Elmore James – The Last Session (2/21/63 "The Stereo Tapes")

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Elmore James – The Last Session, 2/21/63 "The Stereo Tapes" (Relic Records 1021)

 

 

Relic records 1984 – 1021

notes:

Few blues artists have left a mark as deep as Elmore James. Known as 
the "King of the Slide Guitar," James helped define the electrified 
Delta blues sound that would inspire generations of musicians, from 
British blues pioneers to modern rock guitarists.
Released by Relic Records (Catalog No. 1021), The Last Session, 2/21/63
 "The Stereo Tapes" captures one of the final studio performances of 
Elmore James before his untimely death in May 1963. These recordings 
provide an intimate look at an artist whose raw emotion, powerful vocals, 
and unmistakable slide guitar were still at their peak.
The Story Behind the Recording
On February 21, 1963, Elmore James entered the studio to record what
would become one of the most historically important sessions of his career.
 Unlike many earlier blues recordings of the era, these performances were
 captured in stereo, offering remarkable clarity while preserving 
the gritty authenticity that made James famous.
he album The Last Session, 2/21/63 "The Stereo Tapes" Relic LP 1021, issued 1984; 
 documents Elmore James' final recording sessions, made just days before his 
death on February 24, 1963. The material comes from two New York recording
 dates: February 13 and February 21, 1963,
 with the LP concentrating on the February 21 stereo recordings.

credits

Personnel (February 21, 1963)

The accepted lineup for the 2/21/63 stereo session is:

Musician    Instrument
Elmore James    vocals, slide guitar
Johnny Jones    piano
Homesick James    second guitar
A.C. Reed    tenor saxophone
David    organ (on selected titles)
Raymond (probable)    bass
Bobby Robinson (or session drummer hired by Robinson)    production

The drummer is not definitively documented. Discographers generally
 agree that the surviving session files do not identify the drummer with
 certainty, and several reference works leave the position uncredited.

The recordings were made in New York City for producer Bobby Robinson.
Most modern discographies identify the location simply as:
Bobby Robinson's New York recording studio, Manhattan

Producer
Bobby Robinson — producer and owner of the Fire/Enjoy labels.
Recording dates
13 February 1963 – first session
21 February 1963 – final session (source of the "Stereo Tapes")
24 February 1963 – Elmore James died of a heart attack three days later.

tracklist:

A1        Everyday I Have The Blues
Written-By – P. Chatman*
A2        Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby
Written-By – Elmore James
A3        I Got To Move
Written-By – Elmore James
A4        I Believe
Written-By – Elmore James
A5        Elmore Jumps One (Inst.)
Written-By – Elmore James
A6        Talk To Me Baby
Written-By – Elmore James
A7        It Hurts Me Too
Written-By – Elmore James
B1        Dust My Broom
Written-By – Elmore James
B2        Hand In Hand
Written-By – Elmore James
B3        Got A Right To Love My Baby
Written-By – Elmore James
B4        Pickin' The Blues (Inst.)
Written-By – Elmore James
B5        Twelve Year Old Boy
Written-By – Elmore James
B6        Make My Dreams Come True
Written-By – Elmore James
B7        I Gotta Go Now
Written-By – Elmore James

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