This imported CD has all of
Clarence Williams's recordings from a 3 1/2 month period; not only The Blue Five performances but
Williams's work with blues singers
Sara Martin,
Mamie Smith, Rosetta Crawford and
Margaret Johnson in addition to his wife
Eva Taylor. Most valuable are the eight instrumentals for they feature the great soprano saxophonist
Sidney Bechet on his earliest recordings along with trumpeter
Thomas Morris. Highlights include "Wild Cat Blues," "Kansas City Man Blues" and "Oh! Daddy Blues" although "I've Got the 'Yes We Have No Bananas' Blues" is amusing. The Classics reissues series bypasses the sometimes so-so blues singers. ~ Scott Yanow