Early Big Joe (1940-1944)

Album Review

This hard-to-find 1980 LP has highlights from Big Joe Turner's Decca period. In addition to "Piney Brown Blues" (which finds the great blues singer backed by a pickup group headed by trumpeter Hot Lips Page), Turner is showcased on four memorable duets with pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, a couple songs with a band led by Art Tatum, the four titles he recorded with pianist Sammy Price's trio, "Blues on Central Avenue" with pianist Freddie Slack and two numbers from 1944 with his good friend the boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson. All of the classic music has since been reissued on CD (although a few of the songs may be difficult to locate).