Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B0000AOV4E
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,937 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Jealous Hearted Blues

2. Prove It On Me Blues

3. Hear Me Talkin’ To You

4. Walking Blues

5. Bo Weavil Blues

6. Mountain Jack Blues

7. Those All Night Blues

8. Grievin’ Hearted Blues

9. See See Ryder

10. Oh Papa

11. Yonder Comes The Blues

12. Blues Oh Blues

13. Seeking Blues

14. Don’t Fish In My Sea

15. New Bo Weavil Blues

16. Black Eye Blues

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Ma Rainey wasn't the first blues singer to make records, but by all rights she probably should have been. In an era when women were the marquee names in blues, Ma Rainey was once the most celebrated of all — the "Mother of the Blues" had been singing the music for more than 20 years before she made her recording debut (Paramount, 1923). With the advent of blues records, she became even more influential, immortalizing such songs as "See See Rider," "Bo-Weavil Blues," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Like the other classic blues divas, she had a repertoire of pop and minstrel songs as well as blues, but she maintained a heavier, tougher vocal delivery than the cabaret blues singers who followed. Ma Rainey's records featured her with jug bands, guitar duos, and bluesmen such as Tampa Red and Blind Blake, in addition to the more customary horns-and-piano jazz-band accompaniment (occasionally including such luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, and Fletcher Henderson).

Product Description

• This release in the Heroes of the Blues series is the only true cross-licensed best of package for Ma Rainey

• A complete career retrospective, covering all periods of her career and various record labels

• Transcribed directly from Paramount 78's and completely restored and re-mastered

• Original cover art by Bill Stout

• Detailed liner notes and track information

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not all "remastered" CDs are created equal [deservs half a star, not 2], February 3, 2005

By 

Truth "Truth24-7" (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Ma Rainey (Audio CD)

Don't expect a flawless recording. The recordings included are from 1923 thru 1928, and according to the booklet they were recorded on Paramount's inferior materials. So there is static and feedback; the quality on this CD may be better than some, but it is far from perfect. This CD also includes an essay and minimal track information (release date only).
For they money, I don't think this 16-track collection is worth it. I would recommend "Madam Gertude `Ma' Rainey 1923-1928" (Giants of Jazz [Promo Sound], 1997).

Updated reveiw:
Newer Is Not Better [half a star]

Gertrude Pridgett was born in Georgia in 1886. When she was very young, she toured as a singer and performer. In 1904 she married Will "Pa" Rainey; as a result she would soon be known to the world as "Ma" Rainey, and, in her 30s, become one of the first recording stars.

HEROES OF THE BLUES: THE VERY BEST OF MA RAINEY consists of 16 songs recorded 1923-1928; tracks are not in chronological order. Disc packaged in clear jewel case; total running time 48:31. Booklet an essay by Allen Lowe and song release dates. Sound quality is poor (muffled and tinny) because Paramount produced inferior-sounding records due to the use of poor materials; listening to the CD is like listening to an old record. There is an abundance of scratchy feedback.

Includes the famous and sexually provocative song "Prove It on Me Blues" that, in addition to some mean jug-blowing by Carl Reid, includes the often quoted lines "Went out last nite / With a croud of friends / It must be women / `Cuz I don't like no mens". She also mentions wearing "collars" and "a tie".

A better quality collection is "Madam Gertrude `Ma' Rainey 1923-1928", a 1997 "Giants of Jazz" release from Promo Sound; it has eight more songs and the sound quality is better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the few true greats of American music, May 2, 2007

By 

Steve Cheseborough (Portland, OR, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Ma Rainey (Audio CD)

Ma Rainey is one of the great singers, songwriters (if you've ever heard "C.C. Rider," you are familiar with her songwriting), entertainers and personalities of American music. Unfortunately she recorded on Paramount, a company that was mainly in the furniture business and released records to promote the sales of record players (which were furniture). Paramount did not have very good equipment, so their recordings sound bad, even if you are used to listening to other recordings of the same era. However, they had fabulous taste in music! Charley Patton is another of the utter immortals who recorded on Paramount. You have to listen to him, and you have to listen to Ma Rainey. The music is so great that it is well worth the effort to dig in with your ears. This Rainey compilation includes gems such as "Here Me Talking to You," which alone is worth the price of admission. The instrumental accompaniments are varied and fascinating -- early jazz groups, killer slide guitar (by Tampa Red), five-string banjo (by Papa Charlie Jackson I believe), and a virtuoso soloist on either kazoo, tricked-out voice or perhaps muted trumpet. The sound on this comp has been cleaned up and improved quite a bit, and quite well compared with other available Rainey recordings, despite what other reviewers on this site say. But if you prefer other comps, sure, get those. This one will do in the meantime, though, while you are shopping. The point is, you have to hear Ma Rainey, and this is a fine place to start.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Feedback (all over the CD), January 10, 2007

By 

WhutchaNeed (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Ma Rainey (Audio CD)

This CD has some of the worst sound quality I have ever heard. There are Ma Rainey CDs that sound much, much better than this one - and many of them cost less and have more songs. Don't waste your money!