JAZZ GILLUM — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1946-1949 | DOCD-5200 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

The fourth and final Document volume that reissues all of Jazz Gillum's recordings (other than his first two lost numbers and a later Lp) finds the singer and harmonica player performing in a style unchanged from the late 1930s even as the music world changed around him. He still sounded quite enthusiastic during this last batch of goodtime and lowdown blues, and the backup groups (with either Big Maceo, James Clark, Eddie Boyd or Bob Call on piano and the talented guitarist Willie Lacy being a major asset) are excellent. Highlights include "Roll Dem Bones," "You Got To Run Me Down," "Signifying Woman," "The Devil Blues" and "Gonna Be Some Shooting." Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. After their session with Roosevelt Sykes, Jazz Gillum’s studio association with Big Bill Broonzy seems to have come to an end and in February 1946 he was working with the great Big Maceo Merriweather on piano, Baby Doo Caston on guitar and Alfred Elkins on bass. All that was missing from the classic bar-band line-up of the early fifties was the drummer and at his next session in September of the same year Gillum introduced Judge Riley to fill the gap. Given the largely conservative attitude of RCA Victor one can only speculate as to what Gillum was actually playing in the clubs at this time. In the studio he continued to use this basic line-up up until his last, unissued, session for Victor in 1950. By this time the second southern invasion, led by Muddy Waters, had taken place and the writing was on the wall for Gillum’s generation of blues singers. Some, like Tampa Red had the adaptability to try to move along with the new trend while others, led by Big Bill, took a deliberate backward step for the benefit of the white folklorists. Others still either retired or just fell on tough times. Jazz Gillum seems to have been one of the latter and was forced to find means to support himself and his family outside music. In an interview with Paul Oliver in 1959 Muddy Waters remarked that he hadn’t seen Jazz Gillum in ten years. His reputation, coupled with the increased white interest in blues led to his recording along with Memphis Slim for the Folkways Label in 1961. He later worked at the folk club The Fickle Pickle and was poised to take a role in the “boom” of the 1960s when his death came on March 29th 1966. Fulfilling the prophecy of one of his last Victor recordings that there was Gonna Be Some Shooting he was shot in the head during an argument and was dead by the time he arrived at hospital. For the tastes of today’s, white, blues fan Jazz Gillum was never one of the leading lights on the blues scene of the thirties and forties but neither was he one to be ignored. He sold a lot of records. Although his harmonica style became outdated as soon as John Lee Williamson appeared, it did add a touch of country to balance the random clarinets, saxophones and trumpets that were coming to dominate the blues of the late thirties. Jazz continued to move with the times himself and by the end of his career was working with drummers and electric guitarists while using his heavy voice to good effect on songs that were as often as not written by Washboard Sam. His main objective as a performer was to entertain and in that he certainly succeeded. DOCD-5200
Tracklist :
1        Fast Woman 3:12
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
2        All In All Blues 2:52
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
3        Keep On Sailing 2:43
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
4        Look On Yonder Wall 2:59
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
5        Long Razor Blues 2:51
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
6        I'm Gonna Train My Baby 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
7        Roll Dem Bones 2:45
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
8        Can't Trust Myself 2:56
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
9        I'm Not The Lad 3:13
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals – Jazz Gillum
10        The Blues What Am 2:34
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
11        Gonna Take My Rap 3:08
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals – Jazz Gillum
12        You Got To Run Me Down 2:29
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
13        Chauffer Blues 2:35
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
14        Hand Reader Blues 3:05
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
15        Country Woman Blues 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
16        You Should Give Some Away 3:01
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
17        Take A Little Walk With Me 3:01
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
18        What A Gal 3:08
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
19        Signifying Woman 2:45
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
20        The Devil Blues 2:50
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
21        Jazz Gillum's Blues 2:54
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
22        Take One More Chance With Me 3:02
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
23        Gonna Be Some Shooting 3:00
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
24        Look What You Are Today 2:53
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
25        A Lie Is Dangerous 2:29
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum