Label: Classics, Classic Records
Release Date: November 19, 1996
Recording Time: 66 minutes
Recording Date: April 30, 1927 - 1945
Styles: Classic Female Blues, Swing, Vocal Jazz, Jump Blues, Piedmont Blues, Regional Blues
When she was just 13 and 14 years old, Helen Humes made her recording debut, cutting ten risque, double entendre-filled blues, naughty tunes that she later claimed to understand at the time. Until the release of this Classics CD in 1996, those numbers (which have backup in various settings by either De Loise Searcy or J.C. Johnson on piano, and Lonnie Johnson or the guitar duo team of Sylvester Weaver and Walter Beasley) had never been reissued on the same set before. Humes sounds fairly mature on the enjoyable blues sides. Her next session as a leader would not take place until 15 years later, when she was 28 and a veteran of Count Basie's Orchestra. The singer is heard here with groups in 1942 and 1944-1945, performing three numbers with altoist Pete Brown's sextet (a band including trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who unfortunately does not solo), Leonard Feather's Hiptet (which has some rare solos from trumpeter Bobby Stark), and Bill Doggett's spirited octet. The latter date is highlighted by classic renditions of "He May Be Your Man" and "Be-Baba-Leba." Highly recommended.
by Scott Yanow
Personnel: Helen Humes (vocals); Herbie Fields (alto saxophone, clarinet); Pete Brown, John Brown (alto saxophone); Prince Robinson, Wild Bill Moore (tenor saxophone); Ernest Thompson (baritone saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Stark, Ross Butler (trumpet); Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet); De Loise Searcy, J.C. Johnson, Sam Price, Leonard Feather, Bill Doggett (piano); Lonnie Johnson, Sylvester Weaver, Walter Beasley, Chuck Wayne, Elmer Warner (guitar); Charlie Drayton, Oscar Pettiford, Alfred Moore (bass); Ray Nathan, Denzil Best, Charles Harris (drums).
Credits: Walter Beasley - guitar; Denzil Best - drums; Joe Bishop - composer; John Brown - sax (alto); Pete Brown - sax (alto); Ross Butler - trumpet; J. Fred Coots - composer; Bill Davis - composer; Bill Doggett - piano; Charles Drayton - sax (baritone); Leonard Feather - composer, guest artist, piano; Herbie Fields - clarinet, sax (alto); Dizzy Gillespie - guest artist, trumpet; Jimmy Hamilton - clarinet; Charles Harris - drums; Helen Humes - accordion, composer, primary artist, vocals; Gordon Jenkins - composer; J.C. Johnson - composer, piano; Lonnie Johnson - guest artist, guitar; C. Lewis - composer; Alfred Moore - bass; Wild Bill Moore - sax (tenor); Oscar Pettiford - bass, guest artist; Sam Price - piano; Andy Razaf - composer; Prince Robinson - sax (tenor); Anatol Schenker - liner notes; Deloise Searcy - piano; Al Sherman - composer; Bobby Stark - trumpet; Earnest Thompson - sax (baritone); Elmer Warner - guitar; Chuck Wayne - guitar; Sylvester Weaver - composer, guitar; C. Williams - composer.
Tracks: 1) Black Cat Blues; 2) A Worried Woman's Blues; 3) If Papa Has Outside Lovin'; 4) Do What You Did Last Night; 5) Everybody Does It Now; 6) Cross-Eyed Blues; 7) Garlic Blues; 8) Alligator Blues; 9) Nappy Headed Blues; 10) Race Horse Blues; 11) Mound Bayou; 12) Unlucky Woman; 13) Gonna Buy Me a Telephone; 14) I Would If I Could; 15) Keep Your Mind on Me; 16) Fortune Tellin' Man; 17) Suspicious Blues; 18) Unlucky Woman; 19) Every Now and Then; 20) He May Be Your Man; 21) Blue Prelude; 22) Be-Baba-Leba.
Credits: Walter Beasley - guitar; Denzil Best - drums; Joe Bishop - composer; John Brown - sax (alto); Pete Brown - sax (alto); Ross Butler - trumpet; J. Fred Coots - composer; Bill Davis - composer; Bill Doggett - piano; Charles Drayton - sax (baritone); Leonard Feather - composer, guest artist, piano; Herbie Fields - clarinet, sax (alto); Dizzy Gillespie - guest artist, trumpet; Jimmy Hamilton - clarinet; Charles Harris - drums; Helen Humes - accordion, composer, primary artist, vocals; Gordon Jenkins - composer; J.C. Johnson - composer, piano; Lonnie Johnson - guest artist, guitar; C. Lewis - composer; Alfred Moore - bass; Wild Bill Moore - sax (tenor); Oscar Pettiford - bass, guest artist; Sam Price - piano; Andy Razaf - composer; Prince Robinson - sax (tenor); Anatol Schenker - liner notes; Deloise Searcy - piano; Al Sherman - composer; Bobby Stark - trumpet; Earnest Thompson - sax (baritone); Elmer Warner - guitar; Chuck Wayne - guitar; Sylvester Weaver - composer, guitar; C. Williams - composer.
Tracks: 1) Black Cat Blues; 2) A Worried Woman's Blues; 3) If Papa Has Outside Lovin'; 4) Do What You Did Last Night; 5) Everybody Does It Now; 6) Cross-Eyed Blues; 7) Garlic Blues; 8) Alligator Blues; 9) Nappy Headed Blues; 10) Race Horse Blues; 11) Mound Bayou; 12) Unlucky Woman; 13) Gonna Buy Me a Telephone; 14) I Would If I Could; 15) Keep Your Mind on Me; 16) Fortune Tellin' Man; 17) Suspicious Blues; 18) Unlucky Woman; 19) Every Now and Then; 20) He May Be Your Man; 21) Blue Prelude; 22) Be-Baba-Leba.