Big Bill Broonzy

Complete Recorded Works c. November 1927 – 15th September 1951

Vol. 2: 9 February 1932 to 18 October 1934

Featuring the recordings of:

Steele Smith, vocal / banjo; Big Bill Broonzy (as Big Bill Johnson), guitar. Big Bill (as by Big Bill Johnson), vocal / guitar. Big Bill, vocal / guitar. Big Bill And His Jug Busters: Big Bill, vocal / guitar; accompanied probably by. Alfred Bell, trumpet on 12; possibly Roy Palmer, trombone on 12; unknown, kazoo on 11; prob. Black Bob, piano; unknown, stand-up bass on 11; unknown, jug on 12; Jimmy Bertrand, washboard on 11. Big Bill, vocal / guitar; probably Black Bob, piano. Big Bill, vocal / guitar; probably Black Bob, piano; prob. Charlie Jackson, banjo. Big Bill, vocal / guitar; probably Black Bob, piano.

Genres: Blues, Arkansas Blues, Early Chicago Blues, Country Blues, Jug Band, Blues Guitar, Country Blues Guitar, Blues Piano, Hokum.

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. By 1932 Big Bill Broonzy had got the measure of the music business. He was well known in Chicago and, with his winning ways and talent, had become intimate with the leading musicians of his time and place and was laying down the base of the edifice he graced so easily in later years when he became a father figure for the post war blues. He had also become a member of a loose group who performed knockabout and sometimes salacious numbers in a style that they advertised by the use of the name The Famous Hokum Boys. He also often appeared backing “Jane Lucas“, in more than one of her manifestations, and these recordings, along with further explanation, will be appearing on other albums in this series. Bill was still playing country blues though, and having worked conscientiously on his guitar playing could turn out masterpieces like Mr. Conductor Man, The Too Too Train and Bull Cow Blues but he also around this time put together his ‘ Jug Busters‘. This group, whose exact membership is still a matter of contention, was made up of Bill, another guitarist, a pianist, a bass player, a kazooist and a washboard beater. A later grouping included a trumpet player, trombonist and a jug-blower. It was an indication of the way the urban blues was going. The pianist may have been the still obscure Black Bob.

Keith Briggs Copyright 1991 Document Records.

DOCD-5051