Bessie Smith - The Complete Recordings, Empress Of the Blues Vol. 01 - 05 [1991-1996] (10x CD's)

BESSIE SMITH

Bessie Smith - The Complete Recordings, Empress Of the Blues Vol. 01 - 05 [1991-1996] (10x CD's)

Bessie Smith (born April 14, 1894, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA – died September 26, 1937, in a car accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA) was an American blues singer. Nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues", she was considered by many to be the greatest blues singer of all time. She was also a successful vaudeville entertainer who became the highest paid African-American performer of the roaring twenties. Bessie died from injuries sustained in a car crash. Her arm which was probably hanging out the car window was almost severed at the elbow. Her grave was unmarked for 33 years until Janis Joplin paid for her headstone in 1970. Half-sister of Diamond Teeth Mary. In the 1970's, Bessie Smith's recordings were reissued on five double LPs. Her CD reissue series also has five volumes (the first four are double CD sets) with the main difference being that the final volume includes all of her rare alternate takes (which were bypassed on LP). (Wikipwdia)

Vol. 01 Empress Of the Blues

The first set (which, as with all of the CD volumes, is housed in an oversize box that includes an informative booklet) contains her first 38 recordings. During this early era, Bessie Smith had no competitors on record and she was one of the few vocalists who could overcome the primitive recording techniques; her power really comes through. Her very first recording (Alberta Hunter's "Down Hearted Blues") was a big hit and is one of the highlights of these set along with "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" (two decades before Billie Holiday), "Jail-House Blues," and "Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down." Smith's accompaniment is nothing that special (usually just a pianist and maybe a weak horn or two), but she dominates the music anyway, even on two vocal duets with her rival Clara Smith. All of these volumes reward close listenings and are full of timeless recordings. (AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow)

Vol. 02 Empress Of the Blues

Bessie Smith, even on the evidence of her earliest recordings, well deserved the title "Empress of the Blues" for in the 1920's there was no one in her league for emotional intensity, honest blues feeling, and power. The second of five volumes (the first four are two-CD sets) finds her accompaniment improving rapidly with such sympathetic sidemen as trombonist Charlie Green, cornetist Joe Smith, and clarinetist Buster Bailey often helping her out. However, they are overshadowed by Louis Armstrong, whose two sessions with Smith (nine songs in all) fall into the time period of this second set; particularly classic are their versions of "St. Louis Blues," "Careless Love Blues," and "I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle." Other gems on this essential set include "Cake Walkin' Babies From Home," "The Yellow Dog Blues," and "At the Christmas Ball." (AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow)

Vol. 03 Empress Of the Blues

On the third, the great Bessie Smith is greatly assisted on some of the 38 selections by a few of her favorite sidemen: cornetist Joe Smith, trombonist Charlie Green, and clarinetist Buster Bailey. But the most important of her occasional musicians was pianist James P. Johnson, who makes his first appearance in 1927 and can be heard on four duets with Bessie, including the monumental "Backwater Blues." Other highlights of this highly recommended set (all five volumes are essential) include "After You've Gone," "Muddy Water," "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," "Trombone Cholly," "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," and "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues." The power and intensity of Bessie Smith's recordings should be considered required listening; even 80 years later they still communicate. (AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow)

Vol. 04 Empress Of the Blues

The fourth of five volumes reissues traces her career from a period when her popularity was at its height down to just six songs away from the halt of her recording career. But although her commercial fortunes might have slipped, Bessie Smith never declined and these later recordings are consistently powerful. The two-part "Empty Bed Blues" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (hers is the original version) are true classics and none of the other 40 songs (including the double-entendre "Kitchen Man") are throwaways. With strong accompaniment during some performances by trombonist Charlie Green, guitarist Eddie Lang, Clarence Williams's band and on ten songs (eight of which are duets) the masterful pianist James P. Johnson, this volume (as with the others) is quite essential. (AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow)

Vol. 05 Empress Of the Blues The Final Chapter.

Bessie Smith cut 160 sides for the Columbia and OKeh labels between 1923 and 1933, and the four previous 2 x CD sets of her complete recordings released in the 1990's covered 154 of them, which introduces the question, what can a fifth  CD set contain in addition to the remaining six cuts? First, there are five previously unreleased alternate takes; second, there is the 15-minute low-fi soundtrack to the two-reel short St. Louis Blues, which constitutes the only film of Smith; and third, taking up all of the second CD, there are 72 minutes of interview tapes of Ruby Smith, Bessie Smith's niece, who traveled as part of her show. The box contains a "Parental Advisory -- Explicit Lyrics" warning because of the nature of Ruby Smith's reminiscences. You won't learn much about Bessie Smith's music from her niece's remarks, but you will learn a lot about her sexual preferences. (AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann)

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Track lists

Vol. 01 CD1

01 Bessie Smith Down Hearted Blues 3:28

02 Bessie Smith Gulf Coast Blues 3:07

03 Bessie Smith Aggravatin' Papa 3:19

04 Bessie Smith Beale Street Mama 3:37

05 Bessie Smith Baby Won't You Please Come Home 2:58

06 Bessie Smith Oh Daddy Blues 3:07

07 Bessie Smith 'tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do 3:29

08 Bessie Smith Keeps On A-Rainin' (Papa, He Can't Make No Time) 3:09

09 Bessie Smith Mama's Got The Blues 2:58

10 Bessie Smith Outside Of That 3:30

11 Bessie Smith Bleeding Hearted Blues 3:08

12 Bessie Smith Lady Luck Blues 3:09

13 Bessie Smith Yodling Blues 3:14

14 Bessie Smith Midnight Blues 3:20

15 Bessie Smith If You Don't, I Know Who Will 3:38

16 Bessie Smith Nobody In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine 3:34

17 Bessie Smith Jail-House Blues 3:16

18 Bessie Smith St. Louis Gal 3:30

19 Bessie Smith Sam Jones Blues 2:47

Vol. 01 CD2

01 Bessie Smith Graveyard Dream Blues 2:47

02 Bessie Smith Cemetery Blues 3:31

03 Bessie Smith Far Away Blues 3:02

04 Bessie Smith I'm Going Back to My Used to Be 2:56

05 Bessie Smith Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time 3:13

06 Bessie Smith My Sweetie Went Away 3:13

07 Bessie Smith Any Woman's Blues 3:28

08 Bessie Smith Chicago Bound Blues 3:18

09 Bessie Smith Mistreating Daddy 3:19

10 Bessie Smith Frosty Morning Blues 3:16

11 Bessie Smith Haunted House Blues 3:31

12 Bessie Smith Eavesdropper's Blues 3:13

13 Bessie Smith Easy Come, Easy Go Blues 3:11

14 Bessie Smith Sorrowful Blues 3:19

15 Bessie Smith Pinchbacks - Take 'Em Away 3:17

16 Bessie Smith Rocking Chair Blues 3:16

17 Bessie Smith Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down 3:20

18 Bessie Smith Boweavil Blues 2:54

19 Bessie Smith Hateful Blues 3:08

Vol. 02 CD1

01 Bessie Smith Frankie Blues 3:34

02 Bessie Smith Moonshine Blues 3:19

03 Bessie Smith Down Blues 3:25

04 Bessie Smith Mountain Top Blues 3:14

05 Bessie Smith Work House Blues 3:23

06 Bessie Smith House Rent Blues 3:08

07 Bessie Smith Salt Water Blues 3:29

08 Bessie Smith Rainy Weather Blues 3:38

09 Bessie Smith Weeping Willow Blues 3:12

10 Bessie Smith The Bye Bye Blues 3:20

11 Bessie Smith Sing Sing Prison Blues 3:06

12 Bessie Smith Follow The Deal On Down 3:18

13 Bessie Smith Sinful Blues 3:11

14 Bessie Smith Woman's Trouble Blues 3:07

15 Bessie Smith Love Me Daddy Blues 3:16

16 Bessie Smith Dying Gambler's Blues 3:00

17 Bessie Smith The St. Louis Blues 3:12

18 Bessie Smith Reckless Blues 3:05

19 Bessie Smith Sobbin' Hearted Blues 3:00

Vol. 02 CD2

01 Bessie Smith Cold In Hand Blues 3:15

02 Bessie Smith You've Been A Good Ole Wagon 3:30

03 Bessie Smith Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home) 3:11

04 Bessie Smith The Yellow Dog Blues 3:05

05 Bessie Smith Soft Pedal Blues 3:21

06 Bessie Smith Dixie Flyer Blues 3:11

07 Bessie Smith Nashville Woman's Blues 3:45

08 Bessie Smith Careless Love Blues 3:27

09 Bessie Smith J.C. Holmes Blues 3:05

10 Bessie Smith I Ain't Goin' To Play Second Fiddle 3:23

11 Bessie Smith He's Gone Blues 3:11

12 Bessie Smith Nobody's Blues But Mine 2:54

13 Bessie Smith I Ain't Got Nobody 3:11

14 Bessie Smith My Man Blues 3:32

15 Bessie Smith New Gulf Coast Blues 3:23

16 Bessie Smith Florida Bound Blues 3:15

17 Bessie Smith At The Christmas Ball 3:26

18 Bessie Smith I've Been Mistreated And I Don't Like It 2:55

Vol. 03 CD1

01 Bessie Smith Red Mountain Blues 3:13

02 Bessie Smith Golden Rule Blues 3:05

03 Bessie Smith Lonesome Desert Blues 3:26

04 Bessie Smith Them 'has Been' Blues 3:33

05 Bessie Smith Squeeze Me 2:53

06 Bessie Smith What's The Matter Now 2:46

07 Bessie Smith I Want Every Bit Of It 2:38

08 Bessie Smith Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town 3:21

09 Bessie Smith The Gin House Blues 3:14

10 Bessie Smith Money Blues 3:12

11 Bessie Smith Baby Doll 3:01

12 Bessie Smith Hard Driving Papa 2:59

13 Bessie Smith Lost Your Head Blues 2:56

14 Bessie Smith Hard Time Blues 3:14

15 Bessie Smith Honey Man Blues 3:14

16 Bessie Smith One And Two Blues 2:55

17 Bessie Smith Young Woman's Blues 3:09

18 Bessie Smith Preachin' The Blues 2:52

19 Bessie Smith Back Water Blues 3:19

20 Bessie Smith After You've Gone 2:57

21 Bessie Smith Alexander's Ragtime Band 2:58

Vol. 03 CD2

01 Bessie Smith Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 3:08

02 Bessie Smith There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight 3:21

03 Bessie Smith Trombone Cholly 3:12

04 Bessie Smith Send Me To The 'lectric Chair 3:23

05 Bessie Smith Them's Graveyard Words 2:59

06 Bessie Smith Hot Spring Blues 2:57

07 Bessie Smith Sweet Mistreater 3:02

08 Bessie Smith Lock And Key 2:59

09 Bessie Smith Mean Old Bedbug Blues 3:14

10 Bessie Smith A Good Man Is Hard To Find 3:02

11 Bessie Smith Homeless Blues 3:01

12 Bessie Smith Looking For My Man Blues 2:50

13 Bessie Smith Dyin' By The Hour 3:00

14 Bessie Smith Foolish Man Blues 2:55

15 Bessie Smith Thinking Blues 3:10

16 Bessie Smith Pickpocket Blues 2:44

17 Bessie Smith I Used To Be Your Sweet Mama 2:51

18 Bessie Smith I'd Rather Be Dead And Buried In My Grave 2:57

Vol. 04 CD1

01 Bessie Smith Standin' In The Rain Blues 2:55

02 Bessie Smith It Won't Be You 2:49

03 Bessie Smith Spider Man Blues 3:23

04 Bessie Smith Empty Bed Blues (Part 1) 3:02

05 Bessie Smith Empty Bed Blues (Part 2) 3:22

06 Bessie Smith Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There) 3:00

07 Bessie Smith Yes Indeed He Do! 3:16

08 Bessie Smith Devil's Gonna Git You 3:12

09 Bessie Smith You Ought To Be Ashamed 3:08

10 Bessie Smith Washwoman's Blues 3:10

11 Bessie Smith Slow And Easy Man 2:57

12 Bessie Smith Poor Man's Blues 3:26

13 Bessie Smith Please Help Me Get Him Out Of My Mind 2:57

14 Bessie Smith Me And My Gin 2:51

15 Bessie Smith I'm Wild About That Thing 2:50

16 Bessie Smith You've Got To Give Me Some 2:44

17 Bessie Smith Kitchen Man 2:58

18 Bessie Smith I've Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away) 3:11

19 Bessie Smith Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out 2:59

20 Bessie Smith Take It Right Back ('cause I Don't Want It Here) 3:20

Vol. 04 CD2

01 Bessie Smith He's Got Me Goin' 3:15

02 Bessie Smith It Makes My Love Come Down 2:57

03 Bessie Smith Wasted Life Blues 3:04

04 Bessie Smith Dirty No-Gooder's Blues 3:00

05 Bessie Smith Blue Spirit Blues 2:58

06 Bessie Smith Worn Out Papa Blues 2:50

07 Bessie Smith You Don't Understand 3:06

08 Bessie Smith Don't Cry Baby 3:12

09 Bessie Smith Keep It To Yourself 3:32

10 Bessie Smith New Orleans Hop Scop Blues 2:59

11 Bessie Smith See If I'll Care 3:25

12 Bessie Smith Baby Have Pity On Me 3:20

13 Bessie Smith On Revival Day (A Rhythmic Spiritual) 2:56

14 Bessie Smith Moan, You Moaners 3:13

15 Bessie Smith Hustlin' Dan 3:32

16 Bessie Smith Black Mountain Blues 3:10

17 Bessie Smith In The House Blues 3:02

18 Bessie Smith Long Old Road 3:27

19 Bessie Smith Blue Blues 3:14

20 Bessie Smith Shipwreck Blues 3:20

Vol. 05 CD1

01 Bessie Smith Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl 2:49

02 Bessie Smith Safety Mama 3:26

03 Bessie Smith Do Your Duty 3:26

04 Bessie Smith Gimme A Pigfoot 3:30

05 Bessie Smith Take Me For A Buggy Ride 2:37

06 Bessie Smith I'm Down In The Dumps 3:12

07 Bessie Smith The Yellow Dog Blues 3:18

08 Bessie Smith Soft Pedal Blues 3:22

09 Bessie Smith Nashville Women's Blues 3:18

10 Bessie Smith Careless Love Blues 3:29

11 Bessie Smith Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 3:15

12 Bessie Smith St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - Band Intro 0:44

13 Bessie Smith St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - Crap Game 5:42

14 Bessie Smith St. Louis Blues Soundtrack - St. Louis Blues 8:19

Vol. 05 CD2

01 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith - Bessie Disappears 4:50

02 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith - Waldorf-Astoria Party 7:15

03 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith - Bessie & Jack, I 2:52

04 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith Bessie & Jack II - Bessie & The Ladies 10:23

05 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith - Life On The Road, I 11:14

06 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith - Life On The Road, II 14:02

07 Bessie Smith Smith, Bessie & Ruby Smith Bessie & Gertrude Saunders - Life On The Road, III 21:18

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