Search - Bessie Smith :: Chattanooga Gal

A must-have boxed set of the Mother of Modern Music

Truth | DC | 02/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Proper Records provides an extensive collection of Bessie Smith recordings that is well worth the money. The sound quality is great, especially considering that this set of Bessie's recordings dates from 1923 thru 1933. These tracks recorded for Columbia (and several later on Okeh) may include most of her recordings, if not all of them (but not her duets with Clara Smith). The booklet provides track details as well as an essay about Bessie's Life & recording career, which explains that her last recordings were made in 1933, four years before her untimely death in 1937. Listening to this collection makes it clear why Bessie Smith is considered the "Empress of the Blues"; she should also be regarded as the Mother of Modern Music.

[Note: my "Chattanooga Gal" boxed set did not include the 48 page booklet, only a Proper Records catalogue. I emailed the company about this and they sent the booklet via post office mail]

Four discs packaged in separate jewel cases, all of which stack into the cardboard box along with the booklet."

This collection is a gift!

James W. Durney | Tampa Bay area | 03/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was at Columbia Records in the early seventies when I first heard of Bessie Smith. Columbia was assembling her recordings for a reissue set. Curious, I got a set of LPs and discovered one of America's great talents. Since those days, I have always tried to keep a Bessie Smith collection as the recording industry moved from media to media. Normal living expenses often made that this impossible. An even greater problem is the tendency for Bessie to go out of print. This made assembling a good collection almost impossible as I made do with one or two CDs. For several years my collection was The Essential Bessie Smith, two CD set. While this is a good set, it contains only thirty-six tracks, which cannot really convey her talent.



This collection is a gift! With over ninety tracks on four CDs, it satisfies all but the most dedicated of fans. The booklet is a good overview of her life and work. There are ample illustrations and pictures to introduce you to Bessie and her world. The discography is excellent! It contains the dates, locations and personal for each track. See if you can pick out a young Louie Armstrong on the 1925 tracks. Bessie was a major talent and she worked with other major talents making these tracks historical music.



Her songs are here, in excellent quality with that somewhat historical sound of old records. This adds to the charm and keeps the sound true to what people bought during these years. Grab a pig foot n a bottle of beer; you are in for a wonderful listening experience.

"

Bessie smith

Hatshepsut V | 05/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i have enjoyed these cds tremendously. some other people have listen to some of the songs, and i have made them fans of her as well."