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lundi 16 septembre 2019

TEXAS BLUES/ Volume 8



TEXAS BLUES/ Volume 8

           
This eighth volume of our Texas blues series is focused on three pianists, this instrument having been most important on all traditional Texas blues.
            I haven't been able to grab much about singer and pianist Melvin Daniels who seems to have been quite active in the Dallas/Fort Worth area during the early 50's. He is only mentioned in blues magazines and books for having sheltered a young King Curtis in his band. Curtis is present on the six nice titles recorded in 1953 by Daniels and those are - if I'm right - his very first recording tracks even with one instrumental (Tenor in the sky) where he is leading the band.
            Lavada Durst is a well known DJ, pianist and singer (and even baseball commentator!) from Austin and he has been very well documented in blues
magazines and books and he has even been the subject of an excellent Austin University's thesis by Peter Okie Weiss! Durst was born in Austin on January 9th 1913. He learned the piano at an early age while hearing and meeting many local blues pianists like Robert Shaw or Baby Dotson. Lavada became "Dr Hepcat" a well loved DJ on KVET radio in Austin between 1948 and 1963, drawing strong audiences with his choice of top R&B and jazz records of the era as well as his jiving between records, public service announcements and commercials. Despite being quite famous locally, Lavada Durst recorded only six tracks, all in 1949 for Uptown and then Peacock, his composition Hattie Green being a small local hit. After going into religion and playing only Gospel music, Durst resumed his blues career during the late 1970's, recording several excellent sessions. He died on October 31st 1995 in his hometown.
            Last but not least, Willie Johnson (not to be confused with the others Willie Johnson, guitarists from Mississippi and Memphis) was a prolific piano player around Houston and San Antonio during the 1940's-50's. He recorded quite extensively as an accompanist of many Texas blues and R&B stalwarts and under his own name (Willie or Bill Johnson) or under group names (Groovy Five, Groovy Trio, Third Ward Sir-Cats!). Surprisingly, almost nothing is known about him and - as far as I know - he has not been the subject of any article in blues magazines! I have been able to gather many of his recordings but too many are still missing and if anyone who would own those quite rare and hard to find tracks would like to share, a .mp3 copy would be appreciated.
            Thanks a lot to Alan Govenar, Jeff and Carlos Rodriguez for their help.
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT


TEXAS BLUES
Volume 8
MELVIN DANIELS, vcl/pno; King Curtis, t-sax; Vonzell Tucker, t-sax; Orion Villette, b-sax; Webster Armstrong, g; Henry Dodds, bs; Vernon Lewis, dms. Fort Worth, Tx. 1953
01. I'll be there
02. Boogie in the moonlight
03. If you don't want my loving
04. Hey hey little girl
05. No more crying on my pillow
06. Tenor in the sky
LAVADA DURST (as Dr Hepcat), vcl/pno. Austin, Tx. February 1949
07. Hattie Green (Uptown)
08. Hepcat's boogie
Lavada Durst (as Cool Papa Smith), vcl/pno; band. Austin, Tx. May 1949
09. You better change your ways woman
10. Christmas blues
Lavada Durst, vcl/pno; Wilmer Snakesnider, a-sax; band. Houston, Tx. December 1949
11. Hattie Green (Peacock)
12. I cried all night
WILLIE JOHNSON
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; bs; dms. Los Angeles, Ca. April 1949
Square bear
Fat daddy blues
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; bs; dms. San Antonio, Tx. May 1949
13. Squeeze my baby
14. Too late baby
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; The Groovy Five, band. San Antonio, Tx. October 1949
Lost baby
Wrong love blues
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; Ed Wiley, t-sax; Don Cooks, bs; Ben Turner, dms. Houston, Tx. 16 May 1950
15. Sampson Street boogie
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; Henry Hayes, t-sax; Ed Wiley, t-sax; Goree Carter, g; Don Cooks, bs; Ben Turner, dms. Houston, Tx. June 1950
16. Boogie in blues
17. Weeping little woman
18. Got the boogie woogie blues (vcl: Hubert Robinson)
19. That boy's boogie
20. Shout it out (vcl: Slim Reese)
Willie Johnson (as Bill Johnson), vcl/pno; prob. same band. Houston, Tx. October 1950
21. Bill's boogie
22. Worried blues
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; Third Ward Sir-Cats, band. Houston, Tx. janvier 1951
Sad and blues
Rocket 88
So happy
Tears come falling down
Willie Johnson, vcl on *; Thelma Johnson, vcls; Lee Allen, t-sax; Salvador Doucette, pno; Ernest Mc Lean, g; Frank Fields, bs; Earl Palmer, dms. New Orleans, La. 18 December 1952
23. Here comes my baby
24. Sometimes I wonder why*
25. Love me till dawn
26. Don't tell mama
Willie Johnson, vcl/pno; band. New Orleans, La. 1954
27. Say baby
28. That night



21 commentaires:

  1. TEXAS BLUES/ Volume 8
    https://mega.nz/#!bIY3GAiY!-rDnwiAm51ftPSELOVR_YJN-91fMJs5au30cRKfah34
    OK? Thanks for your feedback. Merci pour vos commentaires

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  2. Tx Again Gerard. Will listen to it later this week.

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  3. Thank you Mr Herzhaft, your selection of blues music is educational & exquisite, quite simply some of the best music i have heard,thanks for your efforts in sharing, much appreciated.

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  4. All new to me! Wow!!! Thank you for the continued chance to discover this wonderful music.

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  5. Many thanks Gerard, I was listening to this very interesting collection last night.

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  6. Thanks, Gerard, for yet another varied and enlightening collection.

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  7. Thank you Gerard, this is a really nice one!

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  8. TYVM Gerard for this lovely collection of rare recordings - as rare as hen's teeth!

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  9. bon soiree a toi Gerard ;merci pour ce nouveau post,un beau cadeau pour mon anniversaire.

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  10. Harold Burrage discography is crying out for a reissue Gerard.

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  11. Gerard I have two
    Willie Johnson tracks to send you.
    Can't find an address to use.

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  12. I have two Willie Johnson tracks
    to send you.
    I don't have an email address to use.

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  13. Wow! Gerard, thanks for another marvelous compilation of some truly obscure blues.

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  14. Obscure, indeed, and Willie Johnson is best!
    Thank you, Gerard!

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  15. Fantastic work and research..as usual! ..you are the man..merci beaucoup!

    Stuffy from Sweden

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  16. Figured out the Texas Blues, Vol. 8. I hope I didn't bother you too much. Your blog is splendid, by the way. You share truly interesting posts with us. It is appreciated.

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    Réponses
    1. @Lil'ol'lady: The links on my Blue Eye blog are always on the Comments section for security reasons. Thanks.

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  17. Gerard I found another Willie Johnson track, When I First Met You, on the album "Suicide Blues" which is available for digital download. The track is by Willie Ben Johnson.

    https://www28.zippyshare.com/v/4sZWLIOq/file.html

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