Some Recent Country Blues Collections- Part II

 Instead of focusing on a single artist this time we turn our attention to a batch of country blues CD's that we've recently received. We'll be taking a look at a new series put out by Allegro Records in conjunction with the Document label. The series is under the Classic Blues imprint with each set titled "The Essential" and are budget priced 2-CD sets (each have 36 songs apiece) devoted to reissuing classic blues from both well known artists and and neglected figures.

 Firstly a couple of general ramblings about country blues reissues in general and what makes a good country blues collection. The CD age has been great for fans of country blues with just about everything from well known artists to the most obscure being released on compact disc. The Document label has been by far the most active in this respect. Since they started putting out CD's in 1990 and up until 1999 they have issued 880 CD's which includes just about all the blues and gospel issued between 1920 and 1945! Other notable labels include Yazoo and Catfish who is a relative newcomer to the field. For some reason or other the best reissue labels are foreign with Yazoo being a notable exception. The major labels occasionally start up blues reissue programs that are quite good but seem to go out of print as soon as their accountant takes a look at the sales figures. The moral being pick them up as soon as they hit the stores!

 So what makes up a good country blues collection? Sound quality for one. Remember that in most cases the original 78's are pretty rare and they may have to work with what they have. Also some of the early labels, notably Paramount, were poorly pressed in the first place. The Paramount 78's we have from Charlie Patton and Skip James sound pretty atrocious. Of course this is where technology comes into play and most companies can clean these old records up remarkably. The catch being that the major companies can afford the better technologies but as I said their reissue programs last as long as a blink of the eye. Despite high tech cleaning capabilities you should expect some surface noise and obviously lower fidelity than modern records. Secondly well researched liner notes and a discography add much to putting the music in the proper context. Thirdly is good song selection and while this may be a matter of taste some companies have a knack for selecting the material that best represents an artist. Of course a label like Document is different since they reissue everything. If you want the complete recorded works of say Blind Willie McTell or Big Bill Broonzy then Document is your label.

 So far Allegro/Document has issued 21 records in their new Classic Blues series and we'll take a look at the following: Ma Rainey, Josh White, Sonny Boy Williamson, Blind Boy Fuller, Roosevelt Sykes, Sleepy John Estes, Ida Cox, Bill Gaither, Leadbelly. Next month we'll take a look at the rest of the series.

 During the first half of the 20's blues was dominated by female blues singers and two of the big names were Ma Rainey and Ida Cox. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues" Ma Rainey had been singing the blues for more than 20 years before she made her recording debut in 1923. Rainey was a powerful, earthy singer whose voice easily overcame the primitive recording techniques of the time. The Essential boasts very good sound spanning her entire career from 1923-1928. Whether backed by a hot jazz band (Louis Armstrong appears on 2 cuts) or bluesman like Georgia Tom and Tampa Red the music is wonderful and includes all time classics like "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "See See Rider Blues", "Bad Luck Blues" and many others. Ida Cox was dubbed "The Uncrowned Queen" and certainly ranks as one of the era's finest singers. She recorded prolifically between 1923-1929 and this set is mostly from that period but does include a few later items from 1939-1940. Less down-home a singer than Ma Rainey, Cox was a strong expressive singer with clear diction. Backed mostly by a fine hot jazz band this set includes classics like "Wild Woman Don't Have The Blues" and "I Got The Blues For Rampart Street" plus descriptive numbers like "Fogyism", "Pink Slip Blues" and "One Hour Mama."

 Both Josh White and Leadbelly have an odd place in blues history. Both are probably associated more with the folk movement than blues and both were very popular among the the left leaning NYC audiences they catered to. Still both men had strong blues pedigrees and their respective 2-CD sets focus strictly on their early blues material. The Essential Josh White spans from 1929-1940 and showcases White's fine singing and sophisticated guitar technique firmly rooted in the Piedmont blues tradition. This may be the most comprehensive set of White's early period featuring gems like "Black & evil Blues", "Blood Red River Blues", Silicosis Is Killin' Me" and accompanying artists like Lucille Bogan on the risqué "Barbecue Bess" as well as Walter Roland, Leroy Carr and Buddy Moss. The Leadbelly set focuses on the 30's and early 40's featuring his powerhouse vocals and guitar playing on mostly unaccompanied traditional numbers like "C.C. Rider", "New Orleans" (House Of The Rising Sun), "Frankie And Albert" and others. Other highlights include "How Long" with Sonny Terry on harp and "Alabama Bound" with the Golden Gate Quartet.

 The Essential Sleepy John Estes collects 36 of his best sides cut between 1929-1941 when he was at the height of his powers. With his expressive high pitched voice (Big Bill Broonzy called it "crying the blues") he was was one of the era's finest singers. Estes blues have down-home appeal with echoes of jug band and string band music never far from the surface. Backed by the stellar playing of Yank Rachell on mandolin, Jab Jones on piano plus fine guitarists like Hammie Nixon, Charlie Pickett and Son Bonds they add first rate accompaniment to Estes often deeply personal songs like "Floating Bridge", Lawyer Clark Blues", "Special Agent" plus classics like "Drop Down Mama" and "Someday Baby Blues." Oddly his famous "Divin' Duck" blues was omitted.

 The Essential Blind Boy Fuller draws together an excellent cross section from Fuller's brief career, one that lasted a mere six years (1935-1941). He was one of the most popular artists of his day and a probably the most influential Piedmont bluesman of all time. Fuller was a masterful, rhythmic guitar player and expressive singer who specialized in uptempo ragtime numbers. He worked with some exceptional sideman including Sonny Terry, Gary Davis and washboard player Bull City Red. Included in this set are most of Fuller's best known tunes like "Rag Mama Rag", "Truckin' My Blues Away", "Step It Up And Go" plus deeper material like the slide driven "Homesick And Lonesome Blues" and "Screaming And Crying The Blues."

 The good natured, exuberant blues of pianist Roosevelt Sykes gives a lie to the misconception that the blues is depressing music. Sykes' kept his good time brand of blues rolling along from his first recordings in the 20's until right before his death in 1983 with practically no interruptions. The Essential Roosevelt Sykes spans the early years from 1929-1941 showcasing his powerful vocals, formidable piano technique and witty, often risqué songs. Highlights include the seminal "44 Blues", the romping "Dirty Mother For You", "Jet Black Snake" with Kokomo Arnold on bottleneck, "The Honeydripper" (his nickname) plus jivey numbers like "Doing The Sally Long" and "47th Street Jive" among many others.

 Sonny Boy Williamson's contributions to blues harmonica were enormously influential popularizing the instrument with his amazing prowess and making the harmonica such an integral part of blues history. Sonny Boy was extremely popular cutting 120 sides between 1937-1948 for RCA before his tragic murder in 1948. The Essential is a wide ranging collection drawing on songs from his entire career which found Sonny Boy backed by Big Joe Williams, Robert Lee McCoy and Yank Rachell on the early sides before heading to the windy city and recording with artists like Big Bill Broonzy, Blind John Davis and Memphis Slim. Highlights include well know items like "Decoration Day Blues" and "Jackson Blues" plus gems like "Wonderful Time", "Jivin' The Blues" and jumping numbers like "Mellow Chick Swing" and "You Got to Step back."

 Bill Gaither is one of those forgotten blues figures but during the 30's he was a very popular recording artists cutting over one hundred sides between 1935-1941. In the 20's he moved to Indianapolis and became friends with the great Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell who were probably the most popular blues act in the country. After Carr died in 1935 Gaither made his first records as "Leroy's Buddy." With Gaither on guitar and partner George "Honey" Hill on piano, they modeled themselves on Carr and Blackwell. The duo weren't simply imitators as Gather was a wonderful relaxed singer and talented songwriter and Honey Hill was a fine piano player. Highlights of The Essential include "'Leven Light City" (Sweet Home Chicago) and lyrically strong items like "Triflin' Woman Blues" and "I'm Behind The Eight Ball" plus "Life Of Leroy Carr" and "After The Sun's Gone Done" both of which talk about Leroy Carr. An excellent snapshot of an artist who should be better known.

 So going by our criteria for a good country blues collection how do these reissues stack up? Musically the music makes for great listening with good song selection and excellent sound quality. Also these are budget priced meaning cost is about what you would pay for a single disc. The only problem are skimpy liner notes and no discography. Of course if you're reading this you have internet access and are just a click away from all kinds of blues information. Try All Music Guide which has bio's on almost all these artists plus thorough discographies and Pre-War Blues & Gospel Records which will provide you with the dates. With that in mind newcomers who are interested in any of these artists will find these CD's the perfect place to start their collection.

-The first part of this article appeared last month. To check it out click here.

Related Links

Allegro Records

Document Records

All Music Guide

Pre-War Blues & Gospel Discography