The Complete Congress Recordings [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
UK release is only the second CD release of the soul singer/ songwriter's recordings and the first to feature all her recordings released on the Congress label in the U.S., includes her hits, 'The Nitty Gritty', 'The Name Game', 'The Clapping Song' and 'Whisper To Me Wind'. 2001 release. Standard jewel case.

The Complete Congress Recordings,Shirley Ellis,Connoisseur Coll.,Novelty,Pop,Pop-Soul,Pop/Rock,R&B/Soul,Rock,Soul/R & B

Tracks:

Story of "I'm Alabama Bound"/I'm Alabama Bound [Spoken][Version]
Time in Mobile/I'm Alabama Bound [Continued][Excerpt][Version]
King Porter Stomp [Piano Instrumental/The Story of "King Porter Stomp"
Story of "King Porter Stomp, [/You Can Have It, ISpoken]
Jelly Roll's Background [Spoken]
Music Lessons/Miserere [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
Miserere [/The French Opera HousePiano Instrumental][Instrumental][Vers
Stomping Grounds [Spoken]
Style of Sammy Davis [Piano Instrumental/The Renown of Tony ...
Tony Jackson Was the Favorite/Dope, Crown, and Opium [Spoken][Version]
Poor Alfred Wilson/Tony Jackson's "Naked Dance" [Piano ...][Version]
Honky Tonk Blues/In New Orleans, Anyone Could Carry a Gun [Spoken]
New Orleans Was a Free and Easy Place/Levee Man Blues [Spoken][Version]
Story of Aaron Harris [Spoken]

Tracks:

Story of Aaron Harris (Continued)/Aaron Harris Blues [Spoken][Version]
Aaron Harris, His Hoodoo Woman, And the Hat That Started a Riot ...
Story of the 1900 New Orleans Riot and the Song of Robert Charles ...
Story of the 1900 New Orleans Riot (Continued) /Game Kid Blues [Spoken]
Game Kid Blues [/Buddy Carter Rag ...Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][
New Orleans Funerals/Steal Away/Nearer My God to Thee [Spoken][Version]
Funeral Marches/Flee as the Bird to the Mountain [Piano ...][Version]
Oh! Didn't He Ramble [Piano Instrumental/Evolution of Tiger Rag ...
Tiger Rag Third, Fourth, And Fifth Strains [Piano Instrumental]
Tiger Rag [Piano Instrumental/PanamaPiano Instrumental][Instrumental][V
Right Tempo Is the Accurate Tempo/Ha ... [Interview and Demonstration]
Jazz Discords and Story of the Kansas City Stomp [Interview and ...]
Kansas City Stomp (Continued)/Breaks in Jazz ... [Piano Instrumental][I
Slow Swing and Sweet Jazz Music [Interview and Demonstration]
Salty Dog/Bill Johnson, Jelly's Brother-In-Law [Spoken]
Hesitation Blues [Interview and Song]

Tracks:

My Gal Sal Original and Transformation [Interview and Song]
St. Louis Scene/Randalls' Tune/Maple ... [Piano Instrumental][Instrumen
Maple Leaf Rag St. Louis Style, Conclusion [Instrumental][Version]
Jelly Roll Carves St. Louis [Spoken]
Jelly Roll Carves St. Louis (Continued)/Miserere, ... [Spoken][Version]
New Orleans Blues
Winin' Boy Blues [Continued]
Winin' Boy Blues [Continued]
Anamule Dance
Anamule Dance [/The Story of the "The Anamule Dance"Spoken][Version]
Great Buddy Bolden/Buddy Bolden's Blues [Continued]
Great Buddy Bolden [Continued][Version]
Mr. Jelly Lord
How Jelly Roll Got His Name/Original Jelly Roll Blues ... [Spoken][Vers
Original Jelly Roll Blues [Continued]
Honky Tonk Blues/Old-Time Honky Tonks [Spoken]

Tracks:

Real Tough Boys [Spoken]
Sporting Attire and Shooting the Agate [Spoken]
Sweet Mamas and Sweet Papas/See See Rider [Spoken][Version]
See See Rider (Continued)/Parading with the Broadway Swells [Spoken]
Parading with the Broadway Swells (Continued) [Spoken]
Fights and Weapons/Stars and Stripes Forever [Piano ...][Version]
Luis Russell and New Orleans Riffs [Interview and ...]
Jelly's Travels: From Yazoo to Clarksdale [Spoken]
Jelly's Travels: From Clarksdale to Helena [Spoken]
Jelly's Travels: From Helena to Memphis [Spoken]
In Memphis: The Monarch Saloon and Benny Frenchy/Benny ... [Spoken][Ver
Benny Frenchy's Tune (Continued)/Bad Sam, Memphis' [Piano Instrumental]
Make Me a Pallet on the Floor [Interview and Song]
Make Me a Pallet on the Floor [Continued]
Make Me a Pallet on the Floor [Continued]
Make Me a Pallet on the Floor [Conclusion]

Tracks:

Dirty Dozen [Interview and Song]
Murder Ballad, Pt. 1
Murder Ballad, Pt. 2
Murder Ballad, Pt. 3
Murder Ballad, Pt. 4
Murder Ballad, Pt. 5
Murder Ballad, Pt. 6
Murder Ballad, Conclusion
Fickle Fay Creep [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
Jungle Blues [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
King Porter Stomp [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
Sweet Peter [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
Hyena Stomp [Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][Version]
Wolverine Blues [Continued]
Wolverine Blues [Continued]
State and Madison [Piano Instrumental]
Pearls [Piano Instrumental]
Pearls [Continued][Instrumental][Version]

Tracks:

Bert Williams [Piano Instrumental]
Freakish [Piano Instrumental]
Pep [Piano Instrumental]
Georgia Skin Game [Continued][Version]
Georgia Skin Game [Continued][Version]
Georgia Skin Game/I'm Gonna Get One and Go ... [Conclusion][Version]
Ungai Hai, The Sign of the Indians [Interview and Song]
New Orleans Blues [/The Spanish TingeSpoken]
Spanish Tinge [Continued]
Improving Spanish Tempos and Creepy Feeling [Interview and Piano ...]
Creepy Feeling [Continued][Instrumental][Version]
Crave [Piano Instrumental]
Mamanita [Piano Instrumental]
C'ait N'Aut' Can-Can, Payez Donc/If You ... [Interview and Song]
Spanish Swat [Piano Instrumental]
Ain't Misbehavin'
I Hate a Man Like You/Rolling Stuff [Interview and Song]
Michigan Water Blues [Interview and Song]

Tracks:

Winin' Boy Blues
Winin' Boy Blues [Continued]
Boogie Woogie Blues [Piano Instrumental/Albert Carroll's Tune ...]
Buddy Bertrand's Blues [/Mamie's ...Piano Instrumental][Instrumental][V
When the Hot Stuff Came In [Spoken]
First Hot Arrangements [Spoken]
Pensacola Kid and the Cadillac CafSpoken]
At the Cadillac CafLos Angeles [/Little Liza ...Spoken][Version]
Little Liza Jane [Continued]
In the Publishing Business/Tricks Ain't Walking No More [Spoken][Versio

Tracks:

Original Jelly Roll Blues [Guitar Instrumental] - Johnny St. Cyr,
Jelly Roll's Early Playing Days in the District [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Hot Bands and Creole Tunes [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Eh, La Bas/Riffs and Breaks from Creole Songs [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Old-Time Creole Musicians and the French Element [Spoken] - Leonard Bechet, Alan Lomax
Playing Hot with Buddy Bolden [Spoken] - Paul Dominguez, Jr., Alan Lomax, Alphonse Picou
High Society [Instrumental] - Paul Dominguez, Jr., Alphonse Picou
Sporting Life Costumes [Spoken] - Leonard Bechet, , Alan Lomax
Buddy Bolden: Man and Musician [Spoken] - Leonard Bechet, , Alan Lomax
Creoles Playing with Negroes: Getting That Drive [Spoken] - Leonard Bechet, Alan Lomax
Jelly Roll's Compositions [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
How Johnny St. Cyr Learned to Play Guitar [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Guitar Blues/Just the Guitar Blues [Guitar Instrumental][Instrumental][ - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Bad Men and Pimps [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,
Story of the Coon Blues [Spoken] - Alan Lomax, Alphonse Picou
Coon Blues [Instrumental] - Paul Dominguez, Jr., Alphonse Picou
Jazz Is Just a Makeup: Buddy Bolden, Honky Tonks, Brass Band Funerals, - Leonard Bechet, , Alan Lomax
Young Sidney Bechet: Jim Crow and the Dangers of the District [Spoken] - Leonard Bechet, Alan Lomax
Main Idea in Jazz: Just Watch Me - Improvising and Reading Music ... - Leonard Bechet, , Alan Lomax
Of All His Mother's Children He Loved Jelly the Best: A Little Tale of - Alan Lomax, Johnny St. Cyr,

Amazon.com

When folklorist Alan Lomax made these epic 1938 recordings of Jelly Roll Morton's reminiscences and piano playing, he was creating the first great oral documentation of early jazz. This material has never been issued with the care, sensitivity and completeness that it gets here, with the complete interviews and musical performances sequenced over seven CDs in the order in which they took place. Morton was almost as great a raconteur as he was a musician, and his accounts of New Orleans in the early years of the 20th century--from bordellos to riots to funeral parades--are vivid, bawdy, and sometimes hilarious. His accounts of the music and his performances, from "King Porter Stomp" to the lengthy "Murder Ballad," provide a brilliant window on the mechanics and progress of jazz in its earliest years. The sound restoration is excellent and the complete package--cover art by R. Crumb and a book with an essay by John Szwed and extensive photographs--befits a document of this significance. An eighth CD excerpts interviews Lomax conducted in 1949 with various New Orleans musicians (most notably Johnny St. Cyr) reminiscing about Morton and the early years of jazz. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Even when he did not invent jazz in the year 1904 ............2007-01-19

Nearly every jazz-friend has heard about the legendary recordings, Jelly Roll Morton made for the Library of Congress, and that there he declared to have invented this music in 1904 or so....
I play jazz as an amateur since more than 50 years, and I never expected to be able to have these recordings. Now I hear his voice, I hear him play and declare, what he plays. And suddenly an important time of history of jazz, an important musician and composer got to be living for me. It's great, and I wish that every oldtime-jazz musician would listen to the stories he tells.
And I think: it does not matter, whether they are true or not - they in any case are full of a musicians life.

Given as gift........2007-01-09

This set was requested as a Christmas gift by the recipient. He has said it is great. I respect his judgement and look forward to hearing the records when we are next together (we live at opposite ends of the country).

Complete Library of Congress Recordings (1940)

Average customer rating:

Very good, but somewhat obsolete
Very essential stuff (for acoustic blues guitar players)
Very essential stuff (for acoustic blues guitar players)
McTell Tells It Like It Was
One of the best.

Complete Library of Congress Recordings (1940)
Blind Willie McTell
Manufacturer: Document
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

East Coast Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000000JI1
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Tracks:

Just As Well Get Ready, You Got To Die/Climbing High Mountains, Tryin' To Get Home
Monologue On Accidents
Boll Weevil
Delia
Dying Crapshooter's Blues
Will Fox
I Got To Cross The River Jordan
Monologue On Old Songs/Old Time Religion/Amen
Amazing Grace
Monologue On History Of The Blues/Monologue On Life As Maker Of Records/Monologue On Himself
King Edward Blues
Murderer's Home Blues
Kill-It-Kid Rag
Chainey
I Got To Cross De River O'Jordon

Customer Reviews:

Very good, but somewhat obsolete.......2004-04-04

This CD compiles everything recorded by Blind Willie McTell for the Library of Congress, including a handful of often fascinating monologues (or, in some cases, dialogues with the ageing and obviously racist John A. Lomax).

The sound is reasonably good, and there are plenty of excellent cuts here, some blues tunes, and numerous religious songs as well. McTell's playing is masterful as always...the only "problem" with this CD is that all of these tracks are available on JSP's phenomenal Willie McTell-box set "The Classic Years 1927-1940", so there's really not much point in going out and buying this disc unless you already have McTell's commercial sides and just want the LoC recordings to go with them.

Very essential stuff (for acoustic blues guitar players).......2002-08-20

If you are a fan of oldschool acoustic blues get this C.D. for real this C.D. is awesome you get to hear Blind Wllie McTell like you have never heard him before it's very interesting to get to hear any blues legend from Blind Willies era talk and especially to hear him get interveiwed from one of the Lomaxes. Here Blind Willie kicks back and plays some songs from his childhood, and his era (early 1900's) tells you the history of the blues this may also be the only C.D. where Blind Willie plays slide (on a 12 string!) after hearing this I'm almost convinced Mr. Lomax thought he had come across Blind Willie Johnson that may be the reason McTell plays slide and sings some spritual songs (Willie McTell is more known as a ragtime player) any ways get it I feel very privlaged to own this . Thank you amazom.com & Libray of congress 5stars all the way. Oh yeah there are some excellent songs on here : muder's home blues, dying crapshooters blues, bo weevil blues just to name a few

Very essential stuff (for acoustic blues guitar players).......2002-08-20

McTell Tells It Like It Was.......2001-08-19

This is a very good collection of spirituals, blues and rags, played and sung with panache for the Lomax field-recording clan. It's rare to hear McTell singing hymns and he's a remarkably moving, if not sincere, performer of these religious numbers. The slight flaw with this disc is inconsistency, as McTell was apparently asked to provide samples of the different types of material he knew. The disc has a unity of purpose, however, that makes it more listenable from start to finish than most compilations of 78 rpm blues recordings. The conversation between McTell and the Lomaxes is VERY interesting, as others have noted here. McTell is asked about Blind Willie Johnson, and from the tone of the inquiry it sounds as if the Lomaxes thought they had the other "Blind Willie" when they arranged this recording session. (That would account for the initial preponderance of spirituals.) This is a remarkable historical document and a superior McTell disc.

One of the best........2000-03-14

Just an incredible recording. Anyone who likes Mctell and/or acoustic blues should own this CD. Mctell's 12 string slide playing is breath taking. An amazing talent playing his usual excellant material. I can't say enough good things about this CD or Blind Willie.

The Complete Library of Congress Recordings

Average customer rating:

If you care about early jazz, you need this!
A TREASURE........period.
Do not buy if you're only interested in the music!
Fabulous Restoration of New Orleans Jazz History
Important release marred by sound "restoration"

The Complete Library of Congress Recordings
Jelly Roll Morton
Manufacturer: Rounder Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

New Orleans & Dixieland Jazz | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music

Dixieland | Jazz | Styles | Music

Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music
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Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945

ASIN: B000AOF9W0
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

I'm Alabama Bound
Time in Mobile
King Porter Stomp
The Story of "King Porter Stomp"
Jelly Roll's Background
Music Lessons
Miserere
The Stomping Grounds
The Style of Sammy Davis
Tony Jackson was the Favorite / Dope, Crown, and Opium
Poor Alfred Wilson
Honky Tonk Blues / In New Orleans, Anyone Could Carry a Gun
New Orleans was a Free and Easy Place
The Story of Aaron Harris

Tracks:

The Story of Aaron Harris, continued / Aaron Harris Blues
Aaron Harris, His Hoodoo Woman, and the Hat That Started a Riot
The Story of the 1900 New Orleans Riot and the Song of Robert Charles
The Story of the 1900 New Orleans Riot, continued
Game Kid Blues
New Orleans Funerals
Funeral Marches
Oh! Didn't He Ramble
Tiger Rag, third, fourth, and fifth strains
Tiger Rag / Panama
The Right Tempo is the Accurate Tempo
Jazz Discords and Story of the Kansas City Stomp
Kansas City Stomp, continued
Slow Swing and "Sweet Jazz Music"
Salty Dog / Bill Johnson, Jelly's Brother-in-Law
Hestitation Blues

Tracks:

My Gal Sal
The St. Louis Scene
Maple Leaf Rag, St. Louis style / Maple Leaf Rag, New Orleans style
Jelly Roll Carves St. Louis
Jelly Roll Carves St. Louis, continued
New Orleans Blues
Winin' Boy Blues
Winin' Boy Blues, continued
The Anamule Dance
The Anamule Dance, continued
The Great Buddy Bolden / Buddy Bilden's Blues
The Great Buddy Bolden, continued
Mr. Jelly Lord
How Jelly Roll Got His Name
Original Jelly Roll Blues
Honky Tonk Blues

Tracks:

Real Tough Boys
Sporting Attire and Shooting the Agate
Sweet Mamas and Sweet Papas
See See Rider
Parading with the Broadway Swells
Fights and Weapons
Luis Russell and New Orleans Riffs
Jelly's Travels: From Yazoo to Clarksdale
Jelly's Travels: From Clarksdale to Helena
Jelly's Travels: From Helena to Memphis
In Memphis: The Monarch Saloon and Benny Frenchy
Benny Frenchy's Tune, continued
Make Me a Pallett on the Floor
Make Me a Pallett on the Floor, continued
Make Me a Pallett on the Floor, part 3
Make Me a Pallett on the Floor, concluded

Tracks:

The Dirty Dozen
The Murder Ballad, part 1
The Murder Ballad, part 2
The Murder Ballad, part 3
The Murder Ballad, part 4
The Murder Ballad, part 5
The Murder Ballad, part 6
The Murder Ballad, part 7
Fickle Fay Creep
Jungle Blues
King Porter Stomp
Sweet Peter
Hyena Stomp
Wolverine Blues, begun
Wolverine Blues, concluded
State And Madison
The Pearls, begun
The Pearls, concluded

Tracks:

Bert Williams
Freakish
Pep
The Georgia Skin Game
The Georgia Skin Game, continued
The Georgia Skin Game, conclusion
Ungai Hai
New Orleans Blues
The Spanish Tinge
Improving Spanish Tempos
Creepy Feeling, concluded
The Crave
Mamanita
C'it N'aut' Can-Can, Payez Donc
Spanish Swat
Ain't Misbehavin'
I Hate a Man Like You / Rolling Stuff
Michigan Water Blues

Tracks:

Winin' Boy Blues
Winin' Boy Blues, continued
Boogie Woogie Blues
Buddy Bertrand's Blues, continued / Mamie's Blues
When the Hot Stuff Came In
The First Hot Arrangements
The Pensacola Kid and the Cadillac Caf
At the Cadillac CafLos Angeles
Little Liza Jane, continued / On the West Coast
In the Publishing Business

Tracks:

Original Jelly Roll Blues
Jelly Roll's Early Playing Days in the District
Hot Bands and Creole Tunes
Eh, La Bas
Old-Time Creole Musicians and the French Element
Playing Hot with Buddy Bolden
High Society
Sporting Life Costumes
Buddy Bolden: Man and Musician
Creoles Playing with Negroes: Getting that Drive
Jelly Roll's Compositions
How Johnny St. Cyr Learned to Play Guitar
Guitar Blues
Bad Men and Pimps
The Story of the Coon Blues
Coon Blues
Jazz is Just a Makeup: Buddy Bolden, Honky Tonks, Brass Band Funerals, and Parades
Young Sidney Bechet: Jim Crow and the Dangers of the District
The Main Idea in Jazz: "Just Watch Me" - Improvising and Reading Music
Of All His Mother's Children He Loved Jelly the Best

Amazon.com

When folklorist Alan Lomax made these epic 1938 recordings of Jelly Roll Morton's reminiscences and piano playing, he was creating the first great oral documentation of early jazz. This material has never been issued with the care, sensitivity and completeness that it gets here, with the complete interviews and musical performances sequenced over seven CDs in the order in which they took place. Morton was almost as great a raconteur as he was a musician, and his accounts of New Orleans in the early years of the 20th century--from bordellos to riots to funeral parades--are vivid, bawdy, and sometimes hilarious. His accounts of the music and his performances, from "King Porter Stomp" to the lengthy "Murder Ballad," provide a brilliant window on the mechanics and progress of jazz in its earliest years. The sound restoration is excellent and the complete package--cover art by R. Crumb, a piano-shaped box, a reprinting of Lomax's groundbreaking book Mister Jelly Roll, and an additional book with an essay by John Szwed and extensive photographs--befits a document of this significance. An eighth CD excerpts interviews Lomax conducted in 1949 with various New Orleans musicians (most notably Johnny St. Cyr) reminiscing about Morton and the early years of jazz. --Stuart Broomer

Album Description

The stories and songs on these recordings are a document of the big bang of jazz music at the dawn of the 20th Century. New Orleans composer, pianist and pool shark Jelly Roll Morton was one of the key figures in the creation of jazz. Alan Lomax was the visionary folklorist who created a legacy that illuminated roots music sounds from around the world. Together, in 1938 at the Library of Congress, they made these groundbreaking recordings--the first recorded oral history in jazz.

Customer Reviews:

If you care about early jazz, you need this!.......2006-07-01

I believe Duke Ellington once said that to listen to jazz with no knowledge of its history is to miss much of its charm. This is a real treasure of recordings that will broaden and deepen my appreciation of the many charms of jazz for years to come. The recordings themselves, as well as the accompanying notes and book, have already changed my concept of the roots of early jazz, Jelly's contributions to it, and his character as a human being. I no longer believe he was the outrageously self-aggrandizing braggart that some writers made him out to be. While not a flashy virtuoso like Hines or Tatum, there are some gorgeous pianistic moments.

A TREASURE........period........2006-01-11

Let me first say that the box this is packed in, though unique, is in fact a bit flimsy. I have reinforced mine with clear packing tape. End of problem. That said, I have listened to 2 of the 8 discs and they are wonderful. Who would want to just hear the music? The story telling is first rate. It is the story of a by-gone era, when Jazz was forming, when New Orleans was in it's prime (Morton played in the fabled "Storyville"). It is story of the players, the personalities, the songs, the city, with some music theory thrown in ....absolutely fasinating. No, the music has not been worked over by a sound engineer. It is true to the raw material, and it IS raw, but I love it JUST AS IT IS. I am new to Morton's music and have not been swayed by the sound quality of previous releases. It is a "no-brainer" that this an important historical document. I am looking forward to reading the book which comes with this set. I was surprised by the size of the box. It is BIG! Check out the measurments. If you appreciate a great story and great music then you can't go wrong. Get this while you can. You won't be sorry.

Do not buy if you're only interested in the music!.......2005-11-12

The below reviewer (a reader) is absolutely right. The new audio restoration has impressively gotten rid of almost all of the extraneous hissing and popping that you heard on the 1993 release, but unfortunately, this has been carried out at the expense of the bass! It now sounds like you're listening to something recorded in 1903- everything is tinny and jarring. What's really a shame, though, is that the lower register of Jelly Roll's rich, rolling God-like baritone is attenuated, so though he's still chilling and wonderful to listen to, his voice no longer carries the same kind of authority it did in the old releases.

That said, this is an absolutely invaluable historical document, and even though it's no longer as pleasurable to the ear, Jelly Roll is still Jelly Roll, and listening to his unexpurgated conversation is sublime and worth twenty times the price of admission.

Fabulous Restoration of New Orleans Jazz History.......2005-11-06

All the previous releases of these timeless recordings, especially the 1993 Rounder release, have been plagued by speed problems and muddy sound issues. This new presentation of the Jelly Roll/Lomax Library of Congress Recordings has been made using high resolution DSD technology along with the brand new Cedar Cambridge System. All disc transfers were done at The Library of Congress. The results are remarkable. Finally at the right pitch and restored using original discs lost until today, this is the definitive story of Jelly Roll, New Orleans and the history of Jazz. Not to be missed!!!

Important release marred by sound "restoration".......2005-11-05

These recordings are legendary, and it's taken 67 years for them to fully emerge. Though they are complete here for the first time (including all of Morton's spoken narration and incidental music), I feel this release has been mishandled.

The audio "restoration" here is vastly inferior to the 1993 Rounder issue of these sessions. Some pre-release apprehension arose when Rounder announced their use of the notorious Cedar remastering system for this 2005 edition. Concern was well-founded: the sound is thin, sharp and tinny. Even turning the treble response all the way down seems to have no effect. I've listened on different systems, with the same frustration--the material is great, but enjoyment is limited. The 1993 (music only) discs had a few minor speed/pitch inconsistencies, but the sound was rich and full, and made for pleasant listening.

This 2005 set does have some positive features. The booklet includes 25 pages of Morton's fascinating 1938 prose writings; another highlight is Disc 8, an audio/data CD with over 200 pages of written material, including a complete transcript of the Library of Congress interviews and other documents, enough to keep Morton scholars and enthusiasts busy for a while...

About the packaging: the box is rather unwieldy (shaped like a piano), a bit flimsy, and about twice as large as it should have been.

To conclude: a disappointing release (I recommend hanging on to those 1993 discs, if you have them). However, it contains much additional material (especially the data disc) essential to those interested in jazz history.

Average customer rating:

THIS Is How To Do A "Greatest Hits" Or "Best Of" Album
Finally a Shirley Ellis collection

The Complete Congress Recordings
Shirley Ellis
Manufacturer: Connoisseur Coll.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music

Pop | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005A0XS
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

The Nitty Gritty
Give Me A List
That's What The Nitty Gritty Is
Get Out
Shy One
Takin' Care Of Business
Such A Night
Bring It On Home To Me
The Name Game
Whisper To Me Wind
The Clapping Song
This Is Beautiful
The Puzzle Song
I See It, I Like It, I Want It
I Never Will Forget
I Told You So
One Sour Note
You Better Be Good, World
Stardust
Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce About Above The Water
Don't Let Go
Kansas City
C.C. Rider
Stagger Lee

Album Description

UK release is only the second CD release of the soul singer/ songwriter's recordings and the first to feature all her recordings released on the Congress label in the U.S., includes her hits, 'The Nitty Gritty', 'The Name Game', 'The Clapping Song' and 'Whisper To Me Wind'. 2001 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

THIS Is How To Do A "Greatest Hits" Or "Best Of" Album.......2007-08-01

There are far too many "best of" "greatest hits" or "anthology" CDs for singers who had ten hits or less which then proceed to leave off at least one - and often more - of those hits. Congratulations Connoisseur of England for a fine effort. Not only do you give us all five of her Congress charters, but every B-side as well. Can't get ANY better than that for the completist collector of hit singles.

When Lincoln Chase met Shirley he had spent some significant time recording for such diverse labels as Dawn, Splash, Columbia, Liberty, Decca, Swan, and RCA Victor with absolutely no success on either the R&B or pop singles charts. Although he did write some memorable tunes such as Jim Dandy [LaVern Baker] and Such A Night [Drifters and later Elvis].

But he not only married her, he became her manager and then wrote all her hits beginning with The Nitty Gritty which, b/w Give Me A List, shot to # 8 on the Billboard Hot 100/R&B charts early in 1964 with the backing of the Hutch Davie Orchestra - right up there amongst the Beatles first wave of hits.

The too similar follow-up (That's) What The Nitty Gritty Is in February didn't fare nearly as well, peaking at # 72 Hot100/R&B b/w Get Out and again involving the Davie orchestra. The male bass voice heard is Jim Dandy himself.

Nothing else worked for the remainder of 1964 and on into 1965 before the catchy The Name Game went all the way to # 3 Hot 100/# 4 R&B b/w Whisper To Me Wind in February. And her next release didn't do too badly either as the equally-catchy The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap) hit the # 8 Hot 100 slot and # 16 R&B in April/May. b/w This Is Beautiful.

As another reviewer points out the Clapping Song is one of the most difficult Top 10 Pop hits to find today and, as far as I know, this is the ONLY place you are apt to find it. Her final hit at Congress came in April 1965 when The Puzzle Song (A Puzzle In Song) topped out at # 78 Hot 100 b/w I See It, I Like It, I Want It - neither of which made the R&B charts.

There was to be one more hit for Shirley, but it didn't come until March 1967 by which time she had moved to Columbia where Soul Time made it to # 31 R&B and # 67 Hot 100 b/w Waitin'.

After that she retired. But Shirley Ellis was much much more than just a purveyor of novelty tunes, and I really believe that, with a different series of songs amd her classic beauty, she could have carried on for many more years in the jazz field. Just listen to flips like Give Me A List, Get Out, and Whisper To Me Wind and you'll see what I mean. Or failed singles like I Told You So and the calypso-tinged One Sour Note in which she evokes comparisons to Dinah Washington.

Vastly underrated. Again, thank you Connoisseur for a fantastic package, complete with six pages of informative liner notes by Malcolm Baumgart and Mick Patrick, written in 2001. It would be nice to know what Shirley is doing these days.

Finally a Shirley Ellis collection.......2001-05-01

A terrific import where you get the hits you remember from '63-'65 (like "The Nitty Gritty," "The Name Game" and "The Clapping Song") plus all the b-sides and album cuts on the Congress label. 24 tracks in all, great sound and label info. This set beats the one Taragon released a few years ago that used alternate takes. Any '60s pop or soul music collector will want to snap this one up. It is impossible to find the top ten hit "The Clapping Song" on a domestic release, so order this compilation now.