BESSIE SMITH - The Complete Recordings Vol. 2 (1924-1925) 2CD (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bessie Smith, even on the evidence of her earliest recordings, well deserved the title "Empress of the Blues" for in the 1920s there was no one in her league for emotional intensity, honest blues feeling, and power. The second of five volumes (the first four are two-CD sets) finds her accompaniment improving rapidly with such sympathetic sidemen as trombonist Charlie Green, cornetist Joe Smith, and clarinetist Buster Bailey often helping her out. However, they are overshadowed by Louis Armstrong, whose two sessions with Smith (nine songs in all) fall into the time period of this second set; particularly classic are their versions of "St. Louis Blues," "Careless Love Blues," and "I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle." Other gems on this essential set include "Cake Walkin' Babies From Home," "The Yellow Dog Blues," and "At the Christmas Ball." by Scott Yanow

 Tracklist 1:

1. Frankie Blues 3:34

2. Moonshine Blues 3:19

3. Lou'siana Low-Down Blues 3:25

4. Mountain Top Blues 3:14

5. Work House Blues 3:23

6. House Rent Blues 3:08

7. Salt Water Blues 3:29

8. Rainy Weather Blues 3:38

9. Weeping Willow Blues 3:12

10. The Bye Bye Blues 3:20

11. Sing Sing Prison Blues 3:06

12. Follow the Deal on Down 3:18

13. Sinful Blues 3:11

14. Woman's Trouble Blues 3:07

15. Love Me Daddy Blues 3:16

16. Dying Gambler's Blues 3:00

17. The St. Louis Blues 3:12

18. Reckless Blues 3:05

19. Sobbin' Hearted Blues 3:01

Tracklist 2:

1. Cold In Hand Blues 3:15

2. You've Been a Good Ole Wagon 3:30

3. Cake Walkin' babies (From Home) 3:11

4. The Yellow Dog Blues 3:05

5. Soft Pedal Blues 3:21

6. Dixie Flyer Blues 3:11

7. Nashville Woman's Blues 3:45

8. Careless Love Blues 3:27

9. J.C. Holmes Blues 3:05

10. I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle 3:23

11. He's Gone Blues 3:11

12. Nobody's Blues But Mine 2:53

13. I Ain't Got Nobody 3:11

14. My Man Blues 3:32

15. New Gulf Coast Blues 3:23

16. Florida Bound Blues 3:15

17. At the Christmas Ball 3:26

18. I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It 2:55