Big Joe Turner Sun Risin Blues
Label: Past Perfect (UK) 
Release Date: 4.Dec 2002 
Format:[email protected]

The premier blues shouter of the postwar era, Big Joe Turner's roar could rattle the very foundation of any gin joint he sang within — and that's without a microphone. Turner was a resilient figure in the history of blues — he effortlessly spanned boogie-woogie, jump blues, even the first wave of rock & roll, enjoying great success in each genre.
Turner, whose powerful physique certainly matched his vocal might, was a product of the swinging, wide-open Kansas City scene. Even in his teens, the big-boned Turner looked entirely mature enough to gain entry to various K.C. niteries. He ended up simultaneously tending bar and singing the blues before hooking up with boogie piano master Pete Johnson during the early '30s. Theirs was a partnership that would endure for 13 years.
As 1938 came to a close, Turner and Johnson waxed the thundering "Roll 'Em Pete" for Vocalion. It was a thrilling up-tempo number anchored by Johnson's crashing 88s, and Turner would re-record it many times over the decades. Turner and Johnson waxed their seminal blues "Cherry Red" the next year for Vocalion with trumpeter Hot Lips Page and a full combo in support. In 1940, the massive shouter moved over to Decca and cut "Piney Brown Blues" with Johnson rippling the ivories. But not all of Turner's Decca sides teamed him with Johnson; Willie "The Lion" Smith accompanied him on the mournful "Careless Love," while Freddie Slack's Trio provided backing for "Rocks in My Bed" in 1941.

Although health problems and the size of his humongous frame forced him to sit down during his latter-day performances, Turner continued to tour until shortly before his death in 1985. They called him the Boss of the Blues, and the appellation was truly a fitting one: when Turner shouted a lyric, you were definitely at his beck and call.

Tracklist [Recording Date,Personnel]
1. Roll 'Em Pete 2:49 
2. Goin' Away Blues 2:38 
New York 30 December 1938
[Pete Johnson-piano][/color]
3. Cherry Red 2:54 
[color=lime]New York 30June 1939
[Pete Johnson-piano, Orion “Hot Lips” Page-trumpet
Henry “Buster” Smith-alto, Laurence Lucie -  gtr, 
Abe Bale – bass, Eddie Dougharty – drums]
4. It's All Right Baby 2:38 
New York 23 December 1938
[Pete Johnson-piano][/color]
5. Careless Love 2:49 
[color=lime] New York 28 November 1940
[Willie “The Lion” Smith – piano]
6. Piney Brown Blues 2:54 
New York 11 November 1940
[Pete Johnson-piano, Orion “Hot Lips” Page-trumpet
John Collins –guitar, Abe Bolar- bass, A.G.Godley –drums]
7. Blues On Central Avenue 2:37 
8. Sun Risin' Blues 2:48 
Los Angeles 8 September 1941
[Freddie Slack-piano, Al Hendrickson – gtr, 
Geo M “Jud” DeNaut – bass
9. I'm A Lovin' Man 4:50
California 1945
[Personnel Unknown] 
10. My Gal's A Jockey 3:13 
[color=lime] Los Angeles 23 January 1946
[Bill Moore’s Lucky Seven: Al Williams – piano
Lloyd Harrison, Wild Bill Moore –trombones
Warren Broken- trumpet, Teddy Bunn- gtr
John Henry – bass, Alray Kiss –drums]
11. Sally Zu-Zazz-Blues 2:56 
Chicago 11 November 1946
[Joe Turner & His Boogie Woogie Boys:
Albert Ammons – piano, Talmadge “Tad” Smith – tmpt
Ike Perkins- gtr, Theodore Saunders- drums
Others- unknown]
12. New Oo-Wee Baby Blues (Wee Baby Blues) 3:05 
Chicago 12 October 1946
[as track 11]
13. Hollywood Bed (Cherry Red Blues) 2:45 
Chicago 9 December 1947
[Meade Lux Lewis- pno, Charles Grey- tpt,
Riley Hampton – alto , Otis Finch-trombone, 
Ike Perkins – gtr, Robert Moore – bass, James Adams – drums]
14. Radar Blues 2:44 
Los Angeles 28 June 1948
[Pete Johnson-piano, Art Farmer, James Ross –tpts, 
Frank Sleet – alto, Pete Anderson- trombone,
Adison Farmer –bass, Robert Brady- drums]
15. Tell My Pretty Baby 2:47 
16. Wine-O-Baby Boogie 2:34 
Los Angeles Mid 1948
[Pete Johnson-piano, Art Farmer, James Ross –tpts, 
Frank Sleet – alto, Pete Anderson- trombone , Miburn Newman – bass
 Robert Brady- drums, Unknown –gtr]
17. Jumpin' At The Jubilee 2:47 
Houston 1 September 1950
[Nelson Mills-tpt, Ike aSmalley- alto, Ferdinand Banks-trombone
Nunu Pitts-bass, Others unknown]
18. Still In The Dark 2:48 
New York 19 April 1951
[Vernon Bates-trombone, James Taliver – piano Gree Carter-gtr
Others unknown]
19. Chains Of Love 3:21 
20. The Chill Is On 2:45
New York 19 April 1951
[Harry Van Walls – piano, Others unknown]