Label: Document Records
Release Date: 1995
Releases: 1995, 2005
Recording Time: 72 minutes
Recording Date: March, 1924 - April, 1925
Styles: Classic Female Blues
Unlike most of her contemporaries, who spent at least part of their time singing vaudeville-type material and pop songs, Ida Cox stuck throughout her career to the blues. On the second of four Document CDs that reissue all of her 1920s material (although some of the many alternate takes are bypassed), Cox is mostly accompanied by either Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders (which usually includes cornetist Tommy Ladnier and clarinetist Jimmy O'Bryant, although the great Johnny Dodds is on six selections) or, on one date, members of Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra. The recording quality of these Paramount 78s (which cover a 13-month period) is erratic, but there are a few classics here, including "Chicago Monkey Man Blues" (which has some lyrics that would later be used for "Going to Chicago"), "Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But," "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues" and "Death Letter Blues." Throughout, Ida Cox (who was second to Bessie Smith at the time) is quite consistent, making the most of her limitations. Recommended.
by Scott Yanow
Credits: Lovie Austin & Her Blue Serenaders - accompaniment, group member, piano; Elmer Chambers - cornet, group member; John Cowley - liner notes; Ida Cox - composer, primary artist, vocals; Charlie Dixon - banjo, group member; Johnny Dodds - clarinet, group member; Stump Evans - clarinet, group member; Charlie Green - group member, trombone; Charles Harris - group member, sax (alto); Fletcher Henderson - group member, piano; Son House - composer; Tommy Ladiner - cornet, group member; Kaiser Marshall - drums, group member; Jimmy O'Bryant - clarinet, group member; Johnny Parth - compilation producer; Pruit Twins - accompaniment; Miles Pruitt - banjo, group member, guitar; Don Redman - clarinet, group member, sax (soprano); Howard H. Scott - cornet, group member; Gerhard Wessely - remastering.
Tracks: 1) Mean Lovin' Man Blues (Take 3); 2) Down the Road Bound Blues (Take 2); 3) Last Time Blues (Take 2); 4) Worried Any How Blues; 5) Chicago Monkey Man Blues (Take 1); 6) Chicago Monkey Man Blues (Take 2); 7) Mean Papa Turn Your Key; 8) Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But! (Take 2); 9) Worried in Mind Blues (Take 1); 10) My Mean Man Blues (Take 1); 11) Kentucky Man Blues; 12) Cherry Picking Blues; 13) Wild Women Don't Have the Blues; 14) Worried in Mind Blues (Take 3); 15) Death Letter Blues; 16) My Mean Man Blues (Take 4); 17) Those Married Man Blues; 18) Misery Blues; 19) Graveyard Bound Blues; 20) Mississippi River Blues; 21) Georgia Hound Blues; 22) Blue Kentucky Blues; 23) Black Crepe Blues; 24) Fare Thee Well Poor Gal.