5 comments about Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970).

1. This great 2-disc collection covers a 25 year-period, when small and large labels utilized Nashville studios for that special sound - something a little bigger, often with incongruous back-up ("pop" vocal groups, electric sitars) that worked every time. True, sometimes the instrumentation came off a bit "assembly line" - access Ruth Brown's fun remake of "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" (love those oddball remakes!) - the guitar break is smoothly commercial, reminiscent of something like the pickin' on Elvis Presley's 1963 "Blue River", also done in Nashville.
   Talking about remakes, it comes to mind that several 1950's rockers went to Nashville in the 1960's to recut their hits: the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Little Richard - perhaps a Volume 2 could feature some of these tracks.
   Mr. Penniman is found here on an entertaining radio commercial for Royal Crown Hairdressing. His booming, expressive voice here breaks through any "rock and roll sells" scenario. It appears that The Quasar visited Nashville in 1964 and 1976 for remake sessions. That December, '64 session also included a fun workout of a new tune, "My Wheel's Been Slippin'" (not issued until 1974!), a Country Rock number which could only be considered album filler for the time, recorded apparently on the final day in the studio, when the driver and his vehicle needed a serious stop-off at the nearest motel. Country *and* R & B enuff for this fine collection.
   The highlight of this set is undoubtedly the Prisonnaires' "Just A-Walkin' In The Rain": my first chance to hear it all the way through, and what a magnificent listen it is. All kudos to Mr. Ray, but the original surpasses the (slightly) histrionic "cover".
   Johnny Adams's "Reconsider Me" is a powerful soul ballad, a vehicle for his amazing dynamics, echoing Jackie Wilson and Tom Jones in spots.
   Joe Tex, of course is *the* Nashville genius, a singer-songwriter-showman, here represented by "I Want To Do Everything..."; another case-in-point for the absolute necessity of including him in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
   The booklet is excellent, replete with photos, memorabilia, and very importantly, quotations from the stars.



2. this is a vastly entertaining 2 cd (35 track) set of r & b. many names i was familiar with (arthur gunter, esquerita, roscoe shelton, little richard (whose track here is really a commercial), etta james, arthur alexander, ruth brown, joe tex, and johnny adams), and many unfamiliar (rudy green, christine kittrell, the varieteers, audrey bryant, larry birdsong, shy guy douglas, bobby hebb, etc.....). a wide variety of styles, as well: boogie, vocal harmony groups, early rock and roll, soul, pop, and more. some fine instrumentals, too. just a very fun release that brings you back to a time and place that is gone gone gone. highly recommended.



3. I found the first record to be wonderful but the second was not to my taste. Perhaps this is because I am firmly embedded in the 50s when I was 13.



4. The Country Music Hall of Fame is behind this collection, but they're hoping to remind folks that Nashville is "MUSIC City U.S.A.", not necessarily "Country Music City U.S.A." What you get is 35 cuts ranging from doo-wop to smooth vocals to gritty R&B shouters. Many of the cuts were taken from original 45 and 78 records but the audio restoration has been done well...they don't SOUND like vinyl transfers. Is the thesis of Nashville as R&B focal point realized here? Fairly well: I'm not about to replace Detroit, Memphis or Chicago in my mind as great locations for R&B but this set is fairly solid.
   
   HIGHLIGHTS:
   You'll probably already know Arthur `Hardrock' Gunter's "Baby Let's Play House",Arthur Alexander's "Anna (Go to Him)",Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" and Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love". Outside of those, there are plenty of lesser-knowns that make the grade: The Marigolds' rollicking doo-wop number "Rollin' Stone", Rudy Green's "Buzzard Pie" (reminiscent of `Straighten Up and Fly Right' but edgier, with the buzzard goading his intended victim to just die and get it over with), the call and response of Audrey Bryant's "Let's Trade a Little", and Larry Birdsong's ebullient "Somebody, Somewhere" on disc 1. The latter disc's high points include Joe Henderson's Nat King Cole smooth vocal on "Snap Your Fingers", a sassy "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" from Ruth Brown, Joe Tex's near Temptations sound on "I Want To", The Avons sound like long lost Shirelles on "Since I Met You Baby", and the Hytones are defiantly moving on to "Bigger and Better" things since baby's been gone.
   
   BOTTOM LINE:
   There's nothing really poor here and quite a few of these are outstanding, even outside of the hit charters. Not the best collection for soul novices but if you're already an R&B fan, you'll probably enjoy this.
   
   3 1/2 stars



5. This is a a wonderful compilation. The title of my review is stolen from a NY Times review of the Night Train to Nashville that made me go out and buy it. It isn't totally true since I recognized some of the later songs but it was an eye opener. It is pretty sad that most of the country missed out on some of the greatest music of their time; especially when pap like How Much is that Doggie in the Window was being shoved down people throats.
   
   My husband and I enjoyed listening to the CDs on a 5 hour long road trip and thoroughly enjoyed them. There was enough style changes and diverstity to keep you interested and a lot of solid artistry. The White Rose petroleum jelly ad and the Little Richard commercial are a hoot!

2 comments about Masters of Memphis Blues.

1. Four discs. 72,74,77,77 min. each approximately. Sound is remastered to good quality. This particular set deals with the "Memphis" sound from a time period encompassing about ten years-the late twenties to the late thirties. The artists are all well-known to anyone with even a little bit of knowledge of country,pre-war blues. So,if you're looking for rarities look elsewhere. Having said that,this is a fine collection of some of the greatest songs these bluesmen ever recored. Beale Street was well-known to everyone during this time. All of these bluesmen played (and drank) on Beale Street. Without this street,the "Memphis" sound would certainly be different. People like Furry Lewis,Frank Stokes and Gus Cannon played up and down this area. All of these tracks are basically vocal with self-accompanied guitar. Sometimes a second guitar was used depending on who was around at recording time. Some of the songs will be familiar to listeners of groups like the Rolling Stones (Robert Wilkins' That's No Way To Get Along) and other more modern day groups. In this collection,JSP has put together the more well-known and popular players of country blues. There are other bluesmen (and women) of note that can be found in other collections,so if you enjoy the "Memphis" sound look for recordings on Document Records,Yazoo Records and of course JSP.



2. If you really love the blues, you'll want this collection. This set is like a history book. These are old recordings and some of them are scratchy, but I suspect this had more to do with the original sources than with the recording effort. This collection is a good illustration of how blues evolved.

1 comments about Down Home Blues Classics V.5: Memphis & the South 1949 - 1954.

1. Awesome 54 track collection on 2 CDs of some of the greatest Mid-south, Mississippi, and Memphis down home blues recorded during the 'golden years' of 1949 to 1954. Vintage collectors will already have much of this material scattered about on various CDs and well-worn LPs, but worth it just to have this many great cuts in one convenient package. Worth it, almost, just for the 4 sides John Lee cut for Federal, altho others will have their choices as well (Percy Lee Crudup or Papa Lightfoot, anyone?). This set is designed to compliment the other volumes in the series..... no duplication of titles so far. Highly recommended for beginners as well as long-time devotees alike. Includes a full discography and liner notes by author Paul 'The Sailor' Vernon.

2 comments about Poor Man's Heaven: Blues & Tales of the Great Depression.

1. Great sides, but as usuaual, record companies have no idea how to remaster shellac pressings. They make them sound muddy and life-less. They think surface noise will offend our ears more than the original music. They are supposed to sound bright, punchy with solid bass. I had a hell of a time pulling these out of the hole using Sound Forge.



2. The entire series is exellent, and it features great and well known blues artists as well as obscure and forgotten ones, who either influenced rock'n'rollers of another generation, or performed songs that rock'n'rollers covered in the 60's onward. These recordings are generally from the 20's all the way to just before WWII.

   This particular cd in the When The Sun Goes Down(Bluebird) series, is titled Poor Man's Heaven-The Secret Histry Of rok'n'roll, and thsi cd differs from all the others, in taht is is primarlily white artists and vaudeville entertainers, with the acception of Sonny Boy Williamson and several other blues artists. These recordings all have to do with the great depression and the stock market crash of 1929. Great hot dancebands liek the High Hatters are here doing peppy and energetic versions of "Ten Cents A Dance" also there are some rural country artists and fiddlers, thsi cd has a veriety of unique and obscure eprformances, all are very intriguing. This cd makes a great listening from beginning to end, and si worhty of repeated listenings. From the opening spoken dialouge by Eddie Cantor to the calypso oriented ending song. A well done cd, that makes one realize that rock'n'roll didn't just happen overnight with elvis in 1955! And belive me thsi isn't just a collevtion for old people or people over 30 years old, I'm 16 and a huge rockabilyl fan, and I love this cd and the series, so I thin kit's geared towards younger generations, but evreyone will enjoy it, my Grandpa loves it, and so do my parents and friends. cool music!!!

2 comments about Best There Ever Was: Legendary Early Blues.

1. I've been getting into this stuff for the last year or so and this is, far and away, the best "sampler" cd that I have found. In fact, it's much more satisfying to listen to these songs in this sequence than it is to listen to them on a compilation of pre-war 78's by a single artist.
   
   Sure, Robert Johnson is great, but listening to all of his songs back to back to back can be a bit repetitive musically. After all, no one was making albums back then. Only singles, which often were variations on a theme which weren't intended to be played one directly after another. (I realize that Robert Johnson doesn't appear on this cd, but I am simply making a point.) Johnson's King of the Delta Blues Singers is a great album, but, I would argue, this is a better one. And that's really saying something.
   Not every song chosen is the most commonly acknowledged "best" song by that particular artist, but that is actually to this disc's advantage. For example, "Cypress Grove" by Skip James is absolutely great, even if it's not as widely praised a "Devil Got My Woman." This strategy helps to prove the merits of an artist like Skip. He is not a one hit wonder. (Insofar as anything by Skip James has ever really been considered a "hit."
   One last note: In the R. Crumb documentary, track number 13, "Last Kind Work Blues" by Geeshie Wiley, is the 78 rpm record which Crumb plays in his home as he assumes a near-fetal position.



2. This is actually my second time purchasing this. I wore out the first copy. This is, simply put, the most concentrated "cream of the crop" of pre-war guitar blues ever put out and the best sounding as well. Garfield Aker's Dough Roller is a masterpiece of the first order and there are few things on the set that don't compete neck to neck with this one. A real value and a wonder to hear!

5 comments about Conversations in Swing Guitar.

1. The reviewer who put down Robillard's playing on this has got to have his head up his you know what! Duke Robillard really demonstrates his swing chops on this one - Duke is a master of many styles including blues in the style of the likes of T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Magic Sam, you name it - and jazz in the style of Charlie Christian - He has a very hard hitting swinging style and he comes up with interesting musical ideas in each of his solos. Herb, of course, is a terrefic soft-spoken jazz guitarist. Like Jim Hall he always has subtle tricks up his sleeve. This is by no means a perfect cd - but my rage at the other review has pushed it from a 4 to a 5. It is a fun listen!



2. This is one of the greatest swing albums of all time. I'm not exactly sure who played what parts (someone said that the channel credits were reversed), but Ellis and Robillard both sound great. They seem to have a bottomless well of creative and melodic swing phrases that they can throw around at will. This album will put you in a good mood quick. Make sure to check out the sequel album too - it's just as good.



3. I can't pick up my own guitar without trying to play some of the lines Duke puts together on these numbers! He really smokes on "Easin' In". Unlike what some others may say, I think his swing chops are awreet and that the major problem here is that Herb Ellis is a little stale and staccato, but that's only compared with the Herb of yesteryear. This album is a fine excursion into this genre of jazz/blues and will be appreciated by more than just a purist jazz or blues oriented audience. Buy it and enjoy!



4. This is a nice recording of swing and blues style guitar. Lots of fun to listen to -- like sitting in on a friendly jam session. Duke Robillard really shines on "Avalon" and the bluesier numbers and Herb Ellis sounds like he's having fun throughout. Recommended for swing fans or those new to jazz guitar.



5. This a fun and likeable CD of pleasant swing/blues numbers, but if you are wanting to hear great guitar, don't look here. This CD really points out Robillard's weakness as a jazzer.

   Robillard, a fine blues player, doesn't hit the mark here in several ways: he often seems to miss what he is trying to do with his solos, he falters and misses notes regularly, his note choices are amateur quality and unhip, and perhaps worst of all, his comping under Ellis is obtrusive and awkward, Pairing him with a well weathered pro like Ellis, though now well past his prime, is odd - Ellis completely smokes Robillard without even trying. Ellis' solos are creative, swinging, and coherent, and his comping is so perfectly supportive that you don't even notice it (this is a compliment).

   I am surprised Robillard's own sense of quality control didn't prevent this from being released --I'm sure you love this music, Duke, but either stick to the blues or do some shedding before releasing jazz CDs -- Charlie Christian you aint!

3 comments about Deep River of Song: Black Texicans - Balladeers And Songsters Of The Texas Frontier.

1. In addition to the above comments, there is also a Louisiana volume (for those seeking to complete their collection)



2. I have noticed that this website doesn't bring up every disc in this series with just a "Deep River Of Song" search. In the interest of helping people find these discs here, I'll name every other disc in the series.

   South Carolina

   Bahamas 1935

   Bahamas 1935 Volume 2

   Mississippi: The Blues Lineage

   Mississippi: Saints and Sinners

   Georgia

   Big Brazos

   Black Appalachia

   Virginia and the Piedmont

   Alabama

   
   I bought the entire Deep River Of Song series all at once. So many surprises awaited me! Some discs I thought about not buying because maybe I wouldn't be into them, and some I assumed I'd love. This was one of the discs I was iffy on. Until I heard it.

   This and Big Brazos are two of the best discs in the series, in my opinion. They are also two I originally thought maybe I wouldn't like. Moses "Clear Rock" Platt is great. I particularly love his Old Chisholm Trail, which happens to be the source for Mike Seeger's Whoopin' Up Cattle on his excellent solo cd, Southern Banjo Sounds. James "Ironhead" Baker's St. James Hospital, which was clearly the source for Doc Watson and Tony Rice's excellent versions (on the Doc Watson and Native American albums, respectively), haunts me. Ironhead is a true highlight of this disc.

   This disc also contains my one exposure to "eephing". An odd vocal thing that defies description. In terms of musicianship... guitar playing... Smith Casey is the hidden gem of this collection. His East Texas Rag is sublime acoustic slide guitar. He certainly could have earned more tracks here. I also particularly enjoy Phineas "Flatfoot" Rockmore's Boll Weevil done to a familiar Frankie & Johnny melody.

   Of course if you are into American history (the true history, not the white-washed garbage that still gets taught in American schools) then these recordings become all that more meaningful. Imagine a song that dates back to slavery being sung by a group of prisoners in the 1930's, one of the harshest era's within the Jim Crow Era.

   I love this disc, but the official review on this site is correct. It may only appeal to roots fanatics. I fear most of it is just too rough for the modern listener who is used to everything being more polished. I just want people to take that into account. I'd hate to recommend something and find out someone was disappointed when they heard it for themselves. If you don't like field-recordings of true real-people folk music, then this is probably not for you.




3. This collection is fantastic and shows a great respect for men who were forgotten in the history books.

1 comments about Cowboy Poetry Classics.

1. This is the real old time Cowboy story telling. Written by old timers and read by modern Cowboy Poetry "Stars" A great listen.

1 comments about Bed Spring Poker.

1. Two cd's each over seventy minutes long. The recordings are for the most part clean and clear-much better than you would think. The artists range from well known ( Lightin' Hopkins, Bessie Smith) to somewhat obscure(Dan Pickett, Ralph Willis) but the songs are always entertaining. This area of blues music is somewhat small but is important in an overall view of the genre. The styles of music range from traditional blues to hokum to r&b. It is surprising that so many women recorded music of this kind. This is a good companion to Bill Wyman's collection Rude Dudes that was released a few years ago. The price makes this a very good buy. Don't believe the hype about all of these being rare,some of these have appearred on Rude Dudes. However,this is a compilation worth purchasing.

1 comments about This Is the Blues Harmonica.

1. This is a great disc. If you want to learn about the range of harmonica blues styles, with a heavy emphasis on the sweet sounds of Chicago, this is a great place to start. Also, for long time fans of this music, there are several previously-unreleased gems from Jr. Wells, Carey Bell, and others. A must-have...