Piano Blues

Erotic, humorous, and loaded with double entendres, these dozen tunes were recorded between 1956-1961 by Memphis Slim, Tampa Red, Victoria Spivey, Lonnie Johnson, Pink Anderson, Memphis Willie B., and Blind Willie McTell. The collection includes "Let Me Play with Your Poodle," "I'm a Red Hot Mama," and "If You See Kay."

Hot Blues From A Cold Place, is a live-in-the-studio album recorded by Pinetop Perkins in 1991, in Reykjavik, Iceland - of all places. The pianist is as delightful and effervescent as ever on this live/studio outing. The album is an interesting collaboration of cultures. The Icelandic musicians provide an energetic and respectful backdrop for the legendary pianist. Thankfully they do not attempt to duplicate the Chicago Blues sound, but they are brilliantly supportive while projecting their own cultural depth and feelings. Some of the tracks are live and the audience's enthusiasm shines through nicely. Chicago Beau’s harmonica work is at its most effective on "Got My Mojo Workin'" and "Just Keep on Drinking".

Excellent cross-cultural collaboration. The pianist is as charming and effervescent as ever on this live/studio outing and well-supported by an enthusiastic, youthful, Icelandic band (The Blue Ice Band). Chicago Beau contributes exceptionally choice harp on Just Keep on Drinking and other tunes.

Chicago Urban Blues 1923-1945 is a concentrated anthology of historic recordings by individuals with ties to communities all across the southern United States. This collection includes well chosen examples by pianists Meade "Lux" Lewis, Bob Robinson (of Hokum Boys fame), Roosevelt Sykes, Clarence "Pinetop" Smith, and Jimmy Yancey, who played on one of only two recordings known to have been made by vocalist Faber Smith. Amos Easton, also known as Bumble Bee Slim, was backed on the ivories by Myrtle Jenkins, who also made records with Priscilla Stewart, Mary Mack, and the State Street Swingers. There's enough female energy in here to settle anybody's business. You hear Ida Cox accompanied by pianist Lovie Austin; Bertha "Chippie" Hill by Richard M. Jones, and Hannah May, who might have been Victoria Spivey's sister Elton Spivey, with Georgia Tom Dorsey and Tampa Red. Lil Johnson sings "My Stove's in Good Condition" backed by pianist Black Bob and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy. "Squat It" comes from a large body of works generated by the team of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy. Sippie Wallace sings the "Bedroom Blues," and her little brother Hersal Thomas performs his own "Suitcase Blues," which became a staple of the piano blues repertoire and received its best reinterpretation on a 1939 Blue Note recording by Albert Ammons.