Classic Piano Blues from Smithsonian Folkways

by CLASSIC PIANO BLUES: FROM SMITH

Overview

Folkways might be most known for recording traditional folk and ethnic music, but the label did cut a good deal of blues and jazz while it was in operation. Classic Piano Blues has 20 blues songs in which the piano is the most prominent instrument in the arrangement, and while recording dates are not given for all of the tracks, it seems reasonable to assume they roughly span the early '40s to the mid-'70s. A bunch of major names in the blues field are here, including Memphis Slim, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Champion Jack Dupree, Henry Townsend, Victoria Spivey, Roosevelt Sykes, Little Brother Montgomery, James P. Johnson, and Leadbelly (not a misprint; on his selection "Big Fat Woman," he sings and plays piano, though he's primarily known as a guitarist). Because Folkways was one of the least overtly commercial labels of the mid-20th century, some listeners might find some of this too dryly recorded, as if it's done with at least some concern for folkloric preservation rather than popular appeal. Certainly a high percentage of this features only piano and vocal (and sometimes only piano), though some other accompanists do get in on the act on some selections. But while it might not be the most dance-oriented of collections (though there are some pretty fast-paced cuts), there's a decent variety of material by good blues piano players, ranging from instrumentals to boogies, ballads, laments, jazz blues, and near R&B. Spivey's "You're My Man" and Johnson's "Hesitation Blues" are highlights of a respectable collection, though those with less specialized blues tastes might grow weary of the emphasis on numbers with basic melodic progressions and arrangements. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	06/24/2008
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074019627
Rank:	40156

Tracks

1. Dedication to Pete Johnson  - Peter Chatman  -  Memphis Slim
2. Early in the Morning  - Booker T. Laury  - Walter Roland
3. How Long Blues  - Leroy Carr  -  Speckled Red
4. Yellow Dog Blues  - James P. Johnson  - Katherine Handy Lewis
5. Key to the Highway  - Big Bill Broonzy  - Jazz Gillum  -  Memphis Slim  - Charles Segar
6. Medium Blues  - Meade "Lux" Lewis
7. Black Wolf Blues  - Champion Jack Dupree
8. Dices Blues  - Big Chief Ellis  - Wilbert Ellis
9. Big Fat Woman  -  Lead Belly
10. Harlem Parlor Blues  - Sammy Price
11. Little Drops of Water  - Henry Brown  - Edith North Johnson
12. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie  - Little Brother Montgomery
13. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie  -  Speckled Red
14. Wish Me Well  - Peter Chatman  - Willie Dixon  -  Memphis Slim
15. All My Money's Gone  - Roosevelt Sykes  - Henry Townsend
16. You're My Man  - Victoria Spivey
17. On My Way to See Moe Asch  - Champion Jack Dupree
18. Sweet Old Chicago  - Roosevelt Sykes
19. No Special Rider Blues  - Eurreal Montgomery  - Little Brother Montgomery
20. Hesitation Blues  - James P. Johnson

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Edith North Johnson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Katherine Handy Lewis   Primary Artist,Vocals
Speckled Red   Primary Artist
Big Chief Ellis   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Booker T. Laury   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Lead Belly   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
James P. Johnson   Primary Artist,Piano,Orchestra
Champion Jack Dupree   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Victoria Spivey   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Little Brother Montgomery   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Roosevelt Sykes   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Meade "Lux" Lewis   Primary Artist,Piano
Memphis Slim   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Henry Townsend   Primary Artist,Piano
Sammy Price   Primary Artist,Piano
Henry Brown   Primary Artist,Piano
Willie Dixon   Primary Artist,Bass
Jazz Gillum   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Bobby Reutwiler   Washboard
John Cephas   Guitar
Matt "Guitar" Murphy   Guitar
Rufus G. Perryman   Piano,Vocals
Phil Wiggins   Harmonica
Chris Lange   Guitar
Fritz Rueegg   Bass

Technical Credits

Wilbert Ellis   Composer
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editorial Assistant
Marion Post Wolcott   Photography
Norman van der Sluys   Audio Supervisor
Ben Shahn   Cover Photo
Robert Oswald   Engineer
Eileen Dorfman   Production Assistant
Amy Schriefer   Program Assistant
Stephanie Smith   Archivist
D.A. Sonneborn   Executive Producer
Eurreal Montgomery   Composer
Russ Lee   Photography
Jeff Place   Annotation,Liner Notes
Walter Roland   Composer
Sammy Price   Composer
Charles Segar   Composer
Champion Jack Dupree   Composer
Victoria Spivey   Composer
Leroy Carr   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Engineer,Supervisor
Huddie Ledbetter   Arranger
Roosevelt Sykes   Composer
Samuel Charters   Engineer
Peter Chatman   Composer
Meade "Lux" Lewis   Composer
Ronnie Simpkins   Audio Supervisor
Moses Asch   Engineer
Big Bill Broonzy   Composer
Arthur Rothstein   Photography
Nate Utesch   Tray Card,Photography