Bessie Smith (View Discography)

Release Info

Bessie Smith's passionate vocals overrode the primitive recording technology of her era and made her the zenith of female blues singers from the 1920s and '30s. This collection takes a quick survey of her career over two-dozen tracks recorded between 1923 and 1933 in New York in sessions with such jazz icons as Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell, and Fletcher Henderson, including her seminal 1925 version of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues." An exercise in simplicity, Smith's version of the song features only her voice, Armstrong's answering cornet, and Fred Longshaw on a wheezing reed organ. The end result is one of the greatest performances in pop history. Also featured here is Smith's breakthrough side “Downhearted Blues,” plus wonderful takes on "Careless Love Blues" and “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” all of which show what this one of a kind and larger than life singer could do with a song. ~ Steve Leggett

Tracks

1. Downhearted Blues
2. Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do
3. My Sweetie Went Away
4. Weeping Willow Blues
5. St. Louis Blues
6. Reckless Blues
7. Sobbin' Hearted Blues
8. Cold in Hand Blues
9. You'd Been a Good Ole Wagon
10. Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home)
11. The Yellow Dog Blues
12. Nashville Woman's Blues
13. Careless Love Blues
14. J.C. Holmes Blues
15. I Ain't Goin' to Play No Second Fiddle
16. Young Woman's Blues
17. Muddy Water (a Mississippi Moan)
18. Mean Old Bedbug Blues
19. Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 1
20. Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 2
21. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
22. Black Mountain Blues
23. Do Your Duty
24. Gimme a Pigfoot