Pink Anderson - Prestige Bluesville Remaster Vol. 1+2+3 [1993-1999] (3 x CD's)

PINK ANDERSON

Pink Anderson - Prestige Bluesville Remaster Vol. 1+2+3 [1993-1999] (3 x CD's)

A vast majority of the known professional recordings of Piedmont blues legend Pink Anderson were documented during 1961, the notable exception being the platter he split with Rev. Gary Davis -- Gospel, Blues and Street Songs -- which was documented in the spring of 1950. This is the first of three volumes that were cut for the Prestige Records subsidiary Bluesville. Carolina Blues Man finds Anderson performing solo -- with his own acoustic guitar accompaniment -- during a session cut on his home turf of Spartanburg, SC. Much -- if not all -- of the material Anderson plays has been filtered through and tempered by the unspoken blues edict of taking a familiar (read: traditional) standard and individualizing it enough to make it uniquely one's own creation. Anderson's approach is wholly inventive, as is the attention to detail in his vocal inflections, lyrical alterations, and, perhaps more importantly, Anderson's highly sophisticated implementation of tricky fretwork. His trademark style incorporates a combination of picking and strumming chords interchangeably. This nets Anderson an advanced, seemingly electronically enhanced sound. "Baby I'm Going Away" -- with its walkin' blues rhythms -- contains several notable examples of this technique, as does the introduction to "Every Day of the Week." The track also includes some of the most novel chord changes and progressions to be incorporated into the generally simple style of the street singer/minstrel tradition from which Pink Anderson participated in during the first half of the 20th Century. Listeners can practically hear Anderson crack a smile as he weaves an arid humor with overtly sexual connotations into his storytelling -- especially evident on "Try Some of That" and "Mama Where Did You Stay Last Night." Aficionados and most all students of the blues will inevitably consider this release an invaluable primer into the oft-overlooked southern East Coast Piedmont blues.

Like volume one and three of the series of LPs Anderson did for Bluesville, this was recorded in 1961 (though it was recorded in New York City whereas the others were recorded in Spartanburg, SC). Volumes one and three were mostly traditional songs; this is all traditional songs in the public domain. It follows that if you liked volumes one and three, you'd probably like this too; if you want to choose just one, you're about as well off with any of the individual volumes. If you had to split hairs, it seems that Anderson sounds a bit more comfortable in the studio/recording setting on this one than on the others, and a tad less countrified and more urbane. The tone is cheerful and easygoing, like that of a well-loved man entertaining his neighbors. Which is not to say this is a throwaway; the phrasing and rhythms are crisp, and the ragtime-speckled folk/blues guitar accomplished

This release contains what is sadly the final volume in Bluesville's trilogy of long-players featuring the highly original Piedmont blues of Pink Anderson. As with the two previous discs, Ballad & Folk Singer was recorded in 1961. It is also notable that Anderson returns to his native South Carolina to document this set. The second installment -- Medicine Show Man -- had been compiled from a New York City session held earlier the same year. Astute listeners will note that three of the titles -- "The Titanic," "John Henry," and "The Wreck of the Old 97" -- were duplicated from Anderson's side-long contribution to Gospel, Blues & Street Songs. The other side featured another Piedmont native, Rev. Gary Davis. However Anderson's delivery is notably different when comparing the two performances. One of the primary discrepancies lies in the pacing. Here, the readings are more definite and seemingly less rushed. The same is true for the phrasing of Anderson's vocals, most notably on "John Henry." The intricate and somewhat advanced guitar-playing -- that became one of Anderson's trademarks -- is arguably more pronounced on these recordings as well. Again, "John Henry" displays the picking and strumming techniques that give his decidedly un-amplified vintage Martin acoustic guitar such a full resonance that it practically sounds electric. The instrumental introduction to "Betty and Dupree" exemplifies the walking blues or stride motif particularly evident and notable among Piedmont blues artists. Enthusiasts should also note that in addition to these latter recordings, Anderson also performed on four tracks with his mentor Simmie Dooley in the late '20s for Columbia Records. Those pieces can be found on the compilation Georgia String Bands (1928-1930). Anderson actively toured until a debilitating stroke forced him to retire in 1964. (Amazon)

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Pink Anderson - Prestige Bluesville Remaster Vol. 1 Carolina Blues Man [1993]
https://www81.zippyshare.com/v/D7OSvgEn/file.html

Pink Anderson - Prestige Bluesville Remaster Vol. 2 Medicine Show Man [1999]
https://www100.zippyshare.com/v/l6rCPw7S/file.html

Pink Anderson - Prestige Bluesville Remaster Vol. 3 Ballad & Folksinger [1995]
https://www81.zippyshare.com/v/AOsXicKc/file.html

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Track Lists

Vol. 01

01    My Baby Left Me This Morning 03:38
02    Baby, Please Don't Go 02:45
03    Mama Where Did You Stay Last Night 03:47
04    Big House Blues 04:04
05    Meet Me in the Bottom 03:52
06    Weeping Willow Blues 03:52
07    Baby I'm Going Away 02:58
08    Thousand Woman Blues 03:45
09    I Had My Fun 04:37
10    Every Day in the Week Blues 03:49
11    Try Some of That 02:33

Vol. 02

01    I Got Mine 03:37
02    Greasy Greens 04:34
03    I Got a Woman 'Way Cross Town 02:58
04    Travelin' Man 04:36
05    Ain't Nobody Home But Me 04:12
06    That's No Way to Do 02:26
07    In the Jailhouse Now 04:32
08    South Forest Boogie 03:57
09    Chicken 04:10
10    I'm Going to Walk Through the Streets of the City 02:56

Vol. 03

01    The Titanic 04:04
02    Boll Weevil 03:58
03    John Henry 04:58
04    Betty and Dupree 04:42
05    Sugar Babe 02:40
06    Wreck of the Old '97 04:38
07    I Will Fly Away 03:44
08    The Kaiser 02:02
09    In the Evening 03:17


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