Topic: Memphis Jug Band volume 4

[dj]

Speaking of which, anyone know if Frog's vol 4 of the Memphis Jug Band is out. It includes 8 alternate takes not previously released to my understanding:

1. I Packed My Suitcase, Started To The Train #1
2. Bob Lee Junior Blues #1
3. Beale Street Mess Around #2
4. I'll See You In The Spring,
When The Birds Begin To Sing #2
5. Evergreen Money Blues #1
6. Coal Oil Blues #1
7. Papa Long Blues #1
8. Peaches In The Springtime #1
9. Stealin' Stealin' #1

The Frog website - www.frogrecords.co.uk - still lists it as "Coming Soon".  I have no idea how up-to-date that information is.

Speaking of which, any comment on the sound of the Frog disk?  I assume it's significantly better than the sound on the Document issue.  Is the JSP set copied from the Frog disks?

[uncle bud]

Yup, that why I was wondering - no idea how up-to-date the Frog site is.

Re. the sound of volume 1 on Frog. First keep in mind that I'm no audiophile, am more likely to be listening to it on a portable while walking the dog, or in the kitchen while cooking dinner.    But it is remastered by John RT Davies, and the sound to my ears is excellent. I haven't heard the Document vol 1 so can't compare. You do, however, get more tracks on the Frog, with two from Will Weldon -- "Turpentine Blues" and "Hitch Me to Your Bugy and Drive Me Like a Mule" -- and two from Vol Stevens -- "Vol Stevens Blues" and "Baby Got the Rickets, Mama's Got the Mobile Blues".

BTW, is it just me or does Will Weldon's playing on Turpentine Blues sound like he's from St. Louis?

As for JSP copying, when importing Frog vol 1 into iTunes, the CDDB spat back the JSP disc 1 track info - same track order, with the Weldon and Stevens tracks in the middle of the disc. Who knows? 

It is such a great disc. Their version of Kansas City is truly wonderful.

[uncle bud]

SpikeDriver - I got mine through Amazon Marketplace. Frogs are harder to find, but you should be able to place orders through a good indie shop. I haven't seen them listed much at the usual suspects, though might have missed them. Their catalog is not huge.

[dj]

You can also get them through Roots & Rhythm mailorder (rootsandrhythm.com) or at Barnes & Noble.  Apparently they're not all that hard to find, just easy to overlook.   

[uncle bud]

You can also get them through Roots & Rhythm mailorder (rootsandrhythm.com) or at Barnes & Noble.  Apparently they're not all that hard to find, just easy to overlook.   

There you go.   R&R even list the Memphis Jug Band Frog discs and not the Documents from what I can see. And both R&R & B&N even list the Sunshine Special Texas 1927-29 disc I'm contemplating in a future order.

A note re. JSP. Frank Scott's notes about MJB vol 1 indicate the collection was originally issued on JSP, and sure enough, a look at the fine print in the CD notes confirms this. So shame on me for suggesting anything untoward about any box sets.

Thanks for the info, dj.