Blind Dog Radio

A Short Cut To The Grave (Gin, Justice, Jail & Judgement, 1924-1942) by Various Artists

Label: JSP Records.
Release Date: June 22, 2014.
Recording Time: 297 minutes.
Release Info: CD - JSP #JSPCD 77121.
Recording Date: 1924 - 1942.

Styles: Acoustic Blues, Country Blues, Pre-War Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Folk-Blues, Slide Guitar Blues.

This wonderful set includes four discs, 100 tracks in all, of vintage blues 78s released between 1924 and 1942 compiled by collector and archivist Neil Slaven. Each of the four discs has a theme, with the first disc presenting songs about gambling (including Peg Leg Howell's harrowing and kinetic "Skin Game Blues"), the second covering alcohol and drugs (including Tommy Johnson's immortal "Canned Heat Blues"), the third playlisting songs about jail and prison (including Bukka White's powerful "Parchman Farm Blues"), and the fourth winds things up with songs about death (including Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean"). Several of the sides here will be familiar to serious fans of prewar country blues, but there are enough rare sides here, too, to make this set an archival treasure, and the themed discs help sketch out the imagined (and sometimes very real) arc of many of these players' lives and times. ~ Steve Leggett

Credits: Kokomo Arnold - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Charles Avery - piano; Baby Doo - primary artist; Barbecue Bob - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Leroy Batchelor - bass; Walter Beasley - primary artist, vocals; Ed Bell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Big Maceo - piano, primary artist, vocals; Billy Bird - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Black Bob - piano; Black Spider Dumplin' - primary artist, vocals; Lewis Black - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Scrapper Blackwell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Blind Blake - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Lucille Bogan - primary artist, vocals; Big Bill Broonzy - guitar; Bumble Bee Slim - primary artist, vocals; Charlie Burse - group member, guitar; Bob Campbell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Gene Campbell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Leroy Carr - piano, primary artist, vocals; Leonard Caston - guitar, vocals; Bo Chatman - group member, guitar, vocals; Harry Chatman - piano; Lonnie Chatman - group member, violin; Buddy Christian - banjo; Peter Cleighton - primary artist; Albert Clemons - piano, vocals; Sam Collins - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Robert Cooksey - harmonica; Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Julius Daniels - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Blind Teddy Darby - primary artist, vocals; Blind John Davis - piano; Tom Dickson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Charlie Dixon - banjo, group member; Champion Jack Dupree - piano, primary artist, vocals; Alfred Elkins - bass; Sleepy John Estes - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Foster & Harris - primary artist; Bill Gaither - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Georgia Jazz Band - guest artist; Georgia Tom - group member, piano, primary artist, vocals, whistle (human); Clifford Gibson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Gene Gilmore - piano; Jimmie Gordon - piano, primary artist, vocals; Porter Grainger - piano; Charlie Green - group member, trombone; Hattie Hart - group member, vocals; Buddy Boy Hawkins - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Fletcher Henderson - group member, piano; Peg Leg Howell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Jim Jackson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; New Orleans Willie Jackson - primary artist, vocals; Papa Charlie Jackson - banjo, primary artist, vocals; Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon - group member, vocals; Blind Lemon Jefferson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band - primary artist; James "Stump" Johnson - primary artist, vocals; K.D. Johnson - piano; Lonnie Johnson - guitar; Margaret Johnson - primary artist, vocals; Tommy Johnson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Jab Jones - group member, jug; Luke Jordan - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Little Son Joe Lawlers - guitar, vocals; Lead Belly - primary artist; Huddie Ledbetter - guitar, vocals; Bobby Leecan - guitar; Furry Lewis - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Hambone Lewis - group member, jug; John Lindsay - bass; Little Son Joe - primary artist; Clarence Lofton - piano; Cripple Clarence Lofton - primary artist; Louisiana Johnny - primary artist, vocals; Lillie Mae - primary artist, vocals; Leola Manning - primary artist, vocals; Kansas Joe McCoy - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Robert Lee McCoy - harmonica; Blind Willie McTell - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Memphis Jug Band - primary artist; Memphis Minnie - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Memphis Slim - piano, primary artist, vocals; Mississippi Sheiks - primary artist; Charlie "Dad" Nelson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Red Nelson - primary artist, vocals; Jack Newman - piano, primary artist, vocals; Charlie Nickerson - group member, vocals; Robert Nighthawk - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Charley Patton - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Charlie Polk - group member, jug; Jenny Pope - primary artist, vocals; Yank Rachell - mandolin; Ma Rainey - primary artist; Ben Ramey - group member, kazoo, vocals; Don Redman - clarinet, group member; Dot Rice - piano; Mooch Richardson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Alex Robinson - piano; Walter Roland - piano; Howard Scott - cornet, group member; Chuck Segar - piano; Bill Settles - bass; Will Shade - group member, harmonica, vocals; Neil Slaven - liner notes, remastering; Bessie Mae Smith - primary artist, vocals; Funny Paper Smith - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Speckled Red - piano; Victoria Spivey - primary artist, vocals; Vol Stevens - banjo, group member, mandolin; Wilson Swain - bass; Roosevelt Sykes - piano, primary artist, vocals; Tampa Red - group member, guitar, primary artist, vocals; Bessie Tucker - primary artist, vocals; Walter Vincson - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Washboard Sam - primary artist, vocals, washboard; Curley Weaver - guitar; Sylvester Weaver - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Will Weldon - group member, guitar; Nolan Welsh - piano, primary artist, vocals; Peetie Wheatstraw - piano, primary artist, vocals; Bukka White - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Georgia White - piano, primary artist, vocals; Robert Wilkins - guitar, primary artist, vocals; "Jackson" Joe Williams - guitar, vocals; Big Joe Williams - primary artist; George "Bullet" Williams - harmonica, primary artist, speech/speaker/speaking part; Sonny Boy Williamson I - harmonica, piano, primary artist, vocals.

Tracks, Disc 1: 1) Four-Eleven-Forty Four - Papa Charlie Jackson; 2) Numbers on the Brain - New Orleans Willie Jackson; 3) Coon Can Blues - Charlie "Dad" Nelson; 4) Skin Game Blues - Peg Leg Howell; 5) Georgia Skin - Walter Beasley; 6) Snitchin' Gambler Blues - Memphis Jug Band; 7) Policy Blues - Jim Jackson; 8) Alley Crap Game - Foster & Harris; 9) Gambler's Blues - Leroy Carr; 10) Poker Woman Blues - Blind Blake; 11) Bad Luck Dice - Clifford Gibson; 12) Hitting the Numbers - Mississippi Sheiks; 13) Dices Blues - Bob Campbell; 14) Policy Blues - Louisiana Johnny; 15) Policy Dream Blues (You Better Get on It) - Bumble Bee Slim; 16) Policy Blues (You Can't 3-6-9 Me) - Cripple Clarence Lofton; 17) Policy Wheels Blues - Kokomo Arnold; 18) I'm a Gamblin' Woman - Memphis Minnie; 19) Coon Can Shorty - Peetie Wheatstraw; 20) Gambling Man - Red Nelson; 21) Drunken Gambler - Roosevelt Sykes; 22) Policy Writer's Blues - Washboard Sam; 23) Number Runner's Blues - Jimmie Gordon; 24) Good Gamblin' - Robert Nighthawk; 25) Roaming Gambler - Peter Cleighton.

Tracks, Disc 2: 1) Booze and Blues - Ma Rainey; 2) Corn Liquor Blues - Lewis Black; 3) Dope Head Blues - Victoria Spivey; 4) Cocaine Blues - Luke Jordan; 5) Dead Drunk Blues - Margaret Johnson; 6) Bootlegging Blues - Jim Jackson; 7) Canned Heat Blues - Tommy Johnson; 8) Don't Drink It in Here - Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band; 9) Whiskey Moan Blues - Clifford Gibson; 10) Whiskey Drinkin' Blues - Jenny Pope; 11) Me and My Whiskey - Barbecue Bob; 12) Cocaine Habit Blues - Memphis Jug Band; 13) Papa Wants to Knock a Jug - Leroy Carr; 14) Corn Whiskey Blues - Funny Paper Smith; 15) Barrel of Whiskey Blues - James "Stump" Johnson; 16) Devil's Island Gin - Roosevelt Sykes; 17) Drinking Blues - Lucille Bogan; 18) Bad Liquor Blues - Scrapper Blackwell; 19) Drunken Woman Blues - Jimmie Gordon; 20) Bootleggin' Ain't Good No More - Blind Teddy Darby; 21) Blackberry Wine - Jack Newman; 22) Haven't Seen No Whiskey - Big Joe Williams; 23) Good Gin Blues - Bukka White; 24) Beer Drinkin' Woman - Memphis Slim; 25) Blues That Made Me Drunk - Sonny Boy Williamson I.

Tracks, Disc 3: 1) New Prison Blues - Peg Leg Howell; 2) Ninety Nine Year Blues - Julius Daniels; 3) The Jail House Blues - Sam Collins; 4) Jailhouse Fire Blues - Buddy Boy Hawkins; 5) The Escaped Convict - George "Bullet" Williams; 6) Penitentiary Bound Blues - Sylvester Weaver; 7) Hangman's Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson; 8) Judge Harsh Blues - Furry Lewis; 9) Penitentiary - Bessie Tucker; 10) Prison Bound Blues - Tampa Red; 11) My Crime Blues - Ed Bell; 12) Police Sergeant Blues - Robert Wilkins; 13) Whiskey Selling Woman - Lucille Bogan; 14) Robbin' and Stealin' Blues - Gene Campbell; 15) He's in the Jailhouse Now - Memphis Jug Band; 16) Buggy Jailhouse Blues - Lillie Mae; 17) Big House Blues - Leroy Carr; 18) Joliet Bound - Kansas Joe McCoy; 19) High Sheriff Blues - Charley Patton; 20) Chain Gang Blues - Kokomo Arnold; 21) Jailhouse Blues - Red Nelson; 22) Parchman Farm Blues - Bukka White; 23) Jailhouse Blues - Sleepy John Estes; 24) Angola Blues - Champion Jack Dupree; 25) County Jail Blues - Big Maceo.

Tracks, Disc 4: 1) See That My Grave Is Kept Clean - Blind Lemon Jefferson; 2) My Daddy's Coffin Blues - Bessie Mae Smith; 3) Burying Ground Blues - Mooch Richardson; 4) Death Bell Blues - Tom Dickson; 5) Down in the Cemetery - Billy Bird; 6) Dying Pickpocket Blues - Nolan Welsh; 7) Prayer of Death, Pt. 2 - Charley Patton; 8) Suicide Blues - Georgia Tom; 9) Dying Mercy Blues - Tampa Red; 10) Laying in the Graveyard - Leola Manning; 11) Death Cell Blues - Blind Willie McTell; 12) Dead and Gone Mother - Bumble Bee Slim; 13) Graveyard Blues (Dead and Gone Blues) - Jimmie Gordon; 14) Death Letter Blues - Lead Belly; 15) Six Cold Feet in the Ground - Leroy Carr; 16) Graveyard Blues - Georgia White; 17) Crying Mother Blues - Red Nelson; 18) When the Breath Bids the Body Goodbye - Walter Vincson; 19) Death of the Gambler - Black Spider Dumplin'; 20) Gonna Kill My Baby - Washboard Sam; 21) Bone Yard Blues - Little Son Joe; 22) Strange Place Blues - Bukka White; 23) Death of Walter Barnes - Baby Doo; 24) A Short Cut to the Grave - Bill Gaither; 25) Death Valley Blues - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup.