Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey DOUBLE CD

Too Late Too Late Vol 5 1927 - 1964
DOCD-5411 Too Late, Too Late Vol. 5 (1927 – 1964) Leroy Carr / Big Maceo / Jimmy Blythe / John 'Big Nig' Bray / Cow Cow Davenport / Rev. Lonnie Farris / Scrapper Blackwell / Elizabeth Johnson / Lonnie Johnson / Lead Belly / James 'Jack of All Trades' McCain / Blind Willie McTell / Sister Morgan / Frank Stokes / Montana Taylor / Sonny Terry / Henry Townsend Genres: Country Blues, Pre-War Blues, Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Blues Revival, Harmonica Blues, Blues Guitar, Chicago Blues, East Coast Blues, Field Recordings, Folk Revival, Folk-Blues, Folksongs, Piano Blues, Piedmont Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Regional Blues, Songster, St. Louis Blues. As is the case with each of the CDs in this series, Vol. 5 of Too Late, Too Late has valuable alternate takes, newly discovered titles, and unissued material. Quite a few major names are represented, with ten of the 24 selections being released for the first time. Continued...

Big Maceo Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 1 (1941-1945)
DOCD-5673 Big Maceo Vol 1. 1941-1945 – Flying Boogie Big Maceo, vocal, piano. With contributions by: Tampa Red, vocal, guitar; Ransom Knowling, stand-up bass, Clifford Jones, drums; and others… Genres: Blues, Blues Piano, Chicago Blues. Informative 12 page illustrated booklet by Gillian George. Detailed discography. Hattie Spruel was an ambitious woman and first met Big Maceo when she hired him to play for parties in her home. They were soon married and Hattie went to work to make a name for her new husband. The couple moved to Chicago in 1941, where she made the acquaintance of prominent guitarists Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red. She introduced them to Maceo and the two were impressed with his skills. They brought him to the attention of RCA's master producer, Lester Melrose, and within just a few weeks Maceo was recording for the famed Bluebird label. The first session would prove to be extremely fruitful for Merriweather. He recorded a total of 14 sides, with the first single becoming the most important of his career; Worried Life Blues. Continued...

Big Maceo Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 2 (1945-1950)
DOCD-5674 Big Maceo Vol. 2 1945-1950 - Big City Blues Big Maceo, vocal, piano. With contributions by: Tamps Red, vocal, guitar; Tyrell Dixon, drums; Eddie Boyd, piano; Big Crawford, bass; Odie Payne, drums; John Brim, guitar; Grace Brim, harmonica; and others… Genres: Blues, Chicago Blues, Blues Piano. Informative, illustrated 8 page booklet by Gillian George. Detailed discography. The first 4 tracks of this CD were recorded on the 5th July 1945 in Chicago with Tampa Red and Tyrell Little T Dixon on drums. The opening track, Maceo’s 32-20 (a superlative re-working of ’44 Blues’) is quite remarkable. His vocal phrasing is at times languorous, almost sexual, whilst the piano accompaniment is ominous and unrelenting. Maceo is out looking for his woman with his 32-20 in his hand. He means business! The band are on form, maybe it was a hot and sultry day in Chicago, perhaps a few drinks had flowed, whatever the circumstances of that recording they produced a session with all the elements of a deep soulful R&B sound that would be later exemplified by Muddy Waters and the Chicago 50’s sound. Continued...