CD1
The Boss Of The Blues
1. Cherry Red
2. Roll ‘Em Pete
3. I Want A Little Girl
4. Low Down Dog
5. Wee Baby Blues
6. You’re Driving Me Crazy
7. How Long Blues
8. Morning Glories
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Piney Brown Blues
Alternate Takes: The Boss Of The Blues
11. Cherry Red (take 3)
12. Roll ‘Em Pete (take 5)
13. I Want A Little Girl (take 1)
14. Low Down Dog (take 4)
15. You’re Driving Me Crazy (take 1)
16. Morning Glories (take 4)
17. St. Louis Blues (take 1)
18. Cherry Red (take 1)
19. Roll ‘Em Pete (take 4)
20. Morning Glories (take 1)
Joe Turner – Vocals
Joe Newman, Jimmy Nottingham – Trumpet
Lawrence Brown – Trombone
Pete Brown – Alto sax
Frank Wess, Seldon Powell – Tenor sax
Pete Johnson – Piano
Freddie Greene – Guitar
Walter Page – Bass
Cliff Leeman - Drums
CD2
Joe Turner & Pete Johnson and other 1945-47 singles
1. S.K. Blues Parts 1 & 2
2. Johnson And Turner Blues
3. Watch That Jive
Frankie Newton – Trumpet
Don Byas – Tenor sax
Pete Johnson – Piano
Leonard Ware – Guitar
Al Hall – Bass
Doc West – Drums
4. Howling Winds
5. Doggin’ The Blues
Unknown group probably including:
Bill Martin – Trumpet
John Dungee - Alto sax
Josh Jackson – Tenor sax
Pete Johnson – Piano
Dallas Bartley – Bass
6. I’m Still In The Dark
7. Miss Brown Blues
8. Milk And Butter Blues
9. That’s When It Really Hurts
10. I’m Sharp When I Hit The Coast
11. Wee Baby Blues
George Cohn – Trumpet
Tab Smith – Alto sax
Leon Washington – Tenor sax
Albert Ammons – Piano (tracks 6, 7)
Ike Perkins – Guitar
Mickey Sims – Bass
Red Saunders – Drums
Porter Derico – Piano (tracks 8-11)
12. Nobody In Mind
13. Lucille, Lucille
14. Rocks In My Bed
15. Careless Love
Charles Gray – Trumpet
Riley Hampton – Alto sax
Otis Finch – Tenor sax
Ellsworth Liggett – Piano, harpsichord
Ike Perkins – Guitar
Robert Moore – Bass
James Adams - Drums
16. Last Goodbye Blues
17. Whistle Stop Blues
18. Hollywood Bed
19. Howlin’ Winds
Similar personnel to tracks 12-15, but with different pianist
Newport 1958
20. Pete’s Boogie
21. Introductions by Willis Conover
22. Feeling Happy
23. Corrina Corrina
24. Honey Hush
Pete Johnson – Piano
Buck Clayton – Trumpet
Jack Teagarden – Trombone
Rudy Rutherford – Clarinet, baritone sax
Georgie Auld, Buddy Tate – Tenor sax
Kenny Burrell – Guitar
Tom Bryant – Bass
Jo Jones – Drums
The last album
that I reviewed by Big Joe Turner was from late in his life, when I sensed a certain tiredness. But the tracks on this double album are from Joe’s golden period in the 1940s and 50s. They
benefit from accompaniments by a variety of top-class musicians.
The Boss of the Blues
from 1956 includes my favourite Turner recording: Morning Glories, which somehow caught my imagination when Joe pronounced “morning” as mewnin’.
Each track tends to intersperse Joe’s vocals with an instrumental solo by one of the musicians in the backing group, which contains some of the best
instrumentalists from the orchestras of Duke Ellington and Count Basie. For instance, Cherry Red has a superb solo from trombonist Lawrence Brown,
while Roll ‘Em Pete has classy boogie-woogie piano from Pete Johnson. The alternate takes have different solos from the accompanists, adding to
the enjoyment.
The second CD unites Turner with his long-time colleague Pete Johnson, although Pete is not on all the tracks here, which include some unidentified artists
alongside well-known musicians like guitarist Kenny Burrell and trumpeter Frankie Newton. Newton is delightfully rhapsodic on the first three tracks. The
CD closes with five tracks recorded at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, where Turner is well appreciated. Pete’s Boogie is a feature for Pete
Johnson but the other tracks are enhanced by a starry line-up of such musicians as Jack Teagarden and Buck Clayton. Honey Hush (complete with
honking tenor sax) exemplifies how close Big Joe was to rock ‘n’ roll, even if you call it rhythm ‘n’ blues.
This compilation is well worth buying at its bargain price, especially as it includes The Boss of the Blues, which has long been regarded as a
classic series of recordings, especially with the alternate takes.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
Avid AMSC 1142
