Jump to content

Mercury Blues and Rhythm Story


Tom 1960

Recommended Posts

It would help if you'd describe a bit more exactly which box set you are referring to. There were two in the 90s - one in a longish/rectangular black box with gold lining and another one with a box (plastic IIRC) somewhat in the shape of a 40s bakelite radio. The latter one made the headlines due to its optics but I felt it was a bit heavy on the obvious, major names (such as Dinah Washington).
I bought the other (rectangular) one new at the time as it seemed to offer a wider variety of artists but I never got around to comparing the track listings with those of the "radio" set. There was quite a bit of overlap but I don't remember the details. I haven't listened to a lot of my box in quite a qwhile but do like it and would not part with it, but then 40s and early 50s R&B has a special place in my collection. The set is varied enough - from straight bluies to combo and big band (Johnny Otis. Buddy Johnson) R&B, but quite a bit of it has been reissued elsewhere too. So it all depends on what else you have and how far your interest goes. So do check the track listings beforehand and compare them with what you have already. As a taster it isn't bad at all IMO, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha, Captain (thanks BTW for ging to the trouble of placing the track listing here), so I was right abut the major names but wrong about Dinah Washington.
I see I did well not to have bought the radio box, then, as several of those artists had been served with accessible reissues before (of which I did have quite a handful so duplications would have been enormous and I cannot see one single artist there I'd place on a "completist" list - with the possible exception of Jay McShann).

 

5 hours ago, Tom 1960 said:

That's the box I was referring to. Thank you, Kevin.

You're welcome from this side too, Tom. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

Not even Professor Longhair AKA Roy Byrd? I also like Helen Humes, although she's not a big name. OTOH any Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson is too much IMO.

 

Roy Byrd has been served well with vinyl reissues (including a nicely done Bear Family twofer focusing specifically on the Mercury label recordings from New Orleans) and I have what I need of his earlier recordings. IIRC quite a few of the Helen Humes tracks listed are on various reissue LPs from the Mr R&B stable.

I did notice the presence of Dinah Washington on the black "Story" box I own but mistakenly had been under the impression there was a lot more by her on the radio box.

 

Edited by Big Beat Steve
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...