Although Alberta Hunter, who had briefly come out of retirement, gets first billing on this CD reissue, in reality she shares the spotlight with two other veterans of the 1920s: Lucille Hegamin and Victoria Spivey. Each of the singers is featured on four songs apiece while backed by such top players as clarinetist Buster Bailey, trombonist J.C. Higginbottham, and Cliff Jackson or Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano. Hunter is in superior form on such numbers as "You Gotta Reap Just What You Sow" and "I Got a Mind to Ramble," although she would soon be out of music for another 15 years, continuing her work as a nurse. Hegamin (who had not recorded since 1932) was having a brief last hurrah, despite sounding good, and Spivey, reviving her "Black Snake Blues," would soon be launching her own Spivey label. This is a historic and enjoyable set recommended to both classic jazz and blues collectors. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 – Alberta Hunter I Got Myself A Workin' Man 3:15
Written-By – Alberta Hunter
2 – Lucille Hegamin St. Louis Blues 3:31
Written-By – W. C. Handy
3 – Victoria Spivey Black Snake Blues 4:07
Written-By – Victoria Spivey
4 – Hunter I Got A Mind To Ramble 2:40
Written-By – Hunter
5 – Hegamin You'll Want My Love 2:57
Written-By – Williams, Hegamin
6 – Spivey Going Blues 4:44
Written-By – Spivey
7 – Hunter You Gotta Reap What You Sow 2:41
Written-By – Hunter
8 – Hegamin Arkansas Blues 3:38
Written-By – Lada, Williams
9 – Spivey Got The Blues So Bad 3:07
Written-By – Spivey
10 – Hunter Chirpin' The Blues 3:32
Written-By – Hunter
11 – Hegamin Has Anybody Seen My Corine 4:35
Written-By – Lukie, Graham
12 – Spivey Let Him Beat Me 2:59
Written-By – Spivey
Credits:
Clarinet – Buster Bailey (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12), Cecil Scott (tracks: 2, 5, 8, 11)
Drums – Gene Brooks (tracks: 2, 5, 8, 11), Zutty Singleton (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Piano – Cliff Jackson (tracks: 1, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12), Spivey (tracks: 3, 6), Willie "The Lion" Smith (tracks: 2, 5, 8, 11)
Recorded By [Recording Engineer] – Rudy Van Gelder
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Trumpet – Henry Goodwin (tracks: 2, 5, 8, 11)
Tuba – Sidney De Paris (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
