JAZZ GILLUM — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 1 • 1936-1938 | DOCD-5197 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

William McKinley "Jazz" Gillum was a good-time singer and a fine harmonica player whose style predated the first Sonny Boy Williamson but was more advanced than the players of the 1920s. His complete output up to 1949 has been made available by the Austrian Document label on four CDs. The first volume has his first five sessions and one song from his sixth. Gillum is joined by guitarist Big Bill Broonzy on all of the dates with appearances by pianist John Davis, Washboard Sam and electric guitarist George Barnes (who is heard a year before Charlie Christian debuted). Highlights include "Jockey Blues," "Don't You Scandalize My Name," "Reefer Head Woman," "Good Old 51 Highway" and "You're Laughing Now." Fine blues-oriented music. Scott Yanow
 
Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Like so many others living in the black ghettos of Chicago, Jazz Gillum had been born in the south; in Indianola, Mississippi, to be exact, on September 11th 1904. He was one of an indeterminate number of children born to Irving Gillum and Celia Buchanan. When both these parents died in his early childhood Bill, or Jazz as he was already nicknamed, along with his brothers fell under the control of their mother’s brother, the church deacon, Ed Buchanan. It was now that Gillum’s interest in music came to the fore and he taught himself to play the harmonium and badgered his brothers into teaching him the harmonica. However, either because of Buchanan’s religious convictions or naturally harsh nature life under this new regime was pretty unbearable and Jazz was only seven when he followed the example of his brothers and ran away to join relatives in Charleston, Mississippi. By the time he was eleven or twelve Gillum ran away again to work as a field hand in Minter City, Mississippi. In 1918 he got himself a job in a drug store in Greenwood, Mississippi. All this time he had continued with his music and had progressed to working the streets to supplement his income. Finally, in 1923, he followed the developing black drift and moved north to Chicago. In the Windy City Gillum kept up his casual involvement in music and gradually became a part of the local scene. Eventually he started working in clubs where his ability as a singer brought him somewhat to the fore. Through this work he came into contact with many other musicians, one of whom was the hustling Big Bill Broonzy. It may have been through this connection that Jazz Gillum made his first appearance in a Bluebird recording studio in June, 1934. Working with Big Bill and a pianist who was probably Black Bob he produced an instrumental Harmonica Stomp and sung Early In The Morning. These tracks were released as the two sides of BB B5565 (Document DOCD-5574) Jazz Gillum was still in the company of Big Bill Broonzy when he returned to the studio and this disc opens with the four recordings he made for Bluebird in April 1936. Their first number, in praise of Gillum’s “cross-eyed consumptive Sara Jane” is also well known in the white rural tradition of the period and illustrates just how well Gillum and Broonzy worked together. In June of that year Gillum followed a practice common at the time and “moonlighted”, recording for another company under an assumed name. In this case he became Bill McKinley for ARC but either because he was badly treated at ARC or because Victor reminded him of his contractual obligations, he had returned to the fold by October of 1938. Jazz or Bill Gillum’s Jazz Boys appeared at this time spreading their existence over some ten titles. Initially they were just Big Bill’s guitar and Blind John Davis‘ piano augmented by an unknown drummer but on the second of the two dates utilising the name Washboard Sam took over as percussionist and extra sophistication was introduced with George Barnes‘ electric guitar. DOCD-5197
Tracklist :
1    Jazz Gillum–    Sarah Jane 3:01
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
2    Jazz Gillum–    I Want You By My Side 3:21
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
3    Jazz Gillum–    Jockey Blues 2:47
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
4    Jazz Gillum–    Don't You Scandalize My Name 2:18
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
5    Bill McKinley–    She Keeps On Rickin' 2:48
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar [possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
6    Bill McKinley–    I Went To The Gypsy 2:48
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar [possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
7    Bill Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    My Old Lizzie 3:20
Drums – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [probably] – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
8    Bill Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Alberta Blues 2:50
Drums – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [probably] – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
9    Bill Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    My Old Suitcase 2:59
Drums – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [probably] – Blind John Davis
Vocals – Jazz Gillum
10    Bill Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Birmingham Blues 3:19
Drums – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [probably] – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
11    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Just Like Jesse James 2:47
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
12    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Reefer Head Woman 2:59
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
13    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Gillum's Windy Blues 2:25
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
14    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    New "Sail On, Little Girl" 3:03
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
15    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Sweet, Sweet Woman 2:51
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
16    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Boar Hog Blues 2:47
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Electric Guitar – George Barnes
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
17    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Worried And Bothered 3:19
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
18    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    I'm That Man Down In The Mine 2:46
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
19    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Uncertain Blues 2:54
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
20    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Good Old 51 Highway 2:33
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
21    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    You're Laughing Now 2:42
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
22    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    I'm Gonna Get It 2:38
Double Bass – Unknown Artist
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
Washboard [probably] – Washboard Sam
23    Jazz Gillum And His Jazz Boys–    Mule Blues 3:13
Double Bass [probably] – Ransom Knowling
Guitar [probably] – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [probably] – Joshua Altheimer
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum