Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 75 minutes.
Recording Date: February 9, 1932 - October 18, 1934.
Release Info: Compilation (DOCD-5051) Studio Recording.
Styles: Acoustic Blues; Acoustic Chicago Blues; Country Blues; Regional Blues; Blues Revival; Pre-War Blues.
By early 1932, the point at which this second volume in Document's series begins, Big Bill Broonzy was well established on the Chicago music scene; although his music was beginning to take on an urbanized flavor, his forté was still country-blues, and the opening tracks here -- "Mr. Conductor Man," "Too-Too Train Blues" and "Bull Cow Blues" among them -- are among his finest examples of the form. Of equal interest are the sides he subsequently recorded with his Jug Busters, a rather mysterious group which yielded just two tracks -- "Rukus Juice Blues" and "M and O Blues" -- but which pushed Broonzy further away from his rural roots; in all likelihood, the group also inaugurated his collaboration with the enigmatic yet renowned Black Bob, with whom he would cut a series of classic guitar and piano duets in the months to follow. ~ Jason Ankeny.
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Abridged from this album's original booklet notes. By 1932 Big Bill Broonzy had got the measure of the music business. He was well known in Chicago and, with his winning ways and talent, had become intimate with the leading musicians of his time and place and was laying down the base of the edifice he graced so easily in later years when he became a father figure for the post war blues. He had also become a member of a loose group who performed knockabout and sometimes salacious numbers in a style that they advertised by the use of the name The Famous Hokum Boys. He also often appeared backing "Jane Lucas", in more than one of her manifestations, and these recordings, along with further explanation, will be appearing on other albums in this series. Bill was still playing country blues though, and having worked conscientiously on his guitar playing could turn out masterpieces like Mr. Conductor Man, The Too Too Train and Bull Cow Blues but he also around this time put together his ‘ Jug Busters‘. This group, whose exact membership is still a matter of contention, was made up of Bill, another guitarist, a pianist, a bass player, a kazooist and a washboard beater. A later grouping included a trumpet player, trombonist and a jug-blower. It was an indication of the way the urban blues was going. The pianist may have been the still obscure Black Bob. ~ Keith Briggs, 1991 Document Records.
Credits: Alfred Bell- accordion, trumpet; Jimmy Bertrand - washboard; Keith Briggs - liner notes; Big Bill Broonzy - banjo, composer, guitar, primary artist, sax (alto), vocals; Cow Cow Davenport - composer; Georgia Tom - composer; Black Bob Hudson - piano; Reverend Charlie Jackson - banjo; Arletta May - composer; Roy Palmer - trombone.
Tracklist:
01. You Do It - Steel Smith
02. Mr. Conductor Man - Big Bill Johnson
03. Too-Too Train Blues (Matrix 11605-2) - Big Bill
04. Worrying You Off My Mind, Part 1 - Big Bill
05. Worrying You Off My Mind, Part 2 - Big Bill
06. Shelby County Blues - Big Bill
07. Mistreatin' Mama Blues (Matrix 11609-2) - Big Bill
08. Bull Cow Blues - Big Bill
09. How You Want It Done? (Matrix 1161-2) - Big Bill
10. Long Tall Mama - Big Bill
11. M And O Blues - Big Bill And His Jug Busters
12. Rukus Juice Blues - Big Bill And His Jug Busters
13. Friendless Blues - Big Bill
14. Milk Cow Blues - Big Bill
15. Hungry Man Blues - Big Bill
16. I'll Be Back Home Again - Big Bill
17. Bull Cow Blues, Part 2 - Big Bill
18. Serve It To Me Right - Big Bill
19. Starvation Blues (Matrix 80394-1) - Big Bill
20. Mississippi River Blues - Big Bill
21. At The Break Of Day - Big Bill
22. I Want To Go Home - Big Bill
23. Hard Headed Woman - Big Bill
24. Dying Day Blues - Big Bill
Personnel: Steele Smith - vocals, banjo; Big Bill Broonzy (as Big Bill Johnson) - guitar; Big Bill (as by Big Bill Johnson) - vocals, guitar; Big Bill - vocals, guitar; Big Bill And His Jug Busters: Big Bill - vocals, guitar; accompanied probably by. Alfred Bell - trumpet on 12; possibly Roy Palmer - trombone on 12; unknown - kazoo on 11; prob. Black Bob - piano; unknown - stand-up bass on 11; unknown - jug on 12; Jimmy Bertrand - washboard on 11; Big Bill - vocals, guitar; probably Black Bob - piano; Big Bill - vocals, guitar; probably Black Bob - piano; prob. Charlie Jackson - banjo; Big Bill - vocals, guitar; probably Black Bob - piano.