This 2003 release from England's JSP label is a phenomenal package of recordings by this "Sepia Sinatra," one of the best blues balladeers of the 1940s and early 1950s, second only to Nat "King" Cole in the "small combo" category. These two gentlemen defined the smooth blues ballad genre as it developed between 1944 and 1950.
Charles was the "voice" of Johnny Moore's Three Blazers during their early years, in direct competition with the King Cole Trio on the West Coast night club circuit. This box set contains just about everything he recorded with the Blazers, including instrumentals (notably Brown's recording with the Blazers of the classical Warsaw Concerto, jazzed only at the end) and recordings where the Blazers accompanied other vocalists, such as the first recordings by Frankie Laine.
Charles split with the Blazers in 1948. He got tired of being referred to as "Johnny Moore" by his own fans, and money was getting tighter for group members after Johnny's brother Oscar left the King Cole Trio and joined up with Johnny. Blood being thicker than water, Johnny wanted to change the previous "partnership" arrangement, and place other group members on salary (for considerably less than an equal partner's share of the take). It has often been noted that Charles' first released recording after the split was Get Yourself Another Fool, but it is speculative whether this was really directed at Johnny.
In 1988 Charles Brown became one of the first recipients of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's lifetime achievement award. In 1997 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall Of Fame.
Charles died of congestive heart failure at the age of 76, on January 21, 1999, in Oakland, California. His obituary in the New York Times ended with the words: "There are no survivors." I beg to differ. Charles himself survives in his musical legacy. He was inducted posthumously into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as an "early influence" on March 15, 1999.
In addition to Charles' work with the Blazers, this box covers his work with his own Charles Brown Trio into 1950. Later recordings by Brown, and by the Blazers, are available on other CDs, but this set can be considered the classic "Charles Brown with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers...Plus."
Get it for your mellow moods...
Dates shown in the track listings are recording dates.
Track Listing - Disc 1
1. Fugue in C Minor - 1944
2. Melancholy Madeline - 1944 [Frankie Laine, vocal]
3. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me - 1944
4. Nightfall - 1944
5. Maureen - 1944 [Frankie Laine, vocal]
6. Lost In The Night - 1945
7. You Taught Me To Love - 1945
8. End O' War Blues - 1945 [Johnny McNeil, vocal]
9. Johnny's Boogie - 1945
10. C.O.D. - 1945
11. B-Sharp You'll See - 1945
12. There Is No Greater Love - 1945
13. Hard Tack - 1945
14. Pasadena - 1945
15. I Want You, I Need You - 1945
16. My Silent Love - 1945
17. Googie's Boogie - 1945
18. Tonight I'm Alone - 1945
19. Blazer's Boogie - 11 Sep 1945
20. Baby Don't You Cry - 11 Sep 1945
21. Drifting Blues - 11 Sep 1945
22. Groovy - 11 Sep 1945
23. You Are My First Love - 4 Feb 1946
24. Rack-Track Blues - 4 Feb 1946
Track Listing - Disc 2
1. 'Til The Real Thing Comes Along - 4 Feb 1946
2. Rocks In My Bed - 4 Feb 1946
3. Travelin' Blues - 1946
4. I'll Get Along Somehow - 1946
5. What Do You Know About Love - 1946
6. Nutmeg - 1946
7. It's the Talk Of The Town - 1946
8. Warsaw Concerto Pts. 1 & 2 - 1946
9. How Deep Is The Ocean - 1946
10. You Left Me Forsaken - 1946
11. So Long - 1946
12. You Won't Let Me Go - 1946
13. It Had To Be You - 1946
14. You Showed Me The Way - 1946
15. More Than You Know - 1946
16. Sail On Blues - 1946
17. Blue Because of You - 1946
18. Make Believe Land - 1946
19. If You Should Ever Leave - 1946
20. When Your Lover Has Gone - 1946
21. Way Over There By The Cherry Tree - 1946
22. Sunny Road - 1946
23. Be Fair With Me - 1946
24. Falling in Love With You - 1946
Track Listing - Disc 3
1. Huggin' Bug - late 1946
2. Gloria - late 1946
3. I Wouldn't Mind - late 1946
4. Now That You're Gone - late 1946
5. St. Louis Blues - late 1946
6. Bobby Sox Blues - late 1946
7. Juke Box Lil - late 1946
8. Why Is Love Like That - late 1946
9. It's Over - late 1946
10. Changeable Woman Blues - 1947
11. I Surrender Dear - 1947
12. Better Watch What You Do - 1947
13. I Love To Make Love To You - 1947
14. New Orleans Blues - 1947
15. I Cried For You - 1947
16. Moonrise - 1947
17. I'm Looking For Love - 1947
18. Merry Christmas Baby - late 1947
19. Peek-A-Boo - late 1947
20. Don't Get Salty Sugar - late 1947
21. Lonesome Blues - late 1947
22. Soothe Me - late 1947
23. I'll Miss You So - 1948
24. Money's Getting Cheaper - 1948
Track Listing - Disc 4
1. I'm So Happy I Could Cry - 1948
2. If You Don't Why Don't Cha - 1948
3. Scratch Sheet - 1948
4. Jilted Blues - 1948
5. Tomorrow - 1948
6. So There - 1948
7. Groovy Movie Blues - 1948
8. You Better Change Your Way Of Lovin' - 1948
9. Free Lancin' Again - 1948
10. Any Old Place With Me - 1948
11. I Hate Myself - 1948
12. If I Had You - 1948
13. Friendless Blues - 1948
14. Walkin' In Circles - 1948
15. Cold In Here - 1948
16. Love Me Tonight - 1948
17. Snuff Dippin' Mama - 1948
18. B And O Blues - 1948
19. Teresa - 1948
20. Where Can I Find My Baby - 1948
21. Honey Keep Your Mind On Me - 10 Nov 1948
22. Foolish - 10 Nov 1948
23. My Last Affair - 10 Nov 1948
24. Homesick Blues - 10 Nov 1948
Track Listing - Disc 5
1. Wonder When My Baby's Comin' Home - 10 Nov 1948
2. Dedicated to You - 10 Nov 1948
3. What A Life - 11 Nov 1948
4. How High The Moon - 11 Nov 1948
5. Oh! Ooh! Sugar - 11 Nov 1948
6. Get Yourself Another Fool - 11 Nov 1948
7. Baby Do You Know The Game - 11 Nov 1948
8. In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down - 11 Nov 1948
9. It's Nothing - 14 Jan 1949
10. Trouble Blues - 14 Jan 1949
11. I Don't Care Who Knows - 14 Jan 1949
12. When You're Alone - 14 Jan 1949
13. Please Be Kind - 14 Jan 1949
14. Long Time - [Anita, vocal]
15. So Mistreated - 9 Mar 1949
16. Tormented - 9 Mar 1949
17. Alley Batting - 9 Mar 1949
18. I Stumbled Over You - 9 Mar 1949
19. Take Me - 9 Mar 1949
20. Let's Have A Ball - 9 Mar 1949
21. Did You Ever Love A Woman - 9 Mar 1949
22. My Baby's Gone - 17 Jan 1950
23. Again - 17 Jan 1950
24. Gee - 17 Jan 1950
