Rainey,Ma Definitive Collection 1924-28 CD

Along with Bessie Smith, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey has come to be recognised as one of the towering figures of early blues, pioneering the recording of blues by female artists during the earliest years of electric recording. Born in 1896, she became popular as a travelling minstrel, and during her touring across the southern states in the early years of the 20th century absorbed blues songs which she incorporated into her act. Turning to the vaudeville stage, she was heard in Chicago theatres and signed in 1924 by J. Mayo Williams at Paramount, for whom she recorded for the next five years, working solo, or with piano or guitar accompaniment, or more often with jazz ensembles, which were billed on record as her Georgia Jazz Band. Her accompanists during that time featured some of the luminaries of the early jazz scene, including Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey and Don Redman as well as blues musicians like Tampa Red, Blind Blake and Thomas Dorsey. This great-value 94-track 4-CD collection comprises all of the titles she recorded for Paramount during her career (she recorded more than one take of some titles, but we only include one of those versions), until the Wall Street Crash and the Depression put an end to her recording. It naturally features classics like "See See Rider", "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "Stack O'Lee Blues" and "Jelly Bean Blues". It's a comprehensive showcase for one of the most important personalities of early blues

1. Bo Weavil Blues 2. Last Minute Blues 3. Those All Night Long Blues 4. Bad Luck Blues 5. Barrelhouse Blues 6. Walking Blues 7. Southern Blues 8. Moonshine Blues 9. Lost Wandering Blues 10. Dream Blues 11. Honey, Where You Been So Long ' 12. Ma Rainey Mystery Record 13. Those Dogs Of Mine 14. Lucky Rock Blues 15. Shave Em Dry 16. Farewell Daddy Blues 17. South Bound Blues 18. Lawd Send Me A Man Blues 19. Counting The Blues 20. Jelly Bean Blues 21. Booze And Blues 22. Toad Frog Blues 23. Jealous Hearted Blues 24. See See Rider Blues 25. Cell Bound Blues 26. Ya Da Do 27. Explaining The Blues 28. Army Camp Harmony Blues 29. Goodbye Daddy Blues 30. Louisiana Hoodoo Blues 31. Stormy Sea Blues 32. Levee Camp Moan 33. Four Day Honory Scat 34. Nightime Blues 35. Rough And Tumble Blues 36. Memphis Bound Blues 37. Oh My Babe Blues 38. Slave To The Blues 39. Wringing And Twisting 40. Chain Gang Blues 41. Seeking Blues 42. Mountain Jack Blues 43. Stack O Lee Blues 44. Yonder Come The Blues 45. Jealousy Blues 46. Broken Hearted Blues 47. Titanic Man Blues 48. Bessemer Bound Blues 49. Broken Soul Blues 50. Sissy Blues 51. Down In The Basement 52. Trust No Man 53. Grieving Hearted Blues 54. Little Low Down Mama Blues 55. Soon This Morning 56. Don't Fish In My Sea 57. Morning Hour Blues 58. Weeping Woman Blues 59. Dead Drunk Blues 60. Misery Blues 61. Slow Drivin' Moan 62. Gone Daddy Blues 63. Damper Down Blues 64. Big Boy Blues 65. Blues Oh Blues 66. Oh Papa Blues 67. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 68. Georgia Cakewalk 69. Moonshine Blues 70. New Boll Weavil Blues 71. Ice Bag Papa 72. Hellish Rag 73. Blues The World Forgot 74. Blues The World Forgot #2 75. Prove It On Me Blues 76. Hear Me Talkin To You 77. Black Cat Hoot Owl 78. Victim Of The Blues 79. Traveling Blues 80. Deep Moaning Blues 81. Big Feeling Blues 82. Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues 83. Tough Luck Blues 84. Screech Owl Blues 85. Blame It On The Blues 86. Sleep Talking Blues 87. Log Camp Blues 88. Hustlin' Blues 89. Leaving This Morning 90. Runaway Blues 91. Sweet Rough Man 92. Black Dust Blues 93. Black Eye Blues 94. Daddy Goodbye Blues