Mosaic Records has excelled in the compilation of high-quality boxed set reissues,
primarily focusing on co-founder Michael Cuscuna’s passion for Blue Note Records’
vaunted jazz catalogue. Along the way Mosaic has also issued a few fine blues sets,
including an indispensable collection for any serious fan of blues guitar, The
Complete Recordings of T-Bone Walker 1940-1954, a great fit for the Mosaic catalogue considering the jazzy approach Walker took. This six-CD box collects 144 tracks, including alternate takes, from the Texas-born father of electric blues guitar. Recorded mostly in Los Angeles for the Black & White and Imperial labels, but also including sessions with Detroit, New Orleans, and Chicago bands. Among the classics are the original Stormy Monday–actually titled Call It Stormy Monday, Mean Old World, T-Bone Shuffle, Cold, Cold Feeling, and High Society. This is the music that influenced virtually every blues guitar player that came down the pike after Walker, from B.B. King to a horde of Texas axemen, as well as a host of singers who admired Walker’s smooth vocal style. A limited edition of 7500 copies were issued, hand-numbered on the inside page of the 12 x 12 16-page booklet.

— Jim O’Neal
www.stackhouse-bluesoterica.blogspot.com

The Complete Recordings of T-Bone Walker 1940-1954,
Mosaic MD6-130. Six-CD box set, released 1990.

Tracks: (24 per CD, six CDs)
1 T-Bone Blues
2 I Got a Break Baby
3 Mean Old World
4 Low Down Dirty Shame Blues
5 Sail on Boogie
6 I’m Still in Love with You
7 You Don’t Love Me Blues
8 T-Bone Boogie
9 Mean Old World Blues
10 Evening
11 My Baby Left Me
12 Come Back to Me Baby
13 I Can’t Stand Being Without You
14 She Is Going to Ruin Me
15 No Worry Blues [alternate take]
16 No Worry Blues
17 Don’t Leave Me Baby [alternate take]
18 Don’t Leave Me Baby
19 Bobby Sox Blues [alternate take]
20 Bobby Sox Blues
21 I’m Gonna Find My Baby
22 I’m in an Awful Mood
23 It’s a Low Down Dirty Deal
24 Don’t Give Me the Runaround
25 Hard Pain Blues
26 I Know Your Wig Is Gone
27 T-Bone Jumps Again
28 Call It Stormy Monday [alternate take]
29 Call It Stormy Monday
30 She Had to Let Me Down [alternate take]
31 She Had to Let Me Down
32 She’s My Old Time Used to Be
33 Dream Girl Blues [alternate take]
34 Dream Girl Blues
35 Midnight Blues [alternate take]
36 Midnight Blues
37 Long Lost Lover Blues [alternate take]
38 Long Lost Lover Blues
39 Triflin’ Woman Blues [alternate take]
40 Triflin’ Woman Blues
41 Long Skirt Baby Blues [alternate take]
42 Long Skirt Baby Blues
43 Goodbye Blues
44 Too Much Trouble Blues [alternate take]
45 Too Much Trouble Blues
46 I’m Waiting for Your Call
47 Hypin’ Woman Blues [alternate take]
48 Hypin’ Woman Blues
49 So Blue Blues
50 On Your Way Blues
51 The Natural Blues
52 That’s Better for Me
53 First Love Blues [alternate take]
54 First Love Blues
55 Lonesome Woman Blues [Alternate Take 1]
56 Lonesome Woman Blues [Alternate Take 2]
57 Lonesome Woman Blues
58 Vacation Blues
59 Inspiration Blues [alternate take]
60 Inspiration Blues
61 Description Blues [alternate take]
62 Description Blues
63 T-Bone Shuffle [alternate take]
64 T-Bone Shuffle
65 That Old Feeling Is Gone
66 The Time Seems So Long
67 Prison Blues
68 Home Town Blues
69 Wise Man Blues [alternate take]
70 Wise Man Blues
71 Misfortune Blues [alternate take]
72 Misfortune Blues
73 I Wish You Were Mine [alternate take]
74 I Wish You Were Mine
75 I’m Gonna Move You out and Get Somebody Else
76 She’s the No Sleepin’est Woman [alternate take]
77 She’s the No Sleepin’est Woman
78 Plain Old Down Home Blues
79 Born to Be No Good
80 Go Back to the One You Love [alternate take]
81 Go Back to the One You Love
82 I Want a Little Girl
83 I’m Still in Love with You
84 You’re My Best Poker Hand [alternate take]
85 You’re My Best Poker Hand
86 West Side Baby
87 Glamour Girl
88 Strollin’ with Bone
89 The Sun Went Down
90 You Don’t Love Me
91 Travelin’ Blues
92 The Hustle Is On [78 Take]
93 The Hustle Is On [LP Take]
94 Baby Broke My Heart [78 Take]
95 Baby Broke My Heart [LP Take]
96 Evil Hearted Woman
97 Evil Hearted Woman [alternate take]
98 I Walked Away
99 No Reason [alternate take]
100 No Reason
101 Look Me in the Eye [LP Take]
102 Look Me in the Eye [78 Take]
103 Too Lazy [78 Take]
104 Too Lazy [LP Take]
105 Alimony Blues
106 Life Is Too Short
107 You Don’t Understand
108 Welcome Blues
109 I Get So Weary
110 You Just Wanted to Use Me
111 Tell Me What’s the Reason
112 I’m About to Lose My Mind
113 Cold, Cold Feeling
114 News for My Baby
115 Get These Blues off Me
116 I Got the Blues Again
117 Through with Women
118 Street Walking Woman
119 Blues Is a Woman
120 I Got the Blues
121 Here in the Dark
122 Blue Mood
123 Everytime
124 I Miss You Baby
125 Lollie Lou
126 Party Girl
127 Love Is a Gamble
128 High Society
129 Long Distance Blues
130 Got No Use for You
131 I’m Still in Love with You
132 Railroad Station Blues
133 Vida Lee
134 My Baby Is Now on My Mind
135 Doin’ Time
136 Bye, Bye, Baby
137 When the Sun Goes Down
138 Pony Tail
139 Wanderin’ Heart
140 I’ll Always Be in Love with You
141 I’ll Understand
142 Hard Way
143 Teen Age Baby
144 Strugglin’ Blues

For recording dates and personnel, see The Blues Discography 1943-1970 by Les
Fancourt & Bob McGrath.