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 2002 stack up to previous years? Overall this was a tough year for blues. There was a definite drop-off in really good records and just coming up with 25 records for our best of list was difficult plus the record companies seem to have cut back on their release schedules. On the plus side not a month went by that we didn't receive quality records especially from a number of smaller labels. In this article 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 and it should be noted that there are many import labels that don't service us.

A couple of records really stood out this year including the following: W.C. Clark's "From Austin With Soul" was easily one of the year's highlights- one of the best for this under recorded bluesman, Precious Bryant released her long overdue debut "Fool Me Good" the year's best acoustic blues record plus there were excellent new records such as Tab Benoit's finest outing to date "Wetlands", a fabulous record by soul legend Solomon Burke, two records by Joe Louis Walker made our list- "Guitar Brothers" and "In The Morning" and the year's best comeback record in Jody Williams stellar "The Return Of A Legend." Unlike past years there are no artists on last year's top lists that are on this year's. A number of the year's top records were released on smaller labels including veteran soul-bluesman Travis Haddix's best record in "Milk & Bread" on his own Wann-Sonn label, Texas Johnny Brown's great follow up to his 1999 W.C. Handy album nominated with "Blues Defender", Little Pink Anderson's "Carolina Bluesman", Artie "Bluesboy" White's "Can't Get Enough" on his own brand new label Achilltown Records and Nick Moss & The Flip Top's widley praised "Got A New Plan" on the Blue Bella imprint.

A number of blues veterans are still releasing good music including fine records by Little Milton, Snooky Pryor, Larry Johnson, Big Jack Johnson, Jimmy Dawkins, James Cotton, Magic Slim & the Teardrops, Jimmy "T-99" Nelson, Little Charlie & The Nightcats, Swamp Dogg, Phillip Walker, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Louisiana Red.

There were a number of new faces including excellent debuts from talented singer Lisa Bourne on her "Blueshipnotik", 70 year old Floyd Lee's tough "Mean Blues", veteran Texas horn blowers the West Side Horns issued "San Quilmas", first class blues singer Georgie Bonds stepped up with "Sometimes I Wonder" on his own label, veteran Bobby Blackmon on his funky, soulful debut "I'm Dialin' 911", Tommy Thomas delivered an impressive soul/blues debut on his "You Put That Dog Ahead Of Me." There were also fine sophomore releases from Wallace Coleman, Mad Dog Lester Davenport, Lee McBee, and Nap Turner. Also on a positive note were some really good debuts from local Rochester blues artists including ex-Joe Beard guitarist John Cole's "The Secret Is Out" which is among the year's best and acoustic bluesman Fred Vine's marvelous "Mister Freddie Blues." Once again Rochester's Campbell Brothers had more recordings issued on the Arhoolie label on "The Second Annual Sacred Steel Convention" which also featured Lonnie "Big Ben" Bennett who also hails from Rochester.

Other very good new records worth mentioning include: "Where The Action Is" by Sue Foley, "My Night To Dream" by Myra Taylor, Bryan Lee's "Six String Therapy", Alvin Youngblood Hart's "Down In The Alley", Jon Cleary's "Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentleman", Jimmy Dawkins' "West Side Guitar Hero", Jorma Kaukonen's "Blue Country Heart", Jimmy Thackery's "We Got It", Little Milton's "Guitar Man", Kermit Ruffins "Big Easy."

Reissue/Historical Recordings

As far as the hosts of Bad Dog Blues are concerned the year's best reissue was the the four volumes of "When The Sun Goes Down" on RCA/Bluebird documenting the wealth of music RCA's Victor and Bluebird labels issued from the 20's to the 50's. These musically varied sets contain loads of vintage blues with fantastic sound quality. The four CD's can also be purchased as a limited edition box set.

MCA continues mine the Chess vaults although with less titles than in previous years. The latest reissues come from the mid-60's when Chess released a series of "best of" albums for Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf. Under each artist's name, The Real Folk Blues was issued in 1966 and a More Real Folk Blues in 1967. Now MCA has combined the "folk blues" sets on one CD apiece for the above mentioned artists.

Delmark issued some of the year's best reissues drawn mainly from the United label they now own the rights to. Notable records include a prime Memphis Slim collection as well as stellar compilations like "Hoot & Holler Saturday Night" (Piney Brown & Eddie Mack), "The Back Porch Boys" (Seward & Hayes, Champion Jack, Blind Willie McTell), volume three in their acclaimed "Honker & Bar Walkers" series and a "On The Battlefield" a first rate gospel set. One of their best was undoubtedly ultra rare piano blues recordings by Robert McCoy on "Bye Bye Baby."

The Varése Sarabande delved deep into the Sun vaults with classy reissues of vintage Little Milton, Rosco Gordon and the compilation "Sun Record: 25 More Blues Classics".

In it's third year Fuel 2000 continued a slew of fine reissues. Among the ones we received were collections by Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Ernie K-Doe, Son House, and excellent compilations such as of "From Chicago To Shreveport: Deep Soul", "20 To Life: Prison Blues."

Fantasy Records continues to mine their vast catalog with impressive reissues by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Big Joe Turner and John Lee Hooker's "Live at Sugar Hill, Vol. 2" giving us some excellent previously unreleased solo recordings. Also from Fantasy came the marvelous 3-CD box "Sam Cooke With The Soul Stirrers: The Complete Specialty Recordings."

The year 2002 also saw the reissue of some classic pre-war and historical blues including another installment in Yazoo's piano blues series with "Twenty First Street Stomp: The Piano Blues Of St. Louis", two more volumes of vintage blues and country in the "Times Ain't Like They Used To Be" series and a fine collection from pianist Charlie Spand. The Document label issued the complete works of Tommy McLennan on two volumes, a collection of Alan Lomax field recordings plus "Catfish Blues" collecting the the complete recordings of Robert Petway, Sonny Boy Nelson and Mississippi Matilda. Document has also continued it's ambitious Classic Blues series in conjunction with Allegro Records issuing a batch of budget priced 2-CD sets by Barbecue Bob, Washboard Sam, Walter Davis, Victoria Spivey and many others. Also worth mentioning in this vein is "The Golden Gate Quartet & Josh White: Freedom" issued on the Bridge label documenting a historic concert produced by the Library of Congress in 1940.

Other very good reissues worth mentioning include: "Midnight Blues Party" a collection of red hot rare R&B and blues, "Mighty Joe Young" collecting fine 70's sides by this under recorded bluesman, James & Bobby Purify's "Shake A Tail Feather", Lightnin' Hopkins' "In The Key Of Lightnin'", R.L. Burnside's "Raw Electric 1979-1980" and classic Alan Lomax recordings on "The Land Where the Blues Began."

Blues Labels

There were a number of blues labels that deserve special mention for consistently putting out fine releases in 2002:

There were some impressive records from some of the more established blues labels that made there way onto our end of the year lists. Among them include Alligator who in addition to the aforementioned W.C. Clark issued good records by Shemekia Copeland, Cephas & Wiggins, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials and Little Charlie & The Nightcats. The Blind Pig label put out excellent records from established blues stars including hard hitting records from Magic Slim & The Teardrops and John Mooney.

A pleasent suprise this year was batch of very strong piano blues records from the Chicago based The Sirens label. Records included new recordings by veteran Erwin Helfer plus "Hands On 88 Keys" featuring Pinetop Perkins, Detroit Junior and Barrelhouse Chuck. The label also issued Barrelhouse Chuck's fine "Prescription For The Blues" and the reissue of "Heavy Timbre" featuring Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Walker and Willie Mabon.

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 sent us Boo Boo Davis' tough "Can Man" and the UK based Armadillo issued "Two Gun Green" by Larry Johnson a fine follow up to his 1999 release on the label. Germany's Crosscut Records sent us a trio of live recordings by Bob Stroger, Roy Gaines and Little Al Thomas, a fine new Mississippi Heat record as well as a deluxe 2-CD reissue of the classic "Hollywood Fats Band" which was easily one of the year's best reissues.

Telarc Records has been putting out more blues records than anyone in recent years and this year was particularly noteworthy. Among the best were by Tab Benoit, Joe Louis Walker and Jimmy Thackery which all made our best of the year lists. Other notable records include discs by James Cotton, a collobaration beteween Tab Benoit & Jimmy Thackery.

Once again we have to spotlight the Music Maker organization which helps older, neglected artists get back on their feet. In additon they consistently issue fine recordings by many of these lesser known artists and we've received records this year by Little Pink Anderson, Lightnin' Wells and Big Boy Henry.

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 Quinn Golden, Bob Coday and Denise LaSalle. Rockhouse Records is a small North Carolina label run by bluesman Roy Roberts who consistently puts out some exceptional soul-blues records including solid records by newcomers Tommy Thomas and Patty Benson. Swapp Dogg's label SDEG issued the excellent soul compilation "Rodney Jones: The World's Greatest Disc Jockey Vol. 1" and the Dogg's own very bluesy "If I Ever Kiss It....He Can Kiss It Goodbye!" and Wilson Williams' "Eating Ain't Cheating." One of the year's best soul surprises was by the unknown ( at least to me) Earnest Davis who issued one of the year's finest soul dates on "Real Soul" on the Sims label. Another pleasant surprise was "Plenty Good Lovin'" by soul legend Sam Moore the long rumored lost record cut in 1970 but only seeing the light of day this year- it was worth the wait!

The Fat Possum label two of the year's best new records with T-Model Ford's "Bad Man" a tough as nails juke joint stomp and Solomon Burke's glorious return to form on the stunning "Don't Give Up On Me." The label also issued a classic Mississippi Fred McDowell outing from 1967 and a Junior Kimbrough "best of."

This was an exceptionally good year for small/independent labels. A few that haven't been mentioned include: Wallace Coleman's "Live At Joe's", Stand On The Ocean Records who issued a pair of fine Mississippi blues & gospel compilations, Jerry Portnoy's "In The Mood Room", Isaac Freeman & The Bluebloods "Beautiful Stars" on Lost Highway, Eddie Van Shaw's self released "Ass Whoopin!!", Nelson Adelard's "Jack Of All Trades" on Hot Rod, The Griswolds "The Later It Gets, The Better I Feel" on Tout Blue, Cedell Davis' "Lightnin' Struck The Pine" on Fast Horse and Nap Turner's "Live At Cada Vez" on Right On Rhythm.

Blues Literature

In the last few years we've see some very well researched blues books, particularly biographies, being issued and 2002 saw this trend continue. Here's a list of some notable books we've reviewed on Bad Dog Blues this year: "Ernest C. Withers: The Memphis Blues Again- Six Decades Of Memphis Music Photographs", "Goin' Back To Sweet Memphis", "Children Of The Blues", "Voice Of The Blues: Classic Interviews From Living Blues Magazine", "Can't Be Satisfied: The Life And Times Of Muddy Waters", "Blind Lemon Jefferson: His Life, His Death, And His Legacy" and "Seems Like Murder Here: Southern Violence And The Blues Tradition."

Blues Obituaries

Unfortunately there have been a number of deaths in the blues world this year. 2002 has seen the following pass away: John Jackson, Abie "Boogaloo" Ames, Frank Edwards, Dorothy Love Coates, Big Bad Smitty, Alan Lomax, Rosco Gordon, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Raeburn Flerlage, Eileen Jackson Southern, Hadda Brooks, Mose Vinson, Big Lucky Carter.

All in all 2002 wasn't really a banner year for blues as labels, touring blues acts and blues magazines continued to struggle. Still for those willing to sift through the year's recordings there were many gems to be found mainly on small labels and really good vintage material being issued at cut rate prices on primarily European labels. The blues needs your support more than ever so keep 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)