Boogie Woogie Reviews

Here are the beginnings of a list to help identify boogie woogie recordings that you might want to buy. Where possible, I've included the record company's name and a product code which should be enough information to allow your local music shop to order them for you.
Alternatively, you can try to buy them online at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Compact Discs:

"Barrelhouse Boogie" featuring Meade Lux Lewis, Jimmy Yancy, Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons. This is great stuff - highly recommended. The code is ND88334, though its difficult to tell the publishing company. I bought it in a 3-pack with CDs of Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller, as part of the RCA Jazz Collection entitled "Piano Volume 1". Other company names on the cover are BlueBird and BMG, though possibly these are only to do with European distribution.
"Boogie Woogie: Great Original Recordings" This is the best of the lot, though for the time being I cannot find the details.
"Pete Johnson 1938-1939" A variety of blues and boogie woogie, some tracks are solo, some played with others including Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Joe Turner. Foot tapping music, including some unusual (simple but effective) basses, but the two above are better. Made by MPO in France, code: Classic Records 656.
"Pinetop Perkins On Top" A mix of excellent piano blues and boogie woogie. It has a more modern feel than the other recordings. Produced by Deluge Records. code: DEL D 3002.
"Tidal Boogie : Meade Lux Lewis" It's a very promising title, especially so since all the tracks were played on a "tack piano" in which drawing pins (thumb tacks) have been pressed into the hammer felts to get extra oomph out of the piano, but I was disappointed. The piano is extremely tinkly, and in fact none of the music is boogie woogie; it's played with a stride bass, which is more akin to ragtime than boogie. It's fun, but not Meade Lux Lewis at his best. Produced by Tradition. code: TCD1029.

Cassette Tapes:

"Organ Boogie Woogie" is played on Hammond organs with saxophones, guitars, drums etc. Marvellous! Code: CBS 40-21079, part of the CBS I Love Jazz series.
"Boogie Woogie Masters" features various players including Jay MacShann, Milt Buckner and Sammy Price. Code: Black & Blue 59.063.4.

If you have some favorite boogie recordings that ought to be listed here, why not e-mail details to me. Please include the publisher and product code if possible and arrange the text so that I can just copy/paste it! Replace [at] in the email addres with @.

Here are some recommendations by waikoloa

       "Boogie Woogie Masters" Some of the artists are, Cow Cow        
        Davenport. Pine Top Smith, Jimmy yancy, and Big Maceo. This     
        album is a product of Charly Records Ltd. and the album No.     
        is CDCD 1067                                                    
                                                                        
                                                                        
        Albert Ammons, Master Of Boogie, Some of the artists are,       
        Hersal thomas, Albert Ammons, and Meade Lux Lewis. This album   
        is a "Le Hot Club De France" Archive Series, and is on the      
        Milan lable. Distributed by BMG music.                          
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
        Pete Johnson, King Of Boogie, the artist is mostly all Pete     
        Johnson. This also is a "Le Hot Club De France" Archive series, 
        on the Milan lable and distributed by BMG music.

Recommendations by Tim J B Rich

Juke Joint Jump: A Boogie Woogie Celebration.  Columbia/Legacy Roots and 
Blues Series.  disc no.  CK 64988.   A stong boogie compilation with piano, 
small group and big band selections.  Top cuts include: Memphis Slim, Panic 
Street; Pete Johnson, Roll'em Pete; and parts one and two of Boogie Woogie 
Prayer.  Also contains Charlie Spand, Jack Dupree, Jimmy Yancey, Freddie 
Slack.  18 tracks.

Strut That Thing: The Essential Recordings of Piano Blues and Boogie.  Indigo 
Records.   disc no. IGOCD 2031.  Excellent piano blues and boogie compilation 
with Pinetop Smith, Cow Cow Davenport, Montana Taylor, Meade Lux Lewis, Jack 
Dupree, Big Maceo, Leroy Carr, Albert Ammons, Roosevelt Sykes and more.  22 
tracks.

15 Piano Blues & Boogie Classics.  Arhoolie records.  disc no. Arhoolie CD 
108.  Fun collection of mostly U.S. south, and southwest players.  Includes 
Katie Webster, Robert Shaw, Whistling Alex Moore, Mercy Dee Walton, Omar 
Sharriff.  15 tracks, reasonably priced.

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