One more

Today I have a compilation that comes from the collection of that same friendly neighbor. "If you like Rev. Gary Davis, you should listen to track 8!' That's what he told me when he handed me this CD.
The CD is a sample from all the wonderful stuff that was collected for the Original Blues Classics series, This series consists of over 50 CD with all truly great classics. In order to promote this series this CD was launched.
There are some real beauties on it! How about Willie Dixon together with Memphis Slim (track 1), Pink Anderson (track 12) or Jimmy Whitterspoon (track 18). And ........Reverend Gary Davis with a very powerful 'Say No To The Devil' in track 8.
This one has been uploaded to MegaUpload as Rapidshare has been an absolute mess for the last few days (weeks?)

1994 - All That Blues

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More re-posts

For some odd reason I have the feeling that I'm spending a lot of time reloading stuff to Rapidshare.
Anyway, by request I just reloaded the Troy concert of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

August 26 1990, East Troy, Stevie Ray Vaughan his last performance

If you're missing something more (that has to be reloaded), please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

The password = "scrooge".
Please delete these files within 24 hours. If you like this music buy the album and support the industry

More Reverend

On August 31 I posted the wonderful album 'Pure Religion & Bad Company' (reloaded) by Reverend Gary Davis. Ever since I occasionally get request for more 'from that guy'. Unfortunately I don't have any more Davis in my collection (as I answered them). But now.....Jump, Shout, Scream for joy! Guess what I found in the collection of a friendly neighbor (thanks Klaas-Jan).
This album is as much an original as a compilation. 'I Am A True Vine' is the title of on original 1962 Rev. Gary Davis album. But...... In 1991 the album was re-issued as an CD with some additional tracks. As the casing says all recording date from 1962 - 1963, New York, I guess that the bonus tracks are from 1963.
But these bonus tracks are really worth listening to. As the compiler of this album (Stefan Grossman) tells in the booklet, this album focuses on his finger picking playing style (so particular for the Piedmont Blues). This is how a recording like Candyman (track 13) made it on the album. It's obvious there is something wrong with Davis his voice. Apparently he had a slight throat infection at the time. But the recording is still great!
I could be that you'll recognize track 12 (Cocaine Blues) as the song Cocaine from the great 1977 Jackson Browne record Running On Empty. Yes....That's correct. That's a Reverend Gary Davis song.
Just for the record: Tracks 7,8,9,12 and 13 are the bonus tracks.

1991(1962) - I Am A True Vine

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Nothing But The Blue XXXV

Disc 35, and we finally come to 'The father of the Electric Guitar Blues'. We finally get to T-Bone Walker. See earlier postings Good Feelin' and Imperial, both reloaded.
T-bone his real name is Aaron Thibeaux Walker. The nickname T-Bone is just 'an easy way' to pronounce his name. He was born in 1910 in Texas. At an early age T-Bone was exposed to great guitar musicians. Leadbelly was a house friend of the family and T-Bone use to lead Blind Lemon Jefferson through the streets of Dallas during the early 20's. It is said that T-Bone was a gifted guitar player at the age of 12 (!). He also played banjo and accompanied Ida Cox in the late 20's. During the early 30 he toured with the legendary 'Cab Calloway Orchestra'. It took him until 1942 to form his first won band. During the late 40's T-Bone created, almost entirely by himself, the unique sound of what we now know as the West-Coast Blues. He stuck to this jazzy Blues sound until his death in 1975. At that time T-Bone was just as much appreciated as an innovator, a Blues musician as a Jazz musician. Leaving an enormous legacy influencing people like B.B. King, Albert Collins, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and many more.
Tracks 11 and 12 date from December 1929 (Dallas). I'm not sure these are the oldest T-Bone recordings, but these are at least the oldest T-Bone recordings I know. Track 10 date from June 1940 (New York). Tracks 1 and 5 are recorded in Hollywood in July 1942. Track 3 is from 1944 (LA). Tracks 2,4,6,7,8 and 9 are recorded in Chicago inn May 1945. Tracks 17,18,19 and 20 are also recorded in Chicago in December 1945. Finally tracks 13,14,15 and 16 date from September 1946 (LA).

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 35 - Mean Old World

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Reloads

Apparently discs # 21 through 25 were no longer available on Rapidshare.
I managed to reload them:

Nothing But The Blues - CD21 - Got The Blues
Nothing But The Blues - CD22 - Shake 'Em On Down
Nothing But The Blues - CD23 - Georgia Rag
Nothing But The Blues - CD24 - Jailhouse Blues
Nothing But The Blues - CD25 - Night Time Blues

If you're missing something more (that has to be reloaded), please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

The password = "scrooge".
Please delete these files within 24 hours. If you like this music buy the album and support the industry

What a Change

In 1994 it's another 10 years after Solomon Burke album 'Soul Alive!'. Perhaps even another 10 years after the last decent soul album. By now nobody does soul anymore. Some greats have died, some just disappeared. Even the once that 'converted' to Disco of funk were hanging by their finger nails. Soul Alive! in 1984 was the best soul album (perhaps even the only) in five years! And it took Solomon another 10 years before he came with this A Change Is Gonna Come. And what an album it is! Great Deep Soul with every now and then a drop off funk. Some new stuff and some classics. Solomon's version of Sam Cook's A Change Is Gonna Come is great. And his version of the Percy Sledge hit When A Man Loves A Woman? So much better than Percy ever held for possible! I have to admit that this is not Solomon's best album. But that is only because he was to make even better later! (please remind me to post some later)
Yes, I consider myself a bit of a Solomon Burke fan. Or should I say considered?
In September this year Solomon released his new album called Nashville. And....yes, it's a country record. What is it with this country shit? Mark Knopfler touring with Emmylou Harris. Jakkkkk!!! Van Morrison recording a full disc with Hank Williams covers that isn't worth the box that it comes in.... And now Solomon Burke doing duets with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton! You better forget this. Listen to these wonderful 1994 recordings and forget about the present.

1994 - A Change Is Gonna Come

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Re-posts

apparently discs # 9 and # 10 (Big Bill Broonzy) were no longer available on Rapidshare. I therefore re-posted them

Nothing But The Blues - CD09 - Mississippi River Blues
Nothing But The Blues - CD10 - The Southern Blues

If you're missing something more (that has to be reloaded), please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

The password = "scrooge".

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Nothing But The Blues XXXIV

Oran Thadeus Page aka Hot Lips Page is the first is the first trumpet player in this series. Hot Lips was born in Texas in 1908. His mother taught him to play the clarinet and saxophone at a very early age. By the time Oran was twelve he already 'turned' to the trumpet and was traveling through the area as a musician. During the early 20's Oran had already worked for Ma Rainy. He furthermore toured quite a while with Walter Page's Blue Devils. In 1929 he got to the recoding studios.
During the major part of the 30's he worked in Kansas for both Bennie Moten and Duke Ellington.
In 1938 he formed his own band and moved to New York where John Hammond contracted him for the 'Spirituals to Swing Concert' (see also Big Joe Turner). Within a year he played with Ida Cox, Pete Johnson and Billie Holliday.
Although he had his own band, for the next 10 years Oran spent most of his time on stage or in the studio backing other performers. In 1949 he joined Charlie Parker, Sidney Bechet and Miles Davis at the 'Salle Pleyel Jazz festivall'. This was such a success that his long European Tour years later was enthusiastically received. From that moment on his health became a problem. When Hot Lips died in 1954 he left a huge crowd of fans that still miss him today. Hot Lips Page was one of the few greats (together with T-Bone Walker) that constantly walked the thin line between Blues and Jazz.
All the tracks on this CD are recorded in New York. Tracks 2,4,6, and 11 in December 1940. Tracks 1,7,12 and 16 were recorded in March 1944. Tracks 3,5 and 9 in June 1944. Tracks 8 and 10 on September 12 1944. Tracks 13 and 15 on September 29 and track 14 on November 1944 the same year.

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 34 - The Blues Jumped The Rabbit

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Happy birthday

Today 22 years ago, Stevie Ray Vaughan played the Carnegie Hall in New York. As Stevie himself is born on October 3 1954 it's the day after his birthday. As a matter of fact Stevie calls this performance "My best birthday ever......forever". And although I've never been to any of his birthday parties, I can believe this to be true!
The CD opens with a rather lengthy introduction. But even this is fun. You'll hear somebody introducing John Hammond, who will introduce Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. Yes, this is the same John Hammond who organized the 'Spirituals to Swing concerts' in the same Hall in 1938 and 1939 (see Nothing But The Blues 32 and 34).
John Hammond (74 at the time) promises a 'smoking show'. And hell it is! After doing a few numbers together they are joined by brother Jimmy Lee Vaughan, an extra drummer, Dr John on keyboard, Angela Strehli (vocals) and 5 'blues horns'. As an encore Stevie plays a song he wrote for his wife Lenny. I swear this guy forgets he is holding a guitar instead of a woman: he is making love to his guitar!
All and all a wonderful live registration and one of the most remarkable SRV releases.
But....Be warned! Listen once to this album and you'll regret for the rest of your life you weren't there!

1997 - Live At Carnegie Hall

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Nothing But The Blues XXXIII

With disc 33 we have a closer look at Blind John Davis. Blind John was born as John Henry Davis in 1913 somewhere in Mississippi, but grew up in Chicago. At the age of ten he lost his sight (tetanus infection). Despite this handicap John taught himself to play the piano, and took up performing at an early age. In that period there were a lot of illegal drinking clubs in Chicago, and all needed musicians!
John's first recordings date from 1938. Strangely enough he recorded this for the Vocalion label, while at that time he was the hous pianist for the Bluebird label. Here he backed legends like Lonnie Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson and Big Bill Broonzy. Although John traveled all over the world, Chicago always stayed his 'hometown'. Here he kept on backing famous Blues artists until his death in 1985.
John made dozens of records and backed other musicians on hundreds! of Blues albums.
For the track list I owe you an apology (again). I've been boosting that none of the recordings of this great series are any younger than 1948. Well, here we have the exception. In my defense I would like to emphasize that the box of the series claims this as well.
Anyway, all the tracks on this disc date from one live performance in Hamburg (Germany) on April 16, 1973.

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 33 - My Own Boogie

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Reaction

Time to look at some serious soul again. On April 15 this year I offered you Howard Tate's remarkable life story and his 2003 comeback album Rediscovered (reloaded). Today we turn to his past. When Howard recorded this Reaction album in 1969 he had been a part of the soul scene for a few years. As a matter of fact he was considered to be a veteran of the scene. At that time it's two years ago that Howard released his legendary Get It While You Can album, and soul isn't as hot anymore. Many soul artists make the move into disco, just to survive. Howard makes a living by appearing in nightclubs, mainly in New York.
This album doesn't even come close to Get It While You Can, but again, which album does? Reaction still holds some pretty damn' good soul. Most songs are written by Lloyd Price and Johnny Nash, who also produced the album. But you will find a wonderful cover of Sam Cooke's Chain Gang on here as well. Track 11: My Soul's Got a Hole In It was to be Howard's last entry in the R&B charts (# 31, spring 1970). All and all an album you can't afford to miss if you are into soul!

1969 - Reaction

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Nothing But The Blues XXXII

With this disc we get to the next Big Joe: Big Joe Turner. Big Joe Turner was born as Joseph Vernon Turner in May 1911 in Kansas City and died in November 1985 in California. Joe had an ordinary childhood that changed when his father died. Joe left school and started to work in the nightclubs of Kansas City. Here he met Pete Johnson (piano), who would accompany Joe at many occasion throughout the rest of his career. They tried to make it outside Kansas City, but failed until the famous scout John Hammond contracted them for the 'Spirituals to Swing' concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. Here they started a wave of Boogie woogie fever. That year Turner recorded his first song. In the years following Turner was a very successful performer. In 1941 he even joined Duke Ellington's revue as a singer. In the 50's the Boogie woogie wasn't hot anymore and Turner turned to R&B. He dominated the charts from 1951 - 1956. During the 60's and 70's Turner performed at all the major festivals in America and Europe. He kept on performing and recording all the way to his death in 1985. Some of his more famous fans are B.B. King, Ray Charles and Jimmy Witherspoon. Due to his success during the 50's he is often remembered as 'Father figure of Rock 'n' Roll'. Because the recordings on this disc date from before this period you will not find great hits like 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' (Nr 1 hit in 1954) here.
Tracks 3,5, 10 and 11 are recorded in New York in July 1941. Tracks 1,4,12 and 18 date from September the same year are were recorded in LA. Tracks 6 and 8 were recorded in La in January 1942. In October 1944 tracks 7,9,13 and 14 were recorded in Chicago. In New York in February 1945 tracks 2,15,17 and 19 were recorded. Tracks 16 and 21 are from May 1945 , Chicago . And finally track 14 from LA, January 1946.

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 32 - Nobody in Mind

The password = "scrooge".

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