JAZZ GILLUM — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1946-1949 | DOCD-5200 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

The fourth and final Document volume that reissues all of Jazz Gillum's recordings (other than his first two lost numbers and a later Lp) finds the singer and harmonica player performing in a style unchanged from the late 1930s even as the music world changed around him. He still sounded quite enthusiastic during this last batch of goodtime and lowdown blues, and the backup groups (with either Big Maceo, James Clark, Eddie Boyd or Bob Call on piano and the talented guitarist Willie Lacy being a major asset) are excellent. Highlights include "Roll Dem Bones," "You Got To Run Me Down," "Signifying Woman," "The Devil Blues" and "Gonna Be Some Shooting." Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. After their session with Roosevelt Sykes, Jazz Gillum’s studio association with Big Bill Broonzy seems to have come to an end and in February 1946 he was working with the great Big Maceo Merriweather on piano, Baby Doo Caston on guitar and Alfred Elkins on bass. All that was missing from the classic bar-band line-up of the early fifties was the drummer and at his next session in September of the same year Gillum introduced Judge Riley to fill the gap. Given the largely conservative attitude of RCA Victor one can only speculate as to what Gillum was actually playing in the clubs at this time. In the studio he continued to use this basic line-up up until his last, unissued, session for Victor in 1950. By this time the second southern invasion, led by Muddy Waters, had taken place and the writing was on the wall for Gillum’s generation of blues singers. Some, like Tampa Red had the adaptability to try to move along with the new trend while others, led by Big Bill, took a deliberate backward step for the benefit of the white folklorists. Others still either retired or just fell on tough times. Jazz Gillum seems to have been one of the latter and was forced to find means to support himself and his family outside music. In an interview with Paul Oliver in 1959 Muddy Waters remarked that he hadn’t seen Jazz Gillum in ten years. His reputation, coupled with the increased white interest in blues led to his recording along with Memphis Slim for the Folkways Label in 1961. He later worked at the folk club The Fickle Pickle and was poised to take a role in the “boom” of the 1960s when his death came on March 29th 1966. Fulfilling the prophecy of one of his last Victor recordings that there was Gonna Be Some Shooting he was shot in the head during an argument and was dead by the time he arrived at hospital. For the tastes of today’s, white, blues fan Jazz Gillum was never one of the leading lights on the blues scene of the thirties and forties but neither was he one to be ignored. He sold a lot of records. Although his harmonica style became outdated as soon as John Lee Williamson appeared, it did add a touch of country to balance the random clarinets, saxophones and trumpets that were coming to dominate the blues of the late thirties. Jazz continued to move with the times himself and by the end of his career was working with drummers and electric guitarists while using his heavy voice to good effect on songs that were as often as not written by Washboard Sam. His main objective as a performer was to entertain and in that he certainly succeeded. DOCD-5200
Tracklist :
1        Fast Woman 3:12
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
2        All In All Blues 2:52
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
3        Keep On Sailing 2:43
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
4        Look On Yonder Wall 2:59
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
5        Long Razor Blues 2:51
Double Bass – Alfred Elkins
Guitar – Leonard Caston
Piano – Big Maceo Merriweather
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
6        I'm Gonna Train My Baby 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
7        Roll Dem Bones 2:45
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
8        Can't Trust Myself 2:56
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
9        I'm Not The Lad 3:13
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – James Clark
Vocals – Jazz Gillum
10        The Blues What Am 2:34
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
11        Gonna Take My Rap 3:08
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals – Jazz Gillum
12        You Got To Run Me Down 2:29
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
13        Chauffer Blues 2:35
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
14        Hand Reader Blues 3:05
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
15        Country Woman Blues 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
16        You Should Give Some Away 3:01
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
17        Take A Little Walk With Me 3:01
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
18        What A Gal 3:08
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
19        Signifying Woman 2:45
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
20        The Devil Blues 2:50
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
21        Jazz Gillum's Blues 2:54
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
22        Take One More Chance With Me 3:02
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
23        Gonna Be Some Shooting 3:00
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
24        Look What You Are Today 2:53
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum
25        A Lie Is Dangerous 2:29
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Pete Franklin
Piano – Bob Call
Vocals, Harmonica – Jazz Gillum

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1941-1945 | DOCD-5058 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A comprehensive collection of the pioneer bluesman's work during the World War II years, with the exception of the period of the infamous Musician's Union ban on recording. Some of the topical songs--"Win the War Blues" and "We Got to Win"--comment directly on then current events, but there also songs adapted from other blues singers.

"Ground Hog," for example, is a variant of Tony Hollins' "Crawlin' King Snake," while "She Don't Love Me That Way" cribs from Sleepy John Estes. The overall sound, however, splits the difference between the earlier country blues of Sonny Boy Williamson's Bluebird Records period and the proto-Chicago blues to come. AllMusic

Abridged from this album’s booklet notes. From the date of his first recordings in 1937 (Document DOCD-5055) until his death a decade later Sonny Boy Williamson was the undisputed king of the blues harmonica, at least in Chicago. Although there were plenty of other artists using the instrument only William ‘Jazz’ Gillum achieved anything like the popularity of the boy from Jackson, Tennessee and even Jazz could never claim the mastery that Sonny Boy underlined with every performance. The period spanned on this Volume encompasses the bulk of World War Two and the infamous ban on recording brought about by James C. Petrillo. Petrillo became president of the Chicago local of the musician’s union in 1922, and was president of the American Federation of Musicians from 1940 to 1958. Petrillo dominated the union with absolute authority. His most famous actions were banning all commercial recordings by union members from 1942 – 1944 and again in 1948 to pressure record companies to give better royalty deals to musicians. Although Sonny Boy never commented on this event he was very vocal about the conflict which he saw as a chance for the black American to both prove himself and improve his lot. Check Up On My Baby is a rallying call track to prevent Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo from ‘treatin’ your baby wrong’, while Win The War Blues sees Sonny Boy fantasizing that “Uncle Sam” is going to give me a Thunderbolt. The usual amount of women seems to be involved in his life and this is reflected on the tracks Mattie Mae, Stella Brown, Black Panter Blues and Desperado Woman. Panter is an American variant of panther and the description of this lethal lady is described in the lyric “You should have heard me holler, I didn’t have time to swaller”. In contrast to this is She Was A Dreamer. Other songs in the session include Ground Hog Blues a variant of a Tony Hollins hit called “Crawlin’ King Snake” and She Don’t Love Me That Way which gathers in verses associated with sources as disparate as Sleepy John Estes and Lil Green‘s “Why Don’t You Do Right”. Another track Million Year Blues later became a hit for Eddie Boyd, whilst My Black Name Blues re-uses some lines from Leroy Carr‘s “Twenty Four Hours”. DOCD-5058
Tracklist :
1        Drink On, Little Girl 3:07
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass [probably] – William Mitchell
2        Mattie Mae Blues 3:07
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass [probably] – William Mitchell
3        I'm Gonna Catch You Soon 2:47
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
4        Million Years Blues 3:05
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
5        Shady Grove Blues 2:52
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
6        Sloppy Drunk Blues 3:16
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
7        She Was A Dreamer 2:39
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
8        You Got To Step Back 2:58
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
9        Ground Hog Blues 2:44
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
10        Black Panter Blues 2:33
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
11        Broken Heart Blues 2:50
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
12        She Don't Love Me That Way 2:42
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washboard – Washboard Sam
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
13        My Black Name Blues 2:46
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washboard – Washboard Sam
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
14        I Have Got To Go 2:47
Guitar – Charlie McCoy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washboard – Washboard Sam
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
15        Love Me, Baby 3:23
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
16        What's Gettin' Wrong With You? 2:50
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
17        Blues That Made Me Drunk 3:00
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
18        Come On, Baby, And Take A Walk 2:49
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
Washtub Bass – Alfred Elkins
19        Miss Stella Brown Blues 2:50
Drums – Armand "Jump" Jackson
Guitar – Ted Summitt
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
20        Desperado Woman Blues 2:39
Drums – Armand "Jump" Jackson
Guitar – Ted Summitt
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
21        Win The War Blues 2:48
Drums – Armand "Jump" Jackson
Guitar – Ted Summitt
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
22        Check Up On My Baby Blues 2:45
Drums – Armand "Jump" Jackson
Guitar – Ted Summitt
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
23        G.M. & O. Blues 2:43
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Bill Sid Cox
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
24        We Got To Win 2:43
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Bill Sid Cox
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
25        Sonny Boy's Jump 2:50
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Bill Sid Cox
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
26        Elevator Woman 2:41
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Bill Sid Cox
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 5 • 1945-1947 | DOCD-5059 (1991) RM | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

A comprehensive collection of the great blues pioneer's final work, recorded between 1945 and 1947. (This is the Sonny Boy Williamson who was murdered in 1948, not the one who toured with the Yardbirds in England in 1963).

Most of the tracks here include electric guitar (check out Willie Lacey's Charlie Christian licks on "Sugar Gal" and "Alcohol Blues") and drums. The overall sound is eerily prescient of Chicago blues (the great Willie Dixon is present on bass on several of the songs), the jump blues style of Louis Jordan ("Apple Tree Swing"), and rock & roll. AllMusic

Abridged from this ablum’s original booklet notes. Between 1944 and the end of his career (and life) in 1948, Sonny Boy Williamson had gone from strength to strength. He had already made reference in song to his appreciation of artists like Fats Waller and he seemed determinedly updating his sound. More and more of Sonny Boy‘s recordings featured a solid up tempo beat, often provided by drummers such as Jump Jackson or Judge Riley, and the guitarists and the pianists that he favoured (Willie Lacy, big Bill Broonzy and Blind John Davis – even Big Maceo and the ever adaptable Tampa Red for one session) were also capable of moving with the times, providing jazzier accompaniments to show off Sonny Boy‘s ever increasing skills on the harmonica. For his last sessions Sonny Boy continued the mix as before but now the performances had more punch and a marked, deliberate swing. He still returned to his roots, recording such tracks as Bring Another Half Pint. The term ‘swing’ seems to have replaced the previous ‘jump’ in a couple of tracks like Rub A Dub, Polly Put The Kettle On and Mellow Chick Swing. Having weathered the recording bans and the war years with his popularity unimpaired, Sonny Boy was the undisputed leader and trend setter for blues harmonica players all over the country. Sadly Sonny Boy Williamson would not go onto explore his musical range further. He was murdered on his way from a gig at the Plantation Club on the early morning of 1st June 1948. Attacked and robbed, Sonny Boy managed to get back to his flat. When his wife Lacey Belle opened the door she was confronted by the awful sight of Sonny Boy covered in blood, swaying on his feet. “Lord have mercy” were his final words before slipping into unconsciousness from which he never awoke. As the five volumes presented on Document of his entire output attest, the legacy and influence of Sonny Boy Williamson 1st, has been pivotal both upon fellow and future blues harmonica players. DOCD-5059
Tracklist :
1        Early In The Morning 3:02
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Big Maceo
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
2        The Big Boat 2:59
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Big Maceo
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
3        Stop Breaking Down 2:57
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Big Maceo
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
4        You're An Old Lady  3:12
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Big Maceo
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
5        Sonny Boy's Cold Chills 3:06
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
6        Mean Old Highway 3:25
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
7        Hoodoo Hoodoo 2:55
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
8        Shake The Boogie 2:47
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
9        Mellow Chick Swing 2:36
Double Bass – Willie Dixon
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
10        Polly, Put The Kettle On 2:30
Double Bass – Willie Dixon
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
11        Lacey Belle 2:52
Double Bass – Willie Dixon
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
12        Apple Tree Swing 2:26
Double Bass – Willie Dixon
Drums – Charles Saunders
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
13        Wonderful Time 3:04
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
14        Sugar Gal 3:01
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
15        Willow Tree Gal 3:13
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
16        Alcohol Blues 2:50
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Willie Lacey
Piano – Eddie Boyd
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
17        Little Girl 2:54
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
18        Blues About My Baby 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
19        No Friend Blues 2:52
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
20        I Love You For Myself 3:02
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
21        Bring Another Half A Pint 3:05
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
22        Southern Dream 2:47
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
23        Rub A Dub 2:41
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson
24        Better Cut That Out 2:59
Double Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Judge Riley
Guitar – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Blind John Davis
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Boy Williamson