Four discs-74,76,71,78 minutes each approximately. The remastered sound overall is good to very good, which is surprising considering the era and small budget conditions Geddins was forced to use. Each CD is in a separate jewel case, which are slipped into a cardboard case. The booklets list song titles, lengths, artists, recording dates, location, and personnel for each track. There's also a good overview of Geddins' record businesses and information on a number of artists.
Bob Geddins was largely responsible for developing blues in the San Fransisco-Oakland area in the late 1940's into the late 1950's. Largely unknown today except by deep blues record collectors, Geddins struggled to record a number of good local talent. Artists like Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Roy Hawkins, K.C. Douglas, Mercy Dee Walton (a personal favorite), Johnny Fuller, Juke Boy Bonner, Big Mama Thornton, and other singers who were virtually unknown-all recorded for Geddins on his various labels. Geddins himself (along with his brother on vocals) is even heard on the track "Irma Jean Blues", something he would do when the mood struck.
A TV/radio repairman by trade, Geddins would start up a record label when he had the necessary cash, only to see his labels go out of business, usually because he had no real distribution-he was the sole distributor of his artists. Another reason his labels didn't last was someone would cheat him in a shady business deal, but Geddins would persevere and start up another label when he could. Geddins realized that there were few labels catering to the population which had moved there looking for work. He was basically a one man record label-even owning his own pressing plant.
Geddins' artists were a combination of locally or regionally known musicians, and "walk-ins"-people who literally walked in wanting to record a track or two. When Geddins recorded someone, he wanted it to sound as sad as possible. As Geddins said, "I want black folks to feel the troubles of the old times". And all the tracks have a certain sad aura about them, especially the slower tunes. Even the up-tempo jump tunes have a certain amount of sadness- a reminder of hard times. But as with all good blues, there's a small amount of optimism heard in these songs which gives added depth to the music.
The groups range from small two or three man bands, to larger ensembles including a proper rhythm section and a horn or two. But no matter the size of the band, these tracks are a great example of what people in the Bay Area were listening to after WWII, and on into the 50's. In many ways these artists are closer to what large numbers of people in the region preferred to listen to. None of the major record labels would touch this music-especially artists not nationally known. And while a few of the artists heard here went on to larger fame, many remained locally popular/and or faded back into obscurity.
This set is a window into another time and place long since past. But listen to this music and be transported back to a time of local watering holes, with ten cent beer and a jukebox in the corner-probably playing some of this very music. It's exciting, and it's real,and while the people and the era have vanished, this collection takes you right back there again, every time you hear it.
For more West Coast blues look for "Swinging On The Golden Gate"-a 2 disc set, "Bob Geddins' Big Town Record Story"-a 3 disc set, "The Jaxyson Records Story", "Bob Geddins' Cava-Tone Records Story", "The Olliet Records Story"-a 2 disc set, "The Trilon Records Story 1946-1948"-a 3 disc set, and "The Lamp Records Story"-a 2 disc set. These should still be available from Acrobat Records, all with informative booklets-and at a great price. (Stuart Jefferson, Blues World)
trax disc 3
1. Tin Pan Alley - Jimmy Wilson 2. Big Town Jump - Jimmy Wilson 3. Mountain Climber - Jimmy Wilson 4. Teardrops On My Pillow - Jimmy Wilson 5. Bad Woman Blues - Joe Hill Louis 6. Hydramatic Woman - Joe Hill Louis 7. Call Me A Hound Dog - Jimmy Wilson 8. Instrumental Jump - Jimmy Wilson 9. Jumpin' From Six To Six - Jimmy Wilson 10. Trouble In My Home - Jimmy Wilson 11. I Love You Baby - Willie B. Huff 12. Operator 209 - Willie B. Huff 13. You Better Hold Me - James Reed 14. Things Ain't What They Used To Be - James Reed 15. Big Eyes - Little Caesar 16. Can't Stand It All Alone - Little Caesar 17. I Found Out - Jimmy Wilson 18. Oh Red - Jimmy Wilson 19. A Woman Is To Blame - Jimmy Wilson 20. Blues At Sundown - Jimmy Wilson 21. Mean Train - King Solomon Trio 22. Baby, I'm Cutting Out - King Solomon Trio 23. Wonder Why I'm Leaving - Little Caesar 24. What Kind Of Fool Is He - Little Caesar 25. He's A Real Fine Man - Fats Gaines 26. Home Work Blues - Fats Gaines 27. Don't Ever Leave Me Again - Frank Motley/Angel Face
...served by Gyro1966...
trax disc 4
1. Train Train Blues - Johnny Fuller 2. Bad Luck Overtook Me - Johnny Fuller 3. Mean Old World - Johnny Fuller 4. How Long - Johnny Fuller 5. I Wanna Make Love To You - Jimmy McCracklin 6. You're The One - Jimmy McCracklin 7. Fare-Well - Jimmy McCracklin 8. Take A Chance - Jimmy McCracklin 9. Sunny Road - Johnny Fuller 10. I Can't Succeed - Johnny Fuller 11. Too Late To Change - Johnny Fuller 12. Roughest Place In Town - Johnny Fuller 13. Well Baby - Juke Boy Bonner 14. Rock With Me Baby - Juke Boy Bonner 15. Mama Told Me - Johnny Fuller 16. Comin' Round The Corner - Johnny Fuller 17. Fool's Paradise - Johnny Fuller 18. First Stage Of The Blues - Johnny Fuller 19. Don't Talk Back - Big Mama Thornton 20. Big Mama's Coming Home - Big Mama Thornton 21. Savoy's Jump - Jimmy McCracklin 22. I'm The One - Jimmy McCracklin 23. Beer Tavern Girl - Jimmy McCracklin 24. My Love For You - Jimmy McCracklin 25. Lovin' Lovin' Man - Johnny Fuller 26. Remember - Johnny Fuller 27. Strange Land - Johnny Fuller 28. Weeping And Mourning - Johnny Fuller
...served by Gyro1966...
"Texas Gold" is the second release this year from the "San Antonio Records" label out of Sweden, and a companion to their earlier release "Doug Sahm-The San Antonio Hipster" in that no tracks overlap. Described in the liner notes as a follow-up to the 2008 "Sir Douglas Quintet-Scandanavian Years" release, "Texas Gold" gives an overview of Sahms work from 1980 to 1987, both studio releases and three live tracks. This collection also includes tracks from two impossible to find Augie Meyer "Sonet" label solo albums, with "Deep In The Heart Of Texas" a standout cut.
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