Incorporating BLUES WORLD MISSISSIPPI FRED Mcdowell 1904-1972
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Blues~Link4 incorporating BLUES WORLD MISSISSIPPI FRED McDOWELL 1904-1972 X T R A 1136 (R.R.P. inc. VAT— £1.50) Recorded in 1969 at Malaca Studios, Jackson, Mississippi. Produced by Michael Cuscuna WALTER ‘SHAKEY’ HORTON w ith HOT COTTAGE WAIIER ‘IHAHEV HOfiVOM X T R A 1135 (R.R.P. inc. VAT — £1.50) Recorded in 1972 at Parklane Studios, Edmonton, Canada. Produced by Holger Petersen for further information about these and other blues albums in the Transatlantic Group Catalogue, write to Dept. BU/3 Transatlantic Records, 86 Marylebone High Road, W1M 4AY Blues-Link Incorporating Blues World 94 Puller Road, Barnet, Herts., EN5 4HD, U.K. EDITOR - Mike Black ASSISTANT EDITOR - Alan Balfour LAYOUT & DESIGN - Mike Black SUBSCRIPTIONS: 25p a single copy postpaid. 1 year’s subscription (6 issues) £1.50 ($4.00 surface, $8.00 air mail). Overseas subscribers please pay by IMO or International Giro. Personal cheques w ill be accepted only if 25p is added to cover bank charges. Blues-Link Giro Account Number — 32 733 4002 All articles and photos in Blues-Link are copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the Editor although this permission will normally be freely given. © Blink Publications 1974 DUTCH AGENT: Martin van Olderen, Pretoriusstraat 96, Amsterdam-oost, Holland. GERMAN AGENT: Teddy Doering, D-7 Stuttgart 80, Wegaweg 6, Germany. SWEDISH AGENT: Scandinavian Blues Association (Mail Order Dept.), C/o Tommy Lofgren Skordevagen 5,S — 186 00 Vallentuna, Sweden. Cover photo: Alex Moore by Chris Strachwitz. Typeset by Transeuroset Ltd. and printed by Plaistow Press Magazines Ltd. Contents page The Blues Shouters Part 1 — jimm y Witherspoon — Martin Cowlyn 5 Mercy Dee — Bob Groom 9 Bluesing The Screen — Chris Smith 13 Talkabout With Bob Groom 15 Letters 16 Obscure L.P.’s — Steve Rye 18 Blues Forum — Bob Eagle 19 Concert Round-up — Chris Smith 20 Sounds O f The Seventies — Bob Fisher 23 Sounds Write 1 — M. John Stretton 28 Sidetrackin’ — Chris Smith 29 Ragtime - Roger Millington 30 Reviews 33 Contact Section 49 A MESSAGE FROM BOB GROOM................ Since its inception in March, 1965 Blues World has been one of the most respected blues publications and I very much regret having to announce its demise due to production difficulties which have forced Amon-Ra Fine Art Ltd. to cease publishing BW after 2 years. As editor of BW for all nine years of its existence, I feel a great sense of loss at the disappearance of a magazine which has for so long been a part of my life. However, I am happy to be able to report to the many BW readers who will be receiving this issue of Blues-Link that most of the main features of BW and the indefinable but recognisable spirit of the magazine will continue in Blues-Link through the writings of myself and other former BW contributors. I feel sure that in the months to come, BW readers will welcome the arrival of each issue of Blues-Link as much as they used to look forward to BW in the past. My thanks to the Blues-Link editorial team for making this merger of interests possible and ensuring the continuation of the Blues World ethos. 3 editorial My first job is to welcome all our new readers who will be receiving Blues-Link for the first time due to the merger o f Blues World with Blues-Link. A ll the BW subscriptions have been transferred to us and you will receive copies of Blues-Link to the value of your credit with Blues World. Those of you who are subscribers to both magazines will have your subscription to Blues-Link extended by the appropriate number o f issues. If you have a query relating to your subscription please send it to us, not Amon-Ra or Bob Groom, as all subscription matters are dealt with at ‘94’. As Bob Groom has pointed out most o f the main features o f Blues World have been continued and with your support the combined magazine should be able to reach new heights in blues journalism. Readers w ill be aware that fo r the last couple o f months industry has been on a three day week and as a result we are extremely late out, however, now that normal working has been restored we will be returning to a regular publishing schedule. A recent criticism of our review section was that some of the Ip's were 'a little elderly’. I feel that this is a good opportunity to express our policy on record and book reviews. All records and books sent to us by the various companies will be reviewed, irrespective of age, as long as they are still in catalogue thus giving newer collectors a chance to see what is available. It is a sad comment on the state of the blues record industry that many o f these 'elderly1 records are considerably superior to today's releases that makes this policy necessary. Things planned for the future include the ultimate post-war Gospel discography and m onthly Blues-Link. Don’t forget to keep those addresses coming in fo r our address listing as this is very near to completion! Two Important New Albums from a d v e n tr^ ADVENT 2803 Johnny GIVE MY HEART A BREAK / TOO LAZY / Shines MOANING & GROANING / JUST A LITTLE Great recent recordings by one of TENDERNESS / I KNOW THE WINDS ARE BLOWING / the master bluesmen - from JUST CALL ME / MY LOVE CAN'T HIDE / SKULL acoustic Delta blues to blues AND CROSSBONE BLUES / VALLIE LEE / CAN'T ballads. Some sides with the GET ALONG WITH YOU / HAVE TO PAY THE COST P h illip Walker band. TQM COURTNEY/HENRY FORD THOMPSON ADVENT 2804 (Somebody's Been Knockin') BOB JEFFEREY/ SAM CHATMON (Wotergote Blues) THOMAS SHAW SflN DIEGO (Jock of Diomonds) SAM CHATMON (She's My Boby) TOM COURTNEY/LOUIS MAJOR (Eorly One Morning) BLUES JflM BO NNIE JE F F E R S O N (Toi<e Me Bock) LO UIS MAJOR (Hondy Brondy) THOMAS SHAW (Hey Mr. Nixon!) A survey of some of the BONNIE JEFFERSON (Got The Blues So Bod) outstanding down home blues BOB JEFFEREY ('73 Hop) LOUIS MAJOR (Shotgun artists who make their home Blues) SAM CHATMON/BOB JEFFEREY (Ash Troy in San Diego, California. Toxi) TOM COURTNEY/HENRY FORD THOMPSON (Just Goes To Show You — The World Is Mod) ALL ADVENT ALBUMS ARE $5.98 AND ARE AVAILABLE FROM YOUR SPECIALIST DEALER OR DIRECTLY FROM ADVENT ' P.O. BOX 635 • MANHATTAN BEACH • CALIFORNIA 90266 USA PRODUCTIONS advent"* 4 the blues shouters part 1—jimmy witherspoon by martin cowlyn Jimmy Witherspoon is one o f the big names in lished as a top star. For the last tw enty years, hard-driving 'blues shouting’ — that style of blues- Jimmy Witherspoon has toured widely, increasing singing which developed in the 1930’s (and on his reputation all the tim e. He has made several which R and B developed) particularly in and successful visits to Britain, and even recorded with around Kansas C ity, when singers were supported a British rock star (see below). by large swinging jazz orchestras, and had to The recordings available from 'Spoon’s stay with compete with blaring brass and crashing rhythm Jay McShann show that he fitted perfectly into the sections. It is hardly surprising that this rough-and- nature o f the band, and that he already had the tumble style should have developed in such an power and vocal intonation that characterise his area, since, at the tim e, Kansas City was a work. Record (1), consisting of recordings made boisterous town crammed with night clubs and for Supreme, Downbeat and Swingtime, has gambling saloons. People tended to be a bit ‘larger recently been re-released in Britain (Black Lion than life ’ and supported roaring big bands rather 2460 206) and is well worth having. Notice how than the more sophisticated swingers like Benny ’Spoon sings the musical sounds as much as the Goodman, the Dorseys, or Artie Shaw. lyrics, and how the McShann Band forms the ideal ’Spoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas, on musical backing — driving, but never intruding. (2) August 18th, 1923; and learnt his singing with the is similar; whilst (4), recorded by King, shows us local church choir. He was soon listening to the that Witherspoon was to the West Coast what Fats visiting Territory bands, greatly enjoying the Domino was to New Orleans and the South. (5) singers o f the tim e. A t the age o f eighteen, in 1941, was a less fortunate session, best avoided unless Jimmy joined the Merchant Marine, serving in the you have a strong jazz interest. Here 'Spoon Pacific fo r tw o years. This was to have an teamed up with the New Orleans band of Wilbur de important significance on his career, for he visited Paris — and though both gave excellent per Calcutta several times, and it was there — believe it formances, the New Orleans style didn’t quite or not — that he started his ‘blues shouting’. blend with the K.C. vigour. The 1958 Los Angeles Actually, during wartime, American jazz and blues- set (6) doesn’t have 'Spoon at fu ll power, and the men, wearing service uniforms, could be found at accompanying groups don’t always get the feel of all corners o f the globe; and one such man, the blues — nonetheless, this record is worth pianist/bandleader Teddy Weatherford, spent much hearing. of his war service in Calcutta, where he became the ’Spoon appeared at the 1959 Monterey Jazz resident bandleader at the Grand Hotel, Winter Festival with an Allstar band — lead by pianist Earl Gardens.