Henry Mason

Those that enjoy sorting music artists by eccentric categories should make note of Henry Mason, maybe even heavily underscoring his name using the swing of the axe. He belongs to two interesting sets of performers, those whose attempts were documented while these were incarcerated and the ones who use common tools to create music. The previous kind of performer is in fact not so unusual in blues, a genre where a few of the most popular performers, such as for example Leadbelly and Robert Pete Williams, had been in fact released from jail early for their instrumental capabilities. Mason’s musical “axe” of preference was a genuine axe, nevertheless. While there will not appear to be any information regarding why the person was being kept in the Mississippi Condition Penitentiary, the warden of the fine organization may experienced misgivings about allowing Mason go free of charge to be able to pursue a profession as an axe-swinging bluesman. Hence, his entire documenting career includes several shows taped by musicologist Alan Lomax in 1959. Like many better-known performers, this discography grew in proportions using the discharge of previously unissued shows on expanded series released with the Rounder label in the past due ’90s. Tracks such as for example “Tom Devil” and “Money Mamie feature business lead vocalist Ed Lewis; history vocals are given by three various other men, but regarding to liner be aware credits Mason may be the only 1 keeping the defeat with axe strokes. He’s not similar Henry Mason who performed trumpet on jazz information in the ’20s and ’30s.