JUNE
BATEMAN/ Complete Recordings
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. 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 très actif
dans l'annuel Noble "Thin Man" Watts festival. Elle y est
régulièrement présente et participe à l'élaboration du programme
La courte oeuvre de très haut niveau
qu'elle a réalisée méritait à notre avis une mention particulière.
Gérard HERZHAFT
We have already featured June Bateman on our New York City/The Blues Yesterday Vol. 3 but some tracks from her excellent recorded output
were still sadly missing. Thanks to the generosity of blues researcher and
writer Tony Watson, we are now able to give to the hardcore blues fans the
complete output of this first rate blues, R&B great singer who is also
highly praised among Rockabilly buffs.
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. In 1984, she followed
Noble Watts to his native DeLand (Florida) where she is still living and
playing an active part for the local, great annual Noble "Thin Man"Watts festival.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
JUNE BATEMAN/ COMPLETE
RECORDINGS
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; Jimmy Spruill,
g, Horace Cooper, pno; bs; dms, vcl group. New York City, juillet 1957
01.
Need your love
02.
Yes I will
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; g; bs; Bernard
Purdie, dms. New York City, 1960
03.
Believe me darling
04.
Come on little boy
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax/vcl; Billy
Butler, g; bs; Bernard Purdie, dms. New York City, 1962
05.
What ya gonna do?
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; band. New York
City, avril 1963
06.
I don't wanta
07.
I still love him
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; Paul Williams,
b-sax; band. New York City, septembre 1963
08.
Georgia mule
09.
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
10.
Go away Mr blues (Everlast 45)
11.
Possum belly overalls (Everlast 45)
June Bateman, vcl; Noble Watts, t-sax; band. New York
City 1965
12.
Possum belly overalls (Shaw 45)
13.
Go away Mr blues (Shaw 45)
