BLUES
& GOSPEL
Sunnyland Slim ->
Roosevelt Sykes
SUNNYLAND SLIM WITH BIG TIME
SARAH |
Arcola 1006 |
Long Tall Daddy |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 52 minutes, highly recommended
Recorded nearly
thirty years ago (May of 1976) in Seattle, Washington, blues piano's elder
statesman (who was 70 at the time) laid down a terrific set of solo blues
including many highlights. Earlier gems like Going Back To Memphis
and The Devil Is A Busy Man get solid readings and he tears through
Dust My Broom/ Prison Bound Blues/ The Dirty Dozens/ Roll And Tumble
Blues with gusto. Big Time Sarah, Slim's 23-year old girlfriend at the
time, appears on Long Tall Daddy and Got To See My Baby, and
between songs, Sunnyland discusses some of the songs and their origins. A
truly worthwhile disc with lengthy and detailed liner notes by Bill Berry.
(CR)
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Classics 5171 |
The Chronological Sunnyland Slim, 1952-1955 |
● CD $14.98 |
20 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended
Complementing
Classics 5013 and 5035 this is another fabulous collection of sides by this
superb and important Chicago blues singer and piano player. These tracks
were recorded for five different labels and includes sides not originally
issued as well as a never before issued Vee-Jay session February 1954 with
Snooky Pryor/ hca and Eddie Taylor or Floyd Jones/ guitar. Pryor, Taylor and
Jones appear on several other sessions and other backup performers include
Ernest Cotton/ts, Big Crawford/ bass, J.T. Brown/ ts, J.B. Lenoir/ gtr,
Robert Jr. Lockwood/ gtr and others. Two tracks - the surrealistic Livin'
In The White House and Please Don't feature the magnificent
vocals of Johnny Shines. Wonderful and indispensable Chicago blues. (FS)
SUNNYLAND SLIM: Bassology/ Bassology/ Be Mine Alone/ Be My
Baby/ City Of New Orleans/ Devil Is A Busy Man/ Four Day Bounce/ Going Back
To Memphis/ I Done You Wrong/ Living In The White House/ Please Don't/ Sad
And Lonesome/ Shake It Baby/ Shake It Baby/ That Woman (you Have Heard Of A
Woman)/ Trouble Of My Own/ When I Was Young/ Woman Trouble/ Worried About My
Baby/ Worried About My Baby
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Delmark 655 |
House Rent Party |
● CD $11.98 |
This fine Chicago blues label has begun reissuing records
from the legendary Apollo label, and House Rent Party is a definite
winner. On this session, recorded one summer night in 1949 with Willie
Mabon, Sam Casimir, Andrew Harris and St. Louis Jimmy, Slim's achievements
are inescapable, especially on the nine of these 15 cuts that are previously
unissued. Slim's keyboard playing swings; his voice pounces on each song and
then enjoys a friendly wrestle. Inside jokes are prevalent (he sticks
Yankee Doodle into Boogie Man), but this is a record of serious
historical importance to blues fans. The guitarist on I'm In Love/ That's
All Right is Jimmy Rogers at the beginning of his career, soon to be a
crucial ingredient in Muddy Waters' brilliant bands. Recommended, with
top-notch sound. JG)
SUNNYLAND SLIM: Bad Times (alternate)/ Bad Times (cost Of
Living)/ Boogie Man/ Brown Skin Woman/ Chicago Woman/ Hard Time (when
Mother's Gone)/ I'm In Love/ I'm Just A Lonesome Man/ I'm Just A Lonesome
Man (alternate)/ It Keeps Rainin'/ Nervous Breakdown/ Old Age Has Got Me/
Sad Old Sunday (alternate)/ Sad Old Sunday (mother's Day)/ That's All Right
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Delmark 735 |
Smile On My face |
● CD $11.98 |
13 tracks (including one alternate take) recorded for Ralph
Bass in 1977 with Lacy Gibson, Lee Jackson. Willie Black and Fred Below.
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Earwig 4915 |
Be Careful How You Vote |
● CD $15.98 |
Fine collection of sides by this veteran singer and piano
player originally recorded in late 70s/ early 80s and issued on Slim's own
Airway label. In addition to Slim's own fine singing and piano playing he is
joined by musicians like Hubert Sumlin, Robert Stroger, Eddie Taylor, Sam
Buchardt, Magic Slim and others. (FS)
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Earwig 4942 |
She Got A Thing Goin' On |
● CD $15.98 |
Reissue of sides originally produced and released by Slim
himself in the 80s on his own Airway label. Sidemen includes Eddie Taylor,
Byther Smith, Hubert Sumlin & Bob Stroger.
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM BLUES
BAND |
Evidence 26053 |
Decoration Day |
● CD $12.98 |
15 tracks, 70 mins, very
good
CD reissue of L+R 42.015 with
6 bonus tracks. The original 9 tunes are all Sunnyland originals done with
an all-star band including Hubert Sumlin (g), Carey Bell (harp) & Odie Payne
(d) Includes the title track + the Sun is Going Down/ Patience Like Jobe,
all recorded in 1980. There's a couple bonus tracks of the band joined by
Eddie Taylor playing in Germany, & 3 with a quartet with Lurie Bell on
guitar (One Room Country Shack/ Tin Pan Alley). (GM)
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Evidence 26066 |
Sunnyland Train |
● CD $12.98 |
17 tracks, 58 min., highly recommended
What a wonderful idea
it was to record Sunnyland Slim accompanying himself on piano. He was 75
years old, at the height of his powers, and with 35 years of recording
behind him, he chose to record his favorities by pianist Curtis Jones (Tin
Pan Alley), Roosevelt Sykes (Unlucky One), Pinetop Smith (Pinetop's
Boogie Woogie) and Walter Davis (Sad And Lonesome). The recording
quality is excellent, and those of us who have his other solo piano sets on
Black & Blue, Sonet, Storyville Records know what to expect : great piano
blues by one of the fathers of postwar Chicago blues. This is a reissue of
his 1983 Red Beans album plus 5 unissued tracks. (EL)
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM BLUES
BAND |
Evidence 26067 |
Chicago Jump |
● CD $12.98 |
1985 recordings with Steve Freund/gtr, Sam Burckhardt/ tenor
sax, Bob Stroger/ bass, Robert Covington/ dms.
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM &
HIS PALS |
JSP JSPCD 7783 |
The Classic Sides, 1947-1953 |
● CD $28.98 |
Four CD set with 104 tracks featuring classic Chicago blues
by the great singer & piano player Sunnyland Slim and some of the many
people he worked with. There are 54 tracks under Slim's own name which is
most, but not all, of his recordings made between 1947 and 1955 and range
from his first sides as a Doctor Clayton imitator to urban blues with small
combos with horns to down home sides with just harmonica and guitar. He is
accompanied by musicians like Blind John Davis, Lonnie Johnson, Leroy
Foster, Alex Atkins, Robert Lockwood (who provides some truly dazzling
guitar accompaniments), Snooky Pryor, Big Crawford, J.T. Brown, Eddie
Taylor, Louis Myers and others. The rest of the set features Slim in an
accompanying role in sessions by Floyd Jones, Little Walter, The Fat man,
Johnny Shines, Robert Lockwood, Leroy Foster, J.B. lenoir, Jimmy Rogers and
St. Louis Jimmy. The cuts by Slim are on the three Classics CDs of him
(5013, 5035, 5171) which includes his Aristocrat sides (not included here)
and most of the other tracks have been reissued elsewhere though I believe
the 10 St. Louis Jimmy tracks are new to CD.
THE FAT MAN: Glad I Don't Worry No More/ You've Got To
Stop This Mess/ LEROY FOSTER: Blues Is Killin' Me/ Late Hours At Midnight/
Louella/ Pet Rabbit/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Any Old Lonesome Day/
Big World/ Dark Road/ Floyd's Blues/ Schooldays On My Mind/ J.B. LENORE: How
Can I Leave/ How Much More/ I Have Married/ I Want My Baby/ I'll Die Tryin'/
Let's Roll/ Louise/ People Are Meddlin' In Our Affairs/ Slow Down Woman/ The
Mojo/ The Mountain/ Wanna Play A Little While/ ROBERT LOCKWOOD: Dust My
Broom/ Dust My Broom/ Glory For Man/ I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole/ My Daily
Wish/ Pearly B/ JIMMY ROGERS: I'm In Love/ Ludella/ That's All Right/ JOHNNY
SHINES: Living In The White House/ Please Don't/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Chicago
Woman Blues/ Hard Work Boogie/ I Sit Up All Night/ I'm Not Satisfied/
Mother's Day/ Nervous Breakdown/ Old Age Has Got Me/ Shame On You Baby/
State Street Blues/ Trying To Change My Ways/ Your Evil Ways/ SUNNYLAND
SLIM: (Low Down) Sunnyland Train/ 5 Foot 4 Gal/ Across The Hall Blues/ Ain't
Nothing But A Child/ Back To Korea Blues/ Bad Times (Cost Of Living)/
Bassology/ Bassology/ Be Mine Alone/ Be My Baby/ Blue Baby/ Broke And
Hungry/ Brown Skin Woman/ Brown Skin Woman/ Brown Skinned Woman/ City Of New
Orleans/ Devil Is A Busy Man/ Down Home Child/ Every Time I Get To Drinking/
Farewell Little Girl/ Four Day Bounce/ Gin Drinkin' Baby/ Hard Time (When
Mother's Gone)/ Hard Times/ Hit The Road Again/ I Done You Wrong/ I Done You
Wrong/ I Want My Baby/ Illinois Central/ It's All Over Now/ I'm Just A
Lonesome Man/ I've Done You Wrong/ Jivin' Boogie/ Keep Your Hands Out Of My
Money/ Leaving Your Town (No Name Blues)/ Mary Lee/ Mud Kicking Woman/ My
Heavy Load/ Nappy Head Woman/ No Whiskey Blues/ Orphan Boy Blues/ Roll,
Tumble And Slip (I Cried)/ Sad And Lonesome/ School Days/ Shake It Baby/
Shake It Baby/ Sunnyland Special/ Sweet Lucy Blues/ That Woman/ Train Time
(4 O'Clock Blues)/ Troubles Of My Own/ Walking With The Blues/ When I Was
Young/ When I Was Young (Shake It Baby)/ Woman Trouble (Overnite)/ Worried
About My Baby/ Worried About My Baby
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Sonet 986 925-7 |
The Sonet Blues Story |
● CD $13.98 |
10 tracks, 39 tracks, recommended
Sunnyland Slim was one of
those legends who was almost incapable of making a bad record with his
energetic vocals and soulful piano work and this album is no exception. Slim
was equally comfortable with a band or solo and this set finds him solo on a
selection of fine songs - nothing too original - but all performed in Slim's
usual forthright manner. Slim was a bluesman, pure and simple, with no
artifice and that's about all you really need to know. One criticism about
this album is the over use of echo on his voice - without it I would rate it
highly recommended. (FS)
|
SUNNYLAND SLIM |
Southland SCD 37 |
The Blues Wailed In Berkeley |
● CD $13.98 |
12 tracks, 49 mins, recommended
The great Chicago blues
piano player recorded at the home of Ray Skjelbred in Berkeley, California
in 1976. Slim is in fine form on these previously unissued solo cuts doing
some of his trademark songs like The Devil Is A Busy Man/ She Got A Thing
Going Goin' On and Every Time I get To Drinking along with songs
made famous by Sonny Boy Williamson, Mercy Dee and others and a couple of
splendid instrumentals. No surprises just top notch singing and playing from
one of the true giants. (FS)
|
SUPER CHIKAN |
Rooster Blues 2634 |
Blues Come Home To Roost |
● CD $15.98 $10.98 |
14 tracks, recommended
Guess it's appropriate that the man
who can make his guitar cluck like a chicken is on Rooster Blues! James
Johnson also plays bass, harp, piano & drives a truck, bringing you REAL
blues like "My house is 80 years old & the front porch is falling down" &
"I've got a '71 Chevy & the dealer wants to take it away", from Down In
The Delta. All tunes are Chikan originals, many of them fine shuffles,
but he does rock'n'roll on one cut, in Rockin' (That 'Caine) & Roll in'
(Mary Jane) - "you better chill out with your psychopathic lies" &
"better pack your sack/ I believe your mama wants you back/ I ain't got no
money for no damned crack." Also Camel Toe, Super Chikan Strut, Well Gone
Dry, Mr. Love Juice. The CD booklet tells his story in cartoon form (GM)
|
SUPER CHIKAN |
Rooster Blues 2645 |
Shoot That Thang |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
11 tracks, recommended
Super Chikan has got to be one of my
faves of the current bluesmen. Recorded in that blues capital, Salinas,
Kansas(!) by Jim O'Neal of Living Blues, this set has Chikan in a trio
setting with just bass & drums (The Fighting Cocks) with some nice funky
blues with his trademark Chikan guitar solos. Titles include Mennonite
Blues/ Staingy Wid It, the "Born Under A Bad Sign" influenced Don't
Mess With The Blues/ Bus-Train-Rain and others. As an added bonus, the
liner notes are a comic strip bio of Chikan by American Splendor duo Harvey
Pekar & Gary Dumm (GM)
|
THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Charly SNAPCD 188 |
Move Up |
● CD $13.98 |
28 tracks, 78 mins, essential
A beautiful collection of
tracks recorded for Vee-Jay by this superb group, covering the period from
their first Vee-Jay session in 1956 through their last in 1964. Their
Vee-Jay recordings features leads by the magnificent high ethereal tenor
(and sometimes falsetto) Claude Jeter or the powerful baritone of Paul
Owens, Dewey Young or Louis Johnson. Jeter and his sweet falsetto have had
more than a little influence on countless soul acts, Al Green and The
Temptations among them. It is difficult to overstate his importance to both
soul and gospel. The material ranged from the classic harmony quartet style
of Sinner Man to the more intense style that influenced soul music.
This set features one magnificent performance after another ending with
their utterly sublime rendition of The Lord's Prayer - if this
doesn't send a chill down your spine you might want to see a chriropracter!
(FS)
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: A Lady Called Mother/ At The Cross/
Bible Days/ Breathe On Me/ Come To Jesus/ Going On With Jesus/ Great Day In
December/ He Saved My Soul/ I Thank You Lord/ I'll Be Satisfied/ Jesus Is
Alright With Me/ Jesus Remembers/ Leave Your Burden There/ Love Lifted Me/
Move Somewhere/ Move Up/ Nobody But You/ Oh Mary, Don't You Weep/ Savior
Pass Me Not, Parts 1 & 2/ Singin' In My Soul/ Sinking Sand/ Sinner Man/ The
Lord Is Coming/ The Lords Prayer/ Trouble In My Way/ When Jesus Comes/ Why
I Love Him So/ Without A Mother
|
THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Collectables 6111 |
The Very Best Of |
● CD $11.98 |
11 tracks
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: Do You Believe/ Family Prayer/ Go on
Ahead/ I Dreamed I Was in Heaven/ I Gave My Heart to The Lord/ I Promised
The Lord/ Marching on in/ Miracle/ Sinner Man/ The World/ Walk With Jesus/
You Ought to Preach The Holy Ghost
|
THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Frank Music 5521 |
Great Camp Meeting |
● CD $11.98 $7.98 |
Reissue of 1968 Hob album - though lacking the magic of
their earlier sides for King, Specialty and Vee-Jay this is still a fine
selection of hard gospel. As far as I can tell Claude Jeter is not on most
of these tracks in spite of what the notes say but the leads by tenor Carl
Davis and baritones Louis Johnson and Paul Owens is fine. Includes No
Secret/ Oh, When I get Home/ It's Good To Be Saved/ This Little Light Of
Mine/ Little Wooden Church, etc.
|
THE SWAN SILVERTONES |
Specialty 7202 |
Love Lifted Me/ My Rock |
● CD $15.98 |
The Swan Silvertones, a.k.a. Four Harmony Kings of Coalwood,
West Virginia, are today (alongside a handful of other legendary quartets)
considered "gospel royalty". Formed in 1938 by Rev. Claude Jeter, the group
first recorded as The Swans (Bakery) Silvertone Singers in 1946 for Syd
Nathan's Queen Records. In 1952 they signed a 4-year contract with Art
Rupe's Specialty label and put out a feast of gospel delights usually
fronted by Jeter's soaring tenor and swing-lead hard-singing tenor voice of
Solomon Womack. Womack often competed for "hardest chops" with the group's
other fire-breathing veteran lead - Rev. Robert Crenshaw, who was later
replaced by the great Dewey Young who went on to sing in The Sensational
Nightingales and Flying 'Clouds. Hard gospel singing and soaring falsetto
acrobatics. First reissued as Specialty albums 2122 and 2148, with improved
sound here. Indispensible collection.
OLN
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: After Awhile/ Glory To His Name/ He
Won't Deny Me/ Heavenly Light Shine On Me/ How I Got Over/ I Cried/ I'm
A-Rollin'/ I'm Coming Home/ Jesus Changed This Heart Of Mine/ Jesus Is A
Friend/ Keep My Heart/ Let's Go/ Love Lifted Me/ Man In Jerusalem/ Milky
White Way/ Motherless Child/ My Rock/ Oh, How I Love Jesus/ Prayer In My
Mouth/ Since Jesus Came Into My Heart/ The Day Will Surely Come/ This Little
Light Of Mine/ Trouble In My Way/ What Do You Know About Jesus?
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Blues Documents BDCD 6048 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 8 -
1945-47 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended
Continuing on from
Document 5122 this disc shows that Roosevelt was just as adept as a rhythm &
blues performer in the mid 40s as he was a rural blues in the 20s. His
vocals were more agressive and his piano playing was less subtle but his
lyrical and instrumental inventiveness were as strong as ever. Most of the
material is Sykes originals though he does a nice cover of Cecil Gant's I
Wonder and Joe Liggins' Honeydripper making a point that Sykes
himself was the original user of that name. He was accompanied on these
sidemen by top Chicago musicians like J.T. Brown, Willie Lacey, Johnny
Walker, Johnny Morton, "Jump" Jackson and others. Delightful music from
beginning to end with only the occasional worn 78 to detract from the joy.
(FS)
ROOSEVELT SYKES: Anytime Is The Right Time/ BVD Blues/
Bobby Sox Blues/ Bop De Bip/ Date Bait/ Don't Push Me Around /Little Sam/
Flames Of Jive/ Her Little Machine/ High Price Blues/ I Wonder/ I'm Her
Honeydripper/ Kilroy's In Town/ Living In A Different World/ Mama, Mama/
Peeping Tom/ Sneakin' And Dodgin'/ Sunny Road/ Tender Hearted Woman/ That's
My Gal/ The Honeydripper/ This Tavern Boogie/ Tonight/ Walkin' And Drinkin'
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Blues Documents BDCD 6049 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 9 -
1947-51 |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
Another fine
collection of sides from this long lived and prolific performer in a variety
of settings from piano and drums to a small band with saxes and trumpet. As
always Sykes's vocals are sly and insinuating and his lyrics are imaginative
and often witty. His piano playing is as solid as ever though not always as
much to the fore as in earlier days. Accompanying musicians includes Oett
"Sax" Malard, Bill Casimir, Ransom Knowling, Willie Lacey, "Jump" Jackson,
J.T. Brown and others. In addition to the recordings under his own name this
disc also features him accompanying the excellent Grace and John Brim on
their recordings made for the obscure Random label in 1951. Sound is
generally excellent and there are informative notes by the ever reliable
Chris Smith. (FS)
GRACE BRIM: Going Down The Line/ Leaving Daddy Blues/ JOHN
BRIM: Dark Clouds/ Lonesome Man Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Blues 'n' Boogie/
Boogie Honky Tonk/ Booze Blues/ Candy Man Blues/ Drivin' Wheel/ Green Onion
Top/ He's Just A Gravy Train/ High As A Georgia Pine/ I Know How You Feel/
Mailbox Blues/ My Baby Is Gone/ Rock It/ Southern Blues/ Stop Her Poppa/
Time Wasted On You/ Until The Cows Come Home/ West Helena Blues/ Why Should
I Cry/ Wintertime Blues/ Wonderin' Blues
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Blues Documents BDCD 6050 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 10 -
1951-57 |
● CD $15.98 |
25 tracks, 68 min., recommended
Before being rediscovered in
1960 (and recording his very first album for Bluesville Records), singer/
songwriter/ pianist Roosevelt Sykes recorded very little in the 1950s. This
CD gathers most of those recordings - 15 for the United Label (recorded in
Chicago), 6 for the Imperial Label (recorded in New Orleans) and 2 for the
House Of Sound Label (recorded in Memphis). As a bonus, two 1947/48 tracks
which he recorded as Joe "Boogie" Evans, that were left off v. 9 (Document
5234), round out the CD. Originally produced by the black Mississippi-born
Lewis Conrad Simpkins, the United recordings feature 8 jump blues with
saxophonists Robert Henry Crowder and Oett M. Mallard, and 4 sides with
violinist Remo "Ray" Biondi. All 15 tracks feature two of Chicago's finest -
drummers Armand "Jump" Jackson and Fred Below. The Imperial tracks feature
the regular members of Cosimo Matassa's house band (ie., Lee Allen, Frank
Fields, Earl Palmer). The unusual House Of Sound single is a remake of his
1945 Date Bait, retitled She's Jail Bait, which was was still
politically correct when he re-recorded it in 1960. The flip side,
Sputnick (also recorded in 1960 as Satellite Baby), is quite
remarkable in that the guitar solo (said to be by Joe Willie Wilkins) is
very rockabilly-ish. By the way, Sputnick 2, was a man-made satellite
& has the distinction of being launched (Nov 3/1957) on the same day Jerry
Lee Lewis' Great Balls Of Fire was released! A coincidence you say!
Other highlights include Walkin' This Boogie ('52), Come Back Baby
('53) and You Can't Be Lucky All The Time (with Lee Allen on tenor
sax), and Hush Oh Hush (an updated version of his 1st recording 44
Blues done ala Howlin' Wolf style!). (EL)
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Blues Factory 47015 |
King Of The Barrelhouse |
● CD $10.98 |
21 tracks, 60 mins, recommended
Excellent collection of
sides from this brilliant singer and piano player featuring music from two
different eras. The first track is the first recording of his theme song
The Honey Dripper from 1936 where his vocal and piano are accompanied by
the distinctive slide guitar of Kokomo Arnold. The next 16 tracks are from a
1977 session for Blue Labor which was reissued some years ago on Tomato.
Sykes is in top form with powerful and expressive vocals and wonderful
rolling piano work - several cuts feature guitarists Johnny Shines and
Louisiana Red who also contribute a couple of vocals. Includes superb
performances of Mistake In Life/ Stop Stoppin' Me/ Some Right, Some Wrong
and others. The disc ends with four sides from the late 30s and early 40s
with Sykes accompanied by a drummer on witty tracks like Journey From The
Germs and Let the Black have His Way and another of his most well
known songs 44 Blues. Sound is excellent and there are decent notes
which only refer to the 1977 recordings. (FS)
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Delmark 607 |
Hard Driving Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
with 3 previously unissued tracks. 1962/63 recordings with
Homesick James/ bass guitar on some cuts.
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Delmark 616 |
Gold Mine |
● CD $11.98 |
Originally released under the title In Europe, this
album of 1966 Sykes solos features three worthwhile reworkings of songs he
recorded at his first outing in 1929 - Boot That Thing/ Henry Ford Blues/
44 Blues. Those numbers, together with 9 newer originals, form a clear
reminder of Sykes' key role in the development of modern blues piano. And to
make matters better, Roosevelt is in fine voice as Big Ben/ Springfield
Blues/ True Thing/ Sugar Cup/ The Last Laugh/ You Understand/ Whole Lot Of
Children and others will testify. 38 minutes of good stuff. (JC)
ROOSEVELT SYKES: 44 Forty-four Blues/ Big Ben/ Boot That
Thing/ Gold Mine/ Henry Ford Blues/ I'm A Dangerous Man/ Springfield Blues/
Sugar Cup./ The Last Laugh/ True Thing/ Whole Lot Of Children/ You
Understand
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Delmark 632 |
Feel Like Blowing My Horn |
● CD $11.98 |
1973 sides with small band including `Sax' Mallard/ts & cl,
King Kolax/tpt, Robert Lockwood/ gtr, Dave Myers/bass and Fred Below/ drums.
Four tracks previously unissued.
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Delmark 642 |
Raining In My Heart |
● CD $15.98 |
A great collection of urban blues recorded by Sykes with
various sidemen for Chicago's United label between 1951 and 1953.
Accompanying Sykes piano and expressive vocals are sidemen like Robert "Sax"
Crowder/ ts, "Sax" Mallard/as, John "Schoolboy" Porter/ guitar, J.T. Brown/ts,
"Big" Crawford/ bass and others. 7 of the tracks feature some very effective
blues violin by Remo Biondi. 20 tracks, of which only 10 were originally
issued on 78s and several tracks not on the LP reissue of some years ago.
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Delmark 773 |
Chicago Boogie |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 48 minutes, essential
This one's a gem from the
beginning to the final notes - nine of the seventeen tracks (recorded for
Regal in 1950 & '51) are previously unissued and none of the tracks have
appeared on a legitimate CD release before now. Seven titles find Sykes
backed only by Jump Jackson's rhythmic drumming (Drivin' Wheel/ West
Helena Blues/ Rock It/Mail Box Blues/ Blues N' Boogie/ Wintertime Blues/
Rock It) while another four (Wonderin' Blues/ Chicago Boogie/ Security
Blues/ Green Onion Top) are fleshed out with J.T. Brown's honking sax and
Ransom Knowling's bass, and another four (Monkey Face Blues/ Soon Forgotten/
Complete This Order/ My Resolution) find St. Louis Jimmy Oden providing the
vocals. Sound is stellar throughout and Sykes is in top form plowing through
up-tempo boogie, stride, and lowdown blues at the piano and serving up his
usual booming voice. (CR)
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Diablo 854 |
Sings The Blues |
● CD $15.98 $9.98 |
10 tracks, 26 mins, recommended
Short but fine set featuring
the brilliant and ever reliable singer and piano player. The set was
recorded in Chicago in 1962 with an excellent group including "Sax" Mallard
on sax, Lee Jackson /guitar, Willie Dixon/ bass and Jump Jackson/ drums and
was originally issued on a hard to find Crown LP. A good mix of material is
featured including slow blues, rockers and ballads. Singing and playing is
fine throughout with some exceptional guitar work from Jackson on Your
Will Is Mine. (FS)
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5116 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 1 -
1929-30 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
Roosevelt Sykes ranks as one of the greatest blues piano
players of all time and his recorded legacy is truly impressive. He remained
a consistently worthwhile artist from his earliest recordings in 1929 to his
last recordings made in the late 70s. This is the first of seven volumes
documenting his pre war recordings and is consistently fine from beginning
to end. It starts with his June 1929 recordings of "44" Blues, a blues piano
classic and ends with a June 1930 recording featuring Sykes accompanying
singer Ben Turner with Oliver Cobb on cornet. The emphasis here is on slow
and mid tempo blues with mournful expressive vocals by Sykes and lovely
thoughtful and imaginative piano accompaniments. Lest you think he is only
comfortable with slow and mid tempo items his variation on Pinetop's
Boogie Woogie called Boot That Thing shows he is capable of piano
pyrotechnics when neccessary. Some tracks feature guitar accompaniments by
Oscar Carter or Henry Townsend. With a few exceptions sound quality is
excellent and there are good notes by Chris Smith. (FS)
MAE BELLE MILLER: Beale And Main Blues/ Long Tall Man
Blues/ Trouble Everywhere Blues/ Working Man On The Seas/ ROOSEVELT SYKES:
'44' Blues/ All My Money Gone Blues/ Black River Blues/ Boot That Thing/
Bury That Thing/ Fire Detective Blues/ Henry Ford Blues/ Home Of Your Own
Blues/ I'm Tired Of Being Mistreated/ Little Sow Blues/ Lost All I Had
Blues/ Poor Boy Blues/ Roosevelt's Blues/ Single Tree Blues/ Skeet And
Garret/ Ten And Four Blues/ The Way I Feel Blues/ BEE TURNER: Jivin' Jelly
Roll Blues/ Rough Treatin' Daddy
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5117 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 -
1930-31 |
● CD $15.98 $11.98 |
24 tracks, 72 mins, recommended
The second volume of this
brilliant singer and piano player features 24 tracks recorded between June
1930 and June 1931. Sykes was busy hopping from label to label recording
under the name of Willie Kelly for Victor, Dobby Bragg for Paramount and
Easy Papa Johnson for Melotone. As prolific as he was his music was
consistently outstanding with great singing, varied and imaginative piano
work and interesting and meaningful lyrics. Two tracks feature his
accompaniments to the relatively undistinguished singer St. Louis Bessie.
The sound here is mostly excellent and their are brief, informative notes,
by Chris Smith. Piano blues at its finest. (FS)
ROOSEVELT SYKES: 3-6 And 9 Listen/ 32-20 Blues Listen/ As
True As I've Been To You/ Big Time Woman/ Conjur Man Blues/ Cotton Seed
Blues/ Don't Put The Lights Out/ Don't Squeeze Me Too Tight/ Drinkin' Woman
Blues/ Give Me Your Change Listen/ Hard Luck Man Blues/ He Treats Me Like A
Dog/ I Love You More And More Listen/ Kelly's 44 Blues Listen/ Kelly's
Special/ Meat Cutter Blues/ Nasty But It's Clean/ No Good Woman Blues/ No
Settled Mind Blues/ Papa Sweetback Blues/ Side Door Blues/ Thanksgivin'
Blues/ We Can Sell That Thing/ You So Dumb
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5118 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 3 -
1931-33 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 71 mins, recommended
The third volume features
23 tracks recorded between September 1931 and December 1933 and often
features Sykes in an accompanying role. In addition to his role as a
performer, he also acted as a talent scout and many of the artists here are,
no doubt, performers he brought to the studio. Sykes, himself, only sings on
eight of the songs here and these are, by far, the most superior
performances here. Of the other vocalists here the best are James "Stump"
Johnson, Matthew McLure, Eithel Smith and Isabel Sykes (possibly his
sister). Even when relegated to accompanying role Sykes' playing is so
outstanding that the sometimes drab vocals can be overloked. (FS)
NAPOLEON FLETCHER: She Showed It All/ CLARENCE HARRIS:
Lonesome Clock Blues/ Try My Whiskey Blues/ EMERSON HOUSTON: Hard Luck
Blues/ Strange Man Blues/ 'STUMP' JOHNSON: Barrel Of Whiskey Blues/ Sail On
Black Sue/ MATTHEW MCCLURE: Prisoners' Blues/ MOSBY AND SYKES: Mosby Stomp/
FRANK PLUITT: Found A Note On My Door/ CARL RAFFERTY: Dresser With The
Drawers/ Mr. Carl's Blues/ EITHEL SMITH: Jelly Roll Mill/ ISABEL SYKES:
Don't Rush Yourself/ In Here With Your Heavy Stuff/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Big
Legs Ida Blues/ Devil's Island Gin Blues/ Highway 61 Blues/ I Done You
Wrong/ Mr. Sykes Blues/ New 44 Blues/ Sad And Lonely Day/ Working Dollar
Blues
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5119 |
Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 4 -
1934-36 |
● CD $15.98 |
22 tracks, 68 mins, recommended
This volume features 7
tracks from August 1934, 14 from February 1936 and one from May 1936. 5 of
the '34 tracks feature him providing accompaniments to Johnnie Strauss (a
female singer), Arthur McKay and Dorothy Baker. The two tracks under his own
name are exceptional and his D.B.A. Blue is alone worth the price of
this disc. A couple of the tracks from 1936 feature guitar accompaniment by
Kokomo Arnold, who provides some great slide, on the delightfully obscene
Jet Black Snake and Sykes's theme song The Honeydripper. These
sessions also yielded Roosevelt's first recording of Driving Wheel
which has subsequently become a blues standard. Great music, good sound and
good notes by Chris Smith . (FS)
DOROTHY BAKER: Steady Grinding Blues/ ARTHUR MCKAY:
Central Limited Blues/ Heavy Stuff Blues/ JOHNNIE STRAUSS: Old Market Street
Blues/ Radio Broadcasting Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Barrel House Man/ D-B-A
Blues No. 2/ D.B.A. Blues/ Dirty Mother For You (60503-A)/ Dirty Mother For
You (60503-D)/ Dirty Mother For You (90738)/ Driving Wheel Blues/ Ethel Mae
Blues/ Jet Black Snake/ Second Floor Blues/ She Left Me Cold In Hand/ Sister
Kelly Blues/ Soft And Mellow/ Sugar Hill Blues/ Take Off Box/ The Cannon
Ball/ The Honey Dripper
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5120 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 5 -
1937-39 |
● CD $15.98 |
ART MCKAY: She Squeezed My Lemon/ Somebody's Been Ridin'
My Black Gal/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Bitter Cup Blues/ Bread Pan/ Down On My
Knees/ Drunken Gambler/ Hard Lead Pencil/ Have You Seen Ida B/ Hospital,
Heaven Or Hell/ Ice Cream Freezer/ Journey From The Germs/ Let Me Hang My
Stockings In Your Christmas Tree/ Little And Low/ Love Lease Blues/ Mistake
In Life/ Monte Carlo Blues/ My Baby's Playground/ Night Gown Blues/ Night
Time Is The Right Time/ Night Time Is The Right Time, No. 2/ Sad Yas Yas Yas/
She's Long Gone/ The Dog In A Man/ The Train Is Coming/ You Can't Fix It
Back
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5121 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 6 -
1939-41 |
● CD $15.98 $15.98 |
The sixth volume by this great artist features 25 tracks
with Sykes accompanied by legendary drummer Sid Catlett. Throughout Sykes's
vocals are powerful and expressive, his piano work endlessly inventive and
Catlett's playing discreet and propulsive. As always, Sykes's lyrics are
interesting and imaginative and his use of word play in Concentration
Blues is a real delight.
ROOSEVELT SYKES: 44 Blues/ 47th Street Jive/ Concentration
Blues/ Doin' The Sally Long/ Eight Ball Blues/ Essie Mae Blues (take A)/
Essie Mae Blues (take B)/ Get Your Row Out/ I've Made A Change/ Knock Me
Out/ Love Will Wear You Down/ New Mistake In Life We Will Never Make The
Grade/ New Style Blues/ Papa Low/ Pistol Shootin' Blues/ Right Now/ She's
Got What It Takes/ She's In My Blood/ Shoe Shiner's Moan/ Take It With A
Smile/ Under Eyed Woman/ Unlucky 13 Blues/ Ups And Downs Blues/ Yellow Yam
Blues
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Document DOCD 5122 |
Complete Chronological Recordings Vol. 7 -
1941-44 |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 67 mins, recommended
Another fine selection from
this talented performer who, in spite of being prolific, was consistently
fine and rarely relied on familiar cliches. His singing was powerful and
energetic, his material varied and imaginative and his piano playing was
consistently a joy. This disc features 19 tracks recorded between February
1941 and April 1942 when the Petrillo band stopped recording activities. The
last four tracks are from a post ban session in December 1944. Many of the
cuts feature him accompanied by the brilliant drummer Sid Catlett. Other
accompanying musicians include bass player Alfred Elkins and on a couple of
sessions a guitriast who uses some rather heavy tremelo effects. Roosevelt's
1944 recordings show a strong influence of Fats Waller and have some jazzy
guitar from Ted Summitt. A number of the tracks here are from worn 78s but
the sound is generally good. Informative notes by Chris Smith. (FS)
ROOSEVELT SYKES: 15c a Day/ Are You Unhappy?/ Honeysuckle
Rose/ I Wonder/ Jivin' the Jive/ Just Hanging Around/ K.M.A. Blues/ Keep
Your Hands off Her/ Let the Black Have His Way/ Love Has Something to Say/
Low as a Toad/ Mellow Queen/ My Supply Woman Blues/ Pay Day Blues/ Prison
Gate Blues/ Roll on Blues/ Skin and Bones Blues/ Sugar Babe Blues/ Sykes
Advice Blues/ Third Degree Blues/ Training Camp Blues/ Trouble and Whiskey/
You Can't Do That Do Me
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Maison De Blues 982 249 |
The Honeydripper's Duke's Mixture |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 49 mins, recommended
From his first recording for Okeh in 1929 up to his death in 1984 there was rarely a year that Roosevelt
Sykes was out of the studio but in spite of his considerable output his
music was rarely less than excellent. This relaxed selection was recorded in
Paris in 1970 and the first ten tracks were originally on the French Blue
Star label and finds Roosevelt in fine form. A nice mix of blues/jazz
standards (Going Down Slow/ St. James Infirmary/ Honeysuckle Rose,
etc), a couple of deliciously raunchy songs (Ice Cream Freezer/ Dirty
Mother For You), a duet with Memphis Slim on Lost My Boogie and
even a couple of tracks with Roosevelt accompanying himself on acoustic
guitar! There are seven bonus tracks included here that were recorded at the
tail end of the session when some friends and booze showed up and is a
little more ragged than the first ten tracks but is still fine with
Roosevelt doing a couple of Fats Waller songs, Slim Gaillard's Flat Foot
Floogie.
Superb sound and affectionate notes by original producer Philippe Rault plus
original notes by Mike Rowe. (FS)
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Original Blues Classics OBCCD 557 |
The Honeydripper |
● CD $11.98 |
9 tracks, 35 min., essential
This is a real forgotten
classic, originally Bluesville 1014. Sykes, who began his career on Okeh in
the late 20's, was a pre-war piano professor who scored big with The
Honeydripper. This early 60's session perfectly bridges the gap between
classic piano blues and the R&B era, with no-nonsense accompaniment by tenor
sax star King Curtis and a solid organ, bass and drums trio. Sykes and Co.
lead off with the unrestrained blues shouter Miss Ida B., and roar
through Jailbait/ Satellite Baby/ Pocketful Of Money. Roosevelt takes
a couple solo numbers, contributes hard-edged vocals and anchors every cut,
leaving plenty of room for the most stripped-down and satisfying King Curtis
solos on wax. 9 cuts - a real winner! (MB)
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ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Smithsonian Folkways 40051 |
Blues By Roosevelt Sykes - The Honeydripper |
● CD $15.98 |
Reissue of 1961 album. This reissue was remastered from
original master tapes using the new HDC 24-bit mastering process.
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Southland 2 |
Dirty Mother For You |
● CD $13.98 |
1971 session recorded at the Jazz City Studios in New
Orleans. Sykes is in good form on this set of solo performances with a high
proportion of risque songs - Ice Cream Freezer/ It Hurts So Good/ E.Z.
Cherry/ Dresser Drawers/ Poodle Dog and, of course, the title song.
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Wolf WBJ 004 |
Rock It - The Postwar Years, Vol. 1
1945-1954 |
● CD $11.98 |
We reviewed volume 2 a while ago, but this is one you should
definitely not miss. Sykes was one of the greatest and most important
singers & piano players in blues history. Starting off steeped in the
traditions of the rural deep South, he effortlessly made the transition to
an urban stylist. Most of the recordings here were made in Chicago with
small groups which included musicians like "Sax" Mallard, Leonard Caston,
Bill Casimr, Ransom Knowling, J.T. Brown, "Jump" Jackson and others. One
session from 1954 was recorded in New Orleans with members of the Dave
Bartholomew band. The material was varied including driving boogies (Rock
It/ Driving Wheel/ Candy Man Blues), slow blues (Wintertime Blues/My
Baby's Gone), pop flavored songs (Living In A Different World)
and Walleresque jive (Green Onion Top) and all of it is good. Sound
is excellent and there are brief informative notes by Daniel Gugolz and
discographical information. (FS)
|
ROOSEVELT SYKES |
Wolf WBJ 005 |
The Postwar Years Vol. 2- "West Helena
Blues" |
● CD $11.98 |
CD reissue of Wolf WBJ 005 with two fine additional sides
from 1947 - 18 in all. Roosevelt Sykes ranks as one of the greatest blues
piano players of all time and his recorded legacy is impressive. He remained
a consistently worthwhile artist from his earliest recordings in 1929 to his
last recordings made in the late 70s. The selection of tracks here focusses
on recordings made between 1945 and '57, mostly with small groups including
sidemen like J.T. Brown/ts, "Chick" Sanders/ dms, "Sax" Mallard/alt, Sam
Casimir/gtr, Leonard Caston/ gtr, Ransom Knowling/sbs, "Big" Crawford/ sbs
and others. In addition to recordings under his own name this set includes
two accompaniments to St Lous Jimmy. The material here is consistently fine
and, in spite of a fair number of Sykes reissues available this is a
recommended reissue. Good sound brief and discographical information but
they left off thenotes by Daniel Gugolz that were on the LP. (FS)
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