Blind Dog Radio

Early Cuts from a Singer, Pianist and Songwriter by Champion Jack Dupree

Label: JSP
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Recording Date: June 13, 1940 - November 30, 1953

Styles: New Orleans Blues, Piano Blues, Regional Blues, New Orleans R&B, Chicago Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues

Champion Jack Dupree began his musical journey as a barrelhouse New Orleans piano player, and elements of that driving style stayed with him throughout his 50-year recording career (he first cut a record in 1940 and was still active as a performer when he died in 1992), but along the way he also developed into a complete entertainer, exceedingly casual and comfortable around audiences, capable of delivering thundering gutbucket blues pieces, but also able to turn things smooth and elegant, and shades of all of that are already on display in this anthology of his early recordings. Presented in chronological order, these early sides make a fine introduction (both literally and historically) to this fun, wry, and engaging musician.
by Steve Leggett

Recording information: Chicago, IL (06/13/1940-11/30/1953); Cincinnati, OH (06/13/1940-11/30/1953); New York, NY (06/13/1940-11/30/1953).

Liner Note Author: Neil Slaven.

Personnel: Champion Jack Dupree (vocals, piano); Edwin Moire, Bill Gaither , Jesse Ellery, Mickey Baker, Sticks McGhee, Brownie McGhee (guitar); Papa George Lightfoot, Sonny Terry (harmonica); Al King , Jesse Powell, Nat Perrilliat (tenor saxophone); Mickey Spider, Milton Batiste (trumpet); Wilbert Ellis (piano); John Taylor, Earl Johnson & His Dixie Entertainers , Ernest Hayward, Charles Connor, Gene Moore , Melvin Merritt, Willie Jones III (drums).

Credits: Mickey Baker - guitar; Milton Baptiste - trumpet; Thomas Barney - bass instrument; Tom Barney - bass; Milton Batiste - trumpet; Brother Blues & The Back Room Boys - primary artist; Big Tom Collins - primary artist; Charles Connor - drums; Champion Jack Dupree - piano, primary artist, vocals; Champion Jack Dupree & His Country Blues Band - primary artist; Jack Dupree Quartet - primary artist; Count Edmondson - bass, bass instrument; Jesse Ellery - guitar; Big Chief Ellis - primary artist; Big Chief Ellis & His Blues Stars - primary artist; Wilbert Ellis - piano; The Empires - vocals; Bill Gaither - guitar; Sidney Grant - sax (tenor); Bob Harris - bass, bass instrument; Ernest Hayward - drums; Earl Johnson - drums; Earl Johnson & His Dixie Entertainers - drums; Meat Head Johnson & His Blues Hound - primary artist; Willie Jones - drums; Willie Jones III - drums; Willie Jordan & His Swinging Five - primary artist; Al King - sax (tenor); Ransom Knowling - bass, bass instrument; Papa George Lightfoot - harmonica; Lightin' Jr. & The Empires - primary artist; Brownie McGhee - guitar, guitars; Brownie McGhee & His Guitar & Orchestra - primary artist; Sticks McGhee - guitar, guitars; Melvin Merritt - drums; Edwin Moire - guitar; Gene Moore - drums; Papa Lightfoot - harmonica; Nat Perrilliat - sax (tenor); Jesse Powell - sax (tenor); Lonnie Scott - piano; Neil Slaven - annotation, liner notes; Mickey Spider - trumpet; Wilson Swain - bass, bass instrument; John Taylor - drums; Sonny Terry - harmonica; Cedric Wallace - bass, bass instrument.

Tracks, Disc 1: 1) Gamblin' Man Blues; 2) Warehouse Man Blues; 3) Chain Gang Blues; 4) New Low Down Dog; 5) Black Woman Swing; 6) Cabbage Greens No. 1; 7) Cabbage Greens No. 2; 8) Angola Blues; 9) My Cabin Inn; 10) Bad Health Blues; 11) That's All Right; 12) Gibing Blues; 13) Dupree Shake Dance; 14) My Baby's Gone; 15) Weed Head Woman; 16) Junker Blues; 17) Oh, Red; 18) All Alone Blues; 19) Big Time Mama; 20) Shady Lane; 21) Hurry Down Sunshine; 22) Jackie P. Blues; 23) Heavy Heart Blues; 24) Morning Tea; 25) Black Cow Blues.

Tracks, Disc 2: 1) My Cabin Inn; 2) Bad Health Blues; 3) Gibing Blues; 4) Dupree Shake Dance; 5) My Baby's Gone; 6) Jackie P. Blues; 7) Black Cow Blues; 8) Jitterbug; 9) Slow Boogie; 10) Mexico Reminiscences; 11) Too Evil to Cry; 12) Clog Dance (Stomping Blues); 13) Rum Cola Blues; 14) She Makes Good Jelly; 15) Johnson Street Boogie Woogie; 16) I'm Going Down with You; 817) F.D.R. Blues; 18) God Bless Our New President; 19) County Jail Special; 20) Fisherman's Blues; 21) Black Wolf; 22) Lover's Lane; 23) Walkin' by Myself; 24) Outside Man; 25) Forget It Mama;

Tracks, Disc 3: 1) You've Been Drunk; 2) Santa Claus Blues; 3) Gin Mill Sal; 4) Let's Have a Ball; 5) Going Down Slow; 6) Hard Feeling; 7) How Long, How Long Blues; 8) Mean Old Frisco; 9) I Think You Need a Shot; 10) Bad Whiskey and Wild Woman; 11) Bus Station Blues; 12) Love Strike Blues; 13) Wet Deck Mama; 14) Big Legged Mama; 15) I'm a Doctor for Women; 16) Cecelia, Ceceila; 17) Going Down to the Bottom; 18) Fifth Avenue Blues; 19) Highway 31; 20) Come Back Baby; 21) Chittlins and Rice; 22) One Sweet Letter; 23) Lonesome Bedroom Blues; 24) Old Woman Blues; 25) Mean Mistreatin' Mama; 26) Featherweight Mama; 27) Day Break.

Tracks, Disc 4: 1) Deacon's Party; 2) My Baby's Comin' Back Home; 3) Just Plain Tired; 4) I'm Gonna Find You Someday; 5) Goin' Back to Louisiana; 6) Barrel House Mama; 7) Old, Old Woman; 8) Mean Black Snake; 9) The Woman I Love; 10) All Night Party; 11) Heart Breaking Woman; 12) Watchin' My Stuff; 13) Ragged and Hungry; 14) Somebody Changed the Lock; 15) Stumbling Block Blues; 16) Highway Blues; 17) Shake Baby Shake; 18) Number Nine Blues; 19) Drunk Again; 20) Shim Sham Shimmy; 21) Ain't No Meat on de Bone; 22) The Blues Got Me Rockin'; 23) Tongue Tied Blues; 24) Please Tell Me Baby; 25) Walkin' Upside Your Head; 26) Rub a Little Boogie; 27) Camille.