Shortcuts 1: God Don't Like It
is a 20-track introduction to the
Document
label, which specializes in reissuing blues, jazz, folk, country, and gospel recordings dating from the late 19th century through the middle of the 20th.
's catalog is swarming with unfamiliar names and fascinating recordings that many people have never heard or even imagined. During the '90s,
's policy was to reissue 78 rpm recordings on CD regardless of sound quality, even if the surface noise made it difficult to hear the music or if the needle skipped on the old platter. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the company has changed hands and the overall quality of
CDs released since then tends towards excellence. This compilation is guaranteed to move, amuse, entertain, and educate anyone who spends some time absorbing its contents and savoring the blend of genres and styles. Jazz is somewhat underrepresented on this particular volume, although guitarist
Teddy Bunn
serves up a fine interpretation of
Jelly Roll Morton
's
"King Porter Stomp,"
and pianist
Richard M. Jones
is heard with cornetist
Willie Hightower's Nighthawks
. The Blues is represented here by
Son House
,
Little Brother Montgomery
Roosevelt Sykes
Lightnin' Hopkins
, Louisiana-born guitarist
Jesse "Babyface" Thomas
, singing pianist
George Davis
, straight-edge-razor-brandishing
Perline Ellison
, and nine-string guitarist
Big Joe Williams
. The more rural and/or string instrument-oriented acts are wonderfully diverse.
The Three Stripped Gears
(mandolin man
R.W. Durden
and guitarists
Cliff Vaughn
and
Marion Brown
) are heard performing the
"Black Bottom Strut."
The
Memphis Jug Band
grinds out one of their fiddle- and guitar-driven singalong numbers,
Ralph Willis
Brownie McGhee
discuss the
"Sportin' Life,"
Hattie Ellis
Cowboy Jack Ramsey
take you out to the middle of the desert and leave you there. Two classic country duos,
Kirk & Sam McGee
G.B. Grayson
Henry Whitter
, set a clear precedent for what the
Holy Modal Rounders
were to sound like in the early '60s. Religion is represented here by the
Hall Johnson Choir
, the
Junior Four Quartet
Elder A. Johnson
, who provided the collection's title track, and
Elder Charles Beck
, who delivers a
"Rock and Roll Sermon."
Relative to the overall size and depth of the
catalog, this very enjoyable core sample constitutes a tiny sliver that only begins to hint at the cultural riches therein. Great cover photo too. ~ arwulf arwulf