SARA MARTIN — In Chronological Order Volume 1 (1922-1923) DOCD-5395 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Sara Martin was active during the 1920s as both blues vocalist and talent scout. She made a considerable number of records for the Okeh label, sang backup for Afro-Mexican-American gospel pianist Arizona Dranes with Richard M. Jones, and personally brought about the first recording session to feature the vaudeville team of Butterbeans & Susie. Sara Martin's "complete" recorded works were reissued by Document during the '90s, in four volumes under her name and on various compilations with other artists. Volume one covers her recording activity from October 17, 1922 through June 27, 1923; everything heard on this collection was recorded in New York City. She is backed by pianist Clarence Williams (tracks 1-4, 12-24), with whom she sings a duet (track 14); with Williams and his wife Eva Taylor, with whom she sings duets (tracks 15, 20, and 21); with cornetist and aspiring bandleader Thomas Morris (who provides support for Martin and Taylor on the tracks just mentioned); with composer and publisher W.C. Handy and his orchestra (tracks 9-11), and with songwriter Shelton Brooks, remembered today as the man who penned "Some of These Days," "Walkin' the Dog," "At the Darktown Strutters' Ball," and "I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone." Brooks, who also recorded with Ethel Waters, plays piano on tracks 5-8 and uses his voice during the "Original Blues" and "I Got What It Takes to Bring You Back." This all adds up to a fascinating core sample of early African-American urban blues with overtones of jazz. Missing, however, are two sides that Martin cut with her Brown-Skin Syncopators in November 1922; the group included pianist and future bandleader Claude Hopkins and two men with ties to young Duke Ellington: trumpeter Arthur Whetsol and banjoist Elmer Snowden. An even more conspicuous gap is represented by the absence of four songs with backing by young pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller recorded in December 1922. Her collaborations with Waller, which are among the earliest known recordings by either artist, have been reissued under his name, most notably perhaps on JSP's Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1. Why they weren't included here is a real puzzler. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1.    Sara Martin–    Sugar Blues    2:59
2.    Sara Martin–    Achin' Hearted Blues    3:15
3.    Sara Martin–    Keeps On A-Rainin' (Papa, He Can't Make No Time)    2:54
4.    Sara Martin–    Joe Turner Blues    2:53
5.    Sara Martin–    Michigan Water Blues    3:07
6.    Sara Martin–    If Your Man Is Like My Man (I Sympathize With You)    2:42
7.    Sara Martin - Shelton Brooks–    I Got What It Takes To Bring You Back 3:10
Piano, Speech – Shelton Brooks
Vocals – Sara Martin
8.    Sara Martin - Shelton Brooks–    Original Blues 3:14
Piano, Speech – Shelton Brooks
Vocals – Sara Martin
9.    Sara Martin–    Come Home Papa Blues 2:50
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet [Poss.] – Tick Gray
Drums – Unknown Artist
Orchestra – W. C. Handy's Orchestra
Piano – Charlie Hillman
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Sylvester Bevard
Vocals – Sara Martin
10.    Sara Martin–    It Takes A Long Time To Get 'em But You Can Lose 'em Overnight 2:27 
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet [Poss.] – Tick Gray*
Drums – Unknown Artist
Orchestra – W. C. Handy's Orchestra
Piano – Charlie Hillman
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Sylvester Bevard
Vocals – Sara Martin
11.    Sara Martin–    Laughin' Cryin' Blues 2:54
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Banjo – Unknown Artist
Cornet [Poss.] – Tick Gray
Drums – Unknown Artist
Orchestra – W. C. Handy's Orchestra
Piano – Charlie Hillman
Tenor Saxophone – Unknown Artist
Trombone – Sylvester Bevard
Vocals – Sara Martin
12.    Sara Martin–    Cruel Backbitin' Blues    3:23
13.    Sara Martin–    Leave My Sweet Daddy Alone    2:51
14.    Sara Martin - Clarence Williams–    Monkey Man Blues 3:24
Piano [Prob.] – Clarence Johnson 
Vocals – Clarence Williams, Sara Martin
15.    Sara Martin - Eva Taylor–    Yodeling Blues    3:00
16.    Sara Martin–    Where Can That Somebody Be    3:07
17.    Sara Martin–    Just Thinkin' Blues    2:57
18.    Sara Martin–    If You Don't Like It, Leave    2:59
19.    Sara Martin–    Nobody In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine    3:03
20.    Sara Martin - Eva Taylor–    That Free And Easy Papa O'Mine    2:54
21.    Sara Martin - Eva Taylor–    Hesitation Blues    3:19
22.    Sara Martin–    Tired O'Waitin' Blues    3:08
23.    Sara Martin–    You Just Can't Have No One Man By Yourself    2:46
24.    Sara Martin–    Goin' Down To The Levee    2:51 

LIZZIE MILES — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order • 1 (1922-1923) DOCD-5458 (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 Lizzie Miles is better-known than most of the classic blues singers of the '20s because she made a comeback in the '50s when she emerged still in prime form. Actually her earliest recordings are quite obscure, making this first of three Document CDs a valuable acquisition for vintage blues collectors. Miles' initial 22 recordings feature her during 1922-23, mostly backed by unknown musicians in combos ranging from five to seven pieces on such numbers as "She Walked Right Up and Took My Man Away," "He May Be Your Man, But He Comes to See Me Sometimes," "Hot Lips," "The Yellow Dog Blues," "Aggravatin' Papa" and "You've Gotta Come and See Mama Every Night." Miles sounds quite comfortable both on vaudeville-type numbers and blues. The last three selections find her backed only by pianist Clarence Johnson, and on "Haitian Blues" she takes a kazoo solo that is surprisingly advanced for March 1923, a period of time when there were few horn solos on record. Recommended. Scott Yanow

Tracklist :
1 Muscle Shoals Blues 3:12
Lizzie Miles
2 She Walked Right up and Took My Man Away 3:16
Lizzie Miles
3 Virginia Blues 3:00
Lizzie Miles
4 State Street Blues 3:17
Lizzie Miles
5 Wicked Blues 2:55
Lizzie Miles
6 He May Be Your Man, But He Comes to See Me Sometimes 3:02
Lizzie Miles
7 Lonesome Monday Morning Blues 3:09
Lizzie Miles
8 Please, Don't Tickle Me, Babe 3:09
Lizzie Miles 
9 Hot Lips 2:58
Lizzie Miles
10 Take It, 'Cause It's All Yours 3:03
Lizzie Miles
11 The Yellow Dog Gal Blues 3:08
Lizzie Miles
12 The Black Bottom Blues 2:53
Lizzie Miles
13 He Used to Be Your Man (But He's My Man Now) 3:06
Lizzie Miles
14 Sweet Smellin' Mama 3:00
Lizzie Miles
15 The Trixie Blues 3:00
Lizzie Miles
16 Four O'Clock Blues 3:15
Lizzie Miles
17 Aggravatin' Papa 2:45
Lizzie Miles
18 Tell Me Gypsy 3:10
Lizzie Miles
19 You've Gotta Come See Mama Every Night 2:52
Lizzie Miles
20 Your Time Now 3:10
Lizzie Miles
21 Haitian Blues 2:59
Lizzie Miles
22 Sweet Smellin' Mama 2:34
Lizzie Miles
Credits :
Clarence Johnson - Kazoo, Piano
Lizzie Miles - Composer, Vocals
Bob Ricketts - Sax (Alto) 

LIZZIE MILES — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order • 2 (1923-1928) DOCD-5459 (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The second of three CDs that reissue all of Lizzie Miles' recordings from the 1922-39 period features the versatile singer in 1923 (being accompanied by either Clarence Johnson or J. Russell Robinson on piano), and during 1927-28, after a successful period spent as a cabaret singer in Paris. For the latter recordings, Miles is assisted by Clarence Johnson, Louis Hooper or Porter Grainger on piano, cornetist Louis Metcalf on two fine numbers and the dated gaspipe clarinet of Bob Fuller on the final four selections (which include two versions of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"). One of the finer singers of the '20s, Miles' delivery was quite accessible and one can always understand the words she sings. Highlights of this excellent set include "You're Always Messin' Round with My Man," "Cotton Belt Blues," "Lonesome Ghost Blues" and "If You Can't Control Your Man." Virtually all of the material on this 1996 CD was formerly very rare. Scott Yanow

Tracklist :

1 Haitian Blues (A Wild Weepin' Moan) 3:14

Piano – Clarence Johnson  

Written-By – Lizzie Miles, Spencer Williams  

2 You're Always Messin' Round With My Man 3:24

Piano – Clarence Johnson

Written-By – Spencer Williams

3 Family Trouble Blues 3:22

Piano – Clarence Johnson

4 Triflin' Man 3:00

Piano – Clarence Johnson 

5 My Pillow And Me 3:08

Piano – Russel Robinson

Written-By – Chris Smith, Clarence Williams, Tim Brymn

6 Black Man (Be On Yo' Way) 3:17

Kazoo – Lizzie Miles

Piano – Russel Robinson

Written-By – Spencer Williams 

7 Keep Yourself Together Sweet Papa (Mama's Got Her Eyes On You) 2:57

Piano – Clarence Johnson 

8 Cotton Belt Blues 3:06

Piano – Clarence Johnson 

9 Slow Up Papa 2:57

Cornet – Louis Metcalf

Piano – Louis Hooper

10 Grievin' Mama Blues 2:49

Cornet – Louis Metcalf

Piano – Louis Hooper

11 Mean Old Bedbug Blues 3:00

Clarinet – Unknown Artist

Piano – Unknown Artist

Written-By – Jack Wood 

12 You Can't Have It Unless I Give It To You 2:53

Clarinet – Unknown Artist

Piano – Unknown Artist

Written-By – Andy Razaf

13 When You Get Tired Of Your New Sweetie 2:49

Piano – Clarence Johnson 

14 Police Blues 3:01

Piano – Clarence Johnson 

15 Don't Let Your Love Control Your Man 2:54

Piano – Clarence Johnson

16 Shootin' Star Blues 2:50

Piano, Written-By – Porter Grainger

17 Lonesome Ghost Blues 2:51

Piano – Porter Grainger

Written-By – Andy Razaf

18 If You Can't Control Your Man 2:55

Piano – Porter Grainger

19 Nobody Shows What My Baby Shows 2:53

Clarinet – Bob Fuller

Piano – Louis Hooper

Written-By – Andy Razaf

20 Second Hand Daddy 2:55

Clarinet – Bob Fuller

Piano – Louis Hooper

21 A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Take 2) 2:55

Clarinet – Bob Fuller

Piano – Louis Hooper

Written-By – Eddie Green  

22 A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Take 3) 2:50

Clarinet – Bob Fuller

Piano – Louis Hooper

Written-By – Eddie Green  

Credits :

Bob Fuller - Clarinet

Porter Grainger, Louis Hooper - Piano

Louis Metcalf - Cornet

Lizzie Miles - Kazoo, Vocals 

LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1934-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 636 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There's a lot more to Louis Jordan than "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie." Here is an opportunity to check out the man's very earliest recordings, beginning with a series of rare treats that fill in the blank spots at the beginning of his story. It's worth having the entire disc just for the sake of "I Can't Dance (I Got Ants in My Pants)." This 1934 Clarence Williams record clearly demonstrates where Jordan would soon be heading as a performer, and what would distinguish him for the rest of his career. Jordan's exacting delivery and sense of timing are already evident, and Williams sounds delighted to be able to interact with someone with a distinct knack for humorous bantering. It's a shame they didn't knock off another dozen tunes together! Jordan's work with Chick Webb is represented here by three vocals from 1937. He sings very sweetly on "Gee But You're Swell" and "It's Swell of You," sounding so sugary that a lot of folks probably wouldn't even recognize him. "Rusty Hinge" is a bit livelier, and Jordan puts a tiny bit of cayenne in his honeyed vocal as the band swings out. Chick Webb's orchestra helped to define the big-band sound of the '30s, and "Hinge" is a good example of that archetypal style. The first records that Jordan made as a leader were cut in December of 1938. His band at that time was named after their regular jam spot, the Elk's Rendezvous Club, located at 484 Lenox Avenue in beautiful Harlem, U.S.A. It seems as though having recorded with Webb for Decca must have enabled Jordan to continue working for that label as a leader in his own right. Rodney Sturgis sings three pleasant tunes in a warm, smooth voice -- "So Good" is the catchiest -- then Jordan takes over as vocalist. "Honey in the Bee Ball" is much lighter fare than the punchy stuff Jordan would later become famous for. A very silly "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" has ridiculous falsetto vocals from both Jordan and the band. But then things start to coalesce. Did you ever wonder who put the "Tympany" in the Tympany Five? Well, here's the answer. On the session of March 29, 1939, Walter Martin augmented his regular drum kit with a kettledrum. The instrumental "Flat Face" has a whole lot of ascending and descending runs on the tympanum, and the instrument is marginally audible throughout the rest of the material on this disc. Even when you think it isn't there, Martin uses it like an enormous tom-tom to add ballast to the band. The pedal drum with variable pitch would gradually disappear but the band was to be called the Tympany Five for years to come. Ballsy tenor man Lemuel Fowler was eventually replaced by the equally tough Stafford "Pazuzza" Simon. Both of these saxophonists made good use of their lower registers. Courtney Williams plays smudge-pot trumpet and Jordan demonstrates what a kick-ass alto player he was. By 1940 all the ingredients are there, anticipating the well-known hit records this little band would soon be churning out in rapid succession. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :