R & B, Blues, Soul Bessie Smith

[XasGotan]

 

[Jules]

lovely! thanks for that one...

 

[Young Col]

Thanks! I've never actually seen that before, although I knew of it. The acting is, predictably, a bit exagerated, but Bessie's huge presence and passionate blues singing come across very clearly. The backing band has James P Johnson on piano and members of the Fletcher Henderson orchestra, with whom Bessie made many of her great early recordings.