paul secor Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 (edited) Hans has already posted an exhaustive list of blues recordings. http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...recommendations He has my respect for doing all that's involved with a list that long. Anyone who's getting started collecting blues albums could make use of his list and have a very fine collection. I've tried to choose recordings that Hans didn't, and found that a very difficult task, indeed. A few of the artists are not strictly blues performers. Reverend Robert Wilkins performed religious music later in his life, but he began his recording career playing blues, and his later style of playing wasn't far from the blues. Martin, Bogan, and the Armstrongs were not strictly blues performers, though they did play blues. And Blind James Campbell's band is not strictly blues either. They're a wild, rough street group that makes the jug bands of the 20's and 30's seem almost genteel. The Skip James recording is not at the level of his other Vanguards, but it's close. This record was released to little fanfare a few years ago, so I included it. If you can imagine a Skip James piano/vocal version of "Lazy Bones", you don't have to imagine any more - it's on here. At first I thought that this might be a list for somewhat experienced blues listeners, but now I'm not so sure. All of these records are very listenable, and I think that most listeners could choose one and find themselves enjoying it. That's my hope, anyway. There's nothing included that I don't enjoy listening to. Etta Baker: Railroad Bill (Music Makers) Scrapper Blackwell: Mr. Scrapper’s Blues (OBC) Charles Brown: One More for the Road (Alligator) Dan Burley: South Side Shake 1945-1951 (Wolf) Blind James Campbell and His Nashville Street Band (Arhoolie) Elizabeth Cotton: Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs (Smithsonian Folkways) Frank Frost: Harpin’ On It (Westside) Jesse Fuller: San Francisco Bay Blues (OBC) Guitar Slim: Atco Sessions (Collectables) Richard “Hacksaw” Harney: Sweet Man (Genes) Frank Hovington: Gone with the Wind (Flyright) John Jackson: Country Blues and Ditties (Arhoolie) Skip James: Studio Sessions – Rare and Unreleased (Vanguard) Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon: Volume 2 (Document) Lonnie Johnson with Elmer Snowden: Blues, Ballads, and Jumpin’ Jazz (OBC) Curtis Jones: Lonesome Bedroom Blues (Delmark) J.B. Lenoir: The Parrot Sessions (Visionary) Louisiana Red: Lowdown Back Porch Blues (Collectables) Martin, Bogan, and the Armstrongs: That Old Gang of Mine (Flying Fish) Leslie Riddle: Step By Step (Rounder) Jimmy Rogers: Blue Bird (Analogue Productions) Little George Smith: Harmonica Ace – The Modern Masters (Ace) Smokey Smothers: Sings the Back Porch Blues (Ace) Otis Spann: Good Morning Mr. Blues (Analogue Productions) Roosevelt Sykes: Raining In My Heart (Delmark) Reverend Robert Wilkins: Remember Me (Genes) James Tisdom, Monister Parker, Mr. Honey, Rattlesnake Cooper, et al: Texas Country Blues 1948-1951 (Flyright) L.C. McKinley, Eddie Boyd, Dennis “Long Man” Binder, Ernest Cotton, et al: Long Man Blues (Delmark) Wild Jimmy Spruill, Mighty Joe Young, Allen “Tarheel Slim” Bunn, et al: N.Y. Wild Guitars (P-Vine) I think I'm done with lists for a while. edit - Forgot to mention that all of these are in print. Had to leave out lots of stuff that's no longer around. Edited June 24, 2008 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Well, I thought I had a pretty decent blues collection, but I have only two albums on this list! There is much to check out here. Thanks so much for this list. I know what you mean about being through with lists--I posted one a little while back, and it takes a surprising amount of work and mental energy to do a good job with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Well, I thought I had a pretty decent blues collection, but I have only two albums on this list! There is much to check out here. Remember, HP, these are the "overlooked" blues recordings. If you want to judge your "pretty decent blues collection", I'd compare it to Hans list that Paul provided a link to. Paul, thanks for putting this together. I heartily concur on the Charles Brown, Guitar Slim, Little George Smith and Smokey Smothers (which has Freddie King on lead guitar, if folks aren't aware). I'm going to start putting together my own list soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 (edited) OK, here we go. My list supplements Paul's pretty nicely as a good portion of the recordings are of more recent vintage. Mel Brown, Neck Bones & Caviar (Electro-Fi) Dave Clark Blues Swingers (Delmark) I've mentioned this album before - it fits into the long departed neo-swing movement epitomized by the Big Bad Cherry Poppin' Voodoo Daddies or whatever the hell those bands were called. But this CD has a ton more musical meat on the bones. Jimmy Dawkins, Blisterstring (Delmark) This is one that may be on Hans' list but it bears repeating. A classic, imo. Jimmy Dawkins, American Roots: Blues There was a series of releases back in the late 90s or early 2000s all with the same title. Dawkins sounds very "on" here, unlike some other recordings where he doesn't quite show as much inspiration. Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets with Sam Myers, Live at the Grand Emporium (Black Top) There have been a lot of releases by Anson & Sam, but this is a smoking hot live set catching them in great form. There are a couple of tunes that don't totally satisfy, but from "Shedding Tears of Laughter" to the end of the disc, the band is killin'. Lowell Fulson, Blue Shadows (Stony Plain) Everyone knows the Chess recordings and the work for the Bihari brothers but Fulson had some excellent recordings in the 90s before he died. This one has some fine horn work from the Powder Blues Band and has an 18 minute interview with Lowell that does a great job covering his career, like the Chiaruscoro releases have done with jazz artists. Albert King, The Complete King and Bobbin Recordings (Collectables) Another one that is almost certainly on Hans' list but I wanted to include it since so many concentrate on his Stax recordings. J.B. Hutto, Hawk Squat! (Delmark) J.B. Hutto, Slippin' and Slidin' (Varrick) Hutto may be an acquired taste for some, but Hawk Squat is definitely a classic, and Slippin and Slidin' is an excellent album from the end of his life, with the Roomful of Blues horns. B.B. King, My Kind of Blues (Ace) There is so much B.B. out there its a shame if people sleep on this one. B.B. says its his one of his favorite recordings, and its pretty unique in the Bihari recordings because its just B.B.'s guitar and Lloyd Glenn's piano (iirc) with no Maxwell Davis horn charts. And the Ace reissue is great with a bunch of extra tunes with the same late night vibe. B.B. King, Live in Japan (MCA) So many live B.B. recordings that are so famous, this one stacks up with Cook County Jail and The Regal recordings, easily. Little Milton, Sings Big Blues (MCA) A classic Chess album with Milton singing a bunch of blues standards with superlative results. Sam Myers, Coming From the Old School (Electro-Fi) His final recording, Sam sounds like the old pro he was. Such a shame that he got a chance to record as a leader and then died not long after. Snooky Pryor and Mel Brown, Double Shot (Electro-Fi) Can you tell I really like the Electro-Fi label? Snooky and Mel are two old pros who sound great together. Fenton Robinson, Somebody Lone Me a Dime (Alligator) Another classic but Robinson never got the acclaim he deserves, so if anyone has slept on him or this, you need to have it. Otis Rush, All Your Love I Miss Loving (Delmark) Otis Rush, Ain't Enough Coming In (Polygram) The former is a recently released live recording from a club in Chicago, broadcast on a local radio station, and smokes. The latter is a truly superior recording for its selection of material by Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Little Milton and others. Jimmy Witherspoon, Spoon So Easy (Chess) Spoon spent a brief time at Chess in the fifties and sounds great in bands rather different from his other recordings of the time. This one is OOP and criminally short but is very much worth a search. Chicago The Blues Today! Complete (Vanguard) Another one that is probably on Hans' list. Very popular LPs released at the time when the producer could only afford mini-sessions from each artist. So you've got Junior Wells and Buddy Guy, Otis Spann, Hutto and His Hawks, Jimmy Cotton, Otis Rush and others in five or six song sets. Only Volume 3 doesn't do it for me as I am a not a fan of the mandolin. Edited June 24, 2008 by Dan Gould Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Last week I finally finished writing the notes for Storyville's forthcoming Blues Box. It will contain 7 CDs and 1 DVD. Artists are: Specklled Red Sunnyland Slim Roosevelt Sykes Sippie Wallace Little Brother Montgomery Big Joe Williams Sleepy John Estes Robert Pete Williams Big Bill Broonzy John Henry Barbee Memphis Slim Champion Jack Dupree Eddie Boyd Jay McShann Sonny Boy Williamson Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee Lonnie Johnson Otis Spann All recordings stem from the 1960s, except for Broonzy, who was recorded at the Montmartre (in Copenhagen) in 1956. Some great stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) Some nice selections. I agree very much with Dan about "Ain't Enough Coming In." We can add to that Otis Rush's other last studio album "Any Place I'm Going." I never understood why these albums didn't get more attention when they were released. Fantastic music. It is too bad that there is not more where that came from. Here are few of my favorite more obscure blues records Geater Davis: Sadder Shades of Blue Freddie Waters: One Step Closer to the Blues Andrew Brown: Big Brown's Blues Eddie C. Campbell: King of the Jungle Bessie Tucker and Ida Mae Mack: Complete recordings Jimmy Wilson: Jumpin' from Six to Six Robert Nighthawk: Bricks in My Pillow Willie Love: Greenville Smokin' Johnny Adams: Man of My Word Peggy-Scott Adams: Help Yourself Eddie Kirkland: It's the Blues Man Edited June 25, 2008 by John L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Nice lists folks, thanks. I have NONE of Paul's and only two of Dan's - the Little Milton and "Blisterstring". Lots of scope to spend money, is what I say! MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) Nice list(s), but - WHAT? No mention of Hound Dog Taylor anywhere?? Is he THAT overlooked? Edited June 25, 2008 by Big Beat Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Nice list(s), but - WHAT? No mention of Hound Dog Taylor anywhere?? Is he THAT overlooked? On the contrary, he is NOT overlooked, and therefore not here. Now Hip Lankchan should be here. He is the overlooked version of Hound Dog, and a very good one at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Nice list(s), but - WHAT? No mention of Hound Dog Taylor anywhere?? Is he THAT overlooked? On the contrary, he is NOT overlooked, and therefore not here. OK, point taken - though apparently the question of "overlooked or not" really is a matter of debate (and of personal tastes). Paul's list is an interesting one but if I stick with your reasoning I'd say that GUITAR SLIM (including his Atlantic recordings), J.B. LENOIR's Parrot sessions (true classics!) and TARHEEL SLIM are not exactly overlooked either if you approach blues from the R&B end of the spectrum. Of course, if you are mainly into folk blues/field recordings or contemporary modern blues then it's a different matter altogether but there you are with personal tastes ... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 overlooked individuals: Frank Hutchison Cliff Carlisle Billy Lee Riley (played with him about 10 years ago - GREAT blues singer) Roy Head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Last week I finally finished writing the notes for Storyville's forthcoming Blues Box. It will contain 7 CDs and 1 DVD. Artists are: Specklled Red Sunnyland Slim Roosevelt Sykes Sippie Wallace Little Brother Montgomery Big Joe Williams Sleepy John Estes Robert Pete Williams Big Bill Broonzy John Henry Barbee Memphis Slim Champion Jack Dupree Eddie Boyd Jay McShann Sonny Boy Williamson Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee Lonnie Johnson Otis Spann All recordings stem from the 1960s, except for Broonzy, who was recorded at the Montmartre (in Copenhagen) in 1956. Some great stuff. That looks like a great set. I want more good Little Brother Montgomery in particular. Any word on a release date? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Has Bill Jackson's "Long Steel Rail" on Testament Records been mentioned yet? Dan, I did not know that the Grand Emporium had been the venue of such a worthy album. I spent many evenings at the Grand Emporium, which was Kansas City's leading blues club for over a decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 overlooked individuals: Frank Hutchison Cliff Carlisle Billy Lee Riley (played with him about 10 years ago - GREAT blues singer) Roy Head I'd venture a guess that some around here will suggest you might want to start a list of overlooked C&W artists (including the stylistic offshoots of country music;)) there if you go on with artists like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 possibly; just thought that this group were all great blues singers as well - also like the old tune Blues in the Bottle by Prince Albert Hunt - let us not all forget the great blues playing of Sam McGee - also, of course, the estimable Jimmie Rogers (try Let Me Be Your Sidekick with the guitarist Clifford Gibson) - also, I like Gene Autry, who really could sing the blues - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) Has Bill Jackson's "Long Steel Rail" on Testament Records been mentioned yet? It's on my list - see link in first post and under my signature below. Edited June 25, 2008 by J.A.W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) overlooked individuals: Frank Hutchison Cliff Carlisle Billy Lee Riley (played with him about 10 years ago - GREAT blues singer) Roy Head Billy Lee Riley is a good one! In the early 1960's, he recorded a single - "Come and Get It"/"A Little Piece at a Time" - under the name Good Jelly Bess on the Hermitage label, that's a great down home blues record. I have a copy somewhere in my garage. It's available here . Edited June 25, 2008 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsMobley Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Blind [Lemon Jefferson] Lonnie Johnson Ari Eisinger ---> anyone not stunned has never played fingerstyle guitar, right up there w/ Paul Geremia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarThrower Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Larry Garner-Baton Rouge Larry Garner-You Need To Live A Little Mighty Sam McLain-Sledgehammer Soul & Down Home Blues Mem Shannon-A Cab Driver's Blues Mem Shannon-I'm From Phunkville Matt Guitar Murphy-Blues Don't Bother Me Earl King-Hard River To Cross Snooks Eaglin-Soul's Edge Fenton Robinson-Night Flight Ronnie Earl-Surrounded By Love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabshakeh Posted April 24, 2023 Report Share Posted April 24, 2023 On 6/24/2008 at 9:22 PM, paul secor said: Hans has already posted an exhaustive list of blues recordings. http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...recommendations Does anyone know whether this thread is still available? I get nothing from the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted April 24, 2023 Report Share Posted April 24, 2023 (edited) Must be one of those threads lost in a server transfer, or else Paul Secor went around deleting threads before his departure, which I do not recall. Edit to clarify that Paul posted a link from another (mostly) departed member, Hans. It wasn't his to delete. So definitely lost in one of the server transfer snafus. Edited April 24, 2023 by Dan Gould Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted April 24, 2023 Report Share Posted April 24, 2023 Really miss Paul Secor .... both a knowledgeable person and good guy .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 22 hours ago, soulpope said: Really miss Paul Secor .... both a knowledgeable person and good guy .... That makes two of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted April 25, 2023 Report Share Posted April 25, 2023 6 minutes ago, Brad said: That makes two of us. Three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optatio Posted April 26, 2023 Report Share Posted April 26, 2023 On 4/25/2023 at 8:41 PM, Big Beat Steve said: Three. Four. Years ago he replied to my LPs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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