Search - Son House :: Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues

Great Collection of songs

Brian Kerecz | PA, USA | 03/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Eddie James "Son" House is one of the founding fathers of the blues, and by extension, American music. And yet he does not receive the credit due him nor the accolades such that Robert Johnson does. Son House was actually one of the people who played with, and inspired, Robert Johnson. In fact, he was reported to have been Johnson's favorite mentor.



This collection pulls songs from the full range of Son House's career, 1930, 1941-1942, and 1965. The first three songs are the earliest recordings, recorded in Wisconsin in 1930, with two of the three of relatively poor quality; while My Black Mama is the exception and sounds fantastic. John the Revelator is a favorite of mine showing a Baptist minister blueman, belting out the blues without musical accompaniment. This is an enjoyable collection I listened to straight through several times immediately after opening the package, something rare for me to do.



Listen closely to the Library of Congress recording of Walking Blues. The Library of Congress songs recorded in 1941 and 1942 were recorded in Klack's Store(a local General Store) in Lake Cormorant Mississippi, next to railroad tracks. If you listen closely to Walking Blues you can hear a train passing through in the middle of the song.



While this CD may not fit the bill if you are looking for a thorough record of Son House recordings, it is, as someone else has already noted, probably the best of the Martin Scorcese series. Highly recommended.



Timeline of the music on the CD:



1930:

My Black Mama, Pt. 1

Preachin' Blues, Pt. 1

Dry Spell Blues, Pt. 1



1941(Library of Congress recordings):

Levee Camp Blues

Walking Blues



1942(Library of Congress recordings):

Special Rider Blues

Pony Blues



1965:

Death Letter

Pearline

John The Revelator

Preachin' Blues

Empire State Express

Levee Camp Moan

Grinnin' In Your Face"

****3/4

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 12/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A really fine attempt at making a career-spanning compilation, this installment in the "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues"-series is a bit too short to be truly magnificent, but the song selection is very, very good, virtually perfect.



Son House was one of the most important figures ever in popular music, a frighteningly intense performer and an awesome slide guitarist, and the main source of inspiration to men like Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson.

This CD includes songs from his 1930 session for Columbia Records, songs from his 1941-42 Library of Congress recordings, and songs from his mid-sixties comeback.

The fidelity on the three 1930 cuts is less than stellar, but the power of those old and scratchy recordings is incredible, and the Library of Congress recordings are the only known waxings of Son House playing with a band, although he is backed (subtly and very sympathetically) by a harp-playing Alan Wilson on the 1965 recording of the epic, 9-minute "Levee Camp Moan".



Also included is the awesome "Death Letter Blues", the a capella numbers "John The Revelator" and "Grinnin' In Your Face", and one of the most impressive acoustic slide guitar-numbers I've ever heard, the slashing "Pearline".

These fourteen songs are not the definitive word on Son House, of course, but if you just want one disc in your collection, or if you're looking for a sampler to get you started, this CD is a great choice, and probably the best installment in the "Martin Scorsese Presents"-series."

Great Overview

Ron Hartman | South Jersey | 10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Very interesting CD. This is the only disc I know that includes tracks from all three recording periods of Son House's career. There are 3 songs from 1930, 4 from the 1941-42 Library of Congress recordings, and the remainer from the 1965 Columbia recordings. The 1930 recordings are a little rough, but the sound quality on the later ones is fine. The two versions of Preachin" Blues and Levee Camp Blues make for interesting comparison. Buy this disc if you want a full sample of Son House."