This superb five-disc box set gives a sweeping overview of the hugely influential music of blues legend Ma Rainey. Rainey was already a seasoned performer by the time she made her first recordings in 1923, and though she only recorded for six years she cut over 100 songs, many of which went on to become blues classics. Those tunes, including "C.C. Rider," "Bo Weavil Blues," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," are here, alongside dozens of other gems. Rainey ranged across styles and settings, from acoustic blues to jazz to jug bands, but her saucy, gritty vocal delivery remained a lynchpin. Given the historical impact of Rainey's output, the set's title--MOTHER OF THE BLUES--is no understatement. by AllMusic
Tracklist
Disc A : Featuring Tommy Ladnier & Lovie Austin
A-1 Bad Luck Blues
A-2 Boweavil Blues: 1
A-3 Boweavil Blues: 2
A-4 Barrel House Blues
A-5 Those All Night Long Blues: 1
A-6 Those All Night Long Blues: 2
A-7 Moonshine Blues
A-8 Last Minute Blues
A-9 Southern Blues
A-10 Walking Blues
A-11 Lost Wandering Blues
A-12 Dream Blues
A-13 Honey, Where You Been So Long?
A-14 Ya Da Do: 2
A-15 Ya Da Do: 3
A-16 Those Dogs Of Mine
A-17 Lucky Rock Blues
A-18 South Bound Blues
A-19 Lawd, Send Me A Man Blues
A-20 Ma Rainey's Mystery Record
Disc B : Featuring Don Redman, Fletcher Anderson & Louis Armstrong
B-1 Shave 'Em Dry Blues
B-2 Farewell Daddy Blues
B-3 Booze And Blues
B-4 Toad Frog Blues
B-5 Jealous Hearted Blues
B-6 See See Rider Blues, Pt. 1
B-7 See See Rider Blues, Pt. 2
B-8 Jelly Bean Blues
B-9 Countin' The Blues, Pt. 1
B-10 Countin The Blues, Pt. 2
B-11 Cell Bound Blues
B-12 Army Camp Harmony Blues, Pt. 1
B-13 Army Camp Harmony Blues, Pt. 2
B-14 Explaining The Blues, Pt. 1
B-15 Explaining The Blues, Pt. 2
B-16 Louisiana Hoo-Doo Blues
B-17 Goodbye Dady Blues
B-18 Stormy Sea Blues
B-19 Rough And Tumble Blues
B-20 Night Time Blues, Pt. 1
B-21 Night Time Blues, Pt. 2
B-22 Levee Camp Moan
B-23 Four Day Honorary Scat, Pt. 1
B-24 Four Day Honorary Scat, Pt. 2
B-25 Memphis Bound Blues
Disc C : Featuring Buster Bailey, Fletcher Anderson & Coleman Hawkins
C-1 Slave To The Blues
C-2 Yonder Comes The Blues
C-3 Titanic Man Blues, Pt. 1
C-4 Titanic Man Blues, Pt. 2
C-5 Chain Gang Blues
C-6 Bessemer Bound Blues, Pt. 1
C-7 Bessemer Bound Blues, Pt. 2
C-8 Oh My Babe Blues
C-9 Wring And Twisting Blues
C-10 Stack O'Lee Blues
C-11 Breaken Hearted Blues
C-12 Jealousy Blues
C-13 Seeking Blues, Pt. 1
C-14 Seeking Blues, Pt. 2
C-15 Mountain Jack Blues, Pt. 1
C-16 Mountain Jack Blues, Pt. 3
C-17 Down In The Basement
C-18 Sissy Blues
C-19 Broken Soul Blues
C-20 Trust No Man
Disc D : Blind Blake, Kid Ory & Claude Hopkins
D-1 Morning Hour Blues
D-2 Weeping Woman Blues
D-3 Soon This Morning
D-4 Little Low Mama Blues
D-5 Grievin' Hearted Blues
D-6 Don't Fish In My Sea
D-7 Big Boy Blues
D-8 Blues Oh Blues
D-9 Damper Down Blues
D-10 Gone Dady Blues, Pt. 1
D-11 Oh Papa Blues
D-12 Misery Blues
D-13 Dead Drunk Blues
D-14 Slow Driving Moan
D-15 Blues The World Forgot, Pt. 1
D-16 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
D-17 Blues The World Forgot, Pt. 2
D-18 Hellish Rag
D-19 Georgia Cake Walk
D-20 New Bo Weavil Blues
D-21 Moonshine Blues
D-22 Ice Bag Papa
Disc E : Featuring Georgia Tom Dorsey, Tampa Red & Papa Charlie Jackson
E-1 Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues
E-2 Log Camp Blues
E-3 Hear Me Talking To You
E-4 Hustlin' Blues
E-5 Prove It To Me Blues
E-6 Victim Of The Blues
E-7 Traveling Blues, Pt. 1
E-8 Traveling Blues, Pt. 2
E-9 Deep Moaning Blues, Pt. 1
E-10 Deep Moaning Blues, Pt. 2
E-11 Daddy Goodbye Blues
E-12 Sleep Talking Blues, Pt. 1
E-13 Sleep Talking Blues, Pt. 2
E-14 Tough Luck Blues
E-15 Blame It On The Blues
E-16 Sweet Rough Man
E-17 Runaway Blues
E-18 Screech Owl Blues
E-19 Black Dust Blues
E-20 Leaving This Morning
E-21 Black Eye Blues, Pt. 1
E-22 Black Eye Blues, Pt. 2
E-23 Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues
E-24 Big Feeling Blues
