Classic Blues Artwork From the 1920's - Vol. 18

Various
Classic Blues Artwork From the 1920's - Vol. 18
Blues Images

This is the latest Blues Calendar put together by collector John Tefteller. Like past editions, this Calendar for 2021 brings together for each month twelve stellar images taken from rare photographs and record company advertisements that appeared in African American newspapers. For each month, the accompanying CD includes a recording by the artist depicted by the picture or ad. There is also brief biographical information for that artist. The accompanying CD also included recordings by other artists or previously unissued test recordings.

Until recently, the compilation only included pre-World War II recordings. This year we still have twelve recordings relating to the Calendar illustrations. All extra selections are all by one artist, pianist-singer Lost John Hunter. Hunter's eleven songs include the first Blues Session that Sam Phillips recorded at his Memphis Recording Service, the legendary Sun Records Studio. While there is no mention if the recordings on this CD were restored using the American Epic series process, the sound is outstanding.

The first selection is a rowdy string band number by Peg Leg Howell and His Gang, "Too Tight Blues." That number showcases the down-in-the-alley fiddling of Eddie Anthony. Bertha Henderson, accompanied by Blind Blake, delivers a brooding, melancholy vocal on "Terrible Murder Blues," about killing another woman so she "can't stay here no more." Murder is also the theme of pianist Walter Roland's "Cold Blooded Murder," a fine blues in a Leroy Carr manner (think Carr's "Mean Mistreater") with Josh White adding some exquisite guitar. Josh White's guitar is also heard supporting the great Buddy Moss on Moss' superb East Coast blues, "Undertaker Blues." The interplay between White and Moss is sublime.

Meade Lux Lewis' "Honky Tonk Train Blues" is one of the greatest piano blues ever recorded. Tefteller obtained a new store stock copy of the original Paramount 78 (he would rerecord it frequently), and it is a pleasure to hear this legendary recording in such clean condition. It is followed by another blues classic, John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson's "Good Morning School Girl." On this often covered classic recording, Williamson's vocal and harmonica is accompanied by Robert Lee McCoy (aka Robert Nighthawk) and Big Joe Williams. Next up is Lead Belly's "New Black Snake Moan," which showcases his forceful singing and driving twelve-string guitar on a commercially released recording. Next up is a recording, "Pneumonia Blues"  by Lead Belly's one-time musical partner, Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas's superb slide guitar is displayed on a terrific "Hard To Rule Woman Blues." It is followed by Victoria Spivey's "Witchcraft Blues," a previously unissued recording from her last Vocation recording session in 1937. Her strong vocal about hoodooing her man is backed by a vibrato-heavy saxophonist and a plodding drummer.  Blind Boy Fuller's "Rag, Mama, Rag," with Reverend Gary Davis on second guitar and washboard, is one the finest Piedmont Blues with superlative fingerstyle guitar and a wonderful vocal. A rambunctious performance by Rev D.C. Rice, "The Angels Rolled The Stone Away," opens with his hellfire preaching before he leads his congregation in enthusiastic song. It concludes the Calendar portion of the accompanying disc.

Lost John Hunter's real name was Lindell Woodson. He was born blind and became the pianist and organ player at the Church of Gold in Christ in Memphis. He changed his name to Lost John Hunter so he would not rile up members of the congregation who were not fans of Devil's music. With guitarist Herman Green and a couple of other friends, he formed a group Lost John Hunter and His Blind Bats, and they made the 11 selections, all of which were previously unissued. His second session produced recordings that were released on the West Coast 4 Star Records.

Hunter was a gravelly, hoarse singer with a rough barrel-housing piano style backed by Green's guitar in a manner that has a feel to some of Sunnyland Slim's late 40s and early 50s recordings with Robert Lockwood Jr., if not quite as accomplished. There are two takes of "Miss Thelma Mae," a song similar to Detroit bluesman Baby Boy Warren's "Hello Stranger." Other selections include a boisterous instrumental, "Lost John's Pinetop's Boogie," and two takes of another slow blues, "You Gotta Heart of Stone." Another track is an early alternate of "Boogie For Me Baby." He would rerecord it at his second session, and that recording would be issued on 78. Musically, this song suggests an attempt to capture some of the boogie-woogie success of Cecil Gant. This selection has some of his best piano playing among the tracks by him, which add to the value of this year's Calendar and CD.

While this year's Calendar is available at other sources, you can get more information at BluesImages.com, including details on previous Calendars and some previous CDs, along with t-shirts and posters.

I purchased the Calendar and CD. Here is the back cover.