[Dixielandjazz] SWAMP BLUES AND MANCE LIPSCOMB

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

The mention of  Manse (sic) Lipscomb on the Stoneking YouTube was silly.
Mance was the name and he was a Texas songster cum bluesman in his sixties when 
discovered in the 1960s and recorded extensively.  And a very good thing too!  
The only sharecropper recorded by Sinatra's REPRISE label. 

He was roughly what Big Bill Broonzy was taken to be when imported to Europe 
c.1950, a less outgoing performer but exceptionally able at what he did, 
admirable guitarist and melancholy singer. 

Nothing much like Stoneking.  

As far as I'm aware the Sonet Swamp Blues material is a set of very respectable 
blues off the true vine played by respectable performers and recorded initially 
for the home Baton Rouge market in the 1950s, using electric guitars, harmonica 
-- or in Henry Gray's case a decent upright piano when he came back home from 
Chicago. (and Howlin' Wolf rather than Muddy Waters).  The Sonet material was 
re-recordings of some of these guys still in their prime. 


Blues enthusiasts who saw some of them on a UK tour in the early 1970s 
were startled to find the harmonica player and basso profundo singer Whispering 
Smith tall, lean and very youthful in appearance. Of the general group of these 
men Gray and Lazy Lester have appeared as worthy ancients at the Edinburgh Jazz 
and 

Blues Festival.  I sympathise deeply with Lightnin' Slim (a substantial 
characterful performer) when he sings,
"my starter won't work this mornin' "  
Amen to that one! Too often.