RAGTIME BLUES GUITAR — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order 1927-1930 | DOCD-5062 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The emphasis is on inventive blues/ragtime guitarists on this CD. First there is a previously unreleased alternate take of Blind Blake playing the instrumental "Dry Bone Shuffle." Then there is the complete output of singer/guitarist Bill Moore (eight songs), the team of Tarter and Gay (two selections by the guitarists with Stephen Tarter singing), six cuts by guitarist George "Chicken" Wilson and harmonica/washboard player Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton, four solo numbers (two of which are instrumentals) by guitarist/singer Bayless Ross, and three performances from singer/guitarist Willie Walker (including two of the "South Carolina Rag"). The obscurity of these performers should not keep vintage blues fans away, for the music is quite enjoyable in addition to being formerly very rare. Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. The syncopated music that its black originators called “ragtime” was developed as a piano music in the last decade of the 19th Century, about the same time that the blues were also taking shape as a musical genre. Ragtime was a coming to terms between African cross-rhythms and the formalised syncopation of European art music and thus served equally as a vehicle for Scott Joplin’s doomed ambition to be taken seriously and as a safely exotic craze for whites. Pop fashion moved on, to take up and dilute other black musical creations but ragtime entered the American folk consciousness, both white and black; in the Eastern states, particularly, it became a vital component in the sound of black blues, its lilting dance rhythms permeating, sometimes dominating, the ideas of the musicians of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. Of Florida too if, as seems probable, that was Blind Blake‘s home state. Blake’s complete works were thought to have been included on Document albums DOCD-5024 to DOCD-50277, but an alternate take of Dry Bone Shuffle has been found, and is included here to complete the reissue of this great musician’s output. Less extensively recorded, but better documented, is Virginia’s William Moore. Moore recorded 16 titles for Paramount, but only eight were issued. They include blues, minstrel numbers like Tillie Lee, and novelties like Ragtime Millionaire. Also Virginia-based were Steve Tarter and Harry Gay. Tarter played fiddle, piano and banjo as well as guitar, which makes it a matter for regret that they only cut two numbers. Of George “Chicken” Wilson and Jimmy “Skeeter” Hinton, we know only their music, a selection of energetic dance instrumentals interspersed with more reflective blues. Wilson plays guitar and kazoo, while his partner switches between harmonica and two makeshift percussion instruments, a “bellboard” and the more familiar washboard. Also a biographical unknown is Bayless Rose, If not a native of Virginia, he was familiar with that state; the title of his Jamestown Exhibition refers to the 1907 celebrations of the foundation of the Old Dominion, held in Jamestown, at which Rose may have played his “raggy”, music for visitors. Willie Walker, who closes this album, was remembered by Josh White as “the best guitarist I’ve ever heard. . . Blind Blake was fast but Walker was like Art Tatum.” His 1930 recordings have second guitar from Sam Brooks, whose considerable talent has tended to be overshadowed by Walker’s awe inspiring playing, unsurpassed for speed, clarity and invention even by Gary Davis, who was reluctant to play tunes he regarded as Willie Walker‘s. It’s a tragedy that Walker only recorded two numbers, mitigated a little by the existence of a second take of South Carolina Rag. Decide for yourself if Josh White‘s judgement was correct. DOCD-5062
Tracklist :
        BLIND BLAKE (1927)    
1    Blind Blake–    Dry Bone Shuffle [Unissued Take] 2:39
Guitar, Speech – Blind Blake
Rattle [Rattlebones] – Unknown Artist
        WILLIAM (BILL) MOORE (1928)    
2    William (Bill) Moore–    One Way Gal    3:15
3    William (Bill) Moore–    Ragtime Crazy    3:01
4    William (Bill) Moore–    Midnight Blues    2:42
5    William (Bill) Moore–    Ragtime Millionaire    3:07
6    William (Bill) Moore–    Tillie Lee    3:00
7    William (Bill) Moore–    Barbershop Rag    2:55
8    William (Bill) Moore–    Old Country Rock    3:00
9    William (Bill) Moore–    Raggin' The Blues    2:57
        TARTER AND GAY (1928)    
10    Tarter & Gay–    Brownie Blues 2:57
Guitar – Harry Gay
Vocals, Guitar – Stephen Tarter
11    Tarter & Gay–    Unknown Blues 3:02
Guitar – Harry Gay
Vocals, Guitar – Stephen Tarter
        CHICKEN WILSON AND SKEETER HINTON (1928)    
12    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    Myrtle Avenue Stomp 2:55
Guitar – George "Chicken" Wilson
Instruments [Bellboard], Washboard – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
13    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    D.C. Rag 3:17
Guitar, Kazoo – Chicken Wilson
Instruments [Bellboard], Washboard – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
14    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    Chicken Wilson Blues 3:06
Guitar – Chicken Wilson
Harmonica – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
15    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    House Snake Blues 3:04
Guitar – Chicken Wilson
Harmonica – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
16    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    Frog Eye Stomp 2:30
Guitar, Kazoo – Chicken Wilson
Harmonica, Washboard – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
17    Chicken Wilson & Skeeter Hinton–    Station House Rag 2:32
Guitar, Kazoo – Chicken Wilson
Instruments [Bellboard], Harmonica, Washboard – Jimmy "Skeeter" Hinton
        BAYLESS ROSE (1930)    
18    Bayless Rose–    Jamestown Exhibition    2:47
19    Bayless Rose–    Black Dog Blues    3:07
20    Bayless Rose–    Original Blues    2:44
21    Bayless Rose–    Frisco Blues    3:05
        WILLIE WALKER (1930)    
22    Willie Walker–    Dupree Blues 3:28
Vocals, Guitar – Sam Brooks, Willie Walker
23    Willie Walker–    South Carolina Rag [Take 1] 3:08
Guitar – Sam Brooks
Vocals, Guitar – Willie Walker
24    Willie Walker–    South Carolina Rag [Take 2] 3:07
Guitar – Sam Brooks
Vocals, Guitar – Willie Walker