TABBY THOMAS/ LOUISIANA SWAMP BLUES

TABBY THOMAS

           

Ernest Joseph Thomas naît le 5 janvier 1929 à Baton Rouge, la capitale de la Louisiane et chante très jeune dans la chorale religieuse de sa mère, tout en écoutant les disques de jazz et de blues de sa famille. C'est sa rencontre avec Roy Brown dans un club de Baton Rouge qui l'encourage à tenter une carrière musicale.

            Après son service militaire effectué à Guam, Thomas s'installe à San Francisco, travaille dans les chantiers navals et participe à des radios crochets. Il remporte celui de la station de radio KSAN, ce qui lui permet d'enregistrer son premier 78t en 1952.

            De retour à Baton Rouge, il devient Tabby Thomas et forme son orchestre les Mellow Mellow Men (qui, selon Tabby, comprenait un tout jeune Buddy Guy), joue tous les week ends dans les clubs locaux, enregistre en 1953 pour le label Delta de Jackson, Ms, auditionne sans succès pour J.D. Miller à Crowley. Mais sa réputation locale est telle qu'il retourne dans les studios louisianais de façon régulière à partir de 1959, gravant plusieurs succès locaux dont le superbe Hoodoo Party. Le blues devenant de moins en moins commercial, Tabby s'essaie à la Soul sous divers pseudonymes mais là encore sans succès.

            En 1970, Tabby Thomas fonde son propre label Blue Beat dont il distribue lui-même les disques et ouvre parallèlement son propre club à Baton Rouge, le célèbre Tabby's Blues Box qui attire les danseurs de toute la région et bientôt des amateurs de Swamp blues du monde entier. Tabby enregistre en nombre 45t et albums et anime aussi sa propre émission de radio à Baton Rouge.

            En 2002, il est victime d'un grave accident de la route et doit abandonner la musique. En 2004, son club est préempté par la capitale de la Louisiane pour élargir une rocade d'autoroute.

            Tabby Thomas, devenu une légende du Swamp blues, décède le 1er janvier 2014 dans sa ville de Baton Rouge.

            Si son œuvre blues est désormais bien connue, nombre d'autres de ses disques des années 1960-70 demeurent des raretés et ne sont même pas mentionnées dans Blues Discography!

            Nous avons essayé de regrouper la plupart de ses titres enregistrés jusqu'en 1970 mais, malgré nos efforts et les aides de plusieurs de nos généreux correspondants, il en manque encore plusieurs. Merci à ceux qui les posséderaient et voudraient en partager une copie!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            Born 5th January 1929 at Baton Rouge (La), Ernest Joseph Thomas starts singing at a very young age in his mother's church choir while listening to his father's huge jazz and blues records collection. It's when meeting Roy Brown in a Baton Rouge venue that Thomas thinks to try a career as a blues singer.

            After a service in the Air Force Reserve Base at Riverside, California, Thomas settles in San Francisco in 1949 and while working by day in the industry, he tries his luck singing in local clubs and taking part to talent shows. He wins the KSAN radio station's one that leads him to his first recording in 1952.

            Back to Baton Rouge, he becomes "Tabby" Thomas, gathers his own band, the Mellow Mellow Men (whose guitarist, according to Tabby, was a very young Buddy Guy!), plays every week end in local clubs and venues, records a 78t in Jackson, Ms for the Delta label in 1953, some tapes for J.D. Miller but with no success. But his reputation as an entertainer grows and he finally got several local hits during the years 1959-61, particularly the wonderful Hoodoo Party. Unfortunately, the mid-60's are lean years for the kind of music Tabby is delivering and, despite trying recording Soul and Pop 45s under several names, the success eludes him.

            In 1970, Tabby finally launches his own Blue Beat label, records 45s and albums he distributes himself and sells at his own club, the famous Tabby's Blues Box which draws local patrons as well as, progressively, blues fans from the whole world! Tabby also hosts his own radio show from Baton Rouge's KBRH.

            Unfortunately he suffers a major road crash in 2002 and must slow down his musical activities. In 2004, he has to sell his club to the city of Baton Rouge for the building of a highway overpass!

            Tabby Thomas, a Swamp blues legend, dies at his Baton Rouge's home January 1st 2004.

            If his blues and Swamp Pop main recordings are well known, many of his 1960's 45s, made for tiny local labels, are still rarities, many being not even mentioned in Blues Discography!

            We have tried to gather most of his early records but, despite our efforts and the help of friends, several are still missing (in red in our disco). Thanks to anyone who would have them and share a copy!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

Tabby Thomas, vcl; Que Martyn, t-sax; band. San Francisco, Ca. 1952

01. I'll make the trip

02. I'll make the trip (alt.)

03. Midnight is calling

Tabby Thomas, vcl; poss. Buddy Guy, g; Buddy Stewart, t-sax; The Mellow Mellow Men, band. Jackson, Ms. 1953

04. Thinking blues

05. Church Member's ball

Tabby Thomas, vcl; Blue Charlie Morris, g; band. Crowley, La. 1954

06. Tomorrow

07. Mmm I don't care

Tabby Thomas, vcl; Woody Guidry, g; band. Baton Rouge, La. 1959

08. Don't say

09. Too late blues

10. Brother Brown

11. So hard to bear

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Crowley, La. 1960

12. My baby's got it

13. Tomorrow I'll be gone

14. Teenage queen

15. Teenagers

Tabby Thomas, vcl; Rudoph Richard, g; Lazy Lester, hca; Katie Webster, pno; Sherman Webster, bs; Warren Storm; dms. Crowley, La. janvier 1961

16. Hoodoo party

17. Boogie woogie children

18. Roll on mule I & II

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Crowley, La. late 1961

19. C.C. Rider

20. I'd love to tell

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Crowley, La. juin 1962

21. Popeye train

22. He's got the whole world in His Hands

A dollar ain't nothing anymore

23. I don't want anybody else but you

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. New Orleans, La. juin 1965

Closer to my heart

Let me have two

Tabby Thomas, vcl; Rudoph Richard, g; band. New Orleans, La. septembre 1965

24. Play girl

25. Keep on trying

26. I say!

27. You put a hole in my head

28. We can make it

29. Mr Buzzerd

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Baton Rouge, La. janvier 1967

Moonshine party

Cat out of the bag

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Baton Rouge, La. juin 1967

30. Soul time (In New Orleans)

31. Daddy Juicy

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Baton Rouge, La. 1969

32. There ought to be a law

Don't do it baby

Love is the name of the game

Never get rich in bed

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Baton Rouge, La. 1970

33. Goin' to New Orleans

Candy

I wanna rock you

34. Mary Jane

35. No use anymore

Tabby Thomas, vcl; band. Baton Rouge, La. 1972-73

36. My baby's gone

37. One day

38. Sugar daddy

38. What's the matter baby?