Pig In A Can - A New Perspective On The Blues

Album: A New Perspective On The Blues
Size: 111,7 MB
Time: 48:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Experimental blues
Art: Full

1. Talkin' Tupelo Blues (7:24)
2. Slow Down Train (4:33)
3. Out To California (6:25)
4. Long Long Time (4:21)
5. Bring Me My Shotgun (5:29)
6. Highway 49/Wooden Spoon (4:07)
7. Opium Harvest (2:06)
8. Slow Walkin' Man (5:34)
9. Coal Black Mare (4:39)
10. Lester Parker's Farm (2:43)
11. The Pledge (0:51)

This group moves blues into another universe. It's futuristic-primitivism is in the groove of electronica star Moby & bluesman R.L. Burnside, only hipper, more outrageous, which has a broad appeal that goes way beyond the traditional blues audience. The album morphs cross-cultural music, electronica, jazz, spoken word & blues into something completely original - the savvy trance dance remixes retain the deep blue spirit of the Delta. The project is the brainchild of producers Chris Millar & John Wilson, the latter a former member of Meat Beat Manifesto. /Amazon

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Harmonica Slim & Hosea Leavy - Cold Tacos And Warm Beer

Album: Cold Tacos And Warm Beer
Size: 115,2 MB
Time: 49:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Catfish Blues (4:27)
2. K.C. Douglas Was A Fine Man (4:50)
3. Cold Tacos And Warm Beer (4:03)
4. Cummins Prison Farm (8:37)
5. She Wants To Boogie (3:07)
6. Back Door Man (5:30)
7. The 'Frisco Railroad (2:39)
8. Hey Boss (5:29)
9. Hosea's Boogie (3:03)
10. All Alone Now (4:31)
11. God Didn't Make Honk Tonk Angels (2:27)
12. Don't Want No Woman (0:53)

Cold Tacos and Warm Beer is the first recorded collaboration from blues veterans Harmonica Slim and guitarist Hosea Levy. This duo has consistently played for a number of years together, mainly in their hometown of Fresno, California, at open air rent parties featuring friends and family. The spark from these impromptu sessions combined with their natural passion to play is what makes this Fedora release what Slim describes as "blues real and true to life." /Al Campbell, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Harmonica Slim - Give Me My Shotgun!

Album: Give Me My Shotgun!
Size: 108,4 MB
Time: 45:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Hole In Her Belly (3:30)
2. Woman 'Round My Door (4:18)
3. Gun Totin' Blues (4:03)
4. Big Leg Woman (3:36)
5. Bright Lights, Big City (3:12)
6. Coal Black Mare (4:01)
7. I Don't Want No Woman (3:30)
8. Phone Headed Woman (4:28)
9. Highway 49 (4:09)
10. Shake For Me (4:03)
11. Drivin' Wheel (3:53)
12. San-Ho-Zay (3:08)

According to Mick Rainsford, Muddy Waters himself would have given him his nickname Harmonica Slim (Muddy married his sister Lily Riggins in 1932). His real name is Riley Riggins, but commonly called Richard Riggins, and he was born in Tupelo in the northen part of Mississippi. Raised by his parents Leonard and Fanny, the child divided his time between school and farm work. One day, he found, by chance, a harmonica in the mud that made him discover music. By 1949, the young harmonicist moved to Fresno on the West Coast where he worked at railways. Later, he would move to Oakland in 1963 and found work in a steel mill. But it was in the neighboring town of Richmond that he made the decisive meeting of K.C. Douglas in 1966.

Becoming a close friend, Harmonica Slim accompanied Douglas during several years, including on his superb "Mercury Blues" (released by Arhoolie). Shortly after, Slim cut a few sides for the Blues Connoisseur label of Don Lindenau in july 1973 with guitarist Ron Thompson. But the recorded songs (8 tracks recorded but only 4 tracks issued) do not seem to have been included on any LP or CD. At that time, he participated in two editions of the San Francisco Blues Festival (1973 and 1974) organized by Tom Mazzolini. When his friend and partner K.C. Douglas died in 1975, he came back to Fresno where he quickly became a mainstay of the local scene.

We find almost the same formula as in the previous record (Back Bottom Blues). However, the result is here a little bit uneven. Some good moments like "Woman' Round My Door" or "Big Leg Woman" are among the highlights of this disc. Unfortunately, other tracks are dispensable (like "Gun Totin' Blues"). In addition, Johnny "Da Doo" Wilson sings poorly on four sides. The cover of Freddie King's "San-Ho-Zay" is a bit off topic but an opportunity for the guitarist Jackie Turner to highlight.

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Harmonica Slim - Back Bottom Blues

Album: Back Bottom Blues
Size: 101,8 MB
Time: 43:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Back Bottom Soul (3:08)
2. 2 Trains Runnin' (4:10)
3. Whiskey Headed Woman (3:40)
4. Louise Ann (3:56)
5. Baby Please Don't Go (3:17)
6. Tijuana Blues (2:42)
7. Shake Yo' Booty (3:53)
8. Gonna Move Back To Town (4:05)
9. Dust My Broom (4:17)
10. Stoop Down (2:50)
11. Drunk Woman (3:45)
12. Back Bottom Blues (4:08)

According to Mick Rainsford, Muddy Waters himself would have given him his nickname Harmonica Slim (Muddy married his sister Lily Riggins in 1932). His real name is Riley Riggins, but commonly called Richard Riggins, and he was born in Tupelo in the northen part of Mississippi. Raised by his parents Leonard and Fanny, the child divided his time between school and farm work. One day, he found, by chance, a harmonica in the mud that made him discover music. By 1949, the young harmonicist moved to Fresno on the West Coast where he worked at railways. Later, he would move to Oakland in 1963 and found work in a steel mill. But it was in the neighboring town of Richmond that he made the decisive meeting of K.C. Douglas in 1966.

Becoming a close friend, Harmonica Slim accompanied Douglas during several years, including on his superb "Mercury Blues" (released by Arhoolie). Shortly after, Slim cut a few sides for the Blues Connoisseur label of Don Lindenau in july 1973 with guitarist Ron Thompson. But the recorded songs (8 tracks recorded but only 4 tracks issued) do not seem to have been included on any LP or CD. At that time, he participated in two editions of the San Francisco Blues Festival (1973 and 1974) organized by Tom Mazzolini. When his friend and partner K.C. Douglas died in 1975, he came back to Fresno.

This disc is the confirmation of Harmonica Slim's talent glimpsed in the "West Fresno Blues Masters" anthology. He again works with producer and drummer Chris Millar (who for the occasion revived the Trix label) and his old friend Ron Thompson (who was already at his side during his first recordings in 1973). His raw, dynamic often irresistible down-home blues led by a very small homogeneous backing band are devilishly effective. Pure live and unadorned blues. Alternating covers and original compositions, this album is consistently good and remains largely his best album.

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Willie Egan & His Friends - The Rockin' Blues

Album: The Rockin' Blues
Size: 99,3 MB
Time: 42:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1982
Styles: R&B
Art: LP front & back

1. Willie Egan - Wear Your Black Dress (1:59)
2. Willie Egan - I Can't Understand It (2:20)
3. Willie Egan - Willie's Blues (2:06)
4. Willie Egan - She's Gone Away But... (2:05)
5. Willie Egan - Come On (2:24)
6. Willie Egan - Oh Baby (2:10)
7. Willie Egan - Wow Wow (2:12)
8. Willie Egan - What A Shame (2:14)
9. Jimmy Thomason - Now Hear This (2:28)
10. Ervin 'Big Boy' Groves - You Can't Beat The Horses (2:20)
11. Ervin 'Big Boy' Groves - Big Boys Bounce (Boogie) (2:41)
12. Harmonica Slim - Do What Ya Wanna Do (2:04)
13. Harmonica Slim - My Baby Won't Quit Me (2:35)
14. Harmonica Slim - You Better Believe It (2:53)
15. Harmonica Slim - Drop Anchor (2:12)
16. Effie Smith & The Squires - Water Water (2:34)
17. Effie Smith - You Should Be Ashamed Of Yourself (2:33)
18. Effie Smith - Champagne (2:29)

Rare work from the 78 rpm years of the Vita label – with almost a full side of tracks by Willie Egan, plus more by Effie Smith, Harmonica Slim, Ervin Big Boy Groves, and Jimmy Thomason.

Rhythm and blues pioneer Willie Egan was born October 1, 1933 in Minden, Louisiana. The product of grinding poverty, his bayou home was so isolated from the rest of civilization that each year, members of the community were forced to forge a path through the swamp just to reach the main road - alligators were a threat as well, with Egan's father losing a hand and his brother sacrificing a foot. When Egan was nine-years-old, his family sent him to live with his grandmother in Los Angeles; there he began playing the piano parked on his uncle's front porch, learning to play by absorbing records by Amos Milburn and Hadda Brooks - in addition, neighbor Arthur Alexander (not the country-soul legend) taught Egan to play boogie by penciling numbers on the keys.

In 1949, the 15-year-old signed to J.R. Fullbright's Elko Records to cut his debut record, "It's a Shame" - credited to Little Willie Egans (the modifier was dropped following a subsequent growth spurt), the single generated little interest, and he returned to playing local clubs before getting a second chance in 1955, signing to Larry Mead's Mambo label and teaming with singer/guitarist Lloyd Rowe for "Don't Know Where She Went." The pairing proved short-lived, however, and Egan resumed his solo career, recording "Wow Wow" for Mambo as Willie Eggins and His Orchestra. The single was a hit throughout southern California, and Egan soon re-surfaced with "Sometimes I Wonder" - when Fats Domino complained the song sounded too much like his "Rosemary," Egan countered that both of them sounded like Amos Milburn in the first place.

His creative zenith was 1956's "Wear Your Black Dress," a fierce jump blues reminiscent of Ray Charles. The song was inspired by Egan's wife, Beatrice - "Wear Your Black Dress" came about because I almost shot her," he later recalled. "I was sitting at home with a .38 in my lap, waiting for her to come home." After moving to Mead's Vita imprint, he issued the singles "Come On" and "She's Gone Away, But," cutting his last solo effort, "Rock and Roll Fever," in 1958; Egan then teamed with Marvin Phillips in his long-running duo Marvin & Johnny, becoming just the latest in a long line of musical foils. Together Phillips and Egan recorded the lackluster "Baby Baby Baby" in 1958, disappearing on the club circuit before signing to Hunter Hancock's Swingin' label for a pair of 1962 sides, "I'm Tired of Being Alone" and "Second Helping of Cherry Pie."

Egan then resumed his solo career, but when he lost his equipment in a nightclub fire, he retired from performing and returned to Los Angeles to work as a hospital orderly. Two decades later, he was subsisting on unemployment when local R&B promoter Steve Brigati tracked him down - believing Egan was now dead, the British label Krazy Kat had compiled his solo singles on an LP, Rock & Roll Fever, and sales were proving remarkably strong throughout Europe. Soon Egan was headlining London's Electric Ballroom, backed by saxophonist Big Jay McNeely, and for Ace Records he cut a new studio LP, 1984's Going Back to Louisiana. After a long bout with cancer, Egan died in Los Angeles on August 5, 2004. /Biography by Jason Ankeny, AllMusic

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Various - Dues Paid: The Bluestime Story

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 71:00
Size: 162.6 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues, Piano blues, Chicago blues, Contemporary blues
Year: 2013
Art: Full

[ 4:24] 1. T-Bone Walker - Every Day I Have The Blues
[ 3:12] 2. Otis Spann - I'm A Dues Payin' Man
[ 3:19] 3. Harmonica Slim - Love
[ 2:27] 4. T-Bone Walker - Sail On
[ 2:58] 5. The Plaster Caster Blues Band - Chicago Charmer Chapter
[10:42] 6. Joe Turner - Plastic Man
[ 2:52] 7. Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - I Need To Be Be'd Wid
[ 3:20] 8. Harmonica Slim - That's Alright
[ 4:34] 9. Malcolm & Chris - Something So Bright
[ 3:20] 10. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog
[ 3:06] 11. Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle And Roll
[ 3:51] 12. T-Bone Walker - For B.B. King
[ 4:23] 13. Otis Spann - I Wonder Why
[14:01] 14. The Super Black Blues Band - Paris Blues
[ 4:25] 15. Leon Thomas - Disillusion Blues

By the late 1960s the blues was no longer the primary music of black America. Following the rise of doo wop, rock’n’roll and soul, blues was increasingly viewed as old people’s music. Fortunately for blues musicians, they maintained a strong following amongst people of their own age and were being lauded by a generation of rock musicians who saw the blues as the well from which their own music had sprung. British bands such as the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Cream made their debt to the blues well-known, whilst American acts who did the same also became successful.

With this new spotlight being shone on established blues artists, record companies began to record some of them. One of the most active was ABC’s Bluesway label which was run by producer Bob Thiele. Bluesway’s greatest success was with B.B. King, who became the face and sound of his generation of blues men, while others such as John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker and Otis Spann all made excellent records which updated their sound.

When Bob Thiele started his jazz label Flying Dutchman in 1969, he set up the Bluestime imprint at the same time, bringing with him many of the artists he had worked with at Bluesway. Bluestime was short-lived and most of the releases have been out of print since the 1970s. On discovering the master tapes, we decided to start reissuing them.

We begin with this compilation of tracks from Bluestime LPs. T-Bone Walker’s “Every Day I Have The Blues” album is wonderful, as are his appearances on albums by the Super Black Blues Band supergroup, which also featured Joe Turner and Otis Spann, whose performances are equally adept. Spann’s recordings are historically important as he died soon after they were cut. Of the more unusual material is an ebullient performance from Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. We have included a track from Malcolm & Chris, a pair of white blues revivalists who were discovered and produced by B.B. King. ~Dean Rudland

thank you mrwalker.
Dues Paid: The Bluestime Story

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