T-Bone Blues - Limited Tracks

T-Bone Blues was recorded by legendary record producers Ahmet Ertegun and Nesuhi Ertegun in April 1955 and two December sessions in 1956 and 1957.I was surprised to realize this T-Bone Walker recording (CD) is as good as T-Bone’s 1967 Stormy Monday Blues recording which is hurt by a short 10 song 30 minute finished product.T-Bone Blues covers 46 minutes on 15 songs four of which are bonus tracks interspersed throughout the studio set.Junior Wells gives the album a lift by adding harmonica on 2 songs: Play On Little Girl and T-Bone Blues Special, which is one of the bonus tracks.Lloyd Glenn is a famed, underrated (if that’s possible) Jazz/blues pianist who recorded on T-Bone’s initial version of Stormy Monday in 1947. Glenn is again on piano for this version of Stormy Monday which seems better than the 1967 Stormy Monday Blues album version. Glenn is on piano on five songs standing out on Mean Old World, also.When not playing as part of a 4 man band with aforementioned legends in their own right—Lloyd Glenn and Junior Wells—T-Bone adds saxophonist Plas Johnson who plays on six songs. Other horn players Eddie Chamblee, Goon Gardener and Mack Easton play on Walker’s own Papa Ain’t Salty (Gatemouth Brown played this one too) as well as T-Bone Shuffle.Noticeable, ‘name’ bass players Ransom Knowling and Billy Hadnot appear.Drummers are Earl Palmer and Oscar Bradley.The rhythm section is always prevalent on a T-Bone Walker blues/jazz album.T-Bone Blues (just like the title song suggests) is more blues than jazz.The earlier Imperial Recordings has more of a ‘blues to swing jazz’ sound.Personally,I still like the variety of Clarence Gatemouth Brown better; and the way he updated his sound per decade.Still, T-Bone Walker’s T-Bone Blues should please the true blues fan.He ain’t a legend for nuthin’. Vocals are smooth and blues and very similar to Gatemouth who, surely, was influenced by T-Bone. 4.6 stars.Four pages of liner notes are from 1972 and offers some good tidbits and bio info.

Aaron "T-Bone" Walker was born in Texas in 1913, and spent his early career doing the usual playing blues in clubs, juke joints, and tent shows, before finally making studio recordings in the 1950s. The first five tracks on this CD were recorded in Chicago in 1955, and the rest in Los Angeles in 1956 and 1957. His backup includes some well know blues musicians from that era. The tracks on this CD include a large amount of instrumental music - T-Bone Walker was known for being an exceptionally good guitarist (who had backed up other vocalists) as well as being a good vocalist with a smooth delivery. You might call this easy listening blues. Total playing time is over 45 minutes. The 15 tracks on the CD are1. "Papa Ain't Salty" with T-Bone Walker (vocals and guitar), Goon Gardner (alto sax), Eddie Chamblee (tenor sax), Mack Easton (baritone sax), John Young (piano), Ransom Knowling (bass), and LeRoy Jackson (drums).2. "Why Not" recorded on the same day as track one, and assumed to have the same personnel.3. "T-Bone Shuffle" with same personnel as track one.4. "Play on Little Girl" with T-Bone Walker (vocals and guitar), Junior Wells (harmonica), Jimmy Rogers (guitar) an unknown bass player who may have been Willy Dixon, and an unknown drummer who may have been Francey Clay.5. "T-Bone Blues Special" with the same personnel as track 4.6. "Mean Old World" with T-Bone Walker guitar and vocals, Lloyd Glenn (piano), Billy Hadnott (bass), and Oscar Bradley (drums).7. "T-Bone Blues" same personnel as track six.8. "Call it Stormy Monday" same personnel as track six.9. "Blues for Marili" same personnel as track six10. "Shufflin' the Blues" lively instrumental with same personnel as track six11. "Evenin'" T-Bone Walker (guitar and vocals), R. S. Rankin (guitar), Barney Kessel (guitar), Plas Johnson (tenor sax), Ray Johnson (piano), Joe Comfort (bass), Earl Palmer (drums)12. "Two Bones and a Pick" lively instrumental with same personnel as track 11, Rankin plays first guitar solo, Kessel plays second guitar solo, and Walker plays third guitar solo.13. "You Don't Know What You're Doing" personnel not indicated, but assumed to be the same as track 11 recorded on the same day.14. "How Long Blues" same personnel as track 11 (largely instrumental with some vocal).15. "Blues Rock" instrumental with same personnel as track 12. The order of guitar solos is the same as track 12.For other recordings of T-Bone Walker see  Stormy Monday Blues: Essential Collection , Essential T-Bone Walker Collection , Complete Capitol Black & White Recordings , etc.

T-Bone Walker and Buddy Guy are my all-time favs. This album is just great. Nicely remastered Japanese import. Love it.

Hi quality CD, better than you'd expect for this price point. Appears to be a Japanese Import...Seems to be a reproduction of an earlier Vinyl release with original graphics and liner notes...Sound quality is very good and of higher quality than expected ....Songs are good but very basic...Good for historical value and to gain an understanding of Rock and Roll roots or just for listening to some old tunes.

T-Bone's vocal style, and his guitar-playing style, launched a thousand guitar players and blues singers. B.B. borrowed heavily from T-Bone. I was fortunate to grow up, in the '50s, in Los Angeles. Johnny Otis had a show on TV that was live. Every few months, when T-Bone rolled through town, Johnny would have him on his show. Behind his back, between his legs, or lying on his belly, on the stage, and playing with a pick in his mouth, T-Bone was magnificent with his guitar.

Love the blues and love the Guitar, so this is a no brainer choice. T-bone Walker has influenced so many great guitarists and rightfully so. There are so many tracks on this album and every one of them are so good you just want it to go on another 15 rounds. Trying to put a good blues collection together and almost every reference mentioned T-Bone so decided to start his collection with this album and NO Regrets! This will spur us on to more of his stuff.

Great Old School Blues and Rock from one of the original guitar greatsT Bone Walker has got it

This is a great album by one of the pioneers of electric guitar. Once, I had this on vinyl and I was pleasantly surprised by the arrangements and the musicianship. This release had additional songs on it and it is a fine product put out by Atlantic Records. This and the Imperial Sessions by T-Bone are keepers.

Álbum incrível do pioneiro da guitarra Blues.Está entre os melhores trabalhos de T-Bone Walker sem dúvidas.

Raccolta della Atlantic Records relativa a materiale inciso tra il 1955 e il 1957 tra Chicago e Los Angeles.Beh credo che questa sia un incisione imperdibile per chiunque ami il rhythm and blues. L'importanza del musicista di Linden per lo sviluppo della chitarra blues è ormai noto e ascoltando questi brani non si fatica a capirne il motivo.La chitarra di T Bone è una languida carezza che non lascia nulla di sospeso. Questa musica è talmente intrisa di sensualità, ma sarebbe giusto essere onesti e dire sessualità, che quasi imbarazza. Sono oltre 40 minuti di un r'n'b che avvolge e affascina, con quella chitarra che ti gira intorno sorniona senza esser mai aggressiva ma è tanto ma tanto efficace.Un album veramente fantastico. Sentito con la giusta compagnia direi è un sottofondo di assoluto piacere.

... Que dire d'un disque de T-Bone? C'est toujours bon, varié, bien fichu...Tous les morceaux sont sympas, originaux...

包装もよく古い曲ですがCDの品質が良かったです。

Buon chitarrista come gli altri ma privo di uno stile riconoscibile.