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