Best Ever Albums

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 22:14:43 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/06/2018 03:14

This is the kind of thing I'm after, but other artists and going back further. Something that tells a story, and shows a progression.

Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964 by Sam Cooke

Faith And Grace: A Family Journey 1953-1976 by The Staple Singers

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 16:26:40 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/05/2018 21:26

The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings by Louis Armstrong

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 16:23:35 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/05/2018 21:23

The Key To The Kingdom by Washington Phillips

AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

East Texas street evangelist Washington Phillips recorded 18 tracks in Dallas for Columbia Records between 1927 and 1929, 16 of which were issued on 78s and have survived into the 21st century. As a body of work, those 16 recordings are as singular as any from the pre-Depression era, featuring Phillips' personalized hymns and sermons accompanied by his modified zithers, which give the songs an eerie and delicate brightness. For years it was thought that Phillips played a dulceola (a zither-like instrument with a small keyboard attached that was invented by piano tuner David P. Boyd in the 1890s) at these sessions, but it now appears that he actually played two self-modified table zithers (one a phonoharp and the other a celestaphon) simultaneously to get his unique, celestial sound. But Phillips was more than a zither player with an eccentric playing approach; he was also a fine -- if unassuming -- singer, and his carefully composed musical sermons move like gentle, airy hymns, not exactly blues, but not exactly gospel, either, and all shot through with Phillips' distinct personality. In this regard he has a definite modern compositional sense, one that is built around his personal view of the world, but accompanied as it is by archaic-sounding instruments, the end result is like nothing before or since.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 16:18:03 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/05/2018 21:18

Here's two good Muddy Waters collections I found.

The Complete Plantation Recordings by Muddy Waters

The Anthology, 1947-1972 by Muddy Waters

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Fri, 5 Jan 2018 16:13:31 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/05/2018 21:13

Tha1ChiefRocka wrote:

Any of the "American Epic" series of recordings by Jack White's Third Man Record Label are reasonably priced and readily available.

Anything recorded by John or Alan Lomax.

Negro Prison Songs - Mississippi State Penitentiary by Various Artists

Decca Records made a great anthology for Bill Haley and other artists on their roster.

If you could be more specific with genre i could help a little more.

This album is killer. Thank you. The track, "Rosie" reminded me of Nina Simone's "Be My Husband".

As for genre, I'm interested in jazz, blues, folk, early rock 'n' roll, gospel. Most things, really. I'm just aware that in this time frame, albums weren't the main medium, so I'm looking for collections that are well thought out, tell a story, or give a context to the music.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

RoundTheBend — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 19:48:40 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 01/05/2018 00:48

rkm wrote:

I have this on DVD. I think I'll watch it again.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Yes.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 02:50:01 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/04/2018 07:50

I have this on DVD. I think I'll watch it again.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 02:42:38 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/04/2018 07:42

^

AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

This lavish 111-track, six-CD box set attempts the impossible -- to tell the whole story of jazz. Essentially an updated version of 1987’s out of print The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, this expanded anthology is wonderfully diverse in the story it tells, with tracks from jazz artists across the stylistic board, from Stan Kenton to Sun Ra, Bill Evans to Chick Corea, Louis Armstrong to Cecil Taylor, with stops everywhere in between, and any conceivable branch of the genre is represented by at least one selection. That’s the good news. The bad news is that whole phases of jazz’s complicated history are treated like three-minute whistle stops so that the train can stay on schedule and on track. That said, it’s an impressive survey, and wonderfully assembled and annotated.

--------

I guess the good news is that you can get off the train at any stop and take a look around.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

indieshins — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 01:42:41 GMT

Author: indieshins

Posted: 01/04/2018 06:42

grogg wrote:

Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology by Various Artists

If you want a springboard into early jazz this is the way to do it.

I'll second this. Did a class on jazz history at uni last year and the teacher used examples from this comp. There's pieces from every era, so it gives you a great overview not just of early jazz, but of more modern fare. That being said, my lecturer said there were better compilations - then again he was a jazz nut. I think this would more than suffice as an introduction.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

grogg — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 01:29:44 GMT

Author: grogg

Posted: 01/04/2018 06:29

Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology by Various Artists

If you want a springboard into early jazz this is the way to do it.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

CharlieBarley — Thu, 4 Jan 2018 00:19:59 GMT

Author: CharlieBarley

Posted: 01/04/2018 05:19

bobbyb5 wrote:

I used to have this except on several vinyl double LPS. But now it's a box set.
It starts in the forties with Atlantic's famous R&B records, and then it goes into their 60s boy group and Soul era then all the way into the seventies.
It has a million tracks on it and you won't believe your eyes how many great ones there are. It's awesome.

Atlantic & Blues 1947-1974 by Various Artists

Sounds pretty awesome.

I had a Chess Records compilation I bought on iTunes a couple of years ago, it was cheap. It had songs like Dust My Broom and Etta James and others. However I accidentally put my iPod through the washing machine over New Years so now I am saving up for a new iPod lol.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

bobbyb5 — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 22:26:38 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 01/04/2018 03:26

sethmadsen wrote:

When I was a teenager I owned this gem. I was an idiot and got rid of it in my later teens.

https://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Miller-Popular-Recordings-1938-1942/dp/B000002WDC

Good call.

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

baystateoftheart — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 22:05:04 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 01/04/2018 03:05

Glad to hear you have that Billie Holiday collection.

The Asch Recordings (four discs by Smithsonian Folkways) are a good place to go if you need some more Woody Guthrie in your life.

Regardless of whether you do, Hank Williams is pretty essential. This is a great collection:

40 Greatest Hits by Hank Williams

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 21:27:40 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/04/2018 02:27

Any Duke Ellington recommendations?

He made so much music over such a long period of time, and there's a gazillion compilations.

Allmusic recommends this

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

LittleM1971 — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:18:50 GMT

Author: LittleM1971

Posted: 01/03/2018 15:18

The Story Of The Blues by Various Artists

Picked this double album up the other year from a charity shop...a rather good education it is too. Starts off with a recording of the African Fra Fra tribesmen with each side having it’s own focus:

Side 1: the origins of the Blues (1-8)
Side 2: Blues and Entertainment (9-16)
Side 3: the Thirties, Urban & Rural Blues (17-24)
Side 4: World War II And after (25-32)

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

Repo — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 04:46:09 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/03/2018 09:46

rkm wrote:

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'm familiar with a few things. I bought the Lady Day one last year.

I'm searching for these titles on Apple Music, and most aren't available. Where they are available, it shows how inadequate the extra-musical information of the format is. Track title and artist simply isn't enough, when you want want to understand the context of the music.

Looks like I'll head to eBay. The Chess Story is $1,000. :shock:

lol. I just saw that too. Torch for my blood. Nabbed that rock n roll one though for 20 bucks. 😁

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

rkm — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 04:43:11 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 01/03/2018 09:43

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'm familiar with a few things. I bought the Lady Day one last year.

I'm searching for these titles on Apple Music, and most aren't available. Where they are available, it shows how inadequate the extra-musical information of the format is. Track title and artist simply isn't enough, when you want want to understand the context of the music.

Looks like I'll head to eBay. The Chess Story is $1,000. 😲

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

bobbyb5 — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 03:39:05 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 01/03/2018 08:39

I used to have this except on several vinyl double LPS. But now it's a box set.
It starts in the forties with Atlantic's famous R&B records, and then it goes into their 60s boy group and Soul era then all the way into the seventies.
It has a million tracks on it and you won't believe your eyes how many great ones there are. It's awesome.

Atlantic & Blues 1947-1974 by Various Artists

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

Norman Bates — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 03:32:38 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 01/03/2018 08:32

sethmadsen wrote:

Ok lastly:

Anthology Of American Folk Music by Various Artists

^this.

and

The Chess Story: 1947-1975 by Various Artists

Rock N' Roll: 1938-1946 by Various Artists

Re: Recommend Box Sets and Anthologies for exploring 1920-1960

RoundTheBend — Wed, 3 Jan 2018 01:38:03 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 01/03/2018 06:38

Ok lastly:

Anthology Of American Folk Music by Various Artists