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The Voice Of The Delta: The Complete Paramount Recordings Of Charley Patton

Label: Black Swan Records.
Release Date: April 16, 1995.
Recording Time: 128 minutes.
Recording Date: June 14, 1929 - May 28, 1930.
Release Info: BSCD-22, 2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered.

"The Voice Of The Delta: The Complete Paramount Recordings Of Charley Patton" is a highly-praised compilation album featuring the complete body of work Charley Patton recorded for the Paramount label between 1929 and 1934. The collection is noted for having the best possible sound quality through state-of-the-art remastering, despite the original poor recording quality of the Paramount studios.

Charley Patton was born on the Heron plantation, near the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. The exact year isn't very clear but is thought to be around 1890. He first played a guitar, according to his niece, when he was seven. He begun an itinerant existence, traveling around the neighboring plantations and joining medicine shows and getting a reputation as an entertainer and a lady killer!! Around 1924 he recorded a demo at H.C. Spier in Jackson, who sent it off to Paramount. They cut a deal sending him to Richmond, Indiana, where he cut 14 sides including "Pony Blues" in one session earning himself $700. This was the beginning of a career that would stretch through to Paramount's demise in 1933, when ironically Patton was attacked and had his throat slashed, which affected his voice. He did get another deal with the American Record Company, but sadly only 26 titles were released and the rest of the material destroyed. He died April 28th 1934 of heart failure. This excellent collection of 42 sides includes many of his Paramount sides and makes an excellent addition to any blues collection. Superbly presented in a 2-disc clam box with in depth sleeve notes by Neil Slaven this release represents excellent value.

* * * * *
The story of Delta blues starts with Charley Patton. His slashing slide style, hoarse and gruff vocals, and unerring ability to personalize even the most mundane blues lyric provides the template that eventually led to electric Chicago blues and beyond. Patton's 78s have been collected in several fine packages, including the JSP box called Complete Recordings, Catfish's three-disc budget box called Definitive Charley Patton, and the last word in all this, the impressive (and expensive) seven-disc Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues from Revenant Records. This attractive double-disc set from Black Swan dispenses with any ephemera and simply presents Patton's Paramount 78s, and as such contains his best-known songs like "Pony Blues," the two-part "High Water Everywhere," "Mississippi Boweavil Blues," "Down the Dirt Road Blues," and "High Sheriff Blues." Since Patton's rhythms and overall approach can be repetitive at times, casual listeners wondering what all the fuss is about might be better served with a single disc that hones things down a bit, but Patton's work is both the Big Bang and the epicenter of country blues, and picking up a set like this one and going a little deeper is well worth the time. ~ Steve Leggett

Credits: Design (Cover) - Tony Pierce; Guitar - Willie Brown (tracks: 2-7, 2-13, 2-14); Illustration - Anthony Mostrom; Photography By, Liner Notes - John Tottenham; Reissue Producer - Jon P. Pult; Violin - Henry Sims (tracks: 1-17, 1-18, 1-21, 2-2, 2-8, 2-11, 2-12, 2-15, 2-20); Vocals - Henry Sims (tracks: 2-15); Vocals (2nd Vocal Added) - Unknown Artist (tracks: 1-7); Vocals, Guitar - Charley Patton.

Tracklist:
  • 1-01. Pony BIues [3:00]
  • 1-02. Banty Rooster BIues [3:03]
  • 1-03. Prayer Of Death Part 1 [3:06]
  • 1-04. Prayer Of Death Part 2 [2:52]
  • 1-05. Screamin' And HoIIerin' The BIues [3:05]
  • 1-06. Mississippi Bo WeaviI BIues [3:10]
  • 1-07. Down The Dirty Road Blues [2:54]
  • 1-08. It Won't Be Iong [3:26]
  • 1-09. Shake It And Break It [3:09]
  • 1-10. SpoonfuI of BIues [3:12]
  • 1-11. Pea Vine BIues [3:02]
  • 1-12. Tom Rushen BIues [3:07]
  • 1-13. Lord I'm Discouraged [3:08]
  • 1-14. I'm Going Home [3:04]
  • 1-15. High Water Everywhere Part 1 [3:04]
  • 1-16. High Water Everywhere Part 2 [3:03]
  • 1-17. RattIesnake BIues [2:43]
  • 1-18. Running WiId BIues [2:53]
  • 1-19. Mean BIack Cat BIues [2:54]
  • 1-20. MagnoIia BIues [3:08]
  • 1-21. Mean BIack Moan [3:10]
  • 1-22. Heart Iike RaiIroad Steel [2:49]
  • 2-01. Green River BIues [3:12]
  • 2-02. EIder Green BIues [3:01]
  • 2-03. Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker [2:54]
  • 2-04. I Shall Not Be Moved [3:03]
  • 2-05. Hammer BIues [3:15]
  • 2-06. When Your Way Gets Dark [3:07]
  • 2-07. Moon Going Down [3:13]
  • 2-08. Going To Move To Alabama [3:03]
  • 2-09. Some Happy Day [3:10]
  • 2-10. You're Going To Need Somebody When You Die [2:56]
  • 2-11. CirIe Round The Moon [2:34]
  • 2-12. DeviI Sent The Rain [2:58]
  • 2-13. Bird Nest Bound [3:08]
  • 2-14. Dry Well Blues [3:18]
  • 2-15. Jim Lee Blues Part 1 [2:58]
  • 2-16. Some Summer Day [2:55]
  • 2-17. Frankie And Albert [3:11]
  • 2-18. Some Of These Days [3:17]
  • 2-19. Jim Lee Blues Part 2 [3:02]
  • 2-20. Joe Kirby [3:08]