LITTLE JOE BLUE/ Complete Early Recordings

LITTLE JOE BLUE/ Early Recordings

           

Little Joe Blue se détache du lot des très nombreux bluesmen qui ont imité B.B. King. Sans effort apparent, sans affectation, sans maniérismes, son admiration pour son idole est si grande et si ancienne qu'il réussit à être plus qu'un deuxième B.B. King, un premier Little Joe Blue. Par-dessus tout, il a constamment essayé de faire preuve d'originalité au sein de ces limites, ne reprenant que très peu le répertoire de son idole mais au contraire créant et composant des pièces aux textes rusés, ouvertement dirigés vers le public noir du Sud rural dont il provient.

            Il naît Joseph Valery Jr à Vicksburg, Mississippi, le 23 septembre 1934 d'une famille de métayers avec huit enfants. Il aurait été surnommé dès son enfance Little Joe Blue, en jouant de façon incessante sur un harmonica le célèbre et traditionnel Little boy blue. Mais d'autres sources plus fiables notent que c'est le producteur Fats Washington qui lui a donné son nom de scène en 1966. Quoi qu'il en soit, il travaille à Shreveport, est fasciné par les bluesmen qu'il voit dans les clubs de la ville, notamment bien sûr B.B. King en 1949. En 1951, il vit à Detroit, travaille dans l'industrie automobile et commence à chanter avec divers orchestres locaux. Mais en 1953, il s'engage dans l'armée, participe à la guerre de Corée. Après un divorce, il décide de s'installer à Reno (Nevada), y forme un orchestre et se fait une réputation locale. En 1961, il part tenter sa chance à Los Angeles.

            En 1963, Joe Valery enregistre son premier disque pour le minuscule label Nanc de Howard Ransom puis en 1964 la première version de son superbe Dirty work is going on produit par Maxwell Davis. Enfin en 1966, il réenregistre ce titre pour le label de Fats Washington Movin'. Le titre commence à faire du bruit en Californie et Chess le reprend et en fait un succès dans le Top 40 de R&B. Little Joe Blue signe alors pour Chess, grave un 45t à Chicago sous la houlette de Gene Barge. En 1968, il est à nouveau dans les studios californiens pour Fats Washington pour une magnifique séance (avec Lowell Fulson à la guitare) qui donne le subtil Standing on the threshold. Le disque est vendu à Stan Lewis qui, à Shreveport, dirige le label Jewel sur lequel Joe enregistrera dorénavant. Bien managé par Stan Lewis, Little Joe Blue obtient plusieurs succès dans le Sud. Southern country boy, dans lequel Joe revendique avec fierté ses racines paysannes et sudistes, deviendra même une pièce obligée du répertoire des bluesmen régionaux. Sous l'influence de Fulson, Little Joe Blue, qui n'avait jamais que gratté de la guitare, se décide à apprendre

sérieusement cet instrument et s'adresse au maestro Lafayette Thomas. Grâce à ce remarquable professeur, Little Joe Blue fait de rapides progrès. Il devient capable de belles phrases mélodiques dans la droite ligne du courant texano-californien. Il connaît encore quelques succès dans les années 70 et 80 (Give me an hour in the garden), demeure actif dans le "chitlin' circuit" et effectue plusieurs tournées en Europe où il séduit par son authenticité. Il enregistre aussi plusieurs fort bons albums pour Evejim ou Black & Blue.

            Malheureusement, le 22 avril 1990, Joe décède d'un cancer contre lequel il aura lutté avec un courage exemplaire.

            Si son oeuvre pour Jewel a été largement rééditée, ce n'est pas le cas de ses disques des années 1960 que nous avons donc regroupés ici à l'exception de son premier 45t pour Nanc totalement introuvable.

            Comme toujours si vous l'avez, une copie serait la bienvenue. Ainsi d'ailleurs que vos appréciations sur ce blog s'il vous intéresse.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            Although he is usually classified as a B.B. King impersonator for whom he had a strong admiration, Little Joe Blue was very much his own man. He almost never took B.B.'s repertoire and he has composed a string of shrewd and moving blues, some of them being now "classics" of the genre.

            Born Joseph Valery Jr in Vicksburg, Ms. on September 23d, 1934, it has been written that he took his moniker of Little Joe Blue because he played constantly this tune on his harmonica when a child. But in fact it seems that it is the producer Fats Washington who gave Valery his nickname in 1966. Whatever, Joe worked in Shreveport, saw many bluesmen in the local clubs, particularly of course B.B. King in 1949, started to sing like his idol when moving to Detroit in 1951. Between 1953-56, Joe was drafted, battled in Korea, came back to Motor City just to divorce and then went to live in Reno (Nevada). There he formed a band that gained a local reputation. In 1961, Joe tried his luck in Los Angeles.

            This is there that in 1963 he recorded his first 45 for the tiny Nanc label owned by Howard Ransom. In 1964, he waxed the wonderful Dirty work is going on, produced by Maxwell Davis. And in 1966, he recorded again this blues for Fats Washington's Movin label. The 45 sold enough in California to draw the attention of Chess that reissued the title and put it in the National R&B Top 40. A short contract with Chess gave a good 45 recorded in Chicago and produced by Gene Barge that unfortunately went nowhere. In 1968, Joe was again with Fats Washington in the L.A.'s studios for a fine session with Lowell Fulson playing the guitar. The very subtle Standing on the threshold was sold to Stan Lewis, owner of several studios and labels in Shreveport who then took Little Joe Blue among his roster of bluesmen, ensuring him a steady contract with regular records well produced and well distributed in the Southern States where Joe enjoyed a strong following. Southern Country Boy, in which Joe claims his southern roots, even became some kind of a southern chitlin' circuit's anthem.

          

  Following Fulson's advice to play the guitar alongside his singing, Joe took lessons with the real maestro, Lafayette Thomas and quickly became a very good guitarist himself in the Texas-California style. After the Jewel contract ended, Joe still recorded some very good 45s and albums for Evejim or Black & Blue and toured Europe and Japan.

            Unfortunately, after a bold battle against this disease, he died of cancer on April, 22, 1990 in Los Angeles.

            If his Jewel tracks are easily available, this is not the case for his early works that we have gathered here minus the hard to find Nanc 45. If any of you had it, a copy would be very welcomed, as well - as usual - your appreciations.

                                                                     Gérard HERZHAFT

LITTLE JOE BLUE

Complete Early Recordings

Little Joe Blue, vcl; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1963

Just love won't do

I've got my reasons

(This 45 from the Nanc label is unfindable. If anyone has it, a .mp3 copy would be much welcomed)

Little Joe Blue, vcl; Maxwell Davis, pno; Larry Green, g; saxes; Curtis Tillman, bs; Chuck Thomas, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1964

01. Dirty work is going on

02. Understanding

03. Jimmy's special

04. Can't have your cake and eat it

Little Joe Blue, vcl; band. Los Angeles, 22 mars 1966

05. Dirty work going on

06. Pretty woman

Little Joe Blue, vcl; Larry Green, g; Maxwell Davis, pno; saxes; Curtis Tillman, bs; Chuck Thomas, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. juin 1966

07. My tomorrow

08. Once a fool

09. Just look at your woman

10. Little baby

Little Joe Blue, vcl; Gene Barge, t-sax; horns; Bryce Robinson, g; Willie Dixon, bs; Maurice White, dms. Chicago, Ill. mars 1967

11. Me and my woman

12. My heart beats like a drum I & II

Little Joe Blue, vcl; Maxwell Davis, pno; Lowell Fulson, g; band. Los Angeles, Ca. décembre 1968

13. Standing on the threshold

14. Don't stop loving me

Little Joe Blue, vcl; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1969

15. Loose me

16. A fool is what you wanted

17. Shakin' hands with the judge

18. If there's a better way

Little Joe Blue, vcl; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1970

19. Don't tax me in

20. Lonely

Little Joe Blue, vcl/g; Little Mack Simmons, hca; band. Los Angeles, Ca. janvier 1971

21. We all have the blues I & II

Little Joe Blue, vcl/g; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1971

22. Southern country boy

NEWPORT BLUES FESTIVAL 3 July 1960

NEWPORT BLUES FESTIVAL/ 3 July 1960

           

L'après midi du 3 juillet de l'édition 1960 du Newport Jazz Festival (organisée par George Wein) était entièrement consacrée au blues avec une programmation audacieuse pour l'époque: Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Rushing, Sam Price Trio avec Lafayette Thomas et la chanteuse Bettye Jeanette, les louisianais Butch Cage et Willie Thomas, les seuls - amenés par Harry Oster qui venait de les découvrir - à représenter ce jour-là le blues acoustique plus une démonstration de tap dancing par Al Mimms ainsi que des poèmes et des textes lus par l'écrivain Afro-Américain Langston Hughes.

            Muddy Waters qui ouvre le concert par un superbe Catfish blues, accompagné de son orchestre de l'époque (James Cotton, Pat Harris, Otis Spann, Andrew Stephenson et Francis Clay) continue par un programme qui a été publié en LP et CD (Muddy Waters at Newport) et que nous n'avons donc pas inclus ici. Puis laisse la place à Otis Spann qui démontre l'étendue de ses talents de pianiste sur quatre pièces instrumentales. C'est l'orchestre de Muddy qui accompagne aussi John Lee Hooker - qui avait joué peu de temps auparavant en acoustique au Festival Folk de Newport - sur cinq morceaux très représentatifs de ce qu'il enregistrait à l'époque.

           

Le pianiste Sam Price prend ensuite place sur scène accompagné du guitariste Lafayette Thomas, alors Newyorkais (qui chante un rare Things I used to do) et du batteur Panama Francis ainsi que de la chanteuse Betty Harris (ici sous le nom de Bettye Jeanette), qui interprète ici avec conviction trois classiques du premier blues. Le trio accompagne aussi le Blues Shouter (de l'orchestre de Count Basie) Jimmy Rushing. Butch Cage et Willie Thomas donnent ensuite la touche la plus rurale de ce programme avec plusieurs duos fiddle/guitare avant que presque tous les artistes viennent terminer le show par un Mean mistreater accompagné par le Muddy Waters Blues Band. Mais suite à de sérieuses rixes en marge du festival qui avaient eu lieu la veille, la petite ville de Newport fait annoncer par le présentateur Willie Connover qu'elle annule le Festival à l'instant même, le concert de jazz du soir étant même supprimé. C'est donc par un beau blues triste et prenant improvisé sur le moment que Otis Spann termine la journée. Goodbye Newport blues.

           

Un grand merci à Steve K. et Jeanie H. pour avoir fourni ces enregistrements rares qui donnent une idée plus complète de ce concert historique.

                                                                       Gérard Herzhaft

            The 3d of July's afternoon concert of the 1960 Edition of the annual Newport Jazz Festival was boldly entirely devoted to a blues programme assembled by George Wein who had gathered for the occasion Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Rushing, The Sam Price Trio featuring ace guitarist Lafayette Thomas (then a New Yorker), drummer Panama Francis and young blues singer Betty Harris (here under the name of Bettye Jeanette), the fiddle/guitar duo of Louisianans Butch Cage and Willie Thomas (just discovered by Harry Oster) who was the only acoustic act of the day and also Blues Shouter from the count Basie band, Jimmy Rushing. Plus some tap dancing by Al Mims as well as poems and texts read by the famous African-American author Langston Hughes.

            Muddy and his band (James Cotton, Pat Harris, Otis Spann, Andrew Stephenson et Francis Clay) open the show with a striking version of Catfish blues, followed by a programme that has been issued several times on LP and CD (Muddy Waters at Newport), so not included here.

            Pianist Otis Spann follows, demonstrating his powerful talents on four instrumentals backed by the band. The complete Muddy's band backs also John Lee Hooker on five electric numbers (he had shortly previously been featured on the Folk version of the Newport Festival as a solo acoustic bluesman) well in the mould of what he was recording at the time.

            Pianist Sam Price and his Trio deliver a frantic shuffle with a brilliant Lafayette Thomas and Betty Harris (here under the name of Bettye Jeanette) sings with authority three blues from the 1920's. After Jimmy Rushing, and the duo Cage and Thomas, almost all the artists accompanied by the Muddy band sing a long version of Mean mistreater which was supposed to end the show.

            But Willie Connover, Newport Jazz Festival emcee had suddenly to announce the decision of the city council of Newport to suspend activities of the Newport Jazz Festival, beginning with the evening concert on July 3. This decision was made following a clash with students and police the preceding night that escalated into a full-scale riot. Upset, Otis Spann then decided to close the Festival with an improvised brooding blues. Goodbye Newport blues.

            A lot of thanks to Steve K. and Jeanie H. who sent me those very rare tapes which give a better and more complete idea of what happened this 3d July of 1960 at the historic Newport Jazz Festival.

                                                                       Gérard Herzhaft

NEWPORT BLUES FESTIVAL

3 July 1960

MUDDY WATERS, vcl/g; James Cotton, hca; Otis Spann, pno; Pat Hare, g; Andrew Stephenson, bs; Francis Clay, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

01. Catfish blues

OTIS SPANN, vcl/pno; James Cotton, hca; Otis Spann, pno; Pat Hare, g; Andrew Stephenson, bs; Francis Clay, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

02. Chicago blues

03. Newport blues

04. Otis blues

05. Saint Louis blues

JOHN LEE HOOKER, vcl/g; James Cotton, hca; Otis Spann, pno; Pat Hare, g; Andrew Stephenson, bs; Francis Clay, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

06. My own fault

07. Maudie

08. Tupelo

09. I wanna walk

10. I wish you were here

SAM PRICE, pno; Lafayette Thomas, g; Panama Francis, dms. Newport, RI 3 July 1960

11. The price is right

LAFAYETTE THOMAS, vcl/g; Sam Price, pno; Panama Francis, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

12. The things I used to do

BETTY Harris, vcl; Sammy Price, pno; Lafayette Thomas, g; Panama Francis, dms. Newport, RI 3 July 1960

13. Ain't nobody's business

14. The birth of the blues

15. Backwater blues

JIMMY RUSHING, vcl; Sam Price, pno; Lafayette Thomas, g; Panama Francis, dms. Newport RI. 3 July 1960

16. Bye bye baby

BUTCH CAGE, vcl/fdl; WILLIE THOMAS, vcl/g. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

17. Hen cackle

18. Hard achin' blues

FINALE: Muddy Waters, vcl; Bettye Jeanette, vcl; Butch Cage, vcl; Willie Thomas, vcl; Jimmy Rushing, vcl; James Cotton, hca; Otis Spann, pno; Pat Hare, g; Andrew Stephenson, bs; Francis Clay, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

19. Mean mistreater

OTIS SPANN, vcl/pno; Muddy Waters, g; James Cotton, hca; Otis Spann, pno; Pat Hare, g; Andrew Stephens, bs; Francis Clay, dms. Newport, RI. 3 July 1960

20. Goodbye Newport blues

LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

              

LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

               The previously "mysterious" top notch guitarist Leroy Washington is now much better known thanks to blues researcher Gene Tomko who published the results of his sleuth work in Living Blues n°222.

            Leroy Washington was born 1st March 1932 at Palmetto, La. Being raised by his lone mother, the young boy had to work on the railroads to help his Ma makes ends meet. He also fooled around with a guitar at an early age listening blues and Cajun records from the local radio stations. Very skilled, he became an accomplished guitarist during the early 50's. Enough to form a duo with his neighbour Chuck Martin (who will become a well known Zydeco artist later on) and play in local juke joints and venues. Soon after, Leroy was the guitarist and sometimes bass player of the Guidry Brothers Band (then called the Honeydrippers) from Church Point.

            Quickly, Leroy's guitar ability was famous enough to earn him the nickname of "The Guitar Wizard" and he embarked himself on a full time career as a musician, playing every night in the various clubs of Opelousas and Lake Charles. The influential Lake Charles'DJ Isaac Lutcher took him on his regular radio programme as well as a hired guitarist for all blues stars he brought to town like Roy Brown, Jimmy Reed, Clarence Garlow... Leroy befriended also with Guitar Gable who brought him to Crowley's producer J.D. Miller. Miller recorded Washington between 1957 to 1960 but despite a good local Hit with Wild Cherry, J.D. issued only three Leroy's 45s on Excello, Rocko and Zynn labels, the remainder of the sessions staying in the vaults for decades.

               During those years, Leroy was extremely busy, playing everywhere with 

several bands, namely
Good Rockin' Bob's (Ed Thomas) Orchestra. On 30th June 1962, this group was 

playing at the Big Casino, a joint of Leesville, La. that had a strong amount
of patrons coming from the near military base of Fort Polk. At the end of the
show, while singing, Leroy fell down on stage, victim of an aneurysm. He would 

die a few hours later at the very early age of 30, leaving us anyway a strong musical 

heritage that we have tried to gather for the first time here. One track is still
missing and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 Gérard HERZHAFT

Thanks to Marc Claes, Living Blues and Gene Tomko

            

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Tal Miller, pno; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. 1957

01. I've been in this prison

02. Sally Lou

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Tal Miller, pno; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms; Lazy Lester, wbd/perc/hca. Crowley, La. 1958

03. Sittin' here cryin'

04. Wild Cherry n°1

05. Wild Cherry n°2

06. Be kind

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; band. Crowley, La. 6 mai 1959

Gimme my rights (thanks to Jeff Harris and Tom Thumb)

07. My Chinatown girl

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. juin 1959

08. Don't blame it on me mama

09. Women are trouble

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; John Johnson, pno; Lonesome Sundown, g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. août 1959

10. Why should I cry?

11. My true life

12. Hello stranger n°1

13. Hello stranger n°2

14. Hello baby what you know

15. Love me baby

16. Hey baby

Darling it takes you

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; Katie Webster, pno; Al Foreman, g; Bobby Mc Bride, bs; Warren Storm, dms. Crowley, La. décembre 1959

17. I don't want your money

18. Hello Operator

19. Baby please come home

20. Long hair knock knees & bow legs

21. Prison blues

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; band. Crowley, La. 1960

22. Everyday

23. Leave me now or never

24. This little girl of mine

MILDRED ANDERSON

MILDRED ANDERSON/ Complete Recordings

           

It's hard to believe that a fine female singer like Mildred Anderson who started her recording career with several top notch and famous bandleaders like Albert Ammons, Bill Doggett or Hot Lips Page, waxed two LP's for Prestige Bluesville in the early 60's, is so ill-documented.

            No real article, interview or whatsoever of her in any known blues and jazz magazine (as far as I know), elusive liner notes about herself and her whereabouts, nothing really substantial!

            So, and I guess it's the first time in my Blue Eye blog, here are the complete recordings of Ms Marion Anderson, a very good singer between jazz and blues, that I wasn't able to find much about! She is probably from the East Coast States like so many African Americans who resettled in the New York area during the 1940's. And she was probably born in the twenties! That's all!

            She anyway started to sing and be recorded with maestro piano man Albert Ammons in 1946, is reported to have been - although briefly - the singer of Hot Lips Page's band, then with Bill Doggett during 1953, waxing three nice tracks... And then a gap before she was again in the studios, this time in 1960 for two albums for the then fledgling Prestige-Bluesville label. Once again she is backed by some of the finest jazzmen of the era: Eddie Lockjaw Davis (she might have been her band singer at that time?), Al Sears, organists Shirley Scott and Ernie Hayes, guitarist Lord Westbrook for a jazz and blues programme. Mildred is a very fine gritty alto singer and is able to breathe a strong blues feeling in any song.

            What did she become after 1960? Of course those albums - like most of the Bluesvilles - certainly didn't sell very well and I remember seeing dozens of her two LPs on sale for a couple of Francs at the Saint Ouen Flee Market in the early 1960's! But it is very strange that judging her talents, her location (New York City!) and her pedigree, she wasn't more documented and she didn't resurface later....

            Anyway, she leaves us a strong musical legacy which one is able to hear entirely over here.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

Thanks to Marc for his help

Bob Eagle, author of the essential reference book Blues/ A regional experience adds those great facts about Mildred Anderson:

Gerard: post-recording info re Mildred Anderson: Mildred and Hortense worked together at the Key Club, 1325 Washington Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota during April 1961, backed by Gene (Bowlegs) Miller and his band. Mildred married Philadelphia-based businessman Bob Freeman in about September 1961. Hortense Allen was also involved with Rufus Rockhead at Montreal, Quebec, Canada, during July 1962, also featuring Mildred Anderson. Mildred almost lost her voice in the 1960s. In November 1970, having recovered her voice, she substituted for Candy Rae at Cyrus Scott’s Sahara Supper Club, Philadelphia .

Fin de la discussion

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Albert Ammons, pno; Ike Perkins, g; Israel Crosby, bs; Jack Cooley, dms. Chicago, Ill. 2 April 1946

01. Doin' the boogie woogie

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Hot Lips Page, tpt; Afred Cobbs, tb; Teddy Smalls, a-sax; Paul Quinichette, t-sax; Freddie Washington, pno; Carl Wilson, bs; Joe Booker, dms. New York City, 7 March 1951

02. That's the one for me

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Hot Lips Page, tpt; Bernard Flood, tpt; Alfred Cobbs, tb; Teddy Smalls, a-sax; Sam Taylor, t-sax; Dave Smalls, b-sax; Bill Doggett, pno: Leroy Kirkland, g; Walter Page, bs; Art Taylor, dms. New York City, 3 May 1951

03. I want to ride like the cowboys do

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Percy Francis, t-sax; Bill Doggett, og; Shep Shepherd, dms. New York City, 18 Februaryer 1953

04. No more in life

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Percy Francis, t-sax; Bill Doggett, og; Mickey Baker, g; Carl Pruitt, bs; Shep Shepherd, dms. 28 August 1953

05. You ain't no good

06. Your kind of woman

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, t-sax; Shirley Scott, og; George Duvivier, bs; Arthur Edgehill, dms. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 22 January 1960

07. Person to person

08. Kidney stew blues

09. Connections

10. I'm free

11. Please don't go

12. Hello little boy

13. I didn't have a chance

14. Good kind daddy

Mildred Anderson, vcl; Al Sears, t-sax; Robert Banks, og; Lord Westbrook, g; Leonard Gaskin, bs; Bobby Donaldson, dms. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 26 September 1960

15. What more can a woman do

16. I'm lost

17. Everybody's got somebody but me

18. I ain't mad at you

19. Hard times

20. That old devil called love

21. Mistreater

22. No more in life

23. Roll'em Pete

LARRY DALE: Blues Guitar Masters Volume 7

LARRY DALE: BLUES GUITAR MASTERS Vol. 7

           

A l'instar de Lafayette Thomas ou de Jimmy Spruill, Larry Dale est un de ces très grands guitaristes de blues qui, malgré qu'il ait contribué à la réussite d'innombrables disques d'autres artistes, n'a que peu enregistré sous son nom et demeure surtout connu (et très apprécié) des fans.

            Né Ennis Lowery à Hungerford au Texas, une petite bourgade près de Wharton, le 7 juillet 1923 il a commencé très jeune à jouer de la guitare sous l'influence de bluesmen locaux, se produisant ici et là dans des juke joints. Mais ce n'est qu'après avoir gagné New York en 1949 qu'il commence vraiment une carrière professionnelle, largement influencé au départ par B.B. King. C'est apparemment à ce moment-là et pour une raison inconnue qu'Ennis Lowery prend le sobriquet de Larry Dale. Il joue régulièrement avec le pianiste Bob Gaddy et son style de guitare précis, cinglant, vibrant et plein de feeling attire l'attention de nombreux musiciens. C'est le célèbre saxophoniste à succès Paul Williams (The hucklebuck) qui l'engage dans son orchestre et lui permet en 1952 d'effectuer ses premiers enregistrements en tant que chanteur.

            Versatile, très professionnel, capable de s'adapter à la plupart des styles de musique, Larry va s'imposer comme un des principaux guitaristes de studio de New York. Il se trouve ainsi derrière quantité d'artistes de blues, de R&B, de jazz et même de Pop. Ses solos de guitare mémorables sur Operator de Bob Gaddy ou dans l'album Blues from the gutter de Champion Jack Dupre sont devenus légendaires et ont influencé quantité de guitaristes jusqu'à Brian Jones.

            Sous son nom, il grave encore quelques titres en compagnie de Mickey Baker, Sam "The Man" Taylor et participe en 1957-59 à l'orchestre de Cootie Williams dont il est le chanteur de blues et avec lequel il enregistre encore plusieurs morceaux et effectue une tournée en Europe, gravant avec son leader un album de jazz en France dans lequel il interprète une superbe version de Three o'clock in the morning.

            En 1960, Larry réussit enfin, grâce à la production avisée de Henry Glover, a obtenir un modeste succès commercial avec Let's the doorbell ring qui frise le Rock'n'roll, une manière qu'il va perpétuer l'année suivante dans une belle version de Drinkin' wine de Sticks Mc Ghee.

            Mais les années 1960-70 sont très dures pour Larry Dale qui doit reprendre un travail hors de la musique pour survivre. Les engagements comme les séances de studio se font rares et à l'exception de deux disques confidentiels, il disparaît de la scène musicale.

            Cependant, l'excellence et l'originalité de son style de guitare lui valent une grosse réputation auprès des bluesfans du monde entier et ses 78t et 45t sont réédités sur des labels spécialisés, amenant sa "redécouverte" à New York par des fans britanniques de la revue Juke Blues qui lui font à nouveau enregistrer quelques titres.

            Cela permet alors à Larry Dale d'effectuer quelques tournées européennes, salué - à son grand étonnement - comme une "légende vivante".

            Il décède le 19 mai 2010 dans son appartement newyorkais.

            Larry Dale/ Ennis Lowery ne doit pas être confondu avec le chanteur de Rockabilly, Larry Dale (Crying over you).

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

(Cet article est une version remaniée ey complétée d'un précédent paru dans Blue Eye en 2013)

            Legendary guitarist Larry Dale was born Ennis Lowery in Hungerford, Texas (near Wharton) on 7 July 1923. He learned the guitar under the tutelage of local bluesmen and played sporadically in juke joints. But it is only when he went to New York City around 1949 that he became a professional musician. First influenced by B.B. King, Larry developed his own style of stinging, precise and vibrant guitar playing that earned him quickly a solid reputation. The famous bandleader Paul Williams (The hucklebuck) took him in his band and allowed him in late 1952 to wax his first record under his own name.

            Able to play in almost any style whether blues, pop or jazz, Larry became much in demand in clubs and moreover as a studio guitarist. His instantly recognizable playing contributed largely to the artistic success of numerous records (listen to the wonderful Operator blues by Bob Gaddy or Blues from the gutter, the masterpiece album by Champion Jack Dupree). He also managed to record some excellent titles under his name but he mostly stuck to an accompanist role and even toured Europe in 1959 with the Cootie Williams Orchestra. In 1960-61, under the wise guidance of the producer Henry Glover and in a Rock'n'roll mould, Larry Dale had his own modest hits with Let the doorbell ring and Drinkin' wine, the famous Sticks Mc Ghee's composition.

            Unfortunately, the following years were very hard for Larry and he had to take a day job for a living, recording only two 45s without any success.

            But thanks to some reissues of his own records on specialist British labels, he became a revered name among fans and young Europeans musicians like Brian Jones.

            He was not at all aware of that and thought his musical career was a past thing when in 1987 he was rediscovered by British blues fans that led him to record again some tracks, making the cover of the Juke Blues magazine. He then toured Europe, greeted as a living legend to his own delight.

            He died in his New York apartment on 19 may 2010. He's not to be confused with another Larry Dale, a white rockabilly singer.

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

(This post is a new revised and updated edition of a previous one that was in Blue Eye in 2013)

LARRY DALE/ Complete Recordings

Larry Dale, vcl, g; Paul Williams, a-sax; Noble Watts, t-sax; Jimmy Brown, tpt; Steve Cooper, bs; Belton Evans, dms. New York City, 1952

01. Shame Shame Shame

02. The woman I love is dying

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Mickey Baker, g; Sam Taylor, t-sax; Ernest "Pinky" Williams, b-sax; Al Williams, pno; Lloyd Trotman, bs; David "Panama" Francis, dms. New York City, 5 mai 1954

03. I'm tired

04. Where is my honey

05. Stranger blues

06. I Wish you knew

Larry Dale, vcl; Mickey Baker, g; Jack Dupree, pno; Leslie Johankins, t-sax; Sam Taylor, t-sax; Heywood Henry, t-sax; Lloyd Trotman, bs; Panama Francis, dms. New York City, 21 juin 1954

07. Heed my warning

08. You better heed my warning

09. Please tell me

10. Down to the bottom

11. Midnight hours

Larry Dale, vcl; Mickey Baker, g; Sam Taylor, t-sax; bs; dms. New York City, août 1955

12. Feelin' all right this morning

13. No tellin' what i'll do

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Mickey Baker, g; Sam Price, pno; King Curtis, t-sax; bs; dms. New York City, 1956

14. Larry's joint

Hoppin' and skippin'

Rock 'n' Roll Baby

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Leroy Lovett, pno; Cootie Williams, tpt; Rupert Cole, a-sax; George Clark, t-sax; Ed Frazier, bs; Lester Jenkins, dms. New York City, 29 mars 1957

15. Please give me your love to me

16. Rinky Dink

17. Block Rock

18. Rangoon

19. Percy Speaks

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Wini Brown, vcl; Leroy Lovett, pno; Cootie Williams, tpt; Rupert Cole, a-sax; George Clark, t-sax; Ed Frazier, bs; Lester Jenkins, dms. New York City 15 mai 1957

20. It's all in your mind

21. It hurts me

22. Boomerang

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Cootie Williams, tpt; George Clark, t-sax; Arnold Jarvis, og; bs: Lester Jenkins, dms. Paris, Fr. 11 février 1959

23. Three o'clock in the morning

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Chris Henderson, t-sax; Bob Gaddy, pno; Jimmy Spruill, g; June Page, bs; Gene Brooks, dms. New York City, janvier 1960

24. Big muddy

25. What your love means to me

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Brownie Mc Ghee, g; Bob Gaddy, pno; Al Hall, bs; Gene Brooks, dms. New York City, mars 1960

26. Let the doorbell ring

27. Let your love run to me

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Matt Gray, t-sax; Bob Gaddy, pno; Everett Barksdale, bs; Willie Jones, dms. New York City, novembre 1961

28. Drinkin' wine spo-dee-o-dee

29. Keep getting up

Larry Dale, vcl/g; band. New York City, 1969

30. The things I used to do

31. Rock a while

Larry Dale, vcl/g; band. New York City, 1976

32. Buffalo Bill

33. Poison ivy

Larry Dale, vcl/g; Jimmy Spruill, g/vcl; Bob Gaddy, kbds; band. New York City, 1987

34. New York City blues

35. I got a brand new mojo

36. Penny pincher

37. Big Muddy

38. Don't drink and drive

39. It's all in your mind

40. Worried and lonesome