Label: Document Records/RST Records.
Release Date: 1994.
Releases: 1999 (RST Records), 2000 (Document).
Recording Time: 74 minutes.
Recording Date: February 6, 1929 - June 17, 1931.
Styles: Early Jazz, Jug Band, Pre-War Country Blues.
Featured Artists: Ben Ferguson, Whistler's Jug Band, Phillips' Louisville Jug Band, Clifford Hayes, John Harris, Kid Coley.
The fourth and final CD in this brief but important series from the Austrian RST label features jug bands in a variety of roles. There are the three last performances by Clifford Hayes's Louisville Stompers (the two versions of "You're Ticklin' Me" have Earl Hines on piano while "You Gonna Need My Help" features the classic blues singer Sippie Wallace), The Kentucky Jazz Babies (a quartet with violinist Clifford Hayes and trumpeter Jimmy Strange) does a good job on two numbers and Phillips's Louisville Jug Band (an odd quartet with Hooks Tifford on C-melody sax and Charles "Cane" Adams playing what is called "walking cane flute") performs eight songs. In addition Whistler and His Jug Band play two primitive numbers while violinist Clifford Hayes backs the minstrel singer Kid Coley and reunites with the great jug player Earl McDonald behind the vocals of country pioneer Jimmie Rodgers, Ben Ferguson and John Harris. An interesting set, to say the least, all four CDs in this series are recommended to fans of the era.
by Scott Yanow
Credits: George Allen - clarinet; Willie Black - banjo; Kid Coley - primary artist; Sam Coslow - composer; Harry Da Costa - composer; Eddie Edwards - composer; Ben Ferguson - primary artist; W. Frank Harling - composer; John Harris - primary artist, vocals; Clifford Hayes - composer, primary artist, violin; Clifford Hayes & The Louisville Jug Band - primary artist; Earl Hines - piano; Kurt Hriczucsah - cover art; Kentucky Jazz Babies - performer, primary artist; Nick LaRocca - composer; Earl McDonald - jug; Phillips' Louisville Jug Band - primary artist; Phil Phillips - guitar, vocals; Henry W. Ragas - composer; Carl Reid - horn, vocals; Jimmie Rodgers - composer, primary artist, vocals, yodeling; Tony Sbarbaro - composer; Larry Shields - composer; Fred Smith - guitar; Rudolph Thompson - jug, vocals; Buford Threlkeld - guitar, vocals; James Watts - vocals; Gerhard Wessely - remastering; Whistler & His Jug Band - primary artist.
Tracks: 1) You're ticklin' me (take 1) - Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers; 2) You're ticklin' me (take 2) - Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers; 3) You gonna need my help - Sippie Wallace; 4) Old folks shake - Kentucky Jazz Babies; 5) No more blues - Kentucky Jazz Babies; 6) Soldier boy blues - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 7) That's a lovely thing for you - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 8) Sing, you sinners - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 9) Tiger rag - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 10) Walkin' cane stomp - Kentucky Jug Band; 11) Hard hustlin' blues - Kentucky Jug Band; 12) Smackin' the sax - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 13) That's your last - Phillips' Louisville Jug Band; 14) Clair and Pearley blues - Kid Coley; 15) Tricks ain't walkin' no more - Kid Coley; 16) Freight train blues - Kid Coley; 17) Foldin' bed - Whistler And His Jug Band; 18) Hold that tiger - Whistler And His Jug Band; 19) War dream blues - Kid Coley; 20) My good gal's gone blues (take 2) - Jimmie Rodgers (accompanied by the Louisville Jug Band); 21) My good gal's gone blues (take 3) - Jimmie Rodgers (accompanied by the Louisville Jug Band); 22) Please don't holler, mama - Ben Ferguson; 23) Try and treat her right - Ben Ferguson; 24) Prowling wolf blues - John Harris; 25) Glad and sorry blues - John Harris (accompanied by the Louisville Jug Band).