Charles Brown - 1949-1951 {The Chronological Classics, 1272} (2002)

With an elegant piano style and a smooth voice that made him sound a little bit like a gruffer Nat King Cole, Charles Brown's jazz-tinged blues is the perfect music for a late-night wind-down. Unfortunately, as this disc of late sides cut for Aladdin Records shows, much of his material worked from the same template, an unhurried tempo that, although effective in small doses, just sort of blends together over the long haul, so much so that when the midtempo "Gee!" hits here at the middle of the set, it almost feels like speed metal. Still, this is a worthwhile compilation, because what Brown did well, he did very well, and underneath everything was that wonderful, jazzy piano style, which was central to the sound of West Coast blues.

Tracks:

01. Take Me (2:51)
02. Let's Have a Ball (2:38)
03. Forgive Me (2:28)
04. Did You Ever Love a Woman (3:10)
05. Again (3:09)
06. My Baby's Gone (3:00)
07. Repentance Blues (3:17)
08. Gee! (3:07)
09. One Never Knows, Does One? (3:04)
10. Texas Blues (2:56)
11. It's Rainin' (3:06)
12. Don't Fool with My Heart (3:09)
13. I've Made Up My Mind (2:53)
14. I've Got That Old Feeling (3:15)
15. Be Still My Heart (3:01)
16. Without the One You Love (2:24)
17. Black Night (3:07)
18. Seven Long Days (3:01)
19. I'll Always Be in Love with You (2:57)
20. Once There Lived a Fool (2:25)
21. The Message (2:42)
22. All My Life (2:35)
23. Moonrise (2:49)