St. Louis Girls (1927-1934) CD

One great cultural windfall of the 1990s was Document's humongous historic reissue campaign that made hundreds upon hundreds of rare early blues and jazz recordings available to world-wide audiences in the digital format. Much of this material had never been reissued on LP, and was therefore executing a quantum leap from 78 rpm platters to compact discs. 1993's "St. Louis Girls (1927-1934)" would seem to compliment St. Louis Women, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which trace the careers of Alice Moore and St. Louis Bessie during the years 1927-1941. One might ponder the reason for designating some artists as Women and others as Girls, but the distinction appears to have been as ambiguous as the application was casual. What they had in common was the ability to deliver disarmingly honest, mostly unhurried reflections on real life and tough times. Most of the backing for these St. Louis Girls was by Henry Johnson & His Boys. Henry Johnson played the violin and the pianist was James Johnson -- not the Father of Harlem Stride Piano James P. Johnson, but a Midwestern tickler of less renown, who doubled at times on celeste. The group's two guitarists were billed as George Thomas and Henry Moon; one of these names was a pseudonym for the great Lonnie Johnson. This is the collective personnel for a series of recordings that sometimes use only one, two, or three instruments. On tracks 20 and 21, dating from October 1929, the lone pianist is identified as Eddie Miller. Document's St. Louis Girls opens with eight titles sung by Katherine Baker and 13 by Lizzie Washington; most of their records date from April and May 1927. Baker's "Wild Women Blues" has a barrelhouse piano accompaniment, as does Lizzie Washington's "Fall or Summer Blues," a sobering exchange between an abused hooker and her pimp. If the Elizabeth Washington heard singing the "Riot Call Blues" and "You Put That Thing on Me" "is the same woman as Lizzie, her ability to sing with passion had intensified by the time these two records were cut for Bluebird in August of 1933. The discography says that she was backed by two pianists, one for each title: Stump Johnson and Pine Top Aaron Sparks. Gutsy-voiced Johnnie Strauss, who recorded the final two titles on this collection for Decca in August 1934, growls and bellows for emphasis, sounding at times like a gutbucket muted trombone. If you enjoy the way she puts a song across, look her up on Vol. 4 of the Complete Recorded Works of Roosevelt Sykes on Document. Another collection entitled "St Louis Girls (1929-1937)" was released by a different label almost simultaneously with Document's St. Louis Girls (1927-1934). The inclusion of Alice Moore and Elizabeth Washington links it to three different Document editions; St. Louis Girls and St. Louis Women, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. ~ arwulf arwulf

Performers include: Katherine Baker, Lizzie Washington, Johnnie Strauss, Elizabeth Washington.

Personnel: Elizabeth Washington, Katherine Baker, Johnnie Strauss, Lizzie Washington (vocals); George W. Thomas (guitar); James Ivory Johnson (cello, piano); Eddie Miller (piano).

Audio Remasterer: Gerhard Wessely.

Liner Note Author: Paul Garon.

Recording information: Chicago, IL (04/18/1927-08/20/1934).