Bessie Smith - Empress of the Blues, Vol, 2: 1926-1933

An Essential Artist Presented in Wonderfully Restored Sound

JSP records has long been known for its meticulously re-mastered reissues of vintage blues, jazz, country, and popular recordings. These are the "78s" made before the use of electronic recording tape in the late 40s ushered in the age of "High Fidelity". Until his death in 2004, JSP regularly used the services of John R.T. Davies to restore the sound of its collections of reissued music. Davies was regarded by many as the best sound restoration engineer of his generation.

"Bessie Smith -- Empress of the Blues Volume 2 -- 1926 -- 1933," presented in a very affordable 4 -- disc box set, continues to uphold the standard set by John Davies. The sound quality of these CDs easily surpasses the Columbia/Legacy sets that were first issued in the early 1990s. Although Chris Albertson's excellent notes to that earlier set remain unequaled, for pure sound you cannot do better than the JSP Bessie Smith boxes. I have both the Columbia and the JSP sets, and listening to these new JSP boxes is like hearing Bessie Smith for the first time.

As most readers will know, Bessie Smith was unquestionably the greatest blues singer of her day, and is arguably the greatest of all-time. When artists as diverse as Billie holiday, Mahalia Jackson, and Janis Joplin (who before her own death helped pay for a headstone for Bessie's grave) cite Smith as inspiring their own remarkable careers, you know that this is a voice that deserves to be listened to closely and often. Those who know her work can cite dozens of classic recordings made in the 1920s and early 30s, including "St. Louis Blues," "Empty Bed Blues," "After You've Gone," "Send Me to the Electric Chair," and "Nobody Knows You When You're down and Out."

Bessie Smith's voice has always commanded attention. It is deep, strong, and above all heartfelt. But the JSP boxes for the first time clearly reveal the nuance, shading, and superb phrasing that were often obscured in previous reissues. Perhaps just as important, these new sets bring to life the contributions of the many famous jazz and blues musicians who accompanied Bessie throughout her career. For the first time we hear the full range of sound produced by such outstanding artists as pianist James P. Johnson, trumpeter Louis Armstrong, clarinetist Buster Bailey, and trombonist Charlie Green, to name but a few. It is not the sound of digital or analog tape recordings, but it is probably the best that we will have for many years. That in itself is a notable contribution to the history of recorded American music.

The price is unbeatable. For under $30 you can have the best available set of the 90 recordings Smith made between 1926 and her last side in 1933. She was still in fine voice at the end of her recording career, even if the Depression and the fading interest in blues had reduced the sales of her records dramatically. In fact, she was ready to return to recording and was negotiating an appearance in the first Carnegie Hall "Spirituals to Swing" concert organized by John Hammond when she was killed in an automobile accident in 1937.

Jazz and blues enthusiasts, and music lovers generally, have cause for celebration with the issuance of this Volume II set by JSP. It is an essential and loving presentation of a woman who, over 60 years after her death, continues to teach us about the "soul" that is the foundation of all great music. May 29, 2008

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