KOKOMO ARNOLD — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 2 : 1935-1936 | DOCD-5038 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For completists, specialists, and academics, Document's Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1935-1936) is invaluable, offering an exhaustive overview of Kokomo Arnold's early recordings. For less-dedicated listeners, the disc is a mixed blessing. There are some absolutely wonderful, classic performances on the collection -- "Policy Wheel Blues" and "'Cause You're Dirty" to name just two -- but the long running time, exacting chronological sequencing, and poor fidelity (all cuts are transferred from original acetates and 78s) are hard to digest. The serious blues listener will find all these factors to be positive, but casual listeners will find the collection of marginal interest for the very same reasons. Thom Owens

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. By 1935 Kokomo Arnold was firmly ensconced in Chicago. He was still a country boy to many of his associates but, never an unworldly man; he was quickly getting wise to the big city and its ways. Despite his dedication to his basement bootlegging business and a strong desire to “go fishing instead” he had become a fixture on the local entertainment scene, working beside most of the big names in the blues at that time. The session on July 23th 1935 saw the first use of a piano to support his highly personal slide style and speculation among collectors has it that this was his first collaboration with Peetie Wheatstraw. It was during the period covered by this albujm that Kokomo returned to Milk Cow Blues; covering his own hit in an attempt to recreate its success. This concentration on a winning theme may have made sense commercially but artistically Kokomo had much more to offer. He drew his subject matter from all over and if in April he was celebrating that rural scourge/hero the boll weavil by July he was commenting on the big city preoccupation of Policy. The mysterious John Russell also reappears in the sub title to Big Leg Woman where he seems to be giving Kokomo considerable trouble. I wonder if this was a real person who Kokomo felt the need to castigate in song or a fictional character from black urban mythology. DOCD-5038
Tracklist :
1    Kokomo Arnold–    Southern Railroad Blues    2:59
2    Kokomo Arnold–    Bo Weavil Blues    3:04
3    Kokomo Arnold–    Busy Bootin'    2:27
4    Kokomo Arnold–    Let Your Money Talk    2:47
5    Kokomo Arnold–    'Cause You're Dirty    2:59
6    Kokomo Arnold–    Tonic Head Blues    2:48
7    Kokomo Arnold–    Policy Wheel Blues    2:54
8    Kokomo Arnold–    Travelling Rambler Blues    2:54
9    Kokomo Arnold–    Stop, Look And Listen    3:04
10    Kokomo Arnold–    Doin' The Doopididy    2:57
11    Kokomo Arnold–    The Mule Laid Down And Died    2:51
12    Kokomo Arnold–    Big Leg Mama (John Russel Blues)    2:40
13    Kokomo Arnold–    Milk Cow Blues - No. 3    2:50
14    Kokomo Arnold–    Milk Cow Blues - No. 4    2:53
15    Kokomo Arnold–    Down And Out Blues    3:02
16    Kokomo Arnold–    Model "T" Woman Blues    2:54
17    Roosevelt Sykes–    Jet Black Snake    3:18
18    Kokomo Arnold–    I'll Be Up Someday    3:04
19    Kokomo Arnold–    I Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff    2:36
20    Kokomo Arnold–    Desert Blues    2:50
21    Kokomo Arnold–    Bull Headed Woman Blues    2:53
22    Kokomo Arnold–    Sundown Blues    2:38
23    Roosevelt Sykes–    The Honey Dripper    2:47
Credits :
Guitar – Kokomo Arnold (tracks: 17, 23)
Vocals, Guitar – Kokomo Arnold (tracks: 1 to 16, 18 to 22)
Vocals, Piano – Roosevelt Sykes (tracks: 17, 23)