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Although there are a multitude of box sets chronicling Bessie's entire recorded career, this two-disc, 36-song set sweats it down to the bare essentials in quite an effective manner.
Bessie could sing it all, from the lowdown moan of "St.
Louis Blues" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" to her torch treatment of the jazz standard "After You've Gone" to the downright salaciousness of "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl." Covering a time span from her first recordings in 1923 to her final session in 1933, this is the perfect entry-level set to go with.
Utilizing the latest in remastering technology, these recordings have never sounded quite this clear and full, and the selection -- collecting her best-known sides and collaborations with jazz giants like Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, and Benny Goodman -- is first-rate.
If you've never experienced the genius of Bessie Smith, pick this one up and prepare yourself to be devastated.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baby Won't You Please Come HomeCharles Warfield, Clarence Williams | Bessie Smith | Play | 02:56 | 6 MB | 0 MB |
| 2 | 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I DoPercy Grainger, Robert Prince, Clarence Williams | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:26 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 3 | St. Louis BluesW.C. Handy | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:15 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 4 | There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town TonightJoe Hayden, Theodore Metz | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:19 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 5 | Send Me to the 'Lectric ChairGeorge Brooks | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:21 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 6 | Me and My GinH. Burke, Harry Burke | Bessie Smith | Play | 02:51 | 6 MB | 0 MB |
| 7 | Black Mountain BluesHazel Cole | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:10 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 8 | Need a Little Sugar in My BowlTim Brymn, Clarence Williams | Bessie Smith | Play | 02:49 | 6 MB | 0 MB |
| 9 | Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)Coot Grant, Wesley Wilson | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:31 | 8 MB | 0 MB |
| 10 | Careless Love Blues (take 1) | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:24 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 11 | You've Been a Good Old Wagon | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:28 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 12 | Kitchen Man (78 rpm Version) | Bessie Smith | Play | 03:04 | 7 MB | 0 MB |
| 13 | Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (78rpm Version) | Bessie Smith | Play | 02:56 | 6 MB | 0 MB |
| 41 mins | 96 MB | |||||
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
Note: You are able to listen to 30-second samples for preview purpose.
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Albertson | Liner Notes, Photography |
| 2 | Ed Allen | Accompaniment, Cornet |
| 3 | Louis Armstrong | Accompaniment, Cornet, Guest Artist |
| 4 | Lovie Austin | Composer |
| 5 | Buster Bailey | Accompaniment, Clarinet |
| 6 | Stuart Balcom | Composer |
| 7 | Irving Berlin | Composer |
| 8 | Chu Berry | Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor) |
| 9 | The Bessemer Singers | Vocals |
| 10 | Adam Block | Series Director |
| 11 | The Blue Boys | Accompaniment |
| 12 | Perry Bradford | Composer |
| 13 | Addy Britt | Composer |
| 14 | George Brooks | Composer |
| 15 | Tim Brymn | Composer |
| 16 | H. Burke | Composer |
| 17 | Harry Burke | Composer |
| 18 | Garvin Bushell | Accompaniment, Sax (Alto) |
| 19 | Paul Carter | Composer |
| 20 | Floyd Casey | Accompaniment, Drums |
| 21 | Buddy Christian | Banjo |
| 22 | Lawrence Cohn | Compilation Producer, Producer, Series Producer |
| 23 | Hazel Cole | Composer |
| 24 | June Cole | Tuba |
| 25 | June Cole Orchestra | Accompaniment, Tuba |
| 26 | Lincoln M. Conaway | Guitar |
| 27 | Ida Cox | Composer |
| 28 | James Cox | Composer |
| 29 | Henry Creamer | Composer |
| 30 | Charlie Dixon | Banjo |
| 31 | Frank Driggs | Photography |
| 32 | Jennifer Ebert | Packaging Manager |
| 33 | Ernest Elliott | Clarinet |
| 34 | Bob Escudero | Tuba |
| 35 | Jack Gee | Composer |
| 36 | Benny Goodman | Clarinet, Guest Artist |
| 37 | Percy Grainger | Composer |
| 38 | Porter Grainger | Accompaniment, Piano |
| 39 | Coot Grant | Composer |
| 40 | Charlie Green | Accompaniment, Trombone |
| 41 | Eddie Green | Composer |
| 42 | Lisa Hamilton | Art Direction |
| 43 | W.C. Handy | Composer |
| 44 | Jimmy Harrison | Trombone |
| 45 | Coleman Hawkins | Clarinet, Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor) |
| 46 | Joe Hayden | Composer |
| 47 | Fletcher Henderson | Accompaniment, Guest Artist, Piano |
| 48 | John Henry | Composer |
| 49 | James L. Hunter | Graphic Design |
| 50 | Irving Johns | Accompaniment, Piano |
| 51 | Bobby Johnson | Guitar |
| 52 | James P. Johnson | Accompaniment, Guest Artist, Piano |
| 53 | Jimmy Jones | Accompaniment, Piano |
| 54 | Martha E. Koenig | Composer |
| 55 | Tommy Ladnier | Accompaniment, Cornet |
| 56 | Eddie Lang | Guitar |
| 57 | Turner Layton | Composer |
| 58 | Huddie Ledbetter | Composer |
| 59 | Fred Longshaw | Accompaniment, Composer, Piano, Reed Organ |
| 60 | Patti Matheny | A&R |
| 61 | Louisa Metcalfe | Accompaniment, Cornet |
| 62 | Theodore Metz | Composer |
| 63 | Mezz Mezzrow | Composer |
| 64 | David Mitson | Mastering, Restoration |
| 65 | Frankie Newton | Trumpet |
| 66 | Edna B. Pinkard | Composer |
| 67 | Robert Prince | Composer |
| 68 | Ma Rainey | Composer |
| 69 | Andy Razaf | Composer |
| 70 | Robert Robbins | Accompaniment, Violin |
| 71 | J. Russel Robinson | Composer |
| 72 | John Robinson | Composer |
| 73 | Cyrus St. Clair | Accompaniment, Tuba |
| 74 | Bessie Smith | Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| 75 | Chris Smith | Composer |
| 76 | Joe Smith | Accompaniment, Cornet |
| 77 | Joe "Fox" Smith | Cornet |
| 78 | Steve Stevens | Accompaniment, Piano |
| 79 | Billy Taylor, Sr. | String Bass |
| 80 | Jack Teagarden | Trombone |
| 81 | Henry Troy | Composer |
| 82 | Roy Turk | Composer |
| 83 | Greely Walton | Accompaniment, Sax (Tenor) |
| 84 | Charles Warfield | Composer |
| 85 | Buck Washington | Leader, Piano |
| 86 | Clarence Williams | Accompaniment, Composer, Piano |
| 87 | Spencer Williams | Composer |
| 88 | Lana Wilson | Composer |
| 89 | Wesley Wilson | Composer |
| 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. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |