BIG BILL BROONZY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 2 • 1932-1934 | DOCD-5051 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By early 1932, the point at which this second volume in Document's series begins, Big Bill Broonzy was well established on the Chicago music scene; although his music was beginning to take on an urbanized flavor, his forté was still country-blues, and the opening tracks here -- "Mr. Conductor Man," "Too-Too Train Blues" and "Bull Cow Blues" among them -- are among his finest examples of the form. Of equal interest are the sides he subsequently recorded with his Jug Busters, a rather mysterious group which yielded just two tracks -- "Rukus Juice Blues" and "M and O Blues" -- but which pushed Broonzy further away from his rural roots; in all likelihood, the group also inaugurated his collaboration with the enigmatic yet renowned Black Bob, with whom he would cut a series of classic guitar and piano duets in the months to follow. Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. By 1932 Big Bill Broonzy had got the measure of the music business. He was well known in Chicago and, with his winning ways and talent, had become intimate with the leading musicians of his time and place and was laying down the base of the edifice he graced so easily in later years when he became a father figure for the post war blues. He had also become a member of a loose group who performed knockabout and sometimes salacious numbers in a style that they advertised by the use of the name The Famous Hokum Boys. He also often appeared backing “Jane Lucas“, in more than one of her manifestations, and these recordings, along with further explanation, will be appearing on other albums in this series. Bill was still playing country blues though, and having worked conscientiously on his guitar playing could turn out masterpieces like Mr. Conductor Man, The Too Too Train and Bull Cow Blues but he also around this time put together his ‘ Jug Busters‘. This group, whose exact membership is still a matter of contention, was made up of Bill, another guitarist, a pianist, a bass player, a kazooist and a washboard beater. A later grouping included a trumpet player, trombonist and a jug-blower. It was an indication of the way the urban blues was going. The pianist may have been the still obscure Black Bob. DOCD-5051

Tracklist :
1    Steel Smith–    You Do It (A)    3:07
2    Big Bill Johnson–    Mr. Conductor Man (B)    2:59
3    Big Bill–    Too-Too Train Blues (Matrix 11605-2) (C) 2:50
4    Big Bill–    Worrying You Off My Mind - Part 1 (C) 3:04
5    Big Bill–    Worrying You Off My Mind - Part 2 (C) 3:06
6    Big Bill–    Shelby County Blues (C) 3:16
7    Big Bill–    Mistreatin' Mama Blues (Matrix 11609-2)     (C) 3:01
8    Big Bill–    Bull Cow Blues (C)     2:50
9    Big Bill–    How You Want It Done? (Matrix 1161-2)     (C) 2:51
10    Big Bill–    Long Tall Mama (D) 2:47
11    Big Bill And His Jug Busters–    M And O Blues (E)    3:10
12    Big Bill And His Jug Busters–    Rukus Juice Blues (E) 3:03
13    Big Bill–    Friendless Blues (F) 3:22
14    Big Bill–    Milk Cow Blues (F) 3:16
15    Big Bill–    Hungry Man Blues (F) 3:30
16    Big Bill–    I'll Be Back Home Again (F) 2:52
17    Big Bill–    Bull Cow Blues - Part 2 (F) 3:33
18    Big Bill–    Serve It To Me Right (F) 3:24
19    Big Bill–    Starvation Blues (Matrix 80394-1) (F) 3:23
20    Big Bill–    Mississippi River Blues (F) 2:40
21    Big Bill–    At The Break Of Day (G) 2:56
22    Big Bill–    I Want To Go Home (G) 2:45
23    Big Bill–    Hard Headed Woman (H) 3:21
24    Big Bill–    Dying Day Blues (H) 3:02