The third of four "complete"
Ida Cox CDs from Document has 14 selections from 1925, six from 1926 and four from 1927. Most of the sessions feature the masterful blues singer assisted by Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders, whose personnel was changing during this era -- they featured either
Tommy Ladnier, the underrated Bob Shoffner, Bernie Young or Shirley Clay on cornet, Jimmy O'Bryant or (on two songs)
Johnny Dodds on clarinet, and other unidentified musicians, including a trombonist. In addition, there are three duets with banjoist
Papa Charlie Jackson, a couple of numbers in which
Cox is joined by cornetist Dave Nelson and Jesse Crump on reed organ, and the first four tunes from a lengthy 1927 set that has
Cox accompanied only by Crump's piano. Most interesting is "How Long Daddy, How Long," which was the basis of Leroy Carr's famous "How Long Blues." Other highlights include "Long Distance Blues," "Southern Woman's Blues," "Coffin Blues" and Cox's famous "'Fore Day Creep." All four of the discs in this valuable series are easily recommended to serious blues collectors. ~ Scott Yanow