Topic: JSP Boxed Sets--Blind Lemon & Others

[Rivers]

That would be correct, track 16 shuffles up to 12 and the next 4 tracks go down a notch. When I've really had nothing better to think about I've found myself wondering why. Was it a late breaking change and they forgot to tell tell the printer?

Simon: "Really Nigel I love the emotional intensity created by Blue Coat Tom Nelson's tune paired with Jaybird Coleman. Let's move it from 16 to 12".
Nigel: "My dear boy. I just sent the notes to the printer"
Simon: "Never mind, they're used to us screwing up the documentation. What do they expect for 29 bucks anyway?"
Both: (laughter)

Unlikely I admit. Maybe somebody screwed up the copy. Or the master, or both. Sabotage inside JSP? Do Yazoo or Document have an operative in there? Whatever it's a great little comp, way off the mainstream mostly. The f/up in the notes adds to its charm, after you've recovered from severe puzzlement first time through. I love disc 2, seeing as how it's packed with extremely rowdy jug band selections.

[Minnesota Dave]

Hey Dave,

Go to the top of the page and check the menu on the left. Find and select the item Album Info (under Resources). Then select A Richer Tradition disc A, scroll down to the bottom and you'll see the corrections.

All for now.
John C. (born in Minneapolis-G-)

Thanks! I suppose I should have figured that out myself but you can't tell what that song is by listening to the lyrics.

--Dave [born in Mpls. and still there!]

[rjtwangs]

I just got the JSP box sets on Sleepy John Estes with Yank Rachell, the second Blind Boy Fuller, The first Big Bill Broonzy and the Proper Lonnie Johnson box. So far I am really enjoying the Sleepy John stuff, I love the sound of the mandolin. I may have to buy one!!

RJ

[outfidel]

from the latest Roots & Rhythm catalogue

Ain't Times Hard - Political & Social Commentary In The Blues
VARIOUS ARTISTS

JSP JSPCD 77109
CD $28.98

Due later this week. Four CD set with 100 tracks recorded between the 1920s and 1950s on the subject of hard times and the response to it and even though this programmed some months ago seems highly appropriate to the situation the country finds itself in. Then, as now, the working class and African Americans in particular were the hardest hit by downturns in the economy, natural disasters and shortage of work and used the creative medium of the blues to express their feelings. This collection ranges from Blind Blake's No Dough Blues to Leroy Carr's Depression Blues to Big Joe Williams' Providence Help The Poor People to Jack McVea's Inflation Blues and much, much more.

BARBECUE BOB: Bad Time Blues/ BLACK IVORY KING: Working For The P.W.A./ SCRAPPER BLACKWELL: Down And Out Blues/ Hard Time Blues/ BLIND BLAKE: No Dough Blues/ BARBECUE BOB: We Sure Got Hard Times/ LUCILLE BOGAN: Red Cross Man/ SON BONDS: Old Bachelor Blues/ JOHN BRIM: Tough Times/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Starvation Blues/ Unemployment Stomp/ W.P.A. Blues/ CLARENCE 'GATEMOUTH' BROWN: Depression Blues/ BUMBLE BEE SLIM: Chain Gang Bound/ Hobo Jungle Blues/ When I Get My Money/ BOB CAMPBELL: Starvation Farm Blues/ GENE CAMPBELL: Levee Camp Man Blues/ LEROY CARR: Hard Times Done Drove Me To Drink/ The Depression Blues/ ANDY CHATMAN: Hard Times On Me Blues/ COUSIN JOE: Post-War Future Blues/ GEORGE CURRY: Back In My Cell Again/ BLIND TEDDY DARBY: Meat And Bread Blues/ WALTER DAVIS: Red Cross Blues/ TOM DICKSON: Labor Blues/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Warehouse Man Blues/ CARRIE EDWARDS: Hard Time Blues/ SLEEPY JOHN ESTES: Government Money/ Hobo Jungle Blues/ ALFRED FIELDS: '29 Blues/ CALVIN FRAZIER: Welfare Blues/ GENE GILMORE: Charity Blues/ JIMMIE GORDON: Don't Take Away My P.W.A./ GUITAR SLIM & JELLY BELLY: Keep Straight Blues/ Working Man Blues/ LANE HARDIN: Hard Time Blues/ KING SOLOMON HILL: Times Has Done Got So Hard/ SMOKEY HOGG: Hard Times/ Unemployment Blues/ TONY HOLLINS: Stamp Blues/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Strike Blues/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: High Cost Low Pay Blues/ Reconversion Blues/ J.B. HUTTO: Things Are So Slow/ FRANK 'SPRINGBACK' JAMES: New Red Cross Blues/ ALEC JOHNSON: Miss Meal Cramp Blues/ LONNIE JOHNSON: Four-O-Three Blues/ Hard Times Ain't Gone No Where/ FLOYD JONES: Ain't Times Hard/ Stockyard Blues/ CHARLEY JORDAN: Days Of The Weeks Blues/ Starvation Blues/ Tough Times Blues/ JACK KELLY: R.F.C. Blues/ J.B. LENOIR: Eisenhower Blues/ CARL MARTIN: I'm Gonna Have My Fun/ Let's Have A Good Deal/ CHARLIE MCCOY: Charity Blues/ Northern Starvers Are Returning Home/ ROBERT LEE MCCOY: I Have Spent My Bonus/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: The Panic's On/ FRED MCMULLEN: Dekalb Chain Gang/ JACK MCVEA: Inflation Blues/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: Nothing In Rambling/ Sylvester And His Mule Blues/ THE MISSISSIPPI SHEIKS: Sales Tax/ BUDDY MOSS: Hard Time Blues/ RED NELSON: Relief Blues/ When The Soldiers Get Their Bonus/ HAMBONE WILLIE NEWBERN: Shelby County Workhouse Blues/ SAMPSON PITTMAN: Welfare Blues/ JOE PULLUM: Bonus Blues/ YANK RACHELL: Hobo Blues/ TAMPA RED: Turpentine Blues/ WALTER ROLAND: C.W.A. Blues/ Red Cross Blues/ Red Cross Blues No.2/ SONNY SCOTT: Coal Mountain Blues/ OLLIE SHEPARD: Hard Times Is On Me/ WILLIE 'LONG TIME' SMITH: Homeless Blues/ CHARLEY SPAND: Hard Time Blues/ SPECKLED RED: Welfare Blues/ JOE STONE: It's Hard Time/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Living In A Different World/ Sunny Road/ SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE: Red Cross Store Blues/ BIG MAMA THORNTON: Cotton Picking Blues/ EDDIE VINSON: Bonus Pay/ Luxury Tax Blues/ WASHBOARD SAM: C.C.C. Blues/ CASEY BILL WELDON: W.P.A. Blues/ PEETIE WHEATSTRAW: 304 Blues/ Jungle Man Blues/ When I Get My Bonus/ Working On The Project/ JOSHUA WHITE: Welfare Blues/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Providence Help The Poor People/ L.C. WILLIAMS: Strike Blues/ JIM WYNN: Shipyard Woman 

[jostber]

Seems like a mighty fine compilation with some real winners. A fine cover too:

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Please don't consider this a review in the formal sense, but I picked up this set last week, and consider it to be one of the more boring JSP re-issue sets I've purchased, primarily because fully a third of it seems to be comprised of covers of "Red Cross Store"--one or two or three, perhaps, but ten or twelve?  It really becomes stupefying after a while.  I have a pretty high boredom threshold when it comes to this music, but I found it a major chore to listen to more than one disc of this set consecutively.  The earliest and latest stuff on the set tends to be more interesting, but the music from the mid-late '30s turns out for the most part to be desperately dull.  I will say that Peetie Wheatstraw really shines in comparison to most of his contemporaries represented here.  I don't think I ever fully appreciated before how time-challenged Smokey Hogg was--he really appears to have had no sense of time at all.  I would say unless you are writing a doctoral dissertation on this material, don't make it a high priority item for purchase.
all best,
Johnm

[dj]

fully a third of it seems to be comprised of covers of "Red Cross Store"

I don't know, John.  If the track list outfidel posted is accurate, the compilers shower remarkable restraint in leaving off Sonny Terry's "The Red Cross Store", Walter Davis' "Red Cross Blues Part 2", and both of Sonny Scott's versions.   

[Rivers]

Not to mention Fred McDowell, Leadbelly, Pete Harris and Lonzie Thomas... it could have been worse...

[dj]

Wow, that's 14 versions, without even breaking a sweat.   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I wish it had had versions by Lonzie Thomas and Pete Harris--it would have been a hell of a lot more interesting.  But upon re-thinking dj's and Rivers' points, I'l re-cast my initial assessment of the set, and say that if you are looking for a set that could be worse, this is the one to get.
All best,
Johnm

[Stuart]

John:

Thanks for taking the time to give us your honest evaluation. I value your opinion. When this set was first released, I was intrigued by the thematic nature of the set, but I chose not to put it on my short list as I already have some of the cuts on other CDs. As you say, it's probably best relegated to the category of dissertation source material. Perhaps this one should be placed under the heading of, "For the Completist."

[Bunker Hill]

Given the current economic climate maybe JSP has spotted a potential "gap in the market"! 

[Richard]

BH, very good

[Mr.OMuck]

if you are looking for a set that could be worse, this is the one to get.

HEEEYYAAAAWWWWWKKKKK! WAAHHHH! HHHAAA! HAAAAA!   (this is meant to indicate uproarious laughter)

[lindy]

For those of you who are not on the list for announcements from Roots and Rhythm, check it out:

"A limited time sale on every title in JSP's catalog of box sets - over 30% discount on more than 140 titles - until December 31st, 2009 only."

Details here:

http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/JSP_Box_Set_Intro.htm

Lindy