Music City Blues & Rhythm / Various Music City Blues & Rhythm / Various CD

Here's a welcome surprise for blues fans, who might have been despairing they'd never again get a CD full of juicy rarities and previously unreleased goodies. Ray Dobard's Music City imprint didn't record or release a vast amount of blues as Dobard soon began to concentrate on the label's trademark vocal group recordings. But what there is gives a fascinating and previously unseen glimpse of life in Berkeley at the time. Compiled by Roger Armstrong and Alec Palao, with notes from Lee Hildebrand, there is something for every shade of blues fan, from the juke joint to the lounge. 22 of the generous 28 tracks are previously unreleased. And while there are plenty obscurities, there also first-time releases for bigger names like Roy Hawkins, Little Willie Littlefield and Jimmy 'T99' Nelson.

1. Music City Jump (Inst) - Alvin Smith 2. Brand New Baby - Alvin Smith 3. Go to Bed with a Worry - Chick Morris ; His Band (Vocal: Golden Boy) 4. Moving Out Baby - Chick Morris ; His Band (Vocal: Al Harris) 5. I Don't Stand No Quittin' (Alt) - Gloria Jean Pitts 6. Blues Made Me Cry - Chick Morris ; His Band (Vocal: Al Harris) 7. Tin Pan Alley - Sidney Grande 8. Lazy Bones (Inst) - Roland Mitchell 9. She Moves Me - Jimmy (MR. "T-99") Nelson 10. Wrong Doing Woman (Alt) - Jasper Evans 11. Walking Blues - Johnny George 12. You Gotta Be Mighty Careful - the Richmond Boys 13. On My Way - Alvin Smith 14. No More Any More - Jimmy (MR. "T-99") Nelson 15. Baby Call - Jimmy Raney 16. Here Lies My Love (TK 1) - Roy Hawkins (As Mr Undertaker) 17. Long About Midnight - Little Willie Littlefield 18. Doctor's Blues - Unknown Male Vocalist 19. Your Money Ain't Long Enough - Que Martyn's Orchestra (Vocal: Del Graham) 20. Traveling Time - Al Smith 21. To Be Alone - Pee Wee Parham 22. Low Down Dirty Ways - Alvin Smith 23. Don't Know Where I'm at - Al Harris 24. Looking Just Like You - Little Willie Littlefield 25. Ease My Mind - Pee Wee Parham 26. You're the One - Gene Lee ; the Blues Rockers 27. Roland's Blues (Inst) - Roland Mitchell 28. Who Did It - Unknown Male Vocalist