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Live In Cook County Jail
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To buy this recording from Amazon.com, click here: Live in Cook County Jail
___________________________________________________
B.B. KING
LIVE IN COOK COUNTY JAIL
Original 1971 album liner notes
side one
1. INTRODUCTIONS 1:50
2. EVERY DAY I HAVE THE BLUES 1:43
(P. Chatman)
Arc Music Corp./Golden State Songs (BMI)
3. HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET 5:09
(J. Feather)
Modern Age Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
4. WORRY, WORRY, WORRY 9:57
(D. Plumber/J. Taub)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
side two
1. MEDLEY: 3 O’CLOCK BLUES / DARLIN’ YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU 6:15
(J. Taub/B.B. King)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
2. SWEET SIXTEEN 4:20
(J. Josea/B.B. King)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
3. THE THRILL IS GONE 5:21
(R. Hawkins)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
4. PLEASE ACCEPT MY LOVE 4:02
(B.B. King/S. Ling)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
B.B. KING, guitar and vocals
JOHN BROWNING, trumpet
LOUIS HUBERT, tenor saxophone
BOOKER WALKER, alto saxophone
RON LEVY, piano
WILBERT FREEMAN, bass
SONNY FREEMAN, drums
___________________________________________________
Recorded in performance at Cook County Jail, Chicago, Ill., September 10 1970
PRODUCED BY BILL SZYMCZYK for Z Mfg. Co.
Location recording by Location Recorders, Inc.
Engineering by Aaron Baron
Art Direction by Woody Woodward
Photos by Chester Sheard
Management/Direction
SIDNEY A. SEIDENBERG INC.
1414 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019
Telephone: (212) 421-2021
___________________________________________________
Jail, very simple, is one helluva place to be.
In 1968, when the Illinois Crime Commission and a prison reform group, the John Howard Association, investigated Chicago’s infamous Cook County Jail, they called it a “jungle.”
“Any-and-everything went,” says a former inmate, “anything from heroin to whiskey to Italian food was sold and traded in jail. Homosexual rape, bribery and murder were the bill of fair.” And he added sourly, “no one seemed to give a damn.”
In March, 1968, Black psychologist, Winston E. Moore, was appointed Warden of the jail, after a scandal resulted in the dismissal of the former Warden. The first day on the job he moved out three refrigerators from Mafia-occupied cells, collected over 200 weapons from the inmates and confiscated an undetermined amount of drugs. For six months Moore and his staff were physically challenged by the inmates. The “barn boss” system, the brainchild of a former Deputy Warden, had given dictatorial powers to the inmates whose cunning and viciousness rendered them leaders of their tiers. The “barn bosses” did not relinquish their power easily – not even to the new Warden.
For a year, Moore was waging battles on several fronts. The press, who was used to having its way with the former Warden, was turned-off by Moore’s curtness and seeming lack of finesse with the 5th Estate. “Private and public racists,” as they were so dubbed, pestered and chastised Moore at every opportunity. Inmates, who were irrevocably stripped of their street-gang leadership identity in the jail, rebelled at every offering. Friends and associates warned Moore early in the siege, he would not last – the odds were stacked against him.
So it was rather ironic on September 10, 1970, that B.B. King should be performing before 2,117 inmates, with minimum security, in the yard of COOK COUNTY JAIL.
B.B. KING – COOK COUNTY JAIL, is a story of two men – the man who “cleaned up a mess,” and a man who felt Cook County Jail was an important an engagement as Caesar’s Palace.
It was a long fight for Winston Moore, two years of confrontations before he became “the jail’s only barn boss.” It was a longer fight for B.B. King. For over 25 years, B.B. King played the “chitlin circuit,” enjoyed a modest income and never received the public acclaim he deserved. After a managerial change, wider exposure has made him recognized as the “chairman of the board of blues singers.”
The obvious parallel of B.B. King to Horatio Alger does not do B.B. complete justice. The long, arduous journey to “stardom” renders many entertainers bitter and unobtainable. When I called B.B. King (to beg if necessary) to ask him to come and perform at Cook County Jail, he had only one question, “When do you want me?”
B.B. KING – COOK COUNTY JAIL, is a manifestation of human generosity and beauty on B.B.’s part, and the raw appreciation of 2,117 of his most ardent fans. Throughout the summer of 1970, Cook County Jail has produced several shows for its inmates.
Graciously the inmates cheered and applauded ALL the entertainers. After B.B.’s concert, 2,117 inmates gave him a standing ovation. In the typical B.B. King style, he simply said, “If you liked me today, can I come back again?” The answer was unanimous.
B.B.’s performance will forever be a memory to all of us, especially to Winston Moore, who rung B.B.’s hand dry with appreciative thanks. From 2,117 of your fans, thank you B.B. King, for your generosity and kindness; and most of all for not forgetting us.
– Geoffrey Harding and 2,117
___________________________________________________
STEREO
abc Records
A Product of ABC/Dunhill Records, Inc., 8255 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90048 / 1330 Ave. Of The Americas, New York, N.Y. 10019.
© MCMLXXI. Made in U.S.A.
ABCS-723
To buy this recording from Amazon.com, click here: Live in Cook County Jail
___________________________________________________B.B. KING
LIVE IN COOK COUNTY JAIL
Original 1971 album liner notes
side one
1. INTRODUCTIONS 1:50
2. EVERY DAY I HAVE THE BLUES 1:43
(P. Chatman)
Arc Music Corp./Golden State Songs (BMI)
3. HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET 5:09
(J. Feather)
Modern Age Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
4. WORRY, WORRY, WORRY 9:57
(D. Plumber/J. Taub)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
side two
1. MEDLEY: 3 O’CLOCK BLUES / DARLIN’ YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU 6:15
(J. Taub/B.B. King)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
2. SWEET SIXTEEN 4:20
(J. Josea/B.B. King)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
3. THE THRILL IS GONE 5:21
(R. Hawkins)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
4. PLEASE ACCEPT MY LOVE 4:02
(B.B. King/S. Ling)
Modern Music Pub. Co. (BMI)
B.B. KING, guitar and vocals
JOHN BROWNING, trumpet
LOUIS HUBERT, tenor saxophone
BOOKER WALKER, alto saxophone
RON LEVY, piano
WILBERT FREEMAN, bass
SONNY FREEMAN, drums
___________________________________________________
Recorded in performance at Cook County Jail, Chicago, Ill., September 10 1970
PRODUCED BY BILL SZYMCZYK for Z Mfg. Co.
Location recording by Location Recorders, Inc.
Engineering by Aaron Baron
Art Direction by Woody Woodward
Photos by Chester Sheard
Management/Direction
SIDNEY A. SEIDENBERG INC.
1414 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019
Telephone: (212) 421-2021
___________________________________________________
Jail, very simple, is one helluva place to be.
In 1968, when the Illinois Crime Commission and a prison reform group, the John Howard Association, investigated Chicago’s infamous Cook County Jail, they called it a “jungle.”
“Any-and-everything went,” says a former inmate, “anything from heroin to whiskey to Italian food was sold and traded in jail. Homosexual rape, bribery and murder were the bill of fair.” And he added sourly, “no one seemed to give a damn.”
In March, 1968, Black psychologist, Winston E. Moore, was appointed Warden of the jail, after a scandal resulted in the dismissal of the former Warden. The first day on the job he moved out three refrigerators from Mafia-occupied cells, collected over 200 weapons from the inmates and confiscated an undetermined amount of drugs. For six months Moore and his staff were physically challenged by the inmates. The “barn boss” system, the brainchild of a former Deputy Warden, had given dictatorial powers to the inmates whose cunning and viciousness rendered them leaders of their tiers. The “barn bosses” did not relinquish their power easily – not even to the new Warden.
For a year, Moore was waging battles on several fronts. The press, who was used to having its way with the former Warden, was turned-off by Moore’s curtness and seeming lack of finesse with the 5th Estate. “Private and public racists,” as they were so dubbed, pestered and chastised Moore at every opportunity. Inmates, who were irrevocably stripped of their street-gang leadership identity in the jail, rebelled at every offering. Friends and associates warned Moore early in the siege, he would not last – the odds were stacked against him.
So it was rather ironic on September 10, 1970, that B.B. King should be performing before 2,117 inmates, with minimum security, in the yard of COOK COUNTY JAIL.
B.B. KING – COOK COUNTY JAIL, is a story of two men – the man who “cleaned up a mess,” and a man who felt Cook County Jail was an important an engagement as Caesar’s Palace.
It was a long fight for Winston Moore, two years of confrontations before he became “the jail’s only barn boss.” It was a longer fight for B.B. King. For over 25 years, B.B. King played the “chitlin circuit,” enjoyed a modest income and never received the public acclaim he deserved. After a managerial change, wider exposure has made him recognized as the “chairman of the board of blues singers.”
The obvious parallel of B.B. King to Horatio Alger does not do B.B. complete justice. The long, arduous journey to “stardom” renders many entertainers bitter and unobtainable. When I called B.B. King (to beg if necessary) to ask him to come and perform at Cook County Jail, he had only one question, “When do you want me?”
B.B. KING – COOK COUNTY JAIL, is a manifestation of human generosity and beauty on B.B.’s part, and the raw appreciation of 2,117 of his most ardent fans. Throughout the summer of 1970, Cook County Jail has produced several shows for its inmates.
Graciously the inmates cheered and applauded ALL the entertainers. After B.B.’s concert, 2,117 inmates gave him a standing ovation. In the typical B.B. King style, he simply said, “If you liked me today, can I come back again?” The answer was unanimous.
B.B.’s performance will forever be a memory to all of us, especially to Winston Moore, who rung B.B.’s hand dry with appreciative thanks. From 2,117 of your fans, thank you B.B. King, for your generosity and kindness; and most of all for not forgetting us.
– Geoffrey Harding and 2,117
___________________________________________________
STEREO
abc Records
A Product of ABC/Dunhill Records, Inc., 8255 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90048 / 1330 Ave. Of The Americas, New York, N.Y. 10019.
© MCMLXXI. Made in U.S.A.
ABCS-723
