Customer Reviews

Trouble in Mind

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

 

 

I preferBig Bill's acoustic work over his electric work. This is a collection of acoustic songs from the last years of his life. He sings blues, folk, protest songs, gospel...all of that in this great collection. Extensive liner notes and the printed lyrics and notes for every song makes this CD a true gem. Includes some live recordings as well.

Smithsonian Folkways did a great job capturing the essence of Big Bill Broonzy's sound. I've heard other albums and this is my favorite. The music is taken at the latter half of his career and establishes Broonzy as a master of the country blues/folk sound. A great album any blues fan should own.

I just recived my copy of this Cd in the mail today. I've now played it 6 times straight through. Big Bill was brilliant! Great Voice and Terrific guitar. I highly recommend this and any other Big Bill Disc you can get your hand's on. He was a rare and under appreciated Talent! Muddy Waters thought enough of Big Bill to record an entire lp of his songs.

I am in the process of reading and re-reading many of the books of oral history interviews collected by the recently departed Studs Terkel. As part of that process I have read his last work (published in 2007), a memoir of sorts but really a series of connected vignettes, that goes a long way to putting the pieces of Studs' eclectic life together. A fact that I did not know is that Studs' had radio and television music shows in the Chicago of the 1950's. On one of those shows he performed with the blues/jazz folk artist under review here, Big Bill Broonzy. That long ago reference was enough for this reviewer to scamper back to give a listen to the melodious voice of one of the best in these traditions. But that begs the question where to start?

That is not merely a rhetorical question here. My first exposure to Big Bill, back in the mists of times, was as a performer on a Sunday night folk program here in Boston. In that format he was presented as a folk singer in the style of a black Pete Seeger, including his singing of many many leftist political songs dealing with the pressing questions of race and class. Later I found some more jazzy works by him and some more raucous material in the old country blues tradition. So I hope you can now see my dilemma.

The hard fact is that certain musicians, certain very talented musicians, can work more than one milieu or can transform themselves (for commercial or other reasons) into more than one genre. Moreover, in Big Bill's case, the confluence of folk, blues and jazz at some points is fairly close. That surely is the case here on this CD compilation. So give a listen to that voice, that guitar and those wonderful songs. I might add that, although it seemed to be a given at the time, some of Big Bill lyrics are on point on racial segregation and other social issues. Think of the songs like "Black, Brown and White" or his version of "This Train" (that whipsaws Jim Crow very nicely). C.C. Rider is always a crowd pleaser. These are Big Bill's real connections with old Studs, that is for sure.

This is my first Big Bill Broonzy albumn and what a find! Have heard his singing/playing on others and wanted one of just BBB. There are 24 songs that are all just great, plus you get the words for all of them in the 33 page booklet enclosed, along with some commentary. I love that I can read the words since sometimes they are a little hard to understand on older recordings. This does not come in a jewel case but in a "cardboard" foldover so it still protects the CD and it's reminiscent of the old style LP covers. Each song is a gem and great to hear some of the ones never recorded in the U.S. like his "Black, Brown and White Blues". If you only have one of Broonzy's albumns, I suggest this is the one.

As was the case with big joe willaims I also recorded big bill from 33's
onto my Grundig reel to reel. Also my wife threw these reels away so now I have a reel to reel player but no tapes. Thanks to you-all I can now enjoy Big Bill along with Pandora.
Thank you.