Billie & DeDe Pierce – Gulf Coast Blues/ Arhoolie CD-488

Description

CD 488

Billie Pierce was a marvelous blues, ragtime, and jazz pianist and a very expressive singer who grew up in Florida where she accompanied Bessie Smith at a Pensacola theatre in the early 1920s. She later moved to New Orleans where Billie played professionally in honky tonks and later spent much time working for Preservation Hall and touring all over the world with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Her husband, De De Pierce was one of the most joyful and powerful New Orleans trumpeters as well as a superb vocalist specializing in the unique, regional Creole French patois. His rendition of “Eh La Bas” will knock you off your chair (or off your feet if you are standing!). These recordings were made in the 1950s when both were at their peak and playing regularly for dancers at Luthjen’s dance hall in New Orleans.

This CD includes all of Arhoolie LP 2016 plus three solo bonus tracks (13-15) by Billie Pierce recorded for Erwin Helfer’s Tone label.

On 1-12: Billie Pierce – vocals and piano, De De Pierce – vocals and trumpet, Brother Randolph – washboard (on #1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, & 12), Lucius Bridges – tom toms (on # 7) & vocal (on # 12). On 13-15: Billie Pierce – vocals and piano.

1. Eh La Bas
2. Gulf Coast Blues
3. Some Of These Days
4. You Can Depend On Me
5. The Peanut Vendor
6. Jelly Roll
7. Mama Don’t Allow
8. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down Andout
9. Going Back To Florida
10. Panama
11. St. James Infirmary
12. John Henry
13. Get A Working Man
14. Panama Rag
15. In The Racket

REVIEW

“If you want the real feel of old New Orleans, try Billie and DeDe Pierce’s Gulf Coast Blues… As a 15-year old, Billie Pierce played piano behind Bessie Smith; DeDe plays [Louis] Armstrong-style trumpet and sings in Creole French. This 1959 performance, featuring the washboard percussion of Brother Randolph, is full of spirit, swing, and life. The Pierces pay homage to Ferdinand Morton and show the Cuban influence in New Orleans music…”

(Sule Greg Wilson — Rhythm)