ETHEL WATERS – 1923-1925 | The Classics Chronological Series – 775 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The European Classics label's Ethel Waters program completely wipes out all of the other Waters reissues for it reissues all of her recordings from her prime years in chronological order. Since the singer was very consistent, there are very few duds and many gems in these sets. This particular CD traces Ethel Waters during a two-year period; both the recording quality and her accompaniment greatly improve during this time; cornetist Joe Smith is a standout and pianist Fats Waller is present on "Pleasure Mad" and "Back-Bitin' Mamma." Highlights includes "You Can't Do What My Last Man Did," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night" and "Sympathetic Dan." Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Long-Lost Mama    3:07
2    Lost Out Blues    2:58
3    Ain't Goin' Marry (Ain't Goin' Settle Down)    2:38
4    If You Don't Think I'll Do Sweet Pops (Just Try Me)    3:43
5    Who'll Get It When I'm Gone?    2:45
6    All The Time    3:09
7    You Can't Do What My Last Man Did    3:08
8    Ethel Sings 'Em    3:17
9    Sweet Man Blues    3:14
10    Tell 'Em 'Bout Me (When You Reach Tennessee)    3:00
11    You'll Need Me When I'm Long Gone    2:45
12    Craving Blues    2:59
13    Black Spatch Blues    3:03
14    I Want Somebody All My Own    2:43
15    Pleasure Mad    2:44
16    Back-bitin' Mamma    2:46
17    No One Can Love Me (Like The Way You Do)    2:45
18    Brother, You've Got Me Wrong    2:43
19    Sweet Georgia Brown    3:09
20    Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night    3:22
21    Sympathetic Dan    3:12
22    Down Home Blues    2:38
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 12 to 14)
Banjo – John Mitchell (19) (tracks: 1, 2)
Bassoon – Unknown Artist (tracks: 18, 19)
Brass Bass – Bill Benford (tracks: 20 to 22)
Clarinet – Edgar Campbell (tracks: 1, 2)
Clarinet [?] – Jimmy O'Bryant (tracks: 12 to 14)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone [?] – Don Redman (tracks: 18, 19)
Cornet – Horace Holmes (tracks: 20 to 22), Joe Smith (3) (tracks: 10, 11, 17)
Cornet [?] – Elmer Chambers (tracks: 1, 2), Tommy Ladnier (tracks: 12 to 14)
Piano – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 1 to 4), J.C. Johnson (tracks: 5 to 9), Lovie Austin (tracks: 12 to 14), Pearl Wright (tracks: 10, 11, 17, 20 to 22)
Piano [?] – Fats Waller (tracks: 15, 16)
Piano [and/or] – Fletcher Henderson (tracks: 18, 19), Pearl Wright (tracks: 18, 19)
Soprano Saxophone, Oboe – Unknown Artist (tracks: 17)
Trombone – George Brashear (tracks: 1, 2)
Vocals – Ethel Waters

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

ETHEL WATERS – 1926-1929 | The Classics Chronological Series – 688 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Few female jazz singers were on Ethel Waters' level during this period -- just Bessie Smith and Annette Hanshaw, and all three were quite different from each other. Waters has rarely sounded better than on the four numbers in which she is backed rather forcefully by pianist James P. Johnson (particularly "Guess Who's in Town" and "Do What You Did Last Night"), but she is also in fine form on the other small-group sides. "I'm Coming Virginia," "Home," "Take Your Black Bottom Outside," "Someday Sweetheart," and "Am I Blue" (which she introduced) are among the many gems on this highly recommended entry in Classics' chronological series. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     He Brought Joy to My Soul 3:12
Traditional
2     Take What You Want 2:56
J.C. Johnson
3     I'm Coming Virginia 3:05
Will Marion Cook / Donald Heywood
4     We Don't Need Eash Other Any More 3:02
J.C. Johnson
5     My Special Friend Is Back in Town 3:06
J.C. Johnson / Andy Razaf
6     Jersey Walk 2:35
Henry Creamer / James F. Hanley
7     Weary Feet 3:13
Unknown Blues Band
8     Smile! 2:48
Donald Heywood
9     Home (Cradle of Happiness) 3:06
J.C. Johnson
10     Take Your Black Bottom Outside 2:47
Clarence Williams
11     I Want My Sweet Daddy Now 2:51
Donald Heywood
12     One Sweet Letter from You 3:15
Lew Brown / Sidney Clare / Harry Warren
13     Someday, Sweetheart 3:02
Benjamin Franklin Spikes / John Spikes
14     Some of These Days 2:59
Shelton Brooks
15     Lonesome Swallow 3:04
J.C. Johnson / Andy Razaf
16     Guess Who's in Town 3:02
James P. Johnson / Andy Razaf
17     My Handy Man 2:58
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
18     Do What You Did Last Night 2:39
J.C. Johnson / Andy Razaf
19     West End Blues 3:26
King Oliver / Clarence Williams
20     Organ Grinder Blues 3:12
Clarence Williams
21     Get Up Off Your Knees 2:44
Clarence Williams
22     My Baby Sure Knows How to Make Love 3:32
Crawford / Rafe    
23     Birmingham Bertha 2:52
Harry Akst / Grant Clarke
24     Am I Blue? 3:16
Harry Akst / Grant Clarke
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Alex S. Jackson (tracks: 9, 10)
Backing Vocals – Ebony Four (tracks: 1)
Bass Saxophone [Uncredited] – Alex Jackson (tracks: 7, 8)
Bass [Sb] – Joe Tarto (tracks: 23, 24)
Clarinet – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 23, 24)
Cornet – Joe Smith (tracks: 7 to 10), Unknown Artist (tracks: 3, 4)
Orchestra – Will Marion Cook's Singing Orchestra (tracks: 3, 4)
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 19 to 22), Frank Signorelli (tracks: 23, 24), J.C. Johnson (tracks: 3 to 5), James P. Johnson (tracks: 15 to 18), Pearl Wright (tracks: 2, 6 to 14)
Trombone – Tommy Dorsey (tracks: 23 to 24)
Trumpet [?] – Manny Klein (tracks: 23 to 24)
Violin – Unknown Artist (tracks: 3, 4), William A. Tyler (tracks: 12 to 14)
Violoncello – H. Leonard Jeter (tracks: 12 to 14), Unknown Artist (tracks: 3, 4)

ETHEL WATERS – 1929-1931 | The Classics Chronological Series – 721 (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

During the period covered in this CD from Classics' Complete Ethel Waters series, the singer was quickly developing into a top musical comedy and Broadway star. Although her backup was not as jazz-oriented as previously (despite the presence of such players as clarinetist Benny Goodman, trombonist Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and alto and trumpeter Manny Klein), Waters's renditions of many of these future standards are definitive, particularly "True Blue Lou," "Waiting at the End of the Road," "Porgy," "You're Lucky to Me" and "When Your Lover Has Gone." Superior jazz-oriented singing from one of the very best. Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1     Second-Handed Man    2:46    

Sidney Easton / Ethel Waters
2     True Blue Lou    2:58    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
3     Do I Know What I'm Doing?    2:47    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
4     Shoo Shoo Boogie Boo    2:47    
Sam Coslow / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
5     Georgia Blues    3:21   
Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet
6     I Like the Way He Does It    2:31
7     Waiting at the End of the Road    3:18    
Irving Berlin
8     Trav'lin' All Alone    2:56    
J.C. Johnson
9     Long Lean Lanky Mama    2:48 
10     Better Keep Your Eye on Your Man    2:54    
11     Porgy    3:30    
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
12     Black and Blue    2:55    
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
13     My Kind of Man    2:58    
14     You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me    3:20    
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal / Peter Norman
15     You're Lucky to Me    3:07    
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
16     Memories of You    3:07    
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
17     I Got Rhythm    3:05    
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
18     Three Little Words 3:05   
Bert Kalmar / Harry Ruby  
19     When Your Lover Has Gone    3:07    
Einar A. Swan
20     Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone    3:13    
Sidney Clare / Sam H. Stept
21     You Can't Stop Me from Loving You    3:19    
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
22     Without That Gal!    2:51
Walter Donaldson
Credits :    
Bass Saxophone – Adrian Rollini (tracks: 13, 14)
Bass [String Bass] – Joe Tarto (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Unknown Artist (tracks: 15, 16)
Clarinet – Benny Goodman (tracks: 13, 14, 19 to 22)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dorsey (tracks: 2 to 4, 17, 18)
Drums – Stan King (tracks: 2 to 4)
Guitar – Dick McDonough (tracks: 21, 22), Eddie Lang (tracks: 19, 20), Tony Colucci (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8, 17, 18)
Organ – Unknown Artist (tracks: 15, 16)
Piano – Frank Signorelli (tracks: 2 to 4, 11, 12), Pearl Wright (tracks: 1, 5 to 10), Rube Bloom (tracks: 13, 14, 19 to 22), Unknown Artist (tracks: 15 to 18)
Trombone – Tommy Dorsey (tracks: 2 to 4, 13, 14, 17 to 22)
Trumpet – Bob Effros (tracks: 2 to 4, 7, 8), Manny Klein (tracks: 13, 14, 17 to 22)
Trumpet [And/Or] – Manny Klein (tracks: 11, 12), Muggsy Spanier (tracks: 11, 12)
Violin – Ben Selvin (tracks: 2 to 4, 11 to 14, 17, 18), Joe Venuti (tracks: 19, 20), Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8, 15, 16)
Violoncello – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8)
Vocals – Ethel Waters