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mardi 19 juillet 2022

CLARENCE EDWARDS/ 1959-90

 

CLARENCE EDWARDS/ 1959-90

 

           



                

Although he never recorded for Jay Miller, Khoury, Shuler or any louisiana producers, Clarence Edwards was anyway a major exponent of the so-called Swamp blues as well as a fine acoustic traditional louisiana musician.

            Clarence was born on 25d of March 1933 in Lindsay (La). He became interested in music through records of Charlie Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Howlin' Wolf and became a good guitarist in following those records. Never a professional musician (he made a living working on a Baton Rouge scrap yard for over than 30 years) he nevertheless played constantly in week ends since the early 1950's with several local louisiana bands like The Boogie Beats or The Bluebird Kings. While playing as a combo with Butch Cage, his brother Cornelius Edwards and Willie Thomas around the small town of Zachary, Edwards was "discovered" by folklorist Harry Oster in 1959 who recorded a good amount of blues and Zydeco acoustic tracks by Edwards on several sessions.

            But Clarence had to wait until 1970 when researcher Terry Pattison was in charge by the rejuvenated Excello label to record the remaining Swamp blues musicians still playing around Baton Rouge. Edwards was featured on the anthology playing alone as well as with a band and even a 45 was issued from those sessions. He also was captured live for another Excello album.

            Although those albums gained very good critics from Europe, nothing appeared for Clarence in the US. And it was almost by chance that in 1990 bassist, bandleader (Short Fuse) and producer Steve Coleridge stumbled on Clarence while he was playing in a Louisiana club. Very aware of the strong musical potential Clarence had, Coleridge recorded him during a mammoth session that was issued on several albums on European labels, getting rave reviews from European magazines. Clarence Edwards had thus plans to tour Europe when he suffered an infection that caused his death on 20 may 1993 in Baton Rouge.

            We have gathered here all his early sides that were scattered on several anthologies as well as some of his 1990's tracks. The remainder is easily available on the Wolf label. We have also not included his several live sessions in front of an audience.

                                                                                   Gérard HERZHAFT

 

CLARENCE EDWARDS 1959-1990

Clarence Edwards, vcl/g; Butch Cage, fdl; Cornelius Edwards, g. Zachary, La. 27 october 1959

01. You don't love me

02. Smokestack lightning

03. Stack o'dollars

04. Man old Frisco

05. Miss Sadie May

06. Stagolee

07. I can't quit you baby

08. This is my life

09. Goin' back to New Orleans

10. Thousand miles from nowhere

Clarence Edwards, vcl/g; Butch Cage, fdl. Zachary, La. 30 june 1961

11. Awful blue

12. Come on baby don't you want to go?

13. I got a coal black mare

14. Can't stand to be your dog

Clarence Edwards, vcl/g; Henry Gray, pno; Clarence Prophet, bs; Samuel Hogan, dms. Baton Rouge, La. 13 august 1970

15. Lonesome bedroom blues

16. Let me love you baby

Clarence Edwards, vcl/g. Baton Rouge, La. 15 august 1970

17. Cooling board

18. I want somebody

Clarence Edwards, vcl/g; Harmonica Red, hca; Henry Gray, pno; Michael Ward, fdl; A.G. Hardesty, bs; Rick Delmore, dms; Steve Coleridge, perc. Baton Rouge, La. 14-15 february 1990

19. Lonesome bedroom blues

20. Rocky Mountains

21. She moves me

22. Still a fool

23. Stoop down baby

24. Things I used to do

25. 24 hours of the day

26. Born with the blues

27. Chewing gum

28. Coal black mare

29. Done got over it

30. Driving wheel

31. Hi heel sneakers

32. Hoochie coochie man

33. I want somebody

34. I'm the one

35. I'm your slave

36. Jody

37. Let me love you

38. Lonely lonely nights

39. Tried so hard

40. Walking the dog

41. Will the circle be unbroken

 

 

 

 

 

 

dimanche 17 juillet 2022

BROTHER WILL HAIRSTON/ Complete Recordings

 BROTHER WILL HAIRSTON/ Complete Recordings (revised and updated)

Detroit Blues Masters Vol. 11

           
Ce 11ème volume sur Detroit est consacré au magnifique compositeur et chanteur de Gospels, Brother Will Hairston.
            Will Hairston naît le 22 novembre 1919 à Brookfield (Ms) d'une famille de pauvres fermiers et, très jeune, chante dans la congrégation de ses parents. Vers 1938, il part à Saint Louis, puis est mobilisé et à son retour de la guerre en 1945, se marie avec Ms Willie et s'installe à Detroit où il travaille chez Chrysler afin d'entretenir sa famille qui comptera 10 enfants. Très religieux, Will Hairston s'impose dans son Eglise par sa voix qui lui vaudra le surnom de "Hurricane of the Motor City", tellement il est capable de soulever d'enthousiasme ses paroissiens par ses sermons qui reprennent souvent l'actualité tumultueuse de l'Amérique Noire.
            Pour répondre à une forte demande, il enregistre lui-même My God don't like it à propos du jeune Emmet Till, un adolescent noir de 14 ans massacré en octobre 1955 dans sa ville de Money (Mississippi) parce qu'il avait crié "Bye baby" à une jeune fille blanche! La photo de son corps mutilé reproduit dans de nombreux journaux avait alors soulevé l'indignation dans toute l'Amérique. En même temps, Brother Will enregistre aussi deux titres (Let him come in; Ain't nobody there but Brother Will que je n'ai pas réussi à me procurer).
            Hairston vend ses disques depuis son camion (acheté pour transporter sa nombreuse famille) sur lequel il a installé des hauts parleurs qui diffusent sa musique tandis qu'il parcourt le ghetto noir de Detroit!
Joe Von Battle's record shop. Photo©Jacques Demêtre 
            Le succès est tel que le producteur et disquaire Joe Von Battle (qui a joué un rôle considérable dans le Detroit blues) lui fait enregistrer une magnifique séance qui comprend le puissant Alabama Bus, premier morceau consacré à la longue grève des autobus de Montgomery (Alabama) à la suite du refus de la militante noire Rosa Parks de céder sa place à un blanc et qui aboutira à la première brèche dans la ségrégation qui sévissait dans les Etats du Sud depuis les années 1870-80. Alabama bus est aussi le premier disque qui mentionne le nom de Martin Luther King Jr.
            Les années suivantes, Brother Will continuera à enregistrer dans cette veine, entre Gospel et protest songs, notamment Shout, school children sur la première tentative de déségrégation des écoles blanches de l'Arkansas; The story of President Kennedy sur l'assassinat de JFK à Dallas; Reverend King had a hard time après l'assassinat de Martin Luther King Jr en 1968.
            Lui-même victime d'une tentative d'assassinat qui le laisse très affaibli, Will Hairston prend sa retraite de chez Chrysler en 1970 et se consacre entièrement à sa congrégation, le Greater Love Tabernacle Church avec laquelle il enregistrera une poignée de titres en 1972.
            Brother Will Hairston décède à Detroit le 7 mars 1988, laissant une oeuvre superbe et vibrante qui malheureusement - et à l'exception d'une poignée de titres - était très difficile à trouver. Nous avons ajouté ici le seul titre enregistré en 1957 pour Brother Will par son ami le Reverend Reuben Henry.
            Nos plus vifs remerciements à Pierre Monnery et Justin Brummer sans lesquels cette compilation n'aurait pu voir le jour. Ainsi qu'à Guido Van Rijn dont l'article sur Brother Will dans le magazine britannique Blues & Rhythm #167 a largement servi à écrire cet article.
                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            This 11th Volume of our Detroit blues series is entirely dedicated to the great Gospel singer and composer Brother Will Hairston.
            Will Hairston was born 22 November 1919 at Brookfield (Ms) in a very poor faming family. At an early age, he sings in his parents' church, goes to Saint Louis for better job opportunity during the 1930's, is drafted and after the war, settles in Detroit, having a secure job at the big Chrysler's plant and marrying the young Willie with whom he'd have ten children.
            A very religious man, Brother Will Hairston gains the nickname of "The Hurricane of the Motor City" for his capacity to spark enthusiasm among the faithful of his church with a strong voice and his sermons that very often reflect his own views about the situation of African-Americans.
            To cope with strong requests, Mr Hairston records himself his first session with the striking  My God don't like it about the slaughter of the young Black teenager Emmet Till in his hometown of Money (Ms) after he had shouted a "Bye baby" to a white girl. The photos of the mutilated corpse published in several magazines had raised a wave of indignation throughout the USA. Two other titles were recorded the same day (Let him come in; Ain't nobody there but Brother Will) that I unfortunately wasn't able to get a copy.
            Brother Will Hairston sells his records from his own truck while a sound system he had hooked on the roof of his vehicle blasts the music when he is driving around!
            Such is the success of Brother Will that the record producer and dealer Joe Von Battle (who of course played a major role in the Detroit blues scene) brings Hairston in his studios for an historical and magnificent 1956 session with the powerful hit Alabama Bus, the very first song about the Montgomery (Al) bus strike after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man, like she should have done according to the segregation laws. Alabama bus is also the very first song mentioning Martin Luther King Jr.
            The following decade, Hairston will continue to record in this Gospel/ protest song vein, notably Shout, school children about Little Rock Central High events, forcing the integration of some black school children in a only white school; The Story of President Kennedy about the murder of JFK; Reverend King had a hard time just after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
            Brother Will is himself the victim of a shooting and retires from Chrysler in 1970, focusing entirely to his family and his Greater Love Tabernacle Church with which he records a last session in 1972.
            Brother Will Hairston dies in Detroit 7 March 1988, leaving a vibrant, powerful and largely remarkable recording works that are unfortunately - and apart a couple of tracks - very hard to get. We have herein also  included the sole 1957 record by Rev. Reuben Henry, a close friend to Hairston.
            Our big thanks to Pierre Monnery and Justin Brummer for their invaluable help.
            And a great thank to Guido Van Rijn whose article in the very good British magazine Blues & Rhythm #167 has largely been used to write this article!
                                                                       Gérard Herzhaft


 

BROTHER WILL HAIRSTON/ Complete Recordings

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; band. Detroit, Mi. décembre 1955

01. My God don't like it I & II

02. Let Him come in

03. Ain't nobody here but Brother Will

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; Louis Jackson, pno; Washboard Willie, wbd. Detroit, Mi. 1956

04. The Alabama Bus I & II

05. Mighty wind

06. The Bible is right

07. Seems like a dream

08. He comes rushing like a mighty wind

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; The Dixie Aires, vcls; band. Detroit, Mi. novembre 1957

09. Shout school children

10. Jesus had a hard time

Brother Will Hairston, vcl;  band. Detroit, Mi. 1964

11. The Story of President Kennedy

12. Holy Ghost don't leave me

13. Shout Brother Shout

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; Rev. Henry, vcl; g; dms. Detroit, Mi. 1964

14. Here comes the Lord

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; Louis Jackson, pno; Washboard Willie, wbd. Detroit, Mi. 1965

15. March on to Montgomery

16. Angels watching over me

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; Louise Jackson, pno or Magnolia Tillman, pno; g; Washboard Willie, wbd. Detroit, Mi. 1968

17. St John

18. Reverend King had a time

19. That's alright

20. The War in Wietnam

21. When I'm gone

Brother Will Hairston, vcl; The Greater Love of Tabernacle, vcls; band. Detroit, Mi. 1972

22. This may be the last time

23. Minny, your dress too short

24. Death knocked at my door, Jesus got the key

Let the church roll on

Reverend Reuben L. Henry, vcl; g; The Dixie Aires, vcls. Detroit, Mi. novembre 1957

25. God's going to ring those freedom bells


vendredi 1 juillet 2022

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON/ Live Recordings (Re-post)

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (Rice Miller)/
Live Sessions


           
Si les enregistrements en studio pour Trumpet, Chess ou Storyville de Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) qui regorgent de chefs d'œuvre et sont devenus des classiques du Chicago blues, sont aisément disponibles sous diverses formes, les enregistrements en concert ou dans des radios effectués par cet immense bluesman demeurent plus confidentielles et disséminées sur de nombreux albums, souvent très difficiles à se procurer aujourd'hui.
            Nous avons essayé de regrouper tous ces enregistrements "live", l'immense majorité ayant été effectuée en Europe (seul un programme radiophonique en studio à Helena provient des Etats Unis). Evidemment, à l'exception des concerts qui proviennent de l'American Folk Blues Festival dans lesquels Sonny Boy est accompagné de superbes musiciens comme M.T. Murphy, Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Memphis Slim etc... les autres sont beaucoup moins musicalement réussis. Derrière Sonny Boy, nombre de très jeunes musiciens anglais qui sont alors au tout début de leur carrière font plus montre d'enthousiasme que d'empathie réelle avec leur leader d'un soir. Mais Sonny Boy est Sonny Boy et dès qu'il chante, parle, susurre, souffle dans son harmonica, claque des doigts, l'instant est magique. Et finalement ces enregistrements, souvent réalisés dans des conditions précaires et qui, parfois, n'étaient même pas destinés à être publiés, constituent un apport très intéressant à l'œuvre du maestro.
            Sauf erreur, tout ce que Sonny Boy a enregistré live dans les années 1963-65 se trouve ici. A l'exception de six titres provenant d'une séance privée que je n'ai pas inclus.
                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT
Les Rolls Royce des Harmonicas sont ici

            If the studio recordings for Trumpet, Chess or Storyville made by Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) are full of blues masterpieces and are still easily available today, his live recordings (made in concerts or for radio programmes) are much more confidential and scattered on too many albums, very often hard to get. And some that you'll find here are also hitherto unissued.
            We have tried to gather all those live recordings, essentially captured in Europe (with one exception coming from Helena, Arkansas). Of course, with the strong exception of the American Folk Blues Festivals' concerts where Sonny Boy is backed by great American fellow bluesmen (M.T. Murphy, Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Memphis Slim etc...), the others are much less musically successful. Behind the great bluesman, many very young British musicians who are at the very beginning of their careers display more enthusiasm than real empathy to their revered one night leader. But Sonny Boy is Sonny Boy and as soon as he sings, talks, groans, whispers, blows his harp, snaps his fingers... the moment becomes just magical! And finally those recordings, very often made in very precarious and technically rough conditions - several were not even aimed to be issued! - are anyway a very rewarding addition to the maestro's complete works.
            Unless I'm mistaken, everything Sonny Boy has recorded live between 1963-65 (nothing was done before, the track on the Argo's Folk Festival album was in fact a studio recording with handclaps added!) is gathered here. With one missing exception, six titles coming from a private recording that I've not included.
                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON/ Live Discography


The Rolls Royces of the harmonica are here