Joan Selects Volume 26 - What's The Word?

01) Drunk - Jimmy Liggins
02) WPLJ - The Four Deuces
03) Quiet Whiskey - Wynonie Harris
04) Pink Champagne - Joe Liggins And His Honeydrippers
05) Wine Wine Wine - The Nightcaps
06) One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer - Amos Milburn
07) Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear - Dave Bartholomew
08) I Ain't Drunk - Jimmy Liggins
09) Bloodshot Eyes - Wynonie Harris
10) Down It Went - The Four Deuces
11) Mambo Shevitz - Melino with The Crows
12) Tabarin - The Four Flames
13) One Mint Julep - The Clovers
14) Thunderbird - Hal Page and the Whalers
15) The Drunkard - The Thrillers
16) Alcohol And Jake Blues - Tommy Johnson
17) Baptize Me In Wine - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
18) Wine Women Whiskey - Papa Lightfoot
19) I Got Loaded - Peppermint Harris
20) Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Stick McGhee
21) Corn Whiskey - The Empires
22) Pour The Corn - Hal Paige and the Whalers
23) Cherry Wine - Little Esther
24) Empty Bottles - The Robins
25) Drunk Again - Champion Jack Dupree
26) Sneaky Pete - Bull Moose Jackson
27) Serve Another Round - The Five Keys
28) Cheap Old Wine And Whiskey - Jack "The Bear" Parker
29) Be Bop Wino - The Lamplighters
30) Bartender Blues - The Chocolateers
31) Wine Woogie - Marvin Phillips
32) Alligator Wine - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
33) Port Wine - Bill Samuels
34) Beer Bottle Boogie - Bobby Plater Orchestra
35) Barfly - Sonny Til and The Orioles
36) Let Me Go Home Whiskey - Amos Milburn
37) Fat Backs And Corn Whiskey - Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
38) Pass The Juice Miss Lucy - The Joe Morris Orchestra
39) Bar Fly Blues - Jay McShann & Jimmy Witherspoon
40) Let's Go To The Liquor Store - Tuff Green
41) Whiskey Do Your Stuff - Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
42) Drinkin' Beer - J.B. Summers
43) Beer Bottle Boogie - Marylyn Scott
44) Wine-O-Wine - Willis Jackson
45) No More Alcohol - Jimmy Liggins and His Orchestra
46) Sittin' Here Drinking - Christine Kittrell
47) Bar Room Blues - Roy Brown
48) Drinkin' Blues - Jo Jo Adams & Tom Archia
49) Waiting & Drinking - Calvin Boze
50) Looped - Melvin Smith
51) Juiced - Billy Love (credited to Jackie Brenston)
52) Tequila - The Champs

Joan Selects Volume 26 (Mega)

Joan Selects Volume 26 (Zippy)

What's the word? Thunder Bird! Is this the drunkenest compilation ever? As the world goes to hell in a handcart, Joan returns to remind fans of real R&B that all is not lost for there is always solace to be found in the bottle. Any bottle. Wine, beer, whiskey, paint stripper, whatever. So welcome to the world of rhythm 'n' booze where the joys of all day drinking, nay, all year drinking are celebrated amidst a bevvy of drunken sax solos and occasional incomprehensible gibbering (that's you, Screamin' Jay!).

Amidst the raucous celebration of alcohol fuelled good times there is a leavening of more reflective late night, after closing time regret. Amos Milburn, Peppermint Harris, and Christine Kittrell evoke the atmosphere of the wee small hours when Joe ain't gonna set 'em up any more. Not even "one more for the road."

Boozehounds the wide world over will be familiar with many of these tracks, but the art of the compilation lies in mixing the familiar with the unfamiliar in the shaker and pouring out a cocktail which satisfies. This particular concoction has tickled my taste buds so effectively that it's been getting constant play on my media player for the last several days and like fine wine, it just keeps improving over time.

Included in the plain brown wrapper are not only vintage sounds but also a package of label scans, all provided by Joan who deserves a special toast. So my R&B friends, please stagger to your feet, raise your glasses to our benefactor, and drunkenly bawl "Cheersh!"

01 Jimmy Liggins - "Drunk" - Released on: Specialty SP-470-45 in August 1953

02 The Four Deuces - "WPLJ" (White Port Lemon Juice) Released On Music City 45-790 in September(?) 1955

03 Wynonie Harris - "Quiet Whiskey" - Released on King 45-4685 in December 1953

04 Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers - "Pink Champagne" - Released on Specialty SP 355-A in April 1950

05 The Nightcaps - "Wine Wine Wine" - Released on Vandan VR 7491 in October 1960

06 Amos Milburn - "One Scotch, One Bourbon One Beer" Released on Aladdin 45-3197 in August 1953

07 Dave Bartholomew - "Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear?" - Released on Imperial 45-5210 in December 1952

08 Jimmy Liggins - "I Ain't Drunk" - Released On Aladdin 45-3250 in July 1954

09 Wynonie Harris - "Bloodshot Eyes" Released on King 4461-AA in July 1951

10 The Four Deuces - "Down It Went" - Released On Music City 45-794 in September(?) 1955

11 Melino with The Crows - "Mambo Shevitz (Man O Man)" - Released On Tico 45-108 in April 1954

12 The Four Flames - "Tabarin" - Released On Fidelity 3001 / Unique 005A in November 1951

13 The Clovers - "One Mint Julep" - Released on Atlantic 45-963 in March 1952

14 Hal Page and The Whalers - "Thunder Bird" - Released on J&S J-1601A in October 1957

15 The Thrillers - "The Drunkard" - Released on Big Town 45-109 in October 1953

16 Tommy Johnson - "Alcohol and Jake Blues" - Released on Paramount 12950-A in July 1930

17 Screamin' Jay Hawkins - "Baptize Me In Wine" - Released on Apollo 528-45 in December 1958

18 Papa Lightfoot - "Wine, Women and Whiskey" - Released on Imperial 5289 in June 1954

19 Peppermint Harris - "I Got Loaded" - Released on Aladdin 45-3097 in September 1951

20 Stick McGhee - "Drinking Wine Spo-De-Odee" - Released on Atlantic 873 in March 1949

21 The Empires - "Corn Whiskey" - Released on Harlem 45-2325 in late 1954

22 Hal Paige and the Whalers - "Pour The Corn" Released on Fury 1002 and Checker 873 in September 1957

23 Little Esther - "Cherry Wine" - Released on Federal 45-12142 in August 1953

24 The Robins - "Empty Bottles" - Released on RCA 47-5489 in December 1953

25 Champion Jack Dupree - "Drunk Again" - Released On Red Robin 130-X45 in 1954

26 Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcats - "Sneaky Pete" - Released on King 4181-B in October 1947

27 The Five Keys - "Serve Another Round" - Released on Aladdin 3158 in October 1952, rereleased on Aladdin 45-3312 in January 1956

28 Jack (The Bear) Parker - "Cheap Old Wine Whiskey" - Released on 7-11 45-2100 in March 1953

29 The Lamplighters - "Be Bop Wino" - Released on Federal 45-12152 in November 1953

30 The Chocolateers - "Bartender Blues" Released on Parrot 781 in July 1953

31 Marvin Phillips and His Men From Mars - "Wine Woogie" - Released on Specialty XSP-445-45 in November 1952

32 Screamin' Jay Hawkins - "Alligator Wine" Released on Okeh 4-7101 in April 1958

33 Bill Samuels and the Cats 'N' Jammer Three - "Port Wine" Released on Mercury 8012 in April 1946

34 Bobby Plater Orchestra With Mr. Swing - "Beer Bottle Boogie" Released on Bullet 327 in 1950. "Mr Swing" was Rufus Thomas

35 The Orioles with Buddy Lucas and his Band of Tomorrow - "Barfly" Released on Jubilee 45-5084 in July 1952

36 Amos Milburn - "Let Me Go Home Whiskey" Released on Aladdin 45-3164 in January 1953

37 Louis Jordan and the Tympanny Five - "Fat Backs and Corn Whiskey" Released on Aladdin 45-3270 in December 1954

38 Joe Morris Orch. W/ Mr. Stringbean - "Pass The Juice Miss Lucy" Released on Herald H-418 in September 1953

39 Jay McShann and Jimmy Witherspoon - "Barfly Blues" Mercury 8049 Released in August 1947

40 Tuff Green Orchestra with J.P. Louper - "Lets Go To The Liquor Store" Released on Bullet 312-A in September 1949

41 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five - "Whiskey Do Your Stuff" Released On Aladdin 3223 in February 1954

42 J.B. Summers - "Drinkin' Beer" - Released On Gotham 203-A in November 1949

43 Marylyn Scott (The Carolina Blues Girl) With Johnny Otis Orch. - "Beer Bottle Boogie" - Released On Regent 1025-A in November 1950

44 Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson - "Wine-O-Wine" - Released On Atlantic 957 in February 1952

45 Jimmy Liggins and His Orchestra - "No More Alcohol" - Released on Aladdin 45-3251 in October 1954

46 Christine Kittrell - "Sittin' Here Drinking" Released on Tennessee 128 in August 1952

47 Roy Brown - "Bar Room Blues" - Released on DeLuxe 3319 (DeLuxe 310 in Canada) in November 1951

48 Tom Archia And His All Stars Vocal by Doctor Jo Jo Adams - "Drinkin' Blues" - Released On Aristocrat 801-B in November 1948

49 Calvin Boze - "Waiting and Drinking" - Released on Aladdin 3045A in February 1950

50 Melvin Smith - "Looped" - Released on RCA 47-4735 in June 1952

51 Billy Love (credited to Jackie Brenston) - "Juiced" - Released On Chess 1472 in July 1951

52 The Champs - "Tequila" - Released on Challenge 1016 in January 1958

"... one for my baby, one more for the road"

Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business!

Side 1:
01) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2
02) In The Evening
03) Frogomore Blues
04) McShann Bounce Part 1
05) How Long
06) Money's Getting Cheaper

Side 2:
01) Skid-Row Blues
02) Spoon Calls Hootie
03) Back Water Blues
04) Louie's Guitar Boogie
05) Destruction Blues
06) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1

Ain't Nobody's Business! (Mega)

Ain't Nobody's Business! (Zippy)

Another LP which has lain unplayed for decades on the shelves of the vinyl vault. An unfortunate state of affairs as it provides a valuable snapshot of a period when one of the all time great blues shouters, Jimmy Witherspoon, enjoyed considerable success on the R&B charts. Witherspoon, of course, went on to have a decades long career as a jazz and blues singer but here we concentrate on 1947 - 1949 when his recordings for Supreme Records made a big noise on the sales charts.

Although the sleevenotes for this LP say that these recordings were made for Jack Lauderdale's Down Beat / Swing Time label, in fact with the exception of "Spoon Calls Hootie" and "Destruction Blues'" these tracks were recorded in November 1947 for Supreme Records, a small LA based label owned by dentist Al Patrick. The label had a limited but interesting roster of R&B artists which included Jimmy Witherspoon, Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Paula Watson and Eddie Williams. Two lawsuits (brought by Decca and Black & White) plus the inevitable financial pressures of a small label having to support a nationwide smash hit (Witherspoon's "Ain't Nobody's Business") brought about the closure of the label in 1950 with most of its masters being bought up by Swing Time.

In the previous post "Jay McShann - The Band That Jumps The Blues!" we saw how pianist and former big band leader Jay McShann had migrated to the West Coast, leading small jump groups rather than full bands. In Vallejo California McShann came across Witherspoon and immediately signed him to his band which for a while could boast three vocalists - Crown Prince Waterford, Witherspoon and Numa Lee Davis. The band cut sides for Philo, Premier and Mercury (1945 - 1947) with Waterford and Davis dropping out, leaving Witherspoon as the sole vocalist fronting the band.

Supreme started recording Witherspoon who was now a solo act in October 1947. Further sessions followed in November 1947 with backing by Jay McShann who generously provided studio support for his former singer, and in a final late December 1947 session, backing was provided by the Buddy Tate band. To confuse matters somewhat, Witherspoon and McShann also recorded for Modern in late December 1947 with the Al "Cake" Wichard band.

Although a stash of recordings had been built up, Supreme didn't start releasing Witherspoon sides until the spring of 1948. Just as these platters hit the record shops, Witherspoon started recording for Down Beat, again backed by Jay McShann. He continued to record for Down Beat into the summer of 1948 and then started recording for Modern in the autumn of that year, staying with that label until 1952 when he switched to Federal.

Amidst the flurry of releases on Supreme, Down Beat and Modern in 1948-49, it was the Supreme recordings which made the biggest impact sales wise, with the two parter "Ain't Nobody's Business"  reaching number 1 in the R&B chart in the spring of 1949, and its follow up, "In The Evening" reaching number 7 in October of that year. Witherspoon enjoyed further success in 1950 with a double sided hit on Modern, "No Rollin' Blues" and "Big Fine Girl" both of which reached number 4 R&B.

Release Details - Titles as on original single releases

01) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2 - Supreme 1506 / Swing Time 263

02) In The Evening - Supreme 1533

03) Frogomore Blues  - Supreme 1505

04) McShann's Bounce Part 1 - Supreme 1540 (Jay McShann)

05) How Long - Supreme 1545

06) Money's Getting Cheaper - Supreme 1501

07) Skid-Row Blues - Supreme 1545 / Swing Time 244

08) Spoon Calls Hootie - Down Beat / Swing Time 157

09) Back Water Blues - Supreme 1520

10) Louie's Guitar Boogie - Supreme 1501 (Louis Speiginer)

11) Destruction Blues - Down Beat / Swing Time 161

12) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1 - Supreme 1506 / Swing Time 263

In chronological order. All tracks credited to Jimmy Witherspoon unless otherwise noted (in brackets):

Louie's Guitar Boogie (Louis Speiginer) / Money's Getting Cheaper - Supreme 1501 - May 1948

Frogomore Blues / Wee Baby Blues - Supreme 1505 - August / September (?) 1948

Call My Baby / Spoon Calls Hootie - Down Beat 157 - circa October 1948

Funny Style Baby / Destruction Blues - Down Beat 161 - circa October 1948

Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1 / Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2 - Supreme 1506 - February 1949

Back Water Blues / Third Floor Blues - Supreme 1520 - April 1949

In The Evening (Jimmy Witherspoon) / Six-Foot-Two Blues (Buddy Tate Orchestra vcl - Jimmy Witherspoon) - Supreme 1533 - September 1949

McShann's Bounce Part 1 / McShann's Bounce Part 2 (Jay McShann At The Piano) - Supreme 1540 - circa October 1949

How Long / Skid-Row Blues - Supreme 1545 - November 1949

 

Label shots adapted from The Internet Archive.

Recommended Purchase:

Cold Blooded Boogie (Night Train International NTI CD 7008)

20 hollerin' tracks from Supreme and Down Beat. At the time of posting there are copies going very cheaply on ebay.co.uk. Worth a look!

Lloyd Glenn Presents All Time Favorites (Swing Time LP 1901)

Side 1:
01) Yancey Special
02) After Hours
03) Chica Boo

Side 2:
01) Pine Top Boogie Woogie
02) Honky Tonk Train
03) Old Time Shuffle

All Time Favorites (Mega)

All Time Favourites (Zippy)

Sometimes serendipity plays a part in the appearance of a post on this blog and here's an example. While doing some background reading for the recent Jay McShann post I came across the information that Jack Lauderdale's Swing Time label had issued a 10 inch LP of Lloyd Glenn sides. Being a fan of early R&B LPs I couldn't resist reconstituting the album. So here it is with artwork adapted from the heritage auction website and mp3s from the Chronological Classics collections which were uploaded by Uncle Gil a few years back.

Some sources give the year of release of this LP as 1954 but the 16th February 1952 issue of The Cash Box announces the imminent release of the album, so February 1952 it is then. All sides on this collection were also released as singles. Full details below. "Old Time Shuffle Blues" and "Chica Boo" were big hits in 1951, so much so that Lloyd Glenn was the 9th best selling R&B artist of that year. "Yancey' Special" although not a national R&B hit sold well in territories in 1952.

 Original Release Information

All sides recorded in Los Angeles 1950-1951. Lloyd Glenn (piano); Billy Hadnott (bass); Bob Harvey (drums). Earl Burton plays bongos on "Chica Boo."

Sinner's Prayer - Lowell Fulson featuring Lloyd Glenn at the "88" / Old Time Shuffle Blues - Lloyd Glenn with the Fulson Unit - Swing Time 237 - November 1950

Jungle Town Jubilee / Chica Boo - Lloyd Glenn at the "88" - Swing Time 254 - March 1951

Yancey' Special / After Hours - Lloyd Glenn's Combo - Swing Time 292 - April 1952

Honky Tonk Train / Pine Top Boogie Woogie - Lloyd Glen's Combo - Swing Time 293 -April / May 1952?

Elsewhere On The Blog

Lloyd Glenn left Swing Time for Aladdin in late 1953 or early 1954. Here is a post of a Pathe Marconi LP of some of his Aladdin sides. The post has a potted biography of Lloyd along with artwork from Joan and El Enmascarado.

 Lloyd Glenn - After Hours

More Swing Time / Down Beat R&B shenanigans coming soon! Keep tuning in to Be Bop Wino.
 

The Best Vocal Groups In Rock'n' Roll (Dooto DL 224)

Side A:
01) Crazy Over You - The Calvanes
02) Always And Always - The Meadowlarks
03) Let Me Give You Money - The Pipes
04) I Still Remember - The Romancers
05) I Ain't Gonna Cry No More - The Penguins
06) Edna - The Medallions

Side B:
01) Guided Missiles - The Cuff Links
02) Double Dealing Baby - The Souvenirs
03) Don't Take Your Love From Me - The Calvanes
04) Back Home Again - The Birds
05) Boogie Woogie Teenage - The Meadowlarks
06) Untrue - The Meadowlarks

The Best Vocal Groups In Rock'n' Roll (Mega)

The Best Vocal Groups In Rock'n' Roll (Zippy)

Thanks to our regular contributor Marv for this second instalment of reconstituted Dootone vocal group albums. This LP was originally issued in April 1957 on Dooto (the Dootone name having been altered in early 1957 due to a court case). It was also reissued on the Dooto subsidiary Authentic label.

Remember a couple of posts ago I said I would just get the music up and forego the investigations into the background details? Oops - looks like I got carried away when preparing this post, so you get the usual heap o' arcane info.

There's just something about this 1950's Los Angeles R&B into Rock 'n' Roll sound that goes straight to the gut. Perhaps someone more articulate than I can explain it in the comments. Maybe it's the slightly fly by night feel of the records on these small labels like Dootone, Combo, the John Dolphin stable of labels, and many even more obscure outfits. The vocal groups and the sax instros, I love it all. Now I'm gonna cruise on over to Dolphin's Of Hollywood to grab me some 45s and maybe Huggy Boy is broadcasting from the store window. Or am I too late?

 Release Details:

The Calvanes - Crazy Over You / Don't Take Your Love From Me - Dootone 371 - August 1955

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - Always And Always / I Got Tore Up - Dootone 367 - June 1955

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - I Am A Believer / Boogie Woogie Teenage - Dootone 405 - October 1956

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - Untrue - first released on this LP.

The Pipes - Be Fair / Let Me Give You Money - Dootone 388 - March 1956

The Romancers - I Still Remember / House Cat - Dootone 381 - January 1956

The Penguins - I Ain't Gonna Cry No More on Dootone EP "Rhythm and Blues Vocal Group Series Album #1" - Dootone EP-101 - June 1955

The Medallions - Speedin' / Edna - Dootone 364 - June 1955

The Cuff Links - Guided Missiles / My Heart - Dootone 409 - December 1956

The Souvenirs - Double Dealing Baby - first released on this LP

Willie Headen And The Five Birds - Back Home Again / I Wanna Know - Authentic 703 - July 1956 (also released on Dooto 703) Reviewed in The Cash Box, 7th July, 1956

Info from 45cat.com, The Cash Box, and Marv Goldberg's site.

Marv Goldberg Articles:

The Calvanes

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks

The Pipes

The Penguins

The Medallions 

The Cuff Links

The Souvenirs 

Absolutely Vital Purchases:

Ace CDCHD 579

Ace CDCHD 588

Ace CDCHD 676

Elsewhere On The Blog:

The Best Vocal Groups In Rhythm And Blues

Thanks Marv!

Jay McShann - The Band That Jumps The Blues!

Side 1:
01) Hot Biscuits - Jay McShann
02) Slow Drag Blues - Jay McShann
03) M. R. Boogie - Maxine Reed
04) Buttermilk - Jay McShann
05) Skid-Row Blues (alt take) - Jimmy Witherspoon
06) Soft Winds - Jay McShann

Side 2:
01) No Name Boogie - Boogie Woogie Jackson
02) Thinking About My Baby - Lois Booker
03) Jeronimo - Jay McShann
04) 12 O'Clock Whistle - Jay McShann
05) Mello Drag - Jay McShann
06) Eatin' Watermelon - Crown Prince Waterford

The Band That Jumps The Blues (Mega)

The Band That Jumps The Blues (Zippy)

In August 2010 (I can't believe it was that long ago) I posted an LP of pianist and bandleader Jay McShann's early 1940s big band sides recorded for Decca in Dallas, Chicago and New York. The post explored the story of McShann's start in Kansas City back in the 1930s when the city's corrupt administration maintained a rather flexible and doubtlessly well greased attitude towards liquor licensing and other aspects of a convivial nightlife which led to KC acquiring a reputation as the Gomorrah of the Mid West. A by product of all this laxity was a burgeoning jazz scene which spawned great bands such as those of Count Basie, Andy Kirk and Jay McShann.

When KC became a rather more respectable city in the late '30s, there was an exodus of musicians as venues closed down. Jay's big band was one of the last to leave but soon built themselves a formidable reputation when they hit NYC and took on more established outfits in band battles. They had a big hit with "Confessin' The Blues" which featured band vocalist Walter Brown. See "Hootie's K.C. Blues" post for more tales and music from that period.

"The Band That Jumps The Blues" brings together tracks from the late '40s when Jay's big band days were well behind him and he was recording with a series of small groups in a much more R&B vein. All of the tracks were recorded in 1948 and 1949 for Jack Lauderdale's LA based Down Beat label, with the exception of Jimmy Witherspoon's "Skid-Row Boogie" which was recorded in 1947 for Supreme, another LA label whose masters were bought by Lauderdale for reissue on Down Beat and / or its renamed successor Swing Time.

McShann had arrived on the West Coast around 1945, picking up a new blues shouter in Jimmy Witherspoon. Numa Lee Davis and Crown Prince Waterford were also vocalists in the band which had its first LA recording session in July 1945 for the newly formed label Philo which would later become Aladdin. In the same month the band recorded for Premier with the masters eventually being acquired by Mercury. "Shipyard Woman Blues" for example was first released on Premier in late 1945 and then rereleased on Mercury in August 1946. There were further sessions for Mercury in September and November 1946, and in May 1947.

In November 1947 McShann's band backed Jimmy Witherspoon, who had gone solo, on sessions for Supreme. There was a massive R&B hit for one of the resulting discs, a two parter version of "Ain't Nobody's Business." The Supreme masters were later purchased by Jack Lauderdale the owner of Down Beat / Swing Time records and reissued in the early 1950s.

In early 1948 the McShann band backed Lois Booker on a session for Down Beat. "Thinking About My Baby" was credited to Booker, while the B-Side instrumental, "No Name Boogie" was credited to "Boogie Woogie Jackson", a pseudonym for McShann. The McShann band also provided backing for Jimmy Witherspoon at more Down Beat sessions in the spring of 1948 and in June 1948. In July 1948 McShann and his band, which included Buddy Floyd on tenor sax and Tiny Webb on guitar, were back in the studio for a Down Beat session which produced a top ten R&B hit instrumental in "Hot Biscuits." Another release from this session was under the name of vocalist Maxine Reed - "M.R. Boogie."

Clifford Scott was the tenor saxman in McShann's band when they recorded a session for Aladdin in February 1949 with only one single being released. Another Down Beat session sometime in mid 1949 had Maxwell Davis on tenor sax. A session with Crown Prince Waterford on an unknown date in 1949 was perhaps the last Down Beat session by Jay McShann. He recorded for the Rex Hollywood label sometime in 1949 with two released discs including the two parter "Jay's Blues" being on sale in April 1949.

McShann backed Witherspoon on a few Modern sides in 1950 and in October 1951 he was back at Mercury recording with a band which included Ben Webster. In September 1955 he recorded a session in Chicago for Vee Jay which resulted in a big R&B hit - "Hands Off" credited to McShann and vocalist Priscilla Bowman. Another Vee Jay session in January 1956 with Priscilla Bowman marked the end of McShann's R&B recording career but in common with other KC musicians he had the jazz reputation which ensured a long and fruitful working life in that field. He died in December 2006, one of the last survivors of the roaring days of Kansas City jazz.

Original Release Details

01) Hot Biscuits - Down Beat 165 - Jay McShann
02) Slow Drag Blues - Down Beat 165 - Jay McShann
03) M.R. Boogie - Down Beat 159 - Maxine Reed

04) Buttermilk - Down Beat 172 - Jay McShann

05) Skid-Row Blues - alt. take of Supreme 1545 / Swing Time 244 - Jimmy Witherspoon
06) Soft Winds - Down Beat 205 - Jay McShann

07) No Name Boogie - Down Beat 150 - "Boogie Woogie Jackson"
08) Thinking About My Baby - Down Beat 150 - Lois Booker
09) Jeronimo - Swing Time 314 - Jay McShann
10) 12 O'Clock Whistle - Down Beat 172 - Jay McShann

11) Mello Drag - Swing Time 314 - Jay McShann
12) Eatin' Watermelon - Torch 6911- Crown Prince Waterford

Thinking About My Baby / No Name Boogie - Lois Booker, B-Side instrumental credited to "Boogie Woogie Jackson" - Down Beat 150 - circa September / October 1948

M.R. Boogie / Afraid Of Darkness - Maxine Reed and The D.B. Orchestra - Down Beat 159 - October 1948

Hot Biscuits / Slow Drag Blues - Jay McShann and The Band That Jumps The Blues - Down Beat 165 - October 1948

Buttermilk / 12 O'Clock Whistle - Jay McShann and The Band That Jumps The Blues - Down Beat 172 - February 1949

Soft Winds / Someone To Watch Over Me - Jay McShann & His Band That Jumps The Blues - Down Beat 205 - May 1949

Skid-Row Blues - track on this LP is an alternate take of the track released on Supreme 1545 - Jimmy Witherspoon, B-Side of How Long, released November 1949, and re-released as Swing Time 244 in December 1951

Jeronimo / Mello Drag - Jay McShann - Swingtime 314 - October 1952

Eatin' Watermelon / Love Awhile - Crown Prince Waterford - Torch 6911 - released 1952 (purchased 1949 Down Beat master). Torch was a small Dallas TX label with only 3 known releases.

Elsewhere on the blog:

Hootie's K.C. Blues