Release Date: 1995.
Series: Masters Of Jazz.
Recording Time: 68 minutes.
Recording Date: November 1930 - March 1932.
Release Info: Compilation (MJCD 96) Studio Recording.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Blues Revival, Country Blues, Pre-War Blues, Regional Blues.
This is volume four in the complete early works of Big Bill Broonzy as presented during the 1990s by the Masters of Jazz series. It contains 23 rare sides cut between November 20, 1930 and March 29, 1932. These records appeared under a bewildering variety of names: the Hokum Boys & Jane Lucas, Georgia Tom Dorsey, the Harum Scarums, Big Bill Johnson, Johnson & Smith, Steele & Johnson, Steele Smith, and just plain Big Bill. There's a good amount of party-time entertainment on here, as well as the classic slow drag blues that Broonzy always delivered so personably. One little detail that might impede absolute enjoyment is the unhealed distortion arising from worn record grooves on tracks seven through ten. (Ironically, these include parts one and two of the "Alabama Scratch.") Now if you feel nipped because both "Sitting on Top of the World" and "Worried in Mind Blues" are too scratched up for maximum enjoyment, just bump yourself ahead to "Worrying You Off My Mind" in three parts. All five performances are essentially one and the same song with varied lyrics. For an extra good time, try comparing Steele & Johnson's versions of Georgia Tom's "Beedle Um Bum" and "Selling That Stuff" with the arranged big-band renditions of these catchy tunes played by Don Redman and McKinney's Cotton Pickers on April 9, 1929. ~ 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: (1-2) Big Bill Broonzy - Guitar, Thomas A. Dorsey - Piano, Jane Lucas - Vocals; (3-4) Big Bill Broonzy - Guitar, Georgia Tom - Vocals, Piano; (5-9) Big Bill Broonzy - Guitar, Jane Lucas - Vocals, Georgia Tom - Vocals, Piano; (10-13) Big Bill Johnson - Guitar, Vocals; (14-18) Steele Smith - Vocals (14, 16, 17, 18), Banjo (15, 16, 17, 18), Big Bill Broonzy - Vocals (14, 16, 17), Guitar; (19) Big Bill Johnson - Guitar, Vocals; (20-23) Big Bill - Guitar, Vocals.
Tracklist:
01. Hip Shakin' Strut - Hokum Boys & Jane Lucas
02. Hokum Stomp - Hokum Boys & Jane Lucas
03. Don't Leave Me Blues - Georgia Tom
04. Been Mistreated Blues - Georgia Tom
05. Come On In - Harum Scarums
06. Where Did You Stay Last Night? - Harum Scarums
07. Alabama Scratch (Part 2) - Harum Scarums
08. Alabama Scratch (Part 1) - Harum Scarums
09. Sittin' On The Top Of The World - Harum Scarums
10. Worried In Mind Blues - Big Bill Johnson
11. Too Too Train Blues - Big Bill Johnson
12. Mistreatin' Mamma - Big Bill Johnson
13. Big Bill Blues - Big Bill Johnson
14. Brown Skin Shuffle - Johnson & Smith
15. Stove Pipe Stomp - Johnson & Smith
16. Beedle Um Bum - Steele & Johnson
17. Selling That Stuff - Steele & Johnson
18. You Do It - Steele Smith
19. Mr. Conductor Man - Big Bill Johnson
20. Too-Too Train Blues - Big Bill
21. Worrying You Off My Mind (Part 1) - Big Bill
22. Worrying You Off My Mind (Part 1) - Big Bill
23. Worrying You Off My Mind (Part 2) - Big Bill
Recorded in Richmond, Ind., November 20, 1930 (tracks 1 to 4), and 9 February 1932 (tracks 10 to 19).
Recorded in Grafton, Wis., January 1931 (tracks 5 to 9).
Recorded in New York, March 29, 1932 (tracks 20 to 23).
Notes:
With a 28-page booklet with notes in French and English.