The Blues in St. Louis, Vol. 2: Henry Brown and Edith Johnson: Barrelhouse Piano and Classic Blues

Henry Brown & Edith Johnson

Recorded in 1961, The Blues in St. Louis, Vol. 2 celebrates 1930s– and ’40s–style barrelhouse blues and boogie–woogie. Henry Brown and Edith Johnson came from very different musical backgrounds: pianist Brown was formally trained, while Johnson learned the blues by singing along with music playing in her husband’s record shop. Yet, the two came together in jazz and blues fan Bob Oswald’s recording studio, and the result is a combination of classic blues instrumentals and vocals like “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Little Drops of Water,” often accompanied by Brown tapping his foot against the piano pedal. Musician and scholar Samuel Charters gives a first–hand account of the musicians and circumstances of recording in the liner notes.

Track Listing

101	Henry Brown Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	3:29
102	Little Drops of Water	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	3:07
103	Take It Light	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	3:18
104	Soothing Syrup Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	3:45
105	Original Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	3:26
106	Honeysuckle Rose	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	1:37
201	Nickel's Worth of Liver	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	2:44
202	Deep Brown Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	4:32
203	Old Time Fast Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	2:57
204	Changing Blues	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	4:38
205	Drive My Baby Slow	Henry Brown & Edith Johnson	4:17