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The Land Where The Blues Began (The Allan Lomax Collection)

Label: Rounder Records.
Release Date: October 22, 2002.
Recording Time: 78 minutes.
Recording Date: December, 1933 - October 1, 1959.
Release Info: Compilation (Rounder CD 82161-1861-2) Studio Recording.

Styles: Folk-Blues, Acoustic Blues, Blues Revival, Country Blues, Delta Blues, Field Recordings, Pre-War Country Blues, Regional Blues, Traditional Folk, Work Songs.

This CD (the audio accompaniment to an episode of Alan Lomax's American Patchwork series on American roots music) examines the roots of Mississippi Delta blues. Recorded between 1933 and 1959 by Alan Lomax, Lewis Jones, John W. Work, John A. Lomax, and Herbert Halpert, the CD reveals much about the sources for Delta blues musicians' styles and the environment in which they lived (and live). This goes all the way back to fife-and-drum bands and the one-string diddley bow to illustrate the style's deep roots, through the use of contemporary electric instruments. Big Bill Broonzy and Muddy Waters make contributions, as well as other musicians whose names will be unfamiliar to all but the most diligent blues scholars. ~ Rovi Staff

Tracklist:
01. Four O'clock Flower Blues - Willie "61" Blackwell & William Brown
02. Interview - Willie "61" Blackwell
03. Walking Blues - Son House, Fiddlin' Joe Martin, Willie Brown, Leroy Williams
04. When I Lay My Burden Down - Turner Junior Johnson
05. Strange Things Happening In The Land - Charles Haffer Jr.
06. Missionary Sermon (excerpt) - J.H. Terrell
07. Rock, Daniel - Reverend C.H. Savage And Group
08. Satisfied - Florence Stamp And Group Of Girls
09. I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord - Congregation Of The Church Of God In Christ, Clarksdale
10. Sermon: Hell Is A Place (Two Excerpts) - Reverend Ribbins
11. The Preacher And The Bear - M.C. Orr
12. Mississippi Sounding Calls - Joe Shores
13. Roustabout Song - John Cameron
14. The Toast To Bud Doggett - Will Stark
15. I Been Down In The Circle Before - Sampson Pittman And Calvin Frazier
16. Rosie - Dobie Red And Group
17. Early In The Morning - "22", Little Red, Tangle Eye, And Hard Hair
18. I'm Goin' Home - D.W. "Bama" Stuart
19. Go Down, Old Hannah - Ernest Williams And Group
20. John Henry - Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head, & Alec Askew
21. Emmaline, Take Your Time - Alec Askew
22. Jim And John - Ed Young, Lonnie Young, G.D. Young
23. Shake 'Em On Down - Fred McDowell
24. Wind Howling Blues - David "Honeyboy" Edwards
25. Country Blues - Muddy Waters
26. Black, Brown And White - Big Bill Broonzy
27. Life Is Like That - Memphis Slim , With Big Bill Broonzy And Sonny Boy Williamson
28. She Lived Her Life Too Fast - Forest City Joe

"The Land Where The Blues Began"
This CD is the soundtrack to Alan Lomax's acclaimed book of the same name. Here is an unforgettable tour of the haunted landscape that gave birth to the blues, a story told through the work of such legendary figures as Muddy Waters and Fred McDowell, as well as in the work songs, field hollers, hymns, ballads, fife-and-drum music, sermons, stories, and barroom toasts chronicled in the book.

"The Allan Lomax Collection"
The Allan Lomax Collection anthologizes the American, European, and Caribbean field recordings, worlds music compilations, and ballad operas of writer, folklorist, and ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax.

Recorded between 1933 and 1959 by Alan Lomax, Lewis Jones, John W. Work, John A. Lomax, and Herbert Halpert.

Remastered to 24-bit digital from the original metal and acetate discs and the original paper and acetate-backed tape recordings. These unique and historic recordings contain imperfections and surface noise typical of technology of their era.

Extensive notes and lyrics are included in the booklet.