Jazz Crazy Records

An Archive of Early Jazz on 78 RPM

Tag: Bessie Smith

  • “Preachin’ the Blues” – Bessie Smith (1927)

    “Preachin’ the Blues” – Bessie Smith (1927)

    One last video to celebrate Pride Month, though I’m late posting it.

    Bessie Smith, one of the most popular and prolific of the early blues singers of the 1920s, was known, like her mentor Ma Rainey, to be bisexual.

    She was also reportedly “quite religious” and would often attend Sunday morning services while on tour. Drummer Zutty Singleton once said that Bessie “was real close to God, Very religious.”

    Her music often took on the characteristic of preaching, and here, in her original composition, “Preachin’ the Blues”, Ms. Smith lays down a sermon for her flock of faithful:

    “I will learn you something if you listen to this song.
    I ain’t here to try to save your soul
    Just want to teach you how to save your good jelly roll.”

    Angela Davis argues, in her excellent book, Blues Legacies and Black Feminism, that this song “juxtaposes the spriit of religion and the spirit of the blues, and contests the idea of the incontrovertible separateness of these two spheres.”

    Smith’s song combines the evangelical spirit of her religious upbringing with the worldly pleasures of the blues lifestyle. The song “advises women to take control of their sexuality and implicitly challenges the church’s condemnation of sexuality.”

    This open celebration and affirmation of sexuality, given in the context of blasphemously “preaching” a “sermon”, was quite radical and progressive for this time period. It was, as a teenage friend of mine in the 80s would have called it, “totally punk rock”.

    We owe Bessie Smith and other bisexual female blues singers of the 1920s a debt of gratitude for their courage to sing their authentic truth to the world.

    Once more: Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ I didn’t get to explore as many artists as I had planned – but as the month progressed, I found myself out celebrating Pride and neglecting the channel. That’s ok – that leaves more artists to feature next year!

    Recorded in New York City on February 17, 1927.
    Released as Columbia 14195-D

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    James P. Johnson – piano

    Sources:
    Bessie, Chris Albertson, Yale University Press, 2003
    Blues Legacies and Black Feminism, Angela Y. Davis, Pantheon, 1998

  • “St. Louis Blues” – Bessie Smith (1925) f/ Louis Armstrong

    “St. Louis Blues” – Bessie Smith (1925) f/ Louis Armstrong

    One of the most famous versions of the W.C. Handy classic “St. Louis Blues” was performed by blues Empress Bessie Smith accompanied by a young Louis Armstrong on cornet and Fred Longshaw on reed organ.

    The performances are extraordinary – and it is no wonder that this recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993.

    This surely must have been a big seller, as this copy is marked 1-G-39. I believe that the “G” means that it is a West Coast pressing and 39 meaning that this stamper has been through a lot! It looks like all subsequent reissues are dubs. My guess is that they wore the master out repressing it so many times!

    Recorded in New York City on January 14, 1925.
    Released as Columbia 14064-D.

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    Louis Armstrong – cornet
    Fred Longshaw – reed organ

  • “In The House” – Bessie Smith (1931)

    “In The House” – Bessie Smith (1931)

    A deep depression recording of blues phenomenon Bessie Smith and a talented group of “growlers” accompanying her performance. Louis Metcalf seems to be confirmed on trumpet – and the rest question marks. Metcalf remembered Charlie Irvis on trombone – but the Chicago Defender on July 18, 1931, it was noted that “William W. Christian, trombonist has just finished recording with Bessie Smith.”

    As this session was her only recording date of the summer, released during a very tough time for the record industry, it is nearly impossible to find on the original Columbia Viva Tonal pressing. Luckily, we have this master-pressed Parlophone to enjoy.

    Recorded in New York City on June 11, 1931.
    Released in the U.K. as Parlophone R2329 (master pressing).
    Originally released in the U.S. as Columbia 14611-D.

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    Louis Metcalf – trumpet
    William W. Christian (?) or Charlie Irvis (?) – trombone
    Clarence Williams (?) – piano
    Unknown Artist – drums

    Source:
    Clarence Williams, by Tom Lord, Storyville Publications, 1974.

  • “Hard Times Blues” – Bessie Smith (1926) f/ Fletcher Henderson

    “Hard Times Blues” – Bessie Smith (1926) f/ Fletcher Henderson

    Bessie gives men everywhere the hard truth:
    “When your good woman is gone
    You will see a hard time.
    Don’t say a word – just listen!”

    The right honorable Fletcher Henderson accompanies on the piano.

    Recorded in New York City on October 25, 1926.
    Released as Columbia 14179-D.

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    Fletcher Henderson – piano

  • “Blue Spirit Blues” – Bessie Smith (1929)

    “Blue Spirit Blues” – Bessie Smith (1929)

    Because today is Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I’m sharing a record with an appropriate theme: the amazing “Blue Spirit Blues” by Bessie Smith with piano accompaniment by James P. Johnson.

    A real slow burn, Bessie paints a scene worthy of Dante’s Inferno:

    “Had a dream last night that I was dead
    Evil spirits all around my bed
    The devil came and grabbed my hand
    Took me way down to that red hot land
    Mean blue spirits stuck their forks in me
    Made me moan and groan in misery
    Fairies and dragons spitting out blue flame
    Showin’ their teeth – for they was glad I came
    Demons with their eyelash dripping blood
    Draggin’ sinners through that brimstone flood
    This is hell I cried, cried with all my might
    Oh my soul, I can’t bear the sight
    Start runnin’ ’cause it is my cup
    Run so fast ’til someone woke me up.”

    These later electrical recordings of Bessie Smith really sound fantastic! Her commanding voice just projects right out of the speaker through the years and confronts you with its real presence!

    Recorded in New York City on October 11, 1929.
    Released as Columbia 14527-D.

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    James P. Johnson – piano

  • “It Won’t Be You” – Bessie Smith (1928)

    “It Won’t Be You” – Bessie Smith (1928)

    These electrically-recorded Viva-tonal Columbias from the late 20s and early 30s are some of Bessie’s best.

    On this pristine copy we can hear her bluesy accompanists quite well – which include the great Charlie Green on trombone.

    “It Won’t Be You” is a self-penned original breakup song whose sentiments are as old as time. Smith begins a little broken-hearted and jilted – but quickly gets to the knife-twisting chorus, in which she assures her ex that her next beau, “No matter how cruel he may be” will give her the consolation and satisfaction that “It won’t be you.”

    A great kiss-off by the Empress of the Blues herself.

    Reminds me of a recent Courtney Barnett tune in which she sang “I may not be 100% happy but at least I’m not with you.”

    Recorded in New York City on February 21, 1928.
    Released as Columbia 14338-D.

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    Demas Dean – trumpet
    Charlie Green – trombone
    Fred Longshaw – piano

  • “Hard Drivin’ Papa” – Bessie Smith (1926)

    “Hard Drivin’ Papa” – Bessie Smith (1926)

    One of the cleanest Bessie Smith records in my collection – demonstrating how amazing 78 rpm records can sound when they are great shape.

    Ms. Smith is accompanied by top-talent musicians from the NYC jazz scene who lend a mournful elegance to her powerful vocal performance. Mahalia Jackson once described the impact of Bessie’s voice: “Her music haunted you even when she stopped singing.”

    Henderson and Smith recorded this session with Ms. Smith in between their Dixie Stompers session of April 14 (Dynamite, Jack-ass Blues, and Static Strut) and the Henderson orchestra session for Columbia of May 14 (The Stampede, Jackass Blues).

    Recorded in New York City on May 4, 1926.
    Released as Columbia 14137-D

    Credits:
    Bessie Smith – vocals
    Joe Smith – cornet
    Fletcher Henderson – piano