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mercredi 13 février 2019

K.C. DOUGLAS/ Complete Recordings

  
K.C. DOUGLAS: COMPLETE RECORDINGS

           
K.C. Douglas (né à Sharon, Ms le 21 novembre 1913) a été un des très rares bluesmen du Mississippi à avoir émigré en Californie durant la guerre et à y avoir maintenu le style du Delta dont il était un représentant fidèle. K.C. a en effet bien connu et accompagné Tommy Johnson et a modelé autant son répertoire qu'une partie de son jeu de guitare sur lui. En Californie, Douglas fait équipe avec l'harmoniciste Sidney Maiden et enregistre en 1948 pour Bob Geddins Mercury boogie, un petit succès local qui deviendra un énorme tube à la fois dans le Rock (Steve Miller) que dans la Country Music (la superbe version qu'en a donnée Alan Jackson en 1992). Hélas, K.C. ne profitera que très peu de ce qui aurait pu lui valoir une vraie aisance financière. Malheureusement aussi, ce seul 78t ne sera suivi que par un seul single.
            Cependant, tout en travaillant dans la fonction publique locale, K. C. Douglas continue à jouer son brin de Country blues partout où il le peut. En 1954 ou 1952 (?), la chanteuse folk Barbara Dane remarque K.C. Douglas et le fait se produire dans les bars étudiants de Berkeley et dans son propre club, un des tout premiers bluesmen noirs à entrer dans ce circuit étudiant. C'est grâce à Barbara que Douglas enregistre son premier album qui ne sortira que sur un label australien (Cook!) et qui est ainsi devenu extrêmement rare.
            A la fin des années 50, K.C. devient un des favoris du public (essentiellement jeune, étudiant et blanc) du folk blues revival californien. C'est tout naturellement qu'il enregistre en 1960 pour le producteur Chris Strachwitz une longue séance qui paraîtra sur deux albums Bluesville: K.C.'s blues et Big road blues.
            A la fin des années 1960, K.C. s'associe avec l'excellent harmoniciste Richard Riggins (qui enregistrera sous le nom de Harmonica Slim: rien à voir avec Travis Blaylock que nous avons présenté dans ce blog). Un grandissime 45t en 1967 capture le duo au sommet de leur art.
            Une fois à la retraite, K.C. se consacre totalement à sa musique, monte un petit groupe (qui comprend l'excellent guitariste slide Ron Thompson) et se produit sur toutes les scènes blues de la Côte Ouest, notamment au San Francisco Blues Festival où sa présence, son dynamisme, son Delta blues authentique enthousiasment l'auditoire. Après deux 45t pour le petit label Blues Connoisseur, Chris Strachwitz enregistre fin 1973-début 1974 ce bel orchestre (Country blues) pour son label Arhoolie, éditant un des meilleurs disques de blues terrien de la décennie, avec des solos percutants de Thompson comme de Riggins et des compositions aussi mémorables que le vibrant My mind's going back in 1929.
            Même s'il était très casanier, K.C. avait accepté de venir jouer au Japon et en Europe mais il décède d'une crise cardiaque à son domicile de Berkeley le 18 octobre 1975.
            Cette compilation regroupe tous les enregistrements effectués par K.C. Douglas, une oeuvre majeure.
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT


            K.C. Douglas (born in Sharon, Ms. on November 21, 1913) learned the blues through his association with the great Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson whose very style and repertoire he would always carry on. But unlike most Mississippian fellows who left for Saint Louis or Chicago, K.C. went for work to California, living in the Bay Area, one of the very few bluesmen to play the Delta style in this area during the 1940's. With the harmonica player Sidney Maiden, he waxed his own composition, Mercury boogie that won a little local success but was to become a smash hit years later for rock star Steve Miller and in 1992 a number 1 Country Hit for the driving version of this title by Alan Jackson. General Motors even used it as a commercial theme! Unfortunately, K.C. didn't benefit of that unexpected successes and had to work as a civil servant all his life while constantly playing his down home Mississippi blues wherever people wanted to hear it.
            In 1955, the activist and folk singer Barbara Dane took him under her wing. K.C. thus was one of the very first black bluesman able to play for the burgeoning California folk blues revival of the day. Thanks to Barbara, he even recorded as early as 1954 (or 1952) a whole album that was only issued on an Australian label!
            In 1961, Chris Strachwitz recorded with Douglas a mammoth session that ultimately was issued on two distinct albums (K.C.'s blues and Big Road blues) on the Bluesville label. In the late 60's, K.C. Douglas joined forces with the excellent harp player Richard Riggins (who recorded under the moniker Harmonica Slim: no relation with the other Harmonica Slim - Travis Blaylock - that we have featured on a previous post on this blog) and recorded some excellent 45s, notably Little Green house/ Things I'd do for you.
            After retiring from his daily job, K.C. became at last a full time musician, assembling a small band with Riggins and the very talented slide guitarist Ron Thompson. Everywhere he appeared K.C. took the audiences by storm with a strong stage presence and a down home authenticity the young blues fans were striving for at that time. After two notable 45 for the small local Blues Connoisseur label, K.C. and his band recorded in late 1973/ early 74 a whole album (Country blues) that stands as one of the best down home recording of that period.
            K.C. was quite reluctant to travel but was finally persuaded to do so and had to play his blues in Japan and Europe when he died of a sudden heart attack in his Berkeley home on October 18, 1975.
            This comp gathers all K.C. Douglas' recordings, a major country blues artist.
            Thanks for any feedback!
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT


K.C. DOUGLAS
THE COMPLETE SESSIONS
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Sidney Maiden, hca. Oakland, Ca. July 1948
01. Mercury boogie
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Mercy Dee Walton, pno; bs; dms. Oakland, Ca. may 1954
02. Lonely blues
03. K.C. boogie
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g. Oakland, Ca. c. 1954 (or 1952 according to certain sources)
04. Canned heat
05. Catfish
06. Big road blues
07. Kansas City
08. I got the key to the highway
09. Kassie Jones
10. Mercury blues
11. Blues
12. I met the blues this morning
13. I have my woman
14. Had I money
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Sidney Maiden, hca; Bruce Bratton, bs. Berkeley, Ca. April & May 1960
15. Big road blues
16. Night shirt blues #1
17. Night shirt blues #2
18. Mercury blues
19. Blues and trouble
20. Make your coffee
21. Canned heat
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g. Stockton, Ca. 5-12 February 1961
22. Big road blues
23. Howling blues
24. Move to Kansas City
25. Buck dance
26. Tore your playhouse down
27. Bottle up and go
28. Whiskey headed woman
29. Catfish blues
30. K.C. blues
31. Canned heat
32. Key to the highway
33. Broken heart
34. Hen house blues
35. Wake up working woman
36. Rootin' ground hog
37. Meanest woman
38. Born in the country
39. Love me all night long
40. Tell me
41. No more crying
42. K.C.'s doctor blues
43. You got a good thing now
44. Watch dog blues
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Clarence Van Hook, t-sax; George Hurst, pno; bs; Jimmy Raney, dms. Berkeley, Ca. 19 August 1963
45. I'm gonna build me a web
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Richard Riggins (Harmonica Slim), hca; Lionel Hewitt, pno; bs; dms. Berkeley, Ca. 1967
46. The things I'd do for you
47. The little green house
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Bob Smith, bs; Jim Marshall, dms. San Francisco, Ca. 8 January 1972
48. Having a lot of trouble
49. Woke up with the blues
K.C. Douglas, vcl; Richard Riggins, hca; Bob Smith, bs; Jim Marshall, dms. Orinda, Ca. July 1972
50. Mercury boogie
51. You hear me howling
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Richard Riggins, hca. Berkeley, Ca. December 1973
52. Your crying won't make me stay
53. Country girl
54. Black cat bone
55. Good looking women
56. Fanny Lou
K.C. Douglas, vcl/g; Richard Riggins, hca; Ron Thompson, g; Jim Marshall, dms. Oakland, Ca. March 1974
57. Mercury blues
58. My mind's going back to 1929
59. Catfish blues
60. High water rising
61. Woke up this morning
62. Somebody done stole my gal
63. Fanny Lou
64. I don't want no woman to love me
65. Married woman blues
66. Black cat bone
67. Good looking women
68. Richard's ride
69. Hear me howling

20 commentaires:

  1. I wonder if he new Elmore James from his days in Canton, MS.

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  2. K.C. Douglas/ Complete Recordings
    (links for a limited time and NOT for sharing or posting anywhere.!)

    CD1/
    https://mega.nz/#!KNB3QYCK!wLUqxGIf-vRKMsNav5wcydfclYLQbVrjqrn1K-SN1Zw

    CD2/
    https://mega.nz/#!PZB1BSoQ!bVXlLO-E27MzBdEq6Ul1qrFVwSZ-v-JMcqBD0KpUqr0

    CD3/
    https://mega.nz/#!7ZZ33SoJ!7r98Zk0bmk_8woVaOWzYUw8kIS6TkH3Zq56YtdOv7Wo

    OK?

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  3. I am getting a request to enter decryption key for CD2 download from Mega. Help!

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    Réponses
    1. I had same issue it is asking for a decryption key

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    2. I can't say about those problems, guys! For me and I feel everybody else Mega is working fine. Generally, most of the problems come when one is using IE browser. Try with Firefox, Chrome or Opera

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    3. I am using Chrome. Have the same issue with Edge too.

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    4. https://mega.nz/#!PZB1BSoQ!bVXlLO-E27MzBdEq6Ul1qrFVwSZ-v-JMcqBD0KpUqr0
      This is the link of the CD2 as Mega gives it to me.... It works absolutely fine with me whatever browser and identity I use... I can't do better

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    5. that worked...thank you for the new link and for all your effort on this release! another job well done.

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  4. Thank you Gerard, I've always very muuch enjoyed KC's recordings.

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  5. Thanks Gerard! Always enjoyable shares.

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  6. There is something wrong with the 2nd link. Note the extra spaces. Still doesn't work with spaces removed.

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  7. Thanks again Gerard much appreciated .

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  8. Thanks Gerard. Another fine piece of work. I love his music.
    No problems with downloading from the original links!

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  9. Thanks Gerard-looks like a good one as always !

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  10. Encore une belle plume à ton chapeau.....qui en compte déjà un nombre impressionnant ! Bravo et merci, Gérard, c'est formidable d'avoir les 'complete recordings' de Douglas sur une seule galette.

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    Réponses
    1. Merci cher Robert! Et ravi d'être utile même à un tel spécialiste!

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  11. Many thanks for your continued hard work and generosity.

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