Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Delta bluesman Charley (or "Charlie" as the man himself seemingly insisted) is considered by many to be one of the early blues scene's most influential exponents and this lovingly-assembled three disc set contains all of Patton's originally issued recordings from 1929 to his untimely death in 1934 in chronological order. Despite being digitally remastered, the sound quality is undoubtedly poor and it's easy to see why deciphering Patton's lyrics has been a frustrating and nigh-on impossible task for blues historians over the years. Having said that, the warmth and skill of Patton's performance never fails to break through and his percussive guitar playing alongside a melodic vocal delivery - less raw than the likes of contemporaries Son House and Blind Willie Johnson - steals the show at every turn. Widely considered to be a savvy, crowd-pleasing showman who crossed a number of stylistic boundaries when performing live, Patton's recorded works are largely rooted in the blues - presumably for commercial reasons - but he nonetheless keeps his options open by attempting to appeal to as wide an audience as possible through the subject matter of his songs. For instance, a handful of sanctified numbers such as "Lord, I'm Discouraged", "Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker" and "I'm Goin' Home" are included to reach out to church-going folks whilst Patton's own habit of cocaine use and womanising are documented in the likes of "A Spoonful Blues" and the innuendo-laden "Shake It And Break It (But Don't Let It Fall Mama)" respectively. Elsewhere, Patton's signature tune "Pony Blues" and the two-part document of the devastating Mississippi flood of 1927 "High Water Everywhere" cement Patton's standing as one of the true greats making this collection an essential and hugely important one for all early blues enthusiasts.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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