Mamie Smith - Complete Recorded Works (4 CD, 1995/FLAC)
Though technically not a blues performer, Mamie Smith notched her place in American music as the first black female singer to record a vocal blues. That record was "Crazy Blues" (recorded August 10, 1920), which sold a million copies in its first six months and made record labels aware of the huge potential market for "race records"; thus paving the way for Bessie Smith (no relation) and other blues and jazz performers. An entertainer who sported a powerful, penetrating, feminine voice with belting vaudeville qualities, as opposed to blues inflections, Smith toured as a dancer with Tutt-Whitney's Smart Set Company in her early teens, and sang in Harlem clubs before World War I. Apparently, Smith's pioneering recording session was an accident, since she was filling in for Sophie Tucker, but the success of the record made her wealthy.
Robert Cray discography [1980-2020]
Robert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia, United States) is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band, as well as an acclaimed solo career.Cray started playing guitar in his early teens. At Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia, his love of blues and soul music flourished as he started collecting records. Originally, he wanted to become an architect, but around the same time he began to study architectural design, he formed a local band "Steakface", described as "the best band from Lakewood you never heard of". Cray's guitar and vocals contributed greatly to Steakface's set list of songs by Jimi Hendrix, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Fleetwood Mac, The Grease Band, Blodwyn Pig, Jethro Tull, Spirit and The Faces.
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs (Sid'n'Susie) - Under The Covers, volume 1 & 2 (2006-2009/FLAC)
Matthew Sweet is probably best known for Girlfriend, one of the finest power pop albums of the ‘90s. Susanna Hoffs is widely recognized as the lead singer of The Bangles, a band that’s shown its love for well-crafted pop by covering songs by Big Star and Jules Shear. In 2006, these two artists teamed up to release Under the Covers, a collection of ‘60s classics, and what’s great about the album is that Sweet and Hoffs didn’t just pick the most obvious tunes to interpret for the project. Two sequel releases — covering songs from the ‘70s and the ‘80s — were released in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Here’s a half dozen choice cuts from the overall series.
Mountain - Original Album Classics (5 CD, 2010/FLAC)
1970 Climbing!
1971 Nantucket Sleighride
1971 Flowers Of Evil
1974 Twin Peaks
1974 Avalanche
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)