Various Artists - How Low Can You Go: Anthology of the String / Various [CD]
How Low Can You Go: Anthology of the String / Various
Various Artists
CD Rel Date: 2006-11-28
The first anthology ever of the string bass; a 3 CD box set in a cardboard box; 96 page book. Original recordings from 1925-1941, from the legendary archival label Dust To Digital (that previously brought the world the beyond elaborate Goodbye, Babylon and Fonotone Records boxsets). 'Not so long ago, the string bass stood tall and proud roughly the length and breadth of a poor man's pine coffin in every musical aggregation throughout the land from Bangor to Buenos Aires, from the highest high life to the lowest lowdown: From tuxedoed symphony ensembles to tipsy Calypso bands to honky-tonkers in oil field dives, from elegantly gelled tango orchestras to Jazz combos in unspeakable speak easys to methed out rockabilly trios right off some flatbed: you can be damned sure Johnny Cash wouldn't have been able to walk the line without bassist Marshall Grant keeping him honest. But somewhere along the line, the upright acoustic bass was snatched from it's hallowed place atop the sedans (special carriage) and show stages and relegated to the trash heap of history in favor of Leo Fender's sleek electric cousin, plugged in to compete with amplified guitar and drums. Now the stand up bass makes it's appearance mostly in limousine liberal Lincoln Center Jazz benefits and hardcore Bluegrass bands or as a comical Hayseed Prop in retro Hillbilly outfits. And yet in that span between the turn of the century tuba blaring from an Edison cylinder and today's synthesized bass loops heaving from every SUV on the pike, the hypnotic pull of the old school string bass remains. A musical craft handed down by calloused, bandaged fingers, it wrought a mighty saga of bottom heavy rhythms that rattled the walls of many a venue and anchored many an historic recording session. Without it, the revolutionary sound of American mongrel music of the last century would have been thin gruel indeed.'
Tracklist:
- Milenberg Joys - Ted Lewis & His Band
- Dinah - Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra
- Black Bottom Stomp - Jelly Roll Morton
- My Pretty Girl - Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra
- Wash-Board Cut Out - Leecan Bobbie Need-More Band
- Bogalusa Strut - Sam Morgan's Jazz Band
- Down by the Riverside - Sam Morgan's Jazz Band
- Bull Frog Blues - Charles Pierce and His Orchestra
- China Boy - Charles Pierce and His Orchestra
- Voice of the Southland - Thelma Terry & Her Playboys
- Mama's Gone, Goodbye - Thelma Terry & Her Playboys
- I'd Like to Go Back to That Old Pal of Mine - Halfway House Danc
- Goose Creek-Stomp - Mart Britt
- Waiting for a Train - Jimmie Rodgers
- Texas and Pacific Blues - Frenchy's String Band
- So Tired - Coley Jones/Dallas String Band
- Freeze and Melt - Joe Turner & His Memphis Men
- Hot Heels - Eddie Lang & His Orchestra
- Beggar's Blues - Sonny Greer
- Where the Sweet Magnolias Bloom - Taylor Griggs Louisiana Melody
- En Sens Unique S.V.P. - L'Orchestra Antillais
- Squabblin' - Walter Page's Blue Devils
- Duet Stomp - Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight
- Poor Li'l Me - Luis Russell & His Orchestra
- Panama - Luis Russell & His Orchestra
- Chinatown, My Chinatown - Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra
- Chances Are - Jack Teagarden & His Orchestra
- Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie and Rat - Wilmoth Ho
- Depression-Paseo - Lionel Belasco
- Who's Sorry Now? - Harlem Hot Shots
- Shag - The New Orleans Feetwarmers
- My! Oh, My! - Eddie South & His orchestra
- Baby, Are You Satidfied - Dicky Wells' Shim Shammers
- Tex's Dance - The Prairie Ramblers
- Brownie's Stomp - Milton Brown & His Brownies
- Rig Cutter Swing - Henry Allen & His Orchestra
- Stuff Is Here and It's Mellow, The - Eva Taylor
- Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wa-I (A Hawaiian War Song) - Andy Iona
- Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes - Spirits of Rhythm
- Bugle Call Rag - Candy & Coco (Take B)
- Good Morning, Judge - Carl Martin
- Dozen, The - State Street Boys
- Don't 'Low - Washboard Sam
- Rug Cutter's Function - Lil Johnson
- Yes Sir, That's My Baby - Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans
- Deep Blue Melody - Don Albert
- White Heat - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
- Tired of Me - The Crystal Springs Ramblers
- Pagin' the Devil - Kansas City Six
- Liza, Pull Down the Shades - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
- Pluckin' the Bass - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
- Cliumaz Rag - Jelly Roll Morton (Take 1)
- Sepia Panorama (Night House) - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
- Kentucky Stomp - Dixie Four
- Saint Louis Man - Dixie Four
- Endurance Stomp - State Street Ramblers
- Tuxedo Stomp - State Street Ramblers
- Brown Skin Mama - State Street Ramblers
- St. Louis Nightmare - State Street Ramblers
- Tell Me Cutie - State Street Ramblers
- Some Day You'll Know - State Street Ramblers
- Endurance Stomp - J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn (take)
- Shake Your Shimmy - Midnight Rounders
- Bull Fiddle Rag - Midnight Rounders (Take A, alternate take)
- Shake That Jelly Roll - J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn
- Don't Cry, Honey - J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn
- My Four Reasons - Ikey Robinson & His Band
- He's Got His Eyes on You - Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congr
- I'm in the Battlefield for My Lord - Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sancti
- She's Coming 'Round the Mountain - Cotton Top Mountain Sanctifie
- I'm Pressing On - Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation
- No Night There - Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation
- I Ain't Gonna Do It No More - Bertha "Chippie" Hill
- Pratt City Blues - Bertha "Chippie" Hill
- Get the "L" on Down the Road - Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band
- Don't Drink It in Here - Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band
- I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone - Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band
- Come on Mama Do That Dance - Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band
- Bull Fiddle Rag - Midnight Rounders (Take B, alternate take)