Search - Texas: Black Count :: Complete Recorded

Blues and Hokum from Dallas, Texas

nadav haber | jerusalem Israel | 11/25/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The title of the album as it appears here is misleading. The Actual title is "Black Country dance music".
The 24 tracks presented here contain many good blues and rags. The Dallas String Band plays pre-blues hokum and rags. The playing is excellent, and the singing (on some numbers)is in the songster tradition. If you like mandoline - you'd love this.
William Mccoy is an excellent harmonica player. He uses the upper range of the harmonica very effectively, and plays with a lot of energy. He plays instrumental numbers and sings the blues in the old country style. His playing reminds me of Jaybird Coleman from Alabama. On his last two track he is accompanied by a good clarinet player - creating a sound you rarely here on record. Will Day is also a blues man who is accompanied by guitar and clarinet. This music shows me the country roots of Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives - although the Dallas musicians probably were themselves influenced by Louis as well.
The same goes for Frenchy's String band - that actually plays very close to the "Hot Fives" style - though they are less swinging. The trumpet lead with Banjo rhytmes backing it is just good time music. The Gold Front Boys are another blues group that feature a clarinet and sound like "country jazz" of the late 20's. The clarinet plays a leading role - something I am not used to in country blues.
Carl Davis' band closes with a guitar and washboard sound, backing rusty blues vocals. This is also a band that plays a happy blues, though the lyrics are traditional blues lyrics. a clarinet is featured after the vocals in the first track, played in rough and vocalized style.Overall - this is a very good CD of Dallas black music from the 20's and early 30's, that will interest anyone who loves early blues and jazz music."