Suckin' and Blowin' - Harmonica Blues

Side 1

1 Telephone Blues - George Smith

2 Keep On Doggin' Me - Sonny & Jaycee

3 East Of The Sun - Jerry McCain

4 Little Sweet Thing - Long Gone Miles

5 P.L. Blues - Papa Lightfoot

6 Love Life - George Smith

7 I'm Lonesome - Cousin Leroy

8 Blues And Misery - Ole Sonny Boy

Side 2

1 Hello Josephine - Long Gone Miles

2 Tell Me Why - Morris Bailey

3 Polly Put Your Kettle On - Sonny Boy Williamson

4 Wine-O-Wine - Jerry McCain

5 You Better Change - Ole Sonny Boy

6 Blues In The Dark - George Smith

7 Dangerous Woman - Sonny Terry

8 Mailman, Mailman - Sonny Boy Williamson

If you dug the recent Little Walter post then you’re sure to love this collection of stompers and wailers by a selection of both well known and obscure blues harp men.

This Dutch LP is probably a bootleg, date unknown. I bought it in “Southside Records” a shop about which I blogged a couple of years back. Sadly the shop is no more, having closed down last winter.

There are good sleevenotes on the back cover and I have added more notes at the end of this post. Download, wail and stomp, blues lovers. And if anyone has the lowdown on the identity of "Ole Sonny Boy" please share this valuable knowledge with the rest of us!

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps.

Download from here:

Suckin' And Blowin' (Mega)

  1 Telephone Blues - George Smith

  2 Keep On Doggin' Me - Sonny & Jaycee

  3 East Of The Sun - Jerry McCain

  4 Little Sweet Thing - Long Gone Miles

  5 P.L. Blues - Papa Lightfoot

  6 Love Life - George Smith

  7 I'm Lonesome - Cousin Leroy

  8 Blues And Misery - Ole Sonny Boy

  9 Hello Josephine - Long Gone Miles

10 Tell Me Why - Morris Bailey

11 Polly Put Your Kettle On - Sonny Boy Williamson

12 Wine-O-Wine - Jerry McCain

13 You Better Change - Ole Sonny Boy

14 Blues In The Dark - George Smith

15 Dangerous Woman - Sonny Terry

16 Mailman, Mailman - Sonny Boy Williamson

More info on the tracks:

George Smith – “Telephone Blues” and “Blues In The Dark” recorded in Kansas City in late 1954 / early 1955. Original release – RPM 434. “Love Life” recorded in Culver City, California in early 1956. Backing provided by the Maxwell Davis Orchestra:

Jake Porter (tp) Jack McVea (as) Maxwell Davis (ts) Maurice Simon (bar) Austin McCoy (p) Chuck Norris (g) Red Callender (b) Lee Young (d). Original release – RPM 456.

Sonny Terry – “Dangerous Woman” recorded in Philadelphia in early 1952. Original release on Gramercy G1005 and Josie 828.

Sonny & Jaycee = Sonny Terry and J.C Burris. “Keep On Doggin’ Me” recorded in New York in 1958, first released on Ember 1034.

Jerry McCain – “East of the Sun” and “Wine-O-Wine” were recorded in Jackson, Mississippi, on October 10th, 1953. Personnel: Jerry "Boogie" McCain (vcl,hca,tamb) acc by Bernard Williams (ts) Dave Campbell (p) Chris Collins (g) Herman Fowlkes (b) Walter McCain (d). Both sides originally released on Trumpet 217.

Long Gone Miles = Luke Miles. “Hello Josephine” and “Little Sweet Thing” were recorded in Los Angeles in 1968/9. “Long Gone” Miles on vocal, George Smith on harmonica. First release on Kent?

Papa Lightfoot – “P.L. Blues” recorded in New Orleans on November 19th, 1952. Personnel: Papa Lightfoot (hca); Tommy Ridgley (p); Edgar Blanchard (g); John 'Silver' Cooks (dr). Original release on Aladdin 3171.

Cousin Leroy = Leroy Rozier. “I’m Lonesome” recorded in New York in August 1957. Originally released on Ember E-1023. Personnel: Cousin Leroy (vcl,g) acc. by Sonny Terry (hca) Champion Jack Dupree (p) Larry Dale (b) Gene Brooks (d).

Ole Sonny Boy = Man of Mystery. Thought by some to be Papa Lightfoot, by others to be J.D. Horton. “Blues and Misery” and “You Better Change” were recorded in Nashville in 1956 and released on Excello 2086.

Morris Bailey – perhaps recorded in Nashville circa 1962. Released on Bailey 500.

Sonny Boy Williamson – “Polly Put Your Kettle On.” John Lee Williamson, usually referred to as Sonny Boy Williamson I, to avoid confusion with Rice Miller, the second “Sonny Boy Williamson” who recorded for Trumpet and then Chess in the 1950s and 60s. John Lee Williamson recorded for Bluebird and Victor from 1937 until 1947. He was murdered in June 1948. “Polly Put Your Kettle On” was recorded in Chicago on March 28th, 1947. Personnel: Sonny Boy Williamson (vcl,hca) acc by Blind John Davis (p) Big Bill Broonzy (g) Willie Dixon (b) Charles "Chick" Sanders (d). Original release on Victor, Vic 20-2521.

Sonny Boy Williamson – “Mailman, Mailman.”  Real name Jeff Williamson. Originally from New Orleans, he recorded “Mailman, Mailman” in Shreveport for Ram, accompanied by guitarist James Moore. The record was released on Ram 2501 in late 1961.