Sleepy John Estes Expressman Blues(blues)(mp3@320)[rogercc][h33t]

Sleepy John Estes Expressman Blues
Released: 1999
Label: Hallmark
Format : [email protected]



Big Bill Broonzy called John Estes' style of singing "crying" the blues because of its overt emotional quality. Actually, his vocal style harks back to his tenure as a work-gang leader for a railroad maintenance crew, where his vocal improvisations and keen, cutting voice set the pace for work activities. Nicknamed "Sleepy" John Estes, supposedly because of his ability to sleep standing up, he teamed with mandolinist Yank Rachell and harmonica player Hammie Nixon to play the house party circuit in and around Brownsville in the early '20s. The same team reunited 40 years later to record for Delmark and play the festival circuit. Never an outstanding guitarist, Estes relied on his expressive voice to carry his music, and the recordings he made from 1929 on have enormous appeal and remain remarkably accessible today.
Despite the fact that he performed for mixed black and white audiences in string band, jug band, and medicine show formats, his music retains a distinct ethnicity and has a particularly plaintive sound. Astonishingly, he recorded during six decades for Victor, Decca, Bluebird, Ora Nelle, Sun, Delmark, and others. Over the course of his career, his music remained simple yet powerful, and despite his sojourns to Memphis and Chicago he retained a traditional down-home sound. Some of his songs are deeply personal statements about his community and life, such as "Lawyer Clark" and "Floating Bridge." Other compositions have universal appeal ("Drop Down Mama" and "Someday Baby") and went on to become mainstays in the repertoires of countless musicians. One of the true masters of his idiom, he lived in poverty, yet was somehow capable of turning his experiences and the conditions of his life into compelling art. ~Bio by Barry Lee Person


Tracklist :
01. New Someday Baby (2:50)
rec. New York City, April 22, 1938; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
02. Broken Hearted, Ragged And Dirty Too (3:14)
rec. Memphis, TN, September 26, 1929; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
03. Divin' Duck Blues (3:14)
rec. September 26, 1929 in Memphis, TN; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand
04. Working Man Blues (3:02)
rec. Chicago, September 24, 1941; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds, g, sp; Raymond Thomas, imb
05. Everybody Ouahta Make A Change (2:49)
rec. April 22, 1938 in New York City; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
06. Expressman Blues (3:03)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 17, 1930; John Estes, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, voc, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
07. Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown Blues (3:21)
rec. Chicago, July 9, 1935; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Hammie Nixon, hca
08. Milk Cow Blues (3:01)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 13, 1930; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
09. Poor John Blues (2:51)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 21, 1930; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
10. Liquor Store Blues (2:27)
rec. New York City, April 22, 1938; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
11. Brownsville Blues (3:08 )
rec. New York City, April 22, 1938; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
12. Little Laura Blues (2:32)
rec. Chicago, September 24, 1941; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds, g, Raymond Thomas, imb
13. Jack And Jill Blues (2:39)
rec. August 3, 1937 in New York City; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Hammie Nixon, hca; Charlie Pickett, g
14. Poor Man's Friend (3:08 )
rec. August 3, 1937 in New York City; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Hammie Nixon, hca; Charlie Pickett, g
15. The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair (2:58 )
rec. Memphis, TN, September 24, 1929; John Estes, voc, g; Johnny Hardge, p; James Rachell, mand
16. Fire Department Blues (3:06)
rec. April 22, 1938 in New York City; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
17. My Black Gal Blues (2:52)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 30, 1930; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
18. Easin' Back To Tennessee (2:42)
rec. New York City, April 22, 1938; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds or Charlie Pickett, g
19. Sweet Mama (2:55)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 30, 1930; John Estes, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, voc, mand (Three J's Jug Band)
20. Down South Blues (3:08 )
rec. Chicago, July 9, 1935; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Hammie Nixon, hca, # sp
21. Black Mattie Blues (3:25)
rec. Memphis, TN, October 2, 1929; John Estes, voc, g; "Tee", hca; James Rachell, mand
22. Hobo Jungle Blues (2:57)
rec. August 3, 1937 in New York City; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Hammie Nixon, hca; Charlie Pickett, g
23. Mailman Blues (2:55)
rec. June 4, 1940 in Chicago; Sleepy John Estes, voc; Robert Lee McCoy, g, # hca
24. Lawyer Clark Blues (3:09)
rec. Chicago, September 24, 1941; Sleepy John Estes, voc, g; Son Bonds, g, Raymond Thomas, imb
25. Watcha Doin' (3:17)
rec. Memphis, TN, May 21, 1930; John Estes, voc, g; Jab Jones, p; James Rachell, mand (Three J's Jug Band)