James, Jesse

James, Jesse Unknown – Unknown Jesse James is a shadowy figure who recorded four sides for Decca in June 1936. He is also believed to be the pianist on three adjacent matrices by Walter Coleman, in which case he was probably involved in the Cincinnati blues scene. James was an exciting, if somewhat undisciplined, two-fisted barrelhouse pianist, with a hoarse, declamatory vocal style. He seems to have relied mostly on traditional material, as exemplified by his vigorous treatment of “Southern…