/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Blues Pick On Me/ JOE HOUSTON: Jumpin' The Blues/ SMILIN "SMOKEY" LYNN: Leave My Girl Alone/ LONNIE LYONS: Down In The Groovy/ Sneaky Joe/ Flychick Bounce/ MEMPHIS SLIM AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Sittin' And Thinkin'/ ELMORE NIXON: I Went To See A Gypsy/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: I'm Gonna Leave You Baby/ FATMAN SMITH & CALADONIA'S BOYS ORCHESTRA: I Wonder Why/ JESSIE THOMAS: Let's Have Some Fun/ L.C. WILLIAMS with J.C.CONNEY'S COMBO: Louisiana Boogie |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4005 | Texas Blues, Vol. 3 - Gonna Play The Honky Tonks | ● CD |
| 20 tracks, 53 mins, recommended Another fine collection if not quite as strong as the first two volumes. This volume includes three non Texas artists who Memphis Slim, Walter Brown and Jimmy McCracklin - all fine performances but a little out of place, particularly considering the relatively low number of tracks on each disc. Returning from previous volumes are Carl Campbell. Peppermint Harris, Goree Carter (including a great instrumental issued under the name Rocky Thompson), Joe "Papoose" Fritz, Elmore Nixon, Fatman Smith and Lonnie Lyons - all with fine performances. New to this disc are fine piano player/ vocalist Willie Johnson, Henry Hayes, Marie Adams (hew great 1952 hit I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks) and Sonny Parker with a terrific rendition of Worried Life Blues). MARIE ADAMS: I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks/ WALTER BROWN: Abc Blues/ The Search/ CARL CAMPBELL: Goin Down To Nashville/ GOREE CARTER: I've Got News For You/ I'll Send You/ JOE "PAPOOSE" FRITZ: Better Wake Up Baby/ Real Fine Girl/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Fat Girl Boogie/ HENRY HAYES: I'm Just Another Fool/ WILLIE JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Sampson St. Boogie/ LONNIE LYONS: Betrayed/ Helpless/ JIMMY McCRACKLIN: She's Gone/ ELMORE NIXON: You See Me Smiling/ SONNY PARKER: Worried Life Blues/ FATMAN SMITH: Giddy Up,giddy Up/ ROBERT SMITH: Freeway Boogie/ ROCKY THOMPSON: Bullcorn Blues |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 4006 | Blues Women, 1944-1952 | ● CD |
| 23 tracks, highly recommended Fine collection featuring 23 tracks by blues women recorded in the 40s and early 50s including seven by Miss Rhapsody (Viola Wells), three by Albinia Jones (with Don Byas's Swing Seven), one By Etta Jones (with J.C. Heard and His Band),one by Annisteen Allen (with Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra), three early sides by Lavern Baker when she was recording under the name of Little Miss Sharecropper, four by Varetta Dillard and four by Mabel Scott. Quite a few of these tracks have been out before but this is well thought out collection with excellent sound, informative notes and full discographical deatils. (FS) ANNISTEEN ALLEN: Moanin' The Blues/ VARETTA DILLARD: A Letter In Blues/ Hurry Up/ I Cried And Cried/ Please Tell Me Baby/ ALBINIA JONES: Albinia's Blues/ Evil Gal Blues/ Salty Papa Blues/ ETTA JONES: I Sold My Heart To The Junkman/ MISS RHAPSODY: Blues In My Heart/ Downhearted Blues/ Sugar/ Sweet Man/ He May Be Your Man/ I Fell For You/ The Night Before Judgement Day/ MABEL SCOTT: Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train/ Catch Em Young Treat Em Rough Tell Em Nothing/ No More Cryin Blues/ Somebody Goofed/ LITTLE MISS SHARECROPPER: I Want To Rock/ I'll Try/ Take Out Some Time |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4037 | Bob Geddins' Cava-Tone Records Story | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 70 mins, essential Complementing Acrobat 9012 ("Bob Geddins' Big Town Record Story" - no longer available) this is another superb collection of West Coast blues and gospel produced by the brilliant African-American entrepreneur Bob Geddins. This volume features most of the recordings made for his Cava-Tone label which he operated from 1946 through 1948 producing some sensational music - quite a bit of it ending up reissued on other Geddins labels as well as other West Coast labels like Gilt Edge, Aladdin and RPM. It features two of Lowell FUlson's earliest recordings with Lowell and his country blues guitar accompanied only by his brother Martin. There are several sides featuring the brilliant West Coast blues singer Jimmy Wilson including a great rendition of Nobody's Business with an amazing narration from bass singer Elbrige Vann who also takes the lead on an unexpected rendition of Ghost Riders In The Sky. Wilson is also featured as lead vocalist on two of the four cuts by the superb gospel group The Rising Star Gospel Singers. Geddins was very fond of slow, doom laden blues and there are some great examples here from Jimmy McCracklin, Ulysses James, Emery Franklin, Roy Hawkins and The West Side Trio - the latter's So Tired I Could Cry will sound very familiar to Otis Rush fans. For blues guitar lovers you'll hear some great backup work on these tracks from Ulysses James (a little known but outstanding musician), Robert Kelton and Lafayette Thomas! About the only weak part of this set are the rather lame cuts by Saunders King - three are dull pop ballads and the fourth is a silly jive number that doesn't really go anywhere. Otherwise this is a great set with excellent sound and detailed notes from Opal Louis Nations. Next up on the menu is a CD of Geddins's Irma label due in about a month. (FS) LOWELL FULSON: Lonesome Blues/ My Baby Left Me/ Prison Bound/ Stormin' And Rainin'/ BOB GEDDINS CAVALIERS: Ghost Riders/ Nobody's Business/ ROY HAWKINS: Ain't No Fault Of Mine/ They Raided The Joint/ ULYSSES JAMES: Poor Boy/ SAUNDERS KING: Big Fat Butterfly/ Nobody Wants Me/ September Song/ When Your Lover Has Gone/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Bad Luck And Trouble/ Jimmy's Blues/ Railroad Blues/ THE RISING STAR GOSPEL SINGERS: Brother Moses/ I Trust In God/ Telephone Line/ While The Blood Is Running Warm In Your Veins/ THE WEST SIDE TRIO: So Tired I Could Cry/ West Side Jump/ JIMMY WILSON: Mistake In Life/ It's A Sin To Tell A Lie |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4038 | Bob Geddins' Irma Records Story | ● CD |
| 27 tracks, highly recommended Another great collection of mostly West Coast blues produced by the indefatigable Bob Geddins for his Irma label in 1956/57. It opens with two sides from Texas bluesman Juke Boy Bonner who was living in the Bay Area for a short time in the mid 50s before moving back down South. These two sides, issued as by Juke Boy Barner, find himn accompanied by a fine small group with Lafayette Thomas on guitar on a couple of Jimmy Reed flavored number. In the 60s and 70s he recorded for several labels, most notably Arhpolie, in a much more individualistic and creative style often with a topical flavor. There are eight sides by Jimmy McCracklin with his great band The Blues Blasters which at that time featured the superb tenor sax work of Raymon Boyd and the spectacular guitar of Lafayette Thomas who also appears on the two superb sides by Jimmy Wilson which includes a variation on his most popular song Tin Pan Alley - here it becomes Blues In The Alley. Another familiar Geddins artist is Johnny Fuller whop appears on four sides including First Stage Of The Blues where he sounds like he's impersonating Elvis. Geneva Vallier is a relatively undistinguished vocalist but her He's A Friend (Vote For Adlai Stevenson) is a fascinating topical song and she is accompanied by the fine Candyman McGuirt Band. There is some fine doo-wop from The INtervals, Starlighters and Al Smith & The Angels and the set is rounded out by two fabulous gospel sides The Golden Keys including the church-wrecking Somebody Touched Me. Excellent sound and Opal Louis Nations provides excellent notes butting these recordings into perspective. (FS) JUKE BOY BARNER (AKA JUKE BOY BONNER): Rock With Me Baby/ Well Baby/ JOHNNY FULLER: Strange Land/ Weeping And Mourning/ First Stage Of The Blues/ No More - No More/ THE GOLDEN KEYS: One Step (Don't Wonder 'Bout Him)/ Somebody Touched Me/ THE INTERVALS WITH CHICK MORRIS' BAND: Love Me Sweet/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN & HIS BLUES BLASTERS: (My) Love For You/ Beer Tavern Girl/ Fare-well/ I Wanna Make Love To You/ I'm The One/ Savoy's Jump/ Take A Chance/ You're The One/ AL SMITH & THE ANGELS: Leavin' You Baby/ Sha-Wa-Wa/ THE STARLIGHTERS: Last Night/ Love Cry/ BIG MAMA THORNTON & THE HI-TONES: Big Mama's Coming Home/ Don't Talk Back/ GENEVA VALLIER WITH CANDYMAN MCGUIRT & HIS BAND: He's A Friend (Vote For Adlai Stevenson)/ Sunny Day/ JIMMY WILSON & HIS BLUES BLASTERS: Blues In The Alley/ Oh Red |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 4189 | R&B Jukebox Hits, 1945 Part 1 | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended 1945 was certainly a year with much to be happy about, with the end of the war and advances in the careers of many fine Black artists; unfortunately, it was also the year that Billboard changed its "Harlem Hit Parade" chart to the much less inspired "Race Records." Despite that set-back, the story of 1945's "Rare Record " chart is still worth telling. Acrobat's normally high standard of sound quality is occasionally compromised when, like in the case of Cootie Williams' Somebody's Gotta Go the only source material available is an old worn record, but for continuities sake, to tell the story of R&B in 1945, you gotta use what you can get; most of the rest sounds just great. A wide range is presented here, from the sophisticated sounds of Duke Ellington - I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues, and Nat King Cole - If You Can't Smile and Say Yes & Shy Guy, to the harder stuff by the likes of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - Rock Me Mama & Keep Your Arms Around Me, - and Lucky Millinder's Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well with wildman Wynonie Harris on lead vocal. You also get superb tracks by Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Erskine Hawkins, Cecil Gant, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Savannah Churchil, Ivory Joe Hunter, Joe Liggins and many more.. And this is only part one! (JM) COUNT BASIE: Jimmy's Blues/ BIG MACEO: Things Have Changed/ SAVANNAH CHURCHILL: Daddy Daddy/ KING COLE TRIO: I'm A Shy Guy/ If You Can't Smile And Say Yes/ ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP: Keep Your Arms Around Me/ Rock Me Mama/ THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: It's Only A Paper Moon/ BILLY ECKSTINE: Last Night (and Now Tonight Again/ DUKE ELLINGTON: I Ain't Got Nothin But The Blues/ CECIL GANT: Cecil Boogie/ I'm Tired/ ERSKINE HAWKINS: Trippin' In/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: Blues At Sunrise/ BUDDY JOHNSON: That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch/ LOUIS JORDAN: Caledonia/ Mop Mop/ JOE LIGGINS: The Honey Dripper Pt 1/ The Honey Dripper Pt 2/ LUCKY MILLINDER: Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well/ BILL DOGGETT OCTET: Be Baba Le Ba/ SISTER ROSETTA THARPE: Strange Things Happening Everyday/ BIG JOE TURNER: S.k. Blues/ COOTIE WILLIAMS: Somebody's Gotta Go |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 4190 | R&B Jukebox Hits, 1946 Part 1 | ● CD |
| 24 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended Things were getting wild by 1946 and Louis Jordon led the adventure. His Choo, Choo Ch'Boogie/ Ain't That Just Like A Woman/ Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens/ Buzz Me/ Stone Cold Dead In The Market, and Petootie Pie dominate this collection. On the last three of those songs, Ella Fitzgerald steps in to add her fantastic voice to the mix. Wynonie Harris is also on fire in 1946 and his Wynonies Blues, and Playful Baby help to stir things up. Other fantastic cuts by the Nat King Cole Trio, Joe Liggins, Lucky Millinder, Can Calloway (his swell take on Joe Liggins' big hit from '45, The Honeydripper"), Big Joe Turner, Julia Lee & Her Boyfriends, Roosevelt Sykes, and many more greats of Jazz, Blues and R&B. (JM) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4193 | R&B Jukebox Hits: 1949, Volume 1 | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended Here we are treated to another brilliant collection in Acrobat's "R&B Jukebox" series. 1949 was the watermark year that Jerry Wexler (R.I.P.) finally persuaded Billboard to change their offensively labeled "Race Records" charts to the much more appropriate "Rhythm & Blues" charts. So almost as if in celebration, all kinds of amazing Rhythm & Blues records came out in 1949; this collection only covers the first half. A&M Blues by Amos Milburn, The Deacon's Hop by Big Jay McNeeley and His Blue Jays, Hot Biscuits by Jay McShann & His Band That Jumps The Blues, Grandma Plays The Numbers by Wynonie Harris, Rockin' at Midnight by Roy Brown, and Drinkin' Wine Spo Dee O Dee by Stick McGhee (what a great year for us Mc's,) to name just a few. You also get some fine Jazz from Billy Eckstine, some Description Blues from T Bone Walker, and some Hucklebuck, like Hucklebuck Daddy by Jimmy Preston and The Hucklebuck by Paul Williams & His Hucklebuckers. If that's not enough to convince you, this CD also has Hip Shakin' Mama by Chubby "Hip Shakin'" Newsome & Her Hip Shakers--what more could you want? All rolled up together with extensive line notes and fantastic sound to complete the package. (JM) BROTHER BONES & HIS SHADOWS: Sweet Georgia Brown/ ROY BROWN: Rockin' At Midnight/ CHARLES BROWN TRIO: Get Yourself Another Fool/ BILLY ECKSTINE: Bewildered/ Blue Moon/ Fools Rush In/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Grandma Plays The Numbers/ I Feel That Old Age Comin' On/ ERSKINE HAWKINS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Corn Bread/ BUDDY JOHNSON & HIS ORCHESTRA: I Don't Care Who Knows/ JULIA LEE & HER BOY FRIENDS: I Didn't Like It The First Time (the Spinach Song)/ STICK MCGHEE & HIS BUDDIES: Drinkin' Wine Spo-dee-o-dee/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: The Deacon's Hop/ JAY MCSHANN: Hot Biscuits/ AMOS MILBURN: A & M Blues/ Bewildered/ CHUBBY "HIP SHAKIN'" NEWSOME & HER HIP SHAKERS: Hip Shakin' Mama/ JIMMY PRESTON & HIS PRESTONIANS: Hucklebuck Daddy/ HAL SINGER SEXTETTE: Beef Stew/ ANDREW TIBBS: I Feel Like Crying/ T-BONE WALKER: Description Blues/ T-bone Shuffle/ PAULA WATSON: You Broke Your Promise/ PAUL WILLIAMS & HIS HUCKLEBUCKERS: The Hucklebuck/ JIMMY WITHERSPOON: Ain't Nobody's Business (part 1) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat ACMCD 4263 | The Jaxyson Records Story | ● CD |
| Incredible collection of blues and gospel recorded for
the tiny Jaxyson label in Oakland, California in the late 40s. Not only
have most of these 25 tracks not appeared on CD, 13 have never been
issued in any form and were turned up a few years ago on acetates being
sold at a swap meet - 7 of them by unknown artists. The rest includes
tracks by Black Diamond, Goldrush, Johnny Fuller, Charles White, The
Rainbow Gospel Singers, etc. More details next time. SUSAN BENNETT: Singing In My Soul/ BLACK DIAMOND: Lonesome Blues/ JOSEPH BUTLER: Texas Blues (T.P. Railer)/ BROTHER JOHNNY FULLER: I Must Tell Jesus/ JOHNNY FULLER: From Bad To Worse (incomplete)/ GOLDRUSH: All My Money Is Gone/ Hold That Train, Conductor/ THE GOSPEL TRUMPETS: Constantly Abiding/ Good Morning To Heaven/ REV. L.H. NARCISSE: I'm Going To Tell God/ What Could I Do/ THE RAINBOW GOSPEL SINGERS: On The Battlefield/ Today/ SISTER RITA: Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet, Gabriel/ UNKNOWN ARTIST: Goin' Back Down In Old Mobile/ I’ll Meet You in the Morning/ Jaxyson Scratch/ Say A Word/ Stand By Me/ Standing On Jordan/ Weep Below, Children, (Weep No More)/ CHARLES WHITE: Didn't It Rain/ Stand By Me/ How Long/ Well Done |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Acrobat 5015 | Blind Willie McTell & The Regal Country Blues | ● CD |
| 2 CDs, 37 tracks, 1 hour 41 min., essential A superb 6- and 12-string country blues guitarist and singer, McTell recorded between 1928-56, and virtually everything is at least very good, and most of it is worthy of whatever flattering superlatives anyone can think up. In this case, the first CD houses McTell's 1949 Regal Records (based in New Jersey) sessions, marking a rediscovery of sorts. In terms of sound quality, these recordings are jaw-droppingly wonderful, and the performances are likewise a delight, including Don't Forget It |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Alligator 4855 | Hound Dog Taylor - A Tribute | ● CD |
| A tribute to this exciting performer who was
Alligator's first artist - Luther Allison, Elvin Bishop, Dave Hole, Cub
Koda & the Houserockers, Son Seals, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, etc.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Alligator 9201 | The Alligator Christmas Collection | ● CD |
| Have a bluesy Christmas with the 'gators including
Mery, Merry Christmas by Koko Taylor, I'm Your Santa by Lil'
Ed & The Blues Imperials, Please Let Me Be Your Santa Claus by
William Clarke, Boogie Woogie Santa Claus by Charles Brown,
Christmas On The Bayou by Lonnie Brooks, Deck The Halls With
Boogie Woogie by Katie Webster and more by Elvin Bishop, Clarence
"Gatemouth" Brown, Kenny Neal, Tinsley Ellis, Son Seals and others. 14
tracks in all. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Bethlehem 3500-2 | Blues 'n' Folk | ● CD |
| Reissue of 1957 album featuring 12 tracks from the King/
Federal catalog - some infrequently reissued - Lonnie Johnson, John Lee
Hooker, Champion Jack Dupree, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Piney Brown,
Memphis Slim, Sticks McGhee, Jimmy Rushing, Smokey Hogg, Washboard Bill
and Johnny Temple. |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Black Top 1055 | Gulf Coast Blues Volume 1 | ● CD |
| Solid collection of Texas and Louisiana blues and R&B
featuring four excellent performers. There are two excellent tracks by
Carol Fran, a Louisiana singer who had some minor hits in the 50s but
has not been on record for a while. She is accompanied by an excellent
band with fine guitar from her husband Clarence Holliman. Houston
singer/ guitarist Joe Hughes gives out with two good tracks and hot
saxophonist Grady Gaines does a two part instruemntal. The album is
rounded out by four tracks by singer/ piano player Teddy Reynolds. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Blues Documents BDCD 6028 | Memphis Harp & Jug Blowers 1927-39 | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 73 mins - recommended As Mike Rowe so cogently points out in his liner notes, Memphis was a haven for great harmonica players and several of them are represented on this outstanding collection which starts off with a harmonica free Memphis Jug Blues by the Memphis Jug Band - an alternate take which has previously eluded the perspicacious Mr Parth. There are 12 tracks featuring the brilliant Jed Davenport - a dazzling harmonica player who is featured in a variety of settings including a couple of tracks with singer/ guitarist Joe Williams (not Big Joe - probably the ubiquitous Joe McCoy). 6 tracks features Jed's own jug band The Beale Street Jug Band which in addition to Davenports great harmonica work and the tight ensemble playing features some nice fiddle work by an unknown fiddler. There are 4 vocals by large voiced Minnie Wallace accompanied by her Night Hawks with Will Shade taking the harmonica honors plus (probably) Eddie Miller on piano and Son Joe or Robert Wilkins on piano. Finally there are 8 tracks by the intense Little Buddy Doyle accompanied by a harmonica player who is thought to be Walter Horton. Whoever it is is a brillantly expressive performer whose playing weaves in and around Doyle's aching voice that brings to mind some of Little Walter's early accompaniments to Muddy waters. Some of the tracks on this set are from pretty noisy 78s but there is so much great music here that I would be hard pressed not to recommend this very highly indeed. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Cannonball 29203 | Blues Across America - The Dallas Scene | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, recommended This collection opens with four tracks by gruff down home bluesman Henry Qualls accompanying himself on very funky electric guitar with a rhythm section. Three of the cuts are mostly instrumental with Henry shouting out the virtues of Squirrel Sandwich on the first track ("no cholesterol!" - you might want to check with the FDA on that - then again maybe there's another meaning to the song). He also plays some down home slide on the spiritual What You Gonna Do. Singer/ piano player Big Al Dupree has a more uptown approach on his four original songs accompanied by a fine band with splendid guitar from Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones. Jones also provides the fine guitar behind vocalist Charles Young who is a relatively undistinguished singer who is a little too in the thrall of B.B. King's style to be of much inbterest though the instrumental accompaniments are fine. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Cannonball 29204 | Blues Across America - The Chicago Scene | ● CD |
| 13 tracks, recommended Three solid sessions of Chicago blues produced between 1989 and 1996 by drummer Twist Turner who plays on all the sessions. There are four sides from fine vocalist Robert Plunkett - his only solo recordings accompanied by a fine band. His songs include the topical Crack Smokin' Woman and a fine cover of the Junior Parker song Stranded In St. Louis. These are also the only solo recordings (he played guitar on several sessions by other artists) of Emery Williams Jr. - an outstanding singer with a powerful soul-blues style a little reminiscent of Little Milton. He sings five songs written by Twist Turner including a couple of fine minor key songs. Instrumental arrangements vary from track to track with four different guitarists featured including the outstanding Maurice John Vaughn on Your Turn To Cry. Singer/ harmonica player Little Arthur Duncan who is the only performer here who had much of a career after these recordings - his first. Duncan is an excellent singer and dynamic harmonica player and he does Eugene Church's Pretty Girls Everywhere to the tune of Scratch My Back! he is also featured a couple of originals plus J.B. Lenoir's Mama Talk To Your Daughter. Another worthwhile set from Cannonball. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Cannonball 29206 | Blues Across America - The Nashville Scene | ● CD |
| 12 tracks, highly recommended Three tracks each by Al Garner, Johnny Jones, Charles "Wigg" Walker and Clifford Curry. The tracks by Johnny Jones are worth the price of admission - superb vocals and brilliant inspired guitar work from this outstanding artist who has primarily worked as sideman since the 1950s. He is accompanied by an excellent band led by the talented Fred James. Garner is a solid vocalist who does covers of three obscure songs accompanied by the rocking group The Roadrunners. Charles "Wigg" Walker is a superb vocalist accompanied by an excellent band featuring the fine guitar of Fred James who also accompanies the fine Clifford Curry on three excellent original songs. (FS) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Cass 70107 | Big Boss Men | ● CD |
| 17 tracks from various sources - Earl Hooker, Jimmy
Reed, Big Joe Williams, Lightnin' Hopkins, Homesick james, Roosevelt
Sykes. EARL HOOKER: Blues for Dancers/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Louisiana Woman/ War Is Starting Again/ JIMMY REED: Big Legged Woman/ Cry Before I Go/ Down at the Corner Grocery Store/ Hard Walkin' Hanna/ Xmas Present Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Bad News/ Bird Nest on the Ground/ Hey Woman/ I'm Gonna Get Even With You/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Blues on Decoration Day/ My Troubles/ What You Gonna Do for Me/ HOMESICK JAMES WILLIAMSON: Lonesome Road/ Woman I Love (My Home Is in Georgia) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Charly CDGR 143 | Chicago Blues - The Golden Era | ● CD |
| Two CD set - 44 classic tracks from Ora Nelle, Old
Swingmaster, J.O.B., Chance, Cobra, Chief, Vee Jay and other important
Chicago labels covering the period 1947 to 1964 - Little Walter, Johnny
Young, Floyd Jones, Eddie Boyd, Johnny Shines, Tampa Red, Willie Nix,
J.B. Hutto, Jimmy Reed, Robert Lockwood, Eddie Taylor, Otis Rush,
Sunnyland Slim, Elmore James, Magic Sam, Charles Clark, Shakey Jake,
Buddy Guy, Memphis Slim, Junior Wells, Lillian Offitt, Homesick James,
etc. Wonderful music though just about everything here is available on
other albums including other Charly albums. BILLY BOY ARNOLD: I Was Fooled/ BIG MAC: Rough Dried Woman/ EDDIE BOYD: Five Long Years/ OTHUM BROWN: Ora Nelle Blues/ CHARLES CLARK: Row Your Boat/ BUDDY GUY: This Is The End/ EARL HOOKER: Blues In D Natural/ WALTER HORTON: Have A Good Time/ J.B. HUTTO: Combination Boogie/ Things Are So Slow/ LEE JACKSON: Fishing In My Pond/ ELMORE JAMES: Dust My Broom/ It Hurts Me Too/ FLOYD JONES: Dark Road/ Stockyard Blues/ J. B. LENOIR: Mojo Boogie/ LITTLE HUDSON: I'm Looking For A Woman/ LITTLE WALTER: Blue Baby/ I Just Keep Loving Her/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: Aw Baby (sweet Home Chicago)/ MAGIC SAM: All My Whole Life/ All Your Love/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Wish Me Well/ WILLIE NIX: Just Can't Stay/ LILLIAN OFFITT: Will My Man Be Home Tonight?/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Judgement Day/ JIMMY REED: Baby, What You Want Me To Do/ You Don' Have To Go/ OTIS RUSH: Checkin' On My Baby/ Double Trouble/ I Can't Quit You Baby/ SHAKEY JAKE: Call Me If You Need Me/ JOHNNY SHINES: Brutal Hearted Woman/ Evening Sun/ SNOOKY & MOODY: Boogie/ SUNNYLAND SLIM: It's You Baby/ TAMPA RED: Please, Mister Doctor/ EDDIE TAYLOR: Bad Boy/ Big Town Playboy/ JUNIOR WELLS: Little By Little/ Messin' With The Kid/ Prison Bars All Around Me/ HOMESICK JAMES WILLIAMSON: Crossroads/ JOHNNY YOUNG: My Baby Walked Out |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Charly CDGR 145 | Chicago Blues - The Vee-Jay Era (Double Cd - 50 tracks) | ● CD |
| Two CD set featuring 50 sides recorded for Vee-Jay
between 1953 and 1965 mixing old favorites from Jimmy Reed, John Lee
Hooker and Eddie Taylor with less frequently reissued sides from Big Joe
Williams, Memphis Slim (including some great Matt Murphy/guitar), L.C.
McKinley, Floyd Jones, Billy Emerson, Snooky Pryor and others. Some cuts
never before on CD. BILLY BOY ARNOLD: Don't Stay Out All Night/ Don't Stay Out All Night/ Here's My Picture/ Here's My Picture/ Kissin' At Midnight/ Kissin' At Midnight/ Prisoner's Plea/ Prisoner's Plea/ BILLY EMERSON: (Do)The Chicken/ (Do)The Chicken/ Do Yourself A Favor/ Do Yourself A Favor/ Don't Be Careless/ Don't Be Careless/ Don't Start Me Lyin'/ Don't Start Me Lyin'/ Every Woman I Know/ Every Woman I Know/ If You Won's Stay Home/ If You Won's Stay Home/ Somebody Show Me/ Somebody Show Me/ The Pleasure Is All Mine/ The Pleasure Is All Mine/ Tomorrow Never Come/ Tomorrow Never Come/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: You Never Miss Your Water/ BILLY EMERSON: You Never Miss Your Water/ ROSCOE GORDON: Just A Little Bit/ Just A Little Bit/ No More Doggin'/ No More Doggin'/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Crawlin' Black Spider/ Crawlin' Black Spider/ Wheel And Deal/ Wheel And Deal/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Time Hard/ Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/ Any Old Lonesome Day/ Floyd Blues/ Floyd's Blues/ Schooldays (On My Mind)/ Schooldays (On My Mind)/ J.B. LENOIR: Oh Baby/ Oh Baby/ L.C. MCKINLEY: Blue Evening/ Blue Evening/ Down With It/ Down With It/ I'm So Satisfied/ I'm So Satisfied/ Lonely/ Lonely/ MEMPHIS SLIM: Blue & Lonesome/ Blue & Lonesome/ Gotta Find My Baby/ Gotta Find My Baby/ Lend Me Your Love/ Lend Me Your Love/ Messin' Around/ Messin' Around/ Mother Earth/ Mother Earth/ My Gal Keeps Me Crying/ My Gal Keeps Me Crying/ Rockin' The House (Beer Drinkin' Woman)/ Rockin' The House (Beer Drinkin' Woman)/ Sassy Mae/ Sassy Mae/ Slim's Blues/ Slim's Blues/ Steppin' Out/ Steppin' Out/ The Comeback/ The Comeback/ Wish Me Well/ Wish Me Well/ SNOOKY PRYOR: Judgement Day (alternate)/ Judgement Day (alternate)/ Someone To Love Me (Alternate)/ Someone To Love Me (Alternate)/ You Tried To Ruin Me Baby/ You Tried To Ruin Me Baby/ JIMMY REED: Going By The River, Part 1/ Going By The River, Part 1/ Going By The River, Part 2/ Going By The River, Part 2/ EDDIE TAYLOR: Ride 'Em On Down/ Ride 'Em On Down/ You'll Always Have A Home/ You'll Always Have A Home/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Baby Left Town/ Baby Left Town/ Eula Mae/ Eula Mae/ Goin' Back (Goin' Back Home)/ Goin' Back (Goin' Back Home)/ King's Highway/ King's Highway |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5087 | The Goldband Blues Collection, Vol 1 | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 53 mins, recommended First in a series of three CDs featuring blues and R&B recordings cut in the 50s and early 60s by Lake Charles, Louisiana entrepeneur Eddie Shuler for is Goldband label and his offshoots Tic-Toc and Folk Star label. Shuler could not be considered a great producer and so his recording sessions were marked by lack of reheasal, suspect tuning and poor recording balance but with such a wealth of talent in the area it was hard not to end up with some exciting music. Much of the material on these volumes was not originally issued and most of it is making its first appearance on CD. Among the artists featured here are Clarence garlow, Juke Boy Bonner, the wonderful Cookie & The Cupcakes (including one great cut with Katie Webster duetting with Cookie), Sticks Herman, Big Chenier (Clifton's uncle) and others. (FS) ELTON ANDERSON: But I Love You/ Catch That Train/ Come Back Home/ JUKE BOY BONNER: Can't Hardly Keep From Crying/ BOBBY BROWN: Who Are They To Say/ BIG CHENIER: Just Couldn't Take It/ Let Me Hold Your Hand/ COOKIE & THE CUPCAKES: I Cried & I Cried/ Need All Your Loving Baby/ SHELTON DUNAWAY AND THE CUPCAKES: Cindy Lou/ I'm Going/ CLARENCE GARLOW: Sound The Bell/ Sunday Morning/ Train Came A Rolling Down The Track/ STICKS HERMAN: My Love Is Real/ Teenage Baby/ Give Me Your Love/ CHARLES (MAD DOG) SHEFFIELD: One Hour Thirty Minues Too Long/ KATIE WEBSTER AND ASHTON SAVOY: Dingle I Love You/ Juke Joint (instrumental)/ KATIE WEBSTER AND COOKIE & THE CUPCAKES: You Gonna Need Me |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5088 | The Goldband Blues Collection, Vol 2 | ● CD |
| 22 tracks, 56 mins, recommended The second collection opens with Charles "Mad Dog" Sheffield's reworking of Little Willie John's Fever as Wicked Old Fever with hot guitar by Clarence Garlow. The following track Nothing Can Keep My Love From You from singer/ harmonica player Al Smith also has nice guitar from an unknown player. Thaddeus Decoulet is an interesting singer whose two songs here are variations on Lonesome Sundown's Leave My Money Alone with zyedco accordion and, on the first version, some amazingly out-of-tune guitar. Singer/ guitarist Left Hand Charlie is also out of tune but not quite as much and his tracks are really quite interesting. Also on this volume are Charle Perrywell & The Fairlanes, Juke Boy Bonner, Clarence Garlow (including the zyedco flavored I Dont' Know and Za Belle) and others. (FS) ELTON ANDERSON: Keep Wanting Your Love/ JUKE BOY BONNER: My Time To Go/ True Love Waiting/ KING CHARLES WITH LEFT HANDED CHARLIE: Bop Cat Stomp/ BIG CHENIER: Don't Misunderstand Me Baby/ COOKIE AND THE CUPCAKES: Some Day You'll Understand (Early)/ THADDEUS DECOULET: Come Back Baby/ Know That Isn't Right/ CLARENCE GARLOW: I Don't Know/ Pretty Little Dolly/ Za Belle/ STICKS HERMAN: I'll Never Let Her Go/ LEFT HANDED CHARLIE: But You Thrill Me/ Honey Bee, Honey Bee/ LITTLE BOB AND THE LOLLYPOPS: Don't Send Me Away/ BILL PARKER AND OLA VAUGHN: Darling If You Love Me/ CHARLES "MAD DOG" SHEFFIELD: Clear My Nights Of Misery/ I Hear Someone/ One Hour Thirty Mintues Too Long/ Wicked Old Fever/ AL SMITH: I Love Her So/ Nothing Can Keep My Love From You |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5089 | The Goldband Blues Collection, Vol 3 | ● CD |
| 21 tracks, 56 mins, very good The third volume is the weakest of the three with mostly unexceptional material rather too many tracks by Bill Parker and his band with vocals by the unexeceptional Ola Vaughn, Little Miss Peggie, Blues Boy Palmer or Nat Eckbert. Scottie Milford is an interesting singer who was actually recorded in the eighties though thanks to Eddie Shuler's patented recording technique could have been recorded 20 years earlier. Rockin' Sidney is featured on two cuts from 1969. The set also includes Thaddeus Decoulet, Cookie & The Cupcakes, Hop Wilson, Ivory Jackson and others. (FS) BIG CHENIER: Going To The City/ I Wanna Know I Know Now/ COOKIE & THE CUPCAKES: In The Evening/ THADDEUS DECOULET: Want You All For Myself/ SHELTON DUNAWAY WITH THE CUPCAKES: Keep Living/ NAT ECKBERT WITH BILL PARKER BAND: Ain't Giving Up Nothing/ IVORY JACKSON: Clautelia/ LITTLE MISS PEGGIE WITH BILL PARKER: Freddie Freddie/ Peggie's Blues/ These Tears Of Love/ SCOTTIE MILFORD: Happy Days Are Gone/ Shame Shame On You Baby/ BLUES BOY PALMER: All Day All Night/ Deep In My Heart/ BILL PARKER & OLA VAUGHN: Baby Why Why Why/ CHARLES PERRYWELL WITH THE FAIRLANES: You're Lonesome Now/ ROCKIN' SIDNEY: Boogie In The Mud/ Gotta Keep On Pushing/ HOP WILSON: 'Broke And Hungry/ Rockin' In The Coconut Top/ THE YELLOW JACKETS: So What |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5208 | Harlem Rock N' Blues Vol. 1 | ● CD |
| Just perfect for those long trips on the freeway -
eighteen solid sending instrumentals and vocal warblings from the Bobby
Robinson, Red Robin, Fire, Fury, and Everlast labels of the 50's and
60's. Steering wheel tappers include #9 Blues/ Shake Baby Shake
by Champion Jack Dupree, ably assisted by Sonny Terry, Brownie & Sticks
McGhee, Wiggles/ Crying My Heart Out by Red Prysock and what
sounds like the Tiny Grimes set of rug cutters, Hard Grind/
Scratchin' by ace wire-plucker "Wild" Jimmy Spruill, plus highly
charged particles by Buster Brown, Tiny Grimes, King Curtis, Noble
Watts, June Bateman and others. (OLN) JOHNNY ACEY: Why/ B. BROWN: Fanny Mae Is Back/ KING CURTIS: Mr. Crow/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Number Nine Blues/ JACK DUPREE: Shake Baby Shake/ TINY GRIMES: Juicy Fruit/ WILLIS JACKSON: Good To The Bone/ HAL PAIGE/WAILERS/BOBBY ROBINSON: Pour The Corn/ PAUL PERRIMAN: Keep A Callin'/ RED PRYSOCK: Crying My Heart Out/ Wiggles/ ROCKIN' BRADLEY: Lookout/ RIFF RUFFIN: That Night/ JIMMY SPRUILL: Hard Grind/ WILD JIMMY SPRUILL: Scratchin'/ TARHEEL SLIM: Wildcat Tamer/ SONNY TERRY: Doggin' My Heart Around/ NOBLE WATTS/JUNE BATEMAN: Go Away Mr. Blues |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5209 | Harlem Rock N' Blues Vol. 2 | ● CD |
| Since Bobby Robinson founded Red Robin Records in 1951,
his production and promotion of great solid blues, vocal, and
instrumental R&B have remained virtually unsurpassed to this day. Volume
2 of recordings drawn from his labels embraces the talents of King
Curtis, "Wild" Jimmy Spruill, Champion Jack Dupree, Red Prysock, Buster
Brown, Hal Paige and The Whalers, Noble Watts and more. Hard blues and
R&B of the delirium tremens school. Usual sloppy packaging from
Collectables, but the sounds are definitely worth it. Some duplication
with previous foreign and domestic reissues. (OLN) JOHNNY ACEY: Baby Please Come Back/ B. BROWN: Candied Yams/ JOHNNY CLEF: Baby Please Come Home/ KING CURTIS: Harmonica Twist/ DR. HORSE: South Poke, West Virginia/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Drunk Again/ Shim Sham Shimmy/ BROWNIE MCGHEE: Daisy/ HAL PAGE: After Hour Blues/ PAUL PERRIMAN: I Don't Need Nothin' Else/ RED PRYSOCK: Hard Rock/ Jump For George/ RIFF RUFFIN: All My Life/ I Don't Mind/ WILD JIMMY SPRUILL: Cut And Dried/ Kansas City March/ SONNY TERRY: Harmonica Hop/ NOBLE WATTS AND JUNE BATEMAN: Possum Belly Overalls |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5303 | The Gotham Series - House Party | ● CD |
| CD version of Krazy Kat 803 which was the first of an
extensive series of reissues from the Gotham label. Spanning '49 thru
'53, the collection includes the rocking Roly Poly Mama by Harry
Crafton with fine wailing sax break, the mellow Eddie Cole on That's
Right, Charlie Gonzales sounding like Calvin Boze on the jumping
I'm Free and a down in the alley T.N.T. Tribble on House Party.
Other jive cats include J.B. Summers with Tiny Grimes, Bill Jennings,
Sax Gill, Frank Motley, Jimmy Preston, The Jones Boys, Johnny Sparrow,
Danny Turner & Daisy Mae & The Hepcats. Interesting birth and growth of
the Gotham label sleeve notes by Bruce Bastin. JONES BOYS: I Ain't Mad At You/ EDDIE COLE: That's Right/ HARRY CRAFTON: Roly Poly Mama/ SAX GILL: Mel's Jump/ CHARLIE GONZALES: I'm Free/ BILL JENNINGS: Stomp/ DAISY MAE & THE HEPCATS: Corn Pone/ FRANK MOTLEY: Dual Trumpet Blues/ JIMMY PRESTON: Hey Everybody/ JOHNNY SPARROW: Paradise Rock/ J.B. SUMMERS AND TINY GRIMES: Drinking Beer/ T.N.T. TRIBBLE: House Party/ Red Hot Boogie/ DANNY TURNER: Danny's Blues |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5308 | Brown Gal | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 808. This volume of Gotham masters
features female boogie pianists. The first 6 tracks feature Miltone
recordings from 1946 by Roy Milton & His Solid Senders with Camille
Howard on piano and a few vocals. The credits are as originally issued,
so Camille's name is only on the When I Grow Too Old To Dream/
Sometimes I'm Happy coupling, though Roy sings the 1st and Jimmy
Grissom the 2nd one. Also includes Milton's re-recordings of RM Blues
& Milton's Boogie , plus Camille's own vocals on Mr. Fine/
Groovy Blues/ If I Had You . Lil Hardin Armstrong, Louis's wife and
pianist during the 20s, is heard on fine R & B sides from 1950 with
unknown backing featuring a fine bluesy guitar. The title tune was later
a hit for The Jive Bombers as Bad Boy , plus this inc. previously
unissued takes of Baby Daddy & Rock It . Finally there's 2
fine boogie instrumentals from Donnegan. (GM) LIL ARMSTRONG: Baby Daddy/ Baby Daddy (Previously Unreleased)/ Brown Gal/ Joogie Boogie/ Rock It/ Rock It (Previously Unreleased)/ DOROTHY DONEGAN: If I Had You/ Piano Player's Blues, The/ CAMILLE HOWARD: Groovy Blues/ Mr. Fine/ Sometime's I'm Happy/ When I Grow To Old To Dream/ ROY MILTON: Milton's Boogie/ R. M. Blues |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5312 | Gotham Gospel, Vol. 1 | ● CD |
| CD reissue of Krazy Kat 812. Gotham Records was an
immensly important label in gospel recording in the 50s and although
much of their gospel holding were sold off there is enough left in the
vaults to produce a series of fine album of which this is the first.
This album features 14 sides by 6 different quartets recorded between
1949 and 1958, much of it probably recorded by Detroit's indefatigable
Joe Von Battle and most of it previously unissued. There are three
intense sides by the most well known group here The Violinaires. There
is one excellent acapella track by The National Clouds Of Joy and three
fine tracks from 1958 by the Zion Harmonizers from Detroit. Side two is
all Detroit groups and includes two lovely sides by The Mid-South
Singers. The rest of side two features an unknown female group and an
unknown male group - both very good but not exceptional. Excellent sound
and informative notes by British gospel expert and discographer Bob
Laughton. (FS) MID-SOUTH SINGERS: God Can Use You/ I'll Meet You In The Morning/ THE NATIONAL CLOUDS OF JOY: Don't Cry/ UNKNOWN DETROIT FEMALE GROUP: Are You Ready?/ UNKNOWN DETROIT MALE GROUP: Come On Over Here/ UNKNOWN DETROIT FEMALE GROUP: Draw Me Nearer/ UNKNOWN DETROIT MALE GROUP: I Must Tell Jesus/ Lonesome For Mother's Prayer/ THE VIOLINAIRES: My Work Will Be Done/ Sign Of Judgement/ Someone Is Waiting For Me/ THE ZION HARMONIZERS: Every Day Will Be Sunday/ The Other Shore/ Working The Road |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5314 | Big Band Blues | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 814. 14 tunes from the Gotham
vaults recorded in the early 50's. Mostly Jimmy Rushing and Ernie
Fields, with a cut by J.B. Summers and 3 by Tiny Tim (no, not that
one!). Rushing does Lotsa Poppa/ Fool's Blues plus 3. ERNIE FIELDS: Butch's Blues/ Butch's Blues/ Frustrated Woman/ My Prince/ Untitled Blues(Previously Unreleased)/ JIMMY RUSHING: Ain't It Lonesome/ Fool's Blues/ Hey Miss Bessie, 1/ Hey Miss Bessie, 2/ Lotsa Poppa/ J.B. SUMMERS: Merry-Go-Round(Previously Unreleased)/ TINY TIM: Do The Bump, Part 1/ Do The Bump, Part 2/ Worst Old Feeling(Previously Unreleased) |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5320 | Alley Special - Gotham Blues | ● CD |
| 14 tracks, highly recommended CD issue of Krazy Kat 820. Great collection of down home blues from the Gotham & 20th Century labels though most of it was leased from elsewhere. The most interesting track historically is Mean Red Spider which was issued by James "Sweet Lucy" Carter on 20th Century in 1946 but turns out to actually be Muddy Waters performing his first commercial recording - one of the staples of his repertoire, accompanied by an urban band with a truly appalling soprano sax. The rest of the album is not as interesting historically but is far superior musically and includes 3 tracks by the amazing Texas singer/ guitarist Wright Holmes featuring some amazing jagged guitar and intense vocals, there are two tracks each by splendid Louisiana bluesmen David Pete McKinley and Stick Horse Hammond, one by California singer/ harmonica player Sonny Boy Johnson, two by the wonderful Detroit singer/ guitarist Baby Boy Warren, two previously unissued sides by the mysterious W.H. Harris - a fine gruff voiced singer accompanied by guitar, bass & drums and a previously unissued cut by Eddie Burns. Excellent sound and informative notes by Chris Smith. (FS) EDDIE BURNS: Untitled Blues/ STICK "HORSE" HAMMOND: Little Girl/ Truck 'Em On Down/ W. HARRIS: Angel Of Mercy/ Low Down Dirty Shame/ WRIGHT HOLMES: Alley Special/ Drove From Home Blues/ Good Road Blues/ SONNY BOY JOHNSON: Quinsella/ DAVID PETE MCKINLEY: Ardelle/ Shreveport Blues/ BABY BOY WARREN: My Special Friend Blues/ Nervy Woman Blues/ MUDDY WATERS: Mean Red Spider |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5324 | East Coast Blues | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 46 min, highly recommended Gotham didn't record a lot of country blues, but that which it did is high quality. This album, originally Krazy Kat 824, complements the Sonny Terry LP (#807) and the magnificent Dan Pickett LP (#811) with more great east coast country blues. This album features 3 alternate takes of songs by Pickett plus the superb I Can Shake It. There is also an alternate of No Love Blues by Sonny Terry with fine slide guitar. There are three tracks by the very fine Doug Quattlebaum from 1953 including the beautiful Foolin' Me and the remarkable Don't Be Funny Baby. There are two tracks by Tarheel Slim on which his melodic vocal and guitar are accompanied by a fine second guitarist - marvelous! There are 6 tracks by fine Alabama singer/ guitarist Ralph Willis with second guitar and bass. Fine performances though they pale compare to most of the other artists here. Interesting notes by Chris Smith, xeroxed from the LP cover! (FS) DAN PICKETT: Driving That Thing/ I Can Shake It/ Laughing Blues/ Number Writer/ DOUG QUATTLEBAUM: Don't Be Funny Baby/ Foolin' Me/ Lizzy Lou/ TARHEEL SLIM: Somebody Changed The Lock/ You're A Little Too Slow/ SONNY TERRY: No Love Blues/ RALPH WILLIS: Goin' To Chattanooga/ I Will Never Love Again/ New Goin' Down Slow/ So Many Days/ Steel Mill Blues/ That Gal's No Good |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5325 | Gotham Gospel, Vol. 2 | ● CD |
| CD reissue of Krazy Kat 825. A second treasury of mainly
unissued and alternate takes featuring gospel quartet groups from the
Gotham archives spanning years 1948 thru 1953 on labels Gotham, Gospel,
Apex and Regal. Aggregations include S. Carolina's Harmony Kings of
radio station WTNO, whose style resembles that of early Selah Jubilee's
material, the impressive Gospel Vocalaires of Norfolk led by E.T. "Nick"
Carter who sounds remarkably like Joe Van Loan, The Mt. Eagle Quartet
who greatly influenced The Sensational Nightingales, plus two recently
unearthed gems by Allen Bunn (Tarheel Slim). Most of the singing here is
accompanied only by guitar, others are acapella. Informed sleeve notes
by English gospel researcher Bob Laughton. (OLN) ALLEN BUNN: Get On The Road To Glory/ I Have Found No Friend/ THE CAPITAL CITY QUARTETTE: Lord, Send Mother Back To Me/ No Jim Crow In Heaven/ THE GOSPEL VOCALAIRES: Call Him Anytime/ I'll Be Satisfied/ THE HARMONY KINGS OF WTND: Do You Know Him/ Down On My Knees/ Gospel Train/ I'm A Pilgrim/ Jesus Is My Only Friend/ THE MOUNT EAGLE QUARTET: He's A Friend To Us All/ When I Take My Vacation In Heaven/ THE VOCALAIRES OF NORFOLK: Jezebel Gospel |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5334 | Philadelphia Boogie | ● CD |
| In their ongoing series of reissues from Philadelphia's
Gotham label this issue features mostly recordings cut in Chicago and
California - the former from the legendary J. Mayo Williams and the
latter from Roy Milton's Miltone label. The Chicago recordings, with the
exception of veteran pre-war piano player Lee Brown's Bobbie Town
Boogie are generally fairly undistinguished - Duke Groner's plummy
version of the Dinah Washington hit Blow Top Blues is pretty
mediocre. The West Coast recordings are more lively with interesting
material from veteran West Coast drummer Jesse Price, the unsung hero of
West Coast blues Maxwell Davis and powerful blues shouter Ed "The Great
Gates" White. (FS) LEE BROWN: Bobbie Town Boogie/ JAMES CARTER: Let Me Be Your Coalman/ MAXWELL DAVIS: Get Out/ Welcome Home Baby/ HARRY DIAL: Broad Bottom Boogie/ GREAT "GATES": Cold Blooded Blues/ Come Back Home/ JIMMIE GRISSOM & THE BLENDERS: Frank Bull's Boogie/ DUKE GRONER: New Blow Top Blues/ LEN MCCALL: Philadelphia Boogie/ JESSE PRICE: Creepin' And Peepin'/ Just Before Sunrise/ DOSSIE TERRY: She's Alright/ THE VARIETY CHOCOLATE BARS: Ain't Nothing To It |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5336 | Amazing Grace | ● CD |
| CD issue of Krazy Kat 836. 14 gospel gems from the
Gotham label vaults including two previously unissued acapella tracks by
the great Dixie Hummingbirds from 1949 plus recordings by The
Harmonizing Four, Edna Gallmon Cook, Rugged Cross Singers Of Baltimore,
The Davis Sisters and others. EDNA GALLMON COOK: Glory To His Name/ I've Been Redeemed/ THE DAVIS SISTERS: Get Away Jordan/ If Jesus Is Near/ THE DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS: Born To Die/ Dear Lord Look Down Upon Me/ THE ECHO GOSPEL SINGERS OF BALTIMORE, MD.: I Want Jesus To Walk With Me/ I'm Gonna Have A Happy Time/ THE EVENING STAR QUARTET: Lord Take My Hand/ My Time Ain't Long/ THE HARMONIZING FOUR: Amazing Grace/ Come Over Here/ I Found The Lord/ THE RUGGED CROSS SINGERS OF BALTIMORE, MD.: Try God |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 6075 | Old Town Records Presents Country Blues | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended A fine collection of down home blues recorded for Hy Weiss's Old Town Records in the mid/ late 50s - many of them not originally issued. Ten tracks (six unissued) are devoted to the prolific Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee in a less folk vein than usual accompanied by small electric groups. Particularly are Love's A Disease/ Confusion and the fine instrumental Slidin'. One of Old Town's most prolific blues performer was the superb singer and piano player Bob Gaddy who is featured on five tracks with great accompaniments featuring hot guitar work from Larry Dale or Jimmy Spruill - Spruill's playing on the marvelous Paper Lady is worth the price of admission. The rest of the CD is all originally unissued including two fine demos from Willie Dixon with Willie and his bass accompanied by piano only (probably Champion Jack Dupree). There are four fine sides from the distinctive Texas vocalist James Wayne with an excellent small group with fine guitar (possibly Jimmy Lewis). The set is rounded out by four tracks from the mysterious singer and guitarist Little Willie. Willie is accompanied by a small combo and although the production is occasionally a little ragged these tracks are tremendously exciting with some sensational guitar work. Sound is fine and there are brief notes from Peter Grendysa. If you have the out of print CDs on Ace devoted to Old Town blues then you have everything here - otherwise this is indispensible. (FS) WILLIE DIXON: Could I, Would I/ Ugly Girls/ BOB GADDY: Could I/ I'll Go My Way/ Out Of My Name/ Paper Lady/ The Things I Used To Do/ LITTLE WILLIE: Hard Luck Baby/ Playboy/ Sweet Little Girl/ Workout/ SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE: Climbing On Top Of The Hill/ Confusion/ Crazy 'Bout You Baby/ I Need A Woman/ Love's A Disease/ Reap What You Sow/ She Loves So Easy/ Slidin'/ Sweet Sweet Woman/ Uncle Bud/ JAMES WAYNE: Evil Hearted Woman/ Rock Reel Rock/ True Blues/ Where You Been |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 6076 | Old Town Records Presents City Blues | ● CD |
| 25 tracks, 66 mins, highly recommended Great collection of New York blues recorded for Hy Weiss's Old Town label in the 50s and early 60 including quite a few tracks not originally issued. Many of these tracks appeared on a series of Ace CD some years back but those are now out of print. Includes Hal Paige & The Wailers with tough guitar by Larry Dale who also has two fine sides under his own name. There are tracks by the venerable Buddy & Ella Johnson plus sides by Ursula Reed, Guitar Crusher (his What About Me is not blues but is a superb deep soul performance), Herman Dunham, wonderful singer and piano player Bob Gaddy (with Larry Dale or Jimmy Spruill providing some dynamite guitar), Wild Bill Moore (two honking instrumentals with tough Larry Dale guitar on Slow Drag) and Lester Young. Excellent sound and brief but useful notes by Peter Grendysa. (FS) LARRY DALE: Big Muddy/ What Your Love Means To Me/ HERMAN DUNHAM: Fine Little Thing/ VICKI EVANS: It Was Just For Laughs/ BOB GADDY: Early One Morning/ Girl Who Promises, The/ Operator/ Woe Woe Is Me/ You Are The One/ GUITAR CRUSHER: What About Me/ BUDDY & ELLA JOHNSON: Don't Be Messin' With My Man/ I Got To Talk To Somebody/ Keep On Lovin' You/ Like You Do/ WILD BILL MOORE: Big Bubbles/ Slow Drag/ HAL PAIGE & THE WAILERS: Guitar Blues/ Guitar Shuffle/ My Angel Chile/ Rock This Joint This Morning/ URSULA REED: Fool About The Man I Love/ Have A Good Time Baby/ Ursula's Blues/ You're Laughin' 'Cause I'm Cryin'/ LESTER YOUNG: Down To The River |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS | Columbia 52831 | Messed Up In Love & Other Tales | ● CD |
| 16 tracks, 46 min., recommended A most entertaining sequel to the 1991 set Raunchy Business : Hot Nuts & Lollypops (Legacy 46783) but with no x-rated material - just perfect for the entire family. Ok, a few double entendre lyrics can be heard from country blues guitarists like Barbecue Bob (Beggin' For Love), Bo Carter (I Love That Thing), Blind Willie McTell (Love Makin' Mama) and Blind Boy Fuller (Lost Lover Blues). As for the blueswomen's point of view, we have titles from Merline Johnson (Love Shows Weakness with guitarist George Barnes), Memphis Minnie (When You Love Me), Mamie Smith (U Need Some Lovin') and the Bessie Smith masterpiece (It Makes My Love Come Down with James P. Johnson). Other highlights include Buddy Moss (Love Me, Baby, Love Me), and Lonnie Johnson's awesome Careless Love, in all likelihood the first country blues version of this W. C. Handy composition, and a rare example of Johnson's 12-string guitar playing. (EL) BARBECUE BOB: Beggin' For Love/ BIG JOE & HIS WASHBOARD BAND: I Love You Baby/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Messed Up In Love/ BO CARTER: I Love That Thing/ PETER CLEIGHTON: Love Is Gone/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Lost Lover Blues/ BILL GAITHER: Love Trifling Blues/ LONNIE JOHNSON: Careless Love/ MERLINE JOHNSON: Love Shows Weakness/ CURTIS JONES: Moonlight Lover Blues/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL: Love Makin' Mama/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: When You Love Me/ EMMETT MILLER: Lovesick Blues/ BUDDY MOSS: Love Me, Baby, Love Me/ BESSIE SMITH: It Makes My Love Come Down/ MAMIE SMITH: U Need Some Lovin' |
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