Helen Humes - The Chronological Classics '1996

Tracks list

When she was just 13 and 14 years old, Helen Humes made her recording debut,
cutting ten risque, double entendre-filled blues, naughty tunes that she later
claimed to understand at the time. Until the release of this Classics CD in
1996, those numbers (which have backup in various settings by either De Loise
Searcy or J.C. Johnson on piano, and Lonnie Johnson or the guitar duo team of
Sylvester Weaver and Walter Beasley) had never been reissued on the same set
before. Humes sounds fairly mature on the enjoyable blues sides. Her next
session as a leader would not take place until 15 years later, when she was 28
and a veteran of Count Basies Orchestra. The singer is heard here with groups in
1942 and 1944-1945, performing three numbers with altoist Pete Browns sextet (a
band including trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who unfortunately does not solo),
Leonard Feathers Hiptet (which has some rare solos from trumpeter Bobby Stark),
and Bill Doggetts spirited octet. The latter date is highlighted by classic
renditions of He May Be Your Man and Be-Baba-Leba. Highly recommended.


Tracks:

 01. Black Cat Blues
 02. A Worried Womans Blues
 03. If Papa Has Outside Lovin
 04. Do What You Did Last Night
 05. Everybody Does It Now
 06. Cross-Eyed Blues
 07. Garlic Blues
 08. Alligator Blues
 09. Nappy Headed Blues
 10. Race Horse Blues
 11. Mound Bayou
 12. Unlucky Woman
 13. Gonna Buy Me A Telephone
 14. I Would If I Could
 15. Keep Your Mind On Me
 16. Fortune Tellin Man
 17. Suspicious Blues
 18. Unlucky Woman
 19. Every Now And Then
 20. He May Be Your Man
 21. Blue Prelude
 22. Be-Baba-Leba

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