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Bessie Smith
ベッシー・スミス

  • BORN: April 15, 1894, Chattanooga, Tennessee
    1894年4月15日、テネシー州チャタヌーガ生まれ
  • DIED: September 26, 1937, Clarksdale, Mississippi
    1937年9月26日、ミシシッピー州クラークスデイルにて死去
  • vocals

ベッシー・スミスは疑いなくクラシック・ブルース時代の最高のシンガーだった。十代のときにボードビルのダンサーとしてキャリアをスタートさせた彼女だったが、マ・レイニーが早くからスミスの歌の素質を見抜いていたという。レイニーと一緒のラビット・フット・ミンストレルズや、秋冬のTOBA（劇場所有者出演契約協会）の巡業を経験した彼女の初レコードは、1923年の「Down Hearted Blues」だった。その素直なブルースの声は6ヵ月で78万枚を売り上げ、その後もヒット・レコードが続いた。

スミスはあらゆる技を駆使した細やかな表現で感情を伝えた。「Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out」「St. Louis Blues」などは、卓越したフレージングを聞かせる感動的名演である。スミスはまた、ブルースの抑揚を「Alexander's Ragtime Band」のようなポップ・ソングや「On Revival Day」のようなゴスペルにもちこんだ。“ブルースの女帝”という称号を得るほど成功し、クラシック・ブルースの世界にベッシーに匹敵するものはいなかった。しかし大恐慌の影響で、1930年代に入るとスミスの人気も衰退。スウィングという新しいスタイルでカムバックを果たそうとしたが、その矢先の1937年、彼女は自動車事故で死んでしまう。

Recordings

circa February 16, 1923, New York City, New York
April 11, 1923, New York City, New York
circa April 26, 1923, New York City, New York
April 28, 1923, New York City, New York
June 14, 1923, New York City, New York
June 15, 1923, New York City, New York
June 21, 1923, New York City, New York
June 22, 1923, New York City, New York
September 21, 1923, New York City, New York
September 24, 1923, New York City, New York
September 26, 1923, New York City, New York
October 4, 1923, New York City, New York
October 15, 1923, New York City, New York
October 16, 1923, New York City, New York
December 4, 1923, New York City, New York
January 8, 1924, New York City, New York
January 9, 1924, New York City, New York
January 10, 1924, New York City, New York
April 4, 1924, New York City, New York
April 5, 1924, New York City, New York
April 7, 1924, New York City, New York
April 8, 1924, New York City, New York
April 9, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Moonshine Blues
July 22, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Lou'siana Low-Down Blues
  • Mountain Top Blues
July 23, 1924, New York City, New York
July 31, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Salt Water Blues
August 8, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Rainy Weather Blues
September 26, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Weeping Willow Blues
  • The Bye Bye Blues
December 6, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Sing Sing Prison Blues
December 11, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Follow The Deal On Down
  • Sinful Blues
December 12, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Woman's Trouble Blues
  • Love Me Daddy Blues
December 13, 1924, New York City, New York
  • Dying Gambler's Blues
January 14, 1925, New York City, New York
  • The St. Louis Blues - @YouTube
  • Reckless Blues
  • Sobbin' Hearted Blues
  • Cold In Hand Blues
  • You've Been A Good Ole Wagon
May 5, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home)
May 6, 1925, New York City, New York
  • The Yellow Dog Blues
  • The Yellow Dog Blues
May 14, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Soft Pedal Blues
  • Soft Pedal Blues
May 15, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Dixie Flyer Blues
May 26, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Nashville Women's Blues
  • Nashville Women's Blues
  • Careless Love Blues - @YouTube
  • Careless Love Blues
May 27, 1925, New York City, New York
  • J. C. Holmes Blues
  • I Ain't Goin' To Play Second Fiddle - @YouTube
June 23, 1925, New York City, New York
  • He's Gone Blues
August 19, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Nobody's Blues But Mine
  • I Ain't Got Nobody
September 1, 1925, New York City, New York
  • My Man Blues (vocal by Bessie Smith And Clara Smith)
November 17, 1925, New York City, New York
  • New Gulf Coast Blues
  • Florida Bound Blues
November 18, 1925, New York City, New York
  • At The Christmas Ball
  • I've Been Mistreated And I Don't Like It
November 20, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Red Mountain Blues
  • Golden Rule Blues
December 9, 1925, New York City, New York
  • Lonesome Desert Blues
March 5, 1926, New York City, New York
  • Them "Has Been" Blues
  • Squeeze Me
  • What's The Matter Now?
  • I Want Ev'ry Bit Of It
March 18, 1926, New York City, New York
  • Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town
  • The Gin House Blues
May 4, 1926, New York City, New York
  • Money Blues
  • Baby Doll
  • Hard Driving Papa
  • Lost Your Head Blues
October 25, 1926, New York City, New York
  • Hard Time Blues
  • Honey Man Blues
October 26, 1926, New York City, New York
  • One And Two Blues
  • Young Woman's Blues
February 17, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Preachin' The Blues
  • Back-Water Blues
March 2, 1927, New York City, New York
  • After You've Gone
  • Alexander's Ragtime Band
  • Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)
  • Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)
  • There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight
March 3, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Trombone Cholly
  • Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair
  • Them's Graveyard Words
  • Hot Spring Blues
April 1, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Sweet Mistreater
  • Lock And Ke
September 27, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Mean Old Bedbug Blues - @YouTube
  • A Good Man Is Hard To Find
September 28, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Homeless Blues
  • Lookin' For My Man Blues
October 27, 1927, New York City, New York
  • Dyin' By The Hour
  • Foolish Man Blues
February 9, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Thinking Blues
  • Pickpocket Blues
  • I Used To Be Your Sweet Mama
February 16, 1928, New York City, New York
  • I'd Rather Be Dead And Buried In My Grave
February 21, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Standin' In The Rain Blues
  • It Won't Be You
March 19, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Spider Man Blues
March 20, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Empty Blues (Part 1)
  • Empty Blues (Part 2)
  • Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Our There)
August 24, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Yes Indeed He Do!
  • Devil's Gonna Git You
  • You Ought To Be Ashamed
  • Washwoman's Blues
  • Slow And Easy Man
  • Poor Man's Blues
August 25, 1928, New York City, New York
  • Please Help Me Get Him Off My Mind
  • Me And My Gin
May 8, 1929, New York City, New York
  • I'm Wild About That Thing
  • You've Got To Give Me Some
  • Kitchen Man
May 15, 1929, New York City, New York
  • I've Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away)
  • Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
late June 1929, New York City, New York
  • St. Louis Blues Soundtrack
July 25, 1929, New York City, New York
  • Take It Right Back ('Cause I Don't Want It Here)
August 20, 1929, New York City, New York
  • He's Got Me Goin'
  • It Makes My Love Come Down - @YouTube
October 1, 1929, New York City, New York
  • Wasted Life Blues
  • Dirty No-Gooder's Blues
October 11, 1929, New York City, New York
  • Blue Spirit Blues
  • Worn Out Papa Blues
  • You Don't Understand
  • Don't Cry Baby
March 27, 1930, New York City, New York
  • Keep It To Yourself
  • New Orleans Hop Scop Blues
April 12, 1930, New York City, New York
  • See If I'll Care
  • Baby Have Pity On Me
June 9, 1930, New York City, New York
  • On Revival Day (A Rhythmic Spiritual)
  • Moan, You Mourners
July 22, 1930, New York City, New York
  • Hustlin' Dan
  • Black Mountain Blues
June 11, 1931, New York City, New York
  • In The House Blues
  • Long Old Road
  • Blue Blues
  • Shipwreck Blues
November 20, 1931, New York City, New York
  • Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl
  • Safety Mama
November 24, 1933, New York City, New York
  • Do Your Duty
  • Gimme A Pigfoot
  • Take Me For A Buggy Ride
  • I'm Down In The Dumps

Influences
影響関係

Infl by: Ma Rainey
受けた影響←マ・レイニー

Infl to: Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin
与えた影響→マヘリア・ジャクソン、ビリー・ホリデイ、ジャニス・ジョプリン