Black Ace – I Am The Boss Card In Your Hand – Arhoolie CD 374

This 1992 23-track collection (re-release) by Black Ace (i.e. B.K. Turner), six of which were recorded in Chicago, Illinois in February, 1937, with the remainder recorded in Ft. Worth Texas in August and September, 1960, paints a vivid portrait of a Texas blues artist with a melodic vocal presentation and an incredibly exceptional slide guitar design.

Black Ace played the National resonator guitar as it was rested across his knees using a slide, creating what previous music critics called a “Hawaii meets the Delta” flair.  Indeed, there can be in listening to his blues hints of that sweet Hawaiian guitar sound melded with his deep South blues sensibilities.

Black Ace’s vocals are clear and concise, with articulation crisp, cueing a slight falsetto at the end of his sung lines.  Back Ace’s ability to convey the messages in his songs is ever convincing.

This superb compilation again brings home the point that brilliant blues must continuously be hunted down by any true fan of the music, as there are multitudes of blues artists whose music is top-tier, yet generally unknown.  That search and discovery makes for a continually fulfilling blues quest; even this highly seasoned blues collector revives his collecting passion via new discoveries even after all these years.  That excitement is certainly to found here for the Black Ace uninitiated.

Below are the running tracks of this essential CD.  This needs to be in any serious blues collection!

Song Titles

• I Am The Black Ace
• Bad Times Stomp
• Drink On, Little Girl
• Sante Fe Blues
• New Triflin’ Woman
• Evil Woman Blues
• ‘Fore Day Creep
• Little Augie
• Your Leg’s Too Little
• No Good Woman
• Santa Claus Blues
• Golden Slipper
• Hitchhiking Woman
• Ace’s Guitar Blues
• Beer Drinking Woman
• Ace’s Guitar Breakdown
• I’ve Been In Love With You, Baby
• Trifling Woman
• Black Ace
• You Gonna Need My Help Someday
• Whiskey And Women
• Christmas Time Blues
• Lowing Heifer