Amazon.com essential recording

This inappropriately titled album is actually a concert recording from a performance at Oberlin College in 1965. Regardless, Hurt's rich, gentle voice and relaxed, flowing guitar lines could soothe the stormiest Monday. Among the hymns and traditional songs heard here are "I Shall Not Be Moved," "Nearer My God to Thee," "Since I've Laid This Burden Down," and "You Are My Sunshine." Complementing those are Hurt folk/blues staples, notably "Monday Morning Blues," "Coffee Blues," and "C.C. Rider." The blues patriarch's warmth and geniality come through here with such emotional intimacy that you can't help being deeply moved. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

it may not be his best, but:¿
This disc is a fine place to dive into the wonderfully gentle blues of this wonderfully gentle man. There was nothing flashy about John Hurt, and maybe for that reason his music may stick to your ribs for a long, long time.

Sit Back, Relax, and Enjoy
Yes, this is a live recording, not a collection of prerecorded material; but you know what? I think it's even better than the studio works. I own Avalon Blues and Worried Blues, and they're wonderful. But there's something different going on here. There's a certain undefinable spirit he adds to the songs. Gosh, I don't want to say it, but it's almost rowdy, if Mr. Hurt could ever be described in that fashion (heck, though, it's almost like calling Perry Como speed metal).

All I'm trying to say is that the artist/audience chemistry seems to add something exciting to the music and the musician. I guess he seems happier and more alive; which leads me to one oxymoron I've always used to describe Mississippi John Hurt. Happy blues. I love this album, and if you like anything this man has recorded, I'd almost guarantee you'll feel the same.

best of mississippi john hurt
I have had this album since 1988 and still listen to it regularly, his style is so relaxed and unique, music that will always be popular

The best of MJH
Having seen some guitar Tabs of his songs I came across this album and brought it out of curiosity, ( I like the old blues musicians) Brilliant! Recorded infront of a live audience MJH entertains through the whole album. At times I became frustrated wanting to know what the audience were laughing at. If you want to hear a great blues guitarist then buy this one. I listen to the cd now and again, but not just the once, it always goes on 'Repeat'. Now I can't find enough of his material.

A timeless classic
Must agree with the previous reviewer--this is truly great collection. I also first heard the LP in the late 60's, had a reel to reel tape of it that finally just wore out. Then heard it again a few days ago in a local Cajun restaurant. It sounded better than ever. Just had to have the CD. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great tutorial.
I purchased this tutorial even though I already knew the basics. After listening and following the individual lessons, I was able to broaden my technique allowing solos to be unique from each other.

I still listen to it from time to time this day. It's fun to play with, and be taught by one of the harmonica's greats.

Jerry is a great teacher. If you always wanted to play blues-harp you won't be disappointed.

Superior
I've been playing about 30 years, and a friend wanted to learn to play blues harp from me. I told him just have a miserable life and the rest would take care of itself. After that, I began to look at instructional material to help him. Jerry Portnoy's set is the best. Period. The other materials are divided into either playing Oh, Susannah or learning licks (which is difficult for beginners.) Portnoy provides a very good sequential method of learning. This is a great harp player and a smart guy who can also teach. Just buy this course and forget about the rest.

Incredible way to learn fundamentals!
I have never felt strongly enough about any product to take the trouble to write up a rating. But, the potential of this 3 CD set to dramatically enhance the ability of any but the most accomplished harmonicist (diatonic or chromatic) is enormous. The title is slightly misleading, but in a good way. I would not confine its benefits to blues (diatonic) harp players!
I had purchased and aggressively used all the top-rated blues harp instructional products (including those available at Amazon), avoiding Portnoy's because of its relatively high cost. Mistake! It's not that the other materials are not worthwhile. It's that Portnoy's CD set is where I should have started. Learning from the rest of the instructional material out there would then have come much easier. After "taking" Jerry's Masterclass, I find myself going back to the other material with far greater technical ability and a more thorough understanding of the instrument that grant me fuller access to information I was previously unable to absorb.
In this Masterclass Portnoy clearly articulates even the most difficult to understand nuances of playing effective harmonica, rendering the material accessible even (especially?) by a beginner. As the serious student of any musical instrument should expect, Jerry carefully concentrates on all the fundamentals. He takes his "student" through each technique in small steps, giving superb examples all the way. You just follow along with Jerry's lessons on your diatonic (in the key of A), stopping and repeating at your own pace until you're comfortable with each new technique. You decide when to go on to the next lesson, and can come back for a refresher any time (a highly recommended practice).
If you want to learn specific blues licks, there are better resources. If you are seeking what amounts to private lessons from a harmonica virtuoso and extraordinary teacher, this is the mother lode! Jerry says that once you've taken his class, learning blues licks is a matter of listening and using the skills he has taught you. And, he's right.
Not only all that, I recently took on chromatic harmonica. Although it's a very different beast than a blues harp, fundamentally, blowing the chrom' is the same as the diatonic. And, as I've said, Portnoy's CD set dwells almost exclusively on harmonica fundamentals. Thanks to him (and bit of effort on my own part, of course), I can easily apply techniques that seem to mystify many far more accomplished chrom' players. If you want to learn how to play harp at a high level, this is the way to go. And don't worry about Portnoy's qualifications-he backed Muddy Waters for years and continues to back Eric Clapton, just for starters. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

A fantastic collection of old-time music, "Folks, He Sure DoPull Some Bow!" captures vintage fiddle music at that rarecrossroads where the blues, jazz, and something that would one day becalled folk were all in their infancy. For fiddle virtuosos performingbetween 1927 and 1935, quite simply, anything goes. Banjo IkeyRobinson's red hot "My Four Reasons" swings with humor and pizzazz,the State Street Boys' "Rustlin' Man" features the down-and-out bluesvocals and fiddling of Big Bill Broonzy , and the Mississippi Sheiks'jazzy, but blues-inspired "Lazy Lazy River" musically straddles bothsides of the Mason Dixon Line. For many listeners, the more esoterictracks will stick out: Bo Chatman (a.k.a. double-entendre blues king Bo Carter) is heardfiddling behind Alec Johnson's goofy vocals on "Sister Maud Mule" (andin the spotlight on his own "Good Old Turnip Greens"); the GeorgiaYellow Hammers' "G Rag" is the product of a then-rare integratedrecording session; and Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio performs"Cabo Verdranos Peca Nove" with incredible fiddling on what must be oneof the first attempts at a crossover world-music disc. It's allhere--great remastering, in-depth liner notes, and wonderful playing. Eachrelease from Old Hat--Violin, Sing the Blues forMe and Music from the Lost Provinces--feels definitive, and this gem iscertainly no different. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If you want to hear "fiddle" music don't buy this!
This is a review for normal people. If you are a fan of standard fiddle do not buy this CD. It is a bunch of badly recorded, half hearted, boring and sloppy songs thrown together on an overpriced CD. Save yourself $... or if you like this type of music just go buy some old Little Rascals episodes on DVD. Then you will get the same music you hear on this plus the bonus of the Little Rascals. Now I know why we think of Blues guitar players not fiddle players when this music is discussed. The other reviewers seem to think some of the names on this CD will be familiar to you. Don't believe them, unless names like "Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio" or "Dixieland Jug Blowers" are familiar to you. I am just hoping to prevent normal music lovers from stepping into this pile and losing $... like I did. I play banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer and guitar all badly, but I could get a gig with these bands and probably improve their sound. If you are the artsy type that digs this kind of stuff and you can't wait to grow a goatee, turn the lights down low, fill the room with smoke (oops, bad for your health), put your sunglasses on and crank this baby up; I hope you don't mind being stuck by yourself all the time because no one else is going to put up with this lousy music. Go find something with Chubby Wise in it if you want to hear some real fiddle playing. Help support some little known, up and coming fiddle players that need to buy food and pay rent with royalty checks by buying their music instead of making these labels, that get this junky music for free or almost free, super rich.

Worth the check
The music on this cd is fun, its interesting, and its instructive. More than that, it is vital music for anyone who wants to understand the musical culture of this country in general, and the history of fiddling, the blues, jazz, and much much more. Black fiddling along with Black banjo playing were vital forces in black music across the scale from classical to delta blues. Now people are surpised there is sucha thing as black fiddling, or blues fiddling. Listen to this music. More than that, the music here is good to listen to. If you think you know the blues, you will recognize familiar names of Lonnie Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy. You get to hear both of them hear playing their first instrument, the fiddle!
But all this music is a lot of fun

In response to some comment, I have played bluegrass and old timey music for about 40 years, and also play guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, the first two well enough to play with recording artists since around 1967.

This is not white country music. It is black country music and some black proto Jazz. Professional bluegrass fiddlers and professional violinists I know who I have introduced to this record think it is amazing, interesting, and educational. It is just nice to listen to as well.

Anyone familiar with African American blues music, jug band music, or 1920s and 1930s two-beat Jazz will find familiar figures on this record. If you don't know who Lonnie Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy are, you are seriously uneducated about American music, not just African american music.

BTW Fiddling encompasses all non-classical styles of playing the violin, not just white "country" and bluegrass styles.

Wow, did this one sneak up on me!
After the first song or two, I was almost ready to shut this off... almost, that is. The way it started out, it had about as much sound quality as a scratchy old background soundtrack to a Little Rascals movie.

But by the third song, I was hooked. Wow, this stuff is amazing. This is blues at its heart, pure and unadorned, and gushing forth with an energy that its high-fidelity counterparts can't hope to match.

And what a treasure trove of unknown gems! I find myself listening to this album over and over -- whether in the background or at the center of my attention, it mysteriously seems to work both ways.

Get this album!

Fabulous set of African-American fiddle music
Another astonishing album from the truly great, tiny independent Old Hat label... This features rare old recordings of fiddle music, some old-timey and some straight blues, made during the height of the Great Depression. There are a few familiar names, such as Peetie Wheatstraw and Peg Leg Howell, but for the most part this is pretty ultra-obscure material (even including one track of music by immigrants from Cape Verde (!) This is high-quality stuff, and comes with generously informative liner note... Highly recommended!

Oh, scrape them strings!
Compliments to Marshall Wyatt and his fledgling label. He's batting 1000 so far. This CD and the other two releases on Old Hat are wonderful pieces of American musical history. This one gives a wonderfully broad listen to the many voices of the nation's fiddling. It'll wake you up and set your synapses to dancing! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

****½
Finally! All of Big Bill Broonzy's classic and hugely influential prewar sides gathered together. 128 sides recorded for labels like Paramount, ARC and Perfect Records, and featuring Big Bill as a solo performer, as well as leading various small combos.

Big Bill Broonzy was one of the major links between country blues and the urban Chicago variety, and artists like Memphis Slim and Muddy Waters recorded entire LPs of his material.
The sound on these five discs is not great, but you probably won't find any better-sounding Big Bill-sides from the 20s and 30s, and this is certainly no second-rate compilation, in spite of the relatively low price and the cartoonish design of the box. On the contrary, it is a well-annotated, carefully remastered overview of the music of Big Bill Broonzy in his prime. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

He's great; the crowd isn't.
This CD was my intro to the reverend, and what a treat he is. Unfortunately, the crowd noise really detracts from the music on several cuts. He rates five stars, but the crowd gets a minus one.

this is a great cd
this is a great cd.it shows rev.davis(one of the all-time great finger pickers)in a lot of different moods.a super,wide ranging selection of songs recorded from concerts to in his living room.in short you get the whole gamut.walking dog blues,she"s funny that way just some really great songs.if you like finger style blues give this one a try.

Cincinnati Pickin'
Rev. Gary Davis influenced many guitarists of different generations. This album is a fine sampling of his talents. The album is a mixture of songs and instrumentals on 6 string and 12 string guitar, plus one song with a banjo accompaniment. Some songs are performed before a live audience.

The outstanding track is "Cincinnati Flow Rag", surely one of the best recorded examples of ragtime blues guitar. It's full of invention and demonstrates Davis' stunning technique to the full. Anyone who plays the guitar should listen to this. There are other virtuoso guitar instrumental solos ""Walkin' Dog Blues", Twelve Sticks", "Buck Rag", and "C-Rag". "Buck Dance" and "Wall Hollow Blues" have some spoken vocals. "Whoopin' Blues" is an unusual instrumental - I think there are 2 guitars on this, but I could be underestimating the great man. "She's Funny That Way" is a song with banjo accompaniment.

The other tracks are songs with guitar backing. "Hesitation Blues" is a well covered song, but this version is somewhat spoiled by the over-load crowd noises that sometimes drown out Davis. It's also rather over-long at 11 minutes plus. "Whistlin' Blues" begins as a story, followed by a bottleneck guitar solo, using an unusual tuning. For guitarists, my copy of this album came with a tab book, with transcriptions of "Walkin' Dog Blues", "Buck Rag", "Cocaine Blues", "Hesitation Blues" and "Baby Let Me Lay It on You".

This is a fine album to hear how the guitar can be played by a master of the instrument. The sound quality is good, apart from over-loud audience noises in places, and tape hiss on a couple of tracks. 71 minutes playing time in all. It's worth buying for "Cincinnati Flow Rag" alone. ... Read more

Amazon.com

True to her billing ("plays guitar like a man"), Minnie held her own in a genre dominated by male artists. She had a gutsy voice and a no-nonsense guitar style. These 20 prime cuts were done in Chicago for the Vocalion and ARC labels. Recorded in the late '30s, many contain small band accompaniment that included Charlie McCoy's dynamic mandolin as well as legendary pianists Blind John Davis and Black Bob. Two cuts, "Please Don't Stop Him" and "I'm Going Don't You Know," feature Arnett Nelson's smooth clarinet work. Although Minnie would continue to record for several more decades, she would never be better than she was during these sessions. --Lars Gandil ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Essential country blues record.
This is an absolute must have for any serious blues collector and any fan of music. I have approximately 100 blues CDs, many from this era and this is easily one of the best 5. Anyone looking to begin a blues collection would be well advised to purchase these great early Memphis Minnie recordings. Her guitar playing may well surpass even the great Tampa Red and her vocals have a more startling and rhythmic quality than female contemporary Bessie Smith. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The classic 1960's Arhoolie sessions!
Although these are not as powerful as her Peacock recordings of teh 50's, one should not overlook her Arhoolie sides fro mthe mid 60's(to late 60's). Ball b' Chail is a classic, as well as the Gospel tinged Wade In The Water and Sweet Little Angel(covered fro meveryone from BB King to Etta James). This is a powerfu lset of rockin' blues, and a couple of slower ones too ,but for the most part this is great jump blues and the msuic swings, stomps, and jumps, as well as rocks! Even the slower stuff rocks! Big Mama dodn't recrd too much that wasn't worth listening to ,and aside from her Peacock recordingd. these are her msot essential sides, and are a major highlight of a long lustrious career as a blues diva! Also Mama Thornton has influenced everyone from rock singer Janis Joplin to new blues diva Candye Kane. Thornton was a powerful singer, and this cd should not be overlooked, and should be essential to blues fans. Even myself, strictly a fan of rockabilly music, love all of Thornton's work from the 50's and 60s'.

Exellent rockin' blues and rollicking r&b and jump blues
This cd features Mig mama Thornton hollerin' her way thru a versitile set of jump blues, slow drags, and rockin' blues. Although if you want to make a 1st purchase of Mama thornton start with Hound Dog-The Peackock Recording, as a 2nd purchase you can't go wrong with these somewhat later sessions. Lot's of fun, rough and roudy blues.

there ain't enough stars in the universe .
There just ain't enough stars in the universe when it comes to
rating Big Moma Thorton.

Excellent Blues
"Big Mama" is truly a legend. I've listened to this CD many many many times and each times I'm surprised by how much I enjoy it. There are several slower tunes, but if you've got the rhythm in your soul I don't think you'll be disappointed (in particular "Wade in the Water"). I myself enjoy hearing different versions of different songs so i found BB King's Sweet Little Angel (I don't know if it was his originally but that's where I knew it from) and the Janis Joplin standard Ball and Chain to be wonderful.

On that note - Ball and Chain is - as thornton does it - a different and nonetheless amazing song. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Ew!
This utterly forgettable album features must-have classics like "Bo Diddley Stubbing His Toe On A Wah-Wah Pedal" and "Extremely Annoying Female Backup Group Seemingly Made Up Of Banshees".

Everything is chaotic and obviously under-rehearsed, and Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf are clearly uncomfortable trying to sing songs they aren't familiar with.
Only for completists.

A Big Blues Fusion
From the moment the first track plays you can tell there's gonna be alot of hard blues action. to me all seven tracks are considered classics.

A classic
The First track, "Long distance Call" is a classic. The others are kind of weaker repeats , but the whole thing rocks.

Dispensible
This '60s blues summit was a chaotic disappointment. It's interesting as blues history more than as blues music (the female chorus is particularly annoying). Look for some prime Muddy and Wolf instead.

Gotta have this!
I've got this on LP in the states, but I no longer live in the states. I thought I could find it on amazon.com and nearly cried when I couldn't. This is one of the coolest/finest musical experiences there is to be had. It's not well known at all, and it's some thing that deserves to be handed down before it's gone forever. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The classic blues belter had been singing for two decades before she ever put her voice on record, and it shows on these recordings from the mid- to late '20s. The archetypal blues shouter, Rainey had a voice whose depth and strength is startling and sometimes alarming, even on these scratchy old recordings--one can only imagine what she must have sounded like in real life. Her backup musicians include such notables as pianist Fletcher Henderson, trombonist Charlie Green, guitarist Tampa Red, and trombonist Kid Ory, all performing fairly straightforward 12-bar blues. It's not the material here that's notable, so much as Rainey's voice, a voice that has informed the work of female blues singers ever since. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The cream of Ma Rainey's crop
Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey was billed by her record company as the "Mother of the Blues" (something which pleased her greatly), and although there was blues and blues singers even before her, she was certainly one of the genres most important trailblazers.

"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is a fine collection of 14 of Ma Rainey's best songs recorded between 1924 and 1928. She was a powerful and expressive singer, and she is backed here by various brass- and/or string bands (Kid Ory, Coleman Hawkins and Tom Dorsey being credited among the musicians).

The sound quality on these recordings, of which some are almost 80 years old, is surprisingly good, and among the highlights are "Shave 'Em Dry Blues", "Yonder Come The Blues" and the title track.
This is highly recommendable to anyone with an interest in early blues, or even jazz.

Ma Rainey Should Sing Forever
Here is a hot CD! Ma Rainey is recaptured in all her richness. What a great listening experience, especially for those who love to hear the African American sound the way it was! No wonder August Wilson found such a wonderful tapestry on which to draw his play -- the music on this CD wants to be heard again and again.

Roaring Twenties Personified
Gertrude Malissa Pridgett, born in 1886, was THE pioneer blues belter, taking the stage name Ma Rainey following her marriage to vaudevillian William "Pa" Rainey. Everyone who followed - from Bessie Smith on down - owed their success to her paving the way.

Her life [she died on December 22, 1939 at age 53] inspired the 1985 Broadway musical "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" - currently being revived with Whoopi Goldberg in the starring role.

If there's a fault with this 1990 CD from Yazoo Records it's the lack of liner notes and the omission of her one popular charted hit, the immortal, classic See See Rider Blues [# 14 in February 1925] which she did for the Paramount label with Louis Armstrong on coronet and Fletcher Henderson at the piano.

According to the insert, liner notes are credited to Stephen Calt but, rather than providing any background information on Ma Rainey, these are confined to merely a listing of some of the musicians who accompanied her on each track. Immortals in their own right, these include Henderson, guitarist Tampa Red, Kid Ory on trombone, Charlie Dixon on banjo, drummer Kaiser Marshall, and clarinetist Artie Starks.

Given today's technology and computer ability to eliminate the old crackle, hiss and pop, we should soon see more of Ma Rainey's "cleaned up" hits re-released [along with others of that era]. I can't wait. In the meantime, this is how your grandparents or great-grandparents would have heard them

Ma Rainey is rare!
Ma Rainey was a classic blues singer, whose many songs are over 70 years old, but still highly beautiful and entertaining. This collection shows it all. If you are just starting to listen to the blues, I recommend you to get this!

Hooray for Gertrude "Ma" Rainey's Black Bottom!!!
Usually compilation CD's are not up to par, for collectors standards, however this is an excellent sampler of Gertrude "Ma" Rainey's finest sessions put out by surprisingly a US label Yazoo Records. Lovie Austin & Her Serenaders are featured here backing Rainey, as well as many other 20's jazz musicians. Ma Rainey was perhaphs the finest blues singer to emerge from the "blues craze" of the roarin' 20's. Rainey who was Bessie Smith's vocal coach, was singing the blues yaers before the 20's "blues craze," Rainey who was a popular vaudeville entertainer would always include blues numbers in her act long before, Mamie Smith started the 20's blues craze with "Crazy Blues." Rainey sings some blues and some popular jazz from the era like "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "The Georgia Cakewalk." There is also a dirty blues "Shave Em' Dry." Some other classics are "Oh Papa", "Blues Oh Blues" and "Don't Fish In My Sea" are essential. Every song on this CD is a classic, making this set essential for beginners as well as the collector who will want all the goodies on one CD. Heck I already have her complete chronological series on the European Ducument label and I still recommend this gem.

Also if you already are a fan of Ma Rainey, go see a newer artist by the name of Big Mama Sue, who sings(and is very influenced by Ma Rainey) and plays washboard in the 20's blues and dixieland tradition, she's often at Dixieland Festivals, listen to her and find out where she's playing at Bigmamasue.com ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though Odetta hasn't exactly been inactive, Blues Everywhere I Go is her first studio recording in 14 years. It's been worth the wait--this is an incredibly strong album, from one of the most gorgeous folk-blues voices ever. Odetta's voice has aged well, acquiring a depth of maturity without losing one whit of emotional expression. Among the album's highlights are "Oh Papa," a slow, bittersweet work of art, and a take on "Careless Love" that must rival the best versions of this often-covered song. What's frequently astonishing is how Odetta breathes new life into old material, giving it new relevance; this is especially evident on "TB Blues" and "Homeless Blues." Liner notes from blues writer Robert Gordon add a bit of history and interpretation to the material. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Odetta : Not just a Folk Singer!
The years have not diminished the powerful voice of the Great Odetta. I am often suprised how many people haven't even heard of her! She an American Treasure! This album features her with a superb back-up band and Odetta is as great singing the Blues as she is singing Folk. I have some of Odetta's live albums and I absolutely love how she can merge several songs into a "Suite" rather than a show biz medley. This is a different Odetta for me to hear and I am extremely pleased with this album. Whether she is recorded live or in the studio and whether she is singing folk or blues, Odetta is a truly great artist. I do recommend this album highly! One feels as if they are there in person. There is an intimate feeling to this Blues album which only adds to how fine it is. It got me snapping my fingers and moving to the music. Oh, Odetta is such a fine singer,so, so fine. ***** Five Stars for "Blues Everywhere I Go"!

Odetta's return
This Grammy nominated cd is amazing. Odetta's voice is still as powerful and unique as it ever was. Odetta is downright incredible on Dink's Blues and Blues Everywhere I Go. And evokes raw emotion on WPA Blues and You Aughta Know. I am very happy to see Odetta back with new material. She is one of best vocalists of all time and seems to carry her legendary status into the new millenium.

Absolutely fabulous.
I won't try to add to the superlatives that the other reviewers have written. This has rapidly become one of my favorite albums. I do have to say that I think the author of the liner notes missed the joke on "Can't Afford To Leave My Man."

Odetta is truly the Queen of American Folk Music
I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Odetta perform at my school. She has a warm and beautiful presence, and it comes through entirely in her wonderful voice. I don't love blues music, but I love Odetta! I very highly recommend this most recent collection of her songs.

You've gotta get this! It will blow you away.
I was browsing the culture section of the Utne Reader when I ran across a review of Odetta's newest in years--the review was entitled "15 More Minutes" and it raved about "Blues Everywhere I Go", so I went out and got it. Guess what? It's every bit deserving of Utne's rave review, Amazon.com's double 5-star rating, and my humble "It will blow you away". Odetta's is in fine, though at times, weary voice, but that suits certain tunes well--just how long and in how many voices can the call to better mankind be, without showing some weariness, I ask you? Poignant, indeed, are the cuts, "TB Blues" and "Oh Papa". Welcome back, Odetta. ... Read more

Album Description

William Christopher Handy "The Father of the Blues," was born in Florence, Alabama, on November 16, 1873.As a young boy, Handy had an almost insatiable desire to learn more about music.While the Florence Concert Band practiced inside the local barber shop, Handy would peek through the windows and play his cornet, along with the help of a fingering chart displayed on a blackboard. In 1893, he organized a vocal quartet and travelled to Chicago, St.Louis and Evansville, Indiana, ending up in Henderson, Kentucky, where he joined Mahara's Colored Minstrels.Handy stayed on the road for the next seven years, save two years spent at A&M College in Huntsville, Alabama, where he taught music.The year 1903 found W.C.Handy leading the "Knights of Pythias" Band in Clarksdale, Mississippi.One afternoon in Tutwiler, Mississippi, he heard an itinerant musician playing a guitar with a knife blade and singing "Going where the Southern Crosses the Yellow Dog." (The Southern and The Yellow Dog were railroad lines).Handy made a particular mental note of the singer and his unique songs and style and moved to Memphis.Trying to keep in step with the demand for music in Memphis, Handy organized his own band to compete for the more lucrative jobs in a burgeoning musical community.There was, however, stiff competition with the likes of Eckford and Higgins' Imperial Orchestra and Bynum's Superb Orchestra.The mayoral race in 1909 saw a ticket with three candidates and three bands.Handy and his band were hired by the Crump campaign to draw and entertain the crowd's (E.H.Crump had a huge political machine that ran Memphis for most of the first half of the twentieth century).Handy turned to the blues form, and to that itinerant street musician for his composition "Mister Crump" (this song would later be retitled "The Memphis Blues." In 1913, Theron Bennett, a Denver publisher, reissued "The Memphis Blus" with lyrics added by George A.Norton.The song was a huge success, however, Handy was misled by Bennett and Phillips into thinking the song has flopped and, consequently, sold the copyright for $50.00.Undaunted, Handy went back to writing and produced "St.Louis Blues" in 1914, a song which has been one of the most recorded songs in history and has been hailed as the "National Anthem of the Blues."In September of 1917, Handy, along with four band members from Memphis, made the trip to Chicago.There, Handy acquired 4 Chicago musicians and 4 others who had previously played under his direction.With the band assembled, Handy's Orchestra of Memphis headed to New York to make their first recordings.For the first time in over three quarters of a century the recordings of W.C.Handy have been preserved and are available from Memphis Archives in this unique collection.

---Richard James Hite ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Irreplaceable History, And Fun Old Music
If you're familiar with the typical ragtime orchestra sound, and like it, you're in for a real treat. This is a very spirited group, and it makes other bands of the era (Art Hickman, Isham Jones, early Paul Whiteman) sound stoic and stale.
First became aware that W.C.Handy had recorded these "big band" sides when I saw the original entry in a Columbia Records catalog from 1918. All of the sides that he recorded then are featured on this CD, plus some he recorded in the early 1920's (for another label).
Sadly, the original masters were not used - commercial copies of uneven quality were the only source material available. Considering that, this reissue is nicely done, but be advised of the scratches and wear noises.
Though I could wish for better sound quality, I am well pleased with the fact that these indespensible ragtime orchestra sides are available once again. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Brilliant,get it.
I came to this box set having heard nothing of the music of Blind Willie McTell,I just thought I'd take a chance.I do not regret it for one solitary second,the whole set is brilliant.Unlike some more famous blues artists,Mr.McTell sang in a soft voice that displays his regional accent.He sang clear and he sang sweet.His guitar playing is fantastic,it's hard to believe that there is only one player on a lot of these recordings,but's that indeed how it is,and thanks to the clarity of the vast majority of the recordings,I would recommend this set without reserve.

wow...prepare yourself!!
Absolutely compelling music from one of the masters of country blues. Here you will find most of his classics but there are hidden jewels also. The lomax cd is great stuff...highly recommended to any fan of the blues.

Exceptionally thorough box set
William Samuel McTell never had a hit record.
He also didn't make Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of the twentieth century, even though he could play circles around most of those who did.

Willie McTell was in fact one of the blues' greatest guitarists, and also one of the idiom's finest and most expressive singers ever. Almost every other pre-WW II blues guitarist relied on their instrument as a rhythm instrument, often hitting it, utilizing its resonance, but McTell displayed a nimble, sophisticated slide and finger-picking style that made it sound like more than one guitar at any given moment.

This fine box set offer a lot more value than JSP Records is asking in its retail price, and there is absolutely no reason to view this as a low budget-type compilation (in spite of the slightly cartoonish design).

JSP has somehow managed to assemble a series of generally clean and bright masters going back to the late '20s. Now digitally remastered, they showcase McTell's dazzling finger-picking style on the 12-string guitar, and listeners will swear there's more than one guitarist playing, but there isn't - at least not on the early sides. What Blind Willie McTell gets out of that one guitar makes it sound almost like a trio, covering rhythm as well as lead parts, but without any feeling of artifice.
And when he gets teamed up with fellow blues virtuoso Curley Weaver (who also escaped Rolling Stones' net) on some of the 1930s sessions, it's a collaboration between two geniuses that can spin your head if you listen closely enough to the playing.

Only a few of the mid-'30s sides and the relatively primiive non-commercial Lomax-sides have some surface noise; otherwise the sound quality is very good for 20s and 30s waxings, at least as good as on any pre-war McTell compilation on the market. And all four discs are well annotated, including thorough recording information.

Unlike Catfish's otherwise excellent three-disc compilation "The Definitive Blind Willie McTell", this set includes McTell's religious sides as well as several minutes of very interesting interview snippets conducted by John Lomax during the 1940 session. (Willie McTell sounds strikingly urbane, more so than the 73-year-old John Lomax, who adresses him in a condescending manner, and obviously doesn't understand or appreciate McTell's sophisticated brand of blues.)
And McTell's sides with vocalist Ruth Willis are here as well, making this the definitive overview of the music of Blind Willie McTell at the height of his abilities.

A True Poet of The Blues
Blind Willie McTell was a true poet of the blues and also a master guitar player. Songs like "Statesboro Blues," "Writin' Paper Blues," "Ticket Agent Blues," "Talkin' To Myself," "Love Changin' Blues," "Lay Some Flowers On My Grave" and "Teasin' Brown" are all magnificent highlights of this 4 cd set. The only drawbacks are the lousy vocals of the female singers whom McTell backs on some of the tracks, and the extremely racist views that Lomax holds, and demonstrates on disc 4. Otherwise, this is a wonderful buy. ... Read more

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Mississippi-born blues singer and guitarist William Lee Conley Broonzy had two fairly distinct careers, each of them triumphant and influential. In the 1930s, he brought the rural blues of his Delta homeland to Chicago and added elements of jazz and hokum to create a more sophisticated, urbane, exciting style, essentially helping to pave the way for the Chicago blues sound. By the 1950s, when the electric Chicago sound he helped foster began to blossom, Broonzy had all but left that style behind. Instead, he began to perform traditional folk songs (and the occasional topical original) with only his voice and acoustic guitar and he became a key figure in the burgeoning folk boom. This highly appealing set comes from the latter period and finds him to be a scintillating and smooth vocalist, one capable of generating great emotion without losing his polish. His guitar work is subtly brilliant as well, a silky blend of single-note runs, forceful bends, tricky double stops, and articulate chords. It all comes together in effortless, unassuming fashion. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Broonzy's acoustic best
This "Trouble In Mind" compilation from the Smithsonian is the best collection of Broonzy's later period acoustic work. I think this is a better collection than the other 'best of' compilation ("Absolutely The Best" on Varese Records). The remastering on these tracks is excellent and they are the best sounding recordings of Broonzy I have ever heard. The songs here are all of his classics. The only thing that's disappointing is that they left off the track "Never Satisfied", which would have made this the ultimate collection of Broonzy acoustic blues songs. Highly recommended!

Complete album
I preferBig Bill's acoustic work over his electric work. This is a collection of acoustic songs from the last years of his life. He sings blues, folk, protest songs, gospel...all of that in this great collection. Extensive liner notes and the printed lyrics and notes for every song makes this CD a true gem. Includes some live recordings as well.

A great cornerstone to start a blues collection
Smithsonian Folkways did a great job capturing the essence of Big Bill Broonzy's sound. I've heard other albums and this is my favorite. The music is taken at the latter half of his career and establishes Broonzy as a master of the country blues/folk sound. A great album any blues fan should own.

BIG BILL IS THE MAN!
I just recived my copy of this Cd in the mail today. I've now played it 6 times straight through. Big Bill was brilliant! Great Voice and Terrific guitar. I highly recommend this and any other Big Bill Disc you can get your hand's on. He was a rare and under appreciated Talent! Muddy Waters thought enough of Big Bill to record an entire lp of his songs. ... Read more

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If you're going to throw a party, invite this CD first. Way back when jugs were added to juke and barrelhouse performances in 1910 or so and American dance music really got down for good, these dazzling new trance rhythms smashed Western culture's sound barrier at the previously unheard-of speed of 78 rpm. From Louisville to Memphis to Birmingham to Cincinnati, these popular party bands mixed fine musicianship with clever songwriting and an unblushing sense of burlesque. Whether it's the raw wailing of young Ashley Thompson with Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers' "Big Railroad Blues" or the jazz-inflected wizardry of Earl McDonald and Clifford Hayes on the Dixieland Jug Blowers' "Banjoreno" or the Memphis Jug Band's raucous ribaldry on "Cocaine Habit Blues" and "Ruckus Juice and Chittlins," this first of two inspired volumes of jug-band classics blows out the lights, stops time in its tracks, and rocks. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Negro Work Songs & Calls [Rounder]
This is possibly the worst transfer of data into digital format that I have ever heard. I have a 30 year old copy of this album on vinyl that I carefully recorded in MP3 format. The quality of this home recording maintains the fidelity of the original recording infinitely better than this CD. I bought the CD hoping for a better digital format, not worse. I am sending back this opened and played CD to Amazon.com today. Let's see how they respond to a return that is based soley on the fact that it is an incredibly inferior product. One final note. The music of the original recording will make any effort you take to find one of the older vinyls well worth your effort. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

the real deal
If you like Mississippi John Hurt and Reverend Gary Davis, do NOT pass this one by. Lipscomb is a great singer and fingerpicker in the "songster" tradition. He is bluesier than Hurt (his straight blues have a heavy dose of Lightnin' Hopkins in them) but every bit as warm and tuneful. I bought this three months ago and it's still in heavy rotation.

An National Treasure
If you're searching for blues as a collector, don't miss this. Mance and his music is a national treasure. Listen to this and then listen to some of today's "blues" masters like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc. and then you'll know where they got their mojo from. ... Read more

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This rocking trove of stylistic innovation spans Elmore James's peak recording years, from 1951 to 1963. In the charging fury of his slide guitar and his screaming voice one hears the echo of fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robert Johnson, whose local Delta performances in the mid-1930s first inspired young Elmore to play guitar. Johnson's "Dust My Broom"--which became James's signature song and the foundation of his recording career--kicks things off here with the slashing guitar work that helped define the electric-blues idiom, followed by his instrumental showpiece "Hawaiian Boogie." Drenched in Delta-driven emotion, his fiery vocals are well represented on "It Hurts Me, Too" and "The Sky Is Crying", and the classic "Shake Your Money Maker" is one of several dance numbers powered by the raw, driving intensity that marked James's recorded legacy and influenced every slide guitarist working in his wake. --Alan Greenberg ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent Retrospective.
I was a little kid when Elmore James cut most of these tunes and I heard them way back then from a variety of friends and family that picked up the 45 rpm singles. After a while, I moved on and only occasionally was reminded of what a great catalog of rockin' blues Elmore compiled. Then, in the late 60's, I kept hearing more and more bands covering Elmore's tunes. Jimi Hendrix on Bleeding Heart, for example. Then in the 70's the Allman Brothers on Done Somebody Wrong. A few years later, it was George Thorogood on It Hurts Me Too, then Stevie Ray on The Sky Is Crying. This is plenty of proof of just how enduring Elmore's influence is. Each time I heard a cover, it took me back to those old records. Now Rhino has this compilation with most but not all of my favorites and in pretty decent sound - excellent considering the vintage of these recordings. Great stuff.

A fine Elmore compilation, but not quite the best
This Blues Masters release from Rhino Records is probably the second best available Elmore James compilation - at least if you want to stick to the single discs.
It has sixteen of James' best songs, including the inevitable "Dust My Broom", "The Sky Is Crying", "It Hurts Me Too" and "Shake Your Moneymaker". A few of the selections may be debatable (I would have preferred "Standing At The Crossroads" and the funky "No Love In My Heart" to a couple of the songs on this album, but that's a minor complaint).

All of the songs here a good, and most are great. James played a hard-rocking, mid-tempo kind of blues, dominated by his fierce slide playing and huge voice, and often spiced up by the addition of a saxophone or two and a pianist.
The reason I say it's only the second best available single disc collection is that "The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James" has 21 tracks, including all of the important ones on this album, and several more, culled from all of James' record labels, and thus gets the nod over this one. There's nothing bad about this CD, is could just have been that little bit better.

One of the Founding Fathers of Rock & Roll & Boogie Music
This album is all the classic Elmore James cuts;starting with the ORIGINAL version of "Dust My Broom" with Sonny Boy Williamson on Harmonica. If you really want to hear one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll & Boogie Music;you got to get this CD!!!

SCC02547@MAIL.WVNET.EDU
the best blues album i have heard

the best blues albums i have ever heard
real blues, raw guitar,moving vocals ,buy one for a friend ,difficult to drive and listen due to uncontrollable urge to dance ,sing ,and play air guitar ... Read more

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Using the simplest melodies as his canvas, Delta bluesman Bukka White painted vivid pictures of his own life in the rural South, punctuating his words with a highly percussive steel-guitar attack. Among his subjects: trains, booze, sex, prison, and death. After shooting an old Mississippi rival during a roadside showdown, White had allegedly jumped bail to record his first two songs in 1937. The bawdy "Shake 'EmOn Down" was a hit, but White spent two years in prison for his indiscretion. When White returned to Chicago in 1940 to record again, producer Lester Melrose rejected his roster of cover tunes, giving him two days to come up with his own material. Under the gun, White created the 10 autobiographical gems that round out this collection. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Bukka White the MAN
I couldn't belive this was Bukka White the first time I listened to this cd . Because the first time I heard him was on "Masters of the Delta Blues friends of Charlie Patton" (a must cd 4 any 1 interested in getting involed in acoustic delta blues) the reason 4 this is I didnt really enjoy those Victor recordings of him I would always skip those songs (no offense Bukka) but when I heard the complete VOCALION recordings (ring a bell any 1) I was blown away I listned to the cd over and over I freakin love trk.2 Shake em On Down . Bukka is a down and dirty blues man he sounds nonthing like those religous Victor recordings on this cd . If your a fan of acoustic blues or blues period you will enjoy this cd very much.

A brilliant recording of Mr. Booker White in his prime.
If you are looking to identify one Bukka White CD to own, this is the one, IMHO. He was a legendary slide guitar stylist with an ability to compose great blues songs for his style. He was a notable singer. This recording captures him in peak form, and, in addition, represents one of the last important country blues recording sessions to have taken place before WWII.

By the early 40's, musical tastes were changing. Electric guitars, big bands, pre-bebop, etc. were all hitting. There was a huge exodus of southerners from the rural south to northern cities, and the country blues was out of fashion as a musical form.

To his credit, Booker, when presented with this opportunity to record, stuck to what he did best and did not get trendy. The result was a legendary country blues session, and this CD documents that.

Every song on this recording sounds great, & the sound quality is pretty good to boot (compared to other early blues recordings). The thing that always gets me is the rhythmic creativity. Even though this was an old time country blues recording, Mr. White was a true funkster, & his rhythm sense still sounds contemporary & exciting.

A Consumate Blues Man
The first song I heard by Bukka White was 'Fixin' To Die Blues' on a blues anthology disc. With his rhythmic playing and voice that expresses a wide range of emotion, he was one of the consumate blues men. He had quite a story to tell, and there isn't a single song on this disc that doesn't lure you in to his telling of the human condition. A must for anyone that can appreciate what this Black American art form truly is...emotions and strife set to music. Recommended!

Songs from a Blues Master
I first heard Booker "Bukka" White on a compilation and finally got around to picking up this CD awhile back. What the listener is treated to is good, old-fashioned, country blues, highlighted by White's strong, straight-ahead rhythms and vocal intensity. His raspy/quavery vocals are a perfect accompaniment to his chugging guitar style, and White is backed up on most of these songs, recorded mainly in 1940, by Washboard Sam, who provides strong rhythmic counterpoint to the sound White gets from his National steel guitar. Although I like all the tracks on this CD, "Parchman Farm Blues", the first Bukka White song I ever heard, is still my favorite.

Bukka White the complete recordings
Hi, Len here!
This is blues at it's purest form. I think even someone that don't care for it & know's blues would say it is.
Len! ... Read more