"The History Of Rhythm & Blues" Part One 1925-1942

For fans of classic R&B, History of Rhythm & Blues, Vol. 1 is an extraordinary document. From the love ballad "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere" to the barrelhouse New Orleans groove of "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee", the range of music from these selections is fascinating. Many of these are interesting curiosities, including "Ol' Man River" (one of the first production credits for a young Al Green) to the cult classic "One Mint Julep". (The addition of Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene" seems odd, however, since it doesn't really fit in with the remaining tracks, which lean towards doo-wop and ballads.) As could be expected, these are truly lo-fi recordings, but the sound quality can easily be overlooked when confronted with a song as powerful as Joe Turner's gut-wrenching "Chains of Love" or Ruth Brown's rollicking "5-10-15 Hours". Many of these cuts have since shown up on other anthologies (most famously the Atlantic Rhythm & Blues series), but there are some real rarities (such as the Edna McGriff selection) that are best heard here, and fans and collectors of classic R&B should seek this out. (Allmusic)trax disc 1:
1. My Soul Is A Witness - Austin Coleman 2. It's Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson 3. The Crucifixion Of Christ - Jessie May Hill 4. Shake That Thing - Papa Charlie Jackson 5. Outside Woman Blues - Blind Joe Reynolds 6. It's A Good Thing - Frank Stokes 7. Minglewood Blues - Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers 8. Match Box Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson 9. Diddy Wah Diddy - Blind Blake 10. Milk Cow Blues - Sleepy John Estes 11. Ease It To Me Blues - Barbecue Bob 12. No No Blues - Curley Weaver 13. Apaloosa Blues - Leecan & Cooksey 14. Little Rock Blues - Pearl Dickson 15. Kansas City Blues Pt 1 - Jim Jackson 16. Train Whistle Blues - Jimmie Rodgers 17. Goin' Back To Texas - Memphis Minnie 18. Roll And Tumble Blues - Hambone Willie Newbern 19. If You Haven't Any Hay - Skip James 20. Kokomo Blues - Scrapper Blackwell 21. It's Tight Like That - Georgia Tom 22. Didn't It Rain - Norfolk Jubilee Quartet 23. Beale Street Breakdown - Jed Davenport 24. Milk Cow Blues - Kokomo Arnold 25. Bedside Blues - Jim Thompkins 26. High Water Everywhere - Charley Pattontrax disc 2:
1. New Orleans Joys - Jelly Roll Morton 2. Traveling Blues - Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders 3. Snag It - King Oliver 4. Get Low-Down Blues - Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra 5. Mr Johnson's Blues - Lonnie Johnson 6. Backwater Blues - Bessie Smith 7. Knockin' A Jug - Louis Armstrong 8. Bullfrog Blues - Muggsy Spanier 9. Pinetops Boogie Woogie - Clarence "Pine Top" Smith 10. Cow Cow Blues - Cow Cow Davenport 11. Guitar Boogie - Blind Roosevelt Graves And Brother 12. How Long, How Long Blues - Leroy Carr 13. The Dirty Dozen - Speckled Red 14. Vicksburg Blues - Little Brother Montgomery 15. Sweet Miss Stella Blues - Rufus & Ben Quillian 16. Minnie The Moocher - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra 17. St Louis Blues - The Mills Brothers 18. Somebody Stole Gabriel's Horn - The Three Keys 19. Midnight Hour Blues - Leroy Carr 20. Lafayette - Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra 21. Flaming Reeds, Screaming Brass - Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 22. Strut That Thing - Cripple Clarence Lofton 23. Dirty Mother For You - Roosevelt Sykes 24. Weed Smoker's Dream - The Harlem Hamfats 25. Press My Button - Lil Johnson 26. Night Time Is The Right Time - Roosevelt Sykes 27. The Blues Ain't Nothing But - Georgia Whitetrax disc 3:
1. Teasin' Brown Blues - Louie Lasky 2. Barrelhouse Woman - Leroy Carr 3. Lead Pencil Blues - Johnnie Temple 4. Policy Dream Blues - Bumble Bee Slim 5. Naptown Stomp - Bill Gaither 6. Sloppy Drunk Again - Walter Davis 7. Jockey Blues - Bill "Jazz" Gillum 8. Holy Mountain - Elder Otis Jones 9. Standing By The Bedside Of A Neighbour - Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet 10. Louise Louise Blues - Johnnie Temple 11. Barrelhouse When It Rains - Big Bill Broonzy 12. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - John “Sonny Boy” Williamson 13. Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil) - Robert Johnson 14. Number Runner's Blues - Jimmie Gordon 15. Tell Me Baby - John “Sonny Boy” Williamson 16. Rockin' Chair Blues - Big Bill Broonzy 17. Diggin My Potatoes - Washboard Sam 18. This Train - Sister Rosetta Tharpe 19. Don't You Lie To Me - Tampa Red 20. Jivin' The Blues - John “Sonny Boy” Williamson 21. I Feel So Good - Big Bill Broonzy 22. Worried Life Blues - Big Maceo 23. Junker Blues - Memphis Slim 24. Grinder Man Blues - Memphis Slim 25. Catfish Blues - Robert Petway 26. Ain't No Business We Can Do - Doctor Clayton 27. Mean Ol' Frisco - Arthur "Big Boy" Cruduptrax disc 4:

1. Boogie Woogie Stomp - Albert Ammons & His Rhythm Kings 2. Boogie-Woogie - Jimmy Rushing w/Count Basie 3. One O'Clock Jump - Count Basie Orchestra 4. Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra 5. Keep A Knockin' - Milton Brown 6. T'Aint What You Do - Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra 7. Jumpin' Jive - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra 8. I Like To Riff - Nat King Cole 9. That's The Rhythm - Three Sharps & A Flat 10. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water - The Cats & The Fiddle 11. After Hours - Erskine Hawkins Orchestra 12. Floyd's Guitar Blues - Andy Kirk & His Clouds Of Joy 13. Gangster's Blues - Peetie Wheatstraw 14. Roll 'em Pete - Big Joe Turner & Pete Johnson 15. Down The Road A Piece - Will Bradley 16. Central Avenue Breakdown - Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra 17. Preachin' Blues - Sidney Bechet 18. My Fightin' Gal - Hot Lips Page Orchestra 19. Natchez Mississippi Blues - Lewis Bronzeville Five 20. Death Ray Boogie - Pete Johnson 21. Confessin' The Blues - Jay McShann 22. What's The Use Of Getting Sober - Louis Jordan & his Timpani Five 23. Take It And Git - Andy Kirk & His Clouds Of Joy 24. Cow Cow Boogie - Ella Mae Morse 25. Flying Home - Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra 26. Mean Old World - T-Bone Walker

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