This 10-inch shellac 78 RPM record, catalog number V.2074, features country blues
pioneer Big Bill Broonzy performing solo with vocal and acoustic guitar. Both sides
were captured live in the studio during his landmark European tour.

Side A features "Blues in 1899" (erroneously typeset on this variant, historically
registered as Blues in 1890). It features Broonzy's signature conversational
storytelling, intricate fingerstyle guitar syncopation, and powerful vocal delivery.
Side B features "John Henry", a driving rendition of the traditional American
folk ballad that highlights his rhythmic thumb-picking style mimicking the strikes
of a steel-driving hammer.

Recording & Release Details:
Recorded: September 21st, 1951, at Vogue Studios in Paris, France.
Released: November 1951 by Vogue Records, UK.
Matrix Numbers: 51 v 4106 / 51 v 4110 (First state stamper numbers with no trailing
dashes or suffix numbers, confirming a true first pressing).

This recording represents a pivotal moment in the transatlantic migration of blues
music. By the early 1950s, the commercial landscape for traditional acoustic country
blues had shrunk significantly in the United States due to the rise of electric urban
blues. However, Europe—particularly France and the United Kingdom—was experiencing
a burgeoning post-war jazz and folk revival.

Broonzy was one of the earliest southern-born blues musicians to tour Europe. European
intellectuals and jazz critics framed him as an authentic folk artist, contrasting
with his previous American identity as an urban R&B artist. This specific session helped
lay the groundwork for the British Skiffle boom and the subsequent 1960s blues explosion,
influencing a generation of European guitarists who discovered the genre through French
and UK Vogue pressings.

- Typographical Variant: The label on this specific pressing contains a typesetting error,
listing the track as "Blues in 1899" instead of the standard title "Blues in 1890". This
indicates it escaped the factory before the label layout was corrected.
- The "Review Copy" Markings: The record contains handwritten blue ink notations reading
"Review Copy" on the John Henry label side. This indicates its unique provenance as an
advance promotional copy distributed to music journalists, radio stations, or jazz
critics prior to the public release.
- Biographical Mythmaking: During this 1951 European tour, Broonzy often adapted his
life story for European audiences, claiming to be born in 1893 rather than his actual
birth year of 1903 to match their expectations of a historical, turn-of-the-century
folk singer. This framing perfectly mirrors the themes of the tracks selected for
this record.

Condition Report:
- Visual Grade (Excellent / E): The shellac surfaces retain a deep, highly reflective
black mirror gloss. Superficial surface hairlines and minor handling marks are visible
under bright light, but there are no deep feelable scratches, cracks, chips, or needle drops.
- Labels: Clean overall with bright orange and white pigmentation. Side B features a clean
print. Side A features contemporary ink handwriting ("Review Copy") as shown in the photos,
which does not obscure the text.
- Play Grade: Unfiltered 78s play with inherent vintage surface noise, but the grooves remain
strong, providing a clear, dynamic audio presentation of both the vocals and guitar.

Postage & Packaging Policy:
Shipping fragile 78 RPM records safely is handled with professional care. The shellac
disc is first placed inside a protective paper sleeve, then sandwiched securely between
multiple layers of thick card stiffeners. The assembly is wrapped in tight layers of
shock-absorbing bubble wrap. The package is suspended within a heavy-duty, doubleskin
corrugated cardboard box, ensuring all perimeter voids are completely filled to eliminate
movement during transit.

Your order will be carefully packed and promptly dispatched.