BESSIE SMITH Col 14516 / E / New Orleans Hot Scop Blues

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BESSIE SMITH
1930 Columbia Blues

THE BASICS
ARTIST : BESSIE SMITH
LABEL : Columbia 14516-D
SELECTIONS :
Keep It To Yourself
New Orleans Hop Scop Blues
RECORD DATE : March 27, 1930
CONDITION : E

Bessie Smith was the first major blues and jazz singer on record and one of the most powerful of all time. She rightly earned the title of "The Empress of the Blues." Even on her first records in 1923, her passionate voice overcame the primitive recording quality of the day and still communicates easily to today's listeners (which is not true of any other singer from that early period).

At a time when the blues were in and most vocalists (particularly vaudevillians) were being dubbed "blues singers," Bessie Smith simply had no competition. Back in 1912, Bessie Smith sang in the same show as Ma Rainey, who took her under her wing and coached her. Although Rainey would achieve a measure of fame throughout her career, she was soon surpassed by her protégé. In 1920, Smith had her own show in Atlantic City and, in 1923, she moved to New York.

She was soon signed by Columbia and her first recording (Alberta Hunter's "Downhearted Blues") made her famous. Bessie Smith worked and recorded steadily throughout the decade, using many top musicians as sidemen on sessions including Louis Armstrong, Joe Smith (her favorite cornetist), James P. Johnson, and Charlie Green. [ All Music Guide - Scott Yanow]

These songs are from sessions on March 27, 1930. The tracks here are “New Orleans Hop Scop Blues” and “Keep It To Yourself.” That’s Clarence Williams on piano and Charlie Green on trombone with Louis Bacon on trumpet.

New Orleans is a great big old southern town,
where hospitality you will surely find
The population there is very, very fair, with ev'rything they do
White folks do it too, they have a dance surely it's something rare there

Glide, slide, prance, dance, hop, stop
Take it easy honey!
Hmm I can never git tired of dancin' those Hop Scop Blues
Once more you glide, slide, prance, dance
The Hop Scop Blues will make you do a lovely shake
They'll make you feel so grand when you join hand in hand,
I'll never git tired of dancin' those Hop Scop Blues

Once more you glide, slide, prance, I said dance, oh, hop, now stop
Take it easy honey!
Oh I can never git tired of dancin' those Hop Scop Blues
Look out now!

LISTEN TO PART OF THIS RECORD HERE!

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