J.T. Brown was one of several saxophonists who spent much of his early career spicing up blues recording sessions in Chicago during the 1940s and '50s. Born in Mississippi in 1918, he was active at first as a session man in the same circuit with
Eddie Chamblee and
Buster Bennett. During the 1940s,
Brown made records with
Eddie Boyd,
Washboard Sam,
Booker T. Washington,
St. Louis Jimmy, and
Roosevelt Sykes. He recorded as a leader during the early '50s while fortifying the studio atmosphere around
J.B. Lenoir,
Sunnyland Slim, and
Grant "Mr. Blues" Jones, and eventually worked with
Muddy Waters,
Little Walter,
Jimmy Rogers,
Elmore James, and, ultimately,
Fleetwood Mac. In 2005, the Classics
Blues & Rhythm series did the world a colossal favor by releasing an entire CD's worth of very rare recordings made during
Brown's label-hopping period between 1950 and 1954. These gutsy rhythm & blues performances include cameo appearances by pianists
Little Brother Montgomery and
Bob Call with bassists
Ransom Knowling and
Ernest "Big" Crawford. Vocals are attributed to
Roosevelt Sykes and
Grant "Mr. Blues" Jones, as well as the speaking voice of a woman identified only as
Annabel Lee.