Pye-Nixa NJE 1005
Nixa Jazz Today Series
7” EP
Recorded 26&27/10/55
TRACKS
It Feels So Good (Broonzy)
(recorded 26/10/55)
Saturday Evening (Broonzy)
(recorded 27/10/55)
Glory of Love (Hill)
(recorded 27/10/55)
St. Louis Blues (Handy)
(recorded 27/10/55)
SLEEVE NOTES
A note on the record
In the autumn of 1955 Big Bill Broonzy, doyen of blues singers and a man big in achievement as well as stature, paid his second visit to Great Britain within three years. Coming at such a time was a happy coincidence, for it was in November ’55 that the book world saw the publication of Broonzy’s autobiography-“Big Bill Blues”. “The reason I’m writing this book” (were Bill’s first words) “is because I think that everybody would like to know the real truth about Negro singing and playing in Mississippi”. In the ensuing 115 pages the old maestro of the blues tells many home truths, plentifully interlarded with ripely recalled anecdotes of a full and colourful musical life.
But 115 pages, no matter how scintillating, can do no more than touch the fringe of the Big Bill Saga. It is likewise impossible to do justice to the man’s vast repertoire of song in four three-minute performances on an extended play record. However, what we have attempted is an as widely varied a selection of material as is possible within the confines of a seven-inch disc.
“It Feels So Good”, with orchestral backing, is as near as countrybred Big Bill can get to the rock and roll of the present-day “Rhythm and Blues” style of singing; “Saturday Evening” is in the true Broonzy tradition of lowdown blues, movingly sung to his own guitar accompaniment. W. C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues” an unusual item to find in the Broonzy repertoire is a guitar solo . . . a tribute to the unique quality of Broonzy’s “home made” technique and style. “Glory of Love” is one of the very few popular songs which Big Bill sings. As he puts it: “The only reason I sings this is because it’s got a little bit of blues in it!”.
Big Bill Broonzy first started recording in Chicago in 1926. To date he numbers some 350 sides in his discography, many of them, however, the same title duplicated or even triplicated. It is therefore with some pride that we are able to present two “first ever” recordings out of the four which comprise this present issue “St. Louis Blues” and “Glory of Love”.
PERSONNEL
Sleeve:
Ian Bradbery (design)
Recording:
Eric Tomlinson and Joe Meek (balance)
Denis Preston (supervision)
Nixa Jazz Today 