Yazoo Records
has long been one of the prime sources for rural
blues
reissues from the 1920s and '30s. Transferred from old 78s, some so rare only a single copy or two are known to exist, these tracks offer a wonderful glimpse into a fabled
past. Essentially a kind of greatest-hits collection for
Yazoo
,
The Best There Ever Was
features lesser known songs from several giants of the genre (
Blind Willie Johnson
's
"I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole,"
Charley Patton
"It Won't Be Long,"
Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Prison Cell Blues"
) that exhibit the same sort of range and power of their better known works. Also included are stellar tracks from more obscure performers, making the end result a great introduction to
country blues
. Highlights include the high tenor voice of
Sam Collins
on
"Graveyard Digger's Blues"
(a variant of
"Sugar Babe,"
perhaps best known as performed by
banjoist
Dock Boggs
), the taut guitar work of
Garfield Akers
"Dough Roller Blues,"
and
Geeshie Wiley
's forlorn, haunting, and absolutely stirring vocal take on
"Last Kind Word Blues."
Classic songs by
Skip James
(
"Cypress Grove"
),
Tommy Johnson
"Big Road Blues"
), and
Son House
"My Black Mama"
) round out an impressive track list. ~ Steve Leggett