When The Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues Rare Cuts 1926-1941
- Regular
- £16.99
- Sale
- Regular
- £16.99
- Unit Price
- per
Description
100 extremely rare early blues recordings. When Mississippi blues is mentioned, it's most often associated with the Delta, with its supposed prevalence of slide or bottleneck guitar playing. In reality, this was but one of many styles to be found within the state's boundaries. At least as prevalent was the rhythm-based approach favoured by musicians from the hill country to the east of the state. These men infiltrated the Delta. Most of these musicians were itinerants, their lives undocumented, whose arrival in front of a microphone was often a matter of chance.
Other musicians made their way to Jackson, MS, to seek H.C. Speirs' music shop. Speir recorded them on his basic equipment, sent dubs to northern record companies and for the chosen, arranged their travel to sessions.
The majority of the music on these discs was first made as much as 80 years ago. Some tolerance should be exercised when listening to what are sometimes the only copies of records close to mythical status. A case in point is Son House's "Mississippi County Farm Blues", recorded in May 1930. This and "Clarksdale Moan" were known to have been released but only in the last couple of years has a copy, luckily in reasonable condition, been found.
This music, vital and entertaining, is also a record of the world these musicians inhabited, its sites, its events, its people - a compendium of knowledge important in its day. These titles are among the building blocks of blues history. Extensive notes tell as much as is known about the background to the recordings.
Tracklisting
Otis Grand
Various
Judy Garland
James Harman
The Butler Twins
Various Artists
Various
Louisiana Red & Carey Bell
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists