BIG BILL BROONZY/WASHBOARD SAM 1962 US-CHESS ORG. EX

$

114

BIG BILL BROONZY/WASHBOARD SAM (1968) US-CHESS 1468 ORIG. EX ! Artists: BIG BILL BROONZY / WASHBOARD SAM

Album Title: BIG BILL BROONZY / WASHBOARD SAM

General Artist/Album Info: BIG BILL BROONZY (William Lee Conley) - born June 26, 1893 in Scott County Mississippi, died August 15, 1958.

In 1924 he went to Chicago where he learnt to play guitar, taught by  Papa Charlie Jackson, before that played the fiddle. His first recordings date back to 1929, accompanied by himself. He started regular gigs with a small band around 1936 (mainly with drums and bass, sometimes added by piano, mouth-harp and brass). The recordings from that time are credited to the name of Big Bill and his Chicago Five. It was basically him that for he first time ‚invented’ the Powertrio in music – a concept that became much later very successfull in rockmusic with bands such as Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream.

In the late 30’s Broonzy toured extensively with Memphis Minnie. After the death of Robert Johnson he replaced him in the New York Show From Spiritual to Swing, this with much success. In the 50’s he toured also extensively in Europe and recorded with Peter Seeger, Sonny Terry, Brownie Mc Ghee and Leadbelly. In 1957 he started suffering from larinx cancer. He died one year later and was buried in Chicago. He was very influental to artists like Muddy Waters and Memphis Slim although he never became as famous as them. He was an excellent guitar player having composed more than 350 songs.

WASHBOARD SAM – born as Robert Brown on July 15, 1910 in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, died November 6, 1966 in Chicago. He was the most popular Washboard Player in the Chicago Scene in the late 30’s and 40’s. Hundreds of recordings prove that he was excellent singer and composer.  Brown allegedly a half-brother of Big Bill Broonzy, moved to Memphis in the 20’s where he earned a living by playing in the streets together with people like Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon. In 1932 he went to Chicago to accompany Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Slim, Tampa Red and others on recordings for Lester Melrose’s  Bluebird Record Label. As from 1935 he started also recording under his own name for Bluebird and Vocalion Records, often accompanied by Broonzy. By that time he was one of the most successfull blues artists of the Chicago scene. His musical career seemed to come to an end after the second World War, but in the early  60’s he came returned for a much acclaimed comeback which led him also to Europe. Washboard Sam died in 1966 due to a heart failure after a lengthy illness

On offer here is an ultra-rare 1st pressing copy of the classic BIG BILL BROONZY / WASHBOARD SAM LP on Chess Records.  It is the original first US-Pressing on the black/silver Chess Label.

Track Listing: Side 1: Little City Woman; Lonesome; Jacqueline; Romance Without Finance; By Myself; Shirt Tail  Side 2: Diggin’ My Potatoes; Bright Eyes; Minding my Own Business; Never, Never; Horseshoe over my Door; I’m A Lonely Man

Producer: Ralph Bass     Recorded: Universal Recording Studios Chicago

Label: CHESS  (original black/silver)

Cover Grade: EX, minor signs of use only. Has a tiny bit of ringwear on both front and back. Clean with no writings and seams are fully intact.

Record Grade:  EX, the heavy/thinck vinyl record still retains its full lustre and appears to have been played only few times and with great care. There are two small only superficial (non-audible) hairlines on Side 2. Both labels show practically no spindle marks at all. I have played the record on my Lenco L 75 system equipped with the original ADX 220 pick-up system and it plays absolutely great with practically no background noise at all.

Cat Number: Chess LP-1468

Mode: Mono

Country of Manufacture: U.S.A.

Original Year of Release: 1962

Matrix Nos: Side 1: LP 1468 Side 1 U-11643  J-M 0181  Side 2: LP 1468 Side 2 U-11644 J-M 0182

A scarce opportunity to acquire an ultra-rare US-Blues classic in great shape - coming from my own collection.