Various Artists: Vol. 2-1929-1943 - COMPACT DISCS

Various Artists: Vol. 2-1929-1943 - COMPACT DISCS

Various Artists SKU: 07954214
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Title:

Vol. 2-1929-1943

Artist:

Various Artists

Label:

Document

Product Type:

COMPACT DISCS

UPC:

714298564129

Genre:

Blues Traditional

Release Date:

2000-09-07

Number of Discs:

1

Some of the names featured here will be familiar to the more seasoned collectors but generally these are artists who made little or no impact at the time that they recorded. Often musicians were not called back to the studio because whatever the A&R person had in mind as a 'winner' was not quite what the record buying public had in theirs. However, these CDs have not been compiled from recordings that meet the 'no good then, no good now' criteria. On the contrary, it is remarkable just how consistently good they are. Volume two begins with John Byrd and 'possibly' Mae Glover masquerading as 'Rev George Jones And Congregation'. Following a verse of 'Honey In The Rock', Sister Jones leads the congregation in prayer with the words; 'Our Father who art in Heaven, the white man owed me ten dollars and I didn't get but seven. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. I took that or I wouldn't a got none. Amen'. Much of this volume is taken up by John Byrd and Washboard Walter Taylor, producing between them a good, contrasting selection of blues, rags, and hokum pieces. Byrd uses a twelve-string guitar with which he plays some fine blues, including the interesting tribute to Blind Lemon Jefferson, 'Wasn't It Sad About Lemon', and the cautionary tale, 'Insurance Man Blues'. I do not want to appear as if I am trying to force my way into an epic Calt/Wardlow terminology assassination chapter on the validity of such ambiguous terms as 'country blues'. You know the sort of thing; A curse upon he who uttereth the words 'Folk Blues', may his camels never multiply etc. In fact, many of the artists featured on the four volumes of Document's 'Rare Country Blues' lived and played in urban locations such as Dallas, Atlanta, Jackson and Cincinnati, but until more specific, universally recognised adjectives can be found in the Oxford Dictionary, then it can be said that these volumes encompass everything that makes the music known as the 'country blues' great.

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