Bessie Smith On Cd

OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS Sony’s Legacy Records has been issuing the complete recordings of Bessie Smith in a series of two-CD sets. The best one-disk (or cassette) introduction to the music is Bessie Smith: The Collection , compiled and annotated by Chris Albertson, on Columbia Jazz Masterpieces. The film St. Louis Blues is now available on video as part of the “Blue Melodies” volume of the series Hollywood Rhythm: The Paramount Musical Shorts, 1929-1941 from Kino Video.