If you’re a fan of the likes of R&Bers like Ruth Brown or Big Maybelle, gather ‘round this three disc, 72 song set focused on Julia Lee. She sang down and gritty, with this collection going back to her earliest days from 1927 with George E. Lee to her last sessions in 1952. While the backing bands came and went, Lee’s style never changed, , giving a bold take of “St. James Infirmary” and seductive “If I Could Be With You” from the late 20s with Lee’s orchestra until she gives a “Last Call For Alcohol” with a smoky backing quartet. There are various versions of her “Boy Friend” bands, even including jazzers Vic Dickenson and Benny Carter for “Charaine” and “The Glory Of Love”, and a team with Red Norvo/xy gets down on “Cold Hearted Daddy” and “I Was Wrong”.
Lee was able to get a bunch of hits on the R&B circuit as on the double entendre’d “Snatch It and Grab It”, King Size Papa”, Gotta Gimme Watcha Got” and “I Didn’t Like It The First Time”. During the post WWII years, she had a band with swingers Ernie Royal/tp, Red Callender/b, Baby Lovet/dr, Vic Dickenson/tb and Dave Cavanaugh/ts that might have been her best, with “Bleeding Heart Blues” , while a 44 teaming with Jay McShann’s Kansas City Stompers isn’t far behind, with “Trouble In Mind”. She knew how to belt it, and the belt was thick leather!