CHRISTMAS BLUES FROM CHICAGO

CHRISTMAS BLUES FROM CHICAGO

 

Bertha "Chippie" Hill, vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno; Tampa Red, g. Chicago, Ill. 16 october 1928

01. Christmas man blues

Leroy Carr, vcl/pno; Scrapper Blackwell, g/vcls; perc. Chicago, Ill. 12 august 1929

02. Christmas in jail

Mozelle Alderson, vcl; Georgia Tom Dorsey, pno/vcls; kazoo. Chicago, Ill. 1 november 1934

03. Christmas morning blues

Mary Harris, vcl; Charley Jordan, vcl/g; Peetie Wheatstraw, pno. Chicago, Ill. 31 october 1935

04. Christmas tree blues

Charley Jordan, vcl/g; Peetie Wheatstraw, pno. Chicago, Ill. 31 october 1935

05. Christmas Christmas blues

Bumble Bee Slim, vcl; Bill Gaither, g; Honey Hill, pno. New York City, 20-21 august 1936

06. Christmas and no Santa Claus

Roosevelt Sykes, vcl/pno. Chicago, Ill. 28-29 october 1937

07. Let me hang my stockings in your Christmas tree

Casey Bill Weldon, vcl/st-g; Arnett Nelson, clt; Joshua Altheimer, pno; Charlie Mc Coy, g; Ransom Knowling, bs. Chicago, Ill. 28 october 1937

08. Xmas time blues

John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, vcl/hca; Speckled Red, pno; Willie Hatcher, mdln; Robert Lee Mc Coy, g. Aurora, Ill. 17 decembere 1938

09. Christmas morning blues

Willie "Boodle It" Right, vcl; Joshua Altheimer, pno; Fred Williams, dms. Chicago, Ill. 7 october 1940

10. Xmas blues

Sonny Thompson, vcl/pno; Eddie Chamblee, t-sax; Floyd Hunt, vb; Alvin Garrett, g; Leroy Morrison, bs; Thurman Cooper, dms. Chicago, Ill. 24 december 1947

11. Not on a Christmas tree

Tom Archia, t-sax; Gene Ammons, t-sax; Willie Jones, pno; LeRoy Jackson, bs: Wesley Landers, dms. Chicago, Ill. 12 november 1948

12. Swinging for Christmas

Boll Weevil (William Mc Neal), vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 1948

13. Christmas time blues

Ray Pettis, vcl; band. Chicago, Ill. 1956

14. Does it have to be Christmas?

Detroit Junior, vcl/pno; Milton Bland, t-sax; Phil Upchurch, g/bs; Freddie Robinson, g/bs; Billy Davenport, dms; Harold Burrage, bells/sp. Chicago, Ill. 1960

15. This time for Christmas

Robert Nighthawk, vcl/g; Big Walter Horton, hca; Johnny Young, g; Willie Mabon, pno; Andrew Stevenson, bs; Clifton James, dms. Chicago, Ill. may 1964

16. Merry Christmas

Lee Jackson, vcl/g; band; Willie Williams, dms. Chicago, Ill. 1967

17. Christmas song

Mamie Galore, vcl; Dee Irwin, vcl; band. Chicago, Ill. 1968

18. All I want for Christmas is your love

Jimmy Reed, vcl/g/hca; Lefty Bates, g; William Mc Donald, g; Nick Charles, bs; Bill Warren, dms. Chicago, Ill. février 1970

19. Christmas present blues

Chuck Berry, vcl/g; band. Chicago, Ill. 27 april 1970

20. Christmas

Johnny Twist Williams, vcl/g; band. Chicago, Ill. 1976

21. Sad sad Christmas

Eddie C. Campbell, vcl/g; Carey Bell, hca; Lafayette Leake, pno; Bob Stroger, bs; Lurrie Bell, bs on *; Clifton James, dms. Chicago, Ill. 13 june 1977

22. Santa's messin' with the Kid

Lefty Dizz, vcl/g; Willie James Lyons, g; Big Moose Walker, pno; Big Mojo Elem, bs; Odie Payne, dms. Paris, Fr. 22 december 1979

23. Somebody stole my Christmas

Willie Smith, vcl/dms; Madison Slim, hca; Billy Flynn, g; Willie Phillips, g; Willie O'Shawny, pno; Calvin Jones, bs. Atlanta, Ga. 1992

24. One day till Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all, friends of the blues!

Joyeux Noel à tous, amis du blues!

Gérard HERZHAFT

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (Rice Miller)/ Complete Studio Recordings

 SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (Rice Miller)/ The Complete Studio Sessions

    

        Bonimenteur et showman autant que bluesman, ce Sonny Boy-là - qui a emprunté l'identité du célèbre bluesman John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson - a entouré son existence d'un tel épais tissu de bobards qu'il a fallu un travail de limier de chercheurs britanniques pour démêler la fiction de la réalité. Et encore: que demeurent d'incertitudes sur Sonny Boy n° 2, à commencer par sa date réelle de naissance! Lors de sa première tournée en Europe, son passeport donnait 1897 comme année de sa naissance, d'autres sources ont affirmé 1890, 1899, 1901... Certains, récemment, le font naître un 5 décembre en 1903 ou 1909, ce qui paraît quand même peu crédible vu son apparence d'homme âgé en 1963-64. Mais quid?

            Né dans le Mississippi, fils illégitime de Millie Ford qui le prénomme Aleck, il est élevé par son beau-père Mr Miller dont il prendra le nom. Son surnom de "Rice" viendra du travail régulier qu'il effectue un temps dans les rizières à la frontière de la Louisiane et du Mississippi. Quoi qu'il en soit, Aleck Ford ou Rice Miller, préfère aux travaux agricoles la vie de musicien itinérant. Il apprend l'harmonica et la guitare et vagabonde dans tout le Sud dans les années 20, gagnant sa vie en jouant le blues et en racontant des histoires, soit seul, soit au sein d'un medicine show, soit en compagnie d'autres bluesmen comme Robert Johnson, Robert Jr Lockwood, Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk ou Howlin' Wolf. Lorsqu'à partir de 1937, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson engrange succès sur succès avec ses disques pour Bluebird, Rice Miller usurpe son identité, se faisant ainsi mieux payer dans les bars locaux. Il réussit grâce à cela à devenir l'animateur régulier d'un programme radiophonique diffusé depuis Helena dans l'Arkansas qu'il rendra célèbre, le King Biscuit Show sponsorisé par la marque de farine "Sonny Boy"! L'émission rend très populaire Rice Miller dans le Sud et des échos de ce succès arrivent jusqu'à Chicago. Le vrai Sonny Boy tentera, pistolet à la ceinture, de corriger l'imposteur. Mais en vain! La rencontre entre les deux Sonny Boy n'aura jamais lieu.

            Bien qu'il ait toujours prétendu avoir fait des disques dès les années 20, Rice Miller doit en fait attendre 1951 pour enregistrer ses premiers 78t pour le label Trumpet, une vingtaine de grands blues: expressivité instrumentale, capacité à créer en quelques secondes un climat tendre ou dramatique, ton sarcastique qui insinue avec malice des compositions toujours originales, emplies de verve et d'humour. Grand bluesman, poète satirique, la voix, le texte et l'harmonica ne font qu'un. Ces qualités sont encore portées à la perfection lorsque Sonny Boy signe, en 1955, un contrat avec les frères Chess. Il enregistre alors à Chicago, entouré des meilleurs musiciens de la ville, une des oeuvres les plus accomplies de l'histoire du blues: Don't start me to talkin', The key, Nine below zero, Checkin' upon my baby, Cross my heart, Trust my baby, Bring it on home, Help me et des dizaines d'autres magnifiques blues qui sont devenus des classiques du genre. En 1963, cet harmoniciste habillé d'une tenue d'Arlequin et d'un chapeau haut de forme, sorcier à la barbichette, illusionniste, grand raconteur de bobards saisit à bras le corps le public européen au cours de la tournée de l'American Folk Blues Festival et proclame son désir de s'installer à Londres. C'est le coup de foudre. Il devient ainsi un des favoris de la scène bourgeonnante du blues rock, enregistrant avec les Animals et les Yardbirds dont Eric Clapton fait alors partie. Au cours de ce séjour en Europe, Sonny Boy "Rice Miller" Williamson grave aussi au Danemark et en France trois merveilleux albums semi acoustiques en compagnie de Memphis Slim.

            Mais le mal du pays est le plus fort. Sonny Boy n°2 rentre dans le Sud pour décéder d'une crise cardiaque quelques semaines plus tard. Son oeuvre n'a cessé de grandir avec le temps au point d'apparaître comme l'une des plus abouties de l'histoire du blues. Son style d'harmonica, si personnel qu'il apparaissait a priori inimitable, n'a en fait pas cessé d'inspirer des générations de musiciens comme Junior Parker ou James Cotton.

            Nous avons rassemblé la totalité des titres enregistrés en studio par Rice Miller sous son nom. Sont exclus, les titres "live" (AFBF, séances londoniennes avec les Yardbirds ou les Animals) ainsi que les morceaux captés dans des réunions privées en Europe ou d'après des programmes de radio.

            Ce recueil que nous proposons ici ne pourra certainement pas rester en ligne très longtemps. Aussi si cela vous intéresse, profitez en rapidement.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            Showman, barker, smooth talker and of course bluesman supreme, this particular Sonny Boy - who borrowed his identity to the famous bluesman John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson - created such a mystery around him that it took the blues fans of the 60's (particularly the British) sleuth talents to work out the truth from the fibs. And even now many facts remain uncertain: for instance, when really was born our man? His passport (and himself ) gave December 5th 1897 but others including his relatives have given 1890, 1899, 1901.. And more recently even 1903 or 1912!!!... That last date seems anyway hard to swallow for the man who appeared in Europe in 1963-64 was certainly much older than that. But?

            Born Aleck Ford, probably in Glendora, son of an unmarried very young Millie Ford, he was raised by his stepfather, Mr Miller, hence his "official" name Aleck Miller. His nickname Rice would come from one of his regular work in the rice fields of Louisiana. Whatever, Aleck Ford or Rice Miller learned the harmonica and the guitar at an early age and decided to make a living as a travelling musician and showman, either alone or among medicine shows that combed the Southern States during the 1930's. He certainly knew and played with a lot of Mississippi and Arkansas bluesmen Robert Johnson, Lockwood, Robert Nighthawk, Howlin' Wolf (whose sister he might have married for awhile)... But when, after 1937, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson became one of the most famous bluesman and harp player of his time, Miller took his identity, gaining much more gigs and even a radio programme from Helena, the King Biscuit Show. It have been said that the real Sonny Boy Williamson heard about the impostor and had even gone South with a gun to have an explanation with him. But fortunately for us bluesfans the meeting never occured...

            Although he regularly said he recorded since the 1920's (and even behind Bessie Smith, no kidding.. and remind that we swallowed all that!), Rice Miller made his recording debut in 1951 in Jackson (Ms) for the Trumpet label, backed by Elmore James. Well promoted by Lillian Mc Murry (owner of Trumpet) who liked quite much Sonny Boy, his records full of wry humour and originality gained good sales and he waxed more than 20 titles during the subsequent years.

            But it will take 1955 and a contract with Chess with superior backup musicians, studios and promotion for this Sonny Boy to record a long string of masterpieces so well known today and striking examples of classic Chicago blues of the 1950's: Don't start me to talkin', The key, Nine below zero, Checkin' upon my baby, Cross my heart, Trust my baby, Bring it on home, Help me and dozens of others.

            In 1963, this "old man" with a goatee and calling himself "The goat", dressed in a Harlequin suit and a top hat was the true sensation of the annual American Folk Blues Festival throughout Europe and stole every show with his showmanship, his harp wizardry, his intriguing but warm personality and his snarky speeches. His influence on the burgeoning European blues boom, particularly in England, was certainly as strong as Muddy's or Wolf's. He then recorded two brilliant and mostly acoustic albums in Denmark.

            Although he sung he wanted to "make London his home", he nevertheless went back to Helena, Arkansas just to die from a heart attack on May, 25th 1965, leaving one of the most accomplished recorded works of the Postwar blues.

            We have here gathered for the first time all his studio recordings.

            For the live recordings, see my post that gathers almost all known live recordings mad by this true master of the blues                                                                         Gérard HERZHAFT

Complete Rice Miller disco

ROBERT NIGHTHAWK/ Complete Recordings

 

ROBERT NIGHTHAWK/ Complete Recordings

 

           

    Robert Nighthawk est un des maîtres de la slide guitare, un des grands noms du Chicago blues et sa discographie qui s'étend sur plus de trente ans est d'une qualité impressionnante.

           

Robert Nighthawk, hca and his brother Percy

    Robert Mc Collum s'enfuit de la ferme familiale très jeune et mène une vie de musicien itinérant, jouant de l'harmonica dans les rues des bourgades du Delta. Il rencontre Houston Stackhouse, un élève de Tommy Johnson, qui lui apprend le jeu de guitare et le répertoire du grand bluesman. Robert fait aussi équipe avec Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), peut-être avec un tout jeune Robert Johnson. Mais, à la suite d'un incident violent dans lequel il est impliqué, Robert quitte le Delta et gagne Saint Louis où il s'établit sous le nom de sa mère Lee Mc Coy. Il joue là-bas avec Peetie Wheatstraw, Big Joe Williams et John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. C'est en leur compagnie qu'il part enregistrer en 1937 une mémorable séance qui verra à la fois les débuts en studio de Sonny Boy et les siens. Prowling Nighthawk est un important succès. Impressionnés par les talents de Robert Lee Mc Coy, autant à l'harmonica qu'à la guitare, les producteurs vont le faire travailler constamment entre 1937 et 1941. Il enregistre alors abondamment derrière de très nombreux artistes (Sleepy John Estes, Walter Vincson, Lee Brown, Joe Mc Coy, Henry Townsend...) ainsi qu'en leader. Ces titres d'avant-guerre sont souvent excellents, avec des sommets comme G-Man blues ou Friar's Point blues sur lesquels Robert joue du slide d'une façon veloutée et sensuelle, adaptée de la manière de Tampa Red.

            Après un hiatus dû aux années de guerre, Robert revient en studio en 1948, cette fois à la guitare électrique et sous le nom de Robert Nighthawk, en souvenir de son premier succès. Il enregistre pour Chess et United de formidables titres, la crème du Chicago blues de l'après-guerre: Sweet black angel, Anna Lee, The moon is rising, Maggie Campbell... Il effleure à peine les cordes de sa guitare électrique avec son bottleneck et obtient une sonorité encore plus exquise et langoureuse que celle obtenue par Tampa Red. Muddy Waters, Elmore James et surtout Earl Hooker puiseront à sa source. Si la critique blues a largement reconnu la filiation de Nighthawk avec Tampa Red pour son jeu de guitare slide, on n'a guère mis en valeur le fait que lorsqu'il s'exprime à la guitare électrique sans slide, Nighthawk joue, dès ses premiers titres d'après guerre, de façon extrêmement proche des solos de Lonnie Johnson, une influence qui demeurera jusqu'à la fin de sa vie.

Mais ces blues se vendent mal et Nighthawk végète dans les clubs de Chicago. Il part ramasser des oranges en Floride, reste dans le Sud, anime un instant l'émission de radio King biscuit time à Helena. La vogue du Blues Revival l'incite à retourner tenter sa chance à Chicago en 1962. Il y trouve une situation bien difficile pour les bluesmen. A part quelques concerts, les passages habituels dans les tavernes du South Side, quelques superbes titres produits par Willie Dixon pour Decca et Chess (une fantastique version de Sweet black angel, My angel en compagnie de Buddy Guy et Big Walter Horton) et un demi-album pour Pete Welding (Robert Nighthawk/Houston Stackhouse (Testament)), sa tentative de come-back est très décevante pour lui. Il retourne dans le Sud une fois de plus, est frappé d'une crise d'hémiplégie, est une dernière fois enregistré par l'infatigable George Mitchell et meurt peu de temps après le 5 novembre 1967 dans sa ville d'Helena (Ark)

Nous présentons ici la quasi totalité de la très importante œuvre enregistrée par Robert Nighthawk, à l'exception de l'album Live/ Maxwell Street 1964 (Rounder)

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

Robert Nighthawk is one of the masters of slide guitar, one of the great names of Chicago blues, and his discography, which spans more than thirty years, is of impressive quality.

Robert Mc Collum ran away from the family farm at a very young age and led a life as an itinerant musician, playing harmonica on the streets of Delta towns. He met Houston Stackhouse, a pupil of Tommy Johnson, who taught him guitar playing and the great bluesman's repertoire. Robert also teamed up with Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), perhaps a very young Robert Johnson. However, following a violent incident in which he was involved, Robert left the Delta for St. Louis, where he settled under the name of his mother Lee Mc Coy. There he played with Peetie Wheatstraw, Big Joe Williams and John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson. It was in their company that, in 1937, he set off to record a memorable session that would see both Sonny Boy's studio debut and his own. Prowling Nighthawk was a major success. Impressed by Robert Lee Mc Coy's talents on both harmonica and guitar, the producers put him to work constantly between 1937 and 1941. He recorded extensively behind a host of artists (Sleepy John Estes, Walter Vincson, Lee Brown, Joe Mc Coy, Henry Townsend...) as well as a leader. These pre-war tracks were often excellent, with highlights such as G-Man blues and Friar's Point blues on which Robert plays slide in a ultra-smooth, sensual way, adapted from the Tampa Red style.

After a hiatus due to the war years, Robert returned to the studio in 1948, this time on electric guitar and under the name Robert Nighthawk, in memory of his first success. He recorded for Chess and United some wonderful titles, the cream of post-war Chicago blues: Sweet black angel, Anna Lee, The moon is rising, Maggie Campbell... He barely touches the strings of his electric guitar with his bottleneck, and achieves a sound even more exquisite and languorous than that achieved by Tampa Red. Muddy Waters, Elmore James and, above all, Earl Hooker all drew from this source. While blues critics have widely acknowledged Nighthawk's affiliation with Tampa Red in his slide guitar playing, little attention has been paid to the fact that, when he expresses himself on electric guitar without slide, from Nighthawk's early post-war tracks, his guitar style and solos are extremely similar to Lonnie Johnson's, an influence that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

But these down home blues didn't sell well, and Nighthawk languished in Chicago clubs. He left to pick oranges in Florida, stayed in the South and hosted the King biscuit time radio show in Helena for a while. The Blues Revival prompted him to return to Chicago in 1962 to try his luck. He found the situation there very difficult for bluesmen. Apart from a few concerts, the usual stints in South Side taverns, a few superb tracks produced by Willie Dixon for Decca and Chess (a fantastic version of Sweet black angel, My angel in the company of Buddy Guy and Big Walter Horton) and a half-album for Pete Welding (Robert Nighthawk/Houston Stackhouse (Testament)), his comeback attempt was very disappointing for him.

He returned to the South once again, suffered a hemiplegic attack, was recorded one last time by the indefatigable George Mitchell, and died shortly afterwards on November 5, 1967 in his hometown of Helena (Ark).

We have gathered here all the recorded tracks and in chronological order made by this great artists with the exception of the album Live from Maxwell Street/ 1964 (Rounder).

Thanks a lot to all those who re-discovered, interviewed and recorded this important bluesman, particularly Pete Welding and George Mitchell

      Gérard HERZHAFT

ROBERT NIGHTHAWK Discography

FLORIDA COUNTRY BLUES/ Volume 1

 

FLORIDA COUNTRY BLUES Volume 1

               La Floride n'est malheureusement pas une région connue pour son blues. Essentiellement d'ailleurs parce qu'à l'exception du travail de la chercheuse et célèbre écrivain afro-américaine Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) bien peu d'enregistrements de blues ont été faits autant de terrain que commerciaux. Durant deux ans (1935-37) Zora Neale a été le fer de lance de sept expéditions de terrain, certaines en compagnie de John & Alan Lomax qui ont permis de découvrir certains des bluesmen les plus connus de cet Etat dont Gabriel Brown qui enregistrera substantiellement à New York après la guerre.

            En fait, en Floride - comme dans pratiquement tous les Etats du Sud - il y avait une scène du blues assez considérable dans les années 1930-60, certains étant des musiciens professionnels ou semi-professionnels, d'autres qui n'animaient que des soirées privées ou jouaient les week ends pour des pique niques ou des évènements familiaux. Mais ces musiciens ne sont pas connus tout simplement parce qu'aucune compagnie de disques n'est allée les enregistrer durant l'avant et l'immédiate après guerre et que, lors du Blues Revival des années 1960, les producteurs-amateurs de blues se sont essentiellement concentrés sur les régions qu'ils connaissaient par les disques et qu'ils croyaient être les principales (et seules!) régions du blues, en particulier le Delta!

            Mais à partir des années 1960, la State Library &Archives of Florida a fait - sans beaucoup de publicité, aucune revue spécialisée n'en ayant à ma connaissance parlé à l'exception de la parution d'un double album: Drop on down in Florida - un travail considérable de recherches et d'enregistrements de terrain, découvrant de nombreux musiciens folk et blues (et leur permettant de se produire dans des festivals locaux), la plupart étant alors désormais âgés et dont certains avaient fait une très longue carrière dans les juke joints, les medicine shows ou les circuits de Vaudeville. Cela a donné naissance aux considérables archives sonores, photos, interviews rassemblés dans la Florida Memory, à partir de quoi quasiment tous les morceaux ici rassemblés sont issus.

           

Odell Maxwell est un des rares artistes ici présents qui a enregistré deux albums dont nous ne pouvons que recommander l'achat. Né en Floride et fils d'un propriétaire de juke joint Gus Maxwell chez qui ont joué les plus grands bluesmen de passage, Odell partage son temps entre son métier de garde forestier à Orlando et son orchestre, les Maxwells, avec lequel il joue les week ends.

            Richard Williams (1887-1991), un musicien des circuits itinérants qui n'a appris que très tard le blues (avec des ouvriers de passage) a été substantiellement enregistré - blues et Gospel - à la fin de sa vie et en compagnie de sa fille Ella Mae Wilson par les chercheurs de l'Université de Floride qui ont même mis en ligne une excellente sélection de ses meilleurs titres.

           

Albert "Buck" Thompson a longtemps joué dans les juke joints de Floride et Alabama tout en louant ses bras aux différentes fermes et plantations de ces Etats durant les années 1950-60 et son répertoire est extrêmement vaste.

            Blind Johnny Brown (1910-86) et Moses Williams (1919-88) étaient d'excellents musiciens traditionnels, le premier très ancré dans le style Appalachien traditionnel, le second ayant développé une technique particulière au diddley-bow, cet instrument maison primitif, dont il arrivait à tirer des sons très excitants.

            Emmett Murray est né en 1911 à Moultrie (Georgie) et est venu en Floride durant les années 1930 afin de travailler dans les plantations de canne à sucre tout en jouant dans des hôtels et des réunions privées autant pour les Noirs que pour les Blancs.

            L'anthologie est complétée par le pianiste et chanteur Alex Mc Bride (1913-99), un musicien de barrelhouse et la chanteuse Mary Mc Clain (1902-2000) qui a enregistré par ailleurs sous le nom de Diamond Teeth Mary. Ainsi que par l'harmoniciste Samuel Young.

            Tous nos remerciements à Florida Memory pour ce formidable travail.

                                                                                   Gérard HERZHAFT

            Florida is unfortunately not very well known as a blues State for with the exception of the seminal work by famous African American author Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) who did a two year (1935-37) field research work (sometime with the Lomaxes and discovering some future blues artists like Gabriel Brown), no record company never came to this State. But in Florida - like in all Southern States - there were strong local blues scenes during the decades 1930-60 with many bluesmen playing in clubs, juke joints, picnics, medicine shows, who gained a strong local reputation but who never were recorded.

            But from the 1960's the State Library &Archives of Florida has done - without much publicity - a considerable field work, researching blues and folk veterans or younger artists, interviewing them, recording them on hours of tapes and sometimes bringing them to the limelight of local festivals and musical workshops. One box-set of two CD's - Drop down in Florida - was issued commercially and, despite few reviews, is well worth buying.

            This is from those huge archives that most of the following recordings come from.

            Odell Maxwell is one of the very few artists here who has recorded two albums that should be in every country blues fan's collection. Born in Florida and the son of a noted juke joint owner (Gus Maxwell), Odell has learned the blues from all the great names who came to play at his father's place. He shares his time between his day job in Orlando's Park and his band, the Maxwells whose whom he plays the week ends.

            Richard Williams (1887-1991) was a travelling folk musician who learned the blues thanks to itinerant workers coming to the phosphate mines near Richard's place. He has extensively been recorded (often alongside his daughter Ella Mae Wilson) late in his life by Florida Memory which even has put a downloading CD on line.

            Albert "Buck" Thompson has also substantially played in the Florida and Alabama juke joints while being an itinerant field worker during the 1950's-60's and he has a wide repertoire.

           

Blind Johnny Brown (1910-86) and Moses Williams (1919-88) were excellent traditional musicians, the first very rooted in the Piedmont blues tradition, Moses having developed a striking technique at his homemade diddley bow.

            Emmett Murray was born in 1911 at Moultrie (Georgia) and came to Florida during the 1930's to work on the sugarcane fields. He regularly played for parties and picnics for either Black or White folks.

            This homemade comp is rounded by some tracks by barrelhouse pianist Alex McBride (1913-99), singer Mary McClain (1909-2000) who recorded under the name Diamond Teeth Mary and harp player Samuel Young.

            Thanks again to Florida Memory for their huge and so useful work. Go to their websitefor much more material.

  Gérard HERZHAFT

FLORIDA COUNTRY BLUES

ODELL MAXWELL, vcl/g/hca. Orlando, Fl. 2012

01. Black man

02. Whiskey blues

RICHARD WILLIAMS, vcl/g. Newberry, Fl. 27 mai 1978

03. Baby please don't go

04. John Henry

05. Williams' slide blues

ALBERT "BUCK" THOMPSON, vcl/g. Hastings, Fl. 14 février 1985

06. Feel like a bird

07. I am drifting

08. Let's do the Twist

09. Rolling stone

BLIND JOHNNY BROWN, vcl/g. St Petersburg, Fl. 1 octobre 1976

10. Mistreating blues

11. Red Cross store

12. Woke up this morning blues

MOSES WILLIAMS, vcl/g/diddley bow. Waverly, Fl. 27 novembre 1977

13. Catfish blues n°1

14. Catfish blues n°2

15. Highway 13

16. The train

17. Which way did my baby go?

MARY MC CLAIN, vcl; Willie James, pno. White Springs, Fl. 27 mai 1988

18. Backwater blues

ALEX MCBRIDE, vcl/pno. Orange Park, Fl. 16 août 1989

19. In the Evening

EMMETT MURRAY, vcl/g. Pahokee, Fl. 8 avril 1980

20. Dig myself a hole

21. Emmett's blues

22. There is a man taking names

SAMUEL YOUNG, vcl/hca. Homestead, Fl. 14 septembre 1985

23. Decoration day

24. Birdnest on the ground

LAZY BILL LUCAS/ Complete Recordings

 

 

LAZY BILL LUCAS/ Complete Recordings

 

           

Lazy Bill Lucas is one of the too many unsung pioneers of the post-war Chicago blues. He recorded a handful of tracks in 1953 backed by the great Louis Myers that stand as Chicago blues classics, several times reissued on numerous anthologies since the Blues revival years. At that time, Lucas seemed to have disappeared for good and was only a name for blues buffs around the world. But the researcher, guitarist, teacher and future author of several important books and studies, Jeff Todd Titon who lived in Minneapolis (certainly not considered at that time as an important blues city) found there Lazy Bill Lucas, interviewed him in depth (published in Blues Unlimited n°s 6à to 63) and moreover pushed him to record once again for several albums that enabled the bluesman to show the width of his skills and repertoire.

           

Bill Lucas was born in Wynne, Ark on May 29 1918. His father, a poor farmer, was a blues guitarist and, seeing the interest of his young son to the music, he bought him a guitar in exchange of one of his pigs! Bill learned a lot from his father and from Big Bill Broonzy's records, Big Bill staying always his main musical influence. Bill learned also the piano at his local church, becoming a very skilled pianist in demand a little bit everywhere. He moved to Saint Louis, Mo. in 1940 playing during a short time with Big Joe Williams who urged him to try his luck in Chicago. In 1941, Bill moved to the Windy City, playing in Maxwell Street and many Chicago clubs with Little Walter (who gave him his nickname "Lazy Bill" probably due to the nervous eye disorder that gave him some physical limitations), Johnny Young, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Homesick James etc...

Lazy Bill mainly playing piano by now formed his blues band during the early 50's with his niece Miss Hi-Fi on vocals, Jo Jo Williams on guitar and Johnny Swanns on drums. Bill recorded as a pianist with Homesick James, Snooky Pryor, Little Willie Foster, Eddy Clearwater and with Earl Dranes' group The Blues Rockers. Lazy Bill Lucas recorded only four tracks as a vocalist in October 1953, waxing the classics She got me walkin' and I had a dream. For several reasons, Bill moved to Minneapolis at the end of the 50's, making a living mostly outside music but still playing regularly locally with other Chicago blues expatriates like Mojo Buford and his old friend Jo Jo Williams. He was a regular at the Key Club, playing by himself or with his pals and he almost always was picked to back Chicago bluesmen when they came to town like Big Walter Horton, Smokey Smothers, even Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. This is (during the late 60's) when Jeff Titon interviewed him, documenting this bluesman in depth. Lazy Bill Lucas appeared on several blues festivals during the 1970's, playing also in a musical revue "Dat Feeling" and even hosting his own radio show The Lazy Bill Lucas Show on KFAI in Minneapolis. He recorded several albums from 1969 to 1973 for small independent labels that unfortunately were poorly distributed and sold.

            He recorded a last album in May 1982 before dying in his sleep at his Minneapolis' home on December 11 of the same year.

            This post gathers all his studio recordings and tries to be a well deserved tribute to an important but too neglected bluesman.

            Thanks a lot to Xyros who provided any of the rare recordings herein.

            Most of this article comes from Jeff Titon and Jim O'Neal writings about Lazy Bill on Blues Unlimited and Living Blues.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

 

Lazy Bill Lucas 1950's band with Johnny Swanns, Miss Hi-Fi and Jo Jo Williams.