How Low Can You Go? Anthology of the String Bass (1925-1941) [Box Set]

Disc 1
1	Milenberg Joys / Ted Lewis & His Band 2:50
2	Dinah / Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra 3:06
3	Black Bottom Stomp / Jelly Roll Morton 3:13
4	My Pretty Girl / Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra 2:42
5	Wash-Board Cut Out / Leecan Bobbie Need-More Band 2:57
6	Bogalusa Strut / Sam Morgan's Jazz Band 2:59
7	Down by the Riverside / Sam Morgan's Jazz Band 3:12
8	Bull Frog Blues / Charles Pierce and His Orchestra 2:53
9	China Boy / Charles Pierce and His Orchestra 2:23
10	Voice of the Southland / Thelma Terry & Her Playboys 2:35
11	Mama's Gone, Goodbye / Thelma Terry & Her Playboys 3:09
12	I'd Like to Go Back to That Old Pal of Mine / Halfway House Dance Orchestra 2:59
13	Goose Creek-Stomp / Mart Britt 2:40
14	Waiting for a Train / Jimmie Rodgers 2:48
15	Texas and Pacific Blues / Frenchy's String Band 3:08
16	So Tired / Coley Jones 3:17
17	Freeze and Melt / Joe Turner & His Memphis Men 2:53
18	Hot Heels / Eddie Lang & His Orchestra 3:02
19	Beggar's Blues / Sonny Greer 3:20
20	Where the Sweet Magnolias Bloom / Taylor Griggs Louisiana Melody Makers 2:40
21	En Sens Unique S.V.P. / L'Orchestre Antillais 2:27
22	Squabblin' / Walter Page's Blue Devils 3:04
23	Duet Stomp / Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight 2:54
24	Poor Li'l Me / Luis Russell & His Orchestra 3:23
25	Panama / Luis Russell & His Orchestra 3:18
26	Chinatown, My Chinatown / Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra 3:00
Disc 2
1	Chances Are / Jack Teagarden & His Orchestra 3:13
2	Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie and Rat / Wilmoth Houdini 2:46
3	Depression-Paseo / Lionel Belasco 2:53
4	Who's Sorry Now? / Harlem Hot Shots 3:02
5	Shag / The New Orleans Feetwarmers 3:05
6	My! Oh, My! / Eddie South & His orchestra 3:06
7	Baby, Are You Satidfied / Dicky Wells' Shim Shammers 3:29
8	Tex's Dance / The Prairie Ramblers 2:34
9	Brownie's Stomp / Milton Brown & His Brownies 2:56
10	Rig Cutter Swing / Henry Allen & His Orchestra 2:41
11	The Stuff Is Here and It's Mellow / Eva Taylor 2:34
12	Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wa-I (A Hawaiian War Song) / Andy Iona 2:43
13	Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes / Spirits of Rhythm 2:32
14	Bugle Call Rag / Candy & Coco Take B 2:56
15	Good Morning, Judge / Carl Martin 2:51
16	The Dozen / State Street Boys 3:03
17	Don't 'Low / Washboard Sam 3:11
18	Rug Cutter's Function / Lil Johnson 3:08
19	Yes Sir, That's My Baby / Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans 2:50
20	Deep Blue Melody / Don Albert 3:04
21	White Heat / Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys 2:43
22	Tired of Me / The Crystal Springs Ramblers 2:30
23	Pagin' the Devil / Kansas City Six 2:56
24	Liza, Pull Down the Shades / Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys 2:17
25	Pluckin' the Bass / Cab Calloway & His Orchestra 2:43
26	Cliumaz Rag / Jelly Roll Morton Take 1 2:28
27	Sepia Panorama (Night House) / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 2:43
Disc 3
1	Kentucky Stomp / Dixie Four 2:26
2	Saint Louis Man / Dixie Four 2:27
3	Endurance Stomp / State Street Ramblers 2:48
4	Tuxedo Stomp / State Street Ramblers 3:00
5	Brown Skin Mama / State Street Ramblers 2:41
6	St. Louis Nightmare / State Street Ramblers 2:57
7	Tell Me Cutie / State Street Ramblers 2:49
8	Some Day You'll Know / State Street Ramblers 2:48
9	Endurance Stomp / J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn Take A / Take 2:35
10	Shake Your Shimmy / Midnight Rounders 3:03
11	Bull Fiddle Rag / Midnight Rounders Take A 3:26
12	Shake That Jelly Roll / J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn 2:59
13	Don't Cry, Honey / J.C. Cobb & His Grains of Corn 3:17
14	My Four Reasons / Ikey Robinson & His Band 2:53
15	He's Got His Eyes on You / Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation 2:55
16	I'm in the Battlefield for My Lord / Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation 3:17
17	She's Coming 'Round the Mountain / Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers 2:56
18	I'm Pressing On / Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation 2:49
19	No Night There / Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation 3:03
20	I Ain't Gonna Do It No More / Bertha "Chippie" Hill 2:49
21	Pratt City Blues / Bertha "Chippie" Hill 2:46
22	Get the "L" on Down the Road / Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band 2:57
23	Don't Drink It in Here / Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band 2:53
24	I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone / Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band 2:49
25	Come on Mama Do That Dance / Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band 2:51
26	Bull Fiddle Rag / Midnight Rounders Take B 3:07

All Music Guide

This three-disc, 79-track box set of vintage string bass sides recorded between 1925 and 1941 from Atlanta's marvelous Dust-to-Digital folks can be listened to in a couple of different ways. It works as a survey of 78-rpm era bass players, certainly, including cuts from Bill Johnson, Walter Page, Al Morgan, and many others, but due to its wide-ranging inclusion of jazz, swing, blues, country, jug band, Western swing, and gospel material, it can also work as a wonderfully upbeat set of vintage American roots music, and one doesn't necessarily need to be a string bass player or music historian to get into it. It isn't a collection of bass solos, either, although there are plenty of those scattered through the tunes, but is rather a look at how this instrument was used in a wide variety of settings. Among the high points are "Dinah" by Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra, a funky "Bull Frog Blues" by Charles Pierce & His Orchestra, a blistering "Tex's Dance" from the Prairie Ramblers, a delightfully loose version of "Mama Don't Allow" called "Don't 'Low" from Washboard Sam, and two takes by the Midnight Rounders of "Bull Fiddle Rag." Fun from start to finish, How Low Can You Go? is like a great cross-genre American barn dance in a box. Another great set from Dust-to-Digital. Steve Leggett