Release Date: 1994.
Recording Date: 1930.
Series: Masters Of Jazz.
Recording Time: 64 minutes.
Release Info: Compilation (MJCD 66) Studio Recording.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Blues Revival, Country Blues, Pre-War Blues, Regional Blues.
Most of the collections produced by the Masters of Jazz label follow a given musician's recording activity from session to session, meticulously combining choice examples of the artist as leader or incidental participant on other peoples' dates. Singer and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy's discography is an uncommonly complex weave, and while Broonzy's recordings from a two-month segment of the autumn of 1930 are presented chronologically, there are more than a few gaps. This is probably due to the fact that Broonzy's recording session data during the period in question extends well beyond his own discographical indexes. The September recordings (tracks 1-13) were originally issued on 78 rpm platters bearing the Banner, Oriole, Jewel, and Perfect logos. Five different sessions found Broonzy performing alone, with guitarist Bill Williams, alongside pianist Georgia Tom Dorsey, and backing one Hannah May, a vocalist whose identity is still in question. She may have been Victoria Spivey's sister Addie, aka Sweet Peas (or Pease) Spivey. Tracks 14-23 were all recorded on November 19, 1930 in Richmond, IN for Gennett and were released on the company's affordable Champion subsidiary. Here again, Broonzy was joined by Georgia Tom, and on most of these cuts, the singer is identified as Jane Lucas. This, too, was a pseudonym, and one source of informed guesswork suggests the presence of Mozelle Alderson, who may have recorded with Dorsey on other occasions as Kansas City Kitty. Whoever she was, this gal liked to cut up and sing the kind of songs you could break out at a house party. This is why some of these titles have been reissued on collections under the name of the Famous Hokum Boys, a group that usually operated under the joint leadership of Big Bill Broonzy and Georgia Tom. ~ arwulf arwulf
Credits: Concept By - Noël Hervé; Executive-Producer - Bruno Théol; Graphics - Isabelle Marquis, Marion de Dieuleveult; Liner Notes [English Version] - Don Waterhouse; Mastered By - Charles Eddi; Reissue Producer, Liner Notes - André Vasset; Transferred By - Studio Blatin.
Personnel: Big Bill Broonzy - Vocals, Guitar; Bill Williams - Vocals, Guitar; Hannah May - Vocals; Georgia Tom (Thomas A. Dorsey) - Vocals, Piano; Jane Lucas - Vocals.
Tracklist:
01. Police Station Blues - Sammy Sampson
02. They Can't Do That - Sammy Sampson
03. Mr. Conductor Man - Bill Williams
04. No Good Buddy - Bill Williams
05. What's That I Smell - Georgia Tom & Hannah May
06. It's Been So Long - Georgia Tom & Hannah May
07. Terrible Operation Blues - Georgia Tom & Hannah May
08. Rent Man Blues - Georgia Tom & Hannah May
09. Pie-Eating Strut - Famous Hokum Boys
10. It's All Used Up - Famous Hokum Boys
11. State Street Woman - Sammy Sampson
12. Meanest Kind Of Blues - Sammy Sampson
13. I Got The Blues For My Baby - Sammy Sampson
14. What's That I Smell - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
15. Terrible Operation Blues - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
16. Where Did You Stay Last Night - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
17. Fix It - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
18. Ain't Goin' There No More - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
19. That's The Way She Likes It - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
20. The Banker's Blues - Big Bill Johnson
21. How You Want It Done? - Big Bill Johnson
22. Double Trouble - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
23. Leave My Man Alone - Georgia Tom & Jane Lucas
Notes:
With a 24-page booklet with notes in French and English.