Search - Ma Rainey :: Complete 1

Historically Important--But She's Just Getting Started

Marc Dolan | Brooklyn, NY USA | 03/06/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"These are the first recordings of the most important woman blues vocalist of the early twentieth century. Notice that I said "first," not "best." By the time Ma Rainey got to record, other African American women had been making blues records for three years. Even though Rainey was the mother of them all, she was following in their footsteps when it came to recording. On this disc, you hear her adjusting to a brandnew medium. This is definitely worth owning if you're a hardcore fan, but if you just want to get to know Rainey, the Fantasy/Milestone selection of her later tracks is probably your best bet."

The mother of the blues

Jahlaune Hunt | Brooklyn, NY | 03/05/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Enjoyable if you want to learn what early commerically made blues sounded like. It's importantto remember this is as primitive a recording as you will hear as recording was relativitly new. Moreover, Ma Rainey was more known for her vaudevillian showmanship than her recording. I say if you buy this then buy Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters and Billie Holiday as these were the three most importnat women of jazz/blues. And you can see just how far and fast blues eveolved in a relitively short period of time."