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

TAMPA RED — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 13 • 1945-1947 | DOCD-5213 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1        Give Me Mine Now (A) 2:49
2        Better Leave My Gal Alone (A) 2:42
3        I'll Be Up Again Some Day (B) 2:59
4        I Oughta Bite You (B) 3:01
5        Corrine Blues (B) 2:41
6        Play Proof Mama (B) 2:31
7        Let's Try It Again (C)  2:57
8        Maybe, Someday (C) 2:39
9        Crying Won't Help You  (C) 3:09  

10        Please Be Careful  (C) 3:11
11        You May Be Down Someday (D) 3:00
12        She's A Solid Killer Diller  (D) 3:21
13        Poor Stranger Blues  (D) 2:57
14        New Bad Luck Blues (D) 3:14
15        I Know My Baby Loves Me (E) 2:33
16        Blue And All Alone (E) 3:01
17        You Better Woo Your Baby (E) 2:44
18        Grieving Blues (E) 2:51
19        Sugar Baby (F) 2:39
20        Keep Jumping  (F) 2:40
21        I'll Dig You Sooner Or Later  (F) 2:54
22        Roaming And Rambling  (F) 3:00

BIG BILL BROONZY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 11 • 1940-1942 | DOCD-5133 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final of Document's prewar Big Bill Broonzy CDs (documenting all of his 1927-42 recordings) features Broonzy playing in a timeless style. Most of the performances could be considered goodtime music, with Broonzy sounding as if he were ready to party. On three of the four complete sessions that are included (plus "Rockin' Chair Blues," left over from the 1940 date otherwise included on Vol. 10), Broonzy is joined by either Memphis Slim, Horace Malcolm or Blind John Davis on piano, plus Washboard Sam (his half-brother) on washboard; Jazz Gillum sits in on harmonica during "Key to the Highway." The final set has Broonzy, pianist Memphis Slim and drummer Judge Riley joined by trumpeter Punch Miller and altoist Buster Bennett. Overall, this is a pretty strong program, with such numbers as "Sweet Honey Bee," "When I Been Drinking," "Key to the Highway," "Conversation With the Blues," "All By Myself," "I Feel So Good," "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" and "I'm Woke Up Now" being among the 25 selections. Big Bill Broonzy fans will want all of the releases in this remarkable series. Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album;s original booklet notes. The later thirties saw the first sign of economic recovery in America but Europe was in flames and it would only be a matter of time before the USA was drawn into the conflict. It was a time of turmoil but very little of it was reflected in the work of Big Bill Broonzy. He continued to produce good time music, proto R & B, personal blues and hokum with the occasional piece of nostalgia thrown in.  After the death of his long-time associate Josh Altheimer, Bill utilized the piano playing talents of Horace Malcolm and the young Memphis Slim, usually filling out the sound with a string bass or his half-brother’s washboard. Malcolm was on the date which produced the untypical Green Grass Blues a piece of nonsense about the rural bliss typified by windmills and wells, owls and roosters and log cabins with dirt chimneys; a never-never land where Bill could “make love on the grass with no bills to pay”. More in line with his usual philosophy is When I Been Drinking, a song much favoured, later, by Sunnyland Slim. It underlines Bill’s comment on the last page of his biography that “some blues singers can and do sing and don’t drink, but not Big Bill”. The last track cut on this session was a one-off on which Bill sang with the support of Jazz Gillum’s harmonica to produce the rural sounding and justly famous Key To The Highway, a song that was to be sung by just about everybody in the 1960’s. His next session produced two of his most successful songs in Double Trouble and All By Myself, the latter to become a standard in the repertoire of Memphis Slim who was responsible for the vigorous piano that appears on this jaunty up-tempo boast. Another Big Bill Broonzy standard, I Feel So Good was cut at the session of 2nd December 1941. At the same time Bill, who had been drafted in 1918, also sang about getting a letter from “a dear old uncle” on In The Army Now. Ironically this session took place just days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Two of the recordings made at this session would be featured on V-Discs supplied to the armed forces as a morale booster during the conflict that was about to begin. Big Bill’s last pre-war session was a date with his Chicago Five, a renamed Memphis Five involving the trumpet of Kid Punch Miller and the sometimes filthy alto sax of Buster Bennett. Bill seemed preoccupied by the subject of betrayal at this gig when he sang Casey Bill Weldon‘s Outskirts Of Town (he had played guitar on Casey Bill‘s 1936 recording) and I’m Woke Up Now where he says of his some-time friends “they will hide their hands, boys, – after they throw a brick”. Big Bill Broonzy would resume his career on record as soon as the war ended – at the same time starting a second career that would extend his popularity to make him one of the best-loved blues singers of all time. DOCD-5133
Tracklist :
1    Big Bill Broonzy–    Rockin' Chair Blues    2:47
 Big Bill Broonzy / Tommy McClennan
2    Big Bill Broonzy–    Shine On, Shine On    2:57
3    Big Bill Broonzy–    Green Grass Blues    2:59
 Big Bill Broonzy
4    Big Bill Broonzy–    My Little Flower    2:47
5    Big Bill Broonzy–    Sweet Honey Bee    2:58
 Big Bill Broonzy
6    Big Bill Broonzy–    When I Been Drinking    2:50
 Big Bill Broonzy
7    Big Bill Broonzy–    Key To The Highway    3:01
 Big Bill Broonzy / Charles Segar
8    Big Bill Broonzy–    Double Trouble    2:46
9    Big Bill Broonzy–    Going Back To My Plow    2:55
10    Big Bill Broonzy–    I'm Having So Much Trouble    2:47
11    Big Bill Broonzy–    Wee Wee Blues    2:57
 Big Bill Broonzy
12    Big Bill Broonzy–    Conversation With The Blues    2:34
 Big Bill Broonzy
13    Big Bill Broonzy–    All By Myself    2:26
 Big Bill Broonzy
14    Big Bill Broonzy–    Keep Your Hand On Your Heart    2:53
 Big Bill Broonzy
15    Big Bill Broonzy–    Why Should I Spend My Money?    2:49
16    Big Bill Broonzy–    What's Wrong With Me?    2:35
 Big Bill Broonzy
17    Big Bill Broonzy–    I Feel So Good    2:45
 Big Bill Broonzy
18    Big Bill Broonzy–    In The Army Now    2:42
 Big Bill Broonzy
19    Big Bill Broonzy–    Bad Acting Woman    2:44
20    Big Bill Broonzy–    Night Watchman Blues    2:48
 Big Bill Broonzy
21    Big Bill Broonzy–    She's Gone With The Wind    2:41
22    Big Bill And His Chicago Five–    I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town    2:52
 Andy Razaf / Will Weldon
23    Big Bill And His Chicago Five–    Tell Me, Baby    2:55
 Big Bill Broonzy
24    Big Bill And His Chicago Five–    Hard Hearted Woman    3:00
 Big Bill Broonzy
25    Big Bill And His Chicago Five–    I'm Woke Up Now    2:58
All Credits :