Release Date: April 18, 2000.
Recording Time: 298 minutes.
Recording Date: February, 1923 - January, 1949.
Release Info: Compilation (KATX1) Studio & Live.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Classic Female Blues, Country Blues, Delta Blues, Field Recordings, Folk-Blues, Jug Band, Jump Blues, Piano Blues, Pre-War Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Pre-War Gospel Blues, Regional Blues, Slide Guitar Blues.
This four-disc box set is a veritable treasure chest of early prewar blues with a cut-off point somewhere in the early 50s. The first disc features seminal tracks from the dawn of the music by Bessie Smith ("Weeping Willow Blues"), Blind Blake ("West Coast Blues #2"), Barbecue Bob ("Barbecue Blues"), Blind Lemon Jefferson ("One Dime Blues," Tommy Johnson ("Cool Drink of Water Blues"), and Ma Rainey ("See See Rider Blues"). Disc two features sides by Tampa Red, Son House, Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Minnie, and Charley Patton. The third disc features classics by Bo Carter, Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, and Black Ace, while the final volume finally showcases a few postwar performances from Louis Jordan, Muddy Waters, Pee Wee Crayton, John Lee Hooker (the original "Boogie Chillen"), and B.B. King. Each of the four discs in the set pack a generous 25 tracks apiece and the transfers are reasonably decent, taking into consideration the rarity of many of the materials at hand. ~ Cub Koda
Credits: Texas Alexander - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Fulton Allen - Composer; Albert Ammons - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist; Pink Anderson - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Louis Armstrong - Cornet; John Arnold - Piano; Kokomo Arnold - Composer, Guitar; Lovie Austin - Composer, Piano; Elijah Avery - Guitar; Leroy Bachelor - Sax (Bass); Buster Bailey - Clarinet; Barbecue Bob - Primary Artist, Vocals; Black Ace - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Scrapper Blackwell - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Blind Blake - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Lucille Bogan - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Son Bonds - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Ben Branch - Saxophone; Keith Briggs - Liner Notes; Big Bill Broonzy - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist; Charles Brown - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Earl Brown - Sax (Alto); Gabriel Brown - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Bumble Bee Slim - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; William Bunch - Composer; Charlie Burse - Guitar; Gus Cannon - Banjo, Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Leroy Carr - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Bo Carter - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Paul Carter - Composer; Peter Chatman - Composer, Piano, Vocals; Lonnie Chatmon - Composer; David Coleman - Drums; Floyd "Dipper Boy" Council - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Country Wranglers - Piano; Ida Cox - Primary Artist, Vocals; Ernest "Big" Crawford - Bass; Pee Wee Crayton - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist; Israel Crosby - Sax (Bass); Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Cow Cow Davenport - Composer, Primary Artist; Bill Davis - Bass; Maxwell Davis - Sax (Tenor); Walter Davis - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; George M. "Jud" DeNaut - Sax (Baritone); Charlie Dixon - Banjo; Simmie Dooley - Vocals; Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey - Composer; Champion Jack Dupree - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Sleepy John Estes - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Buddy Floyd - Sax (Tenor); Blind Boy Fuller - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Lowell Fulson - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Georgia Tom - Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Jazz Gillum - Composer, Harmonica, Primary Artist, Vocals; Lloyd Glenn - Piano; Porter Grainger - Composer; Charlie Green - Trombone; Lee Green - Composer; Leothus Lee Green - Primary Artist; Tuff Green - Bass; William K. "Billy" Hadnott - Bass; Fletcher Henderson - Piano; Robert Hicks - Composer; John Lee Hooker - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Lightnin' Hopkins - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Jimmie Hoskins - Drums; Son House - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Peg Leg Howell - Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Alberta Hunter - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Mississippi John Hurt - Composer, Guitar, Vocals; Reverend Charlie Jackson - Banjo, Primary Artist, Vocals; Charlie "Papa" Jackson - Composer; Jim Jackson - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Skip James - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Blind Lemon Jefferson - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Myrtle Jenkins - Piano; Sammie Jett - Trombone; Bob Johnson - Guitar, Vocals; Candy Johnson - Drums; Lonnie Johnson - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Pete Johnson - Composer, Piano; Robert Johnson - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Tommy Johnson - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist; Jab Jones - Piano; Little Hat Jones - Composer, Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals; W.J. Jones - Bass; Wilmore Slick Jones - Drums; Charlie Jordan - Guitar; Louis Jordan - Primary Artist, Vocals; Guy Kelly - Trumpet; B.B. King - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Ransom Knowling - Sax (Baritone); Tommy Ladiner - Cornet; Lead Belly - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Furry Lewis - Primary Artist, Vocals; Meade "Lux" Lewis - Composer, Piano; Noah Lewis - Composer, Harmonica, Primary Artist; Robert Lockwood, Jr. - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Cripple Clarence Lofton - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Jimmy Lytell - Clarinet; Tommy McClennan - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Charlie McCoy - Guitar; Kansas Joe McCoy - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Robert Lee McCoy - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Brownie McGhee - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Sticks McGhee - Guitar; Jay McShann - Piano; Pete McShann - Drums; Blind Willie McTell - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Memphis Jug Band - Performer, Primary Artist; Memphis Minnie - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Memphis Slim - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Big Maceo Merriweather - Performer, Primary Artist; Major Merriweather - Composer; Mississippi Sheiks - Performer, Primary Artist; Little Brother Montgomery - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Clarence Moore - Vocals; Fleecie Moore - Composer; Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - Composer; Al Morgan - Bass; McKinley Morganfield - Guitar, Vocals; Buddy Moss - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Phil Napoleon - Trumpet; Hambone Willie Newbern - Composer, Guitar, Vocals; Phineas Newborn, Jr. - Piano; Phineas Newborn, Sr. - Drums; Jimmy O'Bryant - Clarinet; James Burke Oden - Composer; Johnny Otis - Drums; Charles Panelli - Trombone; Charley Patton - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Willie Perryman - Composer; Robert Petway - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Piano Red - Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Yank Rachell - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals; Ma Rainey - Primary Artist, Vocals; Eddie Roane - Trumpet; Everett Robbins - Composer; Jimmy Rogers - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Jack Roth - Drums; Charles Sanders - Drums; Will Shade - Composer; Frank Signorelli - Piano; Freddie Slack - Piano; Bessie Smith - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Dan Smith - Guitar; Joe "Fox" Smith - Cornet; Thunder Smith - Piano; Charlie Spand - Composer; Speckled Red - Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Victoria Spivey - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Freddie Spruell - Performer, Primary Artist; Roosevelt Sykes - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Tampa Red - Guitar, Primary Artist; Johnnie "Geechie" Temple - Primary Artist; Arnold Thomas - Piano; Henry Thomas - Composer, Primary Artist; Ramblin' Thomas - Composer, Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Dad Tracy - One-String Fiddle; Traditional - Composer; Big Joe Turner - Composer, Vocals; Joe Turner - Composer, Primary Artist; Unknown Composer - Composer; Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - Primary Artist, Vocals; Walter Vinson - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; T-Bone Walker - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Sippie Wallace - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Landers Waller - Guitar; Washboard Sam - Primary Artist, Washboard; Muddy Waters - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Sax (Soprano); Curley Weaver - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist; Casey Bill Weldon - Composer, Guitar (Steel), Primary Artist, Vocals; Peetie Wheatstraw - Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Bukka White - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist; Washington White - Vocals; Hudson Whittaker - Composer; Robert Wilkins - Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Big Joe Williams - Composer, Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist; Eddie Williams - Bass, Composer; Sonny Boy Williamson I - Composer, Harmonica, Primary Artist, Vocals; Jimmy Witherspoon - Primary Artist, Vocals; Nathan Woodard - Trumpet; Oscar Woods - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals.
Tracklist:
1-01. Down Hearted Blues - Alberta Hunter
1-02. Worried Mama Blues - Ida Cox
1-03. Weeping Willow Blues - Bessie Smith
1-04. See See Rider Blues - Ma Rainey
1-05. Maxwell Street Blues - Papa Charlie Jackson
1-06. Mr. Johnson's Blues - Lonnie Johnson
1-07. Dirty Woman Blues - Victoria Spivey
1-08. Milk Cow Blues - Freddie Spruell
1-09. West Coast Blues #2 - Blind Blake
1-10. I'm A Mighty Tight Woman - Sippie Wallace
1-11. To Day Blues - Peg Leg Howell
1-12. Barbecue Blues - Barbecue Bob
1-13. Rock Island Blues - Furry Lewis
1-14. Jim Jackson's Kansas City Blues - Jim Jackson
1-15. One Dime Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
1-16. Cool Drink Of Water Blues - Tommy Johnson
1-17. No More Women Blues - Texas Alexander
1-18. CC&O Blues - Pink Anderson
1-19. Bulldoze Blues - Henry Thomas
1-20. Kokomo Blues - Scrapper Blackwell
1-21. Cow Cow Blues - Cow Cow Davenport
1-22. Feather Bed - Gus Cannon
1-23. Hard Dallas Blues #4 - Ramblin' Thomas
1-24. Prison Bound Blues - Leroy Carr
1-25. Ain't No Tellin' - Mississippi John Hurt
2-01. Train Time Blues - Tampa Red
2-02. Nobody Knows - Hambone Willie Newbern
2-03. Number Forty Four Blues - Lee Green
2-04. The Dirty Dozens - Speckled Red
2-05. That's No Way To Get Along - Robert Wilkins
2-06. Divin' Duck Blues - Sleepy John Estes
2-07. Devil In The Woodpile - Noah Lewis
2-08. Come Around To My House Mama - Blind Willie McTell
2-09. Six Shooter Blues - Georgia Tom
2-10. Sitting On Top Of The World - Mississippi Sheiks
2-11. Preachin' The Blues - Son House
2-12. Bye Bye Baby Blues - Little Hat Jones
2-13. Bothering That Thing - Kansas Joe
2-14. You May Leave - Memphis Jug Band
2-15. Black Angel Blues - Lucille Bogan
2-16. Things About Coming My Way - Walter Vinson
2-17. Cypress Grove Blues - Skip James
2-18. How You Want It Done? - Big Bill Broonzy
2-19. Baby Boogie Woogie - Curley Weaver
2-20. Hard Time Blues - Buddy Moss
2-21. My Butcher Man - Memphis Minnie
2-22. Hang It On The Wall - Charley Patton
2-23. Night Latch Blues - Yank Rachel
2-24. Midnight Special - Leadbelly
2-25. Numbers Blues - Peetie Wheatstraw
3-01. Bricks In My Pillow - Bumble Bee Slim
3-02. Lead Pencil Blues - Johnny Temple
3-03. Mama Don't Allow No. 2 - Washboard Sam
3-04. Vicksburg Blues No. 2 - Little Brother Montgomery
3-05. Baby, Please Don't Go - Big Joe Williams
3-06. Honky Tonk Train Blues - Meade Lux Lewis
3-07. Boogie Woogie Stomp - Albert Ammons
3-08. Cigarette Blues - Bo Carter
3-09. The Honeydripper - Roosevelt Sykes
3-10. Lone Wolf Blues - Oscar Woods
3-11. Sarah Jane - Jazz Gillum
3-12. Untrue Blues - Blind Boy Fuller
3-13. Runaway Man Blues - Floyd Council
3-14. Black Ace - Black Ace
3-15. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - Sonny Boy Williamson
3-16. Prowling Nighthawk - Robert Lee McCoy
3-17. Stop Breakin' Down Blues - Robert Johnson
3-18. Red Hot Blues - Casey Bill Weldon
3-19. Old Bachelor Blues - Son Bonds
3-20. Don't Know - Cripple Clarence Lofton
3-21. Cotton Farm Blues - Walter Davis
3-22. Bottle It Up And Go - Tommy McClennan
3-23. Roll 'Em Pete - Joe Turner
3-24. Bukka's Jitterbug Swing - Bukka White
3-25. Alabama Blues - Charles Spand
4-01. Blues At Midnight - Memphis Slim
4-02. Junker Blues - Jack Dupree
4-03. Catfish - Robert Petway
4-04. Black Spide Blues - Robert Lockwood
4-05. I Be's Troubled - Muddy Waters
4-06. Going Down Slow - 'St. Louis' Jimmy Oden
4-07. My Mama Don't Allow Me - Arthur Crudup
4-08. Wind Howlin' Blues - Honey Boy Edwards
4-09. Mean Old World - T-Bone Walker
4-10. Cherry Red - Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson
4-11. Caldonia Blues - Louis Jordan
4-12. I'm Gonna Take It Easy - Gabriel Brown
4-13. Driftin' Blues - Charles Brown
4-14. Chicago Breakdown - Big Maceo
4-15. Feel So Bad - Lightnin' Hopkins
4-16. Big Legged Woman - Brownie McGhee
4-17. Guitar In My Hand - Clarence Brown
4-18. Ain't Nobody's Business - Jimmy Witherspoon
4-19. After Hours Boogie - Pee Wee Crayton
4-20. Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker
4-21. Everyday I Have The Blues - Lowell Fulson
4-22. Got The Blues - BB King
4-23. Rocking With Red - Piano Red
4-24. Ludella - Jimmy Rogers
4-25. Evans Shuffle - Little Walter With Muddy Waters