Topic: Papa Charlie Jackson

[JasO]

I?ve just posted the companion piece to my Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake articles, the 3,700-word ?Papa Charlie Jackson: The First Popular Male Blues Singer.? This covers the known details of Jackson?s life and recordings, including his solo 78s, duets with Ma Rainey and Blind Blake and others, his Freddie Keppard band recording, and his work as a sideman. There are descriptions by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey on Chicago?s pre-blues ragtime scene and the downturn of the blues scene circa 1930, as well as master flatpicker Norman Blake?s insights into Jackson?s distinctive Gibson BG banjo-guitar. I?ve also included a scan of the 1926 transcription of ?Salty Dog? published in the Paramount Book of the Blues. If you?re interested in seeing all this, it?s posted here: http://jasobrecht.com/

[GhostRider]

Thanks for this. In formative as always.

Alex

[banjochris]

Enjoyed reading this -- by the way, I remember reading somewhere, perhaps in 78 Quarterly somewhere or something like that, that Jackson's death was announced in the Chicago Defender, in 1938. Maybe someone else here will remember where that reference was, but it quoted the full notice, which was quite short and in an entertainment "roundup" type column.
Chris

[Stumblin]

Thanks, Jas.
Your articles are always a fantastic read.
In fact, I'll go further, confident of echoing the feelings of fellow Weenies, it's a privilege to have you on the forum.
Keep up the excellent work.
 

[Blind Arthur]

Thank you for the many excellent articles
And I am glad that PCJ will hopefully getting a bit more known. I have enjoyed his playing and singing and repertoire from the first minute that I had the Document reissue in the mid-nineties. He certainly deserves more reissues to be available and webspace to be discussed.

[jaycee]

thanks jas, for a fully entertaining and engrossing read. also posted on twitter to my followers.

[banjochris]

And speaking of Papa Charlie -- I purchased the first Frog Annual this week after the discussion on the board about it, and there's a great picture of Papa Charlie in there with the Arnold Wiley band. He's wearing a tuxedo and carrying a different banjo than in the usual Paramount shot -- it looks like a Vega to me but I could be wrong. And he's playing an F-shaped Bb chord at the 7th fret.

[Rivers]

And speaking of Papa Charlie -- I purchased the first Frog Annual this week after the discussion on the board about it, and there's a great picture of Papa Charlie in there with the Arnold Wiley band. He's wearing a tuxedo and carrying a different banjo than in the usual Paramount shot -- it looks like a Vega to me but I could be wrong. And he's playing an F-shaped Bb chord at the 7th fret.

Got a shot? 

[banjochris]

I'll have to clean all the paperwork off the top of the scanner, but give me a day or two...

[Rivers]

Got the paperwork cleaned off the scanner yet? 

[banjochris]

Got the paperwork cleaned off the scanner yet? 

Thanks for the reminder! Yes, but I've got to plug it in. I'll try to post it tonight, plus I have another photographic treat to post that came inside the book of the Bear Family Bristol Sessions set that I got for Christmas.

[banjochris]

Here's a pic of Papa Charlie that I had seen before, I think in maybe one of the Blues Images calendars, but don't know if folks on here had seen it.

[banjochris]

And here's the pic from the Frog Annual 1 that I had never seen, of Papa Charlie with, from left: Jasper Taylor, Irene Wiley (who according to the caption didn't like the way she looked in the picture so tore her face out), Arnold Wiley and Jimmy O'Bryant. Chicago, May 1925. Also posting a closeup of Papa Charlie that I cropped. At first I thought his banjo was a Vega, but now I'm not sure, with that flat top on the peghead. (You may need to download the 1st photo to see the right side of it.)

[Rivers]

Very cool, thanks Chris, also for the Tarter & Gay photograph.

[uncle bud]

Many thanks for posting that, Chris. That's really great to see Papa Charlie in another photo. It's interesting to see him as part of a band, given that the recordings we have are mostly solo or duets. Talk about one's imagination running wild.