Finally the Blues

[Hot Ptah]

I have been listening to Disc 1 and find it very interesting. The 1915 recording of "St.Louis Blues" by Prince's Band (Cut 15) is a much more distinctive arrangement and performance than many versions of the song from decades later. I am surprised by how heavily syncopated this performance is, and do I hear a bit of mambo rhythm there?

George O'Connor's "N Blues", from 1916, strikes me as the earliest song on Disc 1 which has the sound and feel of blues music as we commonly know it today. I love the various sound effects associated with train travel, which had to be done live while the singer was singing and the instruments were being played. Many people thought that the ship sound effects in the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" song from 1966 were so cool, but here George O'Connor's 1916 record had the same type of thing. I doubt that the Beatles added their sound effects during a live take.

[AllenLowe]

I like the O'Connor performance - abbreviated as I wrote the notes because the title was so offensive, though I meant to change it back when the set was issued (it's restored in one place, but not another) -

it's a very vaudevillian take on the blues, though the verses are, interestingly enough, very "accurate" to what would become known as traditional sources.

recordings like that make you wonder where this guy was and who he was listening to - clearly, as Peter Muir ponts out in his new book, the commercial song industry was aware of the blues well before even Handy's stuff was published.

[Ron S]

since the moderator MR X won't make himself known, let it be said, by me, that my recently locked thread was intended as humor and not hostility.

I'm pretty much done with this place except on my own threads like this one.

Hey Goofus, look at the last post in that thread (by MR X, himself).

And in terms of sticking to your own threads like this one, don't get our hopes up and make promises that you know you can't keep.

[AllenLowe]

well, it went right by be - Weizen? I thought he was a lot smarter than that - the point being that the thread actually was satirizing the arrogance to which Bev referred - and meant the opposite of what he thought it did - well, never overestimate the intelligence of a Republican -

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Hey, no political shots in this forum!! Ya know what? You should read this book some time. About Alf Landon he said "The difference between his loudest shout and his faintest whisper was probably no more than two decibels." Remind you of anyone?

[AllenLowe]

yes, Charlie Patton.

doesn't change the fact that you blew this one, Weizy boy. But you're handling it well.

and I feel terrible, because I blamed J.A.W. for it.

I hope that, wherever he is in Moderator Hell, he can forgive me.

Edited May 8, 2010 by AllenLowe

[jeffcrom]

I'm hoping there are few if any actual mis-identifications of tracks -

There continue to be revelations on every disc - some amazing stuff. I did find one of the above, though. Disc 3, track 12 is not "Red Man Blues" by Piron's New Orleans Orchestra. It's "Bull Frog Blues" by Charles Pierce and His Orchestra w/ Frank Teschemacher and Muggsy Spanier, recorded in February, 1928. It's a great track, though.

[AllenLowe]

ugh - thanks, Jeff. Not sure how that one happened, though I have found on some old reissue LPs that there are some mis-identifications,and that one probably came from an old LP source. Will have to head to the basement to take a look.

let me know if you find the actual Red Man Blues.

Edited May 8, 2010 by AllenLowe

[Neal Pomea]

Got my Volume 1 in the mail Saturday! Great job with the sound! Thanks for preserving this music.

So much of it was news to me, so I don't know where to start. I've got quite a bit of Butterbeans and Susie from Joe Bussard, and some Hersal Thomas too, so I will have to go back and listen more closely to the kind of humor you wrote about. I really liked the Bennie Moten piece on CD3. My copy from Joe B. was so mossy. This is going to be a great set to hear!

[AllenLowe]

that Moten was off an old European EMI 10 inch LP, if I remember correctly. Some great sound on those, as the Europeans seemed to have taken the time to find the right sources. As for Hersal, I decided to use a different cut than the one usually seen as representative. Hard to believe he was 16 when he died.

[jeffcrom]

As for Hersal, I decided to use a different cut than the one usually seen as representative.

I, for one, appreciate that. I had never heard "Hersal Blues," while "Suitcase" gets reissued over and over again.

Edited May 11, 2010 by jeffcrom

[J.A.W.]

Member Hot Ptah posted a thread about this project on the much-maligned Hoffman forum. It should help sales a bit.

[Neal Pomea]

Easy Rider Blues, Soileau and Robin (for Leo Soileau and Moise Robin), per Tony Russell's book.

Here is the label for Easy Rider Blues

Soileau and Robin, Easy Rider Blues

Great performance on CD 9!

[Tom Storer]

When the first shipment of "Really the Blues?" failed to show up on my Parisian doorstep, Allen graciously shipped me another copy, and this time it made it over. So--thanks, Allen! I've been listening to it these past few days and it's a killer. It's like the mix tape to end all mix tapes. I heard Blind Mamie Forehand's "Honey in the Rock" for the first time and was floored. And indeed there are many startling performances that stand out in this set. Loud applause for this fine achievement.

[Hot Ptah]

When the first shipment of "Really the Blues?" failed to show up on my Parisian doorstep, Allen graciously shipped me another copy, and this time it made it over. So--thanks, Allen! I've been listening to it these past few days and it's a killer. It's like the mix tape to end all mix tapes. I heard Blind Mamie Forehand's "Honey in the Rock" for the first time and was floored. And indeed there are many startling performances that stand out in this set. Loud applause for this fine achievement.

Blind Mamie Forehand's song is one that really stood out for me, as well. Your reaction to the set is quite similar to mine, from an earlier delivery date.

[Neal Pomea]

Just noticed that when I put these cds on my iTunes to transfer to my iPod, they were mostly labeled with the genre Religious!

I don't care. Congratulations and thanks again to Allen for this magnificent collection.

[AllenLowe]

genuflect before the blues!

[Ron S]

Allen Lowe-worship is the opiate of the masses (and many iPods).

[jeffcrom]

I'm an Al-nostic; I don't believe that it's possible to know if Allen really exists.

[clifford_thornton]

The only Blind Mamie Forehand I know is from the Revenant comp, but she's absolutely spellbinding.

Gotta get this set, Finally!

[medjuck]

Hey a good review in the NY Times!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/arts/music/26boxed.html?_r=1

[AllenLowe]

yes, thanks for citing that - came as a complete surprise -

[Christiern]

Something to yammer about. Congratulations, Allan, you deserve every bit of praise heaped upon you for all this amazing work. Maybe Ratliff isn't as vacuous as his writing generally indicates :tup

[vajerzy]

Very nice review.....I'm going to look for it...Christmas treat to me.