Clara Smith: Freight Train Blues, Cold Weather Papa, The Basement Blues, The Clearing House Blues. Clarence Williams: Gravier St. Blues. Clara Smith: War Horse Mama (Pig Meat Sweetie), 31st St. Blues. Clarence Williams: My Own Blues. C. Williams Blue Five (Armstrong and Bechet): Texas Moaner Blues. C. Williams: Weary Blues, C. Williams Blue Five (Thomas Morris with Bechet): House Rent Blues. Atlantic Dance Orchestra: Lime House Blues, Henderson (Billy Fowler bass sax): Doo Doodle Oom, C. Williams: Mixing the Blues.

Clarence Williams composed Texas Moaner Blues with Fay Barnes, and Charlie Irvis is on trombone. Don Redman is on Clearing House Blues, War Horse Mama and Cold Weather Papa. Charlie Dixon is on banjo and Don Redman plays the goofus on Freight Train Blues. Fletcher Henderson played on several tunes including Freight Train Blues, War Horse Mama and Cold Weather Papa, on which he also plays the whistle. Smith’s vocal with Ernest Elliott and Charles Mattson in WC Handy’s Basement Blues is among the higher points of 1924.

Comparable high points were reached by Clarence Williams on his solo piano records and with the Blue Five and also by Henderson’s Orchestra who are included here. Limehouse Blues fits in as one of the hits of 1924 bringing more orientalism or chinoiserie to the fox trot.

Henderson played a big role in some of these recordings of Clara and gave her a modicum of the special production support Bessie Smith received in 1924. Clara was at home anywhere but particularly in Henderson’s special world of Redman, goofus and whistle and she makes brrrr noises of her own on Cold Weather Papa. “My razor and your neck are going to connect” in War Horse Mama delivered without losing her usual smoothness, illustrates Clara’s brand: transcendent beauty and calm in the face of anything life deals out. There is more to her 1924 catalogue and these are some personal favorites.

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