Similar Albums:
King Biscuit Blues: The Helena Blues Legacy,
Reefer Songs: Original Jazz & Blues Vocals,
When the Sun Goes Down, Vol. 4: That's All Right,
Back to Black: 1900-1999,
Mercury Blues 'n' Rhythm Story 1945-55: West Coast Blues,
Mean Old World: The Blues from 1940 to 1994,
Worried Life Blues,
Blues Masters, Vol. 5: Jump Blues Classics
- Artist:
Various Artists - Release Date: June 24, 1997
- Total Time: 150:35
- Type: Collection (various artists), Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Blues
Review
Of the multitude of R&B labels to have come from the Windy City, Mercury Records can proudly claim to be among the most diverse. Their roster expanded beyond talent in and around Chicago and over time they enlarged the scope of their releases into the genres of country, pop, and rock & roll. The two-CD Midwest Blues (1996) contains prominent material drawn from the archives of the imprint's first decade (1945-1955), focusing chiefly on local and regional artists. At first, Mercury's primary emphasis was urbane jump, jive, and orchestral counterparts to the comparatively raw Delta style that had seeped up from the southeastern United States. The contents are presented in a chronological fashion, commencing appropriately enough with the boogie-woogie shouter "It's Just the Blues" by the Four Jumps of Jive, whose membership boasted bassist Willie Dixon. This is followed by seminal sides by vocalistSippie Wallace, featuring support from pianist Albert Ammons & His Rhythm Kings on Wallace's co-composition "Bedroom Blues." Performances by the trio led by guitarist/vocalist T-Bone Walker are underscored by an early reading of "My Baby Left Me," with pianist/vocalist Marl Young & His Orchestra providing the accompaniment. The pair of disparate Dinah Washington selections includes an upscale big-band arrangement of "Joy Juice" circa 1946 and the markedly different bawdy double entendre of the rural and relaxed "Long John Blues" (aka "Dentist Blues"). Among the additional essentials on Midwest Blues are primal platters by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson ("Railroad Porter Blues" and "Gonna Send You Where I Got You From"), Sunnyland Slim ("Mud Kickin' Woman," "Gin Drinkin' Baby"), Memphis Slim ("No Mail Blues," "Drivin' Me Mad" -- with vocals by Terry Timmons -- and "Train Time"), and lesser-known acts such as Myra Taylor, Ray Snead, and Sax Mallard, whose aggregate was graced by pianist Roosevelt Sykes during this era. Last but certainly not least are three distinct caches of Big Bill Broonzy -- one on electric guitar as a leader of the Fat Four, as well as another highly charged offering with Broonzy instrumentally augmented by bassist Ransom Knowling and a final batch backed by the Big Little Orchestra, the latter turning in a definitive take of "Southbound Train." The Robert Jr. Lockwood titles, which have been previously difficult to locate on compact disc, are a major coup for inclined parties. His covers of "Dust My Broom" -- purportedly learned from Robert Johnson -- and Big Boy Crudup's "I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole" are alone worth the price of admission. The superior audio quality is further incentive for collectors and the curious alike to find not only Midwest Blues, but the other three anthologies extracted from the Mercury Blues 'n' Rhythm Story (1945-1955) eight-volume box set. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| It's Just the Blues | Four Jumps of Jive | (3:27) | |
| Bedroom Blues | Sippie Wallace, George "Fathead" Thomas | Albert Ammons, Sippie Wallace | (3:13) |
| Buzz Me | Albert Ammons, Sippie Wallace | (3:01) | |
| My Baby Left Me | T-Bone Walker | (2:55) | |
| Come Back to Me Baby Blues | T-Bone Walker | (3:06) | |
| She Is Going to Ruin Me | T-Bone Walker, |
T-Bone Walker | (2:54) |
| Joy Juice | Dinah Washington, |
Dinah Washington | (2:48) |
| If It's Good | Julia Lee, Titus Turner | Julia Lee | (2:53) |
| Show Me Missouri Blues | George "Fathead" Thomas, Julia Lee | Julia Lee | (2:59) |
| Dream Lucky Blues | Julia Lee | Julia Lee | (3:03) |
| Doin' the Boogie Woogie | Albert Ammons | (2:49) | |
| Suitcase Blues | Albert Ammons, Hersal Thomas | Albert Ammons | (2:50) |
| Tell Your Best Friend Nothing | (2:17) | ||
| Railroad Porter's Blues | (2:46) | ||
| Gonna Send You Where I Got You From | Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, |
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson | (2:24) |
| Hold That Money | Earl Coleman | Earl Coleman, |
(2:24) |
| I'm in the Sins This Morning | (2:36) | ||
| Booted | Rosco Gordon | (2:43) | |
| Long John Blues (Lyrics) | Dinah Washington | Dinah Washington | (3:11) |
| (I'm A) Wonderin' Man [#] | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (3:06) |
| I Love My Whiskey | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (3:03) |
| You've Been Mistreating Me | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:54) |
| I Stay Blue All the Time | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:26) |
| Water Coast Blues | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:49) |
| Shame on You Baby | St. Louis Jimmy Oden | (3:06) | |
| I'm Not Satisfied | St. Louis Jimmy Oden | (3:21) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Mud Kickin' Woman | (2:58) | ||
| Everytime I Get to Drinkin' | (2:50) | ||
| Train Is Comin' | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:45) |
| The Question | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:53) |
| I'm a Good Rockin' Daddy | (2:34) | ||
| Drivin' Me Mad | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:44) |
| Never Let Me Love | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:50) |
| Train Time | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:49) |
| Blue Evening | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:27) |
| Get Back (Black, Brown and White) | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (3:00) |
| Willie Mae Blues | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:48) |
| I Know She Will | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (3:12) |
| Leavin' Day | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:58) |
| Southbound Train | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:58) |
| Tomorrow | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:49) |
| You Changed | Big Bill Broonzy | Big Bill Broonzy | (2:35) |
| I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole | Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup | Robert Lockwood, Jr. | (2:39) |
| Dust My Broom | Elmore James | Robert Lockwood, Jr. | (2:39) |
| Glory for Man [#] | Robert Lockwood, Jr. | (2:26) | |
| My Daily Wish [#] | Robert Lockwood, Jr. | (2:39) | |
| No Mail Blues | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:44) |
| You're Gonna Need My Help Someday | Peter Chatman | Memphis Slim | (2:49) |
| Ain't Nothing but a Child | (2:44) | ||
| Brown Skinned Woman | (2:55) | ||
| Hit the Road Again | (3:11) | ||
| Gin Drinkin' Baby | (2:58) | ||
| Leap Year Blues [#] | Oett Mallard | (2:37) |
