VA - West Coast Guitar: 1946-1956 (2016)

West Coast guitar skills were hugely influential in the development of blues- and rock-guitar. The popular dictum was that T-Bone Walker was the sole source of inspiration but the men that succeeded him, including Pete 'Guitar' Lewis, Jimmy Nolen and Robert Kelton, created a leaner, meaner blues-based style that had a wider appeal. Like Walker, Gene Phillips straddled the line between jazz and blues, as well as being a gifted lap-steel player. In fact, the only man to closely emulate Walker was Pee Wee Crayton. Beyond all speculation is one fact: those West Coast artists produced a fine body of work, which has been insufficiently acknowledged or celebrated. Listen. This is a group of artists dead-set on entertaining - and on demonstrating their considerable artistry.

TRACKLIST

CD 1:

01. Johnny Otis - Boogie Guitar (2:33)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Don't Ever Fall In Love (2:57)
03. Gene Phillips - Big Legs (2:56)
04. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 1) (3:10)
05. Monte Easter - Slow Freight Back Home (2:39)
06. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - Roughest Place In Town (Tin Pan Alley) (2:59)
07. Johnny Otis & His Orchestra - Goomp Blues (2:50)
08. Lloyd Glenn - Rampart Street Jump (Fried Chicken Boogie) (Hep Cat Shuffle) (3:05)
09. Pee Wee Crayton - Bounce Pee Wee (2:53)
10. Tiny Webb - Tiny's Down Home (2:58)
11. Jimmy Nolen - You've Been Goofing (2:37)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 1) (3:04)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - Brand New Woman (2:46)
14. Johnny Otis - New Orleans Shuffle (2:39)
15. Gene Phillips - Slippin' And Slidin' (2:24)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Texas Hop (3:04)
17. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - My Mama Told Me (2:43)
18. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - Bos Boogie (2:28)
19. Monte Easter - New Orleans Hop (2:24)
20. Gene Phillips - I Wonder What The Poor Folks Are Doin' (2:42)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Rockin' The Blues (2:30)
22. Jerry Thomas - Don't Have To Worry Aka Jumpin' In The Heart Of Town (2:42)
23. Johnny Otis - Doggin' Blues (3:08)
24. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Raggedy Blues (2:20)
25. Pee Wee Crayton - Poppa Stoppa (2:37)

CD 2:

01. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Blues Blasters' Shuffle (3:02)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Central Avenue Blues (2:40)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Wipe Your Tears (2:49)
04. Johnny Otis - Hangover Blues (2:50)
05. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Punkin' Head Woman (2:32)
06. Jimmy Wilson - Tin Pan Alley (3:05)
07. Pee Wee Crayton - Pappy's Blues (2:31)
08. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Crying With The Rising Sun (3:03)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:33)
10. Jimmy Nolen - It Hurts Me Too (2:24)
11. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues After Hours (3:04)
12. Lloyd Glenn - Midnight Boogie (2:36)
13. Gene Phillips - Stinkin' Drunk (2:59)
14. Monte Easter - Blues In The Evening (3:13)
15. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Louisiana Hop (2:31)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Crying And Walking (3:00)
17. Jimmy Wilson & Lafayette Thomas - Big Town Jump (2:12)
18. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (Take 1) (2:22)
19. James Reed - My Love Is Real (2:52)
20. Lloyd Glenn - Levee Blues (2:49)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Tired Of Travelin' (2:42)
22. Lafayette Thomas - Weekly Blues (2:33)
23. Jimmy Nolen - I Can't Stand You No More (Alternate Take) (2:40)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Fillmore Street Blues (2:13)
25. Johnny Otis - Head Hunter (3:01)

CD 3:

01. Pee Wee Crayton - Huckle Boogie (2:32)
02. Johnny Otis - Midnight In The Barrelhouse (3:03)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 3) (3:05)
04. Gene Phillips - You Cant Come Back Home (2:29)
05. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Standing In The Back Door Crying (3:16)
06. Pee Wee Crayton - Louella Brown (3:19)
07. Johnny Otis - Freight Train Boogie (2:31)
08. Monte Easter & Jimmy Nolen - Midnight Rider (2:36)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:55)
10. Pee Wee Crayton - Forgive Me (2:45)
11. Jimmy Nolen - How Fine Can You Be (2:13)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Deep South Guitar Blues (3:03)
13. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Scratchin' (2:37)
14. Gene Phillips - Ramblin' Woman (3:19)
15. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - I Wanna Make Love To You (2:25)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - I'm Your Prisoner (3:02)
17. Jimmy Wilson - Big Town Jump (2:39)
18. Jimmy Nolen - The Way You Do (2:25)
19. Gene Phillips - To Each His Own Brother (2:54)
20. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - I Don't Know What's Happening Baby (2:33)
21. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Ooh Midnight (2:43)
22. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Take A Chance (2:52)
23. Jimmy Nolen - After Hours (2:36)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Good Little Woman (2:30)
25. Gene Phillips - Crying Wont Help You None (2:30)

CD 4:

01. Lafayette Thomas - The Thing (2:11)
02. Johnny Otis - One Nighter Blues (2:46)
03. Pee Wee Crayton - Dedicated To The Blues (3:01)
04. Gene Phillips & His Orchestra - Women, Women, Women (2:49)
05. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:22)
06. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 2) (3:05)
07. Johnny Otis - Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (2:25)
08. Pee Wee Crayton - Answer To Blues After Hours (2:59)
09. Gene Phillips - Big Fat Mama (2:42)
10. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - You Better Hold Me (2:32)
11. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Chocolate Pork Chop Man (2:50)
12. Jimmy McCracklin - Southside Mood (2:51)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - California Woman (3:21)
14. Johnny Otis - Honky Tonk Boogie (2:47)
15. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (2:54)
16. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Fatso (2:26)
17. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Beer Tavern (2:51)
18. Pee Wee Crayton - Crayton's Blues (2:51)
19. Jimmy Nolen - Let's Try It Again (2:21)
20. Johnny Otis & Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - You Got Me Cryin' (2:55)
21. Gene Phillips - Hey Lawdy Mama (2:48)
22. Jimmy Nolen - Don't Leave Me No More (2:43)
23. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues For My Baby (2:35)
24. Jimmy Wilson - Instrumental Jump (2:11)
25. Gene Phillips - Big Bug Boogie (2:30)