Ma Rainey – Mother Of The Blues: The Complete Paramount Recordings 1923-28
Black Swan Records
118 songs – 344 minutes
At the dawning of audio recordings in the 1920s, there was no one more important than Gertrude “Ma” Rainey. Truly the Empress of the Blues, she rose to prominence through the vaudeville circuit, introducing the world to what would be known as “classic blues,” which portrayed life within the black community like never before. And while there have been several retrospectives of her music in the past 100 years, there’s never been anything like this sensational set, which – believe it or not – contains four never previously released songs.
An over-the-top production, it includes five CDs bearing 118 tracks, all of which have been comprehensively remastered from the best 78-rpm discs available. The end product remains faithful in presenting the sound as it did in the ’20s, occasionally including some of the surface noise that existed in the acetates of the era. Simply stated it’s the best audio representation of Ma to date.
The music is great, but the collection also includes an accompanying book that runs more than 100 pages and includes introductions penned by blues artists Don Flemons and Gaye Adegbalola, a lengthy, meticulously researched biography written by David Sager, a three-time Grammy nominee for essays that accompany collections about OKeh Records, Louis Armstrong and the jazz band recordings of King Oliver.
Audiophiles will also be delighted because Sager also includes in-depth notes about each of Ma’s recording sessions during the era, transcribed lyrics of all 118 songs in the package. Doug Benson, who oversaw the restoration also discusses his work. There are track-by-track liner notes, and everything is illustrated with dozens of interesting photos of Rainey, her band and other ephemera that breathe new life into the woman who was immortalized in 2020 in the Oscar-winning film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Ma had a great eye for spotting talent, and the grooves you’ll hear here are infused with several future jazz and blues giants, including Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, Blind Blake and Tampa Red. Both Sunnyland Slim and T-Bone Walker toured in her band, and Georgia Tom – aka Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel – did, too.
A feast for your ears, highlights include “Bo-Weevil Blues” — which truly introduced her vocal style to the world, “Moonshine Blues,” “Bad Luck Blues,” “See See Rider Blues” – a song inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, “Jelly Bean Blues,” “Countin’ the Blues,” “Stormy Seas Blues” and “Sissy Blues” – a lyrically bold statement about feminism and her sexuality.
Other classics of note include “Soon This Morning,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” – the basis of the play written by August Wilson, which became the film, “New Bo-Weevil Blues,” “Prove It on Me Blues” – a number chockful of gender-bending lyrics, “Here Me Talking to You” and “Black Eye Blues.”
Not cheap, but the five-plus hours of recordings are definitely worth the price.
