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Bessie Smith - The Collection
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Bessie Smith - The Collection

Facts

Artist(s)Bessie Smith
StudioSony
Release DateOctober 25, 1990
UPC Code074644444124
 

About Bessie Smith - The Collection

Backed by a rotating roster of jazz stars, Smith's potent delivery made her a peerless star of classic female blues, combining a fiercely independent, almost defiant approach with subtly effective tinges of vulnerability. Early cuts such as "Downhearted Blues," which supposedly saved Columbia records from extinction in 1923, and "T'aint Nobody's Bizness If I Do" feature only Clarence Williams's piano behind her, but it's her work with Louis Armstrong that truly stands out-Satchmo majestically bobs and weaves his cornet around Smith's lines on "St. Louis Blues," "Reckless Blues," "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle," and the ragtime chestnut "You've Been a Good Old Wagon." Unfortunately, Columbia offers buyers only two options: this cursory 16-song introduction or an exhaustive five-volume double-CD series. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com

Tracks

  1. Downhearted Blues - Bessie Smith, Austin, Lovie
  2. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do - Bessie Smith, Grainger, Percy
  3. My Sweetie Went Away - Bessie Smith, Handman, Lou
  4. Weeping Willow Blues - Bessie Smith, Carter, Paul
  5. St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith, Handy, W.C.
  6. Reckless Blues - Bessie Smith, Gee, Jack
  7. You've Been a Good Ole Wagon - Bessie Smith, Balcom
  8. I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle - Bessie Smith, Bradford, Perry
  9. Young Woman's Blues - Bessie Smith, Smith, Bessie
  10. Muddy Water - Bessie Smith, DeRose, Peter
  11. Mean Old Bed Bug Blues - Bessie Smith, Wood, Leo
  12. Empty Bed Blues, Pts. 1-2 - Bessie Smith, Johnson, J.C.
  13. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out - Bessie Smith, Cox, James
  14. Black Mountain Blues - Bessie Smith, Cole, Hazel
  15. Do Your Duty - Bessie Smith, Wilson, Wesley
  16. Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer) - Bessie Smith, Grant, Coot

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User Reviews

Average user review: 5.0 (8 reviews)

rating: 5 QuoteWHAT A VOICE!Quote
One of the beat CD collections I own.
LOVE HER VOICE! August 15, 2006

rating: 3 QuoteThe Collection - Bessie SmithQuote
For the purist. Not digitally remastered so it does not have the same sound quality that we are used to hearing today. For that reason the lyrics will often be unclear and sound like they are being sung from very far off. And they are - the distant past. April 8, 2002

rating: 5 QuoteA GREAT addition to any quality music collectionQuote
This is a great disc. It is my first disc of old blues crooners and I plan to continue exploring the genre. She has so much SOUL!! The old analog sound gives character to the disc but is not too disracting from the music. You can feel the history in the recording but can easily feel and relate to the emotions that Betty is tellin. February 7, 2002

rating: 5 QuoteA GREAT addition to any quality music collectionQuote
This is a great disc. It is my first disc of old blues crooners and I plan to continue exploring the genre. She has so much SOUL!! The old analog sound gives character to the disc but is not too disracting from the music. You can feel the history in the recording but can easily feel and relate to the emotions that Betty is tellin. February 7, 2002

rating: 5 QuoteExcellent CDQuote
The sound quality is excellent. Bessie Smith the singer is excellent. I've listened to the CD three times and enjoy it more each time I hear it. First rate. I'd give it 6 stars if there were that many available. She has a good voice for blues and she never sings off key. The piano backing is nice too. I look forward to listening to this CD again and again. February 14, 2001

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