Dixieland And Blues Jamboree - Eddie Barefield (1LP Vinyl) - Near Mint (NM)

Dixieland And Blues Jamboree by Eddie Barefield.

There is a particular pleasure in dropping the needle on a record that refuses to pick a lane, and "Dixieland And Blues Jamboree" by Eddie Barefield does exactly that. As the title promises, this is a set built on the friendly collision of two traditions, the rollicking spirit of Dixieland and the aching pull of the blues. Across its ten tracks, Barefield lets each idiom breathe, and the sequencing feels less like a compromise than a conversation.

Side A leans into the celebratory. "Come Again Rag" opens the proceedings with a title that practically doubles as an invitation, setting a bright, forward tempo before "Sad Man" pulls the mood into something more contemplative. "Heav'n" follows, and then "Please Stay Away," a pairing that lets the record swing between reverence and rueful humor. The side closes with "Crosstown," a title that carries the busy, roaming energy you would hope for from a jazz set that keeps its feet moving.

Flip to Side B and the blues take the wheel in earnest. "Wake Up Blues" leads off, and from there the momentum runs through "Ride Me Blues" and "No Need To Asl Me," each leaning into the lowdown, unhurried feeling that gives the second half its center of gravity. It is here that the "Blues" in the title fully earns its billing, with Barefield trading the ragtime bounce of the opening side for something slower and more searching.

The final stretch is where the two worlds shake hands. "Misty Morning Blues" offers one last dose of that late-night ache, all hush and patience, before "New Orleans Rag" sends the whole affair off on a high, circling back to the Dixieland roots that gave the record its name in the first place. Ending on a rag is a smart bit of bookending, closing the door on the same note of celebration that opened it.

What makes the album cohere is Barefield's instinct for balance. Rather than segregating the ragtime numbers from the blues, he lets the two styles inform one another, so that even the bluesier tracks carry a certain lift and even the rags leave room for a little melancholy. The result is a set that rewards a full front-to-back listen, revealing its shape only when you let both sides run.

For collectors who prize the meeting point of early jazz and the blues, this is a rewarding addition to the shelf. It is a record with a clear point of view, a title that tells you exactly what you are getting, and a track list that delivers on the promise. Come again, indeed.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Come Again Rag
A2. Sad Man
A3. Heav'n
A4. Please Stay Away
A5. Crosstown
B1. Wake Up Blues
B2. Ride Me Blues
B3. No Need To Asl Me
B4. Misty Morning Blues
B5. New Orleans Rag

Artist: Eddie Barefield

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Major Records (7)

Catalog Number: LP 3010

Release Year: 1962

Country: Import

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sleeve Condition: Very Good (VG) (Top copy all around. Except for the bottom left corner of the cover which is chewed up.)