Search - Memphis Jug Band :: Essential

Joyful sound

Peter Gordon | Canberra, ACT Australia | 06/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe the Memphis Jug Band is an acquired taste, but it's certainly worth cultivating. With heavy dependence on homespun instruments, notably jug, kazoo and harmonica, but with a shifting instrumentation and personnel, they recorded extensively in the few years on either side of 1930. There's quite a range of musical styles. Often marvellously exuberant, even raucous, they could also play searingly plaintive slow blues like "KC Moan" and the justly celebrated "Cocaine Habit Blues". I'm sure that hospital stays would be shortened if this music could be piped into the wards.
The music merits five stars, but this issue loses one because it lacks recording details and the notes are brief. Also a total of 36 tracks on a double CD isnt generous. It does, however, represent a good cross section, nearly half the bands recorded output. With respectable sound, this is a relatively low price sampler. Anyone with a love of country blues or traditional American "roots" music should embrace this wonderful band, along with others of the period such as those led by Gus Cannon and Jack Kelly."