LADIES SING THE BLUES/ Volume 7

 

LADIES SING THE BLUES/ Volume 7

 

           

This 7^th Volume of our surprisingly popular series "Ladies sing the blues" opens with the complete recordings of Betty Hall Jones (born Cordell Elizabeth Bigbee in Topeka (Kansas) on 11 January 1911) into a musical family who moved quickly to California where the young girl learned piano and became a proficient blues, boogie and ballad pianist. In 1927 she married banjoist George Hall. As Betty Hall, she began a musical career being the pianist of Buster Moten and then Roy Milton from 1937 to 1941. She joined Luke Jones Orchestra, remarried Jasper Jones, then taking her stage name as Betty Hall Jones. As her reputation as a very good pianist and sometimes singer she then joined Paul Howard and Alton Reed's band, recording a lot with them. She also started her own recording career in 1947 with the Maxwell Davis' band that led her with a contract with the Capitol label, recording and writing songs that would be lifted by none others than Ray Charles or Nellie Lutcher. After Capitol, she recorded quite prolifically for Dootone, Combo and others. Although Betty Hall's records were never "hits", she played a lot of night clubs, hotels, even touring USO in East Asia and even made a comeback in Europe during the 1980's. She died in Torrance (California) in 2009.

            If you want more about this fine musician, go to the Marv Goldberg site

https://www.uncamarvy.com/BettyHallJones/bettyhalljones.html

 

            I don't know anything about Rose Brown who cut two excellent tracks for the GST label. She shares vocals with a Jimmie Harris and her backing band is the still mysterious "Bubbles"!

 

            Although she recorded constantly in New York City between 1946 and 1958 nothing much is known about Baby Dee (Dolores or Delores Spriggs) who was another very fine singer. She apparently started as the featured singer with the Bill Campbell band who was quite in demand in night clubs and venues around NYC after WWII. Here are also her complete recordings and more details about this lady blues singer, a category which has been sometimes neglected by most of the blues magazines insofar, would be nice.

    Our friend Marc D. has unearthed some more infos about Baby Dee (see the comments section), particularly an odd album of "risqué" songs produced by Joe Davis named '"Sexarama" under the name Miss Dee. The album is entirely available on You Tube but it's quite far from any blues or R&B genres. 

 

            Anyway, enjoy the music!

 

 

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

 

BETTY HALL JONES, vcl/pno; Maxwell Davis, t-sax; Buddy Harper, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Bob Harvey, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. may 1947

01. Learn to boogie

02. Fine and mellow

03. That same old boogie

04. Make me know it

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; King Porter, tpt; Marshall Royal, a-sax; Bumps Myers, t-sax; Gene Porter, b-sax; Charlie Davis, pno; Gene Phillips, g; Arthur Edwards, bs; Bill Settles, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 27 december 1947

05. That early morning boogie

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Henry Coker, tpt; Dave Cavanaugh, t-sax; Bumps Meyers, t-sax; Tiny Webb, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Jesse Price, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 11 february 1949

06. Why can't you love that way

07. This joint's too hip for me

08. If I ever cry

09. You've got to have what it takes

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Forrest Powell, tpt; Maxwell Davis, t-sax; Tiny Webb, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Bob Harvey, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 2 august 1949

10. I never miss the sunshine

11. That's a man for you

12. Thrill me

13. Buddy stay off the wine

Betty Hall Jones, pno; Her Combo, band. Los Angeles, Ca. september 1952

14. Richmond blues

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Jake Porter, tpt; band. Los Angeles, Ca. september 1952

15. Goin' back to town

16. Frustration frustration

17. Poor spending daddy

18. Way after hours

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Gay Cowie, vcls; Bonnie & Linda Cowie (as The Gay-Bon-Lin Trio), vcls; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1955

19. Love my love

20. Shina no yoru

21. How long blues

22. Is he handsome?

ROSE BROWN, vcl; Jimmie Harris, vcl; Bubbles, t-sax; band. Newark, NJ. 17 mai 1951

23. Back from Korea

24. Rockin' chair woman

BABY DEE (Dolores Spriggs), vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, septembre 1946

25. Boogie me

26. Used to be a daddy

Baby Dee, vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, novembre 1946

27. Look what baby's got for you

28. I want to see my daddy

29. Baby Dee blues

30. Feel it

Baby Dee, vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, mars 1947

31. Like he's never loved me before

32. It feels so doggone good

Baby Dee, vcl; Leroy Kirkland, g; band. New York City, 15 juin 1954

33. Don't live like that no more

34. He ain't mine no more

35. Hold the light for me

Baby Dee, vcl; Charlie Singleton, t-sax; band. New York City, 11 novembre 1954

36. When I cry

37. Stout hearted

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 23 août 1955

38. Zoom de de Ho Ho

39. I wish you out of my mind

40. Find the one meant for you

41. Unless you love me

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 1957

42. Pretty eyed baby

43. Sittin' here wondering

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 1958

44. I cried the last time

45. You don't have to be a fool

 

DELTA BLUES/ Volume 2

 

DELTA BLUES/ Volume 2

 

           

Second volume of our Delta Blues series starts with the great underrated Lane Hardin (1897-1975). Born in Kentucky, Hardin made a living mostly outside music, holding a restaurant in Saint Louis or as a longshoreman on the Pacific Coast. He anyway managed to record several times, first in 1935 during an odd Chicago session, then twice in Los Angeles, the 1951 tracks staying unissued until Bruce Bromberg and Frank Scott unearthed them for their classic "Anthology of the blues series". Not really a Delta blues stylist, Lane is nevertheless a great country blues artist who could have made more records if he had been re-discovered on time.

 

           

Banjoist and singer Lucius Smith (1881-1980) recorded before and after the war for the Lomaxes, generally with Sid Hemphill (grandfather of Jessie Mae Hemphill). The three tracks here feature him solo. He was a living legend around Senatobia (Ms) when I visited him in 1979.

 

            John Dudley (c. 1899-1963) recorded only for Lomax while an inmate at Parchman's Penitentiary. His tracks are stunning and he appears as a great traditional Delta blues stylist. He also could have been a major artist if, once free, he would have toured Europe and recorded albums.

 

            

Guitarist/singer Miles Pratcher (1895-1964) was also a discovery of Shirley Collins and Alan Lomax. He was a friend and neighbor of Fred McDowell.

 

            

W.C. Clay (1927-?) was from Jonestown, a small town in the heart of the Delta. He moved to Helena (Ark) where he became a member of the famous King Biscuit Show alongside Sonny Boy Williamson/Rice Miller. He was also recorded later in life by researcher Louis Guida (cf: Living Blues # 32)

 

            Most of the datas come from the essential Blues/ A Regional experience (Bob Eagle & Eric LeBlanc). And a lot of thanks too to Lomax Digital Archive.

 

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

Lane Hardin, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 28 juillet 1935

01. Hard time blues

02. California Desert blues

Lane Hardin, vcl/g; bs. Los Angeles, Ca. 1949

03. Cartey blues

Lane Hardin, vcl/g. Los Angeles, Ca. 1951

04. Keep'em down

05. I'll be glad when you're dead

Lucius Smith, vcl/bjo. Senatobia, Ms. 22 septembre 1959

06. Goodbye honey

07. Lulu behave yourself

08. Memphis blues

John Dudley, vcl/g. Parchman, Ms. octobre 1959

09. Big road blues

10. Clarksdale Mill blues I

11. Clarksdale Mill blues II

12. Cool drink of water I

13. Cool drink of water II

14. I'm gonna move to Kansas City

15. Interview

16. Po' boy blues

17. You got a mean disposition

Miles Pratcher, vcl/g; Bob Pratcher, fdl/vcls. Como, Ms. 21 septembre 1959

18. Bill Bailey

19. Buttermilk

20. If it's all night long

21. I'm gonna live anyhow

22. Joe Turner

23. Old hen cackle

W.C. Clay, vcl/g. Elaine, Ak. 23 mai 1976

24. King biscuit time I & II

25. Keep it to yourself

26. Someday baby blues

27. Standing at my window

28. What'd I say?

 

DELTA BLUES Volume 1/ Anthology of the blues

 

DELTA BLUES/ Anthology of the blues

DELTA BLUES/ Anthology of the Blues

           Tous les amateurs de blues du monde entier ont une affection particulière pour la région du Delta. Bien que personne nulle part n'en ait jamais apporté le moindre début de preuve - le blues ne serait-il pas bien davantage né parmi les songsters des medicine shows? -, le Delta passe pour avoir été le berceau du blues. Il s'agit d'une bande de terre située au sud de Memphis, entre le fleuve Mississippi et la rivière Yazoo. Ce territoire, paysage plat et désolé sauf dans le nord collineux, espèce de petite plaine alluviale soumise jadis à tous les caprices du fleuve, possède une atmosphère indéfinissable qui a frappé tous les visiteurs. On y hume des odeurs exotiques et épicées, proches de certains fonds des îles Caraïbes les plus reculées. Le blues semble baigner l'atmosphère des campagnes et des bourgades.

           Le Delta blues est généralement rythmique, lancinant, hypnotique avec une figure de basse répétitive, souvent sur un seul accord décomposé en boucle. Très peu de ligne mélodique pour des textes singuliers et évocateurs. Plus qu'une histoire bien construite, le bluesman du Delta enfile des "versets flottants", tissant une trame poétique irrésistible. Cela confère à ce type de blues une qualité "ethnique" considérable qui a fasciné des générations de musiciens et d'amateurs. Il faut aussi noter que, même sur un territoire limité comme le Delta, l'unité de style est largement battue en brèche par des particularismes locaux importants. Le Nord de la région, Hill County, a donné naissance à un blues encore plus rythmique et encore moins mélodique avec, d'évidentes survivances des musiques Cherokees (le Delta était un territoire indien jusque dans les années 1880!). Dans la région de Bentonia, c'est un autre type de blues qui a vu le jour, presque entièrement joué en mode mineur, avec une ligne mélodique plus prononcée. On note aussi, dans les premiers enregistrements en provenance du Delta, l'existence de songsters, très influencés par l'old Time Music des nombreux immigrants Scots-Irish adeptes d'un fingerpicking régulier et d'un répertoire presque entièrement composé de folk songs et de pièces du Music Hall: Mississippi John Hurt, Joe Callicott et même, sur certains titres, Charlie Patton!...

          

Napoleon Strickland (né le 1er octobre 1919 à Como (Ms)- † le 21 juillet 2001 à Senatobia (Ms)) est surtout connu pour avoir dirigé un des principaux "fife and drum bands", sortes d'orchestres sans cordes, tambours et flutes, comme on en trouve aussi beaucoup dans les communautés amérindiennes d'Amérique Centrale et du Sud. Mais il était aussi un excellent harmoniciste et guitariste fort influencé par son excellent voisin et ami Fred Mc Dowell. Les titres présentés ici sont pour la plupart inédits et permettent d'apprécier la variété des talents de cet important bluesman du Delta.       

Belton Sutherland (né le 14 février 1909 à Holmes (Ms) - † le 7 octobre 1983 à Camden (Ms)) est un excellent bluesman qui n'a malheureusement été que brièvement enregistré chez lui en 1978.

           Enfin, Avery Brady, né le 25 août 1912 autour de Clarksdale (Ms) a connu plusieurs grands créateurs du Delta blues, en particulier Charlie Patton avant de venir travailler à Chicago durant la guerre. Il n'a jamais été un musicien professionnel, ne jouant que pour ses amis et voisins. Découvert par Pete Welding, Brady a pu démontrer son jeu de guitare original (Poor Kennedy par exemple avec un doigté sur la gamme de Do) et sa capacité à composer des blues originaux tout en restant ancrés dans la tradition. Il avait certainement le potentiel d'enregistrer davantage et de se produire dans les festivals. Il est décédé à Chicago le 4 février 1977.

                                                      Gérard HERZHAFT

           Every blues (and Rock) fan all over the world owes something to the "Delta blues". The Delta - without real evidence in fact - pass often for the true birthplace of the blues. The Delta is a region lately included inside the State of Mississippi, just South of Memphis, where the Mississippi and the Yazoo River form more or less the letter Δ. This territory was for a long time very isolated, frequently flooded and considered unsuitable for cultivation and thus left to the Cherokees and the Choctaws. The Delta was in fact an Indian territory until the 1880's when the new technologies opened it to colonization from other States and transformed this inhospitable land in a rich and fertile ground. The Native Americans were soon considered "colored" people and melted with numerous African Americans who came to work in the fields. And the music itself is the result of those mixed influences.

           The Delta blues is generally rhythmical with very often a modal construction, hypnotic bass figures, floating verses... a music that remains in your head. But of course, even on a limited territory like the Delta, there was much more than one style of blues: if the North Hill Country fits quite well with the aforementioned description, the so called "Bentonia style" is quite different, more melodic. And since the very beginning, recordings coming from this area featured many songsters with a nimble fingerpicking like Mississippi John Hurt, strongly influenced by the music of the many Scots-Irish fiddlers and such who came there from Ulster during the XIXth Century.

           Napoleon Strickland (1st October 1919, Como, Ms - † 21st July 2001, Senatobia, Ms) is mostly known for the recordings he made with his fife and drum band, an ensemble without strings very similar of bands found in Central and South America among Native Americans. Several of those bands were still playing into the 1960's in remote Southern areas. But Napoleon was also a very fine singer, harmonica and guitar player strongly influenced by his neighbour Fred Mc Dowell as can be appreciated here on those mostly unissued titles.

          

Belton Sutherland (14 February 1909 in Holmes, Ms - † 7th October 1983, Camden, Ms) is quite an excellent Delta bluesman who has only been briefly recorded at home.

           Avery Brady, born August, 25th, 1912 around Clarksdale met and knew several "Delta blues founders" like Charlie Patton before going to Chicago for better job opportunities during the war years. Never a professional musician, Brady played mostly for friends and neighbours. He nevertheless was a very original guitar player (Poor Kennedy for instance) and blues composer and was discovered and recorded by Pete Welding in Chicago in the mid-60's. He certainly had much more to give but never found again the path of the studios or the festival stages and died, mostly unknown, in Chicago on February, 4th, 1977.

                                                      Gérard HERZHAFT

NAPOLEON STRICKLAND, vcl/g/hca/d-bow. Como, Ms. 29 août 1978

01. Baby please don't go

02. Black Mattie

03. Diddley Bow medley

04. Louise

05. Rock me all night long

06. Sitting on top of the world

07. Woke up this morning

Napoleon Strickland, vcl/hca. Como, Ms. 20 octobre 1980

08. Banty rooster

09. Cryin' won't make me stay

BELTON SUTHERLAND, vcl/g. Canton, Ms. 3 septembre 1978

10. Belton's blues

11. Got a sleeping

12. I have trouble

13. Kill the old grey mule

AVERY BRADY, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 15 may 1964

14. Bad weather

15. City of New Orleans

16. Gangster blues

17. I have a woman

Avery Brady, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 5 june 1964

18. Poor Kennedy I

19. Poor Kennedy II

20. Bad weather blues

Avery Brady, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. march 1965

21. Let me drive your Ford

22. I don't want you no more

23. Gonna let you down

24. Goin' home with my baby

25. Uncle Sam's own ship

SAM BAKER/ NASHVILLE SOUL BLUES

 SAM BAKER: NASHVILLE SOUL BLUES

           

 Bien qu'il jouisse à juste titre d'une grosse réputation dans certains cercles férus de Soul, Sam Baker n'a jamais réussi à se faire connaître au-delà. Trop Soul pour les amateurs de blues, trop blues pour les tenants d'une Soul plus commerciale?

            Quoi qu'il en soit, Sam Baker a gravé dans les années 1960 une série de superbes 45t qui révèlent un chanteur expressif et vibrant, un ténor qui utilise fréquemment et pour le meilleur des effets de falsetto. Son oeuvre prend place parmi les meilleurs moments de la scène R&B de Nashville.

            Né à Jackson, Ms, le 14 juin 1941 Baker est très jeune passionné par la musique, chante dans plusieurs orchestres locaux, côtoie Jimmy Reed et Clyde Mc Phatter. Il enregistre un seul 45t à Jackson sur un obscur petit label local. Malgré la présence d'un beau blues Crazy about you baby, le disque demeure confidentiel et Baker décide de gagner Nashville pour y tenter sa chance.

            Il semble devenir assez vite une figure familière des clubs de la ville puisque le D.J. Hoss Allen (qui produit ce qui est peut-être la première émission TV de R&B noir The !!!Beat) lui fait enregistrer trois 45t dont une magistrale version de Sweet little angel. Après une séance à Miami, durant une tournée que Sam effectue en Floride, c'est le producteur John Richbourg, un des personnages clés de la scène du R&B de Nashville, qui, considérant que Baker a le potentiel de devenir une vedette, le fait signer pour son label Sound Stage Seven. Hélas, malgré l'excellence des séances enregistrées entre 1966 et 1969 (dont une à Memphis dans les studios Stax), Sam Baker ne connaît qu'un succès d'estime local et son contrat n'est plus renouvelé après 1969. Sam Baker quitte même Nashville dans les années 1970 pour retourner à Jackson où il s'occupera un peu de groupes de Gospel mais vivra en dehors de la musique

            Il sera finalement retrouvé par des collectionneurs dans une maison de retraite de Jackson, malheureusement confiné sur une chaise roulante à la suite d'une attaque cérébrale.

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

            Although he is highly praised among some circles, Sam Baker has never been able to be known as the major name his talents would have qualified him to be. Too "Soul" for the hardcore blues buffs, particularly during the 1960's and 1970's? Too "blues" and downhome for the Sweet Soul fans?

            Anyway, Sam Baker has recorded during the 1960's some of the best R&B records coming out from Nashville. Baker's soulful, crying tenor voice makes almost every number he sings a winner, whether deep blues or ballads.

            Born at Jackson, Ms, on June, 14th, 1941; Baker starts to sing while a teenager with local bands and even opens for Jimmy Reed and Clyde Mc Phatter. While in Jackson, he records his first single in 1959 for a tiny label with an excellent blues, Crazy about you baby. Baker, finding Jackson a little bit limited for his musical ambitions, goes to Nashville to try his luck.

            He seems to have quickly become a familiar figure in R&B clubs and Hoss Allen, a DJ who was then launching what it might have been the very first black R&B TV programme (The !!!Beat), takes him under his wing and brings him in the Nashville studios for three excellent singles and a superlative version of Tampa Red's Sweet little angel. After another 45 recorded in Miami while on tour in Florida, Sam Baker signs with John Richbourg's fledgling label, Sound Stage Seven. Unfortunately, despite the very high level of the subsequent sessions (one in the Stax Studios at Memphis), real success eludes Sam and his contract ends in 1969, putting a final point to Sam Baker's recording career. The man even goes back to Jackson where he will participate at some Gospel sessions. But he will mostly have to make a living outside the music business.

            He will finally been rediscovered in the 1990's, living in a nursing home and confined to a wheelchair after a stroke.

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

Tous mes remerciements à/ A lot of thanks to  Red Kelly (http://redkelly.blogspot.fr/2008/09/sam-baker-comin-to-bring-you-some-soul.html) et/ and John Ridley (http://www.sirshambling.com/) qui ont permis la rédaction de cet article.

SAM BAKER

Complete Recordings

Sam Baker, vcl; Johnny Jones, g; band. Jackson, Ms. 1959

01. Crazy about you baby

02. So long

Sam Baker, vcl; Johnny Jones, g; Skippy Brooks, pno; prob. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, g; Billy Cox, bs; Freeman Brown, dms. Nashville, Tn. 1964

03. Storming and raining blues

04. Keep on scratchin'

05. You’d better check what you got

06. Storming and raining

07. He'll be sorry

08. Once upon a time (Nancy Cohen, vcls)

Sam Baker, vcl; Skippy Brooks, pno; George Yates, g; Jimi Hendrix, g; Mal Mc Millon, t-sax; Johnny Green, b-sax; James Watkins, bs; Freeman Brown, dms. Nashville, Tn. 1965

09. Sweet little angel

10. Best of luck to you

11. Tossin' and turnin'

12. The Bump

Sam Baker, vcl; band. Nashville, Tn. 1965

13. Do right man

14. You can't see the blood

15. What did Sister do?

16. Sometimes you have to cry

17. Something tells me

Sam Baker, vcl; band. Nashville, Tn. 1966

18. Let me come on home

19. Someone bigger than I and you

20. Don't feel rained on

21. Just a glance away

22. Safe in the arms of love

Sam Baker, vcl; band. Memphis, Tn. 1967

23. I can't turn her loose

24. That's all I want for you

25. I believe in you

26. I'm number one

27. I can't stand it

28. Sunny

Sam Baker, vcl; Johnny Jones, g; Larry Lee, g; Skippy Brooks, pno; Harrison Calloway, tpt; Pete Drake, st-g; Billy Cox, bs; Freeman Brown, dms. Nashville, Tn. 1968

29. Coming to bring you some Soul

30. I can't break away

31. Slow down baby

32. Strange sensation

33. Sugarman

34. Why does a woman treat me so bad?

Sam Baker, vcl; band. Nashville, Tn. 1969

35. Hold back girl

36. I love you

37. It's all over

            

LOUISIANA RED: Complete Recordings 1952-1973

 

LOUISIANA RED/ Complete Early recordings

 (Re-post with new links)

          

Voici l'intégrale des premiers enregistrements effectués par Iverson Minter dit Louisiana Red.

           Comme nombre de ses contemporains bluesmen, Red était un grand raconteur d'histoires et sa vie qu'il relatait reflétait davantage ce que voulaient entendre ceux qui l'interrogeaient que la réalité. Il est probablement né le 23 mars 1932 à Bessemer (Alabama) bien qu'il ait indiqué plusieurs autres lieux comme Vicksburg (Ms). Il a sans doute été orphelin assez jeune bien que là aussi les circonstances des décès de ses parents sont confuses. Minter a prétendu avoir été élevé à La Nouvelle Orléans dans le même orphelinat que Louis Armstrong mais ce qui est sûr c'est qu'il a grandi auprès de ses grands parents à Pittsburgh (Ohio) et qu'il n'a probablement jamais vécu en Louisiane. Encore adolescent, Iverson Minter part chercher du travail dans l'industrie automobile à Detroit, apprend la guitare avec les disques de Lightnin' Hopkins et Muddy Waters et se retrouve jouer ici et là dans des clubs en compagnie de John Lee Hooker et Eddie Burns qui lui apprend aussi l'harmonica. C'est l'infatigable producteur Joe Von Battle qui en 1952-53 l'enregistre sous le surnom de Rocky Fuller qu'il lui donne pour la circonstance, trouvant Iverson Minter invendable! Ces enregistrements démontrent le côté caméléon de Minter qu'il conservera toujours, cette capacité à imiter de façon convaincante un peu tous les musiciens qu'il côtoie. Il grave même un titre, peut-être à Chicago (il prétendait l'avoir fait par téléphone!!!), pour Chess accompagné de Little Walter.

           Encore une séance avec son mentor John Lee Hooker et notre homme part tenter sa chance à New York City. Il est vite remarqué par le producteur Bobby Robinson qui lui fait graver un single pour son label Atlas. C'est à ce moment seulement que Iverson Minter/Rocky Fuller prend le nom de Louisiana Red, là aussi probablement une idée du producteur Robinson. Mais son heure de gloire va arriver en octobre 1962 grâce à un autre grand producteur noir, Henry Glover, un des hommes-clés du label King, qui, cherchant de nouveaux talents à New York pour le compte de Morris Levy, un homme d'affaires qui vient de créer Roulette, un label aux dents longues, rencontre Louisiana Red dans un club et lui fait enregistrer dans la foulée Red's dream, une resucée du I had a dream de Big Bill Broonzy mais remise au goût du jour avec des allusions à la crise des missiles, Kennedy, Cuba et un zeste de droits civiques. Le titre s'installe dans le Top 100 R&B durant plusieurs semaines en 1963.

           Après sa rencontre en 1965 avec Herb Abramson d'Atlantic qui a une évidente affection pour lui, Louisiana Red est souvent en studio avec différents accompagnateurs newyorkais pour des séances plus ou moins informelles dont seulement une petite partie paraîtra en album au début des années 1970. Remarquablement servi par ses sidemen, avec d'excellents arrangements, Louisiana Red y apparaît au sommet de son art: chanteur profond, guitariste de blues multiforme avec un slide tranchant (au style de Muddy, Red a ajouté celui d'Elmore James qu'il a rencontré chez Bobby Robinson), compositions élaborées qui font souvent mouche...

           Mais cela n'apporte pas grand' chose à Red qui, presque sans engagements américains, décide de partir tenter sa chance en Europe où il finira par se fixer définitivement en Allemagne, se mariant et tournant sans cesse sur le continent européen. Il enregistrera quantité d'albums, souvent en solo, parfois avec des groupes locaux. Sa créativité semblera quelque peu émoussée au fil des ans et ses prestations scéniques qui pouvaient être remarquables un bon jour laissaient malheureusement assez souvent une impression d'inachevé. On le vit même quitter abruptement la scène pour... ne pas rater une émission de télévision à son hôtel!

           Red décède à Hanovre le 26 février 2012.

           Merci à tous ceux qui ont rendu possible cette "intégrale" de la première (et meilleure) œuvre de Louisiana Red

                                                      Gérard HERZHAFT

LOUISIANA RED/ Discography

             Like many true bluesmen, Red was a great storyteller and his early life as he told to his interviewers was not always the same and reflected first what they wanted to hear. Minter was probably born in Bessemer (Alabama) on March, 23d, 1932 (and not Vicksburg, Ms as he so often said) and he lost his parents at an early age. He also said he was boarded in a New Orleans orphanage but it's more probable that he was brought up by his grand parents in Pittsburgh (Ohio). Whatever, Minter went to seek work around 1949 in the automobile industry in Detroit, learning there how to play the guitar (listening to records by Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters), started to play in the early 1950's in local clubs and meeting John Lee Hooker (with whom he will record) and Eddie Burns who taught him the harmonica. Anyway, Minter started to record in 1952-53 thanks to the indefatigable Detroit producer Joe Von Battle and under the name, Rocky Fuller (given by Joe who thought he couldn't sell Iverson Minter). Those very early records show Minter's ability (he will always keep) to impersonate any other bluesman's style. In odd and unclear circumstances, Red also recorded one title for Chess backed by no one other than Little Walter!

              During the late 1950's, our man went to New York City to try his luck and meeting producer Bobby Robinson waxed a single for his Atlas label. Bobby gave him then a new nom de disque that would stick: Louisiana Red. But better things will appear for Red in fall 1962 when another African American ace producer, Henry Glover, searching talents for a new ambitious label, Morris Levy's Roulette, saw Red in a New York club and hurried him in the studios, backed only by bass and drums (the superlative Panama Francis), to record a long session from which Red's dream (a very clever adaptation of Broonzy's I had a dream with references to Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro, the UN and the Civic Rights) climbed in the R&B charts and stayed there for some weeks in the early 1963.

              Then, Red met Atlantic's producer Herb Abramson who seemed to like him very much and recorded him quite regularly. But unfortunately only some tracks were issued as an album in the early 1970's. Those sessions stand probably as the very best of Red's recordings. He is at the peak of his talents, a strong and flexible voice, a wonderful guitarist able to play regular or slide guitar (he had met Elmore James in New York thanks to Bobby Robinson), backed by some of the best New York session blues players, varied and carefully chosen material, excellently produced... Certainly some of the best blues coming from those years.

              But those didn't bring too much to Red who decided to try his luck this time in Europe where he was cheerfully welcomed. Although he would live for a while in Phoenix (Az), his hectic European tour schedule and the meeting of his wife in Germany, persuaded him to settle there permanently. He will then constantly appear on stages, clubs, festivals, recording dozens of LPs and CDs... Although he was sometimes great, his performances tended to become often tedious and he seemed sometimes not involved. We even saw him stop abruptly his show and quit the stage to hurry to his hotel to watch a TV programme he wouldn't want to miss!

              Red died in Hanover (Germany) on 26 February 2012.

              A lot of thanks to all those who made possible this "complete" compilation.

                                                                                    Gérard HERZHAFT