MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: TRUE STORY OF ABNER JAY

Another great release from our friends at Mississippi, True Story of Abner Jay eschews the singer's famous pre-song rants, instead allowing the legendary Atlanta area one-man-band's compositions to stand on their own.

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: CASSETTE SERIES VOL. 11 & 12

MRC-011: Black Plastic Singing Flats



MRC-012: A Little Bit of Hurt

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: LAST KIND WORDS

This was Mississippi's first compilation (5th release overall, after a few indie rock things and a cassette tape of one of the owners' bands) and really set the tone for how the label would develop. Original copies have hand-pasted sleeves, and the pressing was limited to 300 copies.

Last Kind Words: 1926-1953

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: PANDIT PRAN NATH

Containing two side-length ragas, this record, released on Mississippi "subsidiary" Change Records, was the first US release for noted singer and spiritual leader Pandit Pran Nath. Pran Nath collaborated with minimalist innovators La Monte Young and Terry Riley, and this record is a great example of the far-out, post-lingual aesthetic he helped to develop, and which was further explored by bands like Sun City Girls.

Earth Groove: Voice of Cosmic India

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: CASSETTE SERIES VOL. 9 & 10

Mississippi's mix-tapes are getting more professional looking, with full-color jackets and labels on the tapes themselves.

MRC-009: Chaabi Music from Al-Maghrib



Chaabi is a type of folk music with two distinct strains, a Moroccan version and an Algerian version. The music here is from Morocco.

MRC-010: The Way Up the Hill
20 Gospel Hits of the 1970s

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: I WOKE UP ONE MORNING IN MAY

I Woke Up One Morning in May

A follow up of sorts to Last Kind Words, this record collects country blues recorded between 1927 and 1934.

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: FIGHT ON, YOUR TIME AIN'T LONG

A companion piece* to "Life Is a Problem," this release on Mississippi Records collects gospel and sanctified blues recorded "between the wars."

V/A- Fight On, Your Time Ain't Long





*EDIT: Mike McGonigal, head YETI and sometimes-collaborator with Mississippi Records, just let us know that, in his mind, Fight On... isn't really a companion to Life is a Problem in that LIAP focuses on under-heard post-war sanctified blues, while Fight On... compiles a more widely available and distinctly tamer set of songs. Additionally, while Mr. McGonigal was deeply involved in the curation of LIAP, Eric and Warren- Mississippi's owners- compiled Fight On... entirely on their own.

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: CASSETTE SERIES VOL. 5 & 6

A note on the Mississippi Records tape series:

We have several more tapes to upload, but our tape player just quit on us. If we can find them on the 'net, we'll post them here, but it may be a while. In the meantime, we plan to make good on our commitment to post some of Mississippi's hard-to-find LP releases.

MRC-005: We're Gonna Make It Pt. 2
Popular 1960's Soul Music


Side A
The Falcons - Since You’ve Been Gone
Tammy Montgomery - If You Don’t Think
The Ikettes - So Blue
JJ Jackson & The Jackals - Ooh-Ma-Liddi
Betty Lavette - Let Me Down Easy
William Bell - Any Other Way
The Impressions - I’m Loving Nothing
Gino Washington - Around The Town
The Grand Prees - Jungle Fever
Joe Tex - The Love You Save Today

Side B
O.V. Wright - Motherless Child
Nina Simone - Break Down & Let It All Out
Inezz & Charlie Foxx - Broken Hearted Fool
Eddie Floyd - I’ve Just Been Feeling Bad
Garnette Mimms & The Enchanters - Baby Don’t You Weep
James Carr - Dark End Of The Street
Chambers Brothers - I’m So Tired
Wilson Pickett - Teardrops Will Fall
James & Bobby Purify - You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down
Big Maybelle - Heaven Will Welcome You Dr. King


MRC-006: Death Might Be Your Santa Claus
Random 78's recorded between 1903 & 1953 in no particular sequence


Side A
Big Maybelle - That's a Pretty Good Love
Hoagy Carmichael - Hong Kong Blues
Canalejas - Danza Mora
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Didn't It Rain?
Bo Diddley - She's Fine, She's Mine
Big Mama Throton - I Smell a Rat
Hank Williams - Please Don't Let Me Love You
Hada Brooks - The Man I Love
Two Gospel Keys - Can't No Grave Hold My Body Down
Angelillo - Bulerias
Glacier Park Indians - Medicine Song

Side B
Roy Smeck - Lil' Grass Shack
Bobettes - Look at the Stars
The Soul Stirrers - Pilgrim of Sorrow
Dixie Hummingbirds - What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?
Billie Holiday - Gloomy Sunday
Stuff Smith & His Onyx Boys - Ain't No Use
Rose Murphy (the Chi-Chi Girl) - I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Canaries With Organ - La Poloma
? - Chinese Opera Song
John Jacob Niles - Lulle Lullaby
Pale N. Lua - The Rosary

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: SPIRITUAL SINGERS

A mesmerizing record of Congolese pop-Gospel, ca. 1970-1980. Out now on Mississippi Records.

Spiritual Singers: Ntsamina

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: CASSETTE SERIES VOL. 3 & 4

As promised...

MRC-003: We're Gonna Make It Pt. 1
Early Soul


Side A
The Mask Man & The Agents - The World Is A Cafeteria
The Electrodes - Go Away
Edyth Alexander - My Dearest DArling
Dorothy Prince - Seek & Ye’ Shall Find
The Dynamics - Misery
The Ikettes - Here’s Your Heart
Betty Levette - You Killed The Love
Pearl Woods & The Gems - Think Of Poor Me
Sam Cooke - (Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind
Beverly Ann Gibson - Love’s Burning Fire
Chris Kenner - Time

Side B
O.V. Wright - Everybody Knows
Jesse James - I’m Alright
Mack Rice - I’m Coming Home
Fred Parris & The Restless Hearts - Walk A Little Faster
Jackie & The Starlites - You Put One Over On Me
Aaron Neville -How Could I Help But Love You?
James Carr - These Aint Raindrops
Amos Milburn - Gloria
Slim & Ann - I Submit To You
Bessie Banks - Go Now
The Mighty Hannibal - We’re Gonna Make It


MRC-004: Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven, But Nobody Wants to Die Pt. 1
Gospel


Side A
The Staple Singers - Hear My Call
Lightnin’ Hopkins - Needed Time
Swanee Quintet - Sit Down Servant
R.H. Harris - Someday
Dixie hummingbirds - Testimonial
Mahalia Jackson - My Story
Pilgrim Travellers - Come On Home
Swan Silverstones - My Rock
Gospel Seekers - Why Am I Treated So Bad
Dora Alexander - Russia, Leave God’s Moon Alone / Times Done Changed

Side B
Utah Smith - Two Wings
Highway QC’s - Way Up The Hill
Soul Sisters - One More River To Cross
Spirit Of Memphis Quartet - If I Should Miss Heaven
Nancy Dupree & The Ghetto Reality Youngsters - Dr. King
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Jericho
The Harmonizing Four - All Things Are Possible
Rev. Louis Overstreet & His Four Sons - Holiness Dance

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: CASSETTE SERIES VOL. 1 & 2

We just got back from a month-long holiday in Portland. While there, we picked up the first 8 installments of Mississippi Records' new mix-tape series. Eric Isaacson- shop owner, label head, and tape maker- gets pretty loosey-goosey with these things, and gives his curatorial muscles plenty of creative breathing room. Below are the first two tapes, with scans dutifully swiped from Root Blog. As soon as we re-set up our own hi-fi, we'll get subsequent volumes up as well, along with some of Mississippi's LP-only releases.



MRC-001: House Of Broken Hearts Pt. 1
Early R&B, Doo Wop, Rockabilly & Instrumentals


Side A
The Counts - Enchanted Sea
Sonny Day - Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt
The Versatones - Bila
The Saxons - Camel Walk (Part 1)
Vernon Green & The Phantoms - Sweet Breeze
Noland Strong & The Diablos - The Wind
The Vitones - The Storm (So Blue)
Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs - The Winds
The Sound Offs - The Angry Desert
Wanda Jackson - Funnel Of Love
Maylon Humphries - Weep No More
Hasil Adkins - By The Lonesome River

Side B
Art Neville - Arabian Love Call
The Neptunes - House of Heart Ache
Roy Junior - Victim Of Circumstances
Dee Clark - Blues, Get Off Of My Shoulder
Buddy Knox - I Think I’m Gonna Kill Myself
Donald Woods & The Vel-Airs - Death Of An Angel
Link Wray - Facing All The Same Tomorrows
Slim & Ann - I Just Can’t Stay Away
Charlie Feathers - The MAn In Love
Bo Diddley - The Great Grand Father
The Chell-Mars - Roamin’ Heart


MRC-002: House Of Broken Hearts Pt. 2
Early R&B, Doo Wop, Rockabilly & Instrumentals


Side A
Bunker Hill - Hide & Go See Pt.1
Blue Gene Vincent - My Love (In Love Again)
Joey Reynolds - Endless Sleep
The Saxons - Camel Walk (Part 2)
Screamin’ Joe McNeal - Don’t Quit Me Baby
Jackie & The Starlight’s - I’m Coming Home
Carl Perkins - Her Love Rubbed Off
Dave “Diddle” Day - Blue Moon Baby
Chris Jensen - Torture
Hasil Adkins - I’m Happy
Santo & Johnny - Slave Girl
Ernie K. Doe -Reapin’ What I Sow

Side B
Bo Diddley - Down Home Special
Dale Hawkins - Everglades
The Ventures - Fear
Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town
Jackie Lee Cochran - Georgia Lee Brown
Tyrone Schmidling - You’re Gone I’m Left
The Phantom - Love Me
Screamin’ Jay Hawkings - I Hear Voices
Peggy Lee - Is That All There Is?
Holly Golightly - There Is An End

I DON'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE

One more from Mississippi.

We're in the process of digitizing Mississippi's hard-to-find early releases. Stay tuned.



Download it here.

LIPA KODI YA CITY COUNCIL

For your listening pleasure:



Download it here.

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS

Mississippi Records opened right around the time I first moved to Portland. During those watershed years (moved away from home, went to school, dropped out, etc.) the store functioned as a gentle reeducation. I took some of my first tentative steps into reggae, jazz, blues, without any of the easy distractions of lavish but clumsy CD reissues or the momentary indie rock fêted. There was never any antagonism for the hours I spent browsing and listening, often without purchasing anything, nor any of the requisite snobbery or weirdly aggressive indie rock promotion-- Sleater Kinney covering every square inch-- just a bunch of good records.

The place does a number of things every record store ought to-- there is a listening station without any officious demands of collateral, a daily rotating section of new arrivals, and a deceptively manageable volume of well organized and fairly priced records. Eric the owner is an amiable, totally without pretense, righteous man who I secretly worship (secret's out--thanks Internet!). Add to this impeccable curatorial powers and aesthetic judgment* His label of the same name has released several handsomely packaged records over the last few years, both compilations and reissues as well as some local Portland artists. Nearly everything is stellar and otherwise impossible to find or outlandishly expensive. So without any further goofy adulation here are some links to two releases.

First, the exceptional compilation of gospel Life is a Problem

And perhaps my favorite, Love is Love a compilation of songs from throughout Africa, many originally appearing on the wonderful and long out of print Original Music release Africa Dances.

*The whole aesthetic package is money including the lovely hand painted window The sign gives you an idea of the shop's politick in a contentious neighborhood.