Document's series of "complete recorded works in chronological order" has resulted not only in all of the performances being reissued of major prewar blues performers, but the work of quite a few minor personalities too. Ed Bell, a singer/guitarist from Atlanta, lived until 1966 but made all of his recordings during 1927 and 1929-1930. One of his best sessions was cut one day in September 1927, a solo date resulting in four memorable lowdown blues. Otherwise, Bell is heard as "Sluefoot Joe," "Barefoot Bill From Alabama," and on two vocal-guitar duets with Pillie Bolling. In addition, this CD has Bolling's only other recordings, two solo numbers from 1930. A collector's item of its kind, this disc will be enjoyed by fans of early country blues. Scott Yanow
Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Ed Bell was born in May 1905, in Fort Deposit, Alabama, on the Davis Plantation. He was the third of seven children. In the early 1920’s, Bell did a little farming and a lot of playing and travelling, honing his technique with a small group of seven to ten friends and acquaintances, of which only he and Pillie Bolling were recorded. Exactly how Bell came to be recorded is uncertain, but he made his first session for Paramount in 1927, which resulted in four issued titles, some of the finest country blues ever recorded. His next session was for QRS in 1929, where he was teamed with Clifford Gibson, and although there is no direct evidence, it is generally accepted now that “Sluefoot Joe” is Ed Bell. A carefully reasoned account for these judgments is given in Don Kent’s inside notes to Mamlish S-3811, which also presents the direct evidence that Barefoot Bill (the name used for the Nov. 1929 and April 1930 sessions) is also Ed Bell. Columbia 14481 was a relative hit, with a pressing of over 5000, but the number of copies Columbia pressed diminished regularly to 1500, then 790, and finally 650 copies pressed for his last issue, Co 14595. The writing was clearly on the wall for the music business, but during the 1920’s he had a classic blues career, becoming a distinctive entertainer who travelled to such place as Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Toledo, and Youngstown to play, and Atlanta, Chicago and New York to record. Already during this first half of his life he had moved far from his origins at the plantation and the traditional farmwork associated with it, almost exclusively on the basis of his musical talent. Bell’s latest career has not as yet been as rigorously documented as has his musical one. Bell’s half-sister or perhaps baby sister, Pauline Porterfield, was interviewed by a friend of mine in Pittsburgh. When asked, she stated that Ed “got tired of the blues” and began a career in the Baptist Church. It is in his career as a reverend and circuit-rider that Bell is remembered among the younger citizenry of Butler County. Pauline was quite proud of him eventually becoming Moderator of the Southern District, a high and respected church office. He apparently died in 1966, but perhaps the records of the Baptist Church will prove fruitful to future researchers trying to find the “official” Ed Bell. At least we have the essence of Ed Bell the musician. DOCD-5090
Tracklist:
1 –Ed Bell Mamlish Blues 2:33
2 –Ed Bell Hambone Blues 2:45
3 –Ed Bell Mean Conductor Blues 2:51
4 –Ed Bell Frisco Whistle Blues 2:45
5 –Sluefoot Joe Shouting Baby Blues 2:57
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
6 –Sluefoot Joe She's A Fool 2:59
7 –Sluefoot Joe Tooten' Out Blues 3:10
Piano [Probably] – Clifford Gibson
8 –Sluefoot Joe Grab It And Run 2:08
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
9 –Sluefoot Joe Leaving Train Blues 2:44
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
10 –Sluefoot Joe House Top Blues 2:55
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
11 –Sluefoot Joe Rocky Road Moan 2:26
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
12 –Sluefoot Joe Rosca Mama Blues 3:10
Guitar – Clifford Gibson
13 –Barefoot Bill From Alabama My Crime Blues 2:46
14 –Barefoot Bill From Alabama Snigglin' Blues 2:36
15 –Barefoot Bill From Alabama Big Rock Jail 2:44
16 –Barefoot Bill From Alabama From Now On 3:07
17 –Pillie Bolling And Barefoot Bill I Don't Like That 3:00
18 –Pillie Bolling And Barefoot Bill She's Got A Nice Line 3:06
19 –Barefoot Bill Squabblin' Blues 3:00
20 –Barefoot Bill Barefoot Bill's Hard Luck Blues 2:58
21 –Barefoot Bill One More Time 2:58
22 –Barefoot Bill Bad Boy 3:01
23 –Ed Bell Carry It Right Back Home 2:47
24 –Ed Bell She's A Fool Gal 3:05
25 –Pillie Bolling Brown Skin Woman 3:19
26 –Pillie Bolling Shake Me Like A Dog 3:00
Credits:
Guitar – Barefoot Bill (tracks: 23, 24), Sluefoot Joe (tracks: 6, 7)
Vocals – Ed Bell (tracks: 23, 24), Sluefoot Joe (tracks: 5 to 12)
Vocals, Guitar – Barefoot Bill From Alabama (tracks: 13 to 16), Barefoot Bill (tracks: 17 to 22), Ed Bell (tracks: 1 to 4), Pillie Bolling (tracks: 17, 18, 25, 26)
