Label: Document Records
Release Date: May 27, 1994
Releases: 1994, 2000
Recording Time: 66 minutes
Recording Date: April 18, 1935 - February 21, 1936
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Pre-War Blues
For completists, specialists, and academics, Document's Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1936-1937) is invaluable, offering an exhaustive overview of Kokomo Arnold's early recordings. For less-dedicated listeners, the disc is a mixed blessing. There are some absolutely wonderful, classic performances on the collection -- "Policy Wheel Blues" and "'Cause You're Dirty" to name just two -- but the long running time, exacting chronological sequencing, and poor fidelity (all cuts are transferred from original acetates and 78s) are hard to digest. The serious blues listener will find all these factors to be positive, but casual listeners will find the collection of marginal interest for the very same reasons.
by Thom Owens
Credits: Kokomo Arnold - composer, guitar, piano, primary artist, vocals; Keith Briggs - liner notes; Johnny Parth - composer, producer; Roosevelt Sykes - composer, guest artist, guitar, piano, vocals; Traditional - composer.
Tracks: 1) Southern Railroad Blues; 2) Bo Weavil Blues; 3) Busy Bootin'; 4) Let Your Money Talk; 5) Cause You're Dirty; 6) Tonic Head Blues; 7) Policy Wheel Blues (90044); 8) Traveling Rambler Blues; 9) Stop, Look and Listen; 10) Doin' the Doopididy; 11) The Mule Laid Down and Died; 12) Big Leg Mama (John Russell Blues); 13) Milk Cow Blues - No. 3; 14) Milk Cow Blues - No. 4; 15) Down and Out Blues; 16) Model "T" Woman Blues; 17) Jet Black Snake Blues (with Roosevelt Sykes); 18) I'll Be Up Someday; 19) I Can't Get Enough of That Stuff; 20) Desert Blues; 21) Bull Headed Woman Blues; 22) Sundown Blues; 23) The Honey Dripper (with Roosevelt Sykes).