Cousin Joe - New York and New Orleans Blues 1945-1951
Label: EPM
Released: 2002
Format : Mp3@320

>Cousin Joe - New York and New Orleans Blues 1945-1951
Label: EPM
Released: 2002
Format : Mp3@320



Few blues legends have the presence of mind to write autobiographies. Fortunately, Pleasant Joseph did, spinning fascinating tales of a career in his 1987 tome Cousin Joe: Blues from New Orleans that spanned more than half a century.
Growing up in New Orleans, Pleasant began singing in church before crossing over to the blues. Guitar and ukulele were his first axes. He eventually prioritized the piano instead, playing Crescent City clubs and riverboats. He moved to New York in 1942, gaining entry into the city's thriving jazz scene (where he played with Dizzy Gillespie, Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and a host of other luminaries).
He recorded for King, Gotham, Philo (in 1945), Savoy, and Decca along the way, doing well on the latter logo with "Box Car Shorty and Peter Blue" in 1947. After returning to New Orleans in 1948, he recorded for DeLuxe and cut a two-part "ABCs" for Imperial in 1954 as Smilin' Joe under Dave Bartholomew's supervision. But by then, his recording career had faded.

Tracklist :
Pleasant Joe with The Mezzrow- Bechet Septet
1. Bad, Bad Baby Blues - 3:00
Pleasant Joe - Vocals
Oran “Hot Lips” Page – Trumpet
Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow – Clarinet
Sidney Bechet - Soprano Sax
George “Pops” Foster – Bass
Big Cattlett - Drums
Recorded New York City 31 July 1945
Pleasant Joe
2. Broken Man Blues - 2:35
Pleasant Joe – Vocals
Sammy Price – Piano
Recorded New York City 27 March 1945
Cousin Joe with Leonard Feathers Hipstet
3. Just Another Woman - 2:57
Cousin Joe – Vocals
Dick Vance – Trumpet
Al Sears – Tenor Sax
Harry Carney – Bass
Leonard Feather - Piano
Jimmy Shirley – Guitar
Lloyd Trotman – Bass
J C Heard – Drums
Recorded New York City 5 October 1945
Cousin Joe with Pete Brown’s Brooklyn Blues Blowers
4. Wedding Day Blues - 3:09
5. Desperate G.I. Blues - 3:04
6. Boogie Woogie Hannah - 2:56
Cousin Joe – Vocals
Leonard Hawkins – Trumpet
Pete Brown – Alto Sax
Ray Abrams – Tenor Sax
Kenny Watts – Piano
Jimmy Shirley – Guitar
Leonard Gaskins - Bass
Arthur Herbert - Drums
Recorded New York City 13 February 1946
Pleasant Joe with Earl Bostic’s Gotham Sextet
7. You Ain't So-Much-A-Much - 2:48
Pleasant Joe – Vocals
Tony Scott – Clarinet
Earl Bostic – Alto Sax
Ernie Washington – Piano
Jimmy Shirley – Guitar
Pops Foster – Bass
J C Heard - Drums
Recorded New York City circa March 1946
8. The Barefoot Boy - 2:53
Pleasant Joe – Vocals
Lemon Boler - Trumpet
Tony Scott – Clarinet
Earl Bostic – Alto Sax
John Hardee – Tenor Sax
George Parker - Piano
Jimmy Shirley – Guitar
Jimmy Jones – Bass
Eddie Nicholson - Drums
Recorded New York City circa June 1946
Brother Joshua with Earl Bostic’s Orchestra
9. If You Just Keep Stick - 2:36
10. When You're Mother's Gone - 2:58
Pleasant Joe – Vocals
Tyree Glenn - Trombone
Tony Scott – Clarinet
Earl Bostic – Alto Sax
John Hardee – Tenor Sax
Hank Jones - Piano
Jimmy Shirley – Guitar
Jimmy Jones – Bass
Eddie Nicholson - Drums
Recorded New York City circa August 1946
Cousin Joe and his Sextet
11. It's Dangerous to Be a Husband - 2:46
Cousin Joe – Vocals
prob - Lee Allen – Alto Sax
Paul Gayten – Piano
Edgar Blanchard – Guitar
Warren Stanley – Bass
Robert Green –Drums
Recorded New Orleans circa February 1947
Pleasant Joe with Al Casey Quartet
12. Death House Blues - 2:44
Pleasant Joe – Vocals
Steve “Hoggie Beetle” Henderson - Piano
Al Casey - Guitar
Al Mathews – Bass
Arthur Herbert - Drums
Recorded New York City 21 May 1947
Pleasant Joseph with Dickie Wells’ Blues Seven
13. Don't Pay Me No Mind - 2:56
14. Bachelor's Blues - 2:44
Pleasant Joseph - Vocals
Dickie Wells – Trombone
Pete Brown – Alto Sax
Billy Kyle – Piano
Danny Barker – Guitar
Lloyd Trotman – Bass
Woodie Nichol - Drums
Recorded New York City 1947
Pleasant Joseph with Sam Price Trio
15. Bad Luck Blues - 2:58
16. Box Car Shorty and Peter Blue - 2:49
Pleasant Joseph - Vocals
Sammy Price - Piano
Danny Barker - Guitar
Pops Foster – Bass
Kenny Clarke – Drums
Recorded New York City 16 July 1947
17. Beggin' Woman - 2:54
18. Sadie Brown - 2:49
Pleasant Joseph - Vocals
Sammy Price - Piano
Billy Butler - Guitar
Percy Joel – Bass
Dorethea Smith – Drums
Recorded New York City 19 November 1947
Smilin Joe
19. Love Sick Soul - 2:29
Smilin Joe – Vocals
Unknown – Tenor Sax,Piano, Bass, Guitar, Drums
Recorded New Orleans 1949
Cousin Joe
20. Looking for My Baby - 2:53
21. High Powered Gal - 2:55
Cousin Joe – Vocals
Unknown – Tenor Sax,Piano, Bass, Guitar, Drums
Recorded New York City 10 April 1950
Smilin Joe
22. Second Hand Love - 2:24
Smilin Joe – Vocals
Dave Bartholemew – Trumpet
Prob Joe Harris – Alto Sax
Clarence Hall – Tenor Sax
Herb Hardestry - Tenor Sax
Salvador Doucette – Piano
Ernest McClean – Guitar
Frank Fields – Bass
Earl Palmer – Drums
Recorded New Orleans 1951