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mardi 25 septembre 2018

LOS ANGELES BLUES/ Volume 2



LOS ANGELES BLUES/ Volume 2

           
Le chanteur et pianiste (et non guitariste comme indiqué dans Blues Discography) Memphis Eddie, appelé aussi Memphis Eddie Pee est en fait né Eddie P. Johnson à Hughes (Arkansas) le 16 avril 1919 et décédé à Los Angeles le 16 juin 1963. Il demeure presque inconnu bien qu'il ait substantiellement enregistré pour Globe, Foto et RPM entre 1945 et 1950. J'ai essayé de regrouper tous ses titres mais il m'en manque encore plusieurs (merci d'avance à ceux qui posséderaient une copie de ces raretés en rouge dans la disco).
(cf les commentaires pour entendre quatre titres ici absents. Merci à hwolf et Mike Kradenac!)

            Le chanteur, violoniste, guitariste, pianiste Don "Sugarcane" Harris est évidemment beaucoup plus connu. Né le 18 juin 1938 à Pasadena (Californie), il apprend le violon auprès du bluesman L.C. Robinson. Encore lycéen, Don et son ami Dewey Terry chantent au sein du groupe doo-woop The Squires et enregistrent dès 1954 (Lucy Lou). Don & Dewey développent alors une carrière en vedette, chantant à l'unisson, jouant guitare et piano. Ils enchaînant les petits succès pour le label Specialty (Jungle Hop) durant quelques années entre 1957 et 1959. Don Harris (surnommé
Sugarcane par Johnny Otis) est beaucoup plus tourné vers le blues que Dewey et il grave en vedette une petite série de 45t, superbes instrumentaux blues au violon. Après s'être séparé de Dewey Terry, Sugarcane va jouer dans les orchestres de Harvey Mandel, Frank Zappa, Johnny Otis, Pure Food & Drug Act et surtout John Mayall avec lequel il signe plusieurs superbes solos sur les albums USA Union et Back to the Roots. Il enregistre aussi plusieurs albums sous son nom dans un style plus tourné vers le jazz avant-garde (il fera même un album en duo avec Jean Luc Ponty). Il décède d'une embolie pulmonaire à Los Angeles le 30 novembre 1999.

            Le trompettiste et chanteur Russell Jacquet (Robert Russell Joseph Jacquet), frère aîné du célèbre jazzman Illinois Jacquet, est né le 4 décembre 1917 à Saint Martinsville (Louisiane). Il a étudié la musique à la Texas Southern University avant de suivre son frère en Californie et de jouer dans son orchestre. Il a dirigé son propre orchestre durant quelques années (1945-49) qui présentait aussi la chanteuse Numa Lee Davis, jouant régulièrement au Cotton Club à Hollywood. Il a alors enregistré une petite oeuvre sous son nom entre blues et jazz, très typique de ce qu'on entendait à L.A. durant les années de l'immédiate après-guerre. Russell a par la suite rejoint l'orchestre de son frère puis avec divers autres groupes dont celui d'Arnett Cobb. Il est décédé le 7 mars 1990 à Los Angeles.

                                                                       Gérard Herzhaft

            Pianist (and not guitarist as it is written in Blues Discography) Memphis Eddie, also called Memphis Eddie Pee is in fact Eddie P. Johnson, born in Hughes (Ark) 16 April 1919 and dying in Los Angeles on 16th June 1963. He remains an almost unknown although he has recorded several 78s for Globe, Foto and RPM between 1945 and 1950. I have tried to gather all his sides but I'm still missing several (thanks to everyone who would have a copy of those and would will to share) (cf comments for listening four more titles by Memphis Eddie, thanks to hwolf and Mike Kradenac)

            Singer, violonist, guitarist and piano player Don "Sugarcane" Harris is of course much better known. Born on 18 June 1938 in Pasadena (Ca), he learned violin with bluesman L.C. Robinson. With his high school pal Dewey Terry they joined, still teenagers, a local doo woop group, The Squires with which they recorded as early as 1954 (Lucy Lou). Under the name Don & Dewey they formed a duo, singing together and playing various instruments. They enjoyed several small hits with the Specialty label between 1957 and 1959 (Jungle Hop). Don Harris (nicknamed Sugarcane by Johnny Otis) is much more blues oriented than Dewey. He recorded a handful of 45s under his name, mainly a string of superb violin instrumentals. After leaving Dewey, Sugarcane played in several bands with Harvey Mandel, Frank Zappa, Johnny Otis, Pure Food & Drug Act and moreover inside John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with whom he will tour for a couple of years and record several wonderful violin blues solos on the Mayall's albums USA Union and Back to the Roots. After that, Don will record albums under his name in a style much more progressive jazz oriented (he even will cut an album with Jean Luc Ponty). Don died of blood clot in his lung in Los Angeles, 30 November 1999.

           
Singer and trumpet player Russell Jacquet (Robert Russell Joseph Jacquet) is the elder brother of famous jazzman Illinois Jacquet. Russell was born 4 December 1917 in Saint Martinsville (La), studied music at Texs Southern University before following his brother to Los Angeles and playing in his orchestra. Between 1945 and 1949, he formed his own band which featured female singer Numa Lee Davis, playing regularly at Hollywood's Old Cotton Club and recording several sides, quite typical of the Los Angeles jazz/blues scene of the immediate post war years. After 1950, Russell joined again Illinois' band and also played with several other small bands (namely Arnett Cobb's). Russell died in Los Angeles 7th March 1990.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT


MEMPHIS EDDIE (Eddie P. Johnson Jr), vcl; William Bates, a-sax; Prince Albert, pno; band. Los Angeles, Ca. juin 1945
01. Mistreated all the time
Going back to Smoky Mountain
Memphis Eddie, vcl/g; Prince Albert, pno; William Bates, a-sax; band. juillet 1945
Big leg mama (thanks to hwolf and Mike Kredinac for sharing this one)
My house fell down  (thanks to hwolf and Mike Kredinac for sharing this one)
Memphis Eddie, vcl/pno; g; bs. Los Angeles, Ca. décembre 1947
02. Trouble blues
03. Hep chick
Memphis Eddie, vcl/pno; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 25 mai 1950
04. Velma Lee
05. Lonesome change
Mercy blues  (thanks to hwolf and Mike Kredinac for sharing this one)
I believe  (thanks to hwolf and Mike Kredinac for sharing this one)
Memphis Eddie, vcl/pno; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 26 septembre 1950
06. Good time woman
07. Highway 61
08. Real fine girl
09. Baby Lou
DON "SUGARCANE" HARRIS, vcl/fdl/g; Dewey Terry, pno/vcls; Adolphus Alsbrook, bs; Ray Martinez, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1956
10. Fiddlin' the blues
11. Slummin'
12. My heart is aching
13. Miss Sue
Don "Sugarcane" Harris, vcl/fdl; Joe Wilson, tpt; Jackie Kelso, a-sax; Dewey Terry, pno; Mel Brown, g; bs; dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1960
14. They say you never can miss
15. Elim stole my baby
Don 'Sugarcane' Harris, vcl/fdl; Dewey Terry, g/og/vcls; Pete Smith, bs; Sonny Gillette, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 1962
16. Soul motion
17. Stretchin' out
18. Heart attack
Don't ever leave me (thanks to Tom Thumb for sharing this one)
RUSSELL JACQUET, vcl/tpt; Calvin Boaz, tpt; Teddy Edwards, a-sax; Maurice Simon, t-sax; Arthur Dennis, b-sax; Bill Davis, pno; Charles Mingus, bs; Chico Hamilton, dms. Los Angeles, janvier 1945
19. Penny's worth of boogie
20. Look what you've done to me
Russell Jacquet, vcl/tpt; Gus Evans, a-sax; Dexter Gordon, t-sax; Arthur Dennis, b-sax; Jimmy Bunn, pno; Leo Blevins, g; Herman Washington, bs; Chico Hamilton, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 21 septembre 1946
21. Blues a la Russ I, II & III
22. Side saddle blues
Russell Jacquet, vcl/tpt; Gerald Wilson, tpt; Snooky Young, tpt; Ted Donnelly, tb; Preston Love, a-sax; Willie Smith, a-sax; Ilinois Jacquet, t-sax; Lucky Thompson, t-sax; Bill Doggett, pno; Freddie Green, g; Billy Hadnott, bs; Al Wichard, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. décembre 1946
23. Blues
24. Mean and evil world



13 commentaires:

  1. Los Angeles Blues/ Volume 2

    https://mega.nz/#!DAh1FDxD!4VF5ORUCZWDr7GCpmQ6laKmQ0iPTTsBxSGQ8mIr2fIg

    OK?

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  2. Thank you Gerard for this second look at LA blues scene.

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  3. Very good Gerard, great to see a 2nd vol of LA blues. The early Don Harris tracks in particular are most welcome. Did you ever get to see him perform live? I saw Jean Luc Ponty live in Australia in the mid 1970s when he was with John McLaughlin, but seeing Harris live would have been something. Many thanks for this great comp.

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    Réponses
    1. Thanks, Bob Mac. I saw Sugarcane only once when he was with John Mayall. He certainly was the best musician in the group!

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  4. Thanks for this fine comp and love your research also.

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  5. Missing anything you share would be cause for mourning. Thank you for this, and all, your diligent work and generous offerings.

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    Réponses
    1. Thanks Lil'Old Lady, Soulpapa and all you faithfull blues buffs for your comments and support.

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  6. Thanks as always Gerard and in particular thanks for the Sugarcane releases...I was lucky enough to see Don play quite a few times in the early 70's by the way...always a treat

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  7. Hello Gérard !
    C'est avec un grand plaisir que je découvre le deuxième volet de cette nouvelle série, et encore une foi je découvre de très bon artistes.
    Merci pour cette nouvelle collection et toutes ces informations.

    Barbar Drunker.

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  8. thanks again for another rare collection...appreciate your time and effort putting these together to share

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  9. Gerard, here a four Memphis Eddie tracks.
    They are courtesy of Mike Kredinac.
    Hope the transfer works.

    Big Leg Mama Globe 106
    https://www75.zippyshare.com/v/bh07Bt1p/file.html

    My House Fell Down Globe 106
    https://www75.zippyshare.com/v/GrjhXfff/file.html

    I Believe RPM 308
    https://www75.zippyshare.com/v/BTaS0YgK/file.html

    Mercy Blues RPM 308
    https://www75.zippyshare.com/v/h24xL5yt/file.html

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    Réponses
    1. Wow! Great. Thanks a lot to you hwolf and Mike Kredinca for sharing those rarities!

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  10. Thank you, Gerard. This is one of the best of your many wonderful and enlightening compilations. Memphis Eddie and Russell Jacquet are both new names to me, and both are excellent. And it's great to hear these rare Sugarcane Harris sides.

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