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- Date Released: January 1, 1994
- Genre: Blues
- Label: Yazoo Records / INgrooves
The essential works of a blues master
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We Say...
Skip James, who alternated between pimping, preaching and piano teaching, might have been the oddest bluesman to emerge from the wilds of the Mississippi Delta. He was certainly the most affecting and quite possibly the greatest, making this record, which collects James' original recordings — 16 of the 26 sides he cut in a single, 1931 session survive — essential listening for anyone even remotely interested in American roots music.
James, who sang in a high, haunting register, was a remarkably fast and fluent guitarist as well as an accomplished whorehouse piano-player: "I'm So Glad," which was covered in later years by Cream and the Stooges, is likely the fastest, most intricate country blues song on record. James also wrote a few of the saddest blues to have come down to us: "Devil Got My Woman," which served as the model for Robert Johnson's "Hellhound On My Trail," and "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues," which was one of the few country blues compositions to directly refer to the Great Depression. The sound quality of these recordings might vary, but if you make it past the crackle and pop, the rewards are immeasurable. -
They Say...
The Complete Early Recordings CD showcases a true guitar virtuoso who was no slouch on the piano either. His break on "Illinois Blues" is almost off-putting in the nonchalance with which he twists the notes around, and "How Long 'Buck'" features him giving forth some funky piano in an almost playful manner. This is a remastered edition of an earlier Yazoo collection, and features the same 18 songs that appeared on Document's Complete Recorded Works, but the sound quality is still a problem at times. High-quality sources for "What Am I to Do Blues," "4 O'Clock Blues," and several other of the numbers here are simply not known to exist, but these are the best-known editions of the songs until better 78 discs happen to turn up (if ever). Regardless of the surface noise, it is a delight listening to James' rippling guitar run on "4 O'Clock Blues" or his piano improvising (and improvising the percussion by pounding away with his feet) on "20-20 Blues." And his fiercely intense original rendition of "I'm So Glad" makes the repopularized version by Eric Clapton and Cream from the 1960s seem like easygoing pop. Actually, James' vocals tend to suffer under the weight of the surface defects far more than his playing -- the source discs distort on high-volume passages, which mostly occurs with his singing rather than his playing. Therefore, fans of blues guitar or piano need have no hesitation in picking this disc up. The Complete Early Recordings ought to be heard by anyone who claims an interest in the blues.
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| 01. |  |
Devil Got My Woman |
3:01 |
|
| 02. | |
Cypress Grove Blues |
3:13 |
|
| 03. | |
Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die Blues |
2:55 |
|
| 04. | |
Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues |
2:51 |
|
| 05. | |
Drunken Spree |
2:39 |
|
| 06. | |
Cherry Ball Blues |
2:51 |
|
| 07. | |
Jesus Is A Mighty Good Leader |
3:01 |
|
| 08. | |
Illinois Blues |
3:05 |
|
| 09. | |
How Long "Buck" |
2:54 |
|
| 10. | |
4 O'Clock Blues |
2:52 |
|
| 11. | |
22-20 Blues |
2:51 |
|
| 12. | |
Hard Luck Child |
3:05 |
|
| 13. | |
If You Haven't Any Hay Get On Down The Road |
2:55 |
|
| 14. | |
Be Ready When He Comes |
2:55 |
|
| 15. | |
Yola My Blues Away |
3:12 |
|
| 16. | |
I'm So Glad |
2:50 |
|
| 17. | |
What Am I To Do Blues |
3:03 |
|
| 18. | |
Special Rider Blues |
3:03 |
|
18 Total Tracks, 53:16 Total Length
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Credits
- Skip James - Guitar // Skip James - Piano // Skip James - Vocals // Skip James - Main Performer
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