Some February Blues Births:
- February 3rd.,1935-- Joseph Leon "Jody","Joe","Sugarboy" Williams,aka Little Papa Joe, Little Joe Lee, but best-known as Jody Williams
- February 14th.,1950-- Otis Grand
- February 27th.,1943-- Jimmy Burns
Answer To The January 2021 Blues Question: The group we were looking for was/is The Dixie Blues Boys. As I said in the Question, their name would suggest a Southern heritage or starting point, but they recorded in Los Angeles, on June 6,1955. They recorded 5 sides, with only 2 being released, on the Flair Records label, a subsidiary of Modern Records, which was founded in 1946 by the 4 Bihari brothers. The 2 sides that were released were "Monte Carlo" and "My Baby Left Town". One or the other can be found now on different compilations, on quite a few labels. You can get both on 1 c.d., P-Vine Records (out of Japan), #PCD-3038, which is now out of print, so expect to pay the long dollar for it. A CD that has all 5 of those sides on it is ACE Records U.K., #CDCHD-1003, which is also out of print. Since it's got all 5 sides on it, it's even more expensive. There's 1 currently advertised on Amazon for $902.81 plus $3.99 freight, with tax on top of that. I contacted ACE in England, and they told me that due to slow sales of that disc, they were not planning to re-issue it. I have located and ordered 3 of them, from different sources, 2 from France, and 1, from, of all places, Russia, and NO, they weren't cheap, but they are definitely ordered. Just for your info, the P-Vine disc title is "Blues From The Deep South", and the ACE title is "The Modern Downhome Blues Sessions, Volume 3". Now, about the group itself, about which not much is known. When John Broven of ACE Records was researching for the liner booklet in that disc, he found the original contract that the group had signed with Modern Records. There were 4 signatures: Charles S .Johnson, Ozie (or O.Z.) Saxton (most likely the "Dee Dee" credited on the releases as the vocalist), Dan Winston, and Clarence Wilkins. The odd thing on this disc is that there were 2 harp players, 1 being Saxton, the other only known as "Leonard". Supposedly the two worked together on gigs in Los Angeles. Those sides featured the 2 harps, guitar, upright bass, and drums, and not sure (other than the harps) who played what instrument. The debate is ongoing about from where the group originated and/ or where their base of operations was. Some of the suggestions are: Itta Bena, Mississippi; Helena, Arkansas; Monroe, Louisiana; St.Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. Some of the players were born in Mississippi or Louisiana. Maybe someday more info will be found about the group's founding and travels.
Blues Question For February 2021: This bluesman is another you've never heard of, but you should. He was a great vocalist who also played guitar and/ or drums. An early example of post-war electric blues, but he didn't record that much of his own work, most of his many recordings are with him as a sideman for many of the big names, both in the studio and on tours with them. Any ideas on this one ??
Blues Song(s) and Artist(s) For February 2021: The song is "The Devil's Shoestring", and the artist is Jimmy Reed. To understand why I picked this song, see the "Blues Trivia" section.
Blues Trivia For February 2021: As promised last month, it's about Hoodooists (and more). First off, gotta' clear something up: Hoodoo is NOT Voodoo ! Both have their basis in religions, and in some cases, similar practices. Voodoo is a combination of different African tribal religions and some from Haiti, and sometimes requires animal sacrifices (unless you believe what Hollywood seems bent on supplying). Haiti was a French territory until a war between the 2 led to Haiti becoming it's own country. New Orleans was a port city, so immigrants (and some who had been slaves) settled there, after the end of the civil war. One of those was a woman named Marie LaVeau, who was a Haitian Voodoo priestess. She didn't as yet, have a church there, and a Catholic priest allowed her to use his church for her followers to have their services. She would eventually be known as "the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans". The French language was spoken in Haiti, since it had been a French-controlled territory for years, so that's what most immigrants from there spoke. When in New Orleans, it was combined with the Creole (Indians) language, and became known as Cajun. That's why when you hear Cajun music (and sometimes Zydeco) it's usually done with French vocals. The immigrants from Haiti and West Africa countries who settled in Memphis, spoke in English, then throw in a little bit of European folklore, Christianity, and Judaism and --presto-- you have Hoodoo. In it, spells are cast in the hope that good fortune, in all aspects of an individual's desires or needs, are met. The Hoodooist often uses roots, animal body parts, or an article of a person's personal property, to work a mojo (cast a spell). Enter Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey (the original Ma Rainey) with the recording "Louisiana Hoodoo Blues" in 1925. She was rumoured to be a caster of Hoodoo spells. Then came Lillie Mae Glover, known, after Ma Rainey's death in '39, as Ma Rainey II, or Big Memphis Ma Rainey, in later years. Besides her music, she was also recognized as a highly-skilled Beale Street Hoodooist. Not always easy to find, she was sought out by other musicians, to help with their difficulties in writing songs, matters of the heart, or getting work, or to get a mojo hand (a charm bag) from her. She only worked with items that were inexpensive and easily found, such as sugar, flour, lumps of coal, or something small from the person being helped. Then came Elizabeth "Kid" Douglas, who you should know as "Memphis Minnie", recording a song called "Hoodoo Lady", on February 18,1936. All 3 of them were considered to be "Hoodoo Ladies". Sonny Boy Williamson and Amos "Junior"wells also sang about Hoodoo. Some of the items used in the practice of Hoodoo are: White Snakeroot--a branched herb; Aspan Seed-- an herbal seed; and here's the one referred to in the Blues Song Of The Month, Devil's Shoe String-- a member of the honeysuckle family of plants, it's long,white roots (like shoe strings) are used in Hoodoo. A man-made item, 1 of 2, used is red flannel, to make small bags in which to put spell ingredients or a gris-gris. A Gris-Gris is the other man-made item-- an amulet (a good luck charm) used in both Hoodoo and Voodoo. The early ones had Islamic scripture engraved on them. If you're going to go to Memphis' Beale Street for the first time or you've been there before, you should go into the A.Schwab store. it's the last original business on Beale (it was founded in 1876), and it's in the oldest original building on Beale (built before 1870's). When it first opened, it was a haberdashery, and now it's a tourist's delight, as far as souvenirs, and hard-to-find items too. It now has an original old-time soda fountain, and they also serve sandwiches. The real attraction there, though, is, or was, on the second floor. It was a museum on the history of the store and of Beale Street, and had Hoodoo potions, lotions, and other items used in Hoodoo. There was also a large selection of blues vinyl. I've heard that, since the new owners bought it in 2011, the second floor is now reserved for large gatherings or luncheons, and that what was up there is now downstairs, on the first floor. Unfortunately, it's called "progress". I hope you've taken time to read all of this, and understand what I keep saying-- the blues is so much bigger than most realize. We need to always keep seeking knowledge and learning more about what makes the blues what it really is ! 'Nuff said !
(Editors note: In January 2020 we stopped at A. Schwab and while there is now a meeting area much of the 2nd floor is as Joe describes)
(Editors note: In January 2020 we stopped at A. Schwab and while there is now a meeting area much of the 2nd floor is as Joe describes)
Some February Blues Passings:
- February 1st.,1958-- John Grayton Dolphin--murdered--but that's another story
- February 13th.,1989-- Hip Linkchain, born as Willie Richard
- February 27th.,1994-- Roosevelt Holts
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