VA - Louisiana Swamp Blues 2: 1945-1963 (Remastered)

Size: 160,7+147,6+149,0+142,4 MB
Time: 67:16+61:33+62:08+60:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Louisiana Blues, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Lonesome Sundown - You Know I Love You (2:01)
02 Cleveland Crochet - Sweet Thing (2:24)
03 Boogie Ramblers - Such As Love (2:41)
04 Lightnin' Slim - What Evil Have I Done (3:11)
05 King Karl - This Should Go On Forever (2:46)
06 Clarence Garlow - Nothin' To Talk About (3:23)
07 Guitar Jr. - Get It (1:59)
08 Leroy Washington - I've Been In This Prison (2:25)
09 Clarence Locksley - Crowley Blues (2:17)
10 Nathan Abshire - Lu Lu Boogie (2:54)
11 Good Rockin' Bob - Take It Easy Kate (2:22)
12 Cookie - Mathilda (2:15)
13 Tal Miller - B-A-B-Y (2:50)
14 Lonesome Sundown - Lonely Lonely Me (3:08)
15 Blue Charlie - Watch That Crow (2:46)
16 Bill Parker Band - Boogie Bayou Shuffle (2:41)
17 Lightnin' Slim - Lightnin' Slim Boogie (2:37)
18 Charles Sheffield - Mad Dog (2:47)
19 Duke Stevens - Emma Jean (2:57)
20 Ramblin' Hi Harris - I Haven't Got A Home (3:04)
21 Schoolboy Cleve - Strange Letter Blues (2:50)
22 Tabby Thomas - Roll On Old Mule (1:59)
23 Jake Johnson - Dirty Woman Blues (3:33)
24 Shelton Dunaway - Since Your Love Has Grown Cold (2:54)
25 Boogie Jake - I Don't Know Why (2:21)

CD 2:
01 Nathan Abshire - Pine Grove Blues (2:45)
02 Lonesome Sundown - I'm Glad She's Mine (2:00)
03 Lightnin' Slim - I'm Him (3:12)
04 Clarence Garlow - Train Came Down The Track (2:17)
05 Boogie Ramblers - Cindy Lou (2:02)
06 Guitar Jr. - Broken Hearted Rollin' Tears (2:31)
07 Cleveland Crochet - Midnight Blues (3:21)
08 Schoolboy Cleve - She's Gone (2:13)
09 Country Jim - Stormin' And Rainin' (2:58)
10 Leroy Washington - Women Are Trouble (2:35)
11 Jay Stutes - Coming Home (2:15)
12 Pete McKinley - Whistling Blues (2:36)
13 Lonesome Sundown - My Home Ain't Here (2:01)
14 Vince Monroe - If I Had My Life To Live Over (2:36)
15 Charles Sheffield - One Hour Thirty Minutes Too Long (2:27)
16 Leroy Washington - My True Life (2:47)
17 Lionel Torrence - Flim Flam (2:19)
18 Bill Parker Band - Too Much (2:00)
19 Tabby Thomas - Don't Say (1:59)
20 Cookie - Got You On My Mind (2:32)
21 Guitar Jr. - Goin' Crazy Baby (2:03)
22 Lightnin' Slim - West Texas (2:25)
23 Texas Melody Boys - Ain't No More (1:51)
24 Nathan Abshire - Step It Fast (2:45)
25 Jake Johnson - Somebody Tell Me (2:52)

CD 3:
01. Leroy Washington - Don't Blame It On Me Mama (1:57)
02. Lonesome Sundown - Lonesome Whistler (2:39)
03. Schoolboy Cleve - My Baby Done Gone (2:14)
04. Pete McKinley - Looka Here Boy (2:12)
05. Ivory Lee Jackson - Don't Think I Can Make It (2:56)
06. Clarence Locksley - I Ain't Got No Money (2:13)
07. Lightnin' Slim - Rocky Mountain Blues (2:43)
08. Boo Breeding - Country Woman (2:22)
09. Tal Miller - What You Did Last Night (2:07)
10. Louis Cormier - Drunkard's Blues (2:19)
11. Charles Sheffield - Clear My Nights Of Misery (2:45)
12. Leroy Washington - Hello Stranger (2:55)
13. Clarence Garlow - Sunday Morning (2:40)
14. Lonesome Sundown - Don't Go (2:20)
15. Boo Breeding - I Can't Fly (Date With An Angel) (2:52)
16. Guitar Jr. - Now You Know (2:21)
17. Pete McKinley - David's Boogie (2:26)
18. Lightnin' Slim - Farming Blues (2:37)
19. Schoolboy Cleve - Beautiful, Beautiful Love (3:00)
20. Nathan Abshire - Cannon Ball Special (2:17)
21. Cookie - Until Then (2:29)
22. Nolan Pitts - Way In The Middle Of The Night (2:10)
23. Clarence Garlow - Foggy Blues (2:14)
24. Al Smith - You Wanna Do Me Wrong (2:31)
25. Tabby Thomas - Hoodoo Party (2:37)

CD 4:
01 Rockin' Sidney - I'm Your Man (3:09)
02 T Bone Singleton - Reconcile (8:22)
03 Victor Walker - I Can't Live Happy (3:56)
04 Rosie Ledet - Caffina (4:38)
05 Louisiana Playboys - Think About Me Baby (3:01)
06 Katie Webster - Early Moanin' Blues (5:28)
07 Phil Guy - Tina Nu (4:40)
08 Al Rapone - Joe Pete (3:44)
09 Fernest Arceneaux - Got You On My Mind (3:08)
10 Carol Fran - No One Will Listen (8:35)
11 Rockin' Sidney - I Got The Blues For My Baby (2:46)
12 Larry Garner - Shut It Down (9:15)

Another jam packed set of swamp blues & Louisiana R&B. The first 3 cds cover the classic sounds of the gulf coast while the 4th disc has Louisiana artists who have recorded for JSP in the past couple decades. Compiled & annotated by NEIL SLAVEN this is a definitive set of the scene.

Louisiana Swamp Blues 2 CD 1
Louisiana Swamp Blues 2 CD 2
Louisiana Swamp Blues 2 CD 3
Louisiana Swamp Blues 2 CD 4

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Tabby Thomas - Down In Louisiana: Tabby Thomas Meets Lonesome Sundown

Size: 164,0 MB
Time: 68:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Louisiana Blues, Swamp Blues
Art: Front

01. Thinking Blues (2:50)
02. Church Member's Ball (2:40)
03. Tomorrow (2:36)
04. Mmmmm I Don't Care (2:48)
05. Don't Say (1:55)
06. Too Late Blues (2:34)
07. Brother Brown (2:12)
08. So Hard To Bear (2:26)
09. My Baby's Got It (2:31)
10. Tomorrow I'll Be Gone (2:58)
11. Hoodoo Party (2:30)
12. Roll On Ole Mule (1:59)
13. C.C. Rider (2:35)
14. I'd Love To Tell (2:39)
15. 'Popeye' Train (2:52)
16. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands (1:57)
17. Boogie Woogie Children (Hoodoo Party Alternative Take) (2:29)
18. Roll On Ole Mule (Alternative Take) (2:26)
19. Leave My Money Alone (Lonesome Sundown) (2:49)
20. My Home Is A Prison (Lonesome Sundown) (3:08)
21. I'm A Mojo Man (Lonesome Sundown) (2:24)
22. Don't Go (Lonesome Sundown) (2:20)
23. You Know I Love You (Lonesome Sundown) (2:01)
24. Gonna Stick To You Baby (Lonesome Sundown) (2:03)
25. Learn To Treat Me Better (Lonesome Sundown) (2:02)
26. My Home Ain't Here (Lonesome Sundown) (2:01)
27. Lonesome Lonely Blues (Lonesome Sundown) (2:52)
28. I'm Glad She's Mine (Lonesome Sundown) (2:06)

Jasmine's latest excursion into the swamp blues sounds of Louisiana concentrates on two of the most popular 'second tier' artists of the genre. Both artists were involved for much of their career with famed Louisiana producer, Jay Miller and although neither artist ever enjoyed a national R&B chart hit, both enjoyed consistent sales and jukebox hits throughout the 50s and 60s. Tabby Thomas and Lonesome Sundown exuded the New Orleans style probably none more so than Lonesome, he was perhaps the epitome of the swamp blues artists with a recognisable sound full of creative and meaningful lyrics described as 'the sound of the swamp'. This superb CD from Jasmine is full of the swamp blues classics that no Tabby Thomas or Lonesome Sundown collection would be complete without: "Hoodoo Party", "'Popeye' Train", "My Home Is A Prison", "I'm A Mojo Man" and "Gonna Stick To You Baby". Tabby Thomas is survived today by his son, Chris Thomas King who is himself a popular and respected blues musician and actor having prominent roles in the Oscar winning film "Ray" and the Coen Brother's "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" amongst others.

Down In Louisiana

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Rockin' Tabby Thomas - King Of The Swamp Blues: His Greatest Hits Vol. 1

Size: 99,4 MB
Time: 42:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Lousiana Blues, Swamp Blues
Art: Full

01. Ball Head Lena (3:45)
02. Glass Jar Blues (2:43)
03. My Baby's Got It (2:36)
04. C.C. Rider (2:46)
05. Tomorrow (2:41)
06. Roll On Old Mule (2:27)
07. I Say (2:31)
08. Popeye Train (2:57)
09. Leave It Like It Is (2:21)
10. Hoodo Party (2:34)
11. Keep On Trying (3:03)
12. You Put A Hold In My Head (2:25)
13. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands (2:00)
14. Mr Buzzerd (2:27)
15. Play Girl (2:14)
16. Mmm...I Don't Care (2:57)

b. 5 January 1929, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Thomas’ first musical influences came from radio and records, and he started to play music himself while in the air-force. He sang with an R&B band during the early 50s and his first records were in that style, with strong touches of Roy Brown’s sound. A release on the Feature label in 1954 marked the beginning of a long, if intermittent, association with producer Jay Miller, during which they tried a wide range of styles, including blues and soul. Their most successful collaboration was ‘Hoodoo Party’, on Excello Records in 1962. In 1981, Thomas opened the Blues Box in Baton Rouge to showcase local artists; this has achieved an international reputation for regular appearances by Silas Hogan, Henry Gray and others, including Thomas’ own son Chris.

King Of The Swamp Blues

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Various Artists - Rhythm 'N' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Nights Of Sin, Dirty Deals & Love Sick Souls

Year: 2016
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:06
Size: 165,6 MB
Styles: R&B
Scans: Full

1. Chris Kenner - Grandma's House (2:38)
2. Lester Robertson - Oh Babe (2:18)
3. Guitar Jr. - Roll Roll Roll (2:22)
4. Wonderboy Travis - She Was Gone (2:30)
5. Barbara Lynn - One Night Of Sin (2:19)
6. Jay Nelson - Betty Ann (2:28)
7. Little Victor - Please Be There (2:21)
8. Smilin' Joe - Love Sick Soul (2:29)
9. Charles Sheffield w. Big Sambo - Shoo, Shoo Chicken (2:34)
10. Leroy Washington - Wild Cherry (2:19)
11. Classie Ballou - Crowley Stroll (3:05)
12. Classie Ballou & His Tempo Kings Orch - D-I-R-T-Y D-E-A-L (2:43)
13. Jay Nelson & The Jumpers - A Fool That Was Blind (2:37)
14. Smilin' Joe - Living On Borrowed Time (2:37)
15. Ivory Jackson - Clautelia (1:43)
16. Lester Robertson & The Upsetters - Ooh My Dear (My Girl Across Town) (2:30)
17. Tabby Thomas - C.C. Rider (2:38)
18. Big Walter Price - Better Run (3:00)
19. Baton Rouge Boys - Rising Sun (3:01)
20. Lester Robertson - Please Don't Go (2:36)
21. Barbara Lynn - Love You Most Of All (1:54)
22. Classie Ballou - Hey Ma Ma (Version 2) (3:11)
23. John Reed - Little Girl You Look So Good (2:33)
24. Honey Boy Alan - Ford V-8 (2:24)
25. Mr Mojo & His Orch - I Won't Be Long Here (2:18)
26. Little Victor - What Is Love (2:32)
27. Joe (Mr. 'G') August - Strange Things Happening In The Dark (2:28)
28. Classie Ballou & His Tempo Kings Orch - Loving Huggin Kissin My Baby (2:44)

A spicy mix of rarities, alternates and previously unissued R&B goodies from South Louisiana and S.E. Texas, where you are never too far from a bayou and some good rockin’ music. This 15th compilation in the “By The Bayou” series takes us back to the R&B sounds you would have heard belting out of a Louisiana juke joint on a steamy night in the 1950s or early 1960s. All of the tracks included were recorded in that party state, although some of the artists were based in Texas, crossing the state line to make music in studios based in Crowley and Lake Charles.

Amongst the rarities unveiled are three tracks cut in New Orleans but released by Flip Records of Hollywood, a label primarily known for doo wop. We also have some classic Classie Ballou, Chris Kenner’s first record, a few complete unknowns, a bunch of alternate takes and, most excitingly, two previously undocumented Barbara Lynn tracks, her first recordings.

Amongst the better-known songs are four formidable rockers: ‘Wild Cherry’ by Leroy Washington, ‘Roll Roll Roll’ by Guitar Jr, ‘Shoo, Shoo Chicken’ by Charles Sheffield and an alternate take of ‘Oh Babe’ by Lester Robertson.

Rhythm 'N' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Nights Of Sin, Dirty Deals & Love Sick Souls mc
Rhythm 'N' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Nights Of Sin, Dirty Deals & Love Sick Souls zippy

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Tab Benoit - Live: Swampland Jam

Year: 1997
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:21
Size: 145,8 MB
Styles: Electric blues, Louisiana blues
Scans: Full

1. Let Love Take Control (5:24)
2. Ain't Gonna Do It (5:14)
3. Moon Coming Over The Hill (2:59)
4. Too Many Dirty Dishes (w. Henry Gray) (7:53)
5. Keep On Moving (3:52)
6. Heart Of Stone (7:45)
7. Gone Too Long (4:35)
8. Garbage Man (w. Raful Neal) (5:02)
9. Crawling Kingsnake (w. Jumpin' Johnny Sansone) (4:41)
10. Louisiana Style (w. Jumpin' Johnny Sansone) (4:37)
11. It Takes A Long Time (w. Tabby Thomas) (5:07)
12. Hot Tamale Baby (w. Chubby Carrier) (6:07)

This is by far the best album this Louisiana blues/swamp-rocker has come up with to date. Benoit is playing with basically a three-piece, with Doug Therrien on bass and Allyn Robinson on drums. The rest of the sound is filled in by various guests, some exceedingly strong Louisiana players. Therein lives both the problem and the strength of this disc - the sound is a bit thin when there's no guest taking up some space. Only on the slow burner "Heart of Stone" and "Gone Too Long" does the basic band fill up the airwaves. The music is good, but without that fourth player, it doesn't have enough density. When there is another player, the sound is as gritty and raw as they come - Cajun-based blues with a swampy sensuality. Benoit's singing and guitar playing have taken giant steps forward and are up there with the best. /Bob Gottlieb, AllMusic

Live: Swampland Jam mc
Live: Swampland Jam zippy

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Various - Louisiana Swamp Blues (Vols 5 & 6)

Album: Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 5
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:56
Size: 112.1 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues, Delta blues
Year: 1998/2015
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Larry Garner - Kleptomaniac
[4:54] 2. Larry Garner - Pms
[9:05] 3. Larry Garner - Shut It Down
[2:29] 4. Cora Jefferson - I'm In The Mood
[2:44] 5. Cora Jefferson - Come To Me
[4:06] 6. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - 'long About Midnight
[3:31] 7. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Voodoo Party
[3:12] 8. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Louisiana Woman
[3:20] 9. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Big Fat Woman
[3:13] 10. Tootsie - County Jail
[3:05] 11. Rudi Richard - Big Mamou
[2:57] 12. Silas Hogan - Let Me Be Your Hatchet
[3:03] 13. Silas Hogan - Ain't It Sad

Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 5 mc
Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 5 zippy

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Album: Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 6
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:07
Size: 110.2 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues
Year: 1999/2015
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Silas Hogan - Dark Clouds Rollin'
[2:44] 2. Silas Hogan - I'm A Free Hearted Man
[2:53] 3. Silas Hogan - You're Too Late Baby
[3:05] 4. Silas Hogan - Hoo-Doo Blues
[2:50] 5. Silas Hogan - Ain't It A Shame
[3:04] 6. Silas Hogan - Mr. Charlie
[3:04] 7. Silas Hogan - Lonesome La La
[3:03] 8. Silas Hogan - My Starter Won't Start
[2:46] 9. Silas Hogan - Rats And Roaches In My Kitchen
[3:06] 10. Silas Hogan - Bad Little Puppy
[2:30] 11. Silas Hogan - Airport Blues
[3:00] 12. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelley - Kelly's Boogie
[2:48] 13. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelley - Good Morning Heartache
[5:50] 14. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelley - I Got A Funny Feeling
[4:27] 15. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelley - Poor Man

Silas Hogan (vocals, guitar); Arthur "Guitar" Kelly, Bruce Lamb, Julian Piper (guitar); Oskar "Harpo" Davis (harmonica); David Carroll (bass); Sam Hogan (drums).

This 1988 session in Baton Rogue finds Hogan surrounded by a band that includes his son Sam on both drums and guitar, unobtrusive guitar support from producer Julian Piper and Bruce Lamb, and effective harmonica from Oscar "Harpo" Davis. As Hogan blasts through a stack of old Excello tunes by Lightnin' Slim, as well as re-cuts of his own material, he's guest starred by the appearance of Arthur "Guitar" Kelley, who sings and plays on the last four tracks. This is a nice, understated session with two tracks cut in 1990 that proves that the 'Excello sound' was still alive and well headed into the '90s. ~ Cub Koda

Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 6 mc
Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 6 zippy

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Various - Louisiana Swamp Blues (Vols 1&2 of 6)

Album: Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 1: Live At Tabby's Blues Box
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 128.8 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues
Year: 1995/2015
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Lord, Oh Lord
[2:54] 2. Silas Hogan - I'm A Free Hearted Man
[4:09] 3. Silas Hogan - Let Me Be Your Hatchet
[2:55] 4. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - So Close Together
[4:10] 5. Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Long Distance Call
[2:23] 6. Oscar 'Harp' Davis - Baby, What You Want Me To Do
[3:37] 7. Oscar 'Harp' Davis - Caress Me Baby
[3:20] 8. Oscar 'Harp' Davis - Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool
[3:02] 9. Oscar 'Harp' Davis - Rainin' In My Heart
[3:48] 10. Arthur 'Guitar' Kelley - Diggin' My Potaoes
[5:19] 11. Chris Thomas - Part-Time Love
[4:45] 12. Henry Gray - It Hurts Me Too
[4:32] 13. W.W. Woodfolk - The Stars Are Crying
[4:38] 14. Clarence Edwards - Lonesome Bedroom Blues
[2:59] 15. Clarence Edwards - I'm The One

CHRIS THOMAS & ALFRED JACKSON - gtrs, OSCAR DAVIS - hca, TABBY THOMAS - org, SILAS HOGAN JR. & STEPHEN COLERIDGE - bass, TAMMY THOMAS & RONNIE HOUSTON - drums. Special guests: HENRY GRAY - piano, CLARENCE EDWARDS - gtr/voc, ARTHUR 'GUITAR' KELLEY - gtr, SILAS HOGAN - voc, W.W. WOODFOLK - drums. The sound of the '91 takes is o.k.; the cuts from '87 sound rather poor. The music is fine, though.

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Album: Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:12
Size: 94.3 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues
Year: 1990/2015
Art: Front

[2:26] 1. Jess Kenchin - Big Mamou
[4:01] 2. Jess Kenchin - Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest
[5:29] 3. Jess Kenchin - King Bee
[4:13] 4. Henry Gray - Cold Chills
[2:50] 5. Jess Kenchin - Talkin' About You
[4:38] 6. Jess Kenchin - Bad Luck & Trouble
[3:13] 7. Andrea Curbelo - Tee Ni Nee Na Nu
[4:28] 8. Jess Kenchin - When My First Wife
[2:41] 9. Jess Kenchin - Come On Here
[3:09] 10. Andrea Curbelo - Good For The Goose
[3:58] 11. Andrea Curbelo - Honky Tonk

Dedicated to Slim Harpo, this brief album, recorded in Baton Rouge, LA, in 1990, is a split affair, with blues pianist Henry Gray alternating tracks with guitarist (and accordion player) Rudi Richard in a nifty little swamp blues collection. Although one wishes the two musicians had done some of these songs together, their approach to the blues (different as they are) complement each other well, and the sequence doesn't suffer for this split format. Gray, in particular, has an intriguing sound, adding a certain intangible bayou sensibility to his Chicago piano style, and his rough, everyman vocals on sides like "Talkin' About You" and the self-penned "Gold Chills" carry a degree of authenticity, particularly with Slim Harpo's drummer, Jess Kenchin, pounding away. Richard is less distinctive as a vocalist, but as Harpo's longtime guitarist (he put the guitar sting in "I'm a Kingbee," and if you've heard the song, you know about the sting), he, too, has an authentic claim to this material, and while his version of the bayou chestnut "Tee Ni Nee Na Nu" essentially seems to be by the numbers, his sleek, angular version of "Good for the Goose" is a solid delight. Again, it would have been nice if Gray, Richard, and Kenchin had all worked together on a few of these tracks, but even without that, this set still functions pretty well as a simple and unassuming introduction to Louisiana swamp blues. ~Steve Leggett

Note: Vols 3-6 will be posted over the next few days.

Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 2 mc
Louisiana Swamp Blues Vol 2 zippy

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Rockin' Tabby Thomas - Long Live The King Of The Swamp Blues

Size: 112,1 MB
Time: 47:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Louisiana Blues
Art: Full

01. Hoodoo King (4:19)
02. Junkie Blues (4:00)
03. Hey Baby (2:57)
04. Tomorrow (2:53)
05. Hey We Gonna Rock Tonight (3:18)
06. Dont Say A Mumblin Word (3:56)
07. Evil Woman Blues (3:53)
08. Stagger Lee (3:52)
09. Two Gun Pete (2:51)
10. Blues At The Box (2:30)
11. Born Blues (4:59)
12. Person To Person (3:27)
13. Keep Yourself From Crying Too (4:22)

A solid Louisiana vocalist who plays both guitar and piano, "Rockin'" Tabby Thomas has been cutting stirring recordings since the mid-'50s. He's teamed often with harmonica players Whispering Smith and Lazy Lester, and has done several sessions for Maison De Soul and various labels owned by Jay Miller.

Thomas was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he began his musical career in San Francisco, which is where he was stationed while he was in the army. After he completed his time in the service, Thomas stayed in San Francisco, playing shows and talent contests. He happened to win a talent contest, which led to a record contract with Hollywood Records. Hollywood issued "Midnight Is Calling," which gained no attention, and the label dropped Thomas.

After the failure of "Midnight Is Calling," Tabby Thomas returned to Baton Rouge. He began playing local clubs with his supporting band the Mellow, Mellow Men. In 1953, the group recorded two songs -- "Thinking Blues" and "Church Members Ball" -- for the Delta label. After those songs didn't gain much attention, Thomas went through a number of record labels -- including Feature, Rocko, and Zynn -- before having a hit on Excello Records in 1962 with "Voodoo Party."

Thomas wasn't able to record a hit follow-up to "Voodoo Party" and by the end of the '60s, he retired from performing music. His retirement was short-lived -- in 1970, he founded his own record label, Blue Beat. In addition to releasing Thomas' own recordings, Blue Beat spotlighted emerging Baton Rouge talent. Within a few years, the label was very successful and Thomas began his own blues club, Tabby's Blues Box and Heritage Hall. By the mid-'80s, the club was the most popular blues joint in Baton Rouge.

Although he had become a successful businessman in the late '70s, Thomas continued to perform and record. All of his efforts -- from his recordings and concerts, to his label and nightclub -- made Tabby Thomas the leading figure of Baton Rouge's blues scene for nearly three decades. Thomas was still active into the new millennium, although he wasn't performing as frequently as he had in the past. He was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Baton Rouge in October 2002. ~by Ron Wynn

Long Live The King Of The Swamp Blues

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Tabby Thomas - Remembering Tabby Thomas

Size: 145,3 MB
Time: 62:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Louisiana Blues
Art: Front

01. Rock This House (2:53)
02. Hey Little School Girl (3:24)
03. Hey Bartender Pt. 1 (1:19)
04. Goin' To New Orleans (Live) (4:06)
05. Hey Bartender, Pt. 2 (Instrumental) (1:51)
06. Ho Do Man (5:26)
07. Drinking Blues (5:25)
08. Little Brown (3:54)
09. Swamp Man Blues (3:39)
10. Gamblin' Woman (6:50)
11. Dirty Draws (0:45)
12. Tomorrow (4:37)
13. Is I'm Your Man (4:09)
14. Give Me A Chance (3:13)
15. On Thin Ice (6:35)
16. My Last Letter (3:55)

A solid Louisiana vocalist who plays both guitar and piano, "Rockin'" Tabby Thomas has been cutting stirring recordings since the mid-'50s. He's teamed often with harmonica players Whispering Smith and Lazy Lester, and has done several sessions for Maison De Soul and various labels owned by Jay Miller.

Thomas was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he began his musical career in San Francisco, which is where he was stationed while he was in the army. After he completed his time in the service, Thomas stayed in San Francisco, playing shows and talent contests. He happened to win a talent contest, which led to a record contract with Hollywood Records. Hollywood issued "Midnight Is Calling," which gained no attention, and the label dropped Thomas.

After the failure of "Midnight Is Calling," Tabby Thomas returned to Baton Rouge. He began playing local clubs with his supporting band the Mellow, Mellow Men. In 1953, the group recorded two songs -- "Thinking Blues" and "Church Members Ball" -- for the Delta label. After those songs didn't gain much attention, Thomas went through a number of record labels -- including Feature, Rocko, and Zynn -- before having a hit on Excello Records in 1962 with "Voodoo Party."

Thomas wasn't able to record a hit follow-up to "Voodoo Party" and by the end of the '60s, he retired from performing music. His retirement was short-lived -- in 1970, he founded his own record label, Blue Beat. In addition to releasing Thomas' own recordings, Blue Beat spotlighted emerging Baton Rouge talent. Within a few years, the label was very successful and Thomas began his own blues club, Tabby's Blues Box and Heritage Hall. By the mid-'80s, the club was the most popular blues joint in Baton Rouge.

Although he had become a successful businessman in the late '70s, Thomas continued to perform and record. All of his efforts -- from his recordings and concerts, to his label and nightclub -- made Tabby Thomas the leading figure of Baton Rouge's blues scene for nearly three decades. Thomas was still active into the new millennium, although he wasn't performing as frequently as he had in the past. He was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Baton Rouge in October 2002.

Hard Remembering Tabby Thomas

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VA - Louisiana Roots: The Jay Miller R&B Legacy

Size: 143,8 MB
Time: 59:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: R&B
Art: Full

01. King Karl - Baby Baby Come To Papa (2:04)
02. Monroe Vincent - If I Had My Life To Live Over (2:40)
03. Guitar Gabriel - Cool, Calm And Collected (With King Karl) (2:45)
04. Guitar Gabriel - Irene (With King Karl) (2:58)
05. Skinny Dynamo - So Long So Long (3:02)
06. Joe Hudson & His Rocking Kings - Hoo-Wee Pretty Baby (With Lester Robertson) (2:12)
07. Joe Hudson & His Rocking Kings - Baby, Give Me A Chance (With Lester Robertson) (2:05)
08. Chuck Martin - Emma Lee (1:54)
09. Classie Ballou - Crazy Mambo (2:24)
10. Eddie Hudson - That Long Lost Baby (2:17)
11. Eddie Hudson - She's Sugar Sweet (2:40)
12. Jay Nelson & The Jumpers - A Fool That Was Blind (2:38)
13. Carol Fran - Knock, Knock (2:14)
14. Charles Sheffield - Rock 'n' Roll Train (2:18)
15. Charles Sheffield - The Kangaroo (2:54)
16. Sonny Martin - Air Force -- Us Navy (1:47)
17. Charles Sheffield - You're Gonna Need Somebody (2:45)
18. Charles Sheffield - I Would Be A Sinner (2:03)
19. Lionel Torrence - Flim Flam (2:23)
20. Bobby Jay - Red Sails In The Sunset (2:31)
21. Tabby Thomas - Popeye Train (2:56)
22. Marva Allen - Here Comes The Night Owl (2:32)
23. Joe Mayfield - How's Things With You (2:32)
24. Katie Webster - Never Let Me Go (2:56)

J.D. 'Jay' Miller, is the Crowley, Louisiana record man who single-handedly put swamp-blues music on the map. Thanks to his vision and expertise, we continue to enjoy his productions such as I'm A King Bee by Slim Harpo, I Hear You Knockin' by Lazy Lester, Hoo Doo Blues by Lightnin' Slim and numerous more classics. These recordings have all been documented in our compre-hensive Excello reissue series. Now, we take a look at Jay Miller's R&B recordings. The roots of Louisiana R&B can be traced to a mix of the hit sounds of Texas and New Orleans, with distinct Creole and Cajun undertones. Specifically, the main influences are Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Guitar Slim and Fats Domino. Jay Miller scored first time out with R&B on Excello with Guitar Gable's infectious instrumental Congo Mombo in 1956, followed closely by the swamp-pop standard Irene, sung by Gable's vocalist King Karl. For the next three years Guitar Gable and King Karl had regular singles on the Excello label, culminating in This Should Go On Forever which provided a US Top 20 hit for swamp-popper Rod Bernard. Not only this but Gable's band was used as Miller's session group, recording everything from swamp-blues to rock'n'roll. Much of the early R&B material here is much sought-after on the original Excello singles, that is the sides by Vince Monroe, Joe Hudson & His Rocking Dukes (with stand-out vocalist Lester Robertson), Eddie Hudson (with superb vocal group accompaniment from the Gaynotes), Carol Fran, and Jay Nelson & the Jumpers. There are also two rare sides from Excello's sister label, Nasco, by Classie Ballou and Chuck Martin. By 1961, Jay Miller had formed a new studio group, whose principal members were ex-Clifton Chenier saxophonist Lionel Prevost (who has his own record here as Lionel Torrence), pianist Katie Webster, guitarist Al Foreman, and drummer Warren Storm. This combo generated a joyful, enthusiastic New Orleans R&B-type sound behind artists such as Charles Sheffield, Sonny Martin, Bobby Jay and Tabby Thomas. Special mention must be made of four previously unreleased sides: King Karl's storming rocker Baby Baby Come To Papa, Charles Sheffield's shouter You're Gonna Need Somebody, Marva Allen's charming Here Comes The Night Owl and Katie Webster's Never Let Me Go - with overdubbed full symphonic orchestral accompaniment, which works! My notes to this CD are based on an unpublished interview with Jay Miller in 1995, shortly before he died. Miller gives a fascinating insight into his business operations, recording techniques and his relationship with Ernie Young of Excello Records. Of his unique sound, he said: "It wasn't technical as far as audio but I had a sense of something. Maybe that was the best thing that could have happened. I didn't know too much about it, I didn't go by the book, because I went by these two things - my ears!!! I've had so many compliments about the sound I got." The exemplary productions from Jay Miller's tiny country studios in Crowley extend to his R&B recordings. Louisiana Roots is the Jay Miller R&B Legacy.

Louisiana Roots

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Tabby Thomas - Drinking Blues

Size: 147,9 MB
Time: 63:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Louisiana Blues, Swamp Blues
Art: Front

01. Rock The House (2:56)
02. Hey Little School Girl (3:34)
03. Hey Bartender #1 (1:23)
04. Going To New Orleans (4:09)
05. Hey Bartender (1:55)
06. Who's The Man (5:28)
07. Drinking Blues (5:26)
08. Lilie Brown (3:59)
09. Swamp Man Blues (3:43)
10. Gamblin' Woman (6:52)
11. Dirty Draws (0:49)
12. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (4:36)
13. Is I'm Your Man (4:13)
14. Give Me A Chance (3:16)
15. On The Ice (6:38)
16. My Last Letter (3:56)

Ernest Joseph "Tabby" Thomas, (January 5, 1929 – January 1, 2014), also known as Rockin' Tabby Thomas, father of Chris Thomas King.

A solid Louisiana vocalist who plays both guitar and piano, "Rockin'" Tabby Thomas has been cutting stirring recordings since the mid-'50s. He's teamed often with harmonica players Whispering Smith and Lazy Lester, and has done several sessions for Maison De Soul and various labels owned by Jay Miller.

Thomas was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he began his musical career in San Francisco, which is where he was stationed while he was in the army. After he completed his time in the service, Thomas stayed in San Francisco, playing shows and talent contests. He happened to win a talent contest, which led to a record contract with Hollywood Records. Hollywood issued "Midnight Is Calling," which gained no attention, and the label dropped Thomas.

After the failure of "Midnight Is Calling," Tabby Thomas returned to Baton Rouge. He began playing local clubs with his supporting band the Mellow, Mellow Men. In 1953, the group recorded two songs -- "Thinking Blues" and "Church Members Ball" -- for the Delta label. After those songs didn't gain much attention, Thomas went through a number of record labels -- including Feature, Rocko, and Zynn -- before having a hit on Excello Records in 1962 with "Voodoo Party."

Thomas wasn't able to record a hit follow-up to "Voodoo Party" and by the end of the '60s, he retired from performing music. His retirement was short-lived -- in 1970, he founded his own record label, Blue Beat. In addition to releasing Thomas' own recordings, Blue Beat spotlighted emerging Baton Rouge talent. Within a few years, the label was very successful and Thomas began his own blues club, Tabby's Blues Box and Heritage Hall. By the mid-'80s, the club was the most popular blues joint in Baton Rouge.

Although he had become a successful businessman in the late '70s, Thomas continued to perform and record. All of his efforts -- from his recordings and concerts, to his label and nightclub -- made Tabby Thomas the leading figure of Baton Rouge's blues scene for nearly three decades. Thomas was still active into the new millennium, although he wasn't performing as frequently as he had in the past. He was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Baton Rouge in October 2002. ~Biography by Ron Wynn

Thomas recordings were released from the age of vinyl 45s to the digital download era. They include the early 1960s Excello releases “Popeye Train,” which capitalized on the Popeye dance craze, and “Hoodoo Party,” a New Orleans-set Mardi Gras song.

“Drinking Blues,” a digital album released in September, is the latest album by Tabby Thomas.

Drinking Blues

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