Kitty Kallen "The Kitty Kallen Story" (Sony, 1992)
As the sultry songbird on the steamy WWII Harry James chart-topper, "It's Been A Long, Long Time," Kitty Kallen was one of the best-known and most adored big band singers. She did alright for herself as a solo artist as well, racking up several Top 40 hits until a bout of psychosomatic mic fright left her unable to sing for several years in the late 1950s. Later, after a brief early '60s comeback, other health problems permanently prevented her from continuing as a performer, sadly sidelining one of the purest voices American pop had heard in its formative heyday. This 2-CD set covers the breadth of Kallen's career, starting with her best-known hits from the early '40s, then topping those off with a perhaps-too-generous helping of later recordings, including several remakes of wartime favorites, rearranged in the '50s and '60s. This collection is definitely too light on her early work, but still pretty nice for anyone who wants to appreciate Kallen as a stylist in the pop vocals era, and it generously gathers material from several different labels. A nice set, certainly worth checking out, especially with the inclusion of some highly informative and entertaining liner notes that feature extensive interview quotes from Kallen herself... who was quite a character!
Kitty Kallen "Band Singer" (Collector's Choice, 2001)
If you felt miffed by the dearth of older, classic Kallen crooning on the Story collection reviewed above, then check this puppy out... It's got all her early recordings with the Jack Teagarden and Harry James' bands, made for the Columbia label in the early 1940s, when she was clearly at her peak, and even has alternate takes of "Long, Long Time" and "I'm Beginning To See The Light..." A fan's delight! Sadly, her recordings with Artie Shaw and Jimmy Dorsey aren't also included, but nonetheless, this disc is probably the single best Kallen collection out on the market today. Recommended!
Jo-Ann Kelly "Jo Ann Kelly" (Epic, 1969)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Jo Ann Kelly" (Blue Goose, 1972)
An important forebearer of Bonnie Raitt (and pretty much all female blues revivalists who came in her wake...), acoustic guitarist Jo Ann Kelly is one of the forgotten greats of the British blues revival. Kelly was kicking around in the early 'Sixties, along with John Mayall, Eric Clankton, and all those other dudes. She had a marvellously growly, dangerous voice, with phrasing swiped directly from Memphis Minnie's old repertoire, and she could pick like the devil herself. These are two of her best, and best-known, albums -- she's also enjoyed several great CD retrospectives and reissues in recent years, all of which are worth looking for. Sure... her uptempo country blues style gets to sounding a little repetitious after a while, but it's still awesome music. (You might also want to check out this German fan page, which has a more complete discography...)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Key To The Highway" (Moon Crest, 2000)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Talkin' Low -- Rare Unissued Recordings: 1966-1988" (Moon Crest, 2000)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Tramp 1974: Rare & Unissued Recordings, Vol. 3" (Moon Crest, 2001)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Blues & Gospel: Rare And Unreleased Recordings" (Blues Matters, 2004)
Jo-Ann Kelly "Do It & More" (Manhaton, 2008)
Christine Kittrell "Call Her Name -- The Complete Recordings: 1951-1965" (Bear Family, 2010)
Peg LaCentra "The Complete Recordings: 1934-1937" (Baldwin Street, 2002)
A generous 2-CD set gathering all the studio sides of one of Artie Shaw's main vocalists of the early swing era. As acknowledged in the liner notes, Ms. LaCentra evokes strong reactions and sharp differences of opinion among big band fans -- I have to say, despite the presence of Shaw's super-capable orchestra, I have to place myself among her detractors... LaCentra was a brittle and mediocre singer, similar to Ethel Waters in that she mixed a bluesy inclination with somewhat stilted artsiness; Waters could pull it off, but LaCentra just sounds so-so. That being said, this collection is a welcome addition to the pool of big band reissues... It's an authoritative look at both a lesser player (LaCentra) and some neglected work by a towering talent (Shaw). I'd say it's worth checking out at least once; I didn't keep my copy, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.
Julia Lee "Kansas City Calling" (Jasmine, 2005)
Pianist Julia Lee was the queen of the Kansas City swing-blues scene, leading a powerful big band packed with some of the best KC musicians of the post-WWII era. She specialized in raunchy, even scandalous novelty songs in which sexual matters were dealt with in honest appraisal. This is a generously-programmed single disc retrospective, with nearly two dozen tracks culled from Lee's career... Plenty of her well-known raunchy novelty songs are included -- "My Man Stands Out," "King Size Papa," "Snatch It And Grab It," "Chuck It In A Bucket," "I Didn't Like It The First Time," etc. and a couple of less-salacious numbers added in the margins. Odd that they included "Don't Save It Too Late," but didn't pair it with the companion number, "Don't Come Too Soon." Still, a pretty good introduction to her work... If nasty novelty blues tunes appeal to you, you'll definitely want to check Ms. Lee out.
Julia Lee "Kansas City Star" (Bear Family, 1995)
This extensive, 5-CD box set offers a fuller version of Lee's work than the standard compilations of her risque novelty hits... Which isn't to say there isn't plenty of smut on here as well, but you also get a chance to hear her cut loose with the groovy blues riffs without the potential distraction of the novelty tropes... Pretty cool stuff!
Julia Lee "Ugly Papa" (Jukebox Lil, 1995)
Julia Lee "The Chronological Julia Lee: 1927-1946" (Classics, 2005)
Julia Lee "The Chronological Julia Lee: 1947" (Classics, 2005)
Little Ann & Tarheel Slim "The Red Robin & Fire Years" (Collectables, 1990)
Singer-guitarist Alden Bunn (aka) Tarheel Slim and his wife and singing partner Little Annie (Anna Lee Sanford) were cut from much the same mould as Ike and Tina Turner -- a blazing guitarist and powerful singer, A veteran of '50s R&B and group vocals, Bunn was clearly the driving force behind the duo, while Little Ann often rose to the fore in their duets with her piercing, slightly eerie voice. Slim's powerful voice is remarkable as well, and after a while you may wish they'd recorded more solo tunes -- although they both sound great, their duets don't always mesh as well as you'd want. The best tracks on this collection are electrifying, although there is a great deal of variability from track to track. For one thing, they seem to have chased several popular styles -- there's an "Unchained Melody" soundalike, a few Dinah Washington-style ballads - and these attempts to fit the sound a la mode don't always work as well as the spine-tingling blues that was really the pair's forte. But that blues stuff is pretty awesome: if you like sizzling old-school electric blues, you'll want to check this one out!
Little Esther "Memory Lane: The Best Songs Little Esther Ever Recorded" (King, 1959)
Little Esther "The Early Hits: 1949-54" (JSP, 2010)
Little Esther "I Paid My Dues" (Proper, 2006)
Little Esther "Better Beware" (See for Miles, 1999)
Little Esther "The Best Of Esther Phillips: 1962-1970" (Rhino, 1997)
Little Esther "The Chronological Little Esther: 1952-1953" (Classics, 2005)
Little Miss Cornshucks "The Chronological Little Miss Cornshucks: 1947-1951" (Classics, 2003)
Nellie Lutcher "The Best Of..." (Capitol, 1995)
A Louisiana native who made it big as a swinging hep chick in postwar Hollywood, Nellie Lutcher was a fine piano player and a slick singer, albeit with a chirpy voice. Not as birdlike or novelty-oriented as, say Rose Murphy, but kind of in the same range, Lutcher is best known for her bouncy jazz jive numbers, although for my money she was most moving on slower ballads. Her first hit was with an cover of the old Isham Jones tune, "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else," which again seems a little rushed. Still, this twenty track best-of has plenty of variety, balancing soulful material with slick uptempo tunes. Fans of Nat King Cole oughtta check this gal out.
Nellie Lutcher "...And Her Rhythm" (Box Set) (Bear Family, 1996)
A 4-CD box set...
Nellie Lutcher "Real Gone!/Our New Nellie" (Collectables, 2000)
A more-or-less straight-up reissue of two albums, Real Gone! (on Capitol) and Our New Nellie...
Nellie Lutcher "Hurry On Down" (ASV-Living Era, 1995)
Nellie Lutcher "Real Gone Gal" (EMI-Statewide, 2001)
Marilyn Maxwell "Darling Diva: Popular Lady Of Song" (Collector's Choice, 2004)
A welcome look at one of the neglected "songbirds" of the Big Band era... Actress Marilyn Maxwell sang for the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, which put her pretty squarely in the orbit of Bing Crosby and his organization. This disc gathers a dozen tracks, all with nice fidelity, from Bing's old radio show, circa 1944. A handful of duets with Crosby are a highlight of this disc -- they complimented each other quite nicely -- but Maxwell sounds pretty nice on her own, fronting Trotter's band. She's not dazzling or emotionally powerful, but she sounds nice and, like Trotter himself, she doesn't call a lot of attention to herself. It's workmanlike material, but it's kinda sweet.
Ellen McIlwaine "Up From The Skies: The Polydor Years" (PolyGram Chronicles, 1998)
It's kind of hard to place McIlwaine's work -- she's one of the best examples of the more experimental, inclusive aspects of early '70s pop, plus she's one of the most enigmatic, striking figures in the history of female rock and blues singers. This CD combines two LPs she made for Polydor -- Honky Tonk Angel from 1972, and We The People, from '73. To the uninitiated, these recordings might be somewhat bewildering: who the hell was this yodelling madwoman with the funky vibe and the crazy steel guitar? Drawing on sources as diverse as Kitty Wells, Isaac Hayes, Smokey Robinson and Blind Faith, McIlwaine summons the spirit of a coffeehouse folkie dropping acid with Jimi Hendrix (which she probably did, since she was a pal of his...) while laying down some seriously funky, blues-drenched music. She was kind of an avant garde version of Bonnie Raitt, who was also coming into her own around the same time. But McIlwaine is way nuttier than Bonnie would ever dream of being. She's unrestrained and chaotic, completely willing to be either incredibly soulful, or incredibly goofy, as the spirit might take her. One thing's for sure, you'll never come across anyone else like her -- she's a one-of-a-kind kinda gal. Plus, there are a bunch of great, classic tunes on here, including the novelty classics "I Don't Want To Play" and "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wants To Die)", as well as her genuinely spooky version of "Can't Find My Way Home". Worth tracking down!
Ellen McIlwaine "The Real Ellen McIlwaine" (United Artists/Kotai, 1975)
McIlwaine's nutty, yelpy soul sister yodellin' finds its highest expression on this disc, with crazed, funky versions of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill," and exuberant originals like "Lazy Day" and "Thirty-Piece Band." Also noteworthy is her wrenching version of "Down So Low," which rivals the Tracy Nelson original. This is a spendid hippie funk album, but you really have to be on her wavelength to appreciate it. Fans of her Polydor albums are strongly urged to track this one down... it's a doozy, too.
Ellen McIlwaine "The Real Ellen McIlwane/Everybody Needs It" (Stony Plain, 1995)
Thankfully, the digital age found room for Ellen McIlwaine's music, in this case an indie reissue of her truly fabulous and idiosyncratic album, The Real Ellen McIlwaine, paired up on a single CD with a 1982 album, Everybody Needs It, which sadly was not up par with her usual high standards. Still, the stuff from '75 is hella fab, so this is worth tracking down.
Ellen McIlwaine & Cassius Khan "Mystic Bridge" (Ellen Mcilwaine Music, 2007)
Memphis Minnie "Hoodoo Lady (1933-1937)" (Sony Legacy, 1991)
Great stuff. This disc opens up with the marvellously raunchy "Down In The Alley," and continues along with a generous selection of twenty of the best recordings made by this vigorous, dynamic, groundbreaking blues picker. A completely arresting performer, Memphis Minnie was the first gal to excel at the same game as the boys: hot guitar playing, the kind of stuff that rock'n'roll comes from. Great singer, too. This disc is one of the highlights from the outstanding Roots & Blues series which inaugurated Sony's real commitment to quality archival releases in the CD era. It's great stuff.
Ella Mae Morse "Collector's Series" (Capitol, 1992)
Ella Mae Morse "The Very Best Of..." (EMI/Collectibles, 1998)
Her big hit, "Cow Cow Boogie," was one of the most irresistible pop tunes of the 1940s, a catchy bit of faux-western pop bluesiania that in 1942 was one of the biggest hits on the newborn Capitol label. Morse started her career out with a magical and memorable hit record; it was a hard act to top, but her later recordings were also pretty consistent. Morse, backed by the Freddie Slack band, specialized in songs with bluesy phrasing and pseudo-boogie riffs... Sometimes the material was a little forced, but in general it was fun stuff, from the swankier side of the big band spectrum. This is a nice collection which covers her entire career, from "Cow Cow Boogie" until her retirement in the late '50s. (The songs on these two releases are identical; only the artwork has been changed to protect the innocent.) Definitely worth checking out!
Ella Mae Morse "The Dynamite Texas Diva - Live" (Collector's Choice, 2002)
A great set of live performances, recorded for the Armed Forces Radio Service between 1942-45, when Morse's star shone the brightest. This disc features her with a variety of musical collaborators, starting with Freddie Slack, and working through a variety of AFRS-sponsored orchestras. It's all top-notch stuff, Ella Mae's irrespressible spunkiness melding with the optimistic cheerfulness of the American show-biz community. The onstage/in studio banter is consistently entertaining: this is one of the best airshot collections of its kind that I've ever heard. In fact, I'd hazard to say that this disc actually more fun to listen to than the standard collections of her studio work. Recommended!
Rose Murphy "The Chee-Chee Girl" (ASV Living Era, 2005)
If you haven't yet encountered 1940s jazz-cabaret pianist Rose Murphy, well then, you're in for a treat. Her kooky, quirky riffs on vocals standards such as "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," et. al., feature winsome, carefree piano playing, along with her helium-powered, goofball, little-girl vocals: if Betty Boop had been a soloist with the Duke Ellington orchestra, it might have sounded a bit like this. Often, with Murphy's idiosyncratic phrasing what's left out -- amid the silences and truncated melodies -- sometimes matters more that what she does play, as if she were asserting that her familiarity with and willingness to mess around with all these songs was more important than showing musical mastery over the genre. Serious jazz fans might find this a little too novelty-oriented, but casual listeners are likely to find it irresistibly cheerful and sweet. Happy-sounding music, in a big, big way.
Rose Murphy "The Chee-Chee Girl" (Scimitar Entertainment, 1998)
Rose Murphy "I Wanna Be Loved By You" (Body & Soul, 1998)
Rose Murphy & Major Holley "Mighty Like A Rose: The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions" (Black & Blue, 2002)
Helen O'Connell "Sweetheart Of Song" (Collector's Choice, 2001)
All too short, but still rather sweet, this 10-song sampler showcases O'Connell as the "girl" singer in the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Bright-toned and sassy as all getout, O'Connell blows her corny-sounding bandmate Bob Eberly out of the water on several tracks, while generally projecting a good nature and a lot of what they used to call "pep". The sound quality on some of these songs is kind of iffy -- the notes don't say so, but I'd guess at least some of these recordings were from radio broadcasts. All things considered, it's pretty fun stuff! One highlight is her version of "Six Lessons with Madame LaZonga," a theme revisited years later by country singer Hank Snow, in his 1950 hit, "The Rhumba Boogie."
Anita O'Day "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" (ASV, 2001)
Like many "serious" jazz singers, bop vocalist Anita O'Day apprenticed as a big band singer back in the swing era... This generously programmed collection gathers 25 tunes from her early years working with Gene Krupa, Stan Kenton, Will Bradley and others... At first she sounds undistinctive, just another songbird who couldn't hit the golden tones of Helen Forrest or Ella Fitzgerald. Then, as time passes and her records get more daring, O'Day's unique voice emerges, including the harder tones and hornlike bursts that set her apart from the pop vocals crowd. This is a great set for anyone interested in her early years.
Anita O'Day "Pick Yourself Up With Anita O'Day" (Verve, 1957/1992)
What a gas... O'Day is cool as cool can be, a real jazz stylist, but she's also accessible and fun, an unsnobbish, unabashed pop singer as well. This is a big band-ish set with bandleader Buddy Bregman backing her most tracks, providing his trademark soft-pedalled whomp-bomp-oomp, and O'Day gliding on top with characteristic ease and delight. She'll wow you with her fascinating, original new takes on standards such as "Let's Face The Music And Dance" and "Sweet Georgia Brown," where she shifts the tempo and melody to suit her own needs... From start to finish, this is a very fine record, torchy at times, playful at others. The CD reissue adds nine new tracks, including some outtakes from the Pick Yourself Up sessions, a few songs originally released as 45rpm singles, and a couple of tracks that were shelved for a few decades. The bonus materials don't all match the tone of the original LP, and in some regards detract from the purity of such a fine record, but they're also great recordings, and welcome additions to this generously programmed disc. Nice stuff... highly recommended!
Bonnie Raitt - see artist profile
Lula Reed "Blue And Moody" (King, 2004)
Lula Reed "I'll Drown In My Tears" (Ace, 2003)
Lula Reed "The Chronological Lula Reed: 1951-1954" (Classics, 2005)
Irene Scruggs "The Remaining Titles: 1926-1930" (Document, 1995)
This disc is shared with tracks by blues singer Martha Copeland, whose 1927-1928 work fills out the first dozen or so tracks...
Mamie Smith "Crazy Blues: The Best Of Mamie Smith" (Sony-BMG Legacy, 2004)
Mamie Smith "Complete Recorded Works, v.1: 1920-1921" (Document, 1995)
Mamie Smith "Complete Recorded Works, v.2: 1921-1922" (Document, 1995)
Mamie Smith "Complete Recorded Works, v.3: 1922-1923" (Document, 1995)
Mamie Smith "Complete Recorded Works, v.4: 1923-1942" (Document, 1995)
Effie Smith "The Chronological Effie Smith: 1945-1953" (Classics, 2004)
Cool stuff from one of the California blues scene's great unsung heroines... Effie Smith worked with Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton and Johnny Otis before setting out on her own after WWII... Smith's background as a comedienne may help explain why her work is so much sly and expressive than many of her contemporaries; she really gets into the groove of these tunes and puts a lot of feeling into the words. She also excels at a variety of styles -- smooth ballads, uptempo blues and even a scorcher or two, such as the sizzling "I Been Down In Texas." This disc is a gem, a nice discovery for folks looking for rockin' foremothers to groove out on. The liner notes are nice, too -- Smith and her husband, John Criner, were both intimately involved in the growth of the West Coast blues scene, from their own efforts on a variety of independent labels, to the the teen-oriented R&B-pop scene of the early '60s (her son wrote the Olympics' big hit, "Western Movies") and Effie's second career as a behind-the-scener, doing promotional work for the Stax label in the '70s. At any rate, this disc is fun... Smith's approach may have been a little laid-back, but she sounded pretty darn cool.
Valaida Snow "Valaida Vol. I: 1935-1937" (Harlequin, 1992)
Cotton Club-style jazz, recorded abroad by a spunky African-American female vocalist-trumper player with a heavy Louis Armstrong bent. Snow started her career in the black song reviews of the 1920s, during the Sissle and Blake era, and continued on in the nightclub circuit, briefly playing in Earl Hines' band. In the 1930s she set out to become a solo star by moving to Europe, where jazz was very much in vogue, but "authentic" jazz players were hard to find. These two discs document her recordings for the Parlophone label in Great Britain, as well as several later sessions in Sweden and Denmark. Muffled sound quality mars these discs, but they are still worth checking out. The bands themselves were not top-flight and occasionally muff their riffs or fall a bit flat -- Volume 1 opens with a set of songs on which the trumpet and sax players are wildly unable to play in tune -- but fans of Tin Pan Alley pop should still dig these rare recordings. At peak form, Snow was cute as a button, and sizzling hot as well.
Valaida Snow "Valaida Vol. II: 1935-1940" (Harlequin, 1992)
Valaida Snow "Queen Of Trumpet And Song" (DRG, 1999)
A 2-CD set...
Valaida Snow "The Chronological Valaida Snow: 1933-1936" (Classics, 2000)
Valaida Snow "The Chronological Valaida Snow: 1937-1940" (Classics, 2001)
Valaida Snow "The Chronological Valaida Snow: 1940-1953" (Classics, 2004)
Victoria Spivey "Complete Recorded Works, v.1: 1926-1927" (Document, 1995)
Victoria Spivey "Complete Recorded Works, v.2: 1927-1929" (Document, 1995)
Victoria Spivey "Complete Recorded Works, v.3: 1929-1936" (Document, 1995)
Victoria Spivey "Complete Recorded Works, v.4: 1936-1937" (Document, 1995)
Victoria Spivey "Queen Victoria: 1927-1937" (EPM, 2003)
Victoria Spivey & Lonnie Johnson "Idle Hours" (Prestige, 1961)
Victoria Spivey "The Blues Is Life" (Smithsonian Folkways, 1976)
Victoria Spivey "...And The Easy Riders Jazz Band" (GHB, 1990)
Victoria Spivey "The Essential Victoria Spivey" (Classic Blues, 2001)
A 2-CD set...
Jo Stafford "On Capitol" (Collector's Choice, 2000)
Among the dozens of swing gals and singing starlets of the 1940s, Jo Stafford stood out as one of the most natural, relaxed vocalists of the era... Comfortable with up-tempo jive and slushy sentiment alike, Stafford led the transition from big band to pop vocals. Along with her husband, the equally versatile Paul Weston, Stafford helped define the post-war pop sound, combining a legitimately bluesy jazz sensibility with a semi-squaresville style of presentation. Stafford was one of Capitol Record's earliest stars, and this CD is a nice cross-section of her work. This is actually a bit of an odds-and-ends collection, but it's got plenty of great stuff. One highlight is the stunningly sexist "Housework," an Irving Berlin song from 1949 in which Rosie The Riveter recants her career ambitions, in favor of "baking the pie/that will keep my guy/at home..." Yow! Who could ask for more??
Jo Stafford "Autumn In New York" (Capitol, 1955)
Jo Stafford "Starring Jo Stafford" (Capitol, 1955)
Stafford at her slushiest, and Weston at his most subdued. These two mid-'Fifties albums, which have been reissued together on a single CD, find Jo cooing and mooing in the Eisenhower era fashion; the melody and bounce of the band seems almost entirely subsumed to her voice: "pop vocals" taken to the extreme. I had a hard time getting into this, and found both albums to be rather static and monotonous.
Jo Stafford "The Columbia Hits Collection" (Collector's Choice/Corinthian, 2001)
When Stafford and Weston moved over to Columbia Records in 1950, their proclivity for novelty tunes far outpaced the straight romantic material. Country covers were particularly big, as seen in several early '50s Hank Williams songs, done cornball pop style, and remakes of hits by Lefty Frizzell and Pee Wee King. The arrangements are generally not as classy or considered as the Capitol material -- Sinatra's muse suffered suffered mightily under the Columbia system around the same time -- but there are still great moments here. Sometimes it's just fun to hear the corny techniques they tried in the studio; on other songs they would let Stafford loose on a legitimate ballad, and she would invariably shine like a diamond. Overall, this 29-song sampler of her Columbia years is pretty sweet.
Kay Starr "The Best Of The Standard Transcriptions" (Soundies, 1999)
An absolute delight for fans of this husky-voiced, savvy pop singer, performing both with a punchy studio orchestra, and in the most intimate of settings, accompanied only by guitar and violin (Les Paul and Joe Venuti, no less!) Starr's command of phrasing and emotion are masterful; she nails song after song in this rich collection of torch songs and standards... A great 2-CD set of rare recordings from 1948-49, when her postwar career was really starting to take off, revealing a confident Starr giving the world her best. Recommended!
Kay Starr "The Essential RCA Singles Collection" (Tarragon, 1999)
Right at the height of her popularity on the Capitol label, Starr jumped ship over to RCA, where she promptly scored a #1 Pop hit with the 1955 novelty number, "The Rock And Roll Waltz." It was a mixed blessing: Starr thereafter found herself saddled with goofball material for the remainder of her four-year tenure on the RCA label. It was all a lark for the bandleaders at the time, as studios sped up tempos and glitzed up the arrangements in an odd, schitzophrenic attempt to keep up with the kids, and yet not admit that they were pandering to their audience. Here, Starr works with the likes of Hugo Winterhalter, Pete King and Joe Reisman, none of whom seem to connect with the sultry depth she was capable of summoning, particularly with her old arranger, Harold Mooney. Nonetheless, she delivers sincere and solid performances, amid the manic, whizz-bang clatter of the post-big band pop arrangements... Her stuff on Capitol is more noteworthy, though, and while this disc brings back some of her neglected material, I personally didn't find this to be a disc that I would return to often.
Eva Taylor "Complete Recorded Works, v.1: 1922-1923" (Document, 1995)
The wife of bandleader Clarence Williams, vocalist Eva Taylor started her career as a child performer in vaudeville, and matured into one of the finest blues and jazz singers of the Prohibition era and Great Depression. This is the first volume of several that gather her recorded works, mostly made with the various Williams bands. Taylor's one of my favorite classic blues singers -- check this disc out and find out why!
Eva Taylor "Complete Recorded Works, v.2: 1922-1923" (Document, 1995)
Eva Taylor "Complete Recorded Works, v.3: 1928-1932" (Document, 1995)
Eva Taylor "Edison Laterals, v.4" (Diamond Cut, 1997)
A set of about a dozen previously unreleased transcription disc recordings from 1929, augmented by several later recordings (from the 1970s!) by a much older (and perhaps wiser) Eva Taylor... Cool stuff!
Koko Taylor "Koko Taylor" (MCA/Chess, 1969)
Koko Taylor "What It Takes: The Chess Years" (Hip-O, 2009)
Big Mama Thornton "In Europe" (Arhoolie, 2005)
Oh, those lucky Europeans! Before the Stones and Yardbirds really got the point across and all the old Chess bluesmen found a welcoming embrace in the American hippie/acid rock scene, some of the most talented blues artists in the world went on long, tough European tours. Here's Big Mama Thornton, one of the greatest blues belters of her generation, wowing the old world with sidemen like Eddie Boyd, Buddy Guy, Walter Horton and Fred McDowell backing her up. These 1965 recordings were made in a British studio, but they capture the loose, funky, fiery power that the band brought to their live shows in Germany and elsewhere on the Continent. The wealth of sheer firepower and talent here is enough to make a blues fan drool just looking at the album cover -- and when you put the disc in, it gets even better! Highly recommended.
Martha Tilton "The Liltin' Miss Tilton" (Collector's Choice, 2000)
Tilton started off her career singing with the Benny Goodman Orchestra in 1937, and during her two years with Goodman she became nationally known as one of the best big band singers. Tilton's style, though, was less swing than pop, and along with other singers such as Doris Day and Peggy Lee, she soon proved to be well-suited to the pop vocals style that emerged out of Hollywood, in the wake of the swing scene. This spiffy 44-song, two-CD set covers all of her recordings for the Capitol label, made from 1942-55, when the new style was solidifying. A lot of the songs are from Hollywood films, as well as singles cut with bandleaders ranging from Gordon Jenkins and Paul Weston to Dean Elliott and Frank DeVol (and even a track reuniting her with Goodman, when he moved to the label in the '50s). It's great stuff, packed with standards and languid pop songs full of the charmingly repressed eroticism of postwar pop. An excellent retrospective of one of the now-forgotten pop stars of yesteryear.
Martha Tilton "The Complete Standard Transcriptions" (Soundies, 1999)
This fab set of radio transcription recordings features Tilton at her swinging best... if anything, she sounds even better here than she does in the Capitol studio session collected on the Liltin' Miss Tilton set reviewed above. The bulk of these recordings come from 1941, just before she became a Capitol hitmaker; other sessions date from the end of the War, and from around 1948. They're all quite good, and feature some lesser-known songs from the era (as Tilton set out as a solo artist at just the same time as ASCAP mounted an unsuccessful boycott of he recording industry; hence many relatively obscure composers who had signed up with BMI made it onto her playlists. What comes through more than anything else, though, is Tilton's command of the pop vocal format, and her dynamic embodiment of the lightly-disguised eroticism of many of the romantic lyrics of the time. One song in particular stands out, though, and that's Hy Zaret and Joan Whitney's "My Sister And I," an absorbing and rather unusual ballad about two sisters who have fled oppression and war to live in America, with a chorus in which they recount their night terrors and guilt about the friends and family they left behind, with a chorus that ends, "...But we don't talk about that." Pretty heavy stuff, and more directly political than your average big band dance tune! Anyway, this is a great collection, and raised my appreciation of Tilton's work to a much higher level.
Anita Tucker "Slow, Smooth And Easy" (Capitol, 1956) (LP)
I don't know much about this gal, only that I picked up this reissue of a 10" EP she put out in the 1950s, and it's pretty smoking. I've never seen mention of her in books or articles... although I think she may have recently popped up on a few compilation albums. One thing I can tell you: she sure did rock!
Sippie Wallace "Complete Recorded Works, v.1: 1923-1925" (Document, 1995)
Sippie Wallace "Complete Recorded Works, v.2: 1925-1945" (Document, 1995)
Sippie Wallace "Women Be Wise" (Alligator, 1992)
Sippie Wallace "Sippie" (Collectables, 1982)
Helen Ward "The Complete Helen Ward On Columbia" (Collector's Choice, 2000)
During Benny Goodman's early years as a king of swing, New York native Helen Ward was his featured female vocalist. Ward brought a peculiarly All-American girl-next-door charm to her performances, as well as a fairly choppy, undisciplined style that's almost unimaginable in our modern era of computer-perfected pop. Her career was choppy as well: as Goodman's star really began to rise, Ward retired from show biz in 1939, apparently at the insistence of her first husband. She recorded sporadically thereafter, mainly for the Columbia label, which is where she and Goodman first met... This 2-CD set collects all of her Columbia recordings, from a handful of 1935 78s cut with Benny Goodman (before the band moved to the Victor label...) to the '50s reunion of Goodman's big band, and several appealling one-off appearances made in the early years of WWII. Ward's singing style changed subtly in the late 1930s, and jazz diva Billie Holiday seems to have been a clear influence, bringing a broader, more languid approach to the melody. Ward returned to this relaxed, melodic approach later on, as heard on the long out-of-print Percy Faith LP from 1953 that closes out this collection. Arguably, Ward was better suited to this crooning style than to the bouncy, rhythm-oriented numbers that fill these discs, but throughout she has an undeniable charm, as she cruises through the hits of the day. Nice stuff.
Helen Ward "With A Little Bit Of Swing" (RCA Victor, 1957)
Reissue of an album recorded with bandleader "Peanuts" Hucko.
Dinah Washington "A Slick Chick On The Mellow Side: The Rhythm & Blues Years" (Polygram Classics, 1983)
Best known as a swanky pop singer, Dinah Washington was sort of an old-school R&B equivalent to Patsy Cline's as a honkytonker... pretty slick, but completely compelling. There are multi-CD retrospectives which trace her progress from a bluesy jazz singer to a pop diva, and those collections have their charms. This double LP set is pure gold, though -- Washington's best R&B material from the '40s and early '50s, playing with hotshot bands led by Lionel Hampton, Cootie Williams and Tab Hunter, as well as swinging jazzcats such as Wynton Kelly, Ben Webster and Wardell Gray. Hard to go wrong here! Dinah gets down and dirty, yet also proves herself a classy dame. Highly recommended!
Dinah Washington "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection" (Universal/Hip-O, 2002)
Kind of a no-nonsense, bare-bones hits package, including her biggest hit, "What A Difference A Day Makes," along with similarly swank, pop-oriented material such as "Unforgettable," "Baby, You've Got What It Takes" and "Baby, Get Lost." Sure, there's plenty more Dinah Washington worth checking out, but for a quick, inexpensive look at her best known stuff, this overview of her later years is pretty darn efficient.
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.1: 1946-1949" (Mercury, 1987)
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.2: 1950-1952" (Mercury, 1987)
A 3-CD set...
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.3: 1952-1954" (Mercury, 1988)
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.4: 1954-1956" (Mercury, 1988)
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.5: 1956-1958" (Mercury, 1990)
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.6: 1958-1960" (Mercury, 1991)
Dinah Washington "The Complete Dinah Washington, v.7: 1961" (Mercury, 1991)
Ethel Waters "The Incomparable Ethel Waters" (Sony Legacy, 2003)
This volume, gathering music from the years of Water's greatest commercial success, features her working with some of the top talent of the day, from Duke Ellington and Bunny Berigan to up-and-coming white swingsters like Benny Goodman and the Dorsey Brothers (who were still working mainly as session players...) Although she hits some sweet grooves on several songs, for the most part Waters sounds mannered and intentionally camp on most tracks, with plenty of odd vocal swoops and exaggerated, haughty-taughty enunciation. She covers a lot of great songs of the day, such as "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Stormy Weather" and an early version of "Heat Wave." But generally speaking, she doesn't exactly cut loose on the material the way other singers would. Humorous classy/crude contrasts were her schtick, but sound pretty dated now. Unless you're in the mood for kitschy, antiquated performances and old-fashioned Gramophone ambience, this disc may be slightly harder to get into. Her jibes at Mae West in the break of "Come Up And See Me Sometime" are pretty funny, though.
Ethel Waters "1921-1923" (Classics, 1994)
These antique, ancient recordings date back to the dawn of recorded jazz and blues, and show how far back Ethel Waters' pedigree reaches. Four of her earliest recordings were with none other than sax legend Fletcher Henderson, who backs her on bluesy romps such as "Oh Daddy" and "Down Home Blues," which were hits, back in 1921, and helped establish both her and Henderson as major stars. This disc is packed with further collaborations with Henderson, and many other early jazz players. The sound is a mix of blues and jazz, stylistically close to Dixieland and New Orleans-style, and decidedly primeval and foundational. Unfortunately, the sound quality is equally primitive, and though these are spirited, spunky performances, modern listeners will have to work hard to appreciate them. But despite the singing-through-a-tin-can sonic quality, they offer a wealth of old-school blues pleasure. If you dig those old Bessie Smith discs, you'll want to check this out as well.
Ethel Waters "1923-1925" (Classics, 1994)
Ethel Waters "1925-1926" (Classics, 1994)
Ethel Waters "1926-1929" (Classics, 1996)
Waters on the edge of widespread stardom. She takes odd chances on a few songs -- her phrasing on "One Sweet Letter From You" and a couple of other tunes is simply distracting and bizarre, although you get the sense that she was trying to push at the boundaries of her craft, and have to admire her for the attempt. Other songs are closer to her blues roots, and a series of smutty blues sessions recorded with the likes of James P. Johnson and Clarence Williams yield a several gems. Her version of "My Handy Man" is a triumph of the genre, while "Get Up Off Your Knees" is positively scandalous. A few other milder hokum tunes are more reserved, but similarly enjoyable. Recommended!
Ethel Waters "1929-1931" (Classics, 1996)
Ethel Waters "1931-1934" (Classics, 1996)
This volume, gathering music from the years of Water's greatest commercial success, features her working with some of the top talent of the day, from Duke Ellington and Bunny Berigan to up-and-coming white swingsters like Benny Goodman and the Dorsey Brothers (who were still working mainly as session players...) Although she hits some sweet grooves on several songs, for the most part Waters sounds mannered and intentionally camp on most tracks, with plenty of odd vocal swoops and exaggerated, haughty-taughty enunciation. She covers a lot of great songs of the day, such as "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Stormy Weather" and an early version of "Heat Wave." But generally speaking, she doesn't exactly cut loose on the material the way other singers would. Humorous classy/crude contrasts were her schtick, but sound pretty dated now. Unless you're in the mood for kitschy, antiquated performances and old-fashioned Gramophone ambience, this disc may be slightly harder to get into. Her jibes at Mae West in the break of "Come Up And See Me Sometime" are pretty funny, though.
Ethel Waters "1935-1940" (Classics, 1998)
Ethel Waters "1946-1947" (Classics, 2002)
Ethel Waters "The Very Best Of Ethel Waters: 1921-1947" (Master Classics, 2009)
A download-only digital release... Grumble, mutter... grumble. Kids these days!
Paula Watson "The Chronological Paula Watson: 1948-1953" (Classics, 2004)
Mary Lou Williams & Andy Kirk "Mary's Idea" (MCA/GRP, 1993)
In 1931, when bandleader Andy Kirk found himself stuck in Kansas City with one of his key musicians unable to perform, he lucked out by finding pianist Mary Lou Williams available to fill the slot. Williams, one of the most gifted musicians of her time, soon joined Kirk's Twelve Clouds Of Joy as a full-time composer, arranger and soloist. Williams had a deft, fluid touch, and swiftly established herself as one of the most unique voices in modern jazz. These recordings, made for the Brunswick and Decca labels, are from 1936-41, all several years after Williams had joined the ensemble. As the title implies, these all bear the soft but solid stamp of her artistry -- like many swing albums, it does get a bit repetitive taken as a whole, but song by song, it's all sublime. This disc is predominantly instrumental, although there are several lovely vocal numbers, featuring Harry Mills, Pha Terrell, and one by drummer Ben Thigpen. Sweet stuff! This particular CD seems to be out of print, but it's worth searching for, as are any other Kirk/Williams collaborations of similar vintage.
