Skip James - Today!

 

The Bluesville Series from Craft Recordings and Acoustic Sounds!

Inspired by the original Prestige label imprint established in 1959

Today! by Skip James

All-analog mastering by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab at Blue Heaven Studios!

180-gram vinyl pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Highlighting trailblazing blues musicians from legendary labels

"As part of the ongoing Bluesville series from a partnership between Craft Recordings and Acoustic Sounds, the newly remastered Skip James — Today! marvelously captures the iconic bluesman a year and a half after his sensational national debut on what would be his first major studio recording of his rediscovery (The 1965 LP Greatest of the Delta Blues Singers on Melodeon recorded James at Dick Spottswood's home.) Originally released by Vanguard and recorded in their state-of-the-art studios at New York City on January 10 and 11, 1966, this session finds him in very fine form both vocally and instrumentally. James, who had been performing regularly since his Newport debut after years of musical inactivity, turns in an exceptional and highly intimate performance, adding several new songs to his repertoire but also revisiting many of his most acclaimed including 'Hard Time Killing Floor,' 'Cypress Grove,' 'Cherryball,' 'Special Rider Blues,' 'Drunken Spree' and 'I'm So Glad.'

"Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at Cohearent Audio in Los Angeles from the original master tapes and pressed on heavy 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, one of the world's leading record plants, the all-analog recording sounds magnificent. Both James' voice and his guitar have never sounded better. The articulation of his guitar playing and the presence of his voice have such pristine clarity and vivacity that you often forget you're listening to a recording and not a live performance. The pressing itself is dead-silent and there is not a hint of tape hiss throughout." — Gene Tomko, Living Blues, November 2024

"I have multiple copies of this record and this Bluesville reissue is by far the best sounding. It puts you in the room with the artist, or the artist in your room, whichever you prefer and there's no mystery about why that is. Matthew Lutthans cut lacquers multiple ways: from the original two track tape, from a mix down he created from the four track tape and finally a live to lathe cut, which is what this is. The improvement in 'you are there' transparency will be obvious to anyone reading this who's a fan of the record and has a previous iteration. Add Doug Sax's lathe, once again operating as TML fans expect, a dead quiet QRP pressing, a Stoughton 'Tip-on' jacket and a $29.98 price and this is a 'must have' reissue, especially worth picking up if you're unfamiliar with the record and/or the artist, though of course everyone knows Cream's cover of 'I'm So Glad' found here in the original version (though if you listen casually it sounds nothing like the 'rocked up' cover). Another plus is Bruce Jackson's excellent original annotation that tells the whole story and more. And you get the original orange Vanguard Stereolab label (by 1966 the black and silver label had been changed to orange and black). The Bluesville series is now two for two!" — Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 — Michael Fremer, TrackingAngle.com. To read Fremer's full review, click here.

Today! is Skip James' second album, originally released in 1966. The album features James solo on all but one track, "How Long," which includes Russ Savakus on bass. AllMusic asserts, "wonderful vocals, superb guitar and a couple of tunes with tasty piano make this essential."

Craft Recordings, in partnership with Acoustic Sounds, is releasing Today! as part of the Bluesville Series. Bluesville is a brand-new hub for all things blues, including vinyl reissues, curated playlists, and more! Inspired by the original label imprint established under Prestige Records in 1959, the Bluesville Series will highlight the many trailblazing musicians who contributed to the rich tradition of the blues, including titles from legendary artists on labels such as Vee-Jay, Riverside, Vanguard, Stax, and Rounder Records.

The albums in the Bluesville Series are pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings and feature all-analog (AAA) mastering by Grammy-nominated engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab at Blue Heaven Studios, plus a tip-on jacket and obi strip with notes written by Grammy-winning producer, writer and musician Scott Billington.

 

 

 

1. Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues

2. Crow Jane

3. Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues

4. Special Rider Blues

5. Drunken Spree

6. Cherryball

7. How Long

8. All Night Long

9. Cypress Grove

10. Look Down the Road

11. My Gal

12. I'm So Glad

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