Various Artists - Texas Piano Vol. 2

Artist:

Various Artists

UPC:

714298522525

Description:

Personnel: Billiken Johnson (vocals, whistling, kazoo); Fred Adams (vocals, whistling); Oscar Woods (vocals, guitar); Kitty Gray, Neil Roberts, Texas Bill Day (vocals, piano); Jack Ranger (vocals); Coley Jones (guitar); Kid West (mandolin); Octave Gaspard (tuba); Alexander Herman Moore, Willie Tyson (piano). Audio Remasterer: Gerhard Wessely. Liner Note Author: Dr. David Evans . Recording information: 12/03/1927-12/04/1938. One of the joys of the Document label (which is in the process of reissuing virtually every prewar blues recording) are the sets that feature completely obscure artists. Virtually nothing is known of the four bandleaders who are featured on this CD, yet the music (recorded in Dallas or San Antonio) is largely excellent. Four songs from sessions in 1927-1928 feature singer Billiken Johnson either with Fred Adams or Neal Roberts in vocal duets. Willie Tyson and Roberts are the pianists. Texas Bill Day sings (and most likely plays piano) on six selections during his two sessions of 1929, two of which have Johnson joining in on kazoo. Jack Ranger sings three songs during his lone recording date in 1929. Finally, there are 11 numbers (one previously unissued) from 1937-1938 by Kitty Gray & Her Wampus Cats. Gray was an excellent pianist and singer, and her music straddles the boundaries between blues, swing, and Western swing, yet her life and what she did after 1938 are completely unknown. Recommended to serious blues collectors. ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Sun Beam Blues - Billiken Johnson
2. Interurban Blues - Billiken Johnson
3. Frisco Blues - Billiken Johnson
4. Wild Jack Blues - Billiken Johnson
5. Goin` Back to My Baby - Texas Bill Day
6. Don`t Get Love in Your Mind - Texas Bill Day
7. Good Morning Blues - Texas Bill Day
8. Burn the Trestle Down - Texas Bill Day
9. Elm Street Blues - Texas Bill Day
10. Billiken`s Weary Blues - Texas Bill Day/Billiken Johnson
11. Thieving Blues - Jack Ranger
12. T.P. Window Blues - Jack Ranger
13. Lonesome Grave Blues - Jack Ranger
14. I Can`t Dance (I Got Ants in My Pants) - Kitty Gray
15. Round and Round - Kitty Gray
16. You`re Standing on the Outside Now - Kitty Gray
17. Swingology - Kitty Gray
18. My Baby`s Ways - Kitty Gray
19. Baton Rouge Rag - Kitty Gray
20. Weeping Willow Swing - Kitty Gray
21. Gettin` Away - Kitty Gray
22. Posin` - Kitty Gray
23. Doing the Dooga - Kitty Gray
24. I`m Yours to Command - Kitty Gray

Album Information

Release Date:

05/01/1995

Type:

Collection

Genre:

Blues

Subgenre:

Texas/W. Coast Blues

Label:

Document (USA)

Producer:

Johnny Parth

Catalog Number:

5225

Original Release Year:

1995

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Mono

Runtime:

70 : 57

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