Lowell Fulson - 'The Complete Kent Recordings 1964 to 1968'

Lowell Fulsom was a big-voiced blues guitarist and songwriter who became one of the leading figures of the West Coast's influential postwar blues scene.

He was born on March 31, 1921, in Tulsa Oklahoma, to parents of Choctaw and African American descent.  He grew up around Ada, Oklahoma, where his grandfather played violin and two of his uncles played guitar.  Lowell played in church and at picnics as a boy and in Ada clubs as a teenager.  During military service from 1943 to 1945 he learned of the music scene in Oakland, California, and moved there in 1946.  That year he recorded "Cryin' Blues" and "You're Going to Miss Me When I'm Gone," including his brother, Martin Fulson, on guitar. 

In 1947 Lowell recorded the R&B hit "Three O'Clock Blues".  He moved to Los Angeles in 1949 and recorded "Everyday I Have the Blues", which rose to Number Five on the R&B charts.  During this period, his addition of a horn section to the standard electric blues combo of bass, guitar, and drums defined the West Coast "Uptown Blues" sound.

Lowell hired young up-and-comers like Ray Charles and Stanley Turrentine for his back-up band.  His songs have been covered by the likes of B.B. King with "Three O'Clock Blues", Otis Redding and Carla Thomas with "Tramp", Ray Charles with "Sinner's Prayer", and even Elvis Presley with "Reconsider Baby".

'The Complete Kent Recordings 1964 to 1968' is a 4CD 96 track set, released in 2001 by the Japanese label P-Vine Records.  It has the complete 60s recordings done by Lowell Fulson for the Kent label, including rarities and unreleased material.

The set is not arranged chronologically, but by style and rarity.
CD 1 is titled 'Deep blues with lots of soul'.
CD 2 is titled 'Ain't No Tramp Now! Some Funky Stuff'.
CD 3 is titled 'Unreleased Rare Tracks and some remixes'.
CD 4 'Alternate Takes and some more'.

It also has a very nice 43-page booklet (included in the freeload).

The sense of rhythm on these cuts is terrific, and Lowell's got a nicely sinister vibe to his vocals, and his guitar playing is "tasty".

Thanks to P-Vine's remastering, these tracks have never sounded better.

For the freeload, if you could magically gain the ability to play any musical instrument well (other than one you might play), which would you choose?