Various - Matchbox Bluesmaster Series, Vol. 7: Songsters & Saints: Vocal Traditions on Race Records

Set 7 of the iconic Matchbox Bluesmaster Series . Containing six CDs, alongside extensive notes from world authority on the blues Paul Oliver, this unique series documents the very early days of blues, ragtime, hokum, and gospel music from 1926 to 1934 and gives an insight into the way that black music was first released on record. From a commercial standpoint, record companies such as OKEH sent out talent scouts to find black singers, mang of them singing for nickels on street corners. These early blues performances feature some outstanding playing and singing and a new generation is now discovering the musical wealth to be found in these early recordings.