Yonder Come The Blues

Paul Oliver is internationally recognised as being one of the most prolific and authoritive writers of the history and development of blues music. In the early 1970s an excellent series of paperback books were published by Studio Vista known as "Blues Paperbacks". The series covered many aspects of the music and included several biographies including a book on Charley Patton written by John Fahey, Tommy Johnson by Dave Evans and Peetie Wheetstraw by Paul Garon. The series also featured three books which looked at the development of the music; Savannah Syncopators by Paul Oliver, Blacks Whites and Blues by Tony Russell and Recording the Blues by the blues discographer Robert M.W. Dixon. To compliment his book Yonder Come the Blues, based on those three books, Paul Oliver personally invited Document to produce this CD illustrating many musical examples drawn upon in the book. Continued...

Blind Willie Johnson Vol. 1 (1927 to 10th December 1929)
DOCD-5690 Blind Willie Johnson: Complete Recorded Titles Vol. 1 (1927 to 10th December 1929) Blind Willie Johnson, vocal, guitar. Includes: Willie B. Richardson, vocal. Genres; Gospel, Guitar Evangelist, Bottleneck-slide guitar. Texas. Informative booklet notes by Mark Makin. Detailed discography. Abridged booklet notes "The most soulful, transcendent piece in all American Music" - was Ry Cooder's description of "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground". Whether this judgement is excessive or not, it certainly cements the guitar evangelist and street singer, Blind Willie Johnson's position as one of the greatest of all American slide guitarists. In his short recording career from December 1927 to April 1930, a little under two and a half years, he would produce music that would have an immense influence on his contemporaries and later generations and cultures. The recordings were released on the Columbia label - one of the best selling 'race' labels - and he was in the company of Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Barbecue Bob and others. It is highly likely that Willie's records were well known by all his near and later contemporaries across all of the Southern States. Continued...

Blind Willie Johnson Vol. 2 (11th December 1929 to 20th April 1930)
Blind Willie Johnson, vocal, guitar. Includes: Willie B. Richardson, vocal. Genres; Gospel, Guitar Evangelist, Bottleneck-slide guitar. Texas. Informative booklet notes by Mark Makin. Detailed discography. By the end of the 1920s, Blind Willie Johnson had probably already heavily influenced many of the performing blues and gospel singers of Black America. It is possible to see his influence in many artists at the time, such as Ramblin’ Thomas and Blind Willie McTell, who became a friend of Johnson’s. McTell’s songs such as “Ain’t It Grand To Be A Christian” and “Dying Gambler” recorded in the mid 30s show a heavy Willie Johnson influence. Continued...