Female Blues Singers – Various Artists – Complete Recorded Works – Vol 13 R/S (1921-1931)

DOCD-5517 Female Blues Singers Vol 13 R/S 1921 – 1931 Genres: Blues, Classic Blues, Female Blues, Jazz. Informative booklet notes by David Evans Detailed discography. Volume 13 of this outstanding fourteen volume series features two major stars of the vaudeville era, one shadowy figure who kept popping up on records over two decades and one complete obscurity. Between them there is a heady mix of low down blues and hot jazz. Laura Rucker had a productive and eventful career. On her records she can be heard with Blind Blake and Emmet Mathews (Document DOCD-5027 and 5345), Georgia Tom (DOCD-5526), and Earl Hines. Her first recordings were with Paramount and later in 1949 she re-emerged as one of the first recording artists on Chicago’s independent Aristocrat label, later to become Chess records. Gertrude Saunders was a genuine star over a long period of time. Her life was also eventful but for her it was on and off the stage. Two years after her final recordings featured on this album were made she struck up a relationship with Jack Gee, husband of Bessie Smith who became the producer of Gertrude’s stage show Hot Mama, which was being financed by Bessie. Blues recording pioneer Mary Stafford was Columbia’s secret weapon rivalling her to Okeh’s Mamie Smith. She was advertised as “The first coloured girl to record for Columbia” and she proved herself to be a worthy competitor with her big voice and excellent accompaniments by Charlie Johnson’s jazz band.