Ora Alexander was a blues singer and Vaudeville performer who recorded for Columbia Records in the early 1930’s. “You’ve Got To Save That Thing,” one of her better known tracks, is a definitive slice of the Vaudeville Blues genre. The performance just plain rocks, with raw accompaniment in the barrelhouse style, and a blistering vocal that would bring the house down in any nightspot today. Judging from the hoots and hollers, those present at this recording session couldn’t contain their enthusiasm! Well neither can we.
Here is a stellar performance of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5, in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (“Emperor”), by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by George Szell, featuring Benno Moiseivitch on piano. The audio quality is superb, especially when you consider this was recorded in 1938 and only much later transferred to a digital medium. Here’s the first movement.
Skip James’ recordings are instantly recognizable as much for his peculiar guitar style as for his utterly unique voice. He does this other-worldly falsetto wail kind of thing, and the way he tuned his 6-string acoustic steel string influenced many later music legends, including Eric Clapton. “Cherry Ball Blues” is a classic lament about losing love. This nice clean mp3 copy of the original vinyl side is free, and priceless.
In the early 1960s Syd Barrett grafted Pink Anderson’s first name with another bluesman (Floyd Council), to form the name of Pink Floyd. Two decades before Barrett was born, Columbia Records recorded two 78’s with Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley in 1928. This upbeat number features a humorous back and forth chatter between Pink Anderson and Simmie Dooley, both playing guitar and singing verses. This is a great tune that deserves to be heard.
Blues is a popular music genre which originated in the southern United States around the end of the 19th century. While most of these blues artists were male, one notable exception was Ma Rainey. She is known as the mother of the blues. Listen to “Slave to the Blues” and you will understand why.
Ora Alexander was a blues singer and Vaudeville performer who recorded for Columbia Records in the early 1930’s. “You’ve Got To Save That Thing,” one of her better known tracks, is a definitive slice of the Vaudeville Blues genre. The performance just plain rocks, with raw accompaniment in the barrelhouse style, and a blistering vocal that would bring the house down in any nightspot today. Judging from the hoots and hollers, those present at this recording session couldn’t contain their enthusiasm! Well neither can we.
Skip James’ recordings are instantly recognizable as much for his peculiar guitar style as for his utterly unique voice. He does this other-worldly falsetto wail kind of thing, and the way he tuned his 6-string acoustic steel string influenced many later music legends, including Eric Clapton. “Cherry Ball Blues” is a classic lament about losing love. This nice clean mp3 copy of the original vinyl side is free, and priceless.
Blues is a popular music genre which originated in the southern United States around the end of the 19th century. While most of these blues artists were male, one notable exception was Ma Rainey. She is known as the mother of the blues. Listen to “Slave to the Blues” and you will understand why.