Blind Blake - All the Published Sides (JSP, 2003)

There really isn't anything that I can add to the body of knowledge concerning Arthur "Blind" Blake because so few biographical details are known about him. This is rather odd considering the fact that he was one of the most prolifically recorded prewar blues guitarists. We don't even know the year of his death.

If you're not familiar with Blind Blake, you should be. He's one of the giants of American roots music. His playing technique is flawless, and he may have been the most adept of all blues guitarists from the South-east during the 1920s-1930s. Blues guitarist is a somewhat inaccurate term for Blake since he may have been even more well known for his ragtime material and recordings with contemporary jazz musicians. This collection features nearly all of his entire output from the Paramount label with the exception of two sides that were recently discovered in 2007 and not known to exist at the time of this box set's release. There are too many great songs here for me to list my favorites, but I will say that "Hastings St." (with Charlie Spand) may be the finest prewar blues guitar-piano duet ever recorded. While I have to admit a slight preference for Mississippi Delta blues because of its greater emotional intensity, blues from the south-eastern states is well represented by this exhaustive collection of recordings by the regional style's acknowledged master.

Disc A

1. Dying Blues
2. Ashley St. Blues
3. West Coast Blues
4. West Coast Blues
5. West Coast Blues
6. West Coast Blues
7. Early Morning Blues
8. Early Morning Blues
9. Too Tight
10. Blake's Worried Blues
11. Come On Boys, Let's Do that Messin' Around
12. Come On Boys, Let's Do that Messin' Around
13. Tampa Bound
14. Skeedle Loo Doo Blues
15. Skeedle Loo Doo Blues
16. Stonewall Street Blues
17. State Street Men Blues
18. Down the Country
19. Back Biting Bee Blues
20. Wilson Dam
21. Buck-Town Blues
22. Black Dog Blues
23. One Time Blues

Disc B

1. Bad Feelin' Blues
2. Dry Bone Shuffle
3. Dry Bone Shuffle
4. Dry Bone Shuffle
5. That Will Never Happen No More
6. Brownskin Mama Blues - Take 1
7. Brownskin Mama Blues - Take 2
8. Hard Road Blues
9. Hey Hey Daddy Blues
10. Sea Board Stomp
11. You Gonna Quit Me Blues
12. Steel Mill Blues
13. Southern Rag
14. He's In the Jailhouse Now
15. Wabash Rag
16. Doggin' Me Mama Blues
17. C C Pill Blues
18. Hot Potatoes
19. Southbound Rag
20. Pay Day Daddy Blues
21. Elzadie's Policy Blues

Disc C

1. Good-bye Mama Moan
2. Tootie Blues
3. That Lovin' I Crave
4. That Lonesome Rave
5. Terrible Murder Blues
6. Leavin' Gal Blues
7. No Dough Blues
8. Lead Hearted Blues
9. Let Your Love Come Down
10. Rumblin' and Ramblin' Boa Constrictor Blues
11. Bootleg Rum Dum Blues
12. Detroit Bound Blues
13. Beulah Land
14. Panther Squall Blues
15. Elzadie's Policy Blues
16. Pay Day Daddy Blues
17. Walkin' Across the Country
18. Search Warrant Blues
19. Ramblin' Mama Blues
20. New Style of Loving
21. Back Door Slam Blues
22. Notoriety Woman Blues
23. Cold Hearted Mama Blues
24. Low Down Loving Gal
25. Sweet Papa Low Down

Disc D

1. Poker Woman Blues
2. Doing a Stretch
3. Fightin' the Jug
4. Hookworm Blues
5. Slippery Rag
6. Hastings St.
7. Diddie Wah Diddie
8. Diddie Wah Diddie
9. Too Tight Blues No. 2
10. Chump Man Blues
11. Ice Man Blues
12. Police Dog Blues
13. I Was Afraid of That Part 2
14. Georgia Bound
15. Keep It Home
16. Keep It Home
17. Sweet Jivin' Mama
18. Lonesome Christmas Blues
19. Third Degree Blues

Disc E

1. Guitar Chimes
2. Blind Arthur's Breakdown
3. Baby Lou Blues
4. Cold Love Blues
5. Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It Part 1
6. Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It Part 2
7. Stingaree Man Blues
8. Itching Heel
9. You've Got What I Want
10. Cherry Hill Blues
11. Diddie Wah Diddie No. 2
12. Hard Pushin' Papa
13. What a Lowdown Place the Jailhouse Is
14. Ain't Gonna Do that No More
15. Playing Policy Blues
16. Righteous Blues
17. Fancy Tricks
18. Rope Stretchin' Blues Part 2
19. Rope Stretchin' Blues Part 1
20. Rope Stretchin' Blues Part 1
21. Champagne Charlie Is My Name
22. Depression's Gone from Me Blues