Katharine Handy Lewis - W. C. Handy Blues

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 30:36
Size: 71.8 MB
Released: 1970
Styles: Blues-folk
Art: Front

1. Yellow Dog Blues (3:03)
2. Memphis Blues (2:14)
3. Loveless Love (2:46)
4. Chantez Les Bas (2:43)
5. Joe Turner (3:25)
6. St. Louis Blues (3:06)
7. Improvisations: Three Original Piano Solos: Blue Moods 1 (4:08)
8. Improvisations: Three Original Piano Solos: Blue Moods 2 (4:26)
9. Improvisations: Three Original Piano Solos: Blue Moods, Sex (4:43)

Katherine Handy Lewis intended this album as a surprise for her father W.C. Handy, often remembered as the "Father of the Blues." Having grown up with his style of music, she reproduces it better than anyone. The album features the classics "Memphis Blues" and "Chantez-les-Bas," and Ms. Lewis is accompanied by James P. Johnson.

W. C. Handy Blues

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Josh White - Empty Bed Blues

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 36:45
Size: 84.1 MB
Released: 1962/2003
Styles: Folk-Blues, Blues Revival
Art: front

1. Empty Bed Blues (3:18)
2. Mother On That Train (3:42)
3. Bottle Up And Go (2:25)
4. Backwater Blues (4:31)
5. Baby Baby Blues (5:30)
6. Lord Have Mercy (4:00)
7. Home In That Rock (2:37)
8. Paul And Silas (2:28)
9. His Eye On The Sparrow (5:27)
10. That Suits Me (2:45)

Empty Bed Blues was Josh White's farewell recording for Elektra, the record label that helped (re)introduce him to the mainstream during the height of the '60s folk revival. To look at the sexy -- and risqué for 1962 -- cover, one would think that half of the tunes, stately renditions of gospel songs, wouldn't be at home on the album. But considering that the ribald, innuendo-laden first side is belied by White's silky voice and mellifluous guitar, he almost makes the juke-joint rave-ups sound like show tunes. Given his role as elder statesmen of acoustic blues, you'd be forgiven for thinking that White didn't need to be rediscovered as such, but sadly he did. Although considering this album, "reinvented" might be a better word. From the man who popularized "Strange Fruit" -- perhaps the saddest, most poignant protest song ever -- one wouldn't necessarily expect such explicit sex songs. Whether it's a tune like the title track or "Backwater Blues," White reaches back to the lowdown, alpha-male origins of the blues, but comes off a little too much like a cabaret entertainer. His playing retains the delicate precision that found him oft-imitated, and the backing, mostly by just Bill Lee on upright bass, is always tasteful. Still, it's a mellow set, and one partly done with a wink -- considering it was among the last albums that White made before he died. It seems too minstrely of an end for someone who's scope and influence on modern blues can't be overstated. ~ Alex Stimmel

Empty Bed Blues

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Josh White - Free And Equal Blues

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 73:55
Size: 170,7 MB
Released: 1998
Styles: Folk Blues, Piedmont Blues
Art: Full

1. One Meat Ball (3:11)
2. In My Time Of Dying (3:14)
3. Free And Equal Blues (4:29)
4. Number 12 Train (3:39)
5. Jim Crow (2:48)
6. Landlord (2:37)
7. Betty And Dupree (3:46)
8. Trouble (2:40)
9. Beloved Comrade (2:03)
10. Hold On (2:13)
11. Jelly Jelly (2:27)
12. When I Lay Down (2:36)
13. The House I Live In (2:31)
14. Fuhrer (3:10)
15. Minute Man (2:06)
16. Take A Gal Like You (3:10)
17. Whatcha Gonna Do (1:13)
18. Don´t Lie Buddy (2:21)
19. Motherless Children (2:30)
20. No More Blues (No More Blues Lines) (2:45)
21. Meam Mistreatin´ Woman (3:10)
22. Freedom Road (2:20)
23. Miss Otis Regrets (2:58)
24. Careless Love (3:22)
25. T B Blues (3:21)
26. Outskirts Of Town (3:02)

Josh White (1914-1969) was a brilliant musician whose vibrant guitar and rich vocals captivated audiences for decades.
The material on this album is from White's heyday in the mid-1940s, when he was one of folk music's most influential stars. An accomplished guitarist with a beautiful, warm voice, his topical protest and rallying songs anticipated the marriage of folk and social issues of the '50s and '60s. He blended the folk roots of Leadbelly with politics of Paul Robeson and Pete Seeger. In fact, on this album, he's accompanied by Burl Ives, Alan Lomax, Pete Seeger, Brownie McGee, Sonny Terry, and Leadbelly himself. But because the material is from the '40s, White was equally concerned about oppression by landlords, fascists, and segregationists. Free and Equal Blues is a fascinating snapshot that captures White's righteous dignity and stellar artistry. --Richard Price

Free And Equal Blues

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Em Drew - Bohemian Blues

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 70:43
Size: 165.3 MB
Styles: Folk-blues
Released: 2008
Art: Front

1. Twirl Jam (5:45)
2. Adam & Eve Blues (5:32)
3. Two Blind Mice (4:00)
4. 1000 Souls (4:30)
5. Lowdown Blues (5:19)
6. Cancer Heart (3:57)
7. Morning Sunshine (4:25)
8. Hound Dog Blues (3:12)
9. Long Hauling Baby (4:40)
10. Shooter (6:20)
11. Morning Blues (5:54)
12. Sunshine Blues (5:15)
13. Merry-Go-Round Blues (5:47)
14. Vegas Blues (6:01)

EM Drew's latest release, Bohemian Blues, is an eclectic collection of Jazzy Blues with a touch of Folk and Country. This band creates songs with subtle original rhythms reminiscent of albums such as; Savoy Brown, Raw Sienna; Buffalo Springfield, Retrospective; and the Grateful Dead. EM Drew creates their sound with weekly practice jams that reflect participating musicians' mood at the time. Each song's style evolves though the weeks and the months, until we finally pick a session recording. We polish it up a little in George's Kitchen Studio and the sweltering Hot Box Studio. Then we sort through our latest stash of songs, working together to select the 'chosen ones'. Using minimal effects and very little dynamics we try to keep the sound alive, not metalized. Here are 14 songs we have created for you.

Bohemian Blues

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Daddy Squeeze And The Doctor - Too Sweet To Die

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 44:13
Size: 103.4 MB
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Americana, Country blues, Folk-Blues
Released: 2001
Art: Front

1. Travelin' (4:19)
2. Windin' Boy Blues (3:23)
3. Papa Don't Sell It, Papa Don't Give It Away (3:07)
4. Wayfarin' Stranger (3:12)
5. The Journey (5:29)
6. Get Some Of This (3:35)
7. James Alley Blues ( Too Sweet To Die) (3:42)
8. Ol' Levis (3:42)
9. Hellhound On My Trail (4:34)
10. All Wore Out (2:46)
11. I Can't Be Satisfied (3:54)
12. Child Of God (2:26)

Daddy Squeeze (Dan Newton) - Accordion, Vocals
The Doctor (John Walker) - Guitars, Vocals

Daddy Squeeze and the Doctor play original and traditional country blues, rags, and Americana. What makes them special, is not only their unique instrumentation, accordion with finger-style guitar and dobro, but also their great presentation of solid material.
As one fan put it, "listening to this CD is like listening to a conversation."
That's what's so good about the Daddy Squeeze and the Doctor sound. It's intimate, unpretentious, and soulful. We hope you enjoy this, the third recording by this duo.

Too Sweet To Die

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Chemako - S/T

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 47:24
Size: 110.5 MB
Styles: Folk-blues
Released: 2012
Art: Front

1. Red Diamond Train (3:47)
2. Maintenance Free (5:09)
3. Lost My Way (4:44)
4. Let It Burn Wild (3:21)
5. Dry Your Tears (2:57)
6. Save The Moon (6:30)
7. Falling Star (3:55)
8. The Ocean Song (4:06)
9. Tears For Breakfast (3:17)
10. All Things Must Pass (4:02)
11. Momma's Words (5:29)

The gritty folk-rock stylings of Italy's Chemako is surprisingly similar in tone and arrangement to America's Southern folk, rock, and blues music. Moreover, the vocals are in English and the instrumentation is largely based in the Deep South. The slide guitar, piano, banjo, dobro, acoustic guitar, mandoguitar, drums, harp, ukulele, sax, and flugelhorn round out the instrumental repertoire. A few of the songs contain female lead singers, including "Maintenance Free," "Let It Burn Wild," "Save The Moon," "The Ocean Song," "Tears For Breakfast," and "George Harrison's cover, "All Things Must Pass." The Sarah MacLachlan-esque "The Ocean Song" contains a little Shawn Colvin-esque vocals and guitar playing with bass, drums, and flugelhorn. The music is bluesy, Western, and Southern rock with a folk twist.

The music is unlike anything heard, because it does not sound 'Italian.' At any rate, listeners enthralled by folk rock and blues will love Chemako. ~ Matthew Forss

Chemako

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