L.F. Nelson
b. November 11th, 1904 in Bentonia (Mississippi)
d. February 9th, 1997 in Yazoo City (Mississippi)
GOIN' UP THE COUNTRY
Decca
Rounder
BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE
Albatros
September 1966
Né L.F. Nelson, il est élevé par son grand-père maternel Sam Owens et prend son nom. Il apprend la guitare dès l'enfance tout en travaillant dans une ferme. Il cueille le coton, fabrique de l'alcool et anime occasionnellement un juke-joint. C'est Skip James qui recommande Jack Owens au musicologue David Evans. Celui-ci l'enregistre d'ailleurs en septembre 1966. Deux superbes titres émergent de cette séance : "B&O blues" et "Devil got my woman". On découvre alors un remarquable bluesman dans un style très proche de son ami Skip James (un style qu'on surnomme parfois Bentonia Sound).
Born L.F. Nelson, he is raised by his maternal grandfather Sam Owens and takes his name. He learned guitar from childhood while working on a farm. He picks cotton, makes alcohol and occasionally run a juke-joint. Skip James recommends Jack Owens to musicologist David Evans. He recorded him in september 1966. Two great tracks emerged from this session : "B&O blues" and "Devil got my woman". We discovered a remarkable bluesman in a style very close to his friend Skip James (a style that is sometimes called Bentonia Sound).
IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE DEVIL
Testament
September 1970
Nouvelle séance organisée et enregistrée par David Evans. On retrouve le chant véhément de Jack Owens ainsi que son jeu de guitare élaboré typique de sa région natale. Lors de cette séance, il est associé à l'harmoniciste Benjamin "Bud" Spires (le fils d'Arthur "Big Boy" Spires) sur certains titres. On peut entendre une remarquable version de "Catfish blues" mais aussi "Can't see baby", "Cherry ball", "It must have been the devil", "Ain't no lovin'", "I won't be bad no more".
New session organized and recorded by David Evans. We can listen Jack Owens' vehement vocals as well as his elaborate guitar playing typical of his native region. During this session, he is associated with the harmonicist Benjamin "Bud" Spires (the son of Arthur "Big Boy" Spires) on certain titles. You can hear a remarkable version of "Catfish blues" but also "Can't see baby", "Cherry ball", "It must have been the devil", "Ain't no lovin'", "I won't be bad no more".
BOTTLENECK BLUES
Testament
September 1970
Dans cette anthologie produite par Pete Welding et David Evans, on peut écouter "Train time" issu de la même séance que "It must have been the devil".
In this anthology produced by Pete Welding and David Evans, we can listen to "Train time" from the same session as "It must have been the devil".
BENTONIA COUNTRY BLUES
Albatros
August 1978
BLUES AT HOME vol.8
Mbirafon
1978 - 1982
Le producteur-chercheur italien Giambattista Marcucci enregistra substantiellement Jack Owens chez lui à Bentonia. Marcucci organisa plusieurs séances entre 1978 et 1982 qui aboutirent à ces disques. Le bluesman délivre de magnifiques interprétations de "Hard times", "Catfish blues", "The devil" et de "Cherry ball". Dans la réédition CD, plusieurs pistes ont été ajoutées.
Italian producer-researcher Giambattista Marcucci substantially recorded Jack Owens at his home in Bentonia. Marcucci organized several sessions between 1978 and 1982 which resulted in these discs. The bluesman delivers beautiful interpretations of "Hard times", "Catfish blues", "The devil" and "Cherry ball". In the CD reissue, several tracks have been added.
ORIGINAL COUNTRY BLUES vol.3 : WAY BACK YONDER
Albatros
BLUES AT HOME vol.8
Mbirafon
August 1978
On trouve ici une autre version de "Cherry ball" captée par Gianni Marcucci.
Here we find another version of "Cherry ball" picked up by Gianni Marcucci.
ALAN LOMAX BLUES SONGBOOK
Rounder
August 1978
GIANTS OF COUNTRY BLUES GUITAR vol.1
Wolf
GIANTS OF COUNTRY BLUES vol.3
Wolf
THE LAST GIANTS OF MISSISSIPPI BLUES
Wolf
June 1981 / September 1991
Deux sessions sont reprises dans "The last giants of Mississippi Blues" : une première - la meilleure - captée en juin 1981 par Ulrich Hahn et une autre plus tardive de septembre 1991 enregistrée par Hannes et Andrea Maria Folterbauer (dans laquelle Jack retrouve son ami "Bud" Spires à l'harmonica). Lors de ces sessions, Jack reprend ses morceaux habituels qu'il interprète avec la même ferveur que dans ces disques précédents : "Cherry ball", "Hard times", "You leavin'". Quelques morceaux étaient déja parus dans "Giants of country blues guitar" et "Giants of country blues vol.3" (version LP uniquement).
Two sessions are included in "The last giants of Mississippi Blues" : a first - the best - captured in june 1981 by Ulrich Hahn and a later one in september 1991 recorded by Hannes and Andrea Maria Folterbauer (in which Jack finds again his friend "Bud" Spires on harmonica). During these sessions, Jack sings his usual songs which he interprets with the same fervor as in these previous discs : "Cherry ball", "Hard times", "You leavin'". Some songs were already released in "Giants of country blues guitar" and "Giants of country blues vol.3" (LP version only).
DEEP BLUES
Atlantic
October 1990
Enregistré chez lui à Bentonia, Jack Owens - accompagné de "Bud" Spires - chante "Devil blues" pour le documentaire "Deep blues" (réalisé par Robert Mugge et écrit par Robert Palmer).
Recorded at his home in Bentonia, Jack Owens - accompanied by "Bud" Spires - sings "Devil blues" for the documentary "Deep blues" (directed by Robert Mugge and written by Robert Palmer).