Customer Reviews

Queen of the Blues 1

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

JSP records has long been known for its meticulously re-mastered reissues of vintage blues, jazz, country, and popular recordings. These "78s" were made before the introduction of magnetic recording tape around 1948, which ushered in the age of "High Fidelity". The earliest recordings were entirely "acoustic," with the performers playing or singing into a large bell whose acoustic vibrations were cut by an attached stylus into wax or metal "masters." The introduction around 1925 of "electronic recording" using microphones improved the sound of records considerably, but the acoustic vibrations picked up by the mics were still "cut" directly onto master discs which were pressed into retail copies, and much of the richness and detail of the sound was lost.

Until his death in 2004, JSP regularly used the services of John R.T. Davies to restore the sound of its collections of reissued music originally recorded on "78's." Davies was regarded by many as the best sound restoration engineer of his generation. "Bessie Smith -- Queen of the Blues Volume 1," presented in a very affordable 4 -- disc box set, continues to uphold the standard set by John Davies. The sound quality of these CDs, which cover Bessie's entire catalog for Columbia records from 1923 until 1925, easily surpasses the Columbia's own sets, which were first issued in the early 1990s. Although the written notes are thin and there is no booklet of info about the music which is typically included in box sets, for pure sound you cannot do better than the JSP Bessie Smith. I have both the Columbia and the JSP sets, and listening to these new JSP boxes is like hearing these records for the first time.

As most readers will know, Bessie Smith was unquestionably the greatest blues singer of her day, and is arguably the greatest of all-time. When artists as diverse as Billie holiday, Mahalia Jackson, and Janis Joplin (who before her own death helped pay for a headstone for Bessie's grave) cite Smith as inspiring their own remarkable careers, you know that this is a voice that deserves to be listened to closely and often. These are legendary recordings from a masterful singer.

Bessie Smith's voice has always commanded attention. It is deep, strong, and above all heartfelt. But the JSP boxes for the first time clearly reveal the nuance, shading, and superb phrasing that were often obscured in previous reissues. Perhaps just as important, these new sets bring to life the contributions of the many famous jazz and blues musicians who accompanied Bessie throughout her career. For the first time we hear the full range of sound produced by such outstanding artists as pianist James P. Johnson, trumpeter Louis Armstrong, clarinetist Buster Bailey, and trombonist Charlie Green, to name but a few. It is not the sound of digital or analog tape recordings, but it is probably the best that we will have for many years.

The price is unbeatable. For under $30 you can have the best available set of the all the records Smith made between 1923 and 1925. A second box set covering the balance of her career has just been released, and is also highly recommended. Jazz and blues enthusiasts, and music lovers generally, have cause for celebration with the issuance of these box sets by JSP. They are essential and loving presentations of a woman who, over 60 years after her death, continues to teach us about the "soul" that is the foundation of all great music.

Bessie Smith, the most well-known and imitated (but never duplicated) female blues singer ever. This four CD, 90-track box set spanning from 1923-1926 is a slightly mixed bag. That is because a few of the songs on the first CD (A) are slightly repetitive. It is really nothing more than a piano to keep Bessie company. Of course, Bessie's voice is the main attraction here. It keeps the songs from becoming boring. Her voice is always superb, and really, if it wasn't such an excellent voice these songs wouldn't even be worth listening to twice. The lone bad song that I always skip over is Far Away Blues, a duet with Clara Smith. This particular song is awful, and it's because of Clara. She sounds terrible here, and you'd never know it from this song that Clara was actually a great singer. Too bad.

CD B, however, has quite a few repetitive and/or dull songs. Charlie Green's trombone is very dull and one-note on the last few songs on CD B. There is nothing awful here, but yet nothing great either. CD B is the CD I have the least interest in and play the least.

The action really picks up, however, on the second two CDs, (C and D). The songs here are mostly superior to most of the songs on the first two CDs, and there is the introduction of more backing insturments other than the piano. Good move. Bessie was off to better work now, and on My Man Blues Clara comes back and duets with Bessie here, and finally sounds like Clara---as in great!

The sound on these CDs is mostly good, considering how old these recordings are. Although two songs, Yellow Dog Blues and Soft Pedal, the sound at times is a bit muffled when Bessie hits a high note. This is remedied by the extra cuts on the volume two box set, which I recommend purchasing before this particular box set. But I personally like these two songs on this box set better, for some reason. I'm no audiophile.

In short, this box set is pretty much worth it, even though the first two CDs aren't as interesting as the second two, and the liner notes aren't as extensive as any box set from Proper. But I far prefer the volume two box set.

Excellent sound quality of the earlier recordings of the most important of all blues singers.

AMAZON IS ONE OF VERY FEW OUTLETS THAT SELL CD'S ETC.FROM SOME OF THE OLD
BUT NOT FAMOUS ARTISTS, THAT MADE MUSIC WHAT IT IS TODAY. THIS ARTIST WAS AS THE TITLE IMPLIES, A BLUES SINGER FROM THE 1920'S WHO UNFORTUNATELY DIED VERY YOUNG BY TODAYS STANDARDS,BUT WHO PIONEERED FINE MUSIC. I WAS
ONLY INTRODUCED TO BESSIE BY AN OLD FRIEND RECENTLY, AND I GOT ONTO THE WEB TO FIND OUT ABOUT HER. THIS CD REPRESENTS EVERYTHING GOOD ABOUT 'THE BLUES' AND HAS BEEN REMASTERED PERFECTLY. ON THIS CD ACCOMPANYING BESSIE ARE OTHER ARTISTS INCLUDING LOUIS ARMSTRONG. FOR ANYONE WHO ENJOYS 'THE BLUES' THIS IS A MUST.

I guess I'm curious if JSP did their own transfers, or, as they do with some frequency these days, ripped off transfers from other companies. Frog Records has a tremendous Complete Bessie Smith series, featuring wonderful remasterings by J.R.T. Davies. But those are nearly $20 per cd. If they stole these versions, that might explain the reports of good sound....because the old Columbia cds are absolutely awful sonically.