Release Date: February 20, 2007.
Recording Time: 291 minutes.
Release Info: JSP7767, Compilation, Remastered.
Recording Date: June 10, 1940 - December 10, 1951.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Blues Revival, Country Blues.
Mississippi-born guitarist Big Bill Broonzy had a voice that could really grow on you. The living embodiment of the rural-to-urban blues tradition, he often infused the gutsy, sometimes brutally honest immediacy of acoustic Chicago blues and good time hokum with the lonely intensity of the field holler. Vol. 3 in JSP's extensively complete Big Bill Broonzy retrospective covers his recording activity between the years 1940 and 1951, a time span that takes in the Second World War and its aftermath. His musical companions during this decade included the mighty Washboard Sam, a wonderful string bassist named Ransom Knowling, harmonica ace Jazz Gillum, blues saxophonist Buster Bennett, pianists Blind John Davis, Big Maceo Merriweather and Memphis Slim, and seasoned jazzmen Punch Miller, Don Byas and Slick Jones. This excellent set offers 99 examples of Broonzy's personalized musical responses to everything that life had to offer or snatch away. Topics include romance, jealousy and heartache; honest labor, conscription and prison, as well as betrayal, alcohol and insomnia. Big Bill was also fond of old-time folk melodies and included them regularly in his repertoire. This outstanding tribute is the perfect introduction to Broonzy; it will also delight those who already know his music, love and respect his memory, and who will hasten to track down the rest of his recordings as reissued by JSP. ~ arwulf arwulf
Credits: Joshua Altheimer - piano; Charles Belcher - piano; Buster Bennett - sax (alto); Big Bill Broonzy - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Don Byas - sax (tenor); Bob Call - piano; Antonio Casey - sax (alto); Bill Casimir - sax (tenor); Blind John Davis - piano; Tyrell Dixon - drums; Jazz Gillum - harmonica; Slick Jones - drums; Ransom Knowling - bass; John Levy - bass; Horace Malcolm - piano; Oett "Sax" Mallard - sax (alto); Memphis Slim - piano, vocals; Big Maceo Merriweather - piano; Punch Miller - trumpet; Add John Morton - trumpet; John H. Morton - trumpet; Judge Riley - drums; Carl Sharp - piano; Neil Slaven - annotation, compilation producer; Alfred Wallace - drums; Washboard Sam - washboard; Kenny Watts - piano; Fred Williams - drums.
Tracklist:
1-01. Medicine Man Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-02. Looking Up At Down - Big Bill Broonzy
1-03. Midnight Steppers - Big Bill Broonzy
1-04. Lone Wolf Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-05. Hit The Right Lick - Big Bill Broonzy
1-06. You Better Cut That Out - Big Bill Broonzy
1-07. I Wonder What's Wrong With Me - Big Bill Broonzy
1-08. Bed Time Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-09. Merry Go Round Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-10. Serenade Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-11. Lonesome Road Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-12. Getting Older Every Day: Take 1 - Big Bill Broonzy
1-13. Getting Older Every Day: Take 2 - Big Bill Broonzy
1-14. That Number Of Mine - Big Bill Broonzy
1-15. My Gal Is Gone - Big Bill Broonzy
1-16. I'll Never Dream Again - Big Bill Broonzy
1-17. Rockin' Chair Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-18. Shine On, Shine On - Big Bill Broonzy
1-19. Green Grass Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
1-20. My Little Flower - Big Bill Broonzy
1-21. Sweet Honey Bee - Big Bill Broonzy
1-22. When I Been Drinking - Big Bill Broonzy
1-23. Key To The Highway - Big Bill Broonzy
1-24. Double Trouble - Big Bill Broonzy
1-25. Going Back To My Plow - Big Bill Broonzy
2-01. I'm Having So Much Trouble - Big Bill Broonzy
2-02. Wee Wee Hours - Big Bill Broonzy
2-03. Conversation With The Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
2-04. All By Myself - Big Bill Broonzy
2-05. Keep Your Hand On Your Heart - Big Bill Broonzy
2-06. Why Should I Spend My Money - Big Bill Broonzy
2-07. What's Wrong With Me - Big Bill Broonzy
2-08. I Feel So Good - Big Bill Broonzy
2-09. In The Army Now - Big Bill Broonzy
2-10. Bad Acting Woman - Big Bill Broonzy
2-11. Night Watchman Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
2-12. She's Gone With The Wind - Big Bill Broonzy
2-13. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town - Big Bill And His Chicago Five
2-14. Tell Me Baby - Big Bill And His Chicago Five
2-15. Hard Hearted Woman - Big Bill And His Chicago Five
2-16. I'm Woke Up Now - Big Bill And His Chicago Five
2-17. Please Believe Me - Don Byas Quartet
2-18. Why Did You Do That To Me - Don Byas Quartet
2-19. You Got To Play Your Hand - Don Byas Quartet
2-20. Just A Dream - Don Byas Quartet
2-21. Doing The Best I Can - Big Bill Broonzy
2-22. Partnership Woman - Big Bill Broonzy
2-23. Where The Blues Began - Big Bill Broonzy
2-24. Humble Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
2-25. Oh Baby - Big Bill Broonzy
3-01. Cell No. 13 Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-02. When I Get To Thinkin' - Big Bill Broonzy
3-03. Roll Dem Bones - Big Bill Broonzy
3-04. You Got The Best Go - Big Bill Broonzy
3-05. I Can Fix It - Big Bill And His Rhythm Band
3-06. Old Man Blues - Big Bill And His Rhythm Band
3-07. I Can't Write - Big Bill And His Rhythm Band
3-08. What Can I Do - Big Bill And His Rhythm Band
3-09. San Antonio Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-10. Saturday Evening Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-11. Martha Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-12. Texas Tornado Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-13. Big Bill's Boogie - Big Bill Broonzy
3-14. Just Rocking - Big Bill Broonzy
3-15. Shoo Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-16. I Feel Like Crying - Big Bill Broonzy
3-17. Stop Lying Woman - Big Bill Broonzy
3-18. Rambling Bill - Big Bill Broonzy
3-19. Summertime Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
3-20. Bad Luck Man - Big Bill Broonzy–
3-21. (I'm A) Wonderin' Man - Big Bill Broonzy & His Fat Four
3-22. I Love My Whiskey - Big Bill Broonzy & His Fat Four
3-23. You've Been Mistreating Me - Big Bill Broonzy & His Fat Four
3-24. I Stay Blue All The Time - Big Bill Broonzy & His Fat Four
3-25. Water Coast Blues - Big Bill Broonzy & His Fat Four
4-01. Five Feet Seven - Big Bill Broonzy
4-02. I Wonder - Big Bill Broonzy
4-03. Keep Your Hands Off Her - Big Bill Broonzy
4-04. Mindin' My Own Business - Big Bill Broonzy
4-05. Hey Hey - Big Bill Broonzy
4-06. Stump Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
4-07. Get Back - Big Bill Broonzy
4-08. Willie Mae Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
4-09. Walkin' The Lonesome Road - Big Bill Broonzy
4-10. Mopper's Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
4-11. I Know She Will - Big Bill Broonzy
4-12. Hollerin' The Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
4-13. Leavin' Day - Big Bill Broonzy
4-14. South Bound Train - Big Bill Broonzy
4-15. Tomorrow - Big Bill Broonzy
4-16. You Changed - Big Bill Broonzy
4-17. John Henry - Big Bill Broonzy
4-18. Crawdad - Big Bill Broonzy
4-19. Bill Bailey - Big Bill Broonzy
4-20. Make My Get Away - Big Bill Broonzy
4-21. Blue Tail Fly - Big Bill Broonzy
4-22. Backwater Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
4-23. In The Evenin' - Big Bill Broonzy
4-24. Trouble In Mind - Big Bill Broonzy
Personnel: Big Bill Broonzy - Guitar, Vocals; Antonio Casey - Alto Saxophone (tracks: 3-21 to 3-25); Buster Bennett - Alto Saxophone; Oett "Sax" Mallard - Alto Saxophone; John Levy - Bass (tracks: 2-17 to 2-20); Ransom Knowling - Bass; Alfred Wallace - Drums (tracks: 3-21 to 3-25, 4-1 to 4-4); Fred Williams - Drums; Judge Riley - Drums; Slick Jones - Drums(tracks: 2-17 to 2-20); Tyrell Dixon - Drums; Jazz Gillum - Harmonica (tracks: 1-18 to 1-23); Big Maceo - Piano (tracks: 2-21 to 2-25); Blind John Davis - Piano (tracks: 1-5 to 1-10); Bob Call - Piano (tracks: 3-13 to 3-16, 4-5 to 4-16); Carl Sharp - Piano (tracks: 3-21 to 3-25); Charles Belcher - Piano (tracks: 3-5 to 3-8); Horace Malcolm - Piano (tracks: 1-18 to 1-23, 2-5 to 2-12); Joshua Altheimer - Piano (tracks: 1-1 to 1-4); Kenny Watts - Piano (tracks: 2-17 to 2-20); Memphis Slim - Piano, Vocals; Bill Casimir - Tenor Saxophone; Don Byas - Tenor Saxophone (tracks: 2-17 to 2-20); John Morton - Trumpet (tracks: 3-5 to 3-8, 3-17 to 3-20); Punch Miller - Trumpet (tracks: 2-13 to 2-16); Washboard Sam - Washboard.
Recorded in Chicago:
June 10, 1940: 1-1 to 1-4;
September 20, 1940: 1-5 to 1-10;
December 17, 1940: 1-11 to 1-17;
May 2, 1941: 1-18 to 1-23;
July 17, 1941: 1-24, 1-25, 2-1 to 2-4;
December 2, 1941: 2-5 to 2-12;
March 6, 1942: 2-13 to 2-16;
Early 1945: 2-17 to 2-20 (New York City);
February 19, 1945: 2-21 to 2-25, 3-1;
February 24, 1945: 3-2 to 3-4;
December 4, 1946: 3-5 to 3-8;
January 28, 1947: 3-9 to 3-12;
September 29, 1947: 3-13 to 3-16;
December 19, 1947: 3-17 to 3-20;
January 4, 1949: 3-21 to 3-25;
February 1, 1949: 4-1 to 4-4;
November 8, 1951: 4-5 to 4-12;
November 9, 1951: 4-13 to 4-16;
December 10, 1951: 4-17 to 4-24.