Various – A Shot In The Dark - Nashville Jumps 8CD Box Set

Various – A Shot In The Dark - Nashville Jumps

8-CD Box (LP-format) with c. 284-page hardbound book, 200 single tracks. Total playing time approx. 614 minutes.

- Early blues and R&B recorded in Nashville, Music City USA.
- Original recordings made for Bullet Records, Tennessee and Republic Records, Excello and Nashboro Records, a.o.
- Members of Nashville’s vibrant black music scene including Cecil Gant, Wynonie Harris, B.B. King , Christine Kittrell, Don Q. Pullen, and Louis Brooks, a.m.o. are all presented here.
- In the accompanying book, Martin Hawkins tells the story of the Nashville music business from 1945 to 1955
- Song-by-song notes and artist bios by Colin Escott and Martin Hawkins.
- Hundreds of rare photos of Nashville's earliest days.

Today Nashville is one of the three major recording centers in the United States, and has become what it has long proclaimed itself to be: Music City USA. The music, though, is predominantly country, which obscures Nashville's illustrious early reputation as one of the South's focal points for blues, R&B, jump jazz, and gospel.

In 1945, Nashville had no pro-quality studios, no career session men, no record companies, and only one or two music publishers. The city's independent labels played a large role in its transformation. Bullet Records, Tennessee and Republic Records, Excello and Nashboro Records, Dot Records, Hickory Records, and a handful of others recorded country, pop, gospel, and R&B, captured a vibrant local scene, and reflected Nashville music as it really was. This is their story.

The indie labels often had strong R&B catalogues, taking advantage of local stations WLAC und WSOK, whose R&B programming was heard clear across eastern North America. The 8-CD black music set, 'Nashville Jumps: Blues And Rhythm On Nashville's Independent Labels 1945-1955,' focuses (of course) on the blues and R&B scene of that period. It includes classics from Cecil Gant (I Wonder, Nashville Jumps, Boozie Boogie, Sloppy Joe's), Wynonie Harris (Lightnin' Struck The Poorhouse, Dig This Boogie, Drinkin' By Myself), St. Louis Jimmy (Goin' Down Slow), Red Miller (the #1 R&B hit Bewildered), Guitar Slim (Certainly All, Feelin' Sad), and The Big Three Trio with Willie Dixon (Get Up Those Stairs, Signifying Monkey). Also included are the first two ultra-rare singles by blues legend B.B. King, recorded for Bullet in 1949, as well as two records later covered by Elvis Presley, Bernard Hardison's Too Much and Arthur Gunter's Baby Let's Play House. Fabulous local legends like Christine Kittrell, Don Q. Pullen, and Louis Brooks are also featured.

The set contains a full-length book. Part one, is the story of the Nashville music business from 1945 to 1955 by Martin Hawkins; the second part comprises song-by-song notes and artist bio's for each individual box by Colin Escott and Martin Hawkins. They include hundreds of rare photos and compelling first-person accounts of Nashville's earliest days.

Tracklist:
CD1 Dig This Boogie:
1. Gant, Cecil - Nashville Jumps
2. Gant, Cecil - Loose As a Goose
3. Harris, Wynonie - Lightning Struck the Poor House
4. Harris, Wynonie - Dig This Boogie
5. Harris, Wynonie - My Baby's Barrel House
6. Harris, Wynonie - Drinkin' By Myself
7. Gant, Cecil - Train Time
8. Gant, Cecil - Sloppy Joe's
9. Gant, Cecil - Boogie Woogie Baby
10. Gant, Cecil - I'm All Alone Now
11. Gant, Cecil - Anna Mae
12. Gant, Cecil - Ninth Street Jive
13. Green Trio, Rudy - Evil Man Blues
14. Green, Rudy - No Good Woman Blues
15. Calhoun, Red - Here Comes the Man With the Gin
16. Gant, Cecil - Boozie Boogie
17. Green Orchestra, Rudy - Florida Blues
18. Green Orchestra, Rudy - Buzzard Pie
19. St. Louis Jimmy - Goin' Down Slow
20. St. Louis Jimmy - I Ain't Done Nothing Wrong
21. Gant, Cecil - I Believe I'll Go Back Home
22. Gant, Cecil - I Wonder
23. Big Three Trio - Get Up Those Stairs Mademoiselle
24. Big Three Trio - Signifying Monkey
25. Big Three Trio - You Sure Look Good To Me
26. Williams, Sherman - Sherman's Boogie
27. Williams, Sherman - Keep Your Man At Home
28. Williams, Sherman - I'm Lucky With My Brown Gal

CD2 Rocking The Blues:
1. Williams, Sherman - Baby Don't You Want To Go
2. Gant, Cecil - Three Little Girls
3. Gant, Cecil - Another Day Another Dollar
4. Williams, Sherman - My Flamin' Gal (Red Head Blues)
5. Williams, Sherman - Baby Please Don't Go (Skippy's Blues)
6. Smokey Hogg - Hard Times
7. Gant, Cecil - I'm a Good Man But a Poor Man
8. Gant, Cecil - Cecil's Jam Session
9. Miller Trio, Red - Bewildered
10. Gant, Cecil - I Ain't Gonna Cry No More
11. Williams, Sherman - Ooh Wee Baby Gee
12. Davis, Walter - You've Gotta Reap What You Sow
13. Davis, Walter - Move Back To the Woods
14. Max Blues Bailey - Delinquency Blues
15. Max Blues Bailey - Sting-A-Ree
16. King, B.B. - Miss Martha King
17. King, B.B. - When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes
18. Max Blues Bailey - Rocking the Blues
19. Tuff Green - Let's Go To the Liquor Store
20. Tuff Green - I Love My Baby
21. King, B.B. - I Got the Blues
22. King, B.B. - Take a Swing With Me
23. Sykes, Roosevelt - Candy Man Blues
24. Gant, Cecil - What's the Matter
25. Gant, Cecil - You Can't Do Me Right
26. Wiley, Doc - Play Your Hand
27. Mr. Swing With Bobby Plater's Orchestra - Gonna Bring My Bab
28. Mr. Swing With Bobby Plater's Orchestra - Beer Bottle Boogie

CD3 Certainly All:
1. Don Q and His Q Tones - Private Property Blues
2. Don Q and His Q Tones - Baby I Don't Need You Now
3. Williams, Joe - Jivin' Woman
4. Williams, Joe - She's a Married Woman
5. Davis, Walter - I Just Can't Help It
6. Gant, Cecil - Bullet Boogie
7. Gant, Cecil - So Tired
8. Gant, Cecil - Take It and Get
9. Davis, Walter - Lonely Nights
10. Brooks, Dusty - Chili-Dogs
11. Coles, Tucker - Don't Get Excited
12. Coles, Tucker - T C Blues
13. Little Eddie - My Baby Left Me
14. Little Eddie - Darling You Know I Love You
15. Coles, Tucker - House Rockers Jamboree
16. Horton, J. D. - Why Don't You Let Me Be
17. Horton, J. D. - Cadillac Blues
18. Big Three Trio - Don't Let That Music Die
19. Big Three Trio - Till the Day I Die
20. Big Three Trio - Goodbye Mr. Blues
21. Big Three Trio - Why Do You Do Me Like You Do
22. Big Three Trio - Appetite Blues
23. Douglas, Tom - Raid On Cedar Street
24. Verson, Vivian - Payday Lover
25. Verson, Vivian - I Wan T To Know
26. Jones, Eddie - Feelin' Sad
27. Jones, Eddie - Certainly All
28. Smith, Walter 'Tang' - Every Monday Morning Blues
29. Smith, Walter 'Tang' - High Tone Mama

CD4 Almost Boogie:
1. Daddy Dean Orchestra - Love Me a Long Long Time
2. Daddy Dean Orchestra - the Road
3. Armstrong, Richard - Gene Nobles' Boogie
4. Jacks, Blue - Late Night Blues
5. Sweeney, Jimmy - Boogie Woogie Jockey
6. Brooks, Tommy - Steam Pressing Woman
7. Brooks, Tommy - If You Love Me Baby
8. Ruckles, Charles - Pitch a Boogie Woogie
9. Ruckles, Charles -I Got a Feelin'
10. Brooks, Louis - Almost Boogie
11. Brooks, Louis - Wine Hangover
12. Hardison, Bernie - Hey Little Girl
13. Hardison, Bernie - Love You Baby
14. McAllister, Billie - Walking In a Daze
15. McAllister, Billie - I Go For That
16. Foster, Helen - I Got a Big Fat Daddy
17. Kittrell, Christine - Don't Do It
18. Kittrell, Christine - Old Man You're Slipping
19. McAllister, Billie - Well Alright Baby
20. McAllister, Billie - 31 E. Blues
21. King, Julius - I Want a Slice of Your Pudding
22. King, Julius - If You See My Lover
23. Tucker, Robert - Changeable Woman
24. Tucker, Robert - It Sure Costs Money To Live
25. Brooks, Louis - Keep Pushing
26. King, Julius - Mississippi Boogie
27. King, Julius - One O'Clock Boogie

CD5 Sittin' Here Drinking:
1. Kittrell, Christine - Sittin' Here Drinkin'
2. Kittrell, Christine - I Ain't Nothing But a Fool
3. Kittrell, Christine - Heartache Blues
4. Kittrell, Christine - You Ain't Nothin' But Trouble
5. Crosse, Gay - No Better For You
6. Crosse, Gay - Tired of Being Shoved Around
7. Foster, Helen - Oop-De-Doo
8. Foster, Helen - You Belong To Me
9. Kittrell, Christine - Slave To Love
10. Kittrell, Christine - Gotta Stop Loving You
11. Crosse, Gay - Easy Rockin'
12. Crosse, Gay - G.C. Rock
13. Foster, Helen - Somebody Somewhere
14. Kittrell, Christine - I'll Help You Baby
15. Kittrell, Christine - L & N Special
16. Kittrell, Christine - Every Night of the Week
17. Kittrell, Christine - Evil Eyed Woman
18. Kittrell, Christine - the Price You Pay For Love
19. Kittrell, Christine - Snake In the Grass
20. Gill, Robert - I Only Had a Little
21. Kittrell, Christine - Lord Have Mercy
22. Kittrell, Christine - Sittin' Here Drinkin' Again
23. Kittrell, Christine - Leave My Man Alone
24. Kittrell, Christine - Call His Name
25. Hardison, Bernard - Too Much
26. Hardison, Bernard - Come To Me Baby
27. Kittrell, Christine - If You Ain't Sure
28. Kittrell, Christine - Black Cat Crossed My Trail
29. Sweeney, Jimmy - Deep Blues

CD6 Nashville After Midnight:
1. Johnson, Sherman - Back Alley Boogie
2. Johnson, Sherman - Nashville After Midnight
3. The Fat Man & Sunnyland Slim - You've Gotta Stop This Mess
4. The Fat Man & Sunnyland Slim - Glad I Don't Worry No More
5. Cooley, Jack - It's So Fine
6. Cooley, Jack - Tom Tom Boogie
7. Cooley, Jack - Hear My Story
8. Cooley, Jack - Dyna-Flow
9. Charlie Dowell Orchestra - Allotment Blues (Dear John)
10. Thorne, Del - I Let Him Move Me
11. Bailey, Little Maxie - Brownskin Woman Blues
12. Douglas, Shy Guy - Detroit Arrow
13. Douglas, Shy Guy - New Memphis Blues
14. Kid King's Combo - Skip's Boogie
15. Kid King's Combo - Banana Split
16. Beasley, Good Rocking - Happy Go Lucky
17. Frogs, Leap - Things Gonna Change
18. Bailey, Little Maxie - My Baby's Blues
19. Thorne, Del - Fly Chick Blues
20. Kid King's Combo - Gimmick
21. Hardison, Bernie - Love Me Baby
22. Hardison, Bernie - Yeah It's True
23. Hardison, Bernie - I'm So Sad
24. Dixie Doodlers - She Was All I Had
25. Dixie Doodlers - Best of Friends
26. Douglas, Shy Guy - I'm Your Country Man
27. Douglas, Shy Guy - Wasted Time

CD7 Blues After Hours:
1. Blue Flamers - Driving Down the Highway
2. Blue Flamers - Watch On
3. McGhee, Tommy - Late Every Evening
4. McGhee, Tommy - Poppin'
5. Brooks, Louis - Bus Station Blues
6. Douglas, Shy Guy - She's My Kinda Girl
7. Douglas, Shy Guy - No Place Like Home
8. Campbell, Louis - the Natural Facts
9. Campbell, Louis - Gotta Have You Baby
10. Prince, Bobby - Please Give Me Your Love
11. Gunter, Arthur - Blues After Hours
12. Gunter, Arthur - Baby Let's Play House
13. Bryant, Beulah - What Am I Gonna Do
14. Kid King's Combo - Now Listen Baby
15. Gunter, Arthur - You Are Doing Me Wrong
16. Hunt, Slim - Lonesome For My Baby
17. Brooks, Lou is & Gaines, Earl - It's Love Baby
18. Marigolds - Rollin' Stone
19. Gunter, Arthur - No Happy Home
20. Gunter, Arthur - Honey Babe
21. Marigolds, - Love You-Love You-Love You
22. Blues Rockers - Johnny Mae
23. Gaines, Earl - Baby Baby What's Wrong
24. Crown Prince Waterford - Driftwood Blues
25. McCain, Jerry - That's What They Want
26. Jarrett, Ted - Love Love Love
27. Good Rockin' Sam - Don't Let Daddy Slow Walk You Down
28. Green, Rudy - My Mumblin' Baby
29. Birdsong, Larry - Pleadin' For Love

CD8 Interviews:
1. Bulleit, Jim - Interview With Jim Bulleit
2. Kittrell, Christine - Interview With Christine Kittrell
3. Carlock, Hutch - Interview With Hutch Carlock

Label: Bear Family Records
Released: 2014