The Chronological Martha Davis 1946-1951. I have a couple of her songs from a great compilation of Kansas Blues singers and I play them over and over and over. There’s not a lot of Davis stuff about, but that’s what I want. I play one song, ‘Kitchen Blues’ an awful lot – she has a lovely, velvety voice.
[edit: marking these essays has apparently done irreparable damage to my language skills]
Now I know you said you didn’t want an eMusic account but I feel obliged to tell you this is there. http://www.emusic.com/album/1946-1951-1946-1951-MP3-Download/11268894.html
You might be all old skool puritan about digital downloads (although when yo’re talking 1940s recordings I can’t see how the audiophilic experience would be better on disc …) but if you want I can send you a referal. As an existing member if I refer you you get 50 free downloads, rather than the usual (i think) 25. Which could cover this nicely. Then you can unsubscribe.
;-)
The whole Body & Soul label was recently added, I have already a heap saved for download. http://www.emusic.com/browse/l/b/-dbm/a/0-0/1400206715/0.html
I have seen the Martha Davis on emusic – it’s one of the reasons I’m very close to getting an account.
And that Body and Soul link is quite exciting – oo!
The two reasons I’m hesitating on an emusic account are:
1. having the CD gives me a hardcopy back up. This is important as I carry my laptop to gigs. I do have major back up at home of all my stuff, but having the original CD is very useful.
2. the liner notes in CDs are invaluable. I find the dates can be wrong on the sound files, and I am quite dependent on the personnel listings for each track – especially as I start following specific musicians through their careers.
But I can’t help but desire the emusic stuff – cheap, immediate gratification, access to stuff that’s not available elsewhere… etc etc etc.
On another note, you might be interested in Jesse Miner’s podcast, Hey Mr Jesse (http://www.yehoodi.com/mrjesse/ ), and by way of his show, the yehoodi radio show. Jesse has a broad knowledge of jazz, and perhaps, nicest of all, is a personable person – he’s good natured and genuinely interested in other people’s opinions and ideas. So he’s nice to listen to on the radio (or the computer, while you’re sewing). The Yehoodi radio shows are amazing – Rayned’s show is extra special, but only for the rest of this month.
I cannot argue on the liner notes issue. I have learned to live without for the cost/volume/convenience but I can see for DJing it would be required. One reason I love Smithsonian Folkways, who have all their liners downloadable as well. As to backups, once you’ve downloaded something from eMu you can re-dl it as many times as you like for free (Assuming the label stays on there.) which is an extra security.
Shall check out Mr Jesse. I’m going through a big jazz phase, although numerous decades later than your era …
Ignoring the gratuitous old school puritan jibe – if its MP3s (spit) you can back up squillions on DVD or external HD or USB stick.USB is a bit less reliable. Same with flac lossless (preferred by puritans).
I know not what format this new fangled eMusics comes in.