Jazz Articles about Skip James

Skip James: Studio Sessions: Rare and Unreleased

by C. Michael Bailey
May 13, 2003

These recently recovered sides constitute an addition to the blues vernacular tantamount to the discovery of a hitherto unknown late Beethoven string quartet. Prior to the release of Studio Sessions: Rare and Unreleased, James’ entire output existed on a handful of long-playing albums, one from the early 1930s and the rest contemporaries with this recording from 1967. While it is a bit of an exaggeration to say the James is neglected, his output nevertheless is often obscured by that of ...