Personnel: Ma Rainey (spoken vocals); Milas Pruitt (guitar); Martell Pettiford, Rip Bassett, George Williams, Miles Pruitt, Charlie Dixon (banjo); Leroy Pickett (violin); Artie Starks, Jimmy O'Bryant, Johnny Dodds (clarinet); Doc Cheatham (soprano saxophone); Hooks Tilford, Lucien Brown, Stump Jackson, Tom Brown, Barney Bigard, Charles Harris (alto saxophone); Kid Henderson, Bernie Young, C Nelson, B T Wingfield, Homer Hobson, Howard Scott , Joe Smith, Shirley Clay (cornet); Al Wynn, Albert Wynn, Charlie Green (trombone); Carl Reid (horns); Lil Henderson, Eddie Miller, Jimmy Blythe, Tiny Parham (piano); Ben Thigpen (drums); Herman Brown (drum); Happy Bolton (chimes); Prof C Russell.
Additional personnel: Tampa Red, Blind Blake (guitar); Papa Charlie Jackson (banjo); Don Redman, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Coleman Hawkins (baritone saxophone); Louis Armstrong, Tommy Ladnier (cornet); Kid Ory (trombone); Claude 'Hop' Hopkins, Fletcher Henderson, Georgia Tom Dorsey, Lovie Austin (piano); Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders, The Pruit Twins, Lovie Austin's Serenaders.
This superb five-disc box set gives a sweeping overview of the hugely influential music of blues legend Ma Rainey. Rainey was already a seasoned performer by the time she made her first recordings in 1923, and though she only recorded for six years she cut over 100 songs, many of which went on to become blues classics. Those tunes, including "C.C. Rider," "Bo Weavil Blues," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," are here, alongside dozens of other gems. Rainey ranged across styles and settings, from acoustic blues to jazz to jug bands, but her saucy, gritty vocal delivery remained a lynchpin. Given the historical impact of Rainey's output, the set's title--MOTHER OF THE BLUES--is no understatement.
Tracklist
1
Bad Luck Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
2
Bo-Weavil Blues - (1, with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
3
Bo-Weavil Blues - (2, with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
4
Barrel House Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
5
Those All Night Long Blues - (1, with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
6
Those All Night Long Blues - (2, with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
7
Moonshine Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
8
Last Minute Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
9
Southern Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
10
Walking Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
11
Lost Wondering Blues - (with The Pruit Twins)
12
Dream Blues - (with The Pruit Twins)
13
Honey Where You Been So Long - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
14
Ya da Do - (2, with Tommy Ladnier/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
15
Ya da Do - (3, with Tommy Ladnier/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
16
Those Dogs of Mine - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
17
Lucky Rock Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
18
South Bound Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
19
Lawd Send Me a Man Blues - (with Tommy Ladnier/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
20
Ma Rainey's Mystery Record - (with Tommy Ladnier/Lovie Austin & Her Blues Serenaders)
3
Booze and Blues - (with Fletcher Henderson/Don Redman/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
4
Toad Frog Blues - (with Fletcher Henderson/Don Redman/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
5
Jealous Hearted Blues - (with Fletcher Henderson/Don Redman/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
6
See See Rider Blues - (1, with Louis Armstrong/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
7
See See Rider Blues - (2, with Louis Armstrong/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
8
Jelly Bean Blues - (with Louis Armstrong/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
9
Countin' the Blues - (1, with Louis Armstrong/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
10
Countin' the Blues - (2, with Louis Armstrong/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
11
Cell Bound Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
12
Army Camp Harmony Blues - (1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
13
Army Camp Harmony Blues - (2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
14
Explaining the Blues - (1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
15
Explaining the Blues - (2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
16
Louisiana Hoo-Doo Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
17
Goodbye Daddy Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
18
Stormy Sea Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
19
Rough and Tumble Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
20
Night Time Blues - (1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
21
Night Time Blues - (2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
22
Levee Camp Moan - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
23
Four Day Honorary Scat - (1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
24
Four Day Honorary Scat - (2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
25
Memphis Bound Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
1
Slave to the Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georg...
2
Yonder Comes the Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her G...
3
Titanic Man Blues - (1, with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Geo...
4
Titanic Man Blues - (2, with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Geo...
5
Chain Gang Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia...
6
Bessemer Bound Blues - (1, with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her ...
7
Bessemer Bound Blues - (2, with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her ...
8
Oh My Babe Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia...
9
Wring and Twisting Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her...
10
Stack O'Lee Blues - (with Buster Bailey/Coleman Hawkins/Fletcher Henderson/Ma Rainey & Her Georgi...
11
Broken Hearted Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
12
Jealousy Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
13
Seeking Blues - (1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
14
Seeking Blues - (2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
15
Mountain Jack Blues - (1)
16
Mountain Jack Blues - (2)
17
Down in the Basement - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
18
Sissy Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
19
Broken Soul Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
1
Morning Hour Blues - (with Blind Blake)
2
Weeping Woman Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
3
Soon This Morning - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
4
Little Low Mama Blues - (with Blind Blake)
5
Grievin' Hearted Blues - (with Blind Blake)
7
Big Boy Blues - (with Kid Ory/Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
8
Blues Oh Blues - (with Kid Ory/Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
9
Damper Down Blues - (with Kid Ory/Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
10
Gone Daddy Blues - (1, with Kid Ory/Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
11
Oh Papa Blues - (with Kid Ory/Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
12
Misery Blues - (with Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
13
Dead Drunk Blues - (with Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
14
Slow Driving Moan - (with Claude 'Hop' Hopkins/Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
15
Blues the World Forgot - (Part 1, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
16
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
17
Blues the World Forgot - (Part 2, with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
18
Hellish Rag - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band)
19
Georgia Cake Walk - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
20
New Bo Weavil Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
21
Moonshine Blues - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band)
22
Ice Bag Papa - (with Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band)
1
Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
2
Log Camp Blues - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
3
Hear Me Talking to You - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
4
Hustlin' Blues - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
5
Prove It to Me Blues - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
6
Victim of the Blues - (with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
7
Traveling Blues - (1, with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
8
Traveling Blues - (2, with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
9
Deep Moaning Blues - (1, with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
10
Deep Moaning Blues - (2, with Georgia Tom Dorsey/Ma Rainey & Her Tub Washboard Band)
11
Daddy Goodbye Blues - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
12
Sleep Talking Blues - (1, with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
13
Sleep Talking Blues - (2, with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
14
Tough Luck Blues - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
15
Blame It on the Blues - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
16
Sweet Rough Man - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
17
Runaway Blues - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
20
Leaving This Morning - (with Tampa Red/Georgia Tom Dorsey)
23
Ma and Pa Poorhouse Blues - (with Papa Charlie Jackson)
24
Big Feeling Blues - (with Papa Charlie Jackson)
