This transcript of the radio show is an approximation of what I said in the show. The real spoken parts may differ slightly.
And the legends today come from a legendary series of a legendary record label - today I feature the famous 500 series of the Philadelphia based Gotham label. And those who immediately recognize what I'm talking about, they are the true blues connaiseurs.
The majority of Gotham's releases are best remembered among the doowop crowd keeping the memories alive of vocal groups like the Hearts and the Capris. And Gotham records brought out records of R&B stars like Jimmy Preston, Tiny Grimes and Earl Bostic.
But that 500 series, man that was something special. Initially the blues on this series were somewhat R&B and jazz styled, but from number 504 the series became down home style, hard blues, the man-and-guitar type blues. And that's what makes this series legendary among the die-hard blues fans - and today they can eat their heart out.
But first Gotham number 500 and that is Cousin Joe with Earl Bostic and the Gotham Sextet - I assume the house band of the label. Recorded in March 1946 in New York City, here is the Fly Hen Blues.
500 - Cousin Joe - Fly Hen Blues
501 - Cousin Joe - Little Eva
Pleasant Joseph, better know as Cousin Joe, with Little Eva and that was on Gotham 501. This New Orleans bluesman and pianist had moved to New York in 1942 and blended in with the local jazz and R&B scene. This was recorded in the Big Apple in March of 1946 together with the Fly Hen Blues that you heard before.
Number 502 on the Gotham list is bluesman Dan Pickett. And here you get the first taste of raw blues that this series started to specialize in. Dan Pickett recorded it in August 1949 in Philladelphia. Listen to How Long.
502 - Dan Pickett - Baby How Long
503 - Earl Bostic - Let's Ball Tonight
Saxophonist Earl Bostic with his double sider Let's Ball Tonight on Gotham 503 recorded in June 1947 New York. Gotham records started in 1946 New York where it was founded by Sam Goody and Irvin Ballen, but in January of '48 Ballen bought out his partner and moved the business to Philadelphia where it existed until it folded in 1956.
Well all the other releases in this 500 series where recorded in the Philly time of Gotham, and that's blues and blues only. On number 504 a man with the coulourful name of Nathaniel Stick Horse Hammond. Listen to Truck 'Em On Down, that was the flip of Little Girl.
504 - Nathaniel 'Stick Horse' Hammond - Truck 'En On Down
505 - David 'Pete' McKinley - Shreveport Blues
The Shreveport Blues and like Stick Horse Hammond's song this was indeed recorded in Shreveport LA. You heard David 'Pete' McKinley and that is a pretty obscure bluesman. There is an interesting page on a weblog on Shreveport music about him and another local bluesman, James "Country Jim" Bledsoe.
Together they recorded a different song with the same title Shreveport Blues for the Specialty label in 1952 about a "cold chill" inducing woman on an intersection somewhere near town. On the blog there's a picture of the named crossroads and actually you could expect to encounter the devil there. Interesting, because the song that I played was recorded in the same year which means that McKinley recorded two different songs with the same title for two different recording companies.
On number 506 we find the great John Lee Hooker, but the label credit some Johnny Williams. He had a recording contract with Modern Records of Hollywood, but that didn't keep him from recording for other labels under various nicknames. The sessions for Gotham were under the name of Johnny Williams. Listen to his Wandering Blues recorded in Detroit in Nevember, 1950.
506 - John Lee Hooker - Wandering Blues
507 - Baby Boy Warren - My Special Friend Blues
Baby Boy Warren with My Special Friend Blues. He worked as a musician from the early thirties when he'd dropped out of school and worked with the great names of Memphis including Howling Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson the 2nd, and he moved to Detroit in 1942. Yet the sessions that brought us this song and some others that were released on other labels, were his first, in 1949. On other labels like Swingtime and Federal he was billed as Johnny Williams, which is pretty much confusing because here on Gotham, that was the nick name for John Lee Hooker.
On Gotham 508 we find Wright Holmes with the Good Road Blues.
508 - Wright Holmes - Good Road Blues
509 - John Lee Hooker - Questionnaire Blues
The questionnaire Blues, once more John Lee Hooker billed on the label as Johnny Williams. Next on Gotham 510 Dan Pickett with a blues with the beautiful title A ride to a funeral in a V-8.
510 - Dan Pickett - Ride To A Funeral In A V-8
511 - Wright Holmes - Alley Special
Wright Holmes with the Alley Special. Holmes was a bluesman in Houston who played the clubs in the 30s and 40s and did only a few recordings in 1947. According to Allmusic's biography he gave up the blues in 1950 and, as the bio says, was last seen in 1967, by which time he had lost a leg and turned to religion.
On number 513 we find John Lee Hooker again with Little Boy Blue.
513 - John Lee Hooker - Little Boy Blue
514 - Meat Head Johnson a.k.a. Champion Jack Dupree - Old Old Woman
Now That is a nice play on the well known theme of young women marrying old men for their money. The Old Old Woman, well, she left the blues singer her money in her will and that blues singer was billed on the label as Meat Head Johnson and his Blues Hounds. Who were they? Well you heard Champion Jack Dupree together with Brownie and Stick McGhee on guitar and Melvin Merritt on drums. I think he still was under contract with the Apollo label when he recorded a session of four songs under this name, being released on two labels, Gotham and Apex.
We make a little jump to number 517 and 518, where we find Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee with Baby let's have some fun and Lonesome Room
517 - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Baby let's have some fun
518 - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Lonesome Room
519 - Doug Quattlebaum - Don't Be Funny Baby!
And that was Doug Quattlebaum with Don't be funny baby and that one.. makes me run out of time a bit. So I hope you enjoyed this little compilation of the Gotham 500 series and of course you can always let me know at rockingdutchman@rocketmail.com. Or find me on the web, just do a google search on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman and my site will show up first. As for now, byebye and don't get the blues, just have a rocking day. See you next time on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman!