Jimmy "T99" Nelson

b. April 7th, 1919 in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)

d. July 29th, 2007 in Houston (Texas)

JIMMY "T99" NELSON

Ace

1949 - September 1953

CRY HARD LUCK

Ace

1949 - September 1953 / July 1960

WATCH THAT ACTION

Ace

June 1951 - September 1953 / July 1960

Jimmy fait l'apprentissage du chant à l'église. Après avoir vu Big Joe Turner, il se lance dans une carrière de blues-shouter et grave ses premiers titres pour le label Olliet ("Baby child") en 1948-49. En 1951, Jimmy signe un contrat d'enregistrement avec RPM, une marque détenue par les frères Bihari. Accompagné du Peter Rabbit Trio, il grave son fameux "T99 blues" qui remportera un beau succès et deviendra même son surnom. Il met au point un Jump-Blues typiquement californien influencé par son mentor Big Joe Turner avec d'excellentes pièces comme "Married men like sport" (avec la guitare de Chuck Norris), "Cry hard luck", "Meet me with your black dress on", "Bad habit blues", "Fine little honey dripper". Cette belle collaboration ne durera pas longtemps et s'arrête en septembre 1953. Pourtant, en 1960 - après un passage chez Chess - il revient dans le giron des frères Bihari gravant quelques morceaux pour leur label Kent lors d'une unique séance en juillet 1960 ("Last time around", "I sat and cried").

Jimmy learns singing in church. After seeing Big Joe Turner, he embarked on a blues-shouter career and recorded his first songs for the Olliet label ("Baby child") in 1948-49. In 1951, Jimmy signed a recording contract with RPM, an imprint owned by the Bihari brothers. Accompanied by the Peter Rabbit Trio, he cut his famous "T99 blues" which will win a great success and will even become his nickname. He developed a typical californian Jump-Blues style influenced by his mentor Big Joe Turner with excellent tracks such as "Married men like sport" (with Chuck Norris' guitar), "Cry hard luck", "Meet me with your black dress on", "Bad habit blues", "Fine little honey dripper". This collaboration did not last long and stopped in september 1953. However, in 1960 - after a passage at Chess - he returned to the bosom of the Bihari brothers engraving a few pieces for their Kent label in a single session in july 1960 ("Last time around", "I sat and cried").

CHESS RHYTHM & ROLL

MCA - Chess

October 1957

En 1955, il se marie avec Nettie et le couple s'installe à Houston. Après quelques années passées chez RPM, Jimmy arrive chez Chess. Pour la célèbre firme chicagoane, il enregistre un premier simple en janvier 1955 (le suave "Free and easy mind" et "Great big hunk of man") puis un autre en octobre 1957 (l'enjoué "Mr Big Wheel"). Entretemps, Jimmy a donné deux titres au label Music City de Ray Dobard. D'après la Blues Discography, il aurait gravé un autre simple en décembre 1959 qui est malheureusement resté inédit. Sa collaboration avec Chess reste malheureusement mineure. Dans la continuation parfaite de ses séances pour RPM, on retrouve la même orientation Jump-Blues. Ces différents titres ne remporteront aucun succès malgré d'évidentes qualités.

In 1955, he married Nettie and the couple settled in Houston. After a few years at RPM, Jimmy arrives at Chess. For the famous chicagoan firm, he recorded a first single in january 1955 (the suave "Free and easy mind" and "Great big hunk of man") and then another one in october 1957 (the playful "Mr. Big Wheel"). Meanwhile, Jimmy has given two tracks to Ray Dobard's Music City label. According to the Blues Discography, it would have engraved another single in december 1959 which unfortunately remained unissued. His collaboration with Chess unfortunately remains minor. In the perfect continuation of his sessions for RPM, we find the same Jump-Blues orientation. These various titles will not achieve any success despite obvious qualities.

SWEET SUGAR DADDY

P-Vine

BLUES AS BIG AS TEXAS

Home Cooking

HOT TAMALE MAN

Collectables

June - October 1963 or May 1965 / May - June 1970

Ce disque regroupe des séances gravées pour les labels Paradise produites par Steve Poncio et Home Cooking produites par Roy C. Ames. La plupart de ces bandes restèrent longtemps inédites (sauf deux morceaux parus dans l'anthologie "Blues as big as Texas") et furent finalement éditées par le label japonais P-Vine puis par Collectables. Sur certains morceaux, Jimmy est accompagné de l'orchestre d'Arnett Cobb et le guitariste Clarence Hollimon. On retient notamment "Hot tamale man", "Too weak to work", "No knocking time", "Slow down blues".

This disc is an engraved session for labels Paradise produced by Steve Poncio and Home Cooking produced by Roy C. Ames. Most of these tapes remained unissued for a long time (except two tracks in the anthology "Blues as big as Texas") and were finally published by the Japanese label P-Vine then by Collectables. On some tracks, Jimmy is accompanied by Arnett Cobb's orchestra and guitarist Clarence Hollimon. We can point out "Hot tamale man", "Too weak to work", "No knocking time", "Slow down blues".

THE BLUES SESSIONS 1990-1994

JSP

April 1990

Invité sur scène par Otis Grand, Jimmy démontre qu'il n'a rien perdu de ses capacités vocales parfaitement supporté par le groupe du bluesman anglais.

Guest on stage by Otis Grand, Jimmy shows that he has lost nothing of his vocal abilities perfectly supported by the english bluesman's group.

HE KNOWS THE BLUES

Sequel

November 1990

Dans ce disque d'Otis Grand, Jimmy interprète deux excellents morceaux : "Jumpin' for Johnny" et "Swing turn".

In this album of Otis Grand, Jimmy interprets two excellent tracks : "Jumpin' for Johnny" and "Swing turn".

ROCKIN' AND SHOUTIN' THE BLUES

Bullseye

September 1998

Dans cette recréation du style Jump-Blues californien très aboutie, Jimmy Nelson - presque 80 ans - fait le démonstration que ses qualités vocales demeurent intactes. Derrière lui, il y a de superbes musiciens comme le guitariste Clarence Hollimon - particulièrement présent et inspiré - ainsi qu'une remarquable section cuivres (Rich Lataille, Carl Quefurth, Doug James, Sax "Gordon" Beadle). On peut ressortir les superbes "House of the blues", "Hurt three ways", "New shack lover" mais le reste du programme est du même niveau.

In this re-creation of the californian Jump-Blues style, Jimmy Nelson - almost 80 years old - demonstrates that his vocal qualities remain intact. Behind him, there are superb musicians like guitarist Clarence Hollimon - particularly present and inspired - as well as a remarkable brass section (Rich Lataille, Carl Quefurth, Doug James, Sax "Gordon" Beadle). We can bring out the superb "House of the blues", "Hurt three ways", "New shack lover" but the rest of the program is of the same level.

TAKE YOUR PICK

Nettie Marie

2000

Accompagné par une équipe de musiciens presque identique à son précédent disque, Jimmy trouve encore une occasion de chanter dans d'excellentes conditions : voix onctueuse et douce sur son habituel style Jump-Blues. Quelques longueurs mais "Nasty mean", "Think again", "Son listen to me", "Would you believe", "Mornin moon and night" méritent vraiment l'écoute.

Accompanied by a team of musicians almost identical to his previous record, Jimmy finds an opportunity to sing in excellent conditions : smooth and soft voice on his usual Jump-Blues style. Some lengths but "Nasty mean", "Think again", "Son listen to me", "Would you believe", "Mornin moon and night" really deserve listening.

THE LEGEND

Nettie Marie

2005

Une nouvelle tentative pour recréer le son Rhythm & Blues des années 40. A 86 ans, Jimmy s'en sort avec les honneurs en particulier sur "The devil's sending up a blessing to you", "My country woman", "Be knowing what I got to do". On remarque aussi une reprise inattendue et sympathique du "Help me", un standard de "Sonny Boy" Williamson.

A new attempt to recreate Rhythm & Blues sound of the 40's. At 86 years old, Jimmy gets off with honors especially on "The devil's sending up to you", "My country woman", "Be knowing what I got to do". There is also an unexpected and nice cover of "Help me", a "Sonny Boy" Williamson's standard.