5 comments about Vanguard Sessions: Blues From The Delta.

1. The original Skip James recordings from 1930 are simply among the great recordings of all time...scratchy sound and all. To criticize this collection because it doesn't compare to the earlier recordings is just wrong. Nothing compares to the originals but these are a must have for fans. Let's just say that you should own both.



2. These tracks may not be quite as intense as Skip James' prewar singles, but from an audio standpoint they're certainly easier to take.
   Committed to tape in 1966 and 1968, many of these twenty songs are re-recordings of the classic 30s singles which originally made Nehemiah "Skip" James famous. "Devil Got My Woman" is here, and so is "Little Cow, Little Calf Is Gonna Die Blues", "Crow Jane", "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues", and several other highlights including James' version of "Careless Love", and a number of fine songs from his 60s repertoire.

   Skip James accompanies himself on guitar and piano, and his piano playing is almost as idiosyncratic as his work on the guitar.
   James is probably something of an acquired taste, to be honest...he usually sings in a slightly eerie, fragile-sounding falsetto, his guitar is weirdly tuned, and his music is certainly much less accessible than that of, say, Muddy Waters or even Robert Johnson and Son House.
   But if you know what you're getting into, and are looking for a good collection of James' "rediscovery" recordings to go with his original 30s singles, this fine compilation is for you. Newcomers should definitely start with "The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James", however.




3. I normally don't bother to write reviews, but I think this selection has gotten a bad rap by previous reviewers. I started out listening to the early recordings of Skip James, and worked my way to this CD, and I'm not disappointed. Sure, it lacks the raw emotion and feeling of his early work, but if you are a true fan, it is a must have.



4. Skip James is absolutely amazing! Anyone who says the latter-day Skip James can't play the guitar like he used to hasn't been listening. Just listen to the song Catfish Blues to see what I mean. It sounds like a wild animal escaping from his heart and bursting from his guitar.

   The fidelity of this work compared to his 30's recordings is obviously far superior - this is a modern-sounding, professionally recorded album. The guitar is crisp and clear, rich and full. Most notably though the full rich timbre of James' voice is fully evident. I'm not as fond of his piano work, though it's clearly very competent.

   A wonderful album by one of the great singer/songwriters of the last century. Of course, his Complete Early Recordings is also indespensible.




5. This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful collections of blues I have ever heard. Skip James was a man of the Mississipi Delta and his music reflects his origins. The sound is sparse, the rhythms a melancholic mix of country, blues and ragtime. Over the top of deceptively simple arrangements for piano and acoustic guitar (to both of which James lends his distinctive sound), James' desolate falsetto recalls the deep sorrows of Depression-era black men with great poignancy.

   While many of the songs on this collection at least superficially reflect the theme of lost love, there are darker moments too:
   "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" is a bleak and resigned commentary on the racial hatred and economic injustices faced by America's black poor in the 1930s; "Sick Bed Blues" explores the tragedy of a man alone.

   Yet this CD is also infused with a real lightness of spirit: "... Hospital Center Blues" is a tribute to the musicians who rediscovered James in the 1960s and moved him to a private hospital so he could receive better treatment; and "Catfish Blues", with its refrain "I would rather be a little catfish/ so I could swim way down in the sea/ I wouldn't have no women/ setting out a line for me", is a refreshingly light fantasy of escape from impossible love.

   The CD comprises recordings from the 1960s albums "Today!" and "Devil Got My Woman", so listeners don't have to cope with the appalling background hiss on re-releases of James' early Paramount sessions. Tracks 18 and 19 have never been previously released and are as brilliant as anything else on this incredible album.

   Even if you have never heard of Skip James, you should check out this awesome collection of music from one of the Blues' truly great unsung masters.

5 comments about The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1: Genesis 1900's-1990's.

1. O'Brother was the summer movie for me. After I saw the movie I then got the soundtrack and upon hearing the whole album, I immediately liked the track by Mr. King and I read that he was a muscian first so I decided to see what else he had done. Due to the obvious set up of this album it was an easy buy. I wasn't dissapppointed by a single track. They are all well performed and the instruments and choosen perfectly. The right types of guitar and the right use of Piano, to the perfect use of back-up vocals this man does it all. Good Show and more power to him.



2. Chris Thomas King is one of the most talented musicians since Stevie Ray Vaughn. Multi talented, great range to his voice as well as being able to play all nine instruments, used on this CD. The movie "O'Brother Where Art Thou?" doesn't begin to show off his talents. Doesn't even come close. I loved it, especially the song "Spread the Glory." Also a great song and fun to listen to is "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'"; but all of them are supurb.



3. When organic American music was given a shot in the arm by the Coen Brother's movie O Brother, Where Art Thou, Chris Thomas King was among the artists who benefited with King's role as blues musician Tommy Johnson and his song O Brother Where Art Thou. King took full advantage of this opportunity and produced an ambitious concept album The Legend of Tommy Johnson. Imagine an obscure blues artist who sold is soul to the devil down on some Delta crossroads for the ability to play music. He wanders around the delta singing on the corners of "Magnolia and Main" as the cover says. Maybe he serves a stint in prison and becomes part of a chain gang and then upon release wanders to Chicago to try his hand with electric guitar. This is the story of a composite of blues artists throughout the twentieth century and Chris Thomas King has penned, sang, played and produced all the songs on this CD. It is a skillful and artistic cd which demonstrates King's love and appreciation for the music.

   Blues music has roots in a range of styles as Chris Thomas King aptly demonstrates. O Brother Where Art Thou and Trouble will Soon Be Over borrow from gospel/spiritual styles. Canned Heat Blues, Flooded in the Delta and Watermelon Man are delta styled acoustic blues. Canned Heat Blues shows the strong relationship which exists between the blues and bootleg liquor. King tips his hat to Charlie Patton and other in singing about delta floods. He sings "People seeking higher ground, the sky is falling and the whole world is sinking down." Watermelon Man is a pleasant journey through the delta in the back of a pickup truck while eating "sweet and juicy" watermelon. You can almost feel the juice running down your chin. John Law Burned down the Liquor Store is blues with country edges with the promise of bootleg liquor after a day of hard and sweaty work. We move north to Chicago with Red Shoes and Bonnie and Clyde in D Minor. Red Shoes is a grind it out blues guaranteed to get the joint hopping on Saturday night in a mode reminiscent of Elmore James or Hound Dog Taylor. Bonnie and Clyde is a haunting "you done me wrong" blues. Do Fries Go with that Shakes explores the early era of rock and roll. Finishing out the cd is Spread the Glory a soulful tribute to Tommy Johnson.

   Chris Thomas King has clearly demonstrated his skill as singer, songwriter and musician in producing such a CD as this one. The Legend of Tommy Johnson displays the range and sincerity of Chris Thomas King's pleasant voice. I have hopes that we will continue to hear more from him.




4. This is an ambitious album, and a very successful one.

   The tracks, in order, summarize the 20th century evolution of the blues. The first songs on the album, both King's originals and the covers, are very much in the style of early blues recordings: one voice, one guitar...even the scratchy static of the old 78s is duplicated.

   I confess my partiality to early delta guitarslingers, and I really like King's take, from his straight up cover of Willie Johnson's "Trouble Will Soon Be Over" to the archetypally bluesy original "Flooded in the Delta". This is great stuff, and the hilariously deadpan liner notes (spoofing every "how I discovered the blues" story you ever read) are a perfect complement -- I admit, they had me going for a minute.

   The tracks then evolve through the rollicking piano blues of "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'" to electric guitar to rhythm 'n' blues, including a purported cover by the Voodoo Dolls (King) of a song by the legendary Tommy Johnson (also King). This is good stuff, too, though less my cup of tea.

   This is the only CD of King's I've listened to -- yes, I was drawn to this through O Brother, Where Art Thou? -- but I certainly want to hear more.




5. I am familiar with King's work only from the movie O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU. He has wisely jumped onto that musical bandwagon by recreating his character from the movie, Tommy Johnson, and doing a solo CD as Mr. Johnson, blending history (the real Tommy Johnson) with fiction (O BROTHER. . .). Great idea, very good results. I am not a true blues afficianado, but I loved the song he did in the movie and figured I'd give this disc a run. The opening song, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," is a very cool song that moves along at a nice pace--some nice a capellla and good guitar work, also. "Canned Heat Blues" calls to mind his song from the movie. "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'" is a fast-moving, bluegrass-ish song that is a riot--the tites are so good sometimes! "Red Shoes" is a more electric kind of sound--good song. "Bonnie & Clyde in D Minor" is good, old-fashioned, slowed-down traditional delta blues--great song. The album concludes with two songs performed by the Voodoo Dolls, both of which were probably unnecessary and a bit out of place.

   On the whole, this was a very entertaining CD, full of a variety of paces, styles-within-the-style, and instrumentation (he plays a variety of instruments, including mandolin, upright bass, piano, harmonica, and all guitars). He knows how to sing, and he is smart enough to cash in on the O BROTHER phenomenon. If you are a general blues fan, a Chris Thomas King fan, or an O BROTHER fan, you will probably enjoy this CD a great deal.

5 comments about Son House & the Great Delta Blues Singers.

1. If you're interested in the blues roots of rock, you've come to the right place. Son House laid down tracks that have echoed down to this day, and he may have been the first true wellspring of what became rock. I've been a listener and collector of what's now called classic rock for more than 40 years, and I have never found an earlier or truer original source than Son House. With all the fuss being bestowed on Robert Johnson these days, here's a clue: Son House taught RJ how to play! Listen to this album and hear the foreshadowings of ALL the great music to come... Truly great guitar pickin', and a voice as rough, plain and honest as Mississippi dirt clods... You may not want to put this album on Infinite Repeat, but you will not walk away unimpressed or unmoved. IMHO, Son House truly deserves the title of Great Grandaddy of Rock!



2. Son House is essential to any blues collection. And as is usually the case with pre-war blues artists, Son's early stuff is better than the 60's revival stuff. That said, the company put songs on here by other artists that already appear on Mississippi Masters--which I also highly reccomend, especially for Geechie Wiley's "Last Kind Words." This CD would be 5-star and beyond if it weren't for those repeated songs.



3. "Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers" isn't entirely devoted to Son House. There are cuts by several other musicians, including Rube Lacy, Joe Calicott, and House's onetime playing partner Willie Brown, but this disc, which contains Son House's complete 1930 session, is the best place to get his earliest songs.
   The sound quality is not excactly stellar, mainly due to the inferior quality of Columbia Records' original masters and horrible quality pressings, yet the power and intensity of Son House's huge voice and slashing slide guitar playing cuts through the pops and hisses like...well, a cutting thing.
   Also, this CD is one of the very few which features both the previously unreleased test acetate of "Walking Blues" (the basis for Robert Johnson's song, not the other way around), and the second parts of House's three two-part singles. Listen to "My Black Mama part II", and you'll recognize it as the original version of "Death Letter Blues", complete with House's magnificent, wailing slide guitar riff.
   
   House's seven songs are the highlights of this collection, but there is a lot of other stuff here which is certainly of interest to fans of classic Delta blues. The gruff-voiced Willie Brown's two cuts are almost as powerful as Son House's, particularly the great "Future Blues" (listen to Brown snapping the bass strings).
   And fine waxings by Kid Bailey and Joe Reynolds in particular makes this a great collection of Delta blues as recorded by Paramount Records in 1929-30.



4. I absolutely love this CD and find myself listening to it over-and-over again. I ordered it for the Son House material but have found the Willie Brown and the Garfield Akers songs to be every bit as fantastic! Although I especially like the three musicians already mentioned, there is not a dud in any of the remaining tracks. If you like delta blues and don't have this CD you are missing one of the greatest musical treats you're liable to find.



5. In my opinion, Son House was the greatest of the Mississippi Delta bluesmen, whether you are listening to his astounding Library of Congress tracks from the 1940s, his historic studio album with Columbia in 1965, or his frightening live performances during the blues revival. The songs on this collection, however, are from his first and only session for Paramount way back in 1930--there are seven tracks in all.

   Son House's playing was phenomenal. He was ferocious on the slide guitar and his growling and moaning vocals can--and will--make your skin crawl. "My Black Mama" (which was later reworked into his most famous song, "Death Letter Blues"), is Son at his best. "Preachin' the Blues", unfortunately, doesn't exist in a highly listenable format (the only known copy is a damaged 78) and is clouded by white noise, but much of it has been digitally cleaned. This is such a powerful song--and one of Son's signature tunes--that it has wisely been included on this collection.

   Document has also included songs from Son House's contemporaries, namely Willie Brown, Rube Lacy, Kid Baily, Garfield Akers, and Blind Joe Reynolds. While shadowed by the geniuses of Son House, Skip James, Tommy Johnson, and Charley Patton, these 'lesser' artists should not be overlooked. Each had his own style and the tracks included here are great. Standouts include Willie Brown's "Future Blues", Garfield Akers' "Cottonfield Blues", and Rube Lacy's "Mississippi Jailhouse Groan".

   This collection is valuable to any fan of the Delta blues--those who are fans of the great Robert Johnson (who isn't?) will learn that he found much of his inspiration in these recordings. While Johnson has surpassed House in fame and recognition, it's arguable that he held the highest talent. Only Son House can make your hair stand on end with his wrenching weeps and groans.

1 comments about Classic Blues from Smithsonian Folkways, Vol. 2.

1. If you've seen the great PBS/Martin Scorsese Blues series, or read any of the books about the great bluesmen (Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, etc) then this disc gives you the opportunity to hear the old songs that started the blues music revolution recorded by the musicians who were at the start of the movement.

   Son House, Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins were all part of the original movement -- the folks that brought the blues to light.

   Granted there's a number of modern cuts on this disc (I don't think Lucinda Williams was playing the blues in Chicago or the Mississippi Delta in the 1940's) but that doesn't detract from experience of hearing the old songs sung by the originals.

2 comments about Acoustic Stories.

1. This is my favorite acoustic R.L. Burnside CD. The songs are done in the tradition of Son House and Robert Johnson. The tempo is slow and thoughtful utilizing a single note style with a rhythmic counterpart.

   This CD will appeal to those who enjoy the music of Son House, Robert Johnson, Robert Nighthawk, Elmore James and Lightnin' Hopkins. Other Burnside acoustic CD's that are equivalent to this CD are "Mississippi Blues" (French Import)(5 STARS) and "My Black Name A Ringin"(4.5 STARS)




2. Burnside does it the way it was meant to be done. He hasn't changed the music a bit from when he first began in Mississippi. This album it a prime example of R.L. Burnside's unique style , with the thumping bass and the repetition, it walks along the road next to Big Joe Williams and Son House. He captures the spirit of the Delta with music that you just know he sat on the back porch and wrote as the sun went down. R.L.'s version of Hobo Blues is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

3 comments about Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops.

1. If you love tongue-in-cheek vaudville, you'll love these guys! Risque, raunchy, witty, and blushingly forward, you'll laugh all day. The vendor sent it out right away, and it was in perfect condition for a really good price.



2. This is a collection of off-color blues songs. The songs date from 1928 to 1939. Back in those days, they couldn't release a record that was explicitly about sex, so they used innuendoes. Like when Lil Johnson sang about "Sam, the Hot Dog Man", it could be interpreted to really be about a man with a large... you know what. Besides hot dogs, male genitalia is also represented here by keys, pencils, peanuts and bananas. There aren't as many songs here about female genitalia, but it does get represented by a stove and a lollypop. These songs are done with a wink and a smile. A particularly amusing one is the two part "Furniture Man Blues", where Lonnie Johnson comes to repossess Victoria Spivey's furniture. She doesn't have any money to pay him, but she thinks they can work something out (hint, hint). As I said, these songs rely on innuendoes, but there is one exception, that being the alternate take of "Shave 'Em Dry". The woman in this case comes right out and brags about her sexual prowess, using the "F word" and other words you can't say on the radio. Obviously, that version of the song didn't make it onto a record at the time. This is a pretty amusing collection of dirty blues songs.



3. From almost the beginning of recorded music, songs have had some kind of sexual content. Compared to today where little is left to the imagination, this artists make clever use of double-entendres to tell their stories.

   For example, there's Lil Johnson's "My Stove's in Good Condition" in which she asks someone to "stick your match right in the hole." In Bo Carter's "My Pencil Won't Write No More" he complains that when he tries to write his pencil is "drooping."

   For those who want something a little less subtle there's Lucille Bogan's previously unreleased version of "Shave 'Em Dry." Lucille Bogan was as raunchy as any contemporary rapper way back in 1935! If you thought gangsta rap started the use of graphic language in music -- think again. There are lines in this track that would make Ice Cube blush (well, almost). In one of the track's tamer verses she says, "I'm going to turn back my mattress and let you oil my springs/I want you to grind me daddy till the bells do ring." If that's too much for you, there's her very different "clean" version. It's so different that you'll swear it was sung by a different person (who knows, it might be!).

   Overall, "Raunchy Business" lives up to its title. However, with the exception of Lucille Bogan's alternate version of "Shave 'Em Dry," it won't offend most adults as long as its not a formal function.

2 comments about Shoot That Thang.

1. On this release for Rooster (arguably the best blues record label operating) James "Super Chikan" Johnson and the Fighting Cocks release that infectious feeling they deliver live. There is a long history of comic blues (mainly "blue" blues, as in Bo Carter of "Bannana in Your Fruitbasket" fame) but Chikan brings us into the postmodern era as only he could. The humor he is known for is generally subtle, sometimes outrageous, but always effective. Every cut contains what could only be explained as a sly grin from Chikan. The title cut is the best example of that "live" feeling, an 8 1/2 minute jam that is the standout on the album. If you're lucky enough to see him live, this album will remind you of the great time you had; if you haven't, this is a great approximation. Throughout the album Chikan and the Cocks unleash that funky blues boogie that no one does better. If you're one of those people that find the contemporary blues scene derivative, you owe it to yourself to pick up this album and see how wrong people can be. This album is as fresh as it gets, and Chikan is a true and priceless original. "Shoot That Thang" has all of the qualities of the legendary Chuck Berry: Boogie music at its loosest and best; inventive and well-written lyrics; and one hell of a lot of personality. Don't miss this.



2. Well, I'm a sucker for the Blues. When I found this, the artist's name and the title appealed to my wackier side. And after listening to the samples, I had to get it. Now that I have it, and have listened to it a few times, I have to say that it's fun, a bit different. I like that the artist draws from his own life experiences when writing his songs. Not always true Blues, but I'm liking it. Overall, a good addition to my music library.

3 comments about Black Appalachia: String Bands, Songsters and Hoedowns (Deep River of Song).

1. Too much of the general view of socalled old time music comes from the suburban, middle class people, who retreat to it thinking they are getting to something so white, so "celtic" that culturally they are making the same flight from Black people musically that they have made residentially.
   
   However, we pervade. This is real old time music, the Black music that is at the core and foundation of Southeastern American traditional music. You see it, you feel it, in all its glory right here.
   
   This is the Black old time string band and dance music that was ignored by record companies that only wanted blues out of Black artists and by most folklorists who by an large were only interested in blues, work songs, or songs they in their narrow point of view could directly pin as African Survivals. This is a great broad survey to open you up to the music. After you see this, you will be impelled to search for more. A good help is my own listmania list on Old Time music from a Black point of view.
   
   Last week, I kept just the first selection, Jimmy Strother's "Cripple Creek" repeating on my CD for a couple hours. It was not just the great banjo playing, but the lyrics with real meaning: "Read and Run, Read and Run, don't let the sundown catch you here," Strothers sings from inside a Virginia prison.
   
   Syd Hemphil's recordings here are very important. Hemphil is not just a fiddler, a blues artist, a font of Mississippi folk tradition, but he was a leader in the African quills and drums, Mississippi Hill Country, fife and drum band tradition. Here Hemphil PlayS in a band of fiddle, banjo, guitar AND DRUM! Despite the attempts of the slave masters to surpress the drums for fear they would call us to rebellion, the drum remains integral to this music.
   
   More well known because of the Altamont recordings is the John Lusk band one of the wildest, great string bands, Black and white of all time. I could go on and and on about every one of these selections. However, rather than reading more of my words, you need to listen to more of this music!
   
   Many, including myself, have written about the limitations of John and Alan Lomax in their collection and writing and shaping of American traditional music through lenses they want it to be seen with. However,the more important point is they went out and found this music, recorded this music, made it breathe out to the public by their connection with the initial 1930s folk song movement, and Alan continued that association to his death a few years back!



2. I like the Lomax disks, I like real folk, country, and bluegrass music, and I usually like less polished music by early, uncommercial artists. Nevertheless, I don't listen to this disk much. The problem isn't the quality of the music, which is high. But it's not just less polished, it's totally unpolished. I think you really have to be searching for the roots of just this type of music to appreciate this disk.



3. This Cd represents a treasure of american music and lets one know that what this music really is is a mixture of european and african influences.

1 comments about Cowboy Songs of the Old West.

1. My parents had an LP with songs 1 - 12 on it, and I loved it then, and love it now. It's great to have those extra songs on it. This is real American folk music, with guts, heart, soul, and humor. My kids like me to sing them to sleep with songs from this CD, and I'm not even a good singer!

5 comments about Mississippi Delta Bluesman.

1. This dynamite CD is actually a reissue of the vinyl LP put out in 1979 by Folkways in NYC. I brought HoneyBoy Edwards to New York several times in the 1970s. Verna Gillis of Soundscape picked him up & waxed this solo session for Folkways (Moe Asch). The virtue of a simple, clean "back porch" recording came from her no-frills production: She put HoneyBoy in front of a couple of good mikes and this is the result! The late Bob Palmer wrote the notes. The original cover was a photo taken by "yours truly" of HoneyBoy playing at the "Foghat Tribute to the Blues" concert, but this reissue has replaced it with new "art." Judging from the samples, the sound transfer is fine! This is the FIRST HoneyBoy set to buy. Then find his 1940s session, '50s singles and the LP on Wolf (Austria) and you will have all that I recall existed when I decided to find him and bring him to NYC in 1976.



2. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL DELTA BLUES FROM A MAN WHO IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MUSICAL GOD. BUY THIS ALBUM AS SOON AS YOU CAN, GRAB A TALL BOY, AND SIT OUTSIDE ON A NICE SUMMER NIGHT AND BLAST SOME HONEYBOY EDWARDS. IT WILL SOON BE AN AMAZING NIGHT TO REMEMBER. ALSO RECOMENDED- GWAR (PRE SCHOOL PROSTITUTE)



3. The first thing you'll notice is the quality of the recording. What a tremendous job the Smithsonian Institution has done in capturing the emotion of Dave 'HoneyBoy' Edwards. This master of the Delta Blues is the real-deal, schooled with Robert Johnson, at times shadowed by his image, living testimony to the origins of country blues. Take a listen to the 'Dust My Broom / Sweet Home Chicago' medley and you'll be sure to purchase this CD.



4. Honeyboy delivers the real deal from someone who has spent time with the originators like Charley Patton and Robert Johnson. Makes you feel like you are in a back porch some where in the south! Play him often on The Crazy Coyote Blues and Jazz Power Show at 1490 KOTY in southcentral Wa. state.



5. Being a country blues artist myself; this is one of the classic delta blues albums that I was listening to when I was developing my style in the early eighties; classic country blues guitar styles delivered in the varieties of the delta blues styles of Charlie Patton,Tommy Johnson,Robert Johnson & Big Joe Williams. For listeners & guitar players new to the real delta blues; this album is a great introduction.