Downhome Blues Sessions 5: Back In The Alley / Var Downhome Blues Sessions 5: Back In The Alley / Var CD

2008 release, the latest installment in the Modern Down Home series with a package that upholds and often surpasses the standards set by the first four volumes. This one concentrates on artists from the Bay Area of California and offers some of the most unvarnished and basic down home recordings of the whole series. None of these tracks or takes are currently available on Ace CDs (in fact, very few have been issued prior to this release). Jimmy McCracklin and Lowell Fulsom are the most familiar names but the other artists are very collectable with their original singles and 78s almost impossible to find and no less noteworthy musically. A high class offering in every respect, and one that that will spur fresh interest in the previous volumes. Ace Records. 2008.

1. Hard Times - Johnny Fuller 2. It's Your Life - Johnny Fuller 3. I've Done Everything I Can - Walter Robertson 4. Johnny's Low Down Blues Aka Train, Train Blues - Johnny Fuller 5. This Is the End Aka the End - James Reed 6. My Mama Told Me - James Reed 7. Dr Brown - - James Reed 8. I Think My Time Is Here (Take 1) - Jimmy McCracklin ; His Blues Blasters 9. Josephine (Take 6) - Jimmy McCracklin ; His Blues Blasters 10. Beer Drinkin' Woman (Take 4) - Jimmy McCracklin ; His Blues Blasters 11. I'm Prison Bound Aka Doing Time Blues - Lowell Fulson 12. My Baby Left Me Aka Some Old Lonesome Day - Lowell Fulson 13. You Had a Good Man (Take 2) - Roy Hawkins 14. Just a Poor Boy (Take 2) - Roy Hawkins 15. You Better Hold Me - James Reed 16. Oh People - James Reed 17. My Love Is Real - James Reed 18. I Walk All Night - Johnny Fuller 19. Back Home - Johnny Fuller 20. Sputtering Blues - Walter Robertson 21. Buddy - Johnny Fuller 22. Prowling Blues - Johnny Fuller 23. The End Aka This Is the End (Alternate Take) - James Reed 24. Dr Brown (Alternate Take) - James Reed 25. Couldn't Be a Dream (Take 1) - Jimmy McCracklin ; His Blues Blasters 26. I'll Get a Break Someday (Take 7) - Jimmy McCracklin ; His Blues Blasters