DOWN IN THE BASEMENT: JOE BUSSARD'S TREASURE TROVE OF VINTAGE 78s 1926-1937 - Various Artists

YEAR: 2002

LABEL: Old Hat Records

TRACK LISTING: The Lost Child - Stripling Brothers, How You Want It Done? - Big Bill Broonzy, The (New) Call of the Freaks - Luis Russell & His Orchestra, The School House Fire - Dixon Brothers, Greenback Dollar - Weems String Band, You Got To Go Down - Blind Gary, The Old Ark's A-Moving - A. A. Gray & Seven-Foot Dilly, Runnin' Wild - James Cole's Washboard Four, Keep It Clean - Charley Jordan, Get the "L" On Down the Road - Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band, I Got A Bulldog - Sweet Brothers & Ernest Stoneman, Old Hen Cackle - Coleman & Harper, Song From A Cotton Field - Bessie Brown, Atlanta Bound - Gene Autry, Easy Rider Blues - Soileau & Robin, Hot Lips - Bill Brown & His Brownies, Uncle Dave's Beloved Solo - Uncle Dave Macon, Hastings Street - Blind Blake & Charlie Spand, Ain't That Trouble In Mind - Fields Ward & the Grayson County Railsplitters, Give the World A Smile - The Corley Family, Original Stack O'Lee Blues - Long Cleve Reed & Little Harley Hull-Down Home Boys, Hot Town - Fess Williams & His Royal Flush Orchestra, Paddlin' Blues - Gitfiddle Jim, Plow Boy Hop - Grinnell Giggers

IMPRESSIONS: Joe Bussard is a national treasure. His passion for and conservation of early 78 rpm recordings of "string bands, blues, jazz, country, cajun, gospel" and other "old time music" is priceless. But not only does he collect these records but he also makes them available to anyone who asks him. I myself have availed myself of this service for a small fee and received several cassette tapes of requests from the man. In his own words: "I'm just a crazy old poppy-eyed hoot owl. Nuttier than a fruitcake! Some people are so goddam cranky-ass they can't have no fun. Well, I've been having fun! You can't say you don't have fun when you come down here (to Joe's basement)! I say, don't hold anything back! Enjoy yourself, relax and live!" This Old Hat Records cd has one of the best packaging and greatest booklets ever to accompany any cd!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Lost Child - Stripling Brothers, How You Want It Done? - Big Bill Broonzy, The (New) Call of the Freaks - Luis Russell & His Orchestra, The Old Ark's A-Moving - A. A. Gray & Seven-Foot Dilly, Runnin' Wild - James Cole's Washboard Four, Keep It Clean - Charley Jordan, I Got A Bulldog - Sweet Brothers & Ernest Stoneman, Old Hen Cackle - Coleman & Harper, Song From A Cotton Field - Bessie Brown, Atlanta Bound - Gene Autry, Easy Rider Blues - Soileau & Robin, Hot Lips - Bill Brown & His Brownies, Uncle Dave's Beloved Solo - Uncle Dave Macon, Hastings Street - Blind Blake & Charlie Spand, Ain't That Trouble In Mind - Fields Ward & the Grayson Country Railsplitters, Give the World A Smile - The Corley Family, Original Stack O'Lee Blues - Louis Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull-Down Home Boys, Hot Town - Fess Williams & His Royal Flush Orchestra, Paddlin' Blues - Gitfiddle Jim, Plow Boy Hop - Grinnell Giggers

FACT SHEET: Joe Bussard is known as "The King of Record Collectors" with a museum-quality collection of over 25,ooo 78 rpm discs. He generously shares his collection with reissue labels (of which this is one) as well as just folks who can request tapes of any records they want for just a nominal fee. From 1956 6o 1970, Bussard ran the last 78 rpm record label called Fonotone which released new recordings of "old-time" music. Bussard also DJ's the weekly "Country Classics" radio programme for Georgia Tech's radio station WREK Atlanta as well as shows for three other radio stations. Luis Russell was Louis Armstrong's long-time musical director as well as being the father of current blues singer Catherine Russell. Charley Jordan's "Keep It Clean" was covered with new lyrics by R. Crumb. The Down Home Boys' recording of "Original Stack O'Lee Blues" owned by Joe Bussard is the only known copy known to exist; the song is the basis for Lloyd Price's number one hit "Stagger Lee".