Release Date: 1991.
Series: Blues Documents
Recording Time: 75 minutes.
Recording Date: November 2, 1928 - January 20, 1931.
Release Info: CD (BDCD-6013), Compilation, Reissue, Remastered, Mono.
Complete Recorded Works by Alec Johnson, Mississippi Mud Steppers, Mississippi Blacksnakes, Sam Hill.
The music on this enjoyable CD of rarities features overlapping groups that recorded in Atlanta in 1928, Jackson, MS, in 1930, and Chicago during several sessions in 1931. All of the recordings released under the names of singer Alec Johnson, the Mississippi Mud Steppers, the Mississippi Blacksnakes, and Sam Hill From Louisville are here. Such notables as guitarist/violinist Bo Carter, Charlie McCoy on mandolin, guitarist Joe McCoy, and guitarist/singer Walter Vincson are prominent in supporting roles and it is interesting to hear these future blues stars this early in their careers. Blues historians will want this valuable set. ~ Scott Yanow
Detailed discography.
This CD contains some of the recorded fruits of the relationship between the McCoy and the Chatmon families of Mississippi, beginning with the one session made by Alec Johnson, who was backed by Bo Carter on violin, and the McCoy brothers; guitar (Joe) and mandolin (Charlie), with possibly an under recorded piano. Johnson was evidently, judging by both his voice and repertoire, an older singer than his accompanists, and probably a veteran of the medicine shows. His repertoire favours the humorous, from the black joke of Miss Meal Cramp Blues and the saga of the Mysterious Coon, to the gently risque Toodle Oo, later recorded by Hamone Willie Newbern. Sundown Blues is an affecting 8-bar number, not much marred by Joe's duff chord at the end. By December 1930, when Walter Vinson and Charley McCoy recorded as the Mississippi Mud Steppers, Vinson was a hit-maker as a member of the Mississippi Sheiks with Lonnie Chatmon, having cut 'Sitting On Top Of The World' the previous February. With McCoy, he cut a series of instrumentals; the two stomps probably come from their repertoire for black audiences (Jackson Stomp is a driving version of 'Cow Cow Blues'), while waltzes reflect their frequent work for white audiences (which the Chatmons preferred, because of them having more money and being less rowdy). The following month, a fresh combination took its place before the studio microphones, this time for Brunswick. The Mississippi Blacksnakes seem to have been Bo Carter and Charlie McCoy. Blue Sky Blues and Grind So Fine, with Bo taking the vocals. Charlie sings on some titles; It Still Ain't No Good, to the tune of 'Beedle Um Bum', is a remake of his 1929 'It Ain't No Good', which seems to have been sold well. On Farewell Baby Blues (another version of 'Cow Cow Blues'), Charlie displays his guitar mastery, effortlessly switching to "Hillbilly Hawaiian" in the break. At the end of the first two days of the Blacksnakes' sessions, four titles were cut by "Sam Hill" from Louisville. The inverted commas are Brunswick's, making it likely that Sam Hill is a pseudonym (and "from Louisville" just a convenient rhyme, as with "Joe Dean from Bowling Green", who was a St Louisan). The second guitar and mandolin seem clearly to be by Charlie McCoy again; "Sam Hill" sounds very like Walter Vinson, perhaps evading a contract with Okeh. He even sings Things 'bout To Come My Way, which Walter recorded in October 1931 as a Mississippi sheik, and again in 1961. Just to complicate matters, there was a Sammy Hill playing guitar in the revived Mississippi Sheiks on that occasion.
(Informative booklet notes by Chris Smith)
Credits: Bo Chatmon - Guitar, Violin, Vocals; Sam Hill - Primary Artist; Alec Johnson - Composer, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals; Alex Johnson - Vocals; Charlie McCoy - Banjo, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Mandolin, Vocals; Hans Klement - Remastering; Kansas Joe McCoy - Guitar; Mississippi Black Snakes - Primary Artist; Mississippi Mud Steppers - Primary Artist; Mississippi String Bands - Primary Artist; Johnny Parth - Producer; Sam Hill - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Mandolin, Vocals; Chris Smith - Liner Notes; Rudi Steager - Executive Producer; Walter Vinson - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals; Bobby Womack - Composer; Shirley Jean Womack - Composer.
Tracklist:
- 01. Miss Meal Cramp Blues - Alec Johnson
- 02. Sister Maud Mule - Alec Johnson
- 03. Sundown Blues - Alec Johnson
- 04. Next Week Sometime - Alec Johnson
- 05. Mysterious Coon - Alec Johnson
- 06. Toodle Doo - Alec Johnson
- 07. Jackson Stomp - Mississippi Mud Steppers
- 08. Farewell Waltz - Mississippi Mud Steppers
- 09. Morning Glory Waltz - Mississippi Mud Steppers
- 10. Alma Waltz (Ruby Waltz) - Mississippi Mud Steppers
- 11. Blue Sky Blues - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 12. Grind So Fine - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 13. It's All Over Now - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 14. It's So Nice And Warm - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 15. It's Gonna Stare You In The Face - "Sam Hill" From Louisville
- 16. Near The End - "Sam Hill" From Louisville
- 17. Family Disturbance (Family Troubles) - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 18. Five Pound Ax Blues - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 19. Farewell Baby Blues - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 20. It Still Ain't No Good (New It Ain't No Good) - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 21. Easy Going Woman Blues - Mississippi Blacksnakes
- 22. Things 'Bout Coming My Way - "Sam Hill" From Louisville
- 23. You Got To Keep Things Clean - "Sam Hill" From Louisville
- 24. Bye Bye Baby Blues - Mississippi Blacksnakes
Personnel: Alec Johnson - Vocals; Bo Chatman - Vocals, Guitar, Violin; Charlie McCoy - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin; Joe McCoy - Guitar; Sam Chatman - Guitar; Sam Hill - Guitar; Sam Hill From Louisville - Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin; Unknown Artist - Piano; Walter Vincson - Vocals, Guitar.
Tracks 01-06: Recorded November 2, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia
Tracks 07-10: Recorded December 15, 1930 at King Edward Hotel, Jackson, Mississippi
Tracks 11-16: Recorded January 17, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois
Tracks 17-23: Recorded January 19, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois
Track 24: Recorded January 20, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois
All tracks are mono recordings.