
Tracing the origins of the blues is a problematic and somewhat theoretical venture, because the music is an oral, not a written, tradition. BROKE, BLACK & BLUE tries to follow the development of recorded blues during its first 20 odd years. In most cases we have avoided its greatest stars by featuring the lesser known but no less deserving artists, from the obscure to the previously unreleased. Among the many included here are BLIND BLAKE, BARBECUE BOB, MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, FRANK STOKES, TOMMY JOHNSON, VICTORIA SPIVEY, SON HOUSE, KOKOMO ARNOLD, JAZZ GILLUM and CRIPPLE CLARENCE LOFTON. There is also plenty of previously unreleased material which will be of great interest to collectors and historians. 100 tracks, over four hours of music, 44 page illustrated booklet.
| Disc 1 1. Barrel House Blues 2:48 - Andrews, Ed2. Georgia Stockade Blues 3:25 - Delaney, Tom 3. Sun Brimmers Blues 3:23 - Memphis Jug Band, The 4. Goin' To Leave You Blues 2:49 - Cleveland, Big Boy 5. Dry Bone Shuffle 2:39 - Blake, Blind 6. Up Country Blues 3:13 - Bailey, De Ford 7. Dead Drunk Blues 3:13 - Wallace, Sippie 8. Original Stack O'Lee Blues 2:38 - Reed, Long 9. Easy Rider Don't You Deny My Name 2:56 - Barbecue Bob 10. Bo- Lita 2:39 - Brown, Kid 11. Everybody Help The Boys Come Home 2:22 - Smith, William And Versey 12. Church Bells Blues 3:14 - Jordan, Luke 13. Two Ways To Texas 3:00 - Glen, Emery 14. It Won't Be Long Now 3:28 - Barbecue Bob And Laughing Charley 15. Bottleneck Blues 2:51 - Weaver & Beasley 16. Rock Island Blues 2:58 - Black, Lewis 17. Midnight Blues 2:42 - Moore, Wild Bill 18. Fare Thee Blues, Pt.1 2:30 - Head, Johnnie 19. My Monday Woman Blues 3:05 - Jackson, Jim 20. What's The Matter Blues 2:58 - Stokes, Frank 21. School Girl Blues 3:13 - Moore, Rosie Mae 22. Cool Drink Of Water Blues 3:23 - Johnson, Tommy 23. Left Alone Blues 3:18 - Bracey, Ishman 24. T And T Blues 3:10 - Richardson, 25. T.C. Johnson Blues 3:20 - Johnson, T.C And Disc 2 1. Ham Hound Crave 2:48 - Lacy, Rube2. No More Women Blues 2:36 - Texas Alexander 3. How Long- How Long Blues 3:06 - Jackson, 4. Unknown Blues 2:53 - Tarter And Gay 5. Chicken Wilson Blues 2:47 - Wilson, Chicken And Skeeter Hinton 6. Stack O'Lee Blues 2:54 - Hurt, Mississippi John 7. Broke And Hungry Blues 2:54 - Howell, Peg Leg 8. Funny Feathers 2:47 - Spivey, Victoria 9. Pitchin' Boogie 2:54 - Ezell, Will 10. Mr. Devil Blues 2:40 - Davenport, Jed 11. Mississippi Bottom Blues 2:55 - Bailey, Kid 12. Weary Heart Blues 2:30 - Wiggins, James 13. Poor Man Blues 2:42 - Townsend, Henry 14. Framer's Blues 2:48 - Framer, Eli 15. Trinity River Blues 2:35 - Walker, Aaron 16. Heavy Suitcase Blues 2:43 - Taylor, Charley 17. Traveling Mama Blues 2:41 - Calicott, Joe 18. Jumpin' And Shoutin' Blues 2:50 - Akers, Garfield 19. Bedside Blues 2:36 - Thompkins, Jim 20. Walking Blues 2:51 - Son House 21. Future Blues 2:43 - Brown, Willie 22. Long Ways From Home 2:49 - Johnson, Louise 23. Frisco Blues 2:43 - Bayless Rose 24. Good Boy Blues 2:44 - Pettis, Arthur 25. No Special Rider Blues 2:37 - Montgomery, Little Brother Disc 3 1. Married Man Blues 3:14 - Reynolds, Blind Willie2. Dupree Blues 3:28 - Walker, Willie 3. 22 20 Blues 2:48 - Skijames 4. Lonesome Road Blues 3:02 - Collins, Sam 5. Midnight Hour Blues 3:04 - Carr, Leroy & Scrapper Blackwell 6. Fat Mama Blues 3:13 - Williams, Jabo 7. Never Mind Blues 3:11 - Boyd, Georgia 8. The Twelves (Dirty Dozen) 3:10 - Kokomo Arnold 9. Little Leg Woman 3:02 - Williams, Big Joe 10. That's What My Baby Likes 2:58 - Jackson, Bessie 11. Good Whiskey Blues 3:06 - Wheatstraw, Peetie 12. Strut That Thing 2:55 - Lofton, Cripple Clarence 13. Teasin' Brown Blues 2:43 - Lasky, Louie 14. Cold Blooded Murder, No.2 3:00 - Bumble Bee Slim 15. Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind 3:13 - Fuller, Blind Boy 16. Ashes In My Whiskey 2:33 - Davis, Walter 17. It's Cold In China Blues 2:46 - Mississippi Moaner, The 18. Jockey Blues 2:47 - Jazz Gillum 19. Prisoner Blues 3:07 - Clarke, George 20. Back Door Blues 3:07 - Weldon, Casey Bill 21. Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away) 2:30 - Woods, Buddy 22. Booker T. Blues 2:37 - Washboard Sam 23. Hard Scufflin' Blues 2:38 - Doyle, Little Buddy 24. Jersey Belle Blues 2:57 - Johnson, Lonnie 25. Baby, Please Don't Tell On Me 2:44 - McLennan, Tommy Disc 4 1. East St. Louis Blues 2:51 - Smith, Faber And Jimmy Yancey2. Bukka's Jitterbug Swing 3:00 - White, Bukka 3. Can't You Read 2:56 - Big Maceo 4. Life Is Like That 3:02 - Memphis Slim 5. Memory Of Sonny Boy 3:06 - Forest City Joe 6. Horse Shoe Boogie 2:55 - Brown, Lee 7. Ruby Moore Blues 3:19 - Brown, Lee 8. Low Land Blues 3:15 - Brown, Lee 9. Round The World Boogie 3:01 - Brown, Lee 10. Rock That Boogie 3:07 - Gordon, Jimmie 11. Fast Life 2:46 - Gordon, Jimmie 12. Mistreated Blues 2:40 - Gordon, Jimmie 13. I Ain't Like That No More 2:56 - Gordon, Jimmie 14. Chain Gang Blues 3:03 - Temple, Johnny 15. Yum, Yum, Yum 3:10 - Temple, Johnny 16. My Baby's Acting Funny 3:06 - Gordon, Jimmie 17. It's Time To Go 3:12 - Gordon, Jimmie 18. That Woman's A Pearl Diver 3:05 - Gordon, Jimmie 19. Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame 3:03 - Gordon, Jimmie 20. I Believe I'll Go Downtown Again 2:56 - Temple, Johnny 21. Something In The Moon That Gives Me A Thrill 2:58 - Temple, Johnny 22. Dixie Flyer 3:26 - Temple, Johnny 23. Believe My Sins Have Found Me Out 3:05 - Temple, Johnny 24. Rhythm Mama 3:09 - Temple, Johnny 25. New Little Girl, Little Girl 2:51 - Brown, Lee | Discography Disc One Ed Andrews, voc, g. - Atlanta, Ga., late March or early April 1924B617A - BARREL HOUSE BLUES Okeh 8137 Tom Delaney, voc; Fred Longshaw, p - New York City, June 18, 1925140699-2 - GEORGIA STOCKADE BLUES Columbia 14082 Memphis Jug Band : Will Shade, hca; Ben Ramey, kazoo; Will Weldon, voc, g; Charlie Polk, jug. - Memphis, Tenn., February 24, 1927.A37941-2 - SUN BRIMMERS BLUES Victor 20552 Big Boy Cleveland, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., or Richmond, Ind., April 12, 192712700 - GOIN' TO LEAVE YOU BLUES Gennett GE 6108 Blind Blake, g, speech; Unknown, rattlebones. - Chicago, Ill., April 13, 14, 1927.4462-1 - DRY BONE SHUFFLE Document DOCD5062 De Ford Bailey, hca. - New York City, April 19, 1927.E22503/04 - UP COUNTRY BLUES Brunswick BR 147 Sippie Wallace, voc, p; Louis Armstrong, cnt; Artie Starks, cl. - Chicago, Ill., May 6, 1927.80837-A - DEAD DRUNK BLUES Okeh 8499 Down Home Boys : Little Harvey Hull, Long "Cleve" Reed, voc, g; Unknown, g. - Chicago, Ill., May 1927.ORIGINAL STACK O'LEE BLUES Black Patti 8030 Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) voc, g. - New York City, June 16, 1927.144284-3 - EASY RIDER DON'T YOU DENY MY NAME Columbia 14257D Kid Brown and his Blues Band :Kid Brown, voc; unknown, cl, as; probably Troy C. Snapp, p; Unknown bjo. - Chicago, circa July 15, 1927.12930 - BO-LITA Black Patti 5049 William Smith, Versey Smith, voc; one of them, g; one of them, tam. - Chicago, circa August 1927.4686 - EVERYBODY HELP THE BOYS COME HOME Paramount 12505 Luke Jordan, voc, g. - Charlotte, N.C., August 16, 1927.39891-1 - CHURCH BELLS BLUES Document DOCD 5045 Emery Glen, voc, g. - Atlanta, Ga., November 7, 1927.145155-2 - TWO WAYS TO TEXAS Columbia 14283 Barbecue Bob and Laughing Charley : Robert Hicks, voc, g; Charlie Hicks, g. - Atlanta, November 9, 1927.145192-2 - IT WON'T BE LONG NOW, PT.1 Columbia 14268D Sylvester Weaver & Walter Beasley, g. - New York City, November 27, 1927.81883-A - BOTTLENECK BLUES Okeh 8530 Lewis Black, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., December 10, 1927.145361-3 - ROCK ISLAND BLUES Columbia 14429 William (Bill)Moore, voc, g. - Chicago, circa January 1928.20312-3 - MIDNIGHT BLUES Paramount PM 12636 Johnnie Head, voc, g, kazoo. - Chicago, circa January 1928.20274-2 - FARE THEE BLUES, PT.1 Paramount 12628 Jim Jackson, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., January 30, 1928.41800-1 - MY MONDAY WOMAN BLUES Victor 21236 Frank Stokes, voc, g, unknown, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 1, 1928.41826-1 - WHAT'S THE MATTER BLUES Victor V38531 Rosie Mae Moore, voc., Charlie McCoy, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 3, 1928.41832-2 - SCHOOL GIRL BLUES Victor V 21408 Tommy Johnson, voc, g; Charlie McCoy, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 3, 1928.41836-2 - COOL DRINK OF WATER BLUES Victor V 21279 Ishman Bracey, voc, g; Charlie McCoy, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 4, 1928.41843-2 - LEFT ALONE BLUES Victor V 21349 Jim "Mooch" Richardson, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 13, 1928.400213-B - T AND T BLUES Okeh 8554 T.C. Johnson and "Blue Coat" Tom Nelson : T.C. Johnson, voc, g; Tom Nelson, violin. - Memphis, Tenn., February 16, 1928.400250-B - T.C. JOHNSON BLUES Okeh 8838 Disc Two Rube Lacey (Reubin Lacy) voc, g; Ralph Lembo, voc. - Chicago, Ill., March 1928.20420-3 - HAM HOUND CRAVE Paramount 12629 Texas Alexander, voc, Lonnie Johnson, g. - San Antonio, TX., March 9, 1928.400446-A - NO MORE WOMEN BLUES Okeh 8624 Sonny Porter ("New Orleans" Willie Jackson), voc; J.C. Johnson, p; Eddie Lang, g. - New York City, October 5, 1928.147108-3 - HOW LONG-HOW LONG BLUES Columbia 14366 Tarter and Gay : Stephen Tarter, voc, g; Harry Gay, g. - Bristol, Tenn., November 2, 1928.47280-3 - UNKNOWN BLUES Victor 38017 Chicken Wilson and Skeeter Hinton : George "Chicken" Wilson, g; Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton, hca. - Long Island City, NYC., circa December 1928.319-A - CHICKEN WILSON BLUES QRS R 7052 Mississippi John Hurt, voc, g. - New York City, December 28, 1928.401481-B - STACK O'LEE BLUES Okeh 8654 Peg Leg Howell, voc, g; unknown, violin. - Atlanta, Ga., April 10, 1929.148236-1 - BROKE AND HUNGRY BLUES Columbia 14438-D Victoria Spivey, voc., Louis Armstrong, tp; Fred Robinson, tb; Jimmy Strong, cl, ts; Gene Anderson, p; Mancy Cara, bj; Zutty Singleton, d. - New York City, July 10, 1929.402525C - FUNNY FEATHERS Okeh 8713 Will Ezell, voc, p; Baby Jay, cnt; Blind Roosevelt Graves, g; Uaroy Graves, tamb. - Richmond, Ind., September 20, 1929.15650 - PITCHIN' BOOGIE Paramount 12855 Joe Williams, voc, g; Jed Davenport, hca. - Memphis, Tenn., September 23, 1929.M196 - MR. DEVIL BLUES Vocalion 1457 Kid Bailey, voc, g; unknown, g. - Memphis, Tenn., September 25, 1929M209/10 - MISSISSIPPI BOTTOM BLUES Brunswick 7114 James Wiggins, voc, hca; Blind Leroy Garnett, p. - Richmond, Ind., October 12, 1929.15765A - WEARY HEART BLUES Paramount 12878 Henry Townsend, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., November 15, 1929.403303-A - POOR MAN BLUES Columbia 14491Eli Framer, voc, g. - Atlanta, Ga., November 29, 1929.56640 - FRAMER'S BLUES Victor 23409 Oak Cliff T-Bone (T-Bone Walker), voc, g; Douglas Fernell, p. - Dallas, Tx., December 5, 1929.W 149548-1 - TRINITY RIVER BLUES Columbia CO 14506D Charley Taylor, voc, p. - Grafton, Wis., circa December 1929. L-251-1 - HEAVY SUITCASE BLUES Paramount 12967 Joe Calicott, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., February 20, 1930.MEM-778 - TRAVELING MAMA BLUES Brunswick 7166 Garfield Akers, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., circa February 21, 1930.MEM-777A - JUMPIN' AND SHOUTIN' BLUES Vocalion 1481 Jim Thompkins, voc, g. -Memphis, Tenn., February 21, 1930.MEM 780 - BEDSIDE BLUES Brunswick 7200 Son House, voc, g. - Granton, Wis., May 28, 1930.9-2No.1 - WALKING BLUES Document DOCD 5002 Willie Brown, voc, g. - Grafton, Wis., May 28, 1930.1-418-2 - FUTURE BLUES Paramount 13090 Louise Johnson, voc, p; Son House and/or Willie Brown, speech. - Grafton, Wis., May 28, 1930.L399-2 - LONG WAYS FROM HOME Paramount 12992 Bayless Rose, g. - Richmond, Ind., June 7, 1930.16739 - FRISCO BLUES Champion 16772 Arthur Pettis, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., circa July 25, 1930.C5921 - GOOD BOY BLUES Brunswick 7182 Little Brother Montgomery, voc, g. - Grafton, Wis., circa September 1930.L501-1 - NO SPECIAL RIDER BLUES Paramount 13006 Disc Three Blind Willie Reynolds, voc, g. - Memphis, Tenn., November 26, 1930.64721-2 - MARRIED MAN BLUES Victor 23258 Willie Walker, voc, g; Sam Brooks, voc, g. - Atlanta, Ga., December 6, 1930.151063 - DUPREE BLUES Columbia 14578 Skip James, voc, p., foot tapping. - Grafton, Wis., circa February 1931.L765-1 - 22-20 BLUES Paramount 13066 "Salty Dog Sam" (Sam Collins), voc, g. - New York City, March 16, 1932.10836 - LONESOME ROAD BLUES Banner 32669 Leroy Carr, voc, p; Scrapper Blackwell, g. - New York City, March 16, 1932.11499-A - MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUES Vocalion 1703 Jabo Williams, voc, p. - Grafton, Wis., circa May 1932.L1408-1 - FAT MAMA BLUES Paramount 13130 Georgia Boyd, voc; J.D. Short, g. - Chicago, Ill., August 2, 1933.76835-1 - NEVER MIND BLUES Bluebird B 5573 Kokomo Arnold, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., January 18, 1935.C-9671-A - THE TWELVES (THE DIRTY DOZENS) Decca 7083 Big Joe Williams, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., February 25, 1935.85487-1 - LITTLE LEG WOMAN Bluebird B 5900 Bessie Jackson (Lucille Bogan) voc., Walter Roland, p. - New York City, March 5, 1935.16965-2 - THAT'S WHAT MY BABY LIKES Conqueror 8559 Peetie Wheatstraw, voc, p; Will Weldon, steel-g. - Chicago, Ill., March 25, 1935.C-924-A - GOOD WHISKEY BLUES Vocalion 02978 Cripple Clarence Lofton, voc, p; Unknown, wbd. - Chicago, Ill., April 2, 1935.C-947-B - STRUT THAT THING Vocalion 02951 Louie Lasky, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., April 2, 1935.C-945-B - TEASIN' BROWN BLUES Vocalion 02955 Bumble Bee Slim (Amos Easton), voc; Big Bill Broonzy, g; Myrtle Jenkins, p. - Chicago, Ill., July 18, 1935.C-1073-A - COLD BLOODED MURDER, NO.2 Vocalion 03165 Blind Boy Fuller, voc, g; Blind Gary Davis, g; Bull City Red, wbd. - New York City, July 25, 1935.17874-1 - BABY, YOU GOTTA CHANGE YOUR MIND Vocalion 03014 Walter Davis, voc, p; poss. Henry Townsend, g. - Chicago, Ill., October 1, 1935.BS96237 - ASHES IN MY WHISKEY Bluebird B6201 The Mississippi Moaner (Isaiah Nettles), voc, g. - Jackson, Miss., October 20, 1935.JAX-202-1 - IT'S COLD IN CHINA BLUES Vocalion 03166 Jazz Gillum, voc, hca; Big Bill Broonzy, g; unknown, b. - Chicago, Ill., April 3, 1936.100313 - JOCKEY BLUES Bluebird B6409 George Clarke, voc, hca; unknown, g. - Chicago, Ill., August 5, 1936.100897-1 - PRISONER BLUES Bluebird B7485 Casey Bill Weldon, voc, steel-g; Black Bob, p; Big Bill Broonzy, g; poss Bill Settles, b. - Chicago, September 16, 1936.C 1471-2 - BACK DOOR BLUES Vocalion 03330 Buddy Woods with The Wampus Cats : Buddy Woods, voc, g; unknown, 2nd g; unknown, p; unknown, b. - San Antonio, TX., October 30, 1937.SA-2845-1 - DON'T SELL IT (DON'T GIVE IT AWAY) Vocalion 03906 Washboard Sam, voc, wbd; Joshua Altheimer, p; Big Bill Broonzy, g; Ransom Knowling, b. - Chicago, Ill., May 15, 1939.034793 - BOOKER T. BLUES Bluebird B 8211 Little Buddy Doyle, voc, g; probably Walter Horton, hca. - Memphis, Tenn., July 1, 1939.MEM-17-1 - HARD SCUFFLIN' BLUES Okeh 05771 Lonnie Johnson, voc, g; Joshua Altheimer, p. - Chicago, Ill., November 2, 1939.BS 044050 - JERSEY BELLE BLUES Bluebird B8387 Tommy McClennan, voc, g. - Chicago, Ill., November 22, 1939.044246-1 - BABY PLEASE DON'T TELL ON ME Bluebird B8444 Disc Four Faber Smith, voc., Jimmy Yancey, p. - Chicago, Ill., February 23, 1940.WC-2955-A - EAST ST. LOUIS BLUES Vocalion 05464 Big Maceo Merriweather, voc, p; Tampa Red, voc., g. - Chicago, Ill., June 24, 1941.064193-1 - CAN'T YOU READ Bluebird B 8772 Memphis Slim, voc, p; Alex Atkins, as; Ernest Cotton, ts; Charles Jenkins, b. - Chicago, Ill., 1946.UB 21182 - LIFE IS LIKE THAT CD Charly 249 Forest City Joe (Joe B. Pugh), voc, hca; poss J.C. Cole, g. - Chicago, Ill., December 2, 1948.U 7164 - MEMORY OF SUNNY BOY Aristocrat 3101 Lee Brown, "The Heartbreaker" & his Barber Town Boogie Woogie Cats : Lee Brown, voc, p, unknown, ts; Leroy Foster, g; Big Crawford, b. - Chicago, Ill., September, 1946. K 5138 - HORSE SHOE BOOGIE Unissued K 5139 - RUBY MOORE BLUES Unissued K 5140 - LOW LAND BLUES Unissued K 5141 - ROUND THE WORLD BOOGIE Unissued Jimmie Gordon Bip Bop Band : Jimmie Gordon, voc, p; poss. Johnny Temple, voc; unknown tp, ts, b, d. - Chicago, Ill., September 1946. K 5142 - ROCK THAT BOOGIE Queen/King 4150 K 5143 - FAST LIFE King 4191, LP 859 K 5144 - MISTREATED LIFE Unissued K 5145 - I AIN'T LIKE THAT NO MORE Queen/King 4150 Johnny Temple, voc, unknown tp; Jimmie Gordon, p; Unknown, b, d, bjo. - Chicago, September 1946. K 5146 - CHAIN GANG BLUES Unissued K 5147 - YUM, YUM, YUM Queen/King 4150 Jimmie Gordon and his band : Jimmie Gordon, voc, p; unknown, tp, ts, bs, d. - September, 1946. K 5148 - MY BABY'S ACTING FUNNY Unissued K 5149 - IT'S MY TIME TO GO Unissued K 5150 - THAT WOMAN'S A PEARL DIVER Unissued K 5151 - JUMPIN' AT THE CLUB BLUE FLAME King 4191 Johnny Temple, voc, g; Unknown, tp, ts, p, b, d. - September, 1946. K 5152 - I BELIEVE I'LL GO DOWNTOWN AGAIN Queen/King 4151 K 5154 - SOMETHING IN THE MOON THAT GIVES ME A THRILL Unissued K 5156 - DIXIE FLYER Unissued K 5158 - BELIEVE MY SINS HAVE FOUND ME OUT Unissued K 5159 - RHYTHM MAMA Unissued Lee Brown and his Barbertown Boogie Woogie Cats : Lee Brown, voc, p; Unknown, ts; Leroy Foster, g; Big Crawford, b. - Chicago, Ill., September 1946. K 5160 - NEW LITTLE GIRL, LITTLE GIRL Queen/King 4157 |