Yet another of the ubiquitous Memphis Slim compilations, Grinder Man Blues is different from most of Snapper Music's budget blues reissues in that it confines itself to a tiny space in its subject's career: his Bluebird sides from 1940-1941.
The sound quality is good, which is no surprise, and the producers have mixed-and-matched the sides, so that slow, solo blues ballads, faster boogie numbers, and duet and full-band numbers alternate.
The best cut here is probably "Old Taylor," which features Slim working (and sharing vocal chores) with an uncredited scat singer, while his piano ripples through and around their work.
Every so often the blues harp joins his piano in the spotlight, while Leroy Batchelor's bass and Washboard Sam's percussion hold the rhythm, elsewhere, as on "Maybe I'll Loan You A Dime" it's pretty much just Slim's voice and piano, which are pretty formidable.
His playing is animated and inventive throughout on these sides, and his voice one of the most expressive in the blues.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasper's GalLeroy Batchelor | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:54 | 7 MB | 8 MB |
| 2 | Blues at MidnightPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:43 | 6 MB | 5 MB |
| 3 | Last Pair of Shoes BluesPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:58 | 7 MB | 6 MB |
| 4 | Me, Myself and IPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:51 | 6 MB | 9 MB |
| 5 | Whiskey and Gin BluesPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:46 | 6 MB | 9 MB |
| 6 | Old TaylorPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:45 | 6 MB | 9 MB |
| 7 | The Jive BluesPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:48 | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| 8 | Maybe I'll Loan You a DimePeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:50 | 6 MB | 9 MB |
| 9 | Miss Ora Lee BluesPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 03:02 | 7 MB | 9 MB |
| 10 | I Believe I'll Settle DownPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 03:07 | 7 MB | 9 MB |
| 11 | You Didn't Mean Me No GoodPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:57 | 7 MB | 9 MB |
| 12 | Diggin' My Potatoes, No. 2Ernest Lawlars | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:51 | 6 MB | 7 MB |
| 13 | I See My Great MistakePeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 03:01 | 7 MB | 9 MB |
| 14 | You Gonna Worry TooPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:50 | 6 MB | 8 MB |
| 15 | Empty Room BluesPeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:53 | 6 MB | 7 MB |
| 16 | You Got to Help Me SomePeter Chatman | Memphis Slim | Play | 02:59 | 7 MB | 10 MB |
| 46 mins | 111 MB | |||||
| 46 mins | 140 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leroy Batchelor | Bass, Bass Instrument, Composer, Main Personnel |
| 2 | Russell Beecher | Sleeve Notes |
| 3 | Peter Chatman | Composer |
| 4 | Alfred Elkins | Bass |
| 5 | Ernest Lawlars | Composer |
| 6 | Memphis Slim | Main Personnel, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| 7 | Washboard Sam | Main Personnel, Rubboard, Washboard |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |