The first in Document's exhaustive series of everything
Carl Martin recorded, this release covers
Martin's first recordings, covering 1930-1936. Recorded in his twenties,
Martin sounds young, but confident enough to give real personality to compositions such as "Crow Jane" and "Good Morning Judge." Presented in a scholarly manner such as this,
Martin's earliest recordings are still a joy, although the sound quality is naturally a problem in places. Although perhaps not quite as revelatory as his later recordings, especially the performances toward the end of his career, these important cuts contain many minor revelations and are necessary for any devotee of prewar blues. ~ Thomas Ward