Blues Queen

by Bessie Smith

Overview

Bessie Smith's passionate vocals overrode the primitive recording technology of her era and made her the zenith of female blues singers from the 1920s and '30s. This collection takes a quick survey of her career over two-dozen tracks recorded between 1923 and 1933 in New York in sessions with such jazz icons as Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, and Fletcher Henderson, including her seminal 1925 version of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues." An exercise in simplicity, Smith's version of the song features only her voice, Armstrong's answering cornet, and Fred Longshaw on a wheezing reed organ. The end result is one of the greatest performances in pop history. Also featured here is Smith's breakthrough side "Downhearted Blues," plus wonderful takes on "Careless Love Blues" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," all of which show what this one of a kind and larger than life singer could do with a song. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	11/15/2011
Label:	Phoenix Jazz
UPC:	8436539310617

Tracks

1. Downhearted Blues
2. Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do
3. My Sweetie Went Away
4. Weeping Willow Blues
5. St. Louis Blues
6. Reckless Blues
7. Sobbin' Hearted Blues
8. Cold in Hand Blues
9. You'd Been a Good Ole Wagon
10. Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home)
11. The Yellow Dog Blues
12. Nashville Woman's Blues
13. Careless Love Blues
14. J.C. Holmes Blues
15. I Ain't Goin' to Play No Second Fiddle
16. Young Woman's Blues
17. Muddy Water (a Mississippi Moan)
18. Mean Old Bedbug Blues
19. Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 1
20. Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 2
21. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
22. Black Mountain Blues
23. Do Your Duty
24. Gimme a Pigfoot

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bessie Smith   Primary Artist,Vocals
Garvin Bushell   Sax (Alto)
Fletcher Henderson   Piano
Fred Longshaw   Piano
Benny Goodman   Clarinet
Frankie Newton   Trumpet
Charlie Dixon   Banjo
Charlie Green   Trombone
Louis Armstrong   Cornet
Jimmy Harrison   Trombone
Buster Bailey   Clarinet
Buck Washington   Piano
Bobby Johnson   Guitar
Greely Walton   Sax (Tenor)
Coleman Hawkins   Sax (Tenor)
Clarence Williams   Piano
Cyrus St. Clair   Tuba
Ed Allen   Cornet
Porter Grainger   Piano
Jimmy Jones   Piano
Billy Taylor, Sr.   Bass
George Baquet   Clarinet
Lincoln M. Conaway   Guitar
Joe Smith   Cornet
Bob Escudero   Tuba
Chu Berry   Sax (Tenor)
Steve Stevens   Piano
Jack Teagarden   Trombone

Technical Credits

Jordi Diaz   Collaboration
Fred Longshaw   Composer
Lou Handman   Composer
W.C. Handy   Composer
Leo Wood   Composer
Lovie Austin   Composer
Perry Bradford   Composer
Roy Turk   Composer
Ida Cox   Composer
Clarence Williams   Composer
Wesley Wilson   Composer
Alberta Hunter   Composer
Hazel Cole   Composer
Henry Troy   Composer
J.C. Johnson   Composer
Gus Horsley   Composer
Chris Smith   Composer
Stuart Balcom   Composer
Paul Carter   Composer,Composer
Bessie Smith   Composer
Charles Boldt   Liner Notes
Philip Hays   Cover Illustration
Jack Gee   Composer