Jimmy McCracklin - Spotlight On Jimmy McCracklin: The Rockin' Man (KMCD-148)

Latest to feature in Koko Mojo’s “Spotlight” series is rhythm and blues rockin’ legend Jimmy McCracklin. With an incredible song writing catalogue behind him including almost a thousand songs to his name, Jimmy McCracklin was a major force on the music scene with a career lasting seventy years. More specifically, the years between 1958 and 1966 were rather successful with McCracklin achieving several Billboard single chart successes, in addition to some of his albums reaching gold status, and not forgetting being welcomed into the Blues Hall of Fame.

The album ‘Spotlight On Jimmy McCracklin: The Rockin’ Man’ not only features solo work but also begins with his first band line-up Jimmy McCracklin and His Blues Blasters with the tracks almost split in half between the two sides of his musical career featured here. Beginning with “His Blues Blasters”, the album gets off to a flyer with ‘Big Foot Mama’, instrument heavy ‘Rockin’ All Day’ and captivating jump blues of ‘Gotta Cut Out’. In fact, it is this period with Jimmy McCracklin and His Blues Blasters that keep making an incision to one’s heart and filling it with nothing but musical goodness, exemplified by ‘Just Won’t Let Her Go’ with its dominant saxophone, rockin’ rhythm and McCracklin’s solid vocals making it a real driving force.

There is variation as well with Jimmy McCracklin and Orchestra and tracks ‘She’s Gone’ and ‘She Felt Too Good’ where the tempos are slightly restrained but, more notably, McCracklin’s ability to offer a different presentation in his vocals reveals one of the reasons why he was so highly revered. The album closes with an assortment of solo tracks, in addition to McCracklin featuring with other artists as Jerry Thomas and Johnny Parker and His Orchestra making this not only a detailed overview of mainly Jimmy McCracklin’s work of the 50s and 60s, but the songs selected clearly display why he was up there with the greatest songwriters.

Album: Spotlight On Jimmy McCracklin: The Rockin' Man
Size: 178,1 MB
Time: 76:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Blues/R&B
Art: Full

1. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Big Foot Mama (3:05)
2. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Rockin' All Day (2:45)
3. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Gotta Cut Out (2:30)
4. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Just Won't Let Her Go (2:58)
5. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - What's Your Phone Number (2:45)
6. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Rockin' Man (3:06)
7. Jimmy McCracklin - House Rockin' Blues (2:50)
8. Jimmy McCracklin Orchestra - She's Gone (2:47)
9. Jimmy McCracklin & Orchestra - She Felt Too Good (2:50)
10. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Blues Blasters Boogie (2:58)
11. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Give My Heart A Break aka You Don't Seem To Understand (3:06)
12. Jimmy McCracklin - Gonna Tell Your Mother (2:37)
13. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Take-A-Chance (2:53)
14. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - I Wanna Make Love To you (2:09)
15. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Savoy's Jump (3:11)
16. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Beer Tavern Girl (2:54)
17. Jimmy McCracklin - Everybody Rock (2:21)
18. Jimmy McCracklin - The Walk (2:51)
19. Jimmy McCracklin - Georgia Slop (2:26)
20. Jimmy McCracklin - Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch) (2:44)
21. Jimmy McCracklin - The Wobble (2:17)
22. Jimmy McCracklin & His Orchestra - Susie And Pat (2:44)
23. Jimmy McCracklin - He Knows The Rules (3:04)
24. Jimmy McCracklin - The Drag (2:37)
25. Jimmy McCracklin - Trottin (2:28)
26. Jerry Thomas - Don't Have To Worry (Jumpin' In The Heart Of Town) (2:45)
27. Johnny Parker & His Orchestra - What You Did To Me (2:30)
28. Jimmy Wilson & His Blues Blasters - Oh Red (2:16)

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Jimmy McCracklin - The Mercury Recordings

Album: The Mercury Recordings
Size: 78,0 MB
Time: 33:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1992
Styles: Blues/R&B
Art: Full

1. The Wobble (2:19)
2. Georgia Slop (2:24)
3. Hitched (2:52)
4. No One To Love Me (2:28)
5. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You (2:21)
6. By Myself (2:43)
7. Doomed Lover (2:48)
8. With Your Love (2:20)
9. Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch) (2:42)
10. The Bridge (2:19)
11. What's That, Pt. 1 (2:41)
12. What's That, Pt. 2 (2:58)
13. Folsom Prison Blues (2:31)

Jimmy McCracklin's liaison with Mercury was relatively brief, from late 1958 to the fall of 1960, and Bear Family has only managed to locate 13 songs for this CD. But it's a rewarding chapter in the pianist's endlessly nomadic recording career, featuring his original dance tunes "Georgia Slop" and "Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch)," a New Orleans-cut cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," and some smoothly arranged (by Clyde Otis, Brook Benton's collaborator) pop/R&B outings that suggest Mercury had big plans for McCracklin that never quite panned out. /Bill Dahl, AllMusic

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Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - The Modern Recordings 1948-1950

Year: 1999
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:05
Size: 170,6 MB
Styles: Blues, R&B
Scans: Full

1. Reelin' & Rockin' aka Rockin' All Day (2:43)
2. Deceivin' Blues (Alternate Take) (3:42)
3. Beer Drinkin' Woman (3:00)
4. I'll Get A Break Some Day (2:16)
5. Love When It Rains aka Rainy Weather Blues (2:36)
6. Deceivin' Blues (2:55)
7. I Think My Time Is Here (3:02)
8. Josephine (2:37)
9. Bad Condition Blues (3:18)
10. Blues Blasters' Shuffle (Instrumental) (3:05)
11. Oh! I'm In Love (2:49)
12. You Deceived Me (3:25)
13. Gotta Cut Out (2:28)
14. Up And Down Blues (3:04)
15. Racket Blues (Take 2) (2:39)
16. Bad Health Blues (3:25)
17. Just Won't Let Her Go (2:56)
18. Don't Mistreat Me (Take 1) (3:08)
19. Cold Hearted (Take 2) (2:58)
20. Your Heart Ain't Right (3:02)
21. Hamburger Joint (3:00)
22. Crying Blues (3:01)
23. Mistreating Me (Demo) (2:00)
24. Bad Health Blues (Demo) (2:32)
25. 1942 Boogie (3:12)

Although McCracklin had already been recording for a few years, his association with Modern marked his first reasonably long tenure with an established label. This 25-track disc covers his first stay with the company, covering a half dozen singles, three songs that first showed up on the 1981 Ace album And His Blues Blasters, and ten demos, outtakes, and alternate takes that were previously unissued. It's solid small-combo West Coast jump blues, sometimes embellished by the tenor saxophone of Maxwell Davis.

It's more interesting on the speedy, jumpy numbers, although McCracklin was competent at setting an after-hours vibe on the slower ones. The drums-piano-guitar trio, especially guitarist Robert Kelton, gets into a real frenetic groove on the 1948 instrumental "Blues Blasters' Shuffle"; "Hamburger Joint" is a silly novelty whose spoken repartee verges on sleaziness. In a more serious mood are two previously unissued McCracklin solo piano demos, "Mistreating Me" and "Bad Health Blues." /Richie Unterberger, AllMusic

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Jimmy McCracklin - I Had To Get With It: Best Of The Imperial And Minit Years

Size: 156,5 MB
Time: 67:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Front

1. The Walk (2:42)
2. Looking For A Woman (2:36)
3. That's The Way (It Goes) (2:16)
4. Every Night, Every Day (2:28)
5. I Did Wrong (1:59)
6. I Had To Get With It (3:02)
7. Just Got To Know (2:50)
8. Think (2:33)
9. Get Back (2:37)
10. R.M. Blues (2:46)
11. I Don't Care (2:51)
12. I'll See It Through (2:30)
13. Pretty Little Sweet Thing (2:13)
14. What's Going On (2:31)
15. Stinger (2:25)
16. You Ain't Nothing But A Devil (2:44)
17. My Answer (2:40)
18. Come On Home (Back Where You Belong) (2:30)
19. Arkansas (Parts 1 & 2) (4:46)
20. Dog (Parts 1 & 2) (5:51)
21. Get Together (3:02)
22. Steppin' Up In Class (2:33)
23. Let The Door Hit You (2:21)
24. Hookie (2:20)

Jimmy McCracklin successfully kept up with the changing trends of music, from blues to rock and roll to soul and the blues/soul genre that he helped create. "I Had To Get With It: Best Of The Imperial And Minit Years" is compiled from his releases through the acclaimed Minit and Imperial labels, which covers his career from the mid to late 1960's. This compilation includes a number of the tracks not available on CD before. /Amazon

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Jimmy McCracklin - Trottin' With Jimmy McCracklin

Size: 81,0 MB
Time: 34:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Front

1. Trottin' (3:00)
2. The Wobble (2:55)
3. Suffer (2:56)
4. I'll Take The Blame (2:48)
5. The Walk (2:48)
6. Later On (2:36)
7. Get Tough (2:35)
8. Minnie Lee (2:34)
9. Take Care Of Yourself (2:31)
10. He Knows The Rules (3:00)
11. I Know (2:15)
12. I'm To Blame (2:44)
13. I'm Through (2:09)

McCracklin was born James David Walker Jr. on August 13, 1921. Sources differ as to whether he was born in Elaine, Arkansas or St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the United States Navy in 1938, later settled in Richmond, California, and began playing at the local Club Savoy owned by his sister-in-law Willie Mae "Granny" Johnson. The room-length bar served beer and wine, and Granny Johnson served home-cooked meals of greens, ribs, chicken, and other southern cuisine. A house band composed of Bay Area based musicians alternated with and frequently backed performers such as B.B. King, Charles Brown, and L.C. Robinson. Later in 1963 he would write and record a song "Club Savoy" on his I Just Gotta Know album.

He recorded a debut single for Globe Records, "Miss Mattie Left Me", in 1945, and "Street Loafin' Woman" in 1946. McCracklin recorded for a number of labels in Los Angeles and Oakland, prior to joining Modern Records in 1949-1950. He formed a group called Jimmy McCracklin and his Blues Blasters in 1946, with guitarist Robert Kelton, later replaced by Lafayette Thomas who remained with the group until the early 1960s.

His popularity increased after appearing on the TV pop Dick Clark's American Bandstand in support of his self-written single "The Walk" (1957), subsequently released by Checker Records in 1958. It went to No. 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 7 on the pop chart, after more than 10 years of McCracklin selling records in the black community on a series of small labels. Jimmy McCracklin Sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, in the West Coast blues style. In 1962, McCracklin recorded "Just Got to Know" for his own Art-Tone label in Oakland; the record made No. 2 on the R&B chart. For a brief period in the early 1970s McCracklin ran the Continental Club in San Francisco. He booked blues acts such as T-Bone Walker, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, and Etta James.

In 1967, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas had success with "Tramp", a song credited to McCracklin and Lowell Fulson. Salt-n-Pepa made a hip-hop hit out of the song in 1987. Oakland Blues (1968) was an album arranged and directed by McCracklin, and produced by World Pacific. The California rock-n-roll "roots music" band The Blasters named themselves after McCracklin's backing band The Blues Blasters. Blasters' lead singer Phil Alvin explained the origin of the band's name: "I thought Joe Turner’s backup band on Atlantic records – I had these 78s – I thought they were the Blues Blasters. It ends up it was Jimmy McCracklin's. I just took the 'Blues' off and Joe finally told me, that’s Jimmy McCracklin’s name, but you tell ‘im I gave you permission to steal it."

McCracklin continued to tour and produce new albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Bob Dylan has cited McCracklin as a favorite. He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1973, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984 and 2007. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1990, and the Living Legend and Hall of Fame award at the Bay Area Black Music Awards, in 2007. McCracklin continued to write, record, and perform into the 21st century. He died in San Pablo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, on December 20, 2012, after a long illness, aged 91. /Wikipedia

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Jimmy McCracklin - Anthology: His Early Years (2 CD)

Album: Anthology: His Early Years
Size: 174,0 + 175,3 MB
Time: 74:33 + 75:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
1. The Walk (2:43)
2. She Felt Too Good (2:40)
3. Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch) (2:37)
4. Georgia Slop (2:20)
5. Get Tough (2:37)
6. One Track Love (2:09)
7. Just Got To Know (2:42)
8. Trottin (2:24)
9. Love For You (2:30)
10. The Wobble (2:13)
11. Too Late To Change (3:34)
12. With Your Love (2:15)
13. Susie And Pat (2:24)
14. Fare-Well (2:32)
15. You've Been Misled (2:19)
16. By Myself (2:38)
17. Get Back (2:31)
18. Doomed Lover (2:43)
19. I Don't Care (2:43)
20. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You (2:17)
21. Every Night (2:30)
22. No One To Love Me (2:24)
23. Shame, Shame, Shame (2:17)
24. The Bridge (2:15)
25. Don't Deceive (3:07)
26. What's That (Part 1) (2:36)
27. Savoy's Jump (2:50)
28. My Days Are Limited (2:48)
29. You're The One (2:40)

CD 2:
1. She's Gone (2:37)
2. I Wanna' Make LoveTo You (2:22)
3. Share And Share Alike (2:31)
4. Take-A-Chance (2:51)
5. I'm The One (2:45)
6. I Cried (2:47)
7. Fare You Well (2:48)
8. The End (2:46)
9. Later On (2:26)
10. The Cheater (2:28)
11. Hear My Story (3:08)
12. I'm Through (2:06)
13. Country Baby (2:07)
14. I Need Your Loving (2:36)
15. The Swinging Thing (2:36)
16. The Wobble (Hurt Me) (2:51)
17. Everybody Rock (Aka New Orleans Beat) (2:15)
18. I Don't Want No Woman (3:02)
19. Blues And Trouble (2:41)
20. I Know (2:10)
21. Hello Baby (2:17)
22. I Am To Blame (2:42)
23. He Knows The Rules (2:49)
24. We Could Make A Go I Know (2:13)
25. Everytime (2:28)
26. Come On (2:47)
27. Night And Day (2:46)
28. Take Care Of Yourself (2:20)
29. You Look So Fine (Take 1) (2:40)

A full half-century from when he started out in the blues business, Jimmy McCracklin was still touring, recording, and acting like a much younger man. In fact, he vehemently disputed his commonly accepted birth date, but since he began recording back in 1945, it seemed reasonable. McCracklin grew up in Missouri, his main influence on piano being Walter Davis (little Jimmy's dad introduced him to the veteran pianist). McCracklin was also a promising pugilist, but the blues eventually emerged victorious. After a stint in the Navy during World War II, he bid St. Louis adieu and moved to the West Coast, making his recorded debut for the Globe logo with "Miss Mattie Left Me" in 1945. On that platter, J.D. Nicholson played piano; most of McCracklin's output found him handling his own 88s.

McCracklin recorded for a daunting array of tiny labels in Los Angeles and Oakland prior to touching down with Modern in 1949-1950, Swing Time the next year, and Peacock in 1952-1954. Early in his recording career, McCracklin had Robert Kelton on guitar, but by 1951, Lafayette "Thing" Thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with McCracklin's Blues Blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into the early '60s. By 1954, the pianist was back with the Bihari Brothers' Modern logo and really coming into his own with a sax-driven sound. "Couldn't Be a Dream" was hilariously surreal, McCracklin detailing his night out with a woman sent straight from hell, while a 1955 session found him doubling credibly on harp.

A series of sessions for Bay Area producer Bob Geddins' Irma label in 1956 (many of which later turned up on Imperial) preceded McCracklin's long-awaited first major hit. Seldom had he written a simpler song than "The Walk," a rudimentary dance number with a good groove that Checker Records put on the market in 1958. It went Top Ten on both the R&B and pop charts, and McCracklin was suddenly rubbing elbows with Dick Clark on network TV. The nomadic pianist left Chess after a few more 45s, pausing at Mercury (where he cut a torrid "Georgia Slop" in 1959, later revived by Big Al Downing) before returning to the hit parade with the tough R&B workout "Just Got to Know" in 1961 for Art-Tone Records. A similar follow-up, "Shame, Shame, Shame," also did well for him the next year. Those sides eventually resurfaced on Imperial, where he hit twice in 1965 with "Every Night, Every Day" (later covered by Magic Sam) and the uncompromising "Think" and "My Answer" in 1966.

McCracklin's songwriting skills shouldn't be overlooked as an integral factor in his enduring success. He penned the funky "Tramp" for guitarist Lowell Fulson and watched his old pal take it to the rarefied end of the R&B lists in 1967, only to be eclipsed by a sassy duet cover by Stax stalwarts Otis Redding and Carla Thomas a scant few months later. McCracklin made a string of LPs for Imperial, even covering "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in 1966, and segued into the soul era totally painlessly. Latter-day discs for Bullseye Blues proved that McCracklin still packed a knockout punch from behind his piano, no matter what his birth certificate said. Jimmy McCracklin died in San Pablo, California on December 20, 2012 at the age of 91. /Biography by Bill Dahl, AllMusic

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Jimmy McCracklin - Blues & Rhythm Series 5180: The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1951-1954

Size: 192 MB
Time: 69:23
File: FLAC
Released: 2007
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Full

01. What's Your Phone Number (2:44)
02. That's Life (2:54)
03. Blues For The People (2:20)
04. I Found That Woman (2:49)
05. House Rockin' Blues (2:51)
06. Movin' On Down The Line (2:39)
07. I Am Tired (2:36)
08. My Days Are Limited (2:54)
09. She's Gone (2:43)
10. Share And Share Alike (2:39)
11. I Cried (2:55)
12. The Cheater (2:35)
13. She Felt Too Good (2:46)
14. You Better Think Awhile (3:06)
15. Pleasin' Papa (2:31)
16. Keep Trying (3:11)
17. The End (2:54)
18. Hear My Story (3:15)
19. I Don't Want No Woman (3:07)
20. Blues And Trouble (2:46)
21. Hello Baby (2:24)
22. We Could Make A Go I Know (2:18)
23. Everytime (2:36)
24. Night And Day (2:52)
25. You Look So Fine (2:45)

Like a lot of blues artists in the 1950s, Jimmy McCracklin hopped around between labels frequently, taking his soulful, R&B-anticipating blues sound where money and equipment were available. This installment of the CHRONOLOGICAL JIMMY MCCRACKLIN in the Rhythm and Blue Classics Series collects the artist's work between 1951 and 1954 when he was recording for the Modern, Swing Time, and Peacock labels. The addition of guitarist Lafayette Thomas to McCracklin's band gave it an added boost during this time, but it's McCracklin's piano and vocals, both of which radiate a sense of giddy fun, that make this a must. ~AMG

The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1951-1954

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Jimmy McCracklin - Blues & Rhythm Series 5110: The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1948-1951

Size: 165 MB
Time: 71:39
File: FLAC
Released: 2004
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Full

01. Low Down Mood (2:44)
02. She's My Baby (2:53)
03. When I'm Gone (2:46)
04. South Side Mood (2:55)
05. Listen Woman (2:47)
06. I Can't Understand Love (3:00)
07. Josephine (Just Won't Let Her Go) (2:37)
08. I'll Get A Break Someday (2:16)
09. Love When It Rains (2:36)
10. Your Heart Ain't Right (3:03)
11. I Think My Time Is Here (3:02)
12. Deceivin' Blues (2:55)
13. Beer Drinkin' Woman (3:00)
14. Up And Down Blues (3:03)
15. Just Won't Let Her Go (2:56)
16. Rockin' All Day (2:42)
17. Gotta Cut Out (2:27)
18. You Deceived Me (3:26)
19. Bad Health Blues (3:25)
20. Hamburger Joint (3:00)
21. Looking For A Woman (2:34)
22. You Don't Love Me (3:03)
23. I'm Gonna Have My Fun (2:38)
24. True Love Blues (2:39)
25. Rockin' Man (3:01)

A full half-century from when he started out in the blues business, Jimmy McCracklin was still touring, recording, and acting like a much younger man. In fact, he vehemently disputed his commonly accepted birth date, but since he began recording back in 1945, it seemed reasonable. McCracklin grew up in Missouri, his main influence on piano being Walter Davis (little Jimmy's dad introduced him to the veteran pianist). McCracklin was also a promising pugilist, but the blues eventually emerged victorious. After a stint in the Navy during World War II, he bid St. Louis adieu and moved to the West Coast, making his recorded debut for the Globe logo with "Miss Mattie Left Me" in 1945. On that platter, J.D. Nicholson played piano; most of McCracklin's output found him handling his own 88s.

McCracklin recorded for a daunting array of tiny labels in Los Angeles and Oakland prior to touching down with Modern in 1949-1950, Swing Time the next year, and Peacock in 1952-1954. Early in his recording career, McCracklin had Robert Kelton on guitar, but by 1951, Lafayette "Thing" Thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with McCracklin's Blues Blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into the early '60s.

By 1954, the pianist was back with the Bihari Brothers' Modern logo and really coming into his own with a sax-driven sound. "Couldn't Be a Dream" was hilariously surreal, McCracklin detailing his night out with a woman sent straight from hell, while a 1955 session found him doubling credibly on harp.

A series of sessions for Bay Area producer Bob Geddins' Irma label in 1956 (many of which later turned up on Imperial) preceded McCracklin's long-awaited first major hit. Seldom had he written a simpler song than "The Walk," a rudimentary dance number with a good groove that Checker Records put on the market in 1958. It went Top Ten on both the R&B and pop charts, and McCracklin was suddenly rubbing elbows with Dick Clark on network TV.

The nomadic pianist left Chess after a few more 45s, pausing at Mercury (where he cut a torrid "Georgia Slop" in 1959, later revived by Big Al Downing) before returning to the hit parade with the tough R&B workout "Just Got to Know" in 1961 for Art-Tone Records. A similar follow-up, "Shame, Shame, Shame," also did well for him the next year. Those sides eventually resurfaced on Imperial, where he hit twice in 1965 with "Every Night, Every Day" (later covered by Magic Sam) and the uncompromising "Think" and "My Answer" in 1966.

McCracklin's songwriting skills shouldn't be overlooked as an integral factor in his enduring success. He penned the funky "Tramp" for guitarist Lowell Fulson and watched his old pal take it to the rarefied end of the R&B lists in 1967, only to be eclipsed by a sassy duet cover by Stax stalwarts Otis Redding and Carla Thomas a scant few months later. McCracklin made a string of LPs for Imperial, even covering "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in 1966, and segued into the soul era totally painlessly. Latter-day discs for Bullseye Blues proved that McCracklin still packed a knockout punch from behind his piano, no matter what his birth certificate said. Jimmy McCracklin died in San Pablo, California on December 20, 2012 at the age of 91. ~Bill Dahl

The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1948-1951

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Jimmy McCracklin - Blues & Rhythm Series 5062: The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1945-1948

Size: 144 MB
Time: 63:12
File: FLAC
Released: 2003
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Full

01. Miss Mattie Left Me (3:07)
02. Mean Mistreated Lover (2:39)
03. Highway 101 (2:25)
04. Baby Don't You Want To Go (2:08)
05. Achin' Heart (2:58)
06. Street Loafin' Woman (2:59)
07. You Deceived Me (2:59)
08. Ola May (3:07)
09. She's A Wino (2:44)
10. Rock And Rye (Part 1) (2:43)
11. Rock And Rye (Part 2) (2:47)
12. You Had Your Chance (2:27)
13. Special For You (2:32)
14. Rock And Rye (2:53)
15. Miss Minnie Lee Blues (2:55)
16. Playin' On Me (2:48)
17. Big Foot Mama (3:03)
18. Bad Luck And Trouble (3:16)
19. Railroad Blues (3:12)
20. Jimmy's Blues (2:54)
21. Bad Condition Blues (3:20)
22. Blues Blasters Shuffle (3:05)

A capable and versatile singer, a fine Walter Davis-styled piano player, and a skilled songwriter, Jimmy McCracklin switched labels as often as some people switch channels on their television. This interesting collection assembles his very earliest sides, recorded for independent West Coast labels like Excelsior, Courtney, and Cavatone. Opening with several rather stately piano blues pieces, including the delightful "Baby Don't You Want to Go," before moving on to jazzier jump blues tracks (complete with horns) like "Rock and Rye" (three versions are included here), the album comes nearly full circle with "Railroad Blues," which is straight and unadorned piano blues. The closer, "Blues Blasters Shuffle," released in 1948, flirts with rock & roll, a style still nearly a decade away from even having a name. McCracklin went on to record for a slew of other labels, effectively merging his basic jump blues with a kind of proto-soul approach that prefigured the hard Memphis sounds of Stax Records. But it all begins with these sides. ~Steve Leggett

The Chronological Jimmy McCracklin 1945-1948

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Jimmy McCracklin - Jimmy McCracklin Sings

Year: 1962
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:46
Size: 71,3 MB
Styles: R&B/Blues
Scans: Front

1. Later On (2:36)
2. The Walk (2:48)
3. I'm Through (2:09)
4. Country Baby (2:08)
5. Hurt Me (2:43)
6. New Orleans Beat (2:19)
7. I Know (2:15)
8. I'm The Blame (2:44)
9. He Knows The Rules (3:01)
10. Get Tough (2:35)
11. Come On (2:51)
12. Take Care Of Yourself (2:31)

A full half-century from when he started out in the blues business, Jimmy McCracklin was still touring, recording, and acting like a much younger man. In fact, he vehemently disputed his commonly accepted birth date, but since he began recording back in 1945, it seemed reasonable. McCracklin grew up in Missouri, his main influence on piano being Walter Davis (little Jimmy's dad introduced him to the veteran pianist). McCracklin was also a promising pugilist, but the blues eventually emerged victorious. After a stint in the Navy during World War II, he bid St. Louis adieu and moved to the West Coast, making his recorded debut for the Globe logo with "Miss Mattie Left Me" in 1945. On that platter, J.D. Nicholson played piano; most of McCracklin's output found him handling his own 88s.

McCracklin recorded for a daunting array of tiny labels in Los Angeles and Oakland prior to touching down with Modern in 1949-1950, Swing Time the next year, and Peacock in 1952-1954. Early in his recording career, McCracklin had Robert Kelton on guitar, but by 1951, Lafayette "Thing" Thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with McCracklin's Blues Blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into the early '60s.

By 1954, the pianist was back with the Bihari Brothers' Modern logo and really coming into his own with a sax-driven sound. "Couldn't Be a Dream" was hilariously surreal, McCracklin detailing his night out with a woman sent straight from hell, while a 1955 session found him doubling credibly on harp.

A series of sessions for Bay Area producer Bob Geddins' Irma label in 1956 (many of which later turned up on Imperial) preceded McCracklin's long-awaited first major hit. Seldom had he written a simpler song than "The Walk," a rudimentary dance number with a good groove that Checker Records put on the market in 1958. It went Top Ten on both the R&B and pop charts, and McCracklin was suddenly rubbing elbows with Dick Clark on network TV.

The nomadic pianist left Chess after a few more 45s, pausing at Mercury (where he cut a torrid "Georgia Slop" in 1959, later revived by Big Al Downing) before returning to the hit parade with the tough R&B workout "Just Got to Know" in 1961 for Art-Tone Records. A similar follow-up, "Shame, Shame, Shame," also did well for him the next year. Those sides eventually resurfaced on Imperial, where he hit twice in 1965 with "Every Night, Every Day" (later covered by Magic Sam) and the uncompromising "Think" and "My Answer" in 1966.

McCracklin's songwriting skills shouldn't be overlooked as an integral factor in his enduring success. He penned the funky "Tramp" for guitarist Lowell Fulson and watched his old pal take it to the rarefied end of the R&B lists in 1967, only to be eclipsed by a sassy duet cover by Stax stalwarts Otis Redding and Carla Thomas a scant few months later. McCracklin made a string of LPs for Imperial, even covering "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in 1966, and segued into the soul era totally painlessly. Latter-day discs for Bullseye Blues proved that McCracklin still packed a knockout punch from behind his piano, no matter what his birth certificate said. Jimmy McCracklin died in San Pablo, California on December 20, 2012 at the age of 91. /Biography by Bill Dahl, AllMusic

Jimmy McCracklin Sings mc
Jimmy McCracklin Sings gofile

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Jimmy McCracklin - Tell It To The Judge!

Year: 1999
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:47
Size: 152,6 MB
Styles: Electric blues, R&B
Scans: Full

1. Good Old Days (4:29)
2. Hate Will Destroy The World (4:27)
3. Same Lovin' In Return (3:58)
4. Like My Mama (4:41)
5. Would Man Be Satisfied (2:30)
6. Think (2:30)
7. I Just Got To Know (2:57)
8. I Got Somebody (3:52)
9. Stuck With Loneliness (3:59)
10. Put Up Or Shut Up (5:21)
11. My Answer (4:14)
12. Not The Right Thing (3:42)
13. Bad Situation (3:44)
14. Double Dealin' On Me (3:31)
15. After Hours (4:07)
16. In The Alley (3:32)
17. Tell It To The Judge (4:07)

R&B/soul singer (in the '60s) Jimmy McCracklin has the blues on this collection of mostly self-compositions. Some tunes have an old rural feel to them, while others literally jump from the speakers and invite you to get up and go crazy. Craftiest on crawlers, McCracklin has included a fair number of them here, including the thought-provoking "Would Man Be Satisfied" and "Double Dealin' on Me." "I Just Got to Know," with its rolling piano, is a buzz; while the gospel-flavored "My Answer" and "Bad Situation" are fortified by accompanying female vocals that take you to church. /Andrew Hamilton, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Tell It To The Judge! mc
Tell It To The Judge! zippy

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Jimmy McCracklin - Yesterday Is Gone

Size: 83,5 MB
Time: 35:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1972/2019
Styles: West Coast Blues, Blues Soul
Art: Front

01. Double Dealing (3:32)
02. Just Got To Know (3:17)
03. Stay Away From That Monkey (3:59)
04. Yesterday Is Gone (4:16)
05. Would Man Be Satisfied (2:39)
06. Like My Mamma (5:29)
07. I Finally Got You (2:36)
08. You're The One (3:27)
09. The Love Money Can't Buy (3:01)
10. Think (2:55)

Jimmy McCracklin (James David Walker, St. Louis, Missouri, August 13, 1921 – San Pablo, California, December 20, 2012) was an American pianist, vocalist, harmonica player and songwriter. His style contained West Coast blues, Jump blues, and Rhythm & Blues.

Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them. McCracklin recorded over 30 albums, and earned four gold records. Tom Mazzolini of the San Francisco Blues Festival said of him, "He was probably the most important musician to come out of the Bay Area in the post-World War II years."
McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the United States Navy in 1938, later settled in Richmond, California, and began playing at the local Club Savoy owned by his sister-in-law Willie Mae "Granny" Johnson. The room-length bar served beer and wine, and Granny Johnson served home-cooked meals of greens, ribs, chicken, and other southern cuisine. A house band composed of Bay Area based musicians alternated with and frequently backed performers such as B. B. King, Charles Brown, and L. C. Robinson. Later in 1963 he would write and record a song "Club Savoy" on his I Just Gotta Know album.
His recorded a debut single for Globe Records, "Miss Mattie Left Me", in 1945, and recorded "Street Loafin' Woman in 1946. McCracklin recorded for a number of labels in Los Angeles and Oakland, prior to joining Modern Records in 1949-1950. He formed a group called Jimmy McCracklin and his Blues Blasters in 1946, with guitarist Lafayette Thomas who remained with group until the early 1960s.
His popularity increased after appearing on the TV pop Dick Clark's American Bandstand in support of his self written single "The Walk" (1957), subsequently released by Checker Records in 1958. It went to No. 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 7 on the pop chart, after more than 10 years of McCracklin selling records in the black community on a series of small labels. Jimmy McCracklin Sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, in the West Coast blues style. In 1962, McCracklin recorded "Just Got to Know" for his own Art-Tone label in Oakland, after the record made No. 2 on the R&B chart. For a brief period in the early 1970s McCracklin ran the Continental Club in San Francisco. He booked blues acts such as T-Bone Walker, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, and Etta James. In 1967, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas had success with "Tramp", a song credited to McCracklin and Lowell Fulson. Salt-n-Pepa made a hip-hop hit out of the song in 1987. Oakland Blues (1986) was an album arranged and directed by McCracklin, and produced by World Pacific. The California rock-n-roll "roots music" band The Blasters named themselves after McCracklin's backing band The Blues Blasters. Blasters' lead singer Phil Alvin explained the origin of the band's name: "I thought Joe Turner’s backup band on Atlantic records – I had these 78s – I thought they were the Blues Blasters. It ends up it was Jimmy McCracklin's. I just took the 'Blues' off and Joe finally told me, that’s Jimmy McCracklin’s name, but you tell ‘im I gave you permission to steal it.
McCracklin continued to tour and produce new albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Bob Dylan has cited McCracklin as a favorite. He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1973, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984 and 2007. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1990, and the Living Legend and Hall of Fame award at the Bay Area Black Music Awards, in 2007. McCracklin continued to write, record, and perform into the 21st century.
He died in San Pablo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, on December 20, 2012, after a long illness, aged 91.

Yesterday Is Gone

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Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Blues Blastin': The Modern Recordings Vol. 2

Year: 2004
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 165,0 MB
Styles: Blues, R&B
Scans: Full

1. Gonna Tell Your Mother (2:35)
2. I Got Eyes For You (2:20)
3. The Panic's On (3:34)
4. Couldn't Be A Dream (2:54)
5. My Mother Said (2:36)
6. Blues Blasters Boogie (2:56)
7. That Ain't Right (2:51)
8. Darlin' Share Your Love (Oh Baby) (3:31)
9. Give My Heart A Break aka You Don't Seem To Understand (3:04)
10. Please Forgive Me Baby (2:56)
11. Let's Get Together (3:02)
12. It Ain't No Use (3:25)
13. Cold Hearted (Take 1) (3:02)
14. Deceivin' Blues (Take 3) (2:51)
15. Rockin' All Day (Take 1) (2:59)
16. Oh! I'm In Love (Take 2) (3:02)
17. I'll Get A Break Someday (Take 1) (2:42)
18. Hamburger Joint (Take 3) (3:08)
19. Lost Mind aka Standing In The Back Door Crying (Jerry Thomas) (3:14)
20. Don't Have To Worry aka Jumpin' In The Heart Of Town (Jerry Thomas) (2:43)
21. Tired Of Everybody (Johnny Parker) (3:11)
22. What You Did To Me (Johnny Parker) (2:28)
23. I've Got A Feeling (Baby Pee Wee Parham) (3:14)
24. People Are Wondering (Baby Pee Wee Parham) (2:27)

Jimmy McCracklin's body of work for the Modern label, done in two separate stints - one in 1948-1950, the other in the mid-'50s - actually didn't yield all that much material, adding up to ten singles. However, by piling on a load of outtakes, tracks that appeared years later on other compilations, and some other odds and ends, Ace managed to stretch McCracklin's Modern output out to two lengthy CDs. This, the second of the pair, focuses on his mid-'50s Modern work, including both sides of the four singles he put out with the company in 1954 and 1955, one track ("My Mother Said") that didn't appear until a 1962 LP compilation, eight previously unreleased outtakes, and six cuts from Modern singles by three guys who performed as McCracklin accompanists at various points (guitarist Jerry Thomas, saxophonist Johnny Parker, and Baby "Pee Wee" Parham).

By its nature, this disc is going to appear almost exclusively to specialist blues collectors, and though it's respectable, it's somewhat journeyman 1950s West Coast R&B-blues, lacking as much sparkle as the best of McCracklin's recordings. It's interesting, though, to hear him playing raw harmonica on some tracks, like "Gonna Tell Your Mother" (an obvious cop of J.B. Lenoir's "Mama Talk to Your Daughter"), and Thomas plays some chilling if unrefined guitar on "The Panic's On." Thomas' stinging, raw guitar gets more of a chance to stretch out on his single, which also features strong upper-register vocals and a brass arrangement, and is the best of the three 45s by McCracklin accompanists compiled at the end of the CD. /Richie Unterberger, AllMusic

Blues Blastin': The Modern Recordings Vol. 2 mc
Blues Blastin': The Modern Recordings Vol. 2 zippy

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Jimmy McCracklin - Twist With Jimmy McCracklin

Year: 1961
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:03
Size: 58,3 MB
Styles: Blues, R&B
Scans: Front

1. I Can't Tell (2:18)
2. I'm Gonna Tell Your Mother (2:39)
3. My Mother Says (2:40)
4. That Ain't Right (2:54)
5. Please Forgive (2:59)
6. Couldn't Be A Dream (2:57)
7. Oh Baby (3:15)
8. You Don't Seem To Understand (2:39)
9. Reelin' And Rockin' Twist (2:39)

Undoubtedly it was a mite difficult to twist to jump blues records from the mid-'50s, but this budget LP at least gave McCracklin's Modern catalog renewed life in the Crown catalog. Some of his best 1950s rockers: the hilarious "Couldn't Be a Dream," "You Don't Seem to Understand," "Reelin' and Rockin'," "I'm Gonna Tell Your Mother." Overdue for CD reissue! /Bill Dahl, AllMusic

Twist With Jimmy McCracklin mc
Twist With Jimmy McCracklin zippy

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VA - Christmas 'Round The Jukebox

Size: 170,3 MB
Time: 70:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues, R&B, Xmas
Art: Front

01. Joe Turner - Christmas Date Boogie (2:33)
02. The Five Keys - It's Christmas Time (2:49)
03. Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run (2:43)
04. The Drifters - White Christmas (2:27)
05. Charles Brown - Please Come Home For Christmas (2:40)
06. The Moonglows - Hey Santa Claus (2:22)
07. The Cadillacs - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (2:17)
08. Jimmy McCracklin - Christmas Time (Part 1) (2:06)
09. The Ravens - White Christmas (3:06)
10. The Ravens - Silent Night (2:49)
11. The Falcons - Can This Be Christmas (2:53)
12. Jimmy Liggins - I Want My Baby For Christmas (2:38)
13. Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (2:16)
14. Charles Brown - Merry Christmas Baby (2:42)
15. Lowell Fulson - Lonesome Christmas (Part 1) (2:22)
16. Lowell Fulson - Lonesome Christmas (Part 2) (2:09)
17. Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - Christmas Eve Baby (2:19)
18. Cecil Gant - Hello Santa Claus (2:49)
19. Jimmy Witherspoon - How I Hate To See Christmas Come Around (2:47)
20. The Harmony Grits - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (2:05)
21. Roy Milton - Christmas Time Blues (3:02)
22. The Dominoes - Christmas In Heaven (2:41)
23. Amos Milburn - Let's Make Christmas Merry Baby (2:52)
24. Louis Jordan - May Every Day Be Christmas (3:12)
25. The Orioles - (It's Gonna Be) Lonely Christmas (3:18)
26. Big John Greer - We Want To See Santa Do The Mambo (2:19)
27. B.B. King - Christmas Celebration (2:27)

Here is a Christmas celebration attended by some of the greatest names in Rhythm and Blues. From the late 40s to the early 50s the biggest names in Blues including B.B. King, Amos Milburn, Charles Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulton, Roy Milton. The Drifters, Joe Turner and Chuck Berry sing their Christmas favourites. Being the blues of course many of the songs emphasise how lonely Christmas can be without the one you love whilst others celebrate the holiday season with joyful songs and new versions of standards like, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". Many of these records constantly reappeared on the R&B sales charts every year. Some like Charles Brown's original million-selling "Merry Christmas Baby" were still selling well into the soul era. Depending on your mood you can preselect these titles, pour a large Brandy and wallow in the depressive elements of a lonely Christmas or roll back the carpet put another nickel in the jukebox and have a Rockin' Christmas celebration. Either way works.

Christmas 'Round The Jukebox

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Lowell Fulson - Hold On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:13
Size: 101.3 MB
Styles: Soul-blues, Texas blues
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[5:24] 1. Working Man
[4:13] 2. Shake, Rattle And Roll
[4:06] 3. Me And My Woman
[2:41] 4. Ain't That Sweet
[4:11] 5. Quicker The Better
[3:03] 6. It's No Need
[4:14] 7. Real Name Is Danger Zone
[3:46] 8. I'm Just A Fool About You
[3:51] 9. Cryin' Won't Help
[3:29] 10. Hold On
[5:11] 11. Love Is The Bottom Line

Backing Vocals – James "Bull" Parks, Margaruet Love Carter; Baritone Saxophone – Eddie "Saxman" Synigal; Bass – Ray Cooksey; Drums – Craig Kimbrough; Guitar – "Pee Wee" Thomas, Terry "Big T" Derouen; Organ – Ron Levy; Piano – Jimmy McCracklin; Tenor Saxophone – Bobby Forte; Trombone – Bernard Baisden; Trumpet, Arranged By, Leader – Joe Campbell; Vocals, Lead Guitar – Lowell Fulson.

Nothing dated about this fine album, produced by organist Ron Levy -- Fulson sounds at once both contemporary and timeless, slashing through a mostly original set with Jimmy McCracklin helping out on piano and the sax section including Bobby Forte and Edgar Synigal. ~Bill Dahl

Hold On mc
Hold On zippy

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Various - 1950's Okland Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:19
Size: 110.6 MB
Styles: West Coast blues, Urban blues
Year: 1994/2015
Art: Front

[2:22] 1. Juke Boy Bonner - Well Baby
[2:53] 2. Juke Boy Bonner - Rock With Me Baby
[2:25] 3. Jimmy McCracklin - I Wanna Make Love To You
[2:44] 4. Jimmy McCracklin - You're The One
[2:33] 5. Jimmy McCracklin - Fare-Well
[3:06] 6. Jimmy McCracklin - Savoy Jump
[2:45] 7. Jimmy McCracklin - I'm The One
[2:52] 8. Jimmy McCracklin - Take A Chance
[2:51] 9. Jimmy McCracklin - Beer Tavern
[2:30] 10. Jimmy McCracklin - Love For You
[2:39] 11. Big Mama Thornton - Don't Talk Back
[2:25] 12. Big Mama Thornton - Big Mama's Coming
[3:08] 13. Johnny Fuller - Strange Land
[2:21] 14. Johnny Fuller - First Stage Of The Blues
[2:28] 15. Johnny Fuller - No More
[3:08] 16. Johnny Fuller - Weeping And Morning
[2:16] 17. Jimmy Wilson & The Blues Blasters - Oh Red
[2:43] 18. Johnny Fuller - Blues In The Alley

In its heyday -- from the 1930s through the late 1960s -- there was no shortage of A-list performers gracing the famed entertainment district of Oakland, CA. Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, Etta James and Lowell Fulson were among the stars who performed in such clubs as Slim Jenkins Supper Club and Esther's Orbit Room.

1950's Okland Blues mc
1950's Okland Blues zippy

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Various - Evejim's Collector's Edition Vol. 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:10
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: R&B, Modern electric blues
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[4:07] 1. Little Joe Blue - Big Leg Women
[4:04] 2. Little Joe Blue - Dirty Work Going On
[4:14] 3. Little Joe Blue - Don't Start Me To Talking
[4:11] 4. Buddy Ace - Root Doctor
[3:54] 5. Buddy Ace - I Kicked The Habit
[4:03] 6. Buddy Ace - Love Of Mine
[4:22] 7. Clay Hammond - License To Steal
[3:26] 8. Clay Hammond - Streets Will Love You
[3:24] 9. Jimmy McCracklin - All Shucks
[3:41] 10. Jimmy McCracklin - Games To Strong
[2:36] 11. Jimmy McCracklin - I Just Got To Know
[4:15] 12. Little Joe Blue - I'm Doing All Right Again
[3:44] 13. Little Joe Blue - As Mean As I've Been Good (Double Dealing)
[3:01] 14. Little Joe Blue - My Tomorrow

Evejim's Collector's Edition Vol. 1 mc
Evejim's Collector's Edition Vol. 1 zippy

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VA - West Coast Guitar 1946-1956

Size: 166,6+164,6+166,1+163,5 MB
Time: 69:19+68:26+69:05+67:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: West Coast Blues
Label: JSP Records
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Johnny Otis - Boogie Guitar (2:33)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Don't Ever Fall In Love (2:57)
03. Gene Phillips - Big Legs (2:56)
04. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 1) (3:10)
05. Monte Easter - Slow Freight Back Home (2:39)
06. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - Roughest Place In Town (Tin Pan Alley) (2:59)
07. Johnny Otis & His Orchestra - Goomp Blues (2:50)
08. Lloyd Glenn - Rampart Street Jump (Fried Chicken Boogie) (Hep Cat Shuffle) (3:05)
09. Pee Wee Crayton - Bounce Pee Wee (2:53)
10. Tiny Webb - Tiny's Down Home (2:58)
11. Jimmy Nolen - You've Been Goofing (2:37)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 1) (3:04)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - Brand New Woman (2:46)
14. Johnny Otis - New Orleans Shuffle (2:39)
15. Gene Phillips - Slippin' And Slidin' (2:24)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Texas Hop (3:04)
17. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - My Mama Told Me (2:43)
18. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - Bos Boogie (2:28)
19. Monte Easter - New Orleans Hop (2:24)
20. Gene Phillips - I Wonder What The Poor Folks Are Doin' (2:42)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Rockin' The Blues (2:30)
22. Jerry Thomas - Don't Have To Worry Aka Jumpin' In The Heart Of Town (2:42)
23. Johnny Otis - Doggin' Blues (3:08)
24. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Raggedy Blues (2:20)
25. Pee Wee Crayton - Poppa Stoppa (2:37)

CD 2:
01. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Blues Blasters' Shuffle (3:02)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Central Avenue Blues (2:40)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Wipe Your Tears (2:49)
04. Johnny Otis - Hangover Blues (2:50)
05. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Punkin' Head Woman (2:32)
06. Jimmy Wilson - Tin Pan Alley (3:05)
07. Pee Wee Crayton - Pappy's Blues (2:31)
08. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Crying With The Rising Sun (3:03)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:33)
10. Jimmy Nolen - It Hurts Me Too (2:24)
11. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues After Hours (3:04)
12. Lloyd Glenn - Midnight Boogie (2:36)
13. Gene Phillips - Stinkin' Drunk (2:59)
14. Monte Easter - Blues In The Evening (3:13)
15. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Louisiana Hop (2:31)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Crying And Walking (3:00)
17. Jimmy Wilson & Lafayette Thomas - Big Town Jump (2:12)
18. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (Take 1) (2:22)
19. James Reed - My Love Is Real (2:52)
20. Lloyd Glenn - Levee Blues (2:49)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Tired Of Travelin' (2:42)
22. Lafayette Thomas - Weekly Blues (2:33)
23. Jimmy Nolen - I Can't Stand You No More (Alternate Take) (2:40)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Fillmore Street Blues (2:13)
25. Johnny Otis - Head Hunter (3:01)

CD 3:
01. Pee Wee Crayton - Huckle Boogie (2:32)
02. Johnny Otis - Midnight In The Barrelhouse (3:03)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 3) (3:05)
04. Gene Phillips - You Cant Come Back Home (2:29)
05. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Standing In The Back Door Crying (3:16)
06. Pee Wee Crayton - Louella Brown (3:19)
07. Johnny Otis - Freight Train Boogie (2:31)
08. Monte Easter & Jimmy Nolen - Midnight Rider (2:36)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:55)
10. Pee Wee Crayton - Forgive Me (2:45)
11. Jimmy Nolen - How Fine Can You Be (2:13)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Deep South Guitar Blues (3:03)
13. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Scratchin' (2:37)
14. Gene Phillips - Ramblin' Woman (3:19)
15. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - I Wanna Make Love To You (2:25)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - I'm Your Prisoner (3:02)
17. Jimmy Wilson - Big Town Jump (2:39)
18. Jimmy Nolen - The Way You Do (2:25)
19. Gene Phillips - To Each His Own Brother (2:54)
20. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - I Don't Know What's Happening Baby (2:33)
21. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Ooh Midnight (2:43)
22. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Take A Chance (2:52)
23. Jimmy Nolen - After Hours (2:36)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Good Little Woman (2:30)
25. Gene Phillips - Crying Wont Help You None (2:30)

CD 4:
01. Lafayette Thomas - The Thing (2:11)
02. Johnny Otis - One Nighter Blues (2:46)
03. Pee Wee Crayton - Dedicated To The Blues (3:01)
04. Gene Phillips & His Orchestra - Women, Women, Women (2:49)
05. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:22)
06. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 2) (3:05)
07. Johnny Otis - Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (2:25)
08. Pee Wee Crayton - Answer To Blues After Hours (2:59)
09. Gene Phillips - Big Fat Mama (2:42)
10. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - You Better Hold Me (2:32)
11. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Chocolate Pork Chop Man (2:50)
12. Jimmy McCracklin - Southside Mood (2:51)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - California Woman (3:21)
14. Johnny Otis - Honky Tonk Boogie (2:47)
15. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (2:54)
16. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Fatso (2:26)
17. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Beer Tavern (2:51)
18. Pee Wee Crayton - Crayton's Blues (2:51)
19. Jimmy Nolen - Let's Try It Again (2:21)
20. Johnny Otis & Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - You Got Me Cryin' (2:55)
21. Gene Phillips - Hey Lawdy Mama (2:48)
22. Jimmy Nolen - Don't Leave Me No More (2:43)
23. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues For My Baby (2:35)
24. Jimmy Wilson - Instrumental Jump (2:11)
25. Gene Phillips - Big Bug Boogie (2:30)

West Coast guitar skills were hugely influential in the development of blues- and rock-guitar. The popular dictum was that T-Bone Walker was the sole source of inspiration but the men that succeeded him, including Pete 'Guitar' Lewis, Jimmy Nolen and Robert Kelton, created a leaner, meaner blues-based style that had a wider appeal. Like Walker, Gene Phillips straddled the line between jazz and blues, as well as being a gifted lap-steel player. In fact, the only man to closely emulate Walker was Pee Wee Crayton. Beyond all speculation is one fact: those West Coast artists produced a fine body of work, which has been insufficiently acknowledged or celebrated. Listen. This is a group of artists dead-set on entertaining - and on demonstrating their considerable artistry.

West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 1
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 2
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 3
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 4

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Jimmy McCracklin - A Taste Of The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:19
Size: 103.8 MB
Styles: West Coast blues
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Boogie On Down
[3:46] 2. Lie To Me
[3:18] 3. How Do You Like You New Love
[4:11] 4. My Answer
[3:34] 5. Help The Bear
[4:57] 6. Yesterday Is Gone
[4:30] 7. I Got Juiced
[5:52] 8. Put Up Or Shut Up
[3:53] 9. Not The Right Thing
[2:43] 10. Outside Help
[4:51] 11. Taste Of The Blues

Now these are the sort of cameos that make a contemporary blues disc work! Lowell Fulson, Larry Davis, Smokey Wilson, Barbara Lynn, and Johnny Otis all guested on McCracklin's most recent album for Bullseye Blues, making it clear that the pianist is no museum piece with their swinging grooves and sharp solos. ~Bill Dahl

A Taste Of The Blues mc
A Taste Of The Blues zippy

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