Chicago Blues from C.J. Records

Another July Rerun Request:

Some of you will remember the impossibly rare single LP from Blue Flame magazine that I posted earlier. That one was purchased by Cliff back when it was current but now he has found a 2 disc set of C.J. Records material!

C.J. Records was a small, local Chicago label throughout the 60's. They pressed using C.J., Colt, and Firma as imprints and specialized in recording then unknown Chicago musicians who primarily came from the back up bands of the stars of Chess, Vee Jay and Delmark. These recordings were originally only sold as local 45's in Chicago shops and jukeboxes.

C.J. was Carl Jones, Jones was a singer who had recorded for Mercury with the great Lonnie Johnson in 1945. He appears on disc two as Morris Jones. Most of these artists performed at Cadillac Baby's Lounge. Cadillac Baby was Narvel Eatmon who also recorded some of the same people on his Bea and Baby, Keyhole, and Miss imprints.

While Betty Everette, Hound Dog Taylor and Homesick James went on to some wider recognition, these are likely some of their earliest recordings. There is a nice mix of blues, doo wop and r&b on these two discs; amongst the unknown highlights, I'll single out Big Moose Walker, Eddie Shaw, Lee Jackson, and William Carter.