Two Words, One Answer.
Bessie Smith
 Bessie Smith: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2 $24.98 The whole Complete Recording series (Vol. 1 - 5) is a must get for any old-time jazz/blues collector, afficionado, lover. I knew I always liked Bessie, but in reality I'd only heard a few numbers that were often played (St. Louis Blues). Upon hearing her other stuff, she has become one of my all-time favorite musicians ever. These sets come with booklets that put perspect on each track. Be aware that the booklets overlap with the same info from one vol to another at the beginning of each one. But each one does offer new/different info towards the end.  The Essential Bessie Smith $16.99 These songs were instrumental in the rise of rock and roll. This lady really sang the blues the way they were meant to be sung. I was a young woman in the fifties and recall many good songs and many talented entertainers. I prefer the older songs, but there have been some good music from each decade that I have lived through. It seems that they all stem from the early blues songs such as the ones on this album.  Greatest Hits $13.49 Elsewhere in this space I have mentioned that in the early days of the blues, at least the recorded blues, women vocalists dominated the market. One thinks of Mabel Smith and Ma Rainey in that regard. But the queen of the hill, and the one still best remembered, for roaring out those barrel house blues is Bessie Smith. This little two-disc compilation gives a very nice beginner cross section of the kind of subjects that she sang about-mainly broken-hearted love, no good men and the trials and tribulations of being a black women on her own. Bessie music also represents the place, as with Blind Willie McTell on the male side, where the blues go from the Saturday night juke joints of the farm, make that cotton, country to the more sophisticated Southern city locales. Furthermore, she along with Memphis Minnie were the queens of the now lost art of sexual double entendre- you know, 'put a little sugar in my bowl', 'take me for a buggy ride' and other classic lines of that type. Be aware in listening to this compilation that the quality of the early recordings can be a liitle grating on the ear but bear with it because this thing just grows on you. It is rather an acquired taste but one you have the Bessie in your head you will not want to turn the damn thing off. Top selections here are a moanful , weary Empty Bed Blues, St Louis Gal, Preachin Man Blues that later singers have covered. All these recordings all the essentials to bring you up to speed on Bessie. No way, but go back the first sentence- you will be saving your pennies to get the next album to get others. |
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