Recorded on Location in CHICAGO ILLINOIS
Spivey LP 1003, 1964
(Editor's note: between the time I digitized this LP and typed up the entry, and was able to click the "publish post" button, I learned that the Spivey label is being revived later this year. Therefore I cannot, in good conscience, post the LP in its entirety as originally planned. Instead, enjoy Ms. Spivey's lively liner notes and treat the two links at the bottom of the post as samples of the legitimately reissued CDs to come. The bicycle-powered time machine supports the original artists whenever possible -- Festus)
Side A
01. Sunnyland Slim - Won't Do That No More
02. John Henry Barbee - Early In The Morning
03. St. Louis Jimmy - Goody, Goody, Goody
04. Willie Dixon - Weak Brain! Narrow Mind!
05. Homesick James - Can't Hold Out
06. Cocoa Taylor - What Kind Of Man Is This?
Side B
01. Homesick James - Queen's Rock
02. John Henry Barbee - No Pickin', No Pullin'
03. Sunnyland Slim - Drinking
04. St. Louis Jimmy - Going Down Slow
05. Cocoa Taylor - Which'a Way To Go
06. Willie Dixon - So Long!
All these blues sounds you will hear were luckily captured at a reunion in honor of QUEEN VICTORIA SPIVEY by many of her old blues buddies at a real down-to-earth romping blues party with all the clamor of merriment, clinking glasses, shuffling feet, knocks at every door, entering and exiting visitors from near midnight until???!! on the southside of that great Blues-city, CHICAGO, Illinois. Victoria Spivey sums it up.
"Chicago Blues that's what I had and that's what I brought back East with me. I went to Chicago for a few days vacation, my first visit to the windy city in nearly 25 years, and when I left Chicago a week later I had myself a sack of fine blues from some 'real' blues artists, thanks to blues maestro, Willie Dixon. Willie told all the singers by telephone, 'Get your axe, man! come on over. We're going to have a ball tonight with the queen.' And they came. Wailin' SUNNYLAND SLIM arrived without his 'axe' (smiles) but with a fabulous organ which he really masters. And he can sing! HOMESICK JAMES came with his bottleneck guitar which just cries when he plays it. Tears came from his eyes when he sang those blues. ST. LOUIS JIMMY who I have admired for many years arrived happily looking and talking like a county squire. I insisted that he would sing his great hit, Going Down Slow, and he certainly obliged. JOHN HENRY BARBEE, Here's a fabulous chap out of the past. He's been out of circulation for a quarter of century due to an unfortunate misunderstanding but thank goodness, he's back again. He sings the great old time traditional down home blues like back in the days of my daddy. WASHBOARD SAM, my old musical standby from back in the early 30s, arrived immaculately dressed like a deacon from the church with his forty year old washboard under his arm. No washing machine will ever put him out of business. Listen to him really rub that washboard on the Queens Rock. I also had the honor of seeing and recording COCOA TAYLOR. She has really made a name for herself in the blues field in Chicago and I predict that she will soon be in the class of the great Memphis Minnie. EVANS SPENCER is a charming and talented young man and a fine guitarist. Listen to his sensitive lead blues and accompaniment on Which'a Way To Go. And then there is WILLIE DIXON who I call Papa Dixon due to the fact that he most certainly looks after and takes care of his musicians in Chicago. Dig Willie playing his own guitar on Weak Brain! Narrow Mind! Willie loves and really understands the blues. And as for me, I can tell you that I really had a ball." - Victoria Spivey
Supervised by Willie Dixon
Produced by Len Kunstadt and Victoria Spivey
Cover & photos by Len Kunstadt
Cover photos identification (top on down):
left column: Willie Dixon, Sunnyland Slim, St. Louis Jimmy and Cocoa Taylor
right column: Washboard Sam, John Henry Barbee, Homesick James and Evans Spencer
Sunnyland Slim: Won't Do That No More
Willie Dixon: Weak Brain! Narrow Mind!
Side A
01. Sunnyland Slim - Won't Do That No More
02. John Henry Barbee - Early In The Morning
03. St. Louis Jimmy - Goody, Goody, Goody
04. Willie Dixon - Weak Brain! Narrow Mind!
05. Homesick James - Can't Hold Out
06. Cocoa Taylor - What Kind Of Man Is This?
Side B
01. Homesick James - Queen's Rock
02. John Henry Barbee - No Pickin', No Pullin'
03. Sunnyland Slim - Drinking
04. St. Louis Jimmy - Going Down Slow
05. Cocoa Taylor - Which'a Way To Go
06. Willie Dixon - So Long!
All these blues sounds you will hear were luckily captured at a reunion in honor of QUEEN VICTORIA SPIVEY by many of her old blues buddies at a real down-to-earth romping blues party with all the clamor of merriment, clinking glasses, shuffling feet, knocks at every door, entering and exiting visitors from near midnight until???!! on the southside of that great Blues-city, CHICAGO, Illinois. Victoria Spivey sums it up.
"Chicago Blues that's what I had and that's what I brought back East with me. I went to Chicago for a few days vacation, my first visit to the windy city in nearly 25 years, and when I left Chicago a week later I had myself a sack of fine blues from some 'real' blues artists, thanks to blues maestro, Willie Dixon. Willie told all the singers by telephone, 'Get your axe, man! come on over. We're going to have a ball tonight with the queen.' And they came. Wailin' SUNNYLAND SLIM arrived without his 'axe' (smiles) but with a fabulous organ which he really masters. And he can sing! HOMESICK JAMES came with his bottleneck guitar which just cries when he plays it. Tears came from his eyes when he sang those blues. ST. LOUIS JIMMY who I have admired for many years arrived happily looking and talking like a county squire. I insisted that he would sing his great hit, Going Down Slow, and he certainly obliged. JOHN HENRY BARBEE, Here's a fabulous chap out of the past. He's been out of circulation for a quarter of century due to an unfortunate misunderstanding but thank goodness, he's back again. He sings the great old time traditional down home blues like back in the days of my daddy. WASHBOARD SAM, my old musical standby from back in the early 30s, arrived immaculately dressed like a deacon from the church with his forty year old washboard under his arm. No washing machine will ever put him out of business. Listen to him really rub that washboard on the Queens Rock. I also had the honor of seeing and recording COCOA TAYLOR. She has really made a name for herself in the blues field in Chicago and I predict that she will soon be in the class of the great Memphis Minnie. EVANS SPENCER is a charming and talented young man and a fine guitarist. Listen to his sensitive lead blues and accompaniment on Which'a Way To Go. And then there is WILLIE DIXON who I call Papa Dixon due to the fact that he most certainly looks after and takes care of his musicians in Chicago. Dig Willie playing his own guitar on Weak Brain! Narrow Mind! Willie loves and really understands the blues. And as for me, I can tell you that I really had a ball." - Victoria Spivey
Supervised by Willie Dixon
Produced by Len Kunstadt and Victoria Spivey
Cover & photos by Len Kunstadt
Cover photos identification (top on down):
left column: Willie Dixon, Sunnyland Slim, St. Louis Jimmy and Cocoa Taylor
right column: Washboard Sam, John Henry Barbee, Homesick James and Evans Spencer
Sunnyland Slim: Won't Do That No More
Willie Dixon: Weak Brain! Narrow Mind!
1 comment:
Hi, just been directed to your blog, fantastic posts, loving the Faces soundtrack, thank you most kindly.
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