T-Bone Walker is best known for composing "Stormy Monday," but the late guitarist's impact extended far beyond writing one of the enduring classics of the blues.Walker, who died in 1975 at 64, played a pivotal role in shaping the modern blues sound. He pioneered the electric guitar in the late 1930s and established it as a lead instrument playing single string solo lines rather than just rhythm chords.His acrobatic performing style--including splits, flips and playing guitar behind his neck--reportedly was a major influence on Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.
Though Walker was initiated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, none of the early recordings that made him famous had been available on an American album for 15 years. That changed with the recent release of "The Complete Recordings of T-Bone Walker, 1940-1954."
The package (available as nine LPs or six CDs) marks the first blues/R&B venture by Mosaic Records, a Connecticut-based mail order company with a sterling reputation for comprehensive, limited-edition reissues of major jazz figures. ( Mosaic Records, 35 Melrose Place, Stamford, C o nn., 06902. (203) 327-7111.)
And a rock fan listening to Walker's guitar on 1947's "On Your Way Blues" or 1950's "Strollin' With Bone" might easily identify it as Chuck Berry. "The Natural Blues" has the kind of classic guitar solo and arrangement that Texas bluesmen and rockabilly cats have been going to school onfor decades. And the package provides the first opportunity for today's fans to hear the original version of "Stormy Monday."
Disc 1
01 T-Bone Blues
02 I Got a Break Baby
03 Mean Old World
04 Low Down Dirty Shame Blues
05 Sail On Boogie
06 I'm Still in Love with You
07 You Don't Love Me Blues
08 T-Bone Boogie
09 Mean Old World Blues
10 Evening
11 My Baby Left Me
12 Come Back to Me Baby
13 I Can't Stand Being without You
14 She Is Going to Ruin Me
15 No Worry Blues (alt)
16 No Worry Blues
17 Don't Leave Me Baby (alt)
18 Don't Leave Me Baby
19 Bobby Sox Blues (alt)
20 Bobby Sox Blues
21 I'm Gonna Find My Baby
22 I'm in an Awful Mood
23 It's a Low Down Dirty Deal
24 Don't Give Me the Runaround
Disc 2
01 Hard Pain Blues
02 I Know Your Wig Is Gone
03 T-Bone Jumps Again
04 Call It Stormy Monday (alt)
05 Call It Stormy Monday
06 She Had to Let Me Down (alt)
07 She Had to Let Me Down
08 She's My Old Time Used to Be
09 Dream Girl Blues (alt)
10 Dream Girl Blues
11 Midnight Blues (alt)
12 Midnight Blues
13 Long Lost Lover Blues (alt)
14 Long Lost Lover Blues
15 Triflin' Woman Blues (alt)
16 Triflin' Woman Blues
17 Long Skirt Baby Blues (alt)
18 Long Skirt Baby Blues
19 Goodbye Blues
20 Too Much Trouble Blues (alt)
21 Too Much Trouble Blues
22 I'm Waiting for Your Call
23 Hypin' Woman Blues (alt)
24 Hypin' Woman Blues
Disc 3
01 So Blue Blues
02 On Your Way Blues
03 The Natural Blues
04 That's Better for Me
05 First Love Blues (alt)
06 First Love Blues
07 Lonesome Woman Blues (alt 1)
08 Lonesome Woman Blues (alt 2)
09 Lonesome Woman Blues
10 Vacation Blues
11 Inspiration Blues (alt)
12 Inspiration Blues
13 Description Blues (alt)
14 Description Blues
15 T-Bone Shuffle (alt)
16 T-Bone Shuffle
17 That Old Feeling Is Gone
18 The Time Seems So Long
19 Prison Blues
20 Home Town Blues
21 Wise Man Blues (alt)
22 Wise Man Blues
23 Misfortune Blues (alt)
24 Misfortune Blues
Disc 4
01 I Wish You Were Mine (alt)
02 I Wish You Were Mine
03 I'm Gonna Move You Out and Get Somebody Else
04 She's the No Sleepin'est Woman (alt)
05 She's the No Sleepin'est Woman
06 Plain Old Down Home Blues
07 Born to Be No Good
08 Go Back to the One You Love (alt)
09 Go Back to the One You Love
10 I Want a Little Girl
12 You're My Best Poker Hand (alt)
13 You're My Best Poker Hand
14 West Side Baby
15 Glamour Girl
16 Strollin' with Bone
17 The Sun Went Down
18 You Don't Love Me
19 Travelin' Blues
20 The Hustle Is On (78 take)
21 The Hustle Is On (LP take)
22 Baby Broke My Heart (78 take)
23 Baby Broke My Heart (LP take)
24 Evil Hearted Woman
Disc 5
01 Evil Hearted Woman (alt)
02 I Walked Away
03 No Reason (alt)
04 No Reason
05 Look Me in the Eye (LP take)
06 Look Me in the Eye (78 take)
07 Too Lazy (78 take)
08 Too Lazy (LP take)
09 Alimony Blues
10 Life Is Too Short
11 You Don't Understand
12 Welcome Blues
13 I Get So Weary
14 You Just Wanted to Use Me
15 Tell Me What's the Reason
16 I'm About to Lose My Mind
17 Cold, Cold Feeling
18 News for My Baby
19 Get These Blues Off Me
20 I Got the Blues Again
21 Through with Women
22 Street Walking Woman
23 Blues Is a Woman
24 I Got the Blues
Disc 6
01 Here in the Dark
02 Blue Mood
03 Everytime
04 I Miss You Baby
05 Lollie Lou
06 Party Girl
07 Love Is a Gamble
08 High Society
09 Long Distance Blues
10 Got No Use for You
11 I'm Still in Love with You
12 Railroad Station Blues
13 Vida Lee
14 My Baby Is Now on My Mind
15 Doin' Time
16 Bye, Bye, Baby
17 When the Sun Goes Down
18 Pony Tail
19 Wanderin' Heart
20 I'll Always Be in Love with You
21 I'll Understand
22 Hard Way
23 Teen Age Baby
24 Strugglin' Blues
