Memphis Slim - Chicago Recordings 1940/41

Memphis Slim (born as John Chatman on 3 September 1937 in Chicago) was a huge and imposing blues singer and pianist. He brought an air of sophistication to barrelhouse and boogie-woogie piano which, after all, came out of the lumber camps and honky-tonks of the southern states of the USA
After an early career in Memphis, where he emulated barrelhouse piano players like Roosevelt Sykes and Speckled Red, he made his own unique contribution to the style and took it to Chicago and signed with Okeh Records in 1939 and also recorded for Bluebird Records. He played piano as Big Bill Broonzy´s partner until 1944.
In 1944, he set out with his own jump blues band, recording his most famous numbers on Hy-Tone Records. In later years, he had memorable partnerships with guitarist Matt Murphy and legendary bassman Willie Dixon. After a 1961 European tour with Dixon, he left the United States in 1962 and moved permanently to Paris and acted as an ambassador for the blues. There he made sure that the audience not only enjoyed his music but also understood its history.
Memphis Slim died on February 24, 1988 in Paris France at the age of 72. During his lifetime, he cut over 500 recordings and influenced blues pianists that followed him for decades.
Here are 24 fine recordings he did in 1940/41 in Chicago:

Memphis Slim - Chicago Recordings 1940/41
(mp3, 160 kbps, ca. 77 MB)