Bad Dog Blues Radio

Hosting a weekly radio show and and putting out this monthly website gives us at Bad Dog Blues a pretty good idea what's going on in in the blues world. We started the Bad Dog Blues website at the beginning of 1999 and have been doing these yearly wrap ups each year since. So how does 2001 stack up to previous years? Well maybe I'm getting a bit jaded but this year didn't seem particularly strong and the quantity of really good releases seems to have dropped from prior years. Still for blues fans there was more than enough good records and we'll try and touch upon some of the year's more notable releases. The records mentioned below are only based on promos we've received for airplay in the past year.

No clear record stood out as this year's best but there were a few that rose to the top: Lucky Peterson's Double Dealin, was easily one of the year's toughest records, maybe his best in his prolific career, Eric Bibb released his finest record with Painting Signs plus there were excellent new records such as veteran pianist Henry Gray's Plays Chicago Blues and Marcia Ball's Presumed Innocent and perhaps the year's best comeback record in Oscar Toney Jr.'s excellent Guilty Of Loving You. A few artists who had top records last year return this year including yet another great soul/blues record by Mighty Sam McClain on Sweet Dreams, another star studded outing by Kid Ramos on Greasy Kid Stuff and the ageless Gatemouth Brown returned with Back To Bogalusa. A number of the year's top records were released on independent labels including a masterful harmonica record by Shakin Smith on Wizard Of The Harmonica, a great partnership featuring guitarist Kenny "Blue" Ray and singer Jackie Paine on Soulful Blues Cleveland Fats' Pretty Poison, Oscar Jordan's Mr. Bad Luck and Johnny Nicholas' Rockin' My Blues To Sleep.

A number of blues veterans are still releasing good music including fine records by Sir Mack Rice (his first in a decade), Little Milton, John Brim, Jerry McCain, R.L. Burnside, Etta James, John Ellison, Oscar Toney Jr., Billy Boy Arnold, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Henry Gray, Louisiana Red, Gatemouth Brown, Lazy Lester and Dr. John.

There were a number of new faces including excellent debuts from long time session guitarist Rico McFarland on his Tired Of Being Alone, tough raw Chicago blues from Iceman Robinson, a jumping debut from ex-Roomful Of Blues baritone player Doug James, a fine zydeco debut from Sean Ardoin and longtime Clifton Chenier guitarist Harry Hypolite who stepped out with Louisiana Country Boy, veteran session guitarist Craig Horton's In My Spirit, Bob Kirkpatrick's tough brand of Texas blues on Drive Across Texas. There were also fine sophomore releases from Big George Jackson, Harmonica Shah, Johnny Drummer, Curley Bridges and Johnny Jones.

Other very good new records worth mentioning include: Feel It by Little Milton, Richland Woman Blues by Maria Muldaur, Chris Cain's Cain Does King, Boozoo Chavis' Don Home On Dog Hill, Ike Turner's Here & Now, Otis Taylor's White African Steve Freund's I'll Be Your Mule, Big George Jackson's Big Shot, The North Mississippi All-Stars teaming with Robert Randolph on The Word, Chick Willis From The Heart & Soul, Arthur Williams' Midnight Blue, Jimmy Vaughn's Do You Get The Blues? his finest outing and Jimmy & Syl Johnson's Two Johnson's Are Better Than One!.

Reissue/Historical Recordings

MCA continues to dip into the Chess vaults with a trio of Muddy Waters records including Live At Newport 1960, a 2-CD career spanning anthology and expanded reissue of Fathers & Sons, a pair of Bobby Bland records including Two Steps From The Blues, a 2-CD career spanning anthology, an expanded reissue of Etta James' Tell Mama, a reissue of koko Taylor's first record, a collection of uncollected B.B. King material, John Mayall's Turning Point plus reissues of two early Luther Allison Motown records.

Sundazed, best known for great 60's garage/pop reissues turned it's attention to blues and R&B in the last couple of years releasing a classic 2-CD New Orleans set, the continued reissuing of the complete Meters catalog and a collection of Oscar Toney Jr.'s early Bell sides.

The UK based Proper label delivered one of the year's best box sets with the 4-CD Wynonie Harris Rockin' The Blues.

Arhoolie Records pumped out quality reissues by Lightnin' Hopkins, Fred McDowell, J.C. Burris, Johnny Littlejohn, a previously unissued live Clifton Chenier record plus new releases from sacred steel stars The Campbell Brothers.

In it's second year Fuel 2000 continues to put out fine reissues including collections by Toussaint McCall, Snooks Eaglin, Earl King, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jerry McCain, Magic Sam and a fine compilation of material drawn from the Jewel/Paula catalog.

Fantasy Records continues to mine the Bluesville catalog with classic reissues by Scrapper Blackwell, Smoky babe, Arbee Stidham and Reverend Gary Davis. Also from Fantasy came The Ebb Story Vol. 1 & 2 documenting the small L.A. label's output of blues, R&B and Doo-Wop

The year 2001 also saw the reissue of some classic pre-war and historical blues including a new "Best Of" series on the Yazoo label with great collections by Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Jug Band and Cannon's Jug Stompers. The Document label issued a the fine 2-CD Bill Wymans' Blues Odyssey a companion to the book of the same name plus the ambitious Classic Blues series in conjunction with Allegro Records. So far they've issued over 20 budget priced 2-CD sets devoted to reissuing classic blues from both well known artists and and neglected figures. Another excellent collection was Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow! on the Old Hat label.

As I'm writing this we received just received what is no doubt the year's top reissue- the 7-CD Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton from revenant including everything Charlie Patton recorded plus additional material housed in one of the most lavish packages ever devised for a blues release.

Other very good reissues worth mentioning include: Dear Y'all a set of previously unissued Eddie Hinton material, Pepper's Hangout Jimmy Johnson's earliest sides issued domestically for the first time, R.L. Burnside's Mississippi Hill Country Blues, Lightnin' Hopkins' Lightnin' & The Blues- The Herald sessions, Larry Davis' Funny Stuff, Vanguard's Newport Folk Festival: Best Of The Blues 3-CD set and pair of fine records on the Labor label from Peg Leg Sam and Johnny Shines.

Blues Labels

There were a number of blues labels that deserve special mention for consistently putting out fine releases in 2001:

There were a few established labels celebrating milestones this year with Stony Plain and Blind Pig celebrating 25th anniversaries and Alligator hitting the 30th anniversay mark. Stony Plain issued some great records this year including stellar efforts from Maria Muldaur and Billy Boy Arnold plus their 2-CD anniversary collection. Blind Pig issued first rate records by Big Bill Morganfield, Mitch Woods and their 2-CD anniversary collection plus CD-ROM. Alligator also put a multi-disc anniversary set with a CD-ROM plus fine records by Marcia Ball, C.J. Chenier and The Holmes Brothers.

The revitalized Rooster Records slowed down a bit from last year's output but still released fine new records by by Arthur Williams, Super Cikan, Ike Turner and Robert Bilbo Walker. Rooster has a great back catalog and are now ressuing these on CD with quality records by Larry Davis and Eddy Clearwater now back in print.

There are many import labels that put out fine records. We don't see that many of these pass our way but among the import labels that did service us the following are worth mentioning: the Netherlands based Black & Tan label struck again with very good records by Byther Smith, Erskine Oglesby and Big George Jackson. Evangeline Records who issued one the year's best records with the long overdue teaming up of brothers Jimmy & Syl Johnson on Two Johnson's Are Better Than One!.

Telarc Records has been putting out more blues records than anyone in the past couple of years. Notable records include Superharps (Carey Bell, Lazy Lester, Raful Neal and Snooky Pryor), Mighty Sam McClain, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Hellhound on My Trail- The Songs of Robert Johnson and the Hoodoo Kings to name a few.

JSP consistently issues fine records and this year was no exception with solid releases from Ike Cosse, Johnnie Marshall and Jimmy Morello.

Rounder kicked off their 30th anniversary last year and continued this year with great theme compilations including a piano blues collection, a womans blues collection and a Mardi Gras set plues retrospectives of Irma Thomas, Beau Jocque, Geoff Muldaur, Buckwheat Zydeco and Roomful of Blues.

Music Maker continues to deliver a steady stream of excellent records by deserving lesser knowns including: Cora Mae Bryant, George Higgs, Jerry McCain, Essie Mae Brooks and Cool John Ferguson.

There's still a number of labels who specialize in delivering Southern Soul and R&B. special mention goes to the following labels: Ecko Records with solid releases by Barbara Carr, Sunny Ridell, Quinn Golden and The Best of Ecko Records Vol. 2. Mardi Gras records with fine discs by Peggy-Scott Adams and Maurice Davis. Bob Grady's BGR label issued a fantastic comeback record from Oscar Toney Jr. plus fine records by Wilson Meadows and Chuck Colbert. Roy Roberts' Rockhouse label put out solid releases from Chick Willis, Roy Roberts and Floyd Miles. Other soulful releases worth mentioning include records by Sir Mack Rice, Dan Penn, Marvin sease, John Ellison, and the Chitlin' Circuit Soul collection on Rhino.

The APO label released some impressive records last year and continued to roll with fine records this year by Jimmie Lee Robinson, Wild Child Butler, Harry Hypolite and Henry Townsend.

There were a number of releases on tiny labels that deserve to be mentioned: Sista Monica's live record on Mo' Muscle, Anthony Paule's Hiding In Plain Sight on Blue Dot, a new record and a collection of vintage recordings by John Brim on the Ana Bea label, an intimate record by Johnnie Mae Dunson on the Lakada label, soul legend Dan Penn's Blue Nite Lounge on the Dandy label, Jimmy "Preacher" Ellis on the Victoria Underground label and Mr. Downchild on the Mascita label.

Blues Literature

There's been some good blues related books that have come out in 2001. Here's a list of some notable books we've reviewed on Bad Dog Blues: Mike Bloomfield: if You Love These Blues, Josh White: Society Blues, The Brothers (Neville Brothers), Earl Hooker Blues Master, Blues Traveling: The Holy Sites Of Delta Blues, Yonder Come The Blues.

Blues Obituaries

Unfortunately there have been a number of deaths in the blues world this year. 2001 has seen the following pass away: Sonny Kenner, Jack McDuff, James Carr, John Fahey, Robert Ealey, Willie Foster, Boozoo Chavis, Ernie K-Doe, John Lee Hooker, Dave Myers, Betty Everett, Panama Francis, James Crutchfield, Christene Kitrell and Rufus Thomas.

All in all 2001 was good year for the blues and if your a blues fan there's certainly no shortage of touring blues acts, festivals, magazines/books and of course plenty of good new recordings. Make sure to keep supporting the blues by buying the music, going to the shows and of course checking out Bad Dog Blues!

(Most of the recordings mentioned in this article have been reviewed on the Bad Dog Blues website during the past year. Check the archive section for full length reviews)