Big Bill Broonzy Volume 13 (1949-1951)
Big Bill Broonzy: vocal, guitar. Includes: Black Bob, piano; Charley McCoy, mandolin; Antonio Casey, alto sax; Ransom Knowling, bass; Alfred Wallace, drums; Graham Bell's Australian Jazz Band. Genres; Country Blues, City Blues, Chicago Blues, Jazz. Informative 8 page booklet notes by Gary Atkinson Detailed discography This thirteenth volume of recordings by Big Bill Broonzy gives some idea of how this consummate performer was able to adapt to the many musical styles, trends, settings and eras that he encountered from the pre-war to post war years. From recording studios and night clubs of Chicago, Illinois, to the concert stage and night clubs Europe; Big Bill was one of the most remarkable of the blues artists to come from the pre-war period and ultimately became a pioneer as one of the blues world's most famous ambassadors. Continued...

NEW RELEASE

The Blues Revival Volume 1 (1963-1969)
Featuring: Sleepy John Estes, vocal and guitar. (With Yank Rachel, mandolin) Brownie McGhee: vocal and guitar. Mississippi John Hurt, vocal and guitar. Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), vocal and harmonica. John Jackson, vocal and guitar. Sippie Wallace, vocal with piano accompaniment. Big Walter Horton aka "Shakey" Horton Sonny Terry, vocal, harmonica. Informative 16 page booklet by Gary Atkinson. Detailed discography. The blues revival of the late 1950s and into the 1960s was marked by the rediscovery of some of the musicians that had made some of the finest recordings from the pre-war era. Musicians such as Skip James, Son House, Bukka White, Robert Wilkins, Sleepy John Estes and Mississippi John Hurt were just a few. It also encouraged blues fans and researchers to discover musicians that had never recorded before, including Mance Lispcomb, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Snooks Eaglin, Robert Pete Williams and John Jackson. Some were already active and were known to audiences both in the black urban clubs of cities such as Chicago in the north and Houston in the south, such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters and Little Walter. The emerging "coffee house"� and college circuits had already begun to see the appearances of musicians like Lead Belly, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and Josh White. As these musicians travelled from city to city and then on from country to country the hospitality that they received from their new fans, who's admiration and great respect was often equal to that of rock stars, was warm and welcoming with many new found friends made in the process. With the Blues revival came opportunities for artists and their fans to engage and socialise unlike before and with that came informal, impromptu, performances at parties, often organised by fans and patrons of the venues where concerts were performed. On rare occasions these performances were captured; recorded, using little more than a home, reel-to-reel tape recorder and a single microphone. In addition, privately funded studio sessions were arranged, or artists were recorded during "live" performances in front of audiences or in TV and Radio studios. In all cases they were away from the commercial recording pressures of the record companies. Continued...

NEW RELEASE

I'm Pretty Good At It - Country Blues Guitar (1928-1953)

Various Artists.
Informative booklet note by Bob Groom.
Detailed discography.
Genres: Accoustic, Country Blues, guitar. Bottleneck-slide guitar. Ragtime guitar.

As much as the roots of the of the blues family tree are long and go deep, so do its branches stretch far and wide. Within that tree, one of the strongest branches, which continues to grow and reach out in the forest of our world’s music, is the blues guitar. Overtaking the banjo, in its popularity by the early years of the last century, the guitar, in the hands of so many blues musicians, has been played in countless different ways, providing so many tones, expressions and feelings; sometimes as a backdrop to a singer’s song, sometimes taking the lead in a performance, sometimes providing the rhythm. Its adaptability, versatility and its all-important portability made it the ideal instrument for the iconic itinerant blues musician. From the solo performance of Ed Andrews, the first country bluesman to record, accompanying himself on guitar, through to scorching, electric, slide guitar playing of Elmore James in the 1950s and on to the blues and rock and roll guitarists today, the country blues guitar has been the bed rock for thousands of guitarists around the world.

Though one of the first instruments of the blues, the acoustic, country blues guitar, did not become a relic of the pre-war-blues era and as will be heard on this album, it continued to be used as a prominent instrument on many commercial recordings long into the post war period.

NEW RELEASE

We're Sisters Under The Skin

We're Sisters Under The Skin - Female Blues & Boogie Woogie (1944 - 1949)

Various Artists.
Informative booklet notes by Bob Groom.
Detailed discography.

Accordionist, pianist, singer and band leader, Christine Chatman was popular around New York and was given a recording session in 1944. Christine played a mean boogie piano and Decca probably had high hopes of good sales at the height of the boogie woogie craze. Her vocals were rousing rather than mellifluous with echoes of Big Joe Turner!

Although she didn't make records in the 1920s like her contemporaries, Viola Wells - known professionally as Miss Rhapsody - was an active member of the generation of lady 'vaudeville' blues singers that included Ethel Waters, Clara Smith, Lucille Hegamin et al. In fact she operated on that undefinable borderline between blues and jazz, having started out singing in a church choir. Her versatility is demonstrated in these Savoy recordings where she ranges from all out boogie in Bye Bye Baby through 1920's classics like Downhearted Blues and He May Be Your Man to the socially conscious We're Sisters Under The Skin. What a voice the lady had.... Continued...