Juanita Hall - Juanita Hall Sings the Blues (1990)

Juanita Hall is best-known for being a stage actress, playing Bloody Mary in South Pacific. However on this 1958 set for Counterpoint (which has been reissued on CD by Fresh Sound), she shows that she could effectively sing blues. Mostly sticking to songs from the Bessie Smith songbook (including "You've Been a Good Old Wagon," "Gimme a Pigfoot" and "Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out"), Hall's extroverted and shouting style fit the music quite well. Pianist Claude Hopkins arranged for the sextet and gathered quite an all-star backup group that includes tenor-saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, clarinetist Buster Bailey and trumpeter Doc Cheatham. Well worth getting.

Tracks:

1 Hold That Train 3:03
2 You've Been A Good Old Wagon 3:23
3 After You've Gone 2:38
4 Nobody Wants You When You're Down And Out 3:41
5 I Don't Want It Second Hand 2:44
6 A Good Man Is Hard To Find 3:50
7 Baby Won't You Please Come Home 2:21
8 Gulf Coast Blues 3:12
9 Second Fiddle 2:32
10 Downhearted Blues 3:42
11 Gimme A Pigfoot 3:26
12 Lovin' Sam From Alabam' 2:36