Blind Blake - 1926-32 All the Published Sides (2003)

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Ragtime Blake

Very few is known for certain in Blind Blake's life except three dates : 1896, 1926 and 1934. 1896 : his birth year, supposedly in Jacksonville, Florida, but maybe in Newport News, Virginia. 1926 : his arrival in Chicago. 1934 : his death, probably from pneumonia, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A fourth date should be added : 1932, the year Paramount Records went bankrupt, putting a final stop to Blake's recording career.

In the gaps between these dates, his life is pretty much subject to conjectures. Even his real name remains a bit mysterious : some favor Phelps though Blake is most likely the right one. As for his Christian name, the most widely accepted by specialists is Arthur.

The Library of Congress Name Authority File gives Arthur Blake as real name but indicates 1893 as his birth date and 1933 as his death date in… Jacksonville ! The FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) data base and the international OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) organization both indicates circa 1880-1935 for Blake's dates. And the work of Alex van der Tuuk and his research team published in 2011 brought more rumors and suppositions than unquestionable facts, except about his death (see documentary link featured below).

Shooting the only known photo of Blind Blake

The only tangible thing we are left with are the 79 songs he officially cut for Paramount during his short recording career, from 1926 to 1932, alone or accompanying a few long forgotten artists, especially lady singers like Leola Wilson, Elzadie Robinson, Bertha Henderson or Irene Scruggs. Or maybe just 78 : learned specialists, musician Stefan Grossman and historian of the blues Gayle Dean Wardlow, have suggested it is possible that "Champagne Charlie Is My Name" (disc 5, track 21) was not recorded by Blake because it doesn't sound like his playing or singing.

Altogether, if counting different versions of the same songs, this box features 110 tracks. Four bonus tracks have been added to the 2003 JSP release by our Blue Dragon friends, which makes a total of 114 songs. More than enough to measure the exceptional influence Blake's innovative guitar finger-picking style had on generations of bluesmen.

A major part of his work is pure 1920s ragtime guitar, the other part being closer to traditional blues. The scratching noise of the old 78-rpm gives these recordings a real throw-back feeling, but on a strict musical point of view, one dreams of a full restoration with the most up-to-date technologies, as what Pristine Audio has been magnificently doing since 2005 (read below about the bad quality of the Paramount Records discs). Actually, Pristine did release a 26-track compilation covering Blake's most essential songs.

We don't know how Blake developed his guitar skills. Did he meet a kind of mentor in the years previous to 1926 ? Who did he watch playing and listen to ? Or was he a brilliant autodidact ? The mystery is of the same kind as the one surrounding Robert Johnson's sudden guitar ability. Nobody did ever conclude that Blake sold his soul to the devil though. Anyway, in listening to this set, one feels that from 1929 Blake's style changes slightly and that he incorporates more traditional blues in his ragtime.

Al Capone on the day
he was arrested

Blake was a contemporary of Delta bluesmen Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller), Lonnie Johnson or Big Bill Broonzy (who heard Blake in person the early 1920s), but also of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Willie Johnson, of Bessie Smith, and of East Coast Piedmont masters like Blind Willie McTell and Rev. Gary Davis. Did he met any of them in Georgia where he supposedly had family relatives or in Chicago ? If he did it remained unknown, except for Broonzy and Piedmont style master McTell whom Blake probably met and who actually was at the origin of Blake's name being Phelps.

This superb 5-CD box set doesn't answer all these questions but it takes us to a precious source of blues music, when ragtime was more popular than any other genre, to the time of prohibition (1920-1933) when Al Capone was reigning on Chicago and made a fortune through alcohol smuggling and running speakeasies (clandestine bars) in which Blake who was known to be a heavy drinker in his last years probably entered more than once after his recording sessions (or maybe before) ! In any case, this great box set is a must-have for any true blues aficionado. 

Scratches, crackles and scrapes

Pristine Audio boss Andrew Rose, who restored part of Blake's work, wrote a very interesting note about Paramount Record's original discs poor quality. I take the liberty to quote him here : "The output of the Paramount Record Company in the late 1920's and early 1930's is among the most frustrating in the history of recorded sound. On the one hand, they managed to assemble what has come to be regarded as one of the greatest 'stables' of blues musicians ever to record under one label, and of those, Blind Blake is most certainly in the very top rank.
On the other hand, their production values and methods were abysmal. Disc quality was so poor that even when new and unplayed their products were so shoddy and inferior that they lost distribution deals and some shops refused to stock them. Rather than invest in metal masters strong enough to withstand the requirements of pressing a hit record, they used cheap, soft metal parts which quickly deteriorated. If a hit was on the cards they merely recalled the musicians and got them to re-record the song and make a new, poor quality master ― hence the existence of several versions of a number of Blind Blake's output in varying degrees of sound quality, often ranging from poor to abysmal."

Documenary

● "Grave stories : Arthur 'Blind' Blake", one of Alex van der Tuuk fellow researchers tells how she discovered documents about Blake's death and burial place : https://youtu.be/qwYXTPeD_ks

Detailed info for each recording session

The second number following the track ID is the ID info of the original matrix used for this 5-CD box (JSP 7714-1 to 5). For example : A-01. (track ID : Disc A, track n°1) 2655-2 (matrix ID).

* Acc. for accompaniment. C. is for circa.

→

Leola Wilson

DISC A

● LEOLA B. WILSON

Leola Wilson : vocals. Blind Blake : vocal acc.* & guitar.

Chicago, c.* July, 1926.

A-01. 2655-2    Dying Blues [Paramount 12392]

A-02. 2656-2    Ashley St. Blues [Paramount 12392]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals, speech & guitar.

Chicago, August, 1926.

A-03. 2668-2    Early Morning Blues - vo [Paramount 12387]

A-04. 2669-3    West Coast Blues - sp [Paramount 12387]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals, speech & guitar.

Chicago, c. October, 1926.

A-05. 3056-1    West Coast Blues - sp [Paramount 12387]

A-06. 3056-2    West Coast Blues - sp [Paramount 12387]

A-07. 3057-1      Early Morning Blues [Paramount 12387]

A-08. 3057-2     Early Morning Blues [Paramount 12387]

A-09. 3059-2    Too Tight [Paramount 12431]

A-10. 3060-2    Blake's Worried Blues [Paramount 12442]

A-11. 3061-1     Come On Boys Let's Do That Messin' Around [Paramount 12413]

A-12. 3061-2     Come On Boys Let's Do That Messin' Around [Paramount 12413]

A-13. 3062-2    Tampa Bound [Paramount 12442]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, c. November, 1926.

A-14. 3073-1    Skeedle Loo Doo Blues [Paramount 12413]

A-15. 3073-2    Skeedle Loo Doo Blues [Paramount 12413]

A-16. 3081-1    Stonewall Street Blues [Paramount 12431]

Jimmy Blythe

● LEOLA B. WILSON

Leola Wilson : vocals. Blind Blake : vocal acc. & guitar. Jimmy Blythe : piano.

Chicago, c. November, 1926.

A-17. 4010-2    State Street Men Blues - p [Paramount 12426]

A-18. 4012-2    Down The Country [Paramount 12444]

A-19. 4013-2    Black Biting Bee Blues [Paramount 12444]

A-20. 4014-2   Wilson Dam [Paramount 12426]

● BLIND BLAKE WITH HIS KAZOO BAND

Blind Blake :  guitar. Possibly Dad Nelson : kazoo.

Chicago, c. March, 1927.

A-21. 4359-1    Buck-Town Blues [Paramount 12464]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, c. March, 1927.

A-22. 4362-1    Black Dog Blues [Paramount 12464]

A-23. 4363-2    One Time Blues [Paramount 12479]

→ DISC B

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, c. April, 1927.

B-01. 4443-1    Bad Feeling Blues [Paramount 12497]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar. Unknown artist : rattlebones.

Chicago, April 13-14, 1927.

B-02. 4462-1    Dry Bone Shuffle

B-03. 4462-2    Dry Bone Shuffle [Paramount 12479]

B-04. 4462-3    Dry Bone Shuffle

B-05. 4468-2    That Will Never Happen No More [Paramount 12497]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, c. October, 1927.

B-06. 20106-1    Brownskin Mama Blues

B-07. 20106-2    Brownskin Mama Blues [Paramount 12606]

B-08. 20107-2   Hard Road Blues [Paramount 12583]

B-09. 20108-1   Hey Hey Daddy Blues [Paramount 12606]

B-10. 20109-1   Sea Board Stomp - sp [Paramount 12583]

B-11. 20110-1    You Gonna Quit Me Blues [Paramount 12597]

B-12. 20112-1    Steel Mill Blues [Paramount 12681]

●

Gus Cannon

BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : guitar solo, speech.

Chicago, c. October, 1927.

B-13. 20123-1    Southern Rag [Paramount 12565]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar. Gus Cannon : banjo & vocals.

Chicago, c. November, 1927.

B-14. 20147-1    He's In The Jailhouse Now [Paramount 12565]

B-15. 20154-2    Wabash Rag [Paramount 12597]

Jimmy Bertrand

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar. Johnny Dodds : clarinet. Jimmy Bertrand : slide whistle, woodblocks, xylophone, speech.

Chicago, April, 1928.

B-16. 20517-3    Doggin' Me Mama Blues [Paramount 12673]

B-17. 20520-2    C. C. Pill Blues [Paramount 12634]

B-18. 20521-3    Hot Potatoes [Paramount 12673]

B-19. 20522-2    Southbound Rag [Paramount 12681]

Johnny Dodds

● ELZADIE ROBINSON

Elzadie Robinson : vocals. Blind Blake : guitar & whistle. Johnny Dodds : clarinet. Jimmy Bertrand : xylophone.

Chicago, c. April, 1928.

B-20. 20528-3    Pay Day Daddy Blues [Paramount 12635]

B-21. 20534-3     Elzadie's Policy Blues [Paramount 12635]

 

→ DISC C
● BERTHA HENDERSON AND BLIND BLAKE

Bertha Henderson : vocals, where indicated. Blind Blake : guitar, vocals where no special indication is mentioned.

Chicago, May, 1928.

C-01. 20541-1     Goodbye Mama Moan [Paramount 12634]

C-02. 20542-6    Tootie Blues [Paramount 12643]

C-03. 20551-1     That Lovin' I Crave [Paramount 12643]

C-04. 20556-1    That Lonesome Rave (Bertha Henderson : vocals)

C-05. 20557-2    Terrible Murder Blues (Bertha Henderson : vocals)

C-06. 20558-1    Leavin' Gal Blues (Bertha Henderson : vocals)

C-07. 20559-1     No Dough Blues [Paramount 12723]

C-08. 20560-2   Lead Hearted Blues (Bertha Henderson : vocals)

C-09. 20562-2    Let Your Love Come Down  (Bertha Henderson : vocals)

C-10. 20565-3    Rumblin' And Ramblin' Boa Constrictor Blues [Paramount 12657]

C-11. 20566-1     Bootleg Rum Dum Blues [Paramount 12695]

C-12. 20567-2     Detroit Bound Blues [Paramount 12657]

● DANIEL BROWN

Daniel Brown : vocals. Blind Blake : guitar. Tiny Parham : piano. Unknown artist : washboard.

Chicago, c. May, 1928.

C-13. 20574-2    Beulah Land [Paramount 12663]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar, and probably harmonica.

Chicago, May, 1928.

C-14. 20582-2    Panther Squall Blues [Paramount 12723]

●

Elzadie Robinson 

ELZADIE ROBINSON

Elzadie Robinson : vocals. Blind Blake : guitar & whistle. Johnny Dodds : clarinet. Jimmy Blythe : piano.

Chicago, c. April, 1928.

C-15. 20583-1    Elzadie's Policy Blues [Paramount 12635]

C-16. 20584      Pay Day Daddy Blues [Paramount 12635]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, September, 1928.

C-17. 20868-2    Walkin' Across The Country [Paramount 12754B]

C-18. 20871-3    Search Warrant Blues [Paramount 12737A]

C-19. 20872-2    Ramblin' Mama Blues [Paramount 12767B]

C-20. 20873-2   New Style Of Loving [Paramount 12767A]

C-21. 20874-1    Back Door Slam Blues [Paramount 12710]

C-22. 20875-2   Notoriety Woman Blues [Paramount 12754A]

C-23. 20884-1   Cold Hearted Mama Blues [Paramount 12710]

C-24. 20887-5   Low Down Loving Gal [Paramount 12695]

C-25. 20888-1   Sweet Papa Low Down [Paramount 12737B] (Blind Blake : guitar, speech, unknown artists : cornet and piano, Jimmy Bertrand : xylophone)

 

→ DISC D

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : guitar & vocals/speech. Alex (?) Robinson : piano.

Chicago, June 20, 1929.

D-01. 15248-A    Poker Woman Blues [Paramount 12810B]

D-02. 15249-A    Doing A Stretch [Paramount 12810A]

D-03. 15250       Fightin' The Jug [Paramount 12863A]

D-04. 15251-A    Hookworm Blues [Paramount 12794A]

D-05. 15252-A    Slippery Rag [Paramount 12794B]

Charlie Spand on piano

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : guitar & vocals/speech. Charlie Spand : piano. "Aletha" (possibly Aletha Dickerson) : piano where indicated.

Chicago, August 17, 1929.

D-06. 15457    Hastings Street [Paramount 12863B]

D-07. 15459     Diddie Wa Diddie

D-08. 15459-A Diddie Wa Diddie [Paramount 12888B]

D-09. 15460    Too Tight Blues No. 2 [Paramount 12824A]

D-10. 15461     Chump Man Blues [Paramount 12904B]

D-11. 15462     Ice Man Blues [Paramount 12904A]

D-12. 15463     Police Dog Blues [Paramount 12888A]

D-13. 15464-A  I Was Afraid Of That - Part 2 [Paramount 12882B] (possibly Aletha Dickerson : piano)

D-14. 15466     Georgia Bound [Paramount 12824B]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Chicago, August, 1929.

D-15. 21354-1     Keep It Home [Paramount 12964A]

D-16. 21354-2    Keep It Home [Paramount 12964A]

D-17. 21357-2     Sweet Jivin' Mama [Paramount 12964B]

Tiny Parham on piano

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar. Tiny Parham or possibly Aletha Dickerson : piano.

Chicago, September, 1929.

D-18. 21420-1    Lonesome Christmas Blues [Paramount 12867A]

D-19. 21421-2     Third Degree Blues [Paramount 12867B]

→ DISC E

● BLIND ARTHUR

Blind Blake : guitar solo.

Chicago, c. October, 1929.

E-01. 21459-2    Guitar Chimes [Paramount 12892A]

E-02. 21460-2   Blind Arthur's Breakdown [Paramount 12892B]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. September, 1929.

E-03. L 23-3    Baby Lou Blues [Paramount 12918A]

E-04. L 24-2    Cold Love Blues [Paramount 12918B]

Charlie Jackson

● PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON AND BLIND BLAKE

Charlie Jackson : banjo, vocals, speech. Blind Blake : guitar, vocals, speech.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. September, 1929.

E-05. L 27    Papa Charlie And Blind Blake Talk About It - Part I [Paramount 12911]

E-06. L 28    Papa Charlie And Blind Blake Talk About It - Part II [Paramount 12911]

● "CHOCOLATE BROWN" IRENE SCRUGGS AND BLIND BLAKE

Irene Scruggs : vocals. Blind Blake : guitar.
Grafton, Wisconsin, May 26 & 28, 1930.

E-07.     L-325-1    Stingaree Man Blues

E-08. L-326-3       Itching Heel

E-09.     L-348-2   You've Got What I Want

E-10.     L-353-2    Cherry Hill Blues

Irene Scruggs

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. May 29, 1930.

E-11. L 437-2    Diddie Wa Diddie No. 2 [Paramount 12994B]

E-12. L 438-2    Hard Pushing Papa [Paramount 12994A]

E-13. L 439-2    What A Low Down Place The Jailhouse Is [Paramount 13016A]

E-14. L 440-2    Ain't Gonna Do That No More [Paramount 13016B]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. December, 1930.

E-15. L 647-1    Playing Policy Blues [Paramount 13035A]

E-16. L 648-1    Righteous Blues [Paramount 13035B]

Laura Rucker

● LAURA RUCKER

Laura Rucker : vocals. Blind Blake : vocal acc. & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. May, 1931.

E-17. L 909-1    Fancy Tricks [Paramount 13138]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. October, 1931.

E-18. L 1099-2    Rope Stretchin' Blues - Part 2 [Paramount 13103A]

E-19. L 1101-1     Rope Stretchin' Blues - Part 1

E-20. L 1101-2    Rope Stretchin' Blues - Part 1 [Paramount 13103B]

● BLIND BLAKE : BONUS TRACKS

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. January, 1932.

L 1267    Dissatisfied Blues [Paramount 13115B]

L 1268    Night And Day Blues [Paramount 13123A]

L 1269    Sun To Sun [Paramount 13123B]

L 1272    Miss Emma Liza [Paramount 13115A]

● BLIND BLAKE

Blind Blake : vocals & guitar.

Grafton, Wisconsin, c. June, 1932.

E-21. L 1475-2    Champagne Charlie Is My Name [Paramount 13137A]

E-22. L 1476-2    Depression's Gone From Me Blues [Paramount 13137B]

 

 

The "other" Blind Blake
Blake Alphonso Higgs (1915-1986), also known as "Blind Blake",
was a famous goombay and calypso banjo player and singer from the Bahamas,
active from the 1930s to the 1960s.