1928

1928 was the last year of Ma's recording career and found her in a number of different musical settings. First was a longish session in June, with "Her Tub Jug Washboard Band", featuring Georgia Tom on piano, plus a variety of characters on more improvised instruments (tub. Jug and washboard, in short). The effect is very rough and ready, but Ma's vocals were somewhat in that vein too, and they make a pretty good match. But such a view stereotypes her; she sounds just as right a couple of months later with the more urbane setting where Tom is joined by Tampa Red on guitar - Red's high singing slide notes sound like they are almost in conversation with the vocalist on songs like the beautiful "Daddy Goodbye" (which is based melodically on Leroy Carr's hit "How Long") and "Sleep Talking". The duets with Papa Charlie Jackson, accompanied only by his banjo, are both entertaining and fascinating. This, first volume of five completing the recorded output of Ma Rainey's music will appeal to fans of the Classic Blues, Jazz and the Vaudeville Years.