Marion Abernathy "The Chronological Marion Abernathy: 1947-1949" (Classics, 2001)
Uptempo postwar R&B from the swinging West Coast-LA scene... Abernathy was a transplant from the Midwest who recorded "Voo-It! Voo-It!," one of the first hits for blues record mogul Art Rupe (who later founded Specialty Records). This disc collects twenty tracks she later cut for the King label, backed by Hot Lips Page and other swingin' players of the time. I like this kind of jumpin' blues, but frankly, a little of it goes a long way, and Ms. Abernathy was not first-flight talent. This is fun, but it wears thin after a few tunes.
Annisteen Allen "The Chronological Annisteen Allen: 1945-1953" (Classics, 2004)
Another West Coast songbird whose vocal style is appealing but limited, and whose repertoire includes a lot of by-the-numbers uptempo R&B tunes... This was okay, but I'm not enough of a blues completist that I felt I had to hang onto the album. Interesting to check out, but not a keeper...
Rory Block "The Lady And Mr. Johnson" (Rykodisc, 2006)
A solid, if somewhat staid, tribute to the haloed 1920s blues avatar Robert Johnson... Block plays with great earnestness and enthusiasm, though she places herself at a disadvantage tackling a whole album's worth of songs from such a foundational figure in the genre's history. It's a bit like Brandon Marsalis, et. al., playing straight, old-school New Orleans -- try as they might, it's pretty hard for modern-day devotees to recreate the same live-wire intensity as the original artists had back then -- it just isn't the same. Still, for a modern blues record, this is pretty darn good, and fans will not be disappointed. There's certainly no mistaking Block's sincerity and passion -- or her chops. She's still one of the finest blues pickers around.
Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas "Old Time Black Southern String Band Music" (Arhoolie, 2006)
Good, old-fashioned fiddle-led blues, originally recorded back in the early 1960s, but hearkening back to a decades-old tradition in African-American music. This album is a fine compliment to the FOLKS, HE SURE DO PULL SOME BOW compilation that came out a while back on the Old Hat label. Like those Depression-era recordings, this set is distinguished by its raw simplicity and forthright desire to get listeners up and out of their seats, as well as to tell a good story or two. There's a distinctive flair here that sets this style apart from the mainstream of blues, as well as from "country" flavored old-time records. Definitely worth checking out!
Clifton Chenier "Louisiana Blues And Zydeco" (Arhoolie, 2005)
A bonus-filled reissue of zydeco legend Clifton Chenier's first album for the California-based Arhoolie Records label, which helped bring Louisiana swamp music into the blues and folk mainstream. Chenier became the undisputed king of the genre, churning out supercharged, accordion-led dance grooves; these bluesy early 'Sixties recordings aren't quite as sweaty and funky as his later hits in the 1970s, but fans will still be thrilled to have 'em back in print, especially with added material from the ever-mysterious Arhoolie vaults. Ayyyyy-eeeeeeeeee!!!!
Louise Hoffsten "Knackebrod Blues" (Memphis International, 2002)
For decades, the blues have become so tame and tradition-bound that hearing a new artist come along and make the style sound rough and dirty again is almost like a divine revelation: Oh, so you mean modern blues don't have to be so goddamn boring?? Wow!! So let's welcome Louise Hoffsten, a slight, plain-featured blonde whose tiny voice expands to fill in the spaces left by her a remarkably muscular electric combo. Knackebrod Blues may be the most dynamic, energizing blues album of the last ten years. More remarkable still is that Hoffsten is actually from Sweden, and that her previous albums were more in a quiet, offkilter indierock-ish mode... Here she brings a sexy, slightly trashy, jagged-edged Joan Jett-like feel to these songs that is at once electrifying and alluring. Highly recommended. (And, yeah, the release date was in 2002, but I don't think this got US distribution until '04... So, close enough, right?)
Louise Hoffsten "From Linkoping To Memphis" (Memphis International, 2005)
I was disappointed by this disc, although I'm sure many fans of modern blues and old-school soul will find it just fine. The reason I'm disappointed is that Hoffsten's earlier albums were quite striking -- this Swedish singer had emerged as one of the liveliest, most electrifying blues singers in recent memory. Here, though, she slicks up her sound, moving from the evil sounding, pared-down rawness of 2004's Knackebrod Blues into a slicker, more overwrought R&B material, aiming for more of an Etta James or Dusty Springfield vibe than her previousl take-no-prisoners approach. If you like modern blues, this disc might be one you'll really want to check out, though it wasn't exactly the direction I'd expected (or hoped) Hoffsten would take.
Skip James "The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James: 1930" (Yazoo, 1994)
Skip James "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" (Shout Factory/Biograph, 2003)
A sweeeeet set of good, old-fashioned acoustic Delta blues from the masterful Mississippian, Skip James. After getting screwed out of his royalties way back in the Depression era, James had quit the music business, and was rediscovered by John Fahey and some of his pals, who were in the midst of their epic folklore forays of the early 1960s... These tracks were recorded right after James made his stunning comeback at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, and you would never in a gazillion years guess that the guy playing on these records had hung up his guitar for over two decades... These are sweet, soulful recordings -- quite lovely, as a matter of fact, even when James is addressing truly dark material, such as his own cancer diagnosis, in "Sick Bed Blues" and "Washington, DC Hospital Center Blues." Great stuff...!
Louis Jordan "The Best Of Louis Jordan" (MCA, 1975)
The longtime standard-issue best-of collection for this energetic, hard-rocking jump blues/jazz/R&B legend. Originally a 2-LP set, this features Jordan's biggest hits of the late 1940s, including "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," "Caldonia," "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," "What's The Use Of Gettin' Sober" and "I Want You To Be My Baby." Affable, but hard-rockin', Jordan proved one of the most durable musicians of the 20th Century, particularly for people who are into "researching" the roots of rock'n'roll... Several of these songs also found their way into the repertoire of the country swing band, Asleep At The Wheel, reaffirming the close ties between postwar country and blues. Great stuff! For an official, major-label release, the sound quality is surprisingly iffy at times (occasionally including scratches from the vinyl source material!), but the music kicks ass! Highly recommended -- the more you listen, the more you'll dig it!
Louis Jordan "Rock 'N' Roll" (Mercury/PolyGram, 1989)
The title realy does say it all on this one... These are actually later recordings but the jump blues king, stuff recorded for Mercury Records in the late '50s (1956-57), about a decade after the original versions of songs such as "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," "Caldonia" and "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" were first laid down. This disc includes remakes of those and other tunes, as well as other pepped-up, hep tunes. Many of the arrangements are given a slightly square major-label "rock" treatment, in an obvious attempt to co-opt the booming teen scene. Lots of major talent was involved: Quincy Jones arranged and produced the first sessions, and Mickie Baker played some mean, old electric guitar.
Julia Lee "Kansas City Calling" (Jasmine, 2005)
Pianist Julia Lee was the queen of the Kansas City swing-blues scene, leading a powerful big band packed with some of the best KC musicians of the post-WWII era. She specialized in raunchy, even scandalous novelty songs in which sexual matters were dealt with in honest appraisal. This is a generously-programmed single disc retrospective, with nearly two dozen tracks culled from Lee's career... Plenty of her well-known raunchy novelty songs are included -- "My Man Stands Out," "King Size Papa," "Snatch It And Grab It," "Chuck It In A Bucket," "I Didn't Like It The First Time," etc. and a couple of less-salacious numbers added in the margins. Odd that they included "Don't Save It Too Late," but didn't pair it with the companion number, "Don't Come Too Soon." Still, a pretty good introduction to her work... If nasty novelty blues tunes appeal to you, you'll definitely want to check Ms. Lee out.
Julia Lee "Kansas City Star" (Bear Family, 1995)
This extensive, 5-CD box set offers a fuller version of Lee's work than the standard compilations of her risque novelty hits... Which isn't to say there isn't plenty of smut on here as well, but you also get a chance to hear her cut loose with the groovy blues riffs without the potential distraction of the novelty tropes... Pretty cool stuff!
Julia Lee "Ugly Papa" (Jukebox Lil, 1995)
Julia Lee "The Chronological Julia Lee: 1927-1946" (Classics, 2005)
Julia Lee "The Chronological Julia Lee: 1947" (Classics, 2005)
Memphis Minnie "Hoodoo Lady: 1933-1937" (Sony Legacy, 1991)
Great stuff. This disc opens up with the marvellously raunchy "Down In The Alley," and continues along with a generous selection of twenty of the best recordings made by this vigorous, dynamic, groundbreaking blues picker. A completely arresting performer, Memphis Minnie was the first gal to excel at the same game as the boys: hot guitar playing, the kind of stuff that rock'n'roll comes from. Great singer, too. This disc is one of the highlights from the outstanding Roots & Blues series which inaugurated Sony's real commitment to quality archival releases in the CD era. It's great stuff.
Johnny Shines "Traditional Delta Blues" (Biograph, 1991)
Sweet acoustic blues, from sessions recorded back in 1972-74... It honestly doesn't get much better than this! Plenty of familiar old songs, but all presented in a distinctive, captivating personal style. Highly recommended.
Effie Smith "The Chronological Effie Smith: 1945-1953" (Classics, 2004)
Cool stuff from one of the California blues scene's great unsung heroines... Effie Smith worked with Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton and Johnny Otis before setting out on her own after WWII... Smith's background as a comedienne may help explain why her work is so much sly and expressive than many of her contemporaries; she really gets into the groove of these tunes and puts a lot of feeling into the words. She also excels at a variety of styles -- smooth ballads, uptempo blues and even a scorcher or two, such as the sizzling "I Been Down In Texas." This disc is a gem, a nice discovery for folks looking for rockin' foremothers to groove out on. The liner notes are nice, too -- Smith and her husband, John Criner, were both intimately involved in the growth of the West Coast blues scene, from their own efforts on a variety of independent labels, to the the teen-oriented R&B-pop scene of the early '60s (her son wrote the Olympics' big hit, "Western Movies," and Effie's second career as a behind-the-scener, doing promotional work for the Stax label in the '70s. At any rate, this disc is fun... Smith's approach may have been a little laid-back, but she sounded pretty darn cool.
Big Mama Thornton "In Europe" (Arhoolie, 2005)
Oh, those lucky Europeans! Before the Stones and Yardbirds really got the point across and all the old Chess bluesmen found a welcoming embrace in the American hippie/acid rock scene, some of the most talented blues artists in the world went on long, tough European tours. Here's Big Mama Thornton, one of the greatest blues belters of her generation, wowing the old world with sidemen like Eddie Boyd, Buddy Guy, Walter Horton and Fred McDowell backing her up. These 1965 recordings were made in a British studio, but they capture the loose, funky, fiery power that the band brought to their live shows in Germany and elsewhere on the Continent. The wealth of sheer firepower and talent here is enough to make a blues fan drool just looking at the album cover -- and when you put the disc in, it gets even better! Highly recommended.
Clifton Chenier "Louisiana Blues And Zydeco" (Arhoolie, 2005)
