Ma Rainey - Definitive Collection 1924-28 (CD)

Along with Bessie Smith, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey has come to be recognised as one of the towering figures of early blues, pioneering the recording of blues by female artists during the earliest years of electric recording. Born in 1896, she became popular as a travelling minstrel, and during her touring across the southern states in the early years of the 20th century absorbed blues songs which she incorporated into her act. Turning to the vaudeville stage, she was heard in Chicago theatres and signed in 1924 by J. Mayo Williams at Paramount, for whom she recorded for the next five years, working solo, or with piano or guitar accompaniment, or more often with jazz ensembles, which were billed on record as her Georgia Jazz Band. Her accompanists during that time featured some of the luminaries of the early jazz scene, including Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey and Don Redman as well as blues musicians like Tampa Red, Blind Blake and Thomas Dorsey. This great-value 94-track 4-CD collection comprises all of the titles she recorded for Paramount during her career (she recorded more than one take of some titles, but we only include one of those versions), until the Wall Street Crash and the Depression put an end to her recording. It naturally features classics like "See See Rider", "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "Stack O'Lee Blues" and "Jelly Bean Blues". It's a comprehensive showcase for one of the most important personalities of early blues

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Bo Weavil Blues
2. Last Minute Blues
3. Those All Night Long Blues
4. Bad Luck Blues
5. Barrelhouse Blues
6. Walking Blues
7. Southern Blues
8. Moonshine Blues
9. Lost Wandering Blues
10. Dream Blues
11. Honey, Where You Been So Long '
12. Ma Rainey Mystery Record
13. Those Dogs Of Mine
14. Lucky Rock Blues
15. Shave Em Dry
16. Farewell Daddy Blues
17. South Bound Blues
18. Lawd Send Me A Man Blues
19. Counting The Blues
20. Jelly Bean Blues
21. Booze And Blues
22. Toad Frog Blues
23. Jealous Hearted Blues

Disc: 2

1. See See Rider Blues
2. Cell Bound Blues
3. Ya Da Do
4. Explaining The Blues
5. Army Camp Harmony Blues
6. Goodbye Daddy Blues
7. Louisiana Hoodoo Blues
8. Stormy Sea Blues
9. Levee Camp Moan
10. Four Day Honory Scat
11. Nightime Blues
12. Rough And Tumble Blues
13. Memphis Bound Blues
14. Oh My Babe Blues
15. Slave To The Blues
16. Wringing And Twisting
17. Chain Gang Blues
18. Seeking Blues
19. Mountain Jack Blues
20. Stack O Lee Blues
21. Yonder Come The Blues
22. Jealousy Blues
23. Broken Hearted Blues

Disc: 3

1. Titanic Man Blues
2. Bessemer Bound Blues
3. Broken Soul Blues
4. Sissy Blues
5. Down In The Basement
6. Trust No Man
7. Grieving Hearted Blues
8. Little Low Down Mama Blues
9. Soon This Morning
10. Don't Fish In My Sea
11. Morning Hour Blues
12. Weeping Woman Blues
13. Dead Drunk Blues
14. Misery Blues
15. Slow Drivin' Moan
16. Gone Daddy Blues
17. Damper Down Blues
18. Big Boy Blues
19. Blues Oh Blues
20. Oh Papa Blues
21. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
22. Georgia Cakewalk
23. Moonshine Blues
24. New Boll Weavil Blues

Disc: 4

1. Ice Bag Papa
2. Hellish Rag
3. Blues The World Forgot
4. Blues The World Forgot #2
5. Prove It On Me Blues
6. Hear Me Talkin To You
7. Black Cat Hoot Owl
8. Victim Of The Blues
9. Traveling Blues
10. Deep Moaning Blues
11. Big Feeling Blues
12. Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues
13. Tough Luck Blues
14. Screech Owl Blues
15. Blame It On The Blues
16. Sleep Talking Blues
17. Log Camp Blues
18. Hustlin' Blues
19. Leaving This Morning
20. Runaway Blues
21. Sweet Rough Man
22. Black Dust Blues
23. Black Eye Blues
24. Daddy Goodbye Blues