This blues vocalist recorded 62 selections during 1934-1941 and four additional cuts in 1946. Thirty-eight are on the two CDs released in the Story of the Blues series by Da Music, which is not as complete a series as the one by Document. The first volume has some of the performances from nine of his sessions. Gordon, who was often based in St. Louis while recording in New York and Chicago, often used jazz backing, and his sidemen on the 20 selections on this CD include flugelhornist Joe Bishop (from the Woody Herman Orchestra), pianist Sammy Price, guitarists Teddy Bunn and Lonnie Johnson, trumpeter Frankie Newton, altoist Pete Brown, drummer Zutty Singleton, and pianist Richard M. Jones in addition to lesser-known Chicago musicians. Most of the blues songs are good-time music and the performances are easy to enjoy. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
