Fred McDowell Vol. 2 [vinyl rip]

"... Two albums, Fred McDowell, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, were released on Arhoolie in the mid-'60s, and the shock waves were felt throughout the folk-blues community. Here was a bluesman with a repertoire of uncommon depth, putting it over with great emotional force, and to top it all off, he had seemingly slipped through the cracks of late-'20s/early-'30s field recordings. No scratchy, highly prized 78s on Paramount or Vocalion to use as a yardstick to measure his current worth, no romantic stories about him disappearing into the Delta for decades at a time to become a professional gambler or a preacher. No, Mississippi Fred McDowell had been in his adopted home state, farming and playing all along, and the world coming to his doorstep seemed to ruffle him no more than the little boy down the street delivering the local newspaper..."

Texas Blues Volume 2 [vinyl to flac]

Another recent vinyl rip for Cliff in FLAC. Some very fine and very rare stuff here, but it would be fair to say that  this is for collectors rather than general audience. Most of this material was originally published in 1968.

Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog & Ball N' Chain

It is time continue with more of the great women of this music. Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984)

Thornton was born in Ariton, Alabama, near Montgomery. Her father was a Baptist minister and her mother a gospel singer. She and her six siblings began to sing at very early ages in the church. Following her mother's death in 1941, Thornton left the family home at age 14. She spent the next seven years touring the south with Sammy Green's Georgia-based Hot Harlem Revue, gaining experience as a singer, harmonica player and sometime drummer. In 1948, she settled in Houston, Texas, where she further honed her skills in the local clubs.

Thornton began her recording career in 1951, signing a contract with Don Robey's Peacock Records. While working with fellow Peacock artist, Johnny Otis, she recorded "Hound Dog,"  a song written by young songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. (they were teenagers with whom Otis had a sort of mentoring relationship.) The record was produced by Otis, and went to number one on the R&B charts. She never repeated that success but continued to record for Peacock until 1957 performing in the Chitlin Circuit R&B package tours with Little Richard, Junior Parker, Bobby Bland and Esther Phillips.

In 1954, Thornton was one of the eyewitnesses to the accidental suicide death of singer, pianist Johnny Ace. Thornton's account was that Ace was sitting with girlfriend Olivia on his lap, waving his pistol around, pointing it at Willie Mae. "Don't snap that on me," she told him. Johnny grinned and put the gun to Olivia's head. "Stop that, Johnny, you'll git someone killed," Willie Mae shouted at him. "Nothin' to worry about," Johnny replied, coolly, "ain't but one bullet here and I know exactly where it is." He turned the gun on himself, put it to his temple and pulled the trigger.

Other stories from the Peacock/Duke era reveal that Thornton was a huge, intimidating woman with a foul temper. She was known to beat men to a pulp in bar-room brawls and usually collected her gig pay and royalties through sheer physical intimidation (and the rumored pistol in her purse), but she was known to resort to direct violence to extort her payments when necessary.

Big Mama is most often described as a hard drinking 'bull dyke' who loved to party but was prone to violent temper explosions. She allegedly once chased Little Richard for most of an evening with murder on her mind when he took his teasing over her sexual preferences too far. Thornton once even faced down the notoriously tough Don Robey when he pulled his famous pistol on her, telling him that if he failed to kill her on the first shot, they would be surgically removing the pistol from his ass. Robey put the pistol away and pulled out the checkbook.

In a later event she reportedly beat one white record executive relentlessly about the head with her purse whilst onlookers begged her to stop until someone from accounting finally arrived with a check to diffuse the incident. I imagine she didn't have to ask for her check twice after that.

Thornton's career followed the arc of many of the R & B stars, declining through the late 50's and early 60's with the advent of soul and rock and roll, but she was amongst those who were 'rediscovered' in the mid to late 60's in the packaged American Folk tours in Europe. A new recording contract with Arhoolie followed which resulted in Ball N' Chain and the other recordings in the second part of the post.

Throughout the 70's Big Mama continued to perform at festivals with the likes of Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins and B.B. King but her health steadily declined from hard living. Her last appearence was at the 1980 Newport festival. She died in 1984 in Los Angeles at only 57 years old.

Robert "Fud" Shaw - Texas Barrelhouse Piano

 I bought this guy up in the comments to Grey Ghost and thought it only fair to show you whom I was speaking of.

wiki: Shaw was born in Stafford, Texas, the son of farm owners Jesse and Hettie Shaw. The Shaws had a Steinway grand piano and his sisters had lessons in playing, but Shaw's father was against his son learning the instrument.[2]

Shaw worked with his father on the family's ranch, and played the piano whenever his family was out; the first song he learned being "Aggravatin' Papa Don't You Try to Two-Time Me." In his adolescence, Shaw travelled to Houston to listen to jazz musicians, and at nearby roadhouses. He then found a piano teacher and with his earnings paid for lessons.[2]

He learned his barrelhouse style of playing from musicians in the Fourth Ward, Houston. In the 1920s Shaw was part of the "Santa Fe Circuit", named after touring musicians utilising the Santa Fe freight trains. Although he played in Chicago, Shaw mainly restricted himself to Texas, and performed as a soloist in the clubs and roadhouses of Sugarland, Richmond, Kingsville, Houston and Dallas. In 1930, at the height of the Kilgore oil boom, Shaw played there, and two years on traveled to Kansas City, Kansas, to perform.[2] In 1933 he hosted a radio show in Oklahoma City. He relocated to Texas,[3] first to Fort Worth and then to Austin. Here he settled down and took up residence, owning a grocery store known as the 'Stop and Swat'.[2]

Shaw married Martha Landrum in December 1939, but they had no children. However, Shaw had previously been married, and had a daughter, Verna Mae, and a son, William. For many years Shaw ran his grocery business in Austin in partnership with Martha, and in 1962 was named the black businessman of the year in Austin.[2]

In 1963, Shaw recorded an album, originally called Texas Barrelhouse Piano, produced by Robert "Mack" McCormick. It was originally released by McCormick's Almanac Book and Recording Company, and Chris Strachwitz's Arhoolie Records later reissued the LP, re-titled as The Ma Grinder.[3] (I believe that this in error and that the album Ma Grinder was a later session - see album cover)  The album contained old favourites such as "The Ma Grinder", "The Cows" and "Whores Is Funky", some of them too risque to have been issued previously.[4]

In 1967, seven years before his retirement from the grocery trade, Shaw recommenced concert playing. With the revival of his career, he played at the Kerrville Folk Festival, overseas in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and at the Berlin Jazz Festival; as well as the Smithsonian Institution's American Folk Life Festival, the World's Fair Expo in Canada, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[2] He played with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at the 1973 Austin Aqua Festival,[2] and continued to perform Stateside and in Europe intermittently during the 1970s, turning up unexpectedly in California in 1981 to help Strachwitz celebrate Arhoolie's 20th anniversary.

Shaw died of a heart attack in Austin, on May 16, 1985, and was interred at the Capital Memorial Gardens. Two weeks after his death, the Texas State Senate passed a resolution in honor of Shaw's contribution to the state's musical heritage.

References
   1)  Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
  2)  "Biography by Teresa Palomo Acosta"
       . Tshaonline.org. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
3) Dahl, Bill. "Robert Shaw", Allmusic. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
4)  Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 166. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
5) "Allmusic ((( Robert Shaw > Discography > Main Albums )))"

His story of hopping freights to gigs is the same as the Grey Ghosts' - of the two I think Shaw is the more interesting player but he also seems to have had a freer hand in the material selected here, I would guess the Ghost had some similarly 'blue' material in his repertoire that was not recorded.

Note: this is the same material as the yellow Almanac version, only the order was changed - the recording was made in 1963. The album mentioned above Ma Grinder was from a 1968 session and had a different cover, also from Arhoolie.

Clifton Chenier - King Of The Bayous

Another cooker in Chitlins' look at some classic Chenier sides.  Enjoy!!

After gaining initial notoriety in the '50s and '60s on Specialty Records and a variety of small Texas and Louisiana labels, Zydeco King Clifton Chenier brought the blues-fueled Cajun music he practically invented to Chris Strachwitz's roots label Arhoolie, subsequently recording a series of fine albums including 1970's King of the Bayous. Featuring brother and longtime partner Cleveland Chenier on rubboard, Robert St. Judy on drums, Joe Morris on bass and Antoine Victor on guitar, King of the Bayous includes Chenier's standard blend of zydeco two-step, waltzes and blues, and provides an excellent taste of what the band no doubt played on countless one-niters along the Louisiana-Texas Gulf Coast. Zydeco-brand blues predominates with Chenier originals "Hard to Love Someone," "Who Can Your Good Man Be" and "I Am Coming Home," in addition to a cover of the honky-tonk weeper "Release Me." Offering a contrast to the blues and something for the dancers, the band lays down a lively two-step beat on "Tu Le Ton Son Ton," "Josephine Par Se Ma Femme" and "Zodico Two Step." Throughout the varied set, Chenier's irrepressible vocals and accordion playing stand out. A nice sample of bayou zydeco by one of its finest and most original practitioners. Stephen Cook/AMG

Clifton Chenier (vocals, accordion); Antoine Victor, Cleveland Keyes (guitar); Elmore Nixon (piano); Robert St. Julien, Robert Peter (drums); Cleveland Chenier (rub-board).
Arhoolie LP 1052
1970
Recorded in Houston TX

Clifton Chenier - Black Snake Blues

Another superb offering from the Chenier brothers.  Although the star feature here is King Clifton, his brother Cleveland really shines on this.

I'm not sure about the timeline, but at some point Cleveland Chenier had the traditional rubber/washboard reworked to his specs and into the creation you see in the cover photo.  Brother Cleveland works some rhythmic magic with his trusty frottoir and at most points, is prevelant in the mix.  Johnny Can't Dance would have to be the highlight for Cleveland's talents.

As great as the rhythms are on BSB's, Clifton manages to steal the spotlight.  I think his talents are best heard on the tune Wrap It Up, where he busts out a solo that's equal parts solid rhythm and improvisation.  Incredible.  Of course his searching, yearning voice can be heard all over this one - with plenty of ha!s and huh!s thrown in for funky measure.

Enjoy this one mes amis!!!  Chitlins style...

Arhoolie 1038
1967

Clifton Chenier - v / acc;  Cleveland Chenier - frottoir;  Robert St. Judy - d;  Felix James Benoit -g;
Joe Morris - b.

Lowell Fulson - My First Recordings

World famous Oklahoma born bluesman Lowell Fulson has been making hit records since his discharge from the Navy after World War II. This set features the early sides Lowell made for the legendary producer, Bob Geddins between 1946 and the early 50s. Many of these early hits showcase Lowell's fine blues vocals and his distinctive guitar accompanied by a small rhythm section as well as selections featuring just Lowell's singing and guitar accompanied only by his brother Martin on second guitar. Today, about 50 years since these performances were recorded, Lowell is still one of the active, leading blues singers of his generation.

1. Western Union Blues
2. Lazy Woman Blues
3. River Blues Pt.1
4. River Blues Pt.2
5. I Walked All Night
6. Between Midnight And Day
7. The Blues Is Killing Me
8. Did You Ever Feel Lucky
9. I'm Wild About You
10. Three O'clock Blues
11. Crying Blues (Street Walking Woman)
12. You're Gonna Miss Me
13. Miss Katy Lee Blues
14. Rambling Blues
15. Fulson Blues
16. San Francisco Blues
17. I Want To See My Baby
18. Trouble Blues
19. Don't Be So Evil
20. Black Widow Spider Blues
21. I'm Prison Bound
22. My Baby Left Me
23. Blues With A Feeling
24. Why Can't You Cry For Me
25. There Is A Time For Everything
26. Lowell Jumps One (Cash Box Boogie)

 tracks 1-10 likely recorded in June 1946 but released in 1948, 11-16 also June 1946. 17-20 late 46 or 47, 21-24 are some time in 1948, 25-26 are likely June 1952 (Bob Geddins did not keep accurate dates)

“They are all beautifully crafted country blues, recorded in San Francisco between 1946 and 1951, with basic guitar far removed from Fulson's later pyrotechnics, and with either Lowell's brother Martin on basic but effective rhythm guitar or a small combo with the great Lloyd Glenn on sparkling piano.... This really is a superb collection of an under-rated giant in his formative years, but with no sense of the beginner... If you know only Fulson's soul sides (available on a fine Ace CD) this gritty down-home material will be a revelation.”

-David Harrison, Folk Roots

Clifton Chenier - Louisiana Blues And Zydeco

Another drop dead classic from the only King you're gonna hear around these parts.  Get yuh boogie on!!

Arhoolie Records 9053
1965

Clifton Chenier (vocals, accordion); Cleveland Keyes, Felix Benoit (guitar); Elmore Nixon (piano); Fulton Antoine, Joe Morris (bass); Bob Murphy, Madison Guidry, Robert St. Judy (drums); Cleveland Chenier (rubboard).

Recording information:
Bill Quinn's Gold Star Studio, Houston, TX (05/11/1965);
Gold Star Recording Studios, Houston, TX (05/11/1965);
Sierra Sound Laboratories, Berkeley, CA (05/11/1965).

This was the first full album by a zydeco artist to be released by Arhoolie. It became something of an advance scout as the Cajun accordion army began to spread its music outside of the Louisiana bayous, with Clifton Chenier winding up with a Grammy for his efforts, as well as performances all over the world. This album puts together a few different instrumental lineups for recording at Houston's Gold Star studios, a facility with an important place in Texas blues history. Nonetheless recording sound is a tad thin, as perhaps the engineers were frightened by some of the manic moves of a few of the instrumentalists. Although this style of music is known mostly for the accordion and rubboard antics as featured on the second side, the tracks on the first side also include some ferocious piano and electric guitar playing. Some tracks just really cook and should put any listener in a good mood. The instrumental "Hot Rod" has a great drum part and accordion improvising that sounds totally relaxed, followed by an under-recorded but nasty-sounding guitar solo. Too bad it fades out so quickly. Altogether, lots of variety, plenty of creative musical ideas, and some deeply soulful singing delivered by this great zydeco artist just as his career was starting to lift off.  - Eugene Chadbourne/AMG