BLUES
& GOSPEL
Clifford Hayes -> Professor James Earle Hines
JOHNNY HEARTSMAN |
Alligator 4800 |
The Touch |
● CD $15.98 |
Heartsman was a multi talented musician but his greatest
strength was as a guitarist - drawing on influences like Lafayette Thomas,
T. Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson he has fashioned an original style that
reveals him to be one of the greatest of all contemporary blues guitarists.
He has a fleet fingered but not fussy style accentuated by imaginative
chording, dazzling arpeggios and effective tremelo effects using the volume
control on his Stratocaster. All but 1 of the titles here are Heartsman
originals and show him to be a witty and sophisticated songwriter whose
songs are eminently suited to his deep, husky voice. In addition to his
brilliant guitar work he also is featured on organ and flute - he is one of
the very few blues flutists around - and if you wonder how bluesy a flute
can be you should check out Tongue. He is joined by members of his
current and recent bands and a couple of tracks feature horns. This is not
the kind of intense, high energy blues we have come to expect from Alligator
and they should be commended for taking a chance on this brilliant, if
little known talent. (FS)
JOHNNY HEARTSMAN: Attitude/ Endless/ Got To Find My Baby/ Heartburn/ Let Me
Love You, Baby/ Oops/ Paint My Mailbox Blue/ Please Don't Be Scared Of My
Love/ Serpent's Touch/ The Butler Did It/ Tongue/ Tongue/ Walkin' Blues/
You're So Fine
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THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL
SINGERS |
Document DOCD 5453 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 : 1936-1937 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 74 min., recommended
Not as striking as Vol. 1,
this year's-worth of Heavenlys' sides is nonetheless full of gorgeous
harmonies and fine bass singing from Jimmy Bryant, who would eventually be
replaced by William Bobo. Moments of interest include the classic
Heavenly Gospel Train and what is apparently the first recording of
Thomas A Dorsey's Precious Lord, which was to become a gospel
standard. This disc also includes the last of the Heavenly Gospel Singers'
sides featuring tenor Fred Whitmore, who died in 1937 and was replaced by
Arthur Lee "Bob" Beatty. (JC)
THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL SINGERS: Didn't It Rain? - Part 2/ Don't You Want That
Stone?/ Fire Down Yonder/ Goin' To Shake My Hand/ Going Back With Jesus/
Heavenly Gospel Train/ I Got My Ticket Ready/ I Just Got Over/ I Open My
Mouth/ I'm In His Care/ Inching Along/ Jesus Is Mine/ John Wrote The
Revelation/ Leak In The Building/ Lord's Prayer/ Precious Lord, Take My
Hand/ Rock My Soul/ Rough And Rocky Road/ This Old World Is In Bad
Condition/ Two Wings/ Walk This Lonesome Valley/ Working On The Building/
You Go And I'll Go With You/ You'd Better Run On
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THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL
SINGERS |
Document DOCD 5454 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 : 1938-1939 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 67 min., recommended
All but the last 5 cuts
feature the Heavenly's star, bass singer Jimmy Bryant; the sole '39 session
lists William Bobo, destined to shine even more brightly, as Bryant's
capable replacement. (Bobo would eventually join the Dixie Hummingbirds,
where he earned a reputation as one of the all-time great quartet bassos.)
These tracks find the Heavenly's moving beyond conventional quartet
arrangements toward a somewhat more sophisticated sound, a kin, say, to that
of the ultra-smooth Golden Gate Quartet, except that secular material was
out of the question. Titles include, I Want To Be More Like Jesus/ So
High I Can't Get Over/ I've Been Buked/ Travel This Road/ Lead Me On/Saw The
Wheel/ Forgive Me, Lord/Ain't That Good News, and more. (JC)
THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL SINGERS: Ain't That Good News/ Cheer The Weary Traveler/
Do Lord Send Me/ Forgive Me, Lord/ Go Where I Send Thee/ Handwriting On The
Wall/ How We Got Over/ I Got Heaven On My Mind/ I Want To Be More Like
Jesus/ I'm The Light Of The World/ I've Been Buked/ If It Wasn't For The
Lord/ It Is God's LoveWalk With Me/ Lead Me On/ Oh! Jonah/ Saw The Wheel/ So
High I Can't Get Over/ Somewhere To Lay My Head/ Standing By The Bedside/
The Fire Is Always Burning In My Soul/ Travel This Road/ When The Gate
Swings Open
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THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL
SINGERS |
Document DOCD 5455 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 : 1939-1941 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 66 min., recommended
The start of the war marked
the end of the Heavenlys; Henderson Massey and Bob Beatty were drafted and
gospel styles were changing. The group cut 102 titles for Bluebird, the last
23 of which are collected here, including My Lord Is Writing All The
Time/ Nobody's Fault But Mine/ It's Cool Down Here/ Time's Windin' Up/ When
Was Jesus Born/ Run On/ I Will Send Thee Glad News, and more. The
Heavenly Gospel Singers led the way from jubilee down the road toward the
"hard" style that dominated gospel music in post-war America and, eventually
pushed a capella quartets like theirs out of the commercial picture. Their
documentary value aside, these recordings are still extremely pleasing, full
of sparkle and charm and dedication that shows and sounds. (JC)
THE HEAVENLY GOSPEL SINGERS: Ain't Got Nowhere To Lay My Head/ Do You Love
King Jesus?/ Don't Drive Your Children Away/ God Leads His Children Along/
Have A Little Walk With Jesus/ I Can't Straighten Them/ I Want Jesus To Walk
With Me/ I Will Send Thee Glad News/ I'm Going To Build Right On That Shore/
In That New Jerusalem/ It's Cool Down Here/ Lord Shall Sound/ My Lord Is
Writing All The Time/ Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Old Death/ Old-Time Religion/
Run On/ The Lord God Is My Shepherd/ Time's Windin' Up/ Walk Together,
Chillun/ What A Time/ When The Trumpet Of Th/ When Was Jesus Born?/ Where
Was Moses
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LUCILLE HEGAMIN |
Document DOCD 1011 |
Vol. 4 - Alternative Takes & Reamining
Titles (1920-26) |
● CD $15.98 |
22 tracks, 68 mins, for completists only
This volume rounds
out Document's Lucille Hegamin series with 18 alternate takes and 4 new
discoveries (two of which are, in fact, most likely by someone else).
Hegamin's peppy delivery and raggy sense of rhythm are shown throughout to
good effect, but it must be noted that the alternates deviate very little
from the master takes on vols. 1-3.(DW)
LUCILLE HEGAMIN: Alabamy Bound (take A)/ Arkansas Blues (?-2)/ Dinah (take
A)/ Every Time I Pick A Sweetie (take B)/ He May Be Your Man (But He Comes
To See Me)(997-1)/ High Brown Blues (take 1)/ High Brown Blues (take 3)/
I'll Be Good But I'll Be Lonesome (take 2)/ I've Got The Wonder Where He
Went (And When He's Coming Back Blues)(take 2)/ I've Got The Wonder Where He
Went (And When He's Coming Back Blues)(take 3)/ I've Got To Cool My Puppies
Now (take 2)/ Jazz Me Blues (485-2)/ No Man's Mama (take A)/ Now You've Got
Him Can You Hold Him (I Don't Think You Know Your Business B/ Papa Papa (I
Don't Want To Be Your Mama No More)(take B)/ Send Back My Honey Man (take
1)/ Send Back My Honey Man (take 2)/ State Street Blues (take 1)/ State
Street Blues (take 3)/ The Jazz Me Blues (take 1)/ Voo-Doo Blues/ You Can
Have Him I Don't Want Him Blues
|
LUCILLE HEGAMIN |
Document DOCD 5420 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 : 1922-1923 |
● CD $15.98 |
LUCILLE HEGAMIN: Aggravatin' Papa (Don't You Try To Two-Time Me)/ Beale St.
Mama (Why Don't You Come Back Home)/ Bleeding Hearted Blues/ Can't Get
Lovin' Blues/ Cold Cold Winter Blues/ Dina/ Down Hearted Blues/ He May Be
Your Man (But He Comes To See Me Sometime)(306)/ I've Got To Cool My Puppies
Now (take 1)/ I've Got What It Takes But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away/
Land Of Cotton Blues/ Lovey Come Back/ Now You've Got Him Can You Hold Him
(I Don't Think You Know Your Business B/ Papa Papa (I Don't Want To Be Your
Mama No More) (take A)/ Saint Louis Gal/ Sam Jones Blues (You Ain't Talkin'
To Mrs. Jones)/ Send Back My Honey Man (take 3)/ Some Early Morning/ Sweet
Papa Joe/ Syncopatin' Mama/ Two Time Dan/ Waiting For The Evening Mail
(Sitting On The Inside Looking At The Outside)/ Wanna Go South Again Blues/
Wet Yo' Thumb/ Your Man - My Man
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LUCILLE HEGAMIN |
Document DOCD 5421 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 : 1923-1932 |
● CD $15.98 |
LUCILLE HEGAMIN: Alabamy Bound (take C)/ Always Be Careful Mamma/
Chattanooga Man/ Dinah (take C)/ Easy Goin' Mamma (Don't Play Hard To Get
With Me)/ Every Time I Pick A Sweetie (take C)/ Hard Hearted Hannah/ Here
Comes Malinda/ Hot Tamale Molly/ I Had Someone Else Before I Had You (And
I'll Have Someone After You're Gon/ I Threw A Good Man Over For You/ If You
Don't Give Me What I Want (I'm Gonna Get It Somewhere Else)/ If You'll Come
Back/ Mamma's The Boss/ My Sugar/ No Man's Mama (take C)/ Nobody But My Baby
Is Gettin' My Love/ Poor Papa (He's Got Nuthin' At All)/ Rampart St. Blues/
Reckless Daddy/ Senorita Mine/ Shake Your Cans/ Sweet Temptation Man/ Totem
Pole/ You May Be Fast 'But' Mamma's Gonna Slow You Down
|
ERWIN HELFER |
The Sirens 5001 |
I'm Not Hungry But I Like to Eat Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 55 mins, recommended
First album in a long while
from veteran Chicago based blues, boogie and jazz pianist. Erwin is in good
form on a selection old favorites (Swanee River Boogie/ Dirty Dozens/ Do
You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans/ See See Rider/ After Hours,
etc) along with some original compositions (Homage To
Pete Johnson/
Stella/ Pooch Piddle/ Day Dreaming and the title tune). It's mostly solo
with a few tracks featuring slightly incongruous tenor sax from John
Brumbach. (FS)
|
DUKE HENDERSON |
Delmark 668 |
Get Your Kicks |
● CD $11.98 |
20 tracks, 56 mins., good
Henderson was a semi-obscure blues
shouter who recorded in L.A. in the mid to late 40's. The songs on this
release were recorded in 1945 and they represent the three recording
sessions Henderson had for Appollo Records. He's backed up by the bands of
Lucky Thompson, Shifty Henry and Jack McVea. The highlights are the songs
that rock the hardest and were recorded with Shifty Henry's All Stars which
had a horn section featuring Wild Bill Moore, Teddy Bucker and George
"Happy" Johnson. Like a lot of R&B recordings from that period of time,
there aren't enough tunes that really rock and too many mid-tempo
numbers...... but the time for everybody to rock just hadn't arrived in '45.
Duke Henderson went on to become a gospel and R&B deejay in L.A. and
eventually became a preacher. If your a fan of mid-40's blues, this is a
chance to see how one of the guys who was just a cut below Wynonie Harris
sounded. (RS)
DUKE HENDERSON: Blues In The Background/ Blues In The Background
(alternate)./ Boogie Man Blues/ Don't Fall In Love With Me, Baby/ Don't
Forget I'm A Married Man/ Don't Keep Me Waiting/ Don't Slam The Door/ Fool
Hearted Woman/ Get Your Kicks/ H.d. Blues (hot Dog Blues)/ Homecoming Blues/
Let's Get Vootin'/ Lottery Blues/ Mama Bear Blues/ Not Worth A Dime/ Oo Wee
Baby, Oo Wee/ S.h. Blues/ Wiggle Wiggle Boogie/ Woman's Blues, I/ Woman's
Blues, II
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ROSA HENDERSON |
Document DOCD 5401 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 1 : 1923 |
● CD $15.98 |
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ROSA HENDERSON |
Document DOCD 5402 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 2 : 1924 |
● CD $15.98 |
|
ROSA HENDERSON |
Document DOCD 5403 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 3 : 1924-1926 |
● CD $15.98 |
|
ROSA HENDERSON |
Document DOCD 5404 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol 4 : 1926-1931 |
● CD $15.98 |
|
EDNA HICKS |
Document DOCD 5428 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 : 1923 |
● CD $15.98 |
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THE HIGHWAY Q.C'S |
Charly SNAPCD 189 |
Where He Leads Me |
● CD $13.98 |
27 tracks, 72 mins, essential
Indispensable collection of
songs recorded by this superb Chicago quartet for Vee Jay between 1955 and
1964. It includes six tracks from the group's first two session which
featured Johnny Taylor. His great Sam Cooke inspired lead vocals are
featured to great effect on the sublime Somewhere To Lay My Head and
I Dreamed Heaven Was Like This. Most of the subsequent leads are by
the very fine Spencer Taylor (no relation) who is at his peak on songs like
Something On My Mind/ Working On The Building/ The Way Up The Hill
and the fabulous I Heard. With the Collectables series of Vee-Jay
gospel reissues now deleted this is the best available collection of this
wonderful group. (FS)
THE HIGHWAY QCS: Amazing Grace/ Child Of God/ Do You Love
Him/ Every Man,womn And Child/ Golden Bells/ Great Trumpet/ He Lifted My
Burdens/ He Said/ Heavenly Father's Children/ I Dreamed Heaven Was Like
This/ I Heard/ I Used To Wonder/ I Used To Wonder/ I'll Be Satisfied/ I'll
See Jesus Too/ I'll Trust His Word/ Jesus, I'm Waiting/ Lord I'll Go/ Nobody
Knows/ Oh What A Beautiful Day/ Pray/ Sad How They Done My Lord/ Something
On My Mind/ Somewhere To Lay My Head/ The Milky White Way/ The Way Up The
Hill/ Where He Leads Me/ Working On The Building
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Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7406 |
Down Home Blues |
● CD $16.98 |
Includes his most celebrated song Down Home Blues
which was the most popular blues song of the 80s.
|
Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7411 |
The Rhythm & The Blues |
● CD $16.98 |
Divided between contemporary blues stylings and modern soul
and R&B.
|
Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7415 |
I'm A Bluesman |
● CD $16.98 |
Like his previous albums there are only a couple of straight
blues and the rest of the album has a late 60s deep soul flavor which is
very gospel influenced. Title song + Cheatin' Love/ It's Been So Long/
Steal Away (fine version)/
Blind Love, etc. Excellent Stuff
|
Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7420 |
Bluesmaster |
● CD $16.98 |
The last recordings made before his premature death in 1984.
As with his other Malaco albums this one is a fine mixture of soul flavored
blues and blues flavored soul - You're Ruining My Bad Reputation/ She Got
the Goods on Me/ Personally, etc.
|
Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7426 |
In Memoriam, 1935-84 |
● CD $16.98 |
A fine cross section of sides drawn from his five Malaco
albums recorded between 1980 and 1984. It includes, of course, his most
popular side
Down Home Blues along with other fine sides like
When It Rains It Pours,
Someone Else Is Steppin' In,
Get You Some Business, etc. Unlike most of his albums which were a
mixture of blues and soul this one is just about all blues. With a touching
tribute to Z.Z. by famous R&B dee-jay John R. who, himself passed away in
1986. (FS)
|
Z.Z. HILL |
Malaco 7437 |
Greatest Hits |
● CD $16.98 |
Z.Z. HILL: Cheatin' In The Next Room/ Down Home Blues/ Friday Is My Day/ Get
A Little, Give A Little/ Open House At My House/ Please Don't Let Our Good
Thing End/ Right Arm For Your Love/ Shade Tree Mechanic/ Someone Else Is
Steppin' In/ Stop You From Givin' Me The Blues/ Three Into Two Won't Go
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PROFESSOR
JAMES EARLE HINES & HIS GOODWILL SINGERS |
Gospel Friend 1501 |
Jesus Steps Right In |
● CD $15.98 |
21 tracks recorded between 1947 and '51 featuring featuring
gospel's first postwar male star. Includes studio performances as well as
songs recorded at church services.
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