Well, I ain't got no voice, but I'll give you the words of an old Memphis song.' William Brown began to sing in his sweet true country voice, poking in delicate passages at every pause, like the guitar was a second voice commenting with feeling on the ironic words of the blues... This was the real blues... The blues in print give you the skeleton only. If you've never heard the blues, get yourself a record and listen and then come back and join us... William Brown's song can last until the morning... - Alan Lomax, The Land Where the Blues Began
Just got his terrific CD in the mail: Henry Brown - Henry Brown Blues. Originally recorded by Paul Oliver in 1960 and issued on the 77 Label (http://www.wirz.de/music/77frm.htm) and reissued on Southland. Here's the track list:
- Henry Brown Blues - Got It And Cain't Quit It - Bottled In Bond - Blues For Charlie O'Brien - Deep Morgan Is Delmar Now - Henry Brown Boogie - O'Fallon Blues - My Blues Is In The Bottle - Papa Slick Head - Handyman Blues - Scufflin' Boogie -Henry Brown's Talking Blues
The last track, not on the LP, is nearly nine minutes of Brown's off-the-cuff reminiscing on the St. Louis scene of his youth underpinned by some superb playing. Notes are identical to the LP with an additional photo of Brown playing at Pinkey Boxx's Beauty Parlor in St. Louis.
great news for reissue the ultra rare "77" LP of brown. if you like more of his playing, look out the delmark catalogue. two samplers with numbers by brown on: "biddle street" and " boogie woogie kings". but the best work by him, you can order from folkways records directly, the old sam charters LP playing solo and accompaning edith johnson, a M U S T.
I was listening to the Yazoo compilation "Twenty First St.Stomp" with St.Louis piano blues, and marveled at the great Henry Brown's playing. Is this the same fella as on the 77 album?
There is not much to find on the early Henry Brown in the forum. Is there more information on him?
I was listening to the Yazoo compilation "Twenty First St.Stomp" with St.Louis piano blues, and marveled at the great Henry Brown's playing. Is this the same fella as on the 77 album?
There is not much to find on the early Henry Brown in the forum. Is there more information on him?
This is the same person as the 77 album. Here's a little background on Brown:
Henry Brown learned to play the piano from the "professors" of the notorious Deep Morgan section of St. Louis. One of them went by the name of "Blackmouth," another was named Joe (or Tom) Cross. As Brown remembered him, "he was a real old time blues player and he?d stomp 'em down to the bricks." "Deep Morgan Blues" was one of his signature pieces. Brown worked clubs such as the Blue Flame Club, the 9-0-5 Club, Jim's Place and Katy Red's, from the twenties into the 30's. He recorded for Brunswick with Ike Rogers and Mary Johnson in 1929 and cut ten sides for Paramount in '29 under his own name with various accompanists. He served in the army in the early 40's, then formed his own quartet to work occasional local gigs in St. Louis area from the 50's, and worked the Becky Thatcher riverboat in 1965. In addition to his pre-war recordings, he was recorded by Paul Oliver in 1960, by Sam Charters with Edith Johnson in 1961 an cut a few tracks for 1965 for Storyville and Adelphi in 1969.