Johnny Jones - Doin' The Best I Can

Size: 372 MB
Time: 151:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

CD A:
01. Sweet Little Woman (Little Johnny Jones) (3:05)
02. I May Be Wrong (Little Johnny Jones) (2:52)
03. Wait Baby (Little Johnny Jones) (3:11)
04. Hoy, Hoy (Little Johnny Jones) (2:40)
05. Chicago Blues (Little Johnny Jones) (3:13)
06. Doin' The Best I Can (Little Johnny Jones) (2:41)
07. Come On If You're Coming (Tampa Red) (2:53)
08. Please Try To See It My Way (Tampa Red) (3:06)
09. One Sunday Morning (Big Maceo) (2:50)
10. Just Tell Me Baby (Big Maceo) (2:31)
11. Do You Remember (Big Maceo) (2:27)
12. Big City Blues (Big Maceo) (2:33)
13. It's Too Late Now (Tampa Red) (2:58)
14. I'll Find My Way (Tampa Red) (2:38)
15. Midnight Boogie (Tampa Red) (2:47)
16. I Miss My Lovin' Blues (Tampa Red) (2:56)
17. Since My Baby's Been Gone (Tampa Red) (2:49)
18. She's A Cool Operator (Tampa Red) (3:04)
19. Look A-There, Look A-There (Tampa Red) (2:44)
20. True Love (Tampa Red) (2:45)
21. All Mixed Up Over You (Tampa Red) (2:49)
22. So Much Trouble (Tampa Red) (3:02)
23. Ti-Ri-Lee (Big Joe Turner) (2:56)
24. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop (Big Joe Turner) (2:47)
25. TV Mama (Big Joe Turner) (2:48)

CD B:
01. Baby What's Wrong (Elmore James) (2:56)
02. I Believe (Elmore James) (3:17)
03. Sinful Woman (Elmore James) (2:54)
04. I Held My Baby Last Night (Elmore James) (3:25)
05. Round House Boogie (J.T. Brown) (2:49)
06. Kickin' The Blues Around (J.T. Brown) (3:00)
07. Saxony Boogie (J.T. Brown) (2:39)
08. Dumb Woman Blues (J.T. Brown) (3:16)
09. Early In The Morning (Elmore James) (2:50)
10. Hawaiian Boogie (Elmore James) (2:21)
11. Can't Stop Lovin' (Elmore James) (2:26)
12. Make A Little Love (Elmore James) (2:51)
13. Make My Dreams Come True (Elmore James) (2:43)
14. Strange Kinda Feelin' (Elmore James) (2:33)
15. Dark And Dreary (Elmore James) (2:48)
16. Sho' Nuff I Do (Elmore James) (2:54)
17. 1839 Blues (Elmore James) (3:16)
18. Cut That Out (Junior Wells) (2:52)
19. Ways Like An Angel (Junior Wells) (3:17)
20. Hoodoo Man (Junior Wells) (3:06)
21. Tomorrow Night (Junior Wells) (2:28)
22. Eagle Rock (Junior Wells) (2:22)
23. Junior's Wail (Junior Wells) (2:55)
24. The Twelve Year Old Boy (Elmore James) (3:05)
25. Coming Home (Elmore James) (2:27)
26. It Hurts Me Too (Elmore James) (3:05)
27. Knocking At Your Door (Elmore James) (2:38)
28. Elmore's Contribution To Jazz (Elmore James) (2:19)

In 40 short years on earth, Johnny Jones established himself as one of the greatest piano players ever to inhabit the Chicago blues scene. Best known for his rock-solid accompaniment to slide guitarist Elmore James both in the studio and as an onstage member of James' Broomdusters, "Little Johnny" also waxed a handful of terrific sides as a leader.

Jones arrived in Chicago from Mississippi in 1946 well-versed on the 88s. Influenced greatly by pianist Big Maceo Merriwether, Jones followed him into Tampa Red's band in 1947 after Maceo suffered a stroke. Johnny Jones's talents were soon in demand as a sideman -- in addition to rolling the ivories behind Tampa Red for RCA Victor from 1949 to 1953, he backed Muddy Waters on his 1949 classic "Screamin' and Cryin'" and later appeared on sides by Howlin' Wolf.

But it's Elmore James that he'll forever be associated with; the indispensable pianist played on James's halcyon 1952-56 Chicago sessions for the Bihari brothers' Meteor, Flair, and Modern logos, as well as dates for Checker, Chief, and Fire. The Broomdusters (rounded out by saxist J.T. Brown and drummer Odie Payne, Jr.) held down a regular berth at the West Side blues club Sylvio's for five years.

When he got the chance to sit behind a microphone, Jones's insinuating vocal delivery was equally enthralling. Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, and Leroy Foster backed Jones on his 1949 Aristocrat label classic "Big Town Playboy" (later revived by Eddie Taylor, another unsung Chicago hero), while Elmore James and saxist J.T. Brown were on hand for Jones's 1953 Flair coupling "I May Be Wrong"/"Sweet Little Woman" (the latter a wonderfully risqué "dozens" number). The rocking "Hoy Hoy," his last commercial single, was done in 1953 for Atlantic and also featured James and his group in support. Jones continued to work in the clubs (with Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Syl Johnson, Billy Boy Arnold, and Magic Sam, among others) prior to his 1964 death of lung cancer.

Ironically, Jones was reportedly the first cousin of another Chicago piano great, Otis Spann. ~Bill Dahl

Doin' The Best I Can MP3
Doin' The Best I Can FLAC

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