SARA MARTIN — In Chronological Order Volume 2 (1923-1924) DOCD-5396 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Based on the music that Sara Martin recorded at the beginning of her career (and released on Vol. 1 of this four-CD series), she was primarily a superior vaudevillian performer. However, Vol. 2 shows that Martin was actually an even better blues singer. In general, the material that she recorded had improved by mid 1923, as had her singing, and there are many gems among the 23 songs included on this disc. Martin is accompanied on the first seven selections by pianist Clarence Williams, is joined on four numbers by small groups led by Williams (and including cornetist Tom Morris and soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet), is backed by pianist Porter Grainger on six songs and then, most intriguingly, performs duets with Sylvester Weaver (heard on two numbers apiece on guitar and banjo). Other than the band numbers, the focus throughout is mostly exclusively on the singer who is heard in prime form on such tunes as "New Orleans Hop Scop Blues," "Mistreated Mama Blues," "Slow Down Sweet Papa, Mama's Catching Up with You" and "Everybody's Got the Blues." Formerly rare music that is both historical and quite strong for the period. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Sara Martin–    Ye Shall Reap Just What You Sow  2:48
Piano – Clarence Williams
2.    Sara Martin–    New Orleans Hop Scop Blues 2:52
Piano – Clarence Williams
3.    Sara Martin–    Uncle Sam Blues  3:04
Piano – Clarence Williams
4.    Sara Martin–    Sweet Man Was The Cause Of It All  2:51
Piano – Clarence Williams
5.    Sara Martin–    Sympathizing Blues 3:01
Piano – Clarence Williams
6.    Sara Martin–    Mistreated Mama  3:05
Piano – Clarence Williams
7.    Sara Martin–    Runnin' 'Round With The Blues  3:07
Piano – Clarence Williams
8.    Sara Martin And Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Blind Man Blues 3:06 
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Cornet – Tom Morris
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Blue Five
Piano – Clarence Williams
Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet
Trombone – John Mayfield 
9.    Sara Martin, Clarence Williams' Blue Five–    Atlanta Blues 2:52
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Cornet – Tom Morris
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Blue Five
Piano – Clarence Williams
Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet
Trombone – John Mayfield 
10.    Sara Martin–    My Good Man's Blues (Mahalia's Blues) 2:47
Piano – Porter Grainger
11.    Sara Martin–    Jelly's Blues  3:22
Piano – Porter Grainger
12.    Sara Martin–    Troubled Blues 2:56
Piano – Porter Grainger
13.    Sara Martin–    I'm Satisfied  2:43
Piano – Porter Grainger
14.    Sara Martin–    Blue Gum Blues  2:57
Piano – Porter Grainger
15.    Sara Martin–    Slow Down Sweet Papa Mama's Catching Up With You 3:01
Piano – Porter Grainger
16.    Sara Martin–    Graveyard Dream Blues 3:08
Accompanied By – Clarence Williams' Harmonizing Four
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Cornet – Tom Morris
Piano – Clarence Williams
Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet
17.    Sara Martin–    A Green Gal Can't Catch On (Blues) 3:38
Accompanied By – Clarence Williams' Harmonizing Four
Banjo – Buddy Christian
Cornet – Tom Morris
Piano – Clarence Williams
Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet
18.    Sara Martin–    Longing For Daddy Blues 3:03
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver
19.    Sara Martin–    I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy Behind 2:40
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver
20.    Sara Martin–    Roamin' Blues 2:56
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver
21.    Sara Martin–    Good-Bye Blues 3:12
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver
22.    Sara Martin–    Everybody's Got The Blues 3:19
Banjo – Sylvester Weaver
23.    Sara Martin–    My Man Blues 3:19
Banjo – Sylvester Weaver
Credits : 
Vocals – Sara Martin
Compilation Producer – Johnny Parth
Liner Notes – Pen Bogert
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely 

SARA MARTIN — In Chronological Order Volume 3 (1924-1925) DOCD-5397 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third of four Document CDs that reissue all of the classic blues singer Sara Martin recordings (except for a few numbers with famous musicians that have been reissued elsewhere) has the bulk of her 1924-25 performances. Martin is heard in several different settings: duets with guitarist Sylvester Weaver, small group dates with Clarence Williams, duets with Williams or pianist Lemuel Fowler and backing by a violin-guitar-banjo trio. Sara Martin's voice and emotional range grew gradually throughout the '20s and such numbers as "Got to Leave My Home Blues," "Some Blues," "I'd Rather Be Blue Than Green," "I Can Always Tell When a Man Is Treatin' Me Cool" and "Mournful Blues" are among the finest recordings of her career.  Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Pleading Blues    3:05
2.    Every Woman Needs A Man    3:07
3.    Got To Leave My Home Blues    2:41
4.    Poor Me Blues    2:41
5.    If I Don't Find My Brown I Won't Be Back At All (take A)    2:52
6.    Too Late Now To Get Your Baby Back    3:04
7.    He's Never Gonna Throw Me Down  3:04
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Harmonizers
8.    What Kinda Man Is You    3:08
9.    Some Blues (No Name Blues)    3:12
10.    Old Fashioned Sara Blues    2:48
11.    Sobbin' Hearted Blues    3:00
12.    I'd Rather Be Blue Than Green    2:58
13.    Cage Of Apes    2:32
14.    Things Done Got Too Thick    2:51
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Blue Five
15.    Eagle Rock Me, Papa  2:48
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Blue Five
16.    Can't Find Nobody To Do Like My Old Daddy Do    2:31
17.    I'm Sorry Blues    3:01
18.    Daddy, Ease This Paine Of Mine    2:28
19.    Strange Lovin' Blues    2:56
20.    I Can Always Tell When A Man Is Treatin' Me Cool    3:09
21.    Down At The Razor Ball    2:38
22.     Mournful Blues    3:20
23.     Georgia Stockade Blues    2:54
24.     I'm Gonna Hoodoo You  3:04
Orchestra – Clarence Williams' Blue Five
Credits : 
Alto Saxophone – Unknown Artist (tracks: 14, 15, 24)
Banjo – Buddy Christian (tracks: 14, 15), Charles Washington (tracks: 16 to 20)
Banjo [Prob.] – Buddy Christian (tracks: 24)
Compilation Producer – Johnny Parth
Cornet – ... Thomas (tracks: 24), June Clark (tracks: 21 to 23), Tom Morris (tracks: 7), Unknown Artist (tracks: 14, 15)
Guitar – Sylvester Weaver (tracks: 1 to 5, 16 to 20)
Liner Notes – Pen Bogert
Piano – Clarence Williams (tracks: 6, 7, 10 to 15, 21 to 24), Lemuel Fowler (tracks: 8, 9)
Soprano Saxophone [Poss.] – Ernest Elliott (tracks: 7)
Trombone – Charlie Irvis (tracks: 7), Unknown Artist (tracks: 14, 15)
Trombone [Poss.] – Charlie Irvis (tracks: 24)
Trombone [Prob.] – Jimmy Harrison (tracks: 21 to 23)
Violin – E. L. Coleman (tracks: 19, 20)
Vocals – Clarence Williams (tracks: 24), Sara Martin

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