BIG BILL BROONZY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 10 • 1940 | DOCD-5132 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The tenth of 11 Document CDs covering all of Big Bill Broonzy's prewar sessions as a leader has three dates (resulting in 14 songs) in which Broonzy is joined by the reliable pianist Joshua Altheimer and either drummer Fred Williams or Washboard Sam on washboard. Altheimer died unexpectedly later that summer; the other two sets included on this CD have either Blind John Davis or Memphis Slim in Altheimer's place, and the trio is rounded off by either drummer Williams or bassist Ransom Knowling. Although Big Bill did not evolve much during 1940, he was near the peak of his popularity and very much in prime form. Among the high points of the 26 selections (including three previously unreleased alternate takes) in this collection are "Jivin' Mr. Fuller Blues," "Leap Year Blues," "What Is That She Got," "Lonesome Road Blues" and "I'll Never Dream Again." Recommended to Broonzy's many fans. Scott Yanow

Abridged from this album’s original booklet noes. Big Bill Broonzy recalled that his piano playing partner Josh Altheimer died on February 18th 1940, an assertion disputed by sessions files that record his presence on 17th April and 10th June of that year. However, by September Blind John Davis was back at the keyboard and it was around that time that Bill began to work with Peter Chatman, better known today as “Memphis Slim”, a name Bill claimed to have bestowed himself. He was still sticking to his basic sound and all the sides cut under his own name in 1940 featured only his own guitar, a piano and either Fred Williams‘ thudding drumming or contributions from Ransom Knowling on bass or Washboard Sam‘s sud-busting. Most interesting is his reply to the Carolina singer Blind Boy Fuller‘s Jivin’ Big Bill Blues of July 1939 (to be heard on DOCD 5095), Jivin’ Mr. Fuller Blues. Big Bill Broonzy never seemed to run out of ideas for his songs. Not only was he keeping himself supplied he was producing material for other artists. On the 17th April date he put forward the theory that as it was Leap Year “the women got to take care of the men (I gotta get even somehow)”. She would pay the bills and he would wear the ‘nation sack tied round his waist. The answer to the question What Is That She Got? would appear to be an eye affliction as the Annie referred to seems to spend most of her life winking at judges and cops. Washboard Sam brightened up the last session on which Bill and Josh worked together. His vigorous scrubbing seemed to spark off a reaction in the piano player and titles like Lone Wolf Blues and Midnight Steppers have a zip to them that was sometimes missing from Big Bill’s more elaborate productions involving clarinets and saxophones. So, at the end of 1940 Big Bill Broonzy was still on top, searching around for a replacement for Josh Altheimer and working the clubs and the house rents with people like Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim and Memphis Minnie. DOCD-5132
Tracklist :
1        Plow Hand Blues    (A) 2:56
2        Jivin' Mr. Fuller Blues (A) 2:54
3        Make My Getaway    (A) 2:46
4        Looking For My Baby (A) 2:48
5        I've Got To Dig You (B) 2:37
6        Leap Year Blues (B) 2:43
7        When I Have Money (B) 2:52
8        You Got To Hit The Right Lick (B) 2:49
9        What Is That She Got? (B)     2:35
10        Merry Go Round Blues (B) 2:41
11        Medicine Man Blues (C) 2:56
12        Looking Up At Down (C) 2:57
13        Midnight Steppers (C)     2:40
14        Lone Wolf Blues (C) 2:56
15        Hit The Right Lick (D) 2:37
16        You Better Cut That Out (D) 2:57
17        I Wonder What's Wrong With Me (D) 2:29
18        Bed Time Blues (D) 2:46
19        Merry-go-round Blues (D) 2:46
20        Serenade Blues (D) 2:50
21        Lonesome Road Blues (E) 2:53
22        Getting Older Every Day [Take 1] (E) 2:37
23        Getting Older Every Day [Take 2] (E) 3:15
24        That Number Of Mine (E) 2:40
25        My Gal Is Gone (E) 2:50
26        I'll Never Dream Again (E) 2:47
Credits :
(A) BBB, vocal, guitar; Joshua Altheimer, piano; Fred Williams, drums. 26/01/1940
(B) BBB, vocal, guitar; Joshua Altheimer, piano; Fred Williams, drums. 17/04/1940
(C) BBB, vocal, guitar; Joshua Altheimer, piano; Washboard Sam, washboard. 10/06/1940
(D) BBB, vocal, guitar; Blind John Davis, piano; Fred Williams, drums.  20/09/1940
(E) BBB, vocal, guitar; Memphis Slim, piano; Ransom Knowling, stand-up bass. 17/12/1940

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 :

BIG BILL BROONZY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 12 • 1945-1947 | BDCD-6047 (1995) MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1        Bull Cow Blues No.3 [Alt. Take]    3:07
2        Married Life Is A Pain [Alt. Take]    2:53
3        Black Mare Blues [Alt. Take]    2:51
4        W.P.A. Blues [Alt. Take]    3:13
5        Oh Babe (Don't Do Me That Way) [Alt. Take]    3:04
6        Little Bug [Alt. Take]    2:50
7        (I'm A) Wanderin' Man     3:06
8        I Love My Whiskey    3:03
9        You've Been Mistreatin' Me    2:53
10        I Stay Blue All The Time    2:27
11        Water Coast Blues    2:49
12        Five Feet Seven    3:21
13        I Wonder    2:52
14        Keep Your Hands Off Her    2:55
15        Mindin' My Own Business    3:09
16        John Henry    3:24
17        In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down    4:46
18        I Feel So Good    2:55
19        Who's Sorry Now    3:04
20        Trouble In Mind    3:07
21        Keep Your Hands Off Her    3:32
22        Mama Don't Allow    5:10
23        When The Saints Go Marching In    2:55
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Buster Bennett (tracks: 5 - 12), Oett "Sax" Mallard (tracks: 13 - 16, 19 - 25)
Bass – John Levy (tracks: 1 - 4), Ransom Knowling (tracks: 13 - 18, 22 - 25)
Compiled By – Johnny Parth
Drums – Lawrence "Judge" Riley (tracks: 13 - 16, 19 - 25), Slick Jones (tracks: 1 - 4), Tyrell Dixon (tracks: 5 - 11, 17, 18)
Guitar, Vocals – Big Bill Broonzy
Piano – Big Maceo (tracks: 5 - 9), Bob Call (tracks: 19 - 25), Charles Belcher (tracks: 13 - 16), Kenny Watts (tracks: 1 - 4), Memphis Slim (tracks: 17, 18)
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Casimir (tracks: 13 - 16, 19 - 21), Don Byas (tracks: 1 - 4)
Trumpet – Johnny Morton (tracks: 13 - 16, 22 - 25)

MEMPHIS SLIM / WILLIE DIXON - Aux Trois Mailletz (1962-2000) Jazz In Paris 36 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Although this CD by pianist Memphis Slim and bassist Willie Dixon is marketed as a part of Verve's Jazz in Paris reissue series, it is, of course, a blues date, with a fair amount of boogie-woogie. The two veterans, who had worked together previously, are joined by drummer Phillipe Combelle during the two 1962 sessions recorded at Les Trois Mailletz, complete with a typically out of tune piano and a fair amount of noise from the audience at times. The pianist's gruff voice dominates a fair amount of the performances, although most of the songs are Dixon's. The bassist steals the show during the opener, "Rocking and Rolling the House," with a fine solo. In fact, the only standard not written by either man is a campy miniature take of Big Bill Broonzy's "All by Myself." Blues fans will want up to pick up this live recording by two legendary musicians. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Rock & Rolling the House 3:59
Peter Chatman
2     Baby Please Come Home 2:42
Peter Chatman
3     How Come You Do Me Like You Do? 4:52
Gene Austin / Roy Bergere
4     The Way She Loves a Man 3:16
Willie Dixon
5     New Way to Love 5:29
Willie Dixon
6     African Hunch With a Boogie Beat 3:37
Willie Dixon
7     Shame Pretty Girls 3:22
Willie Dixon
8     Baby, Baby, Baby 3:07
Willie Dixon
9     Do de Do 2:40
Willie Dixon
10     Cold Blooded 5:35
Willie Dixon
11     Just You and I 2:56
Willie Dixon
12     Pigalle Love 4:00
Peter Chatman
13     All by Myself 1:41
Big Bill Broonzy
Credits :
Double Bass – Willie Dixon
Drums – Philippe Combelle
Piano – Memphis Slim
Vocals – Memphis Slim (faixas: 1 to 3, 12, 13)
Vocals, Written-By – Willie Dixon (faixas: 4 to 11)
Nota :
Recorded November 15 and 16, 1962 at "Les Trois Mailletz", Paris.
Reissue of the Polydor LP 46 131.