Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 58 minutes.
Recording Date: June 9, 1937 - December 15, 1937.
Release Info: BDCD-6010, Compilation, Studio Recording, Remastered.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Classic Female Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Regional Blues.
Volume three in Document's series continues where the previous collection left off, with Memphis Minnie still in the midst of her so-called "band period"; beginning here with a series of mid-1937 dates, her backing musicians include both a trumpeter and a pianist (presumably Black Bob Hudson), although their subtle performances allow Minnie to take full command of the material in ways her recent sessions had not. New Orleans clarinetist Arnett Nelson is on hand for the remaining sides, most of which were previously unissued. ~ Jason Ankeny
Informative booklet notes by Howard Rye. Detailed discography
Memphis Minnie's "band period", discussed in the notes to BDCD-6009, continued through 1937 though with some changes in emphasis. Seven months elapsed after the session of November 1936 before she returned to the Vocalion studios. A trumpeter was again on hand playing in a fiery style. Certainly, some listeners will feel that this rough, blues style is appropriate to the task of accompanying Memphis Minnie. The pianist on the June 1937 sessions plays a much less prominent role than Black Bob had played during 1936. Whoever was involved, the result is that Minnie herself dominates these sessions, aggressive both instrumentally and vocally. "You can't take my money, man, and rule me too!", she cries, "I done got tired of your 3-6-9" an allusion to the number combination for excrement (i.e. shit) in the lore of the policy game. A further six-month gap intruded before Minnie returned to the studios in December 1937. This session was unusual in that four of its six titles were not issued at the time. The set up is unusual too in featuring the New Orleans clarinettist Arnett Nelson. Nelson had left New Orleans comparatively early, moving to Chicago around 1916. Trumpeter Lee Collins's recollection was that, "He was a great clarinet player but had a weird style – real vaudeville clarinet... Arnett's biggest trouble was that he liked to do tricks with his clarinet..." He was a member of Jimmy Wade's band in the 1920s and recorded with them. In the 1930s in Chicago, he took part in many sessions with blues bands. Nelson was capable of inspired playing in the most lyrical New Orleans style, as can be heard on Running And Dodging Blues for example. He was also, as Collins implies, given to the crassest vulgarity in the most inappropriate contexts, as some of his obbligato interventions in Walking And Crying The Blues witness. The unissued titles show him to much better effect. Nelson amply justifies Hugues Panassié's judgement that he "played the blues on an instrument with a purity comparable to that of the most authentic blues singers,". It would be interesting to know why these titles were rejected. Minnie herself is in commanding form and the pianist provides support wholly appropriate to his surroundings.
Credits: Alfred Bell - Trumpet; Blind John Davis - Piano; Black Bob Hudson - Piano; Ransom Knowling - String Bass; Minnie McCoy - Composer; Memphis Minnie - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Primary Artist, Vocals; Mr. Sheiks - Trumpet; Arnett Nelson - Clarinet; Johnny Parth - Compilation Producer; Howard Rye - Liner Notes; Rudi Steager - Executive Producer; Casey Bill Weldon - Composer; Fred Williams - Drums.
Tracklist:
01. Hot Stuff (Take 1) - Memphis Minnie
02. Hot Stuff (Take 2) - Memphis Minnie
03. Living The Best I Can - Memphis Minnie
04. You Can't Rule Me - Memphis Minnie
05. No Need You Doggin' Me - Memphis Minnie
06. Look What You Got (Take 1) - Memphis Minnie
07. Look What You Got (Take 2) - Memphis Minnie
08. My Baby Don't Want Me No More (Take 1) - Memphis Minnie
09. My Baby Don't Want Me No More (Take 2) - Memphis Minnie
10. Wants Cake When I'm Hungry - Memphis Minnie
11. Down In The Alley (Take 1) - Memphis Minnie
12. Down In The Alley (Take 2) - Memphis Minnie
13. Blues Everywhere - Memphis Minnie
14. Keep On Sailing - Memphis Minnie
15. Please Don't Stop Him - Memphis Minnie
16. Walking And Crying Blues - Memphis Minnie
17. I'm Going Don't You Know - Memphis Minnie
18. Running And Dodging Blues - Memphis Minnie
19. New Caught Me Wrong Again - Memphis Minnie
20. Stop Lying On Me - Memphis Minnie
Personnel: Memphis Minnie - Vocals, Guitar; Black Bob Hudson - Piano; "Mr. Sheiks" - Trumpet; Fred Williams - Drums; Blind John Davis - Piano; Arnett Nelson - Clarinet; Ransom Knowling - Bass;
Recording date, location, matrix, catalog number:
01. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1925-1, Vocalion unissued
02. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1925-2, Vocalion 03651
03. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1926-1, Vocalion 03768
04. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1927-1, Vocalion 03697
05. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1928-1, Vocalion 03697
06. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1929-1, Vocalion unissued
07. June 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1929-2, Vocalion 03612
08. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1936-1, Vocalion 03894
09. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1936-2, Vocalion unissued
10. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1937-2, Vocalion 03768
11. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1938-1, Vocalion 03612
12. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1938-2, Vocalion unissued
13. June 17, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1939-3, Vocalion 03638
14. June 22, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-1942-1, Vocalion 03651
15. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2052-1, ARC unissued
16. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2053-1, Vocalion 03966
17. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2054-1, Vocalion unissued
18. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2055-1, ARC unissued
19. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2056-1, Vocalion 03966
20. December 15, 1937, Chicago, IL, C-2057-1, ARC unissued