Ernest C. Withers: The Memphis Blues Again- Six Decades Of Memphis Music Photographs
With Text By Daniel Wolff (Viking Studio)

 For over fifty years Ernest Withers photographed the "black side of life" in Memphis, Tennessee. Withers and his camera bore vivid witness to the civil rights struggle; from the murder of Emmett Till through the assassination of Martin Luther King to his fly on the wall documentation of the Memphis music scene. The Memphis Blues Again is a remarkable collection of his music photos spanning from the 1940's to the 1990's.

 Withers emphatically denies being a historian explaining that what he deals in is news. The news was that there was something brewing in Memphis, something truly special. As Daniel Wolff states in his insightful introduction, what Withers was capturing was "the constantly breaking news of people creating culture, making lasting beauty, and, yes, having fun." Specifically the news was happening on Beale Street, the center of black life in Memphis. Memphis was a strictly segregated town and Withers didn't have much choice in his subject matter. White papers didn't cover Beale Street so "within his community, Withers says, "Anything that you chronicled or recorded was always news. It wasn't going to be seen anywhere else." More often than not the news was related to music. Withers was very much part of this community giving his pictures a stamp of authenticity that only comes from being an insider. Withers had personal connections with many of his subjects whether it was a close friend like Sam Cooke or gospel singer Lucy Campbell- his mother was her seamstress. In addition to his insider status the other factor that helped Withers capture so many candid moments came in 1948 when he joined the Memphis police force. This "double whammy", as Withers called it, gave him unparalleled access to Beale Street clubs.

  The magnificent black and white photos are reproduced roughly chronologically forming one long, interrelated story. Withers business card read "Pictures Tell the Story", and what a story it was! Let's take B.B. King for instance, as we trace his rise from a baby faced young man holding a valentine card in a studio portrait from the late 40's through a 1951 on stage shot of B.B. at Club Handy wearing a dress jacket and Bermuda shorts through a double page spread of B.B.'s huge band posing alongside his tour bus (Big Red) on Beale street in 1956 to the final shot from 1994 of a much larger B.B. playing enthusiastically at his own club on Beale Street. There's a number of photos of Elvis who Withers describes as a "white variant" in a black tradition. We see Elvis captured quite naturally at the 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue surrounded by a tribe of Indians as part of a skit and posing with artists like B.B. King, Junior Parker and Brook Benton. There's classic shots of Howlin' Wolf posing at a Memphis grocery store in 1951, on stage at the 1950 WDIA Goodwill revue and a photo of Wolf and the band picking cotton in Brinkley, Arkansas in 1961. Most of the key figures of the Memphis scene fell under Withers lens like Rufus Thomas (several photos), the Phineas Newborn family having a good time at the Flamingo Room, Johnny Ace playing piano at WDIA in the early 50's, an elegant Laura Dukes at the Elks Club, Roscoe Gordon with Sam Phillips promoting his single "The Chicken" (complete with a chicken on his shoulder), Bobby Bland at Club Handy in the early 50's, Albert King playing at Club Paradise in the early 60's, a joyous Tina Turner at Club paradise in 1962 and countless others. Withers was also on hand to chart the rise of soul legends like O.V. Wright, James Carr, Isaac Hayes, Al Green and many others.

 While most of these photos transmit a feeling of joy and good times there are more somber moments; There's Sam Cooke lying in a glass enclosed casket at his wake in 1964 with the faces of the onlookers reflected in the glass, there's James Brown arriving at Otis Redding's funeral in 1967, we see the Staple Singers standing at the Lorraine Motel at the spot Martin Luther King was shot. Most poignantly, perhaps, is a teary eyed Aretha Franklin standing before King's widow at the SCLC Convention in July 1968, just month's after King's assassination.

 Like many black thoroughfares, Memphis was destroyed by urban renewal and ultimately turned into a tourist attraction. Withers' photos open the window to a lost world, one most of us have only read about. Long after you close the covers to this gorgeous coffee table book the ../../images/ will forever be seared in your memory.

(Jeff Harris)

Fred Vine: Mr. Freddie Blues (Bluefish)
The John Cole Blues Band: The Secret Is Out! (Beaman Enterprises)

 When you think of great blues cities Rochester, NY probably doesn't make the list. Those that haunt the local blues clubs, however, know that there's some serious blues talent in this town. John Cole and Fred Vine are two of those fine players and both have just issued excellent new CD's, so maybe, just maybe the word will get out.

 Without a doubt the main man on Rochester's blues scene is Joe Beard and many a blues musician has paid his dues in Joe's band. One of those artists is guitarist John Cole who stepped out from Joe's band a number of years ago and now leads one of Rochester's toughest blues outfits. Like Joe Beard, John Cole plays no-nonsense blues with a decidedly old school Chicago flavor. Cole has a marvelous gritty, soulful voice and lays down some lean, economical guitar ala B.B. King. Backing Cole is a tight, rock solid combo featuring the relentlessly propulsive piano of Gian Carlo who gets plenty of room to shine. On the aptly title The Secret Is Out! the band roll through a set of mostly well known covers but make them sound absolutely fresh. Highlights include the rocking, piano driven "Whole Lotta Shakin"', a soul drenched "Mean Old World" featuring some nice organ work, a great take on B.B.'s "Payin' The Cost To Be The Boss" and the low-down "Double Trouble."

 Where John Cole plays a tough urban blues, Fred Vine plays the rural country blues- and plays them masterfully. Vine is another veteran of the Rochester scene and has played everywhere in town were acoustic blues are welcome. Vine plays solo acoustic guitar and sings on all the tracks except for piano on one cut. Mr. Freddie Blues is an exceptional set of country blues showing Vine's mastery on a variety of different styles. It's obvious Vine's listened long and heard to past blues masters and his versions come across with deep reverence and authenticity. Vine's the real deal, just check out his bottleneck playing on Charlie Patton's "Banty Rooster Blues", his loose, raggy playing on Blind Blake's "Let's Do That Messin' Round" or how he catches the unique flavor of Willie Brown's delta rhythms on the lovely "M&O Blues." Other highlights include "Mr. Freddie Blues" with Jonathan Feldman on piano recalling the classic piano/guitar duets of the 20's and 30's and a live version of the venerable "Key To The Highway." 

 Both of these artists should give you a good idea of the breadth of talent on the Rochester blues scene. If your a blues fan from out of town don't fret because on any given night you're to guaranteed to catch some fine blues somewhere in this town.

John Littlejohn: Slidin' Home (Arhoolie)

 It's a mystery why Johnny Littlejohn's masterful slide playing and booming singing never launched him into the upper echelon of blues stardom. Littlejohn was only well represented on record a couple of times and Slidin' Home, his album length 1968 debut, is his easily his finest moment.

 Littlejohn had to wait far too long before waxing his first singles in the late 60's for small outfits like USA, Margaret, T-D-S and Weis. In 1968 Arhoolie owner Chris Strachwitz was looking to record some neglected Chicago bluesman and was told by Buddy Guy that he should look up Earl Hooker (who cut some exceptional music for the label) and Johnny Littlejohn. As Strachwitz states in the liner notes this session was "some of the best blues I have had the pleasure of recording." One listen to Slidin' Home proves that his assessment was right on the money.

 Slidin' Home is an intense, hard hitting Chicago blues outing with a raw Delta blues vibe never far from the surface. Littlejohn is in magnificent form displaying some searing slide playing and a declamatory vocal style that brings to mind the raw intensity of Elmore James. Backing Littlejohn is a tight little Chicago combo pushed along by a pair of fine tenor players. Sparks fly on the thumping "Treat Me Wrong", a raw boned version of Brook Benton's "Kiddeo" which would become one of his signature tunes and a vicious, rocking cover of "Shake Your Money Maker." Littlejohn is equally potent on mid-tempo blues like "What In The World You Goin' To Do", the tour-de-force slide workout on "Slidin' Home" and the sizzling "Dream" where he sounds eerily like Elmore James at his most intense. The fact is that there's not a weak moment to be found anywhere on the disc.

 Johnny Littlejohn recorded a number of sessions up until his death in 1994 but none pack the ferocious intensity of these Arhoolie recordings. If you like raw edged Chicago blues this one is an essential purchase.

(Jeff Harris)

Twenty First St. Stomp: The Piano Blues Of St. Louis (Yazoo)
Dreaming The Blues: The Best Of Charlie Spand (Yazoo)

 Twenty First St. Stomp and Dreaming The Blues are the seventh and eighth installments in Yazoo's exceptional survey of piano blues from the 20's and 30's. As usual both of these collections are compiled in classy style with thorough liner notes and the best possible sound considering the rarity of some of the original 78's.

 Twenty First St. Stomp focuses on St. Louis, collecting classic barrelhouse pieces from well known figures to complete unknowns. St. Louis was an important blues town even before Chicago came to prominence and there was no shortage of saloons and sporting houses were bluesman could ply their trade. Around the turn of the century St. Louis was home to many of the great ragtime players and as the popularity of ragtime faded they were replaced in the 20's and 30's with numerous barrelhouse piano players. Two of the more popular St. Louis pianists were Peetie Wheatstraw and Walter Davis who remained extremely popular their entire careers, both cutting well over a hundred sides. Wheatstraw was a solid pianist and excellent heavy voiced singer heard on the driving "Ice And Snow Blues" with guitar accompaniment by Charlie McCoy while Davis is heard on the melancholy "West Coast Blues." Stump Johnson may not be as well known but he was a fine laid back singer and lively piano player heard on three songs including the lyrically vivid "Don't Give My Lard Away" and the stomping "Bound To Be A Monkey." We're also treated to three songs by the Sparks Brothers featuring marvelous playing from Pinetop Sparks and the expressive, high pitched vocals from his brother Lindbergh. Other highlights include three fine performances from singer Mary Johnson particularly the tough "Death Cell Blues" featuring the knockout piano of Judson Brown and bottleneck from Tampa Red, the obscure Tecumseh McDowell singing forthrightly on "So Called Friend Blues" with piano from Pinetop Sparks and the ethereal, expressive singing of Charles "Specks" Pertum on the beautiful "Harvest Moon Blues" with sensitive accompaniment from Eddie Miler on piano. Due to the abundance of talent Yazoo will soon devote another volume to St. Louis piano blues.

 Dreaming The Blues is the first volume devoted exclusively to a single artist. Charlie Spand cut 23 sides between 1929 and 1931 all of which can be found here. He had two more recording sessions in June of 1940 before drifting off into obscurity. Next to nothing is known about Spand's background except for the strong probability that he was based in Detroit at the time of these recordings. Spand was an exceptional piano player with a strong technique who was likely not self taught as many of his contemporaries were. He was also a wonderful singer and a very good songwriter, composing most of the songs on this collection including the influential "Soon This Morning." Of particular interest are the songs accompanied by guitarist Blind Blake with the two making a potent team. The most famous of these was the romping duet of "Hastings St." one of the great piano/guitar duets of all time. Blind Blake is also featured on the jaunty "Good Gal", "Back To The Woods" and the driving "Fetch Your Water." This a very strong collection from start to finish showing Spand to be an artist of the highest caliber and one who should be much better known.

 For some reason piano blues never seems to get the respect or attention it deserves despite it's once wide popularity and legion of fine performers. Yazoo makes a strong case that the art form was at it's peak in the 20's and 30's and they've done and outstanding job in this well conceived and enjoyable series. The series is expected to run some 20 plus volumes so there's plenty more to come.