BLUES & GOSPEL
Various Artists Collections - Pre War Texas Blues
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Document DOCD 5580 | Field Recordings, Vol. 6 - Texas, 1933-58 | ● CD $15.98 |
Some wonderful stuff here including unaccompanied work songs
recorded in prison, a version of Barbara Allen a song not common in
the African-American tradition, fine harmonica player Ace Johnson,
eccentric performer George Coleman (Bongo Joe) and more. |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Document DOCD 5232 | San Antonio Blues, 1937 | ● CD $15.98 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Wolf WSE 112 | Texas Blues, 1927-37 | ● CD $15.98 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Document DOCD 5231 | Texas Field Recordings, 1934/1939 | ● CD $15.98 |
33 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended A beautiful
collection of Texas field recordings supervised by John Lomax in 1934 and
1939, mostly in prison. There are some wonderful performances here
including 13 by Pete Harris - a versatile musician who sang blues,
ballads, folk songs and spirituals accompanying himself with fine guitar
including some beautiful slide work on some pieces. Another highlight is
Smith Casey - a distinctive gruff and impassioned singer and powerful
guitarist whose repertoire included original songs as well as Texas blues
and spiritual favorites like Jack O' Diamonds (also recorded by
Harris), Two White Horses Standing In Line (with gorgeous slide
playing) and others. Augustus "Track Horse" Haggarty is a
powerful singer with some interesting songs and nice guitar accompaniments
from Jack Johnson. Johnson also sings one number and the collection is
rounded out with the somewhat less interesting Tricky Sam and Jesse
Lockett. Generally good sound and informative notes from David Evans
providing what little information is known about these performers. (FS) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Document DOCD 5163 | Texas Girls (1926-1929) | ● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 74 min., recommended The complete works of
Lillian Miller, Hattie Hudson, Gertrude Perkins, Ida May Mack, and Bobby
Cadillac. Accompanists include Willie Tyson and George Thomas on piano,
Octave Gaspard on tuba, and Charlie Hill and Coley Jones on guitar. Among
the highlights on this excellent collection are Hudson's Doggone My
Good Luck Soul, Perkins's No Easy Rider, Mack's When You
Lose Your Daddy, and Cadillac's parody of It's Tight Like That,
I Can't Stand That, one of four duets with Coley Jones. The set as
a whole features four duplicate tracks, good sound for the era, brief but
solid notes by Paul Garon, and a photo of Ida May Mack. (DH) |
VARIOUS ARTISTS | Document DOCD 5225 | Texas Piano, Vol 2 | ● CD $15.98 |
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