The Boss of the Blues

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The Boss of the Blues
The Boss of the Blues cover
Live album by Big Joe Turner
Released 1956
Genre R&B
Label Atlantic
Producer Nesuhi Ertegun, Jerry Wexler
Professional reviews

All Music Guide 5/5 stars link

Big Joe Turner chronology
Joe Turner Sings Kansas City Jazz
(1953)
The Boss of the Blues
(1956)
Big Joe Rides Again
(1959)

The Boss of the Blues is a 1956 album by American blues shouter Big Joe Turner. Originally released on the Atlantic label, the album has been reissued many times on cassette and CD by Atlantic, Rhino Records and Collectables.

Contents

[edit] History

From the 1920s through the 1930s, Big Joe Turner and boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson enjoyed a successful and highly influential collaboration that, following their appearance at Carnegie Hall on December 23, 1938, helped launch a craze for boogie-woogie in the United states.[1][2] After the pair separated, Turner continued to experience cross-genre musical success, establishing himself as one of the founders of rock and roll with such smash hits as "Shake, Rattle and Roll", but he did not turn his back on his roots.[2] The Boss of the Blues marks one of the last reunions Turner would have with Johnson,[3] as, supported by a number of swing's best performers,[3] they re-created a number of the classic tracks that had helped lay the groundwork for rhythm and blues.[1]

[edit] Track listing

Except where otherwise indicated, all tracks composed by Pete Johnson and Big Joe Turner.

  1. "Cherry Red" – 3:21
  2. "Roll 'Em Pete" – 3:41
  3. "I Want a Little Girl" (Murray Mencher, Billy Moll) – 4:16
  4. "Low Down Dog" (Turner) – 3:38
  5. "Wee Baby Blues" – 7:15
  6. "You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)" (Walter Donaldson) – 4:10
  7. "How Long Blues" (traditional) – 5:43
  8. "Morning Glories" (traditional) – 3:39
  9. "St. Louis Blues" (W.C. Handy) – 4:17
  10. "Piney Brown Blues" – 4:49

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Performance

[edit] Production

[edit] References