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Pianist Leroy Carr was raised in "Naptown" (Indianapolis) and, despite only recording for 7 years until his untimely death in 1935, was the most popular male blues artist of his era besides Blind Lemon Jefferson. This was recorded just 2 months before he died, with his long time guitar playing partner Scrapper Blackwell.
"When you write about me don't say I'm a jazz musician, don't say I'm a musician or a guitar player, just write Big Bill was a well known blues singer and player and has recorded 260 blues songs from 1925 to 1952. He was a happy man when he was drunk and playing with women." Big Bill Broonzy. Mississippi Blues (W. Brown) This beautiful imitation of 1920's piano playing comes from one of the many Willie Browns. This one was totally obscure, and unrelated to the Willie Brown who played with Charlie Patton and who Robert Johnson sang about in Crossroad Blues. Diddie Wa Diddie (A. Blake) Although Blind Blake was one of the most widely recorded and highly regarded ragtime guitarists of the 1920s, very little is confirmed about his birth, life, or death. Even his real name, probably Arthur Phelps, is in doubt.
Written by the very first electric blues guitarist, Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker. Ironically, despite being one of the most recorded blues ever, because T-Bone's Stormy Monday was held up by a recording ban, another unrelated blues with that title was marketed first and he had to retitle his blues Call It Stormy Monday. The difference in copyright was seldom noted and many of his royalties went to the other song. Fishing Blues (H. Thomas)
This song probably comes from the 1800s since Henry Thomas was one of the oldest bluesmen to record, being over 50 when he recorded 23 songs in the 1920s. He played guitar, harmonica, and quills (something like pan pipes), and his music is a fascinating snapshot of the last century.
Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller was the last great one man band. He plated 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, a foot cymbal, and invented the fotdella, an upright string bass with 6 piano string struck by hammers activated by 6 foot pedals. His wife named it as a combination of "foot" and "diller", from "Killer-diller", a 1930s jazz expression of approval.
Jimmy Reed had a string of hits in the '5os and '60s with his easy shuffle beats, relaxed vocals and high whining harmonica. He seemed to have the knack of making his blues flow like catchy pop songs. This was written for him by Willie Dixon. How Long Blues
(L. Carr) Leroy Carr's first hit, from 1928, which he based on an earlier recording by Ida Cox. The record reportedly sold a million copies and had to be re-recorded when the master wore out. Carr's mellow vocal delivery changed the entire concept of blues singing as blues singers on record were almost exclusively female and most male singers were rough rural shouters under the influence of Blind Lemon Jefferson. Saturday Blues (I. Bracey) One from the great Jackson, Mississippi, partnership of Ishmon Bracey and Tommy Johnson. Bracey became a preacher in 1950, after which he would only perform religious songs. We never could work out why this is called Saturday Blues since it
never mentions Saturday, or any other day for that matter.
This comes from the playing of the Reverend Gary Davis, one of the most individual and accomplished steel string guitarists of the century. Pressumably, from the stange lyric, it was a carnival show song.
Another song from the great Willie Dixon, the extraordinary writer, arranger, bass player and organiser who was so essential to the 40s/50s/60s Chicago blues scene. His songwriting credits are astonishing, including Little Red Rooster, Spoonful, Hoochie Coochie Man, I Can't Quit You Baby, I Just Want To Make Love To You, The Seventh Son, Wang Dang Doodle, You Shook Me, and a host of others.
Freight Train (J. Terry) Written for us by Tauranga songwriter John Terry, who played with Derek in The Disturbance around 1989/1990. It immediately became a live crowd favourite and has remained one. Hopefully John will write something else for us - he has a gift for
catchy melodys and deceptively simple lyrics. Crawling To The Border (D. Jacombs) This was intended as a song to start the first album of our own songs but the lyrical
sentiment seemed to fit OK at the end of this collection, looking forward to the stuff to come. We always really liked this one, and have continually tossed up whether or not to re-record it. Crawling to the border I came so far to find you Crawling to the border Crawling to the border | |||||||||||||||||||
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