With their enormous stature that suited the sheer, fervent power of her massive vocal talent, Big Maybelle was one of the first R & B Chanteusen the 50s. Her deep, husky voice was as unique as the range of their recordings for Okeh and Savoy, which ranged from 'Down-in-the-alley' blues to tending to the direction of pop ballads. She joined in 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival and gained a large following among lovers of blues, rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll. Towards the end of her life she coverte even hits from the Beatles and Donovan. Big Maybelle's career was hampered or abbreviated throughout the period of their lives through serious drug addiction, and her short life was of great vitality.
It is remarkable that almost half a century the power of their Okeh sessions later is still tangible. With a fresh, bold sound it appears a female than a Howlin 'Wolf and it is easy to imagine that they had great influence on the full-throttle blues of Etta James, Aretha, Janis Joplin and countless others. "So Good To My Baby" is typical of the cries of the singer as well as a reasonably flaming entrance of the wind. Their debut hit with 1952 Okeh, "Gabbin 'Blues" is a humorous dialogue between Maybelle and her gossiping rival Rose Marie McCoy, co-author of the song. One of the most moving recordings of this LP is "Ocean Of Tears", a haunting piece in a minor key, in which Maybelle their deplorable condition complained with memorable cathartic fear. But even ballads like "You'll Never Know", "Is not No Use" and "You'll Be Sorry" impress also showing a pleasing, softer side of Maybelle's art.
"Whole Lotta Shakin 'Goin' On" - a song that brought her to the top of the R & B charts before Jerry Lee Lewis made him a rock and roll anthem, their single from 1955 "One Monkey Do not Stop No Show "and also" I'm Getting 'Long Alright "from 1954 were also outstanding. New York Session magician as the tenor saxophonist Sam 'The Man' Taylor and guitarist Mickey Baker provide consistently for great support. The pieces in this album show examples of one of the greatest blues singers that ever there was, in its heyday.
Big Maybelle was a big woman, whose sheer exuberance matched her physique. She was one of the top rhythm and blues singers of the 1950s.
She could belt out the blues with a gruff voice (she was often referred to as a female Howlin’ Wolf), yet she could caress and make a pop ballad all her own. She also covered jazz and even rock and early rock and roll at the end of her career. There are opinions that she influenced later major artists like Etta James and Janis Joplin. She cut “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On’ two years before Jerry Lee Lewis. Unfortunately, hard drugs was her undoing and kept her from becoming a major break-out artist.
Maybelle’s prime years are covered in her Okeh recordings of 1952-1955. We now have them in a definitive version, remastered in 180 gram glory by ace engineer Ray Staff for PurePleasure, the English record company devoted to the re-issue of prime historical value recordings in the best acoustics possible.
Right out of the gate, Maybelle takes command on “Just Want Your Love.” Not as gruff as Big Mama Thornton, but no doubt fully in command as a blues shouter, Maybelle delivers the goods. “So Good To My Baby” features a raucous horn section and hot guitar by James Cannady. The great tenor saxophonist, Sam “The Man” Taylor is here as well. Hot stuff…
A real treat is the bantering between Maybelle and rival Rose Marie McCoy on “Gabbin Blues.” Rose gives and Maybelle answers her in kind. The weather is no match for Big Maybelle on “Rain Down Rain” as Sam Taylor wails in the background.
“Stay Away from My Sam” is old school blues, slowed down. We get the chance to hear Brownie McGhee on guitar on the tracks on Side 2, from 1953. “Jinny Mule” is a gas, complete with mule stomps on drums. A highlight follows with “Maybelle’s Blues” written by Miss (Maybelle) Smith herself.
Side 3 features Maybelle’s talents on ballads like “Ain’t No Use” and “You’ll Be Sorry.” They show the sweet side of Maybelle, as does “You’ll Never Know” on Side 2, where Miss Smith shows her jazz ballad chops that rival Dinah Washington, albeit in a lower register.
“One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” is a novelty number where Maybelle flirts and struts her stuff backed by some blistering guitar by Mickey Baker. Maybelle later lays down the law on “Don’t Leave Poor Me.”
Who would have guessed that it was Quincy Jones who arranged and conducted (on March 21, 1955) “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” for Maybelle, backed by an all-star contingent including Billy Byers, Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, and Heywood Henry…
Maybelle’s career floundered in the 1960s and she passed away after a diabetic coma in 1972. Those curious about the power that she brought to the stage can catch her on video in the documentary, Jazz on a Summer’s Day, filmed in color at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, by Bert Stern.
If there was more justice in this world, Big Maybelle would get her props as one of the greatest female blues shouters. Hopefully, audiophile collectors can help get out the word about Big Maybelle after listening to The Okeh Sessions.
Big Maybelle, vocals; backed by numerous musicians including:
Guitar: Brownie McGhee, James Cannady, Mickey Baker
Piano: Al Williams, Ernie Hayes, Fletcher Smith, Lee Anderson
Saxophones: Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, Sam “The Man” Taylor
Trombone: Alfred Cobbs, Billy Byers, Eli Robinson
Trumpet: Joe Wilder, Taft Jordan
Bass: Grachan Moncur, Al Hall, Lloyd Trotman, Norman Keenan
Drums: Charlie Smith, Panama Francis, Herbie Lovelle, Jimmy Crawford,
Marty Wilson
Selections:
LP1 - Side One:
1. Just Want Your Love
2. So Good To My Baby
3. Gabbin' Blues
4. My Country Man
5. Rain Down Rain
6. Way Back Home
LP1 - Side Two:
1. Stay Away From My Sam
2. Jinny Mule
3. Maybelle's Blues
4. I've Got A Feeling
5. You'll Never Know
LP2 - Side Three:
1. No More Trouble Out of Me
2. My Big Mistake
3. Ain't No Use
4. I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright
5. You'll Be Sorry
6. Hair Dressin' Women
LP2 - Side Four:
1. One Monkey Don't Stop No Show
2. Don't Leave Poor Me
3. Ain't To Be Played With
4. New Kind of Mambo
5. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On