A World Of Blues (Imperial LP 9210)

Side 1:

01. Cold, Cold Feeling - T-Bone Walker

02. I Get So Weary - T-Bone Walker

03. Travelin' Blues - T-Bone Walker

04. The Sun Went Down - T-Bone Walker

05. Drifting Blues - Charles Brown

06. Black Night - Charles Brown

Side 2:

01. Trouble In Mind - Amos Milburn

02. Baby, Baby - Amos Milburn

03. Tired, Broke & Busted - Floyd Dixon

04. Call Operator #210 - Floyd Dixon

05. Rockin' & Rollin' - Lil' Son Jackson

06. Tend To Your Business - James Wayne

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This is a 1982 Pathe Marconi re-release of Imperial LP 9210 which was originally released in May 1963. Billboard Magazine rated it as a 4 star album in its 4th May 1963 issue. The Beach Boys "Diamond Head" LP only rated 3 stars, along with "Frank Kouba and His Gay Bohemians" and "The Best Of The Bossa Nova" by The Tides. The mind boggles. However that's all very much bye the bye, and a propos de rien. Read on and learn that this is a glorious LP, a great collection of 1940s / early 1950s blues gems from the vaults of Philo / Aladdin and Imperial.

We have four giants of West Coast R&B: T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn and Floyd Dixon, all of whom were particularly adept at evoking a late night, after hours atmosphere. The music brings to mind one of my favourite quotes from "Unsung Heroes Of Rock 'n' Roll" by Nick Tosches, to be specific, from the chapter on Amos Milburn: "...the ceaseless saxophones of salvation, the crossing and uncrossing of restless nylon knees, the eightfold path of the unfiltered Kool and the miracle of Our Lady of the After-Hours Joint." Words which sum up this LP better than anything I could possibly write.

The sides by Lil' Son Jackson and James Wayne stand apart from the sophisticated West Coast R&B stylings of the four "big hitters." Lil' Son's "Rockin' And Rollin'" has just one man and his guitar. While looking back to earlier hits by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, this disc also presages the "swamp blues" style of Slim Harpo. You can hear both sides of the original Imperial 78 on this post featuring rips by El Enmascarado - Rockin' And Rollin' / Peace Breaking People.

James Wayne's "Tend To Your Business" is a 1961 Imperial re-recording of his big 1951 hit for the Sittin' In With label. It was in the R&B top ten from May through to August 1951, reaching as high as number two in May. In the middle of June it was at number three, tucked in behind Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88" and "60 Minute Man" by The Dominoes, and ahead of Nat "King" Cole's "Too Young" and Billy Eckstine's "I Apologize." The 1961 version is much slicker than the original. Unlike the Lil' Son Jackson track, it really breaks with the overall late night bluesy mood of the album.

James Wayne was an interesting character, to say the least. This article (Not Tending To His Business) by writer Graham Reid is a good overview of  the trials (literally) and tribulations of a true eccentric. There is a link in the article to a lengthy account by public defender Mort Borenstein of his efforts to keep Wayne out of a mental institution and also get him some of his royalties. "The People versus James Douglas Wayne" is worth setting aside twenty minutes or so for what develops into a rollercoaster ride through, well, just read it for yourselves. I intended to merely "dip in" to the article and was quickly hooked. 

This Pathe Marconi reissue had a slight problem. Two of the T-Bone tracks were not those listed on the sleeve and record label. Tracks 3 and 4 on Side 1 were not "Travelin' Blues" and "The Sun Went Down", but were in fact "The Hustle Is On" and "Evil Hearted Woman." Bizarre - especially as "The Hustle Is On" is an up tempo shuffle which just doesn't fit the "blues" atmosphere of most of the other tracks. For this post I've removed the two intruders and restored the original track list, so you get the album as it was originally conceived.

"A World Of Blues" did appear on the blog way back in 2007 and it falls into the category of "rips which I thought I lost in the great PC crash of 2009". As I mentioned in a recent post, I came across a box of CDs burned from these old rips and so here is the LP once more, re-ripped from what turned out to be a CD of mp3s and not an audio CD. There was a lot of surface noise on the original rip, so I've re-edited the files on Magix Audio Cleaning Lab MX to improve your listening experience. I've also included new scans of the front and back covers and the record labels.

And here are the facts on the tracks, Jack:

1. Cold, Cold Feeling - T-Bone Walker

Recorded in Los Angeles, December 1951. Personnel: T-Bone Walker (vocal, guitar); Edward Hale (alto sax); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Willard McDaniel (piano); Billy Hadnott (bass); Oscar Lee Bradley (drums).

Issued on Imperial single 5171, February 1952.

2. I Get So Weary - T-Bone Walker

Recorded in Los Angeles, August 20th, 1951. Personnel: T-Bone Walker (vocal, guitar); Edward Hale (alto sax); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Willard McDaniel (piano); Billy Hadnott (bass); Oscar Lee Bradley (drums). Also with unknown trumpet player.

Issued on Imperial single 5161, December 1951.

3. Travelin' Blues - T-Bone Walker

Recorded in Los Angeles, April 6th, 1950. Personnel: T-Bone Walker (vocal, guitar); Eddie Hutcherson (trumpet); Edward Hale (alto sax); Eddie Davis (tenor sax); Big Jim Wynn (baritone and alto saxes); Zell Kindred (piano); Buddy Woodson (bass); Robert "Snake" Sims (drums).

Released on Imperial single 5094, August 1950.

4. The Sun Went Down - T-Bone Walker

Recorded in Los Angeles, April 5th, 1950. Personnel: T-Bone Walker (vocal, guitar); Eddie Hutcherson (trumpet); Edward Hale (alto sax); Eddie Davis (tenor sax); Big Jim Wynn (baritone and alto saxes); Zell Kindred (piano); Buddy Woodson (bass); Robert "Snake" Sims (drums).

Released on Imperial single 5086, May 1950.

5. Drifting Blues - Johnny Moore's Three Blazers

Recorded in Los Angeles, September 11th, 1945. Personnel: Charles Brown (vocal, piano); Johnny Moore (guitar); Eddie Williams (bass); Johnny Otis (drums).

Released on Philo single 111, November 1945.

6. Black Night - Charles Brown

Recorded in Los Angeles, December 21st, 1950. Personnel: Charles Brown (vocal, piano); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Jesse Ervin (guitar); Wesley Prince (bass); unknown (drums).

Released on Aladdin single 3076, February 1951.

7. Trouble In Mind - Amos Milburn and his Aladdin Chickenshackers

Recorded in Los Angeles, January 29th, 1952. Personnel: Amos Milburn (vocal, piano); probably Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); unknown alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax; possibly Wayne Bennett (guitar); unknown bass and drums.

Released on Aladdin single 3124, February 1952.

8. Baby, Baby - Amos Milburn and his Aladdin Chickenshackers

Recorded in Los Angeles, March 26th, 1954. Personnel: Amos Milburn (vocal, piano) with unknown tenor sax, baritone sax, guitar, bass and drums.

Released on Aladdin single 3248, July 1954.

9. Tired, Broke And Busted - Floyd Dixon

Recorded in Los Angeles, May 12th, 1952. Personnel: Floyd Dixon (vocal, piano); Roy Hayes (guitar); Eddie Williams (bass); Nat "Monk" McFadden (drums).

Released on Aladdin single 3151, October 1952.

10. Call Operator 210 - Floyd Dixon

Recorded in Los Angeles, May 12th, 1952. Personnel: Floyd Dixon (vocal, piano); Roy Hayes (guitar); Eddie Williams (bass); Nat "Monk" McFadden (drums).

Released on Aladdin single 3135, June 1952.

11. Rockin' And Rollin' - Lil' Son Jackson

Recorded in Houston, Texas, December 16th, 1950. Personnel: Melvin Jackson aka "Lil' Son Jackson" (vocal, guitar).

Released on Imperial single 5113, February 1951.

12. Tend To Your Business - James Wayne

Recorded in New Orleans, February 22nd, 1961. Personnel: James "Wee Willie" Wayne (vocal); unknown tenor sax, piano, guitars, bass and drums.

Released on Imperial LP 9210 "A World Of Blues" in May 1963.

Amos Milburn - Chicken Shack Boogie

Side A
1. My Baby's Boogying
2. Amos’ Boogie
3. Bye Bye Boogie
4. It Took A Long Long Time
5. Chicken Shack Boogie
6. Pot Luck Boogie
7. Jitterbug Fashion Parade

Side B
1. Roomin' House Boogie
2. Johnson Rag
3. Boogie Woogie
4. Sax Shack Boogie
5. Roll Mr Jelly
6. Grey Hound
7. House Party

This is the fifth of the Pathe Marconi Amos Milburn LPs to be posted on the blog and I believe that the set is now complete. I can say that I’ve saved the best till the last, for this collection of classic tracks rocks, rolls, pounds and boogies in a merciless onslaught of the finest rhythm and blues you’ll hear anywhere.

The only break is provided by the slower “It Took A Long Long Time” at track 4. From track 5, which is the original hit version of “Chicken Shack Boogie,” there is simply no letup as Amos shouts the blues and pounds that piano to the blasting tenor sax accompaniment of studio bands led by the great Maxwell Davis or else his road band, The Aladdin Chicken-Shackers.

This is a collection which spans Amos’ successful years with Aladdin, beginning with his first session for the label in September 1946 and ending in 1955, by which time the hits had dried up. He was born in Houston, Texas, in 1927, into a family of twelve children. After war service in the Pacific, he became the main breadwinner for the family and took up music professionally, forming a small combo which played the clubs around the Houston area. While playing at the Keyhole Club in San Antonio he was spotted by Lola Anne Cullum (the wife of a Houston doctor) who was something of a promoter on the local music scene. Taking the young Amos under her wing, Mrs Cullum soon had him relocated to Los Angeles and signed up with Aladdin Records.

From that first session under the supervision of Maxwell Davis, “My Baby’s Boogying” achieved good sales locally. In the next year or so Amos laid down a mix of boogies, salacious double entendre blues and the occasional ballad which sold well enough but it wasn’t until November 1948 that real success came along when “Chicken Shack Boogie,” which he’d recorded in late 1947 just prior to the AFM recording ban, stormed to the top of the R&B charts. This kicked off a remarkable series of hits for Amos which lasted from 1949 through to 1954 when “Good Good Whiskey,” the last in a series of drink related hits, (“Bad Bad Whiskey,” “One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer,” etc.) charted.

Like many of his contemporaries, Amos was left behind by changing fashions in R&B and the advent of rock and roll. In 1956 he recorded in New Orleans with top musicians such as Lee Allen and Earl Palmer in an attempt to reboot his flagging career. This session produced one of the greatest rock and roll records of all time – a searing remake of “Chicken Shack Boogie” but it didn’t sell. The Aladdin contract was not renewed in 1957.

Towards the end of the 1950s Amos hooked up with his old buddy Charles Brown for live appearances and a single on Ace, “I Wanna Go Home,” / “Educated Fool.” Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me” was heavily based on “I Wanna Go Home,” but for Brown and Milburn there was to be not a hint of the success that Cooke would have with his version.

Amos recorded for King and Motown between 1960 and 1967, but nothing sold. As the 60s became the 70s, increasing ill health including two strokes and a leg amputation blighted the remaining years of his life which came to a close on January 3rd, 1980.

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps.

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Amos Milburn (piano and vocal) on all tracks.

Los Angeles, September 12th, 1946. Unknown g, b, dm. Maxwell Davis (ts) present at session:

1. My Baby's Boogying (Aladdin 160)
2. Amos’ Boogie (Aladdin 173)

Los Angeles, October 27th, 1947. Maxwell Davis (ts), possibly Gene Phillips (g), unknown b and dm:

3. Bye Bye Boogie (Aladdin 206)
6. Pot Luck Boogie (Aladdin 3026)

Los Angeles, November 19th, 1947. Maxwell Davis (ts), unknown g, b and dm:

5. Chicken Shack Boogie (Aladdin, 3014)

Los Angeles, December 18th, 1947. Maxwell Davis (ts), probably Frank Heywood (g), unknown b and dm:

4. It Took A Long Long Time (Aladdin 3014)

Los Angeles, February 28th, 1949. Maxwell Davis (ts), Gene Phillips (g), Ralph Hamilton (b), Jesse Sailes (dm):

7. Jitterbug Fashion Parade (Aladdin 3023)

Los Angeles, July 13th, 1949. Maxwell Davis (ts), Chuck Norris (g), Ralph Hamilton (b), Lee Young (dm):

8. Roomin' House Boogie (Aladdin 3032)

Los Angeles, December 19th, 1949. Amos Milburn and his Aladdin Chicken-Shackers – Don Wilkerson (ts), Billy Smith (ts), Willie Simpson (bs), Johnny Brown (g), Harper Cosby (b), Calvin Vaughan (dm):

9. Johnson Rag (Aladdin 3049)
10. Boogie Woogie (Aladdin 3105)

Los Angeles, January 4th, 1950. Amos Milburn and his Aladdin Chicken-Shackers – Don Wilkerson (ts), Billy Smith (ts), Willie Simpson (bs), Johnny Brown (g), Harper Cosby (b), Calvin Vaughan (dm):

11. Sax Shack Boogie (Aladdin 3064)

Los Angeles, January 30th, 1952. Willie Smith (ts), Bill Hill (ts), Leroy Robinson (as and bs), Wayne Bennett (g), Leonard Sonny Williams (b), Eldeen McIntosh (dm):

12. Roll Mr Jelly (Aladdin 3133)

Los Angeles, August 21st, 1952. Maxwell Davis (ts), unknown bs, g, b and dm:

13. Grey Hound (Aladdin 3150)

Los Angeles, July 25th, 1955. Amos Milburn and his Aladdin Chickenshackers – Arnett Sparrow (tb), Eddie Chamblee (ts), Joe Evans (bs), Irving Ashby (g), possibly Red Callender (b), possibly Rufus Jones (dm):

14. House Party (Aladdin 3306)

Mo’ Amos –

On the blog – the other 4 Amos Milburn Pathe Marconi LPs are shown below:


That gives you quite a helping of Amos but there is much more to explore. Try to hunt down and purchase the following CDs:

"Amos Milburn Rocks!" (Bear Family) is probably the current best single CD overview of his career:

The Revola CD "Let's Have A Party" is a compilation of 1950s sides recorded for Aladdin:

If you wish to explore the career of Amos Milburn in depth (and who wouldn't?), then the Chronological Classics series covers 1946 - 1953 in 5 CDs. The first CD, 1946 - 1947, may be hard to obtain. The succeeding four are available at Amazon.co.uk, some as mp3 downloads.

Now sadly out of print, but still one of my all time favourite R&B CDs, is the Capitol Blues Collection 3CD set ""Blues, Barrelhouse & Boogie Woogie." 66 tracks and superb liner notes by Mark Humphrey. Still available as a surprisingly cheap mp3 download from Amazon, but if you find a second hand copy at a reasonable price, buy it.