1994 Roots N'Blues Reissues - Columbia / Legacy

 Roots N'Blues Reissues - Columbia / Legacy

The latest batch of Columbia/Legacy's Roots N'Blues reissues maintain the level of the earlier issues. Double disc releases by Blind Willie McTell and Brownie McGhee are of particular interest.

The Blind Willie McTell set is entitled "The Definitive," which is not completely accurate as it omits such essential McTell recordings as Statesboro Blues, which was recorded for Victor. Still, the forty-one selections, some with Ruth Willis on vocals, and others with Curley Weaver or Buddy Moss on second guitar, are magnificent sides. There's the exuberant "Georgia Rag," a brisk reworking of a Blind Blake number, the jaunty "Stomp Down Rider" and "Broke Down Engine." Whether playing a bottleneck or not, McTell displays considerable fluidity on the 12-string guitar and sang convincingly with warmth and feeling. This has all of McTell's Columbia Vocalion, and Okeh recordings, and the booklet has an essay by David Evans that will be the standard source for information on McTell in the future. If not definitive, this is essential.

Two discs collect "The Complete Brownie McGhee." Despite his celebrity, in part a result of his long partnership with Sonny Terry, many blues fans are unaware of his commercial recordings for the African-American, then rhythm and blues market. This collection compiles 47 recordings originally waxed for Columbia's Okeh subsidiary, and while some have been reissued overseas, much of this has never been issued. The Kentucky-born McGhee had moved to the rich blues territory of North Carolina when he was discovered by talent scout, J.B. Long. Between August 1940 and October 1941, McGhee recorded the 47 sides (some alternate takes) included here. While distinct from Fuller, McGhee's recordings with Jordan Webb's harp, and either Bull City Red or Washboard Slim ón washboard carried some of the same flavor. Reworking "Digging My Potatoes" as "Picking My Tomatoes," doing "Step It Up and Go," memorializing Fuller in "Death of Blind Boy Fuller," or an early version of "Key to the Highway," these recordings are marked by McGhee's clean articulated vocals, fluid guitar playing and relaxed group swing. Highly recommended.

A single disc of Bukka White's complete Columbia, Okeh and Vocalion recordings is available on "The Complete Bukka White." One of the major Delta blues artists, White's hoarsely shouted vocals were backed by his percussive, barrelhouse bottleneck guitar. Also, White was a blues lyricist of considerable power whose songs often reflected his own experiences. A dozen of these 14 titles were recorded in 1940 after he was released from Parchman Farm, and the time he spent there is echoed in the intense imagery of "When Can I Change My Clothes" (referring to his prison uniform). The sessions also produced "Fixin' to Die Blues," with its morbid imagery, the barrelhouse dance number, Bukka's "Jitterbug Swing," and "Special Streamline," a half-spoken, half-sung train blues with a suggestive slide accompaniment. Prior to being imprisoned, Bukka recorded "Shake 'Em On Down," another classic that became a delta blues standard. These recordings were discussed at length by Sam Charters in his book "The Bluesmen" over 25 years ago, and they stand up as a cornerstone of a country blues collection. Incidentally, all of these titles were previously issued on Ip and cd, but this is newly mastered.

Tampa Red, "The Guitar Wizard," is a single disc with 17 early recordings by one of the most prolific and important early blues artists. One cannot exaggerate the importance or influence of Hudson 'Tampa Red' Whittaker. One would be hard-pressed to name any blues guitarist (particularly slide) who doesn't bear his imprint, nor has one of his songs in his repertoire. While most of his recording career was spent with Victor, this exemplary collection derives from recordings for Okeh and Vocalion. A number of them include Georgia Tom Dorsey on the piano including an accompaniment to "Papa Too Sweet," on a version of "It's Tight Light That." In addition, there are several fine blues presaging his later recordings and influence, including two versions of "Sugar Mama," and his reworking of Lucille Bogan's "Sweet Black Angel." The fact of Bogan's earlier recording is not mentioned in Mark Humphrey's otherwise informative annotation. The music is first-rate, with plenty of Tampa Red's clean, precise slide and bittersweet vocals. Highly recommended.

"Cajun Dance Party • Fais Do Do" is the second collection of vintage cajun music recordings Larry Cohn has compiled for this series. Covering the years 1929 to 1934, this collection is oriented to the recordings of cajun accordion pioneers such as Amédée Breaux, Amédée Ardoin, Dewey Segura and Joseph Falcon. It opens with Amédée Breaux's "Ma Blonde est Partié," the earliest recording of what would be known as "Jolie Blonde." This set is important for its inclusion of six recordings by the pioneer creole accordionist, Ardoin, who influenced both cajun and creole musicians. "Jolie Blonde" is not the only cajun classic whose first recording is collected here. While the musical form here is basically two steps and waltzes, the use of the diatonic accordion and cajun fiddle, along with the high lonesome, crying vocals have a bluesy tonality. While the lyrics may be incomprehensible to many, the soulfulness of this music, which is far removed from the more country-influenced cajun, or R&B flavored zydeco music of today, the music here is quite powerful, although some may find it difficult to listen to this complete in one sitting. But when the accordion gets rocking on a riff and the violin waxes over it, the music can be mesmerizing.

Part of the Contemporary Blues Masters series in Roots N'Blues, a new album, "Stompin' at the Penny," reissues a rare Canadian album of Lonnie Johnson with Jim McHarg's Metro Stompers. This album captures the legendary blues guitarist and vocalist at Toronto's Half Penny backed by a spirited "trad' band. There's a mix of songs associated with Johnson's fellow New Orleans' native, Louis Armstrong, "Dippermouth Blues" and "West End Blues," with Johnson taking a sprite solo on the latter. In fact, his electric guitar playing on this number, the relaxed R&B flavored "Bring It On Home Mama," or the rocking "Go Go Swing," illustrate the continuity between his innovative playing in the twenties and the modern electric guitar style most associated with B.B. King, who acknowledged Johnson as an influence. "Go Go Swing" is particularly fascinating as the Metro Stompers riff like a hot R&B band horn section. This is mostly instrumental and the vocals here show as often as not Johnson's predilection for ballads ("My Mother's Eyes"), a fact not often appreciated by Johnson's blues admirers. Still, this is a highly entertaining collection that is, in all honestly, of most interest to trad jazz enthusiasts but having enough of Johnson's playing to make it of wider interest.

I likely received review copies from Columbia Records. This review appeared in Jazz & Blues Report in 1994. I note that these should be available in some form, including from Amazon.