The Austrian Document Records label continues its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939 with this fifth volume, which picks up at the end of the singer's series of recordings for Capitol Records in Los Angeles in October 1944. Although the next batch of performances (tracks three through 14) come from a live performance for children in San Francisco in February 1945 that was broadcast on the radio, they fit into the "commercial recordings" framework because the tape was later pressed onto a disc by Folkways Records. By June 1946, Leadbelly was back in New York doing informal sessions for Moses Asch, soon to found Folkways, though most of these tracks were issued on its predecessor, Disc Records. Here, the singer is joined by such friends as Brownie McGhee, Woody Guthrie, and Cisco Houston, as well as jazz musicians Willie "The Lion" Smith and George "Pops" Foster. Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions (in many cases as re-recordings), among them "Irene, Goodnight," "John Henry" (two versions), "Boll Weevil," "Rock Island Line" (a version that served as a blueprint for Lonnie Donegan's hit cover), "Alabama Bound," and "Midnight Special." The singer is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible occasionally, but the sound quality is generally good. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
1. Sweet Mary Blues 2:55
2. Grasshoppers In My Pillow 2:46
3. Irene, Goodnight 1:22
4. John Henry 3:59
5. Boll Weevil 3:20
6. When A Man's A Long Way From Home 3:00
7. Good Morning Blues 2:51
8. By And By When The Morning Comes 1:50
Medley (3:23)
9a. Everytime I Feel The Spirit
9b. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
9c. They Hung Him On The Cross
10. Swing Low Sweet Chariot 1:02
11. Rock Island Line 2:30
12. Julie Ann Johnson 3:20
13. Haul Away Joe 2:19
14. Christmas Is Coming 1:04
15. We're In The Same Boat Brother 2:38
16. Diggin' My Potatoes 2:33
17. Defense Blues 3:16
18. Easy Rider 2:47
19. Pigmeat 2:16
20. John Henry 2:20
21. Alabama Bound 2:22
22. Ham And Eggs 2:42
23. Yellow Gal 2:23
24. Stew Ball 2:27
25. Gray Goose 1:33
26. Midnight Special 2:12
27. Green Corn 1:14
28. Fiddler's Dram 2:27
Credits :
Bass [String Bass] – Pops Foster (tracks: 16 to 19)
Chorus [Children Singing] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 5, 8, 9b, 9c, 15)
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Brownie McGhee (tracks: 16 to 20)
Harmonica – Sonny Terry (tracks: 17, 18, 20)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Piano – Willie "The Lion" Smith (tracks: 16 to 20)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Trumpet, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Bass [String Bass], Drums – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8)
Vocals, Guitar – Cisco Houston (tracks: 21 to 28), Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie (tracks: 21 to 28)
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