NEW YORK CITY/ The Blues Yesterday/ Vol. 9

 

NEW YORK CITY/ The Blues Yesterday/ Volume 9

 

           

Let's start this New York City/ The Blues Yesterday Volume 9 with the very underrated singer and guitarist Dickie Thompson. Although he is mostky known for being the creator of Thirteen Women which would become a classic R&R tune thanks to an expurgated Bill Haley's version, Dickie was much more than that. Born in Jersey City, NJ on 13 December 1917, James Edward Thompson first played ukulele but switched to guitar around 15 years old, largey influenced by some friends and later by Bill Jennings' records, particularly Jennings' work behind Bill Doggett. During the 1940's to the 60's, Thompson made himself a name in New York City as a trustworthy and talented sideman, playing jazz or R&B with the same efficiency behind Cozy Cole, Lawrence Brown, Sam Woodward, Wild Bill Davis, Clifford Scott, Harry Edison, Johnny Hodges, Dinah Washington etc... He also will be the lead guitarist of famed singer Jackie Wilson and the Jonah Jones Quintett. Thompson managed to make some R&B records as a leader but the success eluded him and he confessed he was anyway more at ease as a sideman than in front of a band. But his own records are mostly very good and Thirteen women could have been a hit but the lyrics seemed to risqué to the ears of the DJ of that time and the song was rewritten by (or for) Bill Haley, replacing the "only man" with thirteen women in a context of an H-Bomb survival!!! This edulcorated version would be recorded by numerous artists like Ann Margret, Dinah Shore, Danny Gatton etc... After a long career as a musician in New York City

and touring across the nation and overseas, Dickie Thompson retired in the sunny Tucson in 1991, playing around town quite often and becoming a local legend. He died in Tucson on 22 February 2007. I have tried to gather all his recordings but unfortunately some are very rare. If anyone got them and would share, it would be great!

            I must say I don't know nothing about blues belter Bob Marshall who recorded 12 fine sides in 1949-50, some as vocalist of the Cozy Cole's Orchestra. All infos are much needed and welcome!

            Joey Thomas (Joseph Thomas Jr who not must confused with band leader Joe Thomas) has fortunatley an entry on the essential book Blues/ A Regional Experience (by Eric Leblanc and Bob eagle). He was born in Muskogee, Ok. on 23 December 1908 and relocated with his saxophonist brother Walter Thomas in New York City around 1930, recording with Jelly Roll Morton and a few tracks under his name. But he mostly made a career as an A&R man for Decca and RCA. Joey Thomas died in New York on 15 April 1997.

            That's all folks (from the time being)!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

DICKIE THOMPSON, vcl/g; Ted Bannon, pno; John Hardee, t-sax; Frank Skeete, bs; Gene Groves, dms. august 1946

01. Hand in hand blues

02. Tailor made girl

03. Swing song

04. Stardust

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Teddy Brannon, pno; Gene Groves, bs. New York City, september 1949

05. Gambler's blues

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Teddy Brannon, pno; Ray Abrams, t-sax; Aaron Bell, bs; Denzil Best, dms. Linden, NJ. october 1949

06. Don Newcomb really throws the ball

07. Everybody gets together

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Taft Jordan, tpt; Tyree Glenn, tb; Buddy Tate, t-sax; Cecil Payne, b-sax; Joe Black, pno; Aaron Bell, bs; Jimmy Crawford, dms. New York City, 21 september 1951

08. What's the reason?

09. Whiskey and gin

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Taft Jordan, tpt; Tyree Glenn, tb; Buddy Tate, t-sax; Cecil Payne, b-sax; Joe Black, pno; Aaron Bell, bs; Jimmy Crawford, dms. New York City, 22 avril 1952

If you got some place to go

If I can't wear the pants

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Zilla Mays, vcl; George Kelly, tpt; Grady Fats Jackson, t-sax; band. Atlanta, Ga. 1953

10. On the other side

Dickie Thompson, vcl/g; Mickey Baker, g; band. New York City, 1954

11. Thirteen women and one man

12. I'm innocent

Jockin'

If I hadn't been drunk

Dickie Thompson, g; George Kelly, t-sax; Earl Knight, pno; Barney Richmond, bs; Chink Hines, dms. New York City, 1959

13. Real zan-zee I & II

BOB MARSHALL, vcl; Joe Wilder, tpt; Big Nick Nicholas, t-sax; Cecil Payne, b-sax; June cole, pno; Billy Taylor Sr, bs; Cozy Cole, dms. New York City, 2 march 1949

14. Red light

15. Milk cow blues

16. Until I fell for you

The huckle buck

Bob Marshall, vcl; Shad Collins, tpt; Tony Faso, tpt; Mort Bullman, tb; Henderson Chambers, tb; Eddie Brown, t-sax; Sid Cooper, t-sax; Budd Johnson, t-sax; Art Drellinger, t-sax; Dave Mc Rae, b-sax; Billy Kyle, pno; Earl Barker, g; Bill Pemberton, bs; Bob Rosengarden, dms. New York City, 13 may 1949

17. Nine o'clock gal

18. That's the gal for me

Bob Marshall, vcl; Ray Parker, pno; band. New York City, january 1950

19. Call me darling

20. Just one more time

21. It's a great great pleasure

22. I'm going to live for today

Bob Marshall, vcl; Eddie Wilcox, pno; band. New York City, may 1950

23. I shouldn't love you

24. Are you lonesome tonight?

JOEY THOMAS, vcl/ldr; Frank Galbraith, tpt; Dickie Wells, tb; Walter Thomas, a-sax; Harry Johnson, t-sax; Andy Brown, b-sax; Bill Doggett, pno; Abie Baker, bs; Jimmy Crawford, dms. New York City, 28 march 1951

25. Bad luck child (vcl: Freddie Jackson)

26. Sarah Kelly from Plumbnelly (vcl: Charlie Singleton)

27. There ain't enough room here to boogie

Investigation blues

Joey Thomas, vcl/ldr; Johnny Letman, tpt; Alton Moore, tb; Walter Thomas, a-sax; Skippy Williams, t-sax; Pinky Williams, b-sax; Howard Biggs, pno; Everett Barksdale, g; Abie Baker, bs; Herman Bradley, dms. New York City, 6 august 1951

28. Cherokee boogie

29. Hobo boogie