Blues, Boogie, & Bop: The 1940s Mercury Sessions

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Annotation

Oversized 7-CD historical retrospective box set issued by Verve/PolyGram in 1995, documenting Mercury Records' seminal blues, boogie-woogie, jump blues, and early bebop sessions spanning 1945–1949.

PACKAGING NOTE:
This highly unique release features novelty packaging designed to replicate a vintage 1940s tabletop tube radio. The outer slipcase/shell is a deep, molded 3D plastic cover featuring a cream-colored faux-marbled finish, a red speaker grille with the embossed Mercury logo, two red control knobs, and a printed AM radio dial reading "The 1940s Mercury Sessions" (visible in Box_Set_Front.jpg).

The rear of the box features a printed graphic depicting the open back of a vintage radio chassis, complete with vacuum tubes and a mock "CAUTION: Risk of electric shock do not open" warning label (visible in Box_Set_Rear.jpg).

The 7 discs are contained inside individual cardboard digipaks stacked vertically within the plastic radio shell, alongside a square, staple-bound historical booklet (visible in Box_Set.jpg).

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
A definitive audio preservation effort containing 158 tracks (including rare alternate takes and breakdowns) from a volatile transitional era in American music. Features major post-WWII sessions from Albert Ammons, Helen Humes (with Buck Clayton), Jay McShann, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Roy Byrd (Professor Longhair), Buddy Rich, and Gene Ammons. It charts the precise cultural moment where Big Band Swing fractured into the driving rhythms of Jump Blues (the blueprint for Rock & Roll) and the complex structures of modern Bebop. Sourced from original 1940s lacquer masters and shellac 78 RPM acetates.

Annotation last modified on 2026-06-03 18:39 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Bedroom Blues
alto saxophone and clarinet:
Artie Starks (on 1945-09-25)
double bass:
John Lindsay (US trombonist/bassist, worked with Jelly Roll Morton) (on 1945-09-25)
drums (drum set):
Tom Taylor (US jazz drummer) (on 1945-09-25) and Tommy Taylor (US drummer) (on 1945-09-25)
guitar:
Lonnie Johnson (American blues and jazz musician) (on 1945-09-25)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1945-09-25)
vocals:
Sippie Wallace (on 1945-09-25)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 117)
Sippie Wallace with Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings3:20
2Buzz Me
alto saxophone, clarinet and tenor saxophone:
Artie Starks (on 1945-09-25)
double bass:
John Lindsay (US trombonist/bassist, worked with Jelly Roll Morton) (on 1945-09-25)
drums (drum set):
Tom Taylor (US jazz drummer) (on 1945-09-25) and Tommy Taylor (US drummer) (on 1945-09-25)
guitar:
Lonnie Johnson (American blues and jazz musician) (on 1945-09-25)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1945-09-25)
vocals:
Sippie Wallace (on 1945-09-25)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 121)
recording of:
Buzz Me (on 1945-09-25)
writer:
Dave Dexter, Jr. and Fleecie Moore
publisher:
Cherio Corp.
Sippie Wallace with Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings3:05
3Doin’ the Boogie Woogie
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-04-08)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-04-08)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-04-08)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-04-08)
vocals:
Mildred Anderson (on 1946-04-08)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 328)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:52
4Oh, Lady, Be Good!
instrumental recording of:
Oh, Lady Be Good!
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin (in 1924)
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (in 1924)
publisher:
Chappell Music Ltd., George Gershwin Music, Ira Gershwin Music and WB Music Corp. (1929–2019) (until 2019-05-28)
part of:
American Splendor
part of:
Lady, Be Good (full musical)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:35
5Suitcase Blues
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:48
6Boogie Woogie at the Civic Opera
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings1:54
7Boogie Woogie at the Civic Opera
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-04-08)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-04-08)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-04-08)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-04-08)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 331)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:37
8Swanee River Boogie
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:34
9Why I’m Leaving You
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-07-02)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-07-02)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-07-02)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-07-02)
vocals:
Jack Cooley (on 1946-07-02)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 431)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:42
10I Don’t Want to See You
recording of:
I Don't Want to See You (on 1946-07-02)
writer:
Stephen Foster (composer)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:52
11Red Sails in the Sunset
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-07-02)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-07-02)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-07-02)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-07-02)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 433)
instrumental cover recording of:
Red Sails in the Sunset (on 1946-07-02)
lyricist:
James B. Kennedy (Irish songwriter)
composer:
Hugh Williams (aka Hugh Williams)
publisher:
Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd., Redwood Music Ltd. (Carlin) and Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc.
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:33
12Kilroy Boogie
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:48
13Deep in the Heart of Texas Boogie
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-11-12)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-11-12)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-11-12)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-11-12)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 623)
instrumental recording of:
Deep in the Heart of Texas (on 1946-11-12)
lyricist and composer:
June Hershey (in 1941) and Don Swander (in 1941)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings3:04
14Sweet Patooty Boogie
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1946-11-12)
drums (drum set):
Jack Cooley (on 1946-11-12)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1946-11-12)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1946-11-12)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 624)
recording of:
Sweet Patootie Blues (on 1946-11-12)
composer:
Albert Ammons
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:59
1512th Street Rag
recording of:
12th Street Rag
publisher:
Euday L. Bowman (on 1914-01-30)
lyricist:
James S. Sumner
composer:
Euday L. Bowman
arrangement of:
Twelfth Street Rag
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:49
1612th Street Rag
recording of:
12th Street Rag
publisher:
Euday L. Bowman (on 1914-01-30)
lyricist:
James S. Sumner
composer:
Euday L. Bowman
arrangement of:
Twelfth Street Rag
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:46
17St. Louis Blues
recording of:
St. Louis Blues
lyricist and composer:
William Christopher Handy (in 1913)
publisher:
Handy Bros. Music Co., Inc.
sub-publisher:
Reuter & Reuter Förlags AB
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:58
18Shufflin’ the Boogie
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:15
19Shufflin’ the Boogie
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings3:06
20S.P. Blues
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1947-08-06)
drums (drum set):
Alvin Burroughs (on 1947-08-06)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1947-08-06)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1947-08-06)
tenor saxophone:
Gene Ammons (on 1947-08-06)
trumpet:
Marvin Randolph (on 1947-08-06)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 931)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:37
21Hiroshima
double bass:
Israel Crosby (on 1947-08-06)
drums (drum set):
Alvin Burroughs (on 1947-08-06)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (on 1947-08-06)
piano:
Albert Ammons (on 1947-08-06)
tenor saxophone:
Gene Ammons (on 1947-08-06)
trumpet:
Marvin Randolph (on 1947-08-06)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 932)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:47
22Roses of Picardy
double bass:
Israel Crosby (in 1947)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (in 1947)
piano:
Albert Ammons (in 1947)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 1169)
instrumental recording of:
Roses of Picardy (in 1947)
lyricist:
Frederick Edward Weatherly
composer:
Haydn Wood (composer)
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:57
23The Sheik of Araby
double bass:
Israel Crosby (in 1947)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (in 1947)
piano:
Albert Ammons (in 1947)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 1170)
instrumental recording of:
The Sheik of Araby (in 1947)
lyricist:
Harry B. Smith (in 1921) and Francis Wheeler (in 1921)
composer:
Ted Snyder (in 1921)
publisher:
Jerry Vogel Music, Mills Music, Inc., Redwood Music and Salabert
recording of:
The Sheik of Araby
lyricist:
Harry B. Smith (in 1921) and Francis Wheeler (in 1921)
composer:
Ted Snyder (in 1921)
publisher:
Jerry Vogel Music, Mills Music, Inc., Redwood Music and Salabert
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:48
24You Are My Sunshine
double bass:
Israel Crosby (in 1947)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (in 1947)
piano:
Albert Ammons (in 1947)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 1171)
instrumental recording of:
You Are My Sunshine (in 1947)
anthem of:
Louisiana, United States
writer:
Jimmie Davis (American politician, singer and songwriter) and Charles Mitchell (1940s songwriter and steel guitarist)
publisher:
Peer International (BMI) and Southern Music Publishing Co., Inc. ((ASCAP) tradename Peermusic) (on 1940-01-30)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:51
25In a Little Spanish Town (’Twas a Night Like This)
double bass:
Israel Crosby (in 1947)
guitar:
Ike Perkins (in 1947)
piano:
Albert Ammons (in 1947)
part of:
Mercury (by matrix number) (number: 1172)
instrumental cover recording of:
In a Little Spanish Town (’Twas on a Night Like This) (in 1947)
lyricist:
Sam M. Lewis (1930s lyricist) and Joe Young (US lyricist)
composer:
Mabel Wayne
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:50
26Margie
instrumental recording of:
Margie (aka “My Little Margie”)
lyricist:
Benny Davis (US vaudeville performer and songwriter) (in 1920)
composer:
Con Conrad (songwriter and producer) (in 1920) and J. Russel Robinson (in 1920)
Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings2:37
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