Virginia Roots CD

["Jim Greenwald" <staggerin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All

Been listening to a CD set I recently purchased: "Virginia Roots, the 1929
Richmond sessions" (Outhouse Records 1001). Info at
http://www.outhouserecords.com/  I put off getting it 'cause of the
abundance of quartet singing. Turns out that stuff was really super. Sam G.
might like it too - kinda black barbershop spirtuals.
Anyhow, what might be of interest to this group is the great harmonica
recordings in the set. All the Blues Birdhead stuff is here - you know, the
guy of "first recorded overblow" fame. For those who already have this
material on "The Great Players, 1927-1936" (Document DOCD-5100), the sound
here is way better. The Bubbling Over Five cuts sound practically Hi-Fi,
with all the unusual instrumentation of this group in sharp relief.
The other bunch of harmonica work is of Otis Motes, which is quite a
revelation. The four cuts he's on were recored and released before his 15th
birthday! His "Tight like that" and "Railroad Bill" show him with a fully
mature technique that approaches Gwen Foster. "Tight like that" is kind of
noisy at the beginning, then gets good. You can hear it (from a different 78
copy) at
http://www.honkingduck.com/BAZ/baz_one.php?req=ARTIST&pg=11&auid=1311&tuid=3
61&cuid=20336A
I don't know how many of you have heard of guys who could play two harps at
once, but I never heard any examples until now. This will probably be
debated, but I think the evidence is right there on "Church of God is right"
and "Home in the rock", two cuts he recorded with his brother, Tom. I can
hear two harps and the second one is playing an abbreviated version in
perfect time. The missing notes, my guess, are the ones he couldn't get
"blowing" through his nose or whatever <g> he's using. The rest of the set
is filled out with great stringband, jugband, "Hawaiian", and "folk"
singing.
I hope this is interest to those who like the old stuff. BTW, I got my copy
from County for $25.00US http://www.countysales.com

Staggerin' Jim