Double Album - 28 Songs

Memphis Jug Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yazoo
• ASIN: B000000G83
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,784 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #29 in Music > Indie Music > Blues > Memphis Blues

Track Listings

1. Lindberg Hop

2. On the Road Again

3. Stealin' Stealin'

4. Insane Crazy Blues

5. K. C. Moan

6. Newport News Blues [take 1]

7. Whitewash Station Blues

8. The Old Folks Started It

9. Everybody's Talking About Sadie Green

10. Memphis Jug Blue [take 1]

11. Gator Wobble

12. Little Green Slippers

13. Taking Your Place

14. Sometimes I Think I Love You

15. Memphis Boy Blues

16. Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues

17. What's the Matter

18. Oh Ambulance Man

19. Beale Street Mess Around

20. She Stays Out All Night Long

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for any real music collection, June 7, 2000

By 

David Bennett (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Double Album - 28 Songs (Audio CD)

If you've gotten as far as this page, you must be at least somewhat interested in blues and old-time music. If so, you really shouldn't miss out on the Memphis Jug Band. This is music of the highest order.

I've run across a couple of music writers who've said that another well-known jug band, Cannon's Jug Stompers (including all the variously-named versions of Gus Cannon's groups), are in some way superior to the Memphis Jug Band. First, just to get it off my chest, I totally disagree, I think the Memphis Jug Band is the better of the two. Second, and much more important, whichever you prefer, they are both absolutely essential to anyone who wants to know the history of American music.

This music is just sublime. What you'll hear are sloppy-but-absolutely-perfect harmonies, the elevation of hokum to a high art form, a fine command of their instruments, and a wide emotional range. Some of the songs are flat-out masterpieces, like Stealin' Stealin', On The Road Again, KC Moan, Fourth Street Mess Around, Cocaine Habit Blues, and others. The ones that are not quite at that level are still interesting and fun. If you're a musician, this material offers a wealth of learning.

Since I am a devotee of this group, I have the four-disk complete collection on Document Records, but I only graduated to that collection after years of listening to this one. Some quibbles might be made about two or three of the selections on this one (especially the inclusion of both Newport News Blues and Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues, which are the same song. Omitting one of the versions would have made room for one of the several fine MJB tunes that are not on here), but only quibbles. This definitely gets you all of the Memphis Jug Band's masterpieces....

Don't choose between Cannon's Jug Stompers and the Memphis Jug Band. Get them both. Both are terribly underrated--they should be included on any list of the best pre-electric blues ever made (though both go beyond the blues form), and, for that matter, among the best music America has ever produced.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest stringband ever, December 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Double Album - 28 Songs (Audio CD)

I have yet to hear any group, especially one that recorded before World War 2, cover such a wide variety of musical styles. Here is the single best example of the collision between jazz, blues, folk, old-timey, humor, and gospel that is American Music. The only thing better is the complete recorded works available on Document Records.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST BAND EVER TO RECORD !, September 28, 2002

By 

"yabbee" (Theethertonville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Double Album - 28 Songs (Audio CD)

Not much I can do here except to echo the two very right-on reviews below. This is some of the loosest, groovingest, exuberant music ever. I never tire of these guys. Seriously recommended is their entire output available on the Document label. And as a reviewer below stated, Cannon's Jug Stompers are also essential. And Jack Kelly'sSouth Memphis Jug Band too. Anything else I say will be redundant-- the other reviews say it all. Now quit wasting time reading this and ORDER some of their music NOW!