jeffcrom

Another New Orleans trumpet player: Wooden Joe Nicholas, Vol. 2 (Dan)

I recently added another Guarente 78 to my collection - "My Mother's Eyes" from the same 1930 session as "Sweethearts on Parade" mentioned above. The tune is pretty grim, but it's not a bad little record. Both of the Guarente 78 sides I have are backed by the same studio dance band - The Harmonians. I still love the thought of Frank Guarente and King Oliver giving each other trumpet lessons in New Orleans.

The Georgians (VJM) Volume 1 of their complete works. I talked about them here.

Some early 20s blues ladies: Rosa Henderson: Midnight Blues/Lizzie Miles: Cotton Belt Blues (Victor-1923) A winner on both sides. Rosa is accompanied by Fletcher Henderson's band, pre-Louis. Daisy Martin and Her Jazz Bell Hops: Everybody's Man is My Man/Won't Somebody Help Me Find My Lovin' Man (Okeh-1921) I played this one mostly to see if it was as bad as I remembered. Nope - it's worse: screechy and unmusical. Garvin Bushell is on clarinet, so I'll probably play it to hear him every once in a while. Lucille Hegamin and Her Blue Flame Syncopators: He May Be Your Man/I've Got the Wonder Where He Went and When He's Coming Back Blues (Banner-1922) Vaudeville blues rather than the real deal, but very well done. This is what Daisy Martin was trying for. Sara Martin: Sugar Blues/Achin' Hearted Blues (Okeh-1922) With Clarence Williams on piano. Sara was a very good second-tier blues singer - not one of the greats, but nice. Sara Martin: Last Go Round Blues/Mama's Got the Blues (Okeh-1922) I always have to play this Sara Martin record after the other one, or Clarence Williams' piano would be too much of a letdown. This one has Fats Waller on piano; it was only his third record date. And I ended with the Real Deal: Clara Smith: Awful Moanin' Blues/I Never Miss the Sunshine (Columbia-1923) Clara sounds great here, with Fletcher Henderson on piano. White record company execs still didn't know what to think of the blues; the label calls here a "Comedienne," but she's deadly serious.

Very enjoyable BFT, MG. I'm kicking myself over a couple of these - you've got a pretty good idea about which ones.

A few Chicago blues 45s before turning in: Snooky Pryor - Someone to Love Me/Judgment Day (Vee-Jay) Johnny Littlejohn - Kitty O/Johnny's Jive (Margaret) Sunnyland Slim - Got a Thing Going On/See My Lawyer (Airway) Junior Wells - A Tribute to Little Walter/It's All Soul (Hit Sound) Smokey Smothers - Things Ain't What They Used to Be/Black Cat Girl (Rooster Blues) Koko Taylor - Instant Everything/A Mighty Love (Yambo) All primo.

Really the Blues? showed up on my doorstep today. I knew I would have many of the tracks elsewhere, but I had no idea that there would be so many revelations among the music I hadn't previously heard. Just on Disc One, "Poor Mourner" by Cousin and DeMoss, Cook's "Rain Song," and George O'Connor's unfortunately titled blues have shifted my understanding of the music. Too cool!

Even though I have some of this material, I decided months ago that this Mosaic set would be my retirement present to myself in May. Looking forward to it.

I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't visit her when I was in Copenhagen last fall. Too busy in record stores, I guess.

Jimmy Smith - Open House (BN Liberty). A nice blowing session from 1960 that wasn't released for seven years or so.

You know, Henry, I kind of thought that you might know Chris....

Winding down after a gig with the second-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. Paul Simon was the host, and the Not Ready For Prime Time Players are hardly on camera. It's Paul Simon's show - there are a few comedy skits, but the show is mostly music. Randy Newman does a wonderful solo "Sail Away." My favorite moment is when Art Garfunkel comes out; Simon says, "So, Artie - you've come crawling back," and they sing beautiful renditions of "The Boxer" and "Scarborough Fair."

Spiritual Starlites - Long Black Limousine (ASL). Late 70s Atlanta gospel.

The two new-to-me tracks that got all over me this week were: "When the Levee Breaks" by Bonerama, from the Hard Times EP. It's nine minutes long and goes through lots of changes of direction and mood. The slow "lining hymn" (I don't know the name, and it's not listed as a separate track) that follows Dr. Bob Wilson's 1969 sermon "The Crisis of Identity" on an ACR LP. It's strange, eerie, and goosebump-inducing.

Rev. Robert H. (Dr. Bob) Wilson - Revival at St. Paul (The Crisis of Identity) (ACR). A 1969 sermon by a South Carolina-born preacher, delivered at St. Paul Baptist Church in Passaic, NJ. At the end Dr. Bob and the congregation sing an old-style, a cappella long-meter hymn that made my hair stand up. I didn't know this style of singing was still around in 1969. This was amazing. I picked the album out of the dollar bin at a local store last week.

Sugar Blue - Cross Roads (Europa). I like this album a lot - late 20th century blues by the virtuoso harmonica player, recorded in Paris in 1979, with Jimmy Gourley, Steve Potts, Longineu Parsons, and Mike Zwerin.

Jeez - I don't even know how many CDs and LPs (let alone 45s and 78s) that I have. I've been scared to count for years. Maybe I'll do that this weekend.

Sonny Boy Williamson & Memphis Slim - In Paris (GNP Crescendo). Sonny Boy #2 is one of my favorite blues guys. A few years ago I left a harmonica at his grave outside of Tutwiler, Mississippi, as is customary among Sonny Boy fans.

Marion Williams - Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go (Atlantic). A very fine 1971 album by the great gospel singer, with some great pianists: Hank Jones, Ray Bryant, Joe Zawinul, and Keith Jarrett. The tunes are mostly "message" songs of the time: "My Sweet Lord," "Heaven Help Us All," Dylan's "Wicked Messenger," etc. It could have been kind of grim, but it's really excellent.

It was a pleasure, MG. Hope to see you on your side of the pond one of these days.

Mose Allison - Lessons in Living (Elektra Musician). A particularly intense live set by the Middle Class White Boy, from Montreux, 1982. Billy Cobham is smoking, and Lou Donaldson sounds really good in his guest spots.

Ralph Towner - Batik (ECM) The strength of the Eddie Gomez/Jack DeJohnette rhythm section keeps things from getting "new age-ey."

Horace Silver Goldie Hawn Pearl Bailey

Don Drysdale Sandy Koufax Sandy Duncan

Years ago, I remember hearing some of the older blues guys in Atlanta talk about Henry Benson. They said he used to tour on the Southern medicine show circuit with Blind Bill Hedges. Apparently they were a really powerful duo. I still remember the awe in the voices of those guys when they talked about Benson & Hedges.