Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Matson's Creole Serenaders - 'Taint Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do


According to Red Hot Jazz: "Charles A. Matson was an African-American pianist and arranger who was very active in New York during the mid-twenties. He accompanied various blues singers as a pianist, including Mamie Smith and Clara Smith. Besides these two songs on the Edison label his other records were released under the names of Matson's Lucky Seven which was recorded for the Paramount label in January of 1924 and Ted Claire's Snappy Bits Band for Gennett in January of 1923."

Matson's Creole Serenaders - 'Taint Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do (mp3)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Luis Russell & His Orchestra - The (New) Call of the Freaks


In this 1929 document lay the future of the rest of the century. The Cramps in particular were influenced by the magickal memes Luis Russell's New Orleans combo wrought - listen and you'll see why. Other related Russell records worth waxing: "Garbage Man Blues", "Ghost of Freaks", "Primitive", "Hokus Pocus", "After Hour Creep", "Feelin' the Spirit", "Freakish Blues" and a cover of the suicide anthem "Gloomy Sunday".

Luis Russell & His Orchestra - The (New) Call of the Freaks (mp3)