Release Date: June 9, 1994.
Recording Time: 66 minutes.
Recording Date: October 17, 1938 - April 4, 1940.
Release Info: Compilation (DOCD-5239) Studio Recording.
Styles: Delta Blues, Regional Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues, Pre-War Blues.
Another 23 sides, covering the years 1938 through 1940. The sound on these records is much more jazz than blues, especially in the guitar and clarinet playing, and it sold, "Big Leg Woman" being a major hit and "Mississippi Woman's Blues" repeating the same melody. By the end of the decade, Temple would be working with Lonnie Johnson, one of the jazziest of blues guitarists, and jazz legend clarinetist Buster Bailey, and doing his most mainstream popular music, in terms of sound. The raunchiness of his material was still pronounced and delightful, however, from "Big Leg Woman" and "Grinding Mill" (another musical metaphor for impotence) to "Jelly Roll Bert" (featuring some delightful guitar/voice call-and-response work between Temple and axman Teddy Bunn), "Mississippi Woman's Blues," and "Better Not Let My Good Gal Catch You Here"--it's all surprisingly sophisticated, however, especially with the echo-y piano back-up, and more evocative of a Chicago club than any roadhouse. Temple's guitar playing may have lacked the jazz inflections that his recording manager was looking for, but his voice was one of the best in blues, alternately mournful and leering, with a surprising amount of power and expressiveness. ~ Bruce Eder
Credits: Joshua Altheimer - Piano; Buster Bailey - Clarinet; Marina Bokelman - Photography; Teddy Bunn - Guitar; Al Casey - Guitar; David Evans - Liner Notes; Lonnie Johnson - Guitar; John Lindsay - Standup Bass; Johnny Parth - Producer; Sam Price - Piano; Odell Rand - Clarinet; John Robinson - Clarinet; Johnnie "Geechie" Temple - Accordion, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Gerhard Wessely - Remastering.
Tracklist:
01. When The Breath Bids Your Girl Friend's Body Goodbye - Johnnie Temple
02. Big Leg Woman - Johnnie Temple
03. What A Fool I've Been - Johnnie Temple
04. Grinding Mill - Johnnie Temple
05. Between Midnight And Dawn - Johnnie Temple
06. Mississippi Woman's Blues (Walkin' Blues) - Johnnie Temple
07. Jelly Roll Bert - Johnnie Temple
08. Up Today And Down Tomorrow - Johnnie Temple
09. Getting Old Blues (Take A) - Johnnie Temple
10. Getting Old Blues (Take B) - Johnnie Temple
11. The Sun Goes Down In Blood - Johnnie Temple
12. Better Not Let My Good Gal Catch You Here - Johnnie Temple
13. If I Could Holler (Take A) - Johnnie Temple
14. If I Could Holler (Take B) - Johnnie Temple
15. Streamline Blues - Johnnie Temple
16. Good Suzie (Rusty Knees) - Johnnie Temple
17. Down In Mississippi - Johnnie Temple
18. Evil Bad Woman - Johnnie Temple
19. Cherry Ball - Johnnie Temple
20. Let's Get Together - Johnnie Temple
21. Good Woman Blues - Johnnie Temple
22. Skin And Bones Woman (Take A) - Johnnie Temple
23. Skin And Bones Woman (Take B) - Johnnie Temple
Recording date, location, matrix, catalog number:
01. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91519-A, Decca 7564
02. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91520-A, Decca 7547
03. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91521-A, Decca 7573
04. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91522-A, Decca 7583
05. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91523-A, Decca 7547
06. October 17, 1938, Chicago, 91524-A, Decca 7564
07. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65203-A, Decca 7573
08. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65204-A, Decca 7632
09. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65205-A, Decca 7599
10. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65205-B, Decca 7599
11. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65206-A, Decca 7632
12. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65207-A, Decca 7583
13. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65208-A, Decca 7599
14. March 6, 1939, Chicago, 65208-B, Decca 7599
15. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91757-A, Decca 7660
16. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91758-A, Decca 7643
17. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91759-A, Decca 7643
18. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91750-A, Decca 7660
19. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91761-A, Decca 7678
20. September 13, 1939, Chicago, 91762-A, Decca 7678
21. April 4, 1940, New York, 67489-A, Decca 7735
22. April 4, 1940, New York, 67490-A, Decca 7750
23. April 4, 1940, New York, 67490-B, Decca unissued