Big Mama Thornton – Ball And Chain / Arhoolie CD-305

Description

CD 305

Big Mama Thornton – vocals harmonica and drums
with Muddy Waters James Cotton Buddy Guy Fred McDowell Otis Spann and others.

Recorded in London San Francisco and Los Angeles 19651966 &1968. (The best of ARH LPs 1028 1032 & 1039.)
1. Sweet Little Angel
2. Unlucky Girl
3. Swing It On Home
4. Little Red Rooster
5. Hound Dog
6. Your Love Is Where It Ought To Be
7. School Boy
8. My Heavy Load
9. I’m Feeling Alright
10. Sometimes I Have A Heartache
11. Black Rat
12. Life Goes On
13. Bumble Bee
14. Gimme A Penny
15. Wade In The Water
16. Ball N’ Chain

REVIEWS

“Gritty vocals and uninhibited delivery her own version of ‘Hound Dog’ (lifted by Elvis from an earlier version) and ‘Ball ‘N’ Chain’ (given to Janis Joplin who copied many of Big Mama’s vocal mannerisms) make for a mesmerizing issue.”

(David Harrison — Folk Roots)

“Unlike the list of jazzy ‘Classic Blues Singers’ headed by Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey the roster of down-home female blues singers issadlyvery short. If Memphis Minnie was the greatest and best-known of the latter group Big Mama cannot be too far behind. She is one of the greats to be sure. Her voice ranges from a high register that can be ‘silky’ to a very low space that is as gruff and tough as any male’s. Her sense of phrasing intonation and tremolo is very sophisticated at times but never moves her from the mark. She knows where she’s at and where she’s at is the blues. Among the standout cuts are ‘Sweet Little Angel’ ‘Little Red Rooster’ ‘BIack Rat’ and a remake of her famous ‘Hound Dog’. Behind Mama is a cast of brilllant blues artists including Fred McDowell who accompanies her on slide; a small electric group consisting of Buddy Guy Eddie Boyd Big Walter Horton Jimmy Lee Robinson and the legendary Fred Below; and the 1966 Muddy Waters Band: James Cotton Otis Spann Muddy Waters Samuel Lawhorn Luther Johnson and Francis Clay. And so to borrow the words of Big Mama herself: ‘Bow-wow to all of you!’”
(Baltimore Blues Society Newsletter)