BUMBLE BEE SLIM — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 2 · 1934 | DOCD-5262 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Amos–    Step Child 3:10
Guitar – Carl Martin, Ted Bogan
Piano – Jimmie Gordon
2.    Amos–    Sad And Lonesome 3:19
Guitar – Carl Martin, Ted Bogan
Piano – Jimmie Gordon
3.    Amos–    Bye Bye Baby Blues 3:04
Guitar – Carl Martin, Ted Bogan
Piano – Jimmie Gordon
4.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Cruel Hearted Woman Blues – Part I 2:32
Guitar – Charlie McCoy 
Piano – Unknown Artist
5.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Cruel Hearted Woman Blues – Part II 2:33
Guitar – Charlie McCoy 
Piano – Unknown Artist
6.    Bumble Bee Slim–    The Longest Day You Live – Part 1 2:58
Guitar – Charlie McCoy 
Piano – Unknown Artist
7.    Bumble Bee Slim–    The Longest Day You Live – Part 2 2:43
Guitar – Charlie McCoy 
Piano – Unknown Artist
8.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Deep Bass Boogie 2:54
Piano, Speech – Jimmie Gordon
9.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Blue Blues 3:13
Violin [Plucked, Possibly] – Carl Martin
Violin [Plucked, Probably] – Howard Armstrong
10.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Rough Road Blues 2:36
Guitar [Possibly] – Willie B. James
Piano [Possibly] – Jimmie Gordon
11.    Bumble Bee Slim–    New Mean Mistreater Blues 3:24
Guitar [Possibly] – Willie B. James
Piano [Possibly] – Jimmie Gordon
12.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Climbing On Top Of The Hill 2:51
Guitar [Possibly] – Willie B. James
Piano [Possibly] – Jimmie Gordon
13.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Ain't It A Crying Shame? 3:00
Guitar [Possibly] – Willie B. James
Piano [Possibly] – Jimmie Gordon
14.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Bad Gal (Take A) 2:50
Guitar [Possibly] – Charlie Jackson
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy, Willie B. James
Piano – Unknown Artist
15.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Bad Gal (Take B) 2:58
Guitar [Possibly] – Charlie Jackson
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy, Willie B. James
Piano – Unknown Artist
16.    Bumble Bee Slim–    I Tried Everything I Could (Take A) 2:56
Guitar [Possibly] – Charlie Jackson
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy, Willie B. James
Piano – Unknown Artist
17.    Bumble Bee Slim–    Sail On Little Girl No. 2 3:00
Guitar [Possibly] – Charlie Jackson
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy, Willie B. James
Piano – Unknown Artist
18.    Amos Easton–    Aching Pain Blues 2:57
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [Possibly] – Black Bob
19.    Amos Easton–    Cold-Blooded Murder 2:56
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [Possibly] – Black Bob
20.    Amos Easton–    Burned Down Mill (Take A) 3:05
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [Possibly] – Black Bob
Whistling – Amos Easton
21.    Amos Easton–    Burned Down Mill (Take B) 3:04
Guitar [Probably] – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano [Possibly] – Black Bob
Whistling – Amos Easton
22    Amos–    Mean Mistreatin' Woman 2:52
Guitar [Possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Guitar [Probably] – Carl Martin
Piano – Unknown Artist
23.    Amos–    Worrisome Woman Blues 3:12
Guitar [Possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Guitar [Probably] – Carl Martin
24.    Amos*–    Mean Bad Man Blues 3:06
Guitar [Possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Guitar [Probably] – Carl Martin
Piano – Unknown Artist
25.    Amos–    Muddy Water Blues 2:47
Guitar [Possibly] – Big Bill Broonzy
Guitar [Probably] – Carl Martin
Piano – Unknown Artist
Credits : 
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Liner Notes – Jerry Zolten
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Vocals – Amos Easton 

BUMBLE BEE SLIM — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 3 · 1934-1935 | DOCD-5263 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The opening six songs on this volume, which covers the period from November 1934 until April 1935, are decidedly different in texture from much of the material that preceded them in Slim's output. With no more than a guitar or two and perhaps a mandolin backing him up, his music leans less toward the kind of urban R&B sound that his early Vocalion tracks did. The playing is superb, with Carl Martin and Ted Bogan showing off a special virtuosity, while Slim's vocals are brilliantly expressive. The sound is rather rough on some of the material here, leading one to believe that there aren't many copies around of several of these songs -- "Way Down In Georgia" and "There You Stand" would not pass muster for release on most labels, being nearly inaudible amid their extreme surface noise. When Slim resumed his piano-based recording in early 1935, he took on a more sophisticated and less rural sound, and his voice became stronger in this mode, far more expressive and involved, alternately playful, sly, or mournful. The guitar accompaniment on some of the late February 1935 tracks, however, are notable as they include Big Bill Broonzy in the session -- one of these, "Milk Cow Blues," will prove a major frustration, a magnificent, classic piece of Chicago blues with great playing all around, but almost unlistenable because of the surface noise on the master source, which, one assumes, was irreplaceable. But "Everybody's Fishin'," which follows, is so clean and delightful that it almost makes up for the sonic sins of the earlier song. Bruce Eder
Tracklist :
1.        I Tried Everything I Could    2:56
2.        My Troubles    3:04
3.        Blues Before Daylight    2:54
4.        Running Bad Luck Blues    3:14
5.        You Can't Take It Baby    2:53
6.        Way Down In georgia    2:49
7.        My Black Gal Blues No. 1    2:54
8.        My Black Gal Blues No. 2    2:52
9.        Bleeding Heart Blues    2:42
10.        Let's Pitch A Boogie Woogie    2:28
11.        Tired Of Your Low Down Nasty Ways    2:48
12.        Good Evening Blues    2:55
13.        Farewell Mistreater Blues    3:08
14.        B And O Line Blues    2:51
15.        Good Woman Blues    2:26
16.        Some Old Rainy Day    3:06
17.        There You Stand    3:01
18.        Tell Me What It's All About    3:03
19.        You Gotta Change Your Way    3:09
20.        Milk Cow Blues    3:03
21.        Everybody's Fishing    3:03
22.        Guilty Woman Blues    3:06
23.        Big 80 Blues    2:38
24.        Bricks In My Pillow    3:05
Credits : 
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy (tracks: 17 to 22), Bumble Bee Slim (tracks: 10), Carl Martin (tracks: 1 to 6), Charlie McCoy (tracks: 7 to 9, 11 to 16), Ted Bogan (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6)
Liner Notes – Jerry Zolten
Piano – Black Bob (tracks: 18 to 22), Bumble Bee Slim (tracks: 17), Charles Segar (tracks: 10), Jimmie Gordon (tracks: 7 to 16), Myrtle Jenkins (tracks: 23, 24)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Vocals – Bumble Bee Slim, Ted Bogan (tracks: 6)  

BUMBLE BEE SLIM — Volume 9 · Unissued Tests & Alternate Takes 1934-1951 | DOCD-5570 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Good Morning (take A)    3:01
2.    Good Morning (take B)    3:06
3.    Muddy Water (take A)    2:55
4.    Muddy Water (take B)    2:29
5.    Baby Fare You Well (take A)    2:55
6.    Baby Fare You Well (take B)    2:57
7.    Happy Life Blues (take B)    2:56
8.    Who's Been Here Today (take 2)    2:54
9.    When The Music Sounds Good (take 1)    2:47
10.    I'm Going To Live My Life Alone (take 1)    3:13
11.    I'm Going To Live My Life Alone (take 2)    3:19
12.    One Lonesome Day (take 1)    2:51
13.    One Lonesome Day (take 2)    2:49
14.    Pains In My Body (take 1)    3:07
15.    It Ain't No Trouble (take 1)    2:55
16.    It Ain't No Trouble (take 2)    3:07
17.    12 O'clock Midnight (take 2)    2:59
18.    Uncertain Blues (take 2)    3:05
19.    Cross The Country (take 1)    3:08
20.    Cross The Country (take 2)    3:02
21.    You Brought Me Here (take 2)    3:05
22.    Going Back To Florida (take 2)    3:05
23.    Sometimes    2:33
24.    Tiny's Boogie    2:30
Credits : 
Alto Saxophone – Maurice Simon (tracks: 23)
Baritone Saxophone – Jewell Grant (tracks: 23)
Bass – Billy Hadnott (tracks: 23, 24)
Bass [Sb] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8, 12, 13)
Clarinet – Arnett Nelson (tracks: 10, 11)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Bill Owsley (tracks: 19 to 22)
Compilation Producer – Johnny Parth
Drums – Oscar Lee Bradley (tracks: 23, 24)
Drums [Prob.] – Fred Williams (tracks: 10, 11, 18 to 22)
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy (tracks: 5, 6, 10, 11), Herman "Tiny" Mitchell (tracks: 23, 24), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 14 to 17)
Guitar [Or] – Charlie Jackson (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar [Prob./Or] – Willie Bee James (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar [Prob.] – Big Bill Broonzy (tracks: 1, 2), Carl Martin (tracks: 3, 4)
Liner Notes – Jerry Zolten
Piano – Aletha Robinson (tracks: 18 to 22), Black Bob (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 10, 11), Unknown Artist (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 14 to 17), Willard McDaniel (tracks: 23, 24)
Piano [Prob.] – Myrtle Jenkins (tracks: 12, 13)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Speech – Bumble Bee Slim (tracks: 9)
Tenor Saxophone – Maxwell Davis (tracks: 23)
Trombone – Roy Palmer (tracks: 10, 11)
Trumpet [Poss.] – Alfred Bell (tracks: 18)
Vocals – Bumble Bee Slim
Whistling – Bumble Bee Slim (tracks: 12)

CARL MARTIN + TENNESSE CHOCLATE DROPS + LOUIE BLUIE & TED BOGAN 1930-1936 + WILLIE "61" BLACKWELL - 1941 Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order | DOCD-5229 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first in Document's exhaustive series of everything Carl Martin recorded, this release covers Martin's first recordings, covering 1930-1936. Recorded in his twenties, Martin sounds young, but confident enough to give real personality to compositions such as "Crow Jane" and "Good Morning Judge." Presented in a scholarly manner such as this, Martin's earliest recordings are still a joy, although the sound quality is naturally a problem in places. Although perhaps not quite as revelatory as his later recordings, especially the performances toward the end of his career, these important cuts contain many minor revelations and are necessary for any devotee of prewar blues.  Thomas Ward
Tracklist :
1.    Tennessee Chocolate Drops–    Knox County Stomp 2:52
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Guitar – Carl Martin
Violin – Howard Armstrong
2.    Tennessee Chocolate Drops–    Vine Street Drag 2:40
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Guitar – Carl Martin
Violin – Howard Armstrong
3.    Louie Bluie And Ted Bogan–    State Street Rag 2:44
Guitar – Ted Bogan
Mandolin – Louie Bluie
4.    Louie Bluie And Ted Bogan–    Ted's Stomp 2:41
Guitar – Ted Bogan
Violin – Louie Bluie
5.    Carl Martin–    You Can Go Your Way 2:43
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
6.    Carl Martin–    Kid Man Blues 2:46
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
7.    Carl Martin–    Farewell To You Baby
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
8.    Carl Martin–    You Can't Play Me Cheap 2:54
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
9.    Carl Martin–    Badly Mistreated Man 3:07
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
10.    Carl Martin–    Good Morning, Judge 2:51
Double Bass – Roland Armstrong 
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
11.    Carl Martin–    Crow Jane
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
12.    Carl Martin–    Old Time Blues
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
13.    Carl Martin–    That New Kind Of Stuff 2:58
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
14.    Carl Martin–    Joe Louis Blues 2:44
Guitar [possibly] – Willie Bee James
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
15.    Carl Martin–    Let's Have A New Deal 2:43
Guitar [possibly] – Willie Bee James
Vocals, Guitar – Carl Martin
16.    Carl Martin–    I'm Gonna Have My Fun (When I Get My Bonus) 3:26
Guitar [possibly] – Charlie McCoy 
Piano – Chuck Segar
Vocals – Carl Martin
17.    Carl Martin–    High Water Flood Blues 3:04
Guitar – Unknown Artist
Piano – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Vocals – Carl Martin
18.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    She's Young And Wild 3:15
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
19.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Noiseless Motor Blues 3:20
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
20.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Don't Misuse Me, Baby 3:17
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
21.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Bald Eagle Blues 3:24
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
22.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Four O'Clock Flower Blues 3:09
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
23.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Chalk My Toy 3:09
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
24.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Machine Gun Blues 3:06
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
25.    Willie "61" Blackwell–    Rampaw Street Blues 3:09
Vocals, Guitar – Willie "61" Blackwell
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins

TAMPA RED — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 6 • 1934-1935 | DOCD-5206 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

At the sessions of June and October 1934, Tampa Red’s repertoire was very much a mixture of what he had recorded for Vocalion (DOCD-5073 – 5076). There were, however, some notable exceptions. For the first three months of 1934 Tampa had been absent from recording and during that time Leroy Carr had found success with his “Mean Mistreater Mama” (DOCD-5137). Perhaps at Bluebird’s behest Tampa Red recorded a word for word, vocal inflection for vocal inflection, copy of the song as Mean Mistreater Blues. To his own bottleneck accompaniment and augmented by a jug player and strumming guitarist, the song was driven along by the compelling rhythm that the simple use of such instruments produced. At his next session for Bluebird in October one number, Worried Devil Blues, featured Tampa’s Jimmie Rodgers inspired “yodelling” phrases. This affectation may possibly have been occasioned by the popularity of the Mississippi Sheiks who used the technique to great commercial success for Okeh (DOCD-5083-5086) and who early in 1934 had joined the Bluebird roster.Along with Big Bill Broonzy, one of the stand-out figures in the transactional period of pre-war “Country Blues” to post war “City Blues” and on through to the energised, electric “Chicago Blues” of the 1950s is Hudson Whittaker better known as ‘Tampa Red’. His recordings influenced many, including Robert Nighthawk, Elmore James and BB King. Volume Six of fifteen volumes dedicated to Tampa’s recording career stretching from 1929 to 1953 features 22 tracks recorded at three sessions between June 1934 and February 1935.
Experimenting with rhythm lines being underlined by jugs and washboards and kazoo, many of the tracks hail the emergence of a hip, swing influenced Tampa of the mid 30s. Carrying on the successful guitar piano formula that he had with his early recording partner Georgia Tom Dorsey, most of the tracks find him accompanied by piano players Black Bob or Henry “45” Scott plus occasional second guitar. Although Tampa’s dreaded kazoo makes an occasional appearance it is mostly his powerful vocals and his distinctive single string slide guitar work that carries the CD along. The material is varied and includes a couple of topical items Christmas And New Years Blues and Stockyard Fire. It is fairly likely that such a fire occurred and Tampa’s reference to eating only one meal in three may have been something he and his wife experienced as a result. It is suggested that I’ll Get A Break Someday (I’ll Be Up Someday”) is not by Tampa but Carl Martin who has a session listed right after Tampa’s – a fine cut whoever it is though.
Tampa returns to the studio in February in chirpy mood the following year, recording a further seven sides. Armed with his guitar and his small but potent kazoo, and accompanied by “probably” Black Bob on piano and “probably” the mysterious Mississippi Sarah on jug he romps his way through Worthy Of You and If It Ain’t That Gal Of Mine, a little ditty about Sally, who, on the street, can make more money than Henry Ford.
Thankfully, after this number Tampa seems to have mislaid his Kazoo. Or has Sarah slipped it into her jug, if you pardon the phrase?
Two takes of Mean Old Tom Cat is a pounding blues with Tampa peppering the accompaniment with the use of some bottleneck licks on his National steel guitar. Both takes are excellent and were worthy of release though the pace is picked up a little more on the second.
We’re then given a breather with two, very nice, blues including the excellent, rolling, Singing And Crying Blues.
But Tampa really is in party mood and falling back onto his Hokum style he leaves volume 6 with the spicy Shake It Up A Little.  DOCD-5206

 Tracklist :
1    Tampa Red–    I'm Just Crazy 'Bout You (A) 2:49
2    Tampa Red–    I Still Got California On My Mind (A) 2:54
3    Tampa Red–    Grievin' And Worryin' Blues  (A) 3:01
4    Tampa Red–    Give It Up Buddy And Get Goin'    (A) 2:32
5    Tampa Red–    Somebody's Been Using That Thing (take 1) (A) 2:56
6    Tampa Red–    Somebody's Been Using That Thing (take 2)  (A) 3:09
7    Tampa Red–    Mean Mistreater Blues     (A) 2:47
8    Tampa Red–    Happy Jack  (B) 3:16
9    Tampa Red–    I'm So Disappointed In You   (B) 2:50
10    Tampa Red–    Worried Devil Blues   (B) 3:24
11    Tampa Red–    Christmas And New Year's Blues  (B) 3:22
12    Tampa Red–    Sweet Woman  (B) 3:20
13    Tony Hollins–    Big Time Woman   (B) 2:36
Bass [Imb./Uncredited] – Unknown Artist
Vocals [Uncredited], Guitar [Uncredited/Prob.] – Tony Hollins
Washboard [Uncredited] – Unknown Artist
14    Tampa Red–    Witchin' Hour Blues (B) 3:13
15    Tampa Red–    Stockyard Fire   (B) 3:12
16    Tampa Red–    Worthy Of You  (C) 2:50
17    Tampa Red–    If it Ain't That Gal Of Mine (C)    3:00
18    Tampa Red–    Mean Old Tom Cat Blues (take 1) (C)    2:52
19    Tampa Red–    Mean Old Tom Cat Blues (take 3) (C)    2:40
20    Tampa Red–    Don't Dog Your Woman (C)    3:30
21    Tampa Red–    Singing And Crying Blues (C) 3:13
22    Tampa Red–    Shake It Up A Little (C) 2:42