BESSIE SMITH – 1923 | The Classics Chronological Series – 761 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This document of Smith's first year in the studio reveals a blues giant in full command of her talents. And while later dates -- especially the epochal 1925 sessions with Louis Armstrong -- offer more in the way of the era's horn-blowing royalty, these early sides nicely showcase Smith in the unadorned company of a variety of top pianists like Clarence Williams and Fletcher Henderson. The Empress of the Blues flexes her vocal muscle throughout, ranging from Broadway fare like "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" to the dark-hued rumblings of "Graveyard Dream Blues." She also revels in the provocative ambiguities of "Nobody in Town Can Bake a Sweet Jelly Roll" and puts her stamp on the future blues warhorse "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do." From the opening strain of her first best-seller, "Downhearted Blues," until the end of the disc, lovers of classic female blues will find plenty here to keep them enthralled. Stephen Cook
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BESSIE SMITH – 1923-1924 | The Classics Chronological Series – 787 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For sheer power, substance and depth, there is nothing in the world quite like the voice of Bessie Smith. Any portion of her recorded legacy can be rewarding if the listener takes the time to contemplate the interplay between singer and accompanists while the theatrical tale of each song unfurls itself. This particular grouping of 24 recordings made between October 1923 and August 1924 reveals a visceral young woman on her way to completely dominating the scene as the definitive female blues singer of the 1920s. One of the great delights in studying Smith's music is the science of paying attention to her backing instrumentalists. Fletcher Henderson, who accompanied so many blues vocalists throughout the early '20s, sounds like he's in perfect accord with the singer on "Any Woman's Blues." Teamed with Don Redman on six titles, Henderson blows on a siren whistle during the "Haunted House Blues," causing Smith to holler "Lord, help us to get right!" Harry Reser, banjo/guitar ace and leader of various hunky-dory novelty groups including the Cliquot Club Eskimos, appears twice on this CD, providing exceptionally fine accompaniment and incidentally doing his part to break up the color line six years before Eddie Condon recorded with a racially mixed group for Victor. The disc finishes off with four selections featuring trombonist Big Charlie Green, arguably the most sympathetic instrumentalist that Smith ever worked with. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1924-1925 | The Classics Chronological Series – 812 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This portion of the Bessie Smith chronology begins on September 26, 1924, and follows her progress through August 19, 1925. Several of New York's best jazz musicians, most of whom were active with Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra at that time, assisted the singer in making records that still sound remarkably colorful and dramatic. There are clarinet duets by Buster Bailey and Don Redman, passionate trombone passages by Big Charlie Green, and a series of nine collaborations with young Louis Armstrong. The Smith/Armstrong combination was powerful and in some ways formidable. "St. Louis Blues," rendered mysterious by Fred Longshaw's reed organ accompaniment, is perhaps their mutual masterpiece, along with "You've Been a Good Old Wagon," a barrelhouse slow drag published in 1895. On May 5 and 6, 1925, Bessie Smith waxed two of her all-time best records, W.C. Handy's "Yellow Dog Blues" and the bouncing "Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home)." She was backed by Henderson's Hot Six, a mob that included a young saxophonist by the name of Coleman Hawkins. The rowdiest moments of the entire compilation occur during "Soft Pedal Blues," a slow and hedonistic number describing a buffet flat where wild parties were held, sometimes featuring live sex shows. Several times during this song the singer seems to relish the memory of these events, as she hauls off and delivers a throaty "yaahoooo!" as if to prove that no worldly pleasure was off limits. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1925-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 843 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Empress of the Blues is heard here in all her prime from 1925-1927. While also touring the country in the Harlem Frolics tent show during this time, Smith laid down hundreds of tracks in New York studios. These 24 performances feature such jazz luminaries of the day as pianist Fletcher Henderson, trumpeter Joe Smith, trombonist Charlie Green, and clarinetist Buster Bailey (the latter three men all played in Henderson's groundbreaking band of the day). Also on hand are Gotham legend and pianist James P. Johnson and songwriter extraordinaire Clarence Williams (along with such '20s classics as "Royal Garden Blues," "'Taint Nobobdy's Business if I Do," and "Everybody Loves My Baby," Williams penned a handful of the tracks covered here, including his collaboration with Fats Waller, "Just Squeeze Me"). Smith is powerful and in total command throughout, churning out her jazz-tinged blues on such standouts as "Backwater Blues," "The Gin House Blues," and "Hard Driving Papa." A must for all Smith devotees. Stephen Cook  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1927-1928 | The Classics Chronological Series – 870 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By the spring of 1927 Bessie Smith was making some of the toughest records of her entire career. Whoever lined her up with a sextet led by Fletcher Henderson did the world a great service, for here we get to enjoy Smith's handling of selections directly from the heart of the jazz repertoire. "After You've Gone" takes on all the majesty of Smith's best blues, and she seems to relish providing us with the verse in addition to the familiar chorus. "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is suddenly more substantial than ever before. This woman could sing anything. Even "Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)" completely transcends its Tin Pan Alley origins, becoming a fine slow drag without any vestiges of kitsch. "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" has been described by military historians as the theme song for the Spanish-American War. Hearing Smith sing it is one of the cardinal experiences in all of traditional music. She made every song into something peculiarly her own. That's Coleman Hawkins back there with a clarinet. On the following day, March 3 1927, Smith teamed up with her tried-and-true Blue Boys. "Trombone Cholly" is a tribute to Charlie Green, also known as "Big Green." His well-timed interactions with the singer's powerful voice, supported by the cornet of Joe "Fox" Smith and Fletcher Henderson's piano, are a wonder to behold. Green lovingly nudges her along through the verses of "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," a harrowing tale of knife-inflicted double homicide. "Them's Graveyard Words" carries a similar murderous current, something Smith was always happy to convey. Few vocalists have ever been able to express honestly troubled feelings with this blend of gravity and humor. April 1, 1927 found the singer once again in the distinguished company of pianist James P. Johnson. Bessie Smith specialized in the artful portrayal of the pissed-off woman archetype. "Lock and Key," a hilarious indictment of a cheater, has Smith stripping her unfaithful man of nearly every article of clothing she bought him. At one point the scenario is garnished with a colorful threat: "I'll shoot them off if I hear you cough!" This is one of Smith's very best pieces of theatrical entertainment, especially on account of her excellent working relationship with James P. Johnson. "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" takes things down to a funkier texture of piano and glib blues guitar. Smith's reading of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" might be the most soulful version ever caught on record. "Homeless Blues," dealing specifically with Mississippi floodwater disaster, is an extension of "Back Water Blues." Even as her accompaniments change from date to date, Smith's blues are consistently fine, as when Tommy Ladnier's trumpet finds common ground with the tuba of June Cole. It simply doesn't get much better than this. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1928-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 897 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of the greatest partnerships in all of recorded blues was the teaming up of Bessie Smith and champion trombone man Big Charlie Green. Their collaboration is well represented by the opening tracks on this volume of the chronologically reissued recordings of Bessie Smith. "Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 2" opens with a lurching, grinding trombone ostinato that matches perfectly the spirit and texture of Smith's testimonial. "Put It Right Here" could serve as the best example on record of this singer's irresistible way of presenting a song. The timing is perfect and the humorous lyrics are accentuated by the trombone with great precision. Somebody ought to put out a CD consisting of every record these two people ever made together. The next session in Smith's story took place on August 23, 1928. "Yes Indeed He Do" would be closely imitated four years later in the group singalong "Yes Suh!" as performed by Billy Banks and Jack Bland's Rhythmakers. Five records cut on August 24th handle the topics of social inequality, interpersonal relationships, and alcoholism. On "Poor Man's Blues" Smith speaks directly to the wealthy, and during "Washerwoman's Blues" she discusses the combined problems of race and class. "Me and My Gin" paints a grim portrait of the addict and her mental condition. Cornered and besotted, Smith vows to take on the Army and the Navy armed only with her bottle of fermented spirits. On May 8, 1929, guitarist Eddie Lang and pianist Clarence Williams assisted in the creation of three delightfully smutty sides dwelling on Smith's sexual appetite. The sound of Lang's guitar percolating along with her voice makes these selections especially nice. "I've Got What It Takes" and "Nobody Knows You" are two of Smith's toughest performances on record. Having what amounted to Clarence Williams' Blue Five backing her up seems to have given the singer solid support for self-expression. Anyone who has seen the motion picture St. Louis Blues will cherish the film soundtrack included in this chronology. The singer stands at the bar in a saloon, crying -- and singing -- into a mug of beer. The drama of a strong woman at the mercy of a man without any conscience is played out on the screen and can be envisioned by the listener. The 40-voice Hall Johnson Choir roars away behind Smith as she sways miserably. A hot band led by James P. Johnson wails with abandon as acrobatic waiters spin and tumble through the crowd without upsetting their trays full of drinks. Smith's no-good man shows up, appears to reconcile with her, and does a slow dance in her arms, but then pushes her away and laughs derisively while brandishing a wad of cash he has snatched from her purse! Everyone ought to see this film at least once. There are distortion problems with the soundtrack as presented here, and the nearly 11-minute sequence has been unnecessarily portioned into four segments -- a too-faithful reproduction of the Circle Records issue -- even though the uninterrupted soundtrack is available elsewhere. The disc closes with "Take It Right Back" -- featuring one of Clarence Williams' best piano accompaniments -- and a pair of lusty tunes with even finer piano by James P. Johnson. arwulf arwulf  
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BESSIE SMITH – 1929-1933 | The Classics Chronological Series – 977 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 24 tracks represent the last phase of Bessie Smith's recording career. Over the course of ten years and 160 great songs, Smith had without a doubt earned her place as the Empress of the Blues. Unfortunately, until her passing in 1937, she spent most of her time on the show circuit. For fans hungry for a healthy dose of her legacy, though, generous discs such as this provide a chance to revel in the classic female blues singing queen's lusty power. As usual, Smith is helped out by the day's jazz royalty. Featured over the course of the cuts here -- many penned by both Smith and pianist Clarence Williams -- are such top soloists as Benny Goodman, Chu Berry, James P. Johnson, and Frankie Newton. Of course, Smith grabs most of the attention, especially on definitive sides like "Gimme a Pigfoot" and "Black Mountain Blues," not to mention the ribald gem "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl." And as far as sound quality goes, this and many other of the discs in the Classics chronological series provide a viable alternative to Columbia's celebrated Complete Recordings line. Stephen Cook  
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BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings Vol. 1 (1923-1924) 2CD (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bessie Smith wasn't the first of the classic blues singers to record, but once she did, she became the form's dominant force, with a voice that combined clear diction, great power, and a unique capacity to convey complex emotions. Weariness gives way to resilience and sorrow to joyous triumph in Smith's performances, and there's nobility in her delivery of even the sometimes tritely comic lyrics she sang. This is the first of five two-CD sets that gather all her known recordings. The first 38 songs, from February 1923 to April 1924, are here. Smith was a presence when she first arrived in the studio: "Downhearted Blues," her first record and already a hit for its composer, Alberta Hunter, would sell nearly 800,000 copies in its first six months of release. It's a riveting performance, but there's greater substance just a couple of months later in the bending notes of "Oh Daddy Blues." There are many majestic performances here, with Smith usually accompanied by just piano, played by songwriter Clarence Williams, her working accompanist Irving Johns, or Fletcher Henderson. When her accompaniments begin to expand, Don Redman makes an appearance on clarinet, but the great band recordings with Louis Armstrong remain in the future. The liner notes, by Smith's biographer, Chris Albertson, are excellent, filled with illuminating background 

Tracklist 1:

1. Down Hearted Blues 3:28

2. Gulf Coast Blues 3:07

3. Aggravatin' Papa 3:19

4. Beale Street mama 3:37

5. Baby Won't You Please Come Home 2:58

6. Oh Daddy Blues 3:07

7. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do 3:29

8. Keeps On A-Rainin' (Papa, He Can't Make No Time) 3:09

9. Mama's Got The Blues 2:58

10. Outside Of That 3:30

11. Bleeding Hearted Blues 3:08

12. Lady Luck Blues 3:09

13. Yodling Blues 3:14

14. Midnight Blues 3:20

15. If You Don't, I Know Who Will 3:38

16. Nobody In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine 3:34

17. Jail-House Blues 3:16

18. St. Louis Gal 3:30

19. Sam Jones Blues 2:47

Tracklist 2:

1. Graveyard Dream Blues 2:46

2. Cemetery Blues 3:31

3. Far Away Blues 3:02

4. I'm Going Back to My Used to Be 2:56

5. Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time 3:12

6. My Sweetie Went Away 3:13

7. Any Woman's Blues 3:28

8. Chicago Bound Blues 3:18

9. Mistreating Daddy 3:19

10. Frosty Morning Blues 3:16

11. Haunted House Blues 3:31

12. Eavesdropper's Blues 3:13

13. Easy Come, Easy Go Blues 3:11

14. Sorrowful Blues 3:19

15. Pinchbacks - Take 'Em Away 3:17

16. Rocking Chair Blues 3:16

17. Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down 3:20

18. Boweavil Blues 2:54

19. Hateful Blues 3:09

BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings Vol. 2 (1924-1925) 2CD (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bessie Smith, even on the evidence of her earliest recordings, well deserved the title "Empress of the Blues" for in the 1920s there was no one in her league for emotional intensity, honest blues feeling, and power. The second of five volumes (the first four are two-CD sets) finds her accompaniment improving rapidly with such sympathetic sidemen as trombonist Charlie Green, cornetist Joe Smith, and clarinetist Buster Bailey often helping her out. However, they are overshadowed by Louis Armstrong, whose two sessions with Smith (nine songs in all) fall into the time period of this second set; particularly classic are their versions of "St. Louis Blues," "Careless Love Blues," and "I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle." Other gems on this essential set include "Cake Walkin' Babies From Home," "The Yellow Dog Blues," and "At the Christmas Ball." by Scott Yanow

 Tracklist 1:

1. Frankie Blues 3:34

2. Moonshine Blues 3:19

3. Lou'siana Low-Down Blues 3:25

4. Mountain Top Blues 3:14

5. Work House Blues 3:23

6. House Rent Blues 3:08

7. Salt Water Blues 3:29

8. Rainy Weather Blues 3:38

9. Weeping Willow Blues 3:12

10. The Bye Bye Blues 3:20

11. Sing Sing Prison Blues 3:06

12. Follow the Deal on Down 3:18

13. Sinful Blues 3:11

14. Woman's Trouble Blues 3:07

15. Love Me Daddy Blues 3:16

16. Dying Gambler's Blues 3:00

17. The St. Louis Blues 3:12

18. Reckless Blues 3:05

19. Sobbin' Hearted Blues 3:01

Tracklist 2:

1. Cold In Hand Blues 3:15

2. You've Been a Good Ole Wagon 3:30

3. Cake Walkin' babies (From Home) 3:11

4. The Yellow Dog Blues 3:05

5. Soft Pedal Blues 3:21

6. Dixie Flyer Blues 3:11

7. Nashville Woman's Blues 3:45

8. Careless Love Blues 3:27

9. J.C. Holmes Blues 3:05

10. I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle 3:23

11. He's Gone Blues 3:11

12. Nobody's Blues But Mine 2:53

13. I Ain't Got Nobody 3:11

14. My Man Blues 3:32

15. New Gulf Coast Blues 3:23

16. Florida Bound Blues 3:15

17. At the Christmas Ball 3:26

18. I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It 2:55

BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings Vol. 3 (1925-1928) 2CD (1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Listening to this collection, recorded from 1925 to 1928 as Bessie Smith's popularity grew, one only wishes that the recording technology of the day were a match for Smith's incredible voice. Naturally, this two-disc set contains many of her classic recordings, including "Back Water Blues," "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," "Lock and Key," "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," and "After You've Gone." This collection's also worth hearing for the backing musicians, who include Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, and other luminaries of the day. To listen to Bessie Smith is to hear the blues unadulterated, and to understand what inspired so many contemporaries and later singers, from Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin. by Genevieve Williams

Tracklist 1:

1. Red Mountain Blues 3:13

2. Golden Rule Blues 3:05

3. Lonesome Desert Blues 3:26

4. Them "Has Been" Blues 03:33

5. Squeeze Me 2:53

6. What's The Matter Now? 2:46

7. I Want Every Bit Of It 2:38

8. Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town 3:21

9. The Gin House Blues 3:14

10. Money Blues 3:12

11. Baby Doll 3:01

12. Hard Driving Papa 2:59

13. Lost Your Head Blues 2:56

14. Hard Time Blues 3:14

15. Honey Man Blues 3:14

16. One And Two Blues 02:55

17. Young Woman's Blues 3:09

18. Preachin' The Blues 2:52

19. Back Water Blues 3:19

20. After You've Gone 2:57

21. Alexander's Ragtime Band 2:58

Personnel includes: Bessie Smith (vocals);
Lincoln M. Conaway (guitar);
Charlie Dixon (banjo);
Don Redman (clarinet, alto saxophone);
Buster Bailey, Coleman Hawkins (clarinet);
Shelton Hemphill, Joe Smith (cornet);
Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, James P. Johnson, Porter Grainger (piano).
Recorded between 1925 and 1928.This is part of Legacy's Roots N' Blues series.Volume 3 of Columbia's five-box, ten-CD set finds Bessie Smith at the height of her career as a touring artist, recording consistently with high-caliber pianists like Fletcher Henderson and stride king James P. Johnson. While she was billed as "Empress of the Blues," Smith's accompanists handled her material in the small-group jazz style of the day, and her repertoire drew as much from tin pan alley, novelty and the vaudeville stage as it did from hokum and twelve-bar sources. There are many blues tunes here, but often the word was used as a marketing device rather than to connote a specific rhyme scheme or chord structure. On some of the later sides in Volume 3, the ensemble is expanded to include two horns--usually Joe Smith on cornet, with Jimmy Harrison or Charlie Green on trombone--and for one session, clarinet (a young Coleman Hawkins on "Alexander's Ragtime Band") and banjo. Chris Albertson's detailed history of Smith's life and career is continued in the accompanying booklet, which features numerous photographs of Smith and her colleagues and reproductions of various advertisements, studio logs, and 78 labels.

Tracklist 2:

1. Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 3:08

2. There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight 3:20

3. Trombone Cholly 3:12

4. Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair 3:23

5. Them's Graveyard Words 2:59

6. Hot Spring Blues 2:57

7. Sweet Mistreater 3:02

8. Lock And Key 2:59

9. Mean Old Bedbug Blues 3:14

10. A Good Man Is Hard To Find 3:02

11. Homeless Blues 3:01

12. Looking For My Man Blues 2:50

13. Dyin' By The Hour 3:00

14. Foolish Man Blues 2:55

15. Thinking Blues 3:10

16. Pickpocket Blues 2:44

17. I Used To Be Your Sweet Mama 2:51

18. I'd Rather Be Dead And Buried In My Grave 2:57

BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings Vol. 4 (1928-1931) 2CD (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The fourth of five volumes (the first four are two-CD sets) that reissue all of Bessie Smith's recordings traces her career from a period when her popularity was at its height down to just six songs away from the halt of her recording career. But although her commercial fortunes might have slipped, Bessie Smith never declined and these later recordings are consistently powerful. The two-part "Empty Bed Blues" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (hers is the original version) are true classics and none of the other 40 songs (including the double-entendre "Kitchen Man") are throwaways. With strong accompaniment during some performances by trombonist Charlie Green, guitarist Eddie Lang, Clarence Williams's band and on ten songs (eight of which are duets) the masterful pianist James P. Johnson, this volume (as with the others) is quite essential.

Tracklist 1:

1. Standin' In The Rain Blues 2:56

2. It Won't Be You 2:49

3. Spider Man Blues 3:24

4. Empty Bed Blues (Part 1) 3:03

5. Empty Bed Blues (Part 2) 3:22

6. Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There) 3:00

7. Yes Indeed He Do! 3:17

8. Devil's Gonna Git You 3:12

9. You Ought To Be Ashamed 3:08

10. Washwoman's Blues 3:10

11. Slow And Easy Man 2:58

12. Poor Man's Blues 3:26

13. Please Help Me Get Him Out Of My Mind 2:58

14. Me And My Gin 2:52

15. I'm Wild About That Thing 2:50

16. You've Got To Give Me Some 2:44

17. Kitchen Man 2:58

18. I've Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away) 3:11

19. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out 3:00

20. Take It Right Back ('Cause I Don't Want It Here) 3:20

Tracklist 2:

1. He's Got Me Goin' 3:15

2. It Makes My Love Come Down 2:58

3. Wasted Life Blues 3:05

4. Dirty No-Gooder's Blues 3:00

5. Blue Spirit Blues 2:58

6. Worn Out Papa Blues 2:51

7. You Don't Understand 3:06

8. Don't Cry Baby 3:12

9. Keep It To Yourself 3:33

10. New Orleans Hop Scop Blues 2:59

11. See If I'll Care 3:26

12. Baby Have Pity On Me 3:21

13. On Revival Day (A Rhythmic Spiritual) 2:57

14. Moan, You Moaners 3:13

15. Hustlin' Dan 3:33

16. Black Mountain Blues 3:11

17. In The House Blues 3:02

18. Long Old Road 3:28

19. Blue Blues 3:15

20. Shipwreck 3:20

These recordings reaching from the height of Bessie Smith's fame into her decline in popularity are required listening, covering the years 1928 through 1931. Not only was her voice stronger than ever, but her control over the material was topnotch; she balanced on the fine line between seductive charm and overt sexuality with apparent ease. Some of her best material ever appears on volume 4 of this 5-volume set, including "Standin' in the Rain Blues," "Empty Bed Blues" (speaking of overtness...), "Devil's Gonna Git You," "I'm Wild About That Thing," "Blue Spirit Blues"... but it's useless to even try to list favorites. Smith's voice is so rich and expressive despite the primitive recording technology of the day, one can only imagine what it must have been like to hear her live. And trombonist Charlie Green and pianist James P. Johnson are featured prominently here as well. by Genevieve Williams

BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5 : The Final Chapter (2CD) 1996 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bessie Smith cut 160 sides for the Columbia and OKeh labels between 1923 and 1933, and the four previous two-CD/cassette box sets of her complete recordings released in the 1990s covered 154 of them, which introduces the question, what can a fifth two-CD/cassette box set contain in addition to the remaining six cuts? First, there are five previously unreleased alternate takes; second, there is the 15-minute low-fi soundtrack to the two-reel short St. Louis Blues, which constitutes the only film of Smith; and third, taking up all of the second CD/cassette, there are 72 minutes of interview tapes of Ruby Smith, Bessie Smith's niece, who traveled as part of her show. The box contains a "Parental Advisory -- Explicit Lyrics" warning because of the nature of Ruby Smith's reminiscences. You won't learn much about Bessie Smith's music from her niece's remarks, but you will learn a lot about her sexual preferences. by William Ruhlmann

The last two-CD set in this five-volume collection contains a lot of curiosities, and several pieces of required listening as well: "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl," "Do Your Duty," and "Gimme a Pigfoot" are all here. For curiosities, there's the St. Louis Blues soundtrack, from a film short that contains the only footage of Smith. The second CD consists entirely of interviews with Smith's niece, Ruby Smith, which, while of secondary interest to the music, make for fascinating listening. In a gradual, rambling way, Ruby constructs an image of her famous aunt that reveals additional facets of the Empress of the Blues. by Genevieve Williams

Tracklist 1:

1. Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl 2:50

2. Safety Mama 3:26

3. Do Your Duty 3:27

4. Gimme A Pigfoot 3:31

5. Take Me For A Buggy Ride 2:38

6. I'm Down In The Dumps 3:12

7. The Yellow Dog Blues 3:18

8. Soft Pedal Blues 3:22

9. Nashville Women's Blues 3:19

10. Careless Love Blues 3:30

11. Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 3:16

12. St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - Band Intro 0:45

13. St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - Crap Game 5:43

14. St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - St. Louis Blues 8:19

 Tracklist 2:

1. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith - Bessie Disappears 4:50

2. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith - Waldorf-Astoria Party 7:15

3. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith - Bessie & Jack, I 2:52

4. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith Bessie & Jack II - Bessie & The Ladies 10:23

5. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith - Life On The Road, I 11:14

6. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith - Life On The Road, II 14:02

7. Bessie Smith & Ruby Smith Bessie & Gertrude Saunders - Life On The Road, III 21:18

CD 1: tracks 1-6 - 20 November 1931 - 24 November 1933

CD 1: tracks 7-12 (Alternate Takes & Live) - 6 May 1925 - Late June 1929

CD 2: Ruby Smith Dialogue/Interview