Barrelhouse Blues by Paul Oliver

Author:Paul Oliver
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Basic Books

I once had a woman—she loved somebody else,

I once had a woman and I loved her for myself,

But she took my money and gave it to someone else.

Now I’ll keep my money, woman, do the best you can,

Now I’ll keep my money baby, you can do the best you can,

Maybe that will teach you how to treat your hard-working

man.

(Bluebird B-2676, 1935. DOCD 5393)

Among the Black rural singers who were again recorded on location after the worst of the Depression ended was J. T. “Funny Paper” Smith, booked by Vocalion, now an ARC label, to record in April 1935. Together with pianist Harold Holiday, known as Black Boy Shine, he accompanied Moanin’ Bernice Edwards, a fine blues singer and pianist from Houston who had previously recorded for Paramount in Chicago. Unfortunately these Fort Worth sessions were affected by technical problems. Only three items were released, two being vigorous piano duets, “Hot Mattress Stomp” and “Ninth Street Stomp,” which were credited on the labels to “Bernice Edwards, Black Boy Shine, and Howling Smith.” Smith spent three days recording his own titles, accompanied by Black Boy Shine on six, by guitarist Willie Lane, known as “Little Brother” on eight, and five solo. All were faulty and none were issued, which must have been deeply disappointing for him.

Shortly after the unfortunate Fort Worth session, Black pianist Little Brother Montgomery and a White string band, the Hackberry Ramblers, shared a recording date in August 1935 at the St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans. Montgomery made four titles and the Ramblers made ten. Blues pianist and singer Eurreal “Little Brother” Montgomery was raised near the lumber yards of Kentwood, Louisiana, where his father had a honky-tonk, or barrelhouse. At an early age he began to play piano for the barrelhouses of the logging camps in Louisiana and southern Mississippi, and at “sporting houses,” or brothels. He made a few titles for a Bluebird unit in New Orleans in 1935, one being a remake of “Vicksburg Blues,” which he had previously made for Paramount in Chicago, and had proved to be among his most popular and influential records.

Difficulties persisted with the ARC/Vocalion unit, which turned to the long established Dallas location to record the Dallas Jamboree Jug Band, led by Carl Davis on vocals and guitar. Charles “Chicken” Jackson played washboard rather than jug, but on yet another version of “Flying Crow Blues” a brass bass was included. Few titles of the band were made, but at the same session, guitarist Willie Reed cut ten tracks. Only two were issued, one appropriately enough being “All Worn Out and Dry Blues.” It seems that the problems still remained with Vocalion.

Field recording resumed in Jackson, Mississippi, in October 1935. An obscure but very capable singer and guitarist, Isaiah Nettles, recorded a couple of titles for the Vocalion unit under his working pseudonym Mississippi Moaner. “It’s Cold in China Blues” revealed in the vocal, guitar playing, and the theme itself, the marked influence of Blind Lemon Jefferson, who had once made a memorable visit to Mississippi.

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