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"Divaville Lounge" with Sarah O (archive)

step into the lounge!

Sunday, February 11, 2024 | 14:00 to 16:00 | jazz/pop vocalists

http://www.divavillelounge.org

Artist	Song	Album	Label	Comments
				Show today is a tribute to Bessie Smith! Reference: BESSIE by Chris Albertson
Bessie Smith	I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 5/27/1925. Louis Armstrong cornet, Charlie Green trombone, Fred Longshaw piano

Bessie Smith w/ Clarence Williams	Down Hearted Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 2/15/1923 thisand "Gulf Coast Blues" were her first recordings and were both big hits
Bessie Smith w/ Clarence Williams	Gulf Coast Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 2/15/1923 this was not actually her first recording date, but the first attempt was rejected for bad sound quality and is lost. These are the first recordings that survive
Bessie Smith and her Down Home Trio	Aggravatin' Papa	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 4/11/1923 lineup of backing band not known for sure, possibly Ernest Elliot clt, Clarence Williams p, Buddy Christian banjo. Alberta Hunter had a hit with this song before Smith recorded it
Bessie Smith with Clarence Williams	Oh Daddy Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 4/11/1923 Smith would often record sides with different band lineups on the same day, as she had to fit the recording sessions in around her touring schedule

Bessie Smith with Clarence Williams	'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 4/23/1923 this song is better known from the recording by Billie Holiday, who was a fan of Smith
Bessie Smith and her Down Home Trio	Beale Street Mama	the Complete REcordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 4/11/1923 lineup same as "Aggravatin' Papa"
Bessie Smith and Clara Smith w/ Fletcher Henderson	Far Away Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1	Columbia	rec 10/4/1923 This is one of her few duets, with Clara Smith with whom she was touring at the time. Bessie Smith and Clara Smith were no relation
Bessie Smith w/ Fred Longshaw	Sinful Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 12/4/1924 as well as singing Smith plays the kazoo
Bessie Smith w/ Don Redman, Buster Bailey & Fred Longshaw	Sing Sing Prison Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 12/12/1924 Bailey and Redman clt, Longshaw p

Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong & Fred Longshaw	St. Louis Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 1/14/1925 Armstrong cornet, Longshaw harmonium. This is called one of the if not the most important recording of the 1920s
Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong & Fred Longshaw	You've Been a Good Old Wagon	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 1/14/1925 same date as "St. Louis Blues," but with Longshaw on piano instead of harmonium
Bessie Smith with Henderson's Hot Six	Cake Walkin' Babies From Home	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 5/5/1925 this was Smith's first electric recording, note the difference in sound quality from the previous recordings
Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong, Charlie Green and Fred Longshaw	Careless Love	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2	Columbia	rec 5/26/1925 Armstrong cnt, Green tb, Longshaw p. Smith's recording's with Armstrong are considered some of her most significant
Bessie Smith with Buster Bailey & Fletcher Henderson	Jazzbo Brown from Memphis Town	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	rec 3/8/1926 Bailey clt, Henderson p. Note that Smith is often recording with Henderson now, a better and more prestigious pianist than Clarence Williams

Ruby Smith	Life on the Road with Bessie	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5	Columbia	Ruby Smith was the niece of Bessie Smith's husband Jack Gee. As a young girl she traveled with Smith, serving as her dresser and learning the music business. This was recorded late in Ruby Smith's life
Bessie Smith and Her Boys	Young Woman's Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	rec 10/26/1926 Buster Bailey clt, Joe Smith cnt, Fletcher Henderson p. Joe Smith was one of Smith's favorite accompanists
Bessie Smith and Her Band	Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5	Columbia	rec 3/2/1927 note how much more depth you can hear in Smith's voice with electric recordings
Bessie Smith and Her Blue Boys	Alexander's Ragtime Band	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	rec 3/2/1927 Jimmy Harrison tb, Coleman Hawkins clt, Fletcher Henderson p, Charles Dixon bj, Joe Smith cnt, this was one of the biggest selling records of 1927
Bessie Smith and Her Band	After You've Gone	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	same date and lineup as "Alexander's Ragtime Band" except Buster Bailey replaces Coleman Hawkins on clarinet
Bessie Smith and Her Blue Boys	Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	rec 3/3/1927 Charlie Green tb, Fletcher Henderson p, Joe Smith cnt. Along with Joe Smith, Charlie Green was one of her favorite accompanists

Ruby Smith	Bessie and Jack	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5	Columbia	Ruby remembering a violent incident between Bessie and her husband Jack Gee (Ruby's uncle)
Bessie Smith with Porter Grainger & Lincoln Conaway	Mean Old Bedbug Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3	Columbia	recorded 9/27/1927 Grainger p, Conaway g. note the guitar instead of banjo, Smith is adapting to changing musical styles
Bessie Smith with Charlie Green & Porter Grainger	Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 2	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4	Columbia	rec 3/20/1928 Green tb, Grainger p
Bessie Smith with Clarence Williams & Eddie Lang	You've Got to Give Me Some	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4	Columbia	rec 5/8/1929 Williams p, Lang g. This is notable for being one of the few non-blues Smith recorded, it was a style called "hokum," and the first Smith recording I know of with integrated accompanists (Lang was white, and was the first truly great jazz guitarist)
Bessie Smith	Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4	Columbia	rec 5/15/1929 Ed Allen cornet, Gervin Bushell alto sax, Cyrus St. Clair tuba, Greely Walton tenor sax, Clarence Williams p. This song became identified with Smith

Bessie Smith and Jimmy Mordecai	dialogue and singing	St. Louis Blues		clip from Smith's only movie appearance: the 1929 2-reel film St. Louis Blues. She acts and sings. I don't think this movie is intended as commentary on her failed marriage to Jack Gee? But it istrue that she paid Gee's way and he cheated on and abused her, much like the character in the movie
Bessie Smith and James P. Johnson	Wasted Life Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4	Columbia	rec 10/1/1929 Johnson was her greatest accompanist, his style fit her so well. He seemed like he was performing a piano solo at the same time but enhancing not competing with Smith's singing
Bessie Smith	Shipwreck Blues	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 4	Columbia	rec 6/11/1931 Floyd Casey d, Charlie Green tb, Louis Metcalf cnt, Clarence Williams p.
Bessie Smith w/ Clarence Wiliams	Need a Little Sugar In My Bowl	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5	Columbia	rec 11/20/1931 even this late she was still recording with Clarence William who had first signed her to Columbia, and who she beat up when she realized he was skimming from her contract
Bessie Smith o/ Buck and His Band	Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer	The Complete Recordings, Vol. 5	Columbia	rec 11/24/1933 Smith's last recording session, organized by John Hammond. Buck Washington p, Chu Berry ts, Benny Goodman clt, Bobby Johnson bj &g, Frankie Newton tp, Billy Taylor string bass, Jack Teagarden tb. The banjo was probably Hammond's influence, he wanted this to be a "retro" blues recording in the style of Smith'searlier work while she wanted a more modern sound

Bessie Smith and James P. Johnson	Back Water Blues	Classic James P. Johnson Sessions	Mosaic	rec 2/17/1927 this song is associated with the devastating flood of the Mississippi River but it isn't "about" that flood, it was recorded before the flood happened