ETHEL WATERS – 1925-1926 | The Classics Chronological Series – 672 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD in the Classics Ethel Waters series contains plenty of gems, including "You Can't Do What My Last Man Did," the original version of "Dinah," "Shake That Thing," "I've Found a New Baby" (which has some memorable cornet playing from Joe Smith), "Sugar," and "Heebie Jeebies." On "Maybe Not at All," Waters does eerie imitations of both Bessie Smith and Clara Smith. She had few competitors as a jazz singer during this era, and the mostly intimate recordings (12 of the 23 tracks find her backed by just a pianist) feature Waters at her best. Scott Yanow

Tracklist:
1     Loud Speakin' Papa (You'd Better Speak Easy to Me)    3:01    
Channing Pollack
2     You Can't Do What My Last Man Did    3:03   
J.C. Johnson / J.C. Jones / Ali Moore
3     Pickininny Blues    3:00    
4     Sweet Man    2:48    
Maceo Pinkard / Roy Turk
5     Dinah    3:12    
Harry Akst / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
6     No Man's Mamma    3:05    
Channing Pollack
7     Tell 'Em About Me (When You Reach Tennessee)    3:00    
Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
8     Maybe Not at All    3:08    
Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
9     Shake That Thing    3:13    
Papa Charlie Jackson
10     I've Found a New Baby    2:56    
Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams
11     Make Me a Pallet on the Floor    2:50    
Shelton Brooks / Traditional
12     Bring Your Greenbacks    2:47    
Shelton Brooks
13     After All These Years    3:02    
Shelton Brooks
14     Throw Dirt in Your Face    2:48    
Shelton Brooks
15     I'm Saving It All for You    2:46    
Clarence Williams
16     Refrigeratin' Papa (Mama's Gonna Warm You Up)    3:16    
17     If You Can't Hold the Man You Love (Don't Cry When He's Gone)    2:45    
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal
18     Satisfyin' Papa        2:52    
Nathaniel Reed / Ethel Waters
19     Sugar    3:06    
Edna Alexander / Sidney Mitchell / Maceo Pinkard
20     I Wonder What's Become of Joe?    2:43   
Maceo Pinkard / Roy Turk
21     You'll Want Me Back    3:04    
Nathaniel Reed / Ethel Waters
22     Heebie Jeebies  2:46    
Boyd Atkins / Ralph "Shrimp" Jones
23     Ev'rybody Mess Aroun'    2:44
Credits :    
Lester Armstead - Piano
Jesse Baltimore - Drums
Bill Benford - Bowed Bass
Shelton Brooks, Sammy Fain - Accompaniment, Composer, Piano
Coleman Hawkins - Sax (Baritone)
Horace Holmes, Harry Tate - Cornet
Alex Jackson - Sax (Baritone)
Maceo Jefferson - Banjo
Ralph "Shrimp" Jones - Composer, Director, Violin
Joe King - Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Trombone
Joe "Fox" Smith - Contralto (Vocal)
Ethel Waters - Vocals
Pearl Wright, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Hooper, Maceo Pinkard, Nathaniel Reed - Accompaniment, Piano