Jazz Articles about Roosevelt Sykes

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Roosevelt Sykes: Nasty But It's Clean

by Derek Taylor
December 1, 2000

The Honeydripper, Willie Kelly, Easy Papa Johnson, and Dobby Bragg- just a few of the aliases ascribed to one Roosevelt Sykes, the prodigal juke joint pianist. Sykes was one of the few stylists whose successfully straddled the decades. From his beginnings in the 1920s and he continued to wax records into the 60s after his relocation to Chicago. This fascinating compilation focuses on his early works dating from the dawn of the Depression through the war years. Roughly two-thirds of ...