California/West Coast Blues
Secret Records Ltd.
by Carl Macki

Secret Records Ltd.
Regent House
1 Pratt Mews
London NW1 0AD
United Kingdom
Tel. 44 (0)1908270546

Much like the industrial centers of St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago whose musical cultures were invigorated by the migration of Southern black blues musicians coming north for jobs, California and the West Coast's jazz and jump blues scene was highly influence by migrants from Arkansas Texas and Oklahoma who came to the Coast to work on the war effort during the World War Two. They stayed, and the California blues sound was born.

This is a fascinating if somewhat obscure collection of post-WW II West Coast blues -- Slim Green  Mac Willis Junior Hampton Brother Jackson, Ernest and Buddy Lewis, Sonny Boy Williamson are some of the better known names on the two disc collection.
 
Boulevard Vintage, the sub label of Secret Records, has released several CDs of rhythm and/or blues -- guitar blues, Chicago or Texas blues,  Elvis inspired R&B-rockabilly--and R&B from the years '47-'5 5-- as well as some key 50s vocal groups. THis is a very cool record group that  has also released a lot of American and British punk music, and one can view their catalog at http://www.secretrecordslimited.com/

 

56 tracks Digitally Remastered
2 Disc CD
8 page color booklet
Slip case
Price: £11.99

TRACK LISTING:

Disc 1

  • K.C. Douglas-Mercury Blues

  • Sidney Maiden-Eclipse Of The Sun

  • Little Son Willis-Bad Luck And Trouble

  • Little Son Willis-Operator Blues

  • Black Diamond-T.P. Railer

  • Black Diamond-Lonesome Blues

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-Desert Blues

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-Come And Go With Me

  • Willie B Huff-Beggar Man Blues

  • Willie B Huff-I've Been Thinkin' And Thinkin'

  • Brother Jackson-L.C. Boogie

  • Junior Hampton-J.H. Stomp

  • Little Son Willis-Harlem Blues

  • Little Son Willis-I Love You Just The Way You Are

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-Walkin' And Cryin' Blues

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-I've Got The $64,000 Question

  • Jerry Perkins-P38 Stomp

  • Jerry Perkins-My Baby's Last Goodbye

  • Slim Green-Alla Blues

  • Slim Green-Central Avenue Blues

  • Ernest McClay-Big Timing Woman

  • Ernest McClay-Night Working Woman

  • Buddy Lewis-You've Got Good Business

  • Buddy Lewis-Lonesome Bedroom Blues

  • Jerry Perkins-Katherine Blues

  • Jerry Perkins-Knockin' The Boogie

  • Al Prince-Don't Love A Married Woman

  • Al Prince-Wine Talk

Disc 2

  • King Davis-Someday You'll Understand

  • King Davis-Waggin' Your Tail

  • Beverly Scott-Southern California Blues

  • Beverly Scott-Shakin' The Boogie

  • Little Son Willis-Skin And Bone

  • Little Son Willis-Nothing But The Blues

  • Slim Green-Baby I Love You

  • Slim Green-Tricky Woman Blues

  • Little Willie Cotton-Gonna Shook It Up And Go

  • Little Willie Cotton-A Dream

  • Sonny Boy Holmes-I Got Them Blues `

  • Sonny Boy Holmes-T-N-T Woman

  • Goldrush-All My Money Is Gone

  • K.C. Douglas-Lonely Blues

  • K.C. Douglas-K.C. Boogie

  • Little Son Willis-Roll Me Over Slow

  • Little Son Willis-Baby Come Back Home

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-Swimming Pool Blues

  • Sonny Boy Johnson-I've Been Drinkin' My Last Drink

  • Beverly Scott-Brownskin Woman

  • Beverly Scott-Little Girl Blues

  • Willie B Huff-I Love You Baby

  • Willie B Huff-Operator 209

  • Sidney Maiden-Hurry Hurry Baby

  • Sidney Maiden-Everything Is Wrong

  • Haskell Sadler-Do Right Mind

  • Haskell Sadler-Gone For Good

  • Alvin Smith-On My Way

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