Bessie Smith - The Complete Recordings Vol. 2 (1924-1925) (1991)

Bessie Smith, even on the evidence of her earliest recordings, well deserved the title "Empress of the Blues" for in the 1920s there was no one in her league for emotional intensity, honest blues feeling, and power. The second of five volumes (the first four are two-CD sets) finds her accompaniment improving rapidly with such sympathetic sidemen as trombonist Charlie Green, cornetist Joe Smith, and clarinetist Buster Bailey often helping her out. However, they are overshadowed by Louis Armstrong, whose two sessions with Smith (nine songs in all) fall into the time period of this second set; particularly classic are their versions of "St. Louis Blues," "Careless Love Blues," and "I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle." Other gems on this essential set include "Cake Walkin' Babies From Home," "The Yellow Dog Blues," and "At the Christmas Ball."

Tracklist:

CD 1:

01. Frankie Blues 03:34
02. Moonshine Blues 03:19
03. Lou'siana Low-Down Blues 03:25
04. Mountain Top Blues 03:14
05. Work House Blues 03:23
06. House Rent Blues 03:08
07. Salt Water Blues 03:29
08. Rainy Weather Blues 03:38
09. Weeping Willow Blues 03:12
10. The Bye Bye Blues 03:20
11. Sing Sing Prison Blues 03:06
12. Follow the Deal on Down 03:18
13. Sinful Blues 03:11
14. Woman's Trouble Blues 03:07
15. Love Me Daddy Blues 03:16
16. Dying Gambler's Blues 03:00
17. The St. Louis Blues 03:12
18. Reckless Blues 03:05
19. Sobbin' Hearted Blues 03:01

CD 2:

01. Cold In Hand Blues 03:15
02. You've Been a Good Ole Wagon 03:30
03. Cake Walkin' babies (From Home) 03:11
04. The Yellow Dog Blues 03:05
05. Soft Pedal Blues 03:21
06. Dixie Flyer Blues 03:11
07. Nashville Woman's Blues 03:45
08. Careless Love Blues 03:27
09. J.C. Holmes Blues 03:05
10. I Ain't Goin' to Play Second Fiddle 03:23
11. He's Gone Blues 03:11
12. Nobody's Blues But Mine 02:53
13. I Ain't Got Nobody 03:11
14. My Man Blues 03:32
15. New Gulf Coast Blues 03:23
16. Florida Bound Blues 03:15
17. At the Christmas Ball 03:26
18. I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It 02:55