b. February 3rd, 1911 in Logansport (Louisiana)

d. August 15th, 1995 in Shreveport (Louisiana)

TEXAS BLUES

HK

RAMBLIN' THOMAS & THE DALLAS BLUES SINGERS

Document

August 1929

Frère de Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas et oncle de Lafayette Thomas, Jesse nait dans une ferme et grandit au milieu de trois soeurs et cinq frères. Il travaille dans les champs avec son frère et apprend la guitare avec lui. Installé à Dallas dès 1929, il est marqué par les grands bluesmen de la ville : Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson, Texas Alexander. Excellent guitariste et superbe chanteur, il grave ses quatre premiers titres pour Victor en aout 1929 parmi lesquels "Down in Texas blues", "No good woman blues" et sa pièce le plus célèbre "Blue goose blues".

Brother of Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas and uncle of Lafayette Thomas, Jesse is born in a farm and grows in the midst of three sisters and five brothers. He works in the fields with his brother and learns the guitar with him as well. Settled in Dallas in 1929, he was influenced by the great bluesmen of the city : Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson, Texas Alexander. Excellent guitarist and a great singer, he records his first four tracks for Victor in august 1929 including "Down in Texas blues", "No good woman blues" and his most famous piece "Blue goose blues".

COMPLETE RECORDED WORKS 1948 - 1958

Document

1948 - 1957

Au début des années 40, Jesse se fixe à Los Angeles. Dès 1948, il est de retour dans les studios et enregistre plusieurs superbes faces pour différents labels : Miltone, Club (son propre label), Freedom, Modern-Kent, Swing Time, Specialty, Elko, Hollywood. Sa technique à la guitare est à son sommet, tout comme le chant. A l'aise dans toutes les situations (seul à la guitare ou en leader d'un orchestre), débordant de feeling, il est capable d'une grande diversité musicale entre Country Blues et Rhythm & Blues (annonçant parfois le Rock & Roll). Les faces gravées à cette époque sont souvent des pépites : "Same old stuff", "D double due love you", "Melody in C", "Another friend like me", "Let's have some fun", "Meet me tonight along the avenue", "I can't stay here", "Christmas celebration", "It's you I'm thinking of", "When you say I love you".

In the early 1940's, Jesse moved to Los Angeles. From 1948, he returned to the studios and recorded several superb sides for various labels : Miltone, Club (his own label), Freedom, Modern-Kent, Swing Time, Specialty, Elko, Hollywood. His guitar technique is on top, as is his singing. At ease in all situations (alone on guitar or as a leader of an orchestra), full of feeling, he is capable of a great musical diversity between Country Blues and Rhythm & Blues (sometimes announcing Rock & Roll). The sides engraved at this time are often gems : "Same old stuff", "D double due love you", "Melody in C", "Another friend like me", "Let's have some fun", "Meet me tonight along the avenue", "I can't stay here", "Christmas celebration", "It's you I'm thinking of", "When you say I love you".

RED RIVER BLUES

Ace

1963

Fixé à Shreveport depuis 1956, Jesse a fondé son propre label Red River. Accompagné d'un petit groupe électrique dans les studios de Dee Marais, il enregistre une poignée de titres au tempo irrésistible : "My baby", "Guitar riff", "Watch out".

Fixed in Shreveport since 1956, Jesse founded his own label Red River. Accompanied by a small electric group in Dee Marais' studios, he recorded a handful of tracks with an irresistible tempo : "My baby", "Guitar riff", "Watch out".

LOUISIANA SWAMP BOOGIE & BLUES vol.1

Goldband

Early 70's

Dans cette anthologie, on trouve "Shreveport's the name of the town", un démarquage de son "Blue goose blues", probablement gravé au début des années 70.

In this anthology, we find "Shreveport's name of the town", a transformation of his "Blue goose blues", probably recorded in the early 70's.

BLUES FEELING (only on cassette)

Red River

1989

BLUES IS A FEELING

Delmark

June 1992

Séance informelle de 1992 tardivement éditée en 2001 par Delmark. Jesse y est accompagné par John Primer (guitare) et Jodie Christian (piano). En fait, Jesse figurait à l'affiche du Chicago Blues Festival et avait profité de son voyage pour participer à cette séance. Il n'a rien perdu de ses compétences à la guitare mais sa voix apparait plus limitée. Au final, un disque intéressant mais parfois monotone.

Informal session from 1992 lately issued in 2001 by Delmark. Jesse is accompanied by John Primer (guitar) and Jodie Christian (piano). In fact, Jesse appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival and took advantage of his trip to attend this session. He did not lose anything of his skills on the guitar but his voice appears more limited. In the end, an interesting but sometimes monotonous record.

BLUES MOVED IN

Red River

1993

BLUE GOOSE BLUES

Top Cat

LOOKIN' FOR THAT WOMAN

Black Top

1995

Juste après avoir participé au Long Beach Blues Festival, il entre au Sunset Studio de Dallas. Discrètement accompagné par des sidemen attentifs (Steve James, Dan Garver, Dennis Cavalier, Chris Clark, Tyrone Starks), Jesse se montre en pleine forme. Atmosphère relachée, feeling des musiciens, on peut ressortir les excellents "Blue goose blues", "Lookin' for that woman", "Boogie woogie", "Zetetter blues", "Your ways and actions", "Gumbo". Dans le courant des années 90, on le trouve aussi à l'affiche des fameux New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival et Chicago Blues Festival.

Right after participating in the Long Beach Blues Festival, he entered Sunset Studio in Dallas. Discreetly accompanied by careful sidemen (Steve James, Dan Garver, Dennis Cavalier, Chris Clark, Tyrone Starks), Jesse is in great shape. Relaxed atmosphere, feeling of musicians, we can point out the excellent "Blue goose blues", "Lookin' for that woman", "Boogie woogie", "Zetetter blues", "Your ways and actions", "Gumbo". In the 1990's, he was also on the bill for the famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Chicago Blues Festival.

THE LEGEND OF OLD BLUE GOOSE

Blue Goose

1990's

ANOTHER FRIEND LIKE ME

Document

1990's

Il s'agit d'une de ses dernières séances probablement enregistrée dans les années 90. Le disque est partagé entre Jesse Thomas, James Crutchfield et Leon "Peaches" Sterling. Un programme sympathique avec une jolie version de "Careless love" et aussi "Love is automatic", "Caldonia", "It's you I'm thinking of". Jesse décède à Shreveport où il habitait depuis 1956.

This is one of his last sessions probably recorded in the 90's. The disc is shared between Jesse Thomas, James Crutchfield and Leon "Peaches" Sterling. An interesting program with a nice version of "Careless love" and also "Love is automatic", "Caldonia", "It's you I'm thinking of". Jesse died in Shreveport where he had lived since 1956.