CHICAGO/ THE BLUES YESTERDAY Vol. 13

CHICAGO/ The Blues Yesterday

Volume 13

          

Pour ce 13 ème volume de cette très populaire série, attardons nous sur la période charnière qui, des dernières années 1930 aux dernières années 1940, a vu l'émergence d'un nouveau Chicago blues urbain.

           John Henry Barbee, né William George Tucker le 14 novembre 1905, à Henning (Tennessee) a appris très jeune à jouer de la guitare, côtoyant Sleepy John Estes, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson et Big Joe Williams avec lequel il a tourné un peu partout autour de Memphis. En 1937, à la suite d'une rixe l'opposant à un Blanc sur lequel il fait feu, William Tucker s'enfuit à

 

photo courtesy Moody Jones (from Chicago breakdown)

Chicago et prend le nom de John Henry Barbee afin de dissimuler son identité. Il enregistre quatre excellents titres en 1938 lors d'une audition pour Vocalion mais, méfiant et afin de ne pas attirer l'attention sur lui, refuse de retourner en studio. Bien qu'il vive de divers métiers hors de la musique, Barbee est une figure familière du marché aux puces de Maxwell Street dans les années 1940 et 50, faisant notamment partie de l'orchestre de Moody et Floyd Jones. C'est Willie Dixon qui le retrouve au début des 60's, l'introduit dans les clubs folk et le fait participer à l'American Folk Blues Festival 1964 au cours duquel il enregistre un excellent album tout acoustique et en solo pour Storyville. Hélas, sa santé chancelante le force à interrompre la tournée et à rentrer aux Etats Unis. Atteint d'un cancer, il est en outre responsable d'un accident fatal de la route et meurt en prison le 9 novembre 1964.

           On ne sait pas grand' chose de Elijah C. Jones, un chanteur et guitariste amené dans les studios en 1938 par Yank Rachell et qui grave alors une excellente séance. Jones refait brièvement surface en 1949, enregistrant une nouvelle séance (restée alors inédite) sous le nom de Kid Slim.

           Johnny Young (né le 1er janvier 1918 à Vicksburg) est par contre bien connu des amateurs de blues, autant en tant qu'un des rares mandolinistes du genre que comme un des pionniers du nouveau Chicago blues de l'après-guerre. Figure familière de Maxwell Street, Johnny a enregistré une poignée de titres à la fin des années 1940 que nous avons regroupés ici mais n'a retrouvé le chemin des studios que dans les années 1960 grâce à Pete Welding qui l'a alors abondamment enregistré. Après sa superbe participation à la série de LP's Chicago/ The blues today de Samuel Charters, Young n'a cessé de tourner aux Etats Unis et en Europe et d'enregistrer plusieurs excellents albums. Il faisait partie du blues band de Bob Riedy quand il est décédé le 18 avril 1974 à Chicago.

                                                                 Gérard HERZHAFT

           For this 13th volume of our ever popular "Chicago./The Blues Yesterday" series, let's go back to the crucial years that between the late 1930's and the late 1940's saw major changes in the Chicago blues.

           John Henry Barbee, born William George Tucker on 14th November 1905 at Henning (Tn) learned to play guitar at a very early age and played for tips a little bit everywhere around Memphis, meeting Sleepy John Estes, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson and Big Joe Williams with whom he toured the South for awhile. After a brawl (c. 1937) in which William George shot a white man, he fled to Chicago and took the name of John Henry Barbee to avoid any criminal search. He recorded four wonderful tracks for Vocalion in 1938 and was for a long time a familiar musician of the famous Maxwell Street Market, appearing very often with Moody and Floyd Jones. He was largely living outside music when Willie Dixon rediscovered him in 1963, persuading him to play again in folk clubs as an acoustic solo bluesman. Barbee was part of the American Folk Blues Festival 1964, recorded an excellent album for the Danish Storyville label but after a couple of stage appearances, Barbee felt very ill, was diagnosed with a severe cancer and flew back to the USA. He was quickly involved in a fatal car accident and was jailed in Chicago where he died on 9th November 1964.

           We don't know anything about singer and guitarist Elijah C. Jones who was brought to the studios in 1938 by Yank Rachell, recording some titles and resurfacing in 1949 for another (at that time unissued) session where he was billed as Kid Slim.

           Johnny Young (1st January 1918 in Vicksburg (Ms)) is of course well known by all the blues buffs around the world as one of the very few Post War blues mandolin player and as a true pioneer of the new Chicago blues. Young was also a familiar musician on the Maxwell Street Market and waxed a couple of sides for tiny labels in 1947-48. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until the 1960's to record again but this time quite extensively thanks to Pete Welding who brought him very often in the studios. After his remarkable contribution to Sam Charters' The blues/Today series, Young became a favorite of festivals and tours in the USA and Europe, recording many first rate LP's, particularly the two for Arhoolie. He was a staunch member of pianist Bob Riedy's excellent band when he died from a heart attack in Chicago, 18 April 1974.

                                                      Gérard HERZHAFT

Un des meilleurs livres sur les changements du Chicago Blues/ One of the very best book on the early Chicago blues

CHICAGO/ The Blues Yesterday

Volume 13

JOHN HENRY BARBEE (William George Tucker), vcl/g. Willie Bee James, g; sbs. Chicago, Ill. 8 septembre 1938

01. Six weeks old blues n°1

02. Six weeks old blues n°2

03. God knows I can't help it

04. You'll work down to me someday

05. Against my will

John Henry Barbee, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 12 mai 1963

06. I know she didn't love me

John Henry Barbee, vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. juillet 1963

07. Baby I need your love (That ain't it)

08. Gonna lose your mind (Tell me baby)

John Henry Barbee, vcl/g. Homesick James, g; Washboard Sam, wbd; Willie Dixon, perc. Chicago, Ill. 26 mars 1964

09. Early in the morning

10. No pickin' no pullin'

11. Six weeks old blues

ELIJAH C. JONES, vcl/g;Yank Rachell, mdln; John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, hca. Aurora, Ill. 13 mars 1938

12. Katy Fly

13. Big boat

14. Only boy child

15. Lonesome mama

16. Mean actin' mama

17. Stuff stomp

Elijah C. Jones (as Kid Slim), vcl/g. Chicago, Ill. 1949

18. Shake'em on down

19. Sad home blues

20. TNT blues

21. Race horse blues

JOHNNY YOUNG, vcl/mdln; Johnny Williams, g/vcls. Chicago, Ill. 1947

22. Money taking woman n°1

23. Money taking woman n°2

Johnny Young, vcl/mdln; Snooky Pryor, hca; Johnny Williams, g. Chicago, Ill. décembre 1948

24. My baby walked out on me

25. Let me ride your mule