The 12-song
Heritage of the Blues: Shake It Baby collection of Mississippi singer/guitarist
Jessie Mae Hemphill is certainly needed. She didn't have the opportunity to record very often. As a matter of fact, her greatest exposure came through an appearance in
Robert Palmer's 1993 film Deep Blues, which featured footage of
Hemphill playing bass drum as part of Jessie Mae's Fife and Drum Band and then playing solo guitar. The tracks on
Heritage of the Blues were recorded between 1979 and 1988 and feature
Hemphill on guitar, diddley bow, drums, foot tambourine, and bells. It also includes three previously unreleased versions of "All Night Boogie (Jessie's Boogie)," "Shake It, Baby," and "Baby, Please Don't Go." This is timeless electric Delta blues recommended to both novices and historians. ~ Al Campbell