Midnite Blues Party Vol. 22003Electro-Fi RecordsElectro-Fi 3378

Midnite Blues Party Vol. 2 - 2003 - Electro-Fi Records - Electro-Fi 3378

Written by Warren Dallin

Various Artists - Rare Blues and Rhythm & Blues from the 1940's& 1950's

There once was a time in the evolution of the blues when songs came alive with lots of piano, upright acoustic bass, jazzy horns and meaty guitar licks (think of a T-Bone). Midnite Blues Party Volume Two is your time machine to an era of superb piano-based boogie-woogies and jazzy rhythm and blues.

The extensive 28-song menu is juicy enough to salivate on. This compilation was sequenced and compiled by Toronto native Eddy Brake (otherwise known as "Eddy B"), a blues archivist known for his extensive blues collection. These gems were initially recorded on several old, small American indie labels such as Hi-Lo Records, Lennox, Meladee, and Brunswick situated in locales such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Louisiana and Mississippi. The entire CD captures rhythm and blues, early rock and modern blues roots at its infancy.

The collection features a broad range of song styles, with many referring to themselves as a "boogie" or "blues" piece in the song title. The American post-war enthusiasm is prevalent in most of these tunes, with many of the song themes based on loving and leaving. After all, it was an era of mass travel and assured freedom.

The women sing with confidence, many utilising high-pitched tremolo vocals. The males cover a wider spectrum of vocal styles ranging from deep, soft singing whispers to outright screams. One characteristic you will note is the extensive use of the word "daddy" throughout the disc.

Overall, most of the songs are relatively obscure pressings, but there are a few recognizable melodies such as Alberta by John Taylor and his Orchestra. Other highlights include the catchy Feel the Same by Bobby Webb and the Jets, with its early showcase of piano-rock rhythms and saxophone melodies. The organ chords in Gayle Brown's Gone Are The Days sound like they must have drained half the power supply from the Big Apple just to get the sound pumped out. It's quite fascinating to hear how "groundbreaking technology" sounded back then.

The sound quality on the CD is quite good, although some tracks contain subdued hiss and analogue anomalies but, then again, the liner notes do state these are "Rare blues and rhythm & blues from the 1940's and early 1950's". The extra static from the original records add to the overall texture.

If you are a blues collector, this is for you. If you are a 1940s jazz lover, this is for you. If you enjoy piano-based blues, this is for you. Give this period-piece a listen when you are in the mood and proper atmosphere to fully enjoy some fine music.

And be thankful modern technology and Toronto-based Electro-Fi Records, have brought these sweet sounds out of a private record collection and into your CD player.

Copyright 2003. Review by Warren Dallin.

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