The Legends of the Rocking Dutchman - episode 138

Decca releases, spring 1940

Regular listeners will have noticed that every now and then, I spell out the discography of the Decca 7000 'race' series, and for today I pick up where I left you last time, in the spring of 1940. It gives a good insight in the Rhythm & Blues scene of the moment, that is, for the two cities where Decca was active: Chicago and New York.

Today the story of one of the Decca artists, also tells us that for many bluesmen and women of the twenties and thirties, the only reliable information that their biographies is built on, is the data of the recording studios and ads in papers for gigs in local venues. To get a coherent story from birth to death, blues researchers often have been puzzling things together that are likely to be true, but may well be wrong. And so, sometimes life stories generally assumed to be right, are being busted by later research.

Transcript

Playlist

  1. Peetie Wheatstraw - Pocket Knife Blues (Decca 7778)
  2. Franz Jackson and His Jacksonians - Elephant Swing (7779)
  3. Tiny Parham - Frogtown Blues (7780)
  4. Sam Price & His Texas Blusicians - Sweepin' The Blues Away (7781)
  5. Johnnie Temple - Fireman Blues (7782)
  6. Georgia White - Papa Pleaser (7783)
  7. Leroy's Buddy (Bill Gaither) - Greyhound Blues (7784)
  8. Roosevelt Sykes - Pistol Shootin' Blues (7785)
  9. Frankie Halfpint Jaxon - Be Your Natural Self (7786)
  10. Peetie Wheatstraw - Chicago Mill Blues (7788)
  11. Sleepy John Estes & Robert Lee McCoy - Time Is Drawing Near (7789)
  12. Lee Brown - My Little Girl (7790)
  13. Skeets Tolbert & His Gentlemen Of Swing - Raz My Taz (7791)
  14. Creole George Guesnon - Black Woman Blues (7792)
  15. Jimmie Gordon - L & N Blues (7794)
  16. Frankie Halfpint Jaxon - Take Off Them Hips (7795)
  17. Roosevelt Sykes - Knock Me Out (7796)

Outtro:

  • Wild Bill Moore Sextette - Bongo Bounce
The following music served as background music during the spoken parts:
  • Kirk Kirkland - The Saxaphone Rag
  • Andy Kirk & Mary Lou Williams - Scratchin' in the Gravel
  • Lil Armstrong & her Dixielanders - Riffin' The Blues
  • Mary Lou Williams - Overhand
  • Skeets Tolbert & His Gentlemen Of Swing - Jumpin' Jack
  • Tiny Parham - Moving Day