Many Texas blues musicians renounce the florid - condensing their material into a single narrative or melodic line to deliver the essence of the blues message. These men are masters of that special genre. The tracks date from the years between 1927-1939 - a classic era for country blues. The election and sleeve notes were undertaken by Neil Slaven - a guarantee of good listening. Tracklist: CD A: HENRY THOMAS: 1.John Henry 2.Cottonfield Blues 3.Arkansas 4.The Fox And The Hounds 5.The Little Red Caboose 6.Bob McKinney 7.Red River Blues 8.Honey, Won’t You Allow Me One More Chance 9.Run, Mollie, Run 10.Shanty Blues 11.Woodhouse Blues 12.Jonah In The Wilderness 13.When The Train Comes Along 14.Bull Doze Blues 15.Don’t Ease Me In 16.Texas Easy Street 17.Texas Worried Blues 18.Fishing Blues 19.Old Country Stomp 20.Charmin’ Betsy 21.Lovin’ Babe 22.Railroadin’ Some 23.Don’t Leave Me Here PETE HARRIS: 24.Jack O’Diamonds 25.Is You Mad At Me 26.Blind Lemon’s Song 27.Carrie CD B: RAMBLIN’ THOMAS: 1.So Lonesome 2.Hard To Rule Woman Blues 3.Lock And Key Blues 4.Sawmill Moan 5.No Baby Blues 6.Ramblin’ Mind Blues 7.No Job Blues 8.Back Gnawing Blues 9.Jig Head Blues 10.Hard Dallas Blues 11.Hard Dallas Blues (Take 4) 12.Ramblin’ Man 13.Poor Boy Blues 14.Good Time Blues 15.New Way Of Living Blues 16.Ground Hog Blues 17.Shake It Gal 18.Ground Hog Blues No. 2 19.Little Old Mama Blues WILLIE REED: 20.Dreaming Blues 21.Texas Blues 22.Leavin’ Home 23.Goin’ Back To My Baby 24.Some Low Down Groundhog Blues 25.All Worn Out And Dry Blues CD C: OSCAR WOODS: 1.Fence Breakin’ Blues 2.Home Wreckin’ Blues 3.Evil Hearted Woman Blues 4.Lone Wolf Blues 5.Don’t Sell It - Don’t Give It Away 6.Muscat Hill Blues 7.Don’t Sell It (Don’t Give it Away) 8.Baton Rouge Rag 9.Jam Session Blues 10.Low Life Blues 11.Token Blues 12.Come On Over To My House Baby 13.Look Here Baby, One Thing I Got To Say 14.Sometimes I Get To Thinkin’ (Take 1) 15.Don’t Sell It 16.Sometimes I Get To Thinkin’ (Take 2) 17.Boll Weevil Blues SMITH CASEY: 18.Shorty George 19.Santa Fe Blues 20.Hesitating Blues 21.Two White Horses Standing In Line 22.Jack O’Diamonds 23.Mournful Blues 24.East Texas Rag CD D: COLEY JONES: 1.Army Mule In No Man’s Land 2.Traveling Man 3.Drunkard’s Special 4.The Elder’s He’s My Man LITTLE HAT JONES: 5.New Two Sixteen Blues 6.Two String Blues 7.Rolled From Side To Side Blues 8.Hurry Blues 9.Little Hat Blues 10.Corpus Blues 11.Kentucky Blues 12.Bye Bye Baby Blues 13.Cross The Water Blues 14.Cherry Street Blues JESSE ‘BABYFACE’ THOMAS: 15.Down In Texas Blues 16.My Heart’s A Rolling Stone 17.Blue Goose Blues 18.No Good Woman Blues BLACK ACE: 19.Trifling Woman 20.Black Ace 21.You Gonna Need My Help Some Day 22.Whiskey And Women 23.Christmas Time Blues 24.Lowing Heifer