NEW YORK CITY BLUES YESTERDAY/ 3

NEW YORK CITY BLUES YESTERDAY 
Volume 3

           Reprenons cette série qui se veut documenter la scène du blues et du R&B Newyorkais de l’après-guerre.

           Guitar Crusher est né Sidney Selby dans la comté de Hyde en Caroline du Nord le 28 juillet 1931 et a commencé à chanter dans l’église baptiste fréquentée par sa mère qu’il suit à New York en 1950. Très marqué par les grands orchestres qui font les belles nuits de Harlem, il apprend la guitare et fonde son groupe les Midnight Rockers avec lequel il joue dans les clubs newyorkais. Son surnom ("briseur de guitare") semble lui être venu d'une rixe dans un de ces clubs et non d'une volonté d'anticiper ce que fera Jimi Hendrix! Il enregistre une série de 45t dans les années 1960 qui ont suffisamment de succès pour lui permettre de tourner avec des artistes comme les Isley Brothers, les Drifters ou Ben E. King. Mais ne voulant pas abandonner son travail régulier dans une usine, il disparaît plus ou moins de la scène musicale dans les années 1970. Retrouvé par des amateurs européens en 1989, il se produit sur le Vieux Continent et finit par s'installer en Allemagne, enregistrant plusieurs albums et apparaissant régulièrement sur scène jusqu'à maintenant. Nous avons réuni tous ses titres des années newyorkaises.

           June Bateman (née Marian June Batemon à Schulenburg au Texas le 17 novembre 1939) a suivi ses parents très jeune à New York, résidant à Brooklyn. Elle commence à chanter très tôt dans les clubs, notamment avec The Marquis mais c'est sa rencontre (et son mariage) avec le célèbre saxophoniste Noble Watts (cf l'article sur ce musicien dans Blue Eye) qui la fait devenir professionnelle. Elle est la vocaliste de son mari et enregistre sous son nom une série de beaux 45t, entre blues, R&B et Rock'n'roll dont certains (comme Possum belly overalls) sont devenus des classiques. Mais à la fin des 60's, elle abandonne sa carrière pour élever ses enfants et exercer une fonction pour l'Etat de New York. Elle suit Noble Watts lorsque celui-ci vient se réinstaller dans sa ville natale de DeLand en Floride en 1984. June Bateman-Watts y vit d'ailleurs toujours et joue un rôle actif dans l'annuel Noble "Thin Man" Watts festival. 

           Enfin Bee Bee Queen qui a enregistré deux 45t en 1956-57 demeure pour nous une complète inconnue. Tous renseignements complémentaires seront les bienvenus.

           Merci encore à Jack D., John Weill et l'infatigable Gyro 1966 pour leur aide dans cette anthologie à laquelle il manque encore deux titres de June Bateman (I still love him/ Mama I love him so) et un de Bee Bee Queen. Si l'un de nos lecteurs les a....

                                                                 Gérard HERZHAFT

           And there it is the third volume of our New York City blues Yesterday series.

           Guitar Crusher was born Sidney Selby in Hyde County (North Carolina) on July 28th 1931. He started to sing at an early age in the Baptist Church of his mother and followed her to New York around 1950. Very fond of the R&B bands of Harlem, he started to lead his own group, The Midnight Rockers with whom he played in the clubs. His moniker (Guitar Crusher) seems to come from the consequence of a brawl in a bar and not because he anticipated the histrionics stage acts of Jimi Hendrix! Anyway, Guitar Crusher enjoyed some success during the 60's when he recorded a string of nice 45s and toured with such names as the Drifters, the Isley Brothers or Ben E. King. The 70's were nevertheless lean years for him and he then drifted into obscurity, making a living outside of music. But some of his 45 having been reissued on British LP's, he was rediscovered by European blues buffs during the late 80's and persuaded to resume his musical career. He even settled in Germany where he recorded several CD's. He is still sporadically singing on stage in Europe. We have here gathered all his New York 45's.

          

June Bateman

June Bateman (born Marian June Batemon on November 17th 1939 at Schulenburg, Tx) has came with her parents at an early age to New York, living in Brooklyn. Still a teenager, she started to sing with local groups like The Marquis. But this is only when she met (and quickly married) the famous sax player Noble Watts - see the article on him in this blog - that she embarked in a fully musical professional career. As the featured singer of her husband's orchestra, she recorded a string of excellent 45s between blues, R&B and Rock'n'roll, some of them (Possum belly overalls) having even become "classics". She gave up her musical career during the late 60's to take care of her family, holding a steady job for the State of New York. In 1984, she followed Noble Watts to his native DeLand (Florida) where she is still living and playing an active part for the local and annual Noble "Thin Man" Watts festival.

           At last, the so-called Bee Bee Queen is still a shadowy figure. She recorded two 45's in 1956-57. Any info about her would be welcome.

           Thanks a lot to Jack D., John Weill and the ever-reliable Gyro 1966 for their help when making this anthology. Two June Bateman titles (I still love him/ Mama I love him so) and one Bee Bee Queen (You made me do it) are still missing. Thanks by advance to anybody willing to share them.

                                                                 Gérard HERZHAFT

NEW YORK CITY BLUES YESTERDAY

Volume 3

Guitar Crusher (Sidney Selby), vcl/g; B. Brown, hca; Clyde Sykes, pno; Willie Blair, bs; dms. New York City, 1962

01. I’ve got to know

02. Cuddle up

Guitar Crusher, vcl/g; band. New York City, 21 août 1962

03. I feel the pain

04. Itch with me

05. The monkey

06. I once loved you baby

Guitar Crusher, vcl/g; band. Cincinnati, Oh. 8mai 1963

07. I can’t help it

08. Better days ahead

09. Why oh why

10. Weak for your love

Guitar Crusher, vcl/hca/g; band. New York City, 12 janvier 1967

11. I’ll catch your tears

12. Goin’ down slow

Guitar Crusher, vcl; Jimmy Spruill, g; Alvin Lee, g; Terry Noonan, tpt; Bud Parks, tpt; Alan Skidmore, t-sax; Les Wigfield, t-sax; Dave Willis, b-sax; Chick Churchill, pno; Leo Lyons, bs; Ric Lee, dms. New York City, 6 août 1968

13. Since my baby hit the numbers

14. Hambone blues

15. What about me?

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; Jimmy Spruill, g, Horace Cooper, pno; bs; dms, vcl group. New York City, juillet 1957

16. Need your love

17. Yes I will

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; g; bs; Bernard Purdie, dms. New York City, 1960

18. Believe me darling

19. Come on little boy

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax/vcl; Billy Butler, g; bs; Bernard Purdie, dms. New York City, 1962

20. What ya gonna do?

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; band. New York City, avril 1963

21. I don't wanta

I still love him

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; Paul Williams, b-sax; band. New York City, septembre 1963

22. Georgia mule

Mama I love him so

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; Jimmy Spruill, g; B. Brown, hca; Royal Hamilton, pno; bs; Willie Jenkins, dms. New York City 1964

23. Go away Mr blues (Everlast 45)

24. Possum belly overalls (Everlast 45)

June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; band. New York City 1965

25. Possum belly overalls (Shaw 45)

26. Go away Mr blues (Shaw 45)

Bee Bee Queen, vcl; Teacho Wilshire, pno; band. New York City, 1956

27. Queen Bee

You made me do it

Bee Bee Queen, vcl; Teacho Wilshire, pno; band. New York City, 1957

28. I Wanna be loved

29. Yes Sir’ee