LADIES SING THE BLUES/ Volume 7

 

LADIES SING THE BLUES/ Volume 7

 

           

This 7^th Volume of our surprisingly popular series "Ladies sing the blues" opens with the complete recordings of Betty Hall Jones (born Cordell Elizabeth Bigbee in Topeka (Kansas) on 11 January 1911) into a musical family who moved quickly to California where the young girl learned piano and became a proficient blues, boogie and ballad pianist. In 1927 she married banjoist George Hall. As Betty Hall, she began a musical career being the pianist of Buster Moten and then Roy Milton from 1937 to 1941. She joined Luke Jones Orchestra, remarried Jasper Jones, then taking her stage name as Betty Hall Jones. As her reputation as a very good pianist and sometimes singer she then joined Paul Howard and Alton Reed's band, recording a lot with them. She also started her own recording career in 1947 with the Maxwell Davis' band that led her with a contract with the Capitol label, recording and writing songs that would be lifted by none others than Ray Charles or Nellie Lutcher. After Capitol, she recorded quite prolifically for Dootone, Combo and others. Although Betty Hall's records were never "hits", she played a lot of night clubs, hotels, even touring USO in East Asia and even made a comeback in Europe during the 1980's. She died in Torrance (California) in 2009.

            If you want more about this fine musician, go to the Marv Goldberg site

https://www.uncamarvy.com/BettyHallJones/bettyhalljones.html

 

            I don't know anything about Rose Brown who cut two excellent tracks for the GST label. She shares vocals with a Jimmie Harris and her backing band is the still mysterious "Bubbles"!

 

            Although she recorded constantly in New York City between 1946 and 1958 nothing much is known about Baby Dee (Dolores or Delores Spriggs) who was another very fine singer. She apparently started as the featured singer with the Bill Campbell band who was quite in demand in night clubs and venues around NYC after WWII. Here are also her complete recordings and more details about this lady blues singer, a category which has been sometimes neglected by most of the blues magazines insofar, would be nice.

    Our friend Marc D. has unearthed some more infos about Baby Dee (see the comments section), particularly an odd album of "risqué" songs produced by Joe Davis named '"Sexarama" under the name Miss Dee. The album is entirely available on You Tube but it's quite far from any blues or R&B genres. 

 

            Anyway, enjoy the music!

 

 

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

 

BETTY HALL JONES, vcl/pno; Maxwell Davis, t-sax; Buddy Harper, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Bob Harvey, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. may 1947

01. Learn to boogie

02. Fine and mellow

03. That same old boogie

04. Make me know it

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; King Porter, tpt; Marshall Royal, a-sax; Bumps Myers, t-sax; Gene Porter, b-sax; Charlie Davis, pno; Gene Phillips, g; Arthur Edwards, bs; Bill Settles, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 27 december 1947

05. That early morning boogie

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Henry Coker, tpt; Dave Cavanaugh, t-sax; Bumps Meyers, t-sax; Tiny Webb, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Jesse Price, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 11 february 1949

06. Why can't you love that way

07. This joint's too hip for me

08. If I ever cry

09. You've got to have what it takes

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Forrest Powell, tpt; Maxwell Davis, t-sax; Tiny Webb, g; Ralph Hamilton, bs; Bob Harvey, dms. Los Angeles, Ca. 2 august 1949

10. I never miss the sunshine

11. That's a man for you

12. Thrill me

13. Buddy stay off the wine

Betty Hall Jones, pno; Her Combo, band. Los Angeles, Ca. september 1952

14. Richmond blues

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Jake Porter, tpt; band. Los Angeles, Ca. september 1952

15. Goin' back to town

16. Frustration frustration

17. Poor spending daddy

18. Way after hours

Betty Hall Jones, vcl/pno; Gay Cowie, vcls; Bonnie & Linda Cowie (as The Gay-Bon-Lin Trio), vcls; band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1955

19. Love my love

20. Shina no yoru

21. How long blues

22. Is he handsome?

ROSE BROWN, vcl; Jimmie Harris, vcl; Bubbles, t-sax; band. Newark, NJ. 17 mai 1951

23. Back from Korea

24. Rockin' chair woman

BABY DEE (Dolores Spriggs), vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, septembre 1946

25. Boogie me

26. Used to be a daddy

Baby Dee, vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, novembre 1946

27. Look what baby's got for you

28. I want to see my daddy

29. Baby Dee blues

30. Feel it

Baby Dee, vcl; Bill Campbell, pno; band. New York City, mars 1947

31. Like he's never loved me before

32. It feels so doggone good

Baby Dee, vcl; Leroy Kirkland, g; band. New York City, 15 juin 1954

33. Don't live like that no more

34. He ain't mine no more

35. Hold the light for me

Baby Dee, vcl; Charlie Singleton, t-sax; band. New York City, 11 novembre 1954

36. When I cry

37. Stout hearted

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 23 août 1955

38. Zoom de de Ho Ho

39. I wish you out of my mind

40. Find the one meant for you

41. Unless you love me

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 1957

42. Pretty eyed baby

43. Sittin' here wondering

Baby Dee, vcl; band. New York City, 1958

44. I cried the last time

45. You don't have to be a fool