Release Date: August 17, 1993.
Recording Time: 58 minutes.
Release Info: Studio Recording.
Recording Date: August 10, 1920 - May 15, 1961.
Styles: Classic Female Blues, Pre-War Blues, Acoustic Blues, Cool, Dixieland, Early Jazz, New Orleans Jazz, Piano Blues, Standards, Swing.
Although it is now a male dominated field, the earliest to record and have success in the blues field were women. This volume not only collects up many of the great recordings by these women (Mamie, Trixie and Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Sippie Wallace, Ma Rainey), but also holds the distinction in the series of being one of the few that offers multiple selections by some of these artists. Highly recommended. - Review by Cub Koda.
Credits: Ed Allen - cornet; Ward "Dope" Andrews - trombone; Louis Armstrong - cornet; James Austin - compilation producer; Buster Bailey - clarinet, sax (soprano); Sidney Bechet - clarinet, sax (soprano); Black & Blue Trio - performer, primary artist; Dave Booth - research; Perry Bradford - composer; Henry Brown - performer; Garvin Bushell - sax (alto); Red Callender - bass; Samuel Charters - liner notes; Buddy Christian - banjo; Lee Collins - trumpet; Ida Cox - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; James Cox - composer; Jesse Crump - piano; Charlie Dixon - banjo; Dr. Demento - research direction; Harry "Sweets" Edison - trumpet; Ernest Elliott - clarinet; Bob Fisher - mastering; Richard Foos - series consultant; Bob Fuller - clarinet; Geoff Gans - package development; Georgia Tom - piano; Charlie Green - trombone; Peter Guralnick - series consultant; Rachel Gutek - design; Chico Hamilton - drums; W.C. Handy - composer; Coleman Hawkins - sax (bass); Fletcher Henderson - piano; Billie Holiday - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Alberta Hunter - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Charlie Irvis - trombone; Mike Jackson - piano; Eddie Johnson - performer; Edith North Johnson - performer, primary artist; Margaret Johnson - vocals; Mary Johnson - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Barney Kessel - guitar; Martha E. Koenig - composer; Addington Major - cornet; Patrick Milligan - research; Tom Morris - cornet; Ted Myers - a&r; Arnett Nelson - clarinet; Billie Pierce - performer, primary artist, vocals; De De Pierce - performer, primary artist; Maceo Pinkard - composer; Ma Rainey - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band - performer, primary artist; Don Redman - sax (alto); Ike Rodgers - trombone; Cyrus St. Clair - tuba; J.H. Shayne - piano; Bessie Smith - performer, primary artist, vocals; Joe "Fox" Smith - cornet; Mamie Smith - performer, vocals; Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds - performer, primary artist; Trixie Smith - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Willie Smith - sax (alto); Willie "The Lion" Smith - piano; Victoria Spivey - composer, performer, primary artist, vocals; Eva Taylor - performer, vocals; Aaron Thompson - trombone; Clarence Todd - composer; Bobby Tucker - piano; Mike Wallace - composer; Sippie Wallace - composer, performer, primary artist; Greely Walton - sax (tenor); Clarence Williams - composer, performer, piano, primary artist; Spencer Williams - composer; B.T. Wingfield - cornet.
Tracks: 1) Crazy Blues - Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds; 2) Papa De-Da-Da - Clarence Williams' Blue Five (vocal by Eva Taylor); 3) My Man Rocks Me - Trixie Smith & The Jazz Masters; 4) Railroad Blues - Trixie Smith; 5) Yonder Come the Blues - Ma Rainey with Her Georgia Band; 6) Countin' the Blues - Ma Rainey acc. by Her Georgia Jazz Band; 7) Daddy Goodbye Blues - Ma Rainey; 8) Baby, I Can't Use You No More - Sippie Wallace with Clarence Williams' Blue Five; 9) Bone Orchard Blues - Ida Cox; 10) Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out - Bessie Smith; 11) Barrel House Flat Blues - Mary Johnson; 12) When a 'Gator Holler, Folks Say It's a Sign of Rain - Margaret Johnson with The Black & Blue Trio; 13) Any-Kind-A-Man - Victoria Spivey & Her Chicago Four; 14) You Can't Tell the Difference After Dark - Alberta Hunter; 15) Little Drops of Water - Henry Brown & Edith Johnson; 16) Married Man Blues - Billie & Dee Dee Pierce; 17) Careless Love - Billie & Dee Dee Pierce; 18) Stormy Blues - Billie Holiday.