Ma Rainey – The Definitive Collection 1924-28 – 4CD

Along with Bessie Smith, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey has come to be recognised as one of the towering figures of early blues, pioneering the recording of blues by female artists during the earliest years of electric recording. Born in 1896, she became popular as a travelling minstrel, and during her touring across the southern states in the early years of the 20th century absorbed blues songs which she incorporated into her act. Turning to the vaudeville stage, she was heard in Chicago theatres and signed in 1924 by J. Mayo Williams at Paramount, for whom she recorded for the next five years, working solo, or with piano or guitar accompaniment, or more often with jazz ensembles, which were billed on record as her Georgia Jazz Band. Her accompanists during that time featured some of the luminaries of the early jazz scene, including Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey and Don Redman as well as blues musicians like Tampa Red, Blind Blake and Thomas Dorsey. This great-value 94-track 4-CD collection comprises all of the titles she recorded for Paramount during her career (she recorded more than one take of some titles, but we only include one of those versions), until the Wall Street Crash and the Depression put an end to her recording. It naturally features classics like "See See Rider", "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "Stack O'Lee Blues" and "Jelly Bean Blues". It's a comprehensive showcase for one of the most important personalities of early blues.

Track Listing:

CD 1:
"Ma" Rainey with Lovie Austin And Her Blues Serenaders: 1. Bo Weavil Blues -   2. Last Minute Blues -   3. Those All Night Long Blues -   4. Bad Luck Blues -   5. Barrelhouse Blues -   6. Walking Blues -   7. Southern Blues -   8. Moonshine Blues -   Ma Rainey with The Pruitt Twins: 9. Lost Wandering Blues -   10. Dream Blues -   Ma Rainey with Lovie Austin And Her Blues Serenaders: 11. Honey, Where You Been So Long? -   12. Ma Rainey Mystery Record -   13. Those Dogs Of Mine -   14. Lucky Rock Blues -   Ma Rainey: 15. Shave Em Dry -   16. Farewell Daddy Blues -   Ma Rainey with Her Georgia Jazz Band: 17. South Bound Blues -   18. Lawd Send Me A Man Blues -   19. Counting The Blues -   20. Jelly Bean Blues -   21. Booze And Blues -   22. Toad Frog Blues -   23. Jealous Hearted Blues -

CD 2:
Ma Rainey with Her Georgia Jazz Band:  1. See See Rider Blues -   2. Cell Bound Blues -   3. Ya Da Do -   4. Explaining The Blues -   5. Army Camp Harmony Blues -   6. Goodbye Daddy Blues -   7. Louisiana Hoodoo Blues -   8. Stormy Sea Blues -   9. Levee Camp Moan -   10. Four Day Honory Scat -   11. Nightime Blues -   12. Rough And Tumble Blues -   13. Memphis Bound Blues -   14. Oh My Babe Blues -   15. Slave To The Blues -   16. Wringing And Twisting -   17. Chain Gang Blues -   18. Seeking Blues -   Ma Rainey with James Blythe, piano: 19. Mountain Jack Blues –   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band: 20. Stack O Lee Blues -   21. Yonder Come The Blues -   22. Jealousy Blues -   23. Broken Hearted Blues -

CD3:
Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band: 1. Titanic Man Blues -   2. Bessemer Bound Blues -  3. Broken Soul Blues -   4. Sissy Blues -   5. Down In The Basement -   Ma Rainey with Lillian Henderson, piano: 6. Trust No Man -   Ma Rainey: 7. Grieving Hearted Blues -   8. Little Low Down Mama Blues -   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band: 9. Soon This Morning -   Ma Rainey with James Blythe, piano: 10. Don't Fish In My Sea -   Ma Rainey with Her Georgia Boys: 11. Morning Hour Blues -   Ma Rainey: 12. Weeping Woman Blues -   Ma Rainey with Hop Hopkins, piano: 13. Dead Drunk Blues -   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band: 14. Misery Blues -   Ma Rainey with Hop Hopkins, piano: 15. Slow Drivin' Moan -   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band: 16. Gone Daddy Blues -   17. Damper Down Blues -   18. Big Boy Blues -   19. Blues Oh Blues -   20. Oh Papa Blues -   21. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom -   22. Georgia Cakewalk -   23. Moonshine Blues -   24. New Boll Weavil Blues -

CD 4:
Ma Rainey's Georgia Band: 1. Ice Bag Papa -   2. Hellish Rag -   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band: 3. Blues The World Forgot -   4. Blues The World Forgot #2 -   5. Prove It On Me Blues -   6. Hear Me Talkin To You -   7. Black Cat Hoot Owl -   Ma Rainey's Georgia Band:   8. Victim Of The Blues -   9. Traveling Blues -   Ma Rainey & Her Georgia Band: 10. Deep Moaning Blues -   Ma Rainey & Papa Charlie Jackson: 11. Big Feeling Blues - 12. Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues -   Ma Rainey: 13. Tough Luck Blues -   14. Screech Owl Blues -   15. Blame It On The Blues -   16. Sleep Talking Blues -   17. Log Camp Blues -   18. Hustlin' Blues -   19. Leaving This Morning -   20. Runaway Blues -   21. Sweet Rough Man -   22. Black Dust Blues -   23. Black Eye Blues -   24. Daddy Goodbye Blues -