Big Joe Williams - Big Joe Williams at Folk City

Title: Big Joe Williams at Folk City Artist: Big Joe Williams Release Date: 1964 Re-Released On: 1/29/1996 Label: Original Blues Classics, Ace Duration: 34:24 Album Type(s): live UPCs: 025218058025, 090204425921 Genre: Blues Styles: Chicago Blues, Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Delta Blues, Blues Revival, Regional Blues Moods: Boisterous, Exuberant, Autumnal, Bittersweet, Earnest, Earthy, Gritty, Intimate, Passionate, Plaintive, Reverent Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Mink Coat Blues
2. Burned Child Is Scared of Fire
3. Baby, I Ain't Gonna Let You Go
4. Trouble Gonna Take Me to My Grave
5. Bugle Blues
6. Just Want to Be Your Man
7. I'm Gonna Do It This Time
8. She's Doggin' Me
9. How Do You Want Your Rollin' Done
10. I Can't Sign My Name
11. Bottle up and Go
12. I'm Tired, Woman

Year Type Label Catalog # 1996 CD Ace 580 1995 CD Original Blues Classics 580

No other editions were found for this album.

Cut at Gerdes Folk City in New York on February 26, 1962, this record shows Big Joe Williams in top late-era form, enjoying himself before an audience of mostly white college kids and beats. He plays his signature nine-string guitar, accompanying himself on kazoo, which basically works (even subbing for what would have been a fuzz-tone guitar on "Bugle Blues"), although the kazoo was never meant to be captured in digital sound. The material includes Tommy McClennan's "Bottle Up and Go" and 11 traditional songs, including the intense "Trouble Take Me to My Grave" (his version of a song more familiar in Muddy Waters' version as "I Can't Be Satisfied"), "Mink Coat Blues," and "Burned Child Is Scared of Fire," all done in lively fashion with daunting finger-picking. Williams left behind several folk club recordings from the early '60s, and they make a good contrast to the vast body of studio recordings from the same era. He was evidently at his best playing directly to an audience. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Big Joe Williams Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo