Obtaining Son House recordings

Subject: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 04:49 PM

Is there any one out there who would know where to obtain recordings of Son House in his younger days? It is easy enough to obtain recordings of him as an older man, after he was 'rediscovered', however at least in the UK I have not been able to turn up anything by him as a young man. Which is a damn shame, as at age 19 upon hearing Death Letter for the first time I was awe-struck and would love to find something more by him.

Marcus

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 05:05 PM

The Complete Library of Congress Sessions, 1941-1942 and Complete Recorded Works of Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 06:56 PM

Thanks very much - only bad thing is the former recording says wait 4-6 weeks for delivery. Still, I could wait that long if I had to.

Marcus

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 08:08 PM

They are worth the wait.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 09:15 PM

Rolf,

Yes - I should imagine they are if the reviews on the links Masato posted are anything to go by. I actually prefer Son House and some other Delta blues singers to Robert Johnson, who I see as a great musican, but one who has been put on too much of a pedestal and subject too a lot of hagiography.

It can be hard getting some blues records in the UK, although there are some good music shops if you look about.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: ddw
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 09:25 PM

Marcus,

The company Masato linked you to, Document Records, is in the U.K. —— They used to be in Austria, but a year or two ago moved to either Ireland or Scotland, can't remember which. So you might not have to wait as long as it says to get something. My kids have ordered a number of "complete works" sets for me and they're great, except that the originals they are cut from are of pretty dicey quality sometimes.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 09:30 PM

The website is: Document Records.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 11:25 PM

One of the world's greatest blues record shops and mailorder is Redlick Records which also has the greatest used blues catalog around. They've got so much stuff it is hard to find in the catalog. Many rarities and out-of-print LPs and CDs. Check out their Son House catalog.

I understand how you feel about Son House, my own feelings about him are similar (Just love the man and his songs). And yes, I'm nuts about Robert Johnson and am really tired of all the Robert Johnson BS which only obscures his excellence, and all the great foundation blues artists he learned from (RJ was in the "third generation"). In 1963 Muddy Waters was the King of Chicago. When newly "rediscovered" Son House appeared at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, without a word or any promo Muddy appeared on stage playing second guitar behind Son. Muddy deflected all notice away from himself and to Son saying only that Son was a geat man. Son House was idolised by both Muddy and Howling Wolf, and many other musicians from the Delta.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 11:52 PM

Rolfboy,

That's an interesting little tale about Muddy Waters there, I came to the blues through the rather odd combination of Irish folk and Hendrix initially. Especially as Hendrix often covered blues songs live-when I read about his influences I wanted to hear them to of course. I agree with a comment he made once about Irish music and blues having a certain ammount of things in common. Sadly, he is not really seen as a blues player, BB King commented on that once to the fact that yes he was, and a damn fine one as did John Lee Hooker.

You can imagine BTW how strange people in a London college thought Son House was in 1991, when I was first listening to him and Johnson, Waters, Wolf, Leadbelly etc -comments along the line of, "what's this scratchy old crap?" were sadly rather frequent.

Marcus

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 11:53 PM

CAMSCO Music has both Document 5148 (SOn House at Home) and Document 5002 (Son House and the Great Delta Blues Singers) in stock. Price is $14.98 (US) each (10.33 in pounds sterling) and shipping to the UK is $6.25 for the first CD and $1.65 each for subsequent ones in the same order (4.31 and 1.13 pounds respectively). Shipping is by air.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 12:25 AM

Thanks everyone for your help and speedy response. I will try Dicks suggestion first followed by others if neccessary in turn.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 03:09 PM

You might also try the Smithsonion. They have possession of the entire Folkway catalogue and, one is given to understand, burn cd's more or less to order.

Stephen

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 04:04 PM

Marcus,

There is also a video out of Son House playing and intro-ing several songs. It was made after being redidsovered but it is quite good.

Now you won't find a ton of recorded Willie Brown but what is around tells you a lot about the influence he had on Son House. There is one song that Willie does that has the exact guitar work that Son used on "Empire State Express".

If you want the name of that song, PM me and I'll find out for you.

Bobert

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Peter T.
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 04:23 PM

There are one or two videos of Son House (as mentioned). The one that is the saddest is the one from Newport, where they had the bright idea of faking a juke joint. Son House wanders around totally drunk, being a pest, and is verbally assaulted by Howling Wolf, and for those of us who love Son House, it is physically painful to watch. Still, you can get it from Stefan Grossman's shop -- and very fast, they deliver speedily!!

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 08:14 PM

Son's manager used to work to keep alcohol away from Son. It was his downfall. Even a little used to make him real drunk.

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: ddw
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 08:27 PM

Paul Geremia tells a story about being on a bill with Son House and having Son ask him to get him some liquor. Paul, not knowing alcohol's effect on SH, picked up a mickey for him. Son downed it and was too drunk to play. Paul says he got blamed for it. He also said Son pulled the same thing on John Koerner -- and probably quite a few other young pickers.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From:
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 07:10 AM

I Love Son House, have U been to Meridian, Mississippi, 103.3WZKR.
Listen and think. They are SUMPIN!.
Love, Julia

Subject: RE: Obtaining Son House recordings
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 08:33 AM

Son House is my favourite. His rendition of "Jinx Blues" ( early 40s) is just amazing. I have a theory about the pre-war "country blues" singers. I believe the fact that their singing styles was developed - mainly- without the use of mics gives them a different sound. Muddy Waters, for example, definitely developed a microphone style of singing which differs from the "acoustic" Lomax field recordings.