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Classic Album Review And Essay: Empress Of The Blues by Bessie Smith (Columbia Records)
Note: This review originally ran in the June 1995 issue of the Delta Snake E-Zine. I felt the programming was too dominated by slow numbers but didn’t fault the material. My opinion is different now but I decided to keep the original tone of the 1995 piece.
It isn't always emphasized that in the 20's, many of the most prominent Blues artists were women, and in fact, until the advent of the solo artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson, they were often the big stars of the Blues (no one called it the “Blues scene” back then).
One of the biggest stars was Bessie Smith, considered by many to be one of the greatest of them all. Given her achievements, it is more than arguable that she was and is. Bessie toured with a show featuring 40 musicians and performers and an entourage that would have rivaled many current rock acts. She later included popular songs of the time in her act and probably didn't view herself as a pure Blues artist. She was similar to another great, Louis Armstrong, in that his musical vision transcended categories.
She more or less got her start touring with earlier legend, Ma Rainey (who will be covered in a later issue). From there she moved on to a career that included her highly successful touring act, movie appearances, and sessions with jazz greats like Louis Armstrong.
Her death from injuries suffered in an automobile accident ended a career that in all probability would have continued into the fifties with success in the European jazz circles (like Bechet, Armstrong, and others). I'll skip over aspects of her private life, which were also legendary, although I will point out that by all accounts, she was a powerful human being who could dish out and return in spades any treatment a man could inflict on her.
In other words, she didn't act like a tragic figure or see herself as one. She was also strongly religious, and attended Church during an era when Blues singers were often viewed as singers of devil music. She knew otherwise and probably felt that God agreed with her.
Later on, the jazz, and rock and roll scene would love it's "Shouters" like Joe Turner or Jimmy Witherspoon. However, that tradition of vocalist started way back in the 20's, with those men and women who had to sing loud enough to be heard over full jazz bands in countless tents and auditoriums in the South. The Columbia compilation features performances by Bessie Smith, often called the Queen, or Empress of the Blues. The set focuses on her "Blues" side. It contains many of her best works, which were always of a high standard. Bessie never sang a song if she couldn't understand the message, and always chose her material carefully.
The problem is pacing. Particularly at first, it runs from one slow Blues to the next. After fifteen minutes can start to seem dirge-like and samey. A careful listening would make it clear that each song is a carefully crafted work, each with individual touches and aspects of pure genius. Which I guess is another way of saying, fans will love it, others may ask if you have any Stevie Ray you could play instead.
This does illustrate one problem with programming reissues. A more varied sequence mixing up fast and slow would make all the difference in the world, even if for liner note purposes, the order was all wrong. In real life, Bessie simply did not sing slow song after slow song...she'd have had half her audience out for popcorn by the third number. Also, it does illustrate one serious misconception about the 20's women Blues artists, which is that they tended to be rather tragic or oppressed figures and sang the Blues from a real sense of pain and all that. Unfortunately, this set sort of perpetuates that.
The reality is that the women of the 20's dominated the Blues scene (it wasn't called the "Blues scene" then, a
"Blues" was simply a fast or slow number that used a certain type of tonality or scale). No one in Hollywood would have dreamed of putting Son House in a movie, but Bessie? Sure thing, she was a well known jazz singer and had a large record buying audience and was charismatic as hell.
I've pointed out the main fault of the Columbia set, which like I said, would probably turn off the casual listener. In addition, the sound is somewhat less than CD quality, which I've heard from indirect sources would cause a record to be *graded* lower in the review section. However, it's hardly my job to convince a person who needs 90's sound quality to enjoy music to listen to this stuff, anymore than it would be to tell you not to listen because the song sequence is poorly planned.
The set starts off with "Downhearted Blues," which was her first record. Originally done by Alberta Hunter, it
was a big hit for Bessie. It was basically just her with piano accompaniment and is in many ways, the best vehicle for her music. She had one of those voices that didn't need instruments to sound good, with a sense of phrasing that could find and work around the beat every time.
Next is "Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do." which has always been a strong declaration of the singer's indepen-
dence. A classic, and more than one singer I imagine has tapped into the strength inherent in the lyrics and found it rejuvenating. It's a jazzy arrangement, and classic.
“My Sweetie Went Away," comes next, and it's a lament that doesn't sound very weepy. In fact, she sounds more triumphant than anything else. It's followed by "Weeping Willow Blues," which features some great horn work by Fletcher Henderson.
Louis Armstrong comes in next with "St. Louis (Blues)" which is the same classic he recorded. This version sounds unusually dirge-like, and lacks energy. This is followed by another slow one, "Reckless Blues," which features fine accompaniment by Louis. The rest of the set continues along in this vein with additional guest soloists like Henderson and Armstrong. One number, "Black Mountain Blues," is the only uptempo number, and also one that describes a shooting which was somewhat of a rarity in her Blues.
This Columbia material has always been in print, to the Label’s credit, in some form or another and is easy to find. It may not perhaps be the first Blues recording to put in your collection, but at some point when your Blues knowledge increases, you'll find it indispensable.
Al Handa
6/95
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