Topic: JSP Boxed Sets--Blind Lemon & Others

[uncle bud]

The latest Roots and Rhythm catalog indicates that the 5-CD JSP set "Ma Rainey - Mother of the Blues" has just arrived. I believe Cheapfeet and I were wishing for this awhile back. Ask and ye shall receive. Though it could have been more timely, as I was already buying the Documents.

[CF]

You're right UB, I've been waiting for this for a while . . . wow 5 CDS . . . I'm assuming this will be complete . . . & I almost purchased a Yazoo Ma Rainey recently but was scared off by the small # of tracks . . . so got Yazoo Henry Thomas instead . . .

[Johnm]

That Ma Rainey set sounds great, Uncle Bud and Cheapfeet!  Just to let folks know, I merged a thread on the recent JSP Mississippi Blues set with this thread. Since that set is no longer new, I figured it could reside here with discussion of the other JSP re-issues.
All best,
Johnm

[CF]

. . . where's the best (i.e. cheapest!) place to order such stuff offa the web? Thanks

[uncle bud]

Probably the cheapest in Canada is Amazon.ca, especially if you order two JSP sets, since you will then get free shipping. They're currently listing the Ma Rainey set for $24.99 (cheaper than the US Amazon) and the Mississippi Rare Cuts set at $30.99 for some reason. May be better deals out there but I don't know them.

Self-serving Weenie site information: If you do order from Amazon.ca, you can start your search from the Weenie Juke page here http://www.weeniecampbell.com/juke/playing.php to give Weenie a little cut of the sale to offset site costs (and hopefully again some day, Juke costs). Just enter Ma Rainey in the Canada Amazon search box, and then complete your shopping normally. Anything you add to your cart and buy within 24 hours, Weenie gets a cut.

[CF]

Thanks UB, will do, almost forgot about the Weenie link!

[CF]

Thanks again UB, I just ordered the Ma Rainey & the Mississippi collection through the Weenie link (i hope it worked!) & also that 'Too Late' from Document . . . I think I got my eyes on a Weenie Calender  now . . .

[CF]

Got the 'Mississippi Rare Cuts' & the Ma Rainey boxes the other day & am trying to make my way through them in a busy week of gigs . . . the Mississippi box is a revelation: Garfield Akers, Jim Thompkins, Sam Butler, William Harris, Geeshie Wiley, Blind willie Reynolds, Freddie Spruell, Joe Calicott, Arthur Petties, Willie '61' Blackwell, Sam Collins Mississippi Bracey, Mose Andrews, Buddy Boy Hawkins, King solomon Hill, Otto Virgial, Bogus Ben Covington, Walter Rhodes, etc. are all new to me. I am stunned at the quality of the playing & songwriting of these men & women & am staggered at the amount of new tunes I will be wanting to learn! & of course I finally have the 2 Son House 1930 recordings I needed . . . I'm not even all the way through the collection & It's already worth the money I spent . . .
Couple issues: I am becoming a completist & I will be wanting the couple or several titles missing of some of these performers' work, hoping JSP will release a 2nd volume offering the remaining titles of these artists . . .
JohnM, you mentioned the 3rd last track is mislabelled, is not Arthur Petties but Webster Taylor . . . anyone know what track this actually is?
I find the remastering (?) quite good & most of the tracks sound just great, lively & full.
There are too many highlights & surprises to mention but King solomon Hill's Lemon tribute is fantastic . . . & Geeshie Wiley's 'Last Kind Words Blues' is too cool . . . & etc.
I've only gotten through the first Cd of the Rainey box but the remastering to my novice ears is great . . . much better than the remastering I've heard on the Rainey tracks I've had on compilations . . . & the project seems to be a labour of love by Max Haymes . . . good liner notes . . . . Minor Complaint: don't think this is her complete output . . . don't know how much is missing but my Too Late Vol 11 from Document has a take of 'Stormy Sea Blues' which is one of two: JSP box only has one 'SSBlues' so I'm thinking several or many alternate takes aren't here . . . too bad . . .
Canada Post was pretty rough on the package, Rainey box beat up a little & a couple cracked CD jewel cases but endurable . . .
Kudos to JSP on these releases . . .

[CF]

Did my own investigative work through Penguin Guide to Blues, Google & Amazon:
3rd last track on JSP's Mississippi Blues Rare Cuts 1926-1941 is NOT Arthur Petties' 'Good Boy Blues' but 'Big Road' Webster Taylor's 'Sunny Southern Blues' . . . man, how could they make these kind of mistakes?

**Edited to add . . . JSP's 'Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues'
More investigative work (thanks to Document) shows that there are at least 3 alternate takes of Ma Rainey songs not on this box:
'Stormy Sea Blues' (take 2, c.August 1925) & 'Broken Hearted Blues' (take 1, c.march 1926) both of which can be found on Document's 'Too Late Vol. 11' AND
'Jealousy Blues' (take 4, c.march 1926) which can found on 'Too Late Vol. 13' . . .
 . . . both CDs are on sale but not for long apparently . . .

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

On Sept. 25, JSP will release Legendary Country Blues Performers featuring 104 tracks from Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachell, Brownsville Son Bonds and Charlie Pickett.

I have heard that it is the COMPLETE pre-war recordings of all the artists mentioned above.

I'm definitely looking forward to this one.

[waxwing]

I have to say, I'm looking forward to this one. Think I'll head over to Down Home Music right now and pre-order.

All for now.
John C.

[Bunker Hill]

A sensible and logical project. I'm amazed that it's not been tackled before.

Bet Georges Adins 1962 photo was scanned from Story Of The Blues (p.134), you can tell by the way it has been cropped. 

Estes's wife told Georges that the dress she's seen wearing was 100 years old and been passed down through her family! You want useless information? I'm the man to see.... 

[waxwing]

I say bring on the useless info, BH. Yours beats hell outa whats spewed out on every newspaper I see.-G-

Boy, it is a good pick of John.

All for now,
John C.

[uncle bud]

At 4 CDs, this would not seem to be complete. SJE's complete recordings take up 2 CDs on Document and Yank's take up 2 on Wolf. The prewar SJE is possibly complete (though I haven't checked), Yank content surely is not. Worth comparing tracklists if you can. The tracks are listed on the Amazon UK site . Didn't JSP include some SJE stuff on one of their jug band sets?

[Bunker Hill]

At 4 CDs, this would not seem to be complete. SJE's complete recordings take up 2 CDs on Document and Yank's take up 2 on Wolf. The prewar SJE is possibly complete (though I haven't checked), Yank content surely is not. Worth comparing tracklists if you can. The tracks are listed on the Amazon UK site . Didn't JSP include some SJE stuff on one of their jug band sets?

I'm fairly sure you are right on both counts. However the rare Estes post war items that appeared on the Barrelhouse and St George LPs (see Stefan's discography) have been included. I think these were discussed hereabouts last year. Perhaps a Weenie put a good word in for their inclusion.