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
Tracklist + Credits :

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  
Tracklist + Credits :

LONNIE JOHNSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 6 • 1930-1931 | DOCD-5068 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The music on this CD, the sixth of seven Document discs that trace Lonnie Johnson's recording career during the 1925-1932 period, alternates between blues and hokum. Johnson performs good-time vocal duets with Spencer Williams (such as "Keep It to Yourself" and "The Bull Frog and the Toad") and Clara Smith (an excellent four-song session from 1930 including "What Makes You Act Like That" and "Don't Wear It Out"), plus a variety of solo numbers. Other highlights include the two-part "I Got the Best Jelly Roll in Town," "I Have to Do My Time," and "Let All Married Women Alone." Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. After the desperation of “Headed For Southland” (see DOCD-5067), the two part I Got The Best Jelly Roll In Town formed a light-hearted interlude in Lonnie Johnson’s 23rd January 1930 session. Featuring some impressive guitar, even by Johnson’s high standards, it’s the first tryout of a song which, as Jelly Roll Baker, he was to record again more than once. The singing on this version is remarkable, given the very slow tempo. For the last two titles of the session, Lonnie switched to piano, which he hadn’t played on disc since 1926; by 1930, he had worked out a favourite accompaniment, featuring a staccato, four-to-the-bar chordal bass part, over which are laid darting right hand figures that are clearly inspired by his guitar playing.

As 1930 continued, and the Depression worsened, Lonnie Johnson was still in demand at Okeh; he and Spencer Williams made their last hokum duets in February and May, with James P. Johnson again superb on piano, and Lonnie seeming to respond to his challenge. Hokum apart, Lonnie was still cutting solo blues; I Can’t Stand These Blues, he proclaimed, summing up the approach to lyrics that he explained to Val Wilmer in 1963: “The heartaches and the things that have happened to me in my life – that’s what makes a good blues singer.” Deep Sea Blues is a disguised version of “Empty Bed Blues”, perhaps acquired when touring with Bessie Smith in 1929. On Long Black Train and I Have To Do My Time, the accompanist is listed as “unknown” by “Blues & Gospel Records”, but there seems no reason to doubt that it’s Johnson on both piano and guitar. No More Troubles Now surely represents an attempt to sustain interest in his emotional odyssey as heard on disc, by setting up a contrast with the gloomy songs for which he was known.

In October, Johnson was paired with Clara Smith, Columbia’s “Queen of the Moaners”, for four duets on which they sparred with evident enthusiasm, their rich voices admirably suited to one another. The oddly titled Got The Blues For Murder Only can’t have done much for his sales in Mexico, with its scurrilous, if undeniably witty, view of life there. Southland is All Right With Me startles the present day listener with its defence of a region whose racist system many blacks had left with relief. DOCD-5068
Tracklist :
1    Lonnie Johnson–    I Got The Best Jelly Roll In Town - Part 1 3:19
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
2    Lonnie Johnson–    I Got The Best Jelly Roll In Town - Part 2 3:29
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
3    Lonnie Johnson–    She Don't Know Who She Wants 3:23
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
4    Lonnie Johnson–    Don't Drive Me From The Door 3:31
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
5    Lonnie Johnson And Spencer Williams–    The Dirty Dozen 3:06
Piano – James P. Johnson
Vocals – Spencer Williams
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
Washboard [Prob.], Effects [Prob.] – Clarence Williams
6    Lonnie Johnson And Spencer Williams–    Keep It To Yourself 3:23
Piano – James P. Johnson
Vocals – Spencer Williams
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
Washboard [Prob.] – Clarence Williams
7    Lonnie Johnson–    I Just Can't Stand These Blues 3:28
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
8    Lonnie Johnson–    Deep Sea Blues 3:26
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
9    Lonnie Johnson nd Spencer Williams–    The Bull Frog And The Toad 3:06
Piano [Poss.] – Clarence Williams
Vocals – Spencer Williams
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
10    Lonnie Johnson And Spencer Williams–    The Monkey And The Baboon - Part 2 3:10
Piano [Poss.] – Clarence Williams
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
Vocals, Percussion [Prob.] – Spencer Williams
11    Lonnie Johnson–    Long Black Train 2:57
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
12    Lonnie Johnson–    I Have To Do My Time 3:07
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
13    Lonnie Johnson–    No More Troubles Now 3:14
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
14    Lonnie Johnson–    Sam, You Can't Do That To Me 3:07
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
15    Clara Smith And Tommy Jordan–    You're Getting Old On Your Job 3:13
Piano – Alex Hill
Vocals – Clara Smith
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
16    Clara Smith And Tommy Jordan–    What Makes You Act Like That? 3:06
Piano – Alex Hill
Vocals – Clara Smith
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
17    Clara Smith And Tommy Jordan–    You Had Too Much 3:20
Piano – Alex Hill
Vocals – Clara Smith
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
18    Clara Smith And Tommy Jordan–    Don't Wear It Out 3:17
Piano – Alex Hill
Vocals – Clara Smith
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
19    Lonnie Johnson–    Got The Blues For Murder Only 3:22
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
20    Lonnie Johnson–    Let All Married Women Alone 3:17
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
21    Lonnie Johnson–    Southland Is Alright With Me 3:00
Vocals, Piano [Prob.] – Lonnie Johnson
22    Lonnie Johnson–    Blues Is Only A Ghost 2:56
Vocals, Piano [Prob.] – Lonnie Johnson