Classics Records
2002
1947-1948
About This Album
This installment in the Classics complete Sunnyland Slim chronology opens with two sides he cut in 1947 for the Aristocrat label in the company of guitarist Muddy Waters and bassist Ernest "Big" Crawford. Sunnyland expresses his own brand of murderous intent on "Johnson Machine Gun," threatening to arm himself and become "a walking cyclone" from Saginaw to highway 94. (Interested parties should consult a map of Michigan in order to fully appreciate the geographical span of his descriptive rage.) Two sessions from December 1947 resulted in eight recordings that were issued on the Victor label. Something interesting happened here. With the amazing Blind John Davis in command of the piano, Sunnyland was able to concentrate on singing with all his heart, punctuating the verses with loud whoops and hollers. Add guitarist Big Bill Broonzy, bassist Ransom Knowling, and drummer Judge Riley, and you've got one formidable Chicago blues quartet backing up a vocalist who holds nothing back. During the year 1948 Sunnyland Slim recorded for a lot of small labels. His Hy-Tone recordings appeared under the heading of Sunnyland Slim & His Sunny Boys. Four of these (Hy-Tone 32 and 34) feature the leader's high gritty voice and fine piano with Lonnie Johnson's amplified guitar and an excellent string bassist named Andrew Harris.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,17,18,19,20 and 21)

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