BLUES & GOSPEL
Various Artists Collections - Post War Urban Blues, Miscellaneous - 1
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Westside 530 | Ace Blues Masters, Vol. 1 - Sing My Blues Tonight | ● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks from the Vaults of Ace Records of Mississippi
recorded in New Orleans in 1959 and '60 - 20 of them previously unissued!
Urban blues from Floyd Dixon, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn and H-Bomb
Feguson. Some tracks are even in stereo! |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Ace CDCHD 672 | Across The Tracks, Vol. 2 | ● CD $18.98 |
30 mid 50s tracks of Nashville blues, R&B and doo-wop
from Ted Jarrett's Champion label - Larry Birdsong, The Kinglets, Charles
Walker & The Daffodils, Gene Allison, earl gaines, Joyce Paul, Arthur
K. Adams and others. ARTHUR K. ADAMS: The Same Thing/ GENE ALLISON: Have Faith/ If Things Don't Change/ Stay A Little Longer/ You Can Make It If You Try/ JIMMY BECK & HIS ORCHESTRA: Blue Night/ Murfreesboro/ Oh My Love/ Real Good Man/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Live The Life I Sing About/ Scooter Poofin'/ Three Times Seven/ You're My Baby/ CLIFF BUTLER: Rent's Too High/ THE FAIRFIELD FOUR: Lord You Know/ EARL GAINES: Let Me Down Easy/ Love You So/ Sittin' Here Drinkin'/ You Are My Sunshine/ CHUCK HARROD & THE ANTEATERS: Crawdad Hole/ TED JARRETT WITH DADDY DEAN ORCHESTRA: Love Me A Long Long Time/ THE KINGLETS: Six Days A Week (and Sundays Too)/ You Gotta Go/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: I Thank Him/ Kiss Away/ Let Me Get Close To You Baby/ The Clips/ LITTLE SHY GUY (DOUGLAS): My Little Baby/ JOYCE PAUL: Goofin' Off/ DON Q & CLENEST GANT: Hallelujah/ ROSCOE SHELTON: It's Almost Sundown/ CHARLES WALKER & THE DAFFODILS: No Fool No More/ Slave To Love |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Atlantic 81695 | Atlantic Blues: Guitar | ● CD $10.98 |
A selection of 24 tracks by 17 different artists including
one track from Blind Willie McTell's brilliant 1949 session for Atlantic
and one by Fred McDowell recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959 and previously
available on the superb |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Atlantic 82309 | Atlantic Blues: Guitar - Piano - Vocalists - Chicago | ● CD $56.98 |
This 4-CD set (in an LP-sized box) is frequently great,
although it is somewhat more problematic than the label's landmark
rhythm-and-blues set, and only partly because Atlantic's R&B catalog
is more extensive than its blues catalog. Every one of these discs -
featuring, respectively, guitar, piano, vocal and Chicago blues - is full
of strong material. The "Guitar" disc features excellent
material from the likes of Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi Fred McDowell,
John Lee Hooker, Sticks McGhee, and T-Bone Walker, and the
"Chicago" set includes marvelous cuts by Johnny Jones, Freddie
King, and Otis Rush, before it deteriorates into sundry blues festival
recordings that showcase Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Johnny Shines far
past their peaks. There is much spectacular music here, though those
familiar with the 8-LP version of this set will be disappointed that CD
length constraints have cut 20 tracks off of the original 103-song
program. Few of the set's absolute best tracks are cut, though any box
that lops off even one T-Bone Walker tune is asking for trouble. The high
quality of most of these recordings ensures that Atlantic Blues earns a
recommendation, but be aware that this is not the whole story. (JG) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Atlantic 81696 | Atlantic Blues: Vocalists | ● CD $10.98 |
29 tracks by 20 artists. The first album is mostly from the
40s and 50s and includes some lovely sides by Mama Yancey, Lavern Baker (a
fine version of Bessie Smith's |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | GNP Crescendo 2261 | Best Of Gene Norman's Blues Jubilee | ● CD $15.98 |
18 tracks, 53 mins, recommended Excellent live recordings
from concerts called "Blues Jubilees" organised in Los Angeles
in 1949, 1950 and 1955 by Frank Bull and Gene Norman. There are five sides
by Dinah Washington from 1950 including some that were big hits at the
time. Dinah is in great form and the audience is very enthusiastic. Jimmy
Witherspoon is featured on five tracks from 1949 and 1950 including his
hits Ain't Nobody's Business/ No Rollin' Blues. There are four fine
cuts by Helen Humes from 1950 including her hits Million Dollar Secret
and E Baba Le Ba. Big Joe Turner winds up the proceedings in fine
style with four songs from 1955 accompanied by Roy Milton & The Solid
Senders. The supposed "ad-libbed" Blues is, in fact,a
version of his 1953 hit Honey Hush! Sound quality is excellent and
there are informative notes by Scott Yanow. These recordings have all been
out before but this is their first reissue on an American CD. I can't help
but wonder if any other performances from these shows were recorded and do
they exist? (FS) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | MCA Special Products MCAD 22020 | Best Of The Blues | ● CD $7.98 |
10 tracks, 42 mins, good. No notes or session info - most of
these recordings have an early 70's sound, and are not always the
originals. So, Bobby Bland's Stormy Monday is very good, but not
the #9 R&B hit he recorded in '61. But his Turn On Your Love Light
sounds like the real thing. John Lee Hooker's angry Lonesome Mood
is excellent, as is Memphis Minnie's Moanin' The Blues. Others
include T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, and Sonny & Brownie. B.B. King
has three tracks, with The Thrill Is Gone being the best. And
that's it. (JC) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Collectables 5050 | Blame It On The Blues - From The Vaults Of Dootone | ● CD $11.98 |
A nice collection of mid/late 50s West Coast blues recorded
for Dootsie Williams' Los Angeles based Dootoo label. There are four
tracks by the powerful Willie Headen ranging from the intense You Can
Be Replaced to the novelty I Love You Bobby Sox. There are 4
sides of smooth big band blues from the consistently fine Roy Milton, 4
varied sides by Chuck Higgins and 2 forgettable tracks by Filmore. Not
surprisingly for Collectables there are no notes or discographical data
and the sound is unexceptional. Still, a nice cross section of West Coast
blues. (FS) FILMORE SLIM: I Want To Hold Your Hand/ You've Got The Nerve Of A Brass Monkey/ WILLIE HEADEN: Blame It On The Blues/ I Love You Bobby Sox/ Let Me Cry/ You Can Be Replaced/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Don't You Know I Love You Baby/ Here I'm Is/ I Need Your Love/ Lookin For My Baby/ ROY MILTON: Cry Some Baby/ I Cant Go On/ I Never Would Have Made It/ Nothing Left |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Stax 8528 | Blue Monday - The Stax Blues Masters | ● CD $11.98 |
Compilation of tracks by Stax bluesmen Little Sonny (The
Things I Used To Do), Albert King (Born Under A Bad Sign/ Driving
Wheel), Freddie Robinson (After Hours/ River's Invitation) and
Little Milton (Blue Monday/ Open The Door To Your Heart). 12 cuts
total. |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Rounder AN 10 | Blues Across The U.S.A. | ● CD $8.98 |
18 tracks, 73 min., recommended. In this case
"blues" means blues, soul, R&B, and New Orleans-flavored
music. Which is fine, especially when your roster includes Otis Clay, Irma
Thomas, Chuck Carbo, Barbara Lynn, Charles Brown, Marcia Ball, Eddie
Hinton, The Holmes Brothers, Larry Davis, and many more. Ann Peebles' Fear
No Evil, lifted from Full Time Love, is a superb shot of musical
adrenalin that allows no sitting still. Everything is culled from recent
Rounder/Bullseye releases, and culler Ron Levy chose well. A nice
introduction to the label. (JC) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Westside 531 | Blues Complete | ● CD $13.98 |
This interesting disc features all 10 sides recorded by
North Carolina bluesman Ralph Willis for Jubilee in 1950 and '51 including
two recently discovered unissued sides. It is worth mentioning that 8 of
the 10 sides were issued by Sequel only a few years ago and are probably
still available! The set also includes all 8 sides Lonnie Johnson recorded
for Rama in 1956 - his last sessions for a commercial label. The disc
winds up with 6 tracks from a previously unissued 1960 Chicago session for
End featuring Jump Jackson's Combo featuring the fine vocals and piano or
Johnny "Big Moose" Walker. |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Easydisc 7056 | Blues Cruise - Ten For The Highway | ● CD $7.98 |
Roomful Of Blues, Johnny Adams, Monster Mike Welch &
More |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | P-Vine PCD 3062 | Blues Divas | ● CD $23.98 |
24 tracks, 63 mins, recommended Fine collection of blues and
R&B from seven excellent female singers who recorded for Modern and
RPM between 1949 and 1956. The fine and ever popular Helen Humes is
featured on four sides - two studio cuts including I Ain't In The Mood
(the "answer" song to John Lee Hooker's I'm In the Mood)
and two cuts live from The Blues Jubilee Concert with Roy Milton's Band in
front of a very enthusiastic audience. There are two sides by the
wonderful Little Esther from 1949 with Johnny Otis & His Orch
including some hot guitar by hot guitar. There are two sides each by Zola
Taylor (who later became a member of The Platters) and the obscure but
excellent Linda Peters. There are six cuts from 1955 by the fine Dolly
Cooper from 1955 with a hard driving band led by Maxwell Davis - half of
her cuts are tough blues and the other half are bluesy doo-wop ballads
like Teenage Prayer and Teen Age Wedding Bells no doubt
aimed at the growing rock 'n roll audience. Donna Hightower is another
fine singer whose material is divided between hard blues & R&B and
more pop oriented material but all of it is very listenable and there's
some hot guitar pickin' on He's My Baby. (FS) DOLLY COOPER: Ay La Bah/ Down So Long/ Every Day & Every Night/ My Man/ Teen Age Prayer/ Teen Age Wedding Bells/ DONNA HIGHTOWER: Dog Gone It/ Hands Off/ He's My Baby/ I Ain't Gonna Tell/ Love Me Again/ Right Now/ Since You Left Me/ HELEN HUMES: I Ain't In The Mood/ I'm Gonna Let Him Ride/ Livin' My Life My Way/ Million Dollar Secret/ LITTLE ESTHER: I Gotta Guy/ Mean Ole Gal/ LINDA PETERS: Central 1609/ If I had Listened/ ZOLA TAYLOR: Make Love To Me/ Oh My Dear |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Delmark 697 | Blues Guitar Greats | ● CD $14.98 |
A collection of blues guitar from the Delmark vaults
including Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Robert Lockwood Jr., Sleepy John Estes,
Lurrie Bell, Jimmy Johnson and others. Includes a previously unissued live
cut by Magic Sam. |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Wolf 120.400 | Blues Power Vol. 1 - The Best Of The Blues | ● CD $14.98 |
A 20 track, 74 minute sampler drawn from Wolf's not always
consistent catalog of blues releases. It includes A.C. Reed, Dana
Gillespie, Big Joe Turner, Rudy Richard, Charles Brown, Homesick James
& Snooky Pryor, Hound Dog Taylor, John Littlejohn, James Cotton, Otis
Rush and others. Most of this is worthwhile. |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Wolf WBJ 014 | Bluestown Story Volume 2 | ● CD $14.98 |
23 tracks, good. The second volume of recordings from Skippy
White's Boston based Bluestown label is truly frustrating as there are
several extremely good moments but much of it is either mediocre or
irrelevant. The set opens with 4 songs by Otis Rush from Cobra that were
leased to Bluestown - classic material but how many times do we need it
reissued? The most interesting tracks are two previously unissued demos by
James Cotton alone with his harmonica and sounding very good indeed. There
are two intense soul blues from the excellent Albert Washington and the
moderately interesting two part Slow That Disco Down by Little
Scotty. And then there is Walter Allen - 13 tracks - 9 of them previously
unissued. Allen is a decent enough singer but he accompaniments himself
with that most improbable of blues instruments - the electric organ - after
a few tracks I want to climb the walls! If the best cuts here had been
combined with most of the first volume the result would have been an
absolute killer. And what would a Wolf release be without a major typographic
blunder - I'm sure that Neil Slaven will be surprised to learn
that he died in 1991. From the context I assume they mean Simon Napier.
Can't they get anything right?! (FS) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Tone-Cool 1146 | Boston Blues Blast Vol. 1 | ● CD $14.98 |
If you don't associate the city of Boston with hot blues,
you will when you hear this collection. Most of the bands will probably
not be familiar, which makes this even more of a find. Outstanding tracks
include Your Red Wagon by Sugar Ray Norcia, who sounds a bit like
Kim Wilson (Wilson did produce Jerry Portnoy's harmonica heavy Blues In
A Dream). And for a music generally underrepresented by women, this
set includes Lynne Harrison & The Hardliners doing Amnesia Blues
and Shirley Lewis Experee-ance on Boppin' And Rockin' The Blues;
two fine bands, two fine songs. Perhaps the best cut is Paul Rishell's
original Louise, which features Mr. Richell's vocals and National
steel guitar. The song is so good you'll check the credits to see if it
was written by Lightnin' Hopkins. Other performers include
"Earring" George Mayweather, Boogaloo Swamis, Ron Levy, Luther
"Guitar Jr." Johnson, Rick Russell Band, Weepin' Willie and
others. Long live Tone-Cool! (JC) |
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