Frank Stokes - The Complete Victor Recordings (1928-1929) (2000)
Frank Stokes - The Complete Victor Recordings (1928-1929) (2000)
Memphis, February 1, 1928 01. 41822-1 Downtown Blues 02. 41822-2 Downtown Blues 03. 41825-1 Bedtime Blues 04. 41826-1 What's The Matter Blues Memphis, August 27, 1928 05. 45419-1 Mistreatin' Blues 06. 45420-1 It Won't Be Long Now 07. 45420-2 It Won't Be Long Now 08. 45421-2 Nehi Mamma Blues 09. 45422-2 I Got Mine Memphis, August 28, 1928 10. 45426-2 Stomp That Thing Memphis, August 30, 1928 11. 45452 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do - Part 1 12. 45453-1 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do - Part 2 13. 45453-2 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do - Part 2 14. 45454-2 Take Me Back 15. 45455-1 How Long Memphis, September 23, 1929 16. 55573-2 South Memphis Blues 17. 55574-1 Bunker Hill Blues Memphis, September 25, 1929 18. 55584-2 Right Now Blues 19. 55591-1 Shiney Town Blue Memphis, September 30, 1929 XX. 56303 I'm Going Away Blues XX. 56304 Old Sometime Blues 20. 56305-2 Frank Stokes' Dream 21. 56306-2 Memphis Rounders Blues Frank Stokes – guitar, vocals Dan Sane (?) – guitar (1-4, 11-15) Will Batts – violin (16-19)
This 21-song compilation of Frank Stokes' late-'20s recordings for the Victor label is a more expansive version of the Stokes collection available on Yazoo Records, with very little overlap between the two. The sound is variable, as is usually the case with Document's releases, some songs sounding like they came from decent master sources and others purely of academic interest, in terms of the playback quality. What isn't variable is the quality of Stokes' playing, singing, and songwriting, which is filled with wry humor throughout, veiling a certain degree of pride and restlessness, and all manner of clever lyrical and musical conceits. This disc is well worth owning in tandem with CDs devoted to Stokes' work with the Mississippi Sheiks. --- Bruce Eder, AllMusic Review
Frank Stokes was first recorded by Victor in 1927 with his "Downtown Blues" and "Bedtime Blues" selling well and when Victor returned to Memphis in August 1928 they recorded ten further selections. In 1929, Stokes and Sane recorded again for Paramount, resuming their 'Beale Street Sheiks' billing for a few cuts. In September, Stokes was back on Victor to make what were to be his last recordings, this time without Sane, but with Will Batts on fiddle. --- sundayblues.org
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