Blues Labels - Delmark Records

Most blues fans who have been blues fans for a while have at least one recording that came from Delmark Records.  Many significant blues artists have recorded for the label, played on a session for somebody else on the label, or have had an older release reissued by the label.  If you were to look at many blues fans' Top Ten Desert Island Discs (a subject for a future post), there is more than likely at least one recording from Delmark that will be included.

Delmark Records is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.  It is the oldest active record label that is still run by its founder, Bob Koester.  Since 1953, Koester, who turned 81 on October 30th, has recorded some of the finest electric blues, country blues, and jazz recordings.....some of which have served as major influences on modern blues and rock & roll artists, and it all started in a St. Louis record store.

Delmark founder Bob Koester

Koester attended college in St. Louis, studying business.  He had started collecting blues and jazz 78's as a teenager in his native Wichita, KS, but once in St. Louis, he became immersed in the St. Louis jazz scene, publishing a magazine and selling 78's by mail from his dorm.  In 1952, he opened the Blue Note Record Shop, and a year later, he recorded his first band, the Windy City Six, on what was then called Delmar Records (due to a trademark issue, he later renamed the label Delmark).

Soon afterward, Koester and others in the St. Louis area, began seeking out musicians from previous decades who might still live in the city.  They found artists like Speckled Red, Big Joe Williams, J.D. Short, and eventually were led to find Sleepy John Estes.  These artists made up the first blues recordings for Delmark.....Speckled Red's The Dirty Dozens, Willams' Blues on Highway 49 (with Short), and Estes' The Legend of Sleepy John Estes.  During this time, Koester was also reissuing several jazz albums purchased from other labels.

In 1958, Koester moved to Chicago and later bought Seymour's Jazz Record Mart, where he began recording several of the Windy City's jazz musicians.  The business relocated in 1963 and was renamed the Jazz Record Mart.  It was also during the early 60's that the folk music revival started and there was a renewed interest in blues, particular the electric style.

By 1965, Koester had decided to record a local Chicago blues artist, Junior Wells, and his approach in doing so set the standard for modern blues records.  Until that point, a blues artist was only able to release an album once they had accumulated enough singles for a label to generate a "greatest hits" album.  With Wells, backed by Buddy Guy on guitar, Koester decided to record the session with the intent of capturing the charismatic harmonica player as if he were on the bandstand playing a regular live set at a local club.  The session was a huge success and Hoodoo Man Blues was, and still is, Delmark's biggest seller.  It is still considered to be one of the greatest blues albums of all time.




The floodgates opened soon after, with classic recordings from Magic Sam, J.B. Hutto, Jimmy Dawkins, Luther Allison, Carey Bell, Robert Lockwood, Jr., and later albums from Wells, Otis Rush, Jimmy Johnson.  Delmark's success with their blues recordings enabled Koester to delve into the Windy City's burgeoning avant garde jazz scene, recording some of the genre's finest albums.

Delmark has also acquired masters from many jazz and blues labels that are no longer in business.  Some of the blues labels include United/States, Apollo, Parkway, and Pearl.  They also bought the rights to several 70's sessions (from artists like Magic Slim, Jimmy Johnson, Lacy Gibson, Eddie Clearwater, and Lonnie Brooks) that were recorded by Ralph Bass.  These acquisitions have rewarded listeners with the opportunity to hear excellent recordings by Robert Nighthawk (Bricks In My Pillow) and Junior Wells' Blues Hit Big Town, a great pair of Memphis Slim/Matt "Guitar" Murphy recordings, and Little Walter's first recordings as a front man.  The label has also released excellent live recordings from the 70's by Otis Rush and Junior Wells.

L to R:  Bruce Iglauer, Jerry Del Guidice, Bob Koester, Michael Frank

Some of Delmark's employees have gone on to bigger and better things over the years.....Bruce Iglauer went on to form Alligator Records, and others such as Michael Frank (Earwig Records), Amy Van Siegal (Rooster Blues Records), Chuck Nessa (Nessa Records), Don Kent (Mamlish Records), and Pete Crawford (Red Beans Records) all went on to release prominent recordings of their own, and several musicians, including Charlie Musselwhite and Mike Bloomfield, also worked there.

Delmark released few new recordings in the early 80's, at least on the blues side, but with the advent of CDs, they began reissuing their older recordings in the new format, and in the late 80's, started releasing some new recordings from Chicago acts like Professor Eddie Lusk, Dave Specter and Barkin' Bill Smith, Willie Kent, Jessie Fortune, Jimmie Lee Robinson, and Big Time Sarah through the early 90's, along with releases from soul legend Syl Johnson and the great Robert Ward.

In recent years, Delmark has issued recordings from veterans like Jimmy and Eddie Burns, Eddie Shaw, James Wheeler, Little Arthur Duncan, Tail Dragger, Detroit Jr., Willie Buck, Eddie C. Campbell, and Johnny B. Moore, and have also tapped into the Windy City's more recent blues stars like Toronzo Cannon, Mike Wheeler, Sharon Lewis, Lurrie Bell, Karen Carroll, Quintus McCormick, Linsey Alexander, and Studebaker John.

Koester still has plenty of great recordings in the works, including a November release from Magic Sam (a live set from June, 1968), the third set of live recordings by the much-missed singer/guitarist that the label has released.  There will also be a 60th Anniversary disc available in November.....one for the blues recordings and one for jazz.

So if you talk to anyone who laments the passing of independent record labels, just shake your head and point to Delmark Records as a continuing success story, even in these days of cookie-cutter music and big corporation record labels.  Without Bob Koester and Delmark, their pioneering approach to recording albums, their consistent reissuing of great music from defunct record labels, and their relentless promotion of the music they love, the world of blues recordings would be a much different place.

To check out Delmark's extensive catalog of blues and jazz recordings, go here.  To check out the Jazz Record Mart and check out their massive inventory, visit their site here.

Ten Essential Delmark Recordings:

As you glance through these, please keep in mind that these are MY essential Delmark Recordings, and that it was really hard to limit it to just ten.  I would love to hear from you about your favorite Delmark albums.

Junior Wells (with Buddy Guy):  Hoodoo Man Blues - The Gold Standard for Chicago blues recordings.  I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for this session.

Magic Sam:  Black Magic - I know a lot of people love West Side Soul, and it's tough to have to decide between the two, but I think Black Magic has a slight edge and this is my list, so.......  Sadly, it was the last chance we had to hear Magic Sam in the studio.

Various Artists:  Sweet Home Chicago - I think this is a highly underrated set that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle with the great multi-volume Chicago collections from Alligator (Living Chicago Blues) and Vanguard (Chicago!  The Blues!  Today!).  Face it.....any disc with recordings from Luther Allison, Magic Sam, Louis Myers, and Eddie Shaw deserves a spot on your music shelf.

Robert Jr. Lockwood: Steady Rollin' Man - This was Lockwood's first session as a leader and one of his best.  I probably listen to this disc as much as any in my collection.

Jimmy Johnson:  Johnson Whacks - Johnson's catalog is loaded with quality work, but this release is the cream of the crop, with a perfect mix of blues and soul.

Robert Nighthawk:  Bricks In My Pillow - Nighthawk recorded this session for United in the early 50's, so this is one of the many great reissues that Delmark has blessed blues fans with over the years.  This was my first exposure to the slide guitar master and it remains one of my favorites.

Otis Rush:  All Your Love I Miss Loving - Live at the Wise Fool's Pub, Chicago - This live date was recorded in 1976 for broadcast on a Chicago radio station to help promote Rush's Cold Day In Hell release on Delmark.  We will look deeper into this disc in the coming weeks, but this is a fantastic example of a typical 70's Rush set.

James Kinds:  Love You From The Top - Kinds was seen as the "next big thing" in the blues back in the 70's, but sort of dropped off the radar after a series of bad breaks.  This release was well received upon its release a few years ago and seemed to get Kinds back on track, but he's since battled some health issues.  Hopefully, we haven't heard the last of him.

Toronzo Cannon:  Leaving Mood - We talked with Mr. Cannon a few weeks ago and discussed this release.  Cannon is one of the many rising stars on the Chicago blues scene.  His inventive songwriting and powerful rocking guitar work are positive signs for the future of the blues.

Lurrie Bell:  Blues In My Soul - Bell's most recent release is an excellent set of Chicago blues classics reinterpreted by the talented guitarist.  Backed by a great band, Bell really tears into these songs and gives one of his finest performances.....a great listen from start to finish.

Blues For The Budget-Minded

If you're like most people, you're suffering from a condition that's all too common these days.....them No Budget Blues.  For most folks under tight financial conditions, one of the first things to go might be that spare change you used to allow to purchase the occasional blues CD.  One of the best ways around this condition for blues fans is the compilation CD.  Most blues labels put out collections of their best recordings on a regular basis, usually at a bargain price.  Not only is it an inexpensive way to get your hands on some quality blues music, but it also offers the possibility of exposing you to new artists that you might not have heard otherwise.  I have been picking up budget compilations for years and have discovered many of my favorite artists along the way.  Today, Friday Blues Fix will look at a few of the collections that opened my eyes and ears to some great music, and we'll throw a few samples your way while we're at it.

When I first started listening to the blues, MCA was reissuing a lot of the old Chess Records.  Most of these records originally done in the 50's or 60's were relatively short, about ten songs lasting about thirty minutes at most, so MCA released them at pretty low prices.  I knew a lot of the artists for Chess by name only and it was so overwhelming that I didn't know where to get started.  Fortunately for me, MCA had also reissued Chess' classic The Blues five-volume series.  These albums featured tracks from the entire line-up of Chess artists....Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Willamson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rogers, and countless others.  Within a few weeks, I had all five volumes and my blues vocabulary had expanded a hundredfold.  Unfortunately, these are hard to find now, but MCA (and now Universal Music) has repackaged the Chess catalog several times over the years and most of these songs are still easy to find, though not quite as low-budget as previously.  In the early 90's, Chess released a Volume 6 with nothing but rarities on it.  If you can find this series, it's a great, inexpensive place to build up your collection of Chess blues.  They can be easily found on Ebay or on Amazon in used condition for small change, and are well worth the hunt.  Here's the first song I ever heard by Buddy Guy, courtesy of The Blues, Volume 1......"First Time I Met The Blues."

Another great indispensible source of blues in a more modern vein came from Alligator Records.  Their Genuine Houserockin' Music series was an incredible introduction to the Chicago label's wide span of  artists.  I had originally picked up a couple of their albums in record stores and enjoyed them, but when I picked up Volume 1 of this set, I knew that I had to dig deeper.  About once a year for five or six years, the label released a new volume that collected recent recordings.  There were five of these, plus a Christmas edition.  These albums included cuts from Johnny Winter, Koko Taylor, Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan, Hound Dog Taylor, Fenton Robinson, Jimmy Johnson, Kenny Neal, Tinsley Ellis, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Lonnie Brooks, and James Cotton.  Going the extra mile for their listeners, Alligator has also, since the early 90's, released an anniversary two-disc set every five years, also at budget prices, of some of their best work.  These have essentially replaced the Houserockin' series over the years and more and more of them feature previously unreleased songs.

Speaking of anniversary releases, several blues labels have turned out some great releases celebrating their years in the record business.  Delmark Records has issued anniversary sets for their blues and jazz catalog every five years since their 20th, the last couple also included DVDs.  The unsung Chicago label Earwig Records released a two-CD 20th anniversary set a few years ago that featured music from many little-heard Chicago area artists.  The German label Ruf Records released a 12th, yes....a 12th, anniversary set a couple of years ago with some of the best of the blues being played by many American (Larry Garner, Luther Allison, Omar and the Howlers, Candye Kane, Bernard Allison) and European artists (Ian Parker, Ainsley Lister, Ana Popovic).  There have been many others, and most of them offer some quality listening because the labels are putting examples of their best material on these discs.  I was able to track down some additional music from artists I'd never heard before after listening to these releases.  The great Jimmy Dawkins released an awesome disc in the early 90's from Earwig and this song, "Beetin Knockin Ringin," was on it and also the Earwig anthology.  Check it out.

Around the time I started buying CDs, Rounder Records came out with their fantastic Easydisc series.  By the mid 90's, Rounder had built a huge catalog of blues, zydeco, Cajun, New Orleans R&B, folk, country, surf, and bluegrass recordings, so they began releasing collections of recordings, usually taking on a particular theme, like Blues Guitar Greats, Zydeco Party, Blues on Fire, etc....).  In addition to their own catalog, Rounder also issued tracks from artists on Alligator and JSP on Easydisc recordings, giving them additional exposure.  Due to some of these collections, particularly Blues on Fire, I discovered the British label, JSP, and their vast catalog of seldom-recorded artists like U. P. Wilson, the Butler Twins, and many other artists that they featured on their own budget-priced collections.

JSP offered anthologies of their current releases that loaded sixteen or eightteen songs on a budget-priced disc.  They also offered two-disc sets on Chicago and Texas blues that brought out a lot of previously unheard musicians and many of them benefitted from the exposure.  Another great collection came from the Dutch label, Black Magic, and had some great tracks as well.  Somehow, someway, JSP and Black Magic collections found their way into a lot of mall music stores in Mississippi, which is where I found them.  Take a break from reading and enjoy these two tracks.....first, from the JSP anthology Chicago Blues (Volume 1), here's Phil Guy, brother of Buddy, playing "Once A Gambler"......then from the Black Magic anthology, Witchcraft: Black Magic for Beginners, here's another highly underrated Chicago artist, the late Andrew Brown, with "I Can Hear My Baby Talking."  Brown was criminally underrecorded and he passed away from cancer at a pretty young age in the late 80's, so few got to hear his soul-based blues.  We'll be discussing Andrew Brown more in a future FBF.

In the 70's, the recording business was basically dead to blues musicians.  Their best bet back then was to go to Europe and tour for the appreciative fans overseas.  While they were there, many of them recorded for various labels, like Black & Blue, Sonet, and others.  In the early 90's, Evidence Records bought the rights to many of these albums and began releasing them as budget discs, with bonus tracks added in most cases.  Most of these are still available from Evidence and offer some great music by nearly every major blues artists during that time, filling a gap in most of their recording careers for U.S. fans.

That covered most of the post-war blues for me.  There was also the outstanding collection of discs from Yazoo Records.  Yazoo collected many of the great pre-war artists of the late 20's and 30's in various collections.  It was on these recordings that I first heard Charley Patton, Sam Collins, Skip James, Kokomo Arnold, Tommy Johnson, and Frank Stokes.  Yazoo Records offered a package deal where you could buy three or four and get one free and they were fairly inexpensive to start with, so I snatched up a well-rounded collection over a short amount of time.  To many blues fans, the pre-war recordings are an acquired taste, due to rough sound in most cases, but modern technology has done wonders for these dusty old recordings.  JSP, in particular, has reissued some of these recordings in budget-priced box sets with excellent sound.  Give a listen to Charley Patton's original version of "Spoonful Blues," from Yazoo's Roots of Rock collection.

There are countless other anthology releases that are also worth seeking out, but what you have here is a good start if you're trying to expand your blues collection in a short time on a limited budget.  A bit of warning though......once you get started listening, it's hard to stop.

Ten Questions With........Bernard Allison

Bernard Allison grew up in a house filled with music......listening to his family's record collection and his father's (legendary blues guitarist Luther Allison) recordings, and later discovering the music of his own generation, too.  He has been active as a musician since the early 80's, beginning with a couple of appearances with his dad and enjoying a couple of stints with Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine, the first one beginning the week after he graduated from high school.  He later served as his father's European band leader and under his tutelage, was able to develop his own talents as a front man and guitarist.  Since the late 80's, the younger Allison has been recording and leading his own band.  His first few albums were recorded in Europe for European labels, but he really came into his own with his first U.S. release in 1997, Keepin' the Blues Alive, on Ron Levy's Cannonball Records label.

Since then, Allison has kept pretty busy performing and recording for several labels, most recently with the Jazzhaus label.  His latest release, In the Mix, is his first studio release in six years and is a change of pace from his previous efforts, focusing more on songs and grooves than than the guitar fireworks this time around (although he still offers plenty of those as well).  As we stated during last week's post, it's a great mix of original tunes and covers and to FBF's ears, it's his best release yet.

Though he has comfortably established his own position in today's Blues Scene, in many ways, Bernard Allison's career mirrors his father's.  Both migrated to France to enjoy the vibrant blues scene in the European countries, Luther Allison's brand of blues dipped heavily into the rock and soul music that he listened to growing up, while Bernard Allison's brand of blues encompasses the rock, soul, R&B, and funk that he grew up listening to.  Finally, Luther Allison was and Bernard Allison is an electrifying live performer.  I've been lucky enough to see Bernard Allison twice, once when he was backing Koko Taylor in the late 80's and then again at the BMA's in the late 90's, shortly after his father passed away, where he and Deborah Coleman played a scorching version of "Bad Love."  If you get the opportunity to see him, you must do so.  While you're waiting, check out In the Mix, then track down his earlier CDs and DVDs to see what all the fuss is all about.  You can thank me later.

Friday Blues Fix thanks Bernard for taking time out from his busy schedule to stop by and answer Ten Questions (give or take) for us.  We hope you enjoy.


Ten Questions With........Bernard Allison

Friday Blues Fix:  I know you’ve probably been asked this a million times, but what was it like growing up in Chicago with a blues guitarist father?  

Bernard Allison:  I was born in Chicago but did most of my growing up between Peoria, Illinois & Miami, Florida.  Lots of music in our household, all styles, so that's what I always refer to when preparing new recordings.

FBF:  When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician?  Was guitar your first instrument? 

BA:  I was 10 years old when I started messing around with my older brother’s guitar and just figured it out while playing along with my dad’s recordings.

FBF:  What blues artists did you like to listen to?  What other styles of music did you listen to and which artists? 

BA:  As far as blues, Albert and Freddie King, Tyrone Davis, Magic Sam, Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor. Other than blues, lots of styles, the Isley Brothers, Parliament, Cameo, Jackson 5, AC/DC, Chuck Berry, etc….

FBF:  Did your dad try to steer you in one direction or the other as a musician, or did he want you to try and do something else?  

BA:  He just wanted me to finish high school and then it was my own decision, as far as what I wanted to do after.

FBF:  Besides your dad, who are your biggest influences as a guitarist? 

BA:  Albert King and Freddie King would be my picks prior to the next generation of players.

FBF:  How important was coming up through the ranks (playing with Koko Taylor, Willie Dixon, etc…) in helping to develop your musical career?   

BA:  Koko and her husband Pops Taylor taught me the rules of the road as well as learning how to play beside a vocalist; I credit them both for my sense of rhythm.

FBF:  What’s the best piece of advice you received from anyone when you were starting out? 

BA:  Listen to all styles of music and try and find yourself within and play what your heart feels, as opposed to copying someone else’s feel.

FBF:  In the Mix is your first studio album in six years and it’s different from your previous efforts with more of a soul/R&B influence….did you intend to go in a different direction from the beginning or did the changes take place as it progressed?  

BA:  I’ve always had it in me, just never had the chance to record it.  It's basically what I listened to growing up on a daily basis as well, as names like Tyrone Davis, Freddie King, Koko Taylor were longtime friends of the Allison family.

FBF:  Can you tell us about some of the original songs on In the Mix?  Some of the songs have a personal touch, like the one you wrote with your mother (“Call Me Momma”). 

BA:  My Momma really knows music….all styles.  She has helped me with lyrics on other recordings as well as my dad’s early recordings. I just wanted to tell the story about who you can call for positive advice without being sugar coated.  That's my Momma 100%.

FBF:  How did you decide on the cover tunes on In the Mix (Colin James’ “Five Long Years,” Tyrone Davis’ “I Had It All The Time,” Freddie King’s “I’d Rather Be Blind,” two from your father, (including “Move From The Hood”)?  I know you usually include one or two of your dad’s songs on your albums, and I really like how you always add your own personal touch to those songs.  I enjoyed your take on “Moving On Up” on this disc. 

BA:  Well, Colin James and I go back many years and were just recently reunited on the Blues Cruise, Colin is an amazing writer, guitarist, and singer I love his mix of different genres. Tyrone Davis, like I mentioned, was very close to my family, actually growing up with my mom. I was on the blues cruise with Tyrone shortly before his passing. We had talked about recording together for my upcoming CD, Chills & Thrills but due to his passing, that wasn't possible. So instead I wrote the song “Missing Tyrone,” which I wrote mostly for his wife Ann. Basically singing to her that he wants her to hold her head up high and keep on living life and that he is with her every day. Freddie King was always a favorite and I've always wanted to record “I’d Rather be Blind,” but first I needed to become a bit more stronger vocally as well as come up with a different feel to his original version. My dad’s songs that I select to record always goes through my momma, also I normally go back to my dad’s very early recordings for reference.  Yes, “Moving On Up” is one of my favorite songs, sits really well on this CD.

FBF:  You’ve lived in France for a number of years and record for European labels.  What in your opinion is the difference between the blues scene (fan base, gigs, pay, etc….) in the U.S. and the rest of the world?  What could be done in the U.S. to make things better?  

BA:  Yes, just like my dad, Europe just welcomed us both with open arms and allowed us to show our musical influences as opposed to putting a label on us…..as well as they real promote blues related music differently, especially with the younger age bracket.  Lots of blues in the schools there, as well…..concerts that kids can attend. Here in the states, when it comes to the kids we basically have to wait for festivals so they can attend. We have some blues in the schools here in the states….I think it could be more of it.  Also, media as far as radio, TV…..how they promote is a very different approach where I find it a bit limiting here in the states. Late night blues radio stations, lack of TV promotion…..we have mostly blue magazines and blues societies that keep things rolling and now more and more internet blues supporters bringing it to the public.



Selected Discography

CDs

The Next Generation (Celluloid Records)

Funkifino (Ruf Records)

Hang On! (Ruf Records)

No Mercy! (Live) (Inakustik Records)

Keepin' The Blues Alive (Cannonball Records)

Times Are Changing (Ruf Records)

Across the Water (Tone-Cool Records)

Storms of Life (Tone-Cool Records)

Kentucky Fried Blues (Live) (Ruf Records)

Higher Power (Ruf Records)

Triple Fret (with Larry McCray and Carl Weathersby) (JSP)

Energized:  Live in Europe (Ruf Records)

Chills & Thrills (CC Entertainment)

The River Is Rising (Compilation of Tone-Cool releases) (Blues Boulevard Records)

The Otherside (CC Entertainment)

Live At the Jazzhaus (Jazzhaus Records)

Allison Burnside Express (with Cedric Burnside) (1-2-3-4 GO Records)

Into the Mix (Jazzhaus Records)











DVDs

Kentucky Fried Blues

Energized:  Live in Europe

Live at the Jazzhaus