LATEST ADDITIONS  01/12/2013


IMPORTANT NOTE: We currently do not have a shopping cart. The company who handled our cart has gone out of business. However we are still handling orders and are keeping our web site up to date with new releases. You may place your orders by email (roots@toast.net), phone (toll free in USA 1-888-ROOTS-66, Elsewhere: 510-965-9503) or by mail P.O. Box 837, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA


BOOK


THE JAZZ SCENE  by W. Royal Stokes ● BOOK $22.98 $13.98
Hardbound, 261 pages, counts as six CDs for shipping
A wide ranging survey of a century of jazz based heavilly on quotations from interviews with hundreds of musicians linked together into a compelling narrative.


DVDS


IKE & TINA TURNER MVD Visual 5276 On The Road 1971-1972 ● DVD $19.98
81 mins, black & white and color, disappointing
In the early 1970s rock photographer Bob Gruen and his wife Nancy toured with Ike & Tina, filming them on the road and behind the scenes. This footage is now being made available for the first time. In addition to live performances from Ike & Tina and the band there is also footage of them at home, backstage, rehearsing and on the road. There are some great live performances of songs like River Deep Mountain High/ Gulf Coast Blues/ Heard It Through The Grapevine/ You've Got To Get That Feeling/ I Smell Trouble, etc. but in spite of the blurb on the back that refers to Gruen as a "legendary rock photographer" the video and audio quality are merely adequate. Much of the off stage footage is repetitive and boring with the folks standing and walking around doing and saying very little of interest. I think there might have been the makings of a good documentary here in the hands of a first class editor but that is not the case here and the main reason to get this would be for the live performances. (FS)

 

COMPACT DISCS


THE BARRIER BROTHERS B.A.C.M. 398 Bluegrass Classics ● CD $14.98
28 tracks, recommended
The Barrier Brothers were an excellent traditional styled bluegrass group featuring brothers Herman, Earl & Ernest with fiddler Gene Dykes though on most of the recordings here the fiddle player is Benny Martin. Most of the performances here are drawn from LPs issued the Phillips label in the early 60s where they did covers of songs mostly made famous by other bluegrass artists - particularly Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs along with some lesser known items and bluegrass versions of honky tonk country favorites like Gotta Travel On and Smoke Along The Tracks. The performances are excellent with fine lead vocals, excellent harmonies and solid instrumental work but is hard not to make comparisons with the originals and find these versions somewhat lacking. There are also four tracks recorded for the obscure Armoneer label in 1959 with the brothers doing their own songs and these are more rewarding. (FS)

 
THE BLUE SKY BOYS Arhoolie 9063 Presenting The Blue Sky Boys ● CD $9.98
12 tracks, highly recommended
T
he Blue Sky Boys, real names Bill and Earl Bolick, recorded prolifically from the mid-30's well into the 60's with very little change in their style and are revered as one of the all time great country brother duos. This CD reissues recordings original made for Capitol in 1965 and subsequently reissued by the John Edwards Memorial Foundation in 1976. The recordings are full of their sweet lonesome harmonies and their pleasing guitar and mandolin work on traditional ballads, popular, sentimental and sacred songs - Corrine Corrina/ Midnight Special/ Poor Boy/ I Don't Want Your Greenback Dollar/ The Unquiet Grave/ Oh Marry In Time and others. The 30 page booklet that came with the J.E.M.F. LP release is embedded in the CD as a PDF file. (FS)

 
JIMMY DEMPSEY King 6107 Legendar Hall Of Fame Guitarist ● CD $6.98 $4.98
10 instrumental tracks recorded in the 1970s by acclaimed Nashville session guitarist - Rose Garden/ Help Me Make It Through The Night/ Woman Sensuous Woman/ Easy Loving, etc.

 
JACKIE DESHANNON Ace CDCHD 1350 Keep Me In Mind - Complete Liberty & Imperial Singles 3 ● CD $18.98
27 tracks, highly recommended
The third and final collection of DeShannon's A and B-sides cut during her ten year stay a Liberty Records; this batch covers the years 1967 to 1970. The hit during this period was 1969's Put a Little Love in Your Heart, but the gems don't stop there; the quirky Changin' My Mind and Me About You, I Keep Wanting You, and a lovely cover of John Sebastian's Didn't Want to Have to Do It are just the beginning. And Jackie's own songwriting doesn't get lost in the shuffle: Effervescent Blue/ Keep Me in Mind/ Mediterranean Sky, and Nicole are classy affairs. Jackie DeShannon fans will not be disappointed with this last installment in her Liberty Records saga. (GMC)

 
THE GAY FAMILY Gospel Jubilee 1507 God Will Take Care Of You ● CD $16.98
This celebrated gospel singing group from Chicago rose to fame during "the Golden Age of Gospel" (1945-65) and became popular recording artists. The three sisters, Evelyn (alto, piano), Mildred (soprano) and Geraldine (tenor/piano), with their younger brother Donald (tenor) was a multitalented family out of the sanctified church. It was Evelyn, the oldest sister, who developed a skill to work standard Protestant hymns into rhythmically exciting gospel songs. As a youth she had accompanied Mahalia Jackson. While sister Mildred's lyrical soprano was equal to Delois Barrett or Marion Williams, sister Geraldine's executions at the piano rendered her the title, "the Erroll Garner of Gospel". Little brother Donald became a singing pastor at an early age. His fiery preaching and catchy singing is featured on the latter part of the CD. But it is Evelyn's moving, sonorous solo voice that is heard on the majority of the tracks, when she is not harmonizing with her sisters. Gospel Friend Records has selected the Gay Family's most stirring performances, covering the period 1948-1977, from their recordings for major companies like Savoy, Chess/Checker and Peacock/Song Bird, as well as for local labels. Includes 12 page booklet with informative notes by Robert Sacre and full discographical data.

 
CHARLES W. HAMP Take Two 429 A Pioneer Radio Sensation ● CD $15.98
24 tracks, 59 min., recommended
Hamp, who played for royalty and President Woodrow Wilson, was the highest paid radio artist in 1931, and yet he is all but unknown these days. He was a sensation from the late 1920's right through most of the Great Depression, and recorded a series of Rhapsody in Rhythm shows (between the late 1920's and 1937) that were distributed to subscribing radio stations across the country, thanks to the Transco Radio Transcription Company. This release collects 24 of the roughly 150 performances for Transco. Many of the better cuts feature the jazz of the Rhythm Rascals, while several of the other tracks seem devoid of any real emotion or feeling. Hamp's talent may not have been for all times, as much of his charm does not translate across the years. The album is quite interesting nonetheless, and serves as the closest thing to a time machine anyone is likely to find in the next while. (JC)

 
WILLIE KING Rooster Blues 2642 Freedom Creek ● CD $15.98 $10.98
Exciting and original album from Alabama singer/ guitarist King who accompanied by a solid down home band lays down a basic rhythm and sings original songs. The songs have a political message usually dealing with racial inequalities and oppression and sometimes bringing it down to a local level by dealing with the residents of Pickens County, Alabama where he lives. The vocal approach is different with King doing a call and response duet with second vocalist Willie Lee Halbert.

 
CHRISTY MOORE Tara 2002 The Iron Behind The Velvet ● CD $14.98
12 tracks, 52 mins, recommended
CD issue of 1978 album by this brilliant and provocative singer. Includes traditional songs, original songs and songs from writers like Joe Dolan and Ian Campbell. He is accompanied by many fine musicians like Andy Irvine, Barry Moore, Noel Hill, Tony Linane, Gabriel Mckeon and others. (FS)

 
SNOOKY PRYOR Fuel 61605 An Introduction To Snooky Pryor ● CD $16.98 $11.98
18 tracks, 50 mins, essential
We've turned up two copies of this out of print set - so first come, first served. Snooky's playing was transitional between the 40s style of John Lee Sonny Boy Wiliamson and the more urgent intense style of Little Walter. The first 2 tracks on this disc are from rare recordings made in 1947 for the obscure Planet label featuring Snooky accompanied by singer/ guitarist Moody Jones including the wonderful instrumental Boogie which was, in some respects, a precursor to Little Walter's later instrumental efforts. The remaining tracks were recorded for JOB - mostly from the early/ mid 50s along with a couple from the late 50s or early 60s. Accompanying Snooky are outstanding musicians like Moody Jones, Alfred Elkins, Eddie Taylor, Sunnyland Slim, Alfred Wallace and others. Except for the chaotic last session this is post war Chicago blues at its finest with eight tracks not originally issued on singles. Sound quality is excellent and Bill Dahl provides detailed background information. This music should be in the collection of every lover of Chicago blues. (FS)

 
FREDDIE ROULETTE FR 001 Jammin' With Friends ● CD $14.98
10 tracks, 39 min., recommended
San Francisco Bay Area-based Roulette has been applying steel guitar techniques to the blues for a long time now, having recorded with fellow bluesmen Earl Hooker and Charlie Musselwhite, as well as the musically unpredictable guitar slinger Henry Kaiser. His first solo LP came in 1978 when Janus Records released "Sweet Funky Steel," which has apparently never been reissued on CD. His other solo outings include a pair of Hi Horse releases and two more on Tradition and Moderne of some critical acclaim. This 2012 release finds Roulette in comfortable blues territory along side such friends as guitarist Harvey Mandel and Barry Melton, among others. David LaFlamme adds his violin work to Directly From My Heart To You and Funky Chicken. Blues belter Kathi McDonald sings up a storm on It Hurts Me So. Fans of Freddie "Spider" Roulette will surely be satisfied with this most recent outing, as will newcomers with a hankering for some pedal steel magic. (JC)

 
THE SHANNON QUARTET Rivermont 1157 A Little Bit Of Heaven ● CD $15.98
24 tracks, 73 min., recommended
Close harmony male singing was vastly popular in the first two or three decades of the 20th century, and the Shannon Quartet, who sang on radio and on shellac under more names than you'll ever have, was among the most popular. This collection of electric (as opposed to acoustic) recordings made between 1925-1928 offers an explanation why. To modern ears much of the material here is somewhat mild, but many of the performances are flawless examples of the barbershop form, a form the Shannon Quartet helped to pioneer. And while two dozen performances in a row may be a bit much for some, the sound restoration by Bryan Wright is exceptionally fine. And Glenn Robison's booklet notes provide an incredible wealth of information that makes this collection all the more appealing. [Most unfortunate choice of rhymes: "banjos ringing" and "darkies singing," but that's history for you.] (JC)

 
PAUL SIMON & ART GARFUNKEL Jasmine 231 Two Teenagers ● CD $15.98
26 tracks, 59 min., highly recommended
This collection of Simon and Garfunkel's earliest singles recorded together (as Tom & Jerry) and apart (as Jerry Landis and Artie Garr) between 1957-61 should prove fascinating to the folk duo's many fans, as it traces the development of their sound. Sure they start out aping Elvis, just like everyone else. But their admiration for the Everly Brothers is readily apparent on such numbers as Our Song. And sure a lot of Simon's vocals are heavy on the sugar, but his song writing chops come to the fore on Play Me A Sad Song and elsewhere. Somewhat surprisingly, two of the better cuts belong to Garfunkel's 1961 single on the Octavia label: Private World, which he penned, and Forgive Me, both of which sound more like both would sound later. Also included are the Tico And The Triumphs cuts and the The Mystics' All Through The Night, featuring Simon on second tenor; and I Begin featuring Simon on lead. Not quite Wednesday Morning 3 A.M., but at least Monday afternoon around lunchtime. (JC)
ARTIE GARR: Beat Love/ Dream Alone/ Forgive Me/ Private World/ JERRY LANDIS: Anna Belle/ I Wish I Weren’t In Love/ It Means A Lot To Them/ I’m Lonely/ Just A Boy/ Loneliness/ Play Me A Sad Song/ Shy/ The Lipstick On Your Collar/ THE MYSTICS: All Through The Night/ I Begin (To Think Of You)/ TRUE TAYLOR: Teenage Fool/ True Or False/ TICO AND THE TRIUMPHS: I Don’t Believe Them/ Motorcycle/ TOM & JERRY: (Pretty Baby) Don’t Say Goodbye/ Baby Talk/ Dancin’ Wild/ Hey Schoolgirl/ Our Song/ That’s My Story/ Two Teenagers

 
RED SOVINE Ace CDCHD 1357 I'm The Man - A Starday Singles Anthology ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 59 min., highly recommended
The second in Ace's planned Red Sovine trilogy (the first being Red Sovine: Honky Tonks, Truckers & Tears - Ace 1052-$18.98), chronicling the Billboard hits from 1964-80 finds the man behind the instantly identifiable baritone trying his luck on covers as well as a few originals (though not by Sovine). His versions of George Jones' No Money In This Deal/ Why Baby Why/ Color Of The Blues,and Accidentally On Purpose must have cut into the originator's bottom line considerably, so popular were they. Sovine also covers the Delmore Brothers classic Blues Stay Away From Me with satisfying results. His duet with Minnie Pearl (Nobody's Business) is fine, but when he teams up with Lois Williams on the Wayne Raney's Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me (best country song title ever?) the results sparkle. (Any Lois Williams albums out there?) Many of these sides are seeing the light of day for the first time in the U.K., and Ace does its usual high quality production all around. (JC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1351 The Ace (USA) Story, Volume 5 ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Another great collection of R&B, blues and rock 'n' roll from the catalog of Johnny Vincent's Ace label and subsidiaries. Like previous volumes this is essentially and expanded version of an LP originally issued in the 1980s though in this case one track had to be dropped from the original album for contractual reasons but the nine bonus cuts make up for it. Several tracks were not originally issued and a number here are making their first appearance on CD. New Orleans is heavily represented with three tracks by the great Huey "Piano" Smith & THe Clowns including their original version of Sea Cruise with Huey & Jerry duetting. Johnny Vincent though the song was ideal for new white artist Frankie Ford and took the backing track and dubbed Ford's vocal on it with great success and resulting in Huey leaving the label. Other New Orleans artists featured include Alvin "Red" TYler, Earl King, Big Boy, Eddie Bo, Lee Dorsey and Sugar Boy Crawford - the latter with an originally unissued version of Jockomo. The great Texas bluesman Frankie Lee Sims is here with both sides of his Vin single and we have some swamp pop from Johnny Fairchild, Elton Anderson and Jimmy Clanton and the disc ends with rocker Jimmy Lee Fautheree with a version of Baby, It's Love from 1958 - a song written by Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery and recorded as a demo that didn't appear for many years. Sound quality is superb and the 12 page booklet has detailed notes from Tony Rounce. (FS)
JESSE ALLEN: Baby Say You Will/ ELTON ANDERSON: Roll On Train/ Shed So Many Tears/ JOHNNY ANGEL: Baby It's Love/ EDDIE BO: Roll 'Em Back/ CHARLES BROWN: Love's Like A River/ JIMMY CLANTON: What Am I Living For/ You Aim To Please/ SUGAR BOY CRAWFORD WITH MAC REBENNACK'S ORCHESTRA: Jockomo/ LEE DORSEY: Rock/ JOHNNY FAIRCHILD: Well I Never Get Tired/ HUEY AND JERRY: Sea Cruise/ EARL KING: Packing Up/ BIG BOY MYLES: Who Can I Turn To/ RONNIE AND THE DELINQUENTS: Keeps Dragging Me On/ ALBERT SCOTT: Hey Hey Baby Come Home/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: She Likes To Boogie Real Low (A.K.A. Blue Light Boogie)/ Well Goodbye Baby/ HUEY "PIANO" SMITH AND HIS CLOWNS (VOCAL: DANNY WHITE: Educated Fool/ HUEY "PIANO" SMITH AND HIS CLOWNS: If It Ain't One Thing It's Another/ CALVIN SPEARS: Doing The Rock And Roll/ ALVIN "RED" TYLER AND THE GYROS: Classy Lassie/ BOBBY WEBB: Somebody Else Is Taking My Place/ BOBBY WOODS: Love Is My Business

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1350 Rolling With The Punches - The Allen Toussaint Songbook ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Ok y'all, in the past we've made available for your entertainment several collections of immortal New Orleans producer/songwriter/performer Allen Toussaint's body of work ("Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", Charly 624 - $17.98; "The Complete 'Tousan Sessions", Bear Family 15641 - $21.98) that focused on his 50's/60's golden era; now comes the latest installment in Ace's Songwriter series, which means to put the spotlight on Toussaint's songwriting prowess. Unlike the Charly set, this compilation puts equal emphasis on the rock and pop recordings of his work along with the Crescent City R&B we've come to expect. The result is some familiar and not-so familiar recordings that are a delight to hear. Among the familiar are the Pointer Sisters' sassy 1973 reworking of Yes We Can Can, which was a sizable hit in its day; Glen Campbell's even bigger hit cover of Southern Nights from 1975; and Robert Palmer's appropriately New Orleans soaked version of Sneakin' Sally Thru the Alley from 1974. The not-so-familiar, but still great, includes Hercules by Boz Scaggs, Shoo-Rah from Frankie Miller, and best of all, the late, great Lowell George giving his all on What Do You Want the Girl to Do. Throw in superb R&B performances like Solomon Burke on Get Out of My Life Woman, Ernie K-Doe on Here Come the Girls, and Millie Jackson getting down on I'll Be Rolling (With the Punches), and you have a collection that not only provides some excellent music, it also proves that Toussaint is/was a true master at his craft. (GMC)
SOLOMON BURKE: Get Out Of My Life Woman/ GLEN CAMPBELL: Southern Nights/ DON COVAY: Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)/ LEE DORSEY: Holy Cow/ Occapella/ LOWELL GEORGE: What Do You Want The Girl To Do/ Z.Z. HILL: Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)/ MILLIE JACKSON: I'll Be Rolling (With The Punches)/ THE JUDDS: Working In The Coal Mine/ ERNIE K-DOE: Here Come The Girls/ BILL MEDLEY: Freedom For The Stallion/ THE METERS: Ride Your Pony/ FRANKIE MILLER: Shoorah/ MARIA MULDAUR: Brickyard Blues (Play Somethin' Sweet)/ AARON NEVILLE: Let's Live/ ROBERT PALMER: Sneakin' Sally Thru' The Alley/ THE POINTER SISTERS: Yes We Can Can/ BONNIE RAITT: What Is Success/ THE RHINE OAKS: Tampin'/ BOZ SCAGGS: Hercules/ BENNY SPELLMAN: Fortune Teller/ IRMA THOMAS: Sweet Touch Of Love/ ALLEN TOUSSAINT: Soul Sister/ WARREN ZEVON: A Certain Girl

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 540 They All Played For Us - Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration ● CD $54.98
2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the birth of Arhoolie Records - one of the leading roots music labels in the world and one that has steadfastly worked at making people aware of the great diversity of vernacular music throughout the USA and, in so doing, has helped to popularize music that might otherwise have been confined to local communities. To celebrate the occasion and to help raise funds for The Arhoolie Foundation a series of concerts were held in the Bay Area in early 2011 featuring artists that have recorded for Arhoolie or whose lives and music were touched by Chris Strachwitz's vision. This incredible 192 page hard cover book with four CDs documents that occasion in grand style. The four CDs feature 70 tracks with performances by Santiago Jimenez Jr., Ry Cooder, David Doucet, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, The Goodtime Washboard 3, Barbara Dane accompanied by Bob Mielke's All Stars, The Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, The Treme Brass Band, Country Joe MacDonald, Los Cenzontles, Taj Mahal and many more. The book features more than 200 superb full color photos of the event by Mike Melnyk along with text with biographies of the performers and articles from many of the performers describing what Arhoolie means to them and the impact it has has had on their lives and music. Because of its size this set counts as 18 regular CDs for shipping purposes.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 541 Cajun Honky Tonk - The Khoury Recordings, Vol. 2 ● CD $19.98
27 tracks, 73 min, essential
Complementing Arhoolie 427 ("Cajun Honky Tonk - The Khoury Recordings" - $12.98) and Arhoolie 373 (Nathan Abshire & The Pine Grove Blues - "French Blues" - $12.98) this is another fantastic collection of seminal Cajun honky-tonk tunes from the golden age of the Cajun dancehalls. In the early 50s, Cajuns revived a fierce pride in their culture and music, fueled by such boisterous songs as Jole Blon & Pinegrove Blues. George Khoury, a Turkish businessman, was in the right place at the right time, owning a record store and juke box distribution business in Lake Charles, one of the busiest towns in Cajun country. As he recorded and sold 78s, local musicians came to be recorded and help augment and advertise their flourishing club work, up to 8 dances a week. The recordings here cut between 1949 and 1956 are as raw and down home as it gets with such legendary performers as accordionists Lawrence "Blackie" Fruge, Nathan Abshire, Lawrence Walker and their bands and fiddler Cleveland Crochet and his band along with lesser known but equally worthy performers such as Jimmy Choates & The Melody Boys, Vincent & Cagley, Shuk Richard & The La La Aces (featuring legendary vocalist Marie Falcon) and others. In addition to accordion and fiddle many tracks feature the soaring sounds of the steel guitar from such great musicians as Jay Stutes, Pee Wee Lyons, Atlas Fruge and others. A glorious selection of waltzes, two-steps, blues and a Cajun rhumba from Nathan Abshire. Sound quality from these incredibly rare 78s is superb and the CD is packaged in a CD sized 88 page hardback book with extensive notes by Dave Sax, rare photos and full discographical data. Cajun music doesn't get much better than this! Counts as two regular CDs for shipping. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Documents 600023 Rock-A-Billy Rave ● CD $24.98
10 CDs, 200 tracks, highly recommended
Another of those great low priced box sets from Documents Records in Germany and this one is another collection of rockabilly from the mid/ late 50s with an emphasis of some of the more obscure recordings. If you have a lot of rockabilly reissues then you probably have evrything here but, if not, there is a lot of great rockabilly here. Disc 1 starts off with David Houston's Sugar Sweet from 1956 which is a hot rockabilly version of a blues giant's Muddy Waters' song of the previous year! Among the other artists are Dave Rich, Ted Harris, Jackie Lee Cochran, Dub Dickerson, Mel Robbins, Billy Barrix, Mac Vickery, Sammy Masters, John & Jackie, The Paris Brothers, Dusty Rose, Bobby Lee TRammelll and many others. Sound quality is excellent. As usual there are no notes but the music speaks for itself! (FS)
JERRY ADAMS: Old Black Joe/ THE ALCONS: Black Jack/ BILL ALLEN: Please Give Me Something/ BILLY BARRIX: Almost/ Cool Off Baby/ BOLEAN BARRY: Long Sideburns/ CARL BELEW: Cool Gator Shoes/ JOHNNY BELL: Flip, Flop and Fly/ THE BERRY KIDS: Go, Go, Go Right Into Town/ Rootie Tootie/ You're My Teenage Baby/ BILLY THE KID: Apron Strings/ JOEY BISCOE: You Lovin' Doll/ THELMA BLACKMON: I Wanta Waltz/ BOB & LUCILLE: Eeny Meeny Miney Moe/ BOBBY & THE DEMONS: The Woo/ EDDIE BOND: Flip Flop Mama/ Slip Slip Slippin' In/ SKEETER BONN: Rock-A-Bye-Baby/ CHARLIE BOP TRIO: Mister Big Feet/ THE BROTHERS: Lazy Susan/ GENE BROWN: Big Door/ LEW BURDETTE: Mary Lou/ DORSEY BURNETTE: Let's Fall in Love/ CECIL CAMPBELL: Rock and Roll Fever/ STEVE CARL: Curfew/ JOHNNY CARROLL: Corrine Corrina/ Crazy, Crazy Lovin'/ NAN CASTLE: Star Light, Star Bright/ CHARLEY & JUNIOR: Cuddle Lovin' Baby/ THE CHAVIS BROTHERS: Baby Don't Leave Me/ SANFORD CLARK: Lonesome for a Letter/ JACK CLEMENT: Whole Lotta Lookin'/ CLIFFY & JERRY: Go To Sleep Little Suzie/ JACKIE LEE COCHRAN: Mama Don't You Think I Know/ Ruby Pearl/ AL COKER: Don't Go Baby/ ALVADEAN COKER: We're Gonna Bop/ THE COLLINS KIDS: I'm In My Teens/ Just Because/ Whistle Bait/ KEITH COURVALE: Trapped Love/ THE CREEL SISTERS: Stop the Clock Rock/ SIMON CRUM (FERLIN HUSKEY): Bop Cat Bop/ PAT CUPP: Long Gone Daddy/ MAC CURTIS: Half Hearted Love/ JEFF DANIELS: Daddy-O-Rock/ PAUL DAVIS: Big Money/ RONNIE DEE: Action Packed/ LEE DENSON: New Shoes/ BOB DENTON: Playboy/ Skinny Minnie/ ARNIE DERKSEN: She Wanna Rock/ JACKIE DESHANNON: Trouble/ LARRY DIAMOND: True Love Come My Way/ DUB DICKERSON: My Gal Gertie/ ARLIE DUFF: Alligator Come Across/ BERNIE EARLY: Your Kisses Kill Me/ JOHNNY FALLIN: Party Kiss/ THE FARMER BOYS: My Baby Done Left Me/ DERRELL FELTS: It's a Great Big Day/ PAT FERGUSON: Fool I Am/ PAT FLOWERS: Rock-Sock the Boogie/ EDDIE FONTAINE: Cool It Baby/ Don't Ya Know/ Nothin' Shakin'/ One and Only/ JOHNNY FULLER: All Night Long/ BOB GALLION: Baby Love Me/ My Square Dancin' Mama/ MICKEY GILLEY: Come On Baby/ DICK GLASSER: Catty Town/ Crazy Love/ LOU GRAHAM: Wee Willie Brown/ BILLY GRAY: Tennessee Toddy/ BUCK GRIFFIN: Stutterin' Papa/ ROY HALL: All By Myself/ Don't Stop Now/ Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' on/ WAYNE HANDY: Betcha Didn't Know/ I Think You Oughta Look Again/ RON HARGRAVE: Latch On/ BILLY HARLAN: School House Rock/ TED HARRIS: Just Thought I'd Set You Straight/ ROBERT LUKE HARSHMAN: Stop Talkin', Start Lovin'/ JIMMY HEAP: Go Ahead On/ Sebbin' Come Elebbin/ BOBBY HELMS: Tennessee Rock and Roll/ DWAYNE HICKMAN: School Dance/ JOHNNY HORTON & BILLY BARTON: Bawlin' Baby/ DAVID HOUSTON: Sugar Sweet/ FERLIN HUSKEY: Slow Down Brother/ AUTRY INMAN: Dream Boat/ It Would Be a Doggone Lie/ Mary Nell/ RUSTY ISABELL: Firewater/ Mexicali Baby/ THE JET-TONES: Jet Tone Boogie/ JIMMY & JOHNNY: Sweet Love On My Mind/ JOHN & JACKIE: Little Girl/ HOYT JOHNSON: Little Boy Blue/ KAY CEE JONES: Johnny, Johnny, Johnny/ LOU JOSIE: Breezin' Out/ Why Did You Leave Me/ JACK KING: I Just Learned To Rock/ DAVE KIPP: No Sweet Baby/ BAKER KNIGHT: Bring My Cadillac Back/ Just Relax/ THE LANE BROTHERS: Little Brother/ Uh Uh Honey/ ROC LARUE: Baby Take Me Back/ JIMMY LEE & WAYNE WALKER: Love Me/ THE LEGARDE TWINS: Roll, Rock'n Roll That Hula Hoop/ JOEY LONG: Lealla/ KENNY LORAN: I Chickened Out/ BOBBY LORD: Beautiful Baby/ So Doggone Lonesome/ DICK LORY: Ballroom Baby/ THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: Cash On The Barrelhead/ Red Hen Hop/ MATT LUCAS: Put Me Down/ BOB LUMAN: Red Hot/ ROSE MADDOX: My Little Baby/ Wild Wild Young Men/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: The Death of Rock and Roll/ GENE MALTAIS: Crazy Baby/ JANIS MARTIN: Teen Street/ JERRY MASON: Strange Feeling/ SAMMY MASTERS: Pink Cadillac/ Some Like It Hot/ THE MATYS BROTHERS: Crazy Street/ THE MCCOYS: Full-Grown Cat/ EDDIE MILLER: Patty Cake Man/ THE MILLER BROTHERS: Hey Pretty Baby/ BILLY MIZE: Solid Sender/ JOE MONTGOMERY: Planetary Run/ FREDDIE NEIL & FRIEND: Listen Kitten/ TERRY NOLAND: Ten Little Women/ BOBBY NORRIS: I Went Rockin'/ THE PARIS BROTHERS: This is It/ RONNIE PEARSON: Hot Shot/ DICKIE PODOLOR: I Love You Girl/ JOHNNY POWERS: Long Blond Hair, Red Rose Lips/ LEWIS PRUITT: Crazy Bullfrog/ JERRY REED: When I Found You/ THE RHYTHM JESTERS: Rock to the Music/ DAVE RICH: Rosie Let's Get Cozy/ Rosie Let's Get Crazy/ JIM RINGO: I Like This Kind of Music/ MEL ROBBINS: Save It/ CARSON ROBISON: Rockin' and Rollin' with Grandmaw/ THE ROCKIN': Saints Cheat On Me Baby/ MIMI ROMAN: Little Lovin'/ DUSTY ROSE: Hula Rock/ Rockin' Maracas/ CHARLIE RYAN: Hot Rod Lincoln/ DEL SAINT & THE DEVILS: Rock Yea/ FRANK SANDY: Let's Go Rock And Roll/ TOMMY SCOTT & HIS RAMBLERS: Dig Me Little Mama/ Jumpin' from Six to Six/ RONNIE SELF: Petrified/ RAY SHARPE: That's The Way I Feel/ JEAN SHEPARD: He's My Baby/ Jeopardy/ THE SILVA-TONES: Roses are Blooming/ CHUCK SIMS: Little Pigeon/ BOBBY SISCO: Go Go Go/ Tall, Dark and Handsome Man/ CHESTER SMITH: You Gotta Move/ RED SMITH: Whoa Boy/ RED SOVINE: Juke Joint Johnny/ THE SPROUTS: Goodbye She's Gone/ Luscious Lovin' Lucy/ Teen Billy Baby/ ANDY STARR: Rockin' Rollin' Stone/ NIKI SULLIVAN: It's All Over/ RONNIE SUMMERS: Salt and Pepper/ BOBBY SYKES: Touch Of Loving/ TOM TALL: Hot Rod Is Her Name/ Don't You Know/ JOE TATE: I'm Free/ VINCE TAYLOR: Brand New Cadillac/ JOE THERRIEN JR.: Come Back To Me Darling/ Hey Babe, Let's Go Downtown/ Rock-A-Billy Boogie/ You're Long Gone/ BOBBY LEE TRAMMELL: I Shure Do Love You Baby/ JUSTIN TUBB: Rock It On Down To My House/ CONWAY TWITTY: Long Black Train/ KIP TYLER: Rumble Rock/ MAC VICKERY: Goin' Back to St. Louis/ BILLY WALKER: Leavin' on My Mind/ SLIM WILLET: Come Sundown/ MAC WISEMAN: Step It Up and Go/ DANNY WOLFE: Pucker Paint/ ART WOOD: Hey Jibbo/ RUSTY YORK: Sugaree/ THE YORK BROTHERS: Everybody's Tryin' To Be My Baby/ FARON YOUNG: Alone With You/ I Can't Dance

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Frog 79 Stop And Listen! Rare Black Band Recordings, 1923-1930 ● CD $18.98
Just arrived. 24 track selection featuring first time re-issues of alternative takes, test pressings and impossibly rare issues of 1920's black bands featuring both the legends and 'the lost' musicians of classic hot jazz. Includes Tiny Parham & His "Forty" Five, Ted Claire's Snappy Bits Band, Leroy Smith & His Orchestra, Sammy Lewis & His Bamville Syncopaters, Joe Jordan's Ten Sharps & Flats, Dixon & Channey, etc..

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Jasmine 229 Doo Wop Across America - New York & Connecticut ● CD $15.98
2 CD's, 2 hours 20 min., highly recommended
The first in Jasmine Records' series where they gather doo wop groups by geography rather than by label (which sometimes has the same effect, sometimes not), rates high marks if only for providing an excuse to listen to tracks such as Willows' Church Bells May Ring and Baby Tell Me. The first 15 tracks (an album's worth!) belong to various incarnations of The Willows, and the second 15 to The Valentinos. Disc 2 is split between The Nutmegs (one of the finest doo wop outfits on the East Coast) and The Fiestas. The set includes all the hits (regional and otherwise) for each group and plenty more. A successor (?) to the late great and sadly out-of-print Relic Records doo wop series. (JC)
THE FIESTAS: Dollar Bill/ Don't Make Sense/ Good News/ I'm Your Slave/ Last Night I Dreamed/ Look At That Girl/ Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon/ Our Anniversary/ So Fine/ So Nice/ That Was Me/ You Could Be My Girlfriend/ THE FIVE WILLOWS: All Night Long/ Delores/ My Dear Dearest Darling/ Rock Little Francis/ White Cliffs Of Dover/ With These Hands/ TONY MIDDLETON & THE WILLOWS: Let's Fall In Love/ Only My Heart/ Say Yeah/ The First Taste Of Love/ THE NUTMEGS: A Dream Of Love/ A Love So True/ A Story Untold/ Betty Lou/ Comin' Home/ Gift O Gabbin' Women/ Key To The Kingdom/ Make Me Lose My Mind/ My Story/ My Sweet Dream/ Rock Me, Squeeze Me/ Ship Of Love/ Someone Somewhere (Help Me)/ Whispering Sorrows/ THE VALENTINES: Christmas Prayer/ Don't Say Goodnight/ Falling For You/ Hand Me Down Love/ I Love You Darling/ I'll Never Let You Go/ K-I-S-S Me/ Lily Maebelle/ My Story Of Love/ Nature's Creation/ Summer Love/ Tonight Kathleen/ Twenty Minutes/ Why/ Woo Woo Train/ THE WILLOWS: Baby Tell Me/ Church Bells May Ring/ Do You Love Me/ Little Darling/ My Angel

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Jasmine 230 Doo Wop Across America - Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, PA ● CD $15.98
2 CD's, 57 tracks, 2 hours 36 min., highly recommended
The second release is Jasmine Records geographic look at doo wop features The Edsels (whose name probably seemed like a good idea at the time), The El Dorados, The Counts, and The Turbans, all four of whom had at least one major hit (all included here of course) during the golden age of doo wop. The Edsels get 10 cuts, including the biggie Rama Lama Ding Dong and the ballad You Do Love Me, and the rest of Disc 1 shows off the considerable skills of The El Dorados, who were good enough to merit an original LP (with a classic cover) in the 1950s when black vocal groups were usually relegated to the 78 or the 45rpm format. Their At My Front Door, which always ends too soon, is the very idea of cool made vinyl, or in this case, plastic encased aluminum. Indiana's own The Counts get the lion's share of Disc 2, and although they only had one hit (Darling Dear), it's a wonder they didn't have more commercial success. The Turbans take the last dozen sides, their massive hit When You Dance among them. Decent booklet notes too. Can't wait until the Jasmine label tackles the South. Keep 'em coming fellas. (JC)
THE COUNTS: Baby Don't You Know/ Baby I Want You/ Darling Dear/ From This Day On/ Heartbreaker/ Hot Tamales/ I Need You Always/ I Need You Tonight/ Let Me Go Lover/ Love And Understanding/ My Dear My Darling/ Sally Walker/ She Won't Say Yes/ To Our Love/ Wailing Little Mama/ Waiting Round For You/ THE EDSELS: Bells/ Could It Be Me/ Do You Love Me/ Don't Know What To Do/ Let's Go/ My Whispering Heart/ Rama Lama Ding Dong/ Rink-A-Din-Ki-Do/ Three Precious Words/ What Brought Us Together/ THE ELDORADOS: A Fallen Tear/ Annie's Answer/ At My Front Door/ Baby I Need You/ Bim Bam Boom/ Boom Diddie Boom/ Chop Ling Soon/ I Began To Realize/ I'll Be Forever Loving You/ Language Of Love/ Little Miss Love/ Love Of My Own/ My Loving Baby/ Now That You've Gone/ One More Chance/ Rock And Roll's For Me/ She Don't Run Around/ There In The Night/ Three Reasons Why/ THE TURBANS: All Of My Love/ B-I-N-G-O/ Bye And Bye/ Congratulations/ I'll Always Watch Over You/ I'm Nobody's/ It Was A Night Like This/ Let Me Show You (Around My Heart)/ Sister Sooky/ The Wadda-Do/ Valley Of Love/ When You Dance

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY2CD 179 I Put A Spell On You - The OKeh Story ● CD $11.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Another of One Day's quick surveys of a significant label - this time devoted to the OKeh label in the 50s. OKeh was one of the pioneering blues and country labels in the 1920s though by 1951 when it was a subsidiary of Columbia it featured a wide range of music. In 1951 it was decided to devote the label primarily to rhythm and blues and artists in other fields were transferred to Epic or parent label Columbia. This is a fine selection of R&B, blues and doo-wop along with some white rock 'n' roll and rockabilly recorded in the 1950s and includes succesful artists like Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Chuck Willis and Big Maybelle along with fine lesser known performers like Billy Lamont, Laverne Ray & The Raytones, Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, Lois Lee and Hurricane Harry (the original version of My Last Meal later recorded by Jimmy Rogers). Brook Benton made his first recordings for OKeh though it wasn't until he moved to Mercury in 1959 that the hits started flooding in and rock & roller Frankie Tyler is an early recording by Frankie Valley. There are also two superb sides from 1957 by Billy Stewart accompanied by the vocal group The Marquees which featured a young Marvin Gaye among its members. Superb music with excellent sound and brief notes. (FS)
GAR BACON: Marshall, Marshall/ DOC BAGBY: Sylvia's Callin'/ BROOK BENTON: Bring Me Love/ The Kentuckian Song/ BIG MAYBELLE: I've Got a Feelin'/ One Monkey Don't Stop No Show/ The Other Night/ Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/ THE BUDDIES: Castle Of Love/ DAVE "BABY" CORTEZ: Honey Baby/ You Give Me Heebie Jeebies/ THE DOLLS: Please Come Home/ THE EVENTUALS: Charlie Chan/ DERRELL FELTS: It's A Great Big Day/ Lookie Lookie Lookie/ THE FIVE SCAMPS: Red Hot/ PAUL GAYTEN: Cow Cow Blues/ JAY HAWKINS: I Put A Spell On You Screamin'/ SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Frenzy/ Person to Person/ You Made Me Love You/ HURRICANE HARRY: Last Meal/ BIG JOHN & THE BUZZARDS: Oop Shoop/ THE KID & THE PONIES: The Pony/ MARIE KNIGHT: Come Tomorrow/ BILLY LAMONT: Country Boy/ LOIS LEE: I've Got It Bad For You Baby/ LITTLE JOE & THE THRILLERS: Lonesome/ Peanuts/ Please Don't Go/ Run Little Girl/ THE MARQUEES (FEAT. MARVIN GAYE): Wyatt Earp/ LAVERNE RAY & THE RAYTONES: I've Got That Feeling/ THE SCHOOLBOYS: Pearl/ Please Say You Want Me/ JOLLY BOY SHEPARD: You Care/ THE SKEE BROTHERS: 4 Aces Of Love/ That's All She Wrote/ LLOYD "FATMAN" SMITH: Miss Mushmouth/ THE SMOOTHTONES: Don't Keep Our Love Hidden In The Dark/ BILLY STEWART & THE MARQUEES: Baby You're My Only Love/ Billy's Heartache/ SUNNY & THE SUNGLOWS: Golly Gee/ SANDRA THOMPSON: (My Baby Don't Love Me) No More/ THE TROYS: Ding A Ling A Ling/ FRANKIE TYLER: If You Care/ I Go Ape/ CHUCK WILLIS: Charged With Cheatin/ Ring Ding Doo/ Two Spoons of Tears

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY2CD 180 Let The Good Times Roll - The Aladdin Story ● CD $11.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Aladdin Records, founded by brothers Eddie & Leo Mesner in 1945, was among the most important of the independent labels to emerge in the immediate post war era. Concentrating almost exclusively on African-America music it recorded music in every genre - down home blues, jump blues, rhrythm & blues, doo-wop, gospel and jazz and had a great deal of success releasing over 500 singles over a 15 year period and racking up many hits. A two CD set with 50 tracks can only begin to scatch the surface of the labels considerable output but it does a nice job featuring some of the label's biggest hits in both the R&B and pop charts along with a selection of less familiar titles including a couple of it's little known but excellent rockabilly releases though no gospel or jazz are included. Among the artists featured here are Shirley & Lee, Gene & Eunice, Thurston Harris, Aggie Dukes, The Five Keys, Lightnin' Hopkins, THe Sharps, Jesse Belvin, Lowell Fulson, Floyd Dixon, Marvin & Johnny, Charles Brown, The Four Palms, Charles Brown and many others.A superb selection of music with fine sound and brief notes. (FS)
THE ALADDINS: Remember/ LEE ALLEN: Rockin' At Cosmo's/ JEANETTE BAKER (JEANETTE & DECKY): Crazy With You/ JESSE BELVIN: Let Me Dream/ BIP & BOP: Ding Dong Ding/ CHARLES BROWN: Trouble Blues/ THE CHESTNUTS: Wiggle Wiggle/ THE COOKIES: Don't Let Go (Hold Me, Hold Me, Hold Me)/ THE CRAWFORD BROTHERS: I Ain't Guilty/ THE CRYSTALS: I Love My Baby/ THE DAYBREAKERS: Up, Up And Away/ THE DEVILLES: Do Wop/ FLOYD DIXON: Call Operator 210/ Sad Journey Blues/ AGGIE DUKES: John John/ RAY ELLIS & ORCHESTRA: Darling It's Wonderful/ THE FIVE KEYS: Hucklebuck With Jimmy/ The Glory Of Love/ THE FOUR PALMS: Jeanie, Joanie, Shirley, Toni/ LOWELL FULSON: Don't Leave Me Baby/ GENE & EUNICE: Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)/ This Is My Story/ THURSTON HARRIS: Hey Little Girl/ Over And Over/ Little Bitty Pretty One/ THE HEART THROBS: So Glad/ BILLIE HOLIDAY: Blue Turning Grey Over You/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Shotgun Blues/ JIMMY INMAN & THE IMPOLLOS: You Never Realized/ THE JIVERS: Ray Pearl/ JOHN & JACKIE: Little Girl/ LOUIS JORDAN: Dad Gum Ya Hide Boy/ Messy Bessy/ THE LOVERS: Tell Me/ MARVIN & JOHNNY: Smack Smack/ Yak Yak/ AMOS MILBURN: Chicken Shack Boogie/ THE MONITORS: Candy Coated Kisses/ THE ROCKETS: Loch Lomond/ THE SHADES: One Touch Of Heaven/ THE SHARPS: Our Love Is Here To Stay/ SHIRLEY & LEE: Feel So Good/ Let The Good Times Role/ FLIP SLOAN: Little Girl In The Cabin/ THE SQUIRES: Dreamy Eyes/ SUGAR PIE & PEE WEE: One, Two, Let's Rock/ FATSO THEUS & THE FLAIRS: Be Cool My Heart/ BIG 'T' TYLER: King Kong/ THE VELVETONES: The Glory Of Love/ BOBBY WALL: Baby It's Too Much

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Proper BOX 174 Gumbo Ya Ya - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 2 ● CD $26.98
4 CDs, 112 tracks, essential
The Cosimo Matassa Story (Proper Box 129 - on sale - $18.98) has been one of our most popular items, not least because it contains some very great and very essential music. Such a set cried out for a second helping, and, five years later, Proper has delivered another dynamite collection of R&B and rock 'n' roll sides cut in one of Matassa's four New Orleans recording studios. What can one say? This collection does not disappoint: it not only includes artists that got overlooked the first time around (Jessie Hill, Aaron Neville, Frankie Ford, Jimmy Clanton, Paul Gayten, Bobby Marchan, Chris Kenner), it also goes deeper into the catalogs of Little Richard, Fats Domino, Art Neville, Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, Ernie K-Doe, and Lee Dorsey who made the cut last time. Sure, much of this music has been readily available on other various artist collections as well as hits packages by many of the artists in question, but there hasn't been a collection as well compiled and annotated as this one containing this material. If you own volume one, there is no reason on earth why you shouldn't own volume two. (GMC)
JOHNNY ADAMS: I Won't Cry/ LEE ALLEN: Tic Toc/ Walkin With Mr. Lee/ JOE (MR.G) AUGUST: Everything Happens At Night/ JOE BARRY: I'm A Fool To Care/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Four Winds/ Shrimp And Gumbo/ EDDIE BO: I Love To Rock 'N' Roll/ Oh, Oh/ Walk That Walk/ CHARLES BROWN & AMOS MILBURN: Educated Fool/ JERRY BYRNE: Lights Out/ BOBBY CHARLES: Laura Lee/ JIMMY CLANTON: A Letter To An Angel/ Just A Dream/ ROLAND COOK: Hear My Plea/ Tell Me Baby/ SUGAR BOY CRAWFORD: She's Got A Wobble (When She Walks)/ THE DEL-ROYALS: Always Naggin'/ DIAMOND JOE: Moanin' And Screamin' (Pts. 1 & 2)/ ERNIE K. DOE: A Certain Girl/ I Cried My Last Tear/ Mother-In-Law/ Ta-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta/ FATS DOMINO: Be My Guest/ Bo Weevil/ I Can't Go On/ I Want To Walk You Home/ I'm Walkin'/ Let The Four Winds Blow/ My Girl Josephine/ Walking To New Orleans/ When My Dreamboat Comes Home/ Whole Lotta Lovin'/ LEE DORSEY: Do-Re-Mi/ Lottie Mo/ Ya Ya/ FRANKIE FORD: Alimony/ Roberta/ Sea Cruise/ What's Goin' On/ PAUL GAYTEN: Just One More Chance/ Nervous Boogie/ Tired Of Cryin'/ Windy/ BARBARA GEORGE: I Know/ Something You Got/ WILLIE HARPER: New Kind Of Love/ CLARENCE 'FROGMAN' HENRY: But I Do/ Lonely Street/ You Always Hurt The One You Love/ JESSIE HILL: Oogsey Moo/ Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Pts. 1 & 2)/ Whip It On Me/ JOE & ANN: Gee Baby/ JOE JONES: You Talk Too Much/ CHRIS KENNER: I Like It Like That/ Something You Got/ EARL KING: Everybody's Carried Away/ SMILEY LEWIS: Mama Don't Like It/ One Night/ She's Got Me Hook, Line And Sinker/ LITTLE BOOKER: Teenage Rock/ LITTLE RICHARD: All Around The World/ Baby Face/ By The Light Of The Silvery Moon/ Good Golly, Miss Molly/ Jenny, Jenny/ Lucille/ Miss Ann/ Send Me Some Lovin'/ Shake A Hand/ LEE LLEN: Creole Alley/ BOBBY MARCHAN: Chickee-Wah-Wah/ Don't Take Your Love From Me/ Rockin' Behind The Iron Curtain/ BIG BOY MILES: New Orleans/ BOBBY MITCHELL: I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday/ ROY MONTRELL: Mudd/ AARON NEVILLE: Even Though (Reality)/ Let's Live/ Over You/ Show Me The Way/ ART NEVILLE: Arabian Love Call/ Cha Dooky-Doo/ What's Going On/ Zing, Zing/ LLOYD PRICE: Woe Ho Ho/ PROFESSOR LONGHAIR: Go To The Mardi Gras/ MAC REBENNACK: Storm Warning/ TOMMY RIDGLEY: When I Meet My Girl/ SHIRLEY & LEE: Rockin' With The Clock/ THE SHOWMEN: Country Fool/ It Will Stand/ HUEY SMITH & HIS CLOWNS: Would You Believe It (I Have A Cold)/ HUEY 'PIANO' SMITH & HIS CLOWNS: For Crying' Out Loud/ HUEY 'PIANO' SMITH & THE CLOWNS: Don't You Just Know It/ Don't You Know Yockomo/ Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Pt. 2)/ Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Pt.1)/ THE SPIDERS: Witchcraft/ T.V. SLIM: Flatfoot Sam/ JOE TEX: You Little Baby Face Thing/ IRMA THOMAS: Cry On/ It's Too Soon To Know/ THE THREE STOOGES FEATURING FRANKIE FORD & J: Chinese Bandits/ ALLEN TOUSSAINT: Java/ ALVIN 'RED' TYLER: Snake Eyes/ Junk Village/ Peanut Vendor/ CHARLES 'HUNGRY' WILLIAMS: Darling/ CHARLES 'HUNGRY' WILLIANS: So Worried

 
THE WASHINGTONIANS Frog 78 Rare And Early Duke Ellington Sessions, 1924-1928 ● CD $18.98
Just arrived . Duke Ellington's earliest and rarest titles in one set demonstrating how Ellington's genius evolved through the hot jazz & swinging dance band traditions of the 1920s.Includes Choo Choo (Gotta Hurry Home)/ Trombone Blues/ (You've Got Those) Wanna-Go-Back-Again Blues/ Lil Farina/ Immigration Blues/ New Orleans Low Down/ Black An Tan Fantasy/ Doing The Frog, etc.

 
KITTY WELLS TVT 3631 Double Pak ● CD $15.98
2 CD's, 40 tracks, 1 hour 46 min., fans only
The clues are there. The brief booklet notes speak of 40 incredible songs including her biggest hits but say nothing of recording dates. The label is Gusto/King which probably does not own the rights to Wells' Decca material. One of the albums covers on this twofer boasts "As seen on TV." One listen confirms that these are latter-day remakes and not the original recordings of Kitty Wells' greatest hits. The pace of the songs tends to be slower, the classic voice a bit older, the production poorer. Having said that, it's still the late great Kitty Wells, and these versions aren't bad. For fans who want to hear it all, this may be a worthwhile addition to their Kitty Wells collection. Those who want a greatest hits package of original recordings should listen elsewhere. (JC)

 
BIG JOE WILLIAMS Not Now 470 The Essential Big Joe Williams ● CD $9.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
A superb introduction to the great country bluesman Joe Lee "Big Joe" Williams. Big Joe Williamson was a remarkable performer in many ways - unlike many of the country blues singers rediscovered by blues enthusiasts in the 60s, Joe had never retired from music or recordings. Starting with his first recordings in 1935 he was a regular visitor to the recording studio up until shortly before his death in 1982 at the age of 79. He was a brilliant performer with a unique style partly due to the frequent use of a 9 string guitar, a creation he put together from parts of regular guitars. His material was a mixture of traditional songs, original songs and improvised combinations of traditional blues verses. A number of his songs have become blues standards - most notably Baby Please Don't Go - song that has been recorded more than 1,000 times since Joe first recorded it in 1935. The version featured here comes from a 1947 session featuring Joe accompanied by his good friend - the great singer and harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson. The recordings here cover the period 1935 and 1961 and includes versions of many of the songs that would become his trademark and he would record on numerous occasions like Crawlin' Kingsnake/ Highway 49/ Sloppy Drunk Blues/ Stack Of Dollars/ Don't You Leave Me Here, etc. About half the tracks feature Joe solo while the rest feature him with various accompaniments ranging from the string bass of Ransom Knowling to small groups producing a sound that falls into the mainstream of postwar Chicago blues. While the lack of discographical info (apart from dates) and the cursory notes are unfortunate this provides a nice inexpensive introduction to a great artist. (FS)
BIG JOE WILLIAMS: 45 Blues/ Arkansas Woman/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Bad Heart Blues/ Banta Rooster Blues/ Blues Left Texas/ Break 'Em On Down/ Crawlin' King Snake/ Delta Blues/ Don't You Leave Me Here/ Down In The Bottom/ Drop Down Blues/ Drop Down Mama/ Four Corners Of The World/ Goin' Back/ Greystone Blues/ Haunted House Blues/ Highway 49/ I Done Stop Hollering/ I Got A Bad Mind/ I Got The Best King Biscuit/ I'm Getting Wild About Her/ Indiana Woman Blues/ Jiving The Blues/ Juanita/ Jump, Baby, Jump!/ King Biscuit Stomp/ Long Tall Woman, Skinny Mama Too/ Mama Don't Allow Me/ Mellow Apples/ Mellow Peaches/ My Baby Keeps Hanging Around/ No More Whiskey/ No.13 Highway/ Overhaul Your Machine/ Overhauling Blues/ P Vine Blues/ Peach Orchard Mama/ Poor Beggar/ Shetland Pony Blues/ Sloppy Drunk Blues/ Somebody's Been Borrowing That Stuff/ Somebody's Been Worryin'/ Someday Baby/ Stack Of Dollars/ That Thing's In Town/ Throw A Boogie Woogie/ Tijuana Blues/ Walk On, Little Girl/ Yo Yo Blues

 
SKEETS YANEY B.A.C.M. 396 Hello Trouble & Other Great Numbers ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, recommended
Though he was never a big star Clyde Alexander "Skeets" Yaney was a popular performer thanks to his lengthy stay at radio station KMOX in St. Louis. Yaney was an engaging singer from Indiana who started his musical career in the 1930s and was National Yodeling Champion seven times. The tracks here were recorded between 1947 for a number of different labels and the early sides find him accompanied by his band The Ozark Champions whose personnel are unknown but are excellent with some particularly nice fiddling. Later sides find him with Nashville studio musicians like Chet Atkins, Jerry Byrd, Don Helms and others. Songs featured include When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again/ I'll Get Along Somehow/ You Can't Keep The Tears Out Of My Eyes/ Before You Break My Heart/ Hello Trouble/ Meet Me In The Chapel, etc. Most of the rest of Yaney's recordings can be heard on Cattle 304 "Train Track Shuffle" ($18.98). (FS)
SKEETS YANEY: After I'm Gone/ All The World Is Lonely Now/ Apple Of My Eye/ Before You Break My Heart/ Darling What Is Life Without Love/ Don't You Tell A Soul/ End Of The World/ Faded Cactus Blossoms/ Hello Trouble/ I Saw You Cheatin' Last Night/ I Was Never Nearer Heaven In My Life/ I'll Get Along Somehow/ If It Was A Teardrop/ If You Don't Love Me (Please Leave Me Alone)/ Just What You Want Me To Do/ Meet Me In The Chapel/ Never Can Be/ Ordinary/ Play Me That Old Song Again/ The Love I Threw Away/ Under The Light Of Western Stars/ We'll Keep 'Em Flying/ When I Lost You/ When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again/ You Can't Keep The Tears Out Of My Eyes

 

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