ROSA HENDERSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 1 (1923) DOCD-5401 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All of classic blues singer Rosa Henderson's recordings are available on four CDs from the Austrian Document label. The first volume mostly has Henderson accompanied by pianist Fletcher Henderson (no relation), with one number apiece with sidemen from Henderson's early band and the Virginians. The young tenor Coleman Hawkins pops up on "It Won't Be Long Now," while cornetist Thomas Morris and pianist Louis Hooper help out on two numbers. None of the 22 songs on this CD became hits but quite a few are memorable, including "I Ain't No Man's Slave," "So Long to You and the Blues," "He May Be Your Dog But He's Wearing My Collar," and "Got the World in a Jug, the Stopper's in My Hand." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    I'm Broke Fooling With You  3:15
Piano – Unknown Artist
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
2.    I Ain't No Man's Slave  3:16
Piano – Unknown Artist
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
3.    Good Woman's Blues  3:10
Piano – Wendell P. Talbert
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
4.    I'm Broke Fooling With You  3:01
Piano – Wendell P. Talbert
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
5.    Where (Can That Somebody Be)  2:52
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
6.    Down South Blues  3:09
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
7.    Afternoon Blues  3:09
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
8.    I Need You  3:15
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
9.    Midnight Blues (A Wee Hour Chant)  3:08
Alto Saxophone – Don Redman
Banjo – Charlie Dixon
Bass Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Clarinet – Edgar Campbell 
Cornet [Either/Or] – Elmer Chambers, Howard Scott 
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Trombone – Teddy Nixon
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
10.    So Long To You And The Blues  3:26
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
11.    If You Don't Give Me What I Want (I'll Get It Somewhere Else)  3:10
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
12.    Low-Down Papa (Sweet Mamma's Blues)  3:02
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
13.    Struttin' Blues  3:08
Alto Saxophone – Don Clark, Hale Byers
Banjo – Mike Pingitore
Brass Bass – Jack Barsby
Clarinet – Ross Gorman
Cornet – Frank Siegrist, Henry Busse
Orchestra – The Virginians
Piano – Ferdie Grofe
Trombone – Sammy Lewis
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
14.    It Won't Be Long Now  3:06
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
15.    Every Woman's Blues (12070)  2:55
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
16.    Every Woman's Blues (12071)  2:49
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
17.    I Want My Sweet Daddy Now  3:15
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
18.    He May Be Your Dog But He's Wearing My Collar  3:06
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
19.    Got The World In A Jug (The Stopper's In My Hand)  3:10
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
20.    When You Walked Out (Someone Else Walked Right In)  3:15
Piano – Fletcher Henderson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
21.    He's Never Gonna Throw Me Down 2:54
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
22.    Every Day Blues  2:43
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson 

ROSA HENDERSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 3 (1924-1926) DOCD-5403 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth and final CD in Document's Rosa Henderson series finishes off her recording career with nine numbers from 1926, a dozen from 1927, and two from 1931. Most notable are six numbers in which Rosa Henderson is accompanied by the great stride pianist James P. Johnson (including "Black Snake Moan" and "Can't Be Bothered With No Sheik"). Other selections have her assisted by the Three Hot Eskimos, the Four Black Diamonds, pianist Cliff Jackson, and cornetist Louis Metcalf. A perfectly done reissue series paying tribute to a talented if forgotten classic blues singer of the 1920s.  Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Rosa Henderson, Choo Choo Jazzers–    Hard-Hearted Hannah  2:58
Cornet [Prob.] – Rex Stewart
Piano – Cliff Jackson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
2.    Sally Ritz–    Deep River Blues  3:02
Cornet – Unknown Artist
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Poss.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
3.    Sally Ritz–    The Basement Blues  2:55
Cornet – Unknown Artist
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Poss.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
4.    Rosa Henderson–    Don't Advertise Your Man  3:46
Banjo [Prob.] – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet [Prob.] – Bob Fuller
Cornet [Either/Or] – Bubber Miley, Rex Stewart, Tom Morris
Orchestra – Kansas City Five 
Piano [Prob.] – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Prob.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
5.    Rosa Henderson–    Twelfth Street Blues  2:48
Cornet – Louis Metcalf
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Cliff Jackson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
6.    Rosa Henderson–    Memphis Bound (31677)  3:10
Cornet – Louis Metcalf
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Cliff Jackson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
Whistle [Train-whistle] – Unknown Artist
7.    Rosa Henderson–    Memphis Bound (31678)  3:00
Cornet – Louis Metcalf
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Cliff Jackson
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
Whistle [Train-whistle] – Unknown Artist
8.    Rosa Henderson–    Undertaker's Blues  3:47
Banjo [Prob.] – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet [Prob.] – Bob Fuller
Cornet [Either/Or] – Bubber Miley, Rex Stewart, Tom Morris
Orchestra – Kansas City Five 
Piano [Prob.] – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Prob.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
9.    Rosa Henderson–    Everything My Sweetie Does (Pleases Me)  3:02
Banjo [Prob.] – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet [Prob.] – Bob Fuller
Cornet [Either/Or] – Bubber Miley, Rex Stewart, Tom Morris
Orchestra – Kansas City Five 
Piano [Prob.] – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
10.    Rosa Henderson–    It Takes A Two Time Papa  2:52
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
11.    Rosa Henderson–    Nobody Knows The Way I Feel 'Dis Mornin' 2:51
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Prob.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
12.    Rosa Henderson–    Penitentiary Bound Blues  2:56
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone [Prob.] – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
13.    Rosa Henderson–    12th Street Blues  2:54
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
14.    Rosa Henderson–    Get It Fixed  2:48
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
15.    Rosa Henderson–    Low Down Daddy Blues  3:00
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
16.    Rosa Henderson–    Poplar Bluff Blues  2:28
Piano – Louis Hooper
Trombone – Jake Frazier
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
17.    Rosa Henderson–    An' I Don't Mean If  2:52
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
18.    Rosa Henderson–    You Can't Be Like My Last Man Was  2:50
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Orchestra – Three Jolly Miners
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
19.    Rosa Henderson–    Let's Talk About My Sweetie  2:54
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
20.    Rosa Henderson–    Mama Is Waitin' For You  3:01
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Piano – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
21.    Mamie Harris–    You Get Mad  2:51
Piano – Fats Waller
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
22.    Mamie Harris–    What's The Matter Now?  2:40
Piano – Fats Waller
Vocals – Rosa Henderson
23.    Rosa Henderson–    Here Comes My Baby  3:03
Clarinet – Bob Fuller
Cornet [Either/Or] – Bubber Miley, Tom Morris
Orchestra – Three Hot Eskimos
Piano [Poss./Or] – Cliff Jackson
Piano [Prob./Or] – Louis Hooper
Vocals – Rosa Henderson

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 

MAMIE SMITH — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1923-1942 | DOCD-5360 (1995) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Mamie Smith's approach to putting over a song was developed in vaudeville houses and theaters before microphones were used to amplify the human voice, a fact which places her in league with stentorian characters like Sophie Tucker, Ethel Merman, Al Jolson, and Jimmy Rushing. Her high-pitched, theatrically mannered delivery compares most accurately with that of Ethel Waters, Lucille Hegamin, Lavinia Turner, and Eva Taylor. The fourth and final volume in Document's complete Mamie Smith retrospective combines the last of her works from the 1920s with material from a little-known session that took place in 1931 and a couple of intriguing movie soundtracks, the last recorded during the spring of 1940. This stunningly beautiful woman was the primary star of Okeh Records from August 1920 through August of 1923. Partially eclipsed by the rise of young Bessie Smith, Mamie cut a half-dozen titles for the Ajax label in September of 1924 with members of the Choo Choo Jazzers (cornetist Louis Metcalf, pianist Louis Hooper, clarinetist Bob Fuller, and banjoist Elmer Snowden) and an expanded seven-piece edition of her Jazz Hounds. Her next recording dates took place in August 1926 with a similar unit that featured cornetist Tom Morris and trombonist Charlie Irvis. The remaining recorded evidence finds her singing in front of various orchestras and on vintage motion picture soundtracks. "The Jail House Blues", which features an unnamed single-string violinist backed by pianist Porter Grainger, comes from a Columbia short that was shot and released in 1929. Mamie's interpretation of Fats Waller's "Keep a Song in Your Soul" was waxed in 1931, right around the time she actually performed with Waller and some of his friends. "Harlem Blues" and "Lord! Lord!" were drawn from the soundtrack of the Jubilee motion picture Paradise in Harlem, directed by Joseph Seiden, with Lucky Millinder's orchestra and additional vocals by the Alphabetical Four. Mamie Smith's final years were a far cry from the prosperous luxury and fame of her heyday. Although she initially invested in quite a bit of real estate, a manipulative predatory louse by the name of Ocie Wilson weaseled practically every dollar out of her. Crippled with arthritis and virtually destitute, she passed away in a cheap boarding house on Eighth Avenue in 1946. Long ignored because her vocal style predated the vogue for gutsy blues and hot jazz, Mamie Smith's complete works have now been made available to those who are willing to listen with unbiased ears. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1    Mamie Smith–    My Mammy's Blues 2:45
Piano – Porter Grainger
2    Mamie Smith–    My Sweet Man (Tickles The Ivories For Me) 2:40
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
3    Mamie Smith–    What You Need Is Me (And What I Need Is You) 2:57
Cornet [Prob.] – Louis Metcalf
Orchestra – Choo Choo Jazzers
Piano – Louis Hooper
4    Mamie Smith, Acc. Her Jazz Hounds–    Just Like You Took My Man Away From Me 2:25
Alto Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Piano – Louis Hooper
5    Mamie Smith, Acc. Her Jazz Hounds–    Remorseful Blues 2:43
Alto Saxophone – Bob Fuller
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Drums – Norman Buster
Piano – Louis Hooper
6    Mamie Smith, Acc. Her Jazz Hounds–    Lost Opportunity Blues 3:01
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Bass Saxophone – Alex Jackson
Cornet – Gus Aiken, Horace Holmes
Drums – Norman Buster
Piano – Leslie A. Hutchinson ("Hutch")
Saxophone – Ernie Bullock, Percy Glascoe
Trombone – Jake Frazier
7    Mamie Smith, Acc. Her Jazz Hounds–    Good Time Ball 2:22
Banjo – Elmer Snowden
Bass Saxophone – Alex Jackson
Cornet – Gus Aiken, Horace Holmes
Piano – Leslie A. Hutchinson ("Hutch")
Saxophone – Ernie Bullock, Percy Glascoe
Trombone – Jake Frazier
8    Mamie Smith–    Goin' Crazy With The Blues (Take 1)    2:59
9    Mamie Smith–    Goin' Crazy With The Blues (Take 2)    3:11
10    Mamie Smith–    Sweet Virginia Blues    2:49
11    Mamie Smith–    What Have You Done To Make Me Feel This Way? (Take One)    2:47
12    Mamie Smith–    What Have You Done To Make Me Feel This Way? (Take Two)    2:55
13    Mamie Smith–    I Once Was Yours I'm Somebody Else's Now    3:18
14    Mamie Smith–    Wonderful Mammy 3:13
Orchestra – Billy Fowler Orchestra
15    Mamie Smith–    My Sportin' Man 2:56
Orchestra – Billy Fowler Orchestra
16    Mamie Smith–    The Lure Of The South 2:46
Orchestra – Billy Fowler Orchestra
Vocals [Vocal Group] – Unknown Artist
17    Mamie Smith–    The Jail House Blues 1:17
Piano – Porter Grainger
18    Mamie Smith–    Golfing Papa    2:44
19    Mamie Smith–    Jenny's Ball    3:12
20    Mamie Smith–    Keep A Song In Your Soul    2:49
21    Mamie Smith–    Don't You Advertise Your Man    3:16
22    Mamie Smith–    Harlem Blues 2:53
Orchestra – Lucky Millinder And His Orchestra
23    Mamie Smith–    Lord! Lord! 2:14
Orchestra – Lucky Millinder And His Orchestra

ETHEL WATERS – 1925-1926 | The Classics Chronological Series – 672 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD in the Classics Ethel Waters series contains plenty of gems, including "You Can't Do What My Last Man Did," the original version of "Dinah," "Shake That Thing," "I've Found a New Baby" (which has some memorable cornet playing from Joe Smith), "Sugar," and "Heebie Jeebies." On "Maybe Not at All," Waters does eerie imitations of both Bessie Smith and Clara Smith. She had few competitors as a jazz singer during this era, and the mostly intimate recordings (12 of the 23 tracks find her backed by just a pianist) feature Waters at her best. Scott Yanow

Tracklist:
1     Loud Speakin' Papa (You'd Better Speak Easy to Me)    3:01    
Channing Pollack
2     You Can't Do What My Last Man Did    3:03   
J.C. Johnson / J.C. Jones / Ali Moore
3     Pickininny Blues    3:00    
4     Sweet Man    2:48    
Maceo Pinkard / Roy Turk
5     Dinah    3:12    
Harry Akst / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
6     No Man's Mamma    3:05    
Channing Pollack
7     Tell 'Em About Me (When You Reach Tennessee)    3:00    
Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
8     Maybe Not at All    3:08    
Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
9     Shake That Thing    3:13    
Papa Charlie Jackson
10     I've Found a New Baby    2:56    
Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams
11     Make Me a Pallet on the Floor    2:50    
Shelton Brooks / Traditional
12     Bring Your Greenbacks    2:47    
Shelton Brooks
13     After All These Years    3:02    
Shelton Brooks
14     Throw Dirt in Your Face    2:48    
Shelton Brooks
15     I'm Saving It All for You    2:46    
Clarence Williams
16     Refrigeratin' Papa (Mama's Gonna Warm You Up)    3:16    
17     If You Can't Hold the Man You Love (Don't Cry When He's Gone)    2:45    
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal
18     Satisfyin' Papa        2:52    
Nathaniel Reed / Ethel Waters
19     Sugar    3:06    
Edna Alexander / Sidney Mitchell / Maceo Pinkard
20     I Wonder What's Become of Joe?    2:43   
Maceo Pinkard / Roy Turk
21     You'll Want Me Back    3:04    
Nathaniel Reed / Ethel Waters
22     Heebie Jeebies  2:46    
Boyd Atkins / Ralph "Shrimp" Jones
23     Ev'rybody Mess Aroun'    2:44
Credits :    
Lester Armstead - Piano
Jesse Baltimore - Drums
Bill Benford - Bowed Bass
Shelton Brooks, Sammy Fain - Accompaniment, Composer, Piano
Coleman Hawkins - Sax (Baritone)
Horace Holmes, Harry Tate - Cornet
Alex Jackson - Sax (Baritone)
Maceo Jefferson - Banjo
Ralph "Shrimp" Jones - Composer, Director, Violin
Joe King - Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Trombone
Joe "Fox" Smith - Contralto (Vocal)
Ethel Waters - Vocals
Pearl Wright, Fletcher Henderson, Louis Hooper, Maceo Pinkard, Nathaniel Reed - Accompaniment, Piano