Barrelhouse Women – Various Artists – Complete Recorded Works Vol 2 (1924-1928)

It is always unsatisfactory, even misleading, to attempt to classify or pigeonhole blues styles but it is probably safe to say that, in the main, the first volume of “Blue Girls” concentrates on the would-be blues stars of the twenties who never actually made it due to a lack of opportunity and certainly not as a lack of talent. This compilation brings together the country-cum-folk roots of the blues, as represented by Katherine C. McDavid, Margaret Thornton and Mozelle Alderson with the professional blues vocals of Mary Dixon and Issie Ringgold and the classic combination of first rate jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Blind James Beck, Louis Metcalf Ed Allen and J.C. Johnson.