tracks

It's Hard
The Thrill Is Gone
Highway 59
Bad Luck Is Falling
Wine Drinkin' Woman
Doin' All Right
Sleepless Nights
The Thrill Hunt
Royal Hawk
September Song
The Condition I'm In
Would You
Mean Little Girl
On My Way
If I Had Listened
Is It Too Late
Strange Land
What A Fool I Was
Welcome Home
Trouble In Mind
West Express
It's Too Late To Change
Quarter To One
Strange Land

notes

Compilation of great, raw California R&B and blues from the late 1940s to the early 60s by this overlooked Bay Area singer and writer who penned "The Thrill Is Gone," made famous by BB King. He also recorded under the name Mr. Undertaker (see the B-Side of "W-P-L-J" by the Four Deuces on Music City, 1955). Wonderful, gritty playing by guitarists Ulysses James, Chuck Norris, and Johnny Moore. The version of Kurt Weill's "September Song" is astonishing in a good way. Sound quality varies from cut to cut, but never to the point that it detracts from the music, and sometimes even gives it a rough edge that is beneficial. See also Ace's first Hawkins compilation The Thrill Is Gone - there are five overlapping titles between the two releases, but those are different takes, so no actual duplication of tracks. Liner notes are very informative, if a bit convoluted at times. I wish the tracks were sequenced chronologically and listed with recording dates. As sequenced, the timeline bounces all around, and you have to plow through the long liner notes to find out when each song was recorded. Otherwise, a fine collection by an overlooked artist.

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