Jimmy Witherspoon With Panama Francis & the Savoy Sultans Sings the Blues
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

The Savoy Sultans, as revived by drummer Panama Francis, was one of the hottest small-group swing bands of the late '70s/early '80s. Singer Jimmy Witherspoon fits right in with the group, emphasizing the Kansas City swing and blues side of his repertoire. With the Sultans (a nonet also including trumpeters Francis Williams and Irv Stokes,... Read More

Candy
Artist: Big Maybelle

The belter moved over to Newark, NJ-based Savoy midway through the decade and continued to prosper: "Candy," "Ramblin' Blues," and the intense "Blues Early, Early" rate with her finest cuts. "Ring Dang Dilly" and "Tell Me Who" rock with the seemingly effortless swing peculiar to New York's R&B scene at the time, thanks to the presence of saxists... Read More

Jimmy Witherspoon & Jay McShann
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

Although Jimmy Witherspoon gets first billing on this CD reissue, he actually only has vocals on 11 of the 24 selections and is just present on three of the seven sessions; highpoints include two versions of his signature song "Ain't Nobody's Business." Pianist Jay McShann is the real leader of these Los Angeles recordings and the brand of music... Read More

Jamming the Blues
Artist: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

For this lesser-known outing (reissued on CD), the great altoist and blues singer Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson is heard in fine form at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival. With fine support from a four-piece rhythm section that includes pianist Peter Wingfield and some solo space for tenor-saxophonist Hal Singer, Vinson plays a few of his familiar but... Read More

J.B. Summers & the Blues Shouters
Artist: J.B. Summers

A collection of great unreleased stuff from the vaults of Gotham material that was originally issued on Bruce Bastin's Flyright label (right down to the liner notes). These sides feature a treasure trove of great jazz artists (Tiny Grimes, Red Prysock, Jo Jones, Freddy Green, Ray Bryant, Walter Page, Bill Doggett, Count Basie, Frank Motley, even... Read More

Cherry Red
Artist: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson
I Want a Little Girl
Artist: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, 64 at the time of this Pablo recording, is in superior form on the blues-oriented material. With Art Hillery (on piano and organ) and guitarist Cal Green leading the rhythm section, and trumpeter Martin Banks and the tenor of Rashid Ali offering contrasting solo voices, this is a particularly strong release. It is true... Read More

Eddie Cleanhead Vinson & Roomful of Blues
Artist: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

If there were justice in the world, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson would have been able to tour with this type of group throughout much of his career. Roomful of Blues, a popular five-horn nonet, has rarely sounded more exciting than on this musical meeting with the legendary singer/altoist. Vinson himself is exuberant on some of the selections,... Read More

The 'Spoon Concerts
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

This single CD (which reissues all of the music from an earlier two-LP set) includes the high point of singer Jimmy Witherspoon's career. On October 2, 1959, he appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival and created such a sensation that it caused his career to go through a renaissance. Heard at the peak of his powers, Witherspoon holds his own with... Read More

Jazz Me Blues: The Best of Jimmy Witherspoon
Artist: Jimmy Witherspoon

Whether this is truly the "best" of Witherspoon is debatable -- there's nothing predating 1956 -- however, it's a good 20-track sampling of 1956-1966 material, favoring (but not limited to) his sessions for Prestige. Witherspoon puts his imprint on a lot of blues/R&B classics -- "Good Rockin' Tonight," "Bad Bad Whiskey," "One Scotch, One... Read More