Nombre total de pages vues

dimanche 28 juin 2015

DETROIT BLUES MASTERS/ Volume 9




DETROIT BLUES MASTERS/ Volume 9

           
Cela fait un moment que nous ne sommes pas retournés écouter du blues de Detroit (et de Toledo, une ville voisine elle aussi liée à l'industrie automobile) "au siècle dernier" bien sûr!
            Ce volume 9 commence avec le guitariste et chanteur Arthur Griswold (1939-2003), originaire d'une famille nombreuse de l'Arkansas, qui n'a commencé la musique qu'après un grave accident de moto à l'âge de 17 ans. Ce n'est cependant qu'en allant travailler à Toledo qu'il a formé son premier orchestre de blues en 1959 avec son frère, le claviériste Roman
Griswold (1936-2012). The Griswolds (le nom du groupe) a longtemps surtout joué dans les tavernes de Toledo et Detroit, enregistrant à partir de 1969 une série de 45t extrêmement down-home. Dans les années 1990, ils ont pu tourner en Europe et graver plusieurs excellents CDs.
            L'harmoniciste James "Little Daddy" Walton (1922-2000) était une figure populaire de la scène blues de Detroit où il se produisait régulièrement durant des décennies avec ses fils (Clarence, Melvin, Myron puis Larry qui est aujourd'hui le bassiste du Motor City Beat, un orchestre réputé de la ville). Ayant toujours dû vivre de divers métiers manuels, il ne s'est malheureusement que très peu produit hors des clubs de Detroit. Bien qu'enregistrés pour de minuscules labels locaux entre 1954 et 1969, ses 45t n'en demeurent pas moins de petits classiques du pur Detroit blues.
            Même si elle est surtout connue en tant que chanteuse de Soul tirant le plus souvent vers la pop, Barbara Lewis (née en 1943) a gravé quelques blues qui sont souvent méconnus des amateurs. J'aime particulièrement son interprétation de Frisco blues qui s'inspire bien moins du standard de jazz I left my heart in San Francisco que de la version qu'en avait donnée John Lee Hooker sur Vee Jay.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            It's quite a time that we have not been listening to some music from the Detroit (and the rather close town of Toledo) blues scene (yesterday of course). So let's go back there for this 9th volume of our series.
            Arthur Griswold (1939-2003) hails from a large Arkansas sharecropping family and didn't learn guitar before he had a bad motorcycle accident at 17. After moving to Toledo for better job opportunities with his elder brother, keyboardist and singer Roman Griswold (1936-2012), he launched his own blues band, The Griswolds who played mainly in the local taverns, recording some very down home blues 45s from 1969 for tiny labels. The Griswolds enjoyed some larger success after touring Europe and recording several excellent CD's.
            Singer and harp player James Douglas "Little Daddy" Walton (1922-2000) was also a very popular figure of the blues clubs of Detroit where he was playing for years during the week ends (he always had to make a living outside music) with his sons (Clarence, Melvin, Myron and bassist Larry who is now a staunch member of the renowned Motor City Beat Orchestra). He also recorded a handful of very low down blues 45s between 1954 to 1969 for small local labels that are today highly praised by blues fans all over the world.
            At the other end of the Detroit musical spectrum, sweet soul singer
Barbara Lewis (born in 1943) has nevertheless waxed some blues that are not very known by blues buffs. I particularly like her rendition of Frisco blues (I left my heart in San Francisco) which draws its main inspiration from the John Lee Hooker's title he recorded for Vee Jay some time before.

                      Gérard HERZHAFT


DETROIT BLUES LEGENDS/ Volume 9
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; Roman Griswold, og; bs; dms. Detroit, Mi. 1968
Trying to the future
Christmas time baby (cf my YouTube channel)
ARTHUR GRISWOLD, vcl/g; Roman Griswold, og; bs; dms. Detroit, Mi. 1969
01. Good thing going
02. Foot stumping
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; Roman Griswold, og/vcls; band. Detroit, Mi. 1970
03. Pretty mama blues
04. Trying for a future
05. Daddy Daddy I & II
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; Roman Griswold, og/vcls; band. Kalamazoo, Mi. 1972
06. Daddy daddy (LaVal)
07. I just got to know (LaVal)
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; band. Toledo, Oh. 1974
I just got to know (Buckeye)
08. Look what the fool made me do
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; band. Toldeo, Oh. 1980
09. Main Street beat
10. The big game hunter
Arthur Griswold, vcl/g; band. Toldeo, Oh. 1986
11. What the Judge did to me
12. There is something on your mind
JAMES WALTON,vcl/pno; Walter Mitchell, hca; Howard Richard, g; Robert Richard, g; dms. Detroit, Mi. 28 janvier 1954
13. If you don’t believe I’m leaving
14. Eva Lee
James Walton, vcl/hca;band. Detroit, Mi. c. 1958
Papa Doo
James Walton, vcl/hca; band. Detroit, Mi. 1963
15. Leaving blues
16. Miss Jessie James
James Walton, vcl/hca; horns; Clarence Walton,g; Marc Walton, bs; Melvin Walton, dms. Detroit, Mi. 1965
Tell me what you got
Shade grove
For those two tracks see: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfFB19Shtz8&feature=youtu.be
Thanks to Pierre Monnery
James Walton (as Little Daddy Walton), vcl/hca; og; Clarence Walton, g; Marc Walton, bs; Melvin Walton, dms. Detroit, Mi. 1966-67
17. Spend my money
18. Highway blues
19. I’m to blame
20. I’m leaving
21. Gittin’ it with Soul
22. Quit pussyfooling around
23. I’ve got a broken heart

BARBARA LEWIS, vcl; band. Detroit, Mi. 1962-6324. Frisco blues
25. Shame shame shame
26. Snap your fingers
27. If you need me

(En rouge: titres manquants. Si quelqu'un les possède, une copie .mp3 serait la bienvenue! Merci/ In Red: missing tracks. If anyone would have them, a .mp3 copy would be very welcome)

Thanks to Ballas for sharing 23! And Pierre Monnery for those in blue

22 commentaires:

  1. Thank you very much Gerard for this nice little collection. I have the James Walton track "I've Got A Broken Heart" on "Downtown Rockin' At The Garden Of Eden - 14 Raw And Wild Blues Rockers From The 1960's". Let Me Know If You Want Me To Post This.

    RépondreSupprimer
    Réponses
    1. Thank you very much Ballas... Of course an .mp3 copy of this rare track would be very nice!

      Supprimer
  2. Merci une fois de plus, Gérard, pour ces rares enregistrements. de l'authentique; et la famille Walton c'est quelque chose! Hervé

    RépondreSupprimer
  3. Un grand merci pour cette collection ! Votre travail est remarquable et une chance pour nous tous . Thank You !

    RépondreSupprimer
  4. Thanks Gerard - I always look forward to playing a new collection form this excellent blog.

    RépondreSupprimer
  5. Here is the link Gerard. Glad I can help you.

    http://www73.zippyshare.com/v/YqBaxYBf/file.html

    RépondreSupprimer
  6. Thank you Gerard. Your comps are always a great pleasure.

    RépondreSupprimer
  7. Really enjoyed listening to these tracks this morning Gerard, especially Arthur Griswold. Nice raw unpolished blues. So many of today's blues recordings are just too "clean" sounding, too perfect, with dazzling musicianship. I prefer my blues a bit on the rough and rudimentary side, so these tracks hit the spot for me. Also enjoyed listening to James Walton and Barbara Lewis. Agree Barbara's version of San Francisco is nice, along with one of my favorite Jimmy Reed songs: Shame, Shame, Shame.

    As always, many thanks Gerard,

    Bob Mac

    RépondreSupprimer
  8. Due to some errors and with the addition of one title (thanks to Ballas), here is a new complete and correct (I hope!) link for Detroit Blues Masters Vol. 9

    http://www77.zippyshare.com/v/B31yWBcI/file.html

    O.K.?

    RépondreSupprimer
  9. Merci Gérard pour cette nouvelle et fantastique collection avec notamment Arthur Griswood et son excellent Pretty Mama Blues ou encore le Funky Look What The Fool Made Me Do entre autre. J'ai découvert sur cette collection l'harmoniciste James "Little Daddy" Walton, son Highway Blues est fantastique ! Et bien sur la chanteuse Soul Barbara Lewis que j'aime beaucoup, avec ses quelques titre Blues dont Frisco Blues et Shame Shame Shame. Merci Gérard pour ces rares enregistrements !
    Gérard

    RépondreSupprimer
  10. The title says 'Volume 9'. Is there a 1-8?
    Thank you.

    RépondreSupprimer
    Réponses
    1. Of course, look all over my Blue Eye blog, you'll find out Volumes 1 to 8 Eddie Burns, Kirkland, Bobo Jenkins and so on..

      Supprimer
  11. Gerard, thank you so much for ALL of your fabulous compilations. ESPECIALLY this one! I actually had Art & Roman Griswold's band, The Griswolds, play at my brother's wedding reception! And it was fabulous!

    Have you ever put together a Louisiana Red compilation or compilations? He's another favorite and was also a friend.

    RépondreSupprimer
    Réponses
    1. Thanks, Mojo. Louisiana Red is here
      http://jukegh.blogspot.fr/2015/01/louisiana-red-complete-early-recordings.html
      Just take the time to browse on my blog...

      Supprimer
  12. Does the "Papa Doo" recording by James Walton actually exist? I have heard about it, but I have never seen nor heard the record.
    Jeff

    RépondreSupprimer
  13. Gerard,
    I have just seen that "Papa Do" was recently issued on a JSP Detroit blues compilation called "Garden City Blues," along with a couple Eddie Kirkland rarities I have not heard before. I do not yet have the collection.
    Jeff

    RépondreSupprimer
    Réponses
    1. Thank you very much, Jeff. This seem to be very interesting, particularly the James Walton's Papa Do and two tracks by Kirkland (the remainer is on this blog under Kirkland entry).

      Supprimer
  14. Bonsoir Gérard, pouvez vous s'il vous plait re-poster cet album ? Merci d'avance...

    RépondreSupprimer
    Réponses
    1. Nouveau lien/ New Link
      http://www.mediafire.com/file/e819t4k9uicebld/DBM9-AGJWBL.ZIP

      Supprimer
    2. Merci beaucoup Gérard, j'apprécie vraiment votre travail, que de grandes découvertes !

      Supprimer