This three-disc, 79-track box set of vintage string bass sides recorded between 1925 and 1941 from Atlanta's marvelous Dust-to-Digital folks can be listened to in a couple of different ways. It works as a survey of 78-rpm era bass players, certainly, including cuts from Bill Johnson, Walter Page, Al Morgan, and many others, but due to its wide-ranging inclusion of jazz, swing, blues, country, jug band, Western swing, and gospel material, it can also work as a wonderfully upbeat set of vintage American roots music, and one doesn't necessarily need to be a string bass player or music historian to get into it. It isn't a collection of bass solos, either, although there are plenty of those scattered through the tunes, but is rather a look at how this instrument was used in a wide variety of settings. Among the high points are "Dinah" by Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra, a funky "Bull Frog Blues" by Charles Pierce & His Orchestra, a blistering "Tex's Dance" from the Prairie Ramblers, a delightfully loose version of "Mama Don't Allow" called "Don't 'Low" from Washboard Sam, and two takes by the Midnight Rounders of "Bull Fiddle Rag." Fun from start to finish, How Low Can You Go? is like a great cross-genre American barn dance in a box. Another great set from Dust-to-Digital.
CD 1 (1925-1930)
1. Ted Lewis and His Band - Milenberg Joys
2. Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra - Dinah
3. Jelly-Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers - Black Bottom Stomp
4. Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra - My Pretty Girl
5. Bobbie Leecan’s Need-More Band - Wash-Board Cut Out
6. Sam Morgan’s Jazz Band - Bogalusa Strut
7. Sam Morgan’s Jazz Band - Down by the Riverside
8. Charles Pierce and His Orchestra - Bull Frog Blues
9. Charles Pierce and His Orchestra - China Boy
10. Thelma Terry and Her Playboys - Voice of the Southland
11. Thelma Terry and Her Playboys - Mama’s Gone, Goodbye
12. Halfway House Dance Orchestra - I’d Like to Go Back to That Old Pal of Mine
13. Mart Britt and His Orchestra - Goose Creek-Stomp
14. Jimmie Rodgers - Waiting For a Train
15. Frenchy’s String Band - Texas and Pacific Blues
16. Dallas String Band with Coley Jones - So Tired
17. Joe Turner and His Memphis Men - Freeze and Melt
18. Ed Lang and His Orchestra - Hot Heels
19. Sonny Greer and His Memphis Men - Beggar’s Blues
20. Taylor-Griggs Louisiana Melody Makers - Where the Sweet Magnolias Bloom
21. L’Orchestre Antillais - En Sens Unique S.V.P.
22. Walter Page and His Original Blue Devils - Squabblin’
23. Jones and Collins Astoria Hot Eight - Duet Stomp
24. Luis Russell and His Orchestra - Poor Li’l Me
25. Luis Russell and His Orchestra - Panama
26. Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra - Chinatown, My Chinatown
CD 2 (1931-1941)
1. Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra - Chances Are
2. Wilmoth Houdini - Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie and Rat
3. Lionel Belasco and His Orchestra - Depression-Paseo
4. Harlem Hot Shots - Who’s Sorry Now?
5. New Orleans Feetwarmers - Shag
6. Eddie South and His Orchestra - My! Oh, My!
7. Dicky Wells’ Shim Shammers - Baby Are You Satisfied
8. Prairie Ramblers - Tex’s Dance
9. Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies - Brownie’s Stomp
10. Henry Allen and His Orchestra - Rug Cutter Swing
11. Eva Taylor and Her Boy Friends - The Stuff Is Here and It’s Mellow
12. Andy Iona and His Islanders - Ta-hu-wa-hu-wa-i (A Hawaiian War Song)
13. The Spirits of Rhythm - Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes
14. Candy and Coco - Bugle Call Rag
15. Carl Martin - Good Morning, Judge
16. State Street Boys - The Dozen
17. Washboard Sam - Don’t ‘low
18. Lil Johnson - Rug Cutter’s Function
19. Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseeans - Yes Sir, That’s My Baby
20. Don Albert and His Orchestra - Deep Blue Melody
21. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - White Heat
22. The Crystal Springs Ramblers - Tired of Me
23. Kansas City Six - Pagin’ the Devil
24. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - Liza, Pull Down the Shades
25. Cab Calloway and His Orchestra - Pluckin’ the Bass
26. Jelly-Roll Morton’s New Orleans Jazzmen - Climax Rag (take 1)
27. Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra - Sepia Panorama
CD 3 (Bill Johnson)
1. Dixie Four - Kentucky Stomp
2. Dixie Four - Saint Louis Man
3. State Street Ramblers - Endurance Stomp
4. State Street Ramblers - Tuxedo Stomp
5. State Street Ramblers - Brown Skin Mama
6. State Street Ramblers - St. Louis Nightmare
7. State Street Ramblers - Tell Me Cutie
8. State Street Ramblers - Some Day You’ll Know
9. Junie C. Cobb and His Grains Of Corn - Endurance Stomp (take A)
10. The Midnight Rounders - Shake Your Shimmy
11. The Midnight Rounders - Bull Fiddle Rag (take A)
12. Junie C. Cobb and His Grains of Corn - Shake That Jelly Roll
13. Junie C. Cobb and His Grains of Corn - Don’t Cry, Honey
14. “Banjo” Ikey Robinson and His Bull Fiddle Band - My Four Reasons
15. Rev. D.C. Rice and His Sanctified Congregation - He’s Got His Eyes on You
16. Rev. D.C. Rice and His Sanctified Congregation - I’m In the Battlefield for My Lord
17. Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers - She’s Coming ‘Round the Mountain
18. Rev. D.C. Rice and His Sanctified Congregation - I’m Pressing On
19. Rev. D.C. Rice and His Sanctified Congregation - No Night There
20. Chippie Hill - I Ain’t Gonna Do It No More
21. Chippie Hill - Pratt City Blues
22. Bill Johnson’s Louisiana Jug Band - Get the “L” On Down the Road
23. Bill Johnson’s Louisiana Jug Band - Don’t Drink It In Here
24. Tampa Red’s Hokum Jug Band - I Wonder Where My Easy Rider’s Gone
25. Tampa Red’s Hokum Jug Band - Come On Mama Do That Dance
26. The Midnight Rounders - Bull Fiddle Rag (take B)
